October 18, 2018  (La Mesa/Mt. Helix) -- You're invited to East County Magazine's Halloween party at our editor's "haunting Hideaway haven"  in the La Mesa/Mt. Helix area (4438 Hideaway Place, La Mesa).  The fun begins at 5 p.m. on Sunday, October 28th.

Costume contest for best individual and best couples costumes

Costumes are optional but recommended for those with the holiday "spirit!"

Music by Paul Nichols and Tim Luranc: guitar/harmonica/vocal: folks, blues, pop and of course, Monster Mash!

Cost: Just $10 and bring a dish to share.

RSVP  Call 619-698-7617 or email editor@eastcountymagazine.org and please let us know if you'll bring an appetizer, side dish, main dish or dessert.

Over $1,000 in prizes!

Special thanks to our major sponsor:

Prize sponsors:  Granite Lion Cellars, EMed Spa, Giardino's, Mountain Mike's, Ranch Feed & Supply, Barnes and Noble, Maxwell's  House of Books, Club Pilates, Prete a Porte Salon, Maldini's Pizzeria, San Diego Festival Chorus & Orchestra, Filippi's Pizza Grotto, Gypsy Treasures, authors Joyce Strand & Teresa Burrell, Visionary Dance Theatre, & more.

Proceeds benefit:   East County Wildfire and Emergency Alerts and East County Magazine community news published by the nonprofit 501c3 Heartland Coalition.

(actual photos of our past Halloween parties at our editor's Hideaway haven)

By Yvette Urrea Moe, County of San Diego Communications Office

October 26, 2018 (San Diego) - The California Office of Traffic Safety awarded San Diego County Probation a $382,000 grant to help ensure that high-risk, repeat drunk or drugged driving offenders with suspended or revoked licenses are complying with all court orders.

By Miriam Raftery

October 26, 2018 (Washington D.C.)  – The FBI today announced the arrest of Cesar Altieri Sayoc, a 56-year-old Florida man suspected of sending at least 14 pipe bombs that targeted former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, as well as other prominent Democrats, a CNN commentator and critics of President Donald Trump. 

Sayoc, a Republican, attended rallies held by Trump at which Trump vilified Democrats and the media. Rally images show him wearing a red Make America Great hat.

Sayoc has a criminal record that includes making a prior bomb threat in 2002, theft and sale of illegal steroids.

Kicked out by his parents, he was living in his van plastered with pro-Trump, anti-liberal stickers  and messages critical of CNN, the network reports.

Listen to our interview by clicking this link



East County News Service

October 26, 2018 (El Cajon)—Mayor Bill Wells sat down for an in-depth interview with East County Magazine Show’s producer Miriam Raftery.

You can hear the full interviewed aired on KNSJ Radio at the audio link, or scroll down for highlights as he discusses his achievements as Mayor and his goals for the city if reelected.

By Cheryl A. Reiff, rancher and business owner

October 26, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) -- I am greatly concerned by The Administration's attempts to weaken the Endangered Species Act (ESA) thru nine currently proposed regulatory changes.  The proposed changes to the ESA, presented by Secretary Zinke and his Deputy Secretary Bernhardt, will make it very difficult to protect the wild animals that are already threatened with extinction (This is why they are listed as “endangered”). 

By Miriam Raftery

October 25, 2018 (La Mesa)—Brianna Bell, a Helix Charter High School student shown on video slammed to the ground in handcuffs by a La Mesa Police officer, has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of La Mesa (Brianna Bell v. City of La Mesa, Scott Wulfing, U.S. District Court Case No. 18CV2455 BEN BLM).

The lawsuit alleges that LMPD School Resource Officer Scott Wulfing used excessive force, violated Bell’s civil rights, inflicted emotional distress, and committed assault and battery. Officer Wulfing is also named individually in the suit. He is on administrative leave pending the outcome of a third party independent investigation.

Dilkhwaz Ahmed honored for efforts helping refugees and immigrants in El Cajon

By Briana Gomez

October 25, 2018 (San Diego) -- Casa Cornelia, a non-profit law firm that provides pro-bono services to the San Diego immigrant community, hosted its annual “La Mancha Awards” last Friday, Oct. 19. 

