"It's outrageous that our elected officials in California are using taxpayer dollars to intentionally mislead their constituents and divert them from CoveredCA.com ... Republicans in California should be ashamed… the GOP’s newest tactics is to lie to voters and prevent sick people from getting the care they need.”—Dr. Paul Song, oncologist and Courage Campaign executive director

By Nadin Abbott and Miriam Raftery

December 3, 2013 (San Diego)—The California Assembly Republican Caucus, chaired by East County representative Brian Jones (R-Santee), is taking heat for creating a phony website (http://www.coveringhealthcareca.com/) designed to divert consumers from the state’s official Covered California site (https://www.coveredca.com/). 

Covered California is the website for consumers to get information on new healthcare exchanges and sign up for healthcare coverage under the federal Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. 

Republican members including Jones are promoting the sham healthcare site, labeled a “California Resource Guide” directly to constituents on their official Assembly websites paid for by taxpayers.

December 3, 2013 (San Diego) – For complete Calendar including Authors Events, go to www.SDWriteWay.org

FOR ALL SAN DIEGO COUNTY LIBRARY EVENTS, go to: http://www.sandiego.gov/public-library/news-events/index.shtml

December 3 (Tuesday, 7:30 pm) — Warwick's will host Fannie Flagg, the bestselling author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, as she discusses and signs her new novel The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion. This event is free and open to the public, however Reserved Seating is available. Please call Warwick's for details. Only books purchased from Warwick's will be signed.

Story and photos by Sharon A. Penny

December 1, 2013 (El Cajon)--Thomas Weller of El Cajon has had stories printed throughout the nation about his acts of kindness (by CBS News, The LA Times, People Magazine and NPR, among others), as well as international publications. Yet this East County man remains humble and steadfast in his pursuit of paying it forward.

Weller, known as the San Diego Highwayman (www.sandiegohighwayman.com) has been helping distressed motorists for almost 50 years. He never accepts payment for his kind gestures – which include providing gas for empty tanks to replacing batteries to fixing flats. Instead, he hands each motorist a card with the following inscription:

“Assisting you has been my pleasure. I ask for no payment other than for you to pass on the favor by helping someone in distress that you may encounter.”

December 2, 2013 (El Cajon)--The City of El Cajon is accepting applications to fill a vacancy on the El Cajon City Council.   The deadline to apply is Wednesday, December 4 at 5:30 p.m. and applications are available at the city’s website. 

To be eligible, you must be a resident and a registered voter when you apply and throughout your term of office.  The seat is open to fill the vacancy left when Councilman Bill Wells was appointed Mayor, after former Mayor Mark Lewis resigned.

File photo: Cows in snow at Descanso, by Rebecca Masten

December 1, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Cold weather is forecast to sweep into our region on Tuesday, bringing rain countywide and snow down to elevations as low as 3500 feet by Wednesday.  Areas at or above 3500 feet include Julian, Cuyamaca, Pine Valley, Descanso, Boulevard, Mount Laguna, and Warner Springs. 

NOTE: CORRECTED DATE

View map of all energy projects in our region to see cumulative impacts and disparate impact on rural areas

Judge to Decide Whether to Have Hearings on Nearly Half Billion Dollar SDG&E Power Line Project That Opponents Say Threatens Back Country Communities

January 31, 2014 (Alpine)--The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold a prehearing conference at 1:30 p.m. February 5 in the Oak Room of the Alpine Community Center, 1830 Alpine Blvd. in Alpine regarding proposed SDG&E’s Master Special Use Permit project that wouldl impact communities throughout the San Diego backcountry from Pauma Valley to Potrero (north to south) and from Ramona to Boulevard (west to east). The project is so large that SDG&E estimates construction will take about five years. 

Administrative Law Judge Jean Vieth will determine if there will be full evidentiary hearings for this project or if this prehearing conference will be the only time the issues are heard. "In its application, SDG&E asked the CPUC for permission to construct this $418.5 million project without any hearings at all—their usual method of operation,"Backcountry Against Dumps, a nonprofit community organization, states in a press release.

