August 4, 2023 (San Diego) -- Systemic racism affects nearly every facet of life for people of color. Across the country, there are serious racial disparities concerning representation, land, and money within the agricultural field. Up to 83% of farmworkers nationwide are Latino, and unlike most workers, they do not benefit from overtime protections. San Diego County is home to California's ninth most lucrative agribusiness sector, generating over $1 billion annually. Furthermore, roughly 90% of its farm revenues are derived from labor-intensive crop industries. Although they provide essential services, Latino farmworkers usually earn low wages and must endure substandard working and living conditions. Approximately 35% of San Diego County's population is Latino, and many of these people work in agriculture.
As one of the most accident-prone industries, agriculture has the highest fatality rate in the country. Farmworkers face countless safety, health, environmental, biological, and respiratory hazards every day.
August 4, 2023 (San Diego) --Working as a firefighter entails numerous dangers, from smoke inhalation to crush injuries from collapsing structures. Still, a more insidious health threat these courageous people face is toxic exposure, as a fire can release many hazardous agents, including carbon monoxide, benzene, asbestos, hydrogen cyanide, particulates, and sulphur dioxide. Even if they wear the maximum feasible protective equipment, firefighters are inevitably exposed to these substances to a significant extent. Because of occupational toxic exposure, cancer is the leading cause of death in firefighters. They have a 9% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14% greater risk of dying from cancer than the general U.S. population.
Unfortunately, military firefighters are no exception, as they encounter the same health hazards on the job, if not more.
August 4, 2023 (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:
August 3, 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:
On July 26, 81-year-old Senator Minority Leader Mitch McConnell abruptly froze mid sentence for around 20 seconds during a press conference, he was escorted away and later returned to finish.It is unknown for sure what the cause of this behavior is, whether it was related to his concussion in March from falling earlier this year.
But the symptoms can also be a sign of a mini-stroke, known as a Trasient Ischemic Attack (TSI) or even a major stroke.. Whether you support Mitch Mconnell, a Republican, or not it is important to recognize how dangerous a stroke can be, especially for older individuals. If you suspect someone is having a stroke, you need to call 911 immediately for proper treatment since the longer it takes to get treatment, the higher the risk of damage to the brain.
This incident, along with health issues involving California Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, who is 90, also raises concerns over the fitness of some long-serving members of Congress.
Owner cites financial need, but residents say they're getting a raw deal and seek legal counsel
By Miriam Raftery
Photos by Milt Cyphert
August 3, 2023 (Jacumba Hot Springs, CA) – For nearly three decades, the De Anza Springs Resort in the high desert community of Jacumba Hot Springs has provided a 523-acre haven for naturalists to bare all, as one of the nation’s largest clothing-optional destinations.
But two days ago, residents received stark news: a letter from the resort’s new management informing them of a decision to become a “textile” park. Starting September 1, clothing will be required in all common areas such as the pool and hiking trails. Then on October 1, nudity will be banned everywhere on the property, including privately owned and leased sites.
The action has laid bare resentments and anger among residents who bought or leased sites specifically for the freedom to be clothes-free, as well as among frequent visitors who purchased club memberships. Some are seeking legal counsel over what they contend were deceptive marketing practices, as well as concerns over loud concerts and other problems stemming from changes implemented by the new owners.
“We understand that change can sometimes be met with mixed feelings, and we empathize with those who might feel upset or uncertain about the introduction of the new clothing rule,” the owners’ letter states, also encouraging residents with questions to setup an appointment by emailing Luke Wasyliw, who blames residents for not supporting some events and cites financial needs.
August 2, 2023 (San Diego) – A man who fired shots at a person in the Mesa College area later shot a police dog. A San Diego Police officer shot the suspect, who later died.
August 3, 2023 (Spring Valley) -- A suspect was arrested on August 1 for a July 4 shooting that killed one man and injured another in Spring Valley. The suspect is a gang member with a criminal record.
