By Miriam Raftery

February 16, 2019 (Boulevard) – The County will be holding a scoping meeting February 28 at 6 p.m. at the Boulevard Fire Station regarding Terra Gen’s Boulder Brush Gen-tie power line and new substation facilities proposed on private land to support the Campo Wind project.

The wind turbines would cover most of the Campo reservation with 60 4-megawatt wind turbines, if approved. The new turbines are twice as powerful and about 100 to 200 feet taller than the existing 25 Kumeyaay Wind and 57 Tule Wind turbines in the area, according to Donna Tisdale, chair of the Boulevard Community Planning Group.  The public is encouraged to come voice your views as part of the official public input process at this meeting.

Public comments are due to the County by March 18. 

By Miriam Raftery

February 15, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – Yesterday’s Valentine’s Day storm dropped 10.10 inches of snow on Palomar Mountain, breaking a record of 9.58 inches set way back in 1901. The storm also brought sweet relief to drought-stricken Borrego Springs, dropping 2.68 inches of rain on the desert community.  Other new records included Ramona with 4.02 inches, Campo with 3.75 inches, and Alpine with 2.94 inches.

Lillian Trautman of El Cajon sent in the video above, showing her El Cajon yard turned into a rushing torrent of water.

Action comes on heels of countywide firearms trafficking investigation

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

Photo: Capt. Marco Garmo,10 News

February 14, 2019 (Rancho San Diego) -- Capt. Marco Garmo, who most recently headed up the Rancho San Diego substation of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department has been placed on an administrative leave until further notice, according to ECM news partner 10News.

On the same day that the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted raids throughout San Diego County, including the large sprawling Jamul estate of San Diego jeweler Leo Hamel due to a firearms trafficking investigation, Garmo was put on leave. The Rancho San Diego substation covers the same area of Hamel’s property.

Sheriff Gore, in a e-mail obtained by 10News yesterday, states that he was made aware of potential criminal conduct by Garmo by a senior member of the Sheriff’s Department, and implies that the removal of Garmo is linked to the broader federal investigation involving Hamel’s properties.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

February 13, 2019 (Jamul) – A mansion in Rancho Jamul Estates owned by prominent jeweler Leo Hamel was raided today by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Some of his jewelry stores were also searched in connection with a firearms trafficking case, 10 News reports.

In 2016, Hamel ran for the California State Assembly as a Republican, seeking to represent most of East County. Despite announcing that he had dropped out before the primary election, his name remained on the ballot and he advanced to the November run-off, but was defeated by Randy Voepel.

By Miriam Raftery

February 13, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) --  A strong atmospheric river storm system with "pineapple connections" (Hawaii origin) will arrive tonight and bring periods of heavy rain late and thunderstorms tonight through Thursday. Mountains could receive 4 to 10 inches of rain, with 2 to 4 inches in valleys and coastal areas and up to an inch in the desert.

The National Weather Service advises that widespread heavy rainfall is expected across the entire area with potential for significant flooding of low lying, poor drainage, and urbanized areas with debris flows possible near recent burn scars. High winds will also be a concern in the mountains and deserts.

A new archive of hundreds of letters between a group of volunteers and asylum seekers along the U.S.-Mexico border has been developed and is being digitized at the SDSU Library.

By La Monica Everett-Haynes

February 13, 2019 (San Diego) - What began as a casual gathering of friends has become a first-of-its-kind living archive of handwritten letters shared by hundreds of asylum seekers detained along the U.S.-Mexico border. Those letters, in the collective correspondence, provide a detailed description of each person’s path to pursuing asylum, and the conditions inside detention centers. 

By José A. Álvarez, County of San Diego Communications Office

February 12, 2019 (San Diego) - The County Board of Supervisors today voted to allow the Health and Human Services Agency to apply for and receive about $125 million to help people with serious mental illness and who are homeless or at risk of losing their home.

“Our office has been receiving calls from constituents indicating that they are receiving calls with messages indicating their Social Security number has been suspended,”  Michael Harrison, District Chief of Staff/Communications Director for Hunter states in an email sent today. “Please let your groups know that this is a scam and a fraud to obtain private information and can lead to identity theft.  Do not participate in these calls.  Your Social Security number is never suspended and the Social Security Administration does not contact people by phone, only by mail.  The same is true for the IRS. 

Update February 13, 2019: Judge Whitney has issued a final ruling keeping the City of Lemon Grove as a defendant in this case.

By Miriam Raftery

February 11, 2019 (Lemon Grove) – A witness has disputed a key claim made by Lemon Grove Councilman David Arambula in a civil suit filed by marijuana dispensary applicant Christopher Williams against Arambula and Lemon Grove.  Williams alleges that he Arambula cut his face with a beer bottle, bit, choked and punched him after a meeting at Arambula’s home regarding the dispensary application.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: ABC news screenshot

February 7, 2019 (Washington D.C.) – Despite more than 90 complaints of BMW luxury vehicles bursting into flames while parked with engines turned off, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is not actively investigating the causes.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: ABC news screenshot

February 6, 2019 (Washington D.C.) – Despite more than 90 complaints of BMW luxury vehicles bursting into flames while parked with engines turned off, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is not actively investigating the causes.

ABC News first reported the problem back in May of 2017 and called for a federal investigation. Since then, more than 30 new BMW fires have occurred—and still the federal government has failed to take action to protect consumers, Jason Levine, executive director at the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, told ABC this month.

The BMW company has recalled over a million vehicles since that 2017 report ran. But ABC found fires have occurred recently among models not on the recall list.

By Miriam Raftery

February 6, 2019 (Santee) -- During his State of the Union address, President Donald Trump spoke on issues ranging from the economy to immigration, also honoring the upcoming 75^th anniversary of D-Day.  Joseph Reilly of Santee, a D-Day paratrooper, was among three World War II veterans whom Trump praised as “incredible heroes.”

Trump took credit for an improving economy and urged “unity” to avoid a future shutdown. He called for an end to “foolish wars” and what he called “partisan investigations” of his administration amid the special prosecutor’s investigation. 

Despite calls for unity, his speech repeatedly argued for funding for a border wall. He cited San Diego, calling for a ““smart, strategic, see-through steel barrier — not just a simple concrete wall.” The president has threatened to invoke a national emergency to build the border wall in order to keep out migrant caravans of immigrants seeking asylum.

East County News Service

February 4, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning in effect now through 4 a.m. Wednesday for heavy snow in the mountains of San Diego’s East County. 

The snow level could dip down to 2500 to 3500 feet, with six to 12 inches of snow above 4500 to 5000 feet.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Storm systems driven by atmospheric river, courtesy National Weather Service

February 3, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – Three days of storms across San Diego have brought much-needed precipitation.  As of 9 a.m. Sunday morning, with more rain on the way, the National Weather Service reports  many portions of East County received two inches of rain or more.