By Miriam Raftery

December 23, 2013 (San Diego) – If you shopped at Target between November 27 and December 15, your credit card or debit card information may have been breached due to a hack.  Up to 40 million cardholders may be impacted.

Target says it’s begun notifying customers via email and letters of the potential for fraud on these accounts, and has alerted all of the credit networks of the affected card numbers.  The major credit card companies are alerting financial institutions as well so that they can take fraud protection steps.

Customers will NOT be responsible for any fraud that may occur on these accounts.

December 19, 2013 (Jamul) – Father Victor Mariestela, pastor at St. Pius X Church in Jamul, was struck head-on Tuesday night by a Ford Ranger while driving his SUV on Highway 94 west of Honey Springs Road.  He was flown by medical helicopter to Sharp Memorial hospital, suffering serious injuries including two broken legs, a broken hip and broken wrist.

December 17, 2013 (San Diego) – As part of its ongoing search, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is asking for the public’s help to locate Arielle Randall who vanished from Grand Prairie, Texas. Arielle may be in the company an unknown male, and may be in the Chula Vista area. Arielle, 16, was last seen on Nov. 13, 2013 leaving her home. She has not been seen or heard from since.

Arielle is Black and Hispanic, and has brown hair and eyes. She is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds. Her ears are pierced. 

The public is urged to call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) with any information concerning the disappearance or current whereabouts of Arielle. 

December 14, 2013 (La Mesa)-- It's time for East County Magazine's annual "Feasting & Merrymaking" party on Sunday, Dec. 15 from 3-7 p.m. in La Mesa!  To comply with county event requirements, this year's party is a private event open only to our subscribers. Fortunately, subscriptions are free!  Sign up at the top right side of the homepage to subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter, then email editor@eastcountymagazine.org for details and directions.

This year's event features great food including prime rib and chicken from Pinnacle Peak, salads and sliders from bridges, wines from San Pasqual Winery and Maness Vineyards,  lots of great prizes and surprises!  We also have VIP guests including Cogresswoman Susan Davis and representatives from the cities of La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Santee and El Cajon.  We hope to see you all there!

By Miriam Raftery

December 11, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Dangerous or toxic toys can still be found on America’s store shelves, according to U.S. Public Interest Research Group’s 28th annual Trouble in Toyland report.  The survey of hazardous toys found that despite recent progress, consumers must still be wary when shopping this holiday season.

December 10, 2013 (Otay) – Elected officials and business leaders from the U.S. and Mexico will hold a groundbreaking ceremony today on a new state highway project aimed at reducing border wait times and improving cross-border commerce.  State Route 11  will be a four-lane highway connecting a planned port of entry, Otay Mesa East, to the state highway system.

The 2.5-mile project will be built in three segments. The $112 million Segment 1, starting construction now, will include connectors to SR 905, plus a stretch of new highway from SR 905 east to Enrico Fermi Drive. Segments planned for the future will extend the highway to the border and create a new border crossing.

Local San Diego organizations unite to call for aid for survivors of  catastrophic tragedy

December 4, 2013 (San Diego)--The devastation of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda has displaced approximately 4.4 million people—one million of whom are children. More than 26,000 have been injured, over 5,600 have lost their lives, and 1,759 are still missing. The numbers are staggering and continue to rise.

On Friday, December 6 at 6 p.m., United Domestic Workers of America (UDW)/American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 3930 (AFSCME Local 3930) and the San Diego Chapter of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) with 13 other local and national organizations will hold a candlelight vigil at the headquarters of UDW on 4855 Seminole Drive, San Diego, CA 92115. There will be a prayer service and lighting of candles in remembrance of those affected. Monetary donations will also be accepted to benefit relief efforts.

Update: SDGE now reports that 936 customers may be without power until 4 p.m. today.

December 3, 2013 (La Mesa)--An estimated 1,568 homes remain without power in west La Mesa, where an outage at 3:27 a.m. initially left nearly 3,800 customers without electricity.

San Diego Gas & Electric anticipates full power restoration at 9 a.m.  The utility has not released the cause at this time.

NOTE: CORRECTED DATE

View map of all energy projects in our region to see cumulative impacts and disparate impact on rural areas

Judge to Decide Whether to Have Hearings on Nearly Half Billion Dollar SDG&E Power Line Project That Opponents Say Threatens Back Country Communities

January 31, 2014 (Alpine)--The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold a prehearing conference at 1:30 p.m. February 5 in the Oak Room of the Alpine Community Center, 1830 Alpine Blvd. in Alpine regarding proposed SDG&E’s Master Special Use Permit project that wouldl impact communities throughout the San Diego backcountry from Pauma Valley to Potrero (north to south) and from Ramona to Boulevard (west to east). The project is so large that SDG&E estimates construction will take about five years. 