Source: Envision La Mesa

October 24, 2018 (La Mesa) -- Last Saturday, volunteers from across the City of La Mesa took a hand in cleaning up University Avenue at Envision La Mesa’s “Shining Our Streets” event. Neighbors and students from nearby Helix High School gathered unsightly trash, reported issues requiring the city’s attention through the YourGov app and dropped by to thank local businesses who chipped in to ensure participants had the supplies they needed for a successful event.

By Miriam Raftery

October 24, 2018 (San Diego) – If you bought a Mega Millions ticket at a Chevron station located at 6301 Del Cerro Blvd., be sure to check your numbers.  A ticket worth $562,472 was sold there, state lottery officials confirm.

By Miriam Raftery

October 24, 2018 (San Diego's East County) - Bombs sent to former president Barack Obama, former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, liberal funder George Soros, media outlet CNN, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and other targets are being denounced as acts of terrorism.

The first was a pipe bomb mailed to Soros. The CNN package containing a bomb was mailed to former CIA director John Brennan, a commentator for the network whose criticism of President Donald Trump resulted in Trump revoking Brennan’s security clearance earlier this year.

October 24, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• CDC Probes More Cases of Polio-Like Syndrome AFM (NBC 7)
• Trump administration takes another step to allow health plans that don't cover preexisting conditions (Los Angeles Times)
• Microplastics Are Turning Up Everywhere, Even in Human Excrement (NPR)
• Want to Keep Your Brain Sharp? Take Care of Your Eyes and Ears  (NPR)
• Measles outbreak raging in Europe could be brought to U.S., doctors warn (NBC News)
• Not exercising worse for your health than smoking, diabetes and heart disease, study reveals (CNN)
• Tech breakthrough offers early warning system for heart attacks (Reuters)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• SDSU researchers find unbelievable benefits to black widow spider silk (10 News)
• Carrots could be key to making greener buildings, say researchers (Reuters)
• In North Carolina, hurricanes did what scientists could not: Convince Republicans that climate change is real (Washington Post)
• China plans to launch "artificial moon" over city (CBS)
• Tiny pieces of plastic found in 90% of table salt (National Geographic)

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

October 28, 2018 (San Diego's East County)-- Our August and September 2018 radio shows are now online. For links to listen to the shows plus an index with full list of topics and interviews, click "read more" and scroll down. (Audio files may take a few moments to load).

Our interviews included author Richard Carrico, Claudio Erickson of Unplugged Village, all four candidates for La Mesa City Council (previously published in our politics section) and discussion of the top issues across our region and our nation.

The East County Magazine Show airs Mondays and Fridays from 5 to 6 p.m. on KNSJ, 89.1 FM.  Our shows rerun on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.  (Note, our August shows reran on Fridays due to staff vacations.) Read more and listen to our August and September shows below:

East County News Service

October 22, 2018 (La Mesa) -- Make the holidays special for military children and families that live in La Mesa military housing. La Mesa Chamber of Commerce is gathering toys, diapers and items for children between the ages of 2 - 13 years old. The Chamber will host a toy drive party at BJ's restaurant in Grossmont Center on December 4th from 5:30 - 7 p.m. to celebrate. Bring a new, unwrapped toy and join in the fun! 

East County News Service

October 22, 2018 (Lakeside) – The Lakeside Community Planning Group will hold a public hearing this Thursday on an environmental impact report on a controversial sand mining project proposed in the El Monte Valley. After public comments and discussion, planning group members are expected to vote on the project’s EIR.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos: Steve Poizner, left, and Ricardo Lara, right

October 22, 2018 (Sacramento) – The next insurance commissioner will determine whether or not California fights to save health insurance for state residents against an onslaught of cuts proposed by the Trump administration,  whether insurance companies will be held accountable for paying victims of wildfires for losses covered under insurance policies, whether cyber-insurance should be available to cover consumers’ losses from fraud, and more. The race pits Democratic State Senator Ricardo Lara against Steve Poizner, a former Republican who previously held the office and is now running as an independent.