East County News Service

February 21, 2023 (San Diego) – A winter storm warning has been issued for San Diego’s mountain areas and desert slopes from 6 p.m. tonight until 3 p.m. tomorrow, and for coastal and inland areas through Wednesday at 8 p.m.. Wind gusts as high as 100 miles per hour are forecast. A second winter storm is forecast starting Tuesday, when snow could drop to 2,000 feet, with rain elsewhere in the county. Heavy snows and cold temperatures are predicted through next weekend, with powerful winds returning, the National Weather Service predicts.

“Expect rain, snow, high wind and surf, as well as possible flooding and mudslides. Frigid conditions and poor visibility will impact travel,” the San Diego Sheriff’s department posted on Twitter. “Expect delays and use precautions while driving. Secure your boat and patio furniture.”

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left via Calico Ranch on Facebook: Fred Coleman discovered gold, starting the Julian Gold Rush in 1869.

February 21, 2023 (Julian) - Many San Diego County residents have visited Julian, a historic gold rush town in the Cuyamaca Mountains. Some may know that is was founded by former Confederate soldiers after the Civil War. But many are likely unaware of the black settlers who also played key roles in the town’s history.

It was Fred Coleman from Kentucky, a freed slave and rancher who discovered gold in a stream on what is now Calico Rancho; his find started Julian’s gold rush in 1869. Coleman married a member of the Santa Ysabel tribe. He had previously been a miner in Northern California. The Coleman Mining District in what is now known as Julian was named for him, and he served as its first recorder.

America Newton, a widow and formerly enslaved black woman, and her daughter, Clara, came to Julian from Kansas and started a laundry business that served war veterans, European immigrants, Native Americans, and newly freed African-Americans. She used her work ethic to build a new life of freedom.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo of burned trailers via Cal Fire on Twitter

February 21, 2023 (Ocotillo Wells) – A fire on private property has caused heavy damage to six recreational vehicle trailers in Ocotillo Wells.

Cal Fire San Diego posed on Twitter early yesterday evening that it was at the scene of multiple large vehicles on fire along Split Mountain Road south of Highway 78 in Ocotillo. 

East County News Service

February 20, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County has a wide range of creative events, from Black History Month to Fido Fest, from birdwatching tips to the return of HoooleyFest, Touch-a-Truck, a liar’s contest in the desert, a harmonica festival in La Mesa, a chili cookoff in Lemon Grove, and an Earth Day Boulder Fair in Jacumba Hot Springs.

East County News Service

Note: This event was postponed due to rain from Feb. 25 to March 11.

February 20, 2023 (Ramona) – The County of San Diego invites you to its “Love Your Heart Community Fair” on Saturday, March 11 from 12-3 p.m. at the Ramona Library, 1275 Main Street in Ramona.

Learn about good heart health and how to control your blood pressure—and get a free blood pressure monitor as well as a blood pressure check.

Plus there will be information booths, a Ramona H.E.A.R.T. Murals walk, and food distribution. In addition, the fair includes vaccines available free for COVID-19 and flu, as well as Naloxone distribution to prevent overdoses.

By Assemblymember Marie Waldron

February 19, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) -- San Diego County has more tribal governments than any other county in the nation. Since these communities are all located within the 75^th Assembly District, tribal issues are very important to me, especially regarding their safety and prosperity.

The Aztecs are in a three-way tie for second place in the Mountain West

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

February 16, 2023 (San Diego) - The Aztec women’s basketball team (21-8, 11-5) fell to Wyoming 70-58 inside Viejas Arena Saturday afternoon. SDSU led by 15 points early in the third quarter, but the Cowgirls scored 50 second half points while shooting a blistering 79 percent from the floor in the second half to come back and steal a win.

Federal government releases breakdown by Congressional district as Supreme Court readies to hear cases challenging program

By Miriam Raftery

February 17,2023 (San Diego)—The U.S. Department of Education has released a chart showing federal student loan forgiveness applications and approvals broken down by Congressional district.  The data shows that “In every single congressional district, at least half of eligible borrowers either applied or were deemed auto-eligible for debt relief, and that was only in the one month that the application was available before the program got blocked because of lawsuits.”

Nationally, about 40 million student borrowers were eligible for the program and around 26 million applications were received, of which 16 million were approved before a court blocked the program pending review by the U.S. Supreme Court, leaving borrowers in limbo for now.

