October 24, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) --- East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a  variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

•  Trump: US to 'begin cutting off' aid to countries associated with migrant caravan (The Hill)
• Explosive devices sent to Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and CNN (Boston Globe)
• Trump proposes tax cut; GOP lawmakers privately skeptical (Washington Post)
• Trump administration widens Obamacare escape hatch for red states (Politico)
• US named world's most competitive economy for the first time in 10 years (Jewish World Review)
• Has Trump Met the Burden of Proof for Ripping Up an Arms Deal With Russia? (Time)
• 75,000 individuals' files accessed in Medicare/Medicaid data breach (Reuters)
• Your state-by-state guide to GOP voter suppression (Paste)
• Fury erupts over reported Trump administration plan to redefine gender and target civil rights protections for transgender people (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• South Carolina is lobbying to allow discrimination against Jewish parents (The Intercept)

​WORLD

• Flights canceled, cruise ships diverted as powerful Hurricane Willa threatens Mexico's coastal resorts, from San Blas to Mazatlan (San Diego Union Tribune)
• How the man in Khashoggi murder ran killing via Skype (Reuters) 
•  Trump condemns Khashoggi death and aftermath as 'the worst cover up ever' (CNN)
• Khashoggi Case: 'Body Double' Reportedly Seen After Killing (NBC)
• Report: Saudi Journalist Khashoggi's Remains Found (Haaretz)
• 10,000 rioters at Gaza border, in tense IDF-Hamas standoff (Jerusalem Post)

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

By Miriam Raftery

October 24, 2018 (San Diego's East County) - Bombs sent to former president Barack Obama, former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, liberal funder George Soros, media outlet CNN, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and other targets are being denounced as acts of terrorism.

The first was a pipe bomb mailed to Soros. The CNN package containing a bomb was mailed to former CIA director John Brennan, a commentator for the network whose criticism of President Donald Trump resulted in Trump revoking Brennan’s security clearance earlier this year.

October 24, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• CDC Probes More Cases of Polio-Like Syndrome AFM (NBC 7)
• Trump administration takes another step to allow health plans that don't cover preexisting conditions (Los Angeles Times)
• Microplastics Are Turning Up Everywhere, Even in Human Excrement (NPR)
• Want to Keep Your Brain Sharp? Take Care of Your Eyes and Ears  (NPR)
• Measles outbreak raging in Europe could be brought to U.S., doctors warn (NBC News)
• Not exercising worse for your health than smoking, diabetes and heart disease, study reveals (CNN)
• Tech breakthrough offers early warning system for heart attacks (Reuters)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• SDSU researchers find unbelievable benefits to black widow spider silk (10 News)
• Carrots could be key to making greener buildings, say researchers (Reuters)
• In North Carolina, hurricanes did what scientists could not: Convince Republicans that climate change is real (Washington Post)
• China plans to launch "artificial moon" over city (CBS)
• Tiny pieces of plastic found in 90% of table salt (National Geographic)

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

By Miriam Raftery

October 22, 2018 (Alpine) — Recently, East County Magazine published an article revealing that a gag order in a legal settlement with the Grossmont Union-High School district prevents Alpine education leaders from speaking out in political discussions on the Alpine High School. The nondisclosure clause may also have had a chilling effect that prevented Alpine candidates from challenging GUHSD trustee Jim Kelly, an opponent of the Alpine High School who is running unopposed.

By Suzanne Bartole, County of San Diego Communications Office

October 22, 2018 (Alpine) - After years of steadily decreasing populations across the County’s in-custody juvenile facilities, the County of San Diego’s Probation Department has closed the last remote camp program and moved the youth to a more centrally located Urban Camp facility in Kearny Mesa.

By Patrick Osio, Jr., San Diego

By Susan Ashby

October 21, 2018 (San Diego) - While 94 percent of Americans believe there is value and knowledge seniors can pass along to children, under 30 percent actually know of places in their community that bring generations together. This issue is compounded when families are spread out across the United States and even the world. Grandparents aren’t always able to interact with grandchildren in person. Thankfully, intergenerational programs can bring seniors and youth together in ways that better the society at large.

By Dr. Anthony Mc Ivor

October 21, 2018 (La Mesa) -- This year’s City Council election offers La Mesa an exciting and encouraging choice. Exciting, because for the first time in many years the challengers present a bright contrast to the incumbents. And encouraging, because La Mesa surely needs the integrity, fresh ideas, community insights, and sheer energy the challengers are bringing to the contest.

East County News Service

Photos by Robert Gehr

October 20, 2018 (El Cajon) – Visitors to El Cajon’s HauntFest on Main Street got in the spirit Friday evening. Kids enjoyed free rides and jumping on inflatables. The event also featured live music, costume contests, and food vendors at a spirited occasion for all.

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Story and photos by Liz Alper

October 19, 2018 (El Cajon) - Unbelievable that it’s late October already, but we’re already on week nine of the prep football season and ECM Friday Night Lights is at Granite Hills for what should be a high-scoring matchup between the undefeated-in-league (5-3 overall, 3-0 league) Scottie Dawgs from Helix and the undefeated-in-every-sense-of-the-word Eagles (8-0 overall, 3-0 league).  The winner of this game is crowned the Grossmont Hills Championship game winner.