June 2, 2010 10:50 a.m. (Santee) -- A small plane has crashed at Weld and Cuyamaca in Santee. The plane is upside down in the road and the pilot is trapped inside. Power lines are down and roads are being shut down in the vicinity.
Due to a seasonal influx of kittens in the County's three animal shelters, the County Department of Animal Services will waive all adoption fees, beginning today, June 1 through September 4, for cats six months and older. Only two cats per person can be adopted.
June 1, 2010 (San Diego) – The Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Fire Deparment will be conducting a series of prescribed burns on base property through June 30th. A scheduled burn is slated for tomorrow, June 2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting. Miramar Fire Department Crews will be on a ridge top in east Miramar and smoke will be visible along SR-52, SR-163, from Interstate 15 as well as in local communities.
June 1, 2010 12:58 p.m. (Lakeside) – Structures were briefly threatened in a one-acre brush fire reported at 12:40 p.m. today in Del Sol and Los Coches Road. Full brush response, air support and mutual aid from multiple agencies were requested by Santee Fire.
Update 9:50 a.m. CHP reports a fatality and several patients transported to a trauma center.
June 1, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – A SIG Alert has been issued for Highway 125, where a Border Patrol vehicle has overturned and is on fire, Incident Page Network reports. Three to four other vehicles are also involved in a collision, blocking all lanes.
Conflicting reports list the nearest exit as both Palm and Jamacha. Onramps from 94, Spring Street and other areas are being shut down. According to dispatch reports, a beige SUV came from the north lanes into the south lines, colliding with other vehicles. CHP is on the scene and rescue crews are in route.
June 1, 2010 (La Mesa)-- Dennis Hopper, who won critical acclaim as director of the movie Easy Rider and as a supporting actor in Hoosiers, died Saturday (May 29) after losing a battle with prostate cancer at his home in Los Angeles. He was 74.
Born May 17, 1936 in Dodge City, Kansas, Hopper moved to Lemon Grove when he was 13. He attended Helix High School and was among the school's first class of graduates in 1954. In his youth he showed a love for acting and theater that led to a career spanning six decades.
May 31, 2010 (El Cajon) -- The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce will present its“Conversations with the Candidates” legislative dinner on June 1st. All candidates running for the 36th Senate seat and the 77th Assembly district have been invited. Both are important electoral positions for the East County community and both are open seats this election cycle.
May 31, 2010 (San Diego) -- Heidi looks over the green grass at the United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, North Dakota. She remembers how her parents were shipped here with her from California and put into an internment camp with other German American citizens. Italian Americans and Japanese Americans were held as well. German American citizens who played German music during World War II could be turned in by their neighbors, arrested and shipped away from their families to internment camps. They could be charged with being dangerous aliens. Some have never been seen again.
Arab Americans and Latin Americans are facing this same kind of injustice today.
Update 3 p.m. Cal-Fire reports that both fatalities were visitors to the home. Four other people escaped the fire, including one female who was transported to an emegency facility for treatment of smoke inhalation.
May 31, 2010 (Shelter Valley) – A modular home fire iat 7523 Gunslinger Trail in Shelter Valley near Julian overnight has resulted in two fatalities, the County Coroner's office reports. “When firefighters arrived, the modular home was fully involved,” said Cal-Fire Battalion Chief Nick Schuler.
May 31, 2010 (Bonita) – An update on climate change will be presented by leaders of Citizens Climate Lobby on Thursday, June 10th at the Bonita Library, 4375 Bonita Road.
Citizens Climate Lobby hosts monthly national conferences and trains volunteers to speak to elected officials, the media, and local organizations on climate change issues.
May 31, 2010 (San Diego) -- On Memorial Day we pay tribute to those brave souls who risk life and limb that we may live in a free, democratic society. But those who serve often sacrifice more than life and limb.
May 30, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – A hawk flew into power lines today in Mira Mesa, igniting a fire that briefly threatened homes. The fire is now extinguished. This evening, Cal-Fire is at the scene of a small fire started by a riding lawn mower on Haverford Road in Ramona. The fire is surrounded and is expected to be out soon.
May 29, 2010 (Jamul)- Harmonica John and the Reggae Band PSYDECAR will perform at a post-Memorial Day gathering Tuesday, June 1 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. across the street from the fire station at 14024 Peaceful Valley Road in Jamul.
Creative learning model is part of agenda at June 8 forum on Alpine's new high school
By Megan Werland
Alpine resident and member of the 12th HS Design Team
May 29, 2010 (Alpine) -- On June 8th, the GUHSD’s 12th High School Design Team will introduce its curriculum and architectural design to the community of Alpine and Blossom Valley (BV).
People will see innovation that will inspire them and may even make them a little nervous. Because after all, a school of the future will not look like the high school we attended when we were younger. Not to worry, parents!
May 29, 2010 (Boulevard) – Sacred Rocks Reserve RV park and campground invites you to an annual Memorial Day celebration. Don’t feel like roughing in a tent or RV? Other lodging options include rental cottages or a Western-style bunkhouse.
