By Miriam Raftery

March 24, 2013 (Jacumba Hot Springs) --I spotted this beautiful crested bird, a cedar waxwing, on a visit to Jacumba Hot Springs last week.  Lake Jacumba, once virtually dry, is now refilled and is a magnet for a wide variety of bird species.

Cedar waxwings are most often found in the northern United States, but can be seen in wooded areas of San Diego County during their spring migration.  They often travel in flocks and are known as the "party animals" of the bird world, since they have been known to feast on fruits and berries until they become intoxicated!

By Janis Mork

March 22, 2013 (El Cajon)- East County’s newest farmers’ market had its grand opening yesterday on the Prescott Promenade in downtown El Cajon. Many people came, young and old, single and families, all flocking to check out what this market had to offer. Shoppers found a unique blend of fresh produce, unique ethnic and multicultural foods, fresh flowers, baked goods, hot entrees and specialty foods. 

An International Rescue Committee (IRC) spokesman thanked the public for coming out and supporting the new market, which benefits not only the community, but also local refugees who are growing some of the fresh produce sold here.

By Miriam Raftery

March 22, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Today the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed closure of 149 air traffic control towers due to sequestration cuts that are mandated due to Congress failing to agree on how to balance the federal budget.  That includes towers at Ramona Airport in East County and Brown Field in Otay Mesa, both slated to shut down starting April 7.

Closure of the Ramona facility had sparked widespread protests from local officials and the public, who had urged the FAA to keep the tower open to assure protection of firefighters at the backcountry airport.

Photo courtesy of ECM news partner 10 News

March 22, 2013 (Otay) -- This morning at 11:05, California Highway Patrol communications began receiving reports that a small private plane had been forced to land on the freeway after experiencing mechanical problems.  CHP officers responded to these reports and located the Cessna 150 on the right shoulder of State Route 125, near the Otay River Bridge. 

Approval of Escondido power plant restart triggers local generation charge to ratepayers

Story and photos by Nadin Abbott

March 21, 2013 (San Diego)—East County residents savored victory following the California Public Utilities Commission’s unanimous rejection today of Quail Brush, a gas-fired power plant proposed near Mission Trails. Commissioners also rejected the Pio Pico plant in Otay Mesa, but approved refiring an Escondido power plant.

But according to Lane Sharman, co-founder with Bill Powers of the San Diego Energy District Foundation, a grassroots group trying to get community based utilities, this vote did something else. It added one more tax to your utility bill. Not only are rate payers to pay for energy distribution and transmission distribution, but now  a local generation charge as well. Effectively, ratepayers will be subsidizing utilities, according to Sharman.

Commission allows repowering of Escondido plant

“Today’s rejection of Quail Brush is not only a victory for the environment. It’s a victory for our community. It sends a message that San Diego County shouldn’t rely on old-school, power plant technology and that we can accelerate our efforts to develop renewable, cleaner forms of energy, like rooftop solar and fuel cells.”—Supervisor Dianne Jacob

March 21, 2013 (San Diego) – Before a packed audience in San Diego today, the California Public Utilities Commission unanimously denied SDG&E’s requests to build Quail Brush and Pio Pico, gas-powered peaker plants near Mission Trails Regional Park and in Otay Mesa.  The Commission did, however, authorize repowering of an existing but idle gas plant in Escondido.

Update: A $500 reward is now being offered for Napolean's safe reward.

March 22, 2013 (Alpine)--On Tuesday afternoon, March 19, Napoleon, a French Bulldog, went missing from the backyard of his home in Alpine. Napoleon is almost 11 years old and has retired from his job as a therapy dog to live out his days with the Storms family and their 5-year-old daughter, Carson. The dog specialized in working with developmentally disabled adults that have violent tendencies. He is a black-brindle French Bulldog with white markings. He weighs around 25 pounds and was wearing a blue plaid collar.

Napoleon has also been the center of a love story. After taking part in his owners' wedding as a 'Groomsdog' he was on a flight from San Diego to Charlotte, N.C. with a close friend of the family who subsequently met his wife, a Delta flight attendant, during the flight when they started talking about the handsome dog.

March 21, 2013 (San Diego)--Moving to a new town or city is always very exciting and sometimes also a little nerve racking.

When contemplating relocation, therefore, it is always a good idea to take a long hard look at all the pros and cons in order to arrive at a balanced view.  Here are just some of the things to take into account of for anyone contemplating moving to San Diego.

March 21, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Assault weapons ban dropped from Senate bill (NBC)
• States' aid to public colleges has fallen 28 percent since 2008 (Reuters)
• Rand Paul wins  CPAC straw poll (The Hill)
• Sen. Rand Paul introduces fetal personhood bill to outlaw all abortions (RawStory)
• First-ever cyberattack on US election points to broad vulnerabilities (Christian Science Monitor)
• Prop. 37 Died, but the Food-Labeling Fight Lives (Voice of San Diego)
• Census shows record 1 in 3 US counties are dying (Sacramento Bee)
• Report makes chilling forecast on Northwest quake (Sacramento Bee)

WORLD

• Islamist law takes hold in rebel-held Syria (Washington Post)
• Syria, rebels accuse each other of firing a chemical weapon (Washington Post)
• Pope Francis wants Church to be poor, and for the poor (Reuters)
• New Pope Criticized For His Association With Argentina's Dirty War (NPR)
• Flight to nowhere: Refugees’ plight is worsening (The Economist)
• Venezuela to probe Chavez cancer poisoning accusation (Reuters)
• Israeli lawyer goes after Abbas, Hamas in ICC (Jerusalem Post)
• Co-Founder Of Khmer Rouge Dies; Ieng Sary Escapes Judgment For Genocide (NPR)
• Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood says UN proposal on women will destroy the world (Christian Science Moitor)

SCIENCE AND HEALTH

• Could Brazilian waxing increase STD risk? (Fox)
• Driving coast to coast with no gas – on water and sunshine (USA Today)

March 20, 2013--(San Diego’s East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL/REGIONAL

• Business owners in Alpine sue SDG&E over impacts from Sunrise Powerlink  (San Diego Reader)
• For exiled Chaldeans, Iraq War is far from over (UT San Diego)
• Park Station hits a Nebo snag (La Mesa Today)
• Bond uncertainty concerns Grossmont committee  (UT San Diego)
• State finds big gaps in utility funds (UT San Diego)
• Calif. nuke plant could breakdown at full power (Sacramento Bee)
• Climbing club cleans up Santee boulders plastered with graffiti (Santee Patch)
• Quake test exposes big fire threat (UT San Diego)
• Update: State Calls Bridge ‘Structurally Safe,’ Says Report Is Flawed (KPBS)
• Bus contract is half Sprinter’s monthly cost (UT San Diego)
• I watched U-T TV so you won’t have to (Voice of San Diego)

March 20, 2013 (Santee) – Padre Dam Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a $1 per month lease agreement for the Santee Teen Center located at Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve. The City of Santee requested the $1.00 per month lease payment for the Teen Center building due to funding shortfalls for the Teen Center Program.

View 10 News interview with teen Doyin Oladipupo; photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News 

March 20, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Robin Sadik, 18, of El Cajon and two 17-year-olds are in custody for burglarizing a Chula Vista home yesterday at 1 p.m..  A teen girl hid in a closet and called 911, leading to the arrests.   

“The suspects have likely participated in other burglaries in the area, as other stolen property was found in their vehicle.  The vehicle was also determined to be stolen from El Cajon within the previous week,” said Captain Gary Wedge with the Chula Vista Police department.

Brands include Natura, Innova, Evo, California Natural and Healthwise

March 19, 2013 -- Natura Pet Products is voluntarily recalling some of its dry pet food because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

March 17, 2013 (San Diego's East County) -- A join Chamber of Commerce mixer will be held at the Heartland Fire Training Facility in El Cajon on March 28 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Join Chambers from throughout East County to learn about the Facility that provides training for east county. There will be food & beverage, demonstrations, hands-on activities, a Mayor's challenge, and meet your firefighters.

By Miriam Raftery

March 20, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Pattern Energy has claimed that a Merlin Avian Radar system at its Ocotillo Express Wind Facility will detect eagles and allow turbines to be shut down to save them from the whirling blades. Avian radar is also proposed at other wind projects proposed in East County.

But now ECM has learned that an eagle was killed at Pattern’s Spring Valley Wind project near Great Basin National Park in Nevada. According to Bureau of Land Management documents, Pattern had claimed in Appendix F, its Avian and Bat Protection Plan, that it planned to install three separate radar systems at the Spring Valley project to prevent deaths of birds and bats, including both Merlin and Vesper technology. 

Pattern did not respond to an ECM request for comment. The death, along with mounting evidence indicating avian radar is failing to protect birds at wind sites, raises serious concerns over the fate of eagles in our region, where three more wind farms are proposed in San Diego’s East County.