East County News Service

July 6, 2017 (Lakeside) – Heritage turkeys are much more than a Thanksgiving staple, plus heritage-breed turkeys have an interesting place in San Diego's history. Come and hear all about it and even see the bird in person at Richard Edword’s talk on Saturday, July 15 at 11 a.m. at Lakeside River Park Conservancy, 12108 Industry Rd, Lakeside, CA 92040

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Little Flower Haven circa 1954, via Postcards.com on City of La Mesa's website.

July 6, 2017 (La Mesa) – Two public meetings are set for Silvergate Development’s proposal to redevelop the former Little Flower Haven convent and nonprofit home for the elderly at 8585 La Mesa Blvd.  The Planning Commission will hold an informational-only meeting and environmental assessment on Wednesday, July 19 at 7 p.m.  The City Council will hold a hearing on the project on August 8^th at 6 p.m.  Both meetings will be in Council Chambers at 8130 Alison Ave., La Mesa.

Plans submitted called for keeping the historic 1939 Spanish Mission style front structure and bell tower, which is eligible for listing in the California Register of Historical Resources. The property, recently sold, was formerly home to the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus.   The sisters have relocated to Texas, the Reader reported in March. 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left:  Sergeant Parker with his daughter, Sarah, sons Jonathan and Daniel, and wife, Missy.

July 5, 2017 (San Diego) – Countless families have been reunited with missing loved ones, or learned their fate, thanks to the tireless efforts of  Sheriff Search and Rescue Coordinator Don Parker.  Sergeant Parker, who retired in 2015, made a career out of helping others – and now the community is pulling together to bring financial help to Sergeant Parker, who was diagnosed in May with brain cancer.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo credit Calif. Department of Corrections

July 5, 2017 (Lakeside) — An inmate firefighter has suffered a life-threatening injury after he lost control of a chainsaw that cut his leg, Fox 5 reports.

The firefighter was working at the scene of a brush fire that began around 1:30 p.m. near Olde Highway 80 and Los Coches Road in Lakeside.   Mobile homes were briefly threatened before firefighters got the blaze under control.

July 5, 2017 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL

• San Diego Superior Court to close courtrooms, cut staff because of budget shortfall (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• To curb suicides, VA opens services to those with less than honorable discharges (KPBS)
• Targeted immigration arrests in San Diego have more than doubled under Trump (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Uninsured in East County get help from $150,000 local grant (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Oceanside minister supported Trump. Now he faces deportation (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• FS investors, a leaked memo and the Q:  Who done it? (Reporting San Diego)

STATE

• More state officials refuse to turn over voter roll data (The Hill)
• Hate crimes rise in California, state report says (Los Angeles Times, via San Diego Jewish World)
• California invested heavily in solar power. Now there’s so much that other states are sometimes paid to take it. (Los Angeles Times)
• California’s Supreme Court makes it harder for three-strikes prisoners to get sentence reductions (Los Angeles Times)

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

East County News Service

July 5, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- Hot weather and possible thunderstorms are forecast for this weekend in our inland region, mainly in the mountains during afternoons and early evenings.  “Moisture will be limited, so at this time, any flash flood threat looks minimal, but dry lightning strikes may pose a wildfire threat,” the forecast from the National Weather Service in San Diego states, adding that heat watches, warnings or advisories may be issued in the valleys, mountains and deserts later this week.

Allied forces gain ground: Iraqi Prime Minister declares end to ISIS caliphate, but plight of refugees remains dire

By Miriam Raftery; Photos by Kainoa Little

Photo, left:  Refugees flee the embattled city of Mosul

July 4, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Magazine has obtained dramatic photos from the Battle of Mosul, taken in the Iraqi city during April 2017 by photographer Kainoa Little, who specializes in photographing war zones and refugees. 

