By Miriam Raftery

Updated 1:30 p.m. with information provided by the Sheriff's department.

February 28, 2018 (Santee) – A student at West Hills High School has been arrested overnight for “making terrorists threats after he posted a photo of a Lego rifle on social media with a threatening message,” Grossmont Union High School District public information officer Catherine Martin stated on Twitter.

By Miriam Raftery

February 28, 2018 (San Diego) — While Congress remains paralyzed over gun control legislation, with the Republican leadership refusing to even allow a vote on measures to ban or restrict sales of military-style assault rifles used in many recent mass shootings, at least one major retailer has taken action on its own.

East County wife and mother says the life-saving devices should be easier to find than a gourmet cup of coffee

 By Lora Watters

February 27, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) -- Something caught Susanne de La Flor's eye as she strolled through Grossmont Center last spring. It was not a display for a best-selling author in the Barnes & Noble window, nor a life-size cardboard cutout promoting a funny animated movie at Reading Cinemas. It was an Automated External Defibrillator on a plain gray stucco wall, between the post office and CVS Pharmacy located adjacent to the popular East County mail.

 Ever since her husband of 26 years, George de la Flor, suffered sudden cardiac arrest and subsequent brain damage in 2011, Susanne has always made note of AED devices in public places. But there was something special about this AED. It was located outside.

By Miriam Raftery

February 27, 2018 (Alpine) -- Bobbi Brink at Lions, Tigers and Bears posted photos of the exotic wildlife at her rescue sanctuary in Alpine reacting to today's heavy snowfall, including a pair of lions, a white tiger, and a rescued bobcat.

Enjoy the views!

East County News Service

February 27, 2018 (El Cajon) – Learn all about beekeeping at a presentation by local beekeeper Richard Edwords on Saturday, March 10 at 2 p.m. Fletcher Hills Library, 576 Garfield Ave, El Cajon, 92020.

Edwords will bring some of his beekeeping equipment, including a bee box. He will explain how the box works and what is necessary for beginning beekeepers. He will explain the health benefits of using honey over white sugar. Edwords will give a brief history of beekeeping, which became big business in the 1800’s due to Mr. John Harbison’s successful enterprise. The presentation will also include safety tips on what to do if you get attacked by bees.

February 27, 2018 (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

• El Cajon Councilman accused of bogus property filings (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• End of the line for Depot Springs (La Mesa Courier)
• La Mesa poised to award license to first medical pot dispensary (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Interactive map shows school expulsions, suspensions for weapons in San Diego County (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego students likely won’t face suspensions for school walkouts against gun violence  (KPBS)
• School district looks to bring back popular sixth-grade camp (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego celebrates new freeway-level transit stations (NBC 7)
• Yes, Duncan Hunter was there for some of the improper charges he has repaid to his campaign (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego Water Payments Fund a Slaughterhouse and Lots of Other Stuff in Imperial County (Voice of San Diego)
• San Onofre settlement would put millions in customers' pockets but leave key questions unanswered (San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• Watch Democrats running for Governor debate ahead of state party convention (Los Angeles Times)
• California Democratic party offers no endorsement in Senate, Governor’s races (Los Angeles Times)
• California’s recurring nightmare: Nearly half the state is back in drought (KQED)
• California is losing low-income folks but gaining wealthy ones, report says (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Tribes cut out of California’s legal pot market might grow their own (AP)

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

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Ammar Campa-Najjar with supporters at state Democratic convention, via his Facebook page

February 26, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – At the California Democratic Convention held in San Diego over the weekend, an overwhelming 97 percent of delegates voted to endorse Ammar Campa-Najjar in the June primary race for the 50^th Congressional District seat held by Congressman Duncan Hunter.  Campa-Najjar, a former Labor Department official with many local Democratic club endorsements, won the endorsement over former Navy Seal Josh Butner. 

Campa-Najjar, Butner and other contenders will face El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, a Republican, as well as embattled Congressman Hunter and potentially other challenges, with the filing deadling fast appraoching on March 9th. Hunter is viewed as vulnerable by many political experts due to the federal criminal investigation into allegations of misusing campaign funds for personal use and other controversies.

Why is library omitted from the plan?

