SANTEE BANS SMOKING ON TRAILS, TAKES FIRST STEP TO DISTRICT ELECTIONS
Printer-friendly version By Mike Allen January 12, 2018 (Santee)–Smoking or vaping on Santee’s city trails such as the Walker Preserve and near Mast Park will no longer be legal following the City Council’s amending its code at its Jan. 10 meeting. The newly amended law, that also bans smoking electronic cigarettes in the same areas, takes effect after the second reading of the measure Jan.24. With the vote, Santee joins the rest of the 18 cities and San Diego county in prohibiting smoking on public trails, which is an obvious fire hazard. But the change didn’t go far enough for nearly all the speakers who testified before the council took its vote. Lisa Bridges, a coordinator for Santee Solutions Coalition, said the city should expand the ban to all parks and open spaces, not just the trails. “In the future, you should broaden it, and make it more comprehensive,” Bridges said. Having the ability to access smoke-free parks was among the major reasons why most people visited such areas, Bridges said. Carol Green, from Community Action Service Advocacy, an East County nonprofit, also pushed the council to expand the smoking ban to include all the city parks and city open spaces, much like the rest of the county has. Because the ban won’t affect city parks, many people will be confused about where the ban is in effect, and that will lead to less compliance, Green said. Lorenzo Higley, chairman of Tobacco Free Communities Coalition, said second hand smoke was responsible for killing 80,000 people in the United States last year. “There is no safe level of exposure to second hand smoke,” Higley said. Sarah Shoudy, a senior at Santana High School, said she enjoys going to parks in her city but not when she has to endure second hand smoke and see so many discarded cigarette butts. She also asked to expand the ban to all city parks. While most of the council agreed that banning smoking on trails was a wise move, only Stephen Houlahan indicated he wanted to expand the ban to all parks and open spaces. “I want to make a motion for the big kibosh, but I’ll probably get kiboshed,” Houlahan said. Ron McNelis took a different tack, saying limiting the freedoms of others “is not what the Constitution is all about.” He disagreed with including vaping in the smoking ban, saying vaping doesn’t present a fire hazard nor a littering problem, and asked that part of the amendment be separated. The motion died when nobody seconded it. The council also considered including now legalized marijuana in the ban, but were dissuaded from that by City Attorney Shawn Hagerty who assured them that marijuana smoking is already prohibited by state law in all public spaces. The vote on the ordinance was approved, 4-1 with McNelis voting against it. The Santee council also took the first steps towards changing the way its members are elected, voting to pursue establishing a system of district election of representatives. Currently, the five councilmembers are selected by all the voters in the city. The system being adopted by many state cities entails setting up districts that would vote on a single seat. The mayor is usually selected by all the city’s voters. El Cajon approved district elections in 2016, and adopted the district map last year. The rational given for the proposed change is to give minority populations more representation on an elected body.Yet several council members said they didn’t think it would improve things, and were against making the change. “This could change the entire dynamics of how we govern our city and who governs our city,” said Mayor John Minto. All Santee council members are white men. Several members said they were moving ahead with the approval to comply with a directive from the state’s Attorney General and California’s Voting Rights Act. Not doing so would likely incur a lawsuit, they said. While some cities have sued to retain the at-large city wide voting selection process, the outcome of this litigation is unknown. If those cities prevailed, Santee could reverse its decision to adopt a district system of elections, McNelis said. The council approved the measure to hire a consultant to help the city draw up a district map for a cost not to exceed $50,000. The vote was 4-1 with Ronn Hall opposed. “It’s unfair to the public,” said Hall. Printer-friendly version
JOIN LA MESA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR AN EVENING MIXER AT PROPRIETOR’S RESERVE WINE BAR MARCH 27
