March 21, 2014 (San Diego) - This week is Sunshine Week, shining a light on open government—or the lack of it.

Now, San Diego Councilmembers Marti Emerald and David Alvarez, along with Californians Aware are proposing open government guarantees be added to the city charter, the first known such action in the state.

By Miriam Raftery

March 20, 2014 (Washington D.C.)--The U.S. Treasury Inspector General  has issued a warning to taxpayers to beware of phone calls from people claiming to represent the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) but in reality these are scamsters seeking to defraud taxpayers.

“This is the largest scam of its kind that we have ever seen,” said J. Russell George, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. He said the agency has received reports of over 20,000 contacts and has become aware of thousands of victims who have collectively paid over $1 million as a result of the scam.

Memorial service set for March 29

March 18, 2014 (Santee) - “It is with great sorrow that we inform you of the death of one of our founding members, Elaine Murphy,” Rita Lee, Secretary of the Santee Historical Society wrote in an e-mail to members. “Ms. Murphy's great passion was the Santee Historical Society, and she was a leading force in reviving the Santee Historical Society after the death of Harriet Wade.  Ms. Murphy was President of the Santee Historical Society several times and was always there to give some helpful tips or a helping hand to any of our members.  Ms Murphy was not only part of the life’s blood of the Society, she was a dear friend. She will be sorely missed.”

March 17, 2014 (Julian)--The County is taking steps to buy more land at Volcan Mountain near Julian for open space. The Board of Supervisors voted Wednesday to hold a hearing April 16 to consider buying 114 acres of land located north of Banner Road and east of Farmer Road. The area is next to the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve.

Flawed Water Supply Plan for Electric Substations Results in Request to Revoke Planned Projects

By Sharon Penny; photo by Wayne Brammer

March 16, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--During one of the worst droughts in San Diego County history, a backcountry group has filed a complaint against San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) regarding its flawed water supply plan for construction of its ECO Substation (photo, left), Boulevard Substation, and 14 miles of new 138KV line.

Backcountry Against Dumps (BAD), a nonprofit organization dedicated to defending groundwater-dependent communities from environmentally unsafe facilities and projects, is seeking an order against SDG&E, contending that the company violated a mitigation measure (MM HYD-3) that would directly impact eastern San Diego’s already strained water supplies.  The complaint was filed with the California Public Utilities Commission (CUPC) and asks the CPUC to rescind SDG&E’s water supply plan and permit to construction the ECO substation project, among other actions.

March 16, 2014 (Barona) – Graciela Bustos, 53, of Ramona died at a local hospital of injuries sustained earlier in the evening on March 15 in a head-on collision.  The crash occurred at 6:37 p.m. on Wildcat Canyon Road on the Barona reservation.

The vehicle that swerved over the center line and caused the deadly crash was reportedly driven by a Barona tribal enforcement officer who was on duty at the time, a Cal Fire official told the Ramona Sentinel.  Bustos was a passenger and was wearing a seatbelt, the Medical Examiner reports. The driver of the vehicle carrying Bustos was seriously injured, sustaining injuries to his face, arm, leg and hip, according to the Ramona Sentinel.

By Miriam Raftery

March 16, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – “My wife, Robyn, died when she fell asleep while driving on April 6, 1999 in Texas,” retired California Highway Patrol Officer Phil Konstantin recalls. “She was driving back to San Diego from Florida, where she had just picked up a car from her mother.” 

Since then, Konstantin has championed the cause of warning others about the dangers of driving drowsy.  In 2005, the California Legislature proclaimed April 6th—the date Robyn Konstantin died –as Drowsy Driver Awareness Day. 

On Monday, March 17, Konstantin will be a guest on the East County Magazine Radio Show. Tune in at 5 p.m. on KNSJ 89.1 FM.

“I have always found it to be ironic that one of my duties  as  a California  Highway Patrol officer was to inform the public of the  dangers of driving  while drowsy. Yet, this is how my own wife died,” Konstantin says. “She was  an  excellent  driver. This just proves it can happen to anyone.” Ironically, she   drove past a freeway  rest area just moments before her crash, he added. You can learn more at his website: http://drowsydriverawarenessday.com and by scrolling down in this article.

March 12, 2014 (Spring Valley) – A Spring Valley teen who was hit and killed by a vehicle while crossing an intersection at La Presa Avenue and Jamacha Boulevard has been identified as Samual Garcia-Acedo, 15.

March 12, 2014 (La Mesa) – The Medical Examiner has identified John Mathew Hajosy, 28, of La Mesa as the driver killed by a wrong-way driver on State Route 94 shortly after 2 a.m. on February 23.

Public Service Announcement: San Diego County

March 13, 2014 (San Diego)--The County of San Diego needs your help in identifying potential storm water quality improvement projects.  Recently adopted regulations require that the County identify and pursue a variety of on-the-ground projects to improve regional storm water quality.  The first step in this process is to assess and locate potential projects that could be implemented.  

Project types that may be considered include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following categories:

• Stream or riparian area rehabilitation

• Retrofitting existing infrastructure (Green Streets, Low Impact Development, Treatment);

• Regional BMP’s (best management practices for stormwater treatment basins);
• Groundwater recharge projects (infiltration basins);

• Water supply augmentation projects (large cisterns); and

• Land purchases to preserve floodplain functions.

Project suggestions will be accepted until March 28, 2014.  Scroll down for details.

By Nadin Abbott

March 11, 2014 (San Diego) – Following an East County Magazine investigation that found a disparity in distribution of veterans’ services countywide, today the Board of Supervisors voted to expand veterans’ services from the current locations in urban areas to also include County libraries-- starting with Ramona, El Cajon, Pine Valley and Julian. Volunteers who are veterans themselves will staff these services.  

Supervisor Dianne Jacob introduced the proposal, emphasizing that many of the veterans who reside in rural areas of the County “cannot access the nine current locations.” So this expansion was needed.

March 12, 2014 (Ramona) – A kayaker found drowned at Lake Sutherland on March 1 has been identified as Leonard Kevin Jones, 57, a widower.  According to the Medical Examiner, dilated cardiomyopathy contributed to his death.

By Miriam Raftery

March 11, 2014 (Campo) – Why did the County offer sandbags at multiple locations in the recent storm, but none east of Alpine?  Campo resident Claudia Millerbragg indicated that at least four other people in her community wanted sandbags to protect their properties, but could not access them.

East County Magazine contacted Supervisor Dianne Jacob’s office and in turn, we received a  response from Sasra Agahi, a senior civil engineer in the flood control division of County Public Works, who indicated that as a result of our inquiry, sandbags should be available in Campo in time for a storm due next week.

March 8, 2014 (San Diego)--They are the first line of public safety. They answer calls from people during the worst moments of their lives. They give up family time, weekends and holidays; work graveyard shifts and make critical decisions during life and death situations. When a call for help is made, the voice on the other end is a Sheriff’s Dispatcher.

March 7, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - The San Diego County Sheriff's Department is asking for the public's help in finding 14-year-old Venicia Ortiz from Alpine.  Venicia was last seen on Wed. February 26. She is known to hang out along Imperial Avenue and 24th Street in the Grant Hill area of San Diego as well as National City and Chula Vista. She may be in the company of 28-year-old Edgar Morales.