By Mike Hancock

March 3, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)—Three people have died in the past four days in crashes on East County roadways--including two accidents on Highway 94 and a third in Borrego Springs.

Devices transmit power over existing power lines

By Miriam Raftery

March 3, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Smart meters have become a public relations nightmare for utility companies in California. After a flood of complaints by consumers alleging health problems suspecting of being caused by electromagnetic radio frequencies (EJF), the California Public Utilities Commission ordered utilities to allow consumers to opt out, or to have smart meters removed if already installers. Many homeowners have done so, but must pay for removal plus a monthly fee for reading meters.

Now Idaho Power has begun offering its customers smart meters that claim to avoid these problems. The company's website states: “Smart meters being deployed in Idaho Power's service territory do not transmit radio frequencies. Our smart meters do not use any wireless communication media or generate any high-frequency signals. Our system uses only wired infrastructure to communicate to and from our smart meters utilizing the low-frequency 60 hertz (Hz) power line signal as the carrier for our communications. This may be of interest because some smart meter deployments in California have raised concerns that radio transmission, wireless transmission or high-frequency transmission may pose health risks. The technology we're deploying is fundamentally different from the technologies in question in California.”

This begs the question: Why aren't these devices available to Califiornia ratepayers?

March 3, 2013 (El Cajon) – The city of El Cajon and CECO (San Diego County Employees’ Charitable Organization) awarded separate grants to Home of Guiding Hands.  The former approved a $35,270 grant for the residential program’s capital improvements on Tuesday, February 26 at the El Cajon City Council meeting.  Funds will be used on four of their 31 community based homes for individuals with developmental disabilities. Projects include a new kitchen, energy efficient replacement windows, flooring replacement and new bathroom vanities.

By Miriam Raftery

Governor Jerry Brown, in his State of the State Speech in January, praised legislators for casting “difficult votes to cut billions from the state budget.  You curbed prison spending through an historic realignment,” he said among other cost-cutting measures listed.

The realignment shifts responsibility for tens of thousands of prisoners from the state to local governments by 2014.  The action is fueled in part by a court ruling that ordered California to reduce overcrowding in state prisons by 33,000 prisoners, though the Governor’s move goes further in an effort to cut the budget.

The action, however, shifts responsibilities for those prisoners  to local counties and cities. It is also forcing some jurisdictions to release some prisoners early to avert overcrowding in local jails--and raises questions on how best to address the state's crime problems overall.

By Miriam Raftery

March 2, 2013 (San Diego) -- U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel this week dismissed a lawsuit filed by the Quechan Indians over cultural resource impacts of the Ocotillo Express Wind Facility.   In addition, the federal judge denied  motion sought by the Desert Protective Council to protect raptors at the site.  

"It is discouraging that our democratic system of checks and balances has broken down in relation to the administration's determination to usurp our public lands for industrial energy development,” said . Terry Weiner, Imperial County Projects and Conservation Coordinator at the Desert Protective Council. “  If we can no longer count on the courts to force our federal agencies to adhere to their own laws, how  are the American citizens supposed to protect our national natural and cultural heritage for future generations?"

March 2, 2013 (Jacumba) – The Jacumba Hikers will host three upcoming hikes into some of the most unique destinations in our region on February 16, March 2, and March 16--including sites where you can view Native American pictographs, spectacular scenery, and a 200-foot-high railway trestle. 

Destinations include Indian Hill and Gun Powder Shack,  Carrizo Gorge, and Mortero Palms/Goat Canyon.  Scroll down for details.

March 2, 2013 (Sacramento) – Effective July 1, 2013, the excise tax on gasoline will increase 3.5 cents per gallon following a vote February 28, 2013 by the California State Board of Equalization. The Board is sensitive to the financial impact consumers are feeling at the pump, but state law requires the BOE to adjust the excise tax rate by March 1 of each year in order to ensure revenue neutrality.

As gasoline prices increase, the relative amount of state sales tax that would be collected, but for the fuel tax swap, decreases and must be offset by an increase in the excise tax rate.

