January 7, 2016 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL/REGIONAL

• A look ahead at East County in 2016 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• What’s in store for local schools in 2016 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Water Conservation Down In San Diego County (KPBS)
• San Diego Apartment Rents Rise Faster Than State, National Averages (KPBS)
• Wall encourages strangers to give (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• U.S. tuna fleet to be shut out of vast area of Pacific over fee dispute (Los Angeles Times)
• San Diego may explore legalized pot growing (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Ramona author Joyce Strand takes first and second spots on 2015 best seller list (Ramona Sentinel)
• Supervisors approve Fire Authority lease of Palomar Mountain volunteer fire department station (Fallbrook/Bonsall Village News)
• Lilac Hills vote delayed indefinitely (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• State Watchdog Tells Horn — Again — Not to Vote on Lilac Hills Ranch Project  (Voice of SD)
• Downtown: $6.4B development juggernaut (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Bright and dim views of San Diego job market  (SD Reader)
• Border Biometrics Take Deeper Look At Otay Mesa Crossers  (KPBS)

STATE

• New laws to have wide-ranging impact on life in California (San Francisco Chronicle)
• The most important new California laws of 2016 (KQED)
• 20 California laws that go into effect in 2016 (San Francisco Chronicle)
• These new laws will try to help California’s vulnerable students (Los Angeles Times)
• Forest Service renewing Nestle’s  water use in San Bernadino Mountains (Los Angeles Times)
• California volcanoes showing major movement: precursor to larger activity coming? (Dutchsinse)
• Uninsured Californians To Face Rising Tax Penalties In 2016 (KPBS)
• California prison reforms have reduced inmate numbers, not costs  (Reuters)
• California ERs in critical condition (San Diego Union-Tribune)

Emergency rooms are reaching capacity more frequently and beds for new patients are unavailable.

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

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

El Niño has arrived and it looks even more powerful than expected, reminds Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. Don’t get caught in flooded waters and debris flow!  You need to be aware of the potential flood and debris flow dangers associated with rainy days.  Here’s what to do.

East County News Service

January 7, 2016 (Lakeside) – The San Diego East County Chamber will host its East County Honors  Annual Awards Gala on Thursday, February 11^th at the Barona Resort and Casino in Lakeside.

The event starts at 6 p.m. and includes cocktails, dinner reception, silent and live auction, opportunity drawing. Balloon pop, and live entertainment by Guy Gonzalez and the Gypsy Swng Cats.

January 7, 2016 (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.

• The 2016 Supreme Court Cases  (Washington Post)
• Armed protesters occupying building on federal land (CNN)
• Oregon militants: death threats from ranchers reported years before standoff (OregonLive)
• Database of 191 million U.S. voters exposed on Internet: researcher (Reuters)
• Suspected Islamic State supporter charged with New Year's Eve plot in New York (Reuters)
• Donald Trump responds to being used in terrorist video (CBS)
• America’s abortion wars—and how to end them (Newsweek)
• Cuban Immigrants Flow Into The U.S., Fearing The Rules Will Change (NPR)
• New York governor orders homeless off streets in freezing weather (Reuters)
• Michigan Supreme Court cracks down on 'pay or stay' imprisonment (NPR)

WORLD

• North Korea says it successfully conducts hydrogen bomb test (CNN)
• Fiery protests  at Saudi embassy in Tehran after Saudis execute Shi’ite cleric, 46 others (CNN)
• Airstrike Kills ISIS Leader Directly Linked To Paris Attackers (NPR)
• Newly installed mayor of Mexican city killed (Reuters)
• Exclusive: Seized documents reveal Islamic State's Department of 'War Spoils' (Reuters)
•  Mass attacks on German women: what does it spell for refugee crisis? (CS Monitor)
•  'Hamas activated cells to carry out suicide attacks, target Israeli political figures’( J Post)
• Volley of rockets fired from Gaza at southern Israel (JPost)
• Police In Belgium Arrest 6 Over New Year's Eve Terrorist Plot (NPR)
• Europe's Refugee Crisis Pales In Comparison To World War II Aftermath (NPR)
• Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' returns to German market in new form (AP)
• Russian diplomat: Russia has removed uranium from Iran (AP)
• Putin names United States among threats in new Russian security strategy (Reuters)

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

By Tasha Matthews 

Photo courtesy of WhiteHouse.gov

January 5, 2016 (Washington D.C.) --President Barack Obama has taken executive action to tighten gun control, revealing some restrictions and heightened enforcement of firearms sales on Tuesday.  This is in response to the recent array of violent shootings taking place in the United States and Congress failing to pass any legislation to stem gun violence.

