September 19, 2013 (El Cajon ) – Four children and two adults are staying with family members temporarily after an attic fire damaged their two-story home at 930 Prescott Avenue in El Cajon this afternoon. 

Quick action by fire crews from Heartland Fire & Rescue in El Cajon and La Mesa, along with firefighters from Cal Fire, kept the fire from reaching neighboring homes.  Heartland Fire reports the fire was knocked down in less than 20 minutes.   The damage was mostly to the attic and roof area.

By Nadin Abbott

September 17, 2013 (San Diego)—The San Diego City Council voted 7-0 to approve the controversial Castlerock housing project on the border of Santee and San Diego. The resolution proposed by Council Member Scott Sherman (District 7) and Council Member David Alvarez (District 8) reads in part, “approve the Staff’s recommendation (Annexation being the preferred scenario).”

It is clear that San Diego would prefer the project to go to Santee.  One key reason is fire response, which San Diego Fire Department cannot do in a timely manner, due to the location of the nearest fire stations and how busy Santee roads can be at rush hour.  With annexation, Santee will have jurisdiction to dispatch fire engines and other emergency services.

"In short, the parties  seeking rehearing have made one last ditch effort to obfuscate the facts of this case in the minds of the Commission’s decision makers by throwing spaghetti against the wall to see if they can get anything to stick. Instead, all they’ve managed to do is make a big mess,  which others are obligated to clean up.” -- Jonathan Knapp, CPUC attorney

By Miriam RAftery

September 12, 2013 (Live Oak Springs) – In May, we reported that the California Public Utilities Commission called for takeover of the Live Oak Springs Water Company and a million dollar fine for putting public health at risk. The CPUC  iin May, asked the Superior Court to appoint a receiver to operate the water company and  takeover the property, including the bankrupt Live Oak Springs Resort , where cabins and a restaurant remain closed. http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/13272

Live Oak Springs filed for a rehearing, claiming “wrongful and malicious” wrongdoing on the part of the CPUC and suggestion a conspiracy with the CPUC and county officials. Now CPUC attorney Jonathan Knapp with the Division of Water and Audits  has issued  a scathing response following the CPUC investigation:   http://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PublishedDocs/Efile/G000/M076/K841/76841425.PDF

Read the Water Authority’s lawsuit: www.mwdfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Petition-with-Exhibits-01221...

September 8, 2013 - A Superior Court judge has set March 5, 2014, as the trial date for the San Diego County Water Authority’s lawsuit seeking records about a covert public relations campaign in San Diego County run by the Eastern Municipal Water District on behalf of the Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and its member agencies.

The Water Authority filed its lawsuit under the California Public Records Act in January after Eastern, based in Riverside County, blacked out portions of documents it released and refused to produce all relevant records. The California Constitution and state law require public agencies to promptly provide complete copies of documents, emails and other records relating to the conduct of the public’s business. 

September 4, 2013 (San Diego) – On the heels of a hefty rate increase that took effect September 1^st, SDG&E wants  ratepayers to  pay for $808 million in costs of decommissioning the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Stations.  Ratepayer advocates, meanwhile, say ratepayers should receive a refund for charges assessed when the nuclear facility was off-line for more than a year before being shut down permanently.

The California Public Utilities Commission will hold two hearings on Tuesday, October 1 at 2 p.m. and again at 6:30 p.m. Both will be held in the Al Bahr Shriners auditorium, 5440 Kaerny Mesa Road, San Diego 92111. The commission will consider whether or not ratepayers should be charged for the decommissioning costs, as well as whether ratepayers should receive refunds for charges assessed while the nuclear facilities were offline for more than a year before the shut-down decision.

September 5, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a severe weather statement covering all of East County and San Diego, along with warnings of severe thunderstorms, flash flooding and high winds occurring now in rural and mountain areas.

At 2:30 p.m., NWS Doppler radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing quarter-size hail and destructive winds in excess of 70 miles per hour. It was spotted near Santa Ysabel  and Julian, moving northwest along Highway 79 toward Cuyamaca State Park and the Cuyamaca Peak.

September 4, 2013 (San Diego) – The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will hold a recruitment seminar at the CHP Border Division Office in Kearny Mesa on September 10 at 9330 Farnham Street between 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  Those interested in working for the CHP are required to attend this seminar before applying online at www.CHPcareers.com.  Online applications will be accepted September 12 to September 14. 

Interested applicants must R.S.V.P., as seating is limited.  To RSVP, e-mail the recruiter at 601_recruitment@CHP.CA.GOV and a confirmation will be e-mailed back if space is available.  

