East County News Service

Photo courtesy Bob Perry

December 29, 2016 (Mount Laguna) – The Laguna Mountain Volunteers (www.LMVA.net) are looking for more volunteers to man the visitor center and do other good works.  There are no minimum obligations, “just opportunities to seize,” says Bob Perry, who sent us these photos of a visit this week to the winter wonderland complete with  six inches of snow:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/rudyperry/albums/72157678384403265

He adds, “Louise and I drive up from El Cajon two Sundays a month to open the visitor center.  It's just the two of us having fun at 6,000 feet.  We've been doing this for six years.” 

East County News Service

December 29, 2016 (Washington D.C.) – The Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced recalls on Polaris Sportsman 570 all-terrain vehicles due to fire hazard.  In addition Joyride children’s three-wheeled scooters have been recalled because of wheels that can detach, causing injury.  Below are full details. 

Source: goztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

December 28, 2016 (San Diego) - San Diego State women’s basketball produced one of its best defensive efforts of the season against Biola, holding the Eagles to a season-low 48 points in a 63-48 non-conference win Wednesday evening.

East County News Service

December 28, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Their lives made a different to countless people across East County.  Though these noted community leaders passed on in 2016, their legacies live on. 

East County News Service

December 27, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – These are the people whose actions made headlines across our region this year—community leaders and ordinary citizens who worked tireless to help others, whose actions led to changes in our communities, or the promise of changes in the future.

By Miriam Raftery

December 28, 2016 (San Diego) - San Diego Republican Party Chairman Tony Krvaric has named a new acting executive director, Sage Naumann.  But there’s controversy surrounding the appointment due to photos of Naumann making Nazi jokes while wearing a German military uniform for Halloween seven years ago in 2009, when he was 18 years old. 

East County News Service

December 27, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes a New Year’s Eve Party, New Year’s day hikes in local state parks, a Joe Rathburn concert, and trivia nights at a winery!

Plus, we’ll tell you about coming attractions including a family fun fest, vintage train rides, a classic movie night, a writers’ conference, and a stage production of “What the Butler Saw.”

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!

East County News Service

December 27, 2016 (La Mesa) - Lamplighters Theatre in La Mesa will present “What the Butler Saw," a classic British farce opening January 20^th and running through Feb. 19^th. 

When a psychiatrist tries to seduce an aspiring secretary, his botched efforts lead to comic bedlam involving his insatiable wife, a randy bellhop, a befuddled police officer and Sir Winston Churchill. Psychiatry, religion, marriage, government, definitions of gender and even language are all targets of British playwright Orton's poison pen. His sly jokes and hilarious shenanigans will have you shaking with laughter from start to finish.

By Liz Alper

Photo:  redshirt junior Adekunle Ayinde is congratulated coming off the field after his fourth quarter interception.  Via @GopherFootball on Twitter

December 27, 2016 (San Diego) - University of Minnesota football players showed up to play in this year’s National Funding Holiday Bowl.  However, 10 of them did not.  Ten Golden Gopher football players were suspended for an alleged sexual assault that happened in September.  The team boycotted practice on December 15 and a petition that reach over 1,200 signatures was filed against Golden Gophers head coach Tracy Claeys, calling for his firing after how he handled the boycott and the situation with his players.

Alas, the Gophers showed up to play against the Cougars on Tuesday and San Diego had another bowl game on their hands.

By Miriam Raftery

December 27, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – California has hundreds of new laws taking effect in on January 1, 2017, impacting employment, education, gun rights, health, housing, criminal justice, consumers, motor vehicle drivers, elections, youth sports, and more. Here are some of the most important new laws you should know about before ringing in the New Year:

Source: Alpine Fire Dept.

Photos:  District Legal Counsel Steve Fitch administers oath of office to incumbent Alpine Fire Board member Thomas “Jim”  Mann (left) and new member Steve Taylor (right).

December 27, 2016 (Alpine) -- The Alpine Fire Protection District swore-in two Board members at the December 20, 2016 Board meeting.  Incumbent Thomas “Jim” Mann took the oath for his second 4-year term on the Fire Board.  New Board member Steve Taylor was sworn in for a 4-year term as well. Both Board members were the top two vote getters in a 5 person race for two seats on the Fire Board.  Both Board members were sworn in by District Legal counsel Steve Fitch.  Outgoing Board member Mary Fritz did not seek re-election.  Board member Fritz was thanked by staff, the firefighters and her fellow Board members for her many years serving on the Fire Board. 

East County News Service

December 27, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• More borrowers are losing Social Security benefits over old student loans (Market Watch)
• Trump says he plans to shut down his charitable foundation (Washington Post)
• Four More Michigan Officials Charged Over Flint Water Crisis (NPR)
• How Trump’s plan to gut Obamacare will take down Medicare (Forbes)
• This latest Trump appointee may worry Social Security recipients (NASDAQ)
• Five fights for Trump’s first 100 days (CNN)
• Five Republicans who could buck Trump in 2017 (The Hill)

WORLD

• Christmas reborn in Iraqi town freed from ISIS (CNN)
• Nigeria: Boko Haram crushed, forced out of last enclave (USA Today)
• U.S. declines to veto U.N. Security Council resolution for Israel to stop Jewish settlement activity (Washington Post)
• Deadly Explosion Rips Through Fireworks Market Near Mexico City (NPR)
• A bigger problem than ISIS? (New Yorker)
• Fake story spurs Pakistani official to threaten Israel with nuclear response (CS Monitor)
• Chile's government works to re-establish connectivity in quake-affected zone (Reuters)
• EU court says mass data retention illegal  (Reuters)
• Lithuania said found Russian spyware on its government computers  (Reuters)
• Russian hackers tracked Ukrainian artillery units using Android implant: report (Reuters)

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

East County News Service

December 27, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting-edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Mumps Cases Rise in San Diego and Across the Nation (KPBS)
• New Ebola vaccine gives 100% protection (New York Times)
• Wins and Losses in Global Health in 2016 (NPR)
• Despite Pledges to Cut Back, Farms Are Still Using Antibiotics (NPR)
• Multiple sclerosis drug 'a landmark' (BBC)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Security risk on in-flight entertainment systems, say researchers (BBC)
• Privacy Advocates Claim Interactive Doll Spies On Children (NPR)
• Evernote opens satellite office in San Diego (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Facebook says government requests for account data rise 27 percent (Reuters)
• Pulse victims lawsuit: Did social media provide 'material support' for terrorism? (CS Monitor)
• No risk seen from Fukushima 'fingerprint' on US West Coast (CS Monitor)
• Cheetahs heading toward extinction as habitat crashes (BBC)
• Scientists amazed by iron 'jet stream' in Earth's molten core (CS Monitor)
• 'Klingon' newts and 'Ziggy Stardust' snakes among 150 new Mekong species (CS Monitor)
• Rumblings of Europe's supervolcano: Will the sleeping giant awaken? (CS Monitor)
• Long before Rudolph, these gigantic birds flew around the North Pole (CS Monitor)

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

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

December 26, 2016 (San Diego) -- New Year’s Eve is a night to have fun and celebrate the coming year, says Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. However, safety is a must when participating in the festivities.

Following a few safety tips will ensure that you’re safe and sound when the clock strikes midnight, ringing in the New Year!

By Greg Dunne

December 26, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) — The first of the year is almost here.  Some New Year’s resolutions maybe? Hopefully eating healthy is one of them. I’m going to talk a little bit about juicing, how fun it can be, and of course how good it is for you as well.