East County News Service

October 11, 2022 (Lakeside) -- Lakeside Community Presbyterian Church (9908 Channel Road, Lakeside)  will hold a Fall Festival Nov. 5th from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The event will raise funds through a silent auction and raffle tickets for Feeding San Diego and The Magic Horse, both non-profit organizations.

By Miriam Raftery

Image: Rendering of proposed Jamul Casino Hotel and Event Center

October 10, 2022 (Jamul) – The Jamul Indian Village is proposing to expand its Jamul Casino to include a new event center, multi-purpose/bingo hall, a 225-room, 16-story hotel, and a six-story parking structure, with associated infrastructure.

The Jamul-Dulzura Community Planning Group will discuss the Tribal Environmental Impact Report on the proposed project this Tuesday, October 11 at 7:30 p.m.

The meeting, held virtually, can be accessed online starting at 7:20 p.m. at  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82400516671?pwd=b2ZJM3pzdmtRZ1p3WkdVZHZ5TFMzQT09 .  To participate by phone use either 669-900-6833 or 346-248-7799. When directed, enter the meeting ID: 824 0051 6671, Password: 156353.

October 10, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Here’s what you need to know about this week’s Social Security COLA hike (The Hill)
• Some airport websites go offline; cause being investigated  (Politico)
• Trump’s direct handling of records could strengthen DOJ case  (The Hill)
• How climate change is making storms like Hurricane Ian stronger more quickly (CBS News)
• A Navy nuclear engineer and his wife plead guilty in submarine-secrets case (NPR)
• Ex-eBay execs get prison time for harassment scheme  (NPR)
• Taking the law into your own hands: Understanding the rise of citizen-enforced laws (NPR)

WORLD

Ukraine-Russia war

• Putin warns of more attacks after deadly Russian strikes rock Kyiv, Lviv and other Ukrainian cities  (CNN)
• Ukraine war: The families who made it through the new Iron Curtain  (BBC)
• Poland distributes iodine pills as fears grow over Ukraine nuclear plant (Reuters)
• Kyiv gives out potassium iodine pills to evacuation centres in preparation for nuclear attack on Ukraine's capital (Daily Mail)
• 10 torture sites in one town: Russia sowed pain, fear and Izium (AP)

Other international news

• Death of woman detained for dress code breach sparks outrage in Iran  (La Prensa)
• Magnitude 6.8 earthquake kills 1 in Taiwan, toppling 3-story building and derailing train(CBS)
• EU officials and others are concerned about explosions at Nord Stream pipelines  (NPR)
• Australia hands control of its newest national parks to Indigenous peoples (National Geographic)
• OPEC will cut production by 2 million barrels a day, likely sending gas and oil prices back up (NBC)
• North Korea send missile soaring over Japan in escalation (AP)

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

By Miriam Raftery

View a video report by John Lekven with excerpts of Senator Jones’ press conference by clicking the image below; scroll down to read highlights.

October 9, 2022 (Escondido) – State Senator Brian W. Jones (R-Santee) held a press conference Sept. 23 to announce a new bill he plans to introduce on the first day of the next legislative session, December 5. The measure would prohibit homeless encampments near sensitive community areas such as schools, parks, libraries, and day-care centers. It would also require enforcement officers to provide information to homeless people about sleeping alternatives, homeless and mental health services, and homeless shelters.

“It’s unfair and dangerous for neighbors, families and children that are near these sensitive areas. Our measure, along with Governor Newsom’s Care Court, will hopefully work together to help end the public camping in these areas, while also compassionately assisting  the homeless with getting treatment for their  mental and health needs and finding a more suitable space to stay.”  He added that he is not seeking to criminalize homelessness. “Every Californian deserves a path off the street, and our bill will help make that happen.”

East County News Service

October 10, 2022 (Washington, D.C.) - Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50) announced the formation of the Congressional Rodeo Caucus, which he will chair alongside his bipartisan colleagues Congressman Rick Crawford (AR-01) and Congressman Jim Costa (CA-16).

East County News Service

Photo via Joe Little's Twitter feed

October 9, 2022 (Mesa Grande Reservation, Calif.) – In the middle of the night last week, someone dumped off over a hundred pet pigs on the Mesa Grande tribal reservation near Santa Ysabel. Several have been struck by vehicles, leading animal rescue groups and residents to try and aid the animals.

By Miriam Raftery, based on interview by Henri Migala

October 6, 2022 (La Mesa) – In an interview with East County Magazine’s Henri Migala originally aired on KNSJ radio, La Mesa City Council candidate Mejgan Afshan shared her experience as a civil rights leader and her goals to build a more equitable La Mesa if elected. She is one of four candidates running (a fifth, Kathleen Brand, has dropped out); ECM will be publishing interviews with all of the candidates over the next several days.

By Miriam Raftery

October 7, 2022 (La Mesa) –  A mudslinging flyer in the La Mesa mayoral race sent by Kristine Alessio’s campaign contains numerous false and misleading statements regarding Mayor Mark Arapostathis.

In a phone call today regarding the mailer’s claims, Arapostathis told ECM, “None of these things are true.”  ECM has fact-checked many of the statements and found numerous deceptions in Alessio’s claims.

Most blatantly false, the flyer falsely states that Alessio is “The clear choice for La Mesa Democrats.” While the race is nonpartisan, Mayor Arapostathis is endorsed by the San Diego County Democratic Party and Alessio, a registered Republican, is endorsed by the San Diego County Republican Party.

Source:  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

October 7, 2022 (San Diego) - A  new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shows that the Biden Administration’s historic vaccination program, which has gotten over 90 percent of seniors fully vaccinated and over 70 percent of seniors a booster shot, is linked to more than 650,000 fewer COVID-19 hospitalizations and more than 300,000 fewer deaths among seniors and other Americans enrolled in Medicare. The study, which was conducted by researchers with HHS's Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), underscores the importance of Americans – particularly seniors and others at high-risk of serious outcomes – getting an updated COVID-19 vaccine this fall.

Source:  American Flag and Flagpole Company

October 7, 2022 (San Diego) - In accordance to Public Law 107-51, the American flag should be lowered to half-staff on Sunday, October 9, 2022 from sunrise to sunset in observance of National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service. 

Source:  Chair Nathan Fletcher

October 6, 2022 (San Diego) - Today in a historic meeting of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and the San Diego City Council, by a vote of 12-0, voted to pass a resolution to align their efforts to remove barriers to housing production, work to build 10,000 units of housing on government-owned land, leverage available funds for housing and explore housing densification options.  

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Assemblymember and medical doctor Akilah Weber, author of AB 2343

October 6, 2022 (San Diego) – Ignoring recommendations of the State Auditor, Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed Assembly Bill 2343, the Saving Lives in Custody Act. The bill was introduced by Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D. of San Diego in respond to the disturbingly high rate of deaths occurring in San Diego County’s jails.

Jones’s Senate Bill 1421 on homelessness also signed into law

East County News Service

October 6, 2022 (San Francisco) – Governor Gavin Newsom, Senator Brian W. Jones (R-Santee) and several other legislators held a bill signing ceremony in San Francisco at a senior community under construction earlier this week to announce enactment of several housing and homelessness-related measures.

East County News Service

October 5, 2022 (Butterfield Ranch, Calif.) --  After convening a community meeting with constituents in the San Diego County community of Butterfield Ranch, Congressman Darrell Issa and his senior California-based staff also provided a significant supply of more than 7,000 bottles of water for the residents, who have endured a “boil water” order since May of this year. The desert community is located east of Julian and west of Borrego Springs in San Diego’s East County.