By Liz Alper

Photo: Youtube screenshot

February 8, 2016 (Santa Clara, Ca.) - It was Peyton Manning's last game and he made sure everyone knew it.  Conversely, the Carolina Panthers made sure to let everyone know that they can't hold on to the football.

East County News Service

February 8, 2016 (Lakeside) — Two passengers suffered life-threatening injuries yesterday morning in a rollover accident on State Route 67 north of Foster Truck Trail yesterday at 5:35 a.m. The Nissan Titan that overturned was driven by 21-year-old Lakeside resident Keith Edward Ruis Jr.

By Suzanne Potter, California News Service

February 7, 2016 (Los Angeles) -- Teams are hitting the streets gathering signatures for a ballot measure this fall that would extend part of Proposition 30, which raised income taxes on the wealthy and raised the sales tax by a quarter of a percent, then funneled the money to public education. 

East County News Service

February 7, 2016 (New Hampshire) - In preparation for this week’s New Hampshire primary and others to follow, Democrats and Republicans each held debates among their presidential candidates.

View Republican debate on ABC ;  Read  Republican debate transcript

 View full Democratic debate on MSNBC; Read Democratic debate transcript

For highlights, scroll down.

By Brigitte Garcia and Miriam Raftery

February 6, 2016 (Harbison Canyon) – Here’s a sweet fact from East County’s history: pioneer beekeeper John S. Harbison was once the largest producer of honey in the world.

 After settling with his family along the Sweetwater River in what later became known as Harbison Canyon, he led the way for San Diego County to become a major honey-making region during California’s “Golden Age of Beekeeping.”

But it wasn’t all sweet success. Obstacles along the way included severe weather, bees lost at sea, vindictive farmers and arson.

By Brian Lafferty

February 5, 2016 (San Diego) – Hail, Caesar! (Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, 2016) falls under a category I like to call a “Love Letter Movie.” Defining the term is hard. However, I can easily point to a classic example, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (John Hughes, 1986), which was the beloved director’s love letter to Chicago. It showcased Wrigley Field, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Von Steuben Day parade, and Chicago’s other fine attractions with affection and pride. Hail, Caesar! is the Coens’ love letter to classic Hollywood in much the same way.

East County News Service

February 5, 2016 (San Diego) — Medical researchers in Brazil have found Zika virus in saliva and urine of two patients. Dr. Paulo Gadelha, president of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil that found the viruses in these body fluids, urged that pregnant women or other visitors concerned about contracting the virus avoid kissing strangers at this week’s Carnival in Brazil.

By Miriam Raftery

February 5, 2016 (Ramona) –“Valentine’s Day will always be very special here at the dairy, as this was when our beloved Valentine was born in the snow,” writes Nancy Riegler, co-owner of Oasis Camel Dairy in Ramona. 

East County News Service

February 4, 2016 (Borrego Springs)--From a romance-filled Valentine's Day special dinner to an exceptionally beautiful wildflower season just around the corner, there are plenty of reasons to fall in love with La Casa del Zorro Resort in Borrego Springs this month.

East County News Service

February 4, 2016 (La Mesa) -- Heartland Fire and Rescue crews from La Mesa and El Cajon responded to a house fire in the 7500 block of Seton Hall Street in La Mesa at 5:10 p.m. Fire crews arrived within 4 minutes to report a single story, single family dwelling with heavy smoke coming from the garage.

By Sam Warren

February 4, 2016 (Zipolite, Mexico) -- Two friends of mine, Sophia and Carlos from San Diego, were visiting me at my bed and breakfast in Zipolite, Mexico, and I was showing them around the area.  We visited a nearby lagoon where the government had set up a crocodile reserve in a nearby lagoon named Ventanilla. It was named after the Spanish word for window as there was a nearby rock in the ocean with a square hole in it that looked like a window opening. We got into a boat with a young Mexican guide, another young Mexican who helped with the paddling, and the other passengers.

East County News Service

February 4, 2016 (La Mesa) - The San Diego Bluegrass Society will hold its monthly jam at Fuddrucker's restaurant in Grossmont Center on Tuesday, February 16^th from 6:30 to 9 p.m.  The event includes open mic, pick up bands and the ever-popular musical jam session.

By Miriam Raftery

Note: Due to a family emergency, our reporter missed this event, so we interviewed Colin Parent with La Mesa Conversations for highlights.

February 4, 2016 (La Mesa) – An estimated 117 people turned out at a “Future of La Mesa” forum held January 26^th at the Masonic Lodge.

East County News Service

February 4, 2016 (San Diego) - The Boys & Girls Clubs of East County will present its 50th annual Children’s Ball on Saturday, Feb. 20, at the Omni San Diego Hotel, 675 “L” St., Downtown San Diego. Proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit programs, activities and services provided annually to more than 3,000 children, ages 5 to 18, who attend the five facilities operated by the Boys & Girls Clubs of East County. Cocktail reception and drawing will begin at 6 p.m. with dinner beginning at 7 p.m.

February 3, 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.

National issues

• Top U.S. generals: Women should have to register for draft  (Reuters)
• Prosecutors use refuge occupiers’ own words against them (10 News)
• Navajo water supply is ‘more horrific than Flint’ (Free Thought Project)
• Milwaukee Muslim planned machine gun attack on Masonic temple, says FBI (CS Monitor)
• Chicago Police Deliberately Sabotaging Recording Devices, According to Report (Reason)
• Iranian drone flew over U.S. carrier in 'unprofessional' move: U.S. Navy (Reuters)
• U.S. arrests Hezbollah members on charges of sending drug money to Syria  (Reuters)

Presidential primary

• Graham: Cruz, Rubio positions on immigration, abortion, could hurt GOP in general election (Washington Times)
• The two parties can’t agree on the problems, let alone the solutions (The Washington Post)
• Iowa’s nightmare revisited: was correct winner called (on Democratic side)? (Des Moines Register)
• Trump accuses Cruz of stealing Iowa caucuses (Republican side) (CNN)
• Where the candidates stand on cybersecurity (CS Monitor)
• 22 Clinton e-mails deemed oto classified to be made public (New York Times)
• Senate Intelligence Vice Chair: None of the e-mails originated with Clinton (New Civil Rights)
• What If Trump Wins? (Reason)

WORLD

• 10,000 refugee children in Europe are missing, says Interpol (Guardian)
• Deal protects huge swath of central B.C. coast from logging (AP)
• Boko Haram burns kids alive in Nigeria, 86 dead: officials (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Mexico City gets new status as near-state (AP)
• What Were The Least (And Most) Corrupt Countries In 2015? (NPR)
• 'Israel's electrical grid attacked in massive cyber attack’ (JPost)
• Lithuania opens mass trial for 1991 Soviet crackdown (AP)
• Satellite Images Indicate Mass Graves In Burundi, Amnesty Says (NPR)
• A Chinese company buys Corbis. What happens to Tiananmen Square photos? (CS Monitor)
• Berlin grapples with Islamists, ISIS vets amid refugee wave (Fox News)
• France to recognise Palestinian state unless deadlock with Israel broken  (Reuters)
• Mexico remittances nearly $24.8B in 2015, topping oil income (AP)
• Iraqis running out of food and medicine in besieged Falluja

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