December 29, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Some prominent East County residents passed on in 2010, but left their mark indelibly on our region. A few were famous, such as movie star Dennis Hopper, or tribal leader Anna Sandoval. Some were heroes--including a Pearl Harbor survivor. Others made news with the dramatic means of their passing—stories that touched our hearts or served as lessons learned.
Below are some of the most memorable individuals from San Diego's inland region to whom we bade final farewell in 2010.
December 28, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Who’s been naughty and who’s been nice among this year’s headline makers? Our editorial staff has been making our list and checking it twice.
Here are our nominees for the naughtiest—and nicest—newsmakers of the year in 2010. Note: We don't include criminals in this list, as major crimes will be included in our "top news stories of 2010" that will be posted in a couple of days.
Do you agree with our choices? Please post comments--and your own nominees--below!
December 28, 2010 (San Diegoi)--The City of San Diego’s Environmental Services Department is hosting the 37th annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program through January 23, 2011. This year’s program offers 16 drop-off locations for City residents, as well as curbside pickup for customers with curbside yard waste collection.
December 28, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego Police ask the public’s help to locate Diana Ellen Bielawski, who may have driven to Julian in East County's mountains. She may also need medical attention. She was last seen Christmas day, December 25th at 1 p.m. in the 4100 block of Paseo Montanas in the Carmel Creek neighborhood of San Diego. View map.
She was driving a white 2001 Toyota Rav4 with California license 4TJK342. She is white, 26 years old, 120 pounds, 5 feet 6 inches tall, with brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a tan/brown/white belted sweater and black pants.
Local municipalities report $6 million in damage to public property, including $1 million in unincorporated areas
December 28, 2010 (San Diego)--County of San Diego Chief Administrative Officer Walt Ekard issued a proclamation of a local emergency today, clearing the way to ask for state help to address the several million dollars of damage inflicted by the storms Dec. 18- 22.
In April 2007, the first condor spotted in San Diego County in over 100 years soared into East County across the Mexican border. It may be the last, if the wind industry has its way.
By Jim Wiegand
December 28, 2010 (San Diego’s East County)--When is the media going to put an honest spotlight on the wind industry? When is the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service going to wake up?
I am an expert on birds of prey and have seen many environmental impact reports and studies generated for the wind industry. I have yet to see an honest one. All that read this should find this statement shocking.
December 28, 2010 (Blythe, CA)-- La Cuna de Aztlan Sacred Sites Protection Circle, a Native American cultural protection group, filed a lawsuit yesterday in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of California, challenging the Bureau of Land Management permitting processes regarding six large solar facilities planned for the Mohave, Sonoran and Colorado deserts of Southern California (Case No.10CV2664 WQH WVG), including an Imperial Valley Solar project slated to hook up to SDG&E’s Sunrise Powerlink.
December 27, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) -- A winter storm is set to hit San Diego County Tuesday night and Wednesday, followed by chilly temperatures and up to two inches of snow down to 4000 feet in East County’s mountains and snow flurries in the high desert regions. Near zero visibility is forecast due to blowing snow and high wind gusts up to 60 mph.
Moderate to heavy rains are predicted. The National Weather Service warns that the added rainfall will cause rapid runoff and flooding due to ground saturation from recent storms.
December 27, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) --As the clock ticks closer to midnight, December 31st, some East County hot spots are rushing to create a festive atmosphere for those looking for a place to ring in the New Year.
If you're still unsure where you will be come midnight Friday night, we offer up a few convenient local options. East County party-goers may choose from parties at local casinos, a brewery, wine bar, restaurants, and an alcohol-free civic celebration.
December 27, 2010 (San Diego) -- Professional motorcycle thieves are using secondary ignitions and altered motorcycle ignitions known as “pigtails” as bypass devices to steal sport motorcycles throughout San Diego County. A pigtail acts like a picklock, enabling a thief to steal a bike in less than 20 seconds.
On January 1st, a new law takes effect which makes it a misdemeanor to possess any device or specialized tools designed to bypass the factory installed ignition of a motorcycle.
December 27, 2010 (Lakeside) - It's rare to view a helicopter hoist rescue from the victim's point of view. East County Magazine videographer Billy Ortiz has posted a dramatic video shot by his hiking companion, Pam Wilmers, chronicling his rescue off El Capitan Mountain following a rockslide yesterday.
December 26, 2010 (Lakeside) – Shortly after reporting about an injured hiker air-lifted off El Capitan Mountain this afternoon, I was dismayed to learn that the victim is East County Magazine’s own videographer Billy Ortiz, creator of our “Video Adventures in East County” series. He was taken to the emergency room at Sharp Memorial Hospital, where he spoke with me by phone moments ago about his harrowing ordeal.
December 26, 2010 (Lakeside) – A teenage driver mistakenly stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake this afternoon, plunging his Nissan sports car into Lindo Lake.
December 26, 2010 (Lakeside) –The San Diego Sheriff’s Search and Rescue unit has rescued an injured hiker off El Cajon Mountain (known locally as El Capitan Mountain) early this afternoon. According to Incident Page Network, the hiker fell ten feet and had a rock fall on him, prompting a search to locate him by officials.
December 26, 2010 (El Cajon) – San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce has named veteran business leader Scott Alevy as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1st.
Alevy, Principal at Trilogy PR Group in La Mesa, brings over 30 years of business, non-profit and Chamber of Commerce leadership experience to the largest business organization in East County. His professional experience includes public relations, government relations, public affairs, community outreach and broadcast media.
