By Fernanda Lopez Halvorson, County of San Diego Communications Office

Photo courtesy of the CDC

December 21, 2024 (San Diego) - County public health officials are warning San Diegans not to eat or drink raw milk products or give them to their pets because of the heightened risk for H5N1, or bird flu. 

By Mike Allen

Photo: Workers at GKN opening ceremony

December 18, 2024 (El Cajon) -- The site that was once planned as an Amazon warehouse is taking shape to house some of the most sophisticated machinery in the world, as well as the skilled workers to run it.

Just across the street from Gillespie Field at the confluence of Cuyamaca Street and Weld Avenue is the new home for GKN Aerospace, a top tier aircraft components supplier and refurbisher of engines for such customers as Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce, General Electric and Boeing.

GKN has been operating in El Cajon for more than 70 years, but its two segments, OEM (original equipment manufacturer) and Repair Solutions, have been growing at such a nice clip, soit needed added room.

East County Eater

December 18, 2024 (El Cajon) – The tradition of skewered meats slow-grilled over a wood-burning fire arose in southern Brazil’s Pampas region, where gauchos, or Brazilian cowboys, would then take knives worn on belts and cut thin slices known as churrascos. Now you can savor this tradition at Rodizio Grill, an all-you-can-eat Brazilian steakhouse in downtown El Cajon. 

You can savor no less than 15 different cuts of meat served tableside by gaucho-clad waiters, including tender slices of steak, tri-tip, bacon-wrapped chicken, mint lamb  cooked with white wine and garlic, Portuguese sausage called Linguicia, ham, fish, and more. There’s also a grilled pineapple that will have you craving more.

Even vegetarians will find plenty to savor, since Rodizio also has an impressive salad bar featuring over 30 different salads plus an array of tasty hot side dishes such as Brazilian black bean stew, potatoes, rice seasoned with yucca flour, grilled vegetables and cinnamon-glazed bananas.

Update December 17, 2024 7 p.m.:  The victim has been identified as Jane Hannah Cronin of San Diego.

East County News Service

December 17, 2024 (Descanso) – The body of a 29-year-old woman was found on December 11 near the intersection of State Route 79 and Wildwood Glen Lane in Descanso.

December 17, 2024 -- 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.

• Trump vows new Canada, Mexico, China tariffs that threaten global trade (Reuters)
• China bans exports to US of gallium, germanium, antimony in response to chip sanctions (AP)
• Trump plans to replace current FBI director with firebrand Kash Patel, drawing bipartisan fire (CNN)
• Christian Nationalism’s First Item on the Agenda: Repeal Women’s Right to Vote (Ms. Magazine)
• Incoming Trump administration plans to deport some migrants to countries other than their own (NBC)
• After court loss, Albertsons backs out of merger with Kroger, sues grocery chain (Washington Post)
• Mystery drones flying over New Jersey have residents and officials puzzled  (NPR)
• President Joe Biden Pardons His Son Hunter After Previously Saying He Wouldn’t (Time)
• Trump wants pardoned real estate developer Charles Kushner to become US ambassador to France (AP)

WORLD

• Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad? (CBS)
• Syrian government falls in stunning end to 50-year rule of Assad family (AP)
• Ukraine kills Russian chemical weapons chief Igor Kirillov in Moscow (Reuters)
• 0French lawmakers oust the prime minister after just 91 days, toppling the government (NPR)
• Romanian top court annuls presidential election result (Reuters)
• Notre-Dame Cathedral rises from the ashes in grand reopening ceremony (France 24)
• Legendary Medellin cartel drug lord released from U.S. prison after serving 25 years  (NPR)

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

By Miriam Raftery

December 17, 2024 (San Diego) – Joan Jones, Vice Chair and Executive Director of the San Diego Regional Fire Foundation, has been named Mid-Size Nonprofit Executive of the Year by the San Diego Business Journal.

According to the Journal, Jones has raised $10 million for the San Diego Regional Fire Foundation, with a grant success rate of nearly 100%, helping to reach the Foundation’s goal to make San Diego the safest county in the nation.

Through new partnerships, the Foundation has significantly expanded support of regional fire departments and fire safe councils, providing valuable protection to residents across our region.In addition, the Foundation provided a grant to support East County Magazine's Wildfire and Emergency Alerts, helping to keep people safe and informed during emergencies across our region.  In 2024, the Foundation's grant funds also provided:

December 16, 2024 (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 round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Mysterious car-sized drones spotted in night sky above San Diego County (CBS 8)
• Desert sculptor who created iconic Borrego Springs creatures hospitalized (NBC 7)
• San Diego's Ponzi Scheme Queen, Gina Champion-Cain, Seeking Early Release On 15-Year Sentence Due To 'Horrific' Sexual Abuse At Infamous Prison (SanDiegoville.com)  
• Decades old clothing store will remain open with help of another business owner (10 News)
• What Cajon Valley Board Member Anthony Carnevale Won’t Say (Voice of San Diego)
• Julian-based nonprofit says property managers don't want them at low-income community (10 News)
• South County Report: ‘Forever’ Chemicals Discovered in South County Water (Voice of San Diego)

STATE

• California’s plan to stabilize its home insurance market is now law. Will it work?(San Jose Mercury News)
• The price tag on Project 2025’s abortion plan: $300 million cut to Medi-Cal (Cal Matters)
• Battle Over Trans Student-Athletes Roils California High School Sports (Patch.com)

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

East County News Service

Image: angels and devils prepare for an epic battle for the souls of humanity in the Teatro Pastorela production of "La Pastorela de Coraje," broadcast through January 1 on KNSJ 89.1 radio. The holiday musical comedy has run for 34 years on San Diego County stages and airways. It features (from top l) Ella Aldridge, Alexa Luna, Syara Platero, Chantal Branscomb and David Rivas.  

