January 14, 2013 (Poway)--The Poway Chamber of Commerce with San Diego Gas & Electric will launch its first “Business Over Breakfast” seminar of the year. This event will be held at The Broken Yolk Café, located at 11630 Carmel Mountain Road, San Diego, CA 92128 on Friday, January 25, 2013. Networking and registration will begin at 7:30 a.m., followed by the program at 8:00 a.m.
January 14, 2013 (Tierrasanta) – San Diego Police officers responded to a call at 10700 Esmeraldas Drive in Tierrasasnta, where a witness reported a gunshot. After learning that the suspect owned multiple firearms, officers surrounded the house. Moments later, the suspect exit the rare of the home, armed with an assault-style rifle.
Officers ordered him several times to drop the weapon. “Officers showed superior restraint as the suspect refused to comply,” said Sergeant E.J. Dayrit. “Eventually the suspect turned the weapon upon himself and fired, in an attempt to kill himself.” The suspect inflicted wounds to his face and head area.
January 13, 2013 (Washington D.C.)—Vice President Joe Biden will meet today with representatives of Congress to discuss his task force’s proposals for reducing gun violence in the wake of the Sandy Hook elementary school massacre. Options may range from limiting access to assault weapons to improving diagnosis and treatment of the mentally ill.
One intriguing possibility for the future is the use of “smart gun” technology. “A lot could change if, for example, every gun purchased could only be fired by the person who purchased it," Biden said Friday. "The technology exists, but it’s extremely expensive.”
January 13, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for our region. Strong and gusty north to northeasterly winds will develop over inland and coastal water areas Monday through Tuesday. Damaging winds gusts of 60 miles per hour or more will be possible through and below wind prone canyons and passes.
Frost and freeze warnings remain in effect for portions of the mountains and deserts tonight, though temperatures are expected to begin warming on Tuesday and Wednesday.
January 13, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – A shocking new study released January 8 by the Biodiversity Research Institute finds that 84% of fish worldwide are contaminated with mercury. This week, the United Nations begins negotiations in Geneva on an international mercury treaty aimed at curbing the contamination.
Contamination findings were so high that based on health guidelines, only one fish per month should be eaten in the U.S. In Japan and Uruguay, where levels were highest, no fish should be consumed. In Japan, fish has traditionally been a dietary staple.
Cal Fire and East County Magazine offer heating safety reminders for cold weather
January 13, 2013 (Pine Valley) – Firefighters battling a blaze at a mobilehome park in the 27500 block of Old Highway 80 in Pine Valley last night discovered a man’s body inside after extinguishing the blaze. Sheriff’s Bomb/Arson detectives have ruled out foul play.
Cal Fire spokesman Mike Mohler told ECM that investigators are looking at several potential causes, including the possibility that the victim may have perished due to an old or improperly used heating device in last night’s sub-freezing temperatures.
Here are important safety tips to stay warm and safe during cold weather:
January 13, 2013 (La Mesa) – Capping off a year of centennial celebrations, La Mesa hosted its “Party of the Century” last night. Held at the La Mesa Community Center, the event featured music through the decades and areas decorated to reflect the many colorful eras in La Mesa’s past.
Dignitaries past and present turned out. Many guests came in period attire, adding to the festive mood at this memorable occasion.
January 13, 2013 (La Mesa) -- Tradition holds that Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) ushers in the reflective season of Lent beginning on Ash Wednesday, February 13th. The United Church of Christ of La Mesa (UCCLM) will be celebrating that tradition on Sunday, February 10, 2013 with a Mardi Gras Sunday worship service. The public is invited to dress up (carnival masks and beads welcome!) and join in this service celebrating the joy of faith. Music – from “Just a Closer Walk” to “When the Saints Go Marching In!” will highlight both the 8:30am (in Friendship Hall) and 10:00am (in the Sanctuary) services.
January 13, 2013 (San Diego) – San Diego Restaurant Week runs January 13 – 18 and has a strong showing of East County Restaurants. Offerings vary from two-course lunches offered at $10, $15 & $20 to three-course dinners priced at $20, $30 & $40. No tickets or passes are required and you may dine at as many participating restaurants as you like.
