May 2, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - Shortly before 7:30 p.m., Heartland Fire & Rescue crews from El Cajon responded to reports of a plane crash at Gillespie Field Airport.  As firefighters arrived on scene they found that a single engine Cessna had landed without its’ landing gear, sliding to a stop on the runway.

Precautions urged for farmers and people entering pigs in livestock competitons at fairs

By Miriam Raftery

May 3, 2014 (Sacramento) – A virus that is deadly to baby pigs has wiped out 10 percent of all pigs in America in the last year, the National Journal reports. 

According to the U.S Department of Agriculture’s Chief economist, Dr. Joseph Glauber, the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus , or PED, has spread to 30 states.

That includes California, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. The state's website does not list where in California the potent virus has been found.

Source: County News Service

May 3, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) --As temperatures rise, all sorts of wildlife emerge in the spring., which marks the start of rattlesnake season in San Diego County. As the reptiles come out of hibernation, it’s not uncommon to spot them locally, though bites are rare. Most sightings happen between now and October.

The County’s Department of Animal Services has removed dozens of rattlesnakes from residents’ homes and yards so far this month, said Dawn Danielson, Animal Services Director.

May 2, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - Ratepayers are feeling the pinch from higher utility bills due to rate hikes recently approved by the California Utilities Commission.

May 1, 2014 (San Diego County) - Ordinary citizens serving as senior volunteer patrol members are providing over $10 million worth of support services each year to law enforcement agencies in San Diego County. In an era of tight budgets, this is a significant asset to the community, according to a San Diego County Grand Jury report released this week.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Car on tree in San Diego, courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

April 30, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – High winds caused damage across East County today, with hurricane-force gusts up to 101 miles per hour  recorded on Sill Hill near Cuyamaca.  

In Buckman Springs, motorists trapped in a car beneath a fallen tree limb had to be rescued.  Interstate 8 east of Alpine was closed temporarily due to high winds. A fallen eucalyptus tree blocked Otay Lakes Road late this morning. Most tragically, a wind-whipped fire that scorched an acre near Plaza Bonita mall killed a person, whose burned body  was found near a transient camp.

Power outages occurred across East County. In Descanso, some residents were without power for 13 hours, from 6:30 a.m. until approximately 9:30 p.m., ECM correspondent Sharon Penny reports.

PHOTO: FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, seen here (top left) at a meeting in January in Oakland, has signaled his support for rules that may threaten net neutrality by allowing broadband service to some companies at higher speed for higher prices. A pushback by opponents is forming quickly. Photo credit: Mark Scheerer.

By Lori Abbott, California Public News Service

April 29, 2014 (Washington D.C.) – There will be speed lanes on the Internet if the Federal Communications Commission goes forward as Chairman Tom Wheeler signaled this week, allowing broadband Internet service providers such as Comcast or Time Warner Cable to charge content providers, including ESPN or Netflix, higher prices for faster download speeds.

By Miriam Raftery

April 27, 2014 (San Diego)--The California Energy Commission has granted a request from Cogentrix for a second one-year suspension of an application for the controversial Quail Brush gas-fired power plant proposed near Mission Trails Regional Park. That means the proposal remains alive, despite overwhelming community opposition.

Opponents of the project had urged the Commission to let the proposal die by denying Cogentrix’s request to extend the original suspension that expired in April.  Despite a barrage of protest comments, the Commission decided to extend the suspension until April 15, 2015.