HOME OF GUIDING HANDS 42ND ANNUAL GALA ON JUNE 11 AIMS TO RAISE $100,000
Proceeds to benefit local individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities East County News Service May 19, 2016 (El Cajon) — Home of Guiding Hands (HGH), a nonprofit based in El Cajon committed to providing support to local individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, will host its “Cabaret Rouge” Gala on Saturday, June 11, 2016 from 5:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at The US Grant Hotel in Downtown San Diego. All proceeds from the event will directly benefit more than 1,500 infants, adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as current Home of Guiding Hands programs and services in San Diego and Imperial Counties: residential homes, community living, early childhood development, respite, life planning and more. Registration is currently open and tickets can be purchased via www.hghgala.org. Photo, right: Chris Hinman and Mark Klaus at last year’s HGH gala “The gala is our largest fundraiser of the year to help raise critical funds for those we serve and this evening wouldn’t be possible without the ongoing support from our loyal sponsors, donors, board members and hardworking committee,” said Mark Klaus, president and CEO, Home of Guiding Hands. “The proceeds from this annual event not only allow us to continue the important work we do to help the individuals we support, but also provides an opportunity to raise awareness for a community that is often overlooked when it comes to charitable giving.” This year’s gala, “Cabaret Rouge,” takes guests on a spectacular journey back to the Parisian nightclub and birthplace of the modern form of the can-can dance and cabarets. From live street artists, themed hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, to a three course dinner, silent auction and more, the event will provide all the elegant glamour of an evening in Paris. Live entertainment will be provided by The Mighty Untouchables and casino gambling tables will also add to the fun festivities. Available auction items attendees will be able to bid on are: Calistoga Wine Country – Three to five night stay in a one-bedroom studio cottage with one bathroom, includes living room with full kitchen. Complete with Sterling Winery Tour and Aerial Tram Fire House Dinner for 8 – Firefighters will cook dinner for the winners, give a tour of the fire house and give bomb squad tactical demonstrations. Big Island Get Away – One week stay for up to 8 at Mauna Lani Resort on Hawaii’s Big Island Ladies Night Out – Overnight stay and dinner at the US Grant Hotel with champagne toast upon arrival, hair and make-up artists and pampering for the evening, mini photo session and cocktails at the exclusive University Club atop Symphony Towers. A Trip to Bucerias, Puerto Vallarta – Eight days with access to full staff, including personal chef, waiter, bartender and daily maid service. A special evening program will highlight the service and contributions of Jim and Jean O’Grady, two longtime supporters of Home of Guiding Hands, who have dedicated nearly a decade to the organization. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet-and-greet with this philanthropic couple and learn more about how their support has enhanced the organization’s mission. Attendees will also have opportunities to meet with some of the individuals Home of Guiding Hands supports, including success stories from the following programs: early childhood development, community living, adult family home and residential services. Photo, left: Victorian ladies from last year’s HGH gala For nearly 50 years, Home of Guiding Hands has encouraged people – infants, children, adolescents and adults – with intellectual and developmental disabilities to thrive in a setting that offers a more fulfilling lifestyle, provides individualized attention, stresses increased opportunities for self-sufficiency, and inspires greater community integration and access. To reach as many individuals of this underserved population as possible, the organization offers several life skills training programs to the local community, which requires hundreds of thousands of direct care hours annually to support this population. Gala event co-chairs include HGH board president Mary Miller and board of governors member, Irene Stone. Major sponsors include: Aguirre & Associates, Avista Technologies Inc., Barona Resort & Casino, Cal Bank & Trust, CBIZ MHM, LLC, Delsen & Company, LLP, Dowling & Yanhke, Inland Pacific Commercial Properties, Offmyrecord.com, Pioneer Healthcare Services, Quick Dry Flood Services, San Diego Special Needs Law Center, Scatena Daniels, Superior Care Pharmacy, Sycuan Casino, The Bill & Norma Verbeck Foundation, The Bloom Family Foundation, The Heramb Charitable Foundation, Torrey Pines Bank and Union Bank.
