March 9, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attacks and stroke, study finds (CNN)
• Scam alert: Fake Medicare calls targeting recipients (10 News)
• FDA authorizes the first at-home test for COVID and the flu  (NPR)
• How Cancer Immunotherapy Extended Jimmy Carter's Life and the Hope It Brings to Others (Healthline)
• U.S. analysis keeps covid ‘lab leak’ theory in play (Washington Post)
• George W. Bush's anti-HIV program PEPFAR is hailed as 'amazing' — and still crucial at 20  (NPR)
• No one really knows how much Covid is silently spreading… Again  (Atlantic)
• Here’s an Alternative to Statins for Lowering Cholesterol  (Time)
• A promising RSV drug could soon be available for babies  (NPRR)

SCIENCE AND TECH 

• ‘Take it down’: a tool for teens to remove explicit images (10 News)
• No ideological splits, only worried justices as High Court hears Google case  (NPR)
• 6 scholars explain what a real climate solution is  (KPBS)

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

East County News Service

March 8, 2023 (Lakeside) -- An East County man has been arrested on multiple  felony charges after he was pulled over by deputies from the Lakeside Sheriff’s substation shortly before 10:30 p.m. last night for driving with an expired registration. A license plate check confirmed that the motorcycle he was driving was stolen. 

March 8, 2023 (Rancho San Diego) -- On May 6, Cuyamaca College is combining several major events for a true springtime extravaganza.

The Water Conservation Garden will host its Spring Garden and Butterfly Festival on May 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Guests can watch butterfly releases and children can join Miss Smarty-Plants and Miss Monarch at a Pollinator Party to hear stories and craft their own Pollinator wings. The Garden will also have specialty vendors, workshops, and food trucks.

In addition, Cuyamaca College’s Ornamental Horticulture Department will hold its largest plant sale of the year in their brand-new nursery. Plus, the Heritage of the America’s Museum will be hosting tours throughout the day.

By Miriam Raftery

March 3, 2023 (Alpine) –  Loveland Reservoir near Alpine remains closed to public access for fishing, hiking and recreation since storms in January destroyed the floating fishing dock and caused severe erosion. The damage occurred after Sweetwater Water Authority drained the lake to an unprecedented dead pool status, killing off fish and destroying habitat. Even after January’s heavy rains, Sweetwater again drained the reservoir – angering recreational enthusiasts and environmentalists.

On Thursday, March 23 at 6 p.m., the Alpine Community Planning Group will hear a presentation by Sweetwater on the current and future state of Loveland Reservoir.

Friends of Loveland Reservoir, a group formed to advocate for restoring the lake, states, “We desperately need community members to show up and calmly and professionally share the importance of the Reservoir. If Sweetwater does not hear from us, they will understandably believe this matter is not important to us and will continue down their chosen path.”

Caltrans, Officials Celebrate National Register of Historic Places Designation

Source: Caltrans

March 8, 2023 (San Diego) -- The Ramona Tree Trust, elected official representatives and community members joined the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to unveil a set of signs commemorating the historic eucalyptus tree colonnade that has characterized the Main Street of Ramona as well as welcomed travelers into San Diego’s rural backcountry as a physical symbol of the townspeople’s pride in their agricultural community.

The Ramona Tree Trust recently led an initiative to list Ramona’s Main Street Colonnade Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.

The colonnade consists of 2 miles of over 300 eucalyptus trees, originally established in 1909 and continues to be maintained and replanted to the present day by the community of Ramona.

El Cajon is second-hardest hit community, losing 752,000 meals, report by San Diego Hunger Coalition finds

East County News Service

March 7, 2023 (San Diego) -- CalFresh pandemic emergency allotments have ended, resulting in a significant hit on the grocery purchasing power of many San Diego households during a time of soaring grocery store prices.

But those affected may be able to increase their monthly benefits amount by updating monthly household expenses on record with County of San Diego—and the San Diego Hunger Coalition can help.

Jury concluded Arambula acted in self defense following conflicting statements by Williams about whether his dispensary application was discussed and how much he drank.

