September 25, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)—The Shockey Fire has scored 2,850 acres and is now 55% contained, Cal Fire reports. There has been one injury to a firefighter as well as the death of an elderly resident reported yesterday. Twenty homes have burned, all in the Tierra del Sol area of Boulevard, as well as 15 outbuidlings. Another 10 structures were damaged by the fast-burning wildfire. About 25 residences remained threatened this morning.
Damage assessment is now being conducted by authorities. The objective today is to continue to build containment lines on the northern and southern flanks. At 6 p.m. today, the evacuation order for Tierra del Sol will be lifted and residents only will be allowed to return, with ID.
OK, let's cut to the chase: How are America's veterans really doing overall? While that question has no simple answer, what I can say is that there are a number of positives to share - but at least one very large negative.
September 24, 2012 (La Mesa)—A man who reportedly robbed the 7Q Liquor Store at 7401 El Cajon Blvd. in La Mesa at gunpoint is in custody tonight, thanks to the actions of a clerk and other witnesses. Police apprehended Luis Alonso Cruz Magana, 24, of San Diego in the 4800 block of Jessie Avenue shortly after the robbery.
September 24, 2012 (El Cajon) – The Grossmont College Theater Arts program will present "Mauritius" on Oct. 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 at 7:30 p.m., and Oct. 6 and 13 at 2 p.m. at the Stagehouse Theater in Building 21, Room 247 at the college, 8800 Grossmont College Drive in El Cajon. General admission is $15 per person. Tickets are available at the door and online at the Theatre Arts Department website, www.grossmont.edu/theatrebrochure. The play features adult language and may not be suitable for young children. For more information, phone (619) 644-7234.
September 25, 2012 (El Cajon ) - On Saturday, November 3, the East San Diego County Kiwanis will host its 25th annual charity dinner dance, “Steak-Out.” The Honky Tonk Kings will perform at the event, which will also include a silent option and opportunity drawings. Festivities will be held at the Ronald Reagan Community Center, 195 East Douglas Ave. in El Cajon.
All proceeds from the event will help support the many fine organizations our Kiwanis club serves in the San Diego County area. Donations and prizes are welcome.
Fire has scorched 2,450 acres and is now 40% contained, 25 homes still threatened in Tierra del Sol area. View map of fire
By Miriam Raftery
September 24, 2012 (Boulevard) –A charred body has been found at the burned residence of an 82-year-old disabled man, who did not leave despite reverse 911 calls made in the area advising residents of mandatory evacuation orders. Neighbors told ECM news partner 10 News that deputies and firefighters were searching for Carson Robinson, who was missing after the Shockey Fire roared through his neighborhood on Tierra del Sol Road in Boulevard.
“It’s extremely prudent upon homeowners to definitely heed the warning and exit the premises as quickly as you can,” Cal Fire Captain Richard Cordova told ECM, indicating that this tragedy may have been preventable.
September 24, 2012 -- Dear EarthTalk: What is the scientific consensus on all the extreme weather we’ve been having—from monster tornadoes to massive floods and wildfires? Is there a clear connection to climate change? And if so what are we doing to be prepared? -- Jason Devine, Summit, PA
Artwork by Loretta Deczynski of El Cajon on exhibit at La Mesa health library
September 24, 2012 (La Mesa)--The Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library, a consumer health library in La Mesa, is currently featuring an exhibit of 21 paintings by El Cajon artist Loretta Deczynski through the month of September. The artwork showcases nine different media, including pastel, graphite and charcoal.
September 24, 2012 (El Cajon) – The Automobile Club of Southern California has opened a branch at 2987 Jamacha Road, El Cajon, in the Rancho San Diego Towne Center (Target shopping center).
The new 6,480-square-foot branch is adjacent to TGI Fridays restaurant near the corner of Jamacha Road and Campo Road. The branch phone number is (619) 660-6657.
September 24, 2012 (Washington D.C.)-- Did you know that if you live in a certain town or view certain websites, or if you use a Mac instead of a PC, you could be paying more when you shop online? Most consumers are unaware that Internet companies are now adopting a practice known as “dynamic pricing.” Without their knowledge they are using consumers’ personal information - including browser history or IP address– to alter the price of the products.
