Update 3:30 p.m.: The fire is now 8 acres, Lakeside Fire reports, but the spread is slowing and no structues are threatened.

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts

Photo by Rose Masters

November 18, 2018 (Lakeside) -- Cal Fire and Lakeside Fire are in unified command battling to suppress the #ElMonteFire that began shortly before 3 p.m. today in the 14000 block of El Monte Road. The blaze has burned approximately a half acre of brush in the riverbed but no structures are currently threatened, Cal Fire reports. The fire is spreading at a moderate rate.

The incident commander has requested closure of El Monte Road at Lake Jennings Road, Brush Fire Party Line reports. Aerial firefighting aicraft are now at the scene.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Ray Lutz, founder of Citizens Oversight, lead plaintiff in the case that recovered  $775 million for ratepayers, praises the court’s action.

November 18, 2018 (San Diego) – The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday dismissed an appeal from the California Public Utilities Commission which had sought to block payment of $5.4 million in legal fees to the law firm of former San Diego City Attorney Mike Aguirre. The fees were for work done by Aguirre’s firm on behalf of ratepayers in a settlement which saved ratepayers $775 million dollars related to shutdown of the San Onofre nuclear power plant.

Source:  Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones

Image via Pixabay

November 16, 2018 (Sacramento) - The Life Insurance Policy Locator - launched by the California Department of Insurance through the National Association of Insurance Commissioners - has matched consumers with policies totaling $17,332,464 just in the past 12 months, and $33,863,187 since the 2016 launch.

By Mike Allen

November 16, 2018 (Santee)--Santee is finally getting an indoor movie theater, and another restaurant to go with it.

The long-awaited project that was a top priority of elected officials and most of the city’s candidates is slated to become a reality following unanimous approval of a contract by the Santee City Council Nov. 14.

The council voted 5-0 to enter into a development agreement with Eneract LLC to build a multi-screen movie theater and restaurant that will be operated by Studio Movie Grill, a Dallas-based private company that pioneered the dine-in cinema concept starting in the 1990s.

By Miriam Raftery

November 15, 2018 (San Diego) -- On Tuesday, San Diego County announced that several proposed General Plan Amendments to allow construction of massive development projects will not be heard by the Board of Supervisors in 2018 due to litigation over the County’s climate action plan and a court injunction.  Projects with hearings postponed include Lilac Hills Ranch, Otay Village 14, Planning Areas 16 and 19, Warner Ranch, and Property Specific Requests.

East County News Service

November 14, 2018 (La Mesa) -- On November 7, 2018 at approximately 5:09 a.m., a 65-year-old man from Ramona was riding a 2017 Yamaha motorcycle on Interstate 8 westbound, east of Severin Drive, preparing to transition to State Route-125.  “At that time, it is suspected the motorcycle rider collided with another vehicle, causing the rider to be ejected from the motorcycle and come to rest within the traffic lanes.  The rider was subsequently hit by a white BMW sedan, as he lay in the roadway.  As a result of the collisions, the rider sustained fatal injuries,” says Officer Travis Garrow with the California Highway Patrol.

By Miriam Raftery

November 14, 2018 (Washington D.C.) -- Hate crimes  rose 17% nationwide last year over the year before, according to data released by the FBI under the Uniform Crime Reporting Program. This is third year in a row that hate crimes have risen in the U.S.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Daniel Ayala, courtesy of ECM news partner 10 News

November 12, 2018 (Alpine) – Sheriff’s deputies were called by an employee in the Summit at Alpine apartment complex who reported a man threatening to kill someone. Deputies arrived eight minutes later and report that the man charged at them with a knife. Multiple deputies fired shots, killing the suspect. 

Update Nov. 13: Jamul-Dulzura has been added to the list of school districts closed today.

East County News Service

November 12, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- Four East County school districts will be closed tomorrow because San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) has activated a public safety power shutoff in some rural areas of the County. The following districts' schools wil be closed: 

• Jamul Dulzura Union School District
• Julian Union School District
• Julian Union High School District
• Mountain Empire Unified School District
• Spencer Valley School District
  

By Miriam Raftery

November 12, 2018 (San Diego) – The Camp Fire that turned Paradise, California into a scene out of hell has impacted family members of several local residents. A fundraiser to help the Camp Fire victims has been set up here:  https://www.facebook.com/donate/552862868514901/

East County News Service

November 12, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – SDG&E’s outages site reports power outages in multiple rural communities, some planned to prevent fires during high winds, others unplanned. Power is currently out in the vicinities of Alpine, Campo, Jacumba, Potrero, Jamul, Mount Laguna, Descanso, Cuyamaca and Pine Valley.

Here are some steps you should take to be prepared for outages and evacuations. If you have additional tips to share, please post them in our comments section:

Update November 14, 2018:  Updated information from Cal Fire indicates there are now at least 48 people confirmed killed in the Camp Fire, with over 100 still missing.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left:  U.S. Forest Service has 250 firefighters helping to battle the Camp Fire.

November 11, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – A red flag warning for San Diego County and much of Southern California has been extended through Tuesday as three major wildfires continue to scorch the state.  Terrified evacuees posted videos such as this one, shot by a woman escaping through tunnels of fire along a freeway north of Los Angeles: https://twitter.com/i/status/1061430443134734339.

East County News Service

November 10, 2018 (La Mesa) – Clayton Marlow Anderson, Jr., a former La Mesa attorney disbarred in 2015, was sentenced Friday to serve 18 months in federal prison for defrauding clients and investors. He was also ordered to pay over $1.5 million in restitution to his victims. 

By Miriam Raftery

November 9, 2018 (San Diego) – Three major, fast-burning wildfires have forced more than 100,000 evacuations in southern and northern California and shut down a major freeway, with the entire state now under a red flag warning. 

By Miriam Raftery

November 9, 2018 (Julian) – This week brought good news and bad news for Julian residents fighting to halt a county takeover of the Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District and save the county’s last all-volunteer fire department.

A citizens’ protest petition seeking to reverse the vote by the Local Agency Formation Agency (LAFCO) to dissolve the fire district obtained enough signatures to qualify for a future ballot, the Registrar of Voters informed advocates this week.  That’s a tough hurdle, since the requirement is more than 50% of property owners in the district. 

“We did it! We are the only ones in the history of LAFCO to ever get this far!” Lori Foss, a supporter of the petition and survivor of the Cedar and Witch fires, stated in an email to East County Magazine on Election Day.