By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy of the White House

Pope Francis met with President Barack Obama at the White House on Wednesday, then delivered an address on the White House lawn to a crowd of over 11,000 people, CNN reports.

The Pope called on Christians to be responsible stewards of the earth.  "Climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation," he said. "When it comes to the care of our common home, we are living at a critical moment of history. We still have time to make the changes needed to bring about a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change."

“What if the next touch and go crash takes out a school in session?" – a resident’s letter to Supervisor Dianne Jacob

East County News Service

September 21, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) --After a plane crashed into a Santee home on September 3rd, killing the pilot and a flight student near Gillespie Field, Advocates for Safe Airport Policies or “ASAP” is calling for action to protect community members. ASAP has made many complaints to officials before this crash, which is the latest in a string of crashes and serious mishaps involving planes at Gillespie. But recently residents have warned of frequent and low flights over homes due to an increase in flight school training of students at Gillespie Field.  

Now ASAP is holding a meeting for concerned airport neighbors. The event will be held September 30^th at a private home in Fletcher Hills.  To RSVP and get the addresss contact suestrom1@cox.net.

East County News Service

September 21, 2015 (San Diego) – An estimated 90,000 San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) customers lost power for several hours on Sunday afternoon.  SDG&E tweeted at 2:02 p.m. Sunday that the California Independent Systems Organization known as CAISO ordered it to “drop 150 MW of load in our service territory at around 1:15 p.m.”  CAISO, a nonprofit, is responsible for maintaining the statewide power grid- in other words, keeping the lights on.

By Miriam Raftery

September 12, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Today, Secretary of State John Kerry announced the U.S. will raise its cap on refugees from the current level of 70,000 to accept 85,000 next year and 100,000 in 2017. The news comes in response to a growing refugee crisis of people fleeing ISIS in Syria and Iraq, including Christians and other minorities as well as Muslims.

That came as welcome news in El Cajon, where Iraqi-American Christians are celebrating at the Chaldean Festival.

East County News Service

File photo: Flooded road in Pine Valley, by Alex Tardy, National Weather Service

September 20, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch, cautioning that heavy rainfall and flash flooding is possible from Monday afternoon through Tuesday in San Diego’s eastern mountains and deserts.

Rainfall could exceed two inches in mountains and could top an inch in the deserts.  Recent wildfire burned areas will be particularly susceptible to flash flooding and debris flows.

Originally Published on the ECOreport

By Roy L Hales

On October 14th, or possibly the 28th, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors will decide if they should rip up the dreams of a rural community so a developer can get a lot of money. As County Planning commissioners Peder Norby and Michael Beck recently pointed out, if the Lilac Hills project goes forward it will destroy 13 years of work, and close to $20 million, that went into San Diego County’s General Plan.

The project spreads across 608 acres in the Valley Center area. There are currently 16 “dwelling units” and a total of  just 110 are allowed under current zoning. Accretive Investments wants to build 1,786 units over the course of a decade. This would support a larger population that the city of Del Mar. Why plunk a city in the middle of nowhere?

East County Alert Service

September 16, 2015 (Orange County, California) -- An 8.3  magnitude earthquake has occurred off the coast of Chile has led to issuance of a Tsunami Advisory for the California coast from Orange County north to San Luis Obispo. San Diego County is  not included in the advisory. 

A Tsunami Advisory is issued for Tsunamis (or tidal waves) expected to be 1 to 3 feet higher than normal--capable of producing strong currents or waves dangerous to persons in or near the water.  Greatest threats will be the strong underwater currents early Thursday which will be hazardous to boaters and swimmers; coastal structures may also be damaged.  The tsunami arrival time ranges from 4:46 a.m. to 5:10 a.m. tomorrow (Thursday) morning along the southern California coast.

The tsunami in Orange County is expected to be a foot high, with 4 to 8 inches expected in San Diego County. 

Hawaii is also on alert for a tsunami.

East County News Service

September 15, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – It’s been a rough day for motorists across San Diego County, with rain-slicked highways contributing to multiple crashes and long delays for commuters.

California Highway Patrol reports 385 collisions midnight to 9 p.m.—nearly triple the 140 accidents that occur on an average “good weather” day.  Those stats includes freeways and streets in unincorporated areas only and do not include accidents on any city streets.

By late morning, multiple crashes had clogged traffic on I-8 west in La Mesa and El Cajon.  Later in the day, all lanes on I-15 were blocked due to a major traffic collision.  A crash involving a big-rig and another vehicle on I-8 in Pine Valley sent both vehicles over the side, necessitating a rescue.

East County News Service

September 13, 2015 (San Diego's East County) - The County seeks volunteers for the San Miguel Local Park District Citizen Advisory Board (County Service Area 128).

Update: The body of missing chlid Wesley Hilare was found in Mission Bay.  Police now believe the boy drowned and that the report of a man walking off with the boy was a false lead.

Photo of Wesley Hilaire, by Daniesha Hilaire

September 13, 2015 (San Diego)  --- An Amber alert has been issued across southern California for a 4-year-old African-American boy abducted from San Diego last night at 7:44 p.m.  He vanished while at Mission Bay in the 2800 block of East Mission Bay Drive. He was last seen with a man who is believed to have abducted him from a family gathering.

Wesley Hilaire was last seen wearing red shorts and no shirt.  He is 4 feet 2 inches tall, weighs 40 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes.

The suspect, a stranger to the family, is described as a 40-year old African-American man, 6 feet tall, 235 pounds with short black hair. He was last seen wearing a grey T-shirt, dark blue jeans with a hole in the right knee, and flip flops.

East County News Service

September 12, 2015 (El Cajon)—Elijah “Bear” Diaz, 20, remains missing two weeks after vanishing from his El Cajon home on Saturday, August 29. A private investigator hired by the family calls his disappearance “suspicious,” NBC 7 reports.

Diaz is a diabetic with a serious foot injury who is likely on crutches. His family is deeply concerned that he left with only enough insulin for a week and has missed several doctor’s appointments.

A wide-screen TV was missing from his room.  Diaz left without his toothbrush, glasses and cell phone charger, NBC 7 has reported.

East County News Service

September 12, 2015 (Sacramento)—A trio of bills to regulate medical marijuana in California have passed the Legislature and now await Governor Jerry Brown’s signature. 

The measures cover the full gamut of the billion dollar cannabis industry, from farming to dispensaries, all to be licensed for transportation and distribution under a new Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation in the Department of Consumer Affairs. In addition to state licenses, local city or county licensing will also be required, so jurisdictions with bans or restrictions can keep them and voters can also weigh in on issues such as taxing the growing or sale of medical marijuana.

September 8, 2015 (El Cajon)--A 9/11 commemoration organized by State Sen. Joel Anderson’s staff is set for 10:30-11:30 a.m. Friday at Grossmont College’s Main Quad. Speaking will be Grossmont College President Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Jeff Lannon, El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, El Cajon Councilman Bob McClellan, MCAS Miramar Chaplain Wayne (Bob) Freiberg, and Steele Canyon High School’s ASB President Trevor Krantz.

East County News Service

Photo: People with developmental disabilities, their families and caregivers rally outside Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins’ office in San Diego on September 1st.

September 6, 2015 (San Diego)—Over 24,000 people with developmental disabilities in San Diego and Imperial Counties rely on state services to survive.  Yet California’s funding levels have fallen to the lowest in the nation, according to the Association of Regional Center Agencies (ARCA).