By Walter Davis

January 31, 2017 (Canyon Lake, CA) -- I walked down the pier towards the mighty warship. She was moored at the same pier that once held the mighty Japanese battleship Yamato. My gait was slightly unsteady as I had left my family crying quietly in the parking lot.

By Miriam Raftery

January 31, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – President Donald Trump has fired Acting Attorney General Sally Yates after she refused to defend his executive order banning entry into the U.S. for refugees worldwide and citizens of 11 Muslim nations. Yates said she was not convinced the order was lawful and that as head of the Justice Dept., her duty is to assure that the department’s position is “legally defensible” and “consistent with this institution’s solemn obligation to always seek justice and stand for what is right.”

By Ben Locke, Alpine resident

January 31, 2017 (Alpine) -- Located at http://www.sandiegocounty.gov/pds/generalplan.html is the County website for the General Plan (GP).  As you may have heard, a GP update will be taking place for Alpine over the next 18 months.  The preamble to the GP states that it is:  “…a framework for the future growth and development of the unincorporated areas of the County.”  And that it “…is based on a set of guiding principles designed to protect the County’s unique and diverse natural resources and maintain the character of its rural and semi-rural communities. It reflects an environmentally sustainable approach to planning that balances the need for adequate infrastructure, housing, and economic vitality, while maintaining and preserving each unique community within the County, agricultural areas, and extensive open space.”  Finally, it states that it:  “…reflects the County’s commitment to  a sustainable growth model that facilitates efficient development near infrastructure and services, while respecting sensitive natural resources and protection of existing community character in its extensive rural and semi-rural communities. The General Plan provides a renewed basis for the County’s diverse communities to develop Community Plans that are specific to and reflective of their unique character and environment consistent with the County’s vision for its future."

East County News Service

January 31, 2017 (San Diego) -- “Federal courts have rightly stayed President Trump's unconstitutional executive order banning Muslims and refugees. Immigration officials need to follow and respect the rule of the federal judges and allow those being held to have access to attorneys. The right of habeas corpus is a bedrock of our democracy,” says Congresswoman Susan Davis, who yesterday called on President Trump to left his executive order banning travel to the U.S. from  predominantly Muslim nations.

East County News Service

January 31, 2017 (El Cajon) -- Ben Kalasho is the newest elected Councilman representing El Cajon residents. He will host a town hall meeting on Thursday, February 9 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. to hear the concerns and questions from his community & neighbors.   The meeting will be held at the El Cajon Police Station community room, 100 Civic Way in El Cajon.

East County News Service

January 30, 2017 (La Mesa) – When La Mesa’s old police station was torn down and a new one built on the site of the aging County library that was torn down, a modest new library was built that was intended to be temporary, with a larger, new library proposed to be built on the site of the old police station. But a decade after efforts to build a new library began, the interim library building remains, with no plans yet submitted for a replacement—much to the consternation of library patrons advocating for a more spacious facility to meet modern needs.

East County News Service

January 30, 2017 (San Diego) – Champions for Health, a local nonprofit formerly known as the San Diego County Medical Society Foundation, has announced it has entered into a collaboration with YMCA of San Diego County for the launch of “Jump Start for Health,” a new type 2 diabetes prevention program throughout San Diego County.

By Miriam Raftery

Protest planned at 5 p.m. tonight at Lindbergh Field; immigrant attorneys warn demonstrators could be detained, caution non-citizens not to participate due to “grave” risks

January 29, 2017 (San Diego)—Multiple federal courts have issued orders temporarily blocking deportation of  legal residents detained at airports following President Trump’s executive order Friday, including a New York federal judge ruling on an ACLU suit that applies nationwide. While some remain detained and denied access to counsel per the ACLU, others were allowed to meet with immigration attorneys  and were soon set free at airports across the U.S., where large crowds gathered and greeted the arriving immigrants with cheers to welcome them to America (View video).

The court orders thus far protect only those already at U.S. airports or in transit. Other lawsuits are set to be filed Monday by civil rights and Arab-American groups seeking to overturn as unconstitutional the broader ban on admitting refugees as from seven mostly Muslim nations (Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Syria, Libya and Yemen)  listed as countries of concern by the State Department. 

The order also applies to  an estimated half million legal U.S. residents with green cards from those countries, as well as people who hold dual citizen in any of the seven nations as well as citizenship in U.S. ally nations including Canada and Great Britain.

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

January 28, 2017 (Fort Collins, Colo.) - San Diego State women’s basketball out-rebounded one of the best defensive teams in the nation, 40-27, but was stymied by Colorado State, 60-43, at Moby Arena Saturday afternoon. 

Order exempts nations where Trump has business ventures; protests erupt at airports nationwide

By Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine

Photo: A large crowd at JFK airport in New York is protesting the crackdown on refugees and immigrants tonight, where cab drivers have threatened to shut down airport traffic for an hour.  A smaller group of protestors has gathered at San Diego's Lindbergh Field airport,  CBS reports.

January 28, 2017 (San Diego)—An executive ordered signed Friday by President Donald Trump suspends admission of refugees from seven predominantly Muslim nations for at least 120 days pending “extreme vetting.”  Those nations are Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen, CNN reports. 

Despite banning refugees from Syria, Trump backed off his campaign pledge to establish a safe zone inside war-torn Syria for persecuted people.  

The order also puts a half million legal residents of the U.S. who are traveling overseas in limbo, unable to return home, and slashes in half the number of refugees the U.S. will admit this year from all countries.

“The public’s access to its government and its employees is dying.” –Lynn Walsh, Society for Professional Journalists.

By Miriam Raftery

January 27, 2017 (Washington D.C.) -- First Amendment advocates are sounding the alarm over a gag order on federal agencies imposed by Donald Trump’s administration.   The agencies have been ordered not to communicate with the press or public, including press releases, social media, and more.  

East County News Service

January 27, 2017 (Cuyamaca) – Tom Lemon ventured into the Laguna Mountains today and sent us this beautiful photo of the thick blanket of snow across the area.  “I saw where the plows had moved a lot of snow and today there were three plows working to clear the side of the Sunrise Highway to the edge of the pavement and parking areas at the lodge, visitor center, and the restaurants,” he wrote. “We stopped at Cuyamaca Lake to walk across the causeway and I could not continue because of the 40 MPH wind and spray from whitecaps on the lake.”

East County News Service

January 27, 2017 (El Cajon) -- On Wednesday, February 8, stop by the Antique & Collectible Show, located at the Unity Church Hall, 311 Highland Avenue in El Cajon, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m.  See collectibles from artwork to jewelry—or bring your items in for appraisals available at $5 per item.

By Monica Zech, Public Information Officer for the City of El Cajon

January 27, 2017 (El Cajon) – Here are the latest civic and community events, announcements, and information from the City of El Cajon.

East County News Service

January 27, 2017 (La Mesa) – The Helix Water Board has some important matters to consider at its next two meetings.  On Monday, January 30^th at 6 p.m., the board will interview applicants and appoint a new director to fill a vacancy on the board.  Then on Wednseday, February 1^st at 6 p.m., ,the agenda includes a discussion of the County Water Authority’s declaration finding the drought is over in San Diego County—and what actions the Helix District should consider taking to ease water use restrictions on ratepayers.