EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: DEC. 26, 2010

East County Roundup highlights stories of interest to East County, published in other media.

Latest Roundup headlines include:

• Snow surplus eases water worries
• Residents to be billed for SDFR helicopter rescues
• Toyota to pay $10M in fiery runaway Lexus crash
• Federal funds to pay for Lemon Grove street repairs, food for the hungry
• Grossmont Healthcare Board picks bond oversight panelist to fill vacant seat
• Agreement safeguards huge swath of forests
• California gives green light to carbon trade
• DA: Man accused of molesting boy compares self to Jesus (karate teacher)
• New details revealed in death of Lakeside teen (Christopher Carioscia)
• SD Tribal leaders meet with Obama
• Financing, legal woes block big Imperial Valley solar project
• Questions raised about La Mesa Police Officers Association charity efforts
• Residents of quiet desert town up in arms over proposed military training center

SNOW SURPLUS EASES WATER WORRIES

December 25, 2010 (Sacramento Bee)--Caifornia's snowpack stands at a bountiful 207 percent of average for the winter so far, thanks to a stormy December. And there's more to come.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/12/25/3280427/snow-surplus-eases-water-worrie...

RESIDENTS TO BE BILLED FOR SDFR HELICOPTER RESCUE
San Diego Fire-Rescue Trying To Recover Rescue Costs
 

December,24, 2010 (San Diego Union-Tribune)--Beginning next year, if someone must be airlifted to the hospital by San Diego Fire-Rescue helicopters Copter 1 or Copter 2, he or she will be billed for it.
San Diego Fire-Rescue is seeking proposals from third party billing companies to help the department recover the cost.
http://www.10news.com/news/26270397/detail.html

TOYOTA TO PAY $10M IN FIERY RUNAWAY LEXUS CRASH

Mark Saylor, 45, His Wife, Their Daughter, Saylor's Brother-In-Law Killed In 2009 Crash
 

December 23, 2010 (10 News) -- Toyota Motor Corp. agreed to pay $10 million to the family of four people killed in a runaway Lexus crash that led to recalls of millions of the automaker's vehicles, an attorney said Thursday.
http://www.10news.com/news/26259662/detail.html
 

FEDERAL FUNDS TO PAY FOR LEMON GROVE STREET REPAIRS, FOOD FOR THE HUNGRY
 

December 22, 2010 (Union-Tribune)—Lemon Grove will soon get nearly $300,000 street repairs, but will set aside more than $4,000 to help feed hungry kids, under a plan approved by the City Council Tuesday night.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/dec/22/lemon-grove-approves-cdbg...
 

GROSSMONT HEALTHCARE BOARD PICKS BOND OVERSIGHT PANELIST TO FILL VACANT SEAT

December 20, 2010 (La Mesa Patch) – William “Bob” Ayres was chosen Monday morning to serve out the term of resigned trustee Jim Stieringer on the Grossmont Healthcare District board—one of 21 applicants who took three minutes or less to make their pitches.
http://santee.patch.com/articles/grossmont-healthcare-board-picks-bond-o...

AGREEMENT SAFEGUARDS HUGE SWATH OF FORESTS

December 16, 2010 (San Diego Union-Tribune)--Roughly 1 million acres of forest land in Southern California — including a swath of San Diego County — gained protections against development under a new deal worked out between conservationists, state officials, off-road vehicle enthusiasts and the U.S. Forest Service.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/dec/16/agreement-safeguards-huge...

CALIFORNIA GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO CARBON TRADE
California on Thursday approved rules for a multibillion-dollar carbon market, in what proponents hope and detractors fear will be a turning point for the United States toward building a national program to address global warming.
 

December 16, 2010 (Reuters) - After Congress failed to pass a climate change law last year, California is the vanguard of the nation's effort to address global warming and its bid to build alternative energy and related industries.
 

California has mandated that a third of its electricity come from renewable sources like solar and wind. It is also encouraging "low carbon" auto fuels, like some biofuels and natural gas, and on Thursday approved rules for the carbon market.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BG0J320101217

DA: MAN ACCUSED OF MOLESTING BOY COMPARES SELF TO JESUS
Judge Bans Eric Protas' Internet Use; Ex-Karate Teacher Remains Free On Bail

December 16, 2010 (10 News) El Cajon--A former karate teacher charged with sexually molesting a 13-year-old boy will remain free on $800,000 bail.

http://www.10news.com/news/26164038/detail.html

NEW DETAILS REVEALED IN DEATH OF LAKESIDE TEEN
Christopher Carioscia Found Dead On Barona Reservation Last Month

December 15, 2010 (10 News) --A Lakeside teen found dead on the Barona Reservation in October was laid to rest at an El Cajon cemetery Wednesday.

Christopher Carioscia, a 17-year-old student at El Capitan High School in Lakeside, was reported missing by his family on Oct. 26. His car was found the next day, which authorities said had been intentionally set on fire and left in a remote part of the Barona Reservation. Carioscia's body was found 6 weeks later.
http://www.10news.com/news/26149031/detail.html

SD TRIBAL LEADERS TO MEET WITH OBAMA
December 16, 2010 (San Diego Union-Tribune)--Indian leaders representing San Diego County tribes will take part in a White House summit today.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/dec/16/sd-tribal-leaders-to-meet...

FINANCING, LEGAL WOES BLOCK BIG IMPERIAL VALLEY SOLAR PROJECT
SDG&E counting on production from Stirling dishes to meet clean-energy goals.

December 13, 2010 (San Diego Union-Tribune)--A $2 billion project to cover 10 square miles of federally owned desert land east of San Diego with solar dishes is struggling with financing and might not get built if a judge sides with an Indian tribe, its backers said Monday.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/dec/13/money-issues-holding-up-b...

QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT LA MESA POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION CHARITY EFFORTS
 

December 13, 2010 (La Mesa Patch) -- Last month, as many as 32,000 La Mesa households received a mailer from the La Mesa Police Officers Association, with the subtitle "Making positive change for a better future!"

…But in response to questions from La Mesa Patch, the LMPOA has shared little information on which charities it funds and how much. And its website and IRS filings conflict on what kind of tax-exempt nonprofit it is.
http://lamesa.patch.com/articles/questions-raised-about-la-mesa-police-o...

RESIDENTS OF QUIET DESERT TOWN UP IN ARMS OVER PROPOSED MILITARY TRAINING CENTER

December 13, 2010 (Los Angeles Times)--San Diego-based Wind Zero Inc. says the facility would bring much-needed jobs and revenue to cash-strapped Imperial County. Critics say it would upset Ocotillo's peaceful rural atmosphere.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-imperial-dispute-20101213,0,1667...