East County News Service

February 3, 2016 (San Diego) -- A 62-year-old man is the first person under the age of 65 to die from influenza in the San Diego region this season, the County Health and Human Services Agency reported today.

East County News Service

February 3, 2016 (La Mesa) – La Mesa residents can now keep up to five dogs per home.  On Tuesday, the Council voted 4-1 to increase the number from two, the current maximum.

Two-day sting catches 15 illegal operators, including three repeat offenders and a Most Wanted suspect

East County News Service

February 3, 2016 (San Diego) -- Forecasters have been warning West Coast residents to prepare for heavy rain and flooding from this season’s El Niño. Along with these warnings, the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) urges homeowners to be cautious of unlicensed workers advertising for roof repairs and other flood prevention jobs. Fifteen unlicensed contractors were caught during a two-day sting in San Diego this week, proving that many illegal operators are taking this as opportunity to prey on consumers preparing for storms.

East County News Service

January 31, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego County Planning Commission, after months of review and public input on proposed changes to the tiered winery ordinance, will hold a hearing on Friday, February 5^th on the proposed zoning ordinance amendment.  In addition, planners will consider a proposed map for the Hoskings Ranch residential development project in Julian.

Some winery owners voice continuing concerns over the proposed changes. Teri Kerns, co-owner of Ramona Ranch Winery, told East County Magazine, "We are pleased to see that a few of our suggestions have been incorporated, for example, allowing the wineries to be open until 6 pm during the winter hours, and increasing van capacity to 15 but disappointed that the majority have not been.   We are concerned that new wineries will not be able to open, given the restrictions on structures and codes and disagree with the County's broad prohibition on events and parties, amplified music, and the stand against advertising.

East County News Service

February 2, 2016 (Sacramento) – Special interests spent a bundle on lobbying efforts in California last year—and in many cases, they got their money’s worth.

East County News Service

February 2, 2016 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce will host County Supervisor Dianne Jacob for a breakfast meeting starting at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at the Marie Callender’s restaurant, 6950 Alvarado Road, San Diego.

February 2,  2016 (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

• Poverty in San Diego: new report (Reporting San Diego)
• Senator Block bows out of race against Atkins (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Lindo Lake to undergo major upgrades (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Navy Commander Pleads Guilty In Bribery Case (KPBS)
• Openness at San Diego City Hall (San Diego Union-Tribune editorial)
• Morning Report: Filner’s Former Chief Writes Tell All (Voice of San Diego)
• Website devoted to retirees likes Santee (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego High’s land lease expires in 2024 (U-T)

STATE

• Legislators urge Jerry Brown to intervene in Coastal Commission spat (Sacramento Bee)
• California, Oregon moving to demolish Klamath River Dams despite Congress (Sacramento Bee)
• CPUC reform bills are passing again (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• The War on Charter Schools Ignores What’s Best for Students (Voice of SD)
• EPA announces $182M for California water projects (U-T)
• California Police Used Stingrays in Planes to Spy on Phones (Wired)

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

By Miriam Raftery

February 2, 2016 (San Diego) – The bad news about Zika Virus keeps getting worse.  Days after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global emergency over Zika Virus, a patient in Texas has contracted Zika via sexual contact, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control confirms. Zika was initially thought to be spread only by mosquitos. 

East County News Service

February 2, 2016 (San Diego's East County) - The Sheriff's Department is teaming up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to keep impaired drivers off San Diego's roadways on Super Bowl Sunday.

East County News Service

February 2, 2016 (Sacramento) – Californians beleaguered by a barrage of ballot initiatives in recent elections may be surprised–and relieved—to learn that only one statewide ballot measure has qualified for the June election.

East County News Service

Update: With all precincts counted, Clinton received 699.57 delegates and Sanders received 697.77 delegates, the Des Moines Register reports. The Register has called for a recount due to numerous irregularities, but thus far the Iowa Democratic Party has not complied.

February 2, 2016 (San Diego) – Last night’s Iowa caucus, the opening of the presidential primary season, has made clear that the competition is fierce on both sides of the political aisle.  On the Republican side, Texas Senator Ted Cruz won an upset victory over frontrunner and business mogul Donald Trump by a 28% to 24% margin, with Florida Senator Marco Rubio at 23% --just 1 point behind Trump, emerging as a viable candidate. Neurosurgeon Ben Carson got 9.3%, followed by Kentucky Senator Rand Paul at 4.5%.  All other candidates had less than 3% .

On the Democratic side, as of this morning the Iowa Democratic Party reports that New York Senator and former First Lady Hillary Clinton has 699.57 state delegate equivalents, while Vermont Senator Sanders was awarded 695.49,  a statistical 50-50 virtual tie, with a handful of votes still to be counted.  Six county delegates were  awarded by a coin toss after tie votes--making this the closest Iowa caucus in history-and the first that may be won by a coin toss, under Iowa's quirky procedures. 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Jane Moore: downed tree limbs in El Cajon

February 1, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – A fierce storm that roared through our region over the weekend toppled trees that killed a woman in Pacific Beach, injured a 10 News crew in Mira Mesa and sent a Santee mom to the hospital.  Downed trees destroyed a popular wedding spot at the San Diego Botanic Garden. Winds also toppled trees and patio furniture across East County, our readers report.  The storm caused power outages to over 18,000 customers as SDG&E crews worked through the night to restore power.

Our December 2015 radio shows are now online!  You can listen online now (sound files may take a minute to load). For links to listen to the shows plus a full list of topics and interviews in December, click here and scroll down.

Our newsmaker interviews included climate scientist Jeffrey Severinghaus of Scripps Institute, Assembly candidate Mike Harrison, authors Caitlin Rother (Then No One Can Have Her) and Bill Swank (Christmas in San Diego), geologist Norrie Robbins on her efforts to bring science to kids on Native American reservations, and Jawdat Al Obeidi on a Chaldean youth conference, plus some “best of East County” reruns including some holiday favorites.

East County News Service

February 1, 2016 (Lemon Grove) -- The Lemon Grove Historical Society’s popular "History Alive" lecture series will feature noted historian James D. Newland and his latest book "Around Mt. Helix" on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. in the H. Lee House Cultural Center, 3205 Olive, Lemon Grove.

East County News Service

Photo courtesy SoCalGas

January 31, 2016 (San Diego) — “The worst environmental disaster in California history is continuing to occur without any investigation by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC),” says Raymond Lutz, founder of Citizens Oversight in El Cajon.  Now, Citizens Oversight has filed a petition along with Consumer Watchdog and Paul E. Hunt, calling on the CPUC to hold an open investigation into the Aliso Canyon/Porter Ranch methane gas leak north of Los Angeles.