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BREAKING NEWS: HOUSE PASSES LANDMARK HEALTHCARE BILL; LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES DIVIDED

Printer-friendly version  November 8, 2009 (Washington D.C.) – The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Affordable Healthcare for All Act last night by a 220-215 margin.  Local Democratic representatives Bob Filner and Susan Davis voted for the landmark measure, while local Republicans Duncan Hunter, Darrell Issa and Brian Bilbray voted no.    In the House, only a single Republican (Joseph Cao of New Orleans)

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OFF TO THE RACES….SOAPBOX RACING FINALS TODAY IN LA MESA

Printer-friendly version    November 8, 2009 (La Mesa) –“If Bryce Taylor can do it, I can do it.”   That’s been the attitude among many area youngsters as they prepared to compete in two days of Soap Box Derby Rally Races, with the final rounds today. The event is sponsored by Drew Ford and the Kiwanis Club of La Mesa. The race

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BETWEEN WILDFIRES: GET RID OF EMBER CATCHERS

Printer-friendly version  By Anne S. Fege, Ph.D., M.B.A., wildfire ecologist and educator, and retired Forest Supervisor of the Cleveland National Forest   November 7, 2009 (San Diego’s East County)–Embers are mostly to blame in structural losses from wildfires! Recent wildfire damage assessments have shown that most structures ignite from embers landing in or on combustible materials of a house (entering the attic

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2 RESCUED FROM OVERTURNED VEHICLE IN LAKESIDE

Printer-friendly version Story by Captain Mark Grow, Lakeside Fire Protection District Photos by Firefighter-Paramedic Steve Russo, Lakeside Fire Protection District Winter Gardens: On November 7th, at 10:54 AM, units from the Lakeside Fire District were dispatched to a “Rescue Vehicle Accident” in the 8600 block of Winter Gardens Blvd. On arrival crews discovered a vehicle still on it’s roof with

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TRADE IN YOUR HOLIDAY LIGHTS FOR ENERGY-EFFICIENT LEDS–FREE!

Printer-friendly version WSDG&E® is exchanging up to three old holiday light strands for an equal number of complimentary color light-emitting diode (LED) holiday light strands to customers throughout San Diego County. SDG&E® and its community partners are hosting eight light exchanges throughout the County, ringing in energy savings and increased safety for the holiday season.     No Cost LED

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CHARGERS AND MTS PARTNER FOR “STUFF THE BUS” FOOD DRIVE

Printer-friendly version Need for food in East County cities rises sharply   November 7, 2009 (San Diego) — The San Diego Chargers and Metropolitan Transit Service are partnering to run a series of food drives starting Nov. 10 and ending with a game day food drive at the Chargers vs. Philadelphia game at Qualcomm Stadium Nov. 15. Starting Tuesday, Nov. 10 MTS

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EAST COUNTY ROUND-UP: NOVEMBER 7, 2009

Printer-friendly version                                                          East County Roundup Includes the Most Important Stories About East County, or relevant to our readers, published by other media. Top stories from the past month include:       • Motorist to stand trial in young mother’s death • Obama ushers in a new era for Indian Country • Local GOP party calls

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TRIO OF FIRES IN LAKESIDE CAUSE ONE DEATH; SHERIFF’S INVESTIGATING “SUSPICIOUS” BLAZE

Printer-friendly version November 6, 2009 (Lakeside) – Three fires last night in Lakeside are under investigation by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, East County Magazine has learned.     A traffic accident in the 9500 block of Blossom Valley Road last night sparked a fire which spread into trees. Alpine Fire District and Cal Fire responded to the blaze and determined that

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AMA AND AARP ENDORSE HEALTHCARE REFORM PROPOSAL NOW BEFORE CONGRESS, LOCAL LEADERS WEIGH IN

Printer-friendly version  HUNTER AFFIRMS OPPOSITION TO PUBLIC OPTION; OTHERS OBJECT TO DROPPING AMENDMENT TO LET STATES PASS STRONGER HEALTHCARE REFORMS By Miriam Raftery   November 5, 2009 – The Democratic-sponsored healthcare measure currently before Congress got a booster shot today with the endorsement of two major groups, the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).   The American Medical