By Miriam Raftery

September 3, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)—Traffic accidents claimed the lives of four East County residents in the past ten days, including victims from Lakeside, Ramona, and Alpine, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner. 

By Miriam Raftery

August 31, 2013 (San Diego) – On September 1^st, SDG&E customers will see rate hikes on their bills of up to 12% for higher energy users.  Now John Mattes, a consumer watchdog journalist and attorney, has launched a petition drive calling on public officials to make SDG&E’s  shareholders, not ratepayers, pay for the corporation’s mistakes at San  Onofre.  You can view and sign the petition here:  http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/dont-make-us-pay-for/

By Miriam Raftery

August 27, 2013 (San Diego’s East County ) – A proposed tiered equine ordinance aimed at making it easier for backcountry property owners to stable horses will be on the agenda for Supervisors to consider on Wednesday, September 11.

“When it comes to allowing stables, we need to take a more sensible, tiered approach so more people can take part in equine activities,” Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who represents East County, has said.  “As a former horse owner and long-time rider, I think these changes will also strengthen the economic vitality of our rural areas.”

SDG&E offers programs to assist low-income ratepayers, those with medical needs, and FLEX alerts for energy savings

By Walt Meyer          

August 31, 2013 (San Diego)--Although temperatures have finally climbed to the normal range for the end of August, so far it’s been a mild summer, with temperatures below average, and for much of San Diego County, having things a few degrees cooler means not having to turn on the air conditioning. Hot summer days pose the biggest challenge to keeping the juice flowing without brownouts.

While renewable promise a long-term solution, in the short term, with San Onofre offline, likely permanently, the generating power of Southern California will be severely tested in a heat wave. As the region moves deeper into what is likely to a bad fire season, blazes near power lines also pose another imminent threats to the fragile power grid.

There is another good reason to try to keep the A/C off and switch to renewable: starting September 1, SDG&E is imposing a major rate increase. The rate hike will affect Tiers 3 and 4, but not Tiers 1 and 2 at all, which means many ratepayers in more temperate areas may not see any increase, but those who are usually have rates in the higher tiers will see their rates go up.

By Miriam Raftery

August 29, 2013 (Washington D.C.) -- Fifty years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his now-famous “I have a dream” speech to a crowd of marchers in Washington D.C.  from across the nation  in support of civil rights. That  movement in 1963 led ultimately to signing of the Civil Rights Act.

Yesterday, a massive crowd of  people filled Capitol malll for a commemoration of that historic event. President Barack Obama delivered a speech at the Lincoln Memorial, site of Dr. King’s famed  oration.

“The March on Washington teaches us that we are not trapped by the mistakes of history; that we are masters of our fate,” the President said. “But it also teaches us that the promise of this nation will only be kept when we work together.  We’ll have to reignite the embers of empathy and fellow feeling, the coalition of conscience that found expression in this place 50 years ago.” View video of the President’s speech.

Attorney General Eric Holder also spoke, alluding to the Supreme Court’s recent decision weakening the Voting Rights Act.

August 29, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – A flash flood watch has been issued for mountains, valleys and desert areas in San Diego’s East County and other areas in southwestern California. The watch is in effect for this afternoon through 10 p.m. this evening. 

Slow-moving thunderstorms are expected to produce very heavy rainfall with flash flooding.  Debris flows are possible in and below areas burned by recent wildfires.

August 29, 2013 (Santee) updated August 30, 2013 --– The family of Jonathan Heredia, 29,  seeks public help to locate the Santee resident who has been missing since August 26.  According to family, he suffers from mental health issues and depression. 

Heredia is Hispanic with dark hair and brown eyes.  He weighs 160 pounds and stands 5 feet 10 inches tall. He has a crucifix tattoo on his back with the words “our Lord” , a dice tattoo on his chest and a tattoo on his forearm that reads “69.”  He was last seen wearing a black dress shirt, grey jeans, black jacket with grey on the back, and may be seen with navy blue shorts with white stripes on the side.

August 28, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- A flash flood warning is in effect until 4:15 p.m. for east central San Diego County. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are occurring in and around the Chariot Fire burn area. 

Doppler radar estimates up to 0.6 inches of rain has fallen in the burn area in about 30 minutes this afternoon. This is well in excess of U.S. G.S. thresholds for debris flows from this burn scar. Roads, trails and campgrounds located along drainages within or below the burned basins can be impacted by flash floods and debris flows. This includes areas along Highway S-2 and the great Southern Overland Stage route as wel as the Butterfield Ranch area.