His images show Iraqi federal police fighting to free Mosul from occupation by Islamic State, or ISIL, militants who seized the city in June 2014.  The photos poignantly depict the courage of soldiers and at times, fear, as they fight amid the ruins and also the anguish of residents and refugees fleeing the city. 

The battle captured in these April photos continues, with the allies gaining ground. Today, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al Abadi held a press conference to praise his troops for a “big victory in Mosul” including retaking what remains of the al-Nuri mosque in the old city, Associated Press reports. 

By Miriam Raftery

July 4, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – President Donald Trump hit below the belt, in the view of professional journalists, when he tweeted a 28-second video altered to depict Trump wrestling and punching a figure with the CNN logo transposed on its head. The video also alters the CNN logo to read, “FNN: Fraud News Network.”

East County News Service

July 4, 2017 (La Mesa-Spring Valley) -  Applications are being accepted now through July 24 to fill a vacancy on the La Mesa-Spring Valley Board of Education. Board member Rick Winet resigned after taking a position with McGregor Inc., a benefits administrator, to avoid a potential conflict of interest.

Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, reside within the boundaries of the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District, be a United States citizen, and a registered voter.  The appointee will serve through December 2018.

East County News Service

July 3, 2017 (San Diego's East County) – The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) recently hosted a check presentation ceremony with Maureen Hartin, CEO of Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) San Diego. The ceremony celebrated GHD’s ongoing support of VIM, including a $150,000 grant awarded during GHD’s current fiscal year.

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

Image credit:  PhotoSpin

July 3, 2017 (San Diego's East County) - Independence Day! It’s all about celebrations, get-togethers, barbecues and lots and lots of food.

It should also be all about cooking safely — so no one goes home from your get-together celebrating a bellyache or worse because bacteria like salmonella, listeria or E. coli that can cause food-borne illness crashed your cookout.

By Frank Gormlie , OB Rag

July 2, 2017 (San Diego) -- An estimated 1500 San Diegans rallied and marched in downtown San Diego today to impeach the president of the United States. The first rally began around 11am in front of the County Admin building. About 45 minutes into the event, the crowd moved off the site onto the streets for a march around the western edge of downtown.

By Miriam Raftery

July 2, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service is forecasting a monsoon pattern starting Wednesday, with hot, muggy weather, thunderstorms, dangerous lightning and showers developing potentially Thursday in the mountains and across the inland region by Friday and Saturday, including deserts.

July 2, 2017 (San Diego's East County)-- Our May  2017 radio shows are now online. For links to listen to the shows plus a full list of topics an interviews,  click here, or click "read more" and scroll down. (Sound files may take a few moments to load).

Our newsmaker interviews included  author Mollie Moon, author of Five Wishes, Ammar Campo-Najir, Congressional candidate running against Duncan Hunter, paleontologist Tom Demere from the Natural History Museum on a discovery suggesting early man occupied our area thousands of years earlier than previously believed,  Mark Hanson and Terri Steele from Heartland Youthbuild  on opportunities for young people locally thanks to a federal grant.

Plus we  have highlights of last year’s Julian Fiddle and Pickin’ Contest with clips from winner Shira Ellison and national champion Matt  Hartz.  We also had coverage and analysis of hot national issues including Attorney General Jeff Sessions and FBI Director James Comey’s testimony,  and hot local issues ranging from a gas pipeline proposed in Santee to toxic vapors in El Cajon to a revival of La Mesa’s summer car shows.

 The East County Magazine Show airs Mondays and Fridays from 5 to 6 p.m. on KNSJ, 89.1 FM.  Our shows rerun on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.  Read more and listen to our May shows:

By Miriam Raftery

July 2, 2017 (San Diego) – East County Magazine recently conducted an exclusive interview on KNSJ radio with John Ford about his experience leaving the Navy,  becoming homeless in San Diego, and ultimately becoming a successful business entrepreneur all in one year. 

You can hear the full interview by clicking the audio link, or scroll down for highlights of the interview plus pool safety tips to protect your children.