Printer-friendly version East County News Service January 11, 2018 (La Mesa) – On Tuesday, March 27 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., La Mesa Chamber of Commerce invites you to join them for an evening mixer at one of the newest wine bars in La Mesa and East County, the Proprietor’s Reserve Wine Bar at the Riviera. “This beautifully designed wine bar is a great addition to the Riviera Supper Club and The Turquoise Room, all located at 7777 University Avenue in La Mesa,” the Chamber’s press release states. Riviera Supper Club is already a well-known restaurant that serves choice steaks, side dishes and desserts. Guests can grill their own steak or have their meal prepared for them. The Turquoise Room, the associated bar, is known for drinks and live music. The Proprietor’s Reserve Wine Bar offers over 86 wines and 27 by the glass. In addition, the Wine Bar offers cheese plates, tapas or guests may order from the Riviera Supper Club menu. “We encourage you to you to join us and meet owners, Michael and Barbara Rammelsberg,” says Chamber president Mary England. “Michael and Barbara have a great reputation for knowing about fantastic wines and great food, as well as managing a wine bar, as they also own Rosie O’Grady’s Proprietor’s Reserve wine bar in Hillcrest.” This special event is free to Chamber members and $10 per person for guests. All guests will be provided a drink ticket for (1) complimentary glass of wine. Guests will also be able to taste some of the freshly prepared items that are on the menu and enjoy special drink pricing during the evening. Guests are encouraged to RSVP so Michael and Barbara can prepare enough fresh food items for you. RSVP to: rsvp@lamesachamber.com or call 619-465-7700. Printer-friendly version
SMALL BUSINESS LEADERS JOIN FORCES FOR THE GOOD OF SAN DIEGO
Printer-friendly version Nonprofit launches under new name and local control to influence policy and make communities thrive; website highlights issues it will tackle in San Diego Members invited to free seminar about new laws affecting small business in 2018 East County News Service January 11, 2018 (San Diego) – Local small business leaders have formed a local nonprofit with a mission to unite small business owners in driving policy that improves San Diego’s communities. The organization has launched its new issues-based website featuring its new brand. Business For Good San Diego (previously operates as the San Diego chapter of Main Street Alliance) comprised of local business owners focused on issues unique to this region and led by a board of directors. Its over 200 small business members say that good policy — fundamental principles that guide the region’s governments — intersects with a small business’s bottom line, the livelihood of its employees, and the health of its communities. “When we use our collective voices to influence San Diego policy, it’s good for the entire county,” says Mikey Knab (photo), director of operations at Ponce’s Mexican Restaurant and chairman of Business For Good’s board of directors. The issue areas that Business For Good has chosen are immigration, government transparency, small business investment, homelessness and environmental health. Many Business For Good members were a part of Main Street Alliance, which brought the small business movement to San Diego under its national directives. Last year, the all-volunteer business owners then formalized their efforts under a distinct name to focus their work locally. The organization is still led by Karim Bouris, who is now the executive director. “We’re focused on key issues that affect the bottom line of our San Diego businesses and the well-being of their customers and their community,” says Bouris. “We invite other small business leaders who want to speak up on these issues to join one of our upcoming meetings. We provide education on policy and access to decisions makers so that our time invested truly makes a positive impact in our city.” In addition to its January 17 seminar about new laws affecting small businesses in 2018, the organization also hosts monthly general meetings and campaign-specific meetings that can be referenced on its new online calendar. “As the voice of small business in San Diego, we drive policy to make our communities better every day,” says Bouris. “For example, our leaders asked the mayor to recommend that San Diego City Council move forward on developing a business plan to bring Community Choice Energy to our residents. We will see this through because our city’s betterment is a long-term commitment.” To get in touch with Business For Good, reach out to Karim Bouris at Info@BusinessForGoodSD.com. Printer-friendly version
RAMONA RANCH WINERY PLANS CHEESE PAIRINGS, LIVE MUSIC, PAINTING, OWLS AND VALENTINE SWEETS
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery January 11, 2018 (Ramona) – Ramona Ranch Vineyards is hosting a variety of events in January and February. Below are their descriptions. For more information, visit http://ramonaranchwines.com/. As part of our year-end inventory, we’ve unearthed some gems, including our 2013 Sangiovese Rose, and our 2014 Aglianico to share with you. Come pair with Cheeses from the Cave local cheese samples on 1/13, 1/27, 2/10 & 2/24. Gentleman Farmer will be back in February with their artisan products on 2/17 & 2/18 with samples and sauces for sale. Enjoy live music on the Tasting Terrace the 3rd Sunday of each month, from 2 to 5 pm, bring a picnic and come relax with us. We love hosting local artists, sharing our wines with you as you create. Linda Kelly Art will be leading a class at the winery on January 20th, painting an adorable old red truck. Casey Buonaugorio will be back on February 3rd helping you paint an original of your pet, and Lauren Chiara Creations will create beautiful heart mandelas on February 11th. Please sign up directly with the artists. With classical jazz on both Saturday and Sunday (2/10 & 2/11) along with a special cheese, chocolate and wine pairing, we are ready to make you Valentine’s Day special, details to come. Part of our sustainable program is education. Join us on Sunday, February 25th for a class on Owls at 1 pm, meet a live barn owl and learn how they benefit our vineyards. Look for an invitation to an interactive class, tasting and comparing Cabernet and the impact of Oak on Wine in March. Printer-friendly version
STORMS CAUSE DEADLY LANDSLIDES IN SANTA BARBARA, DUMP UP TO 6 INCHES OF RAIN IN SAN DIEGO’S MOUNTAINS
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery Photo: Montecito mudslide, courtesy Santa Barbara Fire Dept. January 11, 2018 (San Diego’s East County)— In Santa Barbara County, heavy rains turned to tragedy when mudslides caused burned hillsides to collapse, killing at least 17 people in Montecito, where 43 more remain missing as a desperate search for survivors continues. But here in San Diego, this week’s rains brought welcome relief from an unusually dry winter. Before Monday, precipitation in San Diego County was at only 3% of normal for the winter season. But from noon Monday to noon Wednesday, the storm dumped several inches of rain across much of our region – including more than six inches on Palomar Mountain. Mountain areas received the heaviest deluge, including Lake Cuyamaca with 5.48 inches of rain. Pine Hills near Julian at 4.63 inches, and Descanso at 3.99 inches. Local cities of La Mesa, El Cajon, Lemon Grove and Santee all received over 2 inches of rain, as did some portions of San Diego. In the desert areas, some portions of Borrego Springs received nearly an inch, while Ocotillo Wells had only a quarter of an inch. Overall, the storms this week raised the totals to 25% to 50% of normal precipition for the season to date — still below average, but substantially better than before the recent rains. Printer-friendly version
ANOTHER ILLEGAL POT SHOP RAIDED IN SPRING VALLEY
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery January 11, 2018 (Spring Valley) – A raid at The Bakery, an illegal marijuana dispensary at 9215 Birth Street in Spring Valley, yesterday morning resulted in seizure of large amounts of marijuana, marijuana edibles, cash, marijuana paraphernalia and other items. One person was initially detained for selling marijuana but no arrests have been made; the investigation is continuing. The search warrant was issued after complaints from concerned citizens, according to Sergeant Matt Cook. It was served by Sheriff’s deputies from the Rancho San Diego station with assistance from County Code Enforcement and the Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Detail. Multiple other illicit dispensaries have recently been raided and shut down in the Spring Valley area. Although California’s Proposition 64 legalized recreational marijuana sales, the state left it up to cities and counties to determine whether to allow retail sales. In San Diego’s unincorporated areas, retail sales of marijuana remain illegal (with the exception of one existing medical marijuana dispensary near Gillespie Field that was grandfathered in grandfathered in.) While marijuana sales are not allowed in County-controlled areas, some local cities have taken a different approach. The City of San Diego began allowed recreational marijuana sales January 1st, as well as medical cannabis, and several dispensaries are now open. Lemon Grove and La Mesa have voter-approved initiatives that legalized medical marijuana, though not recreational pot. Printer-friendly version
SDSU WATER POLO FALLS TO CHINESE NATIONAL TEAM
Printer-friendly version Aztecs come up short 16-9 in Orange County Source: goaztecs.com Photo courtesy goaztecs.com January 11, 2018 (San Clemente) – After just three days of preseason camp, San Diego State put its caps on and faced the Chinese National Team in an exhibition at JSerra Catholic High School. The Aztecs and China played six periods, but the four-quarter final had SDSU on the short end of a 16-9 score. San Diego State trailed, 4-3, after one period and the Chinese National Team hung another four goals in the next frame to lead, 8-5, at halftime. In the third quarter, China outscored the Aztecs, 5-2, and followed it with a 3-2 effort in the fourth period to provide the final regulation margin. In the first extra period, San Diego State was able to hold the Chinese National Team to its fewest goals in a frame (2), but failed to score itself. The final eight minutes saw China outscore SDSU, 4-3, to make it a 22-12 game at the end of six periods. The Aztecs went with a starting lineup that was heavy on experience. Head coach Carin Crawford, who is in her 20th season, tabbed freshman Emily Bennett, juniors Maura Cantoni, Hannah Carrillo and Paola Vizcarra, and seniors Lizzy Bilz, Courtney Jarvis and Katrina King for the starting unit. Bennett, a utility from Oakdale, led the team in scoring with the first three goals of her career and added two steals and two drawn ejections. Classmates Karli Canale and Maddie Higginson, and junior college transfer Mary Myers scored one goal apiece to also find the back of the net for the first time in their SDSU careers. Joining the first-time Aztec goal scorers in the scoring column were Carrillo, King, Shelby Kraft and Maddy Parenteau. Cantoni was credited with eight saves in a starting role and Emily Lowell also had eight stops in between the posts. Other highlights include Parenteau’s team-high two assists, Casia Morrison’s three steals, Jarvis’ three field blocks and Vizcarra’s two drawn ejections. The Aztecs will return to the practice pool in preparation for the 2018 campaign. Prior to the first official game, SDSU will face the Aztec Alumni on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 11 a.m. PT. Admission at Aztec Aquaplex is free. Printer-friendly version
