Source: San Diego Chargers

Photo via Denverjeffrey on Wikipedia

December 20, 2016 (San Diego) - San Diego Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward is headed to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career. The NFL’s annual all-star game will be played in Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida on January 29, 2017.

East County News Service

December 20, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Donald Trump Secures Electoral College Win, With Few Surprises (NPR)
• The thousands of U.S. locales where lead poisoning is worse than in Flint (Reuters)
• Bill that protects online reviews becomes law (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Trump picks Dow Chemical chief to head American Manufacturing Council (Eco Watch)
• Congress just quietly handed drug companies a dangerous victory (New Republic)
• IBM promises to hire Americans as tech executives set to meet Trump (Reuters)
• Fed inches up key interest rate for first time in a year, projects three more hikes in 2017 (San Diego Union-Tribune)

WORLD

• Russian Ambassador to Turkey Shot Dead—Gunman Reportedly Yelled ‘Revenge, Aleppo!’ (Reason)
• Thousands evacuated from Aleppo after deal over besieged villages (Reuters)
• Truck rams German Christmas market, killing at least 9 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Vanishing: The extinction crisis is far worse than you think (CNN)
• U.S. urges Taiwan to increase defense spending given China threat  (Reuters)
• Philippines’ deadly drug war praised by Donald Trump, says Rodrigo Duterte (Guardian)
• IMF chief Christine Lagarde found guilty of negligence (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• U.S. to halt some arms sales to Saudi, citing civilian deaths in Yemen campaign (Reuters)
• 11 arrested in France over Nice massacre (France 24)

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

Green Line service will increase to 7-minute frequencies at 3 p.m. to handle crowds for nationally televised game

Source: MTS

December 20, 2016 (San Diego) - To accommodate large crowds expected for the Poinsettia Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 21, the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) is increasing service and advising passengers to purchase tickets on the MTS mobile ticketing app to speed up boarding after the game.

East County News Service

December 19, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting-edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• U.S. life expectancy drops for first time in 22 years (CNN)
• Caesarian births ‘affecting human evolution’ (BBC)
• Brain tests predict children's futures (BBC)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Reindeer are shrinking: warming threatens Christmas icon (Yahoo news)
• Scientists are frantically copying U.S. climate data, fearing it may vanish under Pres. Trump (Washington Post)
• What Silicon Valley executives plan to tell Trump this week (Washington Post)
• Exclusive: SWIFT confirms new cyber thefts, hacking tactics (Reuters)

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

By Miriam Raftery

December 19, 2016 (Sacramento) -- Scientists have voiced alarm that the Trump administration might discontinue scientific research into climate science or even destroy decades of data amassed by the government.   But now, scientists and California’s Governor Jerry Brown are pledging a fight to assure that climate science facts don’t disappear into a black hole.

By Liz Alper

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

December 17, 2016 (Las Vegas) - San Diego State Aztecs football traveled to Vegas for their bowl bid against the University of Houston.  What happened next is, as they say, history.

East County News Service

December 17, 2016 (El Cajon) - The Cajon Valley Education Foundation is holding its annual “Breakfast with Santa” event on Monday, December 19, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Black Angus restaurant, 1000 Graves Avenue in El Cajon. Pajamas welcome! 

By Walter Davis

December 17, 2016 (San Diego) -- It was a crisp Los Angeles day in the spring. I had a press pass and a special pass to park in the press lot. Humping my crew and equipment into the Coliseum was still a task that brought cool sweat to my forehead.

Update:   Hear our interview with Amanda Matti, author of A Foreign Affair, (originally aired on KNSJ radio) by clicking the audio link here.

A Foreign Affair, by Amanda Matti (W & B Publishers, Kernersville, NC, 2016, 343 pages).

Book Review by Dennis Moore

December 1, 2016 (San Diego) - Amanda Matti, an El Cajon (San Diego) resident who served six years in the United States Navy, including a 2005 deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, has written a riveting true story of romance and war; A Foreign Affair. Matti provides graphic details of her experience in a war that many in this country felt never should have been.

By Miriam Raftery

Next up: Alpine General Plan amendments to be considered in 2017

December 16, 2016 (San Diego’s East County)—By a  4 to 1 vote with Supervisor Dave Roberts opposed,  San Diego Supervisors on Wednesday voted to approve a Forest Conservation Initiative Lands General Plan Amendment, along with community plan amendments, rezoning and  certification of a supplemental environmental review. The action paves the way for development of parcels  in the Alpine and Descanso areas that were formerly protected under the Forest Conservation Initiative passed by voters, but that has since expired due to a sunset provision in 2010.

Travis Lyon, chair of the Alpine Community Planning Group, reports that the Supervisors “took all the recommendations ACPG made at the last meeting.” 

Jack Shu, president of the Cleveland National Forest Foundation,  said after the hearing, “The bottom line is that the County has moved to do away with what the voters – two thirds of them—wanted in 1993 to protect our local Forest."

By Jonathan Goetz

December 16, 2016 (El Cajon) – East County Magazine sat down with new Councilman Steve Goble, who share his views on the most important issues facing El Cajon,  his budget priorities,  background, and thoughts on pressing problems such as homelessness, the refugee crisis, the East County Performing Arts Center and marijuana regulation.

East County News Service

December 17, 2016 (Ocotillo) -- Jim Pelley captured this image of a spectacular sunrise over the desert in Ocotillo yesterday morning.

East County News Service

December 17, 2016 (San Diego’s East County)--This week’s Destination East County includes full moon fishing at Lake Jennings, a concert of many strings, Santa’s reindeer at Grossmont Center, a winter solstice hike up Cowles Mountain, a holiday homes tour and more.

Plus, we’ll tell you about coming attractions  including excursions to Split Mountain in the Anza Borrego desert, a New Year’s Eve party at Viejas, and a wintertime walk up Mt. Helix.

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

The new, rare and endangered succulent is found only in Baja California

East County News Service

December 15, 2016 (San Diego) - Jimi Hendrix may have died more than 45 years ago, but his botanical legacy will live forever. In a new study, a team of researchers, including San Diego State University plant biologist Michael Simpson, identified a new and rare species of succulent and dubbed it Dudleya hendrixii, or “Hendrix’s liveforever,” in honor of the guitar virtuoso.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos:  Retired generals James Mattis, John Kelly and Michael Flynn

December 15, 2016 (Washington D.C.) – President-Elect Donald Trump has nominated three retired generals for top posts in his administration including Defense Secretary, National Security Advisor and Secretary of Homeland Security.