September 24, 2012 (San Diego) – On one of my many college days spent in the South Wing of Cal State, Fullerton's Pollak library, I came across Timothy Leary's book The Politics of Ecstasy. It was a fascinating read unlike any nonfiction I previously encountered before then. It was a collection of the disgraced Harvard professor’s essays and lectures on the psychedelic drug LSD. In the chunk that I read, he defends the drug, and cites research and studies that he claims demonstrate its benefits on its people’s minds, lifestyle, and ways of thinking. He argues that as long as you know what you’re doing, or better yet, if you have a “guided trip” with someone experienced in LSD use, it’s not only safe, but beneficial.
September 24, 2012 (San Diego) – Last year’s Moneyball was a smart baseball movie, a behind-the-scenes look at the world of front office politics. While slightly laid back and relaxed, everybody meant business. Not too serious, but plenty of drama. What happens when you fuse all that with Clint Eastwood-style wit and bit? You get something like Trouble with the Curve.
September 24, 2012 (San Diego)—Many survivors of adolescent and young adult cancers avoid routine medical care because it’s too expensive, despite the fact that most have health insurance, an article published today in CANCER, a peer-reviewed publication of the American Cancer Society, reveals. That is the conclusion of a new study published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The results indicate that expanding insurance coverage for young cancer survivors may be insufficient to safeguard their long-term health without efforts to reduce their medical cost burdens.
September 24, 2012 (San Diego)--Who will replace Pam Slater Price, who is stepping down from the County Board of Supervisors? The new Supervisor could be a pivotal vote on major land use issues and much more.Tonight at 7 p.m., a debate will be held between Dave Roberts, a Democrat endorsed by Republican Slater-Price, and his opponent, Steve Danon.
September 24, 2012 (La Mesa) – Space Bar Internet Café hosts an Open Mic night on the fourth Thursday each month from 7:30-10 p.m. at 7454 University Avenue, La Mesa.
This week, poet Kate Harding, a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee, will join host Jim Moreno. Her first collection of poetry, "Santa Monica Disposal and Salvage," has earned praise from Steve Kowit, Marge Piercy and Diane Wakoski. Writing under the pen name Penny Perry and as Kate Harding, her poems have appeared in numerous magazines, including Poetry International, Earth's Daughters, Spillway, and the San Diego Poetry Annual. Kate is the fiction editor for the new on-line Knot Journal. She was a fellow at the American Film Institute and her movie, "A Berkeley Christmas" aired on PBS.
September 24, 2012 (Alpine)--The California State Bird is the California Valley Quail. Over the past two seasons, I have had the pleasure of having a covey of California Quail living in my back yard!
My last count, as of yesterday, is nine quail living in my back yard. I remember seeing the new little chicks around the end of April. The chicks are now as big as the adults are, however, you can still tell the juveniles from the adults by the size of the plumes on the top of their heads as well as the markings and feathers that are not as deep and striking as the adults’ markings.
September 24, 2012 (Sacramento)--Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday, September 21 signed into law three bills by Assemblymember Marty Block (AD-78) aimed at assisting military families and returning veterans.
“I’m thrilled that the governor approved my bills – AB 1904, AB 2202 and AB 2462. They will help California repay the tremendous debt we owe our veterans,” Block said.
County, Cal Fire, City, SDG&E and UCSD Share Technologies to Enhance Fire Safety
September 24, 2012 (San Diego)_ – Innovative emergency response equipment and technology were showcased on Wednesday, September 18 when San Diego regional leaders gathered at Montgomery Field airport to promote cooperative disaster response efforts among government, university and private sector agencies.
September 24, 2012 (Valley Center) – Collin Barnes, a 21-year-old college student and church preschool teacher who lived with his parents in Valley Center, told his parents he was going for a run up Flat Top Mountain near their home to photograph the sunset on September 13. When he failed to return, his family called the Sheriff’s Department.
September 24, 2012 (Ramona) – A man, 34, was shot and killed in Ramona on September 16 at 3 p.m. following an altercation with a homeowner and the homeowner’s son in the 1300 block of Walnut Street.
According to Lt. Glenn Giannantonio with the Sheriff’s Homicide Detail, the victim was unknown to the homeowner. “The man got into an argument with the homeowner and the two started fighting. The homeowner's adult son also got involved in the altercation. The homeowner's son retrieved a gun from the residence and the man was ordered to leave at gunpoint. There was a struggle over the gun and the man was shot by the homeowner.”