“We have exciting new games like bocce ball and petanque, and as always, nature walks, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, and labyrinth for friends and family enjoyment,” said Sharon Courmousis, co-owner of the boulder-strewn rural retreat one hour east of San Diego. Other attractions include a stargazing plateau, ancient oak grove, badminton, horseshoes, and “wild croquet.”
Update: The injured man, Anastasio Hernandez, died Saturday. The County Medical examiner's office listed high blood pressure, methamphetamine use, and the physical altercation with officers as contributing factors in his death.
May 29, 2010 (San Diego) – San Diego Police homicide detectives are investigating the serious injury of a 32-year-old Mexican border crosser. Following a struggle, a Border Patrol agent used a Taser to subdue the suspect, who quit breathing and is not expected to survive, according to SDPD.
May 29, 2010 (Lakeside) 4:30 p.m. – A 30-acre fire centered at Slaughterhouse Canyon Road just north of Lakeside has been 100% contained at 30 acres. The fire was caused by pieces of a malfunctioning catalytic converter expelled from a vehicle, according to Cal Fire spokesperson Roxanne Provaznik.
‘Now is the time of year to keep your vehicles properly maintained, so that fires like this don’t happen,” say’s Fire Investigator Captain Preston Fouts. Also to help prevent fires now that it’s camping season, R.V. owners are asked to check safety chains on the tow hitch and make sure they are tight and not sagging onto the pavement, causing sparks.
On May 26, Moe Dubois, father of fourteen year old murder victim Amber Dubois, together with Assemblymembers Pedro Nava and Paul Cook announced a legislative package of four bills aimed at protecting children from sexual predators.
1 p.m. update: ECM publisher Mark Hanson, whose home overlooks the San Vicente Reservoir, says the fire appears to be out in his area following air drops on the blaze. The U.S. Forest Service has also been called in to assist, Incident Page Network reports.
Services Thursday for Medal of Honor recipient and former East County resident
May 29, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – John Finn, the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient honored for his heroism during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, died May 27 in a Chula Vista nursing home.
Finn manned a machine gun from an exposed position at the Naval Air Station at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii on December 7, 1941, firing at the attacking planes for more than two hours despite being hit 21 times by bomb and bullet fragments. The young Lieutenant left his post only when directly ordered to seek medical attention, then returned after treatment despite severe pain to supervise rearming of returning squadron planes. For his courageous actions, he received the Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor during combat that a U.S. military member may earn.
May 29, 2010 (Julian) -- Stephanie Brehm-McCabe, 44, was found dead May 27 n her vehicle in a remote mountain area near Julian. Cause of death has not yet been released by the coroner's office.
A resident of Santa Margarita, she had been reported missing by family on May 25. She was last seen May 24 at approximately 8 a.m. after putting a knife to her wrist. She left in her truck, then phoned an acquaintance and left a message indicating she intended to commit suicide.
May 29, 2010 (Alpine) – Grossmont Union High School District will host a forum on Alpine’s planned new high school on Tuesday, June 8 at 6 p.m. in the Alpine Community Center, 1830 Alpine Boulevard in Alpine. Residents from throughout the Grossmont Union High School are welcome to attend. While boundaries for the new school’s attendance are still being finalized, parents from Alpine and Blossom Valley are particularly encouraged to participate in the forum.
Speakers will include GUHSD superintendent Bob Collins, assistant superintendent mike Lewis, facility planner and project lead Dena Johnson, director of instruction Cindy Douglas, as well as the architectural team from IBI Group/Sprotte-Watson and the GUHSD design team.
May 29, 2010 (Sabre Springs) BreAnna Erickson, 17, died from injuries sustained in a head-on crash with a truck on Sabre Springs Parkway near Creekbridge Place at 5:39 p.m. last night. A friend was driving the car at a high speed but lost control, according to the Coroner’s office. Four other young people were also in the car, San Diego Police report.
INSURANCE-BACKED INITIATIVE DECEIVES CONSUMERS, SAY PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS
By Miriam Raftery
May 28, 2010 (San Diego) – Mercury Insurance is the sole sponsor of Proposition 17, though it hides its identity behind the deceptively name Campaign for Consumer Rights. Mercury wants to repeal portions of a law that prohibit it from charging higher rates to consumers who dropped insurance coverage for 90 days, missed a single payment, or were not previously insured (even if a teen had a perfect record driving a paren'ts car).
Yesterday, Assembly Veterans Affairs Committee Chair Mary Salas held a press conference with Votevets.org chairman Jon Soltz to warn that Prop 17 unfairly penalizes veterans who drop coverage while serving overseas or in the U.S. “Soldiers and veterans would be required to pay up to $1,000 more a year for auto insurance when they sought to restart coverage,” Salas cautions.
May 28, 2010 (El Cajon) – El Cajon’s City Council voted Tuesday to approve using grant money to upgrade lighting at recreation centers, City Hall, a fire station, and along maor city streets. The stimulus funds is from the Obama administration’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which awarded El $881,100 for the upgrade of City equipment and facilities.
