By Miriam Raftery

December 23, 2017 (Alpine) – Bobbi Brink and her rescue team from Lions, Tigers and Bears in Alpine have spent much of December traveling to several southern states, rescuing five black bears and a white tiger cub. The white tiger cub will soon have a permanent new home at LTB in Alpine.

Our October 2017 radio shows are now online. For links to listen to the shows plus a full list of topics an interviews click here or click "read more" and scroll down. (Sound files may take a few moments to load).

Our newsmaker interviews included a two-part chad with Chida Warren-Darby on domestic violence and African-American issues and Emma Higgins, Grid Alternatives, on creating job training and solar opportunities for low income people locally.  We also covered top local and national issues, from wildfires across California to the Las Vegas mass shooting s and defunding of Children’s healthcare, as well as top local stories such as the hepatitis A outbreak, homelessness and invasive Aedes Egypti mosquitoes.

The East County Magazine Show airs Mondays and Fridays from 5 to 6 p.m. on KNSJ, 89.1 FM.  Our shows rerun on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.  Read more and listen to our October shows:

By Miriam Raftery

December 23, 2017 (San Diego) – If you were startled by brilliant, fast-moving lights in the sky last night over southern California, you’re not alone.  San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman reports that SDPD received many calls reporting the phenomenon, and tweeted the photo, left. 

No, it wasn’t a UFO with space aliens, or a U.S. military aircraft. In fact, it was a successful launch of a SpaceX rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base near Santa Barbara.

East County News Service

December 23, 2017 (El Cajon) – “The internet has enabled endless positive opportunities for time saving applications, navigation and access to news and information that could never be possible without it.  But it also provides access for predators to monitor and interact with unsuspecting juvenile and adult victims,” says Lieutenant Rob Rainsweiler with the El Cajon Police Department. “In this case, an El Cajon Police Detective was able to locate these two suspects who were using the internet to arrange to have sex with what they believed was a 13 year old girl.  They arranged to meet her at a hotel in El Cajon where they were contacted and arrested. “

The suspects arrested are Amer Jamil Mansour, 60, and Salman Dawood Salman, 63. 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Sunrise seen from the ancient Kumeyaay observatory on Cowles Mountain. The larger mountain to the left of the sun is Lyons Peak.

 

December 22, 2017 (Deerhorn Valley) – Deerhorn Valley Antler editor Kim Hamilton sent in these beautiful shots taken by Don Endicott on a winter solstice several years ago.  In her email today, she writes: December 21—Today is Winter Solstice.  Did you know Deerhorn Valley is the site of ancient Kumeyaay "Solstice Rocks?

East County News Service

December 22, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a frost advisory for tonight that includes inland desert regions in San Diego County. Temperatures could reach as low as 25 degrees in some places.

Pet owners are advised to bring pets inside tonight and to bring in or cover plants sensitive to cold, such as tropical plants or citrus.

Landmark vote sets path to reopen theatre in 2019 for headline acts, though community groups’ use of theatre may be limited

By Paul Kruze

Photo by Miriam Raftery, left: Arich Berghammer, Live Nation, addresses Council prior to historic vote

December 20, 2017 (El Cajon) -- After many community discussions, public meetings and  frustrations over the East County Performing Arts Center (ECPAC) remaining closed for nearly the past decade, the El Cajon City Council last Tuesday unanimously approved a preliminary draft agreement for City Manager Doug Williford to ink worldwide concert producer Live Nation as the new manager of the theatre. (Councilman Ben Kalasho was absent, citing an emergency.)

Prior to the landmark vote which longtime councilmember Gary Kendrick has characterized as “the most important vote and the biggest thing to happen to El Cajon. Everybody wins.” He added that Live Nation “has the Midas touch. Every performing arts center they touch turns to gold.”

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Story by Liz Alper

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

December 21, 2017 (San Diego) - After 12 days, Aztecs men’s basketball was back in action in a big way; the defending national champion Gonzaga Bulldogs came to town.  This year, however, the Zags are ranked 12th.

East County News Service

December 21, 2017 (La Mesa) – A soon-to-be-released book chronicling the history of Grossmont Hospital is now available for online ordering prior to its scheduled Jan. 8 release date in local bookstores.

