East County News Service 

January 3, 2023 (Escondido)  – San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance won the coveted Animation Award in yesterday’s 134th Rose Parade presented by Honda, with a float celebrating the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s 50th anniversary. The float’s theme, “Celebrating 50 Years of Conservation,” depicted rhinos, giraffes and the Safari Park’s iconic Wildlife Safari experience, bringing to life the Safari Park’s ability to connect guests with wildlife and provide life-changing moments.

The award recognizes the most outstanding use of animation. Giraffes and rhinos on the float were animated, with the rhinos seemingly coming to life as they turned their heads and the giraffes moving their long necks and bending down for a cool drink of water from a flowing waterfall.

 “We are humbled and honored to receive the Animation Award, but more importantly, we are grateful the Rose Parade gave San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and our Safari Park an opportunity to bring our conservation message to a global audience,” said Paul A. Baribault, president and chief executive officer, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “Conservation starts with people—and at the Safari Park, we are able to make a connection between our guests and wildlife every day. Our hope is that connecting people to wildlife will inspire them to help support our mission and our global conservation programs to protect endangered wildlife.”

January 2, 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:

U.S.

• Fierce winter storm still taking a toll: 28 dead; thousands without power; flight cancellations mount. (USA Today)
• Zelenskyy's address to Congress puts him in a category with Churchill, Netanyahu and Mandela (Politico)
• Migrants dropped near Vice President’s house on frigid New Year’s Eve (CBS)
• Three Washington state electric substations vandalized (AP)
• Former Trump White House aide told Jan. 6 panel Mark Meadows burned documents a dozen times during the transition period (CNN)
• The full January 6 report is out. Here are the key details and recommendations  (NPR)
• Fox News' Sean Hannity admits he knew Trump lost 2020 election  (NPR)
• IRS mandatory presidential audit policy goes under spotlight (AP)

WORLD

• Missiles rain down on Ukraine as Putin gives combative New Year speech (Washington Post)
• Turkey, Saudi Arabia decry Taliban university ban for women  (A)
• Taliban orders NGOs to ban female employees from coming to work (Reuters)
• Ukrainian drone hits bomber base inside Russia (Reuters)
• German double agent passed Ukraine intelligence to Russia, had access to NSA info (Washington Examiner)
• As Russia bombs Ukraine’s infrastructure, its own services crumble (Washington Post)
•  Bloody property disputes a dark side of Mexico real estate (AP)
• North Korea has hacked $1.2 billion in crypto and other assets  (NPR)
• S. Korea launches jets, fires shots after North flies drones (AP)
• China sends 71 warplanes, 7 ships toward Taiwan in 24 hours (AP))
• Sudden Russian death syndrome (The Atlantic)

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

Supervisor Anderson to introduce measure to help those stranded, seek funds from FEMA – and asks public to sign petition in support

By Miriam Raftery

View video of interview with Sup. Joel Anderson

Hear audio of our interview aired on KNSJ Radio

December 31, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – With extreme cold gripping much of the nation and shelters for asylum-seekers full, the federal government sent hundreds to San Diego County. Border Patrol agents dumped at least 880 asylum seekers off at transit stations, including 140 abandoned at the El Cajon Transit Center last weekend starting on Christmas Eve.

January 2, 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:

LOCAL

• Looking ahead, these are the top local stories to watch in 2023 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Minimum wage in city of San Diego increases to $16.30 an hour Sunday (10 News)
• County freezes Harmony Grove housing project after Sierra Club legal victory (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Can caring group save clinic? (Borrego Sun)
• The next Republican card falls in SANDAG make up: McCann won’t represent Chula Vista (SD Rostra)

STATE

• Absent for More Than a Century, California Condors Soar Above the Redwoods Again (Audobon)
• What to know about California’s Pay Transparency law that takes effect Jan. 1 (NBC San Diego)
• Buried treasure: California politicians stash $35 million in leftover campaign cash  (KPBS)
• How record snowfall could soften the 2023 drought season  (NPR)
• Think those bags are recyclable? California says think again  (KPBS)
• California university apologizes for prisoner experiments  (AP)

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

East County News Service

Photo: Harris Hawk by Alan Vernon, cc via Wikipedia

January 1, 2022 (San Diego) – Mission Trails Regional Park will host “Hawk Talk with Huxley the Harris Hawk” on Sunday, January 8 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

Stop by the Visitor Center Lobby to meet local falconer, Bob Gordon, and his feathered friend, “Huxley” the Harris’ hawk. Get up close and personal with this majestic bird of prey, while learning all about what makes it so special.

January 1, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• A common DNA test can find cancer in bodies of seemingly healthy pregnant people : Shots - Health News  (NPR)
• XBB variant sparks new Covid concerns (NBC)
• Regular exercise can significantly reduce death, hospitalization from COVID-19  (NPR)
• Growing vaccine hesitancy fuels measles, chickenpox resurgence in U.S. (Washington Post)
• WHO “very concerned“ about reports of severe Covid in China (AP)
• The F.D.A. Now Says It Plainly: Morning-After Pills Are Not Abortion Pills (New York Times)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• Car Makes Record-Breaking 621-Mile Trip on Single Charge Powered by the Sun (Good News Network)
• The cargo hauling aircraft with no pilots aboard (BBC)
• Farm-bred octopus: A benefit for the species or an act of cruelty? (Los Angeles Times)

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

East County News Service

December 31, 2022 (Lakeside) – A man fatally shot two women, then killed himself at a home in Lakeside after an argument last night, the San Diego Sheriff’s Department reports.

East County News Service

December 30, 2022 (El Cajon) – Two teen boys, ages 15 and 17, have been arrested for the attempted murder of a 16-year-old girl at an El Cajon motel on Dec. 12. The victim, left alone for hours after being shot, is alive but in critical condition.

By Miriam Raftery

December 28, 2022 (San Diego) -- The California Highway Patrol has provided a summary of new laws rolling out in 2023 that will impact drivers, vehicle owners and roadway safety. The new laws include measures aimed at increasing bicycle safety, cracking down on sideshow and high-speed contests, and establishing alerts for missing indigenous persons and for fatal hit and runs. Other new laws aim to address the shortage of peace officers, limit jaywalking tickets, cut down on catalytic converter thefts and make it easier to report stolen items offered for sale online.

East County News Service

December 27, 2022 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police Dept. is investigating an attempted homicide at the El Cajon Inn & Suites Motel, where a 16-year-old girl was found with a traumatic head injury on December 12.  Hospital staff believes the head wound was likely caused by a gunshot, says ECPD Sergeant Tenaya Webb.

Sweetwater Water Authority has drained Loveland Reservoir to dead pool status despite community objections loss of recreational resources, wildlife habitat and firefighting impacts, as ECM reported.  Activist and fisherman Russell Walsh sent in photos and this message in response. 

Photos:  left, Loveland Reservoir after being drained to dead pool level; right, before the draining, maintained at 75 year minimum pool level.

By Russell Walsh

By Miriam Raftery

East County News Service

December 26, 2022 (Alpine) – Robin Parks, field representative with the Mountain Lion Foundation, will give a “Mountain Lions 101” presentation on January 20 at 1 p.m. in the Alpine branch of the San Diego County Library (1752 Alpine Blvd., Alpine). 

“Some of this interest has been prompted by the whole P-22 matter,” says Parks, referencing the mountain lion that gained fame for surviving in the Hollywood Hills before being euthanized at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park earlier this month due to injuries consistent with being hit by a vehicle and other health conditions including a skullyfracture and kidney failure.