District disputes statements by residents criticizing its actions

By Miriam Raftery

February 10, 2023 (Alpine) – Despite heavy rains in January that have alleviated severe drought concerns, Sweetwater Water Authority on January 26 announced that it has initiated a new transfer of water from Loveland Reservoir to Sweetwater Reservoir. The new transfer comes after a controversial transfer begun in November drained Loveland down to dead pool status for the first time in the district’s history, raising concerns over negative impacts on wildlife, firefighting resources, and loss of recreational use including fishing. 

Last month, heavy rains caused major damage to a floating fishing dock, as well as substantial erosion, as ECM reported. Now, the district has announced that “due to safety concerns, the Recreation Program at Loveland Reservoir is closed until further notice. Recent rains caused significant erosion in the Recreation Program area at Loveland Reservoir. For the safety of the community, the program will remain closed until further notice. Sweetwater Authority staff will be assessing the damage and evaluating options for repairs in the coming months.”  For the latest updates, visit www.sweetwater.org/recreation.

Darlene Cosso, board member and spokesperson for the newly formed Friends of Loveland Reservoir,  told ECM, “Friends of Loveland Reservoir would like to collaborate with Sweetwater Authority to propose solutions to the repeated draining of the lake. We believe we have various options which will benefit community members, the environment, wildlife that depends on Loveland, and Sweetwater Authority and its customers.”

Friends of Loveland Reservoir posted the following call to action on its Facebook page, for residents upset over the closure and repeated draining:

By Pennell Paugh

February 9, 2023 (San Diego) - Dr. Mary Travelbest’s guide book is full of tips and on the road recommendations. She helps you to get the best deals, pack light, and ensure your safety. She takes you through stages to develop a level of comfort with less and less structure. I’m still on stage one, but I now have the yen to plan a short trip.

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

Video by José Eli Villanueva:  Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas delivers the 2023 State of the County Address from the Waterfront Park outside the County Administration Center.

February 9, 2023 (San Diego) - County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas gave her first State of the County address during an evening presentation Wednesday, Feb. 1.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Dawn Sebaugh

February 9, 2023 (Mt. Helix) – Harbingers of spring, American  Robins have arrived in our region.  Dawn Sebaugh, a resident of Mt. Helix, says, “Last week we had 60 to 100 robins land all over the backyard and our deck. It was like the movie The Birds.” 

February 9,  2023 (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.

• Video of President Biden’s State of the Union speech: (C-Span)
• The biggest moments from Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address (Time)
• Former top FBI counterintelligence agent Charles McGonigal charged with violating Russia sanctions  (CNBC)
• Republicans' plans to slash Social Security and Medicare are becoming clearer: 'We have no choice but to make hard decisions' (Yahoo News)
• 2022 military intelligence report mentioned Trump-era balloon sightings: report (The Hill)
• Blinken postpones China trip after discovery of surveillance balloon (NPR)
• Oath keepers members found guilty of seditious conspiracy (CNN)
• US reunites nearly 700 kids taken from parents under Trump (ABC)
• Police warn that torture suspect is using dating apps (AP)
• Federal appeals court strikes down domestic violence gun law (KPBS)
• Classified documents found at Pence’s home (CNN)
• Yo-yo car sales ensnare buyers in bad deals. Will the FTC crack down on dealers? (NPR)

WORLD

• More than 3,800 killed in Turkey, Syria after powerful earthquake and aftershocks (Washingotn Post)
• Chinese spy balloons under Trump not discovered until after Biden took office (CNN)
• Iran acknowledges it has detained 'tens of thousands' in recent protests (NPR)
• AP interview: Pope says homosexuality is not a crime (AP)
• Brazil Wants to Abandon a 34,000-Ton Ship at Sea. It Would be an Environmental Disaster (Time)

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

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Screenshot of wreckage from video posted on Facebook

February 8, 2023 (Santee) – The driver of a Ford Focus has been airlifted to a hospital with severe injuries sustained in a crash so violent that the vehicle blew apart, as surveillance video shown on CBS 8 reveals.

