Judge weighs unsealing redacted affidavit to show justification for granting search warrant

By Elijah McKee and Miriam Raftery

August 18, 2022 (Washington D.C.) – Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) removed over 20 containers including 11 sets of classified documents during a search of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on August 8. Trump’s removal of documents from the White House and his handling of top secret information has potentially serious national security implications, as well as potential criminal liability, though thus far Trump has not been charged with any crime.

A property receipt made public this week  reveals that the documents found by the FBI include four sets marked “top secret,” three sets of “secret” documents, three “confidential” sets, and one set of “top secret and sensitive compartmented information (TS/SCI). The latter is a category that even some people with top secret clearance cannot access, such as nuclear secrets and details on U.S. intelligence gathering operations overseas.

By Sameea Kamal, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo:  Sonja Shaw is running for a seat on the Chino Valley school board in the Inland Empire, with help from the state Republican Party. “I’m running because I want to make sure that parents have a voice on the board, and to preserve the rights of a parent. During the shutdown, parents were pushed out, and we have had enough," she said on Aug. 14, 2022. Photo by Pablo Unzueta for CalMatters

August 18, 2022 (San Diego) - When California Republicans gathered in Anaheim this spring, attention focused on candidate speeches and endorsement battles as the party tries to win its first statewide race since 2006. 

Story and photos by Josh Stotler, 2412 Fire Photo

Updated 4 p.m. with information from California Highway Patrol

August 19, 2022 (El Cajon) -- A small plane crashed Thursday morning on Greenfield Dr. in El Cajon. The pilot of the 1951 Cessna 195 attempted to land on Interstate 8 around 10:25 am and ended up between the East and West bound overpasses of interstate 8, coming to a rest on Greenfield Dr.

Eyewitnesses say the plane hit a car before coming to rest under the bridges. It is not immediately clear what caused the crash and the accident is still under investigation. California Highway Patrol conforms that a Hyundai Santa Fe driven by a 57-year-old Alpine woman sustained moderate damage.

The vehicle was traveling eastbound on Greenfield Drive under I-8 when it was struck, but fortunately the driver of the Hyundai, Carrie Zub, was not injured. Her dog was in the SUV and is also safe.

"I was like, 'Oh, my God, and I pulled to the right and stopped," Zub said, NBC 7 reports. "I'm just so grateful I'm OK."

Source: Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

August 18, 2022 (El Cajon) -- If you haven’t registered for fall classes at Grossmont or Cuyamaca colleges – there’s still time! Both colleges will welcome back students on campus beginning Monday, August 22.For help registering for classes, students are invited to:

Grossmont College: In-person Class Assistance events August 22-23 12 – 6 p.m., August 24-25 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and August 26 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Student Services Building computer lab; A Student Fair in the Main Quad on August 24 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., with a College Hour 12 – 1 p.m.; or the Virtual Help Center (https://www.grossmont.edu/help-center).

Cuyamaca College: Online Find Your Pack events, where students can meet faculty and staff to hear about programs and services, August 16-17 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.; Online Student Help Center (https://www.cuyamaca.edu/help-center) or How to Register for Classes webpage (https://www.cuyamaca.edu/admissions/how-to-register-for-classes);

Financial aid information is also available online through the Grossmont College Financial Aid Office (https://www.grossmont.edu/financial-aid) and the Cuyamaca College Financial Aid Office (https://www.cuyamaca.edu/financial-aid/index.php). If you are a first-time college student planning to attend full time, you may be eligible for free tuition through the Grossmont-Cuyamaca College Promise program (https://www.gcccd.edu/promise/index.php)

Both colleges are offering a variety of compelling courses and programs this fall:

August 18, 2022 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• ​Over-the-counter hearing aids could be available as soon as October (NPR)
• Rainwater everywhere on Earth unsafe to drink due to ‘forever chemicals’, study finds (Euro News) 
• Dog tests positive for monkeypox in first suspected human-to-pet transmission (The Hill)
• FDA recommends 3 home tests if you're exposed to COVID (NPR)
•  The U.K. approved omicron-specific booster shots. They're coming to the U.S. soon (NPR)
• Myths and facts about how monkeypox spreads — and how to protect yourself (NPR) 
• New COVID boosters could get approved using a streamlined review process (NPR)
• CVS, Walmart and Walgreens ordered to pay $650.6 million to Ohio counties in opioid case (Reuters)

SCIENCE AND TECH

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

By Miriam Raftery

August 17, 2022 (San Diego) - The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the Novavax vaccine for prevention of COVID-19. The new Novavax vaccine is now available in San Diego County.

By Andy Tolley, County of San Diego Communications Office

August 17, 2022 (San Diego) - County Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher, parks officials and others officially kicked off “Experience the Outdoors,” on August 10th, a campaign to give more San Diegans opportunities to enjoy nature and the County’s regional parks.

By Miriam Raftery

August 17, 2022 (Washington D.C.) – President Joe Biden has signed the Inflation Reduction Act, calling it “one of the most significant laws in our history.” He added, “With this law, the American people won and the special interests lost.” The bill cuts prescription drug costs for Medicare and has healthcare savings for many others, provides tax breaks and rebates for households and companies investing in clean energy, funds IRS collections from tax dodgers and levies new taxes on some corporations, also aiming to sharply reduce the federal deficit.

By Miriam Raftery

August 16, 2022 (San Diego) – The FBI San Diego division today announced that it has located at least 17 potential human trafficking victims, including a minor, as part of the nationwide “Operation Cross Country XII” operation. The national FBI-led effort partnered with agencies across the U.S. to recover 141 adult and 84 minor victims of human trafficking, including 37 missing children; the youngest victim was 11 years old.

By Henri Migala

Photos via Twitter

August 13, 2022 (San Diego) – Tijuana is on lockdown tonight amid a wave of violence, arson fires and attacks on bystanders fueled by warring drug cartels. American citizens are urged to avoid the areas and if already there, to seek secure shelter immediately.

By Henri Migala

August 12, 2022 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa City Council voted Tuesday to approve a Conditional Use Permit and allow Urbn Leaf to build a cannabis (marijuana) dispensary at 7901 Hillside Drive. The Council unanimously voted 5-0 to repeal its earlier approval of an appeal that had blocked the project, after applicant Urbn Leaf filed a legal challenge.

East County News Service

Photo courtesy Ryan Casey Aguinaldo on Wikipedia

August 12, 2022 (San Diego) - Fernando Tatis Jr., so close to working his way up back to the big-league roster after being injured, has been suspended for the remainder of the season after testing positive for Clostebol, a performance-enhancing drug, according to MLB.com.

Tatis Jr. claims he was using Clostebol to treat ringworms. According to the National Institute of Health, steroid creams or ointments such as Clostebol can be used for ringworms if it is not used alone, but in combination with anti-fungals.

By Shiloh Ireland

August 11, 2022 (Lakeside) -- Jackie Hanson is a gifted artist and local Lakeside resident. I had the pleasure to interview her on August 7th at Trevi Hills Winery in Lakeside, where she has a showing of her paintings running through the month of August.

Reviewed by Pennell Paugh

August 11, 2022 (San Diego) - River Woman River Demon by San Diego author Jennifer Givhan weaves together the threads of folk magick, with personal and cultural empowerment in a first-person spellbinding psychological thriller. (The term `magick’ is used by spiritual believers in in supernatural powers, to differentiate from `magic,’ or staged magicians’ tricks.)