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CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE VIDEO — VIEW THE BATTLING VETS!

Printer-friendly versionOctober 28, 2008 (San Diego’s East County) – Two dueling veterans–Navy Seal Mike Lumpkin, Democrat and Marine Captain Duncan D. Hunter, Republican (son of the retiring Congressman)–plus Libertarian Michael Benoit share views on key issues in a 52nd Congressional District debate held at Cuyamaca College on October 22.  View the full debate, sponsored by the East County Chamber of

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MUTINY AT THE GOP?

Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery November 1, 2008 (San Diego) – San Diego Republican Party Chair Tony Krvaric is alleged to have rigged endorsements including a mayoral race, violated state election law and party rules.  A complaint filed by a Central Committee member calls for Krvaric’s ouster.  Will the GOP Central Committee make its chairman, who has previously been implicated in

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FIRE OFFICIALS SAY SHOCKEY FIRE CAUSE CAN’T BE DETERMINED; PRAISE CAMPO RESIDENTS FOR SAVING HOMES

Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery Cal Fire Captain Richard Stephan October 27, 2008 (Campo) – The cause of the Shockey Fire, which burned approximately 400 acres on October 15, will likely never be conclusively determined, California Fire and Forestry  (Cal Fire) officials informed East County Magazine’s editor during a recent visit at Campo’s fire station. “We found the area of origin

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EL CAJON VOTERS TO DECIDE ON SALES TAX HIKE

Printer-friendly versionCouncilman blasts Assembly Rep for opposing Prop J without consulting Council or Mayor By Miriam Raftery 77th District Assemblyman Joel Anderson Voters in El Cajon will decide whether or not to approve Proposition J, which would raise sales tax by one-half cent on the dollar. “The decision to place a sales tax increase on the ballot for El Cajon

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11 CANDIDATES VIE FOR 3 SEATS ON EL CAJON COUNCIL

Printer-friendly versionContenders clash on budget solutions, jobs, housing, and religion in politics   By Miriam Raftery How should El Cajon address its budget shortfall?  Should public jobs be privatized, or services cut?  Or can new revenues and employment be created with an industrial park, green jobs, a new hospital, a university, or other innovative solutions?  Candidates differ sharply on these

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Editorial – Seizing the Moment

Printer-friendly versionSan Diego County’s Green Energy Future By Martha Sullivan The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is poised to take action any day now on Sempra Energy’s proposed Sunrise Powerlink project, which the CPUC’s own ratepayers’ advocate division has concluded is unnecessary. In this editorial, Martha Sullivan, former CPUC staffer, lays out a plan of action for consumers interested in

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LEMON GROVE COUNCIL CANDIDATES OFFER FRESH PERSPECTIVES

Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery October 25, 2008 (Lemon Grove) – Who has the best fresh ideas for Lemon Grove?   Which candidate can squeeze the most benefits out of shrinking tax dollars? What seeds of future development should be planted for the city’s future—and was the Council’s vote to raise its pay 40% a sweet or sour deal? These are among

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LIBRARY FRIENDS ANNOUNCE ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS

Printer-friendly versionNovember 1, 2008 (San Diego) – The Library Friends of San Diego County (LFSDC) announced the winners of its annual essay contest, with this year’s theme, "Libraries, Loud or Quiet?" First, second and third place winners in the youth, teen and adult categories will be honored by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors at the Tuesday, November 18

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A QUESTION OF POWER ON SDG&E’S PROPOSED SUNRISE POWERLINK:

Printer-friendly version  Video documentary distributed to CPUC is now online October 23, 2008 (San Diego, CA) – Stubborn Mule Productions and Backcountry Against the Dump, Inc. announce that “A Question of Power” is now available online. This one-hour locally produced grassroots documentary about the ongoing battle over the 150-mile “Sunrise Powerlink” transmission line proposed by San Diego Gas & Electric

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El Cajon Police Arrest Parolee in Possession of Firearm, Narcotics and Ammunition

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service   July 1, 2025 (El Cajon) — El Cajon Police Department detectives arrested a parolee in possession of a firearm, narcotics and ammunition on June 26, following a surveillance operation.   According to Lieutenant Will Guerin, detectives observed 26-year-old Hector Ruiz Rico standing near a vehicle in a parking lot. placing items into both the

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DRIVER CHARGED WITH HOMICIDE, DUI IN FATALITY LEMON GROVE CRASH

Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery June 30, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – A 28-year-old man is charged with vehicular homicide and felony driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, after a deadly head-on collision in Lemon Grove last night. Sheriff’s deputies responded shortly before 8 p.m. to the crash in the 8400 block of Broadway, where they found the suspect beside

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MAN ARRESTED FOR SETTING TRASHCAN FIRE IN SANTEE

Printer-friendly version East County News Service June 30, 2025 (Santee) — Sheriff’s Deputies and Santee Fire personnel responded to a report of a fire near the Walmart on Town Center Parkway in Santee around 6:32 p.m. on June 28. As deputies were driving to the location, a second witness called Sheriff’s Dispatch and reported they watched a man set fire

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INJURED MOUNTAIN LION RETURNS TO WILD; 2 OTHER CUBS CONTINUE REHAB AT RAMONA WILDLIFE CENTER

Printer-friendly versionStory and photos via San Diego Humane Society   June 29, 2025 (Ramona) —  After nearly five months of rehabilitation at San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center, a young mountain lion injured in a vehicle strike has been successfully released back into the wild.   The male mountain lion, estimated to be around 10 months old, was released

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SUSPECTS ARRESTED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER AT PARKWAY PLAZA

Printer-friendly version East County News Service June 28,2025 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police have arrested three men and a juvenile for attempting to kill a teen boy, 17, insider Spencer’s at Parkway Plaza on June 24. “One suspect pointed a handgun at the victim’s head and appeared to pull the trigger,” says Lieutenant Will Guerin. Fortunately, the weapon jammed

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SUPREME COURT LIMITS INJUNCTIONS THAT BLOCKED TRUMP’S PLAN FOR BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP

Printer-friendly version  “We are fighting to make sure President Trump cannot trample on the citizenship rights of a single child.” –Cody Wofsy, deputy director, ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, which filed a class lawsuit in response to Supreme Court’s action By G. A. McNeeley    June 28, 2025 (Washington D.C.) — The United States Supreme Court has narrowed the scope of

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ECM WINS TWO JOURNALISM AWARDS

Printer-friendly version East County News Service June 27, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery won two awards from Society for Professional Journalists in the San Diego SPJ Journalism competition. The honors bring ECM’s total awards to 149 since our founding in 2008.  In the series category for daily reporting and writing, Raftery took third

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GUHSD BOARD FACES MULTIPLE LITIGATION THREATS

Printer-friendly versionCurriculum changes, lack of transparency, and allegations of white supremacy against Mt. Miguel teacher among hot button issues raised Eckert Screenshots: Left to Right — GEA President James Messina and Jason Balistreri, a teacher-librarian, take aim at the governing board for a lack of transparency and trust.   By Alexander J Schorr   June 26, 2025 (El Cajon) —The

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WATER CONSERVATION GARDEN LOSES SD COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY FUNDING

Printer-friendly version    Photo and story by Karen Pearlman   June 26, 2025 (San Diego) – The fate of public access to the Water Conservation Garden in Rancho San Diego is a little less certain after another partner, the San Diego County Water Authority, on Thursday voted to withdraw its funding and participation from the Water Conservation Authority, operators of

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