April 6, 2015 (In-Ko-Pah)—The second annual In-Ko-Pah classic desert concert will be held  on May 2^nd .   This outdoor high-desert concert will be held at the Desert View Tower, a state historical monument perched on a rocky hillside overlooking the Anza-Borrego Desert. The In-Ko-Pah offers music lovers and naturalists alike a chance to experience an overnight event within our Southwest region.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Car on tree in San Diego, courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

April 30, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – High winds caused damage across East County today, with hurricane-force gusts up to 101 miles per hour  recorded on Sill Hill near Cuyamaca.  

In Buckman Springs, motorists trapped in a car beneath a fallen tree limb had to be rescued.  Interstate 8 east of Alpine was closed temporarily due to high winds. A fallen eucalyptus tree blocked Otay Lakes Road late this morning. Most tragically, a wind-whipped fire that scorched an acre near Plaza Bonita mall killed a person, whose burned body  was found near a transient camp.

Power outages occurred across East County. In Descanso, some residents were without power for 13 hours, from 6:30 a.m. until approximately 9:30 p.m., ECM correspondent Sharon Penny reports.

April 30, 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:

LOCAL

• Will SD divorce from the River Park? (UT San Diego)
• 5 things to know about concealed guns in San Diego (Voice of San Diego)
• Still more funny business at San Miguel fire agency (UT San Diego)
• La Mesa City Council (La Mesa Today)
  
  Members rescind opera board’s action (UT San Diego)
• Hundreds of millions for football, zilch for opera (SD Reader)

STATE

• California drought putting birds, fish and tree species at risk, scientists say (Sac Bee)
• Bird flu on California farm prompts HK, others to bar poultry imports  (Reuters) 
• California’s drought: Brown issues second executive order (Santee Patch)
• Bill puts police union members on prison panels  (UT San Diego)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

PHOTO: FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, seen here (top left) at a meeting in January in Oakland, has signaled his support for rules that may threaten net neutrality by allowing broadband service to some companies at higher speed for higher prices. A pushback by opponents is forming quickly. Photo credit: Mark Scheerer.

By Lori Abbott, California Public News Service

April 29, 2014 (Washington D.C.) – There will be speed lanes on the Internet if the Federal Communications Commission goes forward as Chairman Tom Wheeler signaled this week, allowing broadband Internet service providers such as Comcast or Time Warner Cable to charge content providers, including ESPN or Netflix, higher prices for faster download speeds.

By Miriam Raftery

April 30, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--Several measures have qualified to appear on the June ballot, and others are still pending.  Ballot initiatives approved to appear on your June ballot thus far include measures impacting homeless veterans, health insurance rates, your rights to open government, and more.

STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM SEEKS HOSTS



April 30, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - The Cultural Homestay International (CHI) program needs help finding homes for students from China for a two-week exchange program this summer or a longer 10-month program during the academic school year starting this fall.  For over 30 years, high school age students from many countries have participated in these high school foreign exchange programs, staying with local host families and attending local schools.

55 Charged in Massive Crackdown on West Coast Crips Street Gang and Others

April 29, 2014 (Spring Valley)--FBI Special Agent in Charge, Daphne Hearn, has announced the arrest of Terrence Mack Carter, age 30, on Tuesday, April 29, 2014.  Carter was taken into custody by members of the San Diego FBI SWAT Team at approximately 3:00 p.m. today in the vicinity of the 9000 block of Kenwood Drive, Spring Valley, California. He was arrested after members of the San Diego FBI SWAT Team made entry into the apartment Carter was hiding in.

April 29, 2014 (Potrero) --For the first time, Potrero County Park is offering cabins to visitors who want to enjoy the natural beauty of San Diego County’s southeast region.

County Parks and Recreation celebrated the grand opening of two new disabled-friendly cabins Monday. Each one, with porch, measures 390 square feet, sleeps five and features heating, a ceiling fan, a restroom, and a small seating area.

Update 5 p.m. A new fire is reported in the Carlton Hills area of Santee.  For timely updates visit www.Twitter.com and follow ViejasAlerts.  As of 5:30 p.m., 5 acres have burned in Santee from a blaze that started in the San Diego River bed.  Forward spread was stopped at the Carlton Hills golf course with help from four helicopters droping water before the fire reached 125.  Fences were burned but no structures were damaged. There were no injuries.