Shortly after 10 p.m. on July 4, Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call reporting a shooting in the 2700 block of Central Avenue. Fernardo Kevin Villegas, 25, was found in the street with several gunshot wounds to his torso. Despite medical aid provided by deputies and medical personnel, he died of his injuries.
A second victim, Kaulana “Dustin” Hernandez Liu, arrived at a hospital with a gunshot wound to his arm; he was treated and released.
San Diegans recognize Jamul Casino for its dining, panoramic views and service
East County News Service
Photo: Tony Gwynn’s Sports Pub at Jamul Casino, named “Best Sports Bar” for the sixth consecutive year in the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Readers Poll
August 3, 2023 (Jamul) - On Sunday, July 30, the San Diego Union-Tribune announced the winners of its 27th annual “San Diego’s Best” Readers Poll, with Jamul Casino bringing home a personal best of nine (9) awards. The Union-Tribune Readers Poll reflects the voting audience’s top selections for more than 200 products and services in San Diego—everything from restaurants to entertainment, retail, real estate, legal services, and more. The winners earn the right to be called “San Diego’s Best.”
Specialist only player to land on the watch list for the Ray Guy Award (punter) and Lou Groza Award (kicker)
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo courtesy goaztecs.com
August 3, 2023 (San Diego) - San Diego State senior specialist and West Hills High School alum Jack Browning landed on a pair of 2023 national watch lists, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced Wednesday morning. Browning made the Ray Guy Award Watch List, which goes out to the best collegiate punter, and the Lou Groza Award Watch List for the top placekicker.
Cedar Fire survivor and widow of famed pilot adventurer needs community’s help
By Miriam Raftery
August 2, 2023 (Crest) – Leysl Muñoz, 87, was well-known to residents in rural Crest, where she regularly drove around in her golf cart with her Burmese Mountain Dog, Rebby. But on Friday, July 28, she was “critically injured when an EDCO trash truck backed over her while she was sitting in her golf cart,” according to a GoFundMe post set up by her neighbor, Rich Robinson.
“Leysl is confronting a long and difficult road to get back on her feet,” he states. “This GoFundMe effort is being established by her East County friends who want to help her get back on her feet and in a new golf car with Rebby.
July 31, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig, has just been released on July 21. The Barbie movie has been long-awaited for this summer, with many coupling it with the film, Oppenheimer, which came out the same day but had a wildly different energy, as you can tell by the title if you know your US history. Barbie broke the record for the biggest box office opening weekend for a female director, making $155 million in North America and $377 million globally. Barbenheimer, the combination of Barbie and Oppenheimer, made $235 million in their opening weekend, making it one of the most successful opening weekends in box office history.
Barbie stars Margot Robbie, who plays stereotypical Barbie, and Ryan Gosling, who plays beach Ken. In Barbieland, all the Barbie dolls live their perfect lives in a world dominated by women. The president is a Black Barbie, the houses are all owned by Barbies, the Nobel prize winners are all Barbies, the entire supreme court is female and the Kens are just Ken. In this world, the Barbies live under the idea that they’ve cured all the problems women face in the real world. This isn’t true, and stereotypical Barbie realizes that when she has to go to the real world to save the girl playing with her doll, whose depressing thoughts of death are affecting Barbie. Due to these thoughts and the connection between Barbie and the girl playing with her doll, Barbie becomes imperfect. She has bad morning breath, expired orange juice, burnt waffles, a cold shower, flat feet and the worst of all: cellulite.
Charlie’s Notes: a memoir: By Cherie Kerr (ExecuProv Press, Santa Ana, CA., 2004, 367 pages).
