GROSSMONT HEALTHCARE DISTRICT CONTINUES SUPPORT OF VOLUNTEERS IN MEDICINE IN EL CAJON
East County News Service July 3, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) recently hosted a check presentation ceremony with Maureen Hartin, CEO of Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) San Diego. The ceremony celebrated GHD’s ongoing support of VIM, including a $150,000 grant awarded during GHD’s current fiscal year. GHD’s grant will assist with paying for diagnostic test lab tests and fees as well as medical supplies for uninsured residents in the East Region, who are treated for free at the VIM El Cajon medical clinic at 1457 East Madison Ave. Michael Emerson, GHD board president, said, “We are proud to support Volunteers in Medicine and their mission to improve access to health care for America’s underserved, particularly the uninsured, by relying on volunteer medical professionals, including retired doctors and nurses. We applaud Volunteers in Medicine in their effort to bring together medical professionals with patients who don’t have health insurance.” VIM’s El Cajon clinic is staffed by more than 100 professional volunteers, including retired doctors, nurses and support staff, who donate thousands of hours in providing primary care services to more than 2,000 patients annually. The majority of patients are from employed working families who earn too much to qualify for a government health program, yet too little to afford health insurance, according to Hartin. Founded in 1994, VIM is a nationwide nonprofit dedicated to developing free community-based health clinics for the uninsured. There are currently 97 VIM clinics operating in 25 states. When the El Cajon clinic opened in the fall of 2006, it was California’s first VIM clinic. The Grossmont Healthcare District is a public agency that supports various health-related community programs and services in the East Region. Formed in 1952 to build and operate Grossmont Hospital, GHD serves as landlord of Sharp Grossmont Hospital, including ownership of the property and buildings on behalf of local taxpayers. The District is governed by a five-member board of directors, each elected to four-year terms, who represent more than 500,000 people residing within the District’s 750 square miles in San Diego’s East County. For more information about GHD, visit www.grossmonthealthcare.org.
VACANY ON SPRING VALLEY COMMUNITY PLANNING GROUP
East County News Service July 3, 2017 (Spring Valley) — James Comeau resigned June 27th, from the Spring Valley Community Planning Group, creating a vacancy in seat 14, creating an immediate vacancy. To apply¸ refer to the SD County Roster of Boards, Commissions and Committees on their web site at http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/cob/. The County Board of Supervisors will make an appointment to fill the vacancy after review, at a future meeting. Those wishing to apply to become a member of the Spring Valley Community Planning Group are requested to inform the Group Chair, Lora Lowes, 619-461-7243, LoraLowesSVCPG@Yahoo.com, of their desire to serve and to receive an application. The application is available here: http://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/dam/sdc/cob/docs/bcac/brdapp.pdf They are then invited to present themselves in person to the Group at the next available meeting at the Otay Water District at 2554 Sweetwater Springs Blvd., Lower Training Room at 7:00p.m. to inform the group in a short presentation of their credentials and their desire and availability to serve. The Group meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. Applicants must reside in the Spring Valley planning area to be eligible for election to the Group. Candidates must present a completed County application, be at least 18 years of age, be registered to vote in the Planning Group area and disclose any financial interest in real estate or business in Spring Valley other than their home (if any- Form 700). Planning Group members provide a critical service to the community by giving vital input to the County on development and other activities within the Group’s boundaries. “Decisions made by the County impact what happen in our community,” Lowes says. “we need to make sure that our voices are heard. Please consider serving!”
FIVE THINGS FOR YOUR FOURTH: COOKING SAFETY
By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office Image credit: PhotoSpin July 3, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Independence Day! It’s all about celebrations, get-togethers, barbecues and lots and lots of food. It should also be all about cooking safely — so no one goes home from your get-together celebrating a bellyache or worse because bacteria like salmonella, listeria or E. coli that can cause food-borne illness crashed your cookout. So, here are five helpful tips from the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health to help you make your Fourth of July or summer celebration tasty, safe and great: Plan Ahead, Clean, Separate, Cook and Chill. PLAN AHEAD Before you start cooking, decide how much food you can safely serve. For example, figure out how much cooking and refrigerated space you have to work with. You don’t want meats and perishables (like Uncle Jim’s egg salad) sitting out — on the counter at room temperature or outside in the heat — where bacteria can grow quickly. You do want to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. If you have to defrost meats, fish or poultry, give yourself enough time to safely defrost them slowly in your refrigerator. (Defrosting in the open air or in still water spurs bacterial growth.) Have your meat thermometer ready. Always buy food from a safe source, such as a market or restaurant. CLEAN Don’t let bacteria into your meal. Wash your hands before and after handling food, or when switching tasks or food types. Thoroughly rinse raw fruits and vegetables. Wash and sanitize counters, food prep areas, cutting boards and the equipment you’re using before and after preparing the different parts of your meal. SEPARATE Keep fruits and vegetables separated from raw meat products. When defrosting meats and poultry, put them on a plate or pan at the bottom of your refrigerator to safely thaw so that they don’t drip on other food. Try to use separate cutting boards for meat and produce — fruits and vegetables. If you can’t, cut your produce before cutting meats and make sure you thoroughly wash your cutting board between uses with hot, soapy water. COOK When you’re cooking meat, always use your meat thermometer to make sure the meat is being thoroughly cooked, inside and out. This can be especially important if you’re barbecuing because meat and poultry brown fast on a grill and look like they’re thoroughly cooked before they’re ready. Ground meat and sausages, poultry, beef, pork and ham roasts all require different safe cooking temperatures. For example, ground beef and sausages should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 F; poultry to 165 F; and beef, pork and ham roasts to 145 F (and allowed to rest for 3 minutes to continue cooking). Here are links to more comprehensive internal cooking guides from the United States Department of Agriculture and FoodSafety.gov. CHILL Keep cold foods cold — keep meat and poultry refrigerated until you’re ready to cook. If you’re barbecuing, keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to put it on the grill. When you’re using a cooler, don’t place it in direct sunlight; keep it in the shade. Open the cooler only when you have to because it lets the cold air out and warm air in. Put beverages in one cooler and meats, poultry and other perishables in another. For more information and food safety tips, go to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service’s Food Safety Education Web page or call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854.
HIGHWAY 78 CLOSED DUE TO TRUCK OVERTURNED
July 3, 2017 (Ramona) — State Route 78 is closed in both directions at Moma in the Ramona Trails area due to a semi-truck that overturned, Cal Fire reports. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that the vehicle was hauling chicken feed. The truck leaked hydraulic fuel and a clean-up is ongoing for the next couple of hours. The driver was injured and transported to a hospital, CBS 8 reports. A detour is in effect onto Old Julian Highway/Third Street, according to the CHP website.
1500 SAN DIEGANS MARCH FOR IMPEACHMENT
By Frank Gormlie , OB Rag July 2, 2017 (San Diego) — An estimated 1500 San Diegans rallied and marched in downtown San Diego today to impeach the president of the United States. The first rally began around 11am in front of the County Admin building. About 45 minutes into the event, the crowd moved off the site onto the streets for a march around the western edge of downtown. At one point, the marchers halted at a construction site along Pacific Highway owned by big-wig Doug Manchester, former owner of the U-T and grand hotelier to protest his policies. He was recently nominated by Trump to some post. This reporter stood on a corner and counted more than 1300 people as they marched down Pacific Highway onto Harbor Drive. But I didn’t include those left behind at the rally site and all the stragglers. Spirits were high, chants were loud and the signs were wonderfully creative. Lots of American flags – in fact, there was a huge US flag carried by over a dozen people that had the words, “Impeach Trump” in large letters. Lots of “Impeach Donald Trump!” chants, and “No Trump, No KKK, no fascist USA!”, plus “Trump is not our leader, he’s a creepy tweeter!” After the marchers took a turn, they returned to the County building for another rally. There was a band of about 3 dozen counter-protesters, pro-Trump supporters who tried numerous times to disrupt the much larger demonstration with their own chants and music. Some were dressed in helmets and flak jackets and looked like they wanted to rumble. A few sheriffs and other police were around but they didn’t do much to prevent the alt-righters from trying to interfere. But the event was totally peaceful overall.
FIRES DESTROY SALON AND HOME IN LAKESIDE; FAMILY DISPLACED
By Miriam Raftery Photos courtesy of Lakeside Fire July 2, 2017 (Lakeside) – A mother and sons are homeless after a fire that began with a vehicle striking a commercial building next door spread into their residence yesterday. A GoFundMe page has been started to assist the victims, For: LaVonne Kraus, Tory Rodriguez, Richard Rodriguez, Jesse Rodriguez. The Solis Hair Salon has also been heavily damaged. Lakeside Fire reports that a second fire occurred in the same building today, causing even more damage before firefighters were able to douse the blaze. The first fire resulted from a road rage incident in which case a victim of road rage had reportedly exited the freeway and was heading to a Sheriff station to report the incident, which the vehicle from which they were fleeing tried to block the first vehicle and slammed into the building, NBC 7 reports. The Sheriff’s Department initiated a pursuit of a white sedan leaving the crash, ending in arrest or Ruben Chavez on drug and weapon charges. But deputies later said that this was not the same vehicle involved in the road-rage crash. The Sheriff is seeking the occupants of that vehicle, a man with a ponytail and tattooed arms, and a woman who was with him. Call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 with information and you will remain anonymous. You may be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to a felony arrest.
MIDWEEK FORECAST: MONSOON WEATHER
By Miriam Raftery July 2, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service is forecasting a monsoon pattern starting Wednesday, with hot, muggy weather, thunderstorms, dangerous lightning and showers developing potentially Thursday in the mountains and across the inland region by Friday and Saturday, including deserts. Flash flooding is possible in places, along with gusty rains, rain-slicked roadways and elevated heat risk.
ECM PADRES REPORT: PADRES AVOID SWEEP WITH 5-3 WIN OVER DODGERS
Like our sports coverage? Donate to help support ECM’s sports section! Follow @ECMagSports on Twitter for live sports coverage and stories! Story by Liz Alper Photo: Jose Pirela had a two-RBI game. Via @Padres on Twitter July 2, 2017 (San Diego) – Last night was miserable for the Padres, but they could still avoid being swept by the Dodgers in the series finale today. Kenta Maeda starts for LA against Jhoulys Chacin. Finally, at least for a little while, the Padres finally got the upper hand. Manuel Margot hit a solo homer in the first to give the Padres a 1-0 lead. In the second, the Padres pressed a little harder. Chacin grounded into a double play that scored Erick Aybar. Jose Pirela doubled and Carlos Asuaje scored. Margot came to bat again and hit a double of his own for his second RBI of the day. The Padres struck for three runs in the second and made it 4-0. Pirela added another RBI for himself too in the fourth that scored Luis Torrens and kicked Maeda out of the game. The Padres led 5-0. Corey Seager put the Dodgers on the board with a two-run blast in the sixth to make the score 5-2. Yasmani Grandal brought them closer with a solo homer in the seventh that forced Ryan Buchter out of the game. Kirby Yates came in and got the last out and the Padres escaped with a 5-3 win and avoided the sweep. The Padres get another Monday off before heading to Cleveland for some interleague action against the Indians on the fourth. Trevor Cahill starts against Corey Kluber for the Tribe. ALL-STAR NEWS: Brad Hand selected for his first career all-star game