East County News Service

March 15, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting-edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• House Republicans would let employers demand genetic test results (Yahoo News)
• Why a House bill wants workers' genetic information (CS Monitor)
• Deadly fungus infection that doctors have been fearing new reported in U.S. (Washington Post)
• On the heels of Zika comes its deadlier relative, yellow fever, experts warn (ArsTechnica)
• Un-Sweetened: How a Maryland County Cut Soda Sales Without a Soda Tax (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Volkswagen Pleads Guilty in U.S. Emissions-Cheating Scandal (Bloomberg)
• Big data unites the study of stars with cancer research (BBC)
• Can giant Tesla batteries solve South Australia's energy woes? (CS Monitor)

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

AB 386 creates legal aid fund for veterans seeking to return to United States

East County News Service

March 14, 2017 (San Diego) — When immigrants signed up to serve in America’s armed forced, they were promised that they would be given expedited citizenship. But now President Trump has begun deporting these veterans.  Now, California’s Assembly Judiciary has approved a bill to establish a legal aid fund to help deported veterans.

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Story and photos by Liz Alper

March 14, 2017 (La Mesa) - Helix High varsity boys basketball has breezed through two rounds of the Division IV CIF playoffs.  They defeated Granada Hills Charter last Wednesday night in Round I, followed by a rout of West High from Torrance on Saturday night in Round II, now it was time for the regional semifinals tonight against Carson High School from Carson, California.  The Colts have had a phenomenal season and entered San Diego with a 23-6 record on the season.

By Miriam Raftery

Text of bill:  https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1275/text

Congressional Budget analysis:  https://www.cbo.gov/publication/52486

March 14, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – Older and poorer Americans could be paying over half their income to buy health insurance under the House Republicans’ healthcare plan, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget office (CBO) has calculated.  A 64-year-old earning $26,500 would be expected to pay a whopping $14,600 a year for healthcare – far more than the $1700 a year premiums under Obamacare.

The bill would reduce the federal deficit by $337 billion by 2026, the CBO also found.  But that savings would come largely on the backs of those who can least afford to pay more.

East County News Service

By Barbara Cummings, El Cajon

By Miriam Raftery

Video by Paul Kruze

Photos: Protesters hold up red "disagree" signs (left) at town hall hosted by Rep. Duncan Hunter (right).

East County News Service

March 13, 2017 (Lakeside)  - Lakeside's River Park Conservancy will hold the 10th annual San Diego River Run 5k on Saturday, May 6 from  8 a.m. to 11 a.m.at the Lakeside River Park trail.

The San Diego River Run 5k will be held in the morning this year, with on-site registration beginning at 7:00 am and the race starting at 8:00 am. The event will take place at Lakeside's River Park located at 10398 Channel Road, Lakeside.

Source:  Mount Miguel Covenant Village

Photo, left:  an artist’s rendering of the entry way at Mount Miguel Covenant Village’s new Life Center.

March 13, 2017 (Spring Valley) – On the heels of a year-long 50^th anniversary celebration, Mount Miguel Covenant Village, a faith-based, not-for-profit continuing care retirement community will celebrate the grand opening of its $19.1 million Life Center that will serve as the hub of community life.

On March 31, 2017, at 4 p.m., the public is invited to an Open House, which will include a screening of a brief film about Mount Miguel Covenant Village in the new 24-seat movie theater, followed by hors d’oeuvres and a tour of the Life Center. Reservations are required for the Open House by calling 877-226-7350 or visiting www.mountmiguelcovenantvillage.org.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Rev. Shane Harris during a January interview with East County Magazine on KNSJ

March 13, 2017 (El Cajon) — Rev. Shane Harris at the National Action Network in San Diego announced that he has asked Calif. Attorney General Xavier Becerra to appoint a special prosecutor to conduct an independent investigation into the death of Alfred Olango. Olango, an African-American man, was fatally shot in Sept. 2016 by an El Cajon Police officer.

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

March 13, 2017 (Alpine) -- Alpine’s First Annual Honey Festival, held March 11^th, included teaching youths in their community about the history of their land.  That history includes honey and its production. In fact, this region was once the honey producing capitol of the world! Kids dressed up as bees and participated in an art show that portrayed bees and hives, with major doses of yellow and black.  But teaching kids about their local history was just a part of the festival.

Source: Caltrans

March 13, 2017 (El Cajon/Lakeside) -- Caltrans construction crews will close one lane on northbound State Route 67 between Interstate 8 in El Cajon and Mapleview Street in Lakeside on Monday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. The closure is needed to apply a fog seal – a protective pavement coating. The same closure will take place Tuesday if needed to complete the work.

Aztecs complete non-conference season with third straight win

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo:  Jenavee Peres hit a grand slam in the sixth inning in SDSU's 6-1 win over Harvard.  Courtesy goaztecs.com

March 12, 2017 (Long Beach) - Junior Jenavee Peres (Garden Grove, Calif.) hit a grand slam in the top of the sixth inning to lift the San Diego State softball team to a 6-1 victory over Harvard Sunday afternoon at Long Beach State. It was the third straight win for the Aztecs (16-9) in their final non-conference game of the season.

March 6, 2017 (San Diego's East County)-- Our January 2017 radio shows are now online. For links to listen to the shows plus a full list of topics an interviews, click here (Sound files may take a few moments to load).

We interviewed Diane Conklin from Mussey Grade Alliance in Ramona on SDG&E’s effort to recoup wildfire losses from ratepayers, Estela de los Rios from CSA on homelessness, Rev. Shane Harris on the Martin Luther King Day march, and more.  We also covered top local, state and national news on issues impacting people across our region including the inauguration of President Donald Trump and newly elected local city council members.

 The East County Magazine Show airs Mondays and Fridays from 5 to 6 p.m. on KNSJ, 89.1 FM.  Our shows rerun on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.  Read more and listen to our January shows:

East County News Service

March 10, 2017 (Washington D.C.) -- The Senate introduced a resolution today to overturn a Federal Communications Commission rule that requires internet service providers to get customers’ permission before they sell sensitive consumer data, such as browsing history.