LOCAL PISTACHIO COMPANY RECALLS PRODUCTS DUE TO SALMONELLA CONCERNS
By Miriam Raftery March 26, 2016 (San Diego) – American Gourmet’s roasted and salted pistachios are made locally in Vista and sold at stores countywide, including Trader Joe’s. Now the company has announced a recall due to possible salmonella contamination. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that the company was asked by its supplier of pistachios to initiative the voluntary recall. In addition to San Diego County, the products were also sold in San Bernadino and Riverside Counties. The recalled packages have best-by dates between November 5, 2016 and March 13, 2017. The recall includes 2.5, 4.5 and 7.5 ounce packages. Consumers can return the recalled products to retailers for full refunds. This marks the second pistachio recall this month. Wonderful Pistachios, also a California company with products sold in Trader Joe’s and other recalls, announced Eleven people were sickened earlier this month when another California-based company, Wonderful Pistachios, announced similar recall of its packages, which were sold by retailers including Trader Joe’s. No illness have yet been linked to the latest recall. However salmonella poisoning can cause fever, nausea, vomiting, bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain as well as more serious illnesses including aneurysms, endocarditis and sometimes fatal infections particularly in children, the elderly or people with weakened immune systems, the FDA reports.
SUPERVISORS TEMPORARILY BAN NEW MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES
East County News Service March 26, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – By a unanimous vote, San Diego Supervisors voted last week to adopt an immediate 45-day moratorium on medical marijuana collectives with a possibility of making the ban permanent. The move came after the Ramona Community Planning Group sent a letter to Supervisors asking for a ban or changes to regulations. Ramona currently has one of the only two dispensaries in the unincorporated areas; the second is in unincorporated El Cajon near Gillespie Field. The County’s Planning and Development Services department has issued building permits for four more, including two in Ramona, one in rural El Cajon and another in Valley Center. Four additional applications are pending including two in Lakeside and one each in Ramona and Julian. The moratorium would put the brakes on all of those projects. Supervisors heard testimony from over two dozen people who support the ban and seven opposed. Opponents voiced concerns about traffic on winding rural roads by potentially impaired drivers, as well as potential access to minors A representative from Drug Free Julian also brought a petition with 400 signatures of people against dispensaries. Supporters cited a need for convenient access to medical marijuana for patients in rural areas, where public transit is largely lacking and winter weather can make it difficult to travel long distances to fill their prescriptions. Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who represents East County, said she supports a longer term ban, noting that in addition to the two legal dispensaries already open in the county, the City of San Diego has seven dispensaries open and six more approved. She also motioned for staff to craft zoning changes to require major use permits for dispensaries, a costly process, as well as a 1,000 foot buffer zone from residential properties and tough penalties for violations. Supervisor Horn agreed with Jacob in supporting a permanent ban on new dispensaries. Supervisors Greg Cox and Dave Roberts, however, indicated that while they support a temporary moratorium to allow staff time to fine-tune regulations, they do not support a ban. Both said however that they believe each community should have only one dispensaries, not multiple outlets. The moratorium, which expires in late April, could be extended for another 10 months and after that, up to an additional year, the Ramona Sentinel reports.
FIRE DAMAGES EASTBOUND BAR & GRILL IN LAKESIDE
East County News Service Photo: Screenshot from KNSD March 26, 2016 (Lakeside) – A pre-dawn fire Saturday morning caused heavy damage at the Eastbound Bar & Grill, a popular eatery on Maine Street in downtown Lakeside. A delivery driver spotted smoke and called 911. A nearby resident reported hearing an explosion, then also spotted flames coming through the roof. Fortunately the Lakeside fire station was close by and crews responded promptly. The fire destroyed the kitchen and also damaged a nearby business. The owner of the restaurant, which has 50 employees, has she hopes to reopen in time for the Lakeside rodeo in April, after completing repairs. Cause of the fire remains under investigation, but may have been due to an electrical wiring issue in a freezer, owner Ben Clevenger told KNSD news.
WINDY, WET WEATHER NEXT WEEK
East County News Service March 25, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Strong winds, rain and snow at higher elevations are forecast for early-to-mid week, along with cooler temperatures. The stormy weather could make for a difficult post-holiday commute for Easter or Spring break travelers, according to National Weather Service forecasters Jimmy Taeger and Joe Dandrea. Wind gusts could reach 70 mph in mountains and deserts. Showers will likely be mostly light, but with brief, moderate downpours and moderate snowfall above 5,000 feet. Strong winds will cause reduced visibility, with blowing dust and sand in desert areas.
