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.

By Miriam Raftery

February 3, 2016 (Julian) — If you’re looking for a delectable experience Friday evening, Jeremy’s on the Hill’s Courdon Bleu-trained chef and owner will be cooking up culinary delights featuring farm-to-table foods paired with wines from Hatfield Creek Winery. 

East County News Service

February 3, 2016 (San Diego) – Recent evidence reveals troubling facts: Zika virus has been transmitted sexually and found in blood plasma.

Listen to Destination East County, also aired on KNSJ radio, by clicking the audio link.

We thank the County of San Diego for a Community Enhancement Grant supporting Destination East County.

February 3, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) --This week’s Destination East County includes  a Native American pow-wow at Cuyamaca College,  an author speaking on how to cook for a very big crowd,  hawk watch, and a breakfast with Supervisor Dianne Jacob.

Plus we’ll have previews of coming attractions including some Valentine’s weekend events such as food and wine pairings. a Baroque music concert, plus open farm days at an alpaca ranch and a camel dairy!

So scroll down for all of these events and more.

East County News Service

February 3, 2016 (Sacramento) – At a time when many local cities in San Diego County are banning the cultivation of marijuana even for medical purposes, our state’s capitol city has approved a measure to license and tax commercial marijuana cultivation. 

East County News Service

February 2, 2016 (La Mesa) -- The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) is seeking applicants for two scholarship programs for nursing students and students pursuing careers as medical health technicians. Deadline to receive applications for both scholarship programs is 3 p.m., Friday, Feb. 12, 2016. Applicants for both scholarships must reside within the boundaries of GHD for a minimum of one year, or have graduated from a high school located within the district’s boundaries. Previous recipients of both of these GHD scholarships are not eligible to reapply. For more information and to obtain the criteria and applications for both scholarships, visitwww.grossmonthealthcare.org/operations/scholarship-programs.

By Miriam Raftery

Updated February 3, 2016 with SoCalGas response.

February 2, 2016 (San Diego)—Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacy today announced filing of four misdemeanor criminal charges against Sempra Energy’s Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) over the leak at its San Aliso underground natural gas facility. The leak has pumped 80,000 metric tons of methane into the air, sickening residents of nearby Porter Ranch and causing thousands to relocate.

 In addition, California Attorney General Kamala Harris today announced a civil suit filed by California against SoCalGas, which provides gas to most southern California counties.  The new suits, along with suits filed by residents, add to the financial toll that SoCalGas and potentially, Sempra ratepayers may ultimately be forced to cover.