In San Diego County, over 400,000 borrowers would be eligible for the loan forgiveness, if the high court allows it to move forward.  Over 240,000 of those have applied and around 154,000 local borrowers have been approved.

Here is the breakdown by district:

By Miriam Raftery 

February 17, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – At 12:45 a.m., a truck towing a water tanker on Interstate 8 east near Tavern road struck a 26-year-old man from Lakeside who was standing outside of a disabled vehicle, a 2002 Cadillac Eldorado, on the roadway’s shoulder.

By Miriam Raftery

February 17, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) – Dane Terry, 67, co-founder of the Cadillac Wreckers jazz and blues band, lost his life February 13 of injuries sustained when an SUV ran a red light in San Carlos and struck the motorcycle Terry was riding.  He was known as “Mr. Chromatonic” and was widely known and respected among San Diego’s music community.

A resident of El Cajon, Terry moved to San Diego County in 1987 from Los Angeles. His musical interest began early in life, when his parents gave him a harmonica before he started school. Later, he sang in church and played with several blues bands before founding a harmonica trio and later, the Cadillac Wreckers band, in which Terry played harmonica as well as serving as vocalist.

The band has performed jazz, blues and dance music at popular venues across the county including House of Blues, Humphrey’s Backstage Live!, and the Gator by the Bay festival. They also performed at many East County venues including street festivals, Spring Harp Fest in La Mesa, Hooley’s Irish Pub and Girll, Main Tap Tavern, and Wynola Pizza and Bistro. He was also amember of a bluegrass band headed by Chris Clarke.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: CC-NC-SA via Bing

February 16, 2023 (Washington D.C.) - To help homeowners during this time of rising interest rates, the FHA has announced that its programs to help homeowners impacted by COVID-19 has been extended to help ALL eligible borrowers who are struggling to avoid foreclosure, regardless of the reason for their hardship. These tools will be available for at least the next 18 months.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, over 2 million homeowners were able to stay in their homes thanks to programs that allowed them to obtain loan modications or forbearances.

“Although the pandemic has ended, the economic effects will remain a challenge for the foreseeable future,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “These impactful and effective foreclosure prevention tools will help struggling borrowers find the right option to help them get back on their feet and keep them in their homes. These tools have been so successful already, which is why FHA worked to enhance them further and include more borrowers.”

By Miriam Raftery

February 15, 2023 (San Diego)-- San Diego County Supervisors have unanimously approved a proposal aimed at ending veterans’ homelessness. San Diego County is home to a quarter million veterans – and 8% of the homeless population countywide are veterans.

The ambitious proposal, introduced by Supervisors Nathan Fletcher and Chair Nora Vargas, will direct county staff to join county government resources with regional partners. The goal is to get every veteran off the street and onto a positive life plan.

Fletcher that while the number of homeless veterans helped the streets locally in the past four years has dropped by 30%, this isn’t enough. While it’s common to say `Thank you for your service,’ to San Diego veterans, Fletcher says that’s not enough. He states, “I think that needs to actually mean something. In this effort, that means us willing to put together a dedicated effort, a focused plan, and the accountability” to effectively end homeless in San Diego County. (View video of his full statement.)

The approval of the policy put several actions in motion, including the convening of community organizations and stakeholders, government representatives from local, state, and federal levels, and individuals with lived experience to come up with a plan.

February 14, 2023 (San Diego) -- Valentine’s Day is not just about romantic love, it’s also about sharing affection and showing how you care for others. So, who’s to say your sweetheart can’t be furry?

The County Department of Animal Services is playing matchmaker this week. As part of a Sweetheart Special, starting on Valentine’s Day through Feb. 19, all animals are just $14 to adopt.

There is someone for everyone. For those of you who like to be the center of someone’s universe and don’t mind bad breath, try a dog. Maybe you prefer to earn your love, try a cat. If you like the intellectual type, try a pig — they’re smarter than dogs  You like slow walks on aquarium beaches, how about a red-eared slider turtle? Recently gone vegetarian? Share a nibble on a carrot with one of our bunnies.

East County News Service

February 15, 2023 (Alexandria, Va.) – The TurfMutt Foundation is a national organization that advocates appreciation and caring for our green space and encourages all of us to spend time in the living landscapes around us like backyards, parks, and other green spaces. The Annual Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb. 17-20) is a great way for people – especially families and kids – to engage with the outdoors right in their own backyard, and the TurfMutt Foundation encourages everyone to participate.