December 17, 2024 (San Diego) -- Lucifer has made a comeback.

Once tossed from Heaven, the Prince of Darkness is planning an ambitious global revenge tour.

The good guys are ready. Armed with courage fueled by hope and love, they are prepared to push back in a big way.

County approves tough migrant protections, but Sheriff says state laws should prevail;  El Cajon Council weighs city’s legal and moral obligations

Update:  The letter sent by Mayor Wells to the Attorney General is now available here.The letter states that the City Council is considering a resolution declaring the city's intent to "comply with federal immigration laws and assist federal authorities in their enforcement efforts to the maximum extent possible."

By Miriam Raftery

Photos: Right, El Cajon Mayor Wells calls sanctuary policies "stupid and dangerous." He has voiced support for Trump's mass deportation policies but wants clarification on the city's legal obligations.

Left, Councilman Gary Kendrick does not support having police "dragging children out of schools or churches" or aiding in deportation of residents with no criminal records,only those guilty of serious crimes.

December 11, 2024 (San Diego) – Yesterday, San Diego County Supervisors and El Cajon’s City Council held discussions that could determine fates of many immigrant residents—and set the stage for showdowns among federal, state and local authorities. San Diego County has an estimated 169,000 undocumented residents, according to the Migration Policy Institute, based on 2019 data.

The incoming Trump administration has announced plans to deport millions of immigrants nationwide—and demands that local authorities cooperate in mass deportation efforts. But a California law, Senate Bill 54, passed during the last Trump term, prohibits state and local jurisdictions from cooperating with federal authorities on deportation,with notable exceptions for serious crimes. Local authorities are carefully weighing the legal and moral implications of potential actions.

El Cajon Police Department receives $70,000 grant to fight alcohol-related harm from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control

Source:  City of El Cajon

December 11, 2024 (El Cajon) - The El Cajon Police Department announces they have been awarded $70,000 grant from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to reduce alcohol-related harm in their community.

December 10, 2024 (Alpine) --  California Highway Patrol has closed Interstate 8 eastbound, east of East Willows Road in Alpine is currently closed due to multiple overturned big rigs caused by high winds. There is no estimated time for re-opening. Expect significant delays and avoid the area if possible.

View video: https://x.com/i/status/1866556789279559868 

East County News Service

File photo by Miriam Raftery

December 10, 2024 (Valley Center) — A bomb threat from an anonymous caller yesterday morning prompted a safety sweep at Harrah’s Resort Southern California on the Rincon tribe’s reservation in Valley Center. Resort staff found a backpack in an unauthorized area.

By Miriam Raftery, East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts

December 9, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – With a red flag warning in effect from the National Weather Service due to high fire danger today through Friday, SDG&E has begun public safety power shutoffs affecting 8,949 customers in Alpine, Boulevard, Campo, Descanso, Jacumba and Jamul. There are also unplanned outages in Julian and Borrego Springs. However, up to 108,619 more customers may face planned power outages between now and December 13 at noon, according to SDG&E, including most East County communities.

Communities at risk of outages in San Diego County include the Barona reservation, Borrego Springs, the Campo reservation, Capitan Grande reservation, Cardiff, Chula Vista, Del Mar, El Cajon, Encinitas, Escondido, Fallbrook, Granite Hills, Jamul Indian Village, Julian, La Jolla Reservation, Lakeside, La Mesa, La Posta reservation, Lakeside, Los Coyotes Reservation, Manzanita reservation, Mesa Grande reservation, Pala,

Pala reservation, Pauma Valley, Pauma reservation, Poway, Ramona, Ranchita, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Santa Fe, Rincon reservation, San Diego, San Marcos, San Pasqual Reservation, Santa Ysabel, Santa Ysabel reservation, Santee, Solana Beach, Sycuan  reservation, Valley Center, Viejas Reservation, and Warner Springs.

Community Resource Centers are open in many communities.  For a list of community resource centers, see https://www.sdge.com/psps-dashboard.

 By Tom Varallo, Commander, U.S. Navy (retired) 

Photo, left: CVUSD trustee Jim MIller

December 9, 2024 (El Cajon) -- As a citizen and former Special Education Local Planning Area (SELPA) Representative in the Cajon Valley Union School District, I am stunned by the recent comments made by Jim Miller, the current President of our School Board, on his public Facebook page.  Furthermore, as a parent of a now-adult son with autism who successfully matriculated from two schools in Cajon Valley, I am outraged at Miller’s comments. 

 His remarks, referring to a fellow Board Member as an "uneducated, on-the-spectrum, goose-stepping kook" and claiming that the schools this individual represents "don’t deserve" his representation, are a disgrace to the leadership of our district. 

 These words are not merely an attack on one individual; they are an attack on the principles of inclusion, respect, and dignity that we expect from our schools and their leaders. 

 Most egregiously, Miller’s use of “on-the-spectrum” as an insult demonstrates a profound ignorance and insensitivity toward autism and neurodiversity.