February 20, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--Who would think that the danger exists in doing such a daily household chore such as laundry? Recent incidents across the country point to the dangers of dryer fires. In fact, on average, over 13,000 fires start in our laundry rooms in the United States each year, resulting in deaths and close to $10 million in property damage says Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. Nearly 4,000 of these fires arise from lint buildup and overheated motors that occur when people fail to clean their dryer vents. The following advice can help you prevent a disaster.
February 19, 2013 (Lakeside)--New careers as the wave of the future was a key theme in a guest lecture February 12 given by Chuck Brands at El Capitan High School. Brands is a local sustainability and solar energy expert who is also vice-president of Heartland Coalition and director of its UnitedGREEN division.
Last fall, Brands coordinated a class at Southwestern College to teach a new technology that uses all relevant data to map a building so that owners and occupants can manage their energy consumption and plan to adapt the building for energy innovation. The students were team-taught this pioneering class by experts from across the country under a grant from SDG&E to the Heartland Coalition.
February 20, 2013 (San Diego)--As San Diego comes together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the San Diego Latino Film Festival (SDLFF), mix and mingle with celebrities, filmmakers, and civic and community leaders.
Showcasing the latest in Latino cinema, from the highly anticipated documentary Hecho en Mexico featuring Diego Luna, the historical drama Cinco de Mayo: La Batalla; to Colosio, the film that delves into the life and mystery shrouded murder of the Mexican presidential candidate.
February 20, 2012 (El Cajon) -- Paul Kruze, a freelance photojournalist whose works have appeared in ECM, was at the scene of last night's fatality hit-and-run accident in El Cajon. He offers new details which suggest that the victim was jaywalking and died on impact.
"I was just getting gas at the ARCO on Avocado," he told ECM. According to Kruze, the pedestrian was crossing Avocado considerably north of Chase -- not at the intersection. The victim "clearly had been jaywalking, and it was really dark and raining," he said, adding that the victim wore a light-colored hoodie but visibility was poor.
Kruze stated that the victim sustained a severe head injury and that due to the obvious damage, the individual died immediately.
February 20, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Interstate 8 is closed this morning at Willows Road in Alpine due to ice and snow. There is a second closure in effect at Ocotillo. In addition, an accident has occurred at Viejas Grade and Willows Road and a rollover at Harbison Canyon, where two people are reported injured, per IPN.
Chains are required on Sunrise Highway. Elsewhere in the county, rain, hail and snow are causing major delays for motorists. Use caution if you must drive during the storm.
February 21, 2013 (San Diego) – KNSJ, the new radio station soon to begin broadcasting from East County, announced last night that it has purchased a transmitter and now is raising funds to cover station operations.
On Saturday, February 23 at 6:30 p.m. a benefit film showing of the documentary Save KLSD: Media consolidation and local radio will be shown at the Joyce Beers Community Center in Hillcrest. Organizers promise “film, food and fun.” A panel discussion will follow.
February 19, 2013 (El Cajon) – A driver sought by El Cajon Police following the death of a pedestrian has now contacted the Police Department and is cooperating with authorities.
Based on the preliminary investigation, an adult approximately 70 years of age was wearing dark clothing and attempting to cross the roadway near the intersection of Avocado Avenue and Carter Street this evening, when he was struck by a Toyota Camry traveling southbound on Avocado.
February 19, 2013 (El Cajon)--The El Cajon Police Traffic division is now investigating a hit and run collision involving a pedestrian tonight. A male pedestrian was struck and killed while crossing mid-block along Avocado Avenue near Carter Street just after 6:00 p.m. this evening. Avocado Avenue was closed between Chase Avenue and Washington Avenue for the investigation.
The Traffic Division is requesting witness information. If you have any information regarding this fatal collision, please call our 9-1-1 Dispatch, at (619) 579-3311.
February 19, 2013 (Wynola/Julian) -- Hart Winery and Jeremy’s on the Hill present their second annual Temecula and Julian Wine Pairing Extravaganza this Friday, February 22 at 7 p.m.
Call: (760)765-1587 to make your reservation. The cost is $49 for one person or $95 for two plus tax and gratuity. (Please view the special menu for the event below.)
Jeremy’s on the Hill specializes in farm-to-table cuisine and features many local breweries and wineries at the restaurant. Chef Jeremy Manley, 25, a Cordon Bleu graduate, has been working with food and cooking since the age of ten.
February 19, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)-The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning in effect now through noon on Wednesday.
