East County News Service

November 15, 2021 (Ramona) – A woman called 9-11 screaming for help this morning at 2:31 a.m., but could not provide her address. Deputies with the Ramona Sheriff's Substation drove around the area and discovered a house on fire in the 500 block of Telford Lane. 

Story and photos by Scott Lagace

November 14, 2021 (Santee) -- On November 11, 2021, on the 11th hour at the 11th minute, Santee Chamber of Commerce CEO Kristen Dare began a Veterans Day ceremony which attracted many veterans and East County patrons to celebrate the unveiling of a new Veteran’s Memorial and dedication of the Veterans Memorial Bridge over Santee Lakes on Mast Blvd.   

Source:  San Diego County Credit Union

November 14, 2021 (San Diego) -  San Diego County Credit Union^® (SDCCU^®), one of California’s largest locally-owned financial institutions, is proud to provide free community resources for International Fraud Awareness Week, November 14 – 20, 2021. Scams are on the rise and International Fraud Awareness Week is a global effort to minimize the impact of fraudulent activity through the promotion of awareness and education. SDCCU is here to help the community not fall victim to fraud by offering blog articles, additional resources and three complimentary fraud awareness webinars on Wednesday, November 17, 2021 as part of our Financial Wellness Wednesdays.

East County News Service

November 13, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) – High temperatures 10 to 18 degrees above normal are forecast to continue through Monday across San Diego County, with near-record highs Sunday, weak Santa Ana winds and elevated fire risk in all inland areas.

Look for brief relief with cooling temperatures along the coast starting Monday, spreading inland Tuesday and Wednesday. Heavy fog is also forecast early this week in San Diego valleys including Alpine and Ramona.

The victim, Jose Serra, was interviewed today by 10 News. Still in the hospital, he said the assailant had asked him on the trolley for directions to Spring Street. Soon after they got off in El Cajon, Serra says, "He just pulled out the knife and started slashing. It was a complete surprise."  A bystander came to his aid after he fell to the sidewalk. He adds, “It feel good, feels good to be alive."

Investigators are looking into whether the assault on Serra, who is Filipino, may have been a hate crime.

By Miriam Raftery

November 12, 2021 (El Cajon) – The victim of a brutal stabbing attack in El Cajon was on a ventilator in a hospital intensive care unit, after suffering stab wound injuries to multiple major organs, his intestines, head and hand.

The vicious assault by a stranger also cut an artery and nearly severed an ear, according to Todd Jones, who has set up a GoFundMe account to help his 71-year-old friend and colleague.

By Elijah McKee

Photos by Elijah McKee and courtesy of Jamul Casino

Hear an audio version of this report which aired on the East County Magazine Radio Show on KNSJ, including excerpts of speakers, by clicking the audio link.

November 10, 2021 (Jamul) - “We always say ‘Everyone comes home.’ The reality is, hundreds came home, and then we deported them,” said Nathan Fletcher, Chair of the County Board of Supervisors, as he addressed the crowd at Jamul Casino’s annual Veterans Day Celebration. 

Jamul Casino and the Jamul Indian Village tribe of the Kumeyaay Nation hosted the lunch event at its Rooftop venue to honor veterans in their community — both employees and tribal members — as well as to donate to a veterans’ organization. 

This year, the organization selected was Unified United States Deported Veterans (UUSDV), a chapter of Veterans for Peace. The $10,000 donation from Jamul Casino was awarded by Mary Cheeks, President and General Manager, and handed to Jan Ruhman, a project coordinator with UUSDV for the border region. 

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

Photo:  El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells warned against the “evil” of government mandates.  Photo by Chris Stone

November 11, 2021 (El Cajon) - Raging against “a plot to take over America and the rest of the world,” El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells spoke Wednesday at a rally of parents calling for freedom from vaccination mandates.

By Miriam Raftery

November 11, 2021 (San Diego) – San  Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond spoke with East County Magazine via Zoom last week over his concerns about SANDAG’s planned mileage tax and its disparate impact on rural, mountain and desert residents whose communities are not slated for transit projects that the tax would fund, along with limited other transportation projects. The interview originally aired on KNSJ radio and can now be viewed by clicking the video on the left. 

