September 23, 2012 (San Diego's East County)Update 5:10 p.m. - The Shockey Fire has topped 1,000 acres, IPN reports. Numerous outbuildings have burned, Cal Fire confirms. Scanner traffic now indicates that at least four homes have burned in the Tierra del Sol area.

SDG&E reports that the Shockey Fire has left 183 customers without power in Live Oak Springs, Boulevard and Jacumba. Powerlines have burned and some lines are down.

Jewel Valley is under mandatory evacuation orders following earlier evacuations of 77 homes in Tierra del Sol. 

The Evacuation Center has been changed to Mountain Empire High School, 3305 Buckman Springs Road.     If you need help evacuating large animals, call 619-767-2675 or 619-236-2341.

FOR UPDATES ON THIS FAST-GROWING FIRE, SEE OUR NEW STORY POSTED HERE:

http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/11145

ALSO CHECK OUR HOMEPAGE FOR POTENTIAL NEW STORIES LATER AT www.EASTCountyMagazine.org.

Update 1:40 p.m.:  The Shockey Fire is now over 100 acres and spreading rapidly to the east, being driven by a southwest wind, Cal Fire’s Roxanne Provaznik reports.  The Incident Commander has requested 5 additional engines, 4 additional airtankers, 2 additional water tenders, and 1 additional bulldozer.  There are structures out ahead of the fire but they are not immediately threatened, per  Cal Fire.

July 29, 2012 (Campo) – The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum is celebrating the 100 th birthday of Southern Pacific Co. Steam Locomotive & Tender #2353 that was built in 1912 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia that was featured in the movie “Pearl Harbor”.  The event is August 11 at the Museum, State Route 94 and Forrest Gate Road, Campo, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Free hamburgers, hotdogs, drinks and birthday cake will be available.

By Miriam Raftery

Updated June 21, 2012: The Old Fire is now 100% contained at a cost of approximately $2.3 million

June 20, 2012 (Campo) – The Old Fire has charred 995 acres and is now 90% contained.  One residence burned, as well as a recreational vehicle (RV).  Cause remains under investigation, however electrical and lighting have been ruled out. There are no electrical lines near the origin of the blaze on the Campo Indian Reservation, nor were there any reports of lightning, Cal Fire reports.

June 17, 2012 (Campo)—The Golden Acorn Casino in Campo has been evacuated as a precaution, Cal-Fire spokesperson Roxanne Provaznik advises.  The Old Fire is now 300 acres at 7:40 p.m. Winds have shifted, pushing the fire east toward Boulevard. 

“High temperatures and erratic winds are hampering firefighting efforts,” Provaznik advised.

May 21, 2012 (McCain Valley) – A rollover accident that occurred on I-8 west near McCain Valley Road  this morning at 10:45 a.m. has claimed the life of a Campo man, 46.

Update March 8, 2012: The deceased have been identified as Jim Simmons, 41, and Donna Simmons, 16.

March 6, 2012 (Campo) – Yesterday morning, Sheriff’s deputies discovered the bodies of a man and his 16-year-old daughter at a home in the 2600 block of Cameron Truck Trail in Campo. 

“The reporting party told deputies that he read a text message on his phone,”  Sgt. David Martinez said. The message, from the father found dead, “essentially read that the man’s daughter committed suicide and the man was going to be with his daughter.”

December 4, 2011 (Jamul)—Shawn Andrew Corrigan, 34, ignored orders to stop at a Border Patrol checkpoint in Campo on November 28. He fled the scene at a high rate of speed, traveling westbound on Highway 94, and lost control of the vehicle in Jamul. He collided with two vehicles traveling eastbound.

October 7, 2011 (Campo) – Pacific Southwest Railway Museum invites you to bring the whole family for the 8th annual old-time train ride to its pumpkin patch. Travel on a haunted train, then pick out and decorate a pumpkin to take home.

This year, the popular “Pumpkin Express” rides will be offered three full weekends from October 15 through October 30.

Residents voice outrage; public comment deadline Oct. 3

Campo, the Forgotten Gunfight by Bryon Harrington (www.CampoGunfight.com, 2009 Campo, 372 pp.)
 

Review by Miriam Raftery
 

July 3, 2011 (Campo) –Few San Diegans are aware that a Wild West shoot-out deadlier than the famed O.K. Corral confrontation occurred in our own East County.

A patron in a Tecate cantina overheard a notorious group of banditos boast of plans to rob the entire town of Campo, a frontier settlement near the Mexican border. So he rode north and tipped off the Gaskill brothers, owners of the Campo Store. The brothers asked San Diego’s Sheriff to send a posse for protection—to no avail. Left to fend for themselves with their lives on the line, the townspeople planned a defense. Then they mounted a vigil that lasted for weeks, until the fateful showdown on December 4, 1875. 

May 4, 2011 (Campo) – The driver of a Harley Davidson motorcycle who died in a crash on Highway 94 in Campo on May 1, 2011 at 5:58 p.m. has been identified as Pauline Elaine Walker, 57. She was temporarily living and working in Boulevard, though her permanent residence was in Davenport, Washington.

Guests savored fare served up by Chefs de Cuisine & S.D. County Vintners Associations;

Tough-to-build line was once called the “impossible railroad”

April 18, 2011 (Campo) – More than 400 fans of fine foods, winetasting and vintage trains turned out on April 2nd at the“Chef’s Fire Up the Iron Horse” celebration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum in Campo. Guests learned the colorful lore of San Diego's own railway line, rode the rails--and savored some memorable wining and dining.

 

Chefs de Cuisuine carved up up a whole roast pig as well as other mouth-watering dishes served up at seafood, barbecue and dessert stations. Owners of local wineries poured a generous array of samples at the San Diego County Vintners Association table. Other sponsors included Ballast Point Brewery, Café Calabria, and Viejas.

By Justin Time

April 1, 2011 (Campo) – Shortly before dawn this morning, U.S. Border Patrol agents made a startling discovery along the border south of Campo in San Diego’s East County.