A very cold Pacific storm will bring heavy rain, low elevation snow and, thunderstorms. Snow levels will drop down to 2000 to 2500 feet tonight with higher valley and desert areas potentially seeing light accumulations of snow. Rain will occur elsewhere this afternoon and continue through Wednesday morning with amounts ranging from 0.50 to 1.00 inches except less than 0.25 inches in the deserts. Very strong and hazardous winds will also affect the mountains and deserts.
February 17, 2013 (El Cajon)--Feb. 23, 2012 is a Day of Celebrating Community Gardens in El Cajon. Events are scheduled throughout the day from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at different gardens and venues. Please see attached flyer.
At 11 a.m. there will be a grand opening celebration at Circle Community Garden, 476 Highland at Farragut Circle. We will celebrate with a ribbon cutting at 10:55, short speeches by dignitaries, introduction of committee and Master Gardeners. Cake then will be served and Master Gardener Joyce Gemmell and others will be there to answer gardening questions.
February 19, 2013 (Revised February 20) -- Qualcomm co-founder Irwin Jacobs’ plan for an extensive remodel of the Plaza de Panama in Balboa Park sailed easily through the San Diego City Council last summer — Councilmember Sherri Lightner’s was the only vote against it — but it hit a snag in San Diego Superior Court February 5.
That’s when Judge Timothy Taylor, ruling in the suit the Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO) filed against the city to stop the Jacobs plan, found that the city had basically ignored its own rules by insisting that the current configuration of the park, with much of its area used for large, free parking lots, was not a “reasonable beneficial use of the property” under city law.
February 19, 2013 (Santee)--Motorists will have to be cautious along Magnolia Avenue and Mast Boulevard for the next several months because of a major construction project by San Diego Gas & Electric. Crews will be replacing wood and steel poles with galvanized steel and concrete poles.
The project footprint will span 11 miles from the utility’s Sycamore substation to the Santee substation near Mast Boulevard and Magnolia Avenue. According to the City of Santee’s website, the infrastructure upgrades are necessary to service the expansion of the Las Colinas Women’s Detention Facility and to improve power circuit stability.
February 19, 2013 (San Diego's East County) --Cleveland National Forest is conducting burning operations today in the San Vicente area in East County and on Palomar Mountain near Observatory Campground. This is a continuation of burning operations that began yesterday, but are not expected to continue into tomorrow due to the weather system that may bring rain and that is moving into southern California.
The Forest Service is burning fuels that have been piled as a result of hand and mechanical fuel treatments in the area.
February 10, 2013 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce will honor eight local heroes at the 5th Annual Casino Royale Night on Feb. 21 from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at the Town & Country Resort Hotel, 500 Hotel Circle N., San Diego. This year’s heroes are paramedics Ryan Ferguson and Paul Forney of American Medical Response, Battalion Chief Kelly Sisson and firefighter/paramedic Brandon Drips of Heartland Fire & Rescue, Officer Derik Cox and dispatcher Kathy Norman of the La Mesa Police Dept. and Don Kurban and Dick Thomas of the La Mesa Police Department Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol.
Lemon Grove Filmmaker Jim Ellis Creates 33-Minute Documentary for Children, Parents to Watch Together
By Mark Gabrish Conlan
February 18, 2013 (Lemon Grove)--Nikki’s story is all too typical of the ones told in Lemon Grove filmmaker Jim Ellis’s new 33-minute documentary, Indoctrinated: The Grooming of Children Into Prostitution. At age 18, to raise the money to go to college, she took a job in a strip club. There she met an older man who helped her out financially, bought her nice clothes and accessories, and got her to fall in love with him and ultimately move in with him. Then he put the hammer down and told her that in order to keep her lifestyle — and his affections — she’d have to have sex with other men, for which he, not she, would be paid. Nikki’s story ends more happily than most such tales; she got out of “the life,” as prostitutes call it, and in her 20’s is trying to piece her life back together. She’s sufficiently self-assured that of all the present and former prostitutes Ellis interviewed, she was the only one who agreed to show her face on camera instead of having it electronically blurred.
February 17, 2013 (San Diego)--Mayor Bob Filner and over 500 San Diego protestors in Mission Bay Park joined similar rallies in cities across America Sunday in protest of the Keystone XL Pipeline project, beginning a massive effort to demand President Obama block it and call for leaders at all levels to take action to fight global warming.
Speaking at the San Diego rally, Mayor Bob Filner expressed his concerns about Keystone, climate change and what he wants to do in San Diego.
