Public tour expands to two days to showcase San Diego County’s most innovative eco-friendly residences

East County News Service

Photo: Straw bale home in Jamul

September 11, 2019 (San Diego) -- The San Diego Green Building Council (SDGBC), a nonprofit organization promoting sustainable building and community practices in San Diego, will host its 10^th annual Green Homes Tour on Saturday, Oct. 19 and Sunday, Oct. 20. In response to growing public interest in the green movement and an abundance of groundbreaking projects in the region, the Tour has been expanded this year to two full days, showcasing a diverse collection of the most innovative eco-friendly homes in the San Diego region including several in East County.

By Miriam Raftery

October 1, 2019 (Lakeside) – Bob Turner, owner of a sand mine located on Moreno Ave. at State Route 67 in Lakeside, has applied to expand the sand mine. The issue will be heard on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 6:30 p.m. by the Lakeside Community Planning Group (LCPG) in the Lakeside Community Center. View agenda.

The documents on the specific expansion details are not available online. However journalist and Lakeside environmental activist Ana Nita states in an e-mail to ECM tonight,  “Turner is applying to expand the mine below the aquifer level at 80 ft.” The sand mine was reportedly approved in 2017 at a depth of 25 feet.

September 30, 2019 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Skin cancer: Half of people surviving advanced melanoma (BBC)
• ‘Out here, it’s just me’: In the medical desert of rural America, one doctor for 11,000 square miles (MSN) 
• Health Insurance That Doesn’t Cover the Bills Has Flooded the Market Under Trump (Bloomberg)
• Low Vitamin D levels, shorter life? (WebMD)
• FDA OKs New Pill for Type 2 Diabetes (HealthDay)
• How anti-vaxxers target grieving moms and turn them into crusaders against vaccines (NBC)
• It’s Not Just Cervical Cancer, HPV Is a Major Cause of Oral, Anal, and Penile Cancer  (Healthline)
• UC San Diego Researchers Isolate Switch That Kills Inactive HIV (Science Mag)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• Startup uses virtual reality to help seniors re-engage with the world (MIT news)
• Intense Drought Exposes 4,000-Year-Old 'Stonehenge' in Spain (Science Alert)
• Facebook suspends tens of thousands of apps (BBC)

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

By James Kecskes, County of San Diego Communications Office

September 30, 2019 (San Diego) - County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, joined by affordable housing advocates and builders, launched an incentive program aimed at spurring the development of granny flats and other accessory homes (granny flats).

East County News Service

September 30, 2019 (Washington D.C.) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is cautioning pet owners not to feed their pets any Performance Dog frozen raw pet food after a sample tested positive for Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono).  Bravo Packing, Inc. Performance Dog products are sold frozen in two-pound plastic pouches.

"I believe we need more independents in Congress because  parties are so mired in their fighting…they’re not representing the country. I value our community, and I want to serve the country.”  -- Helen Horvath, mliitary veteran, federal consultant and Alpine resident

By Miriam Raftery

September 29, 2019 (San Diego) – Like many voters, Helen Horvath is an independent whose views on key issues cross political aisles. She’s a fiscal conservative who wants to use her expertise to cut the national debt, but also believes we need to move toward a clean energy future and protect women’s rights, while taking a moderate stance on gun issues. She supports strong border security while also showing compassion for refugees fleeing violence, and pledges to be a strong voice for military families and veterans.

Now she’s entered the 50^th Congressional district race, vying against indicted Rep. Duncan Hunter,  Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar, conservative talk show host Carl DeMaio, former Rep. Darrell Issa and State Senator Brian Jones. (Note: the latter two entered the race this week, after our interview).

Hear our interview: In an interview originally aired on KNSJ 89.1 FM radio last month, Horvath shared her thoughts in depth. Listen to the full interview by clicking the audio link,  and scroll down for highlights.

By Miriam Raftery

September 27, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County features a bounty of fall festivities, including the season finale of El Cajon’s concert series, Chaldean-American Festival in El Cajon, a Johnny Appleseed celebration in Santa Ysabel, concerts by Grammy Award and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame stars at the Magnolia in El Cajon, and the start of Fall at the Farm harvest activities near Julian as well as a chamber music season launch at Cuyamaca College.

Plus, we have a preview of coming events including Oktoberfests in La Mesa and El Cajon, our own Fall Fiesta in Jamul, the Ramona Air Fair, Kids Care Fest in Lemon Grove, the Jacumba Fall Festival, Julian Autumn Jubilee, Ms. Smarty Plants Goes Batty at the Garden, a Fair Trade gift faire in La Mesa, vocalist Lillian Palmer at the Mission Trails Church, the Borrego Days Desert Festival and parade, Pints 4 the Park in Borrego Springs, a Green Homes Tour, HauntFest and Trunk or Treat in downtown El Cajon.

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!