Source: San Diego County News Service

July 13, 2022 (San Diego) – County health officials are encouraging men who have sex with men to abstain or practice safer sex to avoid getting and spreading the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox vaccines are also available locally for people in high-risk groups.

East County News Service

County News Service contributed to this report

Video by José Eli Villanueva

July 12, 2022 (Otay Mesa) – Numerous fires have started in recent years along the international border in the Otay area of San Diego County. On Tuesday, the San Diego County Fire Protection District broke ground on Fire Station 38 in East Otay Mesa. Once built, the station will serve a rapidly developing area which includes warehouses, transport businesses, two power plants and a battery facility. Crews housed there will also respond to calls on roads and highways in the area carrying traffic crossing the U.S. and Mexico border.

Update 9:05 p.m.  -- Evacuation warnings have been lifted, the County Office of Emergency Services reports.

East County Wildfire and Emergency Alerts

Video by Joe Dyke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSxmnewoRkI

July 12, 2022 (Dehesa) -- The #HarbisonFire burning in Dehesa has prompted evacuation warnings along Sycuan Oaks Drive, Vista De La Montana, and Trafalgar Road.  A warnings is to allow vulnerable people (such as those with disabilities or large animals) to leave in advance of an evacuation order.  A temporary evacuation point is at Sycuan Market, 4915 Dehesa Rd., El CAjon.

Harbison Canyon Road is closed between Dehesa Rd. and Crest Blvd.  

Forward spread of the fire has been stopped. Cal Fire reports 37 acres have burned.  

Source:  NASA

Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI

July 12, 2022 (Washington, D.C.) - NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has delivered the deepest and sharpest infrared image of the distant universe so far. Webb’s First Deep Field is galaxy cluster SMACS 0723, and it is teeming with thousands of galaxies – including the faintest objects ever observed in the infrared.

Source:  Caltrans

July 11, 2022 (San Diego) - Caltrans construction crews will close freeway connectors, on-ramps, off-ramps, three inside lanes of westbound Interstate 8 (I-8) and all lanes of eastbound I-8 in Mission Valley for 2 miles from Interstate 5 (I-5) to State Route 163 (SR-163) on Tuesday, July 12 to Thursday, July 14, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. 

East County News Service

July 11, 2022 (San Diego) – Before you head to the beach, be sure to check the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ)’s newest beach management actions for Monday, July 11^th including new health advisories for popular beaches, as well as advisories lifted for some other coastal areas.

Motorists advised to allow additional travel time for lane closures and detours

East County News Service

July 9, 2022 (San Diego’s East County)  — Construction crews will reduce lanes on Interstate 8 (I-8) at State Route 67 (SR-67)/Magnolia Avenue Monday and Tuesday from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for ongoing electrical work, according to Caltrans. At least one lane will remain open for traffic. The work is part of the I-8/SR-67 Bridge Repair Project.

East County News Service

July 8, 2022 (San Diego) - Hospitalizations for COVID-related illness are on the rise, up 66 percent in the last 30 days, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency reports. New ICU admissions rose 68 percent during that same time frame.

The County has also seen an increase in reinfections, San Diegans who have tested positive for COVID-19 several times throughout the pandemic. National data shows that prior infection does not necessarily prevent reinfection with some of the newer virus variants.

Dr. Cameron Kaiser, M.D., the County’s deputy public health officer offers this advice.

“Due to the increased level of community transmission, including reinfections, we strongly recommend masking, especially in crowded spaces or around family, friends and colleagues who may be more vulnerable to COVID-19,” Dr. Kaiser says. “Our best bet in preventing hospitalizations and deaths is to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, and isolating from others when sick.”

Flag-raising ceremony set for June 23

East County News Service

July 8, 2022 (El Cajon) - The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District is celebrating Pride month with a series of events, including the district’s first Pride flag-raising ceremony that was held on Thursday, June 23.

Chairwoman to represent more than 100 California tribes and help shape federal policy

East County News Service

July 7, 2022 (Jamul) --  Erica M. Pinto, Chairwoman of The Jamul Indian Village of California (JIV), has been appointed by Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Deb Haaland to serve on the DOI’s newly-formed Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee (STAC).  Chairwoman Pinto is serving as the Pacific Region’s primary member of the STAC, representing more than 100 tribes.  Her one-year term began June 15, 2022.  Widely recognized as a pre-eminent Tribal leader, Ms. Pinto has been honored with numerous awards for her leadership and influence—including the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of California’s highest honor, the Warrior Award—and she is a nationally sought-after speaker and leader regarding tribal and gaming matters.

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

July 6, 2022 (San Diego) - A new initiative to spread the word about County parks, teach people about the outdoors, share fun, and promote equity, inclusion, accessibility and opportunity, kicks off Friday night with a Summer Movie at the Park at the Waterfront Park.

East County News Service

July 5, 2022 (Lakeside) – The Lakeside Historical Society invites you to its boutique and vintage sale on August 4, 5 and 6 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The event will be held in the Olde Community Church/Lakeside Historical Museum at 9906 Maine Avenue in historic downtown Lakeside.