February 18, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) -- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is reviewing its policies on radiofrequency (RF) radiation, such as that emitted by cell phone towers, smart meters, broadcast antennae and other sources. Public comments will be accepted until March 6, 2013.
February 18, 2013 (Washington D.C.) –“Everyone has a teacher from their past who inspired them. Teachers play a significant role in a student’s development and as our nation’s builders, which is why it is so important to give teachers the opportunities to grow as educators,” a press release from Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) states. However, many school districts lack a method for giving teachers and principals the developmental feedback to help them reach their ultimate professional potential.
Davis, along with Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) has introduced legislation that they believe will give teachers the feedback and the support they deserve.
February 18, 2013 (La Mesa)- At the La Mesa City Council meeting Tuesday, Paul Marra, senior principal from Keyser Marston Associates Inc., and Stephen Cook from Fehr and Peets gave a presentation on the La Mesa Village Parking garage.
Bill Chopyk, La Mesa community development director, advised that staff recommended that the Council establish the parking in-lieu fee to “provide an incentive to develop downtown.” Developers would pay this fee into a fund in lieu of providing required parking on site, and the fees can be used to provide centralized public parking, (http://www.mapc.org/resources/parking-toolkit/strategies-topic/fees-lieu).
February 17, 2013 (La Mesa) –Del Mar resident Sean Patrick Banks is accused of raping a La Mesa woman who he met through ChristianMingle.com, an online dating site. Police say he used several aliases on the site and has traveled considerably, leading to concerns that there could be other victims.
He is free on bail, after pleading not guilty to sexual assault and burglary charges, ECM news partner 10 News reports. Banks also reportedly used the names Rarity, Ryan Butterwood, and Ryan Harlough online.
Lt. Matt Nicholass with La Mesa Police has said that Banks was invited to the victim’s home and “ultimately ended up raping her.” The dating site cooperated with authorities to track Banks down, he added.
February 17, 2013 (New York)--Pressman Toy (www.PressmanToy.com), announced winners of its first annual Mastermind Braintwister Challenge February 10 at its 110th annual American International Toy Fair. The first place winners, 4th grader Gaurov Bansal, age 10 from Stamford, CT; won for “Letters Equal Numbers” and 5th grader Sophi Schneider, age 10 from Dresher, PA, won for “Wordsticks Mode 4 – Let’s Race.” Each received a $1,000 scholarship.
Three Braintwister category winners were also awarded $100 each:
“Difficulty” – Luke Cepurac, 10, La Mesa, CA, for his entry “Order Up”
“Skills” – Erica Blakely, 12, Tinley Park, IL, for her entry “Who, What, Where”
“Creativity” – Max Hartle, 12, Tampa, FL, for his entry “Air Attack”
February 17, 2013 (McCain Valley) – Melody Ponchot of Boulevard sent this beautiful set of photos from an early morning adventure she took with a friend, Donna Tisdale, after the snowfall last weekend.
“Four wheeling in the snow to McCain Valley is so much fun,” she observed.
This pristine public land, one of East County’s most beautiful recreational areas, is slated to be razed for construction of Tule Wind, an industrial wind facility approved by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management despite overwhelming public opposition.
February 17, 2013 (La Mesa) – By affiliating with National Derby Rallies (NDR), the Drew Ford/Kiwanis Club of La Mesa Soap Box Derby Rally Races set for March 2 and 3 on Junior High Drive in La Mesa, will allow drivers up to age 21 – if they can still fit in the race cars. The cut-off with All American Soap Box Derby is age 17.
“By affiliating with NDR, we are also gaining exposure of our La Mesa races to the NDR family of soap box derby,” said Derby Director Steve Blake. “NDR, which is based in Bowling Green, Kentucky, focuses on rally races.
February 17, 2013 (San Diego) – Across the nation, protests are being organized on Presidents Day, February 17, against the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. In San Diego, environmental groups including the Sierra Club and 350.org will gather at Mission Bay Park Vistiors Center (Mission Bay Drive and Clairemont Drive) from 1-3 p.m.
February 17, 2013 (Alpine) – Sullivan Solar is hosting an open house on Saturday, February 23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 2855 Via Viejas Oeste in Alpine.
Learn about incentives for going solar.
If your average electric bill is $197, installing a 5 kW solar system is now possible with zero out of pocket costs and new monthly solar payments of $165—less than your current utility bill.
February 17, 2013 (Alpine) – The Alpine Library celebrated “Library Lovers’ Day” in style, with a delightful performance of the Alpine Chamber Players. The audience enjoyed beautiful classical pieces, intermixed with rousing and romantic vocal numbers sung by Sylvia Hartman, the group’s pianist and leader. Alpine Library Friends Association sponsored the program, and also provided delicious Valentine cookies for all in attendance.