According to Sergeant Dwain Washington with the San Diego Sheriff’s department, the silver Ford Focus was traveling south on North Magnolia in Santee shortly before 6 a.m., approaching the Prospect intersection. A white Ford F-350 pickup truck traveling west on Prospect collided with the car, crushing its  front end and sending the engine flying into the roadway.

Source:  Congressman Darrell Issa

February 8, 2023 (Washington, D.C.) - Today, Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48) released the following statement following his appointment to the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.

71% of pills tested in Tijuana pharmacies tested positive for dangerous illegal drugs

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy of San Diego District Attorney’s office

February 8, 2023 (San Diego) – Pharmacies in Tijuana and other Mexican cities are selling counterfeit medicines laced with deadly fentanyl and methamphetamines, according to investigations conducted by the Los Angeles Times and by researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles. The tainted fake drugs ranged from narcotic pain pills to pills often used to treat children with attention deficit disorder.

By Miriam Raftery

February 8, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – For years, the mayors of East County’s four cities (El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove and Santee) have met informally to recommend who should represent the region on San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) committees. But on January 31, with the mayors at an impasse, El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells put forth a proposal for what he called “an equitable process for tie-breaking” that would keep El Cajon represented on SANDAG committees. 

Mayor Wells’ list of proposed appointments would have given every city a primary member on at least one committee.

In the end, newly elected SANDAG Chair Nora Vargas followed SANDAG procedures to break the tie and announce the final appointments, which leave El Cajon with only alternates, no regular members on any SANDAG committee.

East County News Service

Information and photo courtesy of County News Service

February 8, 2023 (Campo) -- A deer mouse collected from an open nature area in Campo during routine monitoring has tested positive for the potentially deadly hantavirus.

This is the first case confirmed this year in San Diego County. Finding hantavirus in wild rodents is not uncommon in San Diego County, last year there were 11 cases locally.

As federal emergency also ends, Medicaid recipients could lose benefits if they don’t re-enroll by March 31

Federal funds for free COVID testing and vaccines will also come to an end

By Miriam Raftery

February 7, 2023 (San Diego) – The County of San Diego will end the nearly 3-year-old COVID-19 emergency on February 28, the same date that the state of California’s emergency declaration ends. The federal government will halt the national public health emergency on May 11.

But outbreaks remain a threat locally and elsewhere. While vaccines and treatments have sharply reduced the death rate from the early days of the pandemic, 12 people died locally in the week ending February 2, when more than 1,800 cases were confirmed and 300 people were hospitalized from the coronavirus.

Over the past three years, more than 976,000 San Diegans have laboratory confirmed positive tests for COVID-19, more than 38,500 have been hospitalized and 5,728 died.

Local health officials urge residents to get the new booster vaccines for protection against recent variants. Nearly 2.7 million San Diegans have received the primary series of one of the approved COVID-19 vaccines and more than 560,000 have received a bivalent booster vaccine.

By Cassie Klapp, County of San Diego Communications Office

February 7, 2023 (San Diego) - The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) is hosting two community listening sessions to review new services for Medi-Cal members with complex health and social needs and gather community input on how those services should be implemented. 

East County News Service

February 5, 2023 (Jacumba Hot Springs)  - From bathhouse bazaars to a candlelight concert and organized hikes, Jacumba Hot Springs has something for everyone coming up.

By Miriam Raftery

February 4. 2023 (San Diego) -- Detectives from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department conducted an investigation and arrested Deputy Allen Wereski for bringing drugs onto jail property, after suspected cocaine was located inside his vehicle. He has been booked into the Central Jail.

Wereski has been suspended without pay from the Sheriff's Department. It is unclear what prompted the seasrch of his vehicle, and whether the suspected drug stash was for Wereski’s personal use, illicit sale or smuggling into the jail.