Photo courtesy of Rob Riingen,  East County Herald

July 18, 2014 (Lakeside) – Senator Joel Anderson’s office sent in this pic of the Senator presenting a resolution honoring the new Miss Rodeo USA 2014 and former Lakeside Rodeo Queen,  Elisa Swenson.

July 18, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - It’s raining cats – and more cats – over at the County animal shelters.

To help ease this overabundance, the shelters are offering up a special to help these felines find their forever homes.

July 18, 2014 (La Mesa)-The Grossmont Healthcare District’s Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library, 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa, will host a free senior discussion group program titled “Alzheimer’s Disease and Clinical Trials,” from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 27. The public is invited to attend and RSVP is not required. The speaker will be Mark Dobrina, lead clinical trials specialist, Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital Research Dept.

July 17, 2014 (Cleveland National Forest)--Due to high fire danger, Cleveland National Forest has announced elevated fires restrictions starting Friday, July 18^th.  The change is due to dryer fuel conditions, higher temperatures, and the likelihood of small fires becoming big fires.

July 18, 2014 (El Cajon) – East County is home to an estimated 40,000 Iraqi Chaldean Christians as well as many Assyrians and Syriacs. 

Local Iraqis including the Chaldean-American Chamber of Commerce, churches and other groups, ask the community to join them in a rally today, July 18 at El Cajon City Hall , 200 Civic Center Way, to urge protection and humanitarian help for those now fleeing Iraq, where a terrorist group has declared an Islamic caliph and is slaughtering Christians and other minorities.

A petition has also been launched calling on U.S. representatives to consider creating a safe haven for Assyrians and other minorities in the Nineveh Plains.

By Miriam Raftery

July 17,2014 (San Diego’s East County)—A federal judge has ruled that California’s death penalty enforcement has become so arbitrary and lengthy that it amounts to a violation of the Constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.  The ruling may be appealed to the U.S. 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals; California Attorney General Kamala Harris is currently reviewing the ruling.

By Miriam Raftery

July 17, 2014 (San Vicente) - The tallest dam raising in the United States is now complete.

On Wednesday, the San Diego County Water Authority  held a dedication ceremony for the new dam at San Vicente Reservoir in Lakeside.

By Miriam Raftery

July 17, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--BMW has announced a recall of 1.6 million vehicles to repair air bags. 

The recall includes 3-Series cars from model years 2000 to 2006.  That includes over a half million vehicles in the U.S.

By Miriam Raftery

July 16, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--Palm oil is in many of the foods you eat, from peanut butter to candy bars. It’s also in cosmetics, soaps and other personal care products.  But as demand for cheap palm oil among major manufacturers grows, rain forests are being decimated in Southeast Asia and now, Africa.

Plus previews of coming attractions

By Miriam Raftery

July 15, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--This week’s Destination East County has some wild events across our region, from the Bulls-Only Rodeo in Lakeside to a Yappy Hour in El Cajon. Iceskating starts at Hot Kroc Nights, plus we’ve got news of a blues concert, a wine dinner and a twilight walk—all in East County. We also have a sneak peak of some big events coming up next week, including Pine Valley Days and much more!

July 16, 2014 (San Diego's East County)-- ECM 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.

• Parts of Yellowstone National Park closed as supervolcano beneath it melts roads (RawStory)
• Buyers line up as pot shops open in Washington state (Washington Post)
• In NSA-intercepted data, those not targeted far outnumber the foreigners who are (Washington Post)
• Virus plagues the health industry (NY Times)
• NSA 'targets' Tor dark web servers (BBC)
• New Numbers Show Significant Drop In Deportations Of Minors (NPR) 
• The Life And Death Of 'The Internet's Own Boy' (NPR)

WORLD

• Iraq forces executed 255 prisoners in revenge for Islamic State killings: HRW (Reuters)
• ISIS is about to destroy Biblical history in Iraq (Daily Beast
• Thieves in Mexico steal truck with dangerous radioactive load (Reuters)
• Exclusive: Iraq tells U.N. that 'terrorist groups' seized nuclear materials (Reuters)
• Two 'abandoned' cylinders seized in Syria contained sarin - U.N. (Reuters)
• Iran connection: Why are Gaza rockets reaching so deep into Israel? (CS Monitor)
• United Nations: Most Gaza Casualties Were Warned by IDF to Leave Targeted Buildings in Advance (Algemeiner)
•  What if terrorist rockets could reach your country? (IDF)
• Bedouin attack in Negev town shocks residents (JPost)
• Six Jewish suspects arrested over death of Palestinian teenager (Reuters)
• Mother of dead Jewish teen condemns Abu Khdeir killing (Jerusalem Post)
• Islamic State seizes oil field and towns in Syria's east (Reuters)
• In Iraq's Sacred City Of Najaf, Clerics Call On Shiites To Fight (NPR)
• Iraqi Kurdish president asks parliament to prepare for independence vote (Reuters)
• Saudi Arabia deploys 30,000 soldiers to border with Iraq: al-Arabiya TV (Reuters)
• Nicaragua approves route for $40 billion canal linking oceans
• Central African Republic fighters attack church sheltering civilians
• Switzerland: From Banking Paradise To Data Safe Zone (NPR)
• Strong earthquake hits Japan, triggers tsunami near Fukushima (CS Monitor)

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

July 14, 2014 (El Cajon)—Camp Bow Wow hosts its 4^th annual Yappy Hour season at the Downtown Café in El Cajon, where guests are invited to bring your dog and enjoy free appetizers donated by the restaurant.

The Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation (MTRP) is pleased to present an exhibition featuring seven award winning artists who work in various mediums. This exhibit will be on display in the Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center Art Gallery, One Father Junipero Serra Trail, San Diego.  

July 2, 2014 (San Diego) - July 19 – August 15, 2014.  The public is cordially invited to a reception in honor of the artists on Sunday, July 20, 2014 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

July 8, 2014 (Lakeside) - At Oak Oasis  Preserve Campground in Lakeside, a free family campout and star party will be held on Friday night, July 25 through Saturday July 26.  You’re invited to join members of the San Diego Astronomy Association and park staff, using telescopes to view stars and planets from 8 to 10 p.m. If you plan to campover, arrive by 7 p.m.on Friday to set up before sunset.  (Note: Camping is only on Friday night.)

July 15, 2014 (San Diego) – What if you were assaulted by a robber and sprayed the attacker with pepper spray – only to have Silly String emerge from the can instead?