Want to save energy this winter? There are many steps you can take that will help reduce your overall energy costs. The more efficient your home is and the less energy that is transferred from inside to outside, the less energy it’ll take to keep your home comfortable – even in the coldest part of the year.
Greener Ideal, an environmental news publication, recommends these winter energy-savings tips:

1. Sunshine is your friend! It’s an excellent natural warmer for your home. Open the curtains and blinds on west- and east-facing windows during the day to allow as much sunshine as possible into your home. Then draw your curtains closed at night to insulate your home from the winter night chill.
2. Check your insulation. Insulation is like the winter coat for your house. The heavier it is, the warmer it will be. If your home is poorly insulated, it may be time to add some eco-friendly insulation. Add insulation blankets to the attic floor or wrap your water heater in fiberglass insulation.
3.  Seal leaks. A leaky home in a wasteful home, so find those vulnerable areas of your home where cold air gets in and warm air escapes. The most likely culprits are unsealed doors and windows. Seal leaks with weather stripping to prevent warm air leaving your home. Ensure seals around ducts are in good condition, too. Cover unused fireplaces to prevent passage of air through the flue.
4. Turn down the thermostat. Perhaps the most energy-conscious choice a homeowner can make is to have a programmable thermostat installed. You can set the unit to run at one temperature when you’re home and awake, another while you’re sleeping, and yet another when you’re not home. Save $75 through SDG&E’s instant rebate program by visiting sdge.com/instant.
5. Keep those tootsies warm. An energy-efficient way to keep your home warm in the winter is to switch to underfloor heating or a radiant heating system. Underfloor heaters use radiant heating to warm the entire room from the ground up. Heat travels upward which makes a floor heater more efficient than a heater with ducts placed near the ceiling. 

​#espsdge

The following quotes may be attributed to the leadership team of the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates regarding a federal district court’s Friday order that permanently ends enforcement of AB 775 —  a California law which attempted to force pro-life pregnancy centers to advertise for abortion and was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in NIFLA v. Becerra:

“NIFLA v. Becerra is not just about whether or not to hand out abortion information on a piece of paper or post it on the walls of pro-life centers. It is about the right belonging to all American citizens to be free from government-compelled speech, and from being coerced into promoting a message that contradicts their values,” said NIFLA Vice President Anne O’Connor, J.D. who acted as co-counsel in the lawsuit on behalf of NIFLA and its pregnancy centers.

“The right of free speech protected in the First Amendment not only includes the right to speak, but also the right to not be compelled by government to speak a message with which one disagrees and which violates one’s conscience,” added NIFLA president Thomas Glessner, J.D. “We are pleased with this permanent injunction and what it means for the many pregnancy centers that serve and empower women in California and throughout the country.”

About NIFLA

The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, known as NIFLA, is a national nonprofit organization providing legal counsel, education, and training for pro-life pregnancy centers and medical clinics. Representing a network of nearly 1,500 pregnancy centers across the United States, NIFLA has recently challenged laws in California, Hawaii and Illinois that target its members.
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NIFLA Vice President Anne O’Connor, J.D., acted as co-counsel on NIFLA v. Becerra before the Supreme Court in March. The NIFLA v. Becerra ruling in favor of pro-life pregnancy centers and free speech was released on June 26 of this year.

What's happening to Brett Kavanaugh is outrageous - and is purely motivated by the Liberal Left's obsession with keeping abortion legal "on demand."  Make no mistake - this isn't about what he's been accused of doing in High School - this is about Roe v. Wade.  The Democrats are terrified that they might lose their grip on abortion - and they'll do anything to stop anyone from sitting on the bench who might undermine that "right."  They'll destroy this man - his family - his reputation - his ability to work - simply because they disagree with his position on abortion.

There was a time in our history when these antics wouldn't have been tolerated - but things have changed.  Now the only way we can reign these people in is by voting and electing representatives who aren't driven by their lust for power and control.  We need people of character leading our country - people who can truly "agree to disagree."  If we don't vote, then we deserve what's coming.

Changing weather conditions are putting our region at risk for wildfires. We’ve made significant investments to protect our communities, but there are times during extreme weather when we may have to turn off the power for public safety.
 