January 13, 2013 (San Diego)--Regarding the saga of the Filner foibles as per our Mayor's temperament in being a political leader: So our Mayor is again dusting it up in San Diego's local arena, this time with the City Attorney and fellow Democratic Councilman Todd Gloria. In philosophical parlance, the hysterical personality being those stigmatized souls overcome with emotion, are most often viewed as being associated with truth. Not to mention the so-called myth of control so hypocritically misunderstood in our society. Mayor Filner's emotions with regard to governing our fine city ought to be judged in context to all of our moral and ethical contradictions.
Mr. Filner saved my home from foreclosure, saved my Father's VA pension, called me at home to offer help when he was in Congress and got me elected to the local Democratic County Committee.
January 13, 2013 (San Diego)--San Diego Police Department homicide detectives are investigating an officer involved shooting that occurred inside a movie theater in Carmel Mountain Ranch.
Officers responded at 2:22 p.m., Saturday to a radio call of a domestic violence incident occurring in a parking lot at a shopping center in the 11100 block of Rancho Carmel Drive. Officers arrived to find the suspect had fled the scene. Witnesses described seeing the suspect, who was armed with a handgun, run across Rancho Carmel Drive to another shopping center.
January 12, 2012 (Jacumba) -- This week's winter storm brought an unusual treat for residents of Jacumba, elevation 2850: snow! Danielle Cook took these photos outside Jacumba Hot Springs, where a light dusting of snow blanketed the area. Don't rush out to visit, though -- it's already melting away in the mid-day sun.
January 11, 2012--(San Diego’s East County)-- I keep reading about the industrial solar projects and keep thinking about how much better (greener) it would be if our state would put "a very tall roof" over many miles of our highways and freeways and then cover them with solar panels (tall enough for the absolute tallest vehicle that would ever go on the freeway.)
Most people think of freeways as utilitarian structures, and nothing more. But for Swedish architect and urban strategist Mans Tham, freeways are majestic structures that could serve another important purpose. (from http://www.autointhenews.com)
January 12, 2013 (San Diego)--Dear EarthTalk: What is the Living Building Challenge and how does it differ from the LEED certification program? -- Jason Marshall, Richmond, VA
Both Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and the Living Building Challenge (LBC) were created with the same goal in mind: to encourage more sustainability and resource conservation in architecture, design, construction and building operations. LEED, a program of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is well known in architecture, building and design circles as the standard for certifying the green attributes of new and retrofitted structures (and even entire neighborhoods).
January 12, 2012 (El Cajon ) – El Cajon Police responded to a 911 call reporting shots fired at noon today at 1010 Leslie in El Cajon. Police located three victims, all with non-life threatening gunshot injuries. Possible suspects are described as three black men and a Hispanic man, all in the 20s, who may have arrived in a newer black four-door vehicle.
“A number of witnesses at the scene were uncooperative and many reported they did not see anything,” Lt. Mike Moulton said. The suspects’ identities are unknown.
January 12, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service in San Diego has issued a warning of very cold nights with frost and freezing temperatures the next few mornings. Tonight through Tuesday, the warning includes areas west of the mountains as well as mountains, valleys and deserts. Temperatures may drop as low as 20 degrees in places.
Sensitive plants or crops may be damaged or killed if left unprotected. Cover sensitive plants or bring inside if possible.
January 11, 2012 (Lakeside)-- The County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health (DEH) has issued a Boil Water Order and Public Notification for the Oakoasis Open Space Preserve water system at 12620 Wildcat Canyon Road, Lakeside effective immediately. This public water system serves a county park with campsites, a public restrooms and a volunteer residence.
The drinking water system has tested present for total coliform bacteria and absent for E. coli.
January 11, 2013 (San Diego)--A 92-year-old woman died from influenza, the County Health and Human Services Agency announced Wednesday It was the second death this flu season. The first was an 89-year-old woman who died Nov. 15.
County health officials are encouraging everyone to be immunized to help protect themselves and their loved ones against the flu, especially now that influenza activity is increasing nationwide. A total of 143 cases were reported the week ending Jan. 5, a 77 percent increase from the prior week, when 81 cases were reported.
