December 30, 2012 (San Diego)-Michael Anderson, President o f Independent Pool and Spa Service Association ( IPSSA San Diego), recently presented Karla Winter-Schulz, President of Support the Enlisted Project ( S.T.E.P.) with a $7,000.00 charitable contribution. S.T.E.P. is the local branch of Operation Homefront, dedicated to assist servicemen and women and their families in many areas of need.

December 30, 2012 (La Mesa)--The Grossmont Hospital Foundation recently appointed three new members – Harry Ellison, M.D., Lew Silverberg and Philip Szold, M.D. – to its 2013 Board of Governors. Each appointee serves a three-year term, which began October 1, 2012.

The Grossmont Hospital Foundation Board of Governors mission is to establish policy for the Foundation, determine its fundraising priorities, and support Sharp Grossmont Hospital in developing high-quality, accessible and affordable inpatient and outpatient services to the residents of San Diego’s East County community.

By Miriam Raftery

December 30, 2012 (Santee) – A San Diego Police officer sustained serious injuries when a pickup truck traveling at a high speed collided with a patrol car. The crash occurred at 2:28 a.m. at the intersection of Mission Gorge Road and State Route 125.  The driver of the truck, who was also injured has been charged with suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.

The pickup truck was driving northbound on State Route 25 when it collided with the patrol car, knocking both vehicles off the road and onto the shoulder on northbound Mission Gorge Road. 

“Fire Department personnel used rescue equipment to cut and pry the car open to extricate the officer,” said Sgt. D. Hale with the San Diego Sheriff.

December 29, 2012 (San Diego)—A federal lawsuit has been filed by Celeste Deborah Cooney, who alleges that radiation from a bank of smart meters left her unable to reside in her home. Defendants in the suit include the SDG&E,  the State of California, Attorney General Kamala Harris, California Public Utilities chairman Mi chael Peevey, and Itron Inc., manufacturer of smart meters used in San Diego.

Cooney, a former bank vice president in Massachusetts, moved to San Diego to pursue a new career as a musician.  She performed at prominent locations including the Queen Mary and the Ritz Carlton.  But in April 2011, she developed a ringing in her ears, a “shock to her heart”, numbness, chest pain, heart palpitations and sleep problems that she attributes to a bank of smart meters at an apartment complex near her home in La Jolla.

Photo courtesy of ECM news partner 10 News

December 29, 2012 (Santee)—Jayme Midland, 25, was killed when the Volkswagen Beetle he was driving on State Route 52 was struck head-on by a Chevy pickup truck driving on the wrong side of the highway. 

The woman driving the truck suffered moderate injuries.  After treatment at Sharp Memorial hospital, she was arrested for gross vehiclular manslaughter while intoxicated. She has been booked into the Las Colinas Detention Facility, according to the California Highway Patrol.

 Midland,  a resident of Clairemont, was declared dead at the scene. The accident occurred shortly before 1 a.m. on eastbound 52, just east of Mast Boulevard in Santee.

December 29, 2012 (Cuyamaca) -- While driving through Rancho Cuyamaca State Park last week, ECM editor Miriam Raftery spotted several groups of deer grazing in the sun-dappled woods, including this doe, which paused to pose for a picture-perfect moment.

The best time to see deer is in the last hour before sundown; this photo was taken shortly before 4 p.m. just two days after the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year.

December 29, 2012 (San Diego’s East County ) -  A storm moving through our region today and tomorrow is expected to bring rain and in mountain areas, snow.  By tomorrow, snow is forecast to drop down to 4,000 feet—low enough to include Julian and  Lake Cuyamaca—popular destinations for families seeking to frolic in the snow.

Gusty winds are also forecast in mountains and on desert slopes late Sunday. The storm system is expected to move east and out of our county on Monday,  so if you’re planning a trip to the mountains it’s best to wait until after the weekend.

Story by David Lissek

Photos provided by www.JM2-Group.com

December 28, 2012 (San Diego) – Thursday’s 35th anniversary of the Holiday Bowl was sponsored by Bridgepoint Education and celebrated with Baylor University’s Bears winning in a runaway game over the 17th ranked UCLA Bruins.

The Holiday Bowl was played at Qualcomm Stadium and highlighted contending NCAA teams from the Pacific-12 against the Big 12 Conference. UCLA entered the contest slightly favored but heavily represented by its supportive Southern California fan & alumni base. Unfortunately for the Bruins, neither proved helpful.

December 28, 2012 (San Diego) – Jesus H. Rodriguez, 24, or Otay Mesa died at the scene of an accident at 3:17 a.m.  Rodriguez was driving west on the State Route 94 connector bridge to southbound I-15 when he lost control and went off the bridge, landing on State Route 94 beneath.  Rodriguez, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle.

December 28, 2012 (San Diego) – The FBI and San Diego Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify the unknown male responsible for robbing the Wells Fargo Bank, located at 9996 Scripps Ranch Boulevard, San Diego on December 26 at approximately 12:08 p.m.  The robber approached the victim teller, who had just finished helping another customer, and held a demand note in one hand and a bag in the other.  The teller placed a sum of money in the bag and the robber quickly exited the bank with the bag, spilling money on the way.

December 28, 2012 (Julian) – As part of the San Diego County Library’s acoustical performance series, The Yes Team will perform at the Julian Library on January 8.

The free concert will be held from 6- 7 p.m. The library is located at 1850 Highway 78, Julian, CA 92036.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

December 28, 2012 (San Diego's East County)--New Year's Eve is a night to have fun and celebrate the coming year. However, safety is a must when participating in the festivities.

Whether you're staying in and celebrating with friends and family, or you're traveling to a party or city bash, following a few safety tips will ensure that you're safe and sound when the clock strikes midnight, ringing in the New Year!

By Nadin Abbott

Photos by Tom Abbott, video by Nadin Abbott

December 27, 2012 (San Diego)-- The New Car Dealers Association of San Diego brings once again the San Diego International Auto Show, among the largest in the nation and the second largest in Southern California, to the San Diego Convention Center now Thursday through Sunday. The show this year features some old stand bys such as the Jeep Experience, where you can ride in one of several Jeeps to highlight the abilities of these vehicles. This year I rode a Trail Hawk Special Edition and the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Limited, which is a four door model. 

View a video of the ride here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9pv9QI__bM&feature=youtu.be

By Miriam Raftery

December 27, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The power of social media has given rise to a new phenomenon seen across our region and around the world:  residents are taking to the streets, sending tweets, and discovering the power of the people.  They’re organizing online, launching petitions, posting viral videos on Youtube, promoting causes on Facebook.  A year aqo, in 2011, the world witnessed the power of citizen activism when the Egyptian government was overthrown.  Here at home, the rise in citizen activism in the past year has led to some remarkable achievements and some noteworthy upsets.

Here are some of the results of citizen activism in our region over the past year.

December 27, 2012 (La Mesa)—A fire that began in or near a wall heater yesterday morning swiftly engulfed a granny flat in the 8400 block of Sunrise Avenue.  After a neighbor reported the blaze, Heartland Fire & Rescue crews arrived within five minutes.  

Firefighters stretched hose lines inside the building to aggressively fight the fire, while other crews vented the structure to allow smoke and hot gases to escape.  The blaze was doused within 10 minutes and firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to neighboring buildings.