THE NEW TAX LAW AND YOU: REP. SUSAN DAVIS TO HOLD INFORMATION FORUM ON JAN. 13 AT GROSSMONT COLLEGE
Printer-friendly version East County News Service January 11, 2018 (El Cajon) — Congresswoman Susan Davis will be hosting a tax information forum at Grossmont College on Saturday, January 13 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Grossmont College (8800 Grossmont College Drive, El Cajon) in the Griffin Gate Auditorium. Congresswoman Davis will be bringing together experts to discuss the larger implications of the new tax law and how to navigate the changes. The event is intended to provide information and answer questions. Following brief remarks, speakers will be available for a Q&A session and resource tables with helpful information will be present throughout the event. “As you may know, I vigorously opposed the recent tax bill. Now that it is law and many of you have shared your concerns about it, I will be hosting a taxpayer information forum this weekend at Grossmont College as a public service,” said Davis. Speakers: Angela DeJoseph, Constituent of 53rd Congressional District Jordan Barry, Professor of Law, University of San Diego Lila Fedler, Taxpayer Rights’ Advocate, California Franchise Tax Board Craig Slabaugh, CPA, Leaf & Cole, LLP Congresswoman Davis represents the 53rd Congressional District, which includes central San Diego, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Spring Valley and parts of El Cajon and Chula Vista. Davis serves on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, serving as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training. She is also a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. Printer-friendly version
SDSU MEN’S BASKETBALL PRESS CONFERENCE 1/11: ON THE ROAD
Printer-friendly version Like our sports coverage? Donate to help support ECM’s sports section! Type “Sports” on the donation line! Check out our sports section for more sports stories! Follow @ECMagSports on Twitter for live sports coverage and stories! Story by Liz Alper Videos courtesy goaztecs.com For video of Jordan Schakel and Trey Kell’s portion of the press conference, click “read more” and scroll down. January 11, 2017 (San Diego) – With a dominant win against San Jose State behind them and a road matchup against Boise State looming, head coach Brian Dutcher, freshman Jordan Schakel and senior Trey Kell took the podium for the first men’s basketball-only press conference of the year. “…We’ve had epic battles with them in the past, buzzer beaters both ways, made and missed,” Dutcher said. “…(We’ll) see what we can do to slow Boise down.” Of course, the question came up on whether or not Boise State is a rival. “Boise has become part of a rivalry type of game because both teams have been on top of the standings for a lot of years, so they’re both upper division teams. I remember not to many years ago, Dwyane Polee hitting a buzzer beater at their place, they were ready to storm the floor. I remember a couple years back Duncan hitting two threes late in the game here to beat us. It’s just been a great series and a lot of really close games. Both teams respect each other. Both teams play really hard. Both teams play the right way. I’m expecting a great environment and a great game come Saturday.” Kell disagreed. “I don’t know if I would necessarily call it a rivalry. I know, for sure, the games are always going to be close, no team is just going to blow out the other team. It’s a game we always look forward to, as I just stated, the games are always close, they always come down to the last five minutes and those are the types of games we look forward to. They’re a good team, we’re a good team and it should be a good battle on Saturday.” On how important a road win would be: “Road wins are critical, so to have the opportunity to go on the road and try steal one would be huge for us. We know this is a team we’re going to for sure see twice and in all likelihood three times this year. So this is just round one, it’s an opportunity for us to go steal one on the road. If we don’t get it, it’s not fatal, but it can give us a big leg up if we’re able to steal one. To Boise’s credit, they’ve already got two road wins. They have a real nice road win in their last game at Fresno, they’ve got a win at UNLV, so for them to be 4-1 having played three road games is a tremendous credit to them and their program.” Dutch scouted Boise State a bit. “They’ve added two fifth-year seniors so