If there’s a fire, sometimes fire officials or other agencies also ask us to cut power to keep the community and/or their crews safe. Whatever the circumstances, we’ll make every effort to communicate with you in advance. And please know that turning off power in the interest of safety isn’t a decision we take lightly. It’s a last resort during extreme situations.
 
Stay informed by making sure your contact information is up-to-date:
·        Go to My Account (sdge.com/myaccount) and log in
·        Click on ‘Manage My Account’ and update your contact information, including email address
You can also sign up for outage notifications in My Account:
·        Click on the ‘Alerts and Subscriptions’ tab
·        Select ‘Outage Notifications’ from the drop-down menu
·        From there, choose the way you want to stay informed (email, text and phone)
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​An abortion rights group tweeted Sunday that Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford “should never have had to come forward” to report the alleged crime.

NARAL Pro-Choice America tweeted Sunday that a woman who accused U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of assaulting her in high school should never have been burdened with the responsibility to report the supposed crime and that Kavanaugh’s nomination should be immediately withdrawn.

NARAL is a political action advocacy group that opposes abortion restrictions and seeks to expand abortion access.

“I thought he might inadvertently kill me,” Ford told The Washington Post. “He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing.”

“Sexual violence should have no place in our society—*especially* not on the highest court in the nation. Brett Kavanaugh is unfit to serve and his nomination should be withdrawn immediately,” NARAL also tweeted after the allegations became public.


The tweets comes shortly after reports that California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein sent a letter to the FBI Thursday regarding allegations that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh had tried to force himself on a woman when he was in high school.

The allegations were first reported by The New Yorker Friday. Neither the woman’s name nor the crime were reported until Sunday.

Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison accuser Karen Monahan blasted figures that try to use abuse claims for their own political benefit in a Friday tweet.

Karen Monahan@KarenMonahan01Abuse toward women is a political tool used by both parties when conveinant. Women r not tools to be used when it suits you. R pain & abuse is about human rights/dignity, it impacts r daily quality of life. It’s about right vs wrong, not right vs left.

Senate Committee on the Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley released a letter Friday signed by 65 women who knew Kavanaugh in high school and defended the judge. Kavanaugh rejects all allegations of misconduct.
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NARAL did not respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
LifeNews Note: Grace Carr writes for Daily Caller. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience.

The first two weeks in August were the hottest on record with an average temperature of 86.5 degrees — a full 10 degrees higher than the average high. This extreme heat that we’ve all been experiencing has many of us using more energy than normal as we look for relief. The increased energy use combined with higher summer pricing has resulted in our bills being higher than normal.
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Some residential customers are seeing an increase in their bills because they’re hitting the state-mandated High Usage Charge – the highest tier of electricity pricing, which went into effect in November 2017. The High Usage Charge was introduced to encourage energy efficiency. SDG&E doesn’t profit from the sale of electricity to our customers. The electricity purchased for your home is a direct pass-through to your bills. Visit sdge.com/highusage to learn more.

The High Usage Charge kicks in when your household exceeds four times its average daily use. This is also known as the baseline allowance, which varies by climate zone and season. Understanding your baseline allowance can help you manage your energy bill. Check out sdge.com/try-our-baseline-calculator.

Subscribe to energy alerts at sdge.com/alerts and you'll know in advance when your usage will trigger the High Use Charge. These alerts will let you know both before and when you start getting charged for high usage. You can choose to receive email, voice or text alerts. 

Also, you can choose a Time-of-Use pricing plan that allows you more control over your energy usage. You won’t incur a High Usage Charge on this plan. Learn more about pricing plans at sdge.com/whenmatters.

​Visit sdge.com/summer for ways to save energy this summer. Another helpful starting point is to log into or sign up for My Account at myaccount.sdge.com. Within My Account, you can view your energy use, find out what your baseline is, compare pricing plans, and sign up for High Usage Charge alerts.
​

You can save $350 off a new electric heat pump water heater with SDG&E’s instant rebates. Every water heater meets its end, usually around the 10-year mark. Our $350 instant discount makes it a great time to consider an energy-efficient upgrade.
Know the warning signs:

1. Your water heater is more than 10 years old
2. Rusty water comes out of the faucet
3. Rumbling and noise
4. Leaking around the unit

This instant discount is good for qualified A.O. Smith electric heat pump water heaters. Learn more and find participating stores at sdge.com/save.

​​

​With President Trump’s recent appointment of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, questions regarding the nomination revolve mostly around abortion. The question many are asking is, “What would happen if Roe were overturned?”
 
As a life-affirming ministry, we believe a Supreme Court shift toward defending innocent life is a major step forward, but it may not be what some believe.
 
Many in the abortion lobby claim abortion would suddenly become illegal across the country, but this is not the case. In truth, overturning Roe would most likely send the question of abortion back to individual states, which could then create their own laws or restrictions.
 
In our state of California, most experts believe that abortion will remain legal.  But regardless of what might happen in California or across the country, here is what we know:
 
We will be a source of accurate information.
 
Should Roe be overturned, it is important that all of us understand the ramifications of the Court’s decision. Because of the nature of our work, we will continue to provide factual, accurate information regarding how any ruling affects our clients, and our community.
 
The need for Silent Voices will only grow.
 
Should abortion remain legal here in California, it is still likely more women will seek our services. As always, we will serve anyone who comes in our door with positive options, providing hope for those challenged by an unplanned pregnancy.
 
Should abortion become more limited, we are committed to expanding our life-affirming services. Our mission is not dependent on whether abortion is legal; we are focused on serving those facing unplanned pregnancies in any political climate.
 
We are in this for the long haul!
 
With or without Roe, our mission is about loving, assisting and reaching out to those in challenging situations. As long as there is a need, we are here. We’re thankful for your support, because it is you who partner with us, reaching out to those who come our way.
 
While the nation watches the Supreme Court, we come to our offices each day, ready to listen, and prepared to serve anyone who asks for our help.
 
Please pray for Judge Brett Kavanaugh and his family. They will be put through the fire during this confirmation process.

A shocking new poll from Gallup indicates strong public support for the abortion giant Planned Parenthood.
The poll found a full 62 percent of American view the billion-dollar abortion “non-profit” favorably, the strongest supporters being women and young adults.
But the poll also found that 52 percent of people who attend religious services at least once a month view the abortion chain favorably, while 43 percent do not. Even 36 percent of people who identify as pro-life said they have a favorable opinion of Planned Parenthood, according to the poll.
The strongest opposition comes from Republicans, 63 percent of whom view the abortion giant unfavorably.
Gallup commented on the data:
The nation has been nearly evenly divided on the issue of abortion in Gallup polling in recent years, with less than a majority identifying as either “pro-choice” or “pro-life” each time the question has been asked since 2009. But Planned Parenthood, though prominently identified with the pro-choice side of the debate, is viewed favorably by majorities of most major demographic groups — including men and women, all age groups, all levels of education and all income levels.
Notably, however, Planned Parenthood’s favorable rating “is down sharply from the two times it was measured more than two decades ago, when roughly eight in 10 viewed it favorably,” according to the polling group.
The biggest shift happened within political parties. While Democrats’ favorable opinion of Planned Parenthood has not changed much in the past two decades, Republicans’ and independents’ opinions have changed drastically.
According to the polling group:
In the 1993 poll, more than two-thirds (69%) of Republicans had a favorable opinion of Planned Parenthood, along with 83% of independents and 91% of Democrats. By 2015, Gallup polling showed only 35% of Republicans with a favorable view, and favorable views among independents had dropped to 56%. Among Democrats, there was a smaller decline to 82%. Now Democrats are almost back to the 1993 level at 89%, while the views of Republicans and independents have not changed significantly over the past three years.
Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion chain in America, aborting about 320,000 unborn babies every year. Its most recent annual report showed a record income of $1.46 billion, with about half a billion dollars coming from taxpayers.
In the past 10 years, the abortion chain saw huge drops in patient numbers and actual health services and scandal after scandal involving aborted baby body parts harvesting, sexual abuse cover-ups, Medicaid fraud and more. The U.S. Department of Justice currently is investigating whether Planned Parenthood illegally sold aborted baby body parts. Meanwhile, its abortion numbers and taxpayer funding increased.
The abortion giant operates a huge, well-funded communications department that constantly crafts new ways to draw attention away from its deadly abortion business. This coupled with multi-million dollar donations from some of the richest old white men in the world and massive political donations have helped the abortion chain stay afloat.