November 14, 2019 (San Diego) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:  

LOCAL

• Federal agents raid four San Diego homes in money laundering investigation (10 News)
• Detectives Smash Alleged International Cell Phone Theft Ring in El Cajon, Bay Area (NBC 7)
• Prosecutors: Hunter couldn’t afford daughter’s dance lessons, spent campaign funds on trip to competition (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego officials say they won’t sell private data from smart street lights (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Joint Powers Authority formed to oversee East County water purification project (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Morning Report: Hundreds of California Police Officers Have Been Convicted of Crimes (Voice of San Diego)

STATE

• Generators are a hot commodity: Here’s what you need to know about buying one for the next outage (San Jose Mercury News)
• California’s new gig economy law challenged in court by truck drivers (Sacramento Bee)
• Can the long-lost abalone make a comeback in California? (Los Angeles Times)
• ICE may circumvent California’s ban on private immigrant detention centers (Los Angeles Times)
• Fed up with Forest Service cuts, Mammoth Lakes and other towns are plotting a recreation takeover (Los Angeles Times)
• My Neighborhood Was on Fire. My Neighbors Came Together to Save It. (New York Times)

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

November 13, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Trump proposes big cuts to health programs for poor, elderly and disabled (Washington Post)
• Potential culprit found in vaping-related lung injuries and deaths (Washington Post)
• Economist: Warren is right. Her Medicare for All plan won't raise taxes on the middle class (CNN)
• Trump Administration Files Patent Lawsuit Against HIV-Prevention Drugmaker (SBUR Here and Now)
• Chronic Pain Eased With Meditation And Lower Doses Of Opioids : Shots - Health News (NPR)
• People in 33 States Can Use Medical Marijuana. Why Can’t Veterans Get It for PTSD? (Healthline)
• The Hidden Cost of Gold: Birth Defects and Brain Damage (New York Times)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• How Did a Virus From the Atlantic Infect Mammals in the Pacific? (New York Times)
• Facebook and YouTube block spread of supposed whistleblower’s name and photo. Twitter allows both (Washington Post)
• Facebook reports it took action against tens of millions of posts for breaking rules on hate speech, harassment and child exploitation (Washington Post)

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

East County News Service

November 13, 2019 (El Cajon) -- Student veterans at Cuyamaca College will receive a belated Veterans Day gift in the form of a new veterans center inside Cuyamaca College’s Student Center, Building I.  A ribbon-cutting to officially open the center, in addition to marking the grand reopening of the Student Center after nearly a year’s remodeling, is set for 9-10 a.m. Thursday, Nov 14.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Surveillance video of suspect vehicle

November 6, 2019 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police Department is seeking a small silver four-door sedan that may have damage to the bumper, hood and windshield. The vehicle struck a man at the intersection of East Chase and Lincoln Avenue on November 6 around 6:24 p.m.

A passerby started CPR on the victim, who was unresponsive. Medics transported him to Sharp Memorial Hospital via ambulance, where he was pronounced dead.

GUHSD to hold hearing tonight at 6 p.m. on Steele Canyon's charter renewal

By Ana Nita

View video of Nov. 6 Steele Canyon governing board meeting:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByIxjGKYLUI 

November 13, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) -- Steele Canyon High School is yet another charter that landed in hot water recently, following allegations of violating the law and acting undemocratically to undermine parents’ rights. The accusations are signed by two of its governing board members – Vice-Chair Timothy Abbott and newly installed board member Mark Robak. Both are both accusing the charter committee of excluding parents from decisional power during the process of renewing the charter’s authorization with Grossmont Union School District, the school’s sponsor. 

Abbott and Robak are also battling with the school’s governing board about new changes in the bylaws that were allegedly included without proper notification and which are  “undemocratic,” according to Robak. “Similar examples may be found in Venezuela and Cuba,” wrote Robak in a letter of protest sent on October 30 to Scott Parr, CEO of the governing board and Principal at Steele Canyon High School (SCHS).

By Miriam Raftery

November 12, 2019 (Lemon Grove) – Lemon Grove is now accepting applications for appointment to fill the vacancy on the City Council left by the resignation of Matt  Mendoza, who moved to Florida for his job.

The appointment process raises questions over what criteria should be considered, beyond basic residency and age requirements, in choosing the next councilmember.

Several campus fraternities were under investigation for alleged misconduct before the frat event that Hernandez attended

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Dylan Hernandez, via GoFundMe page

November 12, 2019 (San Diego) – A student hospitalized the morning after a fraternity party has died, prompting a police investigation and shutdown of 14 fraternities.

Dylan Hernandez, 19, was found by his roommate in his dorm room on Montezuma Road without a pulse and not breathing on the morning of Nov. 7. He had reportedly fallen out of his upper bunk bed earlier during the night and his roommate helped him back into the bed.. He was taken to Alvarado Hospital and pronounced dead on Nov. 8, the Medical Examiner reports. He had attended  a fraternity party the night before. 

East County News Service

November 11, 2019 (Campo) – The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Association (PSRM), a San Diego-area historical and educational nonprofit, will mark the 100-year anniversary of the completion of the San Diego & Arizona Railway (SD&A) with a variety of family-friendly activities at its “SD&A Centennial Celebration Gold Spike Day” on Saturday, Nov. 16 at PSRM’s Campo Railroad Park and Museum in Campo, Calif. The public is invited to attend.

By Miriam Raftery

November 11, 2019 (San Diego) – Kaiser Permanente Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Bernard J. Tyson passed away unexpectedly yesterday morning in his sleep, the healthcare organization announced.  Today, 170 National Union of Healthcare Workers voted unanimously to postpone a planned 5-day statewide strike of mental health employees due to Tyson’s passing.

Photos and story by Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

Nov. 11, 2019 (Escondido) The 5th Annual Escondido Tamale Festival was held Nov. 2 at Escondido's Grape Park.  

Tamales included traditional, vegetarian, and gourmet and included smoked bbq varieties, Oaxacan, banana wrapped, dulce and more. Holiday pre-orders of tamales was also available.

Five Aztecs scored in double figures

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

November 9, 2019 (San Diego) - The Aztec women's basketball team (1-1) rallied from a double-digit second half deficit to beat Towson (0-2) 80-72 in their home opener Saturday afternoon.

Five Aztecs scored in double-figures, led by Téa Adams' 16. Mallory Adams had 15 points and Taylor Kalmer had 13. Zayn Dornstauder had 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds while Sophia Ramos added 10, all of which came in the second half, and dished out a team-best six assists.

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

November 9, 2019 (Provo, Utah) - Jordan Schakel and K.J. Feagin each drained a 3-pointer late to help San Diego State get past BYU 76-71 on Saturday.

Schakel hit 5 of 7 from deep and finished with 19 points and Malachi Flynn added 17 points while dishing out five assists for SDSU (2-0) which halted a six-game losing streak in Provo. Feagin finished with 12 points.  Nathan Mensah had seven points to go with 11 rebounds.