East County News Service

September 24, 2014 (San Diego)—Residents in El Cajon and City Heights have been approached by representatives of a company called “Spark Energy” claiming to be selling a discount natural gas service plan.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: U.S. Department of Defense

September 23, 2014 (Washington D.C.)—The U.S. Constitution states that Congress has the power to declare war.  Yet Congress has not provided such declaration to presidents for any war since World War II, back in the 1940s.  That puts presidents in the hot seat when confronting threats including those from terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and now, ISIL, or the Islamic State.

Photo: Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, right, and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel testify before Senate Armed Services Committee on the threat from ISIL

By Miriam Raftery

September 22, 2014 (Washington D.C.)--U.S. military & partner nation forces have begun striking ISIL targets in Syria using mix of fighters, bombers and Tomahawk missiles, Rear Admiral John Kirby, the Pentagon Press Secretary, confirmed Monday evening.  The U.S. has previously led over 150 air strikes in Iraq, before joining with allies to expand the assault on ISIL, or Islamic State, forces into Syria.

Residents of Raqqa, the Islamic State’s self-proclaimed capital, have reported attacks on the city on social media sites.  An estimated two-thirds of ISIL forces are located in Syria.

Two-thirds of Republicans would support sending ground troops, but 71% of Democrats would oppose risking soldiers on the ground

Photo: Raptors carry out air strikes in Syria; courtesy U.S. Air Force

September 23, 2014 (Washington D.C.)--A new poll by CBS news and the New York Times has found that Americans overwhelmingly support U.S. airstrikes in both Iraq and Syria.

By Miriam Raftery

September 22, 2014 (San Diego)--Recently, we reported on the San Diego Unified School District’s decision to return an armored vehicle it received through the Department of Defense’s Excess Property Program.  Now it seems that may be the start of a trend.

Listen to our radio show Monday on KNSJ 89. 1 FM at 5 p.m. to hear our audio report on Project Wildlife’s event.

By Miriam Raftery

September 21, 2014 (Lakeside) – At Project Wildlife’s “We Like It Wild” event in Lakeside last week, guests had up close and personal encounters with exotic and local wildlife at the Pillsbury Ranch owned by Joan Embery, the San Diego Zoo’s ambassador.  They also heard a special announcement from the Project Wildlife’s executive director Beth Ugoretz, who said Project Wildlife plans to merge by November 1^st with the San Diego Humane Society.

Gary Weitzman, president of the San Diego Human Society and the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, emphasized that goal is to keep Project Wildlife “strong” and leverage the strengths of both organizations.  Project Wildlife’s focus on rescuing and rehabilitating local wildlife will continue, and the need is great, since the drought, wildfires and development have put increasing stress on local animals from birds and reptiles to larger animals such as raccoons and coyotes.

SDG&E Thanks Customers for Patience & Conservation Efforts During Five-Day Heat Wave & Thunderstorms

September 20, 2014 (San Diego) – Following a record-breaking five-day heat wave combined with a microburst of thunderstorms bringing high winds, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is thanking customers and community partners for their efforts to save energy and for their patience during power outages. Due to the extreme weather conditions, SDG&E reached new all-time back-to-back peak demand records of 4,781 megawatts (MW) on Sept. 15 and 4,890 MW on Sept. 16. The conservation efforts by customers limited strain on the electric grid and ensured SDG&E was able to provide reliable energy throughout the event.

East County News Service

September 18, 2014 (Alpine)--An elderly woman was seriously injured after the vehicle she was driving flew off a freeway in Alpine on September 15^th.

By Nadin Abbott

September  18, 2014 (San Diego)-- Robert Germann,  spokesman for Citizens Against Gillespie Expansion (CAGE), spoke before the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to make a presentation. He wants to know the reason for a large increase in funds allocated for Gillespie Field airport that has been kept hidden from the public.

He told the Board, “According to the California Division of Aeronautics, Gillespie Field is slated to receive nearly $417 million."

He added that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will give the El Cajon Center $10.63 million. Yet the County stated that the field is only going to receive $232,070, said Germann. He asked why there is such a discrepancy?

By Nadin Abbott

September 16, 2014 (East County) - San Diego has many rural roads, many of them maintained by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS) maintains other roads.

Photos, left, by Kathleen Hedberg:  Storm cell swoops toward La Mesa

By Miriam Raftery

September 16, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – A powerful storm lashed East County early Tuesday afternoon, causing major damage before moving across San Diego later in the day.  Thousands were left without power from at least 16 different outages in East County, SDG&E reported. Hardest hit areas included Rancho San Diego, Mt. Helix, La Mesa and Spring Valley.

Helix Water Board member Kathleen Hedberg captured dramatic images of the stormcell swooping toward her La Mesa home-- a downdraft from a thunderstorm that looked more like tornados seen in the Midwest than a typical southern California storm. Gusts of at least 50 miles per hour were reported, with coin-sized hailstones and sheets of rain pouring down.  It was all a result of Hurricane Odile which struck the Baja coast at 125 miles an hour, ,still packing a wallop by the time it reached our region.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Donna Frye presenting Sunshine Award to CALAWARE’s Terry Francke

September 15, 2014 (San Diego)--Californians Aware, or CALAWARE, a nonprofit group that protects the rights of citizens and journalists to access public information, has sent a letter to Governor Jerry Brown urging him to veto Senate Bill 1300.

East County News Service

Hurricane Odile has struck the coast of Baja California, Mexico in Cabo San Lucas at record speeds of 125 miles per hour as a category 3 hurricane.  Up to 11 inches per hour were reported in the tourist resort town, according to CNN.

As Odile moves north, it is not expected to make landfall near San Diego. However moisture from the system could bring significant rainfall across our region Wednesday and Thursday, the National Weather Service Reports. The risk of flash flooding will also increase by mid week. 

By James Oson

September 13, 2014 (Jamul)--It’s no surprise when you have 18 year old Jordan Ver Hoeve with abs of steel and 16-year-old statuesque, blonde beauty Makayla Stevens hit the runway for New York Fashion Week.  What you don’t expect is that the teenagers both come from the same small San Diego town in East County… Jamul.

Update: A Sempra spokesperson has confirmed that these helicopters were contracted by SDG&E and that height limits were followed, but surveillance in the Jamul area is now over.

By Miriam Raftery

August 12, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – Last week, we ran a story on residents’ complaints about an SDG&E helicopter that witnesses claimed was flying below legal height limits in the Descanso area. The flights, part of a surveying effort of power lines in Cleveland National Forest, allegedly caused injury to a horse that was startled by the helicopter.