By Dr. Anthony McIvor

February 27, 2018 (La Mesa) -- Tonight the City Council agenda includes a returning item: engagement of an urban planning firm to update feasibility tests for the Civic Center site. Included are the introduction of market-rate housing, as well as office and/or governmental use, park and parking uses in combination with another civic building.

And once again we see a baffling omission.  Surrounding cities – from Alpine to IB – are proudly opening – and winning awards with – new town libraries. Just yesterday, San Diego Mayor Faulconer lauded libraries as “…hubs for inspiration, discovery and opportunity.” But in La Mesa, the long-delayed new library continues to get the crickets treatment at City Hall.

Why?

East County News Service

February 27, 2018 (Ramona) --  Indivisible Ramona invites the public to attend an evening of presentations on the “Changing Faces of Agricultures”, including farm labor, and its impact on the economy of San Diego County tonight, Tuesday, February 27, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Ramona Library Community Room, 1275 Main St., Ramona, CA 92065. 

Attendees will hear from two expert speakers and Congressional candidates about San Diego County agriculture productions of more than $1.7 billion and agricultural exports from and through the county at more than $18 billion and how immigration, housing, NAFTA and other key issues could have an impact. Both Republican and Democratic candidates running for Congress in District 50 have been invited to participate and offer comments.

February 27, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Deaths Linked to Anti-Anxiety Drugs Rise, But Fly Under the Radar (KPBS)
• WHO warns of soaring rates of measles in Europe (BBC)
• Twenty U.S. states sue federal government seeking end to Obamacare (Reuters)
• Serious eye diseases accurately diagnosed through artificial intelligence (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Cancer therapy poised for rapid advances, noted researcher says (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Can alcohol really help you live longer? Here’s what the research says (Time)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• What happens if earth gets 2 degrees Celsius warmer? (Popular Science)
• White nationalist Jared Taylor sues Twitter over ban (BBC)
• 'Big data' predictions spur detentions in China's Xinjiang: Human Rights Watch (Reuters)
• Facebook told to stop tracking in Belgium (BBC)
• .Primatologist and Author: Morality Wasn’t Invented By Religion (KPBS)
• Trunk show: Elephant genome study offers surprises (Reuters)

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

By Chris Jennewein

Photo: U.S. Supreme Court, by D.B. King via Wikimedia Commons

Reprinted from Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

February 26, 2018 (San Diego) -- San Diego’s estimated 45,000 Dreamers got a reprieve from possible deportation Monday when the Supreme Court refused to hear a Trump administration challenge.

The court declined to overrule a lower court’s action that temporarily blocked ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program on March 5.

The program, which allows immigrants brought to America illegally as children to live and work in the country, was terminated by President Trump last year, leaving it up to Congress to pass permanent protections.

East County News Service

February 25, 2018 (San Diego) – The San Diego Press Club will present a program on Snopes.com, a fact-checking and reference website, from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27 at its downtown San Diego offices at the Spreckels Building, 121 Broadway, Suite 640. Cost to attend is free for members and $10 per person for non members. The event is open to the public.

Source: La Mesa Chamber of Commerce

January 8, 2018 (La Mesa) -  In 2018, the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce is celebrating their 10th anniversary and this year’s “Salute to Local Heroes” is a special evening that begins this year-long celebration. La Mesa is known as the “Jewel of the Hills” and this evening will be the first “jewel” of this celebratory year that is themed, “One Jewel of a Night.” This evening will honor local heroes, install the Board of Directors and includes a silent auction, raffles and a delicious dinner. This special evening will be held on Thursday, March 8, 2018, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Town & Country Resort Hotel (Town & Country Ballroom), 500 Hotel Circle North in Mission Valley. 

By Miriam Raftery

February 24, 2018 (La Mesa) – In keeping with tradition, La Mesa Chamber of Commerce’s first breakfast speaker of the year was Supervisor Dianne Jacob, now serving her seventh and due to term limits, last term represented her district that encompasses virtually all of East County.

By Miriam Raftery

February 24, 2018 (El Cajon) – What better way to brighten up those mid-winter doldrums than with some cheery new cocktails, a sweet and spicy appetizer, Alaska King Crab combo dinner and decadent new dessert now available at Black Angus restaurants?