Update February 13: The CPUC has postponed its decisions until February 28. This is the fourth delay on the controversial projects.
February 12, 2013 (San Diego)—The California Public Utilities Commission is expected to decide this Wednesday, February 13 on whether or not to approve three gas-powered “peaker” plants in San Diego County, including Quail Brush near Mission Trails, as well as facilities in Otay and Escondido. The meeting will be held in San Francisco at 9 a.m.
If you wish to send a letter to the CPUC, Save Mission Trails has information posted here.
Safety Advocates to Rally and Hold Press Conference before Public Meeting on San Onofre nuclear facility Feb. 12 in Capistrano
Feb 11, 2012 (San Onofre)– Experts and oversight groups say they are astonished by the proposal by Southern California Edison to restart the Unit 2 reactor and run it at 70% capacity, putting millions of residents at risk of another emergency shutdown and radioactivity release to the environment, or worse.
A rally and press conference in opposition to restarting the San Onofre nuclear plant will be held at 4:00 p.m., Feb. 12, just prior to the 6:00 p.m. public meeting conducted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) at the Capo Beach Church, 25975 Domingo Avenue, Capistrano Beach, California.
Edison and the NRC are facing challenges to restart from a number of directions:
February 11, 2013 (El Cajon)- Tomorrow’s El Cajon Council will consider an agenda introduced by Pro Tem Mayor Bill Wells regarding the city’s red light camera program, which has been in effect since 1996 (see http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20051216/news_1m16red1.html).
The agenda item, if approved, would direct the city manager to bring back information on the program, including information on possibly ending it. It’s also been recommended that the city council set an advisory meeting for 2 p.m. on March 12 and an information session at 7 p.m. the same day to hear public opinions.
February 12, 2013 (La Mesa)—The San Diego East County Chamber is offering group tours to locations around the world. On Wednesday, February 13 from 6-8 p.m., you can learn more at a travel briefing at the Grossmont Healthcare District auditorium, 9001 Wakarusa in La Mesa.
Trips include Tuscany in March,Costa Rica in July, Ireland this October, the French Riviera in November, South Pacific Wonders including Australia, New Zealand and Fiji in October-November, and our December Holiday shopping trip to New York City.
February 11, 2013 (Juchitan) –A wind farm worker was slain and the facility’s general manager injured by gunshots, a Mexican media outlet reported on February 8, 2013. Witnesses reportedly told police that four hooded persons walked into a party in a residential neighborhood “with both pistols and rifles, straight to the two people.” The assailants escaped in a black vehicle.
February 11, 2013 (Washington D.C.) --The Food and Drug Administration has just announced it's looking for dozens of doctors to serve on advisory committees that evaluate new medical devices before they hit the market. But the agency is also operating under new rules that could make it harder to fill those vacancies. The Affordable Care Act requires drug companies and medical device makers to publicly disclose payments they make to doctors and hospitals.
February 12, 2013 (San Diego)--On Feb. 5, 2013, Union Bank, in partnership with KPBS, honored 16 local heroes who are making a positive difference in the lives of others. The heroes were selected each month in 2012 and were formally recognized last week at the cultural diversity celebration held at the San Diego Natural History Museum.
Louis Frick and Leroy Elliot of East County were recognized for Disability Awareness Month (Frick), and Native American Heritage Month (Elliot).
Photo by Melissa Jacobs
Union Bank and KPBS honored the 2012 Local Heroes at the San Diego Natural History Museum: Back row (L to R) honorees Michael A.V. Cruz, Larry T. Baza, Jill Borg Spitzer, Danny Gutierrez and JiAel Brownell; middle row (L to R) honorees Michelle Houle and Mike Kawamura; Tom Karlo, KPBS general manager; George Ramirez, Union Bank executive vice president and chief diversity executive; Lawrence Henry, Union Bank senior vice president and regional executive; and honoree Jeri Dilno; front row (L to R) honorees Dennis-Michael Broussard, Louis Frick, Laurel Moorhead, Bishop Roy Dixon, Dr. Doris A. Howell and Leroy Elliott. (Honorees Patricia A. Dixon and Gussie Zaks not pictured.)
February 10, 2013 (Lakeside) -- Wildcat Canyon Road in Lakeside remains closed tonight between Willows Road and Muth Valley Road. The route has been shut down since a vehicle accident downed power lines around 1:58 a.m. According to the California Highway Patrol website, Wildcat Canyon, the main access route to Barona Casino, could remain closed all night.
For complete Calendar including Authors Events, go to www.SDWriteWay.org
February 10, 2013 (San Diego)--The San Diego Public Library's 47th Annual Local Authors Exhibit: The Library is going to display it in the exhibit, which will run the entire month of February 2013 in the lobby of the Central Library downtown.
February 10, 2013 (Poway) – A 12-year-old student at Twin Peaks Middle School has been arrested after sending an e-mail to an administrator Friday night threatening to shoot 23 students and a teacher at the school on Monday, February 11.