January 11, 2012 (Spring Valley)--The County of San Diego Department of Animal Services is looking for any witnesses or information regarding a severely neglected dog that was found in a dumpster Saturday, Jan. 5 at l in Spring Valley.
The dog, a tan-colored, 10 year old neutered male cocker spaniel, was wrapped in a blanket and placed in a black plastic trash bag, which was tied shut and put in the school dumpster.
“There is nothing altruistic about this.” – Don Renard, Boulevard resident, on planned destruction of his rural community to create an energy corridor
“I don’t know of any community facing this many energy projects.” – Donna Tisdale, Chair, Boulevard Planning Group
By Miriam Raftery
January 11, 2013 (Boulevard)--Retired tugboat captain Don Renard worked hard all his life before purchasing a little piece of heaven in San Diego's rural East County. He bought a historic house, the former Ruby Store, once a stage coach stop in Boulevard. He and his family have been working to restore it—in between savoring quiet times spent watching the hawks, owls and song birds among the old oak groves around their home.
But there’s a squall of epic proportions on the horizon. Soon, the Renard family’s home is slated to be surrounded by an industrial solar “farm”—on all four sides. In every direction, 360 degrees, massive panels 30 feet high or so will track the sun. Some will be just 300 feet from his doorstep.
Photos: Supervisor Dianne Jacob spells out her goals for future; Dave Roberts, left, prepares to take oath as his children look on.
January 8, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – For the first time in 19 years, a new County Supervisor, Dave Roberts, has been elected. At yesterday’s swearing in ceremony, East County Supervisor Dianne Jacob also made history, becoming the longest serving woman on the Board.
Jacob made clear that she hopes to have an ally in the newly elected Supervisor—particularly on energy issues and protection of the backcountry. Roberts pledged support for preserving open spaces and working to develop a county utility as an alternative to SDG&E.
January 10, 2013 (San Diego)-- Mayor Bob Filner today announced that he has asked the Neighborhood Code Compliance Department and the Police Department to temporarily halt all prosecutions of city zoning code violations when it comes to medical marijuana dispensaries (letters attached), pending development of new regulations.
"As I made very clear during my campaign for Mayor, I support the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes and am committed to ensuring the people who legitimately need it for relief of pain are not kept from accessing it," Mayor Filner said. "I also want to assure the residents of San Diego that there will be the utmost safeguards surrounding these dispensaries. They will not be near schools, playgrounds or any areas where children might gather. Nor will they be allowed to infringe on the quality of life in any neighborhood."
January 10, 2013 (Casa de Oro) – A destroyed half of a resident in the 4100 block of Avoyer Place in Casa de Oro this morning. At first, residents thought smoke in the kitchen area was due to cooking, until one went outside and saw smoke coming from under the garage. Opening the door, he saw fire erupt into massive flames which quickly spread from the garage into the attic and home.
“With the screams of ‘fire’, family members began to evacuate,” said Leonard Villareal with San Miguel Fire District. “Residents inside the home had to carry the elderly female homeowner to safety. Another neighbor entered the home and carried a young woman who was asleep a back bedroom to safety. Another neighbor entered the home and carried a young woman who was asleep in a back bedroom to safety.”
January 10, 2013 (Alpine) -- Would you know how to respond if your child stopped breathing or if someone you love had a heart attack? Save-A-Heart will be conducting a CPR class at the Alpine Fitness Club, 1620 Alpine Blvd Suite 101 on Saturday Jan. 19th from 9am to 11am.
January 10, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) -- How long can we expect wind turbines built in our region to last? It’s a key question, since early wear and tear can sharply reduce efficiency, sticking ratepayers with hefty electricity bills. Now, a new study of 3,000 wind turbines finds that they are wearing down faster than manufacturers expected. The study, which claims to be the largest of its kind, examined both onshore and offshore turbines operating between 2000 and 2001.