Administrative Law Judge Jean Vieth will determine if there will be full evidentiary hearings for this project or if this prehearing conference will be the only time the issues are heard. "In its application, SDG&E asked the CPUC for permission to construct this $418.5 million project without any hearings at all—their usual method of operation,"Backcountry Against Dumps, a nonprofit community organization, states in a press release.

Donna Tisdale, President of Backcountry against Dumps and Chair of the Boulevard Planning Group, voiced these concerns. “SDG&E’s project is being sold solely as fire-hardening but it appears to be an undisclosed stealth increase in carrying capacity that may directly or indirectly support numerous commercial solar projects that are already proposed along or near the route in Boulevard, Pine Valley, Descanso, Potrero, Julian, Ramona, and perhaps elsewhere that we are not yet aware of. Solar generation projects represent potential new fire ignition sources that cannot be de-energized during red flag wind events or other emergencies.”

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

November 28, 2013 (El Cajon)--A police pursuit in El Cajon ended in the death of Carl Lee Denmark, 22, a resident of Santa Ysabel.

Denmark was driving a stolen motorcycle at a high rate of speed with El Cajon Police officers in pursuit on November 9 when he lost control and was ejected, then run over by a vehicle.  The accident occurred on Graves Avenue near the 67 interchange at Broadway.

November 27, 2013 (Julian) -- The County Medical Examiner has identified Greg Dwight Conitz, 56, of Julian as the man whose body was found floating in Oceanside Harbor on bn November 23.

On November 22, Conitz went to stay on his boat in a slip at Oceanside Harbor. That night, he went with friends to local bars and consumed alcohol, the Medical Examiner's report states. The next morning, another friend found Conitz floating in the weater yet another boat at slip#2. 

November 26, 2013 (Alpine) – Two days ago, we reported on a historic quilt gone missing in Alpine. Today, Alpine Historical Society President Carlette Anderson sent us this good news.

"This morning I went to the club house to let a couple of members into the basement. I went into the kitchen for a glass of water and couldn't believe my eyes. There, laying flat, on the kitchen table was the historic quilt and the throw, with no note. It is an Alpine Woman's Club Mystery with a very happy ending."

By Miriam Raftery

November 24, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- This week, the hottest meeting in town will be the Boulevard Planning Group, which has a busy agendawith many major items slated for its meeting on Thursday, December 5 at 7 p.m. in the Boulevard Fire Training/Community Room, 39919 Ribbon Wood Road in Boulevard.  View full agenda.

Planners will hold a question and answer session on a new Boulevard Fire Station – and consider whether a moratorium should be requested for new large-scale commercial projects until Boulevard Fire Stations are verifiably staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The agenda also includes major energy projects and some controversial water issues.

By Miriam Raftery

November 22, 2013 (La Mesa) – Several directors of the Helix Water Board indicated a willingness to vote to close Lake Jennings permanently or at least remove camping facilities and end fish stocking to save funds. But in the end, after public testimony and a proposal by director Joel Scalzitti, the board unanimously voted to form a committee to see if an alternative can be found.

Carlos Lugo, General Manager, led off the hearing earlier this month by stating that a  September workshop on the issue did not have a high attendance.  The lake has been a financial drain on the district and a consultant’s analysis predicted that even investing in major upgrades would not result in a profit.

View speech on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhupT9o-nxk

Read full text of speech:http://library.sdsu.edu/sites/default/files/JFK-Transcript_0.pdf

By Miriam Raftery

November 21, 2013 (San Diego) – Tomorrow marks the 50^th anniversary of that fateful day in Dallas, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.   Like so many Americans, I remember the moment when I heard the news.  I was in second grade and the teacher started crying as she broke the news.  It hit me hard, since just a few months earlier, Mom had pulled me out of class and taken me to watch the young President’s motorcade downEl Cajon Boulevard in the College area. 

He had just delivered a commencement speech on June 6, 1963 at San Diego State University’s Aztec Bowl, after being the first to receive an honorary doctoral degree through a California state university.  Kennedy told SDSU graduates, "As a nation, we have no deeper concern, no older commitment and no higher interest than a strong, sound and free system of education for all...In fulfilling this obligation to ourselves and our children, we provide for the future of our nation—and for the future of freedom." He reflected on the educated founders of our nation, the importance of an educated populace for the future, and the disparities in educational opportunities across the nation.