By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna, East County Magazine “In-House” Fire Chief
July 21, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--The hot weather is among us and many of us will (or already have) head for the water… Pools, lakes, ponds, and beaches mean summer fun and cool relief from hot weather. But water also can be dangerous for kids if you don't take the proper precautions. Nearly 1,000 kids die each year by drowning. And most drownings occur in home swimming pools. It is the second leading cause of accidental death for people between the ages of 5 and 24.
July 21, 2012 (San Diego) -- The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District announced the availability of funds from the Carl Moyer Voucher Incentive Program (VIP). The VIP provides a streamlined approach to reduce emissions by installing a Verified Diesel Emission Control Strategy (VDECS or “retrofit”) or by replacing existing, high-polluting vehicles with newer, lower-emission vehicles. Approximately $350,000 from Program Year 14 is currently available for eligible on-road heavy-duty diesel retrofit or replacement projects.
July 21, 2012 (San Diego) – Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation presents the 2nd Annual “Whispers in the Wind” storytelling event on July 22 at 3:00 p.m. in the Visitor Center Theater, One Father Junipero Serra Trail, San Diego.The stories are a collection of time-honored Native American folklore and animal tales.
Two of San Diego County’s best storytellers; Mary Holma and Cynthia Griffin, will spin tales to create a sense of appreciation for nature and a people’s oral traditions celebrating it.
County's sole legal medical marijuana dispensary to challenge U.S. Attorney for straight legal test of state law;
El Cajon business to announce plans for defense of "legitimate medical marijuana operations"
July 20, 2012 (El Cajon) – Advocates, patients, and concerned citizens in support of the only state and county approved legal medical marijuana dispensary in California’s four-county southern border region announced plans to unveil strategy to defend one of the model medical marijuana dispensaries in the nation.
Representatives of Mother Earth’s Alternative Healing Cooperative said they would announce the plans and a specific challenge to U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy at the press conference on the steps of the U.S. federal court house in San Diego on Monday, July 23 at 11:00 a.m.
Did a violent film trailer trigger shootings by San Diego man? Preview depicted an attack on a movie theater
By Miriam Raftery
July 20, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Friends and neighbors reacted with shock at news that former San Diegan James “Jimmy” Eagan Holmes, 24, is under arrest for the mass shooting earlyl this morning of 71 people in a Colorado movie theater.
A night of fantasy turned deadly when Holmes allegedly burst into an Aurora, Colorado movie theater where a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises,” a Batman movie was playing.
July 20, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – A 1,500 fire burning in Mexico is putting up a lot of smoke visible across East County, but poses no current threat to the U.S., Cal-Fire spokesman Mike Mohler told ECM.
The fire is currently burning southwest of Otay Mountain.It did cross briefly into the U.S. late today, burning approximately one acre in a creek bed.“We have one engine out there keeping an eye on it,” Mohler added.
“My vision is to gracefully transform the San Diego/Tijuana Regional economy, now 98% dependent on imported energy and 90% dependent on imported water and food -- into an economy that is prosperous and completely renewable, energy, water and food self-sufficient. Accomplishing this is our best chance to leave our children and future generations a life-support sustaining future. Becoming renewable energy, water and food self-sufficient in our region will also serve as a model that can be emulated around the world.” –Jim Bell.
July 20, 2012 (San Diego) -- We humans are something special and rare.
In spite of there being an estimated 5 million to 100 million species of life on our planet -- our species is the only one that lives and makes a living in ways that hurt our local and global life-support systems.
During this test event, customers are encouraged to save energy to earn a
bill credit on next month’s bill
July 20, 2012 (San Diego County) -- Today, SDG&E will call the first, system-wide Reduce Your Use event to test its notification systems and processes.
July 20, 2012 (Mount Laguna) -- The County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health (DEH) has issued a Boil Water Order and Public Notification for the Mount Laguna Recreation Area water system located on Sunrise Highway, Mt. Laguna, CA 91948 effective immediately. The water system serves a campground, visitor center and fire station.
July 20, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Iberdrola Renewables wants to build an industrial wind turbine facility on 15,000 acres in East County’s McCain Valley.
What happens if neighbors complain of noise?