A special report by Nadin Abbott, Reporting San Diego and Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine

January 6, 2016 (San Diego)--With floodwaters rising to the ceiling in several apartments and homes built below-grade on 48th Street in City Heights, residents scrambled frantically to evacuate their children, elderly family members and pets last night.  A dog perished—but it could have been a far worse tragedy, if not for the astonishing courage of Gabriel Duarte.

Duarte, a construction worker, surely knew the hazards of jumping into floodwaters that had submerged lamps and live electrical wiring – waters choked with debris, dirt, and potentially disease.  Yet he risked his life to save others, entering several feet of water to unclog two submerged storm drains. Many of his neighbors credit him, for preventing further damage. He dove into the murky waters to clear two of the three storm drains that had backed up.

January 6, 2016 (El Cajon) — A man in his 30s, whose identity is not known, suffered major life-threatening injuries last night when he was struck by a Nissan Pathfinder while crossing a street at Marshall and Arnele Avenues last night at 6:39 p.m.

After a takeover of a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon by armed militia members, local wildlife biologist Renée Owens has sent an open letter to Bureau of Land Management directors and staff in Burns, Oregon.

"Your inaction to stop them only emboldens such criminal activity, and makes you vulnerable to a lawsuit by others such as myself whose public land rights and interests have been violated," she writes. 

Below is the full text of her letter:

By Miriam Raftery

January 5, 2016 (City Heights) – Floodwaters from tonight’s deluge have left four apartments underwater, also submerging vehicles at 48^th and El Cajon Blvd. in City Heights.

Resident Jonathan Goetz says that “at least six feet of water”  have inundated downstairs units. “Dude, my car is underwater!” he posted on his Facebook page. 

His photos document the drama in real life as a woman rescues her dog, Cha-Cha, cradling her pet in her arms. Another man searched frantically for his missing chihuahua  Nacho, hip-high in the swiftly rising floodwaters. Goetz reports that Nacho was found dead in a bedroom.

East County News Service

January 5, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) 6:15 p.m.– A flood watch has been upgraded to a flood warning, meaning flooding is occurring in our region. Here are updates on roadways reported flooded within the past hour in El Cajon, La Mesa, Crest,  and San Diego.  If you know of other hazards spots please post in our comments section.

Here are flodoed conditions reported in the last hour or so:

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Damage from polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB), courtesy of the University of California, Riverside

January 4, 2016 (San Diego)—A destructive new pest, the tiny polyphagous shot hole borer beetle, has attacked over 200 different species of trees in  Southern California.  Infestations range from avocado groves to ornamental trees in residential yards, entomologists at the University of Riverside report. 

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, that includes thousands of trees in the Tijuana River Valley that have been destroyed suddenly in recent months.

By Miriam Raftery

January 4, 2016 (El Cajon) - A Go Fund Me site has been established to help the children of Mary Newbold Fa’anunu, a 34-year-old mother of six who was killed by a gunshot wound to her head on New Year’s Day at the family’s home in the unincorporated area of El Cajon.

East County News Service

January 4, 2016 (Jacumba)--The Jacumba Hikers and Walkers have announced their schedule of hikes for January and February in the high desert region surrounding Jacumba Hot Springs. 

The hikes range from easy to extreme, covering terrain from wilderness to a desert oasis, mountains and canyons.  You’ll also see sites rich in history reflecting the region’s Native Americans, Spanish, and pioneer settlers. Other excursions including a trip to the Chinese Castle, a Garnet Mine, Goat Canyon’s railroad trestle, and a waterfall, plus dips in mineral hot springs at the Jacumba Spa and Resort.

For a full schedule, scroll down, and also be sure to read these hikng safety tips.

Update: Hear our interview with Victor Contreras, Descendants of Early San Diego, on Twainfest, including a reading from a monologue on his own famous ancestor from early San Diego.  The interview originally aired on KNSJ; listen here: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

East County News Service

January 3, 2016 (San Diego)--The Descendants of Early San Diego (formerly known as the Old Town San Diego Descendants Group seek submissions of short  monologues for presentation at TwainFest 2016 to be held at Old Town San Diego State Park in August of 2016. Each monologue should be in first person, accurately reflecting real people who lived in our region in the 1800s. Two $100 prizes will be awarded and authors can also audition for opportunities to perform their works for additional compensation. See below for details.