June 29, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Expect traffic delays if you are traveling on I-8 through east County this afternoon. A two-car rollover on I-8 east at Pine Valley Road sparked a brush fire, forcing 150 cars to be turned around at Sunrise Highway and diverted onto Old Highway 80. The U.S. Forest Service is currently mopping up that blaze.
 

In addition, on I-8 near Crestwood Drive, further east, a vehicle has rolled three times and is on its side in the center divider, according to the San Diego SIG Alerts website.

Poll shows strong public support for plan; Rep. Hunter visits Afghanistan to meet with military officers

By Miriam Raftery

June 29, 2011 (San Diego) – A Gallup Poll shows 72% of Americans support President Barack Obama’s plan announced last week to withdraw thousands of U.S. troops from Afghanistan this year. Just 23% opposed the troop drawdown plan, and some want to see an even faster troop withdrawal.

Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-El Cajon), a veteran of the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars and member of the House Armed Services Committee, visited Afghanistan this week and met with General David Petraeus. He has voiced support for troop withdrawals, citing erosion of public support. But he called for a shift in focus toward counter-terrorism utilizing special operations forces, intelligence gathering capability and air assets.

June 28, 2011 (La Presa) -- A near fatal mistake on June 15, 2011 put the lives of seven family members in danger. Sheer luck in the actions of a 13 year old girl saves them all from death. 

June 27, 2011 (Sacramento) – The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today issued an update to its preliminary incident report on two 16,000 pound Sunrise Powerlink towers dropped by an air crane earlier this month.

According to the updated report, a new air crane has been provided by the manufacturer, Erickson. The new helicopter has undergone test  transporting and lifting heavy loads, and has now been approved to resume construction activities in East County.

June 27, 2011 (Lemon Grove) – A fire that started in a barbecue smoker at Coops West Texas Barbecue in Lemon Grove on June 23 spread to the roof. However Heartland Fire & Rescue firefighters quickly contained the blaze in about 15 minutes.

June 23, 2011 (San Diego) – An attorney representing local groups opposed to Sunrise Powerlink presented arguments in U.S. District Court yesterday in San Diego, seeking  to halt construction of the line on lands in East County owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.

Plaintiffs’ attorney Stephen Volker represented the Protect Our Communities Foundation, Backcountry Against Dumps and the East County Community Action Coalition. Volker argued that the BLM’s environmental review was inadequate and that its approval of Powerlink will increase the number of acres of protected lands open to development from 51 acres to 41,000 acres in McCain Valley, a scenic federally owned wilderness area.

County Seeks to Ensure Low-Income, Homebound Seniors Have Fresh, Local Produce

June 23, 2011 (San Diego) -- On Thursday June 15th, the County of San Diego is launched More on the Menu (MOM), a community-supported program that will deliver fresh, locally grown produce to the neediest of the County’s elderly home-delivered meal clients. Program recipients are homebound and unable to buy fruits and vegetables for themselves. The weekly bag of fresh produce will provide healthy snacks and supplement the nutritious lunch-time meal these older adults already receive.  

June 21, 2011 (El Cajon) – “We had some uninvited guests last night drive right up to our front porch. Check out the great parking job,” Jim Symington stated in an e-mail sent to ECM and friends.

The accident occurred last night around 10 p.m. at the home of Jim and Nikki Symington on Tyrone Street in the Fletcher Hills neighborhood. The car also knocked down powerlines, taking down power to some 200 residences ,according to Incident Page Network.

June 17, 2011 (San Diego) – Opponents of SDG&E’s Sunrise Powerlink hope to have their day in court on Tuesday, June 21. A lawsuit filed by three local organizations seeking an injunction to halt the Powerlink is set for hearing at 9 a.m. in U.S. District Court at 940 Front Street, Courtroom 3, in downtown San Diego.

Update:  The victim has been identified as a Cal-Trans worker who was clearing debris from the lane.

June 20, 2011 (San Diego)—A pedestrian has been struck and killed on the on-ramp from I-15 northbound to Highway 94 eastbound, Incident Page Network reports. The ramp is closed to traffic and a SIG Alert has been issued.

June 20, 2011 (San Pasqual) –A motorcycle riding with two other riders lost control as he braked around a corner yesterday at noon on San Pasqual Valley Road near Ysabel Creek Road in San Pasqual. He hit the guardrail and was thrown over it, according to Sgt. R. Hastings with the San Diego Police Department.

June 18, 2011 (Paradise Hills) – A 75-year-old woman has suffered injuries that are “life threatening” after her next-door-neighbor’s two pit bull dogs attacked her early this morning, according to Sgt. Ray Battrick with the San Diego Police Department.

Emako Mendoza was in the backyard of her home at 5800 Alllegheny Street in Paradise Hills when the dogs entered her yard through a hole in the fence.

Massive helicopters used in heavy-lifting operations such as Sunrise Powerlink

By Miriam Raftery

June 16, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Acting on a tip from a caller who said he used to work under sky cranes during forest fire operations, ECM has conducted an investigation into the safety record of massive sky crane helicopters such as the Erickson S-64F sky cranes that dropped two 16,000-pound tower sections last week during construction of SDG&E’s Sunrise Powerlink.
 

 “One significant issue not being reported is the number of aircraft they, Erickson, have lost due to mechanical issues or operator error,” said the caller, who asked not to be identified but indicated he has worked on a ground crew under the aircraft and has never worked for any Erickson competitor.  He provided details on several specific accidents which an ECM investigation has independently verified.

June 15, 2011 (Blossom Valley) – A paraglider called for help after crashing into a mountainside and suffering a back injury in Blossom Valley on the evening of June 13th.

He was hoisted out via helicopter and taken to El Monte Park in Lakeside. Mercy Air then transported the injured man to a local hospital.