NEW WATER FILTRATION PRODUCT WOULD SAVE LIVES IN EMERGENCIES WITH SAFE WATER
East County News Service May 19, 2016 (San Diego) — Sagan Industries LLC, a San Diego manufacturer and distributor of consumer water filtration products, has launched its newest product, the Sagan AquaBrick™ Water Filtration System, the company announced. “The AquaBrick is perfect for outdoor and recreational adventures, emergency preparedness and humanitarian aid,” “said Rick Muir, CEO, Sagan Industries. “We feel honored and privileged to play a part in maintaining the health of people everywhere.” Designed to provide safe water for drinking anytime, anywhere, Muir said the AquaBrick can deliver up to 1.9 gallons per minute of safe, filtered water from any non-salt water source. It is simple to use the pressurized system at home, on recreational outings or in the case of a water emergency, he said. The Sagan AquaBrick system consists of a unique three-gallon, rectangular plastic container made of lightweight, high-density polyethylene that can withstand temperatures of up to 230 degrees Fahrenheit. The bright, blue-colored AquaBrick container is formed with grooves and handles to transport and interlocking with other AquaBrick containers. The beneficial uses of the airtight and UV-resistant container are numerous, including water and food storage. The containers can keep items dry for camping, hunting, fishing, picnics, boating, kayaking and for use as an emergency kit. The AquaBrick container also is great for storing anything which needs to be kept in a safe, water proof, rodent-proof container. Also included as part of the Sagan AquaBrick system is the Sagan DuraFlo™ Filter, which has been tested by an independent laboratory and certified to exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Water Quality Standard for removal of 99.9999 percent of bacteria and 99.99 percent of virus and 99.99 percent of two common water-borne, microscopic parasites called giardia and cryptosporidium, which are frequent causes of intestinal illnesses, for up to 550 gallons. “One of the greatest advantages of the AquaBrick Water Filtration System is it can be used to filter 500 gallons of residential pool water for safe drinking in case of an emergency,” said Muir. “Many Californians may need to rely upon their pool water as their only source of water in a disaster situation, such as an earthquake.” Muir said it’s taken three years of research and development, including testing of scores of prototype filters. “Our goal with this product line has been to make the unthinkable drinkable, which is now become a reality,” he said. “At Sagan Industries, we are committed to providing clean, pure healthy drinking water to everyone for everyday use in outdoor living, including camping, hiking, outdoor adventures and in case of emergency and survival.” Muir also said the Sagan AquaBrick Water Filtration system is available through several wholesale and retail distribution channels. Retailers represent several niche markets, including outdoor, sporting goods, hardware and warehouse stores. Sagan Industries LLC, in business since 2013, said it is planning to introduce several unique water filtration products in the coming year. For more information, visit www.SaganFilters.com.
DEATH PENALTY MEASURES MAY BE ON BALLOT
By Miriam Raftery Photo: Mike Farrell was interviewed by ECM editor Miriam Raftery on his opposition to the death penalty and prison reform issues during his 2009 visit with the Eastlake-Bonita Democratic Club May 19, 2016 (San Diego) — Signature gathers are working to put two competing measures on the ballot. One, backed by former M*A*S*H star Mike Farrell, would eliminate the death penalty in California. The second measure would speed up the process for inmates on death row. The first measure would repeal the death penalty statewide and also increase by 60% the wages that prisoners sentenced to life without parole would be paid for work behind bars, with the money used as restitution for their victims. Advocates estimate the measure would save taxpayers $150 million at the state and local levels if the initiative is approved by voters. In a 2009 book promotion tour stop at the Eastlake-Bonita Democratic Club in San Diego, Farrell noted the disproportionate number of African-Americans who have received the death penalty and cites case after case in which DNA evidence cleared innocent men on death row. He advocates eliminating capital punishment and also supports prison reforms and rehabilitation where possible. He recalled his work in a halfway house, where he learned a lesson that has stuck with him through the years. “All human beings want three things: love, attention and respect,” he said. “I’ve tested this, been all over the place–if people believe they are worthy of respect, then they open up to love. Our nation has 2.3 million people behind bars–more than any other nation.” Many are illiterate or mental disabilities, he noted. California’s criminal justice budget at the time rivaled its budget for public education, Farrell observed, at a time when a California judge had just ordered some prisoners released due to prison overcrowding. “We have failed,” Farrell said of the system. “It costs more to keep a kid in jail than to put him through college.” He also advocated funding Head Start and programs to help kids get out of gangs, learn a trade, and get jobs. Critics of eliminating the death penalty have argued that victims’ families deserve closure and some victims’ families view the death penalty as providing justice for the taking of a life. Some law enforcement representatives have noted that eliminating the death penalty would take away a bargaining tool that officers may use to persuade suspects in one murder to confess to serial killings, as was the case in the killer of