🌱 Plane Crash Latest + COVID Guidance + 1st Flu Death

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

First, today's weather:

Cool with periods of rain. High: 58 Low: 49.

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

1. Federal investigators continued sifting through the wreckage Wednesday of a business jet that slammed into a residential neighborhood near El Cajon, while the four people who died in the crash were all identified. (City News Service)
2. San Diego County reported its first influenza death of the season, a 42-year-old man, the Health and Human Services Agency announced Wednesday. The man died on Dec. 9, but his cause of death was only confirmed in the last few days. (City News Service)
3. Despite a dramatic surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations over the weekend, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency has followed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance recommending people testing positive for the virus isolate for just five days, rather than the previous 10. (City News Service)
4. Holiday Bowl organizers formally announced cancellation of the game Wednesday, acknowledging they were unable to find a replacement team for UCLA, which was unable to play due to COVID-19 protocols within the Bruins' program. (City News Service)
5. San Diego Gulls games scheduled for Friday and Sunday at Tucson have been postponed due to league COVID-19 protocols affecting the team, increasing the postponements to five, the American Hockey League announced Tuesday. (City News Service)

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Today in La Mesa-Mount Helix:

• Library Task Force Meeting — City of La Mesa. (4 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• County of San Diego: "Could you provide a safe, temporary home for a pet waiting for adoption? Pet Fostering provides temporary care to shelter animals in a home environment prior to adoption." (Instagram)
• San Diego County Library: "Keep the kids entertained on that long drive back home and make the whole family happy! Check out our audiobooks specifically tailored for road trips." (Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed!

— Kristina Houck