By Liz Alper

Slideshow photo credit to Bede735 on Wikipedia

July 21, 2016 (Cleveland) – On Closing Night, Day Four, perhaps the biggest day of the Republican National Convention, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump formally announced his election as Republican presidential nominee.

Contribution provides critical support for community fire preparedness and prevention programs

By Stephanie Donovan

Photo: getting prepared; on July 14, SDG&E hosted a breakfast at the utility’s Kearny Mesa headquarters to distribute dozens of grants to support community partners focused on fire and emergency preparedness. John Sowers, SDG&E’s vice president of electric distribution operations, applauded the efforts of these grassroots groups to help improve regional safety.

July 21, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) - More than a dozen East County community-based organizations dedicated to fire and emergency-preparedness programs recently received a financial boost, thanks to a $900,000 grant from San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). SDG&E distributed the grants July 14 to more than 80 representatives of San Diego County Fire Safe Councils, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and other regional safety partners.

East County News Service

July 21, 2016 (San Diego's East County) - High pressure will strengthen over Southern California, causing a summer time heatwave to sweep much of the region. 

By Liz Alper

Photo courtesy @Padres on Twitter

July 20, 2016 (St. Louis) – After losing earlier today, the Padres looked to rebound in game two of today’s doubleheader.  Paul Clemens made his debut as a starter against St. Louis’ Jaime Garcia.

By Liz Alper

Photo courtesy @Padres on Twitter

July 20, 2016 (St. Louis) – Thanks to rain, the Padres and Cardinals are now playing two games today, the first of which is a morning (for us) matinee for game two which should’ve been last night.  Colin Rea started for San Diego against Cardinals ace Carlos Martinez.

East County News Service

July 20, 2016 (Gillespie Field) - Join the Santee Chamber of Commerce at their first-ever Black Tie Car Show Gala on Saturday, August 20th from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at High Performance Aircraft at Gillespie Field.

East County News Service

July 20, 2016 (East County) – The Water Conservation Garden, a six-acre conservation demonstration garden in El Cajon, will host a customer appreciation day for customers of the Helix Water District. This free event will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, July 31. The Water Conservation Garden is at 12122 Cuyamaca College Drive West, adjacent to Cuyamaca Community College, in El Cajon’s Rancho San Diego area.

By Liz Alper

Photo courtesy Anythingyouwant on Wikipedia

July 19, 2016 (Cleveland) - Republican delegates formally nominated their frontrunner, millionaire businessman and reality TV star Donald Trump as their candidate for president at day two of the Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena.

A is Not Only for Apple: English Alphabet Rhymed and Illustrated, by C.K. Thomas Tseng (NOOK Book, 2016, 38 pages).

Illustrated by Anat Tour

Book Review by Dennis Moore

July 19, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) - A classic case of “When East Meets West” is this book written by author C.K. Thomas Tseng of Taiwan; A is Not Only for Apple: English Alphabet Rhymed and Illustrated, and illustrated by San Diego’s East County’s own Anat Tour, an established author in her own right. Combining two familiar literary figures of speech – alliteration and end rhyme – A is Not Only for Apple: English Alphabet Rhymed and Illustrated helps very young learners of English obtain their early sensitivity to the sounds of the English alphabet in a natural and linguistic way. This collaboration on the part of Tseng and Tour seems to be the perfect marriage of cultures, East and West.

By Liz Alper

July 19, 2016 (San Diego's East County) - East County Softball Association's 10-year-old, 10-year-old and under, 14-year-old and 14-year-old and under teams have all qualified for their respective western national division tournaments.

By Liz Alper

July 18, 2016 (Cleveland) - Day one of the Republican National Convention was already filled with drama, as Trump supporters and anti-Trump delegates took the floor for a tug of war.

By Tom Christensen, County of San Diego Communications Office

Source:  County News Service

July 18, 2016 (San Diego) - A 5-week-old San Diego infant died on July 15 from pertussis, also known as whooping cough, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency announced today.

UPDATE AS OF JULY 20, 1:08 PM:  FEATHER FIRE 100% CONTAINED AT 100 ACRES/

UPDATE AS OF 2:24 PM:  Fire 90% contained, lawn mower believed to be cause of blaze.

UPDATE AS OF 9:47 AM July 19:  Fire 65% contained, still at 133 acres.

UPDATE AS OF 8:48 P.M.:  Fire 50% contained, still at 133 acres.

East County Alerts

Photo courtesy Geof Applegate

July 18, 2016 (Barona) - A fast moving brush fire east of the Barona Reservation started at around 14:00 hours, and has a rapid rate of spread. Residents on or around Feather Canyon Road are under evacuation orders, with Sheriff's officers carrying out those contacts.

Source: goaztecs.com press release

Photo: goaztecs.com

July 18, 2016 (Los Angeles) - Five San Diego State water polo players earned a spot on the Golden Coast Conference All-Academic Team, the league announced Friday.

Source: Heartland Fire Press Release

July 18, 2016 (La Mesa) - On Thursday July 21st at 9:45 a.m., Heartland Fire & Rescue in partnership with La Mesa Police Department and allied agencies, will be conducting our annual Mass Casualty Incident training. The training will include an Active Shooter element. This training allows Law Enforcement and Fire Department personnel to work together in the event of an actual active shooter, like what we have recently seen in Dallas, Texas and San Bernardino, California. To make this training more realistic, we will have live actors in moulage, simulating injuries that we would encounter in this type of emergency.