December 15, 2012 (La Mesa) – A passenger has died after being ejected from a truck that collided with a raised concrete wall on the elevated ramp from westbound I-8 to southbound State Route 125 in La Mesa. According to CHP Officer Brian Pennings, the driver “failed to maintain control due to his unsafe speed for current conditions” on a rain-slicked roadway.

The 2000 GMC box-style truck driven by Jaime Espinoza, 32, of San Diego was propelled across both lanes after striking a concrete wall, then smashed again into another concrete wall on the shoulder. The force of the second collision propelled the right front passenger through the windshield and onto southbound SR-125 below.

December 17, 2012 (San Diego) – A cold front is predicted to sweep through the county on Tuesday, with moderate to heavy rain and snow accumulating above 4500 feet. Dense fog will make travel difficult in mountain areas at night, the National Weather Service warns. In addition, a wind advisory is in effect for inland valley areas.

The weather is expected to improve Thursday through Saturday, though another storm is possible next Sunday or Monday—and with it, the prospect of a white Christmas for East County’s mountain communities.

By Miriam Raftery

December 13, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Following today’s heavy rains, snowfall is forecast to blanket local mountains as low as the 4,000 foot level tonight with several inches of snow at higher elevations. 

Flooding caused several serious accidents, including a semi-truck collision in the Bonita area and a fatal school bus –car collision on I-805.  Normally dry culverts and flood channels in the Mount Helix, Spring Valley and Bonita areas overflowed.

Photo courtesy 10 News

December 13, 2012 (Ramona) – A school bus mechanic, 32, from Ramona has died of injuries following a collision .  The mechanic was working to repair a San Diego Unified School District bus that had broken down on the right shoulder of I-805 southbound under El Cajon Boulevard at 6:55 a.m. when a 2005 Nissan Altima driver lost control in heavy rain and slammed into the bus.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the Nissan driver, a 41-year-old woman, lost control due to her speed on the wet roadway. Her vehicle struck the rear of the bus, trapping the mechanic in the engine compartment and causing serious injuries.

December 13, 2012 (Bonita) 8:35 a.m. -- Avoid 805 through the Bonita and Southbound areas this morning, where major flooding is reported by CHP and at least two serious accidents have occurred.  At I-805 south in Bonita, a four-vehicle collision has occurred including a semi-truck, CHP report.  At I-805 and Meade, IPN reports an accident involving two school buses with a driver trapped in the engine compartment.

By Miriam Raftery

December 12, 2012 (El Cajon ) – Cindy Waddell graduated from Grossmont High School in 1976 and later lived in Scripps Ranch, earning her nursing degree from San Diego State Universtiy before moving to Oregon. Also known as Cindy Passalacqua and later Cindy Yuille, she lost her life in a shooting rampage yesterday at the Clackamas Town Center shopping mall near Portland, Oregon.

Former neighbor Linda Hughes recalled the slain woman as a “devoted mother, a sweet person,” ECM news partner 10 News reports. She was working as a hospice nurse in Oregon at the time of her death.

By Nadin Abbott

December 10, 2012 (San Diego)-- The mood was defiant as workers from throughout San Diego County converged at 750 B Street in downtown San Diego for a rally to protect Social Security and the rest of the social safety. This event was one of a hundred rallies held today around the nation urging Congress not to slash benefits as the "fiscal cliff" deadline approaches. Several rallies were held locally, including protests at San Diego’s Congressional members offices as well as downtown.

December 7, 2012 (San Diego)--In a stunning unanimous vote Tuesday, the San Diego City Council supported a Constitutional amendment to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which allowed virtually unlimited corporate donations to political campaigns. The vote was 8-0 to limit the power of money in politics, with one absent councilmember not voting.

The resolution asks Congress to begin the process to amend the U.S. Constitution to overturn the Supreme Court’s 2010 decision Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission “so that the expenditure of corporate money to influence the electoral process is no longer a form of constitutionally protected speech.”

December 8, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning  starting tonight at 6 p.m. through Tuesday at 2 p.m. for San Diego’s inland valleys.  A red flag alert means conditions for wildfire danger are high.

In addition, a high wind warning has been issued from now through 4 p.m. Monday by the National Weather Service in San Diego.  A dense fog advisory has also been issued for tonight and tomorrow morning.  Use caution if you must drive during these conditons.