According to the San Diego County Sheriff's department, the e-mail also claimed the student had access to numerous firearms and 3,000 rounds of ammunition. Yesterday, a search of the student’s home found numerous rifles and handguns along with computers, ECM news partner 10 News reports.
February 10, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--The draft environmental documents for the Forest Conservation Initiative (FCI) Lands General Plan Amendment have been released for public review. The lands included cover vast tracts of unincorporated communities in East County and beyond.
This Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been prepared as a Supplemental EIR (SEIR) because only minor additions or changes are necessary to ensure the General Plan Update Program EIR adequately applies to the proposed changed designations of the Forest Conservation Initiative Lands GPA. The proposed Project for the SEIR is based on community planning and sponsor group endorsed land use maps.
No Cats, No Chocolate, by Ken Kuhlken and Alan Russell, Hickey’s Books, La Mesa
Book review by Miriam Raftery
February 10, 2013 (La Mesa)--What happens when a pair of formerly acclaimed but now down-on-their-luck mystery novelists hit rock bottom?
In No Cats, no Chocolate, local authors Ken Kuhlken and Alan Russell pen themselves in as the main characters. Best noted for their literary-quality mystery works, they resolve to make some quick cash writing a romance novel after an outline sent as a lark lands an assignment from a publisher. Delilah Bluefeather and Violet St. Claire ( the authors’ noms de plume), are born. Worse, they must complete the task in days, while on a road trip to jump-start their careers with a coveted appearance on Oprah’s show.
The book is a sequel to Road Kill, in which the same quirky duo embarked on a journey to convince readers across America to buy their books. It’s a clever literary trick for the authors to write themselves in as characters in their own works—and create a series to boot. As a former participant in a writing critique group led by Kuhlken, I can’t help wondering how many quirky traits described in the book are fact – and which are fiction?
February 10, 2013 (Spring Valley)—A victim shot multiple times outside Fannie’s Bar in Spring Valley shortly after midnight has been transported from Grossmont Hospital to Sharp Memorial Hospital. Details on his condition are not available, said Sergeant James Blanton with the San Diego Sheriff.
At 12:08 a.m., the Sheriff's Department received 911 calls concerning gunshots being fired outside Fannie's Bar, located at 9143 Campo Road in Spring Valley. Upon arriving, deputies contacted several patrons inside the bar, as well as possible witnesses outside the bar.
February 10, 2013 (San Diego) - Rain, thunder, chilling wind, and even a hail storm could not stop the Kearny Mesa Lunar New Year Festival from taking place. Yesterday, elected officials and visitors were treated to a tour of the "Asian Village" where they learned about the cultural significance of each village building or structure. The evening concluded after a New Year's Eve concert that featured the top artists from Asia Entertainment Inc, and the Little Saigon Idol.
Festival organizers said that the Festival will open again today regardless of rain, shine, or ice. Sunday's entertainment will include an exciting Miss Teen Traditional Dress Beauty Pageant.
Update Feb. 10: Los Angeles Police Chief today announced a $1 millionreward for information leading to the arrest of Dorner
February 9, 2013 (San Diego)--Today the Joint Regional Intelligence Authority issued a bulletin regarding Christopher Dorner, a former Los Angeles Police officer and ex-military member who is believed to have committed multiple murders and also shot police officers in a spree of violence that led him to San Diego late last week. He is considered armed and extremely dangerous.
February 9, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) ---Heavy snowfall has transformed our local mountains into winter wonderlands. Mount Laguna received 10 inches of snowfall in the past 24 hours, followed by Palomar Mountain with 7 to 8 inches. Cuyamaca also received significant snowfall, as this image sent in by reader Grace Schlesier shows. Frost and freezing temperatures are expected through Monday in inland valleys.
Other areas dusted in white include Julian (3-6 inches), Ranchita (5 inches), Santa Ysabel (2 inches) and Pine Valley (2 inches) . Snow even dipped down to Descanso and Campo, which received less than a half inch each.
Update 8:40 p.m. -- The Deerhorn Valley Antler Alerts has this update:
Expect 94 to be closed in both directions between Otay Lakes Rd and SR-188. Head-on crash 300 yds east of Community Bldg Rd has reportedly claimed 2 lives, with another serious injury transported. According to Yvonne Purdy from Dulzura CERT, the closure is will last approximately 3 hours. The coroner's was delayed by the traffic backup and had to travel east using the westbound lanes.
February 9, 2013 (San Diego's East County)--6:35 p.m. State Route 94 is shut down in both directions due to a head-on fatality accident at Marron Valley Road, near the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint in East County, the California Highway Patrol reports.
February 9, 2013 (San Diego's East County)--In the spirit of Valentine's Day, the San Miguel District Fire Stations will be offering free blood pressure screenings, February 14th from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at any San Miguel District Fire Station. Come get your blood pressure checked. Take the first step towards heart health. Read more for locations.
