Zika virus photo courtesy of the CDC.

County News Service

February 27, 2016 (San Diego) -- A San Diego resident who traveled to Colombia and returned in January 2016 is the first Zika virus case reported in the region this year, the County Health and Human Services Agency announced today.

East County News Service

February 27, 2016 (San Diego) -- A free accordion concert will be presented at Mission Trails Regional Park’s visitor center on Sunday, February 28 at 3 p.m.  Diana Abed studied the accordion in multi-cultural Los Angeles as a child in the 1960s and ‘70s, including Hollywood entertainment industry standards, pop tunes and compositions of famous accordionists at that time.  As the daughter of immigrant parents, somehow she was "elected" as the family musician, leading many sing a-longs and dances at celebrations of family and friends from varying ethnicities. 

Annualized Dividend Raised 8 Percent to $3.02 Per Share; Company Sets 2016 Adjusted Earnings-Per-Share Guidance Range at $4.80 to $5.20

East County News Service

February 27, 2016 (San Diego) – Sempra Energy on Friday reported 2015 earnings of $1.35 billion, or $5.37 per diluted share, up from $1.16 billion, or $4.63 per diluted share, in 2014.

East County News Service

February 26, 2016 (San Diego's East County) - State Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) has introduced Senate Bill 1216, which would establish a business tax credit for employers who hire high-risk youth.  The credit applies only to jobs for young people ages 18-25, who have been convicted of a crime and completed a work readiness program through a qualified job training provider.    

Hear our radio interview with Rebecca Grant, originally aired on KNSJ: http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/hear-our-interview-sticky-web-vengeanc...

A Sticky Web Of Vengeance: Memoirs Of A Coach’s Wife – The Story Of James And Rebecca Grant, by Rebecca Grant (RG7 Book Publishing, Dallas, Texas, 2014, 319 pages).

Book Review by Dennis Moore

February 26, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) - A Sticky Web Of Vengeance, a memoir by Rebecca Grant chronicles her life and times with James Grant, a Jamaican Pan American Games representative and head coach of the women’s team at the University of Iowa. This book by Grant, a devout Christian and mother of four small children and a recovering victim of domestic abuse before she met James Grant, is full of intrigue and jealousy, as well as greed and institutional malfeasance at the highest levels.

By Miriam Raftery

Controversial plan outrages Alpine voters, Chaldeans and other district residents

Priscilla Schreiber (photo, left) will be forced off board

February 25, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Grossmont Union High School District voted 4-1 to ditch district-wide elections and switch to electing trustees from each of five districts. (View map)  The board also voted to ask the San Diego County Committee on School Board Reorganization to waive a requirement that would ordinarily allow the public to vote on redistricting. (View map at bottom of this article)

East County News Service

February 25, 2016 (San Diego) — Following President Barack Obama’s announcement calling on Congress to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, San Diego Congresswoman Susan Davis, a Democrat and senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued this statement:

East County News Service

February 25, 2016 (Santee) -- Riding inside the car is one thing, but riding trapped inside the front bumper of a car for 8 miles was quite another for a cat from Santee.

District board expected to vote on redistricting plan today at 4 p.m.

"...Our Chamber will not accept any gerrymandering or divisive planning for political purposes and would be readily committed to engage either legally or politically to ensure a fair and equitable approach for the betterment of our community.” -- Ben Kalasho, Chaldean American Chamber president

By Miriam Raftery

February 25, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Ben Kalasho, president of the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce in East County, has issued a press release calling on the Grossmont Union-High School District board to be “transparent and pragmatic” in its decision on how to transition from at-large to district elections. A vote on which map to approve is expected at today’s GUHSD board meeting at 4 p.m. at the East County Regional Education Center, 924 East Main St. in El Cajon.

February 24, 2016 (San Diego's East County)--This week’s Destination East County includes a musical production of Charlotte’s Web, a Black History Celebration, and the final weekend of Hawk Watch in Ramona.

Plus we’ll have previews of coming attractions including a hike to the Valley of the Moon, the Borrego Garden Tour, a St. Patrick’s Day walk and fun/run through downtown El Cajon, and much more.  So scroll down for all of these events and more.

East County News Service

February 24, 2016 (San Diego) - The Resource Conservation District (RCD) of Greater San Diego County, in conjunction with Altman Plants of Vista, has announced its seventh annual School Plant Giveaway. Interested elementary schools throughout San Diego County may sign up to receive a mixed flat of twelve vegetable and herb seedlings, just in time for spring planting.  

February 24,  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

• Homeless ‘dumping’ settlement impacts San Diego (KNSD)
• Lawsuit claims ‘north of 8’ favoritism (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Surprise! California’s High Speed Rail Breaks Major Promise in New Plan (Reason)
• PUC actions raise concerns, require reforms (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• PUC bias favors industry over public (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Pilot Program Asks Travelers Crossing Into Mexico For ID, Biometric Scans (KPBS)
• Independent oversight promised with last SANDAG tax hike not so independent (Voice of San Diego)

STATE

• Just how low can the PUC go?  (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• California bill would open police misconduct records to public (Sacramento Bee)
• California’s mountain lions are eating our pets: report (Patch.com)
• Data Breaches Exposed Records Of 24 Million Californians In 2015 (KPBS)
• California drivers get 2.2-cent tax cut
• Brown vs. CalPERS: The ugly status quo wins(San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Judge halts CPUC email case for review  (San Diego Union-Tribune)

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

February 24, 2016 (San Diego's East County)-- East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.: general news

• CDC reports 14 new cases of sexually transmitted Zika (NBC)
• McConnell will not meet with Obama’s nominee (The Hill)
• Apple, The FBI And iPhone Encryption: A Look At What's At Stake (NPR)
• Welcome to the “Agrihood”: homes built around working farms (ABC)
• He Led The Financial Bailout But Says Banks Are Still Too Big To Fail (NPR)

Presidential primary

• Stunning new Reuters poll shows Sanders leading nationally by 6 percent (US Uncut)
• Donald Trump wins Nevada caucus, fortifying his lead in Republican race (Los Angeles Times)
• Jewish and Seventh Day Adventist voters left out of Nevada Democratic caucuses (CBS)
• DNC Chair tries to defend superdelegates to Rachel Maddow (Washington Free Beacon)
• Jeb Bush drops out of presidential race (USA Today)
• 170 economists endorse Bernie Sanders’ plan to reform Wall Street and reign in greed (Politics USA)
• Top Democratic economists  launched brutal attack on Bernie Sanders (The Washington Post)

WORLD

• 'A right to disconnect'? France proposes ignoring work emails after hours (CS Monitor)
• European Leaders Reach Deal To Help Keep Britain In European Union (NPR)
• Iraq sentences 40 to death over Islamic State's mass killing of captured soldiers (Reuters)
• Red Cross halts operations in Afghan province after staff taken (Reuters)
• Expelliarmus! Saudi Police to learn anti-magic tactics
• Exclusive: Radioactive material stolen in Iraq raises security fears (Reuters)

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

East County News Service

February 23, 2016 (La Mesa) -- The ideas came as quickly as someone could type them on the laptop as community residents in La Mesa shared their visions of an age-friendly community with the County’s Aging & Independence Services.

By Liz Alper

February 23, 2016 (San Diego's East County) - There will be several blood drives in East County over the next couple of weeks.  Here is where to go if you wish to donate blood: