🌱 Ex-La Mesa Cop Acquitted + $160B Transportation Plan Approved

Happy Saturday, La Mesa-Mount Helix! Here's everything you need to know to get this day started.

First, today's weather:

Cool with sunshine. High: 66 Low: 39.

Here are the top stories in and around La Mesa-Mount Helix today:

1. A former La Mesa police officer was acquitted of a felony count of falsifying a police report in connection with his high-profile arrest of a young Black man near the Grossmont Transit Center last year. Matthew Dages was accused of lying about the basis of his May 27, 2020, arrest of Amaurie Johnson, which sparked protests in La Mesa when a video of the arrest went viral. (City News Service)
2. The San Diego Association of Governments' board of directors passed the 2021 Regional Transportation Plan without the controversial road mileage tax, but questions remain as to how the regional transportation agency will fund the $160 billion plan. (City News Service)
3. A man in his 30s is believed to have contracted the Omicron COVID-19 variant locally, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency announced. The patient tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. The San Diego Epidemiology and Research for COVID Health Alliance determined it was the Omicron variant through whole genome sequencing late Thursday, making it the second documented case of the variant in the county. (City News Service)
4. Use of force by San Diego County Sheriff's Department personnel involved Black citizens four times as often as white ones over a five-year period ending last year, even though the latter demographic is nearly 10 times more represented within the local population, according to a new study. (City News Service)
5. Missed the headlines? Take a look at some of this week's police, fire and courtroom stories from across San Diego County. (La Mesa-Mount Helix Patch)
6. Looking for things to do? See what's slated this weekend in San Diego County and Southern California. (Encinitas Patch)

From my notebook:

• County of San Diego: "In the county's public health misinformation panel, Dr. Sujana Gunta of Vista Community Clinic talked about the importance of vaccinating children." (Instagram)
• YMCA of San Diego County: "Come celebrate this magical time of the year at the Y! YMCAs throughout #SanDiegoCounty are hosting holiday-themed events for the whole family." (Instagram)

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— Kristina Houck