STORMS SOAK REGION; HIGH WIND WARNING ISSUED
By Miriam Raftery Photo: UCSD HP Wren camera on Mt. Laguna November 27, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) –The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for our mountain and desert regions through tonight,with gusts up to 65 miles an hour possible. If traveling watch for downed trees and power lines, blowing sand, rain-slicked highways and icy conditions in higher mountain areas. Drought-parched mountain areas in East County have received welcome relief from a pair of storms that swooped into the region over the weekend. As of 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, the National Weather Service reports over 2.4 inches of rain fell at Lake Cuyamaca, with nearly 1.7 inches at Julian. Snow has fallen on taller mountain peaks, including over an inch on Mount Laguna. Some other local communities also received significant rainfall. Mount Woodson, Harbison Canyon, Descanso, Pine Valley, and Alpine all got more than an inch of precipitation even before a second storm swept the area Sunday night. Some communities in El Cajon, Ramona, Santa Ysabel and Lakeside all received over a half inch, though only a trace of rain fell in our inland desert regions.
CLINTON JOINS ELECTION RECOUNT EFFORT
By Miriam Raftery November 27, 2016 (San Diego) – Democrat Hillary Clinton’s campaign has announced it will join in the effort to recount ballots in key swing states. That effort was launched by Green Party candidate Jill Stein, who has raised millions of dollars to fund recounts in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan and possibly additional states. Clinton leads in the popular vote by over 2 million votes nationwide, but lost the electoral votes. About 100,000 votes separate Clinton and Trump in the three states slated for recounts—and it would take a shift to Clinton in all three to change the election outcome. Clinton’s campaign counsel, Marc Elias, has said the campaign’s own investigation has not found any evidence of a hack and at this point Clinton is not contesting the election outcome. But her campaign is participating in the recount launched by Stein to “ensure that it is fair to all sides.” President-Elect Donald Trump has denounced the recount efforts as a “scam” to raise money even though Stein says her funds are in a dedicated account that cannot be used for anything else. Trump’s campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, called the Clinton and Stein campaigns “a pack of sore losers” for seeking the recount despite the fact that Trump himself had previously suggested the election could be rigged. Stein launched the effort after computer and election experts raised concerns about the potential for hacking of voting machines. The Green Party has asked for a “reconciliation of paper records” that goes beyond a recount to assess the accuracy of voting machines and whether any malware could have been inserted to change votes. Shortly before the election, ABC news reported that Russia had attempted to hack 20 states’ election systems and successfully breached four. ABC cited key sources at Homeland Security and the FBI who voiced concerns about efforts to hack the U.S. presidential election. Hacks were also made into Clinton campaign e-mails. Meanwhile a separate effort has been launched to persuade electors to the electoral college to change their votes. At least six have said they will do so, tying a historic record for so-called “faithless electors” though that would still fall far short of the total needed to change this election outcome. Some states have laws to prohibit electors from voting their conscience or changing their vote to support whoever wins the popular vote. Now, a lawsuit has been filed on behalf of one delegate seeking to challenge that law. But even in the unlikely event that the electoral college were to vote for Clinton instead of Trump for president, or choose a compromise candidate, that still doesn’t make Trump a loser. The Constitution provides that in such a case, the House of Representatives would choose the President—and the House is controlled by Republicans by an overwhelming margin.
