May 23, 2018 (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

• Backcountry development initiative faces signature deadline (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• El Cajon councilman ordered to pay $30,000 in attorney fees as fraud case takes unusual turns  (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• What we know about the internal affairs investigation into Sheriff candidate Dave Meyers (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Prosecutors: Cox Communications Violates Customer Privacy and Hazardous Waste Protections (NBC 7)
• San Diego home price hits (another) record high: $570K (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• County to close juvenile detention facility Camp Barrett by end of year (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• ICE Is Getting Fewer Notices from the San Diego Sheriff, But Is Making More Arrests (Voice of San Diego)
• SDG&E Will Find It Hard to Put the Brakes on Gas  (Voice of San Diego)

STATE

• How candidates for California governor would make college more affordable (San Jose Mercury News)
• California's Message to Hospitals: Shape Up or Lose 'In-Network’ Status (NPR)
• Why centrist Dianne Feinstein is moving so much to the left that she now opposes the death penalty (Los Angeles Times)

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

May 23, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• The FDA approved a drug that treats opioid addiction that isn’t addictive itself (Popular Science)
• Lost mothers: maternal mortality in the U.S. (NPR)
• Did Leaded Gasoline Contribute to the U.S. Baby Bust?  (Reason)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Circuit breaker still in use despite safety concerns (Jewish World Review)
• DNA Data From 100 Crime Scenes Has Been Uploaded To A Genealogy Website — Just Like The Golden State Killer
• NASA looks to send a small nuclear reactor to the moon and Mars  (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Uber ends Arizona self-driving program following fatality (Reuters)
• Why privacy settings can't keep your location secret  (Marketplace)
• Security advocates challenge facial recognition in policing  (CS Monitor)

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

By Miriam Raftery

May 23, 2018 (Alpine) – Amid the beautiful garden settings at Summers Past Farms in Flinn Springs, hundreds of guests at Vintage Alpine savored the flavors of foods from around25 local restaurants, over 40 regional wineries and breweries – all to support Alpine Kiwanis Club’s charitable efforts for local children’s causes.

Also offering referral fees and hiring local representatives

By Deann Rios

May 22, 2018 (San Diego) -- International Education Student Exchange Program (INTER-ED) is committed to making the world a better place by offering opportunities to break down cultural barriers and bring our world closer together. This non-profit, in association with the United States Department of State, is seeking volunteer hosts to help them achieve this goal by serving as American ambassadors.

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Story and photos by Liz Alper

Cover photo:  Monte Vista senior Ivan Plazola struck out 12 batters, but couldn't secure the lead as the Monarchs fell short.

May 22, 2018 (Spring Valley) - Monte Vista baseball has made it to the CIF Division IV playoffs.  Today in round one, they faced Kearny, the winners of a play-in on Monday against Calipatria.  The Komets are a near-perfect 11-1 in the Central League and a 17-12 overall record.  The Monarchs just barely eeked into the playoffs with a 9-6 record in the Grossmont League and an 18-11 overall record.  Senior Cade Logan took the hill for the Komets against senior Ivan Plazola for Monte Vista.

By Miriam Raftery

May 22, 2018 (San Diego) – Pot sales in California have not yet been a jackpot for state revenues since legalization of recreational cannabis in January. New Frontier Data, a data analysis firm, has lowered their projections for legal pot sales this year in California from $3.8 billion to $1.9 billion – or only half what was projected.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

May 21, 2018 (La Mesa) – A man accused of chasing and hurling a knife at a 13-year-old girl walking to Parkway Middle School this morning was shot and wounded by a La Mesa Police Officer.  The suspect has been identified as Bernard Graham, 34, of Spring Valley.

East County News Service

May 21, 2018 (San Diego) -- Unemployment in California has fallen to 4.2% statewide—a new record and the lowest rate since 1976.

In San Diego County, the news is even better.  Countywide, unemployment in April dropped to just 2.9 percent as our region’s labor market continues to tighten, according to the State Employment Development Department.  Our local unemployment rate is one percent lower than April of last year, and the lowest that it’s been since January 2000, over 18 years ago.

East County News Service

May 21, 2018 (East County) – The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR), a real estate trade group with an office in El Cajon, has announced its endorsement of five candidates for the June 5 election.  The five include: Brian Jones for California State Senate 38th District; Ernie Dronenburg for San Diego County assessor-recorder-clerk; Eric J. Lund for San Diego County Board of Education District #3; Max Zaker for Chula Vista City Council District #2; Rafael Perez for San Diego Community College District #E.

East County News Service

May 21, 2018 (Santee) – The City of Santee will present Santee Salutes, featuring all-American fun and fireworks on July 4^th from 2:30 to 10 p.m.  The festivities take place at Town Center Community Park East (550 Park Center Drive) in Santee.

By Miriam Raftery

May 21, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – The 2018 Point in Time “We All Count” report on homelessness in our region reveals that 12.7% of San Diego County’s homeless population is in East County.  While El Cajon has made progress toward sheltering its homeless people, no such progress has been made in the unincorporated areas or most East County cities.

East County News Service

May 20, 2018 (Jamul) – At the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge in Jamul, talented wildlife photographer Debbie Ekhaml has been documenting a nest with four Great Horned Owls fledglings.

“Four is really amazing,” she says, adding that the species normally has two or three offspring at a time.

These large, nocturnal birds are found across our regional and can be identified by the tufts of feathers resembling horns. You may hear their distinctive “Hoo -H-Hoo” call after dark. 

East County News Service

May 19, 2018 (Jamul) - The best of San Diego County’s wineries, fabulous food, and vintner insights on wine production are on tap at the third annual St. Pius X Catholic Church Wine Tasting Festival Saturday, June 30, 6–9 p.m., at The Grove at D&S Farms, home to Granite Lion Cellars. All proceeds will benefit Jamul’s St. Pius X parish improvement fund and youth programs.

Review by Liz Orient

May 18, 2018 (Ramona) -- Downtown Ramona is home to a collection of quaint and charming eateries. Marinade on Main uniquely presents itself as a beloved farm-to-table cafe. One Sunday afternoon, my colleague and I decided to stop in for brunch.

By Miriam Raftery

May 18, 2018 (Lemon Grove) – Christopher Williams has filed a lawsuit against Lemon Grove Councilman David Arambula alleging that during a meeting at Arambula’s home on July 15, 2017  to discuss Williams’ applications for marijuana dispensaries, Arambula assaulted and injured Williams. 

The suit also names the city of Lemon Grove, claiming the city knew that Arambula conducted city business outside of city hall and “could be physically violent toward members of the public while he conducted official city business but never took any action to prevent him from acting in such a manner.”