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

December 1, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) --This week’s Destination East County includes an array of holiday happenings including major community festivals such as the Alpine Parade of Lights and Snow Festival, Lakeside’s Christmas on Maine, a tree-lighting and sleigh rides in Ramona’s Old Town, Santa at Santee Lakes, as well as holiday music performances and stage productions, plus a Chaldean Christmas Gala to help people in need.

Plus we’ll have previews of coming attractions including La Mesa Shimmers, La Mesa’s Christmas in the Village, a holiday home tour in Alpine, and a holiday open house at an alpaca farm in Descanso. Scroll down for all of these events and more.

By Miriam Raftery

November 28, 2015 (San Diego) – In the wake of the Paris terror attacks and the Syrian refugee crisis, our East County Magazine show on KNSJ radio interviewed Jeffrey McIllwain, PhD, an SDSU professor with special expertise on national security, humanitarian and refugee issues who brings a thoughtful, multi-faceted approach to these complex issues.

Hear part 1 of our exclusive interview,  in which Dr. McIllwain discusses options for responding how to balance risk vs. humanitarian concerns in America’s response to terrorism and refugee concerns:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

 “Tackling climate change is a shared mission for mankind.” – Chinese president Xi Jinping

“We are at the limits of suicide.” – Pope Francis

“Our nations share a sense of urgency about this challenge and a growing realization that it is within our power to do something about it.” – U.S. President Barack Obama

By Miriam Raftery

November 30, 2015 (Paris) –Around the world, an estimated million people took to the streets to call for action to save the planet as world leaders convene today in Paris for an international climate summit. But in Paris, where large public gatherings are banned due to a state of emergency declared after the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks, thousands of Parisians instead brought their shoes, lining them up along the march route in a silent yet powerful expression.

French President Francois Hollande said he cannot separate the “fight with terrorism from the fight against global warming,” adding that leaders must face both challenges to leave children “a world freed of terror” as well as one “protected from catastrophes.”

By Miriam Raftery

November 30, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – After a reader contacted East County Magazine raising concerns over a circuitous route taken by an ambulance drive to transport her mother to the hospital, we reached out to Mercy Medical Transportation—and got a prompt response advising us that the driver erred and is no longer employed with the company.

Sue Merritt wrote to inform us that her elderly mother became ill on September 27^th with dizziness, nausea, and could not stand or sit up.  Merritt’s father called 911, then notified Merritt.

December 1, 2015 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL

• Murdoch says L.A. Times to be sold: If true, Union-Tribune will also likely have new owner soon (Reader)
• New winery law: good vintage or sour grapes? (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• At least a dozen sickened by batch of spice near Petco Park (KNSD)
• Police warn homeless about El Nino flooding (10 News)
• Floating Another Way to Pay for New Water (Voice of San Diego)
• Medical marijuana dominates discussion with lieutenant (Ramona Sentinel)
• County deserves adjustments to state water restrictions (San Diego Union-Tribune editorial)
• Breceda sculptures find new home: Dinosaurs and serpents come to Vista (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases On The Rise In San Diego County  (KPBS)

STATE

• Widespread cheating by instructors, cadets alleged at California’s fire training academy (Sacramento Bee)
• Native American Tribe Bets On Olive Oil (NPR)
• Rogue agency enabled by governor (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Feinstein turns to Obama to protect California’s desert (San Francisco Chronicle)
• The feds just got sued for allowing Nestle to bottle water in California’s drought country (Mother Jones)
• Assemblywoman proposes double-time pay for retail employees working on Thanksgiving (10 News)
• E-mail hints at possible Brown complicity in corruption (Los Angeles Daily News)
• Email Suggests Brown Took Edison's Side On San Onofre; Governor Denies It  (KPBS)
• California Farmer Works To Restore Groundwater By Purposely Flooding Crops (NPR)

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

November 30, 2015 (San Diego's East County)-- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• 2-year-old with cerebral palsy walking after stem cell infusion (NBC San Diego)
• Turning Down The Heat When Cooking Meat May Reduce Cancer Risk  (NPR)
• CDC says at least 19 E. coli infections linked to Costco chicken salad
• To Reduce Infant Deaths, Doctors Call For A Ban Of Crib Bumpers (NPR)
• Art does heal: scientists say appreciating creative works can fight off disease (Telegraph)
• Bilingual skills 'boost stroke recovery’ (BBC)
• E. Coli Bacteria Can Transfer Antibiotic Resistance To Other Bacteria (NPR)
• Loneliness May Warp Our Genes, And Our Immune Systems (NPR)
• VIDEO: Radiation scan for babies in Fukushima (BBC)

