East County News Service

April 19, 2018 (San Diego) – Senate Bill 1487, the African Species Protection Act, is set for hearing in the California State Senate’s Public Safety Committee, where members include Senator Joel Anderson, whose district includes most of East County.  Wildlife conservation groups are urging the public to contact legislators on the committee to urge passage of the measure, which would ban possession in California of body parts from elephants, rhinos, giraffes, lions and other iconic African species.

By Miriam Raftery

April 19, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) - This week’s Destination East County includes a murder mystery theatre in Julian, a meteor watch in Lakeside, a hike for you and your dog in Santa Ysabel, an antiques and crafts fair at Summers Past Farms, girls night out at Cajon Classic Cruises, and a lilac festival.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including the San Diego Concert Band’s American salute, the Lakeside Rodeo, a garden and butterfly festival at the Water Conservation Garden, a medieval music concert at Mission Trails, History Alive and film nights at the Library in Lemon Grove, El Cajon’s dinner and a concert series, Vintage Alpine, the Final Adventures of Sherlock Holmes onstage at Grossmont College, a Salsa Fiesta in Lemon Grove, a Taste of Julian, San Diego Festival Chorus and Orchestra's spring concert, and the Coyote Music Festival at Cuyamaca College.

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

April 19, 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 news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

 U.S.

•  U.S. launches missile strikes in Syria (Washington Post)
• “Mission accomplished.” But what is the mission in Syria? (NY Times)
• Trump order targets wide swath of public assistance programs (The Hill)
• Trump administration abandons crackdown on legal marijuana (LA Times)
• Pulitzer prizes for coverage of Harvey Weinstein, Russian meddling (CBS)
• Sandy Hook parents have just hit Alex Jones with a defamation lawsuit (MSN)
• The Trump administration has officially clipped the wings of the Migratory Birds Treaty Act (Washington Post)
• Investigators focus on another Trump ally: The National Enquirer (NY Times)
• Trump grants pardon to former Bush official; some say he is using the law as a political tool (Washington Post)
• FCC shuts down request to investigate Sinclair over ‘distorted news’ claims (FierceCable)
• More Than 600 Justice Department Alumni Sign Letter to Protect Mueller (GovExec)
• Massachusetts top court declares stun gun ban unconstitutional  (Reuters)

 WORLD

• U.N. Security Council rejects Russian resolution condemning Syria strikes (New York Times)
• Germany takes a run at online hate speech. Some cry censorship. (CS Monitor)
• Under military rule, Venezuela oil workers quit in a stampede (Reuters)
• Intelligence released proving Iranian military involvement in Syria (JPost)
• South Korea's elderly boogie, find connection in daytime discos (CS Monitor)

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

East County News Service

April 18, 2018 (San Diego) - East County’s San Diego Festival Chorus presents its spring concert on April 29th with Rutter’s "Requiem" and songs from "West Side Story" and "The Wizard of Oz".

The "Requiem" comes from the Englishmen, John Rutter. It is a contemporary masterwork, a beautiful, simple requiem with an appeal to all who hear it.

By Ken Stone

Reprinted with permission from Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Voepel wearing the Combat Action Medal.

April 18, 2018 (San Diego) - Republican Assemblyman Randy Voepel is taking heavy flak from a GOP rival, who along with another Navy veteran is accusing the former Santee mayor of having “Stolen Valor.”

Monday morning on KUSI TV, 30-year Navy SEAL veteran Larry Wilske brought up claims by retired Master Chief Petty Officer Terence Hoey* that Voepel misrepresented his military service record.

By Miriam Raftery

April 18, 2018 (Sacramento) – Senate Bill 827, a controversial bill that would have forced cities in California to allow high-rise housing up to 55 feet tall near major transit stops, died in the State Senate’s Transportation and Housing Committee.

April 19, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Romaine lettuce caused an ongoing e-coli outbreak, CDC says (Time Magazine)
• UC San Diego Bio-Engineers Develop Wearable Device To Monitor Stomach Activity (KPBS)
• Medicare Advisers Recommend Payment Cuts To Many Free-Standing ERs (NPR)

 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Officials warn Russian hackers targeting U.S. routers (CBS)
• Pentagon announces 2000% increase in Russian trolls since Friday (Axios)
• Those stickers warning that repairs will void your warranty are nonsense, FTC says (Washington Post)
• The oceans’ circulation hasn’t been this sluggish in 1,000 years. That’s bad news. (Washington Post)
• Thousands of apps in Google Play Store may be illegally tracking children, study finds (Washington Post )
• More than 100 parts for NASA's Orion capsule to be 3D printed  (Reuters)

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

By Miriam Raftery

April 18, 2018 (San Diego) – San Diego County ranks an “F” on the American Lung Association’s Report Card on the state of the air you breathe.   Nationwide, the city of San Diego, along with Carlsbad, also ranked the 6^th worst cities in the nation for ozone pollution, out of 227 metropolitan areas studied.

Backcountry hidden pleasures:   Our guide to unique lodging adventures in San Diego’s beautiful backcountry

By Bobbi Zane

Photo, left, and interior photos courtesy Julian Gold Rush Hotel

April 17, 2018 (Julian) -- Julian Gold Rush Hotel is a lovely Victorian bed and breakfast that dates back to the 1890s. Known as the “Queen of the Back Country,” the hotel is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: ECM News partner 10 News

April 17, 2018 (San Diego) – A driver who exited his vehicle after striking and killing a deer on northbound State Route 125 south of State Route 54 before dawn died after falling off an overpass into a canyon.

California Highway Patrol’s dispatch was notified of the collision at 4:39 a.m.   Upon arrival, CHP units found a black 2007 Audi A3 that had crashed into the deer in the right-hand lane.

By Jonathan Goetz and Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Standing room only crowd included dozens of gun control supporters as well as gun rights advocates

April 17, 2018 (El Cajon) – Actions of the Cajon Valley Union School District have become targets for both sides in the gun violence debate. At the April 10^th board meeting, members came under fire over:

• Hillsdale Middle School students put on lunch detention for participating in an on-campus walk out during the nationwide March for Our Lives, an event aiming to to prevent gun violence on campuses;
•  Termination of a contract for counseling intern Margaret Katchur Morghen, who sat with students during detention as a “learning exercise on the First Amendment” and also spoke with media about the walk-out;
• School board member Jim Miller firing off a derisive letter to a retired teacher who had written to the Superintendent asking for actions to reduce gun violence at schools. Miller responded on behalf of the San Diego Gun Owners Political Action Committee, and wore a National Rifle Association (NRA) hat during the school board’s April 10, 2018 public meeting.

Those actions got the public up in arms, figuratively speaking. Gun rights advocates and people concerned about gun violence packed the hearing room at the April 10^th school board meeting.  Eight people testified during public comments, split evenly with four rounds on each side.

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Story and photos by Liz Alper

Cover photo:  Valhalla junior Max Hageman drove in the game-winning walkoff single in the eighth inning.

April 17, 2018 (El Cajon) - Valhalla baseball, usually one of the best high school baseball teams in San Diego County, is off to a rare bad start to 2018.  The Norsemen were 6-11 overall coming into today’s game, but were so far, so good in league with a 2-1 record.  The Cougars of Steele Canyon are quite the opposite.  They’re undefeated in league (3-0) and a solid .500 (8-8) overall.  Both teams met on Norsemen turf today.  In football, this would be the battle for the Jamacha Trophy.  We’ll call it that in baseball too for fun.  Senior Trevor Back started for the Cougars against senior Tanner Smith for Valhalla.