By David R. Shorey, East County Program Manager, Institute for Public Strategies

Photo, left: Casa de Oro Fall Festival 2018, courtesy IPS

October 10, 2019 (Spring Valley) - There is no better way to celebrate autumn than Casa de Oro Alliance’s Fourth Annual Fall Festival Nov. 9 at the Spring Valley Academy. The festival is a signature event for the community and highlights a neighborhood alliance that has been successful in tackling alcohol, drug, crime and neighborhood blight issues.

The free family event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. will feature shopping, vendors, games, prizes, entertainment and food trucks. The campus is located at 3900 Conrad Dr., just up the hill from the Campo Road business corridor. More information about the Fall Festival can be found at www.casadeoroalliance.org

The annual Fall Festival is part of a bigger plan by the Alliance to create a historically rich, culturally diverse and thriving community that is attractive, safe, pedestrian friendly and a popular destination for dining, entertainment and shopping.

By Sam Warren (c) 2019

Please send all literary notices to: SDWriteWay@gmail.com with month, date, weekday, event time, and links. Deadline is Friday. Published since 2008.

October 10, 2019 (San Diego) -- Upcoming local literary happenings include some special events: a Poetry & Art Series and Adventures by the Book, plus a treasure trove of events for readers and for writers.

Source: Grossmont Center

October 12, 2019 (La Mesa)-- Give an animal the treat of a forever home this Halloween! Grossmont Center and the San Diego Animal Support Foundationinvite you to the annual Howl-O-Ween Hounds MEGA Adoption Event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 12, at Grossmont Center (5500 Grossmont Center Dr., La Mesa).

During the free Howl-O-Ween Hounds event, dozens of rescue groups and shelters bring hundreds of dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, birds, turtles, and tortoises to the Center—and all of them are ready to be adopted into a loving home! You can find many different kinds of dog breeds at this mega adoption event, everything from the tiniest Chihuahuas to the grandest Great Pyrenees, as well as unique and adorable All-American “mutts.” This family-friendly event is the perfect way for every member of your household to choose a new pet together.

Source:  City of La Mesa

October 9, 2019 (La Mesa) - On Tuesday, October 8, 2019, the La Mesa City Council approved the Livable La Mesa Action Plan to promote programs and systems-level change that will strengthen the quality of life for older adults in the community.

East County News Service

Photo: 10 News

October 9, 2019 (Spring Valley) – A construction worker has died after an industrial accident this afternoon at Monte Vista High School in Spring Valley, says Sergeant Matt Cook with the San Diego Sheriff’s department.  According to ECM news partner 10 News, the accident occurred just hours after the topping off of the new multi-use facility at the school.

Sheriff’s deputies and the school’s resource office responded at 2 p.m. to the accident at a construction site on campus, where the 30-year-old man had fallen from a beam attached to a 30-foot-high platform.

October 9, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- SDG&E has issued a warning that it may shut off power to 28,701 customers in East County communities starting in the next 48 hours due to wildfire risks.  A red flag alert has been issued for Thursday afternoon and Friday by the National Weather Service.  The following communities are currently forecasted to be impacted:

• Banner Grade
• Boulevard
• Descanso
• East Alpine
• East Ramona
• Fallbrook
• Julian
• Mesa Grande
• Mt Laguna
• Palomar Mountain
• Pine Valley
• Potrero
• Rancho Santa Fe
• Rincon
• Santa Ysabel
• Valley Center
• Viejas
• West Valley Center
• Wynola

