February 6, 2014 (San Diego) –The California Independent System Operators (CAISO) has issued a “Flex Alert” asking all Californians to reduce power use until 10 p.m. The alert is due to a natural gas shortage resulting from high demand in areas of the country hit by extreme cold weather, since natural gas is used there for heating homes as well as for electric power plants and more.
CAISO operates the power grid in California. SDG&E has joined CAISO in asking local residents to conserve fuel.
February 6, 2014 (Jamul) Last night, the auditorium at the Jamul Middle School was filled beyond capacity. Residents came to learn the status of a controversy that started over 20 years ago over Jamul Indian Village’s plans to build a casino in this rural community.
Jamulians Against the Casino, a citizens’ group, led yesterday’s meeting and gave a presentation revealing that that three lawsuits have been filed seeking to halt the project.
Air Group One presents a Friday Fly Days fundraiser with World War II antique aircraft and show carss on Friday, February 7th from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.at the Gillespie Field Cafe at 2015 North Marshall in El Cajon. There will be free admission and parking.
Besides the planes, visitors can expect live music, food, craft beers, and wine. Specials guests will be the Navy League and a Mystery Warbird.
February 6, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD), the public agency that serves as landlord of Grossmont Hospital on behalf of the community, has launched an effort to prepare for a possible June 2014 ballot measure to extend the existing lease agreement with Sharp HealthCare for the operation of the La Mesa hospital.
February 6, 2014 (San Diego)--The Native American Flute Players will present an event at Mission Trails Regional Park at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 9.
The San Diego Native American Flute Players honor Native American music, and on the second Sunday of each month (except in June), they hold a "Flute Circle" in the Visitor Center's outdoor amphitheater from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
February 6, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - A zapateado will be performed by Ballet Folklorico en Aztlan on February 9th at 2:00 p.m. at the Muevete Dance Studio in Lemon Grove.
February 4, 2014 (McCain Valley) – Charles and Laurie Baker sent in these surreal images taken while hiking in the Mica Gem and Table Mountain wilderness areas in McCain Valley, where winds and weathering have carved out fantastic rock formations in this rugged terrain.
February 6, 2014 (San Diego’s East County ) --ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:
February 6, 2014 (San Diego's East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:
February 5, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) -- Several East County artists, including painters and a carver, are among the exhibitors at the 41st annual California Open Wildlife Art Festival, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 15 and 16, at Liberty Station in San Diego’s Point Loma area. Local artists include El Cajon resident and wildlife painter Gloria Chadwick, Jamul resident and wildlife and western watercolorist Ron Dotson, Alpine painter Nancy Bradshaw Palm and Bob Berry of El Cajon, a winner of four world titles in fish carving.
February 6, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC) issued a press release last week headlined “Disturbing images show border agents encouraging children to shoot at migrant effigy.”
In response, U.S. Border Patrol Assistant Chief Patrol Agent Rosario “Pete” Vasquez called statements in that release “unfortunate and false propaganda.”
February 10, 2014 (Lemon Grove)-- Episode Six "Unnecessary War" continues the film saga of the life and times of U.S. President John Adams on Feb. 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Lemon Grove Library, 3001 School Lane. Sponsored by the Lemon Grove Historical Society in cooperation with the library, the stirring HBO series stars Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney as John and Abigail Adams, together with a stellar cast.
February 4, 2014 (Alpine)-- On February 5, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold a prehearing conference regarding San Diego Gas & Electric’s proposed Master Special Use Permit project at 1:30 pm in the Alpine Community Center (Oak Room), 1830 Alpine Blvd., Alpine, CA 91901.
“Improving fire safety is important, and it needs to be done right at a reasonable price. We’re going to be watchdogging this nearly half a billion dollar project to ensure that San Diegans aren’t gouged and that this project really is what SDG&E says it is,” said Bill Powers, an energy expert on the board of The Protect Our Communities Foundation (POC), which will participate in the pre-hearing conference.
February 5, 2014 (San Diego)-- To encourage science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among high school students, Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) announced she is holding a House App Contest in her congressional district. Students who are interested in participating can get more information at Rep. Davis’s website.
February 4, 2014 (El Cajon)--The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce swore in its 35-member board of directors and presented awards at its 102nd Annual Dinner, held Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Allen Airways Flying Museum at Gillespie Field in El Cajon.
February 5, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - The Pacific Southwest Association of REALTORS® (PSAR), a 2,000-member trade group for San Diego area realtors, hosted El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells at a recent PSAR brown-bag lunchtime conversation presented by PSAR’s Government Affairs Committee. Wells, a city councilman in El Cajon since 2008 and mayor pro tem since December 2012, was appointed mayor in November 2013, succeeding Mark Lewis who served for 14 years.
February 4, 2014 (Washington, D.C)--U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has honored Taylor Guitars, the internationally famed guitar maker in El Cajon, as one of three U.S. companies presented an “Award for Corporate Excellence. Secretary Kerry praised Taylor Guitars for buying an ebony mill in Cameroon and using shades of ebony in manufacturing its guitars, not just black ebony once used exclusively, to protect forests from being depleted.
