By José A. Álvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office

January 4, 2019 (San Diego) - Pandemic H1N1 is the primary influenza virus circulating this season in San Diego and across most of the nation, the County Health and Human Services Agency announced today.

Of 1,730 lab-confirmed influenza cases reported so far this season in San Diego, nearly 94 percent are influenza A. Influenza A has several subtypes, including Pandemic H1N1 and H3N2. During a typical year, the primary influenza virus is H3N2 or “seasonal” flu. This season, there are 10 cases of Pandemic H1N1 for every case of H3N2.

East County News Service

January 4, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- A new storm is heading to our region.  The National Weather Service predicts rain and snow down to 5,000 feet elevation late Saturday and Sunday.

By Miriam Raftery

January 4, 2019 (Washington D.C.) – One of the last acts of the outgoing Congress in 2018 was passage of H.R. 390, the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act. The measure passed the House and Senate by unanimous consent and was signed into law by President Donald Trump on December 11, 2018.

The new law could impact familes, friends and loved ones of tens of thousands of Iraqi and Syrian immigrants and refugees who now call San Diego's East County home.

The action came shortly before President Trump ordered a pull-out of troops from Syria, against the advice of his generals and top security advisors. It is unclear how the troop withdrawal may impact implementation of the bill’s provisions.

East County News Service

Photo: Supervisor Dianne Jacob and La Mesa Councilmember Akilah Weber, M.D. will be guests at upcoming Chamber breakfasts.

January 4, 2019 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce has announced events during the first quarter of 2019. These include evening mixers at Surf Rider Pizza Co. as well as Rainbow Travel and Cruise, a breakfast with Supervisor Dianne Jacob, a ribbon cutting at San Diego Eye Professionals, breakfast with newly elected La Mesa City Councilmember Dr. Akilah Weber, and the 11^th annual Salute to Local Heroes and offier installation dinner.

By Miriam Raftery

January 3, 2019 (Descanso) – Thomas Theobald, 66, of Descanso died December 29th at Palomar Medical Center of injuries sustained in a car accident the night before in Warner Springs.

Theobald collided with another vehicle on State Route 79 at Linton Road in Warner Springs. California Highway Patrol and Cal-Fire were dispatched to the scene following a 9-1-1 call. Paramedics initiative advanced cardiac life support and the victim was airlifted to Palomar Medical Center’s emergency department, where he was diagnosed with multiple fractures.

He never regained consciousness and died of blunt force trauma to his head and torso.

January 3, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL

• Criminal Investigation Sought Into Nuclear Waste Handling At San Onofre (KPBS)
• Safety Concerns Mount As Edison Awaits NRC's OK To Bury Radioactive Waste (KPBS)
• Fletcher prioritizes mental health, housing and asylum issue as he joins Board of Supervisors (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Three stabbed in El Cajon fight New Year’s eve (10 News)
• 150 migrants rush U.S. border, are met with tear gas from agents who say they were throwing rocks (San Diego-Union-Tribune)

STATE

• From guns to the board room: New California laws for 2019 (KCRA)
• Camp Fire: PG&E could be prosecuted for murder, attorney general says in filing  (Sacramento Bee)
• New year, new rules: California laws that will matter 2019 (Cal Matters)
• New California law allows some mentally ill offenders to get treatment, possibly get charges dropped  (Los Angeles Times)

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

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is sworn in, surrounded by her grandchildren and other children invited to the podium for the occasion.

January 3, 2019 (Washington D.C.)—On the 100^th anniversary of women having the right to vote, more than 100 women were sworn into the 116^th Congress, where Democrats now have a solid majority and oversight powers.  Key challenges facing the new Congress include resolving how to end a government shutdown standoff as well as investigating alleged abuses of power, collusion with Russia and other crimes that special prosecutor Robert Mueller has been investigating involving the Trump administration, Trump campaign officials and potentially, the President himself.   

Democrats promptly elected California representative Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House. Pelosi previously served as Speaker from 2007 to 2011 and has also served as House Minority Leader.

January 3, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Israeli researchers raise $1 million for revolutionary eye drops that could replace glasses (Nocamels)
• In Screening for Suicide Risk, Facebook Takes On Tricky Public Health Role (New York Times)
• Big Pharma ushers in new year by raising prices of more than 1,000 drugs (CBS)

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• A rising threat to wildlife: electrocution (New York Times)
• 19 insanely cool gadgets that are going to sell out this year (Prime8)
• China ‘lifts mysterious veil’ by landing on moon’s dark side (Reuters)

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

By Dan Morain, CALMatters

CALmatters is an independent public interest journalism venture covering California state politics and government.

January 2, 2019 (San Diego) - Happy New Year, California.

One thousand sixteen aspects of California life evidently needed fixing in 2018. That’s the number of bills Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law last year. Most take effect today. Many are narrow, affecting interests that pushed for them. Some are sweeping, such as those that dealt with wildfire and climate change. A few directly affect you, though, and we’ve made them the focus of the first New Laws edition of WhatMatters.

Story and photos by Liz Alper

January 2, 2019 (El Cajon) - Back in action just in time for the new year, ECM Sports headed to Granite Hills, where Eagles boys basketball took on the Central Spartans from El Centro.  The Eagles are struggling greatly to open the season, sitting at 2-9. 

East County News Service

January 1, 2019 (San Diego) – Bre Payton, 26, a conservative writer for the Federalist magazine and frequent guest commentator on Fox News and other networks, died Friday in San Diego from H1N! (swine) flu and meningitis. Her friend, Morgan Murtaugh, was staying over the holidays at Payton’s San Diego apartment and found her unconscious on Friday, December 27th, shortly after Payton was diagnosed with the flu, the New York Times reports.

By Miriam Raftery

January 1, 2019 (San Diego) – Temecula Mayor Matt Rahn has filed papers to run against Congressman Duncan Hunter, a fellow Republican, in 2020, the Valley News reports. A scientist and land use consultant with background in ecology and sustainability, Rahn has represented San Diego State University  and the Pechanga tribe in their battle against the proposed Liberty Quarry, the Riverside Press Enterprise reported.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: ECM news partner 10 News

January 1, 2019 (Spring Valley) – A collapsed culvert caused a sinkhole to open in the Sweetwater Lodge trailer park on Jamacha Road yesterday.   Two residents of a nearby mobile home were evacuated to temporary lodging arranged by the park owner.