HOLIDAY OPEN RANCH AT ALPACAS OF SAN DIEGO IN DESCANSO DEC. 3
East County News Service November 27, 2016 (Descanso) – You’re invited to a Holiday Open Ranch at Alpacas of Diego, located in Descanso (10499 Highway 79), just east of Alpine. This festive day of fun will be held on Saturday, December 3rd from10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can meet the alpacas, stock up on yarn, fleece and alpaca gifts for the holidays, find special activities for children and learn about alpaca farming. (Admission is free, but please, no pets.) For more information, you can visit http://www.alpacasofsandiego.com/
ALPINE’S CHRISTMAS PARADE OF LIGHTS & SNOW FESTIVAL DEC. 2
East County News Service November 27, 2016 (Alpine) — A twinkling holiday parade, sledding down “Snow Hill,” visits with Santa, craft booths and more are all part of the 21st annual Alpine Village Christmas Parade of Lights and Snow Festival on Friday, December 2nd. The parade begins at 6:30 p.m. at 6:30pm at West Victoria Blvd. and ends at Alpine Creek Town Center, 1347 Tavern Road. There, a festival includes real snow to delight youngsters, as well as a kids zone, foods, vendor and information booths, and photo opportunities with Santa, so bring your camera. Merchants Alpine Creek Town Center will also be open later for holiday shoppers. To learn more or find special offers, you can visit www.alpinecreekcenter.com.
AZTECS TRAMPLED BY RAMS ON SENIOR NIGHT 63-31
UPDATE: Aztecs will play in Wyoming for Mountain West Championship game. Edited to add postgame notes and quotes at the bottom of story By Liz Alper Photo by Cris Rangel November 26, 2016 (San Diego) – In their last home game of the season (barring hosting the Mountain West championship game), Aztecs football hosted the Colorado State Rams on Senior Night. As good as SDSU’s defense is, they couldn’t stop the best offense in the Mountain West from scoring first. Redshirt junior Nick Stevens threw a short pass to junior Michael Gallup and he did the rest, running into the end zone for the first score and a 7-0 CSU lead. It got worse. Stevens found junior receiver Detrich Clark for his second touchdown pass of the first quarter and the Rams went up 14-0. But just like last week at Wyoming, the Aztecs had an answer. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Christian Chapman ran a playaction and threw to junior tight end David Wells to finally get SDSU on the board and trailing by a touchdown 14-7. But the Rams weren’t fazed. After Stevens conquered 3rd & 9 by throwing a ball to redshirt senior receiver Robert Ruiz, sophomore running back Izzy Matthews did the rest, running in at the one yard line for another CSU first quarter touchdown. 21-7 Rams. At the end of the first quarter and into the second quarter, Donnel Pumphrey started to get his groove back, Colorado State started to rack up penalties and the Aztecs found the end zone again. Chapman threw to junior Mikah Holder for the first score of the second quarter and the Aztecs were down by seven again, 21-14. Sophomore kicker John Baron II kicked a short field goal and the Aztecs were down by four, 21-17. But the duo of Stevens and Gallup connected again for another easy score and CSU went up 28-17 midway through the second quarter. More pain came with five minutes left when Ruiz returned a punt for another touchdown and the Rams led big again, 35-17. The Aztecs got some reprieve after a few great passes from Chapman. Pumphrey ran it in on a reverse handoff for his 60th career touchdown and Colorado State’s lead was cut to 35-24. The Rams weren’t going to let SDSU get away with that and, after a big run by Matthews, Stevens tossed it to Ruiz for Ruiz’s third receiving touchdown this season and the Rams led 42-24 at the half. In the third quarter, the Rams did some more damage. After Chapman was picked off by freshman defensive back Jamal Hicks, CSU took it back downfield for another touchdown and the score was 49-24. Freshman halfback Marvin Kinsey Jr. added six more to make the score 56-24. At the end of the third quarter, Colorado State forced a fumble. In the fourth with the offense on the field as a result, Matthews ran it in for the short touchdown run and the Rams were up 63-24. The Aztecs took one last stab when freshman running back Juwan Washington broke free and ran into the end zone and the Rams led 63-31. The Rams took that score to the end of the game and ruined the Aztecs’ Senior Night and put a cap on the SDSU offense that has been so stellar all season and ran and passed all over the Aztecs’ defense that has been so great. The Aztecs will face Wyoming in the Mountain West championship game on December 3. The site of the game is to be determined Sunday morning. Postgame notes Postgame quotes