EAST COUNTY ROUND-UP - DECEMBER

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East County Roundup LogoAUDITOR: CITY BOTCHED DEBRIS REMOVAL, At least $775,000 at issue after '07
fires, report says

San Diego Union-Tribune (December 20, 2008) — San Diego's auditor has concluded
that the city was not equipped to manage the large debris removal program it
developed after the wildfires of 2007, and its lack of preparation, internal
controls and contract monitoring cost more than $775,000.

In a report released yesterday, City Auditor Eduardo Luna recommended the
city bill two contractors for overcharges and be better prepared for future
wildfire disasters.

For the auditor's full report, go to uniontrib.com/more/documents

 

NEARLY 30 PERCENT OF SAN DIEGO MORTGAGES UNDERWATER

Voice of San Diego (December 22, 2008) — Nearly
30 percent of homes in San Diego County with a mortgage are worth less than
their owners owe on their mortgage, according to new data.

The 29.4 percent share of county homes "underwater" or "upside-down" compares
to 27.4 percent for the state and 18.3 percent for the nation. The San Diego
County data was prepared for voiceofsandiego.org by
First American CoreLogic, and was the only county-level data of its kind released
for the quarter ending Sept. 30

 

VANDALS RANSACK RAMONA’S FIRE RECOVERY CENTER

Ramona Sentinel (December 18, 2008) — For the fourth
time in a year, Bonnie Fry has arrived at work to find Ramona Fire Recovery
Center ransacked.

Opened after the Witch Fire in October 2007, the center at 1710 Montecito
Road has been a resource and refuge for fire victims whose homes and property
were destroyed or damaged in the wildfire.

Fry and others do not understand why someone would want to destroy a place
that offers so many people comfort, counsel, information and support. This
time vandals even knocked over and threw paint on the Christmas tree decorating
the center. Fry had hoped to give the tree to a family in need next week.

 

SUPERVISORS CALL FOR RESIDENTIAL SOLAR ENERGY-BACKED INCENTIVE

The Alpine Sun (December 5, 2008 ) — A unanimous
San Diego County Board of Supervisors vote Nov. 18 directed the county's Chief
Administrative Officer to amend the county's legislative program to add county-sponsored
legislation which would give residential solar energy customers the ability
to sell surplus generated energy to local utility companies for a fair price.

Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who introduced the resolution, noted that such legislation
would provide another incentive for clean and renewable energy.

 

CHP ASKING FOR PUBLIC’S HELP IN FINDING HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER

The Alpine Sun (December 4, 2008) — The California Highway Patrol is asking
for the public's help in finding a hit-and-run driver who struck and killed
a bicycle rider on Alpine Boulevard.

The victim, identified by the Medical Examiner’s office
as 30-year old construction worker Edward Costa, of Alpine, was riding in the
bike lane on eastbound Alpine Boulevard in front of the Alpine Sheriff Station,
when he was hit at approximately 4:50 p.m., be a vehicle also traveling eastbound,
said California Highway Patrol Officer Brian Pennings.

According to witnesses and physical evidence, a vehicle
traveling at a high speed, described as small, white pick-up truck, swerved
into the bike lane on Alpine Boulevard, hit the back of the bike, throwing
the victim about 50 feet, Pennings said.

 

A HIGH SCHOOL BOND ISSUE PASSSES—NOW WHAT?

Editor’s note:  The Union-Tribune observed that GUHSD board
member Jim Kelly “has a history of showing that he is a trustee not to be trusted.
If East County voters care about the education of a generation, they will be
wise to watch the Grossmont Union High School District and insist that the
will of the voters – Proposition U – be carried out promptly and wisely
.” 
San Diego Union-Tribune (December 6, 2008) — The moment
is at hand – finally – to take high school education in the East County to
a much higher level.  

 

COUNTY’S
REGIONAL FIRE AUTHORITY BECOMES OFFICIAL

Union-Tribune (November 19, 2008) SAN DIEGO — A new regional fire authority
that will protect more than 920,000 acres – about a third of the county – in
the county's backcountry became official Wednesday.

The action by the Local Area Formation Commission, or LAFCO, will allow a
newly created San Diego County Regional Fire Authority to oversee fire protection
in a swath of rural East and North County.

 

OAK-KILLING BEETLE INFESTS BACK COUNTRY AREAS

The Alpine Sun (November 13, 2008) Descanso—Last week,
a presentation at the Descanso Library introduced the infamous oak-killing
Agrilus coxalis beetle, otherwise known as the “Gold-spotted Oak borer.” This
beetle is thought to be responsible for the Oak decline that is now evident
in the Back Country.
 
Oak mortality is reaching 10 percent and higher in the woodlands and surrounding
areas of Descanso, which means over the past six years, more than 15,790 Oaks
have died across 16,118 acres of land.

 

VCMWD BOARD ADOPTS WATER USE RULES

Valley Roadrunner (November 12, 2008) Valley Center — Because
of the near certainty of mandatory water use cuts beginning next year, the
VC Municipal Water District board last week adopted new rules for implementing
those cuts—with
penalties for overuse.

For the first time residences and not just farmers would be required to cut
use.

