Conservation Leader Tapped To Direct State Conservancy

January 31, 2013 (San Diego)--The Governing Board of the San Diego River Conservancy (SDRC) announced the appointment of Kevin McKernan as its Executive Officer. McKernan, who currently serves as Executive Officer for the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy, will assume his new position in March.

January 31, 2013 (Santa Ysabel/Ramona) – Highway 78 is shut down due to a fatality accident involving downed power lines. The rollover crash was reported close to 1 p.m. with occupants trapped inside the vehicle.  A Sig Alert has been issued. Highway 78 is closed in both directions from Old Julian Highway to the junction of Highways 78 and 79 in Santa Ysabel, CHP reports.

January 29, 2013 (San Diego) -- Today, the City Council met in Closed Session to address civil enforcement actions that were filed against marijuana dispensary operators and property owners to compel compliance with the City’s zoning laws.

On a unanimous vote (with Councilmember Faulconer absent) and with agreement by the Mayor, the Council directed the City Attorney not to dismiss the cases. In order to preserve the status quo, the current zoning laws will be enforced. Dispensaries should not open in violation of existing laws.

By Tom Lemon

January 30, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- The International Space Station is returning to the sky over The East County and will be visible tomorrow morning. You don't need a telescope or binocs. The brightest pass will be Thursday morning, January 31, visit the NASA site at this link for times and where to look:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/view.cgi?country=United_States&region=California&city=San_Diego

January 27, 2013 (Sacramento)--Distracted driving is a serious safety concern for all drivers throughout California, especially teen drivers.  Eighty percent of vehicle crashes involve some kind of driver distraction. Talking on the cell phone or texting is the main source of driver distraction.  The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is urging teenage drivers to stop texting, put away cell phones, and focus on driving.  In an effort save lives, CHP along with Impact Teen Drivers will be conducting a year-long teen distracted driving traffic safety campaign through September 2013. 

By Miriam Raftery and Nadin Abbott

January 27, 2013 (El Cajon)- San Diego Sheriff today announced the arrest of Darin Williams in connection to an early morning fire that caused an estimated $250,000 in damage to St. Gregory of Nyssa Greek Orthodox Christian Church in the unincorporated area of El Cajon.  Williams s charged with arson, burglary and a hate crime, said Sergeant E. J. Dayitt.

The suspect was released last week from a psychiatric institution and became upset when the church’s priest, Simeon Corona, told him he could no longer stay at a parishioner’s home if he woud not take his medications,  U-T San Diego reports.  The priest called Williams, 38,  a “troubled man.”

Hunter among those voted against extending protections to all women

By Miriam Raftery

January 26, 2013 (San Diego’s East County ) – One in four women has been a victim of domestic violence and nearly one in five has been raped during their lifetime, the Center for Disease Control reports.  Yet last year, House Republicans blocked reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act  (VAWA),  allowing it to expire rather than approve a Democratic proposal to expand  protections  from domestic violence for  Native American women, immigrant women and gay women.  

Now,  programs  funded by VAWA  for all women are in danger of disappearing, unless Congress takes action. Nationwide, VAWA supporters are organizing efforts to persuade Congress to pass a newly introduced VAWA bill before funds for all VAWA programs run out.

Advocates  of last session's VAWA measure hoped to end discrimination that has prevented  many women from getting help after violent assaults. Native American women are 2.5 times more likely to be sexually assaulted than any other racial group; one in three has been raped.  Undocumented immigrant women are often afraid to report domestic violence for fear of deportation. Battered women in same-sex relationships have been discriminated against when seeking shelter 45% of the time.

January 26, 2013 (Campo) -- Underage drinkers, empty lots littered with empty beer bottles and irresponsible alcohol retailers have residents speaking out after a recent community meeting to voice their concerns about youth access to alcohol in Back Country areas.

Boulevard resident Tammy Daubach said she noticed teens drinking in the empty lot near her home in Boulevard. She explained kids frequent the empty lot to ride their BMX bikes on the dirt tracks. “When the kids need to fill their motor bikes at the gas station nearby, they gas up and get their stuff. You constantly see the trash back there. We’ll go out with bags to pick it all up and find chips and wine coolers and little liquor bottles, all of that.”

$10 Million Returned to San Diegans in 2012

January 25, 2012 (San Diego)--County officials and community partners kick off the 2013 campaign to help low-income families and individuals boost their federal tax refunds by taking advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and applying for CalFresh (food stamps). 

