By Miriam Raftery

August 27, 2021 (Borrego Springs) – A hearing on the proposed placement of sexually violent predator Merle Wakefield has been posted to February 22, after Liberty Healthcare/CONREP withdrew its request to place him at 1575 Yaqui Road in Borrego Springs.

East County News Service

August 20, 2021 (Borrego Springs) – Bob Kutscher snapped this photo on August 11, the morning after a storm dumped three quarters of an inch of rain accompanied by thunder and lightning – all preceded by a Haboob, or dust storm that left particles to intensify the sunrise hues.

By Miriam Raftery

August 9, 2021 (Borrego Springs) -- On February 18, Sheriff's deputies responded to Di Giorgio Road and Palm Canyon Drive in Borrego Springs for a report of a battery. Deputies found Martin Baker, 49,  on the side of the road suffering from head trauma.

He was transported to a local area hospital for treatment. Later that day, deputies arrested Eugene Carl Focarelli, 37, for assault with a deadly weapon, not a firearm. On Feb. 22, Baker’s condition declined and the Borrego Springs resident died at the hospital. 

East County News Service

August 5, 2021 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – The Pine Valley Sheriff’ substation is asking for public help to find Derek Barge, 41, who has been missing since Saturday night, July 31. He was last seen at the DeAnza Springs Resort on Carrizo Gorge Road in Jacumba.

Update: The fire is 75% contained, reports Cal Fire San Diego shortly before 5 p.m.

By Miriam Raftery and Jonathan Goetz

August 1, 2021 (Julian) - The #QueenFire has burned 15 acres near the Desert Queen Mine, approximately 2 miles east of Banner and 5 miles east of Julian near State Route 78.

The fire is burning in difficult terrain for ground crews. Cal Fire reported at approximately 3:18 p.m. that "[f]irefighters continue to make great progress from the air and ground."

By Miriam Raftery

July 31, 2021 (Borrego Springs) – The Borrego Springs Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau is leading efforts to oppose the state’s plan to place a sexually violent predator in the community.  A townhall meeting August 4 at 3 p.m. is planned at Anza Country Club, along with other actions.

East County News Service

July 26, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) - The National Weather Service forecasts isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms in San Diego County’s mountains and deserts this evening, with flash flooding possible in some areas.  There is a chance of more thunderstorms tomorrow afternoon.

Story and photos by Henri Migala 

Miriam Raftery also contributed to this report

June 30, 2021 (Jacumba Hot Springs) -- Imagine moving to a small, quiet, rural community over an hour away from a major metropolitan area to enjoy the quiet solitude of the open backcountry--only to learn that an international investment group is planning on building a massive solar project, six times larger than your entire community, within feet from you house.

Source: Caltrans

June 23, 2021 (Campo) -- Caltrans crews anticipate closures at Interstate 8 (I-8) and Crestwood Road in Campo for four weeks beginning Tuesday, July 6 to replace guardrail systems. The work will require full closures of the westbound I-8/Crestwood Road on-ramp and the eastbound I-8/Crestwood Road off-ramp near the Golden Acorn Casino, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through early August. Please see the map below showing the closure locations.  

Update June 20, 2021 11 a.m. -- The fire is holding at 343 acres and remains 5% contained, Cal Fire reports this morning.

Update 8 p.m.  --  Cal Fire tweet:  #OverlandFire off of Canebrake Canyon Road and Great Southern Overland Stage Route , East of Mount Laguna in San Diego County is 343 acres and 5% contained. Change in acreage due to better mapping. @CALFIRESANDIEGO

By Miriam Raftery

June 19, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) – A brush fire burning near Canebrake along the Great Southern Overland trail has scorched 500 acres and is zero percent contained as of early this afternoon, Cal Fire reports. The #OverlandFire is east of Mount Laguna in the Anza-Borrego Desert.

No evacuations have been ordered as of 1:30 p.m. The fire is in a remote location and is not currently threatening any structures. However, a Cal Fire spokesman on Twitter indicated access for ground crews is difficult due to rugged terrain, requiring additional air resources that are now on scene.

Several Canebrake residents contacted ECM to clarify that the fire is not burning within the community of Canebrake, but to the west.

By Miriam Raftery

June 6, 2021 (San Diego) – More than three dozen earthquakes struck Imperial County yesterday before 12 noon, centered near Calipatria and the Salton Sea. The strongest tremor measured 5.3 on the Richter scale, with a depth of 5.8 kilometers.

The temblors were felt across Southern California including the San Diego region, according to the U.S. Geological Survey website’s shake map.

By Greg Curran

May 27, 2021 (Jacumba Hot Springs) -- The community of Jacumba Hot Springs needs your voice to push back again the impending destruction of our small rural community which has been designated as a Colonia.

Jacumba is a diverse, low income community (~50 percent white, ~38 percent Latino or Hispanic, ~20 percent Pacific Islander.) Many of the residents are renters, and a large number are disabled and living on small fixed incomes. With Jacumba's affordable home prices (100K to 200K), people have an opportunity to own a modest home here. However, they will not have the resources to move to a more expensive community if the developer (BayWe re) is successful in pushing through a 623 acre utility-scale solar project within the Jacumba village boundary. This solar project will provide no jobs for locals and more importantly, it will keep Jacumba from growing or ever having a border crossing, things that would improve the vitality of this currently economically depressed town.(See brief project summary.)

Previously in April 2021, the Jacumba Sponsor Group voted to approve a 200 acre solar facility that would be pulled back away for residences, the Jacumba airport, and scenic Highway 80. On May 18, 2021, the sponsor group voted unanimously to deny the 623 acre Jacumba Valley Ranch (JVR) project for a variety of reasons.

Just two days ago, we learned that San Diego Community Power will be voting today on whether to approval a 20 year power purchase agreement with the JVR solar developer. It is item 16 on their agenda.