East County News Service

July 9, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning Saturday through Monday for San Diego County’s deserts, where temperatures of 115 to 120 degrees are expected.

*Wheelhouse awards $5,000 to college-bound students in San Diego through annual scholarship program*

East County News Service 

Photos:  Wheelhouse Scholarship Recipients Alby Penney from Valhalla High School and Hailey Qasawadish from Patrick Henry High School, San Diego

July 9, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) -- Wheelhouse Credit Union (Wheelhouse) is helping the next generation of environmental trail blazers by awarding five scholarships of $1,000 each to college-bound students through its annual Sustainability College Scholarship Program. In this year’s program, Wheelhouse recognized five graduating high school seniors in San Diego County who demonstrated leadership, public service, and a desire to make a sustainable difference in their schools and communities.

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

Photos: Courtesy County of San Diego Communications Office, (Photo, left) at Waterfront Park's south fountain

July 9, 2020 (San Diego County) - It’s the summer of coronavirus — and to keep it from spreading we’re staying home more, foregoing big vacations and looking for new ways to entertain and educate kids who have been home for months.

Well, here’s some good news. There are still some great, fun, free/or inexpensive things that kids, families and adults can do in July. And we’ve got a list!

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Donna Tisdale fears massive wind turbines will ruin life at her rural ranch, pose severe wildfire and safety hazards for neighbors and tribal members

View Lawsuit

July 9, 2020 (Boulevard, CA) – A federal lawsuit has been filed against the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the U.S. Department of Interior and agency officials challenging their approval of  Campo Wind facilities on tribal land, including 60 wind turbines each 586 feet tall on 2,200 acres, as well as Boulder Brush energy facilities on adjacent private land. 

“The project is a dangerous and completely unnecessary industrialization of high-quality wildlife habitat in an area with an extremely high wildfire risk and frequent low-flying military, commercial and private aircraft,” states the suit filed by the nonprofit Backcountry Against Dumps along with Boulevard residents Donna and Ed Tisdale, whose ranch adjoins the project site with a half-mile shared border.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy: Lakeside Fire Protection District

July 9, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – A big-rig truck’s brakes overheated and caught fire on Interstate 8 west in Lakeside, Monday.

Flames quickly spread to the truck’s load of over 40,000 pounds of raw meat according to the San Diego Union Tribune and LA Times, or 41,000 pounds, according to the Sacramento Bee, News Break and NBC.

The pungent smell of roast pork spread across the area.

East County News Service

July 8, 2020 (El Cajon) – The 600-member San Diego Regional East County Chamber of Commerce has announced its endorsement support of several East County candidates running for office in the Nov. 3 general election. The political races range from seats in the U.S. Congress to special districts, including city council and county supervisor races.

East County News Service

July 8, 2020  (San Diego) — San Diego Humane Society is offering virtual Animal Adventure Camp for the first time this summer to ensure a safe and healthy experience for all campers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kids going into second through fifth grades can enjoy seven weekly virtual camps through Aug. 7 and experience the fun of Animal Adventure Camp from the comfort of their own homes.

East County News Service

July 6, 2020 (San Diego) – The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR), one of the largest real estate trade groups for San Diego area realtors with an office in El Cajon, is inviting all San Diego-area realtors to participate in an online mayoral forum from 2 to 4 p.m., Friday, July 31, over the Zoom meeting platform with Barbara Bry and Todd Gloria, two candidates for the open seat for San Diego mayor in the November general election.

By Briana Gomez

Photo: Brooke Baines, left, Manzanita nation and Cynthia Parada, right, tribal councilwoman, La Posta Band of Mission Indians

July 6, 2020 (San Diego) - Approximately 200 people showed up in front of the San Diego Hall of Justice downtown Sunday afternoon to protest a border wall being built on sacred Kumeyaay land in East County. The protest was a seated, peaceful protest organized by Warriors of Awareness in conjunction with leaders and elected officials of local indigenous nations. 

Congressional candidate calls for new round of relief for businesses ordered to shut down again

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Dr. Wilma Wooten briefing (screenshot from video)

July 6, 2020 (San Diego) – Starting at midnight, all indoor service must stop in restaurants and wineries. Outdoor dining and activities can continue, as well as curbside pickup services.

Indoor family entertainment venues such as movie theaters and bowling alleys also must shut down, though outdoor facilities such as zoos can remain open.  The order is in effect for the next three weeks.

County health officials ordered the closures today in response to being placed on the state’s watchlist due to exceeding three COVID-19 pandemic trigger levels for positive cases in the past two weeks, the number of active community outbreaks, and a backlog in tracing new cases.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

July 6, 2020 (San Diego) -- The dog days of Summer have arrived. And the bad news it, it looks like more is in store this week with a long hot summer ahead.Each year, dozens of children and untold numbers of pets left in parked vehicles die from hyperthermia. Hyperthermia is an acute condition that occurs when the body absorbs more heat than it can handle.

Hyperthermia can occur even on a mild day. Studies have shown that the temperature inside a parked vehicle can rapidly rise to a dangerous level for children, pets and even adults. Leaving the windows slightly open does not significantly decrease the heating rate. The effects can be more severe on children because their bodies warm at a faster rate than adults.

Safety tips concerning children include but are not limited to:

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Dennis Richardson

July 5, 2020 (Sacramento) -- California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, as part of a multistate coalition, slammed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) proposal to change the way it awards incentives for the development of electric transmission projects.