National City

SWEETWATER DRAINS LOVELAND RESERVOIR TO DEAD POOL LEVEL TO SAVE ITS RATEPAYERS MONEY-- AT THE EXPENSE OF RURAL RESIDENTS, WILDLIFE, AND FIRE PROTECTION

By Miriam Raftery

Photo  left:  water drains from Loveland Reservoir in Alpine to Sweetwater Reservoir in Otay;

Photo, right: bare mudflat at Loveland, once  400 surface acres, now doomed to be dropped to just 10.

November 23, 2022 (Alpine) – Without any regard to impacts on wildlife, fire danger, rural residents or recreational users at Loveland Reservoir near Alpine in San Diego's East County, the Sweetwater Water Authority (SWA) on November 16 began draining down the lake with an intent to reduce it to “dead pool” level – less than one-half of one percent of the reservoir’s capacity, once draining is completed over the next couple of weeks or so.

The water is being transferred to Sweetwater Reservoir in Spring Valley. From there, it will be used to provide drinking water and other water needs to residents in the South Bay communities of Chula Vista, National City and Bonita.

But critics say  the action is destroying habitat for wildlife, perhaps forever, also eliminating fishing at the area's only reservoir with free fishing access, and threatening firefighters' ability to combat fast-moving wildfires .  Critics also contend that draining the reservoir so low is unnecssary at current drought levels. Yet the people most negatively impacted have no representation on the SWA board, which doesn't include East County.

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CHILD, 6, ABDUCTED IN SPRING VALLEY; LAST SEEN IN NATIONAL CITY

East County News Service

Photo: Joylin Gutierrez, 6, and her suspected captor, her non-custodial parent Wendy Guttierez

Update:  Authorities indicate the abductor may have taken Joylin Gutierrez into Mexico.

February 22, 2022 (Spring Valley) -- The Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station wants your help in locating a missing six-year-old girl from Spring Valley.

On Tuesday, February 22 around 1:15 p.m., Joylin Gutierrez was taken from Kempton Elementary School located in the 700 block of Kempton Street in Spring Valley. Joylin  is Hispanic, three feet tall with long brown hair and brown eyes.  She was last seen wearing a pink or purple sweater.

 Joylin is believed to be with her biological, non-custodial parent, 45-year-old Wendy Gutierrez.

They were last seen around 4:00 p.m. in the area near East Plaza Boulevard and South Harbison Avenue in National City.


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NOMINEES ANNOUNCED FOR CIRCULATE SAN DIEGO'S 2020 MOMENTUM AWARDS

 

By Colin Parent, Circulate San Diego

September 14, 2020 (San Diego) – Circulate San Diego announced today the 2020 nominees for their annual Momentum Awards. The nominees are listed below.

Circulate San Diego’s Momentum Awards recognize the people and projects in the San Diego region that are creating excellent mobility choices and vibrant, healthy neighborhoods. This year’s awards also include a special category for COVID-19 Innovation, to highlight the efforts made to transform streets and policies during the ongoing pandemic.

The 2020 Momentum Awards will be online-only on October 1st, at 5:30 p.m. Attendance is free, but registration is required to receive information for how to participate in the event. Registration and event details are online at http://www.circulatesd.org/gala2020.


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CHP SEEKS WITNESSES: ROAD RAGE LEADS TO MURDER OF MOTORCYCLIST ON HWY 54

 

East County News Service

May 29, 2015 (National City) -- Darla Renee Jackson, 25, has been arrested and charged with murder.  She is accused of intentionally ramming and running over a motorcyclist on State Route 54 on Thursday evening, May 28th after an altercation with him earlier on I-5.


