The law enforcement agency will accept applications for three days only in January

December 15, 2012 (Sacramento)--The California Highway Patrol (CHP) announced today that it will accept applications in January from individuals interested in a career as a CHP officer.

“This is an opportunity to serve alongside some of California’s finest who provide the highest level of safety, service and security throughout the state,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “A career with a law enforcement agency like the CHP offers unlimited opportunities for someone who is looking for a challenge.”

December 15, 2012 (La Mesa) – A passenger has died after being ejected from a truck that collided with a raised concrete wall on the elevated ramp from westbound I-8 to southbound State Route 125 in La Mesa. According to CHP Officer Brian Pennings, the driver “failed to maintain control due to his unsafe speed for current conditions” on a rain-slicked roadway.

The 2000 GMC box-style truck driven by Jaime Espinoza, 32, of San Diego was propelled across both lanes after striking a concrete wall, then smashed again into another concrete wall on the shoulder. The force of the second collision propelled the right front passenger through the windshield and onto southbound SR-125 below.

December 17, 2012 (San Diego) – A cold front is predicted to sweep through the county on Tuesday, with moderate to heavy rain and snow accumulating above 4500 feet. Dense fog will make travel difficult in mountain areas at night, the National Weather Service warns. In addition, a wind advisory is in effect for inland valley areas.

The weather is expected to improve Thursday through Saturday, though another storm is possible next Sunday or Monday—and with it, the prospect of a white Christmas for East County’s mountain communities.

December 16, 2012 (San Diego)--This year many couples tied the knot on 12.12.12, a once in a century wedding date. The date is popular across the globe. 12.12.12 is the last of the repeating dates until January 1, 2101 and is also popular because it is an easy date to remember.

Assessor/Recorder/Commissioner of Civil Marriages, Ernest J. Dronenburg, Jr., announced that all couples that who wished to obtain a wedding license or get married were served on that special day.

December 14, 2012 (San Diego)—Residents across San Diego County were awakened at 2:36 a.m. by a 6.3 earthquake centered 172 miles to the southwest, off the coast of Mexico.

The quake struck at a depth of seven miles.  Aftershocks have occurred, the strongest measuring 4.7.  No tsunami warnings have been issued.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the temblor occurred due to “shallow normal faulting within the oceanic lithosphere of the Pacific plate.” 

Anyone exposed should seek medical treatment; vaccine is available to prevent potentially deadly  infectious disease

December 13, 2012 (San Diego) – Marco Fagoada, a 30-year-old Chula Vista resident enrolled as a graduate student in San Diego State University’s Latin American Studies program, died Monday night from meningococcal disease caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitides, County Health and Human Services reports.

According to the Medical Examiner, Fagoada became ill on Sunday, December 9 and went to a clinc on December 10 with shortness of breath and a high fever. He was transported to Scripps Mercy Chula Vista emergency room, where is suffered cardiorespiratory arrest.  Despite aggressive medical intervention, he was pronounced dead soon after.

By Miriam Raftery

December 13, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Following today’s heavy rains, snowfall is forecast to blanket local mountains as low as the 4,000 foot level tonight with several inches of snow at higher elevations. 

Flooding caused several serious accidents, including a semi-truck collision in the Bonita area and a fatal school bus –car collision on I-805.  Normally dry culverts and flood channels in the Mount Helix, Spring Valley and Bonita areas overflowed.

Do you qualify for compensation due to wrongful foreclosure in 2009 or 2010? Find out and get help--free

December 13, 2012 (San Diego) -- San Diego’s newly-elected Mayor Bob Filner and the National Asian American Coalition (NAAC) are co-sponsoring what could be the largest Independent Foreclosure Review (IFR) event and resource fair in California this year. 

Under the IFR review, the 14 largest banks/servicers are required to pay homeowners who were improperly foreclosed upon up to $125,000 each in compensation. But since only 5% of homeowners have been properly contacted by the banks and none have received any relief, federal banking regulatory agencies have committed to holding this pre-Christmas event.

December 13, 2012 (San Diego's East County--The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) , after working with the San Diego County Fire Authority along with several other agencies, today announced that residents within County Service Area (CSA) 135 are eligible for the $35.00 reduction on the State’s Fire Prevention Fee.

“CSA 135 includes all unincorporated areas of East County including the backcountry,” Captain Mike Mohler, public information officer at Cal Fire, told East County Magazine.  The new Fee, which is being assessed on all habitable structures within the State Responsibility Area, is set at $150, but has a $35 reduction when the home is within a local fire protection agency.

December 13, 2012  (San Diego)– As an air of excitement and anticipation hung over the 37^th Annual Stoney & Rob’s Holiday Party and Fundraiser, the curtain was raised on the stage of the DreamCatcher at Viejas Casino last week to reveal more than 7,000 toys that will go to needy families in the area. The exact number this year was 7,217—more than twice the 3,000 gifts raised last year by Team Members and guests at Viejas Casino and Outlets.

December 13, 2012 (El Cajon) – Two community leaders,  Hani Daymia, President of the Chaldean American Association, and Ben Kalasho today donated 300 toys for children in East County to brighten their holiday season.

The Chaldean American Association is a social club located in El Cajon. Chaldean Americans represent 38% of El Cajon’s population, a segment that continues to grow each year. Daymia is the current president of the Chaldean American Association and has been a leading advocate for community involvement and outreach.

By Nadin Abbott

December 13, 2012 (La Mesa) Housekeeping and dietary workers were once again outside Grossmont Hospital walking the sidewalk yesterday.  The employees work for Sodexo, a subcontractor whose workers are paid less than Sharp Hospital employees but are charged more for their healthcare, say union representatives who seek fairer wage and benefit terms for Sodexo workers.

Sodexo, a contract company that provides hospital personnel, was not available for comments on the ongoing labor negotiations.

Athenia Torpedoed: The U-Boat Attack that Ignited the Battle of the Atlantic. By Francis M. Carroll. Annapolis, MD. Naval Institute Press, 2012. 254 pp. 41 photographs. Notes, bibliography and index. $29.95

Reviewed by Walter Hall

“It’s the end of the world; the end of everything.” US Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy reported to President Roosevelt on eve of Britain’s declaration of war, Sept 3, 1939.

December 14, 2012 (San Diego)--Very few readers today will remember that the first Americans killed in World War II were not at Pearl Harbor. Almost two years earlier, 30 Americans were among the 112 lost when the German torpedo that opened the Battle for the Atlantic struck and doomed the Donaldson Lines ship Athenia. 

Local planning group members and residents voice concerns over stifling of powers for communities and heavy influence of developers

By Miriam Raftery

December 12, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – By a 5-0 vote, San Diego’s Board of Supervisors this week unanimously voted to  place limits on the powers and influence of community planning group and sponsor group members.   

The action follows recommendations made by a developer-stacked Red Tape Reduction Task Force, which had sought to eliminate planning and sponsor groups completely.  Supervisors previously voted to retain the groups, but make some changes.  But changes approved this week are sparking concern and outrage among many local planning and sponsor group members, as well as the public that they serve.

One local planning representative is even calling for a ballot measure to shift power from Supervisors back to local planning group members and the people in rural communities.

By Lou Russo

“We in Alpine …seem to be saddled with governments that cannot or will not serve us, but instead seem to serve everyone else but us.”—Lou Russo

“When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.