County News Service

Photo: Fire devastation in Lake County.

October 21, 2015 (San Diego)--When fierce wildfires devastated parts of Northern California and the state of Washington in recent months, five San Diego County employees deployed to assist with emergency operations in a couple of the hardest hit areas.

For complete Calendar including Authors Events, go to www.SDWriteWay.org

October 21, 2015 (San Diego's East County) - This column is also published in the http://EastCountyMagazine.org. If you are from East County, I highly recommend that you check out the ECM for articles and the latest in what is happening in the East County.

By Sylvia Sullivan

October 22, 2015 (La Mesa) -- Anger and frustration filled the overflowing room of irate ratepayers at the recent Helix Water District meeting.

The meeting started off tense but restrained as the public sat politely listening to the almost hour long staff presentation. When told the consultant, from Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc. would make another presentation the people had enough. The discussion became as heated as the temperature in the room.

By Miriam Raftery

October 21, 2015 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police have arrested Michael Patrick McDonnell, 46.  He is charged with the murder of his roommate, Richard Winslow Hobbs, 72.

East County News Service

October 20, 2015 (Sacramento)--If you receive a new heart, lung, kidney or other donated organ, you may have an undocumented immigrant to thank.

Donate Life California, which runs California’s organ and tissue registry, reports that the number of organ donors has increased by nearly a third – 30 percent – since a new law took effect in January allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses.

By Kathy Carpenter

Associate and Youth Reviewer www.sdtheatrereviews.com

October 21, 2015 (Spring Valley) - The Addams Family is basically a romantic comedy with a pop of ooky. A kooky family, which when it comes down to thick and thin has a strong bond like most families and will stick together no matter what. 

Young Actor'sTheatre in Spring valley always does an amazing job of family entertainment, and this show is no different. It's the perfect pre-Halloween experience. Bring out the kids and share some silly macabre fun.

The story is about little Wednesday all grown up and in love. She invites her boyfriend and his parents to dinner and ask them to act normal. She tells Gomez Lucas her boyfriend wants to marry her, but not to to tell Mortica. That's a difficult task for Gomez to keep a secret for Mortica, but he agrees, and the fun begins.

By Suzanne Potter, Public News Service

October 21, 2015 (Sacramento) – The senior population of California will grow by two-thirds over the next 20 years, and most workers are not saving enough for retirement.

East County News Service

October 21, 2015 (San Diego) - A stretch of Interstate 15 through Poway has been renamed in honor of Tony Gwynn, the former San Diego Padres Hall of Famer who died of cancer in 2007.

October 21, 2015 (San Diego's East County)-- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Probiotic bacteria may aid against anxiety and memory loss (RawStory)
• The flying fanatic who helped babies breathe (BBC)
• Practising Music Improves The Symmetry Of Your Brain (IFL Science)
• Dance, Sing, Just 'Keep Moving,' Dick Van Dyke Tells Seniors (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• What ancient rocks reveal about Earth's inner core (CS Monitor)
• Sunpreme: The Grape That Could Revolutionize The Raisin Industry (NPR)
• Inside NASA's three-phase plan to put humans on Mars (CS Monitor)
• The robot 'you can't escape' (BBC)
• Tesla's Elon Musk: cars, design and those falcon doors (Marketplace)

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

October 21, 2015 (San Diego's East County)-- East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Hopes dim to avert Medicare premium spike (The Hill)
• U.S. will require recreational drone users to register aircraft (Washington Post)
• Under fire from Donald Trump, Jeb Bush focuses on 9/11 even though hijackers got Florida licenses (International Business Times)
• Paul Ryan’s reluctance could spark speakership scramble (The Hill)
• Apple bans hundreds of i-phone aps that secretly gathered data (CNN)
• Stripping down to the ugly truth about Playboy (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Robert Reich: Why Hillary Clinton is wrong for refusing to reinstate Glass-Seagall (In These Times)

WORLD

• Canada’s liberals sweep to power (BBC)
• Rash of Palestinian stabbing attempts continues over weekend
• Terrorist kills soldier, wounds several others in attack at Beersheba bus station (JPost)
• Palestinian Authority demands end to Israel's 'terrorism, incitement and summary executions' (JPost)
• Michael Gerson: The children among the ruins (Washington Post)

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

East County News Service

October 20, 2015 (Escondido) – The Sheriff’s Department asks public help to identify the decomposing remains of a woman found October 17^th on Lake Drive in the Del Dios area near Lake Hodges.

The County Medical Examiner’s office believes the woman died three to six weeks ago.  She was of Hispanic or African-American origin, 25 to 35 years old, and about 5 feet 3 or 5 feet 4 inches in height. She was wearing a very distinctive ring, shorts, and a unique athletic jersey, according to Lieutenant Kenn Nelson in the Sheriff’s Homicide Detail.

By Devoreo Bell

October 20, 2015 (Washington D.C.) -- Former Virginia Senator and Democratic Presidential Candidate Jim Webb has announced that he has dropped out of the running to be the next president.

Webb acknowledged that there is a disconnect between himself and other Democrats on key issues.

According to NBCNews.com, Webb stated, "I fully accept that my views on many issues are not compatible with the power structure and the nominating base of the Democratic Party.”

East County News Service

October 20, 2015 (Sacramento)--Opponents of California’s new Aid in Dying Law, also known as the Right to Die, have launched a signature gathering effort seeking to put a petition on the ballot to overturn the measure.

By Miriam Raftery

October 20, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) –  Increasingly, San Diegans are drawing power from large desert solar facilities built in Imperial County, with similar facilities slated for the farthest east portions of our County in Boulevard and Jacumba.  The projects are being pushed forward to help meet California’s ambitious goal to have 40% of electricity from renewables by 2030 under a new law approved by Governor Jerry Brown.

But now a new study by the University of California, Berkeley finds that reliance on remote solar projects creates environmental problems. 

By Miriam Raftery

October 20, 2015 (Washington D.C.)--Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert plans to enter a guilty plea to allegations that he paid out blackmail money to keep allegations of sexual misconduct quiet, his attorney told a federal judge, NBC news reports.  But a prominent FBI whistleblower is speaking out, claiming prosecutors are quick to reach a deal in order to cover-up far more serious crimes that involve Hastert and other high-level officials, including espionage and blackmail paid by foreign governments.