By Miriam Raftery
 

UPDATE 4:25 p.m. - The freeway is now reopened.

August 17, 2010 2:15 p.m. -- Interstate 8 westbound is shut down at the Willows Road exit to allow a Mercy Air life-flight helicopter to land.

A roll-over accident involving a single vehicle, a mini-van, resulted in a man trapped inside, CHP reports.  According to Incident Page Network, the patient is in CPR status and a technical rescue was required.

August 16,2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Thunderstorms are forecast for San Diego’s mountain and desert areas for this afternoon and evening. A chance of thunder showers continues tomorrow.

 East County News Service

August 13, 2010 (San Diego) – U.S. District Judge Vaughn R. Walker lifted a stay on gay marriages yesterday, after overturning Proposition 8 as unconstitutional last week. The judge declined to implement his order immediately, however, giving opponents time to appeal to a higher court. If the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals does not intervene, same-sex marriages may occur starting Wednesday.
 

San Diego’s Assessor/Recorder/Clerk’s office is accepting reservations for ceremonies to be performing as early as Wednesday, provided the ruling holds.

Jewele Hiday located in South Bay area

August 12, 2010 (San Diego) San Diego Police Department reports that Jewele Hiday, 12, missing since Sunday morning, has been found safe in the South Bay area.  She reportedly ran away to a friend's after an argument with her mother. 

August 10, 2010 (San Diego) -- Sheriff Bill Gore announces the promotion of Commander Ed Prendergast to Assistant Sheriff, Law Enforcement Services. Assistant Sheriff Prendergast is currently assigned oversight for the Alpine, Imperial Beach, Lemon Grove, and Santee Stations, as well as Rural Law Enforcement and Crime Analysis.He is a 29-year veteran with the Sheriff's Department who has served with distinction in every assignment throughout the organization, said Gore.

Donations sought for memorial fund to benefit new high school

August 6, 2010 (Alpine)-- Barbara Lowe, resident of Alpine, passed away on July 31, 2010 due to complications from liver cancer and Crohn’s Disease. She was  the secretary for the Alpine High School Citizen’s Committee and an executive committee member for the past three years.

“Her commitment to seeing this local Alpine High School built, largely for her Alpine resident grandchildren to attend, had become just one of her many reasons she fought her disease with desire and dignity,” said Bill Weaver, chair of the Committee. “She loved her family and friends dearly.”

East County News Network

Aide workers voice fears over impact of cuts on East County’s growing refugee population; San Diego’s Congressional representatives have thus far declined to take action to extend benefits

By Miriam Raftery

 

August 3, 2010 (San Diego) – Over 3,800 disabled and elderly refugees who came to the U.S. legally, all victims of persecution or torture, have been notified that they will lose Supplemental Security Income (SSI) on October 1st. Those slated to lose benefits include about 1,800 Iraq War refugees living in East County.

 

“They don’t have any other income. They want to find work and they can’t. They are too old and too sick,” said Joseph Ziauddin, president of the East County Refugee Center in El Cajon. Ziauddin estimates that there are around 40,000 Iraqis now living in East County.  Asked how many of East County’s Iraqis are currently refugees, he replied, “Ninety percent.”

By Miriam Raftery

July 31, 2010 (Rancho San Diego) – San Diego Sheriff deputies along with U.S. Fish and Wildlife officials conducted sweeps of homeless camps in wooded areas of Rancho San Diego in the grey light of early morning.

East County Magazine accompanied officers on the first sweep, behind Savanna Grill. More sweeps were held near Cuyamaca College, the YMCA, Target, and the old Steele Canyon bridge off Highway 94. No homeless people were present or arrested, though many left behind trash and/or treasures that could not be toted away in a backpack or shopping cart. Makeshift tents, lean-tos and mattresses were found, along with more poignant items: a large stuffed monkey, a cracked mirror with ornate frame, a pushcart, cooking utensils, nail polish, and a chipped china pitcher.

All lay forgotten in the mud, symbols of shattered lives and broken dreams.

July 30, 2010 (Washington D.C.) – Congressman Duncan D. Hunter (R-El Cajon), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, today highlighted a report by the bipartisan Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) Independent Panel, which calls for increasing the Navy to a 346-ship fleet and expanding America’s focus to prepare for threats in the Western Pacific.

East County News Service

Photos by Dennis Richardson

July 28, 2010 (Lakeside) – A brush fire charred several acres near Rocky Lane and San Vicente Avenue this evening, briefly threatening several homes including one that had previously burned and was rebuild following the 2003 Cedar Fire. Flames came with 50 feet of homes before firefighters contained the blaze.

By Miriam Raftery

July 28, 2010 (San Diego) –Four U.S. soldiers including Army Staff Sergeant Conrad Mora, 24, of San Diego were killed Saturday in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb. Mora was leading a group of solders when the attack on their vehicle occurred. He was a graduate of Morse High School, where he played football.

He is survived by his wife, Ann, and their one-year-old son, Christopher. The family had recently moved to Washington state before his deployment.  Mora’s parents, Alejandrino and Carmelita Mora, live in National City. He is also survived by his sister, Carmela.

July 25, 2010 (Live Oak Spring) –  Crystal Lopez, 15, has been identified as the victim in a fatality rollover accident that occurred shortly after 10 a.m. July 24 on I-8 east near Crestwood Road.  Lopez died and her mother was also injured. 

 According to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office, the mother was driving when she heard a “pop” and lost control of the vehicle.