Missing witness, in a deposition, stated under oath that Arambula had history of wanting to "fight" after drinking,  threw a glass against wall, told witness he "beat" Williams and asked witness to destroy photos of plaintiff's injuries. The jury never heard this evidence.

By Jessyka Heredia 

Miriam Raftery also contributed to this report

March 6, 2023 (Lemon Grove) -- On Monday, in day three of the Williams vs. Arambula and City of Lemon Grove civil trial, David Arambula and the City of Lemon Grove were both found not liable by a jury in the assault and battery case filed by Christopher Williams.

The case centered around an evening in July 2017 at Arambula’s home, which ended in violence. A mutual acquaintance, Taisha Brown, set up the meeting, which Williams said was to discuss his pending marijuana dispensary application but which Arambula said he believed was to discuss bringing new business investment to the city. Williams claimed they discussed the dispensary and that Arambula pushed him to bring in a partner, but he refused. Arambula denied those claims. After others left, Williams returned for his cell phone and contended that he was assaulted unprovoked by Arambula, resulting in hospitalization for injuries. Arambula claimed Williams attacked him first and that he acted in self defense.

By Rebecca Person

Photo, left:  Shane Marie - Boulevard

March 7, 2023 (San Diego's East County) - East County’s high desert communities saw a better-than-ever snowfall this winter and many residents have captured scenes unusual to the area in Campo, Jacumba, Live Oak Springs, Boulevard and Bankhead Springs.

The Aztecs, who took their first and only lead, with 47 seconds left, face No. 21/25 UNLV in the semifinals tomorrow

Source:  goaztecs.com

March 6, 2023 (Las Vegas) - The Aztec women’s basketball team (23-9) rallied to beat New Mexico (20-12) 69-68 in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West Tournament Monday afternoon.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Thomas Kniess, CC 4.0 via Wikipedia

March 6, 2023 (San Diego) – Erythritol, an artificial sweetener, substantially increases the risk of death from heart attacks and strokes caused by blood clots, according to a study by the Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute published in the journal Nature Medicine.

Erythritol is not required to be listed on food labels, so consumers may not be aware when they are choosing products that contain it.  It’s used as a sugar replacement and is also added to bulk up stevia and monkfruit, two other sweeteners. It’s been found in high levels in some products for diabetics and in low-sugar keto products.

“The degree of risk was not modest,” said Dr. Stanley Hazen, lead author of the study and director of the Center for Cardiovascular Diagnostics and Prevention at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute.

Rebels score two late runs to snuff out Aztecs’ bid for series sweep

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

March 5, 2023 (Las Vegas) -  After rallying from an early five-run deficit, San Diego State was unable to protect a late lead, as UNLV put up single markers in the eighth and ninth inning on Sunday to hand the Aztecs a tough 9-8 defeat in the finale of a weekend series at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

March 5, 2023 (San Diego) - Jaedon LeDee scored 21 points and Adam Seiko 14 for the No. 18 San Diego State Aztecs, who celebrated the outright regular-season Mountain West Conference title with a 67-50 victory against Wyoming on Saturday night.

By David R. Shorey, East County Program Manager, Institute for Public Strategies

Photos courtesy IPS

March 4, 2023 (Lakeside) -- For almost 20 years, the Lakeside Community Collaborative has worked to enhance the health and safety of Lakeside residents. The Collaborative is made up of representatives from schools, law enforcement, chamber of commerce, public health organizations, and everyday Lakeside residents. Through monthly meetings, the group shares information and coordinates activities to address important issues facing Lakeside. This includes assessments of community conditions that could lead to substance use and abuse.

A “Walking Woodside” community assessment was conducted by the Lakeside Community Collaborative on a Saturday morning in February 2023. IPS was joined by a representative from the San Diego County Department of Homeless Solutions and Equitable Communities and a member of recently formed Lakeside Amity Group. We walked both sides of Woodside Avenue, between Winter Gardens Boulevard and Maine Avenue. A distance of about 1.4 miles.

The goal of the Collaborative was to not only conduct the assessment, but also encourage community engagement. We hope that this endeavor will bring awareness to issues like alcohol retail density. By physically walking down this street and taking in the environment, we were able to better identify with our own eyes, potential areas of concern. What we found was more than concerning, it was outright scary.