Photos by Phu Nguyen/Cuyamaca College photographer
February 9, 2013 (El Cajon)-- A library exhibit featuring John Robert Clifford, a seminal figure in African American history and a forefather of a Cuyamaca College administrator, and a stepping demonstration by members of a historically black fraternity are part of the commemoration of Black History Month at Cuyamaca College.
Danene Brown, interim vice president of instruction at Cuyamaca College, poses next to a campus library exhibit about her great-great-great uncle, John Robert “J.R.” Clifford, a seminal figure in African American history. The display is part of the college’s commemoration of Black History Month.
February 9, 2013 (Washington D.C. -- Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-CA), joined by her colleagues Reps. Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), and Kathy Castor (D-FL), has introduced legislation to increase diversity among America’s teaching ranks. The Diverse Teachers Recruitment Act would help establish programs to recruit new male teachers and teachers from minority groups into the profession.
February 9, 2013 (El Cajon)--January is Financial Wellness Month — a great time to think about your own financial future. It also happens to be at this time that many people make resolutions for the New Year. Why not combine the two and make your own financial wellness a resolution for 2013?
February 9, 2013 (San Diego)--An editorial, written in defense of the proposed Gregory Landfill, recently complained that, “…the Pala decided to claim the entire mountain is a sacred site.” I sometimes wonder how much the people who do, or say, things like that know of their own ancestry? Without resorting to a genealogist, can they tell us where their paternal great, great grandfather lived? How about their maternal great, great, grandmother?
February 9, 2013 (Ocotillo) -- Photographer Jim Pelley brings us this perspective of how the Ocotillo Express Wind Facility has marred the beauty of nature in his desert community.
"The snow can been seen from Ocotillo and it used to be a good picture from my house," he writes. "Now the picture is littered with these monstrosities."
February 8, 2013 (San Diego's East County)--As problems with the large wind and solar projects in East County continue to surface, I suspect there will be a tendency to say Big = Bad. I’ve been doing that myself the last few weeks. I think we need to isolate the problems and deal with them one at a time.
The wind farm at Ocotillo appears to lack the necessary wind, but am also aware that one of the problems with wind farms in East Germany has been too much wind. The Czech and Polish governments are said to have flipped the switches, to cut off the flow of surplus energy into their countries. The alleged lack of wind at Ocotillo could be an insurmountable problem, which raises serious questions about how the facility came to be built in the first place. The alleged surplus in East Germany will cease to be a problem once we develop a method of storing the excess energy for months rather than minutes.
February 8, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Avoid I-8 east of Alpine. White-out conditions are reported on I-8 at Crestwood/Campo. At Pine Valley, multiple vehicles have spun out due to snow and ice on the freeway.
Chains are required on Palomar Mountain and Sunrise Highway, and in other locations above 3,000 feet for two-wheel drive vehicles.
In Valley Center, Woods Valley Road is closed overnight due to a power pole down.
A winter storm warning remains in effect countywide until 3 a.m.,with rain and snow falling. Stay off roads if possible and use extreme caution if you must travel.
February 8, 2013 (San Diego) – Once again Museum Month is happening in San Diego County including five East County Museums. During the entire month of February individuals can pick up a free Museum Month Pass at any local Macy’s store and receive half-off admission to 42 San Diego County museums. Guests with passes may bring up to three people with them to any participating museum.
February 8, 2013 (San Diego)--It’s the most romantic day of the year… and San Diego County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk, Ernest J. Dronenburg, Jr., wants to make sure that all romantic couples wishing to “tie the knot” or renew their wedding vows come down to the historical County Administration Center overlooking beautiful San Diego Bay for their wedding ceremony.
“Valentine’s Day wedding ceremony reservations are filling up quickly,” said Ernie Dronenburg. “We are planning on added staff at our downtown location for Valentine’s Day to accommodate all those wanting to be married on this special day. Call right now so we can plan on helping you.”
Elected officials, education leaders, celebrities to read aloud at underprivileged schools throughout San Diego County on February 14
February 8, 2013 (La Mesa)--Rolling Readers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping low-income, at-risk children enjoy reading, will celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of its “Share Your Love of Reading” event on Valentine’s Day.
Update February 13: The CPUC has postponed its decisions until February 28. This is the fourth delay on the controversial projects.
Feb 11, 2012 (San Onofre)– Experts and oversight groups say they are astonished by the proposal by Southern California Edison to restart the Unit 2 reactor and run it at 70% capacity, putting millions of residents at risk of another emergency shutdown and radioactivity release to the environment, or worse.
For complete Calendar including Authors Events, go to 
February 10, 2013 (La Mesa)--What happens when a pair of formerly acclaimed but now down-on-their-luck mystery novelists hit rock bottom? 
m Raftery
February 8, 2013 (San Diego) – Once again Museum Month is happening in San Diego County including five East County Museums. During the entire month of February individuals can pick up a free Museum Month Pass at any local Macy’s store and receive half-off admission to 42 San Diego County museums. Guests with passes may bring up to three people with them to any participating museum.
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