By Jake Christie

March 2, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--I could’ve called it a “bomb” or a “fiasco”, but I prefer to call the mess that is the American private and public student loan system a “freight train” because the light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming high-speed double diesel pulling 25 cars full of heavy loads.  The numbers surrounding the student loan mess are horrifying; the total student loan debt out is one trillion dollars, which is the entire US government budget in a year. Of that amount, $76 billion is in default, though Allan College of StudentLoanJustice.org put out a press release* doubting that figure because even defaulted loans have interest piled on top of them.

March 2, 2013 – Sempra Energy, parent company of SDG&E, this week reported 2012 earnings of $859 million, or $3.48 per diluted share, compared with $1.3 billion, or $5.51 per diluted share, in 2011.

Earnings for Sempra Renewables division took a huge leap in 2012, increasing to $61 million from $7 million in 2011. Fourth-quarter earnings for Sempra Renewables were $14 million in 2012, compared with a loss of $2 million in 2011, due primarily to the addition of solar and wind assets in 2012.

Earnings for SDG&E increased to $484 million in 2012 from $431 million in 2011.

For details, see the company’s announcement.

March 2, 2013 (Spring Valley) – Spring Into Healthy Living, a health and wellness fair featuring free health screenings and healthy living information from seniors and community service providers in the East County, will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, March 20 at the McGrath Family YMCA, 12006 Campo Road, Spring Valley. Admission is free, and continental breakfast will be served.



Health screenings will check blood glucose, blood pressure, body mass index, hearing and stroke risk. Information will be available on nutrition, volunteer opportunities, disaster preparedness and various diseases, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and diabetes. Demonstrations of tai chi and zumba, along with tours of the YMCA, will be held. Health officials will accept unused prescription medications.

San Diego Republicans drop opposition, vote to pass measure

By Miriam Raftery

March 1, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Two Republican Congressmen from San Diego, Duncan Hunter and Darrell Issa, previously voted against renewal and expansion of the Violence Against Women Act to include protections for Native American, gay and immigrant women.

But this week, both shifted their stance and joined with Democrats to pass  the measure 286 to 138. Local Democratic House representatives Susan Davis, Scott Peters and Juan Vargas also voted in favor. (View roll call) The bill has also been approved by the Senate, where California Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein supported it, and is expected to be signed into law by the President.

The law had expired, leaving all battered women without the protections afforded by the Violence Against Women Act, due to the House blocking the measure for over a year.  But after mounting public pressure by women’s groups, Native American rights advocates, immigrant and gay rights organizations and others, 87 House Republicans joined with all 199 Democrats to pass the reauthorization bill, expanding rights to include all women.

March 2, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- "A beautiful day, and a huge chunk of granite in The East County," photographer Tom Lemon says of this image he shot of Corte Madera Peak, also known as the "Half Dome of San Diego County" rising majestically above pine trees. 

March 1, 2013 (San Diego) – Terra American Bistro will host San Pasqual Winemaker Linda McWilliams on March 11 for a feast prepared by Chef Jeff Rossman to pair with San Pasqual Winery wines.  The cost is $50 per person plus tax and gratuity.

By Carolyn Ballou, California Department of Veterans Affairs



March 1, 2013 (San Diego) -- U.S. Air Force veteran, Ohio native, and California resident George Chappell loved classic cars.  In fact, he owned a ’36 Olds and ’67 Chevy, which he occasionally entered into competition. As a surprise for his 59th birthday in 2006, his wife, Sue, gave him a beautiful, new, last-year-of-production GTO.



George and Sue loved going to classic car shows together—especially Hot August Nights in Reno—in their limited-edition desert orange corvette, another car he occasionally showed. They also shared a love of George’s children, his grandchildren, their three rescued dogs, ‘50s and ‘60s music, and art. George was quite an accomplished artist! He also belonged to a model car club and built models with his sons. His perfectly-crafted models won many awards through the years and were sometimes featured in model car magazines.