New Italian restaurant is open Christmas Day

By Miriam Raftery

December 21, 2017 (Lemon Grove) –Marco Provino, originally from Palermo in Sicily, worked as a chef in San Diego’s Gaslamp District at Panavino’s on Fifth before falling in love with manager Karina Karvalis. The couple married, moved to Lemon Grove and opened up Giardino’s Neighborhood Cucina, a delightfully authentic Italian restaurant with creative, upscale options at affordable pricing.

December 21, 2017 (San Diego's East County)-- Local songwriter Paul Nichols noticed Santa and elves "running rampant" at shopping malls, but no mention of Jesus. So he wrote "Blues for Jesus' as his tribute to the reason for the sesaon. 

East County News Service

December 20, 2017 (Dehesa) -- Carnaval Fantastique will bring performers from around the world to Sycuan’s Live and Up Close Theatre on January 7^th in a celebration of music and action that combines gravity-defying acrobatics, contortionists, jugglers, comedy, beautiful dancers and dynamic laser special effects.

December 20, 2017 (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

• Environment Report: Water Authority Extends Controversial Deal by a Decade (Voice of San Diego)
• New SANDAG Board Chairman on Climate Change: 'It's a Debatable Issue' (KPBS)
• Succulents as fire break (Debra Lee Baldwin)
• Record number of meth users died in San Diego County last year (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Gondolas in San Diego Have Powerful Backer But Still No Liftoff (KPBS)
• San Diego betting on lower income entrepreneurs (KPBS)
• Former county Supervisor Pam Slater-Price ditches the GOP, becomes a Democrat (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Report Details Secret Pentagon Program to Study UFOs  (KPBS)
• San Diego start-up fills a niche, helping people grow cannabis at home (San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• 'Reasonable rates' is stricken from CPUC mission statement (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• State regulators adopt stronger fire safety rules for utilities (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• California’s new sanctuary law will aid some immigrants, but not all (KQED)
• Prison Reforms Pressuring California's Inmate Firefighter Force (KPBS)
• In California’s wildfires, a looming threat to climate goals (Cal Matters)
• Supervisor London Breed becomes acting San Francisco mayor upon Ed Lee’s death  (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Investigation into cause of Southland wildfires probes Edison utility equipment (Los Angeles Times)
• Cause of Skirball fire was ‘illegal cooking’ in homeless camp, LAFD says (Orange County Register)
• Gov. Brown met with Edison over San Onofre costs, weeks before Warsaw pact (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• 19 million California voter records hacked, held in Bitcoin ransom, per report (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• In California, Mixed Results for Regulations Meant to Help Stop Fires (NY Times)

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

December 20, 2017 (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 news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views.  Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Congress sends massive GOP tax plan to Trump (Washington Post)
• FCC repeals net neutrality, in a sweeping act of deregulation (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Amtrak Derailment Over Wash. State Highway Kills Multiple People (Huffington Post)
• State Department says it has begun tracking Mexico alcohol-related blackouts (USA Today)
• The final GOP tax bill is complete. Here’s what is in it.  (Washington Post)
• Court nominee Matthew Petersen withdraws after 'two worst minutes' on TV and viral video (USA Today)
• U.S. military could lose next war: Report (Washington Times)
• Amash, Massie, and Other Congress Members Demand Standalone Vote on Federal Surveillance Laws (Reason)
• Special counsel obtains thousands of Trump team transition emails (AP)

WORLD

• Thousands of Rohingya killed in a month (BBC)
• World Bank to end support for oil and gas exploration (Guardian)
• Exclusive: Anti-money laundering group blasts Mexico in draft report (Reuters)
• Britain joins U.S. in blaming North Korea for 'WannaCry' attack  (Reuters)
• Top British Officer: Russia May Be Able to Cut Undersea Cables (NPR)
• Iranian missiles found in Saudi Arabia are evidence of nuclear deal violation, says US (CS Monitor)
• Saudi Arabia intercepts Houthi missile fired toward Riyadh, no reported casualties (Reuters)
• Pre-Christmas suicide bombing at Pakistan church kills at least 9 (Jewish World Review)
• US intelligence tip thwarts bomb threat in Russia (CS Monitor)
• UK counter-terrorism police arrest four, send in bomb disposal team (Reuters)

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

Source: California Dept. of Public Health

December 20, 2017 (Sacramento) -- As smartphone use continues to increase in the U.S., especially among children, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has issued guidance for individuals and families who want to decrease their exposure to the radio frequency energy emitted from cell phones. Although the scientific community has not reached a consensus on the risks of cell phone use, research suggests long-term, high use may impact human health.