they’re experienced. Experience wins games. So to have two fifth-year seniors to go with Chandler Hutchison, the preseason player of the year, gives them a big leg up experience-wise. (Head coach) Leon (Rice) always does a good job. They spread the floor, the really drive the ball, they drive for others, they don’t always drive for themselves, they rebound the ball at a high level, so they’re well-coached. They have a system and a culture that has produced a lot of wins for them.” Dutcher thinks the Aztecs success is due to players getting more comfortable. “…I think there’s no doubt they’re more comfortable with their roles. They don’t try to do things more quickly….” Dutch talked about redshirt freshman Jalen McDaniels. “Jalen is still a freshman even though he is a redshirt freshman. But he had a year of hard practice under his belt going against Malik (Pope), Nolan (Narain), Valentine (Izundu), Zylan (Cheatham) and Max (Montana). He got some good experience last year sitting out. Now he’s getting game experience, so now he’s slowly starting to grow his game. When you’re actually getting game-time minutes, it’s different than practice. He’s slowly made that adjustment and gotten more comfortable.” Dutcher and Kell both talked on the health of the team. “Health-wise, we’re 100 percent. Jeremy (Hemsley) missed two practices last week with either a cold or the flu, we’re not sure. Other than that, we’re healthy, we’re on a three-game win streak, so everyone feels good about themselves when you win three in a row. Hopefully we can build some momentum on that and continue to keep this streak alive…” Kell echoed: …At the beginning of the year we always had one or two people down or not 100 percent. Mentally, I feel like we’re the same. We’ve had our bumps here and there, but I don’t think we’ve been in a bad place, but as of right now, the team is playing well, everyone on the team is feeling good about each other, so, yeah, we’re in a good place right now.” Kell praised the guy sitting next to him, Jordan Schakel. “The first thing that jumps out to you is just how he is the ultimate team guy. He doesn’t worry about minutes, shots, who he’s guarding, he doesn’t worry about anything of that. My biggest example is when we played Georgia, we had him on the SEC player of the year, and he did a great job. He took two elbows to the chin, got right back up and I was his biggest cheerleader on the bench. He’s just someone I can always cheer for, he’s always happy for everybody, so I’m always happy for him. He’s getting better and better every day. You can tell he’s really focusing in on getting better at the little things that the coaches are telling him. He’s always learning, always observant and he’s going to be a
SDSU’S RASHAAD PENNY AND KYAHVA TENZINO NAMED TO ALL-BOWL TEAMS
Printer-friendly version Penny lands on five all-bowl teams; Tezino makes Sports Illustrated team Source: goaztecs.com Photo courtesy goaztecs.com January 11, 2018 (San Diego) – San Diego State senior running back Rashaad Penny and sophomore linebacker Kyahva Tezino were each recently named to all-bowl teams. Penny landed on the Associated Press, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, ESPN and Bleacher Report all-bowl teams, while Tezino made the Sports Illustrated team. Penny (Norwalk, Calif.) rushed for an Armed Forces Bowl-record 221 yards and a career-high four touchdowns on just 14 carries (15.8 avg.) in the Aztecs’ 42-35 loss to Army West Point in Fort Worth, Texas. Penny also added a catch and two kick returns for 62 yards (31.0 avg.). The 221 rushing yards were the most out of the 39 bowl games (78 teams), while the four touchdowns ranked in a tie for second. Penny became the fourth player in NCAA FBS history with at least 200 yards rushing in five straight games, joining USC’s Marcus Allen (1981), Oklahoma State’s Barry Sanders (1988) and North Texas’ Jamario Thomas (2004). He also passed Donnel Pumphrey for the most rushing yards in school single-season history (2,248), also the fifth most in a game in NCAA FBS single-season history. For the season, Penny rushed 289 times for 2,248 yards (7.8 avg.) and 23 touchdowns, while adding 19 catches for 135 yards (7.1 avg.) and two touchdowns, 17 kick returns for 521 yards (30.6 avg.) and two touchdowns, and two punt returns for 70 yards (35.0 avg.) and another score. He ended up leading the country in rushing yards (2,248) and all-purpose yards (2,974). Tezino (Los Angeles), meanwhile, came up with 17 tackles, including 11 solos, six assisted stops and a career-best 2.5 tackles for loss. The 17 stops were a San Diego State bowl record, the most by an Aztec in a game since 2008, tied for the most out of the 39 bowl games (78 teams) this year and tied for the 23rd most in a FBS game this season. The bowl contest finished an impressive five-game stretch to close the season for Tezino. Tezino, who had eight tackles and one TFL over his first career 17 games (all off the bench), finished with 56 stops and 8.5 TFL over his final five games (all starts). On the season, Tezino totaled 59 tackles (35 solo), six tackles for loss, two sacks, a pass breakup and seven quarterback hurries. Printer-friendly version