This is the latest in a series on homeless persons in East County based on first-person accounts. Because voices of the homeless are seldom heard in the media, this provides an ongoing platform for the homeless to relay their unfiltered stories. If you are homeless, or know of a homeless individual willing to be interviewed, please contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org.

By Richard Darvas

June 28, 2010 (El Cajon) -- Lucy has lived a rootless life. In a recent interview with East County Magazine, the 46-year-old homeless woman detailed how she lost her way. (To shield her children from untoward attention, she is using a pseudonym for this article.)

“I am persuaded that this project will not be built. It was conceived in secrecy ….sold with misleading information.” – Stephen Volker, attorney

Anonymous donor pledges to match donations for legal battle up to $20,000

June 23, 2010 (9:55 p.m.)  - California Highway Patrol announced shortly after 9:30 p.m. that it would reopen Highway 54, which was closed this evening due to a brush fire near Plaza Bonita and I-805.

The fire started in the Sweetwater River bed near a homeless encampment. According to some reports, explosions were hurt that may have been from propane tanks.  No structures were lost.

Local tragedy on Father's Day serves as grim reminder of need for pool safety

East County News Service

June 22, 2010 (San Diego's East County) - As the Father's Day drowning of an East County child tragically illustrates, pool safety is an important matter for all pool owners and parents to follow. In California, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in toddlers ages one to four. 

George e. Lucia Sr., Valley Center Fire Prevention District Captain/Fire Marshal, offersthis advice to prevent child drownings, including pool safety and rescue tips:

June 22, 2010 (San Diego) - A Mexican court has suspended operations of a liquid-natural gas (LNG) plant operated by Sempra, parent company of San Diego Gas & Electric Company.  The order follows a dispute over ownership of a parcel adjacent to the terminal site.  

June 18, 2010 (San Diego) – Two-year-old Jovani Louangxaysongxham was killed this morning after running out in front of a trash truck, the San Diego Coroner's office confirms.  The child’s mother was assisting an older sibling into a vehicle when the two-year-old spotted his father across the street from the family’s home at 1100 South 43rd Street and ran into the roadway. He was struck by an Allied Waste Service trash truck and became trapped beneath the vehicle.

June 14, 2010 (San Diego's East County) -- A 5.7 earthquake struck 5 miles southeast of Ocotillo, near the San Diego County line,  at 9:38 p.m.  The jolt, originally reported as a 5.9, was later downgraded by the U.S. Geological Service, was felt throughout San Diego but most strongly in communities in East County.

A dozen aftershocks have already struck in the first 20 minutes after the initial quake. In addition, a 3.0 quake was centered 11 miles east of Pine Valley in San Diego County. 

"It was a pretty long jolt," said Sharon Courmousis, owner of Sacred Rocks RV Park in Boulevard, an East County community which she estimates is 20 to 30 miles from the quake's epicenter. "We've had a lot of aftershocks but no damage.  I was sitting in my RV.  It really rolled us, but nothing jolted off its pedestal."

June 13, 2010 (Otay Mesa) – David Victor William Ogison of Ontario, Canada died June 10th after his parasail apparently collapsed and he crashed into a ravine in the Otay Lakes/Jamul area, the San Diego Medical Examiner’s office reports.

By Miriam Raftery

June 13, 2010 (El Cajon ) – A 50 to 75-foot-high geyser of water spewed skyward in El Cajon on Friday morning, visible from as far away as Interstate 8. The gusher resulted from a hit-and-run driver whose truck backed into a fire hydrant on Taft Street, just south of East Main Street.

Story and photos by Miriam Raftery

June 11, 2010 (Sacramento) - The California State Senate unanimously passed Assembly Concurrent Resolution 131, which grants historic designation to the portion of Highway 94 from Jamacha Road in Rancho San Diego to the junction with Historic Route 80. Authored by Assemblyman Joel Anderson (R-El Cajon), the Resolution previously passed the Assembly and is now law.

June 7, 2010 - Courtesy of PBS, here is live video of the oil leak in the Gulf, along with a counter keeping tabs of how many gallons are estimated to have flooded the Gulf Coast region, where tar balls have now come ashore in at least four states:

Update June 4: Santee's lottery winnery has come forward to claim winnings, but asked not to be publicly identified.

June 3, 2010 (Sacramento)—If you bought a California Lottery ticket in Santee recently, you might be the lucky winner of a $23 million jackpot. A ticket sold at Vons Grocery at 9643 Mission Gorge Road matched all six numbers in last night’s SuperLotto Plus. The winning numbers are 8, 7, 15, 11, 31 and the Mega number is 27.

June 2, 2010 (Santee) -- All service has been halted to the Gillespie Field and Santee Town Center trolley stations due to a downed plane in Santee. The plane came down on Cuyamaca Street at Prospect Avenue, where the trolley operates in the median, and took with it an estimated 150 feet of catenary wire which powers the trolley. The stations are expected to be closed through Thursday.

The plane had taken off from Gillespie Field when the pilot experience mechanical problems and turned back. The plane clipped trolley lines, crashing upside down onto a roadway.  Rescue workers had to wait for trolley lines to be deenergized before rescuing the pilot and sole occupant, who complained of numbness in his arm and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.  

Update 9:50 a.m. CHP reports a fatality and several patients transported to a trauma center.

June 1, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – A SIG Alert has been issued for Highway 125, where a Border Patrol vehicle has overturned and is on fire, Incident Page Network reports. Three to four other vehicles are also involved in a collision, blocking all lanes. 

Conflicting reports list the nearest exit as both Palm and Jamacha.  Onramps from 94, Spring Street and other areas are being shut down.   According to dispatch reports, a beige SUV came from the north lanes into the south lines, colliding with other vehicles. CHP is on the scene and rescue crews are in route.

Update 3 p.m. Cal-Fire reports that both fatalities were visitors to the home. Four other people escaped the fire, including one female who was transported to an emegency facility for treatment of smoke inhalation.

May 31, 2010 (Shelter Valley) – A modular home fire iat 7523 Gunslinger Trail in Shelter Valley near Julian overnight has resulted in two fatalities, the County Coroner's office reports. “When firefighters arrived, the modular home was fully involved,” said Cal-Fire Battalion Chief Nick Schuler.