EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: LOCAL AND STATEWIDE NEWS

March 12, 2022 (San Diego) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Bioluminescence Back at San Diego Beaches and Dolphins Are Enjoying the Blue Waves (NBC 7)
• Two La Mesa Neighbors Say Gas Thieves Drilled Holes in Their Tanks (NBC 7)
• Homeowners in Julian frustrated with not getting discounts for fire mitigation (CBS 8)
• San Diego County COVID Community Transmission Rated ‘Low' by CDC (NBC 7)
• Souplantation May Return to San Diego...Well, Sort Of  (SanDiegoville)
• San Diego company helping Ukrainian employees stuck here and in war zone (KPBS)
• A man was arrested after hiding 52 reptiles under his clothes at the Mexican border (NPR)

STATE

• Newsom wants mental health court for severe mental illness  (KPBS)
• What we know about Newsom’s plan to compel care for homeless, mentally ill Californians (Los Angeles Times)
•  Average California gas prices now over $5 a gallon (Los Angeles Times)
• Gov. Gavin Newsom will face little-known challengers for a second term (Los Angeles Times)
• Report: Reducing Voting Locations 'Discouraged Participation' for California's Black and Latino Voters in 2020 (KQED)
• Gavin Newsom appoints new director of Cal Fire, a 31-year department veteran (Sacramento Bee)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

LOCAL

Bioluminescence Back at San Diego Beaches and Dolphins Are Enjoying the Blue Waves (NBC 7)

Red tide. Bioluminescence. Algae bloom. You know, those supercool, electric-blue waves? Whatever you like to call them, they’re back for now at San Diego County beaches.

Two La Mesa Neighbors Say Gas Thieves Drilled Holes in Their Tanks (NBC 7)

It didn’t take long before high gas prices started being blamed for gas theft around San Diego County. Last Friday, two La Mesa truck owners told police their fuel tanks were drilled and drained while they were left parked outside. Now they're facing expensive repairs and the risk of it happening again.

Homeowners in Julian frustrated with not getting discounts for fire mitigation (CBS 8)

The California Department of Insurance Commission proposed new rules that would require homeowners get a credit for fire safety around their home.

San Diego County COVID Community Transmission Rated ‘Low' by CDC (NBC 7)

San Diego County is ending the week by taking a step in the right direction, out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently updated data from the CDC shows our community transmission levels are now being reported as “low” just days after being in the "high" category.

Souplantation May Return to San Diego...Well, Sort Of  (SanDiegoville)

A new owner has taken over a former San Diego Souplantation location and hopes to revive the once-nationwide concept, which shuttered all locations in 2020 amidst the early days of the coronavirus pandemic… La Mesa resident Dmitry Braverman has leased the former Souplantation location on Fletcher Parkway and aims to revive the concept using previously-released and copycat recipes…

San Diego company helping Ukrainian employees stuck here and in war zone (KPBS)

For the more than 30 employees of Blueboard who are based in Ukraine, the reality on the ground is dangerous and uncertain.

A man was arrested after hiding 52 reptiles under his clothes at the Mexican border (NPR)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a man trying to smuggle 52 reptiles at the San Diego border, the agency says. The man, a 30-year-old U.S. citizen, was hiding 43 horned lizards and nine snakes in small bags under his clothes as he tried to enter the United States from Mexico, the agency says.

STATE

Newsom wants mental health court for severe mental illness  (KPBS)

The proposal would allow family members, first responders and others to refer people with debilitating psychosis to be evaluated, treated and housed before they end up in the criminal justice system.

What we know about Newsom’s plan to compel care for homeless, mentally ill Californians (Los Angeles Times)

 Mayors of some of California’s largest cities on Friday endorsed Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to push more people with severe mental health and addiction issues into court-ordered treatment, or at least a framework of the idea.

Average California gas prices now over $5 a gallon (Los Angeles Times)

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in California is now a whopping $5.28, compared with $3.73 at the same time a year ago, according to the latest data from the American Automobile Assn....Experts say Russia’s war on Ukraine and an increase in gas demand coupled with a reduction in total supply are contributing to the prices, which will probably keep rising as crude prices continue to climb.

Gov. Gavin Newsom will face little-known challengers for a second term (Los Angeles Times)

None of the top Republicans who ran to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom in the failed September recall election will challenge his bid for a second term this year, leaving the task for now to little-known challengers who will face the buzzsaw of the governor’s multimillion-dollar reelection campaign.

Report: Reducing Voting Locations 'Discouraged Participation' for California's Black and Latino Voters in 2020 (KQED)

California's move to reduce the number of in-person voting locations in the 2020 election had an outsize impact on Black and Latino voter turnout, according to a pair of reports released this week. The analyses come as more counties are moving away from traditional assigned polling places and instead opening fewer, larger vote centers, while also sending every voter a ballot in the mail.

Gavin Newsom appoints new director of Cal Fire, a 31-year department veteran (Sacramento Bee)

California’s battle with wildfires has never been more intense. Now, the state has a new leader. Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday appointed Joe Tyler as the director and chief of Cal Fire, formally known as the Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention.