February 9, 2023 (San Diego) - Dr. Mary Travelbest’s guide book is full of tips and on the road recommendations. She helps you to get the best deals, pack light, and ensure your safety. She takes you through stages to develop a level of comfort with less and less structure. I’m still on stage one, but I now have the yen to plan a short trip.
February 9, 2023 (Spring Valley) - CIF Playoffs for girls water polo are upon us and tonight, the lady Cougars of Steele Canyon stayed in their home water and hosted the Jaguars of Valley Center.
By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office
Video by José Eli Villanueva: Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas delivers the 2023 State of the County Address from the Waterfront Park outside the County Administration Center.
February 9, 2023 (San Diego) - County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas gave her first State of the County address during an evening presentation Wednesday, Feb. 1.
Services for East County children in need is Saturday, February 25
Source: San Diego County Dental Foundation
Image by Pexels from Pixabay
February 9, 2023 (El Cajon) - The San Diego County Dental Foundation will host the free Give Kids a Smilepreventive dental treatment program for East County children in need at the El Cajon Family Health Center on Saturday, February 25 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
February 9, 2023 (Mt. Helix) – Harbingers of spring, American Robins have arrived in our region. Dawn Sebaugh, a resident of Mt. Helix, says, “Last week we had 60 to 100 robins land all over the backyard and our deck. It was like the movie The Birds.”
February 9, 2023 (San Diego) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media. This week's round-up stories include:
February 9, 2023 (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:
San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife Team rehabilitates bobcat before release
February 9, 2023 (Ramona) -- A bobcat, who spent three weeks in care with San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife team, returned to the wild this week. The adult male was released by Project Wildlife staff in Mission Trails Regional Park, not far from where he was initially found on Jan. 18 by a good Samaritan who called San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement for help.
Humane Officers transported the injured cat to the Veterinary Emergency Group in Encinitas, where he was triaged and given supportive care overnight. The bobcat arrived to San Diego Humane Society on Jan. 19 with injuries indicating he had likely been hit by a car. Project Wildlife’s veterinary team at the Pilar & Chuck Bahde Wildlife Center in San Diego immediately administered pain medication, performed radiographs and treated the bobcat for abrasions and minor contusions.
Once stabilized, the bobcat was moved the next day to the organization’s Ramona Wildlife Center, where Project Wildlife’s staff specialize in caring for native apex predators such as bobcats, coyotes and bears.
February 8, 2023 (Spring Valley) - Prep soccer is almost coming to an end and tonight, in the second-to-last game of the regular season, the Granite Hills Eagles headed out to Spring Valley to face Mount Miguel. The Matadors are barely staying above water, at 9-9-3 overall and 3-2-1 in the Grossmont Valley League. The Eagles aren’t doing much better; they’re 3-2-1 too in the Grossmont Hills League, but 6-9-3 overall.
February 8, 2023 (San Diego) - This year, Love Your Heart events and no-cost blood pressure screenings will be available over the course of several days in locations throughout the county and Mexico.
Photo: Screenshot of wreckage from video posted on Facebook
February 8, 2023 (Santee) – The driver of a Ford Focus has been airlifted to a hospital with severe injuries sustained in a crash so violent that the vehicle blew apart, as surveillance video shown on CBS 8 reveals.
According to Sergeant Dwain Washington with the San Diego Sheriff’s department, the silver Ford Focus was traveling south on North Magnolia in Santee shortly before 6 a.m., approaching the Prospect intersection. A white Ford F-350 pickup truck traveling west on Prospect collided with the car, crushing its front end and sending the engine flying into the roadway.
February 8, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.
February 8, 2023 (Washington, D.C.) - Today, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48) released the following statement following his appointment to the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.
Photo: Asian citrus psyllids, which can carry HLB, a disease deadly to citrus trees.
February 8, 2023 (Rancho Bernardo) -- The California Department of Food and Agriculture has declared a new citrus quarantine in a 95 square-mile area of Rancho Bernardo after detecting a potentially threatening citrus tree disease during routine inspections.