In Fairfield, New York, weary residents asked town officials to measure noise levels at Iberdrola’s Hardscrabble wind facility.The results found levels above the legal limit of 50 decibels. But instead of reducing the noise, Iberdrola gave noise generating machines to residents in hopes of drowning out the whooshing and whirling turbine sounds. Note: The machine is set at the lowest setting in this audio link.
July 19, 2012 (San Diego) – San Diego Police asks public help to locate Brent MacNab, who was last seen on July 15, 2012, in the area of 12000 Tivoli Park Row, San Diego (Carmel Mountain).
He is listed as a faculty member at the University of Sydney, Australia School of Business. He obtained a PhD from the University of Hawaii in 2004 and has a decade of experience working with Volkswagen of America, Inc., BankAmerica Corp., and AT&T as well as in corporate consultation.
MacNab is 43 years old, 6’0”, 165 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.He was driving a silver/black 2012 Jeep Wrangler with California license 6VHC214.It is a rental vehicle.
July 19, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Ford Motor Company today announced a voluntary recall of 2013 model year Ford Escape vehicles equipped with the 1.6-liter engine built through July 11, 2012. Ford estimates that there have been approximately 11,500 of these vehicles distributed for sale in North America, with most in the U.S.
Ford is voluntarily recalling the vehicles to replace an engine compartment fuel line, which could split and leak fuel, potentially resulting in an underhood fire. Three fires have occurred, including two by Ford employees testing vehicles. No injuries have been reported.
July 19, 2012 (San Diego) – Tomorrow at 9 a.m., San Diego County's Planning Commission will decide whether to approve a wind ordinance that would enable construction of numerous wind energy projects in our region's mountains, rural and desert communities.
Why, then, did San Diego County’s Health and Human Services Agency just issue a public health position statement that amounts to a whitewash of serious health problems linked to wind turbines around the world?
July 19, 2012 (San Diego)--The San Diego Planning Commission voted not to green light the East Elliot Community Plan Amendment that would have allowed Cogentrix Energy LLC to go forward with the Quail Brush natural gas-fired power plant near Mission Trails Regional Park.
The City Council now has the opportunity to weigh in on the controversial project, which has generated near-unanimous community opposition.
July 19, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – After forensic dog teams identified dozens of potential ancient human remain sites at energy projects on Bureau of Land Management property in Ocotillo and McCain Valley, as ECM reported this week, ECM asked the BLM what steps it intends to take to assure that any Native American remains are protected.
Two officials from the BLM have responded to our inquiry.
Take these steps to restore Brown Act protections at state and local levels
By Miriam Raftery, Editor, East County Magazine
July 18, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Criticism is mounting over the state’s suspension of Brown Act protections, which have long required local government boards to provide at least 72 hours public notice of meeting agendas.
July 20, 2012 (El Cajon) –Three decades ago, Leo Hamel of Leo Hamel Fine Jewelers opened his first jewelry store on El Cajon Boulevard. Now the successful businessman has returned to his historic roots, opening his eighthstore, Leo Hamel Jewelry Buyers Office, in downtown El Cajon.
"Diamonds were once considered to be a girl's best friend, but now men and women alike are flocking to the precious stone," says Hamel. "The hardest stone in the world is now more rare than ever, which makes it even more of a luxury accessory and a solid investment."
July 15, 2012 (Ramona) -- Here’s a juicy story: the Oasis Camel Dairy will host its second annual Watermelon Days on July 21 & 22 from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. at 26757 Old Julian Hwy in Ramona.Festivities include feeding watermelon to the camels, camel rides, an exotic bird show featuring talking and singing parrots and tours of the camel dairy.