Backcountry residents concerned about potential proactive electricicty shutdowns due to high winds can monitor SDG&E's website for updates at http://www.sdge.com/tools/windspeed-dashboard

San Diego’s County Clerk “ready to respond immediately”; marriages could resume soon if court finds Prop 8 challengers lack legal standing to appeal

By Miriam Raftery

December 7, 2012 (Washington D.C.) – The U.S. Supreme Court today announced that it will review  two cases involving same-sex marriage, including an appeal by petitioners seeking to overturn Proposition 8 including former San Diego State Senator Dennis Hollingsworth. 

California voters initially voted to legalize same-sex marriage, but later passed Proposition 8 which banned same-sex marriages. California’s Attorney General refused to appeal Prop 8 to the Supreme Court after the 9th circuit court of appeal found it unconstitutional. Thus other petitioners appealed including Hollingsworth, leader of the group Protect Marriage, asking the high court to strike down the 9th court ruling.

Acorn-clogged heater, CO detector created grave danger

December 7, 2012 (Ramona)--Three people were taken by ambulance to UCSD to be treated for high levels of carbon monoxide yesterday. Fortunately, they were released later and are expected to recover. But their ordeal is a reminder of the importance of inspecting and maintaining furnaces, as well as having a working carbon monoxide detector, County officials warn.

At approximately 9:30 a.m. Thursday, a 911 call was made from the 24000 block of Highway 78 reporting a medical emergency of a patient that was possibly cardiac in nature. Shortly after a second person in the same household became ill, the person making the 911 call became unresponsive to dispatchers. 

Memorial service planned December 8 in Lakeside

December 6, 2012 (San Diego's East County) – Maria Ines Heimpel, who taught  languages for more than three decades at Helix High School in La Mesa and volunteered for humanitarian causes in San Diego and Tijuana, died peacefully in her home on November 27, 2012.

Her lifelong concern for those in need led to her involvement with a clinic and an orphanage in Tijuana. She also participated as an interpreter with the Mercy Outreach Surgical Team, a group of doctors performing free surgical procedures for poor children in Mexico.

“She was a people person and as a teacher, genuinely interested in each of her students, going out of her way to help them,” fellow teacher and  friend Jean Costa said.  “She was a positive influence on the lives of so many young people and on the lives of people who knew her.”

$1 Billion Loss Experienced By Winter Sports Industry, Future Impacts Could be Larger; Consequences for states including CA listed

December 6, 2012 (San Diego's East County)– A new economic analysis details how the $12.2 billion winter tourism industry spread out across 38 states has experienced an estimated $1 billion loss and up to 27,000 fewer jobs over the last decade due to diminished snow fall patterns and the resulting changes in the outdoor habits of Americans, according to the new study prepared for the nonprofit groups Protect Our Winters (POW) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

Potentially, diminished snowfall could have impacts here in San Diego, where mountain areas such as Julian, Mount Laguna, Cuyamaca and Palomar Mountain thrive on tourism during the winter months.

By Carrie Wilson 

December 4, 2012 (San Dieg's East County) -- The California Fish and Game Department has provided the following answers to questions commonly asked about hunting and fishing in California.

When Fishing with Kids, What's Required?

Question: I was always taught as a kid fishing in the streams in the high Sierras and Mother Lode lakes that a child under 16 had to count their catches under their licensed parent’s or other adult’s license on site.

My question is, can a child capable of catching their own fish without assistance from an adult catch a limit of trout, for example, separate from a licensed adult? I see this come up with parents who want to take their kids fishing (and the kids really want to learn how to fish!), but the parents are not interested enough to buy a fishing license.

Despite disturbing finding, Edison seeks to restart trouble-prone nuclear facility

Hearing Nov. 30 in Laguna Hills as nine cities voice concerns over safety issues

By Miriam Raftery

November 30, 2012 (San Diego)—Southern California Edison has notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of possible sabotage at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating facility, after finding coolant poured in the oil reservoir of an emergency backup generator at Unit 3, Energy News reports.

The FBI is taking over the investigation and criminal charges are possible, according to a plant employee who spoke under condition of anonymity, fearing reprisals, Huffington Post reported yesterday. The NRC has confirmed that Edison reported potential sabotage,Energy News reported.

"The FBI is aware of the alleged security incident that occurred at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating (SONGS) Station.  The FBI is presently reviewing the facts and circumstances concerning this incident," Special agent Darrell Foxworth with the FBI told ECM. "At this time there is no indication that this incident is terrorism related."

Previous news stories have speculated that a disgruntled employee could be the culprit due to recent layoff announcements.

Failure of emergency generators at Fukushima were key factors in that plant’s meltdown last year.  A meltdown at San Onofre would force evacuation of San Diego, portions of East County and also parts of Orange and Riverside counties and could potentially leave the region contaminated for generations.