Improvements proposed after ECM investigative series on ambulance response times in unincorporated areas

By Kendra Sitton

August 30, 2017 (Crest) — Last week, County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Administrator Andy Parr met with local communities to ask for input on EMS’s plan to improve ambulance service to the rural parts of San Diego because "the status quo of 30 min is no longer acceptable."

The updated plan goes before the Board of Supervisors on Oct. 10. If approved, when the contracts of the three ambulance companies expire in the next few years, they will have to comply with the new plan which will shorten response time.

The actions follow a five-part special series by East County Magazine published  in 2015, investigating slow ambulance response times in some unincorporated areas and changes in county ambulance providers. (See links to our five-part series at the bottom of this article.)

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: San Onofre nuclear facility, before its shutdown in 2013.

August 31, 2017 (San Diego) – Finding a safe place to store spent nuclear fuel from the shuttered San Onofre Nuclear Generating Stations is a daunting task. Yesterday, East County Magazine reported on a settlement reached between Citizens Oversight and Southern California Edison that aspires to move the radioactive waste away from the beach at San Onofre over the next couple of decades.

One of the proposed sites   is in Arizona. But now officials at Arizona Public Services Company, which operates the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station west of Phoenix,  say they won’t take California’s nuclear wastes. 

By Paul Kruze

August 29, 2017 (El Cajon) -- The El Cajon police officer who fatally shot an unarmed black man last year will still have to face a civil lawsuit filed on behalf of Richard Olango Abuka, the father of the shooting victim, according to a San Diego Union-Tribune article published on August 25. At the same time, U.S. District Court Judge Cynthia Bashant dismissed the City of El Cajon from the case, saying that there was not enough evidence to argue that the department’s policies or decisions may have in some way contributed to Alfred Olango’s death.

By Miriam Raftery

August 29, 2017 (La Mesa) – Facing a threat of legal action, on September 12^th, La Mesa’s City Council will reconsider its vote on a proposed apartment complex at the former Little Flower Haven convent site on University Avenue.

By Miriam Raftery

Sources: National Weather Service and San Diego County News Center

August 28, 2017 (San Diego) -- A dangerous heat wave will continue the rest of this week across all of San Diego County, with isolated thunderstorms through Labor Day weekend also forecast, the National Weather Service advised today.  The County of San Diego also issued an alert urging residents to take precautions during the extreme heat.

By Jonathan Goetz

Photo, left: Eric Lund, CEO, San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce and Chair of the East County Regional Task Force on the Homeless

August 27, 2017 (El Cajon) - The El Cajon City Council approved four budget items earlier this month regarding homelessness, as well as approving a partnership agreement with the El Cajon Collaborative. Council unanimously approved $2,000 for anti-panhandling signs, $3,550 for a mobile app to help the homeless find service providers, $10,000 for a homeless reunification program to reunite 20 homeless people in El Cajon, and $125 for a brick at the El Cajon collaborative.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: U.S. Centers for Disease Control

August 26, 2017 (San Diego) – Live worms have been found in packages of salmon sold at multiple Costco stores in San Diego County, 10 News reports.  The report does not name the type of worm, however, CNN reports that Japanese tapeworms are now being found in wild Alaskan salmon and could be in salmon caught anywhere along the Pacific Coast.

Other types of fish can also carry tapeworms or different parasites, so health experts advise to eat only frozen or thoroughly cooked fish in order to destroy worms and larvae.   Tapeworms cause infection and sometimes serious problems if consumed by humans in raw fish such as Sushi, smoked or marinated fish such as in Ceviche, the College of Medical Physicians Canada warns.

East County News Service

August 26, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service is warning of a “dangerous heat wave”  forecast to hit San Diego County starting Sunday mid-morning through at least Wednesday.   Excessive heat warnings and advisories have been issued for the region, with Monday and Tuesday expected to be the hottest days. Even the coast won’t be spared from this heat wave.

Premier Event:  August 25 at Fabrison's Country French Restaurant

13881 Campo Rd., Jamul

We still have a few spaces--and the restaurant has graciously allowed to take a few people at the door with checks to East County Magazine but please RSVP to be sure there is still room.   Reserve now for summer's hottest party! 619-698-7617 or 619- 303 8593 after 3 p.m.