September 24, 2012 (San Diego)—La Mesa resident Norrie Robbins, PhD helped organize a San Diego rally yesterday in support of Proposition 37, a ballot measure that if passed will require labeling of genetically modified foods.
September 24, 2012 (San Diego)--My trusted veteran sources tell me that we may soon know if Veterans for Common Sense v. Eric K. Shinseki, the historic lawsuit filed by veterans advocates against the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) way back in 2007, will be heard by the Supreme Court.
Block’s AB1731 requires lifesaving testing of newborns for heart disease
September 17, 2012 (San Diego)--Little Caleb Peltier celebrated his second birthday today at the Balboa Park playground with his parents, his brother and some new friends who all celebrated the fulfillment of the one birthday wish they all had for the toddler who has experienced more familiarity with hospitals, surgeries, and emergency rooms than many adults.
BLM Begins Rio Mesa Project EIS Process to Strong Opposition Over Desert Solar Siting
Story and photo by Robert Lundahl
September 17, 2012 (Blythe, California)--The Bureau of Land Management scoping meeting for the Rio Mesa Solar Plant outside Blythe, California likely caused heartburn for the BLM, applicant Brightsource, and related subcontractors and agencies last Thursday.
September 24, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Cal Fire reports this morning that an estimated 20 homes have been destroyed and another 10 damaged, along with approximately 15 outbuildings. The fire is now 2,000 acres and 10% contained.
Homes lost are all in the Tierra del Sol area, Mike Mohler of Cal Fire told ECM. “We’re going to go out right now to compile a list of the addresses,” he said when asked for details on locations of residences that burned.
“Tierra del Sol and Jewel Valley remain evacuated and are still threatened,” Roxanne Provaznik of Cal Fire said in a release issued at 6:50 am. Highway 94 is closed between the Shockey Truck Trail east to Jewel Valley.
September 23, 2012 (Campo)-- On arrival at the Golden Acorn Casino, a plume of smoke rose in the distance.The wildfire, named Shockey Fire by CAL-Fire, was making swift progress east towards Jacumba. Some residents forced to evacuate were looking on, concern etched on their faces, as the thick billows rose into the sky.
Update 12:10 a.m. September 24 -- Due to the wildfires, all schools in the Mountain Empire Unified School District will be closed on Monday Sept. 24.
Update 11:45 p.m. – The Shockey Fire has swelled to 2,000 acres and is 10% contained, Cal-Fire Battalion Chief Mike Mohler advises. Evacuation advisory for Jacumba; structure threat and evacuations continue for Boulevard and Tierra del Sol communities. Numerous structures are damaged or destroyed; Southwest power grid is also threatened.
September 23, 2012 (San Diego's East County)Update 5:10 p.m. - The Shockey Fire has topped 1,000 acres, IPN reports. Numerous outbuildings have burned, Cal Fire confirms. Scanner traffic now indicates that at least four homes have burned in the Tierra del Sol area.
SDG&E reports that the Shockey Fire has left 183 customers without power in Live Oak Springs, Boulevard and Jacumba. Powerlines have burned and some lines are down.
Jewel Valley is under mandatory evacuation orders following earlier evacuations of 77 homes in Tierra del Sol.
The Evacuation Center has been changed to Mountain Empire High School, 3305 Buckman Springs Road. If you need help evacuating large animals, call 619-767-2675 or 619-236-2341.
Please join us this evening to enjoy some cheer and help fund live reporting of wildfires and other hot news in East County! We now have THOUSANDS of dollars in great prizes!
Join us Wed. Sept. 26 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at El Cajon Brewing Co. for beer-tasting, great food, live music by Charlie Rae (she's opened for Sheryl Crow and other stars), tons of prizes, hot cars from Carrera Coachwerks and more during El Cajon's Classic Cruises' season finale.
First 100 guests get a $10 voucher for FREE FOOD OR BEER!
September 23, 2012 (Boulevard) – Boulevard Planning Group Chair Donna Tisdale has provided ECM with a dramatic eyewitness account of the Shockey Fire, which started on the Campo Reservation just west of her home in Boulevard. Power and phone lines have burned down, she reports, adding that the area has no cell phone reception.
“A Deputy showed up to warn us and recommended evacuation.We stayed and the fire raged through parts of our Morning Star Ranch and our son's property next door. Together we have over 300 acres--much now looks other worldly, stark and smoldering,” wrote Tisdale, who sent photos taken from her property.
