East County News Service

February 2, 2021 (La Mesa) – A COVID-19 vaccination super station opened today at Grossmont Center in La Mesa. Operated by Sharp Healthcare, the The new walk-up clinic is vaccinating people from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Up to 1,000 doses will be administered daily, but the site’s capacity can be expanded to provide up to 5,000 vaccinations every day.

The clinic is located in the shopping mall at 5500 Grossmont Center Drive, between Wetzel’s Pretzels and the Ceramic Café.

This location will replace and expand the site Sharp HealthCare had been operating on Wakarusa St. Appointments made for that site transfer to the super station at the mall.

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

January 30, 2021 (San Diego) - Senior forward Matt Mitchell has etched his name throughout the San Diego State record book. On Saturday night, the master used a variety of his tools as San Diego State pounded Wyoming, 98-71, at Viejas Arena.

January 30, 2021  (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:

By Miriam Raftery

January 30, 2021 (San Diego) – The body of 21-year-old Max Lenail, who went missing while running in Mission Trails Regional Park yesterday, has been found by searchers.

His mother, Laurie Yoder, posted on a Facebook group set up to help find her son, “I’m sad to report that they have found and retrieved Max Lenail’s body from the Mission Trails park. It is every parent’s worst nightmare. The only silver lining is the incredible support that we’ve received over the last day from close friends and family, and from people we’ve never met from around the globe who tried to help. From the bottom of my heart I will never forget all of the people who reached out with kindness.”

January 30, 2021 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Millions Meant for Public Health Threats Were Diverted Elsewhere, Watchdog Says (MSN)
• The new mosquito bringing disease to North America (BBC)
• Biden to activate FEMA and National Guard to vaccinate Americans (Cnet)
• Moderna announces vaccine upgrades to protect against emerging variants (NBC)
• New study shows COVID-19 could hide in your brain and reactivate down the road (WSBTV)
• New China swine fever strains point to unlicensed vaccines (Reuters)  
• Colchicine reduces the risk of COVID-19-related complications (Univ. of Montreal Institute of Cardiology)
• U.S. CDC says 41.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines distributed, 20.5 million administered (Reuters)
• UN: COVID-19 herd immunity unlikely in 2021 despite vaccines (ABC)
• Pandemic could be WHO's Chernobyl moment for reform -review panel (Reuters)  
• New COVID-19 variant defeats plasma treatment, may reduce vaccine efficacy (Reuters)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• Apple issues new warning: Keep your iPhone six inches away from your pacemaker (CNN)
• Stocks explained: What's going on with GameStop? (BBC)
• Is that app spying on you? Here’s how to read iPhone privacy labels. (Washington Post)

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

Update:  The body of Max  Lenail has been found in Mission Trails Regional Park, his parents have confirmed on Facebook.  His father indicated that the death was apparently the result of a tragic accident.

By Miriam Raftery

January 30, 2021 (San Diego) – A search is underway in Mission Trails Regional Park for Maximilian “Max” Lenail. The 21-year-old man left North Park to go for a run in Mission Trails Regional Park on January 29. Heleft his white Subaru Outback parked at the trailhead, but has not been seen since, according to a flyer circulated in a Facebook group set up to help find him.

He was last seen wearing bright orange running shorts and a gray tank top at 10:30 a.m. yesterday. He is 5 feet, eight inches tall and weighs 160 pounds.

 “A land search started at 9 a.m. this morning at the trailhead,” Heath Meyer, a friend of Lenail, told ECM in an email this morning.

East County News Service

Photo courtesy of Snow Valley

January 30, 2021 (San Diego) – Skiing, snowboarding and sledding are classified as outdoor activities during the pandemic, so ski resorts are open.  At Snow Valley Mountain Resort in Running Springs, located in the San Bernadino Mountains just north of San Diego, 24 to 30 inches of new snow fell overnight. That’s on top of 29 inches of fresh snow Friday atop the summit at 7,841 feet a 25 inches at the base.

