By Felicia Mello, CALMatters

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

Photo:  As the college cheating scandal has spread to include UCLA and UC Berkeley, state lawmakers are scrutinizing loopholes and seeking to reassure Californians. Photo by Robbie Short for CALmatters

March 25, 2019 (Sacramento) - When state legislators grilled University of California staff at a hearing Tuesday about the university’s response to the recent college admissions scandal, Assemblyman Kevin McCarty asked the question that’s been reverberating since the story broke last week.

By Miriam Raftery

March 24, 2019 (Escondido) – Escondido-based Henry Avocado Corporation is recalling avocados after a government inspection at a California packing facility resulted in testing positive for Listeria. The recalled products have stickers reading Bravocado” on the exterior.

Listeria can cause fever, stiffness, nausea, diarrhea and other symptoms. It may be fatal to young children, elderly people or others with weakened immune systems. It can also cause stillbirths and miscarriages in pregnant women.

By Miriam Raftery

March 24, 2019 (El Cajon) – You’re invited to a Warbird Expo and World War II collectors’ swap meet at Gillespie Field in El Cajon on Saturday, April 13 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Tickets for a ride in real WWII aircraft (a historic WWII SNJ-5 Trainer) can also be purchased online or at the event.

This is the largest fundraiser of the year for Air Group One to help keep these historic World War II aircraft flying and fund youth education programs.

East County News Service

March 23, 2019 (San Diego) - The San Diego Harp Society will hold its annual advanced students harp recital at the Mission Trails Church, 4880 Zion Avenue, San Diego 92120 on April 14th from 3 - 4 p.m.  This is a free concert (for donations) and every dollar collected goes directly to the San Diego Harp Society.  Second Sunday Community Concerts and the Mission Trails Church do not take any donated money.

SDSU run-ruled in five innings in rubber game of series

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

March 23, 2019 (Boise) - The San Diego State softball team was unable to overcome a difficult first inning in a 16-1, five-inning loss in the series finale at Boise State on Saturday afternoon.

By Kathy Carpenter

By Elizabeth Castillo, CALmatters

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

Photo:  Carol Dahmen poses with a receipt that's more than 4 feet long—for the purchase of a single item. Photo via Kevin Eckery for CALmatters

March 22, 2019 (San Diego) - When Carol Dahmen discovered the CVS receipt draped across the counter of her Carmichael kitchen, she couldn’t resist pulling out her tape measure to document it.

Her husband had purchased one single prescription. The receipt, she discovered, stretched on to contain 11 coupons before topping out at an astonishing 4 feet 8 inches—the height of Olympic champion gymnast Simone Biles.

By Maryanne Jackson Real Estate Broker CNE. CPRES

March 21, 2019 (La Mesa) -

Dear Maryanne,

I own a property on Fuerte Drive in Mount Helix. With all the rain we have been getting recently, there’s an area in my front yard that has become a stream when it rains. Can I divert this water away from my house? What are some of the most common ways to deal with this?

--Ms. S. T.

March 21,  2019 (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

• Tijuana ranked most dangerous city in the world as spring break approaches (10 News)
• Stingrays out in 'full force' as people flock to the beach, lifeguards warn (10 News)
• San Diego installs more than 3,000 cameras and sensors on street lights (Fox News)
• San Diego County to boost wildfire protection plan (10 News)
• Humpback whale feeding frenzy off San Diego’s Coast (10 News)
• Four Men Accuse San Diego Unified Trustee Kevin Beiser of Sexual Misconduct, Abuse (Voice of San Diego)
• Driver crashes through El Cajon restaurant and flees, leaving massive mess (10 News)
• City Water Department Resisted Oversight, Downplayed Smart Meter Problems (Voice of San Diego)
• La Mesa mulls raising sewer rates (San Diego Union Tribune)
• Restaurant Owners, Styrofoam Cup Maker Sue San Diego Over Styrofoam Ban (Vice UK)
• U-Haul Truck Slams Into County Health Building (NBC 7 San Diego)
• A Look at San Diego’s Financial Battles Over the Public Records Act (NBC 7)

STATE

• ‘The Budget Just Changed’: Governor Gavin Newsom Responds To Big City Mayors’ Call For More Homelessness Funding (Capitol Public Radio)
• Medieval diseases are resurging in California — and hitting the homeless especially hard (Kaiser Health News)
• California is now drought-free, monitor says. Wait, didn’t that happen 2 years ago? (Sacramento Bee)
• Schwarzenegger Pulls No Punches in a Rare Rebuke of Trump (The Atlantic)
• Advocacy group pushes for inclusion of Laos history in California's curriculum (NBC News)

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

March 20, 2019 (Viejas Reservation) -- Tom Hyde, revered tribal elder, passed from this earth and his beloved Viejas community, March 14, 2019, at 92 years of age.  He is survived by a large family of 200, both blood and chosen.  Born Thomas James Hyde to Prudencia and Valentine Hyde, of El Capitan Village, he’s the last of the original Viejas Reservation members, and last to have personally witnessed destruction of El Capitan Village, at age five. Thus, he began life as a bridge between the past and future of the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians.

March 20, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Massive study finds eating organic slashes cancer risk (EWG)
• Daily Marijuana Use And Highly Potent Weed Linked To Psychosis (NPR)
• Drinking very hot tea almost doubles risk of cancer, new study says (CNN )
• One Doctor Is Responsible for a Third of All Medical Vaccine Exemptions in San Diego (Voice of San Diego)

 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• Boeing had too much sway in vetting own jets, FAA was told  (Bloomberg )
• A meteor exploded with 10 times the energy of the Hiroshima atomic bomb (BBC News US)
• Solar storms can be even worse if you live near certain rocks (National Geographic)
• The spring equinox is Wednesday: 7 things to know about the first day of spring (VOX)

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