October 2020 Articles

PUMPKIN EXPRESS ROLLS OUT HALLOWEEN RIDES -- WITH SOME CHANGES

East County News Service

October 6, 2020 (Campo) -- Join the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Association in its annual Pumpkin Express Halloween Celebration.  Come ride decorated vintage railcars through the San Diego county mountains as fall descends upon Campo, CA.  Walk through a themed Display Building complete with Halloween scenes, a pumpkin patch, and our creepy cast of ghosts and ghouls.


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POWAY ONSTAGE PRESENTS STEVE POLTZ “QUARANTINE BLUES” LIVE IN YOUR HOME OCT. 14-28

East County News Service

 

October 5, 2020 (Poway) – Alternative folk singer Steve Poltz will present “Quarantine Blues" presented by Poway OnStage and taped live at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts.  “Quarantine Blues” includes many new, unrecorded songs and quirky wit.


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FOUR MILLION ACRES CHARRED, MORE THAN DOUBLE PAST RECORD, AS CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES CONTINUE TO BURN

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Local water tender contractor Richard Edwords of Alpine is in Covelo helping to battle the August Complex Fire, which at over 1 million acres is now the largest fire in California history.

October 5, 2020 (San Diego) – At 2 million acres,  California’s all-time record for wildfire devastation in a single year was shattered last month.  Now that figure has more than doubled, with over 4 million acres scorched so far in 2020 by over 8,300 wildfires.

More than 16,600 firefighters continue to work towards containment on 23 major wildfires and one extended attack wildfire across the state.  Yesterday, firefighters also responded to 26 new wildfires, bringing full containment to all but one, the Lambert Fire in Amador County.  But many large, older fires continue to rage as the devastating toll grows.

To date, the total number of fatalities statewide from wildfires this year is 31 and over 8,687 structures have been destroyed.


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IT'S OFFICIAL; FIRES BURN >4 MILLION ACRES

By Emily Hoeven, CalMatters

CalMatters is an independent public interest journalism venture covering California state politics and government.

Photo:  The remains of a burned home in Berryessa Highlands on Sept. 21, 2020. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

October 5, 2020 (San Diego) - California surpassed a staggering milestone Sunday:  more than four million acres have now burned in a record-defying fire season still far from over. That’s four Rhode Islands, three-and-a-half Grand Canyon National Parks, and a little more than one Connecticut.


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SARA JACOBS: 'THE GENERALS' WOULD HELP REMOVE TRUMP IF HE LOSES, WON'T LEAVE

By Ken Stone, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

View the link to the full forum here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQasnog4dBk#action=share 

Photo:  Jodie Lorea (top left) kept Sara Jacobs (below left) and Georgette Gómez to their 2-minute time limits after moderator Chris Jennewein asked the questions.

October 4, 2020 (San Diego) - Congressional candidate Sara Jacobs suggested Saturday that “the generals and the military” would play a role in removing President Trump from office if he loses the election but won’t cede power.


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COUNTY HOSTS VIRTUAL COMMUNITY WORKSHOP OCT. 15 ON CAMPO ROAD CORRIDOR REVITALIZATION PLAN

East County News Service

 

October 4, 2020 (Spring Valley) - The County of San Diego – Planning & Development Services (PDS) will host a virtual community workshop for the Campo Road Corridor Revitalization Plan on Thursday, October 15 at 4 p.m.  The plan covers the section of Campo Road in the Casa de Oro community. 

 

 

 


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SUPPLEMENTAL BALLOTS TO GO TO EAST COUNTY VOTERS IN DEHESA, HARBISON CANYON AND GRANITE HILLS

Source:  County of San Diego

October 3, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) -- Voters in Dehesa, Harbison Canyon and Granite Hills will soon see a supplemental set of election materials in addition to their regular mail ballot from the Registrar of Voters office. The Registrar was misinformed about which voters are eligible to vote on the Crest/Dehesa/Harbison Canyon/Granite Hills Community Planning Area Crest member, planning group contest. As a result, the local contest was not included in the sample ballot and voter information pamphlets or the vote-by-mail ballots set to start arriving in mailboxes Monday.  


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THE FINAL SAY: GOV. NEWSOM HAS DECIDED WHICH OF THESE 2020 BILLS WILL BE CALIFORNIA LAW

By Laurel Rosenhall and CalMatters staff, CalMatters

CalMatters is an independent public interest journalism venture covering California state politics and government.

