By Yvette Urrea Moe, County of San Diego Communications Office

Photo:  flooding around Quarry Road in Spring Valley

February 19, 2019 (San Diego) - If your property sustained damage during the storms that struck the week of Valentine’s Day, the County would like your help estimating the cost for our region.

The cold winter storms brought record-setting rainfall, flooding and high winds to San Diego County. If your property or small business was damaged during the Valentine’s Day storm, the County Office of Emergency Services is asking you to complete a short damage survey form that will assist in collecting information and associated costs.

East County News Service

February 19, 2019 (Boulevard) – A blue Mazda that failed to stop for U.S. Border Patrol agents this evening on McCain Valley Road near Olde HIghway 80 regarding possible immigration violations led officers on a chase that resulted in a rollover crash in Boulevard, injuring several peopole.

The driver failed to yield to a Border Patrol vehicle with flashing lights and siren at 5:15 p.m.  A pursuit was initiatied and the driver turned onto several roads before driving south on Shasta Way just south of State Route 94.  At a dip in the road, the driver lost control, striking a steel fence and utility pole. The vehicle overturned, coming to rest on its wheels, says Officer Travis Garrow with the California HIghway Patrol.

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

Photo:  a horse rescued from a ravine suffered only minor scratches 

February 19, 2019 (Descanso) - A horse is recovering from some minor scratches after being rescued from a muddy ravine in Descanso Monday.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Assemblyman Randy Voepel, center, gives a thumb up to a Convention of States during meeting with local supporters

February 19, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – The U.S. Constitution grants states the power to call a Convention of States to propose amendments to the federal constitution. To do so would require that 34 states agree to call a convention, though it would take 38 states to ratify any proposed amendments.

A national movement has begun among conservatives seeking to convene such a convention, with Assemblyman Randy Voepel (R-Santee) the latest to voice support for the idea.

By Donald H. Harrison, San Diego Jewish World, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

February 17, 2019 (San Diego) - A parade of rabbinical colleagues and family members mourning Rabbi Leonard Rosenthal, praised him, which they acknowledged he would have hated, and told jokes about him, which they said he would have loved.  The rabbi’s funeral service was attended by hundreds of congregants and friends Friday afternoon in the congregation he had served for over 30 years, Tifereth Israel Synagogue.

By Miriam Raftery

February 17, 2019 (Washington D.C.) –President Donald Trump has signed a compromise bill to keep the government from shutting down again, but issued an emergency declaration Friday to build a border wall in defiance of Congressional wishes.  Both the Republican-controlled Senate and the Democratic-controlled House previously refused to allocate $5 billion requested by Trump for the border wall.

The compromise bill signed by Trump does include $1.3 billion for border security, including 55 miles of new barriers. But under Trump’s executive order he would take even more money than he previously sought – over $7 billion that he hopes to divert from military construction projects, combatting narcotics smuggling, and asset forfeitures.

The latter, money seized from criminals, is currently used to fund police and sheriff operations including substantial local funding in San Diego County. Fom 2004 to mid-2014,San Diego's Sheriff and District Attorney kept 80% of federal assets seized, or about $1.5 million a year, according to a records request by ECM, as we reported in October 2014.

By Miriam Raftery

February 16, 2019 (Boulevard) – The County will be holding a scoping meeting February 28 at 6 p.m. at the Boulevard Fire Station regarding Terra Gen’s Boulder Brush Gen-tie power line and new substation facilities proposed on private land to support the Campo Wind project.

The wind turbines would cover most of the Campo reservation with 60 4-megawatt wind turbines, if approved. The new turbines are twice as powerful and about 100 to 200 feet taller than the existing 25 Kumeyaay Wind and 57 Tule Wind turbines in the area, according to Donna Tisdale, chair of the Boulevard Community Planning Group.  The public is encouraged to come voice your views as part of the official public input process at this meeting.

Public comments are due to the County by March 18. 

By Miriam Raftery

February 15, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – Yesterday’s Valentine’s Day storm dropped 10.10 inches of snow on Palomar Mountain, breaking a record of 9.58 inches set way back in 1901. The storm also brought sweet relief to drought-stricken Borrego Springs, dropping 2.68 inches of rain on the desert community.  Other new records included Ramona with 4.02 inches, Campo with 3.75 inches, and Alpine with 2.94 inches.

Lillian Trautman of El Cajon sent in the video above, showing her El Cajon yard turned into a rushing torrent of water.

Action comes on heels of countywide firearms trafficking investigation

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

Photo: Capt. Marco Garmo,10 News

February 14, 2019 (Rancho San Diego) -- Capt. Marco Garmo, who most recently headed up the Rancho San Diego substation of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department has been placed on an administrative leave until further notice, according to ECM news partner 10News.

On the same day that the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted raids throughout San Diego County, including the large sprawling Jamul estate of San Diego jeweler Leo Hamel due to a firearms trafficking investigation, Garmo was put on leave. The Rancho San Diego substation covers the same area of Hamel’s property.

Sheriff Gore, in a e-mail obtained by 10News yesterday, states that he was made aware of potential criminal conduct by Garmo by a senior member of the Sheriff’s Department, and implies that the removal of Garmo is linked to the broader federal investigation involving Hamel’s properties.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

February 13, 2019 (Jamul) – A mansion in Rancho Jamul Estates owned by prominent jeweler Leo Hamel was raided today by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Some of his jewelry stores were also searched in connection with a firearms trafficking case, 10 News reports.

In 2016, Hamel ran for the California State Assembly as a Republican, seeking to represent most of East County. Despite announcing that he had dropped out before the primary election, his name remained on the ballot and he advanced to the November run-off, but was defeated by Randy Voepel.

By Miriam Raftery

February 13, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) --  A strong atmospheric river storm system with "pineapple connections" (Hawaii origin) will arrive tonight and bring periods of heavy rain late and thunderstorms tonight through Thursday. Mountains could receive 4 to 10 inches of rain, with 2 to 4 inches in valleys and coastal areas and up to an inch in the desert.

The National Weather Service advises that widespread heavy rainfall is expected across the entire area with potential for significant flooding of low lying, poor drainage, and urbanized areas with debris flows possible near recent burn scars. High winds will also be a concern in the mountains and deserts.

A new archive of hundreds of letters between a group of volunteers and asylum seekers along the U.S.-Mexico border has been developed and is being digitized at the SDSU Library.

By La Monica Everett-Haynes

February 13, 2019 (San Diego) - What began as a casual gathering of friends has become a first-of-its-kind living archive of handwritten letters shared by hundreds of asylum seekers detained along the U.S.-Mexico border. Those letters, in the collective correspondence, provide a detailed description of each person’s path to pursuing asylum, and the conditions inside detention centers.