July 23, 2012 (McCain Valley) - ECM reader Tom Lemon sent in these spectacular photos of McCain Valley, site of the proposed Tule Wind facility in San Diego's East County.

"I first visited McCain Valley around 1995 after reading Jerry Shaad's book Afoot and Afield in San Diego County. I began camping and hiking in the Valley and explored the trails and side roads to vista points where you can see the abandoned San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railroad tracks, the Salton Sea, and Castle Butte in Arizona. Yes, you can see all the way to Arizona," he wrote.

"My friend Brian getting into the spirit of McCain. Yeah, it does make you feel like that."

By Miriam Raftery

July 20, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Iberdrola Renewables wants to build an industrial wind turbine facility on 15,000 acres in East County’s McCain Valley. 

What happens if neighbors complain of noise?

In Fairfield, New York, weary residents asked town officials to measure noise levels at Iberdrola’s Hardscrabble wind facility. The results found levels above the legal limit of 50 decibels. But instead of reducing the noise, Iberdrola gave noise generating machines to residents in hopes of drowning out the whooshing and whirling turbine sounds. Note: The machine is set at the lowest setting in this audio link.

“Green” power would come entirely from rooftop solar and other urban sources--not industrial wind or desert solar

By Miriam Raftery

July 15, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) –What if you didn’t have to buy power from SDG&E, but could purchase electricity from a local energy cooperative instead? 

Suppose the power was generated all from renewable energy--no oil, gas or nuclear?  Better yet, all of that renewable power would come from urban sources such as rooftop and parking lot solar--and you could get incentives to put solar on your home or business.  

Now envision this "green" advantage as a member of the co-op--you could earn credits by selling your excess solar power. 

By Jeanne Brown, Co-president, League of Women Voters of San Diego

July 3, 2012 (Pine Valley) – A hiker bitten by a rattlesnake on the Corte Madera Ranch South of Interstate 8 in Pine Valley has been rescued.

July 1, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Two quakes measuring 4.6 and 4.7 on the Richter scale struck Baja, California during the night.

The first jolt earthquake struck at 8:25 p.m.; the second at 11:36 p.m. 

By Miriam Raftery

June 9, 2012 (San Diego) – By a unanimous vote, San Diego's Planning Commission voted Friday to deny Iberdrola Renewables’ application for five 492-foot-tall wind turbines on private land under county jurisdiction.

June 4, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)—The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory for mountain and desert areas in San Diego and Riverside Counties beginning this afternoon and extended to late Tuseday night.  A low pressure trough is moving inland, bringing southwest to westerly 20-30 mph winds with gusts up to 50 mph locally.

By Mia Myklebust

“Stop the drones.” – Mossaret Qadeem, Amn-o-nisa implores

May 30, 2012 (San Diego) -- Dressed in brightly colored robes and hijabs, the women of Amn-o-nisa make a powerful statement with their presence alone. These 11 Pakistani women have come to the United States for the second time to spread their message of peace and international cooperation.

The name Amn-o-nisa translates to “women for peace,” which is the message the group hoped to spread on their visit to the U.S. The group visited Washington D.C., San Diego and Los Angeles and met with political figures including Senators Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein.

Ducheny Chastises Vargas for "Special Interest" Favors

May 5, 2012 (San Diego) -- Congressional Candidate Denise Moreno Ducheny took issue with Senator Juan Vargas's recent voting record and called on the Senator to back a strong set of foreclosure protection bills being discussed in the Senate this week. "The recent voting record of my opponent is a disservice to the residents of San Diego and Imperial Counties," Ducheny said in a statement. "He should be spending more time focusing on the needs of his constituents, not just those special interest groups who write his campaign checks."

April 20, 2012 (San Diego) -- San Diego’s original fine art festival, Mission Federal ArtWalk is back for its 28th year. Featuring artists who live in the East County area as well as San Diego, the event will be held on Saturday and Sunday , April 28 and 29, when 17 blocks of Little Italy will be transformed for this free festival. ArtWalk offers a unique opportunity for members of the public to engage directly with over 350 artists who will be there to display their original works for exhibit and sale. The art on display will include a wide range of paintings, sculpture, mosaics, glasswork and photography.

“We are requesting a moratorium on industrial wind turbine projects and initiation of unbiased, science-based peer-reviewed studies on health…They are subjecting rural residents to be guinea pigs or lab rats on a mass scale that has never been seen anywhere.” –Donna Tisdale, Boulevard Planning Group Chair

“Tapping into sources of renewable energy is critical for a number of reasons…We applaud the County’s commitment to achieving these goals by updating and streamling requirements for small and large wind energy systems.” – Jennifer Purczynski Enel Green Power/Padoma Wind Power LLC

By Miriam Raftery

April 12, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Tomorrow (Friday) morning at 9 a.m., the San Diego County Planning Commission will consider a proposed wind ordinance that would make it easier for industrial-scale wind facilities as well as smaller turbines to be built in unincorporated areas—primarily in East County communities. 

Santee Council to weigh resolution opposing power plant March 28;  San Diego Council to consider zoning change to allow facility on April 26

By Miriam Raftery

March 25, 2012 (San Diego/Santee) – Seventeen staffers from the California Energy Commission heard from concerned residents at a standing-room-only workshop on a proposed gas-fired power plant this week at Mission Trails Regional Park.  Over 60 residents filled out speaker cards to oppose the controversial project and dozens more packed the room.  

In emotionally charged testimony, residents pleaded for the project to be withdrawn or approval denied.  They voiced concerns over the dangers pose by wildfire and explosions as well as worries over noise, traffic, air pollution, visual blight, and impacts on wildlife, homes, schools, and Mission Trails Regional Park.