Book Review by Dennis Moore
August 2, 2023 (San Diego) - There is nothing like a daughter’s love for her father, and in this memoir written by Cherie Kerr, Charlie’s Notes, there is a profound love for her father throughout this well written and touching book that pulls at your heart strings. As the singer and song writer John Mayer says in his song (Daughters); “Fathers be good to your daughters”, this comes out throughout this book, and it resonates with me throughout for some very personal and profound reasons. Clearly, and in talking to Kerr, Charlie was good to his daughter!
In a recent telephone conversation between the author and me, we both shared thoughts of family life, with Kerr professing her undying love for her father, and indicating that she was the apple of his eye. That is certainly understandable.
The author, Cherie Kerr, touches on her Italian heritage by emphasizing her father’s roots, and the family’s evolution in the jazz revolution in this country, particularly her father’s.
August 1, 2023 (Ramona) – Jonathan McDowell, 47, of Ramona died at Scripps Mercy Hospital on July 29, 10 days after he was found unresponsive in his cell at the George Bailey detention facility. The Medical Examiner’s autopsy has concluded that McDowell died of asphyxia due to hanging and that his death was a suicide.
A statement from the Sheriff’s department says, “We extend our sympathies to the McDowell family and those affected by his death. A Sheriff's Family Liaison Officer will support the family as they deal with the loss of a loved one.”
McDowell was arrested on Feb. 20 on charges of assaulting a peace officer with a gun, attempted murder, and committing a felony while on bail or release.
File photo by Billy Ortiz: Hiking trail leading to El Cajon Mountain
August 1, 2023 (Lakeside) – An all-night search for a hiker reported missing yesterday afternoon has ended after a body was found at 8:45 this morning near a hiking trail in El Cajon Mountain (also known as El Capitan).
The man, 34, left to go hiking around 9 a.m. yesterday and was expected home around 2 p.m. When he didn’t return, his family contacted the San Diego County Sheriff’s department.
"Holding Trump accountable for his crimes pulls our democracy back from the precipice and prevents his criminal attempt to overturn an election from being forgotten or normalized," said one watchdog leader.
Aug 01, 2023 (Washington D.C.) -- Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday was indicted by a federal grand jury in Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and incite the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Trump—now the leading candidate for the GOP's 2024 presidential nomination—faces four charges: conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights.
August 1, 2023 (Warner Springs) – A 16-year-old skateboarder from Warner Springs has died after being struck by a vehicle last night on State Route 79.
All Credit Union branches accepting book donations for San Diego elementary school students
Source: North Island Credit Union
August 1, 2023 (San Diego) -North Island Credit Union has launched a book drive to help ensure children in low-income households have access to books outside the classroom. In the second year of the partnership, the book drive is being conducted with the Scripps Howard Fund and ABC 10News as part of its “If You Give a Child a Book . . .” childhood literacy campaign.
August 1, 2023 (San Diego) - Country music legend Crystal Gayle will perform at Sycuan’s Live and Up Close Theatre on Saturday, September 9 at 8 p.m.
Shel was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2017 by her sister, Loretta Lynn. Her signature songs include Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue, You’ve Been Talking in Your Sleep, When I Dream, Half the Way and her duet with Eddie Rabbitt, Just You and I.
August 1, 2023 (San Diego) - Make a difference in a homeless pet’s life by giving them a home, family, and love in August for Clear the Shelters, a monthlong national effort to find caring homes for animals in shelters.
July 31, 2023 (Denver) - The Padres went to Colorado for the last two days of July for three games with the Rockies. Seth Lugo started tonight’s game one against Austin Gomber for Colorado.
July 31, 2023 (San Diego) -- On Wednesday, July 26, the Federal Reserve again decided to raise interest rates for the 11th time in 17 months in a continuing effort to counter inflation. But some experts believe this may be the last of interest rates hikes. The San Diego Association of Realtors indicates it is “encouraged by the expectation that interest rates will likely begin to drop soon and continues to encourage buyers to remain in the home buying market in the short term,” according to an SDAR press release.
