By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

August 16, 2019 (San Diego) - They’re big. They’re scary looking. And they spin enormous, circular webs that can stretch between trees, from a tree to your house, or your house to your car.

It’s orb weaver spider time again in San Diego County—and this year could yield a bumper crop.

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson and Miriam Raftery

August 16, 2019 (La Mesa) -- La Mesa City Council members voted unanimously 5-0 on August 13^th for a landmark agreement to form a joint powers agreement (JPA) with the cities of San Diego and Chula Vista to create a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) and give La Mesa residents an alternative to SDG&E for purchasing power.

La Mesa Vice Mayor William “Bill” Baber was on the subcommittee leading the efforts on this matter. “With this vote, La Mesa took another step forward on the path to 100% clean energy!” Baber told ECM via e-mail.

East County News Service

August 15, 2019 (El Cajon) - El Cajon resident Pamela Gallardo has received the Lolita Lizarraga Scholarship from local nonprofit MANA de San Diego. She was just one of 25 local Latina students to chosen for the honor.

By Liz Alper

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

August 15, 2019 (San Diego) - With a new season two weeks away, SDSU football head coach Rocky Long, senior quarterback Ryan Agnew and junior safety Tariq Thompson sat down with the media today.

August`15, 2019 (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.

• Trump administration could institute rule that would limit legal immigration (CNN)
• Trump admin ends family-based reunification programs for Haitians and Filipino World War II vets (CNN)
• Jeffrey Epstein dead after apparent suicide in NY jail cell (Washington Post)
• Autopsy finds broken bones in Jeffrey Epstein’s neck, deepening questions around his death (Washington Post)
• Ajit Pai loses another court case as judges overturn 5G deregulation (Ars Technica)
• White supremacists and Islamic State recruits have more in common than you might think (Los Angeles Times) 

WORLD

• Russia Confirms Radioactive Materials Were Involved in Deadly Blast (New York Times)
• Russia Says New Weapon Blew Up in Nuclear Accident Last Week (Bloomberg)
• G20 summit: Trump and Xi agree to restart US-China trade talks (BBC)
• Microsoft warns Windows 10 users to update immediately (CNN)
• Microplastics Found in the Arctic Snow at 'Unexpectedly High' Quantities (Newsweek)

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

By Yvette Urrea Moe, County of San Diego Communications Office

Photo:  Here are some available pets at the County Department of Animal Services that are waiting for you or someone to give them a loving home.

August 15, 2019 (San Diego) - If you’re looking to add a furry friend to your life, consider one of our fabulous felines like Jessie, Damsel, or Joplin. Or one of our devoted dogs like Millie. They’re all at San Diego County Department of Animal Services shelters in Bonita or Carlsbad. And it won’t cost you a thing to take them home this Saturday, Aug. 17, for Clear the Shelters Day.

East County News Service

August 15, 2019 (Lakeside) – “It’s important that your voice is heard,” reads a flyer from State Senator Brian Jones, who will host an East County Town Hall on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019 at the Lakeside Community Center (9841 Vine St., Lakeside).  There will be a local Nonprofit Expo first from 5-6 p.m., followed by a Town Hall from 6-7:30 p.m.

ATONEMENT AND FORGIVENESS: A NEW MODEL FOR BLACK REPARATIONS, by Roy L. Brooks (University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California, 2004, 325 pages).

Book Review by Dennis Moore

“In my Case for Black Reparations, published in 1973, I called for a national debate on this painful subject. Professor Brooks has responded magnificently to this appeal, with a comprehensive and painstakingly thoughtful analysis of all aspects of this area. His book, in my opinion, will certainly become the standard examination of the issue. I recommend it with unqualified enthusiasm.”

• Boris I. Bittker, Professor Emeritus of Law, Yale University

August 15, 2019 (San Diego) - Roy L. Brooks, Warren Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of San Diego, and author of over a dozen books, including When Sorry Isn’t Enough: The Controversy over Apologies and Reparations for Human Injustice (1996), has written this thoughtful and provocative book, Atonement and Forgiveness: A New Model for Black Reparations, that has renewed a long simmering debate.

East County News Service

August 15, 2019 (San Diego) - Artists from East County that will be showcasing their artwork at the 2^nd annual ArtWalk Carlsbad, afine arts festival that will bring immersive art experiences, visual arts and live music—including a performance by A.J. Croce—to North County on Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22. The participating artists from East County include Jason Humphrey, Monique Straub and Gloria Chadwick. 

August 14, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• A vaccine for skin cancer? Tel Aviv researchers say they have discovered one (Jerusalem Post)
• Ebola now curable after trials of drugs in DRC, say scientists (Guardian)
• New Treatments Could Be Powerful Weapons Against Brain Tumors (U.S. News)
• Planned Parenthood to exit federal family planning program Aug. 19 over abortion ‘gag rule’ if court does not act (Washington Post)

SCIENCE & TECH

• Amazon’s facial recocgnition mistakenly ID’d 1 in 5 Calif. lawmakers as criminals (Vice)
• Russian Land of Permafrost and Mammoths Is Thawing (New York Times)
• Why solar activity and cosmic rays can’t explain global warming (Forbes)

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