Updated May 27, 2012, 10 a.m. -- The Banner Fire was held at 4,100 acres through the night and remains 65% contained. Fire suppression cost has reached $2 million. Excess resources are now being dismissed, according to Roxanne Provaznik with Cal-Fire.

By Miriam Raftery
Kristin Kjaero also contributed to this report

Vermont’s latest energy statute expands its statewide Clean Local Energy Accessible Now (CLEAN) Program and removes program cap for projects with locational benefits to the power grid.

May 26, 2012 (Montpelier, Vermont)– On May 18, Vermont’s Governor Shumlin signed into law the 2012 Energy Bill, which contains a groundbreaking acknowledgment of the locational benefits of distributed generation and more than doubles the amount clean local energy that will be brought online through the state’s CLEAN program. Similar programs could well be applied in places such as San Diego to encourage locally-generated rooftop solar and other local power as alternatives to massive industrial-scale energy projects and high-voltage transmission lines running long distances.  

May 25, 2012 (San Diego) – San Diego Police have issued a warning that on three occasions in the past two weeks, a man in a red vehicle has attempted to abduct children near Emerson Elementary School in the Mountain View neighborhood in southeast san Diego.

May 25, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The Banner Fire has now scorched 3,100 acres and cost $575,000 in fire suppression costs.

May 25, 2012 (San Diego)--A red flag warning has been issued for the desert, with high wind warnings and possible rain forecast for other areas across East County this weekend. Get the latest weather update from Your Online Weather with Gary Kelley.

May 25, 2012 (Shelter Valley)--The Banner Fire flared up at the eastern end this afternoon, prompting mandatory evacuation of the Stage Coach Trails RV Resort at the south end of the Shelter Valley community.

May 25, 2012 (La Mesa) -- O’Dunn Fine Art is hosting a first viewing of Paul Strahm’s new paintings on May 26 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the gallery, 8325 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa.  Strahm’s fresh-to the market pieces include paintings of Torrey Pines, the Del Mar Fair, The Gaslamp, Little Italy, Balboa Park and more.

Update:  Two people are dead and four injured victims have been transported to local hospitals. A long-term road closure is expected.

May 25, 2012 (Ramona) – A major automobile accident at State Route 67 and Rockhouse Road has claimed the life of one person and others remained trapped, Incident Page Network reports.

The highway is closed between Poway Road and Archie Moore for the investigation and a SIG alert has been issued. A medical helicopter was unable to reach the area due to stormy weather.