Other Library News for this week include:
1. The next “RUFF Readers” program is scheduled for Tuesday, February 19. Call now (619-445-4221) to sign up for a slot after school, and read toward a FREE book! Beginning March 5, we will be offering this program weekly.
February 17, 2013 (Lakeside) – The Lakeside Library is having its 100th birthday party on Saturday February 23rd from 12:30 - 3:00 p.m. You’re invited to a Centennial Celebration.
Scroll down for a schedule of events, including games, a trivia contest, historical presentations, Sparkles the Clown, a costume contest (dress as your favorite character from a book, or as a librarian) and of course, birthday cake.
“Your source for Trusts, Wills, Probate, Family Law & more”
By Stephen C. Ross, Esq.
February 17, 2013 (San Diego County) – I often talk with people who believe estate planning is only for the wealthy. However, even people with few assets may benefit from proper estate planning.
You may be subject to formal probate proceedings if the gross real and personal property value of your estate exceeds $150,000 and you do not have a revocable trust. A properly prepared power of attorney for health care may avoid the need for a costly conservatorship proceeding if you subsequently lack capacity to make your own decisions. A power of attorney may avoid a conservatorship proceeding and ensure that a person you trust is ready to handle your financial affairs if you become incapacitated.
Becoming your parents' parent conjures up pictures of "tangled apron strings."
By Marsha Kay Seff
February 17, 2013 (San Diego) -- As a child, the strings seemed well-defined. You needed your parents and their role was to fulfill your needs. Now, with your parents aging and leaning increasingly on you, the apron strings are tangled, wound tightly around you.
This role reversal isn’t easy for any of you. Your parents, no doubt, are fighting furiously to cling to their dignity and independence. And you’re pulled between the demands of your life and theirs.
Update 11:55 p.m. -- The driver has come forward to contact police. For details, see: 
By Caprice Harrison
By Mark Gabrish Conlan
February 10, 2013 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce will honor eight local heroes at the 5th Annual Casino Royale Night on Feb. 21 from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at the Town & Country Resort Hotel, 500 Hotel Circle N., San Diego. This year’s heroes are paramedics Ryan Ferguson and Paul Forney of American Medical Response, Battalion Chief Kelly Sisson and firefighter/paramedic Brandon Drips of Heartland Fire & Rescue, Officer Derik Cox and dispatcher Kathy Norman of the La Mesa Police Dept. and Don Kurban and Dick Thomas of the La Mesa Police Department Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol.
Lemon Grove Filmmaker Jim Ellis Creates 33-Minute Documentary for Children, Parents to Watch Together
February 17, 2013 (La Mesa) –Del Mar resident Sean Patrick Banks is accused of raping a La Mesa woman who he met through ChristianMingle.com, an online dating site. Police say he used several aliases on the site and has traveled considerably, leading to concerns that there could be other victims.
February 17, 2013 (La Mesa) – By affiliating with National Derby Rallies (NDR), the Drew Ford/Kiwanis Club of La Mesa Soap Box Derby Rally Races set for March 2 and 3 on Junior High Drive in La Mesa, will allow drivers up to age 21 – if they can still fit in the race cars. The cut-off with All American Soap Box Derby is age 17.
February 17, 2013 (San Diego) – Across the nation, protests are being organized on Presidents Day, February 17, against the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. In San Diego, environmental groups including the Sierra Club and 350.org will gather at Mission Bay Park Vistiors Center (Mission Bay Drive and Clairemont Drive) from 1-3 p.m.
February 17, 2013 (Alpine) – Sullivan Solar is hosting an open house on Saturday, February 23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 2855 Via Viejas Oeste in Alpine.
February 17, 2013 (Alpine) – The Alpine Library celebrated “Library Lovers’ Day” in style, with a delightful performance of the Alpine Chamber Players. The audience enjoyed beautiful classical pieces, intermixed with rousing and romantic vocal numbers sung by Sylvia Hartman, the group’s pianist and leader. Alpine Library Friends Association sponsored the program, and also provided delicious Valentine cookies for all in attendance.
February 17, 2013 (Lakeside) – The Lakeside Library is having its 100th birthday party on Saturday February 23rd from 12:30 - 3:00 p.m. You’re invited to a Centennial Celebration.
Becoming your parents' parent conjures up pictures of "tangled apron strings."
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