August 3, 2017 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Magazine proudly announces launch of our East County Dining Club! 

We've pulled out all the stops for our launch party at the fabulous Fabrison's Country French Restaurant on August 25 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. We have thousands of dollars in prizes, a delicious all you can eat gourmet French feast, winetasting from the Toast of the Coast winning Deerhorn Valley Winery, music by "Diva" star Lenelle Wylie and more!

Try fabulous foods, win amazing prizes, bring your friends and meet new ones, plus help sustain nonprofit news in the public interest and wildfire/emergency alerts for East County.

Sign up for invitations to future East County Dining Club adventures to savor cuisines from around the world (and the best American foods, too!)-- all in East County.  Email editor@eastcountymagazine.org with "Dining Club" in the subject line.

Reservations and payment are required by Aug. 20 for this very special dining club launch party. See the delicious details below!

East County Magazine

August 24, 2017 (Campo-Lake Morena) -- The Campo-Lake Morena Community Planning Group meeting on August 28  will include discussion of a formal planning group response to  the County's proposed climate action plan. Other key items include review of applicants for a vacancy, an update on transfer of lands for Camp Lockett, and more.  Click here to view the full agenda as a full-sized pdf document.

You can also scroll down to view the full agenda in a slightly smaller format.

By Miriam Raftery

August 23, 2017 (La Mesa) – If you’d like to have a say-so about water rates and other issues in the Helix Water District, you may soon have that chance.  The district’s board has voted unanimously to establish an advisory board comprised of its customers.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo of Boston Free Speech counter-protest rally by Ken Breeman (cc)

August 23, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) - Across the U.S., 67 rallies in 23 states organized by hate groups including Nazis and  Ku Klux Klan members have been cancelled, Newsweek reports.  The groups say that they will instead hold a virtual event online on September 9th, but will not be wielding torches and marching through America’s streets  chanting anti-Jewish, anti-black and anti-immigrant messages as they did in Charlottesville, Virginia.

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

Image Credit: Pixel and Paper Photography

August 22, 2017 (San Diego's East County) - Lots of purring, happy barks and maybe even a cock-a-doodle-do Monday as shelter pets from County Animal Services settle into their new forever homes. They were among 306 animals adopted from the County’s three shelters on Clear the Shelters Day Saturday. That total beat last year’s total of 304 by just a (doggie) hair and a whisker.

Update August 22:  The fire is 80% contained and holding at 200 acres, per Cal Fire. 175 federal, state and local firefighters have been battling the blaze.  Cause has not been determined.

Update 6:00 p.m.: Forward spread of fire has been stopped and threat to Campo Indian reservation mitigated, Cal Fire reports.

Update 4:12 p.m.:  Campo Sheriff Substation reports  EclipseFire is at 200 acres. Safe zone is at Mountain Empire High School, 3305 Buckman Springs Rd. in Campo. Fire is advancing at moderate spread, 10-15 mph winds, 0% contained.

Update 3:50 p.m.:  Campo Indian reservation is also now threatened, Cal Fire tweeted moments ago. Evacuations are in progress.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Donna Tisdale

August 21, 2017 (Campo) -- The #EclipseFire has burned 25 acres at La Posta Road and Royal Willie Road in the Campo area.  Structures are now threatened and evacuations are occurring at a Navy training site on La Posta Road, Isaac Sancheez, Cal Fire public information officer, has advised ECM.

The fire is burning at moderate rate of spread and no structures are threatened, according to Cal Fire.  The California Highway has ordered closure of La Posta Road. 

SDG&E has dispatched its air crane to help battle the blaze.

By Miriam Raftery

August 20, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Last month,  rural residents voiced frustration when the County announced meetings on outsourcing animal services with only 24 hours notice before the only meeting in East County, as ECM reported.  This week,  rural community leaders are voicing frustration that public meetings on how to improve ambulance services were again announced on short notice.  All the meetings are slated mid-day on weekdays this week, when working people can’t attend.  Moreover, rural planning group chairs say there were left in the dark and were never notified by the county of these meetings.