East County News Service

April 28, 2017 (La Mesa) -- La Mesa Beautiful will hold its third annual plant sale on Saturday, May 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, May 7 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The sale will be at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 4816 Glen Street in La Mesa.

By Miriam Raftery

Hear our interview, originally aired on KNSJ radio, by clicking the audio link, or scroll down for highlights.

April 27, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Gloria Chadwick is a registered nurse who has worked in the Veterans Administration (VA) hospital. She's been elected to serve five terms on the Grossmont Healthcare District Board.  The first woman elected nearly 20 years ago, she's currently Vice President of the healthcare district serving East County. 

At a town hall meeting held by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine), she announced plans to challenge him for  his seat – and passed out a pill bottle with her remedy to fix Congress:  “restoring integrity, providing affordable healthcare, creating more jobs, and protecting Medicare and the rights of Veterans.”

Voters couldn’t ask for a greater contrast.  Hunter, at his town hall, said he doesn’t believe healthcare is a right, but merely believes in “access” for those with the ability to pay for it. Chadwick describes herself as a “nurse warrior” who has been a fierce advocate for her patients – and now wants to do battle for constituents across the 50^th Congressional District.  In an exclusive interview with East County Magazine aired on KNSJ, she shared her vision for reforming healthcare, strengthening services for veterans and military families, and protecting a clean, healthy environment.

East County News Service

April 27, 2017 (Malibu) --With Southern California experiencing a “super bloom” after years of draught there is no better time to get out and enjoy the beautiful nature of the region.   But where to go, now that the Anza Borrego bloom is nearly over?

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

April 27, 2017 (El Cajon) – A “homemade smoke device” set off in a boy’s restroom at Granite Hills High School this morning at 10:10 a.m. tripped a fire alarm, according to Grossmont Union High School District spokesperson Catherine Martin on Twitter.

Potential 500-megawatt renewable energy project at the San Vicente Reservoir site could help stabilize water rates as a new revenue source

Source:  San Diego County Water Authority

April 27, 2017 (San Diego) - The San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors today authorized the Water Authority, in conjunction with the City of San Diego, to begin seeking detailed proposals for a potential energy storage facility at San Vicente Reservoir. The project could help ease pressure on electric grids by producing locally generated renewable energy on demand, and also lessen upward pressure on water rates by providing a new source of revenue.

East County News Service

By Miriam Raftery

April 25, 2017 (Cuyamaca) –From flowing water falls to blooming wildflowers, nature put on a spectacular show in San Diego’s East County. On Saturday,  I headed out to the mountains, taking the Highway 79 exit north off I-8 to start with a visit to Green Valley Falls in Rancho Cuyamaca State Park, followed by stops at Lake Cuyamaca  and picturesque Julian.

April 27, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views.  Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• White House unveils dramatic plan to overhaul tax code  (Washington Post)
• U.S. Chief Justice alarmed at Trump administration immigration case stance (Reuters)
• Republicans exempt their own insurance from their latest health care proposal (MSN)
• Changes to federal insurance plans could hurt parents of chronically ill children (NPR)
• Trump not going to terminate NAFTA (CNN)
• Flynn may have broken law, say Oversight leaders (The Hill)
• House Republicans introduce one-week spending bill  (Washington Post)
• Far-right Trump advisor tied to anti-Semitic paramilitary group (Vanity Fair)
• A third of US millennials still live at home, census report finds (BBC)
• Symantec attributes 40 cyber attacks to CIA-linked hacking tools (Reuters)
• House oversight panel has questions about Trump businesses, foreign emoluments (NPR)
• Trump makes his first big changes to Obamacare (Huffington Post)
• The rich are living longer and taking more from taxpayers (Bloomberg)
• Dead giant rabbit on United flight creates new problem for airline (Patch.com)
• Vaping venture poses potential conflict for Trump’s FDA nominee (Bloomberg)

WORLD

• Facing death for being gay, men flee Russia’s Chechnya (Yahoo News)
• Russia court outlaws 'extremist' Jehovah's Witnesses (BBC)
• Hezbollah's defiant signal to Israel, Lebanon, and the UN (CS Monitor)
• To fight domestic violence among Syrian refugees, an outreach to men (CS Monitor)
• Russia hacked Danish defense for two years, minister tells newspaper (Reuters)
•  Venezuela death toll hits 29, protesters battle security forces (Reuters)
• Sealed Files of United Nations War Crimes Commission Will Finally See Light of Day (Smithsonian)
• U.S., Uganda Call Off Search for Infamous Warlord Joseph Kony (NPR)
• Turkey Arrests More Than 1,000 in Massive Purge of its Police Forces (NPR)
• Turkey investigation 17, some Americans, in failed coup (New York Times)

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

April 27, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting-edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Don't Give Kids Cough Syrup or Pain Meds That Contain Codeine, FDA Says (NPR)
• Sharp Healthcare helps elderly San Diegans get medical care at home (KPBS)
• San Diego Man Saved by Therapeutic Use of Viruses (KPBS)
• Eat, Sleep, Repeat: How Kids' Daily Routines Can Help Prevent Obesity (NPR)
• Scientists Create Artificial Womb That Could Help Prematurely Born Babies (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• This new solar-powered device can pull water straight from the desert air (Science Mag)
• You Can Now 3D Print Glass (Smithsonian)
• The Scary Consequences of Old Electronics (& How to Prevent Them) (Apartment Therapy)
• Utrecht introduces ‘smart’ cycle paths that help riders hit green lights  (Lonely Planet)
• Physicists observe 'negative mass' (BBC)
• Video Shows Blue Whale Chowing Down on Krill  (Smithsonian)
• Waste Not, Want Not: Why Aren't More Farms Putting Poop to Good Use? (NPR)
• Aurora photographers find new night sky lights and call them Steve (BBC)

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

East County News Service

April 26, 2017 (San Diego) – The California Highway Patrol seeks witnesses to a shooting last night at 9:25 p.m. on the ramp from Interstate 805 southbound to State Route 94 eastbound.  Several shots were fired, striking a vehicle several times though fortunately no one was injured.