Cal-Fire asks public to be on the lookout for fires and be prepared

December 1, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – A wind warning has been downgraded to a wind advisory, however sustained northeasterly winds of 35 mph with gusts of 50 mph are forecast tonight through Friday afternoon in East County mountains, valleys and desert areas.

December 1, 2011 (La Mesa) -- Executive Chef Bernard Guillas and Chef de Cuisine Ron Oliver from The Marine Room team up with Registered Dietician Candy Cumming for a healthy cooking demonstration--and tastes. The free event will be held Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 5:30 at Sharp Grossmont Hospital’s main auditorium.

Attendees can enter for a chance to win a copy of the chefs’ cookbook: Flying Pans: Two Chefs, One World.

December 1, 2011 (La Mesa) -- Clare Crawford, Executive Director of the Center on Policy Initiatives, will address the La Mesa-Foothills Democratic Club about the 2008 economic meltdown and its effect on our community. The event will take place at the La Mesa Community Center, 4975 Memorial Drive in La Mesa on December 7 from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m. during the Club’s holiday party. All community members are invited to attend this free event.

 Holiday shopping tips 

December 1, 2011 (La Mesa)--The Windermere Realty Co in La Mesa is having a Holiday Bazaar on December 3 from 1-4. serving hot cider and cookies. There will also be locals crafts and other local vendors.

• Black Friday retail sales hit record, report says (CNN)
• FCC moves to block ATT-T-Mobile merger: (newser.com)
• Western states report comeback of cattle rustling (Reuters)
• Chevy Volt battery catches fire: government investigates General Motors’ electric car (Huffington Post)
• Woman says she and Cain had 13 year affair; Cain denies allegations (CNN)
• Historian/former assistant secretary of education under Pres. Bush blasts education reforms (Seattle Times)
• Hospitals sue to block Medi-Cal cuts (KPBS)
• Black Friday worker rescued after losing control of car due to exhaustion (Huffington Post)
• Web giants at odds with Chamber of Commerce over piracy bill (Washington Post)
• Online piracy act endangered as opponents speak out (Reuters)

• Al Qaeda targets dwindle as group shrinks: {Washington Post)
• Arab League plans Syria sanctions (BBC)
• Pakistan cuts NATO supplies after deadly raid (Reuters)
• Pakistan orders U.S. to vacate base (Fox News)

December 1, 2011 (San Diego's East County)--East County Roundup highlights articles on top regional and state issues of interest to East County and inland San Diego County, published in other media. This week’s top Roundup headlines include:  

STATE

• Kamala Harris, deal breaker: California attorney general refuses to let five big banks off easy in the mortgage mess (Los Angeles Times)
• University of California Regents okay raises for several executives (Sacramento Bee)
• Protesters disrupt University of California Regents, but peaceful mood prevails (Sacramento Bee)

LOCAL 

• UT: Eagles put pressure on SDG&E (10 News)
• Police say OT for “Occupy” is $144,000 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Firm pulls plug on wind farm near Winters, citing risk to birds (Sacramento Bee)
• Wind projects spur alarm among Indians (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Tribes say no to wind farm (Imperial Valley Press)
• Sweetwater bans charter school teams from league (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Charter school parents blast district: exclusionary policy at Sweetwater decried (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• 72-year-old pleads not guilty to hit and run case involving toddler (La Mesa Patch)
• Grossmont Hospital preps for major overhaul (San Diego Union-Tribune)

November 30, 2011 (Escondido) – Escondido police today released a sketch of a man who reportedly assaulted a 15-year-old girl who was walking to school. The girl told police that the man, who was dressed all in black, pushed her to the ground beside his white station wagon and tried to sexually assault her.

County Health Officials Notify Residents

The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) is reporting that a bat found at a condominium complex in Del Cerro has tested positive for rabies. The sick bat was found on Nov. 23 by a building maintenance worker at the Adobe Falls Condominium Complex located at 5485 Adobe Falls Road in San Diego.

 November 24, 2011 (El Cajon) The public is invited to join the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce Business after hours Holiday Mixer at Crunch Fitness.  The event will be Thursday, December 1, 2011, at 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. The location is Crunch Fitness, 565 Fletcher Parkway, Suite 202, El Cajon CA, above Dick’s Sporting Goods, in the Parkway Plaza. The admission fee is Members $10; Non-members $15. 

Celebrity Lifestyle Expert and Best-Selling Author Dawn Bryan Offers Ten Tips for Hosting This Holiday Season

November 30, 2011 (El Cajon ) – An investigation into the death of motorcyclist Shawn Russell Kinzer, 40, has determined that his injuries were caused by a hit and run accident—not losing control of his vehicle as initially reported by authorities. The accident occurred on November 10 at 8:40 p.m. on I-8 east of Magnolia.