East County News Service

April 12, 2023 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – For its annual Earth Day celebration, the Desert View Tower and Boulder Park will host a Boulder Fair on Saturday, April 22 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Hearing April 5 for County Supervisors to weigh the Regional Decarbonization Framework

Public urged to speak at meeting and submit comments by March 31 deadline at project website

By Miriam Raftery

Hear our interview with Bill Powers, Protect Our Communities Foundation, recorded four days before the nonprofit group filed a lawsuit against the County. 

View video of  interview.

March 8, 2023 (San Diego) – The Protect Our Communities Foundation (POCF) has filed a lawsuit against the County of San Diego contending that the County hired a  biased utility industry consultant direct the County’s Regional Decarbonization Framework (RDF) and that the RDF’s conclusions are skewed toward utilities’ interests over consumers’ interests based on flawed data. The suit also names the University of California as a defendant, contending that UCSD concealed researcher David Victor’s financial ties to the utility industry when it won a no-bid contract from the County to prepare the report that Victor co-authored.  

In an exclusive interview with East County Magazine aired on KNSJ radio four days before the suit was filed in late February, Bill Powers, an engineer and board member on the Protect Our Communities Foundation, discussed why the organization is taking a stand against the RDF. He contends that if approved by Supervisors as written, it could result in fast-tracking industrial-scale wind and solar projects in our backcountry, even waiving environmental impact reviews, when it would be more economical to build rooftop and parking lot solar in urban areas – without harm to local communities and environmental habitats.

The Aztecs finish the regular season 22-9 and tied for third in the Mountain West

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

February 28, 2023 (San Diego) -  The Aztec women’s basketball team (22-9, 12-6) closed out the regular season with a 60-51 win over Air Force (13-17, 8-10) inside Viejas Arena Tuesday night. With the win, SDSU finished in a tie for third in the Mountain West but will be the No. 5 seed due to tiebreakers.

View video 

By Jessyka Heredia 

February 28, 2023 (Lemon Grove) -- Thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), federal stimulus funds were given to the city of Lemon Grove back in late 2022 in the amount of $6.4 million aimed at giving cities direct relief after the impacts of the COVID19 pandemic. A gift card program initiated by Lemon Grove with federal funds has been a success, generating over $122,000 in gift cards redeemed at local businesses. So at it’s February 21 meeting, the City Council addressed ways to extend the program with two additional phases.

Suzanne Potter, California News Service

February 28, 2023 (Sacramento) -- Two million children and adults in California could lose health-insurance coverage over the next year - as the state winds down the continuous-coverage requirements in place during COVID, according to a new report from Georgetown University. The pandemic health emergency officially ends May first, but on April first California will start re-determining eligibility for 50-million people on Medi-Cal.

Mike Odeh, senior director of health with the non-profit Children Now and report lead author, said recipients must make sure the program has their current address.

"The state has been proactive in asking families to make sure that their contact information is up to date. And we know that they have launched a campaign," Odeh said. "So families can visit keepmedicalcoverage.org to sign up for email and text message alerts with updates about medical renewals."

Children who are still eligible could lose coverage if the renewal notice goes to the wrong address or if there is an administrative error. During the pandemic emergency, the state was required to keep all Medi-Cal recipients on the program. But now the income requirements will kick in once again. More than 56% of kids in California and 52% nationwide are covered under Medicaid or CHIP.

Average gas bill expected to decrease by $140 relative to January

East County News Service

February 28, 2023 (San Diego) – After hitting a historic high in January due to unprecedented natural gas market conditions in the West that resulting in a doubling of consumers' gas bills, San Diego Gas & Electric announced today that the March natural gas commodity price has declined by approximately  83% compared to January 2023, plunging from $3.45 per therm to $0.60 per therm.

The typical residential customer’s gas bill (commodity plus delivery charges and other mandated fees and taxes) is expected to decrease to about $85 in March, from  around $225 in January. This is the second month in a row that natural gas commodity prices are going down. The reduction in wholesale natural gas price is driven in part by the restoration of service to an out-of-state pipeline.

February 28, 2023 (Rancho San Diego) – David “Dave” Steele has passed away of suddenly of congestive heart failure. Named small businessman of the year by the San Diego East County Chamber in 2022, Steele owned Pure Solar Power and was known as the “East County Solar Guy.”  He was also an elected member of the Valley De Oro Community Planning Group and an active member of the La Mesa Business Networking International group.

A celebration of life will be held on Friday, March 3 at 2 p.m. at Skyline Church, 11330 Campo Rd. in Rancho San Diego.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Henri Migala and Miriam Raftery

February 27, 2023 (Santa Ysabel)-- The weekend storm brough snow to unusually low levels in San Diego County's mountains. With  popular destinations such as Julian, Cuyamaca and Mount Laguna blocked except to residents and chains required in the morning, followed by traffic jams when some highways later opened, ECM's editor and photographer headed to Santa Ysabel instead.

Visitors pulled off alongside the highway were enjoying building a snowman and tossing snowballs, with dogs frolicking in the snow. Several motorists paused to pose for pictures with horses standing just behind a barbed wire fence.

Blue skies,puffy clouds and sunbeams warming the terrain completed this idyllic scene.

By Jacob Pamus

February 27, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Near the end of February San Diego has experienced unusually high amounts of snow, rain, hail, and high winds.

This video by Jacob Pamus for East County Magazine explains what we've had to deal with so far and what is to come this upcoming week.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

February 26, 2023 (San Diego) -- Though the heavy rains have subsided, more rain is in the forecast. However, the danger will lurk with mudflow and erosion problems. Make sure you are prepared!

In the next few days, you might find your home and property damaged and you’ll be wondering how do I get this put back together?

Where do I start? 

Source:  City of La Mesa

February 26, 2023 (La Mesa) - The City of La Mesa is seeking input from residents to help in the planning of future park, recreation, and library facilities, services, and programming. The results of the survey will be used to establish priorities for improvements to our park and open space system, recreation opportunities and library services.