County announcement describes new facility as "a town treasure"

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Dave Patterson
February 12, 2011 (Ramona) –State and County officials will join Friends of the Ramona Library to celebrate the grand opening of a new, state-of-the-art library on Tuesday, February 15 at 11 a.m.  After the ceremony, the library will welcome the public with a day of programs including live music, face painting and read-alouds for children, plus tours of the new building.

Located at 1275 Main Street in Ramona, the 21,000-square-foot Tuscan and Southwestern-style library is four times the size of the old building and boasts rooftop solar panels that will produce about 20 percent of the energy needed to run the library.

February 13, 2011 (Ramona) – Manuel Alba, 85, has died of injuries sustained when he was struck and killed by a pickup truck pulling a wood chipper in Ramona. Alba, a widower who lived in Ramona, was crossing the intersection at Main Street and Seventh Street in Ramona when he was hit on February 11th at 7:47 a.m.

by Paul Downey, CEO & President, Senior Community Centers

February 10, 2011 (San Diego) - Elder abuse victims often live in silent desperation, fearing retaliation from their abusers. Many times, it takes the courage of a family member or loved one to take action and stop the abuse. The following information will help you recognize - and prevent - elder abuse:

February 14, 2011 (Valley Center) – A motorcyclist was killed February 13th in an accident on SR 76, west of South Grade Road in Pauma Valley. According to the San Diego Medical Examiner’s office, the man was driving his 2011 Harley Davidson eastbound on SR 76 around 12:45 p.m. when he came out of a curve at a high speed and ran onto a grassy shoulder. He lost control and crashed. The driver was ejected and his motorcycle caught on fire.

February 12, 2011 (Ramona) – Carl Jones, 43, of Ramona has been arrested following an all-night stand-off with the San Diego Sheriff’s SWAT team. Jones had barricaded himself inside his residence at 23610 Galeria Circle following a domestic violence dispute. Jones also threatened suicide, Lt. Jim Duffy said.

Although several shots were fired, no one was harmed and Jones was arrested on weapons and domestic violence charges.
 

February 14, 2011 (Pine Valley) – Cal-Fire is conducted a controlled burn today and tomorrow in Corte Madera Ranch near Pine Valley.

Smoke may be highly visible throughout much of East County.

The Alpine Community Network reports a controlled burn is also underway today in the Japatul Valley area.

 Update February 13, 2011 -- San Diego Police report that Richard Johannis has been found safe in Mexico. 

February 12, 2011 (San Diego) – San Diego Police seek help to locate an elderly man who has medical issues from a recent stroke. Richard Johannis, 79, has been missing since Thursday night, Feb. 10 at 9 p.m. and has no coat or warm clothing with him.

He was last seen at 7600 Alvarado Road in San Diego, near Alvarado Hospital. Johannis was driving his 1997 white, four-door Chevy Lumina, California license 5GJF330.

Feb. 12, 2011 (11 p.m.) - The San Diego Medical Examiner has identified the victim in this accident as Matthew David Pack, 24, of San Juan Capistrano.  Cause of death has not yet been determined.  

Update Feb. 12, 2011 9:30 a.m. - The rock climber has been confirmed as a fatality, San Diego Sheriff Lt.. David Brown said.  "He was dangling halfway down the rock face, in the water underneath the waterfall," he confirmed.  The body recovery effort continues in the rugged canyon area.  No additional details on the identity or description of the man have been released at this time. 

 Update 11:50 p.m.

February 11, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Efforts to recover the body of a climber presumed dead at Mildred Falls have been called off for the night, San Diego Sheriff's Lt. Jim Duffy informed ECM moments ago.

The rock climber is believed to have died while awaiting a rescue helicopter this evening, East County Magazine has learned.  Officials believe that the victim, a male, "was trying to rappel into the waterfall when he became entangled in ropes and was drawn into the water," Duffy said, adding that three different people reporting hearing the individual calling for help.

 Incident Page Network reported at 6:05 p.m. that San Diego Sheriff’s Copter 1 was en route for a technical rescue of the hiker, who was unconscious hiker halfway down the falls, possibly a rock climber who had been rapelling. Lt. Duffy said rescuers initially responded to a man yelling for help at mile marker 9 on Eagle Peak near Mildred Falls in the Julian area at 5:17 p.m.

By Jeremy Los

February 12, 2011 (El Cajon)--On Monday, February 14, the El Cajon Citizen of the Year Committee will host its annual “Citizen of the Year” luncheon with the San Diego-East County Chamber of Commerce. This year, the committee will honor charitable auctioneer Steve Hamann as the El Cajon Citizen of the Year.

February 11, 2011 (San Diego). – Legal troubles are mounting for San Diego Gas and Electric's proposed "Sunrise Powerlink" transmission line with the filing of a new lawsuit this week by three local organizations against California's State Water Resources Control Board. The lawsuit was filed in California State Superior Court in Sacramento.

February 11, 2011 (Rolando) – San Diego Police report that around 3:26 a.m., two suspects broke the front glass doors at Change U Beauty 6463 University Ave and entered, then stole numerous human hair extensions value at about $10,000 and an undisclosed amount of money.

World, U.S. and local leaders react to peaceful toppling of regime by Egyptians seeking democracy

February 11, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak announced his resignation today, following 18 days of massive protests by Egyptians demanding democracy.
 

The Egyptian military is currently in charge, leaving questions over who will ultimately fill the void left by Mubarak and when democratic elections may occur. Still, news of Mubarak’s departure has been greeted with cheers in the streets of Cairo and cautious optimism by most world leaders.

February 11, 2011 (Alpine) – “What’s my vision? Two words: nation building,” Anthony Pico, chairman of the Viejas band of Kumeyaay Indians, told tribal members and guests at a swearing-in ceremony yesterday for newly elected tribal council members. View a video of Chairman Pico speaking on his vision of nation building.
 

Two weeks ago, the Viejas tribal council unanimously approved the nation-building concept. In late February, council leaders will meet with representatives from the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government to begin dialogue and create a two-day workshop on defining nation-building, Pico revealed.