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CIRCUS VARGAS OFFERS DONORS AT SAN DIEGO BLOOD BANK'S EAST COUNTY DONOR CENTER A BUY ONE TICKET GET ONE TICKET FREE COUPON FOR FEBRUARY & MARCH PERFORMANCES

 

January 30, 2015 (San Diego's East County) - Blood donors giving at San Diego Blood Bank’s East County Donor Center beginning Monday, January 26 through March 8 will be awarded a buy one ticket get one ticket free coupon at Circus Vargas performances in San Diego County during February and March. There are several Circus Vargas locations planned including Mission Bay Park, El Cajon, Vista and National City.


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GET HELP FIXING UP THE NEIGHBORHOOD

 

Source: County News Service

Photo: Funds paid for new playground equipment at Campo Community Center Park.

August 11, 2014(San Diego’s East County)--Want to help improve your neighborhood over the next five years?  Meetings set for Sept. 23 and 25 in Ramona, Spring Valley, Fallbrook and National City are set for the public to learn about programs and grants available for community projects in San Diego County’s unincorporated areas.


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SHERIFF ASKS HELP TO FIND MISSING TEEN

 

March 7, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - The San Diego County Sheriff's Department is asking for the public's help in finding 14-year-old Venicia Ortiz from Alpine.  Venicia was last seen on Wed. February 26. She is known to hang out along Imperial Avenue and 24th Street in the Grant Hill area of San Diego as well as National City and Chula Vista. She may be in the company of 28-year-old Edgar Morales.


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FATAL MOTORCYCLE CRASH

December 13, 2012 (San Diego) – Rosalio Cardenas, 29, has died of injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident yesterday at 7:51 a.m. on Highway 15 northbound near University Avenue. 

According to the California Highway Patrol, two motorcyclists were splitting lanes in heavy traffic when the Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Cardenas slowed and was struck by the rider of the Hyosung motorcycle.  Both riders were ejected. Cardenas landed in front of a Freightliner semi truck and was struck by the right front tire.


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HOLIDAY HARMONIES AROUND THE WORLD: WOMEN’S BARBERSHOP CHORUS TO RING IN THE SEASON DEC. 11

By Millicent Arko

 
December 6, 2011 (National City) California Note Catchers invites you to celebrate the joy of the season on Sunday, December 11 at 2 p.m. with a festive afternoon of musical entertainment.

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PINE VALLEY TEEN PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF CHIEF PETTY OFFICER IN THE NAVAL SEA CADET CORPS

 November 16, 2011 (El Cajon) – Kaitlin Ortmeier, 16, a Junior at Granite Hills High School, was promoted to NSCC Cadet Chief Petty Officer at a ceremony at the Naval Amphibious Base in Coronado on November 13. The rank of the Chief Petty Officer or CPO is the highest rank a cadet can earn, and the equivalent of Scouting’s “Eagle” rank.

Naval Sea Cadet Kaitlin Ortmeier, 16 has the anchors of a Chief Petty Officer pinned on her by her grandfather, Frank Ortmeier, who served in the Navy as a Gunner’s Mate from 1958 to 1963.  

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ROAD CLOSURES IN EAST COUNTY

April 25, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – A fatality accident in La Mesa involving a pedestrian struck by a car has shut down Broadmoor Street between Jericho and Kathy, La Mesa Police has informed East County Magazine. In addition, Calavo Drive at Challenge Blvd. in Spring Valley is shut down due to a tree fallen across the road, the CHP website reports.

 

Also use caution on Highway 67, where a signal light has been reported out at Willows Road.

In addition, readers who may have spotted smoke late this morning needn't be concerned. A fire in trees and brush in National City put up a large header of smoke, Incident Page Network reports. However Heartland Fire dispatch assures us that the blaze was swiftly doused. While structures were briefly threatened, only some fencing was damaged.


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TWO "LUCKY" MOTORISTS ESCAPE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS ON HIGHWAY 54

 

By Miriam Raftery

 

February 6, 2010 (National City) -- A vehicle rolled over 100 feet off the freeway at 3:41 this morning at Highway 54 west of Highland, trapping one victim under the vehicle.  Emergency responders from multiple jurisdictions arrived, with National City Fire Department arriving first on the scene. 


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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.