By Brian Lafferty

Photos and Video by Billy Ortiz

July 12, 2012 (Lakeside) – A brush fire briefly threatened homes at I-8 and Los Coches Road near in Lakeside early this afternoon.  Thanks to a full wildland fire response, the blaze was extinguished in about 20 minutes. 

"As I traveled up Los Coches Road, I spotted flames and smoke near a housing track. I called 911 and they dispatched fire crews.  Within 5 minutes  fire engine crews were on the scene," said ECM photographer Billy Ortiz, who shot this dramatic video as firefighters battled the blaze and concerned residents looked on.

July 12, 2012 (Mission Trails) -- The Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation and the California Art Club will present Treasures of the Mission Trails Regional Park Art Exhibit and Benefit on July 14 from 6-8:30 p.m.

Renowned Native American Flute Player Tim Romero will be performing and George Cowles, East County resident circa 1873-1883, will return in character. The event will also include fine art, fine wine, cheese and chocolate.

By Sam Giovanna

East County Magazine’s in-house fire chief

July 12, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) --Following proven safety guidelines can greatly reduce the risk of injury or death from lightning strikes.

Lightning safety tips

The following tips are provided by the American Meteorological Society and the National Lighting Safety Institution.

Excessive heat warning in effect; Sheriff issues safety tips for hikers

July 11, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for San Diego County’s desert areas, cautioning that conditions “could be deadly” for unprepared campers or hikers. 

That message comes too late for Lynn Thu Tran, 19, of Escondido.  She was found unconscious with signs of heat stroke on the Julian side of Cedar Creek Falls at 5:30 p.m. on July 9. She was airlifted to Palomar Hospital but did not survive.  According to the Medical Examiner, she died of hypethermia, conditions related to a heat stroke.

• Catching up with San Diego’s legislators (San Diego CityBeat)
• Report: Padres to be sold to group including local golf star (10 News)
• Survey: Islam is San Diego County’s fastest growing religion (UT San Diego)
• Could economics doom ailing California nuclear plant? (Sacramento Bee)
• Santee among cities getting park grants (UT San Diego)
• Padre dam board settles on five-year  plan (UT San Diego)  
  
• ‘Appalled’ at Costs, Residents Slam Helix Water District Rate Hike Plan

• California growers join greens to query frack safety (Reuters)
• Legislature approves high speed rail spending (SF Gate)
• Historic bridges of Yosemite Valley under siege (Sacramento Bee)
• Study: What makes Californians smile? (News Service .org)
• College tuition is political fodder, from the state Legislature to the presidential campaign trail (Sacramento Bee)
  
• Rising costs push California cities to fiscal brink

July 11, 2012 -- Marking a major milestone for Californians and all Americans, the Homeowners Bill of Rights, a package of bills sponsored by Attorney General Kamala D. Harris that gives homeowners important new protections and places restrictions on how aggressively banks can foreclose, was signed into law today by Governor Brown.

July 11, 2012 (La Mesa) 11:05 p.m. --A helicopter is assisting La Mesa Police in a search for a 42-year-old man who may be armed with a gun in the 4400 Parks Avenue area.  The man is described as thin, wearing a black baseball cap, jeans and a white shirt.

By Miriam Raftery

July 7, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – If a bill passed by the Assembly and by a key State Senate Committee becomes law, San Diego County residents could be forced to pay for development of massive wind and solar projects in rural East County through property taxes—even though the projects are opposed by numerous area residents.

Sponsored by San Diego legislators Ben Hueso and Juan Vargas, AB 2551 would provide a fresh source of funding for energy companies pushing large wind and solar projects, since federal subsidies expire at year’s end. Both Vargas and Hueso have accepted thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from the electric utilities industry. 

The bill has drawn outraged reactions from key community leaders, who note that backers have vested interests in massive-scale energy projects and transmission lines proposed here. The measure is also opposed by the California Taxpayers Association and the California Association of Realtors.

By Catherine Gorka, Lakeside

July 10, 2012 (Lakeside)--Many residents of the East County /back county have received a letter from the Sunrise Powerlink Fire Mitigation Grants Program telling us about the  grant program. 

July 11, 2012 (La Mesa) – La Mesa-Mount Helix Patch reports that Roshawn Lamar Broadnax, 20, a former Helix Charter High School track and field star, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and spousal abuse.