April 19, 2014 (San Diego's East County) --Listen to a tape of the fire whistleblower interview here, which originally aired on the East County Magazine Radio Show on KNSJ 89.1 FM on April 18, 2014: 

https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

Just how effective is the new County Fire Authority at fire protection?  While some areas have improved since the 2003 and 2007 wildfires,Craig Williams, an information technology specialist with Campo Fire Department shares shocking details on fire stations unmanned across our backcountry—and what could be done to keep rural residents safe. 

Listen online here from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wed. April 16: http://knsj.org/knsjpopup.html

Hot topics:

• ECM special investigative report on Sheriff response times. How safe is your community?

• Solar leader Daniel Sullivan says "absolutely" industrial wind/solar projects in our backcountry are not needed. We can produce more clean power for less money AND save our scenic areas. Find out what must change to stop this senseless devastation.

• Frank Tsimboukakis, candidate challenging State Senator Joel Anderson, takes stand against big energy projects in our region and shares his plan to eliminate tuitions at public universities and colleges in California.

• Ariele Johannsen’s Destination East County tells you about the hottest events coming up—from a glow-in-the-dark egg hunt to Lakeside's Western Days, a wine-and-rails ride through our backcountry and many others.

All this and more on this Wednesday's East County Magazine show!

You can listen online at the link above (it may take a few moments to load, after you click the play button) or on KNSJ 89.1 FM at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

April 17, 2014 (Santee) – Padre Dam Municipal Water District received the District Transparency Certificate of Excellence by the Special District Leadership Foundation (SDLF) in recognition of its outstanding efforts to promote transparency and good governance. The award was presented to the Board of Directors at the April 16th board meeting.

April 14, 2014 (Boulevard) – In response to a complaint filed by Donna Tisdale, the California Public Utilities Commission has instructed San Diego Gas & Electric Company to make repairs to a torn, flapping construction fence at the Boulevard substation site along state scenic highway 94.

By Miriam Raftery

April 14, 2014 (San Diego)-- Tonight, San Diegans will be able to view a rare astronomical sight:  a blood moon, which is an unusual type of eclipse in which the moon appears red or orange.

April 11, 2014 (San Diego) – San Diego State University campus police have issued an alert warning studies that at 10:45 this morning, a female student reported that a man grabbed her buttocks from behind and asked her to come into a parking structure with him.  The incident occurred while the student was walking on Montezuma Road at East Campus Drive.  The victim continued walking and was not injured.

By Miriam Raftery

 J. Richmond also contributed to this ECM special report

Records obtained by ECM show longer response times in rural areas than urban communities; new substation won't increase staffing

April 10, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) -- Recently, Potrero resident Tarah Corey called 911 to report that someone in her area had been crying out and screaming for help and to send officers immediately. She was shocked to finally receive a call back from the Sheriff’s department 45 minutes later to check to see if the screaming had stopped, according to posts on the Mountain Empire Community Facebook page. While you would expect a quick response to such a dire and life-threatening situation, she learned the hard way in East County’s backcountry that’s not always the case.

April 6, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)—The future of the East County Performing Arts Center, whether Alpine parents should be free to leave the Grossmont district, and whether a fire district should be able to declare most native vegetation as nuisance or not are among the hot items on East County agendas this week.  Click “read more” and scroll down for these and other important items being heard this week.

By Miriam Raftery

April 4, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)--The National Weather Service is looking for CoCoRahs. That stands for Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow  Network, a nonprofit network of volunteer precipitation observers.All you need is a 4-inch rain gauge, the Internet, and a few minutes each day.

Internet-based phones worry rural communities due to spotty reception, posing threats to safety and universal coverage

By Sharon Penny

April 4, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) --Many citizens are not aware that AT&T and Verizon, among other telecom giants, are lobbying the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and individual states to make telephone landlines go the way of the buggy whip. Soon, everyone in the U.S. may only have options for internet-based telephone service and cell service.

At the Boulevard Planning Group meeting held on April 3, local resident Kevin Keane, an IT and Telecommunications professional, discussed the issue with local residents, who were unaware these plans are in the works. 

AT&T  and FCC plan to eliminate landline phone service to be discussed, along with major energy projects and more

April 3, 2014 (Boulevard) -- An incorrect agenda was inadvertently sent to our media outlet for tonight’s Boulevard Planning Group.  The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Boulevard Fire Training Room on 39919 Ribbonwood Road in Boulevard. 

The agenda will include possible actions regarding FCC and AT&T plans to eliminate landline phone service nationwide. ECM recently reported on grave problems experienced by some rural residents who switched from landlines to cellular, in one case resulting in a barn burning down because the resident could not reach 911.

Other agenda items include the following:

By Nadin Abbott

March 31, 2013 (San Diego) On March 27^th the San Diego Water Authority Board Of Governors voted to authorize the 2013 Regional Water Facilities Optimization and Master Plan Update that aims to take us into the 2030s. The plan states that one of its principal goals is the creation of a Climate Action Plan (CAP). The guiding document reads as follows regarding climate change:

Update March 31: The victim has been identified as Jordan Janway, 27.  Janway is the brother-in-law of NASCAR racing champion Jimmie Johnson and sister to Johnson's wife, Chandra.

By Miriam Raftery

March 30, 2014 (Otay Mesa) –A skydiving instructor in his 20s is dead after colliding with another skydiver this afternoon.  He may have been knocked unconscious and his parachute never opened.  

He was reported missing, prompting a search of the Otay area by Sheriff's deputies, Border Patrol agents, Cal-Fire firefighters and approximately 20 skydiving volunteers. The Sheriff's A.S.T.R.E.A. helicopter also responded and located the missing skydiver's body.

Ironically, a device that could have saved his life had reportedly been sent out for maintenance. A master parachutist and rigger with more than 1,000 jumps on record, he usually carried a device to automatically open his parachute in the case of emergency.

Callers claim false reports of water contamination, seek tests at homes

March 28, 2014 (San Diego)--For the second time in about six months, the San Diego County Water Authority has received several reports of scam artists attempting to mislead homeowners by telling them their water is polluted and offering to test it. There are no water safety problems in the Water Authority’s service area.

Bringing Backup Well Online May Be First Step in Solving the Problem

By Sharon Penny

March 24, 2014 (Descanso)-- Like all backcountry communities, the town of Descanso depends on groundwater for its water needs. A high level of uranium in the town’s main well has become a concern for many residents.  

For the last three quarters of a year, the water district’s Well No. 5 has exceeded what is considered a safe level of uranium, which the California Code of Regulations lists as 20 pCi/L. Fourth quarter readings are planned for April.