By Miriam Raftery

March 21, 2018 (San Diego) -- Somali Family Service (SFS) will host the fifth Annual Youth Summit on Saturday, April 22^nd.  The theme of this year's Youth Summit is "Inspiring the next generation of leaders to make a change."

March 21, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• U.S. healthcare ranked worst in developed world (Time Magazine)
• Macular degeneration: “I’ve been given my sight back” (BBC)
• `Game changer’ treatment for patients with Multiple Sclerosis (BBC)
• Are There Risks From Secondhand Marijuana Smoke? Early Science Says Yes (NPR)
• More evidence essential oils 'make male breasts develop' (BBC)
• Pathogens On A Plane: How To Stay Healthy In Flight (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Do you take Facebook quizzes? Cambridge Analytica mess shows our privacy is at risk (Mercury-News)
• Plan to save Monarch butterflies backfires (Science)
• ACLU asks in lawsuit: Why is the TSA searching digital devices on domestic flights? (Los Angeles Times)
• Facial Scanning Now Arriving At U.S. Airports (NPR)
• Facebook under pressure as U.S., EU urge probes of data practices (Reuters)
• Expedia's Orbitz says 880,000 payment cards hit in breach (Reuters)
• UCSD professor devises way to recycle lithium-ion batteries (San Diego Union-Tribune)

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

East County News Service

March 21, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes a lilac festival in Santa Ysabel, a water-wise garden tour, Spring Eggstravaganza at Santee Lakes, a Bunny Train ride in Campo, and a Plein Air art show in Borrego Springs.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including Harp Fest, Laurel and Hardy comedy night, a remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr. in Lemon Grove on the 50^th anniversary of the civil rights leader’s death, the Peg Leg Smith Liar’s Contest, meet the winemaker weekend, Sweet Pea Days, Cajon Classic Cruises, Heritage of the America’s 25^th anniversary celebration, an arts and crafts fair, and the San Diego Festival Chorus and Orchestra’s spring concert.

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

By Miriam Raftery

March 21, 2018 (San Diego) – San Diego State Senator Toni Atkins this week became the first woman to lead California’s State Senate, as well as the first gay or lesbian person to hold the legislature’s highest office. Atkins previously served as Speaker of the Assembly.

By Miriam Raftery

March 20, 2018 (La Mesa) – By a unanimous vote, La Mesa’s City Council voted on March 13^th to adopt a climate action plan.  The vote drew cheers from members of San Diego350, a nonprofit that has been advocating for cities to take action to combat climate change.

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

March 20, 2018 (San Diego) - Spring is here and County Animal Services is celebrating with a half-price special on dogs and cats through Sunday, March 25.

Dozens are available at the County’s three animal shelters and you can get a sneak peek at the pets available on the Animal Services website.

Source:  City of El Cajon

March 20, 2018 (El Cajon) - Join the City of El Cajon to celebrate the 29^th annual Arbor Day at Kennedy Park on Saturday, March 24^th at 8 a.m.  During the ceremony, the City will receive its 21^st Tree City USA award presented by CAL FIRE. If you want to get your hands dirty, join members of the community, including the Lions Club and Key Club to plant trees at Kennedy Park and Granite Hills High School.

March 19, 2018 (El Cajon) - Grossmont College continues its performances of The Heir Apparent, a French farce by Jean-Francois Regnard that was relevantly unknown in American theatre until David Ives’ adaptation more than 300 years later. The production has been updated it for a modern ear, yet keeping the rules of a French domestic farce::decorum, repartee, rhyming couplets, satire without being condemning, sexually charged characters, mistaken identity, a sometimes macabre tone and doors slamming in faces--everything needed to make things fun.

Rising sophomore to put name into NBA Draft

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

March 19, 2018 (San Diego) - San Diego State rising sophomore forward Jalen McDaniels will declare for the 2018 NBA Draft, but not hire an agent to maintain his college eligibility.

“I think this is a great idea,” Dutcher said. “This allows him to see what the NBA thinks of him and what improvements he can make in his game.”

“After thoughtful consideration with my family, I have decided to enter my name into the 2018 NBA Draft,” McDaniels said. “I will not hire an agent in order to maintain by college eligibility. Testing the waters allows me to get feedback directly from NBA teams.”

SDSU is swept in its opening Mountain West series

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo:  Courtesy goaztecs.com

March 18, 2018 (Los Altos, Calif.) - The San Diego State softball team ended its Mountain West opening series with a 9-1, five-inning loss at San José State Sunday afternoon at Foothill College in Los Altos, Calif. The Aztecs are now 9-20 and 0-3 in MW play.

By Miriam Raftery

March 18, 2018 (Boulevard) – On Friday, Judge David Gill approved placement of Michael Joseph Martinez at 2135 McCain Valley Road in Boulevard, a small town in San Diego's East County, starting in late April. Martinez has been in  state mental hospital since 2009 but was approved last year for release. He was committed as a sexually violent predator and has been diagnosed with a pedophilia and personality disorder.

By Miriam Raftery

March 17, 2018 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa Planning Commission will consider applications for two medical marijuana dispensaries during public hearings March 21^st at 7 p.m. in the La Mesa City Council chambers (8130 Allison Ave., La Mesa).  

Upated March 16, 2018 with more meeting times and details added.

March 8, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- SDG&E announces five upcoming community forums from March 9 through April 6 in high fire risk communitie to get feedback from residents and share information on fire resiliency and power shut-offs.  Dates are March 9 in Pine Valley, March 16 in Descanso, March 23 in Valley Center, March 30 in Ramona, and April 6 in Warner Springs.

Below is the press release from SDG&E:

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Screenshot from surveillance video, courtesy of ECM news partner 10 News

March 16, 2018 (El Cajon) – The owner of Forever Fine Jewelry has suffered a devastating loss after thieves stole $200,000 worth of gold and silver jewelry. A group of nine people, including five men and women with babies, distracted the owner while a woman dressed in black, shown on surveillance  video, crawled on the floor to snatch jewelry from display cases and a safe in a back room, 10 News reports.

The owner, an Iraqi immigrant who came here a decade ago,borrowed money from family to start the business and had no insurance for the losses, NBC 7 reports.

By Miriam Raftery; photos by Monica Zech

Photo: El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis, left, and Officer Jordan Walker, right

March 15, 2018 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police Officer Jordan Walker was named Top Vehicle Theft Recovery Officer of the Year countywide by the Auto Theft Advisory Committee out of 33 officers honored yesterday in Balboa Park.