February 4, 2014(San Diego)—U.S. Forest Service ((USFS) officials, in conjunction with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), have announced a supplemental scoping period to provide the public with an additional opportunity to comment on the topics and alternatives that should be included in the Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) being prepared for the SDG&E proposal.
The Forest Service and CPUC will hold a Supplemental Scoping Meeting for the SDG&E Master Special Use Permit and Permit to Construct Power Line Replacement Projects at the Alpine Community Center, 1830 Alpine Boulevard, Alpine, CA on Wednesday, February 19, 2014 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The meeting is open to all.
February 3, 2014 (Sacramento) - Emergency drought-relief legislation for California is heading to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill by Central Valley lawmakers would halt the restoration of the San Joaquin River and send more water to farmers. In announcing the bill, Rep. David Valadao blamed California's water shortages primarily on failed government policies.
February 3, 2014 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce presents “Lights, Camera, Action!”, the 6th Annual Salute to Local Heroes on Feb. 19 from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. The event will celebrate 8 local heroes from the La Mesa Police Department, Fire Department, paramedics and the Retired Volunteers of the La Mesa Police Department. Enjoy bidding on an assortment of silent auction items and get lucky on raffles that offer many prizes.
February 3, 2014 (La Mesa) – Biz Center Art has become On The Edge Gallery as of January 1 as a result of a change in landlords. The gallery is still managed by the same people in the same building which is now managed by the Business Center of La Mesa.
February 1, 2014 (San Diego)--Not long ago, I was at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park on a Sunday afternoon to hear San Diego’s civic organist, Carol Williams, play her weekly concert. After she was finished I walked over to one of the donation tables to renew my Spreckels Organ Society membership. The woman who helped me saw the book I was reading — a well-worn paperback of Theodore H. White’s book The Making of the President 1964 — and asked, “Is that about the Goldwater campaign?” I said yes, though the book is as much about Lyndon Johnson’s takeover of the presidency after the John F. Kennedy assassination and his campaign to keep the job. The woman then startled me by saying, “We need someone like Goldwater today — a progressive Republican.”
February 3, 2014 (San Diego)--Residents of San Diego County are being asked to report any calls they receive from someone claiming to be a peace officer and subsequently asking for cash payment, the Sheriff’s Department announced this week.
Left--Soitec's project in Newberry Springs scraped bare the earth and emits glare, despite company claims to the contrary.
Right--Shaded meadows with mature trees currently support a rich abundance of wildlife as well as grazing livestock. Soitec proposes to put over 8,000 panels on some 1,700 acres here in East County.
Residents have launched an online petition asking Supervisors to save their wildlife, water supplies, wild and scenic places. and put solar in urban environments instead. You can read the petition and sign it here.
February 2, 2014 (La Mesa) – A Draft Environmental Impact Report for the controversial Park Station at the Crossroads project in La Mesa is now available for public comments and review.
Originally, the developerm Kitzman, had proposed an 18 story highrise. That proposal has been scaled down to lower heights in the EIR, with a low-profile facade but talller buildings stepped up behind. A tower in one section would soar to 110 feet—or about 11 stories, twice the height of the current 46 foot limit, thus it would require a variance to win approval by the Planning Commission and ultimately, the City Council.
Despite the changes, the City’s analysis concludes that “no feasible mitigation measures exist to reduce potential impacts to scenic vistas.”
February 2, 2014 (San Diego’s East County )—An urgent winter weather message has been issued by the National Weather Service as a low pressure system sweeps into San Diego County bringing cold air, rain west of the mountains. Two to four inches of snow are possible above 4000 to 4500 feet. There is a chance of thunderstorms and over coastal areas, possible waterspouts tonight through Tuesday.
While rain is good news for our drought-parched state, a winter weather advisory means travelers may face difficulties.
February 2, 2014 (Sacramento)—The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is “significantly out of step with best practices in the transportation field and with the state of California’s policy expectations,” concludes an assessment review conducted by the State Smart Transportation Initiative (SSTI).
A key criticism was the agency’s focus on a “move cars faster” culture and a draft five-year strategic plan at Caltrans that completely ignores sustainability and state legislative goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
February 2, 2014 (La Mesa) -- Heartland Fire and Rescue, assisted by San Diego and Cal Fire crews, are working a residential duplex structure fire in the 4700 block of 4th Street in La Mesa.
ECM photographer Jake Christie happened to be in the neighborhood when a fire began in a blue house around 3:30 p.m. and soon spread to an adjoining unit. “I saw no people, just smoke, then fire,” he said. “I may have been the first person to call in the fire.”
February 2, 2014 (San Diego County) - "An American Family: The Art of Kathleen Strzelecki" will be held over through February in the Lemon Grove Library, 3001 School Lane, at the direction of Amanda Heller, head librarian of the library. Increased foot traffic for the exhibit, a rave review in the East County Californian, and attention from art educators have made the solo show one of the most successful of the current season.
February 6, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - A zapateado will be performed by Ballet Folklorico en Aztlan on February 9th at 2:00 p.m. at the Muevete Dance Studio in Lemon Grove.
Recent comments