Source:  Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber

December 12, 2022 (San Diego) -  Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D. (D-79) held a community recognitions ceremony on Sunday afternoon from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the George Stevens Senior Center in Encanto. The purpose of the year-end event is to honor community leaders and small business owners in District 79 who were recognized for their hard work and public service during the year. Each honoree was nominated by their fellow community members and invited to attend the in-person ceremony with their family. Students who completed Asm. Weber’s Young Legislator’s Program were also invited to the celebration.

By David R. Shorey, East County Program Manager, Institute for Public Strategies

December 12, 2022 (Spring Valley) -- Spring Valley residents have become agents of change for their community’s health  and welfare and their work is having significant results. The Spring Valley Community Alliance has become actively engaged in planning and land use issues and neighborhood health and safety concerns, while securing resources for community transformation.

East County News Service

December 10, 2022 (Julian/El Cajon) - San Diego Blood Bank will host two blood drives during Christmas week.  Julian Branch Library will host a blood drive on Wednesday, December 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Kaiser Permanente Travelodge will also host a blood drive on Thursday, December 22 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 250 S. Travelodge Drive, El Cajon 92020.

East County News Service

December 10, 2022 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa Village Association (LMVA) continues to fundraise for the much-anticipated downtown district sign that will be a beautiful new focal point in the La Mesa Village.  

East County News Service

Photo via @padres on Twitter

December 9, 2022 (San Diego) - Former Red Sox-turned free agent Xander Bogaerts has been inked to an 11-year, $280 million contract by the Padres.  

The signing comes at the end of the MLB Winter Meetings and is the only major move the Padres have made so far in the offseason.

By J.W. August, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  A man using a laptop computer. Photo via Pixabay

December 8, 2022 (San Diego) - ‘Tis the season when some extra money comes in handy. Imagine then getting news you have won money from www.bezosearthfund.org.

East County News Service

December 7, 2022 (El Cajon) - Last night, El Cajon Police officers and paramedics responded to 724 Fletcher Parkway to assist in a call of a pedestrian that had been struck by a vehicle. Police officers arrived and found a man unconscious in the roadway. The man was transported to Scripps Mercy Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The identity of the 89-year-old man is known.  However, his name is being withheld pending notification of family.

By Christianne McCormick

Photo:  Kristi from Custom Candles holds up a photo of her handmade candles

December 6, 2022 (Ramona) -- East County artists of all kinds and wine makers who are passionate about what goes into your glass helped to bring in the 10^th annual Ramona Art and Wine Festival which was held at Ramona Ranch.

East County News Service

December 6, 2022 (Sacramento) -- Senator Brian W. Jones (R-Santee) announced today the introduction of three bills immediately after being sworn into office yesterday.

By Kathy Carpenter

December 5, 2022 (San Diego's East County) -- ECM intern John Lekven and editor Miriam Raftery highlight the many annual autumn attractions, festivals and events across San Diego's East County.

From colorful fall foliage to Oktoberfests, grapestomps at local wineries, Halloween happenings and fall festivals, culiminating in events to herald in the holiday season, each fall brings a magnificent array of options for residents and visitors to San Diego's inland region.

By Miriam Raftery

December 5, 2022 (Jamul) – The Jamul Dulzura Community Planning Group (JDCPG) held two public hearings on the Jamul Casino Hotel and Event Center project planned by Jamul Indian Village (JIV). On November 19, the planning group chair Preston Brown sent a letter to JIV Chairwoman Erica Pinto stating that the tribal environmental impact report (TEIR) was “extraordinarily incomplete and premature for a project of this magnitude.” The planning group recommended the No Project Alternative.

The hotel would be 16 stories with floor-to-ceiling glass; the project would also include an indoor-outdoor event center and additional parking, but no new gaming.

ECM reached out to Chairwoman Pinto to request an interview. She initially agreed, but cancelled due to a trip to Washington D.C. to meet with Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on other matters.  ECM sent written questions and requested a new interview date, but no response has yet been received. The Jamul Casino employees approximately 1,000 people and has provided economic security for the Jamul Indian Village of California's tribal members, many of whom lived in poverty in the past. The new project, if built, would significantly expand employment opportunities in the area as well as economic growth for the tribe.

County planner Scott Christman has said the project does not need approval of county Supervisors or the Governor, and the tribe has previously indicated it hoped to begin construction this month. However the the JDCPG contends that since the casino was built based on certain conditions and legal requirements being met, some of which have not been completed, the project thus does need approval/cooperation/participation of both Supervisors and the Governor.

December 4, 2022 (San Diego's East County) -- It's a beautiful time of year for a drive through East County's mountain areas.

Our editor, Miriam Raftery, snapped the image in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park (left) and of the town hall in Ramona (right, below), resplendant in fall foliage.

December 4, 2022 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Marine veterans sue over alleged toxic water exposure at Camp Lejeune: "Poisoned as a result of their service" (CBS)
• RSV straining children’s hospitals across California (Los Angeles Times)
• Almost Twice as Many Republicans Died From COVID Before the Midterms Than Democrats (Vice)
• Covid Killed Half as Many San Diegans During Year Two of the Pandemic, But More Young People (Voice of San Diego)
• States differ on how best to spend $26B from settlement in opioid cases (NPR)
• The pandemic isn't over yet, but thousands of public health workers lost their jobs  (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• Lava, vog and "Pele's hair": The hazards posed by Hawaii's volcano eruption  (CBS)
• Notpla: UK plastic-alternative developer among £1m Earthshot Prize winners (BBC)
• Teenagers led a group of hackers who breached some of the world's biggest tech companies. The government wants to know how they did it. (CBS)
• Elon Musk suspends Kanye West from Twitter, unveils plan to incentivize advertisers to return (CBS)

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