East County News Service

January 21, 2017 (Sacramento) - Assemblymember Randy Voepel (R-Santee) has announced he has been appointed to the following Assembly Committees:

By Mike Allen

January 20, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- El Cajon’s Gillespie Field is in the middle of an expansion aimed at creating more hangers, more space for aviation- related businesses, and thousands of new jobs.

Update as of 9:46 PM: LARGE 3-4 FOOT BOULDER BLOCKING LANES SEVERAL SMALLER BOULDERS IN THE RDWY AS WELL El Monte Rd/Lake Jennings Park Rd

Update as of 9:28 PM:  Conrad Dr. in Spring Valley is now OPEN.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo credit: Photos for Class, Creative Commons image

January 19, 2017 (Washington D.C.) -- On Friday, January 20^th, Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 45^th president of the United States.  Trump enters office with the lowest approval rating of any President –Elect in history, according to polls done Tuesday by CNN and the Washington Post, which found only 40% approve of the job Trump has done during his transition time.

Programs funding the arts, public broadcasting, civil rights, legal services for the poor, violence against women, civil rights enforcement and police salaries are all set for elimination or deep cuts

By Miriam Raftery

January 19, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – Donald Trump is preparing a budget that would “take an axe to government spending,” reports The Hill, an online news site specializing in capitol politics. The budget is based on plans from the conservative Heritage Foundation.  It includes deep cuts or outright elimination of many cherished American institutions, as well as safety nets for the poor and elderly.

By Gig Connaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

January 19, 2017 (Jamul) - Three wild deer mice caught in routine trapping in a rural area in Jamul have tested positive this week for hantavirus — the first to test positive for the potentially deadly virus in San Diego County in 2017.

By Jonathan Goetz

Photo credit:  Tom and Nadine Abbott

Photo, left:  Dr. James V. Dunford, UCSD ER Director

January 19, 2017 (San Diego) — Leaders at Sharp Healthcare joined with patients and two Democratic Congressional members outside Sharp Memorial Hospital on Sunday, January 15^th, to voice concerns over Senate Republicans vote last week to begin repeal of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, without first passing a replacement plan or providing details of any proposed plan for public review.

East County News Service

January 18, 2017 (San Diego) -- Media Arts Center San Diego announces the 24^TH annual San Diego Latino Film Festival, which will take place March 16-26 at the AMC 18 Fashion Valley theaters in Mission Valley.  The festival will occupy five screens for eleven days and will present over 160 films from Latin America, the United States, and Spain.

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo: running back Donnel Pumphrey (left) and cornerback Damontae Kazee (right) will each play in the Reese's Senior Bowl.  Courtesy goaztecs.com

January 18, 2017 (San Diego) - Five San Diego State football players are scheduled to play in senior bowl games over the next two weekends. Running back Donnel Pumphrey (Las Vegas), offensive guard Nico Siragusa (Chula Vista, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic HS) and cornerback Damontae Kazee (San Bernardino, Calif.) will play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl on Jan. 28, while linebacker Calvin Munson (St. Charles, Mo.) - East-West Shrine Bowl - and tight end Daniel Brunskill (Valley Center, Calif.) - NFLPA Collegiate Bowl - will each play in bowls this Saturday.

East County News Service

January 18, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes a presentation by historical author Roger Conlee in Alpine, a British farce onstage in La Mesa, and the San Diego State Writer’s Conference.

Plus, we’ll tell you about coming attractions including Laurel and Hardy night in Spring Valley, a California’ dream series on immigration and migration in Borrego Springs, a mountain bike ride in Mission Trails, a powwow at Cuyamaca College, Valentine’s Teas in Julian, and a Salute to La Mesa’s Local Heroes.

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!

East County News Service

January 18, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – If you bought milk or other dairy products such as yogurt, half and half or cream anytime since 2003, you may be eligible for a refund through a class action suit that alleges price-fixing by the dairy industry. Claims must be submitted by January 31^st.

Chosen from over 200 nominations, these women represent our community.

Source:  Women's Museum of California

January 18, 2017 (San Diego) - Nominations to honor women of accomplishment from our community have flooded the offices of the Women's Hall of Fame since June. The Hall of Fame Selection Committee identified five women who have worked tirelessly to improve the lives of other women and to bring change to their communities.

Photo:  Bonnie Dumanis, after winning reelection in 2014

By Miriam Raftery

January 17, 2017 (San Diego) — Bonnie Dumanis has served as San Diego’s District Attorney for the past 14 years.  Today, she announced that she will not seek reelection in 2018, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Video, photo and story by Billy Lakeside Ortiz

View video of coyote hunting and howling:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj55X4oHj40

January 17, 2017 (Lakeside) -- Not all coyotes are a nuisance, in fact where there is open land they can thrive without ever setting paw in your yard. If a habitat has all the right elements--grasses, mice, gopher, rabbits and a few other rodent types--the coyote has all it needs to live long and bear young.

Source: State Water Resources Control Board

January 17, 2017 (Sacramento) -- In an effort to further safeguard California’s water quality, K-12 schools in the state can receive free testing for lead under a new initiative announced today by the State Water Resources Control Board.