By Rachel Becker, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo:  Lake Mendocino in Northern California in late October. Courtesy Department of Natural Resources

February 20, 2022 (San Diego) - The first two months of 2022 are shaping up to be the driest January and February in California history, prompting state officials to warn of dire water conditions ahead. 

By Miriam Raftery

February 20, 2022 (El Cajon) – Valhalla High School in El Cajon, where students are known as Norsemen, sent the Valhalla Vocal Music Choir on a trip to Scandinavia and London. But when their British Airways flight out of San Diego was delayed, the choral members delighted passengers by singing an impromptu concert.

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

February 19, 2022 (Scottsdale) - San Diego State notched its first victory of the 2022 campaign Saturday after edging Houston, 4-3, in the MLB4 Tournament at Salt River Fields.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: CC by SA via Bing

February 19, 2022 (Washington D.C.0 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to use recalled powdered infant formulas sold under the brand names Similac, Alimentum and EleCare in the U.S. and other countries.

By Ken Stone, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Poway Mayor Steve Vaus spoke to the media after Chabad of Poway fatal shooting in April 2019. Photo by Chris Stone

February 18, 2022 (Poway) - Poway Mayor Steve Vaus won’t face a recall election over alleged violations of political laws and supposed nondisclosures about his annual Christmas charity concert.

Reprinted with permission from J.W. August, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association 

Photo:  former SDSU and NFL football star Neal Petties today.

February 18, 2022 (San Diego) - A potluck gathering Saturday afternoon at Mountain View Park will commemorate Black History Month, but it’s also a celebration of the 11-acre park’s historic importance to the Black community in San Diego. 

By Alexei Koseff, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo:  Gov. Gavin Newsom discusses the next phase of the state’s COVID-19 response at a press conference in Fontana on Feb. 17, 2022. The press conference took place in one of many warehouses where PPE supplies are stored. Photo by Alisha Jucevic for CalMatters

February 18, 2022 (Sacramento) - For weeks, Gov. Gavin Newsom teased that California would soon enter a new phase of its response to the coronavirus pandemic, one in which the state shifted its perspective to how to deal with an endemic disease that will likely be a regular part of our lives.

February 18, 2022 (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.

• Supreme Court will weigh Biden’s bid to scrap ‘Remain in Mexico’ policy (Los Angeles Times)
• Donald Trump Has to Face Jan. 6 Claims Holding Him Civilly Liable: Judge (Newsweek)
• The Fed is setting out to kill inflation. Brace for collateral damage. (Politico)
• White House warns of the extensive sanctions Russia could face if it invades Ukraine (CNN)
• Keep track of your Venmo, PayPal and other payment app transactions in case the IRS comes asking (Washington Post)
• White House records taken by Trump contained classified information, National Archives confirms (NBC)
• McConnell denounces RNC’s censure of 2 House Republicans; McCarthy dodges the question (Los Angeles Times)
• MLB cancels first week of spring training games; daily negotiations to begin Monday (USA Today)
• Pence rebuked Trump -- and received an outpouring of GOP support in response (CNN)

WORLD

• Shelling intensifies in eastern Ukraine amid concern Russia's creating a pretext for an invasion (CBS)
• All the Beijing snow is human-made -- a resource-intensive, 'dangerous' trend as planet warms (CNN)
• Canadian police arrest 2 leaders of protesting truckers (NPR)
• Biden tells U.S. citizens to leave Ukraine, saying military wouldn't rescue them  (NPR)
• 2022 Olympics: Russia's Kamila Valieva struggles in free skate, fails to medal amid doping scandal (The Athletic)
• Exclusive: U.S. could prosecute Russians in Valieva doping case - USADA chief (Reuters)

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

By Miriam Raftery

Image: CC via Bing

February 18, 2022 (San Diego) – After revelations that San Francisco police used DNA collected from rape kits to charge a rape victim with a property crime, San Francisco’s District Attorney Chesa Boudin dismissed the charges and called the police actions a violation of the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures.

So East County Magazine asked the San Diego Sheriff department whether it has submitted rape victims’ DNA collected at hospitals to a database that could be used to link rape victims to other crimes.

Within hours of our request, Lieutenant Amber Baggs, the Sheriff’s Media Relations Director, sent this response:  “No we do NOT do this.  I read the article as well and checked with our Crime Lab Director. We do not match victim's DNA to other crimes. Thank you for asking so this can be clarified.”

Source:  La Mesa Chamber of Commerce

February 17, 2022 (La Mesa) - On Wednesday, February 23^rd the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce invites you to join them at an open house and ribbon cutting for San Diego Living Real Estate located at 8504 La Mesa Blvd. in La Mesa. The fun begins at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 7:00 p.m. with the “official” ribbon cutting taking place at 6:00 p.m.

At least 185 people have died in San Diego County jails from 2006 through 2020 and has the highest death rate among the largest county jails in California

East County News Service

February 17, 2022 (San Diego) -- Attorneys representing people incarcerated in San Diego County jails have filed an amended complaint in a federal class-action lawsuit against the County of San Diego, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego County Probation Department, and medical and mental health contractors for the San Diego County jails. The complaint challenges the defendants’ collective failure to provide adequate medical and mental health care and living conditions for people incarcerated in county jails, as well as violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the disproportionate overincarceration of people with disabilities and people of color.

By José A. Álvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office

Photo:  a treatment room at the Monoclonal Antibody Regional Center in San Ysidro.

February 17, 2022 (San Diego) - The County Health and Human Services Agency is reminding San Diegans that monoclonal antibody treatment is available for people at high risk of serious illness from COVID-19.

East County News Service

February 17, 2022 (Rancho San Diego) – Heritage of the Americas Museum will hold a “Rock Sale” this Saturday, February 19 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. You can find rocks, crystals, fossils and more.