By Suzanne Bartole, County of San Diego Communications Office

July 11, 2018 (Alpine) - A local assistance center has been set up at the Alpine Library following the recent West Fire, that destroyed homes in the Alpine community, and the Building Fire.

The County of San Diego, along with other community partners, has experts stationed there so that fire victims can get everything they need to know in one central location.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Bob Scheid, shortly after the West Fire began, helped us provide critical early warning to our readers

July 9, 2018 (Alpine) – In the critical first few hours of the West Fire in Alpine, our East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts provided the earliest news that a fire had begun and was threatening homes in Alpine. In the first 12 hours, we posted 38 updates including Twitter, email, articles and social media.

During the fire’s first day, our first alert was sent at 11:44 a.m (simultaneous to the Forest Service's first Tweet five minutes after the fire was reported at 11:39 a.m., per Cal Fire's incident report). That was nearly an hour and a half before the first Cal Fire and County Fire Authority Tweet at 1:04 p.m.  and a full four hours before the first Cal-Fire e-mail alert went out at 3:43 p.m. announcing “numerous structures destroyed.”

Cal Fire/County Fire Chief Tony Mecham has said homes were burning within eight minutes after the fire started, Patch.com reports.

Alpine Fire Department, battling the inferno amid power outages and grappling with a seriously injured fire captain, didn’t get their first Twitter alert out until the next day.  Cleveland National Forest did send timely alerts via Twitter only, but stopped after the fire burned outside of federal lands and into neighborhoods with homes.

During the first 12 hours of the fire, we sent frequent updates via Twitter and email, as well as posting numerous updates on our webpage plus photos and video link. We even went the extra mile to post some information on our Facebook page and on some community forum Facebook pages in or near the Alpine area, where many were without power but could access those sites on cell phones.

By Miriam Raftery

July 9, 2018 (Alpine)--A donation center has been set up  by Living Life Alpine for the pubic to drop off goods to help survivors of the West Fire in Alpine, which destroyed at least 35 homes as well as many outbuildings, also damaging other properties.  Donations can be dropped from from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Boulder Oaks Elementary School auditorium at 2320 Tavern Road, Alpine.

This location has changed from an earlier site opened last night, which has already provided relief supplies to several families. 

“Any donations are welcome,” the organization’s Facebook page states.  “Here are some ideas:”

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left, courtesy San Diego Sheriff Office, Alpine

July 6, 2018 (Alpine) – At the Secret Hills Ranch in Alpine, owner Missy Bender posted this  panicked message on Facebook today as the #WestFire approached: “Fire is here desperately need help…”   With 41 horses in need of evacuation, she pleaded for  help “even on foot” adding that the Sheriff wasn’t letting trailers in. “We have to lead horses out on foot,” she said, adding, “We are fighting the fire off our back fence…”

By Miriam Raftery

July 7, 2018 (Alpine) – Firefighters made progress on the #WestFire overnight, holding the wildfire to 400 acres with containment now 30%.  At least 18 homes are reported destroyed and 8 more damaged.  Evacuation orders remain in place.  A shelter at Los Coches Middle School remains open and pets are welcome at the shelter.

If you need help after the #West Fire in Alpine, you can call 211 or click here for a list of resources:  https://www.sdcountyrecovery.com/events/july-2018-fire-recovery-resources/.

State and county emergency declarations have been issued. 

By Miriam Raftery

June 10, 2018 (Alpine) – California Highway Patrol seeks public help to find a person or persons who have been leaving 60-pound concrete parking blocks as well as cinder blocks on Interstate 8 near Alpine. Numerous vehicles have been damaged this year, starting in January. The most recent incidents occurred Saturday shortly after midnight, when eight to ten vehicles were damaged or disabled.

East County News Service

June 5, 2018 (Alpine) – Summer concerts at the Alpine Community Center Park return on select Friday nights starting at 6 p.m.  The park is located at 1830 Alpine Blvd. behind the library.

Presented by the Alpine Community Center and Alpine Library, the concerts provide live music for all ages.  Bring a picnic dinner or you can buy food from local vendors.

The summer concerts schedule is:

Backroom Beer Pairing to feature imaginative brews from Temecula’s Aftershock Brewing; proceeds benefit animal rescue charities

East County News Service

May 17, 2018 (Alpine) - Summer calls for sipping on refreshing brews in great company. On May 30, you can do just that when Barons Market teams up with Temecula’s Aftershock Brewing to pair tasty beers with delectable dishes at each of its seven Southern California grocery stores for its summer-themed Backroom Beer Pairing. Often with sell-out crowds, Baron’s Backroom Beer Pairings transform Barons Market’s loading docks and stock rooms into food and local brew speakeasies.

Backcountry hidden pleasures:   Our guide to unique lodging adventures in San Diego’s beautiful backcountry

By Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine

February 9, 2018 (Alpine) – At the grand opening last week of The Willows Hotel & Spa, an adults-only luxury high-rise  at the Viejas Casino & Resort in Alpine, located in San DIego's inland region, tribal chairman Robert Welch reflected told the crowd to "put on your sunglasses, because the future of Viejas has never looked brighter!”

The entire facility is reserved for adults only (families may stay at the original Viejas Hotel nearby). Each suite is sumptuously appointed and attention to architectural and design details are evident in craftsmanship throughout.

The Willows features a tower with 159 suites, a saltwater swimming pool, spa and salon facilities, restaurants, fitness center, and business center.

By Paul Kruze; Miriam Raftery also contributed to this report

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January 21, 2018 (Alpine) -- Just as students returned to school after winter break last week, lawyers for the Alpine Union School District (AUSD), Alpine Taxpayers for Bond Accountability and Grossmont Union High School District returned to court in front of a three-judge tribunal headed by Associate Justice Patricia D. Benke of the 4th District California Superior Court of Appeals.  

But a week later, the court panel upheld an earlier ruling by Judge Pressman against Alpine, agreeing that the GUHSD need not keep millions of dollars set aside for an Alpine High School that now may never be built, despite previous bond measures approved by voters that included funds for the school. Then on Friday, the State Board of Education denied Alpine's unification petition that would have enabled the AUSD to build the high school. The double losses may prove to be knock-out blows for the hard-fought effort to bring a high school to Alpine.

By Miriam Raftery

January 11, 2018 (Alpine) – Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a burglary alarm at the Alpine School District yesterday around 4 p.m.  After security the perimeter of the building, they contacted a person they believed to be a possible suspect.   The individual, Kelly Carpenter, 59, “became uncooperative and assaultive toward deputies,” according to Sergeant James Blanton.  A deputy was injured in the struggle and received treatment for minor injuries.

By Jim Lundquist

November 28, 2017 (Alpine) - There is a new campaign underway in Alpine to make our community safer and quieter for all residents.  It’s called the “25 Seconds” campaign. 

East County News Service

November 13, 2017 (Alpine) - A suspect who fled from Sheriff’s deputies after allegedly trying to steal gas or tampering with county gas pumps on Tavern Road in Alpine this morning has crashed the Toyota Camry he was driving and wound up air lifted to a trauma center.