East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts

Update November 1, 2018, 8 a.m. -- Cal Fire reports that there were six spot fires and forward spread is stopped on all of them.

Update 9:55 p.m.:  Two fires near El Capitan reservoir are burning; one south of the boat dock is "problematic" and incident commander has requested additional resources, per scanner traffic.

October 31, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- Cal Fire is at the scene of the #PeutzFire that started near Peutz Valley Road in the Alpine area shortly before 9 p.m. reportedly about half an acre. 

Scanner traffic indicates crews have been battling multilpe small spot fires.

Crews had difficulty reaching flames near El Capitan reservoir due to a locked gate, Fox 5 reports.  Scanner traffic indicates the fire may be two acres.

Be vigilant and please report any suspicious activity to authorities.

East County News Service

October 31, 2018 (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.

• Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting Follows Nationwide Spike In Anti-Semitism (Huffington Post)
• Shrugging off blame, Trump reverts to divisive rhetoric after shooting (Los Angeles Times)
• Trump shut down programs to counter violent rhetoric (GovExec)
• A Holocaust survivor was booked to speak in Pittsburgh. A massacre wouldn’t stop her. (Washington Post)
• Trump says he's eyeing an executive order to end citizenship for children born to noncitizens in U.S. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• A Personal Testimony Of The Migrant Caravan (Washington Post)
• Trump says he may send 15,000 troops to U.S.-Mexico border (Washington Post)

WORLD

• Iranian spy service suspected of assassination plot in Denmark: security chief (Reuters)
•  U.S. charges Chinese intelligence officers for jet engine data hack  (Reuters)
• Hamas fires 30 rockets at Israel's south, IDF strikes 80 targets in Gaza (JPos)
• IDF: Islamic Jihad Rockets were directed from Iran, Syria (JPost)

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

October 31, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Malaria: Sniffer dogs to help in effort to eradicate the disease (BBC)
• Air pollution may lead to dementia in older women (USC)
• When Adolescents Give Up Pot, Their Cognition Quickly Improves (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• ‘Right-to-repair’ advocates claim major victory in new smartphone copyright exemption (Washington Post)
• More than a dozen cities are challenging the FCC over how to deploy 5G cell sites
• Trump is rolling back two Obama-era memos on wireless technology and replacing them with his own ‘national spectrum strategy’
• Amazon met with ICE officials over facial-recognition system that could identify immigrants
• Ready to Get Off Facebook? Reason Reviews 5 Alternative Social Networks (Reason)
• 60% of world's wildlife has been wiped out since 1970 (CBC)
• Coastal Pacific Oxygen Levels Now Plummet Once A Year (NPR)

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

East County News Service

November 1, 2018 (El Cajon) — The Grossmont Symphony Orchestra and Master Chorale kick off a busy month of concerts at both colleges.The orchestra and master chorale join choirs from the San Diego School of Creative & Performing Arts in the multimedia performance of Tolga Kashif's monumental choral orchestral work, "Queen Symphony - An Anthology of the Works of Freddie Mercury and Queen" at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 2, at Foothills United Methodist Church, 4031 Avocado Blvd., La Mesa.  

The "Queen Symphony" is a six-movement symphonic work that features many of Queen's iconic melodies, including "Bohemian Rhapsody" to "We Are the Champions." Admission: $15 general, $10 seniors, $5 students. For more information, call (619) 644-7254. 

East County News Service

October 31, 2018 (Santee) - The city of Santee will host its holiday lighting celebration on November 16^thfrom 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Santee Trolley Square (9884 Mission Gorge Rd., Santee).

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

October 27, 2018 (El Cajon) -- An extensive background check on Joel Anthony Scalzitti, the challenger running against El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, shows that the local politician and businessman has been awash in legal problems and tax liens.

By Helen Ofield

Like our sports coverage?  Donate to help support ECM’s sports section!  Type “Sports” on the donation line!

Check out our sports section for more sports stories!

Follow @ECMagSports on Twitter for live sports coverage and in-game updates!

By Liz Alper

For video of Anthony Luke and Kahale Warring's portion of the press conference, click "read more" and scroll down.

October 30, 2018 (San Diego) - SDSU men’s basketball begins their season on Thursday against Chaminade.  Today, SDSU men’s basketball head coach Brian Dutcher and senior guard Jeremy Hemsley sat down with the media, as well as football coach Rocky Long, senior defensive end Anthony Luke and junior tight end Kahale Warring.

East County News Service

October 30, 2018 (Alpine) – Thanksgiving is coming soon, and Richard Edwords of Alpine sent in a photo of this plump Heritage Turkey. Gobble, gobble! 

East County News Service

October 29, 2018 (El Cajon) – Even Democrats are supporting the Republican in the El Cajon City Council race.

Republican Gary Kendrick, who has served on the city council since 2002, has gained the support of a number of prominent Democrats in his race against Ben Kalasho, a city councilman since 2016.

By Tom H. Hastings

October 29, 2018 (San Diego) - We are now moving past “mere” voter suppression and voter intimidation. We have arrived at voter assassination. 

By Miriam Raftery

October 28, 2018 (El Cajon) – “Cowboys & Aliens” will be shown during movie night at the Olaf Wieghorst Museum and Western Heritage Center in El Cajon on Friday, November 2^nd at 7 p.m.  Doors open at 6:30.

Enjoy the movie, popcorn and refreshments from Burning Beard Brewery—all for just $7. The museum is located at 131 Rea Street in El Cajon.

October 18, 2018  (La Mesa/Mt. Helix) -- You're invited to East County Magazine's Halloween party at our editor's "haunting Hideaway haven"  in the La Mesa/Mt. Helix area (4438 Hideaway Place, La Mesa).  The fun begins at 5 p.m. on Sunday, October 28th.

Costume contest for best individual and best couples costumes

Costumes are optional but recommended for those with the holiday "spirit!"

Music by Paul Nichols and Tim Luranc: guitar/harmonica/vocal: folks, blues, pop and of course, Monster Mash!

Cost: Just $10 and bring a dish to share.

RSVP  Call 619-698-7617 or email editor@eastcountymagazine.org and please let us know if you'll bring an appetizer, side dish, main dish or dessert.

Over $1,000 in prizes!

Special thanks to our major sponsor:

Prize sponsors:  Granite Lion Cellars, EMed Spa, Giardino's, Mountain Mike's, Ranch Feed & Supply, Barnes and Noble, Maxwell's  House of Books, Club Pilates, Prete a Porte Salon, Maldini's Pizzeria, San Diego Festival Chorus & Orchestra, Filippi's Pizza Grotto, Gypsy Treasures, authors Joyce Strand & Teresa Burrell, Visionary Dance Theatre, & more.

Proceeds benefit:   East County Wildfire and Emergency Alerts and East County Magazine community news published by the nonprofit 501c3 Heartland Coalition.

(actual photos of our past Halloween parties at our editor's Hideaway haven)

By Yvette Urrea Moe, County of San Diego Communications Office

October 26, 2018 (San Diego) - The California Office of Traffic Safety awarded San Diego County Probation a $382,000 grant to help ensure that high-risk, repeat drunk or drugged driving offenders with suspended or revoked licenses are complying with all court orders.