By Sylvia Sullivan

February 16, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) -- This year marks the Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision 47th anniversary. While mourning the deaths of over 61 million babies, it is also time to reflect on the direction of the pro-choice movement. For years those who defended a woman’s right to abort her baby were thought to be merely confused or misinformed.

Although, some disturbing incidents occurred in front of abortion clinics between pro-lifers and those against. Pro-choice young punks kicking a little old lady as she knelt in prayer. Or spewing the vilest language at pro-life teen girls as well as spitting in their faces. Pro-choice activists cheering a plane banner that proclaimed late term abortionist, George Tiller, a “national treasure!" These incidents were believed to be from extreme fringe elements but not representative of most of the pro-choice supporters.

Sophia Ramos had 25 points and a career-high 14 rebounds

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

February 15, 2020 (San Diego) - The Aztec women’s basketball team (12-15, 7-8) lost to Boise State (18-9, 10-5) 69-67 in overtime inside Viejas Arena Saturday afternoon. The Broncos’ A’Shanti Coleman scored the game-winning bucket with three seconds left on a driving lay-up.

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

February 15, 2020 (San Diego) - Petco Foundation provided a $250,000 grant valentine surprise to staff at the San Diego Humane Society on Gaines Street on Feb. 13.

“As part of our mission we have committed $10 million to making a difference to shelters and pets during the valentine day week,” said regional field program manager Bill Gialenes with the Petco Foundation.  The $10 million will go to animal welfare organizations across the country.

Two hundred staff, guests, and volunteers gathered for lunch followed by the presentation of an oversized check for $250,000 to Dr. Gary Weitzman, president/ceo of the San Diego Humane Society from Gialenes.

February 13, 2020 (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.

• Trump slashes foreign aid, cuts safety net programs in new budget proposal (Reuters)
• Prosecutors Quit as Justice Dept. Moves to Lessen Roger Stone Sentence  (New York Times)
• Senate passes resolution to limit Trump’s power to order military action against Iran (Washington Post)
• In campaign of retribution, Trump punishes impeachment witnesses (Washington Post)
• Majority of voters say Hunter Biden's job at Burisma was 'inappropriate': poll (The Hill)
• What we learned from Trump’s state of the union speech (NPR)
• Federal Judge Reverses Conviction of Border Volunteers, Challenging Government’s “Gruesome Logic” (The Intercept)
• Bernie Sanders wins New Hampshire primary as race shifts to Nevada and South Carolina (CNN)
• How Amy Klobuchar Pulled Off the Big Surprise of the New Hampshire Primary (New York Times)
• Diana Taylor doesn’t have a name for her relationship with Mike Bloomberg. She just wants him to win. (Washington Post)
• Trump allies take aim at Buttigieg’s sexuality, a possible sign of things to come (NPR)

WORLD

• Wuhan coronavirus has now killed more people worldwide than SARS (CNN)
• Coronavirus 'could infect 60% of global population if unchecked'  (Guardian)
• IDF beefs up troops in West Bank as Palestinian terror attacks continue (Jerusalem Post)
• Airliner carrying 172 passengers nearly shot down over Syria, Russia says (Washington)
• ‘Lone soldier’ from San Diego was injured in Jerusalem car-ramming attack (Jerusalem Post)
• Death toll hits 21 from Thai shooting after raid into mall (Reuters)

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

February 12, 2020 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Wuhan coronavirus has now killed more people worldwide than SARS (CNN)
• Coronavirus 'could infect 60% of global population if unchecked'  (Guardian)
• Baby tests positive for coronavirus just 30 hours after birth (CBS)
• The coronavirus crisis could shut auto plants around the world (CNN)
• Cruise ship coronavirus infections double, exceeding the total for any country but China (Washington Post)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• Ancestry Fights The US Government As Feds Try To Grab DNA Data (Forbes)
• Twitter to label deepfakes and other deceptive media (Reuters)
• Don’t sell my data! We finally have a law for that (Washington Post)
• Solar orbiter: Sun mission blasts off (BBC)
• Amazon wants to question Trump over loss of $10bn 'war cloud' contract (Guardian)

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

By Mike Allen

February 10, 2020 (Santee) -- Santee Councilman Stephen Houlahan wants a larger say in molding the city’s future and has declared his intention to run for mayor, opposing incumbent Mayor John Minto.

Houlahan says the main issue motivating him to throw his hat into the ring is the disturbing trend by a majority of his Council colleagues to consistently undermine Santee’s General Plan and approve higher density projects.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Creative Commons via Bing

February 10, 2020 (San Diego) – The San Diego County Bar Association has issued its ratings of candidates in local Superior Court judicial races.  All but two were rated “well qualified” or “exceptionally well qualified.”  But two ranked the lowest possible “lacking qualifications” rating:  Steve Miller and Shawn McMillan.

Lacking Qualifications is defined by the SDCBA as “Presently not possessing professional ability, experience, competence, integrity and/or temperament indicating ability to perform the judicial function.”

McMillan, a plaintiff’s civil rights attorney, is running in district 36 against Michelle Ialeggio, a deputy district attorney. 

Miller, a criminal prosecutor, is in a 3-way race against Alana Wong Robinson, a federal prosecutor, and Mark Skeels, senior chief deputy attorney for San Diego, in district 22.

Moving On: Redesigning Your Emotional, Financial, and Social Life After Divorce, by David J. Glass, JD, PhD (Lioncrest Publishing, San Bernardino, CA, 2018, 186 pages).

Book Review by Dennis Moore

“David served as the mediator for my own divorce. He provided creative problem-solving that resulted in reasonable alternatives for myself and my ex-husband. In the simplest terms: he made things easy for us. Moving On offers more of the same. The book is a practical, self-help guide to charting what works in your life, what doesn’t, and how to change the latter. Your “second chance” can start now, and this book will help you maximize it.”

• MARIEL HEMINGWAY, Actress, producer, and author of Healthy Living from the Inside Out

February 8, 2020 (San Diego) - Where was Dr. David J. Glass, the author of Moving On: Redesigning Your Emotional, Financial, and Social Life After Divorce, when it seemed that I needed him the most, going through my own divorce and child custody issues? In reading this insightful book by Dr. Glass, it is like he is preaching to the choir, for I have experienced a lot of what he has written in this book. He gives sage advice to anyone faced with the difficult prospect of divorce.

East County News Service

February 8, 2020 (Valley Center) – Following a debate among the top four-polling candidates in the 50^th Congressional District, the Valley Center Business Association and Valley Roadrunner newspaper released a  press release with results of a straw poll. The poll found Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar “dominated with 61% of the vote,” earning more votes than all three of his Republican opponents combined in the race to fill the seat vacated by Rep. Duncan Hunter's resignation.

THE TALLY

• 61% – Ammar Campa-Najjar (D)

• 22% – Carl DeMaio (R)

• 9% – Brian Jones (R)

• 8% – Darrell Issa (R)

View the full debate:  https://www.facebook.com/valleycenter/videos/186686705769417/