By Briana Gomez

Photos via Rev. Shane Harris

March 7, 2021 (Escondido) -- Local activist and national civil rights leader Rev. Shane Harris is calling on the state to keep the San Pasqual Academy open, at least until the Dec. 2021 original projected closure date for the foster youth boarding school, and preferably longer. 

San Diego County child welfare officials were alerted by California regulators that the school would be closing by October of this year. 

San Pasqual Academy is a county-run boarding school in Escondido for foster youth, uniquely positioned between supervisorial District 5 and District 2. It is the first of its kind in the nation – the first residential academic home for youth who are dependents of the state. 

East County News Service

Photo: Scales of justice, cc via Bing

March 6, 2021 (San Diego) –The County of San Diego has approved COVID-19 vaccines for judges, prosecutors, public defender attorneys, and court employees. Also covered are criminal defense lawyers representing poor defendants in federal court.

These individuals regularly come in contact with people who have been in prison or county jail, congregate facilities with a high risk of COVID-19.  The County has included them under the “emergency services” category along with police, firefighters, animal control workers and security guards at public facilities.

By Indiana Lee

Image Source: Pexels

March 6, 2021 (San Diego) -- There is no question that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted millions of lives around the globe. Some studies have already started to reveal the potential mental health effects of the pandemic, on top of the physical.

People have been dealing with uncertainty, fear, and grief for the better part of a year. Some have lost their jobs. Others have had to adjust to their kids being home from school during the day. Maybe you’ve even experienced a direct loss from the virus.

For those who struggle with other things, however, the pandemic is a two-fold problem. Those who have dealt with addiction before, for example, might find themselves combatting that force once again thanks to the stress of COVID.

In her first game as an Aztec, Claire Watkins scored in the 87th minute to give San Diego State a 3-2 win over Nevada

Source:  goaztecs.com

Video courtesy goaztecs.com

March 5, 2021 (San Diego) - Claire Watkins slammed a shot off the left post and into the goal at the 86:01 mark to give the San Diego State women’s soccer team a 3-2 advantage over the Nevada Wolf Pack on Friday evening at the SDSU Sports Deck.

By Miriam Raftery

March 5, 2021 (La Mesa) - La Mesa Police Department’s (LMPD) review has concluded that Detective Eric Knudson should not be disciplined for firing a less-lethal weapon (a beanbag from a shotgun) during a protest outside the police station on May 30, 2020.  The beanbag struck protester Leslie Furcron in the forehead, causing serious injury.

According to LMPD, “The Department based its decision on the totality of the circumstances, an independent review by a qualified expert in the areas of use of force and less lethal munitions (R.K. Miller, National Training Concepts), and the absence of any significant violation of Department policies.”

The decision comes after the San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan, on January 5, issued a written analysis and conclusion determining that Detective Knudson’s actions did not warrant any state criminal liability.

By Miriam Raftery

March 4, 2021(San Diego) – By a 224 to 206 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Equality Act (H.R. 5) , a sweeping civil rights bill intended to prohibit discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in both public and private places.  But the bill will face an uphill battle in the Senate.

The Equality Act prohibits discrimination against members of the LGBTQ+ community in the areas of employment, education, credit, housing, jury service, federal funding and more by adding gender identity and sexual orientation to existing anti-discrimination civil rights protections.

Update: This was unanimously approved by Supervisors.

By Miriam Raftery

March 4, 2021 (El Cajon) – San Diego County Supervisors will hold a hearing March 17 on construction of a proposed distribution warehouse that the developer plans to lease to Amazon.com.

The site, which is zoned industrial, is located at the northwest corner of Cuyamaca Street and Weld Blvd. near Gillespie Field. Although the County owns the land, the city of El Cajon has land use authority, but has not yet approved the project.

At a Supervisors’ meeting this week, the county delayed action until environmental studies can be reviewed. The County is relying on an environmental review done by the city of El Cajon in 2009 for a separate project, but public speakers contended that an updated environmental impact study is needed along with review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

East County News Service

March 4, 2021 (Poway) – The Sheriff’s department is investigating the dragging death of a pedestrian that occurred yesterday morning in Poway.

Deputies responding to a radio call of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle around 9:38 a.m. behind a strip mall in the 133300 block of Poway Road found a dead woman who had been run over by a semi-tractor trailer. 

According to Sergeant D. Toner, “It appears the semi-tractor trailer was traveling northbound on the delivery access road behind the businesses…The female was dragged approximately 50 feet before being run over.” 

By Donnie Ryan, County of San Diego Communications Office

March 4, 2021 (San Diego) - The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to ratify the acceptance of fiscal year 2020-2021 state community power resiliency funds, a key step in helping to improve backup energy sources for essential facilities and communications equipment as part of emergency preparedness efforts in the county.

Launched Oct. 25, 2019, by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the Local Government Public Safety Power Shutoff Resiliency Program provided state funding to help mitigate the effects of utility-initiated public safety power shutoffs. The name of the program was changed to “Community Power Resiliency” for the current fiscal year.

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

March 3, 2021 (Las Vegas) -  Matt Mitchell scored 19 points and Jordan Schakel added 16 for No. 19 San Diego State, which beat UNLV 71-62 Wednesday night to clinch the Mountain West Conference regular-season title for the second straight year.

By Lauren Groff

Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels

March 3, 2021 (San Diego) - In recent years, virtual events have been more evident. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual events have been the saving grace for people looking to get together during periods of quarantine. Not only do such events save people time and money (when it comes to the planning), but they also make meetups easier for companies, organizations, etc. 

Although virtual meetups pose a unique set of challenges, such events can still be engaging and exciting for everyone involved. By making a virtual event engaging, attendees are more willing to see what future events you’ll have in store next.

Here are 8 innovative ways to create a truly engaging virtual experience that attendees will enjoy: