Ruling protects priests across U.S., overrules patriarch’s decision

East County News Service

Photo:  Father Noel with Congressman Juan Vargas late last year; photo by Miriam Raftery

(January 8, 2015)- In a landmark decision, Pope Francis has ruled in favor of St. Peter's Chaldean Church in El Cajon in its battle to keep Father Noel Gorgis safely here.

January 8, 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.

• Big threats for Obama’s climate efforts from GOP-led Congress (AP)
• Millions caught in icy grip as arctic front pushes south (CBS)
• Who’s most likely to be killed by police? (CNN)
• Net Neutrality Debate Forces FCC Chairman Into The Spotlight (NPR)

WORLD

• At least 12 dead in shooting at satirical publication’s office in Paris (KPBS)
• Palestinian statehood resolution fails at U.N council, U.S. votes against (Reuters)
• New Year's Eve stampede kills 36 on Shanghai waterfront (Reuters)
• US mission in Havana to become embassy amid thaw (UT San Diego)
• Islamic State executed nearly 2,000 people in six months: monitor (Reuters)
• U.S.-led forces launch 13 air strikes in Iraq, three in Syria (Reuters)
• Despite Its Beauty, Cuba Isn't Quite Ready For Tourists (NPR)
• ISIS published female sex slave handbook (Post)

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

By Miriam Raftery

January 7, 2015 (Spring Valley) – The State Controller’s Office has issued its final review report on the San Miguel Consolidated Fire Protection District’s administrative and internal accounting controls.

“Our review did not identify any significant deficiencies with the District’s administrative and internal accounting controls,” the report states. None-the-less, the report indicates the state plans to charge the district for the cost of the investigation. report indicates the state launched the investigation  because it had “reason to believe that the Annual Report of Financial Transactions submitted by the District is misstated, incomplete, or incorrect.”

"I prefer to die standing up than live kneeling." -- Stefane Charbonnier, Editor, Charlie Hedbo

Photo: #JesSuisCharlie on Twitter

By Miriam Raftery

January 7, 2015 (Paris)--Crowds around the world are standing up and journalists are speaking out to show solidarity with journalists slain at a French satirical magazine in Paris on Wednesday by  Islamic fundamentalist terrorists. The dead include the publication’s editor, other journalists including  prominent cartoonists, and two police officers.

Disneyland visitors also exposed in December

January 7, 2015 (El Cajon)--Two San Diego siblings may have exposed others to measles at Parkway Plaza Mall in El Cajon on Dec. 29, 2014 the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) announced today.

East County News Service

January 7, 2015 (San Diego) – San Diego-based Petco, the nation’s largest pet product retailer, announced this week that it has removed all dog treats and cat treats made in China off its store shelves nationwide, as well as from its website.

Updated January 8, 2015 with more details from Haggen.

January 7, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Over two dozen Albertsons and Vons grocery stores in our region are being bought by Haggen Food & Pharmacy, a small grocery chain headquartered in Washington State and focused on healthy, natural and gourmet foods.

By Chris Jennewein

Photo: Aethlon Medical’s Hemopurifier blood filtration system.

Reprinted with permission from Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association.

January 6, 2015 (San Diego)--San Diego-based Aethlon Medical Inc. announced Friday the Food and Drug Administration has approved a clinical protocol to treat Ebola-infected individuals in the United States with the Aethlon’s Hemopurifier blood filter.

East County News Service

January 6, 2015 (San Diego) -- In an effort to protect newborn babies from being abandoned in unsafe places or facing an even worse fate, California has a Safe Surrender Law.  Parents can bring their infant, up to three days old, to any fire station or hospital in California, as well as other designated sites. Parents are protected against prosecution as long as the child has no signs of abuse.

January 5, 2015 (San Diego)--Safeway Inc. will pay nearly $10 million to settle  charges that more than 500 of its California stores, including 64 in San Diego County, violated hazardous waste storage and disposal laws, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday.

East County News Service

January 5, 2015 (El Cajon)--Milholland Solar and Electric, the premier solar installation and electrical contractor in Southern California, celebrates its 25^th anniversary this year.

By Roger Coppock



January 4, 2015 (San Dego's East County) -- NASA is launching a microwave instrument to measure soil moisture. Details at https://smap.jpl.nasa.gov and http://smap.jpl.nasa.gov/webcam/webcam.html.

By Miriam Raftery

January 4, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) –Many hot agenda items are coming up before boards, commissions and councils across East County during this first week of the new year.

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

Readers

January 5 (Monday, 7:30 pm) — Publishers Weekly’s review of Genesis Code by Jamie Metzel notes: “Metzl, a former member of the U.S. National Security Council, offers up a tense vision of the near future with this science fiction thriller…Metzl enhances it with a philosophical protagonist, scientific plausibility, and a keen sense of mood.” This futuristic thriller offers a frightening look at a new kind of superpower race—of humans. As women unknowingly impregnated with genetically enhanced embryos are murdered, Rich Azadian, a historically-burdened Armenian-American reporter for the Kansas City Star, begins the fight of his life, under growing danger, to try to figure out who is killing these women and why, and whether any others like them may still be alive.

Photo, top left:  Gil Frank and Melissa Medina

Photo, top right: Linda Frank Luz (center, in white) with her extended family

By Leon Thompson

January 4, 2015 (Alpine)--A very special holiday party and family reunion took place at the Mediterraneo Italian Bistro in Alpine on Saturday, December 20^th.   

Linda Frank Luz is the mother of Gilbert Frank III, co-owner with Enzo Croce of Alpine’s popular upscale restaurant.  She’s the perfect hostess, welcoming and introducing friends and family from as far away as Portugal and Brazil. The Frank and Croce families have long colorful histories in San Diego, from humble fishermen to a fleet of tuna boats to bankers then hotels and restaurants. 

I felt honored to be there, invited as a longtime friend of the restaurant, chef and owners.  I was surrounded by warm and hospital people with movie-star good looks.