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THREE ARRESTED IN HEALTHCARE PROTEST AT SAN DIEGO BLUE CROSS

Printer-friendly version November 5, 2009 (San Diego) – Mary Bell, 25, cannot get health insurance anymore since overcoming a kidney infection two years ago. On Monday, Bell and two others (photo, left) were arrested following a three-day vigil at Blue Cross in San Diego. Blue Cross executives declined to meet with the protesters, who sought to ask the insurance giant

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Chicago ICE raid draws condemnation over tactics including zip-tying naked children and terrorizing residents, even citizens

Printer-friendly version“It’s illegal. Unconstitutional. It’s dangerous. It’s wrong. This is not about deportation. This is not about safety. This is about authoritarianism. It’s about stoking fear. It’s about breaking the Constitution” – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson   By Alexander J. Schorr   October 8, 2025 (Chicago) —   On Friday morning at 1:00 AM   on Chicago‘s South Shore Drive, federal agents in military garb smashed through doors with flash-bangs, dragged residents

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Law enforcement stands ready to respond to regional emergencies

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service  October 8, 2025 (San Diego) — In the wake of recent high-profile incidents across the nation, Sheriff Kelly Martinez and local law enforcement agencies held a press conference yesterday to advise the community that they are prepared and ready to respond to any emergency in San Diego County. Sheriff Martinez was joined by San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Center (LECC) Director Roy

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Diet tea recalled for containing sugar, posing danger to diabetics

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service October 7, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Over 2,854 cases of Lipton Green Tea Citrus made by PepsiCo have been recalled because they actually contain mislabeled bottles of Lipton Green Tea Mixed Berry. The berry flavor is supposed to contain zero sugar, but these  drink bottles labeled “Diet” in the mixed berry flavor contain 25 grams

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Bicyclist dies after collision in Lemon Grove

Printer-friendly versionSource: San Diego County Sheriff October 7, 2025  (Lemon Grove) – A bicyclist is dead after a collision with a black Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck shortly before 9:30 p.m. last night in the 8500 block of Troy Street in Lemon Grove. Deputies form the Lemon Grove Sheriff’s station responded to reports of a serious injury collision and found the

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Missing Spring Valley teen

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service October 7, 2025 (Spring Valley) – Public help is sought to local Angel Mauricio Reyes Mejicanos, 15, who vanished after walking his sister to school on September 29.  He was reportedly sighted in the Encanto area on October 1.  His family is pleading for public help to find him according to the RAD Movement, which

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Charging your devices: Safety steps can prevent lithium-ion fires

Printer-friendly versionBy Yvette Urrea Moe, County of San Diego Communications Office Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine contributed to this report Photo:  firefighters purposely overloaded a lithium-ion battery to show what can happen. October 6, 2025 (San Diego) — Make sure you’re charging your lithium-ion batteries safely for devices such as cell phones and laptop computers. Using the wrong charger or one

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No kidding–firefighters save goat trapped in boulders

Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery October 6, 2025 (Descanso) – A goat trapped between boulders on Mizpah Lane in Descanso has been freed, thanks to the efforts of Cal Fire/San Diego Fire crews. Firefighters from Station 44 in Pine Valley and Station 45 in Descanso responded and performed a technical rescue to extricate the goat.  “We are deeply honored to serve

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Recall Ortiz effort in El Cajon fails to qualify for ballot

Printer-friendly versionAn effort to recall El Cajon City Council Phil Ortiz (seated, left) is not moving forward.  By Karen Pearlman Oct. 6, 2025 (El Cajon) – A grass-roots effort begun in 2024 to recall El Cajon City Councilmember Phil Ortiz has fizzled after organizers failed to turn in signatures as required by last Friday to qualify a recall for the

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Media Watch: Free speech groups denounce deportation of Emmy-award winning journalist for live-streaming ICE raids and protests

Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery October 5, 2025 (Atlanta, GA) – In an action that has drawn condemnation from journalism and civil liberties organizations, the Department of Homeland Security on Friday deported Mario Guevara, an Emmy award-winning journalist, to El Salvador in retaliation for his live-streaming of ICE raids.   “The government kept Mario unlawfully detained for weeks because of his

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