January 8, 2011 (Santee) – A family with five children seeks the public’s help to find their dog, Zoe, who has not been seen since New Year’s Day. Firefighters opened up the family home on Clifford Heights Road in Santee to save it from flames after a next-door-neighbor, Michael Cour, shot his wife and himself, also setting fire to the couple’s home.

Zoe, a 3-year-old Bichon frise, was recently groomed and had a shorter haircut than a typical Bichon, the Union-Tribune reported. The dog has a friendly personality, has a microchip ID, and was wearing a pink collar with tags when last seen.

January 6, 2011 (San Carlos) – Esther Weinsheker,93,  was crossing Jackson Drive near Hyde Park Drive in the San Carlos neighborhood of San Diego was hit by a 2007 Toyota Tundra at 10:40 a.m. yesterday. She was transported to a hospitalwith CPR in progress, but despite life-saving efforts, she was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to the San Diego Medical Examiner's office.

No alcohol was involved, San Diego Police Department officer Frank Cali reports. SDPD’s traffic division is investigating the tragedy.

2 bodies found in burned  home of retired teacher/coach and ailing wife; 

Settlement just announced by CA Attorney General targets couple's lender for predatory lending practices--but relief is too late for Santee couple

By Miriam Raftery

January 3, 2011 (Santee) – Michael L. Cour, 60 and his wife, Janice Gervais, 70, faced a bleak future. The couple filed for bankruptcy June 30th. On December 6th, their lender, World Savings Bank, foreclosed on their property. A neighbor, Ruth Talaza, said Gervais had cancer and that the couple had tried multiple times to refinance, without success.

So Cour, who taught for 35 years in the Grossmont Union-High School District, told a neighbor that he was going to kill his wife and burn down their home on Clifford Heights Road, a quiet cul-de-sac in Santee.  Soon after, a man called 911 to say he’d shot his wife and set fire to the home. He also threatened to shoot anyone if they tried to stop the inferno.

January 3, 2010 (San Diego)—Scattered showers are forecast today across San Diego County, with snow forecast in mountain areas.

“We’re all hoping for snow,” said Teresa Manley at Julian Meadow View Inn in Julian. Snow is good for the tourism business in Julian, but despite forecasts of snow last night, the mountain town which has an elevation of 4,235 feet got only drizzle, Manley said.

January 1, 2011 (San Diego) – A New Year’s Day hike at Mission Trails Park was cut short when a hiker became injured, prompting a technical rescue. Incident Page Network reports that San Diego Fire Department dispatched a helicopter to provide a hoist rescue since the area was inaccessible to an ambulance by ground.

Update 6:45 p.m. - The fire destroyed one home and damaged a neighboring residence before fire officials were able to douse the blaze.  Authorities have not yet disclosed the fates of the homeowner and his wife, however the investigation has been turned over to the Homicide Unit.  Neighbors have told other media that the homeowner was despondent because he and his wife had lost their jobs, faced foreclosure, and because the wife had cancer.

December 31, 2010 (San Diego) – A free tow home is available for New Year’s party-goers who don’t want to take chances behind the wheel. The “tipsy tow” service is offered by the Automobile Club of Southern California, but is open to everyone, even if you are not a member. Free tows are available from 6 p.m. tonight to 6 a.m. tomorrow by calling 1-800-400-4AAA.

The Auto Club estimates that a first time conviction for driving under the influence can cost $13,468 or more in fines, penalties, restitution, legal fees and increased insurance costs.

December 31, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Diana Ellen Bialawski, who was last seen by her family on Christmas Day when she left a note saying she was heading to Julian, has been found and is safe. Detective Mo Parga with San Diego Police left a message at East County Magazine’s office advising our editor that Bialawski has been located and is unharmed. Parga could not be reached for details this evening.

December 30, 2010 (Rancho Penasquitos) – A tow truck driver turning onto eastbound Rancho Penasquitos Blvd. from Paseo Montril passed a woman, 58, who was crossing the street in a crosswalk. The driver’s side step caught the pedestrian’s foot, causing serious leg injuries.

December 30, 2010 (Lemon Grove) –Sheriff’s Deputy Seel shot and killed a pit bull at 6956 after the dog bit his thigh. The deputy was contacted by a citizen who reported a vicious pit bull dog at 9 a.m. near San Miguel Elementary School. The citizen claimed the pit bull charged him and bit him in the leg, although the reporting party had no visible injuries and did not request medical attention.

December 30, 2010 (San Diego) – Across the County, emergency crews are busy repairing roads and assessing other damage from the most recent storm.

Following on the heels of last week’s heavy storms which saturated soils and overflowed numerous waterways, the most recent downpour caused additional rock and mudslides, undermined roads and caused potholes and sinkholes.

December 29, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Some prominent East County residents passed on in 2010, but left their mark indelibly on our region. A few were famous, such as movie star Dennis Hopper, or tribal leader Anna Sandoval. Some were heroes--including a Pearl Harbor survivor. Others made news with the dramatic means of their passing—stories that touched our hearts or served as lessons learned.

Below are some of the most memorable individuals from San Diego's inland region to whom we bade final farewell in 2010.

December 28, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego Police ask the public’s help to locate Diana Ellen Bielawski, who may have driven to Julian in East County's mountains. She may also need medical attention. She was last seen Christmas day, December 25th at 1 p.m. in the 4100 block of Paseo Montanas in the Carmel Creek neighborhood of San Diego. View map.

She was driving a white 2001 Toyota Rav4 with California license 4TJK342. She is white, 26 years old, 120 pounds, 5 feet 6 inches tall, with brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a tan/brown/white belted sweater and black pants.

December 27, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) -- A winter storm is set to hit San Diego County Tuesday night and Wednesday, followed by chilly temperatures and up to two inches of snow down to 4000 feet in East County’s mountains and snow flurries in the high desert regions. Near zero visibility is forecast due to blowing snow and high wind gusts up to 60 mph.

Moderate to heavy rains are predicted. The National Weather Service warns that the added rainfall will cause rapid runoff and flooding due to ground saturation from recent storms.

By Miriam Raftery

Video by Ron Cook

December 26, 2010 (Lakeside) – Shortly after reporting about an injured hiker air-lifted off El Capitan Mountain this afternoon, I was dismayed to learn that the victim is East County Magazine’s own videographer Billy Ortiz, creator of our “Video Adventures in East County” series. He was taken to the emergency room at Sharp Memorial Hospital, where he spoke with me by phone moments ago about his harrowing ordeal.