By Ken Stone, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  At a La Mesa press conference in June, Tasha Williamson called for the firing of Matt Dages, the arresting officer of Amaurie Johnson “because he lied on his report.” On Monday, the District Attorney’s Office charged him. Photo by Chris Stone

January 4, 2021 (San Diego) - Tasha Williamson, the social justice activist who ran for San Diego mayor and who also organized racial justice protests in La Mesa, San Diego and other communities, was recovering at home Monday after a frightening bout of coronavirus that saw her thanking ICU staff.

By Chris Jennewein, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association 

Photo:  Sara Jacobs (lower left) is sworn in as a House member. Image from C-SPAN video

January 4, 2021 (Washington, D.C.) - San Diego-native Sara Jacobs was sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives on Sunday, becoming at 31 one of the youngest members in Congress.

By Miriam Raftery

January 4, 2021 (La Mesa) -- San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today that a criminal charge has been filed against a former La Mesa Police Officer in connection with an arrest of Amaurie Johnson, 23, near the Grossmont trolley station in La Mesa. The criminal complaint alleges that on May 28, 2020, Officer Matthew Dages, 30, filed a police report that contained false information.

The incident was shown in a video that went viral on social media, sparking racial justice protests. The Dages incident occurred three days after the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis triggered nationwide protests and two days before a riot resulted in looting, vandalism and the burning down of three buildings in La Mesa.  The Johnson arrest has been likened to the fuse that ignited a powder keg of explosive rage over mistreatment of black suspects by white police officers.

Our radio shows from October through December 2020 are now online.  For links to listen plus an index with full list of topics and interviews in each show. Click here or click the "read more" link and scroll down for audio links below the index. (Audio files may take a few moments to load.)  

Shows included candidate forums for County Supervisor and El Cajon City Council districts, interviews with Helix Water Board candidates, breaking news on the COVID-19 surge and arrival of vaccines, the pardon of former Rep. Duncan Hunter, interviews with national election integrity experts, information on relief for businesses and renters during the pandemic, and more.

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. (Note: Due to COVID-19 quarantines, some show dates aired reruns. Original shows are listed below.)

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Creative Commons via Bing

December 31, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – On most New Year’s eves, local casinos host lavish parties with amenities such as fireworks, dinner and dancing, and even a glittering ball drop reminiscent of Times Square in New York.  But not this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed over 343,000 Americans and 1.8 million people worldwide.

Local casinos are on tribal land, and as sovereign nations, tribes are exempt from state shutdown orders and gathering bans. But a check of websites for East County casinos including Barona, Golden Acorn, Jamul, Sycuan and Viejas found none promoting any New Year’s eve parties, though some are offering gambling promotions and Sycuan has live music in its bars.

Jamul Casino announced cancellation of all live music over New Year's.  Barona posted, “For your safety, there will be no New Year’s Eve events.”

December 31, 2020  (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Bill to raise checks to $2K blocked for third day in Senate (The Hill)
• Biden's plan for Inauguration Eve: Lights, church bells for COVID lives lost (Axios)
• COVID-19 vaccines arriving at (some) nursing homes. Here’s what families need to know (Sacramento Bee)
• House votes to override Trump's veto of defense bill (CNN)
• Trump vetoes national defense bill, though Congress has votes to override (USA Today)
• Explosion in Nashville that damaged dozens of buildings is believed to be an intentional act (CNN)
• Wheels Come Off For Bus Companies, Closing Down Travel Options For Poorer Americans (NPR)
• Front-line essential workers and adults 75 and over should be next to get the coronavirus vaccine, a CDC advisory group says (Washington Post)
• US experts debate: Who should be next in line for vaccine? (AP)

WORLD

• Covid: France rewards frontline immigrant workers with citizenship (BBC)
• 'Parting is such sweet sorrow': EU and UK clinch narrow Brexit accord (Reuters)
• U.S. embassy in Baghdad hit by rocket attack (NPR)
• Landslide hits residential area in Norway, 10 hurt, 11 people missing (Reuters)
• Britain tightens lockdowns over virus mutation with ‘significantly faster’ transmission rates (Washington Post)
• Covid: France and Germany among nations banning flights from UK (BBC)
• U.S. And EU Condemn Jailing Of Lawyer Who Reported On Coronavirus In Wuhan (NPR)
• Putin beefs up protections for former Russian presidents (Reuters)
• French court finds accomplices to Charlie Hebdo attackers guilty (Reuters)

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

Update: The deadline to apply has been extended until January 13.