The bacterial disease, known as Huanglongbing (HLB), is a major threat to San Diego’s $115 million annual citrus crop. Trees infected with HLB can produce mishappen, bitter fruit and the disease can eventually kill citrus trees such as orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit trees.
71% of pills tested in Tijuana pharmacies tested positive for dangerous illegal drugs
By Miriam Raftery
Photo courtesy of San Diego District Attorney’s office
February 8, 2023 (San Diego) – Pharmacies in Tijuana and other Mexican cities are selling counterfeit medicines laced with deadly fentanyl and methamphetamines, according to investigations conducted by the Los Angeles Times and by researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles. The tainted fake drugs ranged from narcotic pain pills to pills often used to treat children with attention deficit disorder.
February 8, 2023 (Lemon Grove) – Former Lemon Grove City Councilman Thomas "Tom" Clabby passed away on January 22 in the company of family and friends. He served on the Lemon Grove City Council for 14 years from 1994 to 2008, after previously serving on the city’s planning commission. He was the city’s appointed representative to Metropolitan Transit System, providing leadership at the agency.
February 8, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – For years, the mayors of East County’s four cities (El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove and Santee) have met informally to recommend who should represent the region on San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) committees. But on January 31, with the mayors at an impasse, El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells put forth a proposal for what he called “an equitable process for tie-breaking” that would keep El Cajon represented on SANDAG committees.
Mayor Wells’ list of proposed appointments would have given every city a primary member on at least one committee.
In the end, newly elected SANDAG Chair Nora Vargas followed SANDAG procedures to break the tie and announce the final appointments, which leave El Cajon with only alternates, no regular members on any SANDAG committee.
Update 5 p.m.: The Sheriff has released a statement calling the students' report "unfounded." Here is the full statement:
After further investigation,Detectives have determined this incident near Lakeside Middle School was unfounded. There is no danger to the community. We thank the public and the media for their cooperation and understanding.
East County News Service
February 8, 2022 (Lakeside) – Public help is sought by the San Diego County Sheriff’s department to find a man suspected of trying to grab a child walking to school in Lakeside yesterday around 8 a.m.
Information and photo courtesy of County News Service
February 8, 2023 (Campo) -- A deer mouse collected from an open nature area in Campo during routine monitoring has tested positive for the potentially deadly hantavirus.
This is the first case confirmed this year in San Diego County. Finding hantavirus in wild rodents is not uncommon in San Diego County, last year there were 11 cases locally.
As federal emergency also ends, Medicaid recipients could lose benefits if they don’t re-enroll by March 31
Federal funds for free COVID testing and vaccines will also come to an end
By Miriam Raftery
February 7, 2023 (San Diego) – The County of San Diego will end the nearly 3-year-old COVID-19 emergency on February 28, the same date that the state of California’s emergency declaration ends. The federal government will halt the national public health emergency on May 11.
But outbreaks remain a threat locally and elsewhere. While vaccines and treatments have sharply reduced the death rate from the early days of the pandemic, 12 people died locally in the week ending February 2, when more than 1,800 cases were confirmed and 300 people were hospitalized from the coronavirus.
Over the past three years, more than 976,000 San Diegans have laboratory confirmed positive tests for COVID-19, more than 38,500 have been hospitalized and 5,728 died.
Local health officials urge residents to get the new booster vaccines for protection against recent variants. Nearly 2.7 million San Diegans have received the primary series of one of the approved COVID-19 vaccines and more than 560,000 have received a bivalent booster vaccine.
Fourth healthcare facility in San Diego area to unionize in 2023
East County News Service
February 7, 2023 (La Mesa) -- Healthcare workers at Sharp Grossmont Hospital have voted to join SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW), a union of more than 100,000 healthcare workers across California. The election took place February 1-3 and covers 1,500 frontline workers at the facility, making it among the largest number of workers at a California hospital to go union in a decade.
By Cassie Klapp, County of San Diego Communications Office
February 7, 2023 (San Diego) - The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) is hosting two community listening sessions to review new services for Medi-Cal members with complex health and social needs and gather community input on how those services should be implemented.