January 10, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:
January 10, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Alpine resident Jeff Campbell, a realtor with Jeff Campbell & Associates, will be installed as 2013 president of the 1,900-member Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors at PSAR’s 2013 board of directors installation dinner and celebration on Friday, Jan. 18. The event starts at 6 p.m. at the Bonita Golf Course, 5540 Sweetwater Road, in Bonita. Seats cost $45 per person, or $400 for a table of eight. Register online at www.psar.org or www.esdcar.org, or phone (619) 421-7811 or (619) 579-0333.
After a few years of a down economy and real estate market, the sun is rising again, as things turn around for the housing market in San Diego. How you might ask? Here are HomeHub.com's top three reasons why we believe the future is a bright for the real estate market in San Diego.
January 8, 2012 (New York)-- A new report by the BioInitiative Working Group 2012 says that evidence for risks to health has substantially increased since 2007 from electromagnetic fields and wireless technologies (radiofrequency radiation). The Report reviews over 1800 new scientific studies. Cell phone users, parents-to-be, young children and pregnant women are at particular risk.
January 10, 2013--(San Diego’s East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:
Setting Strategic Goals in 2013
January 14, 2013 (Tierrasanta) – San Diego Police officers responded to a call at 10700 Esmeraldas Drive in Tierrasasnta, where a witness reported a gunshot. After learning that the suspect owned multiple firearms, officers surrounded the house. Moments later, the suspect exit the rare of the home, armed with an assault-style rifle.
January 13, 2013 (Pine Valley) – Firefighters battling a blaze at a mobilehome park in the 27500 block of Old Highway 80 in Pine Valley last night discovered a man’s body inside after extinguishing the blaze. Sheriff’s Bomb/Arson detectives have ruled out foul play.
January 13, 2013 (La Mesa) -- Tradition holds that Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) ushers in the reflective season of Lent beginning on Ash Wednesday, February 13th. The United Church of Christ of La Mesa (UCCLM) will be celebrating that tradition on Sunday, February 10, 2013 with a Mardi Gras Sunday worship service. The public is invited to dress up (carnival masks and beads welcome!) and join in this service celebrating the joy of faith. Music – from “Just a Closer Walk” to “When the Saints Go Marching In!” will highlight both the 8:30am (in Friendship Hall) and 10:00am (in the Sanctuary) services.
By David Smichowski
January 13, 2013 (San Diego)--San Diego Police Department homicide detectives are investigating an officer involved shooting that occurred inside a movie theater in Carmel Mountain Ranch.
January 12, 2012 (Jacumba) -- This week's winter storm brought an unusual treat for residents of Jacumba, elevation 2850: snow! Danielle Cook took these photos outside Jacumba Hot Springs, where a light dusting of snow blanketed the area. Don't rush out to visit, though -- it's already melting away in the mid-day sun.
By Adrienne Niver, Lakeside
E - The Environmental Magazine
January 12, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service in San Diego has issued a warning of very cold nights with frost and freezing temperatures the next few mornings. Tonight through Tuesday, the warning includes areas west of the mountains as well as mountains, valleys and deserts. Temperatures may drop as low as 20 degrees in places.
January 11, 2013 (San Diego)--A 92-year-old woman died from influenza, the County Health and Human Services Agency announced Wednesday It was the second death this flu season. The first was an 89-year-old woman who died Nov. 15. 
January 10, 2013 (Alpine) -- Would you know how to respond if your child stopped breathing or if someone you love had a heart attack? Save-A-Heart will be conducting a CPR class at the Alpine Fitness Club, 1620 Alpine Blvd Suite 101 on Saturday Jan. 19th from 9am to 11am. 
By Miriam Raftery
January 10, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:
January 10, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Alpine resident Jeff Campbell, a realtor with Jeff Campbell & Associates, will be installed as 2013 president of the 1,900-member Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors at PSAR’s 2013 board of directors installation dinner and celebration on Friday, Jan. 18. The event starts at 6 p.m. at the Bonita Golf Course, 5540 Sweetwater Road, in Bonita. Seats cost $45 per person, or $400 for a table of eight. Register online at 
By Ryan Zuckerman, 
Brain cancer, sperm damage among risks
January 10, 2013--(San Diego’s East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:
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