From Jan. 30 through April 15, hundreds of volunteers and college students will file income taxes for free at nearly 100 sites across the County. They will also screen families to determine if they qualify for CalFresh benefits. Residents can call 2-1-1 for more information. 

An ECM special investigative report:

Serious questions raised over industry claims on wind production here and around the world

By Miriam Raftery

Photos and videos by Jim Pelley

January 23, 2013 (Ocotillo) – Since taxpayer dollars were used to fund the destruction of public lands for the Ocotillo Wind Energy Facility, why won’t the federal government tell us how much power the project is producing?

Engineer and award-winning photojournalist Jim Pelley lives in Ocotillo.   A series of videos shot nearly each day since the wind project went online December 5, 2012 raises serious questions.  Turbines are not  turning , or scarcely moving,  in nearly all of the videos shot in December and January.  Wind speed readings and weather reports further suggest wind speed measurements are far below the minimum needed for the project to produce any power at all—let alone the levels claimed by developer Pattern Energy.

When the project went online December 5, Pattern claimed that with wind forecasts looking “favorable” it expected to power more than 125,000 homes. http://news.yahoo.com/video/controversial-ocotillo-wind-farm-goes-025000610.html.  But Ocotillo residents have long voiced concerns that their area lacks sustained strong winds needed to power the massive, controversial wind project on public lands that has been opposed by tribes, environmental groups and most residents.

After viewing videos bolstering concerns over lack of wind, East County Magazine sought public records to learn how much power has been produced.  The shocking result?  Federal and state authorities claim they don't know--and further, that public officials and the public have no right to find out.

Board directs action to plan long-term for the ground water’s sustainability

By Janis Mork

January 21, 2013 (San Diego)- At the January 9th meeting of the San Diego Board of Supervisors, all five Supervisors voted to direct the chief administrative officer to work with Borrego Water District to design a plan to address the long-term sustainability of  groundwater in the Borrego Valley and to report back with a potential recommendation.

Update January 23: The board passed this resolution, joining several Coastal City Councils in calling for an adjudicated license amendment hearing by the NRC

January 21, 2013 (San Diego) – San Diego Unified School District Board Vice President, Kevin Beiser and Board Member Richard Barrera are introducing a Resolution (Agenda Item H.1) similar to that passed by the Del Mar City Council last fall, calling for an adjudicated license amendment process by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on the restart of the defective San Onofre nuclear reactor proposed by Southern California Edison. Eight and half million people live within the 50-mile potential evacuation radius around San Onofre. The action will be considered Tuesday January 22 at 5 p.m.; a press conference will be held at 4 p.m. Details below.

According to SDUSD Board Vice President Beiser, “The Board of Education of the San Diego Unified School District is considering this Resolution because restarting the defective Unit 2 nuclear reactor at San Onofre will have profound impacts on our children in San Diego Unified and the surrounding communities in the event of a nuclear accident regarding radiation contamination of air, water and food, evacuation plans, and long term viability of life in Southern California.”

January 20, 2013 (La Mesa) – La Mesa City Council will hear a presentation Tuesday regarding the San Diego Grantmakers’ Homelessness Working Group’s “Keys to Housing: Ending Family Homelessness Initiative.”  In addition, a status update on construction of the downtown streetscape will be presented.

Also on the agenda are interviews of applicants for city board and commission vacancies, council committee reports, and discussion of council travel policy, among other items.

January 19, 2013 (Alpine) – Jeremiah Smith, 38, of Alpine has been arrested for suspected drunk driving after striking and killing a man beside I-8 in Lakeside. He is the owner of Gym Trix  and Rocket Cheerleading in Alpine, ECM has learned.

The victim, a Mexicali resident, was driving a Chevy Astro minivan towing a Toyota west of Lake Jennings Park Road with his wife following in a Toyota at 4:10 a.m.  One of the vehicles had mechanical trouble. Both pulled over and the man exited his vehicle.  He was standing by his wife’s car when the GMC 2500 driven by Smith struck the Toyota, pushing it into the victim.

January 19, 2013 (Mt. Helix) --Family members returned home to their residence in the 4500 block of Calavo Drive at 12::55 p.m. Thursday to find smoke filing their home. One resident ran to the back bedroom and pulled one of the family’s two dogs to safety. A second dog was carried out from the backyard. Thick smoke was pouring out of the house when San Miguel Fire arrived with the first of approximately 18 firefighters who helped battle the blaze.