February 6, 2023 (Poway) - Does air turbulence scare you? Take a ride with a plane full of awkward characters facing both metaphysical turbulence and unpredictable aircraft motions. PowPac presents “Air Turbulence," a new comedy by local playwright Daniel Watts. Engaging characters tickle your funny bones as you are sucked into the airborne experience in this amusing perspective of a rough flight.
February 5, 2023 (Jacumba Hot Springs) - From bathhouse bazaars to a candlelight concert and organized hikes, Jacumba Hot Springs has something for everyone coming up.
Photo: “Neptune’s Fountain” by Susan Hewitt. Watercolor, 18 x 30. Image courtesy of San Diego Watercolor Society
February 4, 2023 (Lakeside) - Lakeside artistSusan Hewitthas won the Best of Theme awardin the FebruaryMembers Show“Rendezvous With Paint” on displayin the San Diego Watercolor Society (SDWS) gallery at 2825 Dewey Road in Liberty Station, San Diego. Susan’spainting entitled“Neptune’s Fountain”was selected by nationally known local juror Nancy Oleksafor this honor, out of 214 entries. Oleksa said of the painting, “This painting is a celebration of the medium of watercolor. The components of the painting, its space division, use of texture, and choice of palette, have come together to evoke a sense of majesty.”
February 4. 2023 (San Diego) -- Detectives from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department conducted an investigation and arrested Deputy Allen Wereski for bringing drugs onto jail property, after suspected cocaine was located inside his vehicle. He has been booked into the Central Jail.
Wereski has been suspended without pay from the Sheriff's Department. It is unclear what prompted the seasrch of his vehicle, and whether the suspected drug stash was for Wereski’s personal use, illicit sale or smuggling into the jail.
February 4, 2023 (San Diego) -- San Diego County jails have in recent years had the highest number of jail deaths of any major county in California. Many of those deaths have been due to drug overdoses, including Fentanyl. That’s prompted an investigation by the state auditor and calls for reforms from politicians.
Now, newly elected Sheriff Kelly Martinez (photo) has announced numerous changes aimed at improvement the health and safety of people in custody. Those changes include:
February 3, 2023 (San Diego) - Nathan Mensah scored 17 points as No. 22 San Diego State raced past Boise State 72-52 Friday night in a showdown of the Mountain West Conference's top two teams despite an off night by Aztecs' leading scorers Matt Bradley and Darrion Trammell.
February 3, 2023 (San Diego's East County) - This week’s destination East County features events in mid-to late February across San Diego’s inland region.
Hot happenings include a tribute to Michael Jackson at Sycuan, a candlelight concert in Jacumba, Valentine teas in Julian, black history month events at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges, new moon fishing at Lake Jennings, Laurel and Hardy night in Spring Valley, birdwatching classes at Mission Trails, Fido Fest in Santee, Touch-a-Truck in Lakeside, and Hawkwatch in Ramona.
By Pennell Paugh
Story and photos by Liz Alper
Services for East County children in need is Saturday, February 25
By Miriam Raftery
February 9, 2023 (San Diego) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media. This week's round-up stories include:
February 9, 2023 (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:
February 9, 2023 (Ramona) -- A bobcat, who spent three weeks in care with San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife team, returned to the wild this week. The adult male was released by Project Wildlife staff in Mission Trails Regional Park, not far from where he was initially found on Jan. 18 by a good Samaritan who called San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement for help. 
Story and photos by Liz Alper
February 8, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.
Source: Congressman Darrell Issa
East County News Service
71% of pills tested in Tijuana pharmacies tested positive for dangerous illegal drugs
East County News Service
By Miriam Raftery
By Miriam Raftery
By Miriam Raftery
Fourth healthcare facility in San Diego area to unionize in 2023
By 
By Kathy Carpenter
East County News Service
Source: San Diego Watercolor Society
East County News Service
Source: goaztecs.com
By Miriam Raftery and Jonathan Goetz
Recent comments