By A.J. Herrington

Originally published in the San Diego Reader

Photo:  remote wildlife camera, courtesy of the San Diego River Park Foundation.

October 19, 2017 (Julian) -- As I glance in the passenger-side rearview mirror, a dusty plume billows behind us, brightly lit by the low morning sun. Next to me in the driver’s seat, Shannon Quigley-Raymond guides her car along winding Eagle Peak Road, southwest of Julian. As we snake along the mountain roadway, she shares how three years of conservation work have recently come to fruition.

Source: FBI

October 19, 2017 (San Diego) -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), along with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), announced today that 84 minors were recovered and 120 traffickers were arrested as part of Operation Cross Country XI, a nationwide effort focusing on underage human trafficking that ran from October 12-15, 2017. 

East County News Service

October 18, 2017 (San Diego's East County) - On Saturday, October 21st, the Jacumba Hikers and Walkers are hitting the trail to Carrizo Creek.  This is a four-mile round trip hike rated moderate.  Hikers will be traveling a short distance on a county maintained dirt road, through a short tunnel to the “Echoing Mountains,” down a cliff to a creek bed strewn with boulders, overgrown shrubs and Tamarisk trees. Following the creek bed, you will encounter numerous pools and waterfalls.

East County News Service

October 18, 2017 (El Cajon) -- The Sixth Annual “HauntFest on Main” will be held this Friday night, October 20^th from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. in Downtown El Cajon. This fun, family-friendly Halloween-themed event includes live music on the Promenade Stage including the Stand-Up Guys from 5 to 7:15 p.m. and the Amazing ‘80s All-Starz from 7:45 to 10 p.m.: This event also features costume contests on the Main Street stage, carnival rides, crafts, games, car show, a candy trail, kids zone with outdoor movies, face painting, inflatables for kids, pumpkin patch, Ghostbusters and more. 

October 18, 2017 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• The little red pill being pushed on the elderly (CNN)
• Legal marijuana is saving lives in Colorado, study finds (Washington Post)
• FDA Panel Endorses Gene Therapy for a Form of Childhood Blindness (NPR)
• Obesity in Children and Teens Rose Sharply Worldwide Over Past 4 Decades (NPR)
• DNA study provides insight into how to live longer (BBC)
• In early study, rare tumors respond to precision therapy (SD Union-Tribune)
• 'I spent savings rather than wait' (BBC)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Researchers uncover flaw that makes Wi-Fi vulnerable to hacks (Reuters)
• Paris Mayor Plans to Eliminate All Non-Electric Cars By 2030 (NPR)
• Drone hits commercial airliner in Canada, no injuries (Reuters)
• After Hurricane Power Outages, Looking to Alaska's Microgrids For a Better Way (NPR)
• As an asteroid approaches, NASA carries out a cosmic fire drill (CS Monitor)
• Does "supervolcano" under Yellowstone have planet-killing potential? (CBS)
• Einstein’s waves detected in star smash (BBC)

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

October 5, 2017 (La Mesa) – You’re invited to join our East County Dining Club in a “Feast from the East” at Himalayan Cuisine (7918 El Cajon Blvd., La Mesa) on Thursday, October 19 at 6:30 p.m.  The restaurant features delicious  foods from Nepal, India and Tibet. 

For this event, you can order food and drinks off the extensive exotic and affordable menu, plus we’ll have a wealth of prizes. View the delicious menu options:  www.HimalayanCuisineOne.com.   

You can pay at the door for this event, but please RSVP early to reserve space—our last two events sold out!  RVSP to reserve space:  (619)698-7617 or email editor@eastcountymagazine.org .

The restaurant will donate 15% of proceeds to benefit East County Magazine and East County Wildfires & Alerts.  More delicious details:

October 18, 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.

• AP analysis: FEMA rejects appeals worth $1.2 billion over a decade (AP)
• House approves $36.5 billion hurricane and wildfire relief package (New York Times)
• In Utah, major forest fire fuels push for state, not federal control (CS Monitor)
• Trump says military should not have to help with food, water distribution in Puerto Rico (CNBC)
• Trump told slain soldier's widow that he "knew what he was getting into," Congresswoman says (CBS)
• U.S. police deaths on duty spiked in 2016: FBI  (Reuters)
• Trump to stop subsidies to health insurers (NBC 7)
• Trump’s executive order will leave millions of cancer patients without access to adequate coverage (Jamie Reno, Reno Dispatch)
• Trump taps Accuweather CEO to head NOAA, breaking with precedent of nominating scientists (Washington Post)
• Actress Rose McGowan publicly accused mega-producer Harvey Weinstein of rape (CNN)

