By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Healthy and diseased oaks, courtesy University of California Riverside

May 16, 2015 (Ramona)--A voracious insect has devastated oak trees that once formed a canopy shading visitors at Dos Picos Park in Ramona.

East County News Service

April 27, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - Amber Alerts have been activated 240 times in California in the past 13 years, alerting people statewide about 298 missing children.  The system has been extremely effective, since 290 of those children – all but 8 – have been found safely—better than a 90 percent success rate. Four are still missing, and four were killed, UT San Diego reports. The system has worked eight times to recover kidnapped children right here in San Diego County.

By Miriam Rafttery

January 21, 2015 (Sacramento) – Babies and people of all ages who have not been vaccinated for measles should temporarily avoid Disneyland and all public places likely to have many foreigners, due to a growing number of measles cases linked to the amusement park in Anaheim.

By Miriam Raftery

December 2, 2014 (El Cajon )—At next Tuesday’s City Council meeting, El Cajon will consider a proposal by Councilman Gary Kendrick that would require El Cajon Police to wear body cameras.

East County News Service

September 30, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--At the El Cajon courthouse on Monday, a man accused of murdering his wife and dumping her body in the Anza-Borrego Desert seven years ago pled not guilty to the crime.

By Miriam Raftery

September 9, 2014 (Sacramento)--The state of California is cracking down on slick thieves who have been snatching used cooking oil from restaurants to sell on the black market for use as biofuels.  It’s selling for over a dollar and a half a gallon though it may smell like French fries or fried chicken.

By Miriam Raftery

May 1, 2014 (San Diego) – Yesterday, two children playing barefoot at Bonita Cove Park on Mission Bay stepped on razor blades and injured their feet.  Police officers used metal detectors to find 19 razor blades buried sharp-side-up near playground equipment in the park on Mariners Way near West mission Bay Drive, UT San Diego reports.