Chelsea King and Amber Dubois. The second measure would hasten executions by designated the Superior Court for initial petitions and limit successive petitions, also imposing time limits on state courts for reviewing death penalty cases. Court appointed attorneys who take noncapital appeals would also be required to accept death penalty appeals. Under the second measure, prison officials would no longer have to follow regulations for developing humane execution methods and death row prisoners could be transferred among state prisons. This measure would also inmates to work and pay restitution to victims’ families. The measure would declare null and void any other competition measures if this one gets more votes. The measure, if approved by voters, is estimated to increase state costs by tens of millions of dollars a year for several years due to appeals and proceedings short-term, but could save tens of millions a year over the long run. Mike Ramos, a District Attorney in San Bernadino, supports speeding up the death penalty process. He says, “The frivolous appeals and the lack of getting them attorneys, I think it works for both sides, the victims and these defendants, that they get an attorney immediately when they are sentenced instead of waiting five years. “ The group backing efforts to speed up death penalty cases say that California houses more than 700 death row inmates and the average wait time for an execution is 20 to 25 years. Kermit Alexander, a mother whose two children and a sister were murdered, wants convicted killers put to death. She concludes that “Justice denied isn’t justice. But some legal scholars have cautioned that speeding up the appeals process with mandates could violate constitutional rights of prisoners. Critics also fault the measure for providing no funding for attorneys or court costs and question whether the measure could deliver on its promise to cut execution waiting times in half in California, which has not executed anyone since 2006.
TRUMP WOULD NAME CONSERVATIVE SUPREME COURT NOMINEES
By Miriam Raftery May 19, 2016 (Washington D.C.) – The death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has left the high court split 4-4 among conservative and liberal to moderate justices. The Republican-controlled Senate has refused to hold hearings on President Barack Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland, a judicial moderate—or any other Obama nominee during the president’s remaining time in office. Now likely Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has released a list of 11 judges he says he would consider for nomination to the Supreme Court if he wins the election in November. In addition to the current vacancy on the high court, other openings are likely to occur during the next president’s term of office due to the age of several current justices. So the next president’s nominations and the actions of the Senate will likely have a big impact on how the laws of the land are interpreted for decades to come. Trump’s choices are all conservatives. Reaction has been mixed, with Senator Charles Grassley, Republican Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and the conservative Judicial Crisis Network praising some of the potential nominees as justices who would uphold the constitution. But progressives characterized some on the list as extremists who would dismantle civil rights and liberties, as well as women’s reproductive rights, Trump’s nominees include six federal judges appointed by President George W. Bush and state Supreme Court justices, all conservatives. Most are not prominent in legal circles. Some have voiced controversial opinions. For instance, Alabama Judge William Pryor has called Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court case that legalized most abortions, “the worst abomination in the history of Constitutional Law. Another potential nominee on Trump’s list, Don Willett of Texas, worked for the Bush White House’s office of faith-based initiatives and later the Texas government, where he fought to keep a Ten Commandments monument on public property. Ironically Willett has mocked Trump on Twitter, including a Tweet asking who Trump might nominate for the Supreme Court. Willett tweeted, “The mind reels. Weeps – can’t finish Tweet.”
STRONG WINDS, STORM TO HIT REGION
East County News Service May 18, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Strong wind are blowing into our region as a storm system approaches. Driving may be difficult in the mountains and deserts, particularly for high profile vehicles. Gusts of up to 45 to 60 miles an hour are possible along desert slopes, passes and canyons Thursday and Friday. Also stay alert for blowing dust and sand if you have travel plans in the desert. By the weekend, watch for light rain or drizzle across our region.
PADRES LOSE ANOTHER LOW-SCORING GAME
By Liz Alper Photo: a Giants fan holds up a Johnny Cueto cutout at Petco Park. Courtesy @SFGiants on Twitter May 18, 2016 (San Diego) – The Padres hoped for a better result against the Giants in game two now that they had a better pitching matchup on the mound: Drew Pomeranz against Johnny Cueto. It looked like the offense was more motivated by the pitching matchup too. Alexei Ramirez singled in the second and drove home Brett Wallace and the Padres went up 1-0. But sometimes, motivation is useless if the other guys have more. Hunter Pence hit a two-run homer in the fourth to give the Giants a 2-1 lead and ultimately, that would be the final score. Johnny Cueto pitches the full game with eight strikeouts. Game three is tomorrow at 6:10 pm. The Padres will try to avoid the sweep. In transaction news, Jabari Blash will remain a Padre and the club reinstated Alexei Amarista from the disabled list. Tayron Guerrero has been optioned to AAA El Paso.