WORLD

• Iraqi forces enter Kirkuk as Kurds flee (BBC)
• Defeat of Islamic State in Raqqa may herald wider struggle for U.S. (Reuters)
• Kids for sale: ‘My mom was tricked’ (CNN)
• Storm Ophelia hits Ireland, prompting first-ever severe weather alert for the entire island (Verge)
• Deadly wildfires ravage Portugal and Spain (USA Today)
• Israel says it will not negotiate with a Hamas-based Palestinian government (JPost)
• U.S., Israel quit U.N. heritage agency citing bias   (Reuters)
• Indian Supreme Court Says Sex With Underage Wife Is Rape (NPR)
• Somalis Grasp For Answers After 'Deadliest Single Attack Somalia Has Ever Faced' (NPR)
• Anti-corruption blogger killed by huge bomb in Malta (Reuters)
• Unexpected victory: socialists win a majority of Venezuela gubernatorial elections (CS Monitor)
• Top Global Cities Face Increased Risk Of A Real Estate Bubble (NPR)

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

East County News Service

October 17, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes HauntFest on Main in El Cajon, Carnival for Canines in La Mesa, Borrego Days desert festival and parade, a Toast to East County, the Laguna Mountain Rendezvous, alpacas at the Summers Past Pumpkin Patch, Scotty’s Scare Trail, and the Pumpkin Express train ride in Campo.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions, including a haunted Elks lodge, a Halloween Harvest Festival, the Hills Halloween Party, a spooky campover, the Boulevard Boo Parade, a “Hallowscream” night, a high desert mountain yoga retreat, an Autumn Fest and Plant Sale, the Ramona Art and Wine Festival, a live hawk demonstration, a Veterans Day ceremony and the 71st annual Mother Goose Parade. 

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

By Miriam Raftery

October 17, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Governor Jerry Brown has vetoed Senate Bill 649, a bill by State Senator Ben Hueso, a San Diego Democrat whose district includes large portions of rural East County.  The bill would have allowed wireless technology companies to install 5G mini and micro cell sites on any government-owned property without county or city oversight.

By Miriam Raftery

October 17, 2017 (San Diego) – The County of San Diego has released a map showing the number of Hepatitis A cases by zip code.

By far the largest share of the county’s 490 cases have occurred in San Diego’s 92101 zip code, which has had 81 people diagnosed.   But cases have been diagnosed across the region, and some East County communities have high clusters of the contagious illness. 

By Miriam Raftery

October 17, 2017 (Dulzura) — A San Diego man, 56, was killed in a collision today on State Route 94 east of Dulzura.  He was riding a 2004 Harley Davidson motorcycle westbound when his vehicle crossed the center double yellow lines and struck the left front of an International truck/tractor combination vehicle driven by a 30-year-old San Diego man.

By Mimi Pollack

October 17, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- If you go to the website of the publication, San Diego Jewish World, you will see the motto, “There Is a Jewish Story Everywhere!” Owner and publisher Don Harrison delights in traveling, meeting people, and sniffing out those Jewish stories.

Source:  Chabad of East County

October 17, 2017 (San Carlos) -- Rabbi Rafi Andrusier of Chabad of East County will recount 2000 years of Jewish history through the lens of six epic debates that rocked the Jewish world and still resound powerfully today.  Beginning Tuesday, October 31, at 7:00 p.m., Chabad will be offering a new six-session course from the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI), titled Great Debates in Jewish History.

By Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine

October 17, 2017 (San  Diego’s East County) -- Recently we sat down with Andrew Zelt, a Republican challenger running against Rep. Duncan D. Hunter in the 50^th Congressional District. He’s a sergeant in the Sheriff’s Department, where he’s spent his career, and a resident of Rancho San Diego.

Zelt says he’s running because he can no longer support Hunter, who is under investigation by the Justice Department for  allegedly using campaign donations for personal use. (Hunter has denied wrongdoing but did repay his campaign around $60,000 for vacations, payments to his child's school, oral surgery, jewelry and other expenses.)

“My top priority is listening to the people, finding out what are some of the things that affect you, your day to day lives, and then expand on that to the nation," he says, adding, "What are some of your concerns about the way our nation is going?”

  Hear our in-depth interview at the audio link, which originally aired late this summer on KNSJ radio, or scroll down for highlights.

Updated 12:43 p.m.

East County News Service

October 16, 2017 (Ranchita) – Cal Fire has announced that no criminal charges will be filed against shooters who started the Wilson Fire which has scorched 25 acres in the Ranchita area between Warner Springs and the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.