By Maryanne Jackson, Real estate broker, CNE, CPRES.

November 3, 2019 (San Diego's East County)

Dear Maryanne,

My mother is selling her home soon. Are there any important steps she should know about when people come to look at her property?

Is it acceptable for her and her cats to be there?

Lorie B., Spring Valley

Source: Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation

November 3, 2019 (San Diego) -- The Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation (MTRP) presents a fine art exhibition featuring award winning artists Kenda Francis, Laura Lehman, Ellen Parry, and Julianne Ricksecker.

East County News Service

November 3, 2019 (El Cajon) – An elderly woman was found unconscious with no pulse near the back door of a burned apartment in the 1500 block of Gustavo Street in El Cajon, just east of Jamaha Rd. She was pronounced dead a short time later at a hospital, Times of San Diego reports.

By Miriam Raftery

October 31, 2019 (San Diego) – East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery and contributing editor Paul Kruze once again won awards in the San Diego Press Club 46^th annual Excellence in Journalism Awards.  The awards honored coverage of the West Fire in Alpine as well as investigations into legal and ethical scandals embroiling El Cajon Councilman Ben Kalasho, who later resigned.

ECM has received a total of 116 journalism awards since our lanch in 2008, 11 years ago -- an average of 10 per year

East County News Service

October 31 2019 (El Cajon) – The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce will present “Celebrate East County,” a community celebration event, from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at the Holy Trinity Church Social Hall, 405 Ballard St., El Cajon.

East County News Service

October 30, 2019 (Houston) - Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Srtasburg has been named the World Series MVP after the Nats defeated the Houston Astros in game seven of the World Series tonight.

Source: County News Service

October 30, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) -- The San Diego County Office of Education reports that because San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has activated a public safety power shutoff in certain parts of the county, schools in the following school districts will be closed on Halloween this Thursday, October 31: 

• Dehesa School District
• Julian Union High School District
• Julian Union School District
• Mountain Empire Unified School District
• Rancho Santa Fe School District
• Spencer Valley School District
• Vallecitos School District 
• Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District
  

By Miriam Raftery

October27, 2019 (Casa de Oro) – The nonprofit Casa de Oro Alliance invites you to its fourth annual Fall Festival on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.   The event will be held at the Spring Valley Academy, 3900 Conrad Drive in Spring Valley. 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Easy Fire threatens Reagan Library in Simi Valley; screenshot ABC 7

October 30, 2019 (San Diego) – Much of Southern California is in flames, with several new fires erupting today that have shut down major freeways.  Hurricane-force winds have also toppled over big rigs and trees.  Here are brief updates on existing and new fires:

• Easy Fire in Simi Valley and Moorpark:  The fire that began early this morning in Ventura County has scorched over 1,300 acres, threatening 7,000 homes and the Reagan Library. Thousands are ordered to evacuate and the 23 freeway is shut down:   https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2019/10/30/brush-fire-erupts-in-simi-valley/
• Getty Fire in Los Angeles:  The blaze has burned 745 acres and is 27% contained. The fire has destroyed a dozen homes.  A  tree branch that blew onto a power line caused the Getty Fire.  The 405 freeway is now open but offramps are closed from 101 to Sunset Blvd. Evacuation orders remain in place.  https://www.lafd.org/news/getty-fire
• Hill Fire in Riverside County:  Started this morning, the Hill Fire has burned 100 acres in the Jurupa Valley area and is 0% contained; evacuations are underway. Highway 60 was closed but is now reopened.  https://ktla.com/2019/10/30/hill-fire-in-jurupa-valley-prompts-mandatory-evacuations-closure-of-60-freeway/
• I-15 blocked by overturned big rigs in San Bernadino County:  At Cajon Pass, hurricane-force winds toppled several big rigs.  https://ktla.com/2019/10/30/powerful-winds-knock-over-at-least-4-big-rigs-on-15-freeway-in-san-bernardino-county/
• Mureau Fire in Calabasas:  A fire in Calabasas briefly shut down highway 101, which has since reopened after firefighters halted forward spread of the blaze that scorched 10 acres. https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/New-Brush-Fire-in-Calabasas-Threatens-Structures-564111401.html
  

October 30, 2019 (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.

• Key House panel sends impeachment resolution to the floor ahead of Thursday’s vote (CNN)
• Why the Economy Might Not Sway 2020 Voters (New York Times)
• John Conyers Jr., long-serving congressman who co-founded Congressional Black Caucus, dies at 90 (Washington Post)
• Vindman offers a firsthand account of critical episodes in alleged quid pro quo (San Francisco Chronicle)
• U.S. releases Baghdadi raid video, warns of likely retribution attack (Reuters)

WORLD

• Britain spins toward Christmas election in bid to break Brexit deadlock (Reuters) 
• Quebec to put immigrants seeking residency through 'values' test (Reuters)
• Turkey 'Condemns' U.S. House Vote on Syria Sanctions (Times)

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

October 30, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL

• 'More Than a Meal': Meals on Wheels Helps San Diego Seniors Amid Fire Watch (NBC 7)
• El Cajon’s pension numbers are bleak (Voice of San Diego)
• California regulators approve funding for controversial wildfire law (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• CA Allocates Funding To Cities, Counties Affected By Shutoffs (Patch.com)
• PG&E Blasted For Not Being More Like SDG&E In Managing Power Shutoffs, But Is The Comparison Fair? (KPBS)
• San Diego County will help low-income residents buy electric vehicles (San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• From Simi Valley to wine country, extreme winds and explosive fires maintain hold on California (Los Angeles Times)
• Climate change is contributing to California’s fires (National Geographic)
• Newsom announces $75 million program to help California cities prepare for PG&E blackouts (McClatchy News)
• ‘Life or death:’ Cell service outage could mean fire alerts don't go through (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Getty fire spreads in elite enclaves, a celebrity-studded spectacle of L.A.’s inherent dangers (Los Angeles Times) 
• Kincaid Fire spreads to 118 square miles (San Francisco Chronicle)

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

October 30, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- Thanks to all who came to our Halloween Party Sunday night at our Mt. Helix "haunted" manor, helping to make our benefit event for East County Magazine a night to remember!

October 30, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Juul Shipped at Least a Million Contaminated Pods, New Lawsuit Says (Buzzfeed)
• Congress, Wary of Tainted Chinese Drugs, is Baffled by Lack of Oversight (Newsweek)
• Brain illness spread by ticks has reached the UK (BBC)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• Decades of detailed weather reports pulled from old sailor's logs (National Geographic)
• Twitter to ban all political advertising (BBC)

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

East County News Service

October 30, 2019 (Santee) – Just in time for Halloween, someone dressed up boulders in Santee dubbed the “Santee Lady” by photographer Rebecca Jefferis-Williamson.