Bill a response to complaints by local residents and tourists regarding open-carry  advocates brandishing guns in pubilc places

By Miriam Raftery
 

Staff members of Anderson & Kriger, a La Mesa-based law firm, volunteered their time on Saturday, April 24 by delivering two car loads of supplies and about $1,750 in contributions to El Centro and Calexico to help survivors of the Easter Sunday earthquake. 

“We found out that going across the border with supplies is a bit of a challenge, but there are plenty of opportunities to provide help on this side of the border," senior partner Clayton Anderson said.“There are thousands of residents of Calexico who were driven from their homes, many of them children, and they are struggling to get back to normal. Donations and supplies are still needed, and we may focus primarily on providing transportation of supplies being gathered in San Diego as part of the earthquake relief effort."

Prop 14 would ban party primaries, allow candidates to run without disclosing party, ban write-in candidates, and allow a general election run-off between two candidates in the same party

June 2, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) - A recent poll shows 60% of voters support Prop 14, the so-called “open primary” initiative on the June 8 ballot. But the measure goes far beyond “open primary” measures elsewhere. Opponents say most people don’t understand the implications of the measure, which is opposed by both the Democratic and Republican parties in California as well as minor parties including the Libertarian, Green and Peace & Freedom Parties.

“Those power lines are going to be a detriment to the air attack program and the ground program…More country is going to burn. It’s obvious.” – Bob Robeson, retired Division Chief, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal-Fire)

By Miriam Raftery

June 1, 2010 (Lakeside) – Swift attacks by aerial drops and ground crews narrowly succeeded in saving threatened homes Saturday along Highway 67 in the Slaughterhouse Canyon area of Lakeside, where several small fires started by a vehicle's catalytic converted merged into a 30-acre brush fire. But ECM columnist Dennis Richardson, an eyewitness to the firefighting efforts, raises a troubling concern.
Fires were burning directly along the route of the Sunrise Powerlink high voltage lines planned by SDG&E, he noted. (See map; fire was located between CP37-2 and CP31-2): http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/environment/info/aspen/sunrise/pmr/sdge_final_pmr_fig38.pdf .

“The Cal-Fire aerial firefighters would not have been able to work this fire until it burned out from under the transmission wires,” Richardson stated. Saturday’s fire occurred in spring, when grasses were still green and winds were only 5 mph. Had it occurred in dry conditions during summer or fall, with even moderate winds, Richardson warned, “No telling how many homes and lives could have been lost.”

By Bob Kipper, Vietnam War veteran and owner, KIAC Insurance Agency, San Marcos

Editor’s note: Last week we ran an article titled “Prop 17 would hurt veterans and consumers, experts warn.”  The Yes on Prop 17 campaign has responded by submitting the editorial below.

June 1, 2010 (San Diego) – The Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Fire Deparment will be conducting a series of prescribed burns on base property through June 30th. A scheduled burn is slated for tomorrow, June 2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., weather permitting. Miramar Fire Department Crews will be on a ridge top in east Miramar and smoke will be visible along SR-52, SR-163, from Interstate 15 as well as in local communities.

Update 9:50 a.m. CHP reports a fatality and several patients transported to a trauma center.

June 1, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – A SIG Alert has been issued for Highway 125, where a Border Patrol vehicle has overturned and is on fire, Incident Page Network reports. Three to four other vehicles are also involved in a collision, blocking all lanes. 

Conflicting reports list the nearest exit as both Palm and Jamacha.  Onramps from 94, Spring Street and other areas are being shut down.   According to dispatch reports, a beige SUV came from the north lanes into the south lines, colliding with other vehicles. CHP is on the scene and rescue crews are in route.

May 31, 2010 (El Cajon) -- The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce will present its“Conversations with the Candidates” legislative dinner on June 1st. All candidates running for the 36th Senate seat and the 77th Assembly district have been invited. Both are important electoral positions for the East County community and both are open seats this election cycle.

Update 3 p.m. Cal-Fire reports that both fatalities were visitors to the home. Four other people escaped the fire, including one female who was transported to an emegency facility for treatment of smoke inhalation.

May 31, 2010 (Shelter Valley) – A modular home fire iat 7523 Gunslinger Trail in Shelter Valley near Julian overnight has resulted in two fatalities, the County Coroner's office reports. “When firefighters arrived, the modular home was fully involved,” said Cal-Fire Battalion Chief Nick Schuler.

Nothing but the Truth!

By Will Power

 May 31, 2010 (San Diego) -- On Memorial Day we pay tribute to those brave souls who risk life and limb that we may live in a free, democratic society. But those who serve often sacrifice more than life and limb.

May 30, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – A hawk flew into power lines today in Mira Mesa, igniting a fire that briefly threatened homes. The fire is now extinguished. This evening, Cal-Fire is at the scene of a small fire started by a riding lawn mower on Haverford Road in Ramona. The fire is surrounded and is expected to be out soon.

Creative learning model is part of agenda at June 8 forum on Alpine's new high school

By Megan Werland
Alpine resident and member of the 12th HS Design Team

May 29, 2010 (Alpine) -- On June 8th, the GUHSD’s 12th High School Design Team will introduce its curriculum and architectural design to the community of Alpine and Blossom Valley (BV).

People will see innovation that will inspire them and may even make them a little nervous. Because after all, a school of the future will not look like the high school we attended when we were younger. Not to worry, parents!

May 29, 2010 (Lakeside) 4:30 p.m. – A 30-acre fire centered at Slaughterhouse Canyon Road just north of Lakeside has been 100% contained at 30 acres. The fire was caused by pieces of a malfunctioning catalytic converter expelled from a vehicle, according to Cal Fire spokesperson Roxanne Provaznik.

‘Now is the time of year to keep your vehicles properly maintained, so that fires like this don’t happen,” say’s Fire Investigator Captain Preston Fouts. Also to help prevent fires now that it’s camping season, R.V. owners are asked to check safety chains on the tow hitch and make sure they are tight and not sagging onto the pavement, causing sparks.

1 p.m. update:  ECM publisher Mark Hanson, whose home overlooks the San Vicente Reservoir, says the fire appears to be out in his area following air drops on the blaze.  The U.S. Forest Service has also been called in to assist, Incident Page Network reports.