September 25, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)—The Shockey Fire has scored 2,850 acres and is now 55% contained, Cal Fire reports. There has been one injury to a firefighter as well as the death of an elderly resident reported yesterday. Twenty homes have burned, all in the Tierra del Sol area of Boulevard, as well as 15 outbuidlings. Another 10 structures were damaged by the fast-burning wildfire. About 25 residences remained threatened this morning. 
By Jamie Reno
September 24, 2012 (La Mesa)—A man who reportedly robbed the 7Q Liquor Store at 7401 El Cajon Blvd. in La Mesa at gunpoint is in custody tonight, thanks to the actions of a clerk and other witnesses. Police apprehended Luis Alonso Cruz Magana, 24, of San Diego in the 4800 block of Jessie Avenue shortly after the robbery.
September 24, 2012 (El Cajon) – The Grossmont College Theater Arts program will present "Mauritius" on Oct. 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13 at 7:30 p.m., and Oct. 6 and 13 at 2 p.m. at the Stagehouse Theater in Building 21, Room 247 at the college, 8800 Grossmont College Drive in El Cajon. General admission is $15 per person. Tickets are available at the door and online at the Theatre Arts Department website, 
September 25, 2012 (El Cajon ) - On Saturday, November 3, the East San Diego County Kiwanis will host its 25th annual charity dinner dance, “Steak-Out.” The Honky Tonk Kings will perform at the event, which will also include a silent option and opportunity drawings. Festivities will be held at the Ronald Reagan Community Center, 195 East Douglas Ave. in El Cajon.
By Miriam Raftery
E - The Environmental Magazine
Artwork by Loretta Deczynski of El Cajon on exhibit at La Mesa health library
September 24, 2012 (El Cajon) – The Automobile Club of Southern California has opened a branch at 2987 Jamacha Road, El Cajon, in the Rancho San Diego Towne Center (Target shopping center).
September 24, 2012 (Washington D.C.)-- Did you know that if you live in a certain town or view certain websites, or if you use a Mac instead of a PC, you could be paying more when you shop online? Most consumers are unaware that Internet companies are now adopting a practice known as “dynamic pricing.” Without their knowledge they are using consumers’ personal information - including browser history or IP address– to alter the price of the products.
By Brian Lafferty
By Brian Lafferty
September 24, 2012 (San Diego)—Many survivors of adolescent and young adult cancers avoid routine medical care because it’s too expensive, despite the fact that most have health insurance, an article published today in CANCER, a peer-reviewed publication of the American Cancer Society, reveals. That is the conclusion of a new study published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The results indicate that expanding insurance coverage for young cancer survivors may be insufficient to safeguard their long-term health without efforts to reduce their medical cost burdens.
September 24, 2012 (La Mesa) – Space Bar Internet Café hosts an Open Mic night on the fourth Thursday each month from 7:30-10 p.m. at 7454 University Avenue, La Mesa.
By Greg Dunne
September 24, 2012 (Sacramento)--Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday, September 21 signed into law three bills by Assemblymember Marty Block (AD-78) aimed at assisting military families and returning veterans.
County, Cal Fire, City, SDG&E and UCSD Share Technologies to Enhance Fire Safety
September 24, 2012 (Valley Center) – Collin Barnes, a 21-year-old college student and church preschool teacher who lived with his parents in Valley Center, told his parents he was going for a run up Flat Top Mountain near their home to photograph the sunset on September 13. When he failed to return, his family called the Sheriff’s Department.
By Nadin Abbott
Block’s AB1731 requires lifesaving testing of newborns for heart disease
BLM Begins Rio Mesa Project EIS Process to Strong Opposition Over Desert Solar Siting
By Miriam Raftery
By Nadin Abbott
Update 12:10 a.m. September 24 -- Due to the wildfires, all schools in the Mountain Empire Unified School District will be closed on Monday Sept. 24.
September 23, 2012 (San Diego's East County)Update 5:10 p.m. - The Shockey Fire has topped 1,000 acres, IPN reports. Numerous outbuildings have burned, Cal Fire confirms. Scanner traffic now indicates that at least four homes have burned in the Tierra del Sol area.
Please join us this evening to enjoy some cheer and help fund live reporting of wildfires and other hot news in East County! We now have THOUSANDS of dollars in great prizes!
By Miriam Raftery
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