October 8, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Carcinogens have infiltrated the generic drug supply in the U.S. (Bloomberg Business Week)
• FDA announces generic Zantac recalls after cancer concerns (Drugwatch)
• Tests show bootleg marijuana vapes tainted with hydrogen cyanide (NBC) Purdue Pharma, Accused Of Fueling Opioid Crisis, Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy  (NPR)
• Dengue cases are surging around the world. Experts blame climate change. (Washington Post)
• Trump Signs Proclamation Denying Entrance to Immigrants Who Cannot Afford Health Care (NPR)
• Smartphone App Can Help Detect Leukocoria, A Sign Of Eye Cancer : Shots - Health News  (NPR)
• Kitchen Countertops Tied To Silicosis, Lung Damage, Deaths In Workers : Shots - Health News  (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• Election Security And Voting Machines: What You Need To Know  (NPR)
• Iranians tried to hack U.S. presidential campaign in effort that targeted hundreds, Microsoft says (Washington Post)
• Mysterious magnetic pulses discovered on Mars (National Geographic)
• Facebook Can Be Forced to Delete Content Worldwide, E.U.’s Top Court Rules (New York Times)

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

By Miriam Raftery

October 8, 2019 (Ramona) – California Highway Patrol today announced the arrest of Chase E. Richard, 34, of Ramona. He is accused of striking a bicyclist while driving a black Ford SUV with stolen license plates, then fleeing the scene and leaving Michelle Scott critically injured.

Kitchens for Good is making celebrity chefs rethink kitchen waste

Source: Kitchens for Good

October 8, 2019 (San Diego) -- Kitchens for Good will host WASTED: A Celebration of Sustainable Food on Oct. 20 sponsored by Sysco. This tastemaker event will feature 35 local and national celebrity chefs and mixologists who will be competing to prepare winning dishes and cocktails using food that would otherwise be discarded. The goal of the event is to bring awareness to sustainability for chefs and consumers, creating a call to action about the way people consider food waste. All proceeds will support Kitchens for Good, a non-profit organization that tackles issues of food waste, poverty and hunger.

Update September 10, 2019:  As feared, Turkey has launched an offensive against Kurdish troops who are U.S. allies, the Washington Post reports along with other major media, causing deaths, mass evacuations and a humanitarian crisis.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Kurdish rally in San Diego in 2014, when Kurdish Americans called for more protections for Kurds being massacred by ISIS, as ECM reported. 

 

October 8, 2019 (Washington D.C.) – President Donald Trump shocked top national security experts and military leaders, drawing condemnation from leaders of both parties in Congress after announcing on Sunday that he has ordered withdrawal of U.S. troops from northeastern Syria.  The move jeopardizes the lives of Kurdish fighters who helped the U.S. combat ISIS.

By Miriam Raftery

October 7, 2019 (San Diego) – The U.S. Supreme Court announced yesterday that it has denied San Diego Gas & Electric Company’s request for the high court to hear an appeal of a California Supreme Court decision. The California court denied the utility company’s request to charge utility ratepayers for $379 million in liabilities for the firestorm damages beyond the $1.1 billion in insurance coverage.

East County News Service

October 7, 2019 (Alpine) -- The Alpine Fire Protection District in collaboration with the National Fire Protection Agency is spreading the word about Fire Prevention Week October 6-12. The district also hosts its annual Open House at the fire station (1364 Tavern Rd.) on October 26th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  All are invited to come and visit the fire station, see the equipment up close and meet your firefighters. 

 

This year’s theme is “Plan and Practice your Escape!”

East County News Service

October 7, 2019 (La Mesa) – The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR), a real estate trade group for San Diego-area realtors, will host “Small Homes, Big Impact,” a free, two-hour forum and resource fair on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9 at the La Mesa Community Center, 4975 Memorial Dr., La Mesa. The public is invited to attend.

The event sponsor is AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons.

Topics to be discussed will include state and local compliance laws and legislative updates, as well as financing and types of ADUs, also known as granny flats and companion units. Additional topics will include why ADU’s are an option for homeowners, common experiences for homeowners, and where to go for more information and to apply for permits.

The moderator will be Colin Parent, La Mesa City Councilman (photo, left).

East County News Service October 6, 2019 (San Diego) -- Photographer Henri Migala caught these action shots during the Air Show at the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station last weekend.