Donna Tisdale, President of Backcountry against Dumps and Chair of the Boulevard Planning Group, voiced these concerns. “SDG&E’s project is being sold solely as fire-hardening but it appears to be an undisclosed stealth increase in carrying capacity that may directly or indirectly support numerous commercial solar projects that are already proposed along or near the route in Boulevard, Pine Valley, Descanso, Potrero, Julian, Ramona, and perhaps elsewhere that we are not yet aware of. Solar generation projects represent potential new fire ignition sources that cannot be de-energized during red flag wind events or other emergencies.”

December 1, 2013 (Rolando)--San Diego Police Department Homicide Unit detectives are investigating the death of a man in the Rolando area.

On Saturday, November 30th at approximately 11:27 p.m., patrol officers responded to a 911 call of a shooting in the 7100 block of El Cajon Boulevard. Arriving officers located a man in his thirties lying on the ground in a parking lot. He was bleeding from the torso and appeared to have suffered at least one gunshot wound.

November 28, 2013 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – The Jacumba Hikers and Walkers have a new schedule with many interesting outings coming up.  A favorite among participants is the Jacumba Walk About coming up this Saturday, November 30 to explore Jacumba’s hidden treasures.

This three to four mile roundtrip walk is rated easy.   It is also dog friendly, though dogs must be on a six foot leash.

November 27, 2013 (San Diego) – The holiday season isn't all twinkling lights and home-baked pies. Did you know that household hazards and preventable damages peak significantly in the holiday season? For example, on average, there are three times more turkey fryer claims during the holiday season than any other time of the year. The median cost for turkey fryer-related claims is almost $29,000.

Many holiday traditions — including decorating trees, stringing electric lights, lighting candles and preparing elaborate meals — can pose risks if not handled properly.

November 28, 2013 (La Mesa)--EDCO would like to remind residents that kitchen fat, oil and grease (FOG) that’s left over from daily cooking, or after deep frying a Thanksgiving turkey, can be recycled. For interested residents, EDCO has a free, safe and more environmentally friendly option for disposing of household FOG.

Residents are asked to simply collect used discarded FOG in a leak-proof container and drop it off free of charge at one of EDCO’s conveniently located Buyback Centers. The FOG will then ultimately be processed, filtered and converted into bio-diesel by a third party processor to power vehicles. 

November 29, 2013 (Ramona) -- On Friday, Ramona’s East End merchants are offering up a hometown Black Friday in Ramona's Old Town   Starting at 8 a.m., stroll the town’s historic Main Street between 5th and 8th, for sidewalk sales and unique gifts offered by shop owners.  

Later, you can  head up to Ramona Ranch Winery for wine and pizza at 23578 Highway 78 (3 miles east of Ramona's Old Town).   For $10, you can taste 5 different wines; Trezette’s catering will be serving up flatbread pizza and salad from noon to 4 p.m. for an additional $9 each.   Wine is also available by the glasss and bottles will be discounted.

November 28, 2013 (San Diego)-- Agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Air and Marine (OAM) and the Border Patrol interrupted a drug smuggling attempt involving air drops of marijuana bales from  an ultra-light aircraft Monday.  Authorities seized over 260 pounds of marijuana with a street value of $157,000. Two suspects were arrested, said Mary Beth Caston with the Border Patrol.

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

November 28, 2013 (El Cajon)--A police pursuit in El Cajon ended in the death of Carl Lee Denmark, 22, a resident of Santa Ysabel.

Denmark was driving a stolen motorcycle at a high rate of speed with El Cajon Police officers in pursuit on November 9 when he lost control and was ejected, then run over by a vehicle.  The accident occurred on Graves Avenue near the 67 interchange at Broadway.

November 27, 2013 (Julian) -- The County Medical Examiner has identified Greg Dwight Conitz, 56, of Julian as the man whose body was found floating in Oceanside Harbor on bn November 23.

On November 22, Conitz went to stay on his boat in a slip at Oceanside Harbor. That night, he went with friends to local bars and consumed alcohol, the Medical Examiner's report states. The next morning, another friend found Conitz floating in the weater yet another boat at slip#2. 

Reprinted with permission from San Diego Loves Green

By Roy L. Hales

November 27, 2013 – In the wake of a widening misinformation scandal in Arizona, the Alliance for Solar Choice (TASC) is calling on utility trade organization Edison Electric Institute (EEI), “… to disavow APS’ underhanded behavior and state whether or not they have also used dark money.”