July 19, 2012 -- (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:
LOCAL
Special report: water supplies pass tipping point (UT San Diego)
Ramona’s original horses come home (Ramona Patch)
San Diego County’s wildlife killers (Voice of San Diego)
Heartland Fire Chief steps down (La Mesa Today)
Unclaimed funds being held by county (10 News)
15-year-old Santee driver in fatal SR 52 crash sentenced to one year
A costly, cranky day for La Mesa (La Mesa Today)
La Mesa’s $1.9 million payment to state could be cut in half, says city manager (La Mesa Patch)
STATE
California Health Exchange seeks to make buying insurance a breeze (Sacramento Bee)
Lawmakers seek state parks investigation (Sacramento Bee)
New Freeway Will Ease Flow of Commerce from/to Otay Mesa Border Crossing
July 19, 2012 (Otay Mesa) -- State Route 905, a newly-built highway designed to accommodate the growing volume of trucks carrying goods between the United States and Mexico, will open to motorists July 30. A grand opening celebration was held today on the freeway that connects the Otay Mesa Port of Entry – the only commercial crossing between San Diego and Tijuana – to the rest of the highway system.
Phil’s BBQ El Toro tri-tip sandwich takes one of ten regional titles to advance to the final round
July 19, 2012 (San Diego) -- On Wednesday, July 18, 2012, Phil’s BBQ was named the West Coast Regional Winner of the Travel Channel show “Adam Richman’s Best Sandwich in America.” Phil’s El Toro tri-tip sandwich is one of ten regional winners that will move on to the final round of judging, where one sandwich will be named Best Sandwich in America. There’s good news for East County foodies: Phil’s BBQ will be coming to Santee this fall. (Here’s a clip of the Phil’s BBQ segment.)
17-year veteran of labor and employee relations named vice chancellor
July 19, 2012 (El Cajon) -- Victoria Simmons, a consultant and community college administrator specializing in labor relations and human resources for 17 years, is the new vice chancellor of human resources for the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District.
Simmons, who was hired after a nationwide search, began working at the college district July 1. She has experience in labor and employee relations, recruitment, equal employment opportunity compliance, staff development and training, classification, compensation, workers’ compensation and other human resources issues.
July 19, 2012 (Lemon Grove) – A SIG ALERT has been issued for eastbound Highway 94, where an overturned trash truck is blocking access to northbound SR-125.
“It was an EDCO trash truck laying on its side with its wheels pointed south,” El Cajon Councilman Gary Kendrick told ECM, who drove past the incident moments ago.
July 19, 2012 (McCain Valley) – Tom Klimek of Lemon Grove shared these photos that he took of McCain Valley “as few have seen it,” blanketed in snow, isolated in its pristine beauty.
July 19, 2012 -- (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 reflecting 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:
U.S.
Drug trial offers hope for Alzheimer’s treatment (USA Today)
Worst drought in decades grips nation (Los Angeles Times)
Why Democrats are willing to walk off the “fiscal cliff” (Washington Post)
Can Obama save manufacturing? (Washington Post)
Controversial GOP spending bill released (The Hill)
Romney attacks on Bain questioned: Obama campaign accuses Romney of lying about Bain tenure (Boston Globe)
Could Obama’s negative attacks on Mitt Romney backfire? (USA Today)
NAACP crowd boos Romney for voting to repeal health reform (NBC)
Condi Rice a possible VP pick for Romney: pros and cons (CNN)
Supreme Court rejects ‘Stolen Valor’ law, says lying about military honors isn’t a crime (McClatchy News)
WORLD
Google searching for human traffickers, drug cartels (Fox)
Olympics security shambles is a “humiliating shambles”, boss concedes (CNN)
Dutch, U.S. authorities investigating needles in airline sandwiches (CNN)
July 19, 2012 (San Diego) At 9 a.m. today, the San Diego Planning Commission will hold an important vote to determine whether to rezone open space to industrial land in order to allow a proposed natural gas-fired power plant to be built next to Mission Trails Regional Park.
July 21, 2012 (San Diego) -- 
July 21, 2012 (San Diego) – Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation presents the 2nd Annual “Whispers in the Wind” storytelling event on July 22 at 3:00 p.m. in the Visitor Center Theater, One Father Junipero Serra Trail, San Diego.
El Cajon business to announce plans for defense of "legitimate medical marijuana operations"
By Miriam Raftery
A Jim Bell & Common Sense Commentary
July 19, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) 
Story and photos by Nadin Abbott
o’s East County) – Criticism is mounting over the state’s suspension of Brown Act protections, which have long required local government boards to provide at least 72 hours public notice of meeting agendas.
July 15, 2012 (Ramona) -- Here’s a juicy story: the Oasis Camel Dairy will host 
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