SUSPECTS WHO USED STOLEN CREDIT CARDS IN LA MESA SOUGHT, $1,000 REWARD OFFERED
East County News Service May 18, 2016 (La Mesa) – Crime Stoppers is offer a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of a couple caught on surveillance video at the Amaya Drive trolley station in la Mesa on March 28th. They are suspected of using a credit card stolen from an unlocked parked car in Encinitas the night before. The victim’s credit card was used at a mobile phone store, coffee shop, restaurant and at the Amaya trolley station. The loss is more than $1,000, including stolen cash. The first suspect is described as a 25 to 30‐year‐old white man. He stands about 6’0″ tall, weighs about 180 pounds with brown hair, full beard and mustache. He was last seen wearing gray Dickies‐style pants, a dark sweatshirt and black and white sneakers. The second suspect is described as a 20 to 30 year‐old woman. She is about 5’5″ tall and weighs about 150 pounds with long brown hair. She was last seen wearing a burgundy hoodie, black jacket, black pants and black and white sneakers. Anyone with information on this case should call the North Coastal Sheriff’s Station at (760) 966‐3500 or the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580‐8477. Anonymous email and text messages can be sent in via www.sdcrimestoppers.org.
MORE THAN 4,200 DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES TO BE AWARDED TO GROSSMONT, CUYAMACA GRADUATES
East County News Service May 18, 2016 (El Cajon) – A busy academic year highlighted by new leadership at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges culminates with commencement ceremonies June 1 and 2, where more than 4,200 degrees and certificates will be awarded. With many students receiving multiple credentials, about 640 Cuyamaca students will receive more than 1,000 degrees and certificates at the college’s June 1 commencement, followed the next day by almost 1,500 Grossmont College graduates who will receive more than 3,200 degrees and certificates. Both commencements begin at 5:30 p.m. Cuyamaca College, at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in Rancho San Diego, will hold its 38th annual ceremony led by President Julianna Barnes in front of the B building, the Communication Arts Center. President Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh will lead the 55th annual ceremony in the Main Quad of Grossmont College, at 8800 Grossmont College Drive in El Cajon. Both Abu-Ghazaleh, who started working at Grossmont College in July 2015, and Barnes, who started at Cuyamaca College in October 2015, will be leading their first commencement ceremonies. Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Chancellor Cindy L. Miles said an increasing number of students are graduating from the two East County colleges as the result of student success initiatives that encourage students to persist in their classes and achieve their educational goals. “Our goal at our colleges is always to do whatever we can to help our students succeed,” Miles said. “We’re proud of every one of our graduates and all that they have done to transform their lives through education.” Cuyamaca College commencement The keynote commencement speaker at Cuyamaca College will be Timothy Pagaard (below right), an English instructor at the college since 1996. A teacher of rhetoric and literature, Pagaard was elected teacher of the year for 2000-2001 and again for 2010-2011 by the Academic Senate. Pagaard previously taught at Southwestern College and in the Sweetwater Union High School District. Before becoming a full-time educator, Pagaard worked for nearly 20 years in the advertising industry. Pagaard said that working at Cuyamaca College has been the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, and he never regretted the career shift. “I’ve never been happier about a decision and these have been the best 20 years of my life,” he said.Giving the valedictory speech will be Maysaa Madhat Najih Ibrahim, an Iraqi refugee who graduates as one of six to earn perfect 4.0 GPAs. She heads to San Diego State University in the fall on her way toward becoming a Spanish teacher. “I want to encourage students, single mothers and refuges to continue their education because nothing is impossible to achieve with hard work,” Ibrahim said. Ibrahim grew up in Baghdad, but in 2006 was forced to flee the Iraqi capital for Damascus, Syria, with her baby daughter. She moved to El Cajon in 2011 and almost immediately began her educational journey here. After enrolling in adult school to learn English, she took a continuing education course at Cuyamaca College in 2012 before becoming a fulltime student in 2013. She majored in Spanish and held down several jobs at the college as a student worker, tutor and peer advisor working with single mothers. Also speaking at Cuyamaca College will be honors graduate Rebekah Shtayfman, whose past as a high school dropout and homeless teenage single mom is a story sure to inspire. She has been accepted to UCLA, where she starts in the fall as a physics major. Shtayfman said watching kids’ TV shows like “Bill Nye the Science Guy” and “The Magic School Bus” sparked an early interest in science, but her schooling was interrupted when she dropped out of El Cajon Valley High School as a junior. She became a mother at age 18, and went through stints of homelessness as she struggled to make a life for herself and her baby. Even working 30 hours a week, she decided to give college a go, enrolling at Cuyamaca College on the recommendation of a counselor. Shtayfman proved to be a stellar student, earning a 3.5 grade point average, joining the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and serving as a student tutor in mathematics and physics. Grossmont College commencement Monica Zech (below left), public information officer for the City of El Cajon, former TV traffic reporter and former Grossmont College student, will be the keynote speaker. Zech never graduated from Grossmont College, but she will receive an honorary Associate of Arts degree from the college at the commencement ceremony to recognize her professional accomplishments and as a high-profile advocate of driver safety. Zech said she chose to attend Grossmont College because of the strength of its communications program. During her attendance in the early ‘70s, she was hired for a fulltime job in radio news, the start of a 30-year broadcast career that included an 18-year run as San Diego’s first television air traffic reporter for the Automobile Club of Southern California. Grossmont College’s student commencement speaker is Sandy Adwer, who is graduating from the college with an Associate of Science degree in human biology. In the fall, she will be attending the University of California, San Diego, where she will pursue a bachelor’s degree in biology, with plans to eventually attend medical school to become a physician. The Iraqi refugee fled the turmoil of her homeland with her family nearly a decade ago to Syria before the ensuing civil war led them to seek asylum in El Cajon five years ago Adwer said the years of violent upheaval took an emotional toll. Even the opportunity to start up her long-delayed education as a Grossmont High School student failed to counter her depression and debilitating self-doubt. But then came her introduction to Grossmont College and what Adwer describes as the reawakening of her spirit. “It was like I was born again,” Adwer, pictured at right, said. “For the first time in my life, I was filled with hopes and dreams.” In addition to getting hired as a student worker in the college’s Extended Opportunities Programs
FEDS AND STATE GEAR UP FOR “SERIOUS” FIRE SEASON IN CALIFORNIA
By Miriam Raftery Photo: 2015 Lake Fire May 18, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell warned Tuesday that the Sierra snowpacks are melting “faster than we have ever seen.” Despite El Niño rains, he predicts, “We anticipate a very active fire season in California.” Making matters worse, four years of drought and bark beetles have left forests full of dead and dying trees across out state that can’t be save. They burn hot and fast–and many are near homes, Cal-Fire has indicated. In a briefing this week in Washington D.C., Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, the department that oversees the Forest Service, stated, “You’ve got 40 million dead trees…you’re looking at a very serious situation.” The USDA pledged Tuesday to send extra manpower as well as $30 million to clear dead trees near roads and campgrounds in preparation for a potentially catastrophic wildfire season in California. Secretary Vilsack also called on Congress to take action to assure that his agency has the resources to protect lives and keep forests healthy. The California Department of Forestry, or Cal-Fire, has also added seasonal firefighters earlier in the year than normal. In a press release, the USDA indicates that nationwide, the 2016 fire season has begun with five times more acres already burned than this time last year, following 2015’s record-setting fire season. The National Interagency Fire Center forecasts high fire potential for Southern California, among other areas, this summer. Climate change has resulted in fire seasons that are 78 days longer than in 1980 and the number of acres burned annually has doubled since 1980, federal officials have indicated. California suffered record fires last year, including the 76,000 Valley Fire in Lake, Napa and Sonoma Counties – the third most destructive blaze in the state’s history. That fire killed four people and destroyed over 1,300 homes. San Diego County still holds the record for the worst fire in California history with the 2003 Cedar Fire. Our region has suffered through many other severe fires including the devastating 2007 firestorms. In a severe fire season across the West and here in California, resources can become stretched thin despite increased staffing. So it’s particularly important for property owners to be prepared by clearing brush to create defensible space and taking other precautions to help protect your home. You can learn more about how to protect your residence at http://www.readyforwildfire.org/