By Miriam Raftery

November 18, 2018 (Lakeside) – Lakeside activist Barry  A.Treahy and his wife, Jackie, have submitted a letter and petition to County Supervisors opposing a sand mining project in El Monte Valley. Treahy says the petition has been signed by a majority of property owners deemed by the County to be within the “sphere of influence” of the El Monte Nature Preserve LLC project, the ironically named sand mining endeavor.  Barry Treahy has also filed a complaint with the County Grand Jury (see attachments 1, 2, 3, 4)

Treahy contends that adding sand mining in the 1970s as an allowable land use bypassed critical notification to neighbors.  He further contends that the county’s Planning and Development Services program, which is funded entirely by developer fees without tax revenues, “opens the door to salary abuse, overcharging clients, outside influence, extortion and corruption. The obligation of a Government entity is collect taxes to fund necessary activities. The correct method to avoid those pitfalls,” Treahy’s Grand Jury complaint states.

East County News Service

November 18, 2018 (Alpine) – Be prepared for power outages! The Alpine Library will host a forum for you to learn more about generators, solar battery backup and other residential emergency power options on Thursday, December 6 at 5:30 p.m.  

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Bureau of Land Management, wild horses, unspecified location

November 18, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) -- Kathleen Hayden of Santa Ysabel, co-founder of  Coyote Canyon Caballos d’Anza, has long fought to restore San Diego county’s heritage herd of wild horses. Now she’s joined a fight to save wild horses in Double Devil Corrals at Alturas, California, where the federal government has authorized a roundup and sale of hundreds of wild horses.

Hayden has penned a letter to California Attorney General Xavier Becerra urging him to enforce California Fish and Wildlife’s mandate to add our state’s wild horse herds to the list of protected native species in order to halt the sale. She cites fossil evidence indicating that California wild horses are descendants of indigenous species.

Below is Hayden’s letter:

By Miriam Raftery

November 17, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – Leaders in our local wine-making industry were honored at the 6thannual Trailblazer Awards presented by Maness Vineyards owners Greg and Paula Maness and past award winners. This year’s awards were presented during the Toast of East County at the Elks Lodge in El Cajon, hosted by the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce. 

This year’s winners include Elaine Littleton and Norm Case of Hatfield Creek Winery and Vineyards, Johnny and Shirley Schwaesdall of Schwaesdall Winery, a family achievement award accepted by Joe Harmes of Vineyard Hacienda, and a lifetime achievement award for wine instructor Dominic “Dick” Colangelo.

Annual event raised funds for SMSC’s 2018 student holiday celebration

Source: St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center

Photos by Jennie Edwards, Guided By Imagination Photography

November 16, 2018 (El Cajon) --St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center (SMSC) held its 5^th annual Swing with Santa Golf Tournament on Friday, November 2, 2018. The sold-out event raised more than $16,000 to fund SMSC’s 2018 Student Holiday Celebration. The annual golf tournament featured a fun-filled day of games, a silent auction, food and more.

Golfers received a round of golf, lunch, a happy hour reception and a gift bag. Guests also met Santa and Elvis, who arrived to the golf course by helicopter, and SMSC student, Sam Dupree, sang the national anthem to help kick off the golf tournament. The Presenting Sponsor for this year’s Golf Tournament was Sycuan Casino, Tournament Sponsor was Keller Williams Realty San Diego East Foothills, and the On the Green Sponsors included A. Vidovich Construction Co., Cartwright Termite & Pest Control, Inc., EDCO Disposal, Lundy Insurance Services, Inc. and SDG&E.

Source:  Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones

Image via Pixabay

November 16, 2018 (Sacramento) - The Life Insurance Policy Locator - launched by the California Department of Insurance through the National Association of Insurance Commissioners - has matched consumers with policies totaling $17,332,464 just in the past 12 months, and $33,863,187 since the 2016 launch.

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

Image credit:  Shutterstock

November 16, 2018 (San Diego) - For a lot of us, one of the best things about Thanksgiving is all those leftovers—gravy-covered turkey sandwiches, mashed potatoes and pie for days!

But too much of anything can be a bad thing, even Thanksgiving leftovers. Every year, 40 percent of all food in the U.S. is wasted, often by being tossed out as trash into landfills, even as many Americans don’t have enough to eat, according to the National Resources Defense Council. In addition, the average four-person household spends $1,500 a year on food they end up throwing out.