SOPHIE’S ART GALLERY & GIFT SHOP HAS A NEW EYE-CATCHING ENTRY
By Robert Gehr March 25, 2016 (El Cajon) — Check out the face done in mosaic tile. Simply amazing! Sophie’s Art Gallery is one of many programs offered by St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center which helps hone the skills of aspiring adult artists with developmental issues. I see these folks as creators of unique art for sure. The place, which is open to the public Monday – Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., holds lots of interesting and beautiful art pieces done in many formats. Come in and browse this jewel of a store here in El Cajon. With an eclectic variety of items, you’ll find there’s something for everyone with these one-of- a-kind creations of art. You won’t be disappointed! Or you can shop online at www.stmsc.org. There you will find original art prints, greeting cards, and music. Check out Sophie’s on Facebook too. https://www.facebook.com/Sophies-Gallery-and-Gift-Shop Celebrating 50 years, Sophie’s Art Gallery is located at 109 Rea Ave. El Cajon, CA 92020, just off N. Magnolia Ave. in the heart of downtown El Cajon. The phone number is 619-593-2205.
DRIVER, 92, KILLED IN RAMONA COLLISION
East County News Service March 25, 2016 (Ramona) — A 92-year-old Ramona woman died at the scene of an accident this morning at 11:30 a.m. The woman was driving a 2001 Saturn eastbound on Thomas Paine Drive approaching the Mussey Grade Road when she failed to stop while turning left at the T-intersection and pulled into the path of a Toyota Camry, said Officer Kevin Pearlstein with the California Highway Patrol. She was struck by the Toyota, which was traveling north on Mussey Grade Road at approximately 45 miles per hour, the speed limit. “The driver of the Toyota had no time to perceive and react to this action,” Officer Pearlstein said. “Due to the force of the impact, the driver of the Saturn succumbed to her injuries at the scene.” Drugs or alcohol were not factors in the tragedy.
FIRST SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED ZIKA VIRUS CASE IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY REPORTED
Source: County News Service Photo courtesy CDC March 25, 2016 (San Diego) — The first Zika virus case acquired through sexual transmission in San Diego was confirmed this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency announced today. The woman was infected with the virus in February after intimate contact with an ill man who returned from a trip to Colombia. The woman was not pregnant and had not traveled out of the country. She and her partner have fully recovered. “Travelers to countries where Zika is present should protect themselves from mosquito bites while they are abroad and prevent sexual transmission when they return,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “Next to abstinence, condoms are the best prevention method against any sexually transmitted infections.” The Zika virus is transmitted mostly through mosquito bites, but a man who has Zika can transmit the virus to his sex partners. Men who travel from Zika-affected countries should protect their partners, especially women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, by following CDC guidelines. Only one out of every five people who gets infected with the Zika virus ever experiences any illness. If people do get sick, their symptoms are usually mild and may include fever, rash, joint pain or conjunctivitis (red eyes). However, the Zika virus is suspected of causing a severe birth defect — microcephaly, a condition where babies heads and brains are smaller than normal — in cases in which mothers were infected during pregnancy. According to the CDC, no mosquito-transmitted cases of Zika have been reported in the continental United States. Forty countries and territories in the Americas, Africa and the Pacific Ocean have recently reported locally acquired Zika infections. Although Mexico has reported cases from local mosquitoes, none have been in Baja California. An up-to-date list of Zika-affected countries can be found on the CDC Zika virus Web page. The CDC has issued traveler’s warnings urging pregnant women not to travel to countries where Zika is present. HHSA advises people with symptoms to see a healthcare provider if they have visited an area where Zika virus is present or had sexual contact with a person who traveled to a Zika-affected area. No specific medications are available to treat the Zika virus, and there is no vaccine. The mosquitoes known to transmit the Zika virus, primarily the Aedes aegypti (yellow fever mosquito), but also the Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito), are not native to San Diego. However, small numbers of these mosquitoes have been discovered in the county in recent years. These invasive Aedes mosquitoes are different from the mosquito species native to San Diego County. They are black and have distinctive white stripes. And unlike the native mosquitoes, they like to feed during daylight hours and are known to be aggressive biters. The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health Vector Control Program has been encouraging residents to protect themselves from mosquitoes since 2003, when another virus — the West Nile virus — showed up in California. The invasive mosquitoes that can transmit the Zika virus like to live and breed in urbanized areas — including inside homes and backyards — and can breed in containers as small as a thimble. The Vector Control Program routinely monitors and works to control mosquito populations, responds to complaints, and reduces or treats mosquito breeding sources. County officials said the public should remember to follow the “Prevent, Protect, Report” guidelines: Prevent mosquito breeding sites. Every week, dump out and clean containers that hold water inside and outside homes. Fill plant saucers with sand or fine gravel so water won’t form pools where mosquitoes can breed. Protect yourself from mosquito bites. Wear long sleeves and pants when outdoors. Use insect repellent, preferably one containing DEET. Make sure the screens on your windows and doors are in good condition, do not have holes or tears, and are secured to keep insects out. Report if you are being bitten by mosquitoes during daylight hours, or if you find mosquitoes that match the description of the yellow-fever mosquito or Asian tiger mosquito, by contacting the Vector Control Program at (858) 694-2888 or vector@sdcounty.ca.gov. For more information about the Zika virus, go to the County Zika virus Web page.