He also talked about other proposed taxes ranging from a sales tax increase to toll roads in our region. These include:

• A state fee of 2.3 cents for every mile driven, plus a 2 cent per mile local fee that SANDAG wants to impose countywide. (4.3 cents total)
• Another ½ cent sales tax beginning 2024 (in addition to a ½ cent tax from 2008)
• An Metropolitan Transit System tax for everyone who lives in the MTS area
• A new fee for using a ride hailing company such as UBER or LYFT: $1.25/solo ride $.65/carpool ride
• Changing 819 lane miles of San Diego’s freeways into toll lanes
  

San Diego County Grand Jury Looking for New Applicants Application period is open through January 14, 2022 

November 9, 2021 – The San Diego Superior Court is now seeking dedicated residents with sound judgment from throughout the county to serve on the 2022/2023 San Diego County  Grand Jury. The Grand Jury investigates citizen complaints and performs its traditional  function as a “watchdog” over government agencies. It does not conduct criminal investigations. 

Applications can be downloaded from the San Diego Superior Court’s website at sdcourt.ca.gov or the Grand Jury’s website at sdcounty.ca.gov/grandjury. Applications can also be obtained by  calling 619-450-7272 or stopping by the Central Courthouse or East County, North County or  South County Regional Centers.  

Source: Superior Court of San Diego County

November 8, 2021 (Vista) – The ceiling collapsed in Department 12 of the Vista Courthouse at 6 a.m. Fortunately, no one was present in the courtroom at the time of the collapse. 

The single-story (North) building was evacuated and will remain closed indefinitely until the officials determine what caused the collapse and deem it is safe to reopen. The closure impacts 18 courtrooms, the criminal business office, juvenile court business office, Family Court Services, Family Law Facilitator, and the children’s waiting room.

The South building and annex are not affected and remain open.

By Suzanne Potter, California News Service

November 8, 2021 (Sacramento) --  Now is the time to sign up for health insurance or hunt for a better deal, as this year's CoveredCA's open-enrollment period runs now through Jan. 31.

Groups advocating for older Americans urged everyone, even those currently insured, to check out the CoveredCA website, which said more than 70% of consumers who get subsidies could choose health coverage for less than $10 per month.

Photo:  Homeless Outreach Team member speaks with a man who is homeless. 

By José A. Álvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office 

November 6, 2021 (San Diego) -- The County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on November 3 to adopt a new framework that aims to end homelessness in the San Diego region.

A comprehensive presentation shown at the Board meeting focused on how the County will centralize critical expertise and operations, and use equity and data, to better provide housing and supportive services that address the needs of people who are homeless or at risk of losing their home.

Environmental Health Trust and 13 petitioners win ruling 

Source: Environmental Health Trust

Photo: Creative Commons image via Bing

November 6, 2021 (Washington D.C.) --  The Environmental Health Trust recently won a victory in the U.S. Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia Circuit with a ruling in favor of EHT. In its ruling, the court ordered the FCC to explain why it ignored scientific evidence showing harm from wireless radiation, such as that transmitted by cell phones and cell phone towers and 5G technology.

The court held that FCC failed to respond to “record evidence that exposure to radiofrequency radiation at levels below the FCC’s current limits may cause negative health effects unrelated to cancer.” The court also said that the agency demonstrated “a complete failure to respond to comments concerning environmental harm caused by RF radiation.” The court found the FCC ignored numerous organizations, scientists, medical doctors who called on them to update its 1996 human exposure limits for wireless radiation. The court found the FCC failed to address these issues.

• impacts of long-term wireless exposure

• impacts to children,

• the testimony of people injured by wireless radiation, 

• impacts to wildlife and the environment,

• impacts to the developing brain and reproduction.

Source: Cal Fire

Photo: CC via Bing

November 6, 2021 (San Diego) -- Effective Monday November 8th at 8 a.m., the burn permit suspension in San Diego County will be lifted. Cal Fire/San Diego County Fire Chief Tony Mecham is formally canceling the burn permit suspension and advises that those possessing current and valid agricultural and residential burn permits can now resume burning on permissible burn days from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left by Miriam Raftery: bridge construction in Montana

November 5, 2021 (Washington D.C.) – The House of Representatives tonight approved the $1.2 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act by a 228-206 vote. The landmark bill previously approved by the Senate 69-30 now heads to President Joe Biden, who has pledged to sign it into law.

The bill marks the most significant investment in the nation’s infrastructure (including roads, bridges, railways, power grid and internet upgrades, disaster responses, and replacing lead water pipes), since Roosevelt’s New Deal after the Depression in the 1930s.  It will fund major infrastructure projects – also putting people to work – in all 50 states.

Specifically, it includes: