"The policy of the GUHSD in thunder/lightning storm conditions would be to immediately seek safe shelter at the first sound of thunder." -- Larry Pear, Grossmont Union High School District

ECM Special Report

Story by Miriam Raftery, photos by Dennis Richardson

July 16, 2010 (Lakeside)—While lightning strikes caused multiple fires in East County including Lakeside, El Capitan’s football team continued practicing on an open field during a thunderstorm in direct violation of district rules.

“There was thunder and lightning in the immediate area striking the ground...during the time the kids were practicing,” ECM photographer Dennis Richardson reports. “As I was shooting pictures of the players [from a hill nearby], a man who was watching the lightning storm from the safety of his home near me told me he had just seen a bolt of lightning hit a power pole near Wildcat Canyon and Willow Road.” That’s about half a mile from the football practice, he estimated.

 

Playing sports during a thunderstorm can be deadly. In 2008, all eleven players on a football team in the Democratic Republic of the Congo were killed when lightning struck the field. 

July 17, 2010 (San Diego) – Looking for some summertime family fun? San Diego County has announced “Movies in the Park” at parks and pools countywide. Grab your beach chairs, beat the heat, and head out to a park near you—including numerous locations in East County.

July 16, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Cal-Fire is on the scene of two small fires, both caused by lightning. The Henderson Fire, on Indian Head Peak in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is two to three acres. Firefighters and a helitack crew have cut a containment line around the blaze. A second blaze, the Cougar Fire, is burning on the Los Coyotes Indian Reservation and is less than an acre in an area with heavy fuel.

July 16, 2010 (San Diego) – Today, Sacramento County Superior Court Patrick Marlette denied a request by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to force State Controller John Chiang to reduce state workers’ pay to the federal minimum wage. The ruling could affect 200,000 California state employees.
 

July 15, 2010 (San Diego's East County) - Rainfall aided firefighters in battling numerous fires in backcountry areas late today. Most were started by lightning strikes from thunderstorms.  The largest blaze in San Felipe along the Banner Grade near Julian had reached over 100 acres by early evening and is burning toward the desert.

Smaller fires were swiftly controlled in other communities including Warner Springs, Campo, and Lakeside.  Fast action by Lakeside resident Charley Barranco helped extinguish a brush fire in a  on the Levy water pump station at Lake Jennnings Park.

July 1, 2010 (San Diego)—San Diego Police report that homicide detectives are investigating after a dead body was found inside a burned car in the 14200 block of Highland Valley Road, San Pasqual at 1:10 a.m.

Update 3:50 p.m.:  

The Felipe Fire at Banner grade is now 50 acres on the east side of S-2 near Julian, spreading rapidly, Cal-Fire reports.  The Mission Valley Fire's spread has been slowed.  The fire near Lakeside is now contained and was confined to a drainage ditch.  New fires are burning near Campo Railroad in Campo and east of Shelter Valley, but both are lightning fires that should be contained soon, Cal-Fire batallion chief  Nick Schuler informed ECM.

July 15, 2010 3:05 p.m. --  Major brush fires are burning in Mission Valley and across multiple backcountry communities, including several sparked by wildfires.  Scroll down for details and please post any updates you may have in our comments section below.

County Urges Residents To Use Caution When Cleaning Up Rodent Droppings
 

July 15, 2010 (Otay) -- San Diego County Vector Control officials confirmed today that one wild Northern Baja mouse trapped in the Otay River Valley during routine monitoring tested positive for Hantavirus. This brings the total to 16 mice that have tested positive for Hantavirus this year.

“Hantavirus is preventable and can be fatal. The wet winter has provided plenty of food and shelter for mice, helping to increase the wild mouse population. It is extremely important to keep mice out of houses, garages and sheds to prevent infection,” said Jack Miller, Director of the County Department of Environmental Health. “People contract Hantavirus by inhaling the virus, often when they are cleaning up rodent droppings and nesting materials. Wet cleaning methods should be used to prevent inhaling the virus.”

 “I believe that the PACE program is critical to stimulating our local and statewide economy. I’m glad to see this lawsuit filed so that this novel program can continue.” --San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, joining Brown at today's press conference in San Diego

July 14, 2010 (San Diego) – California Attorney General Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown today filed a lawsuit against mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for blocking the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs nationwide.  View a video of today's press conference in San Diego:

July 14, 2010 (San Diego) -- Assembly Bill 1660, which expands the definition of “emergency aircraft flights for medical purposes,” was signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger on Friday. The bill clarifies that an air ambulance, flying under a Lifeguard call sign, is not  subject to a fine or penalty when departing an airport after hours to return to headquarters.
 

“Our access to public safety is the issue in question,”  said Assemblymember Mary Salas (D-Chula Vista), author of the bill. “It is important that emergency workers are not hindered in doing their job.”  

July 14, 2010 (San Diego's East County) --A woman is distraught and threatening to jump off a bridge over Eastbound highway 54 near the 805 junction, Incident Page Network reported at 6:05 p.m.   

Traffic is also slow on westbound I-8 due to two major accidents, including a rollover at Fairmont where a vehicle rolled down an embankment, forcing a road closure.  A second accident has occured near College Avenue.

By Brian Lafferty

July 14, 2010 (San Diego’s East County)--The Sorcerer's Apprentice takes a ten-minute animated segment and stretches it out to a nearly two hour live-action film but it works. It is visually dark yet lit up by the energetic performance of Dave by Jay Baruchel and Nicolas Cage’s dry, deadpan, and humorous portrayal of Balthazar. Some of the humor is predictable but I still laughed throughout. The film teems with special effects but they have a decent story to put them to use.

July 14, 2010 (Lemon Grove) -- Assemblymember Marty Block (D-Lemon Grove) and California State Controller John Chiang will host a Small Business Tax and Regional Opportunities Seminar to provide small business owners with the resources and tools they need to be successful as our economy recovers. Experts will provide small business owners with valuable information on tax preparation, tax compliance issues, current legislative issues and discuss regional opportunities to help businesses grow.

Representatives from the Office of the State Controller, State Board of Equalization, Franchise Tax Board, Internal Revenue Service, United States Small Business Administration, California Employment Development Department and the Small Business Development Corporation will participate.  

July 14, 2010 (Jacumba) -- Martha Lidia Jimenez, 54, of Yuma, Arizona has been identified by the San Diego Medical Examiner's office as the driver of a Nissan Sentra that struck a Ford F150 on Interstate 8 near Carrizo Gorge Road on July 10. Her car rolled over multilple times landing on the center divide.