East County News Service

January 30, 2017 (San Diego) – Champions for Health, a local nonprofit formerly known as the San Diego County Medical Society Foundation, has announced it has entered into a collaboration with YMCA of San Diego County for the launch of “Jump Start for Health,” a new type 2 diabetes prevention program throughout San Diego County.

By Miriam Raftery

Protest planned at 5 p.m. tonight at Lindbergh Field; immigrant attorneys warn demonstrators could be detained, caution non-citizens not to participate due to “grave” risks

January 29, 2017 (San Diego)—Multiple federal courts have issued orders temporarily blocking deportation of  legal residents detained at airports following President Trump’s executive order Friday, including a New York federal judge ruling on an ACLU suit that applies nationwide. While some remain detained and denied access to counsel per the ACLU, others were allowed to meet with immigration attorneys  and were soon set free at airports across the U.S., where large crowds gathered and greeted the arriving immigrants with cheers to welcome them to America (View video).

The court orders thus far protect only those already at U.S. airports or in transit. Other lawsuits are set to be filed Monday by civil rights and Arab-American groups seeking to overturn as unconstitutional the broader ban on admitting refugees as from seven mostly Muslim nations (Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Syria, Libya and Yemen)  listed as countries of concern by the State Department. 

The order also applies to  an estimated half million legal U.S. residents with green cards from those countries, as well as people who hold dual citizen in any of the seven nations as well as citizenship in U.S. ally nations including Canada and Great Britain.

Source: goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

January 28, 2017 (Fort Collins, Colo.) - San Diego State women’s basketball out-rebounded one of the best defensive teams in the nation, 40-27, but was stymied by Colorado State, 60-43, at Moby Arena Saturday afternoon. 

Order exempts nations where Trump has business ventures; protests erupt at airports nationwide

By Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine

Photo: A large crowd at JFK airport in New York is protesting the crackdown on refugees and immigrants tonight, where cab drivers have threatened to shut down airport traffic for an hour.  A smaller group of protestors has gathered at San Diego's Lindbergh Field airport,  CBS reports.

January 28, 2017 (San Diego)—An executive ordered signed Friday by President Donald Trump suspends admission of refugees from seven predominantly Muslim nations for at least 120 days pending “extreme vetting.”  Those nations are Iraq, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya and Yemen, CNN reports. 

Despite banning refugees from Syria, Trump backed off his campaign pledge to establish a safe zone inside war-torn Syria for persecuted people.  

The order also puts a half million legal residents of the U.S. who are traveling overseas in limbo, unable to return home, and slashes in half the number of refugees the U.S. will admit this year from all countries.

“The public’s access to its government and its employees is dying.” –Lynn Walsh, Society for Professional Journalists.

By Miriam Raftery

January 27, 2017 (Washington D.C.) -- First Amendment advocates are sounding the alarm over a gag order on federal agencies imposed by Donald Trump’s administration.   The agencies have been ordered not to communicate with the press or public, including press releases, social media, and more.  

East County News Service

January 27, 2017 (Cuyamaca) – Tom Lemon ventured into the Laguna Mountains today and sent us this beautiful photo of the thick blanket of snow across the area.  “I saw where the plows had moved a lot of snow and today there were three plows working to clear the side of the Sunrise Highway to the edge of the pavement and parking areas at the lodge, visitor center, and the restaurants,” he wrote. “We stopped at Cuyamaca Lake to walk across the causeway and I could not continue because of the 40 MPH wind and spray from whitecaps on the lake.”

East County News Service

January 27, 2017 (El Cajon) -- On Wednesday, February 8, stop by the Antique & Collectible Show, located at the Unity Church Hall, 311 Highland Avenue in El Cajon, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m.  See collectibles from artwork to jewelry—or bring your items in for appraisals available at $5 per item.

By Monica Zech, Public Information Officer for the City of El Cajon

January 27, 2017 (El Cajon) – Here are the latest civic and community events, announcements, and information from the City of El Cajon.

East County News Service

January 27, 2017 (La Mesa) – The Helix Water Board has some important matters to consider at its next two meetings.  On Monday, January 30^th at 6 p.m., the board will interview applicants and appoint a new director to fill a vacancy on the board.  Then on Wednseday, February 1^st at 6 p.m., ,the agenda includes a discussion of the County Water Authority’s declaration finding the drought is over in San Diego County—and what actions the Helix District should consider taking to ease water use restrictions on ratepayers.

By Miriam Raftery

January 26, 2017 (El Cajon) – The County Medical Examiner has released autopsy results on Alfred Olango, who was fatally shot by an El Cajon Police officer last September.  The autopsy reveals that Olango was shot four times with bullets and simultaneously tased with a taser. 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Dr. Gary Woods, GUHSD school board member, tastes locally-sourced foods along with students at Grossmont College “California Thursdays” event.

January 26, 2017 (El Cajon) -- Nearly 20,000 students in the Grossmont Union High School District participated today in a novel approach to school food: healthy, freshly prepared meals made with California-grown produce and fresh ingredients.

Glover insists comment not meant as racist

By Jonathan Goetz

January 26, 2017 (El Cajon) – In the same week that President Donald Trump announced an executive order to block new immigrants from Iraq, El Cajon Veterans Commissioner George Glover stated, “Why doesn’t Ben Kalasho go back home to where he came from?”

East County News Service

Source: San Diego County Water Authority

Jan. 26, 2017 (San Diego) — Today the County Water Authority board declared an end to the drought in San Diego County.  The Water Authority will ask Governor Jerry Brown to rescind drought emergency regulations for areas of California no longer in drought conditions.

East County News Service

January 26, 2017 (San Diego) – Campo resident Ryan Gary Renz, 24, has been arrested for murder and suspicion of driving under the influence after the Jetta vehicle he was driving flipped over last night at 6:55 p.m., killing two passengers.

Source: Ramona Valley Vineyard Association

Photo:  Outgoing RVVA president Micole Moore (left) and incoming RVVA president Bill Schweitzer (right) pose with the speaker, Master Sommelier Frederick Dame (center), at the 2016 Lum Eisenman Wine Competition awards dinner on June 22, 2016.

Jnuary 26, 2017 (Ramona) - The Board of Directors of the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association (RVVA) selected Bill Schweitzer as their new president for the next three-year term.