Source:  SDG&E, San Diego County Fire Chief's Association, Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians

April 16, 2019 (Alpine) - The San Diego County Fire Chiefs, in coordination with the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, will conduct their annual Wildland Fire Preparedness Exercise April 17-19, 2019. Numerous emergency service agencies from throughout San Diego County will come together to prepare for the upcoming fire season.

Source:  Grossmont College

April 16, 2019 (El Cajon) - An April 22 panel presentation by a trio of local writers on the modern era of agent-free self-publishing, and later in the evening, student readings and performances of original work kick off Grossmont College’s 23^rd annual Literary Arts Festival.

Story and photos by Liz Alper

April 14, 2019 (San Diego) - SDSU softball is climbing back into the competition.  Today, they finished off a series with San Jose State after splitting the first two games of the series with one win on Friday night and the Spartans winning last night.  Freshman Chrys Hildebrand started for the Spartans against junior Marissa Moreno for the Aztecs.

By Ken Stone 

Reprinted with permission from Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Destiny Guns, 22, escaped from La Colinas women’s jail in Santee about 6 p.m. Saturday. Photo via Sheriff’s Department

April 13, 2019 (Santee) - When 22-year-old Destiny Guns jumped walls and fences Saturday night at Las Colinas women’s jail, she made local history — as the first-ever escapee from the Santee lockup.

But Thursday night, she ended a manhunt with her arrest in the parking lot of the jail, said sheriff’s spokeswoman Melissa Aquino.

By José A. Álvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office

Photo:  the flu season is upon us; it’s not too late to vaccinate 

April 12, 2019 (San Diego) - An additional four flu deaths were reported in the region last week; this at the same time the number of influenza cases went down significantly, the County Health and Human Services Agency announced today.

By Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss, EarthTalk

Photo:  This small rooftop wind turbine from Netherlands-based start-up The Archimedes can generate 1,500 kilowatt-hours of energy each year, which would account for about 15% of the typical American household's annual energy needs

April 12, 2019 (San Diego's East County) - Dear EarthTalk: Given all the advances in residential household efficiency, can you paint a picture of what the home of the future will look like?

—Jennifer C., Valmeyer, IL

By Sandi Masori

Reprinted with permission by San Diego Jewish World, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

April 11, 2019 (San Diego) - Walking distance from Mission San Diego de Alcala is a little Japanese restaurant called Chiba.  It’s a tiny little place, where you will probably have to share table space with other diners due to the close quarters, but it’s not without it’s charm.

Source:  Grossmont College

Photo courtesy grossmont.prestosports.com

April 8, 2019 (El Cajon) - Grossmont College women's tennis sealed the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Championship after its final conference match against Southwestern College April 4, 2019. The Griffin women defeated the Jaguars 9-0 and arrived home with their seventh consecutive conference title.

By José A. Álvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office

Image credit:  PhotoSpin

April 7, 2019 (San Diego) - Like the rest of the nation, influenza activity in the San Diego region remains elevated and widespread, the County Health and Human Services Agency announced today.

Reports of lab-confirmed influenza dropped last week to 564 cases from the season high of 692 cases the week before. A new flu death was reported last week, bringing this season’s total to 55. At the same time last season, 325 people had died from complications from the flu.

End Medical Debt: Curing America’s $1 Trillion Unpayable Healthcare Debt, by Jerry Ashton, Robert Goff, Craig Antico (Hoku House, Kauai, Hawaii, 2018, 181 pages).

Book Review by Dennis Moore

Of all the forms of equality,

Injustice in health is the most

  shocking and inhumane.

• Martin Luther King, Jr.

April 6, 2019 (San Diego) - The authors have written a timely and thought-provoking book about healthcare and debt, coming at a time when the Trump Administration is proposing doing away with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or better known as Obamacare.

Jerry Ashton, Robert Goff and Craig Antico, founders of the national charity RIP Medical Debt, a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit company based in New York, incorporated in 2014, locates, buys and forgives unpayable medical debt for those burdened by financial hardship. In a phone interview with one of the authors, Craig Antico, he stated to me: “People don’t realize the hardships that medical debt brings.”

Source:  Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians

April 5, 2019 (Valley Center) - The Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians announced today that they presented a $10,000 gift to Escondido’s 2019 Cruisin’ Grand today in downtown Escondido. This $10,000 donation will support the music venue which will highlight local musicians and talent.

East County News Service

April 5, 2019 (Lemon Grove) – A symposium on child trafficking will be held Thurs. April 11, 2019 from 6-8 p.m. at Lemon Grove Senior Center (Blossom Hall), 8325 Mount Vernon St. in Lemon Grove.

Source:  Treasurer-Tax Collector of San Diego County

April 4, 2019 (San Diego) - San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister reminded property owners today that they have just six days left to pay the second installment of their 2018-2019 property taxes before they are charged a late penalty.

April 3, 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.

• U.S. border authorities hold migrant families in a pen under an El Paso bridge (Los Angeles Times)
• Trump plans to cut U.S. aid to 3 Central American countries (Washington Post)
• Dems escalate Mueller demands with subpoena  (The Hill)
• Joe Biden, in Video, Says He Will Be ‘More Mindful’ of Personal Space (New York Times)
• Just How Bad Is the Gender Pay Gap? Brutal, When You Look at a Lifetime of Work  (Time)
• House Democrats seek six years of Trump’s tax returns, setting stage for fight

WORLD

• Brunei introduces death by stoning for gay sex and adultery, despite international outcry (New York Times)
• What we aren’t eating is killing us, global study finds (CNN)
• Here's Who Could Replace Theresa May as U.K. Prime Minister if She's Pushed Out Over Brexit (Time)
• George Clooney calls for hotel boycott over Brunei LGBT death penalty (CNN)
• Radiation concerns halt Brussels 5G development, for now (Brussels Times)
• Facebook to consider live video restrictions after NZ attacks (BBC)

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

U.S.