East County News  Service

May 22, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – Concerts, comedy, a Flag Day parade, a musical play, food festivals, a pride walk, and a library fundraiser are all coming up in San Diego’s inland region during late May and June. 

Scroll down for full details on these and more festive events coming up.

Update May 23, 2023:  Quarantines have been imposed by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture on 15 properties in San Diego County and 4 in Riverside,  Locally, 6 cases have been confirmed and 9 more are suspected. 

Read more:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/quarantines-imposed-vsv-livestock-dis...

By Miriam Raftery

May 20, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) –  A case of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV), a viral disease which causes severe blister-like lesions on the mouths and hooves of horses, cattle, pigs, goats, llamas, and other hooved livestock, has been confirmed in San Diego County, according to Dr. Craig Chandler, DVM, at the East County Large and Small Animal Practice. According to Dr. Chandler, testing is underway on samples from several other horses in East County with suspected VSV.

According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners, VSV is contagious and debilitating, but rarely life threatening.  It can also spread to humans, so safe handling procedures should be followed.

The disease is reportable; livestock should be isolated for 14 days after the last case.  The disease takes 2 to 8 days from exposure to appear and usually runs it course in about 2 weeks, though sores can take up to months to resolve.  Testing is required to confirm  presence of the disease.

Dr. Chandler posted the following information on Facebook and gave permission for ECM to reprint it, along with a photo:

May 21, 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

• La Mesa vice mayor, now running for state Assembly, solicited $700,000 in donations to his own nonprofit (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego sued for allowing developers to forego parking requirements, build higher, and construct backyard apartments (CBS 8)
• Judge extends restraining order against Lemon Grove council member amid multiple misconduct accusations (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• La Mesa revamps building process (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Elder Ex-Rep. Duncan Hunter Rips NPR for Hinting He Squelched Marine Deaths  (Times of San Diego)
• Santee YMCA at Center of Transgender Controversy Reopens Locker Rooms After Remodel (NBC San Diego)
• El Cajon is about to have far more control over homeless voucher program (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Texas Media Group Nexstar Adds KUSI to San Diego Holdings for $35 Million (Times of San Diego)
• Mayor Pitches Balboa Park Safe Campsites (Voice of San Diego)
• Hepatitis A numbers increasing, particularly among homeless population  (KPBS)
• San Diego case reveals nationwide elder fraud network (KPBS)
• 2 Officers Injured In High-Speed Chase That Started In La Mesa (Patch)
• U.S. Supreme Court to decide if public officials can block critics on social media (Reuters)

STATE

• California canceled $200 million in Middle Class Tax Refunds to balance budget — did anyone miss out? (Mercury News)
• CA Teacher Salaries Could Climb 50 Percent Under Proposed Law  (Patch)
• Flooding was the downside to California's heavy rain. The upside: gold  (NPR)
• California hotline to provide legal help related to abortion (KPBS) 
• Jenny Craig, With 68 CA Locations, Is Closing: Report (Patch)
• California reparations panel OKs state apology, payments (AP)
• California regulators plan to revisit solar rule changes, as legal action moves forward (KPBS)

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

East County News Service

May 21, 2023  (Santee) – Jose  Lawrence Ruvalcaba, 29, is in custody for allegedly groping a 12-year-old girl on May 18.

A 12-year-old student from Chett F. Harritt School was walking towards  Big Rock Park on Arlette Street on May 18 shortly before 4 p.m. when a man approached her and inappropriately touched her chest, says Lieutenant Anthony O’Boyle with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.

According to O’Boyle, a friend who was with the victim tried to intervene by pushing away the suspect. He took off on an electric black and gray scooter. 

An employee at the Santee Teen Center, which is also located at Big Rock Park, called the Sheriff's Department on Friday, May 19 just before 6:30 p.m. when he saw a man who matched the all-black clothing description of the suspect and his scooter.

Update:  Ford CEO Jim Farley has announced that  Ford will reverse its earlier decision to eliminate AM radios and will offer a software program to restore AM access to owners of Ford electric vehicles sold without AM radio, NPR reports.

By Miriam Raftery

May 20, 2023 (Washington D.C.) – Many electric vehicle manufacturers have removed AM radio from their current and future models, claiming interference with electric motors can cause buzzing noises and faded signals. Those that have already removed AM radios from electric vehicles include Tesla, Ford, Mazda, BMW, Volkswagen, Volvo, Polestar and Rivian.

Seat Belt Safety Campaign Runs Through Memorial Day 

May 20, 2023 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa Police Department reminds everyone taking a trip to visit friends or family over the Memorial Day Weekend to always buckle up and keep children in child safety seats. This year’s Click It or Ticket campaign is from May 22-June 4. 

Aztecs rally from early 6-1 deficit to complete season sweep of Lobos on Senior Day

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

May 20, 2023 (San Diego) - Coinciding with the stubborn marine layer lifting, San Diego State’s fortunes brightened considerably on Saturday, as the Aztecs overcame a 6-1 deficit to defeat New Mexico 8-6 in eight innings and clinch a share of the Mountain West regular-season title.

By KNSJ Staff

May 19, 2023 (San Diego) -- KNSJ, San Diego’s radio network for social justice, announces an open house of its new studio from 10 am-3 pm Saturday, May 20, with a ribbon cutting ceremony at noon.  Lori Saldaña, former Speaker of the California House will be the official ribbon cutter opening up the new studio.  Located inside the Employee Rights Center at 4161 Home Avenue in San Diego, the new studio will be open to its friends, listeners and supporters who have helped make KNSJ’s vision a reality, as well as welcoming the general public to the open house.  From 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., KNSJ will be broadcasting live, taking calls, serving refreshments, and connecting with its most valuable resource:  members of the listening community.

East County Magazine's Radio Show airs on KNSJ and EMC's editor/producer Miriam Raftery will be among those broadcasting live on Saturday from the new studio.

Source: San Diego Sheriff

May 20, 2023 (Santee) -- Detectives with the Sheriff's Child Abuse Unit and the Santee Sheriff's Station want the public's help in identifying and locating a man wanted for groping a child in Santee. The alleged incident occurred  on Thursday, May 18 just before 4:00 p.m. near Big Rock Park in the 8100 block of Arlette Street.

“A 12-year-old student from Chett F. Harritt School was walking towards the park when a man approached her,” says Lieutenant Anthony O’Boyle. “The man inappropriately touched her chest. A friend who was with the victim tried to intervene by pushing away the suspect. He took off on an electric black and gray scooter. He was last seen going eastbound towards Mesa Road.”

May 20, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Marijuana harms development in first trimester of pregnancy, study finds (CNN)
• WHO declares end to Covid global health emergency (NBC)
• Putting radiation to the test to heal irregular heartbeat (AP)
• FDA advisers narrowly back first gene therapy for muscular dystrophy  (NPR)
• Gold Medal Flour Linked to Salmonella Outbreak Is Recalled: More than a dozen people have become ill, and most reported eating raw dough or batter (Consumer Reports)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• The Hidden iPhone Setting Thieves Use to Lock People Out of Apple Accounts  (Wall Street Journal)
• Twitter changes stoke, Russian, Chinese propaganda surges (AP)
• This company adopted AI. Here's what happened to its human workers (NPR) 
• SpaceX Starship launch under FAA investigation after raining potentially hazardous debris on homes and beaches (Space)
• People are arguing in court that real images are deepfakes (NPR)
• Supreme Court shields Twitter from liability for terror-related content and leaves Section 230 untouched (CNN)
• Can politicians catch up with AI? (NPR)

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