The Ramona fire has been extinguished.

April 29, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – A full wildland response by Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service has been ordered for a vegetation fire that reportedly began in a compost pile in Ramona.  Heartland Fire is also on the scene.

The fire is burning near Dye Road and Ramona Street, between Highway 67 and San Vicente.   View map:https://www.google.com/maps/place/Dye+Rd+%26+Ramona+St/@33.0083989,-116.8796472,14z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x80dbe6729949d82d:0xfecc04e91f9678d1

By Jessica Richmond

“A majority of cities (53%) – 149 of the 282 cities – have committed to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as the result of a mayoral pledge and/or formal city council action.”

Solar and conservation measures ranked highly by mayors, wind turbines ranked least promising

April 29, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--The U.S. Conference of Mayors recently  have focused efforts on creating a plan to increase energy efficiency, while reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) and carbon emissions. The nonpartisan organization consists of mayors from 1,398 cit­ies with populations of 30,000 or more.

Under the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, signers have pledged to try and limit their cities carbon emissions, reduce GHG emissions, along with pushing local state and federal actors to “do their part” in order to help reduce environmental air pollution.  Now a new report reveals data on actions pursued in cities across America to reach these goals.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

April 28, 2014 (San Diego)--Cinco de Mayo is upon us and it has become a celebration of food, friends and alcohol.  Unfortunately, too often the party ends with alcohol-related crashes, injuries and fatalities when people don’t use good judgment and drive after drinking reminds Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna.  Make sure you look after yourself and your compadres and have a designated driver or take a cab.

By Miriam Raftery

April 27, 2014 (San Diego)--The California Energy Commission has granted a request from Cogentrix for a second one-year suspension of an application for the controversial Quail Brush gas-fired power plant proposed near Mission Trails Regional Park. That means the proposal remains alive, despite overwhelming community opposition.

Opponents of the project had urged the Commission to let the proposal die by denying Cogentrix’s request to extend the original suspension that expired in April.  Despite a barrage of protest comments, the Commission decided to extend the suspension until April 15, 2015. 

Originally published at http://www.theecoreport.com/green-blogs/sustainability/conservation/wildlife/how-much-wildlife-can-usa-afford-to-kill/  

April 26, 2014 (San Diego)--The Obama administration is issuing 30-year permits for “taking” (killing) bald and golden eagles. The great birds will be legally slaughtered “unintentionally” by lethal wind turbines installed in their breeding territories, and in "dispersion areas" where their young congregate (e.g. Altamont Pass).

April 26, 2015 (Spring Valley)--In honor of International Rotarians at Work Day, members of the La Mesa Sunrise Rotary broke ground Saturday, April 26^th, on a new fruit orchard for the residents of Noah Homes, a nonprofit in Spring Valley celebrating 30 years of residential care, community advocacy and collaborative services for adults with developmental disabilities.

By Miriam Raftery

April 25, 2014 (San Diego) – Judge Ronald Prager has been a Superior Court Judge for 26 years, with an unblemished record.

 “I’ve handled more important cases and complex litigation than any other judge,” said Prager, who has presided over many of our region’s most high profile cases.  He told ECM that he has been endorsed by all 125 Superior Court judges as well as Sheriff Bill Gore, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, the Public Defender, Deputy District Attorneys Association, the Lawyer’s Club, and San Diegans Against Crime, a crime victims’ rights group.

His opponent for Superior Court seat 9,  Douglas James Crawford,   faces suspension of his law license for advising opposing counsel of threats made by his client to instigate an IRS audit if settlement talks in a lawsuit were not commenced.  He denies wrongdoing and has filed an appeal.  He has also drawn criticism for racial remarks regarding an African-American judge and for offering free legal advice to white supremacist groups. In addition, an East County Magazine investigation reveals that Crawford has previously been sanctioned by the California 4th District Court of Appeal for “intentionally misleading” a court and bank regarding his mother’s death.  Moreover, the court found that Crawford  claimed to represent his mother’s  estate after allowing his license to practice law to become inactive.