December 6, 2013 (Alpine) – Viejas Outlets officially kicks off the holiday season this weekend with the lighting of one of Southern California’s largest trees and a free ice skating performance by regional, national and international ice skating competitors.

A massive 60-foot holiday tree will be illuminated at 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 7 at the Viejas Outlets ice rink followed by free ice skating performances by some of the world’s best ice skaters. The ice rink will be open to the public immediately before and after the event, with special pricing for kids, seniors and military.

An Amber Alert has been activated statewide at the request of the Washington state police. On December 4, 2013, at 02:30 pm, Elizabeth Romero was abducted from Kennewick, Washington. She is a 14 year old Hispanic, female, 5 feet 3 inches tall, weighing 130 pounds, brown hair, and brown eyes, last seen wearing a white tank top, dark pants, backpack, and a pink purse.



The suspect is Eduardo Flores-Rosalas, a 19 year old Hispanic, male, 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing 200 pounds, with black hair, brown eyes, unknown clothing. The suspect was last seen driving a early 2000s green Ford Escape, with Washington temporary registration. The suspect may be en-route to Mexico.

Preview by David Dickens

December 5, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County teams will be vying in the San Diego California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) football championships this weekend.   Monte Vista Monarchs will take the field Saturday at 3:30 p.m. against Sweetwater High’s Red Devils, followed by a 7 p.m. matchup between Christian High Patriots and the San Marcos Knights.  Below are previews of the games.

December 4, 2013 (San Diego) — By a 5-0 vote, San Diego Supervisors Tuesday approved efforts to add the PulsePoint smartphone app to regional 9-1-1 emergency systems. The system enables notification of trained citizen volunteers to respond quickly to cases of sudden cardiac arrest and initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while awaiting medical responders. The measure was introduced by Supervisors Ron Roberts and Bill Horn.

Nearly 1,000 lives are lost daily in the U.S. due to sudden cardiac arrest, which can occur even in active, seemingly healthy people with no history of heart disease. Cardiac arrest is among the leading causes of death among adults over age 40 in the U.S. According to the American Heart Association, of 383,000 people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest, 90% die.

December 4, 2013 (San Diego) -- Dear EarthTalk: Can you discuss pollutants in car interior materials, and also pollution inside cars originating from gasoline and diesel exhausts outside the car?

-- Mervyn Kline, Philadelphia, PA

Alpine celebrates the season with the 17th Annual Alpine Village Christmas Parade of Lights & Festival on December 6 at 6:30.

This family-friendly event, sponsored by the Alpine Chamber of Commerce, also features a visit from Santa and his helpers, Christmas caroling and a snow mountain for sledding at the Alpine Community Center on Alpine Boulevard.

By Miriam Raftery

December 4, 2013 (Campo) – Despite protests from Campo residents, the state has proposed a new location in this rural community to house a sexually violent predator, Douglas Badger, 70. The home is located at 1138 Custer Rd. It is about 200 yards from the nearest neighbor and 2.2 miles from the nearest elementary school.

Public comment regarding the proposed location can be submitted until Dec. 20. Email submissions should be sent to sdsafe@sdsheriff.org. Comments can be submitted by phone by calling (858) 495-3619. State officials have scheduled a Jan. 3 hearing on the matter.

December 4, 2013 (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

• License plate readers creating countywide database (CBS)
• Rural fire fee to increase  (UT San Diego)
• Mexican truck with radioactive load stolen (UT San Diego)
• A reader’s guide to San Diego hospital districts (Voice of San Diego)
• City helps sell sewer warranty without facts (UT San Diego)
• East African refguees find empathy, education in San Diego (Sacramento Bee)
• Arson under-reported in U.S. cities including San Diego (10 News)
• Borrego’s ‘dinosaur sculptor’ moving his base to Borrego (UT San Diego)
• Why the County Will Lose Half Its Health Funds (And Why It Might Not Matter) (Voice of San Diego)
• Taking names for term limits (La Mesa Courier)
• Former Filner aide seeks $1.5 million (UT San Diego)
• Neighbors sue city over huge ‘luxury’ housing project (La Mesa Courier)
• San Diego Council Approves 15 Percent Water Rate Hike (KPBS)
• Long-Term Water Facilities and Climate Action Plans released for public review  (SDCWA)\
• San Diego Transfers Low-Level Prisoners To Help Fight Wildfires (KPBS)
• Jail violence rises with shift from prison (UT San Diego)

STATE

• How an Egg-Centric Amendment Could Hurt San Diego Farmers (Voice of San Diego)
• Judge stops bullet train in its tracks (UT San Diego)

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

December 4, 2013 (Rancho San Diego)--Cuyamaca College’s Annual “Winter Wonder Jam” takes stage this Friday, December 6  at 7 p.m. This event is to promote students' efforts in showcasing new local talent; the public is invited to come out and enjoy the music. These home-grown singer-songwriters will present a variety of acoustic, rock, jazz and hip hop genres

This concert takes place at the Performing Arts Theatre at Cuyamaca College, 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in Rancho San Diego.  The festival features four local artists performing their all-original music compositions. This event is FREE with a donation to the San Diego Food Bank and there is  plenty of free parking.