“…The form of fluoride (silicofluorides) they plan to put in our water is classified as a toxic waste. As a toxic waste, it is costly to dispose. But as a sellable product, that expense is eliminated.” – Jim Bell
December 25, 2010 (San Diego)--When I was a child, the entire month of November was the prelude to Christmas. I'd start seeing Christmas cartoons and get more and more excited until the Big Day! I would try as best I could to get something my parents could afford and usually it worked, though sometimes gifts were years off in age-appropriateness.
December 25, 2010 (La Presa) – A family of five has been displaced from their home by an early morning fire in the La Presa neighborhood of Spring Valley. But the tragedy could have been far worse if not for the actions of San Diego Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Cruz. On patrol at 4:36 a.m., Cruz spotted smoke at the home in the 700 block of Safford Avenue and began pounding on the door to awaken the sleeping family.
December 25, 2010 (San Diego) - The San Diego State University Aztecs won a bowl game for the first time in 41 years with a 35-14 victory over the U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen Thursday night (12/23) at Qualcomm Stadium. Ronnie Hillman scored four touchdowns and rushed for 228 yards to lead the offense.
That the game even took place as scheduled was nothing short of a miracle. Flooding from recent storms submerged the field in water up to two feet deep in some places 24 hours before the game.
More rain likely to bring more flooding, debris slides, National Weather Service cautions
December 24, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – A light dusting of snow is forecast for San Diego County mountain peaks over 5500 feet on Christmas Day, the National Weather Service predicts. That includes Mt. Laguna and other high peaks in Rancho Cuyamaca State Park. If traveling in mountain areas, be prepared for winter storm conditions and carry tire chains in higher elevations.
Note: We have corrected the link to www.noradsanta.org. Merry Christmas!
December 24, 2010 (North Pole) -- NORAD , the North American Aerospace Defense Command, has confirmed that Santa and his fully-loaded, reindeer-powered sleigh took off from the North Pole and soared into the arctic sky at 6:00 a.m. EST (3:00 a.m. PST). NORAD radar is tracking Rudolph’s bright red nose, and satellite imagery is providing minute-by-minute coverage of Santa’s location.
Want to track Santa’s journey around the world? This year, NORAD’s Santa Tracker website lets you follow Santa’s journey utilizing the latest high-tech tools: the iGoogle gadget, social networking sites, and a Google map application for your mobile phone.
Update: The San Diego Medical Examiner has identified the driver as Mark Pasquale Gullaci, 18. The passenger was Malu Ako, 22. Both men were single and lived in San Diego. The Medical Examiner has also clarified that the accident occurred in Guatay.
December 24, 2010 (Descanso) – It will be a grim holiday season for families of two young men who died in a fiery single-car crash on Old Highway 80 last night. According to Brian Pennings with the California Highway Patrol, an 18-year-old man was driving a Volkswagon westbound on old Highway 80 east of State Route 79 near Descanso at a high rate of speed arou 10:15 p.m.. “He failed to maintain control of his vehicle and it overturned,” said Pennings.
San Diego Joins List of Counties Eligible for State Aid Because of Winter Storms
December 24, 2010 (San Diego)--Acting California Gov. Abel Maldonado proclaimed an official state of emergency in San Diego County Friday because of the recent winter storms, making the County eligible for state aid.
December 23, 2010 (El Cajon) – A massive sinkhole in the 1900 block of Verde Glenn in El Cajon has forced shut down of the street, putting a crimp in holiday entertaining plans for several households. Frustrated residents made numerous calls last night, only to encounter multiple agencies that claimed fixing the problem was not their responsibility.
December 23, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Howie Hawver, former soccer coach at Grossmont College and Patrick Henry High School, died December 5th following a two-year battle with Amyotrphic Lateral Schlerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, December 27th at St. Andrew’s, 8350 Lake Murray Blvd.
Local municipalities report $6 million in damage to public property, including $1 million in unincorporated areas
By Jim Wiegand
December 27, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) -- A winter storm is set to hit San Diego County Tuesday night and Wednesday, followed by chilly temperatures and up to two inches of snow down to 4000 feet in East County’s mountains and snow flurries in the high desert regions. Near zero visibility is forecast due to blowing snow and high wind gusts up to 60 mph. 
December 27, 2010 (San Diego) -- Professional motorcycle thieves are using secondary ignitions and altered motorcycle ignitions known as “pigtails” as bypass devices to steal sport motorcycles throughout San Diego County. A pigtail acts like a picklock, enabling a thief to steal a bike in less than 20 seconds.
December 27, 2010 (Lakeside) - It's rare to view a helicopter hoist rescue from the victim's point of view. East County Magazine videographer Billy Ortiz has posted a dramatic video shot by his hiking companion, Pam Wilmers, chronicling his rescue off El Capitan Mountain following a rockslide yesterday.
December 26, 2010 (Lakeside) –The San Diego Sheriff’s Search and Rescue unit has rescued an injured hiker off El Cajon Mountain (known locally as El Capitan Mountain) early this afternoon. According to Incident Page Network, the hiker fell ten feet and had a rock fall on him, prompting a search to locate him by officials.
December 26, 2010 (El Cajon) – San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce has named veteran business leader Scott Alevy as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1st. 
By Will Power
Home damaged, pets lost in blaze
More rain likely to bring more flooding, debris slides, National Weather Service cautions
San Diego Joins List of Counties Eligible for State Aid Because of Winter Storms
By David Rosenberg
![](/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/resize/catesdogs-momma-sm-200x186.JPG ""Momma" is a dachshund/spaniel mix")
By Cate Sacks
Recent comments