August 21, 2012 (Ocotillo)--Pattern Energy has begun clearing beautiful desert near Anza-Borrego State Park for the nearly 16 square mile Ocotillo Express Wind project. Once completed, the facility will consist of 112 wind turbines, each one standing over 400 feet tall, and requiring wide new roads carved into the fragile desert soil.
Photographer Phillip Colla gives us a birds-eye view of the beginning phase of the destruction with a series of images available at his website. The photos were made possible by aviation support provided by LightHawk.
August 21, 2012 (Rancho San Diego) -- Church members from the Gathering @RSD packaged 3,200 meals to be sent to needy children and their families in the Dominican Republic. The church raised the money through collecting extra change. The effort was coordinated through the organization, Children of the Nations, which reach out to children in need in Africa and the Caribbean.
August 21, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--The colonization of Africanized Honey Bees in San Diego County was confirmed in 1994 and has since caused multiple fatal attacks in Southern California. Feral honeybees in urban areas of San Diego County have been determined to be predominately Africanized by biologists who test the genetic makeup of local bees.
August 21, 2012 (Alpine) – The San Diego Medical Examiner’s office has released the names of two men who died of injuries sustained in an accident on I-8 in Alpine on August 16.
August 21, 2012 (La Mesa) – Two elderly women struck by a Chevrolet Express van while crossing Calle Verde in La Mesa on August 13 have died of their traumatic injuries.
Jean Gastelum, 77, passed away on August 16 at Sharp Memorial Hospital. Her friend, Dorothy Stephens, 83, was pronounced dead at the scene before a medical helicopter arrived.
August 21, 2012 (Sacramento) --Assemblymember Marty Block (AD-78) issued the following statement on being named as Chair of the Assembly Accountability and Administrative Review Committee:
“In the wake of the scandals involving state parks and other examples of waste, fraud and abuse, I take my new role as Chair of the Assembly Accountability and Administrative Review Committee very seriously. In the coming days, I will meet with Speaker John Perez to determine the scope of our investigations. I plan to hit the ground running.
August 21, 2012 (El Cajon) --At last week's El Cajon City Council meeting, the Council voted unanimously to support El Cajon Police Chief Jim Redman’s request for authorization to mail letters to local retailers asking them to voluntarily decline to sell psychoactive synthetic drugs, the most common of which are known as “bath salts,” which have intoxicating effects similar to cocaine and other stimulants, and “spice,” which have intoxicating effects similar to marijuana. Redman also asked the City Council to direct City staff to return as soon as reasonably possible with an ordinance finding that the distribution of synthetic drugs constitutes a public nuisance, and to provide for enforcement to abate such a public nuisance.
August 21, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)—Scattered thunderstorms and heavy rains are forecast for Tuesday through Sunday in San Diego County’s mountains and desert areas.
Skywarn weather activation is requested for Tuesday.
August 20, 2012 (Mojave Desert)--If you have been listening to the past few stakeholder conferences for the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) -- an inter-agency effort to protect desert ecosystems while identifying areas suitable for renewable energy in California's deserts -- then you know that representatives from the California Wind Energy Association (CalWEA) sound disappointed as their plans to industrialize much of California's desert wildlands meet resistance. Some of the DRECP's proposed development focus areas would only accommodate 2-17% of the nearly 2 million acres to which the wind industry initially requested access. The wind industry expressed frustration during the meetings, wondering aloud why they cannot bulldoze desert, carve hundreds of miles of new roads, and set up massive wind turbines standing over 400 feet tall across public lands.
August 19 2012 (San Diego)—San Diego Police seek public help to locate John Sharpe, 72. Missing from his apartment at 5048 Wightman Avenue #10 in San Diego, he was last seen on August 17 at 5:30 p.m.
The missing man has Alzheimer’s disease and is considered at risk, according to a police bulletin issued today.He was last seen wearing a hat, yellow shirt and brown shoes. He is black with a dark complexion, has grey hair, brown eyes, stands 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 176 pounds.
August 19, 2012 (Poway) – Tickets are now on sale for the 2012 Winter/Spring season at Poway Performing Arts. The season includes Clint Black, The Capital Steps, Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance and Eleanor: Her Secret Journey, featuring Loretta Swit.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.powayarts.org or by calling the ticket office at 858-748-0505.
August 19, 2012 (La Mesa) – Biz Center Art presents Inside Out, an art show with a 70’s vibe, on August 25 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the La Mesa biz Center, 7317 El Cajon Blvd., La Mesa. The event will feature 70’s music and 70’s art. The show will run through October.
Dress up in 70’s themed attire and step back in time with art that speaks to the 70’s. There will even be an entire wall devoted to black velvet paintings.
August 19, 2012 (El Cajon) – Heritage of the Americas Museum is holding “Museum Roadshow” on August 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Museum Conference Room, 12110 Cuyamaca College Drive West, El Cajon. Craig Helm will be there to help identify and price treasures.
August 19, 2012 (Alpine) – The Alpine Community Planning Group will be meeting on August 23 at the Alpine Community Center, 1830 Alpine Blvd., Alpine to vote on the Alpine Design Review Checklist. The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m.
The Checklist includes items such as village character, planting, Alpine Blvd., etc. The Checklist can be viewed here.
August 19, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Seven lightning-sparked fires that burned more than 22,000 acres are all fully contained, Cal Fire reports this morning. No structures were lost, though four firefighters were injured.Below are full details on the fires provided by Cal Fire.
