Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

January 5, 2019 (Boise) - Derrick Alston had a career-high 30 points on 9-of-14 shooting and Boise State led by double digits throughout the second half in an 88-64 win over San Diego State on Saturday night.

Alex Hobbs added 18 points for the Broncos (7-8, 2-0 Mountain West Conference), who have won three of their last four games.

Her journey as a refugee led her to Syria, Kuwait, Jordan and Russia. Now an El Cajon resident, she has worked as a scientist, realtor, poet, and humanitarian.

By Briana Gomez

Photo, left: Nital Meshkoor in Iraq, approximatey 20 years ago

January 5, 2019 (El Cajon) -- Nital Meshkoor settled in El Cajon in 1998 following her escape from the first Iraq war, a journey that cost her many years of hardship, but her actions in the community have set her apart as a human rights activist and role model for refugees to come.

By Miriam Raftery

January 5, 2019 (Jacumba Hot Springs) — Disturbing results of a new mental health evaluation have halted the state’s plan to release Alvin Quarles into the Jacumba Hot Springs community in San Diego’s East County.

City officials plan to explore housing migrants seeking asylum at a shuttered juvenile facility in Alpine and county officials will explore options next week. An especially chaotic holiday season highlighted the need for more resources, shelter space and coordination to serve the thousands of asylum-seeking families federal officials are releasing in San Diego.

By Maya Srikrishnan and Lisa Halverstadt, Voice of San Diego

January 4, 2019 (San Diego) -- After waiting a month and seven days in Tijuana to seek asylum on the other side of the border, Leonardo Garcia and his family ended up outside a San Ysidro McDonald’s after dark.

East County News Service

January 4, 2019 (La Mesa) — Heartland Fire & Rescue crews dispatched to a residential fire at 11:40 last night arrived to find a single-story home with heavy smoke and fire in the 4700 block of Maple Avenue in La Mesa. 

East County News Service

January 4, 2019 (San Diego) - Local singer/songwriter Gregory Page will be the first entertainer of the new concert series now called the  Second Sunday Community Concerts.  After a successful eight year run at Mission Trails Regional Park the series recently found a new home at the Mission Trails Church, located at 4880 Zion Avenue, San Diego,  CA 92120.  The new location offers more seating, a bigger stage area and much more parking.

By Miriam Raftery

January 4, 2019 (La Mesa) – Opinions among stores and restaurants along La Mesa Boulevard remain divided regarding the city’s decision last March to move the Farmer’s Market into the downtown village. But while some restaurants report a sharp drop-off in business on Friday nights, the market has been a financial success for most farm participants and for the city’s coffers.

At a November 27 meeting, a staff report informed councilmembers that sales tax revenues in the village rose 2.6 percent in the second quarter of the city’s fiscal year over the same period a year earlier – and staffer Chris Gonzalez advised that the village was the only area in the city to see sales tax revenues rise.

By Sam Warren (c) 2019

A very good editor is almost a collaborator. — Ken Follett, Author.

January 4, 2019 (San Diego)-- Book clubs, classes, author talks and more are all coming up in the next couple of weeks locally. 

CLICK TO SCROLL DOWN FOR A LIST OF BOOK EVENTS.

By Farida Jhabvala Romero, KQED

CALmatters is an independent public interest journalism venture covering California state politics and government.

Photo:  "I felt like I needed to speak up... and represent all the children whose parents have TPS and could be sent back," said Crista Ramos, 14. The Bay Area teen is suing the federal government. Photo for CALmatters by Farida Jhabvala Romero/KQED

January 3, 2019 (San Diego) - High school freshman Crista Ramos used to be mostly preoccupied with school, friends, and soccer practice with her team, the Richmond Lionesses.

All that changed in January when the Trump administration announced plans to end the humanitarian protections that allow her mother and about 260,000 other immigrants from El Salvador to lawfully live and work in the United States.

January 3, 2019 (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 a  variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Democrats Unveil Changes To House Rules On Debt Ceiling, Ethics (NPR)
• House Votes to End Shutdown Amid Trump Veto Threat Over Wall (Bloomberg News)
•  Shutdown Leaves Food, Medicine and Pay in Doubt in Indian Country (New York Times)
• US: Active grand jury probe tied to Russian social media (Associated Press)
• Mitt Romney asserts his independence — and Trump’s GOP critics see an opening (Washington Post)

WORLD

• Seven global trends to watch in 2019 (Christian Science Monitor)
• Jair Bolsonaro, on Day 1, Undermines Indigenous Brazilians’ Rights (New York Times)
• Saudi Arabia seeks death penalty for five suspects in Khashoggi killing (New York Times)
• Russia has formally charged Paul Whelan, an American citizen, with espionage, Interfax news agency reports (Washington Post)
• U.S. warns Iran against space launches, ballistic missiles (Reuters)

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

By Miriam Raftery

January 3, 2019 (Jamul) – Two young people were killed in a collision with a sport utility vehicle (SUV) that occurred around 11:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, December 31^st Campo Road (Highway 94) near Lyons Valley Road in Jamul, one mile north of the Jamul Casino.

Yannis Alekos Floros, 21, was driving east on the highway approaching the intersection when he lost control and spun sideways into oncoming traffic. The passenger side of the vehicle collided with the front end of a westbound SUV.  Floros was transported to a trauma center where despite aggressive resuscitation efforts, he was pronounced dead a short time later, on January 1, 2019, the County Medical Examiner’s office reports.

Tabia Watson, 20, was found unresponsive in the passenger seat of Floros’ vehicle; despite life saving measures, she died at the scene.

By Miriam Raftery

January 3, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – For the past 37 years, much of East County has been represented by Duncan Hunter Sr. and his son, Duncan Hunter. Jr.  Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar came the closest of any challenger to defeating either Hunter in November 2018, when Hunter eked out a slim3.4% win despite a felony indictment on federal corruption charges. This week, Campa-Najjar filed a statement of candidacy form with the Federal Election Commission and confirmed his intent to run again in 2020 on Twitter.

“Thank you to the 125,000 (48.3%) of you who voted for me to be your congressman, I’m excited to run again. I’m ready to pour my heart & soul into this race, community organize, listen, learn, and become the representative #CA50 deserves,” he posted.

East County News Service

January 3, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – A New Year’s eve storm dropped temperatures to below freezing across most of East County, bringing snow and ice even to some low elevation areas.  Area residents took to social media with their icy images.

Anza Borrego Desert Research Center posted an image (left) of snow blanketing the ground around the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park’s landmark sign  The group reported snow flurries down to 2300 feet, with snow sticking above the 2500 foot elevation in the normally arid terrain.

East County News Service

January 2, 2019 (El Cajon) – The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) has announced a public hearing will be held as part of its future transition to district-only or zone-based elections. The public will be invited to address the GHD board of directors at a public hearing scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., Monday, Jan. 7, at the Ronald Reagan Community Center, 195 E Douglas Ave., El Cajon.

East County News Service

January 2, 2019 (Santee) – San Diego County Gun Owners (SDCGO), a Santee-based political action committee promoting Second Amendment rights, has announced it recently filed an amicus curaie brief, a Latin phrase meaning “friend of the court,” in a Hawaii case that ruled in favor of the right to openly carry firearms in public.