East County News Service

February 12, 2023 (San Diego) -- Know a teen who loves science, learning new skills, and exploring the outdoors? You can invite them to participate in the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation's Eco Ambassadors program. The application deadline is February 28. 

East County News Service

February 12, 2023 (San Diego) -- North America’s songbird population has declined dramatically in the last 50 years, and the most significant cause of the decline is loss of habitat. In a lecture on Thursday, March 2 at 6 p.m. at Mission Trails Regional Park’s visitor center, Kay Charter of the nonprofit Saving Birds Thru Habitat will offer tips on creating habitat in your own yard to help songbirds thrive.

By Jessyka Heredia 

View video of the full meeting 

Photo:  mural depicting Lemon Grove Incident on former Welcome Home boutique site, by Miriam Raftery.

February 10, 2023 (Lemon Grove) -- At the Lemon Grove City Council meeting on Feb. 7, the community honored the memory of a former Council member and announced a budget award received from the Government Finance Officers Association. In addition, the Council heard public outcries from community members past and present urging preservation of murals depicting the 1931 school segregation case known as The Lemon Grove Incident, after the Welcome Home Boutique, a nonprofit resale store benefitting refugees, closed abruptly after scandal allegations arose regarding the nonprofit’s CEO. 

View video of full 2023 State of the Union address on C-Span

By Miriam Raftery

February 10, 2023 (Washington D.C.) – U.S. President Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union speech on Feb. 7, celebrating  American accomplishments and resilience since he took office amid the pandemic.  “We’ve saved millions of lives and opened America back up,” said Biden. “So let’s look at the results.”

 Among his administration’s achievements, he cited:

• Cutting the deficit by over $1.7 trillion, the largest deficit reduction in U.S. history. (Under the Trump administration, by contrast, the deficit increased for four straight years.)
• Creating 12 million jobs in two years, more than any prior administration created in four years
• Creating 800,000 good-paying manufacturing jobs, the fastest growth in 40 years. Instead of factories  moving overseas, the U.S. is once again exporting American products.
• Attaining an unemployment rate of 3.4%, the lowest in 50 years, including record low unemployment rates for Black and Hispanic workers
• Ending the emergency declaration as COVID no longer controls our lives and COVID deaths have dropped 90%
• Capping the cost of insulin at $35 a month for seniors on Medicare
• Inflation, a global problem due to supply disruptions form the pandemic and the Ukraine war, is now coming down; gas prices are down $1.50 a gallon, food prices are dipping and inflation has fallen each month for the past six months, following passage of the Inflation Reduction Act
• Enacting the CHIPS and Science Act to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs to make “sure the supply chain for America begins in America”, making semiconductor chips in the U.S. for use in cellphones, autos and more.
• Signing over 300 bipartisan laws including an infrastructure bill that is putting Americans to work building and repairing roads and bridges, as well as replacing lead pipes to provide clean water to schools, homes and childcare centers and bringing high-speed internet to rural communities
• Signing a law to help veterans exposed to toxic burn pits
• Signing a bill to reduce the deficit by $115 billion by cracking down on wealthy tax cheats
• Providing tax credits to buy electric vehicles and investing in charging stations, as well as clean energy
• Recovering billions of taxpayer dollars lost to rampant fraud by bringing back watchdogs -  inspector generals sidelined by the prior administration
• Allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices to reduce costs.
• Launching a new border plan last month that resulted in a 97% drop in  unlawful migration from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

Biden said his vision for the nation has always been to “restore the soul of the nation, to rebuild the backbone of America, the middle class,” and “to unite the country.”  In a vigorous speech that could preface an announcement to seek reelection, Biden pledged to “finish the job.”

District disputes statements by residents criticizing its actions

By Miriam Raftery

February 10, 2023 (Alpine) – Despite heavy rains in January that have alleviated severe drought concerns, Sweetwater Water Authority on January 26 announced that it has initiated a new transfer of water from Loveland Reservoir to Sweetwater Reservoir. The new transfer comes after a controversial transfer begun in November drained Loveland down to dead pool status for the first time in the district’s history, raising concerns over negative impacts on wildlife, firefighting resources, and loss of recreational use including fishing. 

Last month, heavy rains caused major damage to a floating fishing dock, as well as substantial erosion, as ECM reported. Now, the district has announced that “due to safety concerns, the Recreation Program at Loveland Reservoir is closed until further notice. Recent rains caused significant erosion in the Recreation Program area at Loveland Reservoir. For the safety of the community, the program will remain closed until further notice. Sweetwater Authority staff will be assessing the damage and evaluating options for repairs in the coming months.”  For the latest updates, visit www.sweetwater.org/recreation.

Darlene Cosso, board member and spokesperson for the newly formed Friends of Loveland Reservoir,  told ECM, “Friends of Loveland Reservoir would like to collaborate with Sweetwater Authority to propose solutions to the repeated draining of the lake. We believe we have various options which will benefit community members, the environment, wildlife that depends on Loveland, and Sweetwater Authority and its customers.”

Friends of Loveland Reservoir posted the following call to action on its Facebook page, for residents upset over the closure and repeated draining:

By Pennell Paugh

February 9, 2023 (San Diego) - Dr. Mary Travelbest’s guide book is full of tips and on the road recommendations. She helps you to get the best deals, pack light, and ensure your safety. She takes you through stages to develop a level of comfort with less and less structure. I’m still on stage one, but I now have the yen to plan a short trip.

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

Video by José Eli Villanueva:  Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas delivers the 2023 State of the County Address from the Waterfront Park outside the County Administration Center.

February 9, 2023 (San Diego) - County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas gave her first State of the County address during an evening presentation Wednesday, Feb. 1.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Dawn Sebaugh

February 9, 2023 (Mt. Helix) – Harbingers of spring, American  Robins have arrived in our region.  Dawn Sebaugh, a resident of Mt. Helix, says, “Last week we had 60 to 100 robins land all over the backyard and our deck. It was like the movie The Birds.” 

February 9,  2023 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Video of President Biden’s State of the Union speech: (C-Span)
• The biggest moments from Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address (Time)
• Former top FBI counterintelligence agent Charles McGonigal charged with violating Russia sanctions  (CNBC)
• Republicans' plans to slash Social Security and Medicare are becoming clearer: 'We have no choice but to make hard decisions' (Yahoo News)
• 2022 military intelligence report mentioned Trump-era balloon sightings: report (The Hill)
• Blinken postpones China trip after discovery of surveillance balloon (NPR)
• Oath keepers members found guilty of seditious conspiracy (CNN)
• US reunites nearly 700 kids taken from parents under Trump (ABC)
• Police warn that torture suspect is using dating apps (AP)
• Federal appeals court strikes down domestic violence gun law (KPBS)
• Classified documents found at Pence’s home (CNN)
• Yo-yo car sales ensnare buyers in bad deals. Will the FTC crack down on dealers? (NPR)

WORLD

• More than 3,800 killed in Turkey, Syria after powerful earthquake and aftershocks (Washingotn Post)
• Chinese spy balloons under Trump not discovered until after Biden took office (CNN)
• Iran acknowledges it has detained 'tens of thousands' in recent protests (NPR)
• AP interview: Pope says homosexuality is not a crime (AP)
• Brazil Wants to Abandon a 34,000-Ton Ship at Sea. It Would be an Environmental Disaster (Time)

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