“Long overdue”l tactic to contain California’s dangerous wildfires, Senator Feinstein says
August 19, 2012 (Washington D.C.)— The U.S. Forest Service will update its nighttime firefighting program to battle out-of-control wildfires in Southern California.
August 18, 2012 (San Onofre)—Last month’s announcement by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) stating that Southern California Edison (SCE) had complied will all regulations is yet another dangerous case of regulators looking the other way coupled with gutted unsafe regulations, according to local activist groups, including Residents Organized for a Safe Environment (ROSE), Citizens' Oversight, and the Peace Resource Center of San Diego.
August 18, 2012 (El Cajon) -- August 26 is known as Women’s Equality Day. On that date in 1920, the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was signed, giving women the right to vote.
August 18, 2014 (Sacramento)—A measure which would permit law enforcement to prosecute human trafficking as a civil nuisance as well as a crime and direct recovered penalties to the victims of these crimes was on its way to Gov. Jerry Brown on a 76-0 vote.
Assemblymember Marty Block (AD-78) introduced the legislation, AB 2212, earlier this year.
From Fire Chief Sam DiGiovannaEast County Magazine’s “In-House Fire Chief”
August 18, 2012 (San Diego) -- School is starting to begin for many of our districts. It’s important to use extra caution while driving as excited students will be walking, bicycling, driving, riding buses so excited and may not be paying attention while traveling to school and back home. Here are some safety reminders:
Higher humidity and cooler temperatures are aiding firefighters, Cal Fire reports. The Vallecito Lightning Complex is now 22,828 acres and 90% contained. The suppression costs are up to $6,400,000 and firefighters still have a mile of containment line to construct. There have been a total of 4 injuries to firefighters.
As of this evening, all roads in the fire area have been opened and all evacuation orders have been lifted.
August 18, 2012 (San Diego's East County) -- The following presentation is available to anyone wishing to offer it to an organization that wishes to support improved fire safety for our region through adoption of an emergency resolution.
August 17, 2012 (San Diego)--The San Diego FBI warns of a new Citadel malware platform used to deliver ransomware named Reveton. The ransomware lures the victim to a drive-by download website, at which time the ransomware is installed on the user’s computer. Once installed, the computer freezes and a screen is displayed warning the user they have violated United States federal law.
Update August 17, 2012: All evacuation orders have been lifted. The Lightning Complex Fires are now 85% contained at 22, 836 acres. Flash floods and rainfall are forecast, with mud slides possible in recently burned areas.
August 17, 2012 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Police have issued a warning that a man in a “beat up” white small or medium pickup truck attempted to lure a 16-year-old female student into his vehicle.The girl was walking to Helix High School at 8 a.m. today in the 7500 block of University Ave. when the suspect pulled up next to her, got out of his truck and told her, “Hey, get in my car.”
August 17, 2012 (Lemon Grove)--Mary England, Council Member in the City of Lemon Grove, announced this week that she will not seek reelection and is retiring from Lemon Grove public office.
August 16, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Amid blistering heat and wildfires blazing across our region, here’s news that may inspire a chill down your spine.
A recent issue of Al Qaeda’s publication, Inspire, has surfaced on jihad forums inspiring Western terrorists to start forest fires in the U.S.
By Shaun Gonzales
August 21, 2012 (Rancho San Diego) -- Church members from the Gathering @RSD packaged 3,200 meals to be sent to needy children and their families in the Dominican Republic. The church raised the money through collecting extra change. The effort was coordinated through the organization, Children of the Nations, which reach out to children in need in Africa and the Caribbean.
August 21, 2012 (Alpine) – The San Diego Medical Examiner’s office has released the names of two men who died of injuries sustained in an accident on I-8 in Alpine on August 16.
August 21, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)—Scattered thunderstorms and heavy rains are forecast for Tuesday through Sunday in San Diego County’s mountains and desert areas.
Reposted with permission; original published August 14, 2012 at 
August 19, 2012 (Poway) – Tickets are now on sale for the 2012 Winter/Spring season at Poway Performing Arts. The season includes Clint Black, The Capital Steps, Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance and Eleanor: Her Secret Journey, featuring Loretta Swit.
August 19, 2012 (La Mesa) – Biz Center Art presents Inside Out, an art show with a 70’s vibe, on August 25 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the La Mesa biz Center, 7317 El Cajon Blvd., La Mesa. The event will feature 70’s music and 70’s art. The show will run through October.
August 19, 2012 (El Cajon) – Heritage of the Americas Museum is holding “Museum Roadshow” on August 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Museum Conference Room, 12110 Cuyamaca College Drive West, El Cajon. Craig Helm will be there to help identify and price treasures.
August 19, 2012 (Alpine) – The Alpine Community Planning Group will be meeting on August 23 at the Alpine Community Center, 1830 Alpine Blvd., Alpine to vote on the Alpine Design Review Checklist. The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m.
By Miriam Raftery
August 19, 2012 (Washington D.C.)— The U.S. Forest Service will update its nighttime firefighting program to battle out-of-control wildfires in Southern California. 
August 17, 2012 (San Diego)--The San Diego FBI warns of a new Citadel malware platform used to deliver ransomware named Reveton. The ransomware lures the victim to a drive-by download website, at which time the ransomware is installed on the user’s computer. Once installed, the computer freezes and a screen is displayed warning the user they have violated United States federal law.
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