Photo:  Gov. Gavin Newsom with first partner, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and their youngest son, Dutch, during the annual Christmas tree lighting at the Capitol on December 15, 2019. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters

October 3, 2020 (Sacramento) - In a year when the coronavirus pandemic upended every aspect of normal life, the impact in the California Capitol was also dramatic. Lawmakers took an unprecedented two-month pause in the spring, when Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide order for people to stay home to prevent the spread of the virus. They returned to the Capitol in May, passed a state budget shrunken by the pandemic-induced recession and began setting aside hundreds of bills that would no longer make the cut in this truncated year. Faced with less time to hold hearings and less money to spend on new initiatives, lawmakers chucked an estimated three-quarters of the bills introduced at the beginning of the year.

Abandoned or rejected along the way were bills requiring police to intervene if they see officers using excessive force, allow homeowners to request a forbearance on their mortgages during the pandemic, and launch a “Green New Deal” to fight climate change. 

But even with their reduced workload, lawmakers tackled numerous thorny issues, passing legislation that could impact life in California for years to come — to allow more workers to take paid family leave, make it easier to get mental health care, and ban flavored tobacco, among others. 

Then it fell to Newsom to either sign or veto the legislation by a Sept. 30 deadline. Here’s the final tally on the fates of 20 key bills.

--Laurel Rosenhall and CalMatters staff


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LA MESA CREDIT UNION ROBBERY SUSPECT IN CUSTODY, CASH RECOVERED

East County News Service

October 3, 2020 (La Mesa) – A suspect accused of brandishing a knife and demanding cash from a teller during robbery of the Navy Federal Credit Union on Grossmont. Blvd. in La Mesa on September 30 is in custody.

After the robbery around 10:02 a.m., the suspect fled the scene in a vehicle with an undisclosed amount of currency. He was located driving away from the area by responding La Mesa Police Department officers and followed to the 4500 block of Winona Avenue in San Diego, where a traffic stop was initiated.


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HAPPY HAWTKOBER: COUNTY HOSTS VIRTUAL SERIES ON BIRDS OF PREY

By San Diego County Parks and Recreation

October 3, 2020 (San Diego's East County) - Throughout the month of October – or as we like to call it, Hawktober – we will be airing educational videos on local birds of prey. Learn where they live, what they eat, how they hunt and other survival mechanisms that allow them to thrive throughout this region. 


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REVIEW OF NICETIES - HISTORICAL DIVERSITY AT THE MOXIE THEATRE THROUGH OCT. 4

By Kathy Carpenter

October 3, 2020 (La Mesa) - Moxie Theatre finds a way to bring us entertaining digital theatre with Niceties by Elenor Burgess. The play is powerful, thought provoking, emotionally challenging entertainment--perfectly timed for the climate of the country.


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HOW TO FIGHT THE TWO: COVID-19 AND INFLUENZA


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HIGH SPEED CHASE THROUGH EL CAJON AND SANTEE ENDS AFTER COLLISION

By Miriam Raftery

October 2, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – A suspect who failed to yield for a traffic stop in El Cajon early yesterday morning led officers from multiple law enforcement agencies on a high-speed pursuit through three cities. It took deployment of a spike strip, a taser and a struggle with Sheriff’s deputies to ultimately arrest 53-year-old Larry Route of San Diego.

The incident began at 1:42 a.m. when Deputy Young from the Sheriff's Lakeside substation saw a vehicle drive through a red light at the intersection of North Magnolia Avenue and East Bradley Avenue in unincorporated El Cajon.The driver of the vehicle failed to yield for a traffic stop and a traffic pursuit ensued into the City of Santee. The suspect vehicle collided into the center median at Halberns Boulevard and Mast Boulevard but continued to drive at a high rate of speed on to State Route 52 into the City of San Diego, according to Sergeant Anthony Portillo.

San Diego Police Air Support (ABLE) responded as deputies coordinated a tire deflation deployment with the California Highway Patrol (CHP).


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ECM PADRES REPORT: PADRES ADVANCE TO NLDS WITH WIN OVER CARDINALS

By Liz Alper

 

Photo:  Jake Cronenworth became the first Padres rookie ever to homer in a postseason game.  Via @padres on Twitter

 

October 2, 2020 (San Diego) - The Padres forced game three in the Wild Card series against the Cardinals and it all ended tonight.  Jack Flaherty started for St. Louis against Craig Stammen for San Diego.


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PRESIDENT TRUMP AND FIRST LADY TEST POSITIVE, HAVE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19

Update 3 p.m.:  The President has been admitted to Walter Reed Hospital.

By Miriam Raftery

October 2, 2020 (Washington D.C.) – President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have both tested positive for COVID-19. The President announced the positive test results last night on Twitter, adding that he and the First Lady, “will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately” just 32 days before the election.

This morning, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows confirmed that the President has “mild symptoms.” Mrs. Trump has tweeted that she, too, has mild symptoms but is “looking forward to a speedy recovery.” 