July 31, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) -- August and September events coming up in San Diego’s East County will give you plenty to howl about – including tours at the California Wolf Center, National Night Out with local law enforcement agencies, Julian’s star fest, outdoor concerts in several communities, classic cruises, the Mt. Helix Food and Wine Festival, an X-Fest with extreme sports events, plus a concert by country music legend Crystal Gayle and a comedy show by Paula Poundstone.
Scroll down for details on these events and many more, coming up across San Diego’s inland region.
July 31, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Join the San Diego County Sheriff's Department for National Night Out on Tuesday, August 1. Sheriff's Stations and Substations across the county will be hosting family-friendly community events to take a stand against crime. Find details on each station’s event below.
National Night Out is an annual event that promotes law enforcement-community partnership and neighborhood camaraderie.
Meet your local Sheriff's Deputies and receive public safety resources. Crime Prevention Specialists will share tips on how to keep your families safe. Many of our events will feature giveaways and more.
July 31, 2023 (Washington, DC) — The House Committee on Natural Resources unanimously approved legislation authored by Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48) by a 32-0 vote last week. The bill would streamline and accelerate hiring of critically needed federal firefighter personnel.
The legislation – H.R. 3499, Direct Hire to Fight Fires – grants permanent “direct hire” authority to federal firefighting agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and National Park Service. Some of California’s worst wildfires have burned federal lands, including Cleveland National Forest in San Diego County.
“An indispensable strategy in taking on the severe fires we know are on the way is to deploy the necessary personnel to stop these blazes wherever they occur,” said Issa. “With this new hiring authority, our federal agencies can bring together the teams of firefighters we need to hold the line, halt the destruction, and save lives and property that are too often lost forever.”
July 25, 2023 (El Cajon)—Hundreds of residents showed up Tuesday evening to a public meeting held at Hillsdale Middle School, convened by The County of San Diego Planning Commission regarding a revised Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on the controversial Cottonwood sand mine proposal. Those present in the packed room showed solidarity in opposition to the sand mine project currently under consideration by the County of San Diego on a 214 acre section of Cottonwood golf course in El Cajon.
July 30, 2023 (Santee) -- Summer is almost over and to close out the fun, East County is hosting its first-ever X-Fest full of extreme-sport events, local vendors, superstar athletes, music, guest speakers, testimonies, entertainment and tons of free giveaways.
July 30, 2023 (Potrero) -- Multiple fire crews and aircraft are responding to a brush fire in Potrero that started at 26440 Potrero Valley Road in the Bell Valley area in Potrero. The fire has potentially to reach up to 300 acres and at least one structure is threatened.
Some residents have been asked to evacuate, Brush Fire Partyline reports, though there has been no official confirmation of evacuations as yet.
August 4, 2023 (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:
August 3, 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:
A man who fired shots at a person in the Mesa College area later shot a police dog. A San Diego Police officer shot the suspect, who later died.
San Diegans recognize Jamul Casino for its dining, panoramic views and service
August 3, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.
Specialist only player to land on the watch list for the Ray Guy Award (punter) and Lou Groza Award (kicker)
By Miriam Raftery
Review by Bran
East County News Service
By Miriam Raftery
All Credit Union branches accepting book donations for San Diego elementary school students
East County News Service
By 
Story by Liz Alper
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July 31, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) -- August and September events coming up in San Diego’s East County will give you plenty to howl about – including tours at the California Wolf Center, National Night Out with local law enforcement agencies, Julian’s star fest, outdoor concerts in several communities, classic cruises, the Mt. Helix Food and Wine Festival, an X-Fest with extreme sports events, plus a concert by country music legend Crystal Gayle and a comedy show by Paula Poundstone.
Hundreds of residents showed up Tuesday evening to a public meeting held at Hillsdale Middle School, convened by The County of San Diego Planning Commission regarding a revised Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on the controversial Cottonwood sand mine proposal. Those present in the packed room showed solidarity in opposition to the 
East County News Service
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