By Miriam Raftery

May 1, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Islamic State or ISIS forces are reportedly demanding ransoms of up to $100,000 apiece for 250 to 300 Christians captured in Syria February 23rd.  Fox News reports the demands were made to Assyrian leaders during negotiations with ISIL fighters arranged by Sunni Muslims.  Thus far, 23 have been released.

By Miriam Raftery

April 30, 2015 (Washington D.C.) --Vermont Senator and former Governor Bernie Sanders has announced he will run for President – challenging Senator Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination.

Sanders isn’t your typical presidential contender.   He’s been the only independent member of Congress since 2007 – until announcing he will run as a Democrat for the presidency.  He’s also an avowed “democratic socialist”, a progressive, and he's Jewish.

Running on a populist platform, Senator Sanders has long been a vocal advocate for economic justice, denouncing the growing income gap between billionaires and ordinary working Americans.So how might his candidacy impact the race?

May 1, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – The Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce has crowned its 2015 Middle East winner, Elona Brando (photo: on right, with 2014 winner Stephanie Malouf, left). First Runner Up went to Emilyn Mohebbi. Second Runner Up went to Zuzan Taha.

East County News Service

April 29, 2015 (Ramona) – Ramona Ranch Winery will host a Mother’s Day Lavender Brunch on Sunday, May 10^th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

East County News Service

April 29, 2015 (Santee) -- GTM Discount General Stores and Meadowbrook Mobile Home Estates of Santee received special recognition from Waste Management of San Diego at this week’s Santee City Council meeting as part of Waste Management’s inaugural “Recycling Champion” program which recognizes businesses and multi-family complexes for their exemplary efforts in implementing recycling on their properties in the City of Santee.

April 29, 2015 (San Diego's East County) - The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD), a public agency that supports various health-related community programs and services in San Diego’s East County region, recently awarded $85,500 in scholarships to 38 high school students who have expressed interest in a career as a healthcare professional.

By Miriam Raftery

April 28, 2015 (Sacramento) – The tobacco industry has succeeded in snuffing out strict limits proposed on tobacco at ballparks.  Legislators on the Assembly Governmental Organization Committe, many of whom took hefty contributions from tobacco interests, voted overwhelmingly to water down a bill that originally would have banned all tobacco products at every ballpark in California—from Little League to Major League ballparks.

April 29, 2015 (La Mesa) -- The City of La Mesa has once again updated its economic development webpage with refreshed Commercial Space Availability Reports. According to the most recent reports, dated April 2015, there is approximately 146,000 square feet of retail space available in the City; 150,000 square feet of office space; and 37,000 square feet of industrial space.  Retail vacancy is down over 20% from April 2014 and office vacancy is down roughly 14%. 

East County News Service                                                                                                     

April 29, 2015 (Jacumba Hot Springs)--The Jacumba Arts Council presents the fourth annual Blues Fest this Saturday, May 2nd from 2-7 p.m.  After 7 p.m. there will be a 'monster jam'. The event is sponsored by the Jacumba Hot Springs Spa & Resort and will take place at the Jacumba Hot Springs Spa located on Old Highway 80.  Admission is free, non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks will be available for purchase along with delicious varieties of barbeque.

April 29 2015 (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.

• Obama apologizes for attack that killed two hostages (Washington Post)
• US, Japan release new defense guidelines for Japanese global role (CS Monitor)
• High costs hinder outfitting of U.S. cops with body cameras (Reuters)
• Graffiti artists’ move to national parks shocks nature lovers (Los Angeles Times)
• Minnesota declares state of emergency over bird flu in poultry (Reuters)
• Goldman Paid Bill Clinton $200000 For Speech Before Bank Lobbied Hillary Clinton
• (International Business Times)
• Oklahomans Feel Way More Earthquakes Than Californians; Now They Know Why (NPR)
• Hostage locations difficult to track - and may be getting harder (Reuters)
• Exclusive: Clinton charities will refile tax returns, audit for other errors (Reuters)
• Russian hackers read Obama's unclassified emails last year: NYT (Reuters)

WORLD

•  Russian spacecraft 'out of control' (BBC)
• Iranian Revolutionary Guards seize cargo ship in Gulf (Reuters)
• If You Find $1.3 Billion in Missing Aid to Afghanistan, Please Contact the Pentagon at Your Earliest Convenience. (Reason)
• Signaling from the Supreme Court: Justices Mostly Show Their Cards on Gay Marriage (Reason)
• Experts gathered in Nepal a week ago to ready for earthquake (U-T San Diego)
• Spanish tax agency uncovers wind farm payoff scheme (WCN)
• Mexico recovers stolen radioactive material (AP)
• China warns on rising North Korea nuclear capability: WSJ  (Reuters)
• 'Bookkeeper of Auschwitz', 93, on trial in Germany: 'I did not question that the Jews were our misfortune' (JWR)
• Rocket fired from Gaza lands in Israeli territory; IDF strikes terror site (JPost)
• Chinese experts reportedly say North Korea may have 20 nuclear warheads (CS Monitor)
• Putin accuses US of supporting separatists in Russia (AP)
• Russian Justice Ministry annuls opposition party registration (Reuters)
• 
EU border agents too busy to screen migrants (AP)
• Saudi says arrests 93 Islamic State suspects, foils U.S. embassy attack (Reuters)

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

April 28, 2015 (San Diego)--The FBI and the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) remind the public that there is a potential for disaster fraud in the aftermath of a natural disaster. Suspected fraudulent activity pertaining to relief efforts associated with the recent Nepal earthquake should be reported to the toll-free NCDF hotline at 866-720-5721. The hotline is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for the purpose of reporting suspected scams being perpetrated by criminals in the aftermath of disasters.

Note: The event has been relocated to the Vons Shopping Center, 8011 University Ave., from 9:00 am to 1200 pm.  The article below has been changed to reflect that.

April 29, 2015 (La Mesa) -- The City of Mesa has declared May “Drowning Prevention Month”. To help kick off the month, Heartland Fire & Rescue has teamed up with the La Mesa Municipal Pool for a drowning prevention event on Friday, May 1st. 

By Leon Thompson

April 27, 2015 (San Diego’s East County ) --Researchers from Queen Mary University of London recently found that bumblebees that have been infected by parasites seek out flowers with nicotine in the nectar, likely to fight off the infection, new research has found. The nicotine appears to slow the progression of disease in infected bees but has harmful effects when consumed by healthy bees.