The President’s illness follows news that his advisor, Hope Hicks, fell ill with the coronavirus after traveling with the President aboard Air Force One. Diagnosis of COVID-19  throws a monkey wrench into campaign plans.

Both President and Mrs. Trump are reportedly in good spirits according to White House spokespersons. However, at 74 years old, President Trump is in a high risk category due to both age and obesity. 


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JONES' MEASURE EXTENDING IMMUNITY FOR SKATE PARKS SIGNED INTO LAW

Original bill by Jones was for a four-year pilot program

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Miriam Raftery: Lakeside Skate Park

 

October 1, 2020 (Sacramento) - Senate Bill 1003, a measure authored by State Senator Brian Jones (R-Santee) which extends the immunity from liability that local governments receive when operating skate parks, was signed into law last night by Governor Gavin Newsom.


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FIRE CONDITIONS REMAIN HIGH THROUGH THIS WEEKEND

East County News Service
 
October 1, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – A heat wave is forecast to continue through Friday, with temperatures 10 to 20 degrees above normal. The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning through 8 p..m Friday
 
High pressure will weaken this weekend, resulting in some slight cooling, but temperatures will remain 5 to 10 degrees above normal. Low clouds during the nights and mornings will return this weekend. 
 
Elevated to near-critical fire weather conditions will persist through the weekend, primarily due to the hot and dry weather and critically dry fuels. Inland humidity will gradually begin to increase this weekend into early next week. 

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ECM PADRES REPORT: PADRES KEEP PLAYOFF DREAMS ALIVE WITH MASSIVE COMEBACK IN GAME TWO

By Liz Alper

 

Photo: Fernando Tatis Jr. became the youngest player to homer in a Padres postseason game and the third-youngest MLB player with a multi-home run postseason game at 21 years and 273 days. Via @padres on Twitter

 

October 1, 2020 (San Diego) - The Padres needed to win game two of the wild card today to keep their playoff hopes alive.  Adam Wainwright started for St. Louis against Zach Davies.


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GOVERNMENT GUARANTEED HOME LOANS FOR EAST COUNTY, SAN DIEGO

By Noel Yap, VA Home Loan Centers

East County San Diego is home to a beautiful landscape that makes up most of the landmass for San Diego County. Most of the east county is rural, with several communities located in backcountry areas known as the Mountain Empire.

The eastern part of San Diego County is perfect for people living in nature and taking part in outside activities like hiking, mountain biking, fishing, camping, all within a beautiful mountainous wilderness. The county is also home to fun Native American Casinos, which offer a thrilling experience for people looking to enjoy some Vegas-style fun.


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SAN DIEGO STATE FOOTBALL RELEASES UPDATED 2020 SCHEDULE

Mountain West schedule announced

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

October 1, 2020 (San Diego) -The San Diego State football team and Mountain West released its updated 2020 schedule on Thursday. Game times and television arrangements, including moves to non-Saturdays will be announced at a later date.


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READER’S EDITORIAL: MAYOR RACQUEL VASQUEZ MAKING LEMON GROVE THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE

By Chris Ernest Nelson

Retired Mount Miguel High School Teacher

October 1, 2020 (Lemon Grove) -- Lemon Grove has the “Best Climate on Earth.”  Yes, that’s true enough, but we should not stop there. Mayor Racquel Vasquez is committed to making Lemon Grove also the Best Place to Live.  Since her election in 2016, she has brought to city government a new energy and a commitment to improving the environment for all the residents of Lemon Grove. She is determined to make city government more modern, efficient, fiscally prudent and responsive to public interests.


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LEMON GROVE MAYORAL CANDIDATE JERRY JONES RELEASES FINANCIAL PLAN FOR CITY’S RECOVERY

East County News Service
 
October 1, 2020 (Lemon Grove) – Councilman Jerry Jones, one of four candidates running for Mayor in Lemon Grove, has released a detailed financial plan to address the city’s structural deficit and strive to balance the budget.  While he supports a full cent sales tax increase following community discussion, his budget does not rely on any increased sales tax revenues in a time when sales tax revenues have dropped due to COVID-19. Instead, he is banking on legalization of recreational cannabis and a cannabis tax, as well as digital billboard revenues. He also outlines his priorities for expenditures.
 
Below is his proposal, in his own words:

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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: FIRE COPTERS

East County News Service

October 1, 2020 (El Cajon) - Robert Gehr snapped these images of two helicopters that joined forces to help suppress the Valley Fire earlier this month as they flew to and from Gillespie Field airport in El Cajon.


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LAKESIDE FAMILY GROWS 1,600 PUMPKIN

By Miriam Raftery

 

October 1, 2020 (Lakeside) – The Fredricks family in Lakeside is once again vying to earn the title of biggest pumpkin grown in San Diego County this year—and maybe ever.


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