"It's outrageous that our elected officials in California are using taxpayer dollars to intentionally mislead their constituents and divert them from CoveredCA.com ... Republicans in California should be ashamed… the GOP’s newest tactics is to lie to voters and prevent sick people from getting the care they need.”—Dr. Paul Song, oncologist and Courage Campaign executive director

By Nadin Abbott and Miriam Raftery

December 3, 2013 (San Diego)—The California Assembly Republican Caucus, chaired by East County representative Brian Jones (R-Santee), is taking heat for creating a phony website (http://www.coveringhealthcareca.com/) designed to divert consumers from the state’s official Covered California site (https://www.coveredca.com/). 

Covered California is the website for consumers to get information on new healthcare exchanges and sign up for healthcare coverage under the federal Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. 

Republican members including Jones are promoting the sham healthcare site, labeled a “California Resource Guide” directly to constituents on their official Assembly websites paid for by taxpayers.

December 3, 2013 (San Diego) – For complete Calendar including Authors Events, go to www.SDWriteWay.org

FOR ALL SAN DIEGO COUNTY LIBRARY EVENTS, go to: http://www.sandiego.gov/public-library/news-events/index.shtml

December 3 (Tuesday, 7:30 pm) — Warwick's will host Fannie Flagg, the bestselling author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, as she discusses and signs her new novel The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion. This event is free and open to the public, however Reserved Seating is available. Please call Warwick's for details. Only books purchased from Warwick's will be signed.

Story and photos by Sharon A. Penny

December 1, 2013 (El Cajon)--Thomas Weller of El Cajon has had stories printed throughout the nation about his acts of kindness (by CBS News, The LA Times, People Magazine and NPR, among others), as well as international publications. Yet this East County man remains humble and steadfast in his pursuit of paying it forward.

Weller, known as the San Diego Highwayman (www.sandiegohighwayman.com) has been helping distressed motorists for almost 50 years. He never accepts payment for his kind gestures – which include providing gas for empty tanks to replacing batteries to fixing flats. Instead, he hands each motorist a card with the following inscription:

“Assisting you has been my pleasure. I ask for no payment other than for you to pass on the favor by helping someone in distress that you may encounter.”

December 2, 2013 (El Cajon)--The City of El Cajon is accepting applications to fill a vacancy on the El Cajon City Council.   The deadline to apply is Wednesday, December 4 at 5:30 p.m. and applications are available at the city’s website. 

To be eligible, you must be a resident and a registered voter when you apply and throughout your term of office.  The seat is open to fill the vacancy left when Councilman Bill Wells was appointed Mayor, after former Mayor Mark Lewis resigned.

File photo: Cows in snow at Descanso, by Rebecca Masten

December 1, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Cold weather is forecast to sweep into our region on Tuesday, bringing rain countywide and snow down to elevations as low as 3500 feet by Wednesday.  Areas at or above 3500 feet include Julian, Cuyamaca, Pine Valley, Descanso, Boulevard, Mount Laguna, and Warner Springs. 

NOTE: CORRECTED DATE

View map of all energy projects in our region to see cumulative impacts and disparate impact on rural areas

Judge to Decide Whether to Have Hearings on Nearly Half Billion Dollar SDG&E Power Line Project That Opponents Say Threatens Back Country Communities

January 31, 2014 (Alpine)--The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold a prehearing conference at 1:30 p.m. February 5 in the Oak Room of the Alpine Community Center, 1830 Alpine Blvd. in Alpine regarding proposed SDG&E’s Master Special Use Permit project that wouldl impact communities throughout the San Diego backcountry from Pauma Valley to Potrero (north to south) and from Ramona to Boulevard (west to east). The project is so large that SDG&E estimates construction will take about five years. 

Administrative Law Judge Jean Vieth will determine if there will be full evidentiary hearings for this project or if this prehearing conference will be the only time the issues are heard. "In its application, SDG&E asked the CPUC for permission to construct this $418.5 million project without any hearings at all—their usual method of operation,"Backcountry Against Dumps, a nonprofit community organization, states in a press release.

Donna Tisdale, President of Backcountry against Dumps and Chair of the Boulevard Planning Group, voiced these concerns. “SDG&E’s project is being sold solely as fire-hardening but it appears to be an undisclosed stealth increase in carrying capacity that may directly or indirectly support numerous commercial solar projects that are already proposed along or near the route in Boulevard, Pine Valley, Descanso, Potrero, Julian, Ramona, and perhaps elsewhere that we are not yet aware of. Solar generation projects represent potential new fire ignition sources that cannot be de-energized during red flag wind events or other emergencies.”