  • Residences that use at or under their allocation would be billed at
    the usual rate.
  • Residences that use more than their allocation will be billed at two
    times the usual rate for the amount that they go over up to 15%.
  • Those who use more than 15% over their allocation will be charged at
    four times the normal rate for the amount that they go over.

All customers will be able to carry forward conservation credits. Credits can
be used to offset over usage and earn back penalties incurred in previous months
or be used in a future month to offset over usage and penalties.

 

HOMELESS CAMPSITES
HOT TOPIC AT FORUM

Residents complain at police-run event

Union-Tribune (November 20, 2008) EL CAJON — They voiced concerns about
gangs, graffiti and vandalism. But most complaints from a crowd of more than
60 people at a Monday night forum on public safety centered on the homeless
living in the canyons and riverbeds near their homes.
Residents warned that the homeless often started campfires that could spread
into wildfires, and said the down-and-out regularly rifled through their trash
for recyclable materials and other items placed in bins along their streets
for collection by garbage trucks.

 

WATER CONSERATION PLAN GETS NOD IN POWAY

Pomerado News (November 19, 2008) Poway— In preparation for likely
water conservation mandates by next summer, the City Council Tuesday night
gave its initial approval to a four-stage plan to reduce consumption, and started
debating whether reduced water supplies should lead to a building moratorium.

A seven-step water conservation program, adopted in 1993, is being repealed
and replaced with one being adopted by members of the San Diego Water Authority.

Final approval of the new plan is expected following a public hearing on Dec.
2.

 

CAMPO RECORDS HIGHEST FORECLOSURE RATE AMONGST COUNTY COMMUNITIES:

Supervisors authorize application for Neighborhood Stabilization
Program grants

The Alpine Sun (November 13, 2008) Campo — Although the County of San Diego’s
Department of Housing and Community Development has not formulated specific
details of a plan, HCD was given authorization to apply for a Neighborhood
Stabilization Program grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 Oct.
28, with Supervisor Dianne Jacob absent due to hip replacement surgery, to
authorize HCD to submit a grant application for $5,144,152, to authorize HCD
to accept the grant if awarded, and to authorize HCD to develop a homebuyer
program and to issue notices of funding availability.

The program is intended to help homebuyers purchase foreclosed
dwellings, and the supervisors also gave direction to HCD to issue smaller
grants to a higher total of homebuyers. “Our goal here is to get people
into homes and make sure they’re able to pay the price,” said Supervisor
Bill Horn.

 

CANDLELIGHT VIGIL

Ramona Sentinel (November 19, 2008) Ramona — A candlelight vigil was held
Monday evening at the Pamo Road home of Rose Newbrough, 83, who is losing her
home of more than 25 years to foreclosure. Newbrough, who for years cared for
foster children and rescued horses and other animals, is losing her home after
a predator lender convinced her to refinance, Realtor Melody Kohl said. A widow,
Newbrough lives on a fixed income that is not enough to make the payments that
have escalated. She planned to move out of state this week to live with one
of her former foster children. Kohl believes Newbrough’s situation reflects
what is happening to many people who have lost or are losing their homes.

 

REPORT OUTLINES HOW TO ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Union-Tribune (November 18, 2008) — Scientists and policy experts yesterday
unveiled San Diego County's first blueprint for adapting to rising sea levels,
altered rainfall and other “catastrophic” changes linked to global
warming

“A Regional Wake-up Call” offers detailed projections about how
the climate will change by 2050 and offers suggestions for how to lessen those
effects.

“While climate change is a global issue, . . . the San Diego region is
uniquely threatened,” says the 177-page report, billed as the first comprehensive
assessment of climate change's effects across the region.

… The first step was to have scientists from UC San Diego, San Diego
State University and elsewhere spell out the problems as specifically as possible.

They said that compared with today, San Diego County in 2050 will require
37 percent more water, the number of days with prime conditions for major wildfires
will be up to 20 percent greater, and the sea level will be at least 1 foot
higher. The results could be more frequent flooding of coastal properties,
more severe water shortages and greater strains on public health agencies.

 

COUNTY
SUING SDG&E, COX OVER 2007 FIRESTORM COSTS

Union Tribune (November 19, 2008) — Add the County of San Diego to the long
list of plaintiffs suing San Diego Gas & Electric and Cox Communications
for damages caused by three of last October's wildfires.l

 

PERMIT OK’D
FOR CHARTER SCHOOL: CAMPUS WILL BE BUILT IN OFFICE PARK

Union-Tribune (November 17, 2008)  SANTEE — A new high school
is on its way to Santee.  The school will accommodate up to 470 students
and rise in the city's RiverView office park.

The Santee City Council this week approved a permit for the charter school,
which will be part of the Grossmont Union High School District. It will be
located west of Magnolia Avenue and north of Las Colinas Detection Facility.
Debbie Beyer, the school's founder, said she hopes to open the doors of the
new facility in fall 2009. The focus of the school will be literacy, technology
and leadership.

…Some council members had been hesitant about – and even opposed
to – putting a school in an area envisioned for a high tech corporate
campus. Councilman Jack Dale, the lone vote against the proposal, said the
city had envisioned redevelopment that could generate revenue in the area.
The school, which will be run by a nonprofit, will not pay property taxes.


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