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• Half of all  tree species in Amazon rainforest face extinction ((BBC)
• Toddler loses eye after drone propeller slices through it  (Telegraph)
• Light-based Li-Fi Internet boasts speeds 100 times faster than Wi-Fi (CS Monitor)
• Busted: EPA Discovers Dow Weedkiller Claim, Wants It Off The Market (NPR)

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

East County News Service

December 1, 2015 (Santee) –A 31-year-old El Cajon man was killed and two other people injured in a rollover accident on State Route 52 west of State Route 125 in Santee shortly before 5 a.m. this morning. The passenger who sustained fatal injuries was not wearing a seatbelt.

According to California Highway Patrol Officer Kevin Pearlstein, a 33-year-old man from Escondido was driving a 2004 GMC pickup westbound when the vehicle drafted into a dirt center divide. The driver over-corrected, causing the truck to travel down a hill on the right before overturning.

November 30, 2015 (La Mesa)--Blo Blow Dry Bar announces East County San Diego’s first blowout and beauty bar. Blo La Mesa is hosting its grand opening  December 8th, 2015 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 8806 Grossmont Boulevard with a ribbon cutting at 6 p.m.

By Suzanne Potter, Public News Service

Photo credit: Laura Musikanski/Morguefile

November 29, 2015 (San Diego)-- Environmental organizations are mobilizing to fight one of the state's three biggest power companies over an issue known as "community choice aggregation," a movement by cities to create nonprofit agencies to buy and sell power to consumers.

San Diego Gas and Electric just announced it is forming a separate marketing entity to lobby against the idea. By law, the utility can't use ratepayer money for that purpose.

East County News Service

November 29, 2015 (San Diego's East County)--The National Weather Service has issued a frost advisory for chilly weather tonight and Monday night throughTuesday morning, with morning low temperatures in the 20s and 30s and frost likely across much of our inland region.

Be sure to cover any cold-sensitive plants and please bring your pets inside to keep them safe.

East County News Service

December 1, 2015 (Otay Mesa) – On December 9^th,  a private port of entry called the Cross Border Xpress is set to open in Otay Mesa with a bridge linking the facility to the A.L. Rodriguez International Airport in Tijuana.  The Tijuana airport services 4.5 million passengers each year, 60 percent of whom cross the international border.

The Cross Border Xpress will be available only to ticketed airline passengers and will be the first border crossing in California to charge a toll: $15 for those who pre-pay at the facility’s website, or $18 for those who pay at the gate. Tickets are slated to go on sale this week at www.CrossBorderXpress.com.

East County News Service

November 30, 2015 (Ramona) – On Tuesday, December 8^th, the Ramona Municipal Water District will consider options to fund ambulance services. Those options include keeping the same paramedic transport services and replacing three ambulances (requiring a public vote to raise a fire fee), or outsourcing service to  private company.  The 2 p.m. meeting will be held in the Ramona Community Center,434 Aqua Lane.

East County News Service

November 28, 2015 (San Diego)--Jamul Indian Village Chairwoman Erica Pinto and Council Members invite you to the complimentary premiere viewing of A Thousand Voices, a documentary of Native American women from the beginning of time. The film will premier on Monday, December 14 at 11 a.m. at Kroc Center, 6611 University Avenue in San Diego. 

The film is free and light refreshements will be served. Please RSVP to Lisa Cumper, lcumper@jamulIndianVillage.com, 619-669-4855.

About A Thousand Voices:

By Miriam Raftery

November 26, 2015 (Alpine) – Lions, Tigers and Bears sanctuary in Alpine has announced the death of its beloved matriarch tiger, Natasha, who was 19 years old. 

“Natasha was the epitome of the old saying "that's one tough cookie", as she had more than her fair share of struggles over the course of her life, but always came out on top,” a post on the organization’s Facebook page states.

Natasha and her late mate, Raja, were the founding tigers of Lions Tigers & Bears over 13 years ago.

By Miriam Raftery

November 25, 2016 (Washington D.C.) – The National Defense Authorization Act signed into law by President Barack Obama includes protection for military working dogs, which will now be guaranteed a return home and retirement in the U.S.

“Best of all, the people who know these dogs better than anyone — their handlers who served bravely alongside them on the hot desert sands of Iraq and Afghanistan and on bases around the world — will be given the first rights at adopting these canine heroes,” says Robin Ganzert,PhD, President of the Amreican Human Association, which pushed for the legislation.