By Miriam Raftery

November 16, 2018 (San Diego’s East County)—With wildfires raging in northern and southern California, where power lines are suspected of causing deadly blazes,  residents in San Diego’s rural and mountain communities have been grappling with serious challenges posed, conversely, by a utility company shutting off power to some 30,000 residences during high winds this week in an effort to prevent fires.

Backcountry blogs sizzled as residents eventually able to access the internet posted a litany of complaints including life-threatening issues.

Tragedy raises questions on evacuation notifications, causes and potential utility liability; locally concerns rise over power outages and building in areas where a wildfire could cause  traffic gridlock and mass fatalities

By Miriam Raftery

November 16, 2018 (San Diego) – The Camp Fire’s grim toll has risen to 60 confirmed deaths while the list of missing has skyrocketed to 630 as authorities review 911 calls and other reports.  The Paradise Post has published a list of those missing in the state’s deadliest wildfire, which thus far has burned 142,000 acres. The Post has dropped bundles of its newspapers off at evacuation shelters, since delivery is impossible in a town where 90% of the buildings are now gone.

The blaze has destroyed 9,600 homes and 230 commercial buildings in Butte County, leveling the town of Paradise and also causing severe damage in several nearby communities north of Sacramento. The fire is now 45% contained.

But even those who survived without losing homes or businesses may suffer long term adverse health impacts due to air polluted by chemicals that have burned as the fire scorched through urban areas.   Air quality is rated hazardous across the Sacramento Valley and into San Francisco, where trolley car service has been temporarily halted due to the air pollution.

Meanwhile questions remain as to why so many were trapped and unable to escape. Most of those who perished were elderly and some who did get out report that they received no emergency warnings or evacuation notices. Authorities awaiting confirmation from fire officials reportedly got notices out too late for some residents closest to the monster wind-driven fire.

East County News Service

East County News Service

November 15, 2018 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – A celebration of life and spaghetti dinner will be held on November 16th from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Jacumba Spa for friends and family to honor the memory of Richard Henry Alcorn.  

November 15, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) --- East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a  variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Trump's rain check on honoring Americans killed in WWI prompts backlash (ABC)
• House Republicans elect Kevin McCarthy to replace Paul Ryan as party leader (Washington Post)
• Vatican tells U.S. bishops not to vote on proposals to tackle sexual abuse, spurns lay and civil investigations (Washington Post)
• Lawsuits mount over Florida recount battle as political acrimony deepens (Washington Post)
• Mueller probes possible witness intimidation by Roger Stone (Wall St. Journal)
• Republican group runs “protect Mueller” ad on Trump’s favorite show (Vox)
• The VA's Gross Mismanagement Does Nothing to Honor Vets (Reason)
• The National Debt Is Coming Due, Just Like We Told You (Reason)

WORLD

• Barrage of rockets launched at Israel following botched Gaza operation (CNN)
• Saudi Arabia seeks death penalty for five suspects in killing of Jamal Khashoggi  (Washington Post)
• Cash runs out in Khartoum as Sudan tries to halt economic crisis (Reuters)
• Gas-laden truck set afire, three stabbed, one dead in Australia terror attack (Reuters)
• U.S. think tank identifies at least 13 undeclared missile bases in North Korea  (Reuters)
• Anti-Semitic acts surge in France, government promises action (Reuters)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

Source: El Cajon Police Dept.

November 15, 2018 (El Cajon) — El Cajon Police Department will step up Bike & Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operations on November 16^th, 2018 with focused enforcement on collision causing factors involving motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists.

East County News Service

November 14, 2018 (La Mesa) -- On November 7, 2018 at approximately 5:09 a.m., a 65-year-old man from Ramona was riding a 2017 Yamaha motorcycle on Interstate 8 westbound, east of Severin Drive, preparing to transition to State Route-125.  “At that time, it is suspected the motorcycle rider collided with another vehicle, causing the rider to be ejected from the motorcycle and come to rest within the traffic lanes.  The rider was subsequently hit by a white BMW sedan, as he lay in the roadway.  As a result of the collisions, the rider sustained fatal injuries,” says Officer Travis Garrow with the California Highway Patrol.

East County News Service

November 14, 2018 (Alpine) -- Two years after construction of Sunrise Powerline left Alpine Boulevard bare though the heart of rural Alpine, a beautification project is taking root.