December 30, 2020 (Sacramento) -- California's $500 million #SmallBusiness #COVID-19 Relief Grant website is LIVE. The first round of applications opens Dec 30 and closes January 8, but webinars on how to apply are being held every day at 11 AM. Register today at http://bit.ly/38tKcPp

Grants range from $5,000 to $25,000.  To apply or get more information, visit  https://careliefgrant.com/ and scroll down for additional details.

Flu cases also rise; 171 reported in past week, with several patients contracting both COVID-19 and flu.

Local hospitals are cancelling organ transplants and cancer surgeries due to COVID-patients filling up hospital ICU beds.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Dr. Kristian Anderson of Scripps Research speaks on the newly discovered UK strain

December 30, 2020 (San Diego) – A new, fast-spreading strain of COVID-19 first identified in the United Kingdom has been confirmed in San Diego County.  A 30-year-old local man who has not traveled outside our county has tested positive for the new strain known as B.1.1.7., the County Health and Human Services Agency announced today.

Also today, the Governor extended the stay-home order for another three weeks with Southern California’s intensive care unit (ICU) bed availability at zero. The order will remain in effect until ICU availability is at least 15%.

Dr. Kristian Andersen, of the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research, where the new virus was identified in lab testing, stated, “We need to prepare” in anticipation of the new variant spreading rapidly here as it has in Britain, where the new virus prompted other European nations to bar travelers from the UK. 

San Diego-area hospitals are now postponing organ transplants and removal of cancerous tumors due to the strain on hospitals and ICU units.

"Going out to party on New Year’s Eve during a global pandemic is putting your life at risk and the lives of your friends and family,” said Supervisor Greg Cox in his final press conference, since he leaves office in early January due to term limits. He also urged everyone to get the flu vaccine to help ease the strain on hospitals.

East County News Service

By Miriam Raftery

December 29, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – The most tumultuous year in recent memory began with the resignation of a local Congressman and the announcement that across the globe, China cancelled its Lunar New Year celebrations to mark the incoming Year of the Rat and ordered quarantine of 25 million people due to a dangerous new strain of coronavirus. 

Who could have imagined that the coming year would lead to a worldwide pandemic, widespread quarantines and economic lockdowns impacting virtually everyone?  

In addition, 2020 brought racial unrest, a riot in La Mesa, wildfires, and contentious elections, both locally and nationally. But there’s one point on which we can all agree:  we’re glad 2020 is finally over!

Below are the most significant news stories that impacted East County residents each month during this challenging year.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo via CHEU:  Palomar Healthcare nurses at a protest earlier this month

December 29, 2020 (Escondido) – Registered nurses and caregivers will hold a car caravan from Palomar Medical Center to Palomar Health’s administration building today to protest a blanket waiver of nurse-to-patient ratios approved by the state Department of Health Tuesday. Nurses contend that the change is dangerous for patient safety.

The action comes as the California Office of Emergency Service announced plans to activate a vacant floor of Palomar Medical Center to handle COVID-19 patients. National Guard members arrived Wednesday to complete a buildout of the surge unit begun earlier this year. Hospital ICU units across Southern California are completely full, with zero capacity, currently due to COVID cases that have increased ten-fold locally since early November. CNN reported yesterday that one of every 1,000 Americans have now died of COVID-19.

East County News Service

Photo:  Blake Snell

December 28, 2020 (San Diego) - In probably one of the biggest offseason moves the Padres have ever made, the Friars signed top starting pitchers Blake Snell from the Tampa Bay Rays and Yu Darvish from the Chicago Cubs, ESPN reports.

Sometimes God is a Homeless Man: A True Story of Heaven & Healing, by Kymm Civetta (Kymm Civetta, San Diego, 2020, 193 pages).

Book Review by Dennis Moore

December 28, 2020 (San Diego) - Kymm Civetta, a resident of San Diego (Jamul), has written a thought provoking book that may very well challenge your beliefs and Christian faith; Sometimes God is a Homeless Man: A True Story of Heaven & Healing. Civetta, an ordained minister (Universal Life Church), singer and self-professed Christian “Clairvoyant,” chronicles her upbringing and transformation in this book.

Sometimes God is a Homeless Man, is a book about soul searching, as the author specifically states:  “Until finding Kevin’s book, I found myself in an ‘in between space’ as a ‘Clairvoyant’ but also a ‘Christian.’ Was there such a thing?” I find myself asking the same thing, and perhaps those reading this book may do so as well.