By Miriam Raftery

January 9, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – The annual “We All Count” Point in Time count of homeless people in our region will be held the morning of January 26^th, organized by the San Diego Regional Task Force on the Homeless. 

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts

January 9, 2018 (9:45 a.m.) There are multiple hazards to report this morning per the CHP on East County roadways, including:

• Lemoncrest in Lakeside is closed  from Wintergarden Blvd. to Riverview due to flooding in the 12028 block.
• A high-wind advisory is in effect for I-8 east of Alpine and high-profile vehicles are not advised to travel here.
• Mapleview at Pine in Lakeside is also flooded.
• Debris is reported on I-8 west of the Sweetwater bridge in spring Valley.
• In Ramona, there is roadway flooding at Hanson Lane and Wilson
• A rockslide has been reported on Japatul Road with large boulders the size of deer; CHP is working to determine exact location of this slide called in.
• A boulder half the size of a tire is reported in the left lane of Arnold Way at Tavern Road in Alpine.
• A multi-car accident has occurred on I-8 west at Fletcher Parkway.
  

East County News Service

January 8, 2018 (Ramona) -- With the expected arrival of the strongest storm to hit the region since last winter’s record breaking rainfall, County Fire and CAL FIRE San Diego are taking steps to ensure that they are prepared for any weather-related incidents this week.

County officials expect the heaviest rain to arrive early Tuesday and anticipate it impacting the morning commute. As a result, San Diego County Fire will be activating a swift water rescue team which will be prepositioned in the Ramona area that will be available for immediate response to any portion of the county should the need arise. In addition to the swift water rescue team,CAL FIRE San Diego will have hand crews available for flood fighting operations.

Update January 9, 2018:  The dogs have been found and taken into custody by County Animal Control. No further details have been released pending investigation.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

January 8, 2018 (San Diego) – A man in his 70s was attacked by two pit bulls last night around 6 p.m. in the 6200 block of El Cajon Boulevard near San Diego State University.

The man suffered non-life threatening bites to his arms and legs and was taken by ambulance to a hospital. Patrons of a barber shop assisted the victim. The bites were deep enough to expose bone,  10 News reports.

By Miriam Raftery

Updated September 6, 2018 with response from SDG&E

September 4, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- Supervisor Dianne Jacob has sent a letter to California Public Utilities Chairman Michael Picker requesting a formal investigation and independent review by the agency into  San Diego Gas & Electric’s decision to shut off power to thousands of San Diego County residents during recent Santa Ana winds, ostensibly to prevent power lines from sparking fires. 

In an email to ECM, a CPUC spokesman has confirmed that the regulatory agency will conduct an investigation into the intentional outages.

By Miriam Raftery

January 6, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – The first significant Pacific storm of the season is forecast to hit our region Monday night through Wednesday morning, bringing up to four inches of rain to mountain areas along with snow above 4,500 feet.  Thunderstorms, hail and gusty winds are also predicted.

By Miriam Raftery

 January 5, 2017 (Spring Valley) – Sheriff’s detectives are seeking witnesses to a fatal shooting that occurred last night shortly before 9 p.m.

 Deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a fight near Albertson’s at 9831 Campo Road in the Casa de Oro neighborhood of Spring Valley. The caller reported hearing a possible gunshot and said multiple males were involved in the fight.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Santa Barbara oil spill, 1969, dumped up to 100,000 barrels of crude oil off California's coast, killing 3,500 sea birds as well as marine mammals such as dolphins and seals. (Dick Smith Collection, University of Santa Barbara)

January 5, 2018 (Washington D.C.) – Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke yesterday issued a sweeping proposal to open up 98% of all outer continental shelf areas for offshore oil drilling -- including off San Diego’s coastline.  By contrast, drilling is currently allowed in only 6% of those areas.

The proposal, which also includes plans to drill in the Arctic, elsewhere along the west coast, the Atlantic coast and the Gulf coast, has drawn strong opposition from environmental groups and from California’s Attorney General.  View map of proposed drilling sites. The public will have an opportunity to weigh in however in public comments and public meetings to be held around the country.  A schedule of those meetings will be posted here.  Online comments at regulations.gov will be accepted starting January 8^th.

By Miriam Raftery

January 4, 2018 (Santa Ysabel) – A 29-year-old man walking in the northbound lane of State Route 79 was struck and killed last night around 8 p.m. by a 2003 silver Hyundai., south of Mesa Grande Road in Santa Ysabel. 

By Miriam Raftery

January 4, 2018 (El Cajon) – Attorney Stephen J. Liosi has filed a motion on behalf of El Cajon Councilman Ben Kalasho asking the Superior Court to set aside a December ruling that dismissed Kalasho’s countersuit against plaintiffs who are suing him, including two contestants in a beauty pageant he ran and a taco shop owner.

The filing contends that Liosi failed to file documents in Kalasho’s defense, due to Liosi suffering a “traumatic brain injury” after his head struck the windshield in a vehicle accident in 2016.  The motion states that Kalasho has now secured new counsel.

East County News Service

January 3, 2018 (San Diego's East County) - The weather is getting colder. Each year, more people die in home fires during the winter months than any other time of the year.

To help you to spread the word about fire safety, the U.S. Fire Administration offers these safety tips:  https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/media/social.html

By Miraim Raftery

January 3, 2018 (Washington D.C.) – President Donald Trump starting the New Year off with a Tweet mocking North Korean President Kim Jong Un’s power and the sizes of his nuclear button. The action came in response to Kim’s New Year’s announcement in which the North Korean strongman stated that “The whole territory of the U.S. is within the range of our nuclear strike,” though adding that he would not attack first unless threatened, and he voiced support for talks.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Rebecca Jefferis-Williamson

January 2, 2018 (San Diego)—Customers lined up before dawn at several of San Diego’s eight legal recreational marijuana shops that opened their doors January 1^st.  The city was among the first places in California to permit recreational cannabis sales under Prop 64, which voters approved in 2016 and which is now in effect.

ECM reporter Rebecca Jefferis-Williamson visited the Apothekare in Mission Valley on New Year’s Day.  “No, I do not smoke, but I am a writer and always curious,” she posted on Facebook. 

She found a line wrapped around the building outside and snaking through the dispensary’s interior as well.  To gain access, customers had to be “buzzed” in through two areas with security guards.

By Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine

January 1, 2018 (Spring Valley) – After 15 years of efforts by Spring Valley residents to protect Dictionary Hill from development and blasting the top off the 1,059 feet tall peak, County Supervisors in November voted to acquire and preserve 175 acres of coastal sage scrub and habitat including Dictionary Hill (also known as Lookout Mountain) as well as adjacent canyons and ridgelines. 

Local residents and activists celebrated with a New Year's Day hike up the peak, savoring panormaic views from the mountains to the sea.

By Miriam Raftery

December 30, 2017 (Spring Valley) – A second arrest has been made in the fatal Spring Valley shooting of Candido M. Arragon Jr., 21.  Arragon, father of a toddler son, was shot Wednesday in the back of his head in a vehicle at Conception Avenue and San Francisco Street in Spring Valley. 

Alejandro Pearce, 19, of Spring Valley was arrested by the Fugitive Task Force and Sheriff’s Homicide Detail last night shortly before 9:30 p.m. on US Elevator Road after a search of his residence. He is charged with first degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon, and is being held without bail. 

On Thursday, a juvenile suspect was also arrested and charged with murder.