By Cate Kortzeborn, Medicare’s acting regional administrator for Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Pacific Territories.

December 22, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- Not long ago, I had dinner with a group of friends from college. One of the big topics of conversation was Medicare, for which we’ll all be eligible in the next several years. (Farewell, callow youth!) And one of the biggest questions about Medicare was, “How much is it going to cost me?”

East County News Service

December 22, 2016 (Lakeside) – A 23-year-old San Diego woman driving a Toyota Solara eastbound on I-8 east of Los Coches Road last night at 11:50 p.m. lost control of her vehicle while changing lanes on the rain-slicked highway.  Her vehicle struck a metal guard rail, then overturned.

Source: City of El Cajon

December 21, 2016 (El Cajon) --Newly elected El Cajon City Councilmember Steve Goble and the El Cajon Police Department are hosting a “Free Christmas Tree” giveaway this Friday, December 23rd.

These free Christmas trees will be given out from 7:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon at Cartwright Pest Control, located at 1376 Broadway in El Cajon.   There will be 150 trees, up to 8’ tall and some will include flocking.  The trees will be given out first come, first serve, while supplies last.

California leaders urge President to extend West Coast ban that ends in 2022

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

December 21, 2016 (San Diego) -- President Barack Obama, in an effort to cement his environmental preservation legacy, has taken action to protect vast areas from offshore oil drilling in the Arctic and along the East Coast. 

The  1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act allows presidents to withdraw lands from future leasing. It's been used by past administrations to restrict oil exploration on the West and East coasts, though those bans included expiration dates. 

The action would be difficult for a Trump administration to reverse, since it utilizes a law, not an executive action.

By Miriam Raftery

December 20, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) - If you’re a patient admitted to a hospital in the U.S., there is one factor that dramatically increases your odds of survival:  having a woman doctor.  Of 1.5 million hospitalized Medicare patients studied, those with women doctors were 4% more likely to survive at least 30 days.  

East County News Service

December 20, 2016 (San Diego) — Legislators in New York and California have introduced bills that would require presidential candidates to make their tax returns public in order to have their names on the state’s ballots.

East County News Service

December 20, 2016 (San Francisco) — California’s Supreme Court has temporarily blocked implementation of Proposition 66, a measure approved by voters in November that would speed up death penalty cases.  The high court issued the stay to allow time to hear arguments in a lawsuit filed by opponents of the measure.

Source: San Diego Chargers

Photo via Denverjeffrey on Wikipedia

December 20, 2016 (San Diego) - San Diego Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward is headed to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career. The NFL’s annual all-star game will be played in Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida on January 29, 2017.

East County News Service

December 20, 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.

• Donald Trump Secures Electoral College Win, With Few Surprises (NPR)
• The thousands of U.S. locales where lead poisoning is worse than in Flint (Reuters)
• Bill that protects online reviews becomes law (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Trump picks Dow Chemical chief to head American Manufacturing Council (Eco Watch)
• Congress just quietly handed drug companies a dangerous victory (New Republic)
• IBM promises to hire Americans as tech executives set to meet Trump (Reuters)
• Fed inches up key interest rate for first time in a year, projects three more hikes in 2017 (San Diego Union-Tribune)

WORLD

• Russian Ambassador to Turkey Shot Dead—Gunman Reportedly Yelled ‘Revenge, Aleppo!’ (Reason)
• Thousands evacuated from Aleppo after deal over besieged villages (Reuters)
• Truck rams German Christmas market, killing at least 9 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Vanishing: The extinction crisis is far worse than you think (CNN)
• U.S. urges Taiwan to increase defense spending given China threat  (Reuters)
• Philippines’ deadly drug war praised by Donald Trump, says Rodrigo Duterte (Guardian)
• IMF chief Christine Lagarde found guilty of negligence (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• U.S. to halt some arms sales to Saudi, citing civilian deaths in Yemen campaign (Reuters)
• 11 arrested in France over Nice massacre (France 24)

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

Green Line service will increase to 7-minute frequencies at 3 p.m. to handle crowds for nationally televised game

Source: MTS

December 20, 2016 (San Diego) - To accommodate large crowds expected for the Poinsettia Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 21, the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) is increasing service and advising passengers to purchase tickets on the MTS mobile ticketing app to speed up boarding after the game.

East County News Service

December 19, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting-edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• U.S. life expectancy drops for first time in 22 years (CNN)
• Caesarian births ‘affecting human evolution’ (BBC)
• Brain tests predict children's futures (BBC)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Reindeer are shrinking: warming threatens Christmas icon (Yahoo news)
• Scientists are frantically copying U.S. climate data, fearing it may vanish under Pres. Trump (Washington Post)
• What Silicon Valley executives plan to tell Trump this week (Washington Post)
• Exclusive: SWIFT confirms new cyber thefts, hacking tactics (Reuters)

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

By Miriam Raftery

December 19, 2016 (Sacramento) -- Scientists have voiced alarm that the Trump administration might discontinue scientific research into climate science or even destroy decades of data amassed by the government.   But now, scientists and California’s Governor Jerry Brown are pledging a fight to assure that climate science facts don’t disappear into a black hole.

By Liz Alper

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

December 17, 2016 (Las Vegas) - San Diego State Aztecs football traveled to Vegas for their bowl bid against the University of Houston.  What happened next is, as they say, history.

East County News Service

December 17, 2016 (El Cajon) - The Cajon Valley Education Foundation is holding its annual “Breakfast with Santa” event on Monday, December 19, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the Black Angus restaurant, 1000 Graves Avenue in El Cajon. Pajamas welcome! 

By Walter Davis

December 17, 2016 (San Diego) -- It was a crisp Los Angeles day in the spring. I had a press pass and a special pass to park in the press lot. Humping my crew and equipment into the Coliseum was still a task that brought cool sweat to my forehead.