"There was no money laundering...I'm endorsed by the Deputy Sheriffs, police, the CHP. Do you think they would endorse me if I was a money launderer?" - Assemblyman Joel Anderson
May 28, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Assemblyman Joel Anderson (R-El Cajon) has been dogged by the whiff of scandal since the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) fined his campaign $20,000 for accepting five contributions over the legal limit of $3,900 per individual.
Opponents and some media reports have made references to money-laundering. For months, Anderson has said little on the matter, on the advice of attorneys. But in a phone call with ECM editor Miriam Raftery today, Anderson flatly denied any intentional wrongdoing and defended his integrity.
June 2, 2010 10:50 a.m. (Santee) -- A small plane has crashed at Weld and Cuyamaca in Santee. The plane is upside down in the road and the pilot is trapped inside. Power lines are down and roads are being shut down in the vicinity.
By Bob Kipper, Vietnam War veteran and owner, KIAC Insurance Agency, San Marcos
Due to a seasonal influx of kittens in the County's three animal shelters, the County Department of Animal Services will waive all adoption fees, beginning today, June 1 through September 4, for cats six months and older. Only two cats per person can be adopted.
June 1, 2010 12:58 p.m. (Lakeside) – Structures were briefly threatened in a one-acre brush fire reported at 12:40 p.m. today in Del Sol and Los Coches Road. Full brush response, air support and mutual aid from multiple agencies were requested by Santee Fire.
June 1, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – A SIG Alert has been issued for Highway 125, where a Border Patrol vehicle has overturned and is on fire, Incident Page Network reports. Three to four other vehicles are also involved in a collision, blocking all lanes. 
by Christopher Mohr
May 31, 2010 (El Cajon) -- The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce will present its“Conversations with the Candidates” legislative dinner on June 1st. All candidates running for the 36th Senate seat and the 77th Assembly district have been invited. Both are important electoral positions for the East County community and both are open seats this election cycle.
By Walter Davis
May 31, 2010 (Bonita) – An update on climate change will be presented by leaders of Citizens Climate Lobby on Thursday, June 10th at the Bonita Library, 4375 Bonita Road.
Nothing but the Truth!
May 30, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – A hawk flew into power lines today in Mira Mesa, igniting a fire that briefly threatened homes. The fire is now extinguished. This evening, Cal-Fire is at the scene of a small fire started by a riding lawn mower on Haverford Road in Ramona. The fire is surrounded and is expected to be out soon.
May 29, 2010 (Jamul)- Harmonica John and the Reggae Band PSYDECAR will perform at a post-Memorial Day gathering Tuesday, June 1 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. across the street from the fire station at 14024 Peaceful Valley Road in Jamul.
By Megan Werland
May 29, 2010 (Boulevard) – Sacred Rocks Reserve RV park and campground invites you to an annual Memorial Day celebration. Don’t feel like roughing in a tent or RV? Other lodging options include rental cottages or a Western-style bunkhouse.
May 29, 2010 (San Diego) – San Diego Police homicide detectives are investigating the serious injury of a 32-year-old Mexican border crosser. Following a struggle, a Border Patrol agent used a Taser to subdue the suspect, who quit breathing and is not expected to survive, according to SDPD.
May 29, 2010 (Lakeside) 4:30 p.m. – A 30-acre fire centered at Slaughterhouse Canyon Road just north of Lakeside has been 100% contained at 30 acres. The fire was caused by pieces of a malfunctioning catalytic converter expelled from a vehicle, according to Cal Fire spokesperson Roxanne Provaznik.
On May 26, Moe Dubois, father of fourteen year old murder victim Amber Dubois, together with Assemblymembers Pedro Nava and Paul Cook announced a legislative package of four bills aimed at protecting children from sexual predators.
Services Thursday for Medal of Honor recipient and former East County resident
May 29, 2010 (Julian) -- Stephanie Brehm-McCabe, 44, was found dead May 27 n her vehicle in a remote mountain area near Julian. Cause of death has not yet been released by the coroner's office.
May 29, 2010 (Alpine) – Grossmont Union High School District will host a forum on Alpine’s planned new high school on Tuesday, June 8 at 6 p.m. in the Alpine Community Center, 1830 Alpine Boulevard in Alpine. Residents from throughout the Grossmont Union High School are welcome to attend. While boundaries for the new school’s attendance are still being finalized, parents from Alpine and Blossom Valley are particularly encouraged to participate in the forum.
May 29, 2010 (Sabre Springs) BreAnna Erickson, 17, died from injuries sustained in a head-on crash with a truck on Sabre Springs Parkway near Creekbridge Place at 5:39 p.m. last night. A friend was driving the car at a high speed but lost control, according to the Coroner’s office. Four other young people were also in the car, San Diego Police report.
May 28, 2010 (El Cajon) – El Cajon’s City Council voted Tuesday to approve using grant money to upgrade lighting at recreation centers, City Hall, a fire station, and along maor city streets. The stimulus funds is from the Obama administration’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which awarded El $881,100 for the upgrade of City equipment and facilities.
"There was no money laundering...I'm endorsed by the Deputy Sheriffs, police, the CHP. Do you think they would endorse me if I was a money launderer?" - Assemblyman Joel Anderson
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