July 31, 2009 (San Diego) – Hosts of two radio programs and a TV show today interviewed East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery on some of the hottest topics in town-- including a fiery East County issue: SDG&E’s proposal to shut-off power during fire-prone weather. Audio, video and transcripts from KPBS and KCBQ are available below.

By Ryan Lescure

July 27, 2009 (San Diego)--The San Diego City council voted 6-2 today to pass a resolution in support of SDG&E’s Emergency Power Shut-Off Plan. While supporters argued that the plan is needed to prevent power line-caused fires, opponents contended that blacking out power during fire-prone conditions could actually endanger lives.

HALF OF ALL HOMELESS IN SAN DIEGO ARE VETS

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Joel Ryerson and Leon Thompson

By Miriam Raftery

By Miriam Raftery

July 9, 2009 (El Cajon)--At 5:15 p.m. this evening El Cajon Fire crews responded to reports of a trailer home fire at the Chieftain Trailer Park, located at 187 Ballard, space number 48-B in El Cajon. Upon arrival firefighters found the trailer home engulfed.

By Miriam Raftery

July 4, 2009 (Deluz) – A three-year-old child airlifted by helicopter last night to Palomar Hospital has died, CAL-FIRE reports today.   The child, a drowning victim, was driven to CAL-FIRE's Deluz station last night, after relatives found the youngster at Tenaja Reservoir in Deluz, not breathing.   Firefighters performed CPR, but were unable to save the youngster.  Engine companies and law enforcement dispatched to the reservoir found a 27-year-old man dead in the water.

By Ryan Lescure

June 26, 2009 (Santee, California) – On Wednesday, June 24, 2009, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved a plan to replace and expand the Las Colinas Detention Facility from 15 acres to 45 acres and certified the final environmental impact report (EIR) for the facility. The vote was 4-1 with Supervisor Dianne Jacob opposing the expansion. On Wednesday night, Santee's City Council voted in closed session to file a new lawsuit challenging the County's environmental impact report.

""There is no evidence that the shut-off plan will prevent fires. But...in a matter of hours, we will be left without electricity and our customers will be left without water...SDG&E will create actual emergencies," - Jennifer Healy, Padre Dam Municipal Water District

By Miriam Raftery

ECU Intern Kyle Sezian also contributed to this story

June 23, 2009 (San Diego)—“The risks to life and property are higher with the power shut off than without it,” Supervisor Dianne Jacob said at a hearing today on whether or not SDG&E should be allowed to shut off power to up to 60,000 area residents during dry, windy, fire-prone conditions. By a 4-0 vote, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors passed a motion asking the California Public Utilities Commission to reject SDG&E’s proposal.

SDG&E claims shutting off power during hot, dry, windy days is necessary to prevent firestorms. The utility faces litigation and has admitted in CPUC documents that its lines have been implicated in 167 fires over the past five and a half years.

By Kate Breece
HWD Public Affairs

Editor’s Note: Due to a family emergency I was unable to cover this important hearing. Thanks to Kate Breece at Helix Water District for providing this summary of the Board’s decision.

La Mesa, CA – Thursday, June 18, 2009 – Due to water the allocation cutback of 8% from the San Diego County Water Authority, and the continuing regional water shortage, Helix Water District Board of Directors approved raising the Water Shortage to Level 2 and implementing mandatory watering restrictions as of July 1, 2009.