East County News Service

August 2, 2019 (Cuyamaca) – The buck stops here is not a phrase that applies to this deer capture in a mid-air leap by photographer Debbie Merril in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park—pure poetry in motion!

By Miriam Raftery

August 2, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – A heat wave will bring toasty temperatures in triple digits to our inland region starting Friday through at least Tuesday. The National Weather Service cautions that heat advisories, watches or warnings may be issued due to health risks posed by high heat.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos: HeART of Mt. Helix

Listen to our interview, originally aired on KNSJ radio, by clicking the audio link.

August 1, 2019 (Mt. Helix) – Krista Powers with the Mt. Helix Park Foundation shared some fascinating history of Mt. Helix and the evolution of the foundation in an interview on our East County Magazine Radio Show. 

She also talked about the upcoming heart of Mt. Helix food, wine and art festival coming up on August 10^th.  The benefit event features live music and dancing, art demonstrations, a high-value raffle and auction, food tastings from local restaurants, wineries, breweries, distilleries and more – all at the mountaintop amphitheater with 360 degree views. This year, the Old Town trolley will shuttle people to the event.

“They come up the mountain and right away, guests walk into a live art experience,” Powers says. Up to Sunset Peak, you can do tastings and enjoy music, after which there will be a live auction with vacation stays and more, cooking demonstration, and even a new VIP seating area with lounge chairs and continued tastings. After sunset, the Good Mojo band will provide dancing under the stars. 

The event helps fund habitat restoration in the park and a wealth of other events held there, including a Halloween Harvest Festival, yoga, astronomy nights, classes, concerts, and a holiday event that this year will including the annual caroling party as well as an event similar to the Christmas markets of Europe.

Photo: San Diego Fire and Rescue

Update August 2, 2019 ,11 a.m.  The Caliente Fire is 60% contained at 490 acres. An arson investigation is underway; Fox 5 interviewed a witness who saw teen boys fleeing scene when the fire began.  NBC 7 reports two businesses burned, but no homes were lost.

Update August 1, 2019, 8 p.m.  The fire has burned 490 acres and is 50% contained. Around 70 structures were evacuated but none were lost. A pallet fire caused explosions, but no one was injured, Chula Vista Fire reports. Evacuation orders have been lifted and all roads are now open.

By Miriam Raftery

August 1, 2019 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa Chamber held its annual summer get-together on the beautiful outdoor patio at Anthony's seafood restaurant in La Mesa.  Guests mixed and mingled beside a lagoon-like lake amid a tropical decor, savoring a buffet of tasty foods on a summer's eve last week.

Chamber President Mary England raffled off door prizes ranging from wine bottles to cash, furthering enhancing the experience for some lucky guests.

By Mike Allen

Photo: A community choice energy option would give residents an option to buy electrical power from the county instead of from SDG&E. Many Lakeside residents objected to SDG&E’s construction of  Sunrise Powerlink high-voltage lines through scenic areas such as the El Capitan reservoir (photo, left)  and El Monte Valley in Lakeside.  CCA plans also enable local governments to provide power from clean, renewable resources such as solar The electricity would still flow through powerlines and infrastructure maintained by SDG&E, but profits off energy production would flow to the county to benefit taxpayers, not SDG&E shareholders.

August 1, 2019 (Lakeside) - That the county is on the verge of declaring a community choice aggregate (CCA) appears evident, given the tenor of a recent forum held at the Lakeside Community Center July 30. Under the CCA, the county would buy and sell electrical power to residents and businesses, providing an alternative for consumers to SDG&E. The board is scheduled to receive a final report on the issue Sept. 10, and take a vote either then or soon after. 

By Carol Morrison

July 31, 2019 (Alpine) – The Alpine Historical Society invites you to a meeting and potluck lunch on Sunday, August 18 at the Alpine Woman’s Club (2156 Alpine Blvd., Alpine).  Sam S. Webb, a fourth generation Californian and family biographer, brings stories of Alpine’s earliest and most influential settler and his family’s many adventures in the area. Hear about Alpine’s first school, the toll road to Julian’s gold mines, protection of the first school marm from dastardly deeds of a Frenchman and more.

By Miriam Raftery

July 31, 2019 (Campo) – Campo Creek Vineyards (29556 Highway 94 in Campo) will host a grape picking and stomping party complete with barbecue on September 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The event admission ($20 for ages 6 and up) includes barbecue trip tip and chicken provided by Heftyboy BBQ and one beverage.

By Michelle Mowad, County of San Diego Communications Office

July 30, 2019 (San Diego) - Six San Diego County parks will be closed in August, a safety measure taken each year because of the month’s typically high temperatures.  El Capitan Preserve near Lakeside, Hellhole Canyon Preserve in Valley Center, Mt. Gower Preserve near Ramona and Wilderness Gardens in Pala will be closed Aug. 1 through Aug. 31. In addition, Agua Caliente Regional Park in Anza Borrego and Vallecito County Park near Julian are closed all summer; they reopen Labor Day weekend.

Council votes 3-2 to keep market downtown, but have Beevers Farmers Market run the event instead of merchants’ group

By Allan Acevedo

By Mike Allen

Photo: Howard Choy, EES Consulting

July 26, 2019 (Santee) -- Santee’s City Council took a more in-depth look this week at establishing a new entity that promises to provide energy at reduced rates while obtaining more of the power from renewable sources.

By Miriam Raftery

July 29, 2019 (San Diego) – A Cal Fire firefighter on a training hike with his engine crew suffered a medical emergency this morning. He was airlifted by a San Diego County Sheriff’s helicopter and an air ambulance to Temecula Valley Hospital in critical condition, where he died despite the diligent efforts of medical staff. 

Governor Gavin Newsom order the flag at the state capitol flown at half mast.  “On behalf of all Californians, Jennifer and I extend our sincere condolences to CAL FIRE Firefighter Yaroslav Katkov’s family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time," the Governor states. "It’s the work of brave firefighters like Yaroslav that keep our communities safe, and we are deeply grateful for his service.”