“Winter is definitely back!” John Brice at SnowSports.com says, adding that in addition to heavy snowfall, “We’ve been making snow nightly to help build up our base of snow!  With the natural snow, more terrain is now open including Bubble Gum, Surprise Run, Race Peak and more.  Check out the open trails report below for more information.”

East County News Service

January 29, 2021 (San Diego) -- As part of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force (SDHTTF) conducted a three-day operation (January 26-28) throughout San Diego County targeting sex buyers and traffickers. The San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force and allied local law enforcement agencies arrested a total of 30 men for solicitation and one man for pimping, pandering, and possession of a concealed firearm, after he recruited an undercover detective into prostitution online.  These cases will be referred to local prosecutors.

East County News Service

January 29, 2021 (Descanso) -- Richard Edwords sent this photo of his flock of chickens experience a blanket of newly fallen snow at his home in Descanso.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Erik Herrara

Updated 9:30 p.m. with clarification from El Cajon Police that a counterprotester who alleged assault did later file a police report.

January 29, 2021 (El Cajon) – The County’s public health officer and many local residents are speaking out critically of El Cajon’s leadership after Mayor Bill Wells gave the opening prayer at a religious gathering January 17^th that drew hundreds of outdoor worshippers at Prescott Promenade, nearly all without masks.

The “Let Us Worship” Christian service and concert was organized by evangelical musician Sean Feucht, who exhorted the crowd to yell as loudly as they could despite medical evidence that singing and shouting at worship services has led to super-spreader events and deaths elsewhere. He also invited people to come onstage for a “born again” ritual in which they were prayed over and hugged by faith leaders.

The event was in direct violation of the state and county COVID-19 regulations, held at a time when regional ICU capacity is zero and a stay-home order was in place due to surging COVID cases, including new, rapidly spreading variants.

East County News Service

January 28, 2021 (San Diego) - Senator Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Niguel) has reintroduced legislation in partnership with San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan to extend the presumption of openness that exists in California courtrooms to proceedings under the Sexually Violent Predator Act. They initiated a similar effort last year but had to put it on hold due to the Legislature’s focus on addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senate Bill 248 would require that proceedings for the civil commitment of a sexually violent predator (SVP) and subsequent hearings regarding his/her potential release be in open court and on the record, unless compelling and extraordinary circumstances justify closing the courtroom to the public. This bill would require a notice to all parties of the proposed closure and that it be made at least 10 calendar days prior to the closed court hearing.

Source: Office of Congressman Darrell Issa

January 28, 2021 (Washington, DC) — The House Republican Steering Committee yesterday selected Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) to serve on the powerful House Committee on the Judiciary and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Issa released the following statement: 

“I am honored to return to service as a Senior Member of the Judiciary and Foreign Affairs committees this Congress. These committees stand at the forefront of our nation’s great challenges: protecting free speech, securing our border, reforming immigration, combating global terrorism and limiting government overreach. On behalf of the 50^th District of California, I can’t wait to get to work and craft lasting solutions. 

“I look forward to the leadership of Judiciary Ranking Member Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Foreign Affairs Ranking Member Michael McCaul (R-TX). They are outstanding colleagues, and work tirelessly on behalf of our nation’s families, workers and small businesses.” 

By Briana Gomez

January 28, 2021 (El Cajon) – On Tuesday, the El Cajon City Council voted 4-1 to remove Humbert Cabrera from his position as a Planning Commissioner.

The meeting also included other items impacting the community, including an update on COVID-19, a proposal to outlaw protests at individual homes, and a proposal to limit the city’s investment in alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana.

Removal of Planning Commissioner Cabrera

The proposal to oust Cabrera was made by Mayor Bill Wells and Vice Mayor Gary Kendrick. A staff report cited conflicts of interest by Cabrera  in violation of the city’s ethics policy, since his company has numerous clients seeking city permits. Other reasons included his allegedly demeaning treatment of applicants before the planning commission and questions over his integrity based on conflicting residency statements that he made during a candidate forum hosted by East County Magazine. (See our prior coverage.)