September 7, 2010 (Campo) – The Cowboy Fire is now 100% contained, with full control expected tonight. The blaze charred 827 acres and cost an estimated $2.5 million in fire suppression costs, said Roxanne Provaznik of Cal-Fire.

ON THE SILVER SCREEN: PUBLIC ENEMY NO. 1 A SATISFYING CONCLUSION TO MESRINE SAGA

By Brian Lafferty

September 6, 2010 (San Diego)--Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1, released last Friday, is the second of a two-part series. Killer Instinct emphasized action while this one focuses more on character exploration. Vince Cassel showed us in the first movie how he could rob banks. The movie contains action but not as much as the first. Instead, Cassel is given the opportunity to flex his acting muscles this time around, giving us a glimpse of one of France’s most notorious outlaws when he’s not on his latest crime spree. It is here that we get a portrait of the criminal artist as an older man.

East County News Service

September 6, 2010 (City Heights) – San Diego Police report an attempted kidnapping of an 11-year-old boy Friday at 6:41 p.m.. The boy was walking westbound on Orange Avenue in the City Heights neighborhood when a white van pulled up next to him. The side door opened, revealing a man and woman, both black, who offered the boy a ride. The juvenile ran away and was pursued on foot by the man. There is no description available of the driver.

East County News Service

September 8, 2010 (La Mesa) – Mayor Art Madrid, members of the La Mesa City Council and staff held a ribbon cutting at the Challenge Center yesterday to celebrate completion of a new shade trellis at the facility, which specializes in rehabilitative therapies for people with severe disabilities including brain and spinal cord injuries.

September 5, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) 9:14 p.m.—A total of 453 SDG&E customers are without power tonight in two separate outages, both impacting communities in nland regions. 

Update September 6, 12 p.m. - The Cowboy Fire is now 95% contained, Cal Fire reports. Cost to fight the fire has exceeded $2.7 million.

September 5, 2010 3:15 p.m. -- The Cowboy Fire, which has reached 827 acres, is now 84% contained.  Cost to fight the fire to date is nearly $1.9 million.

Update 3:02 p.m. -- Forward spread of this fire has been stopped; firefighters remain on scene mopping up hot spots.

September 5, 2010 (Deerhorn Valley) 2:40 p.m. – A roll-over accident at the 14 mile marker on Honey Springs Road north of Highway 94 has started a brush fire that is now 20 acres near the Deerhorn Valley Community.

Story and photos by Dennis Richardson

September 4, 2010 (Ramona) -- Aerial firefighters continue battling the Cowboy Fire, which is currently 65% contained with full control predicted Monday night. If not for this Ramona air field,  brush-covered open spaces in our backcountry would be even greater threats to residents throughout San Diego County.

Update September 4 2010, 12 p.m.  -- The Cowboy Fire is 827 acres and 65% contained. Full containment is expected tomorrow at 6 p.m. and full control is expected on September 7th at 6 p.m., Cal-Fire reports. View map of fire at bottom of this article.

East County News Service

September 3, 2010 (Campo) – The Cowboy Fire, which has burned 822 acres, was started by two illegal immigrants who were in distress, Cal-Fire reports.

“They called C4, which is Mexico’s emergency dispatch system, and advised them that they had been lost for two days, were stranded, dehydrated, and were going to light a signal fire to attempt to get some help,” said Roxanne Provaznik, public information officer for Cal-Fire.

September 3, 2010 (Tierrasanta) – A 66-year old woman was struck by a 2001 Chrysler sedan at 8:36 this morning while walking southbound in the 11200 block of Tierrasanta Boulevard. She died at a hospital later of major injuries sustained in the accident.

By Brian Lafferty

September 3, 2010 (San Diego)--I normally try to give every movie I see the benefit of the doubt but I will admit, based on such experiences as When in Rome and The Bounty Hunter, that it was hard for me to not be leery. Fortunately, whatever doubts I had immediately dissipated once Going the Distance began and the result was a very good time and lots of laughs. I urge you not to dismiss it.

East County News Service

"If she wins, it would destroy California’s clean energy industry,” -- Senator Barbara Boxer on her opponent, Carly Fiorina.

"The American dream has become too hard for too many people." --Carly Fiorina

September 2, 2010 – Journalists and voters questioned U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California) and her opponent, Carly Fiorina in a contentious debate last night. Boxer slammed Fiorina for outsourcing jobs, opposing two jobs bills including one to save teachers’ jobs in California, and supporting “billionaires and CEOs” over the needs of working people. Fiorina said California is in the “worst economic crisis” since the Depression and bashed Boxer’s record. In response, the Senator’s campaign releases a fact-check sheet that disproved key Fiorina claims. View the full debate video on C-Span.

September 2, 2010 (Campo) – A strike team of firefighters is staging at Star Ranch for structure protection, aiming to halt the 200-acre Cowboy fire at the outskirts of the Ranch before it can reach the Campo Hills housing development. The fire is burning in a northeast direction.

“A large water bomber just flew overhead,” Christy Scott, editor of the Alpine Sun, informed East County Magazine. Lake Morena provides an accessible source of water for water-dropping aircraft, she added.

September 2, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) 3:30 p.m. update:  – The Cowboy Fire is now 75 acres to 100, Cal-Fire reports.  Campo Elementary School is being evacuated, with students taken to Mountain Empire High School. 

Update 2:35 p.m. Campo Elementary School is being evacuated; students will be taken to Mountain Empire High School

September 2, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – The Cowboy Fire reported at 1:13 p.m. is now 20 acres, burning between Campo and Potrero near the Pacific Crest Trail.  Incident Page Network indicates the fire is near the junction of Highway 94 and Star Ranch.  Other reports indicate the location is within Hauser National Wilderness and Cleveland National Forest areas.

“Currently the fire is inaccessible by ground units,” Cal-Fire battalion chief Nick Schuler said. “They are attempting to make contact with the fire now,” he said, adding that air tankers and helicopters are also on the scene.