Friday: Listen to the East County Magazine Show on KNSJ 89.1 FM at 5 p.m. to hear our interview with Stephen Bartholow, editor of Santee Patch, who has been tracking this story.

July 25, 2013 (Santee) – By a unanimous vote, Santee City Council ignored pleas from residents and authorized the city to seize and force sale of four properties, as well as obtain easements for nearly a hundred more.   The declaration of eminent domain was done to allow the Prospect Avenue street widening project, which impacts properties on nine streets.

“We don’t want to leave,” Gloria Duff testified, Santee Patch reported.  Duff, whose family has lived in their home for 50 years, said the family took out a second mortgage for remodeling recently and fears they won’t get enough money.

By Janis Mork

July 24, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Helix Water District is looking to raise rates for its 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 fiscal years. For 2013-2014, proposed water rates for the domestic/ single customer - using 25 units bi-monthly - will increase six percent. Commercial/Multi-family customers will see a rate increase of three to eight percent. 

By Nadin Abbott

July 24, 2013 (San Diego)— Tara Jones, President and founder of the National Women’s Veterans Association of America (NWVAA) today announced that the group has rescinded its invitation to Mayor Bob Filner as keynote speaker at its August 30 gala in San Diego.  The Mayor, who now faces accusations of sexual harassment, ironically was slated to address issues of military sexual assault, sexual harassment and violence against women.

“The Mayor speaking at our event interferes with the moral compass of my organization,” said Tara Jones, President and founder of  (NWVAA) at a press conference today at the Civic Center downtown where a pair of counter-protesters showed up in support of Filner.  Jones said that NWVAA has heard from thousands of people at the national level about “the public embarrassment that San Diego County is currently receiving.”

July 24, 2013 (Rancho Penasquitos) – Attention, motorists: Interstate 15 southbound will be closed this weekend between State Route 56 (the Ted Williams Parkway exit) to Rancho Penasquitos Boulevard/Poway Road.

The closure Saturday to Monday is due to drainage improvements. Southbound express lanes will be open as a detour and will be available to all drivers free of charge.

July 23, 2013 (Spring Valley) -- The San Diego Sheriff seeks public help to locate Kenneth Lamb, 79, who has dementia and takes blood-thinning medication. According to friends and neighbors, he became increasingly confused in the past week.  He was last seen at 2 a.m. on July 20 standing in a neighbor's yard in Spring Valley, where he has lived for 30 years. His routine includes church and working in yards in the La Mesa area.

His vehicle, a gold 1999 Ford Franger pickup truck with extra cab, is also missing.  The California license is 6N22819.  It had a piece of plywood in the truck bed.

Photo: Debris in roadway at Ocotillo; photo by Jim Pelley

July 21, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) -- A flash flood watch has been issued for San Diego County’s mountains and deserts through Monday evening. Thunderstorms and heavy showers are forecast over  mountain and desert areas.  Flash flooding threat will remain high through early Monday night, especially in  areas recently burned by fires. 

This evening, flash flooding caused a rocky ride for motorists on roadways in East County’s mountains and deserts.  Mudslides caused major delays along Highway 78 at Yaqui Pass in the Anza-Borrego area.  Boulders in the roadway are blocking Montezuma Valley Road, forcing closure. Portions of S-2 and Borrego Valley Road are also shut down due to flooding and debris.

July 21, 2013 (San Diego) – San Diego County Clerk Ernest Dronenberg Jr. has filed a petition with the California Supreme Court asking justices to prohibit County Clerks from issuing same-sex marriage licenses.  The marriages resumed after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a ruling invalidating Proposition 8.  But Dronenberg argues the ruling should apply only to the two couples who sued over Prop 8.

Today Greg Cox, Chairman of the San Diego Board of Supervisors, made clear that Dronenberg acted on his own.  “No one else from the County was consulted or had any part of ths court action, including the Board of Supervisors,” Cox said in a statement sent to media.  “The County’s position is and always has been that we, the County, will follow applicable law with regards to same sex marriage.”

July 19, 2013 (San Diego) – Yesterday, during opening day at Comic-Con, Mayor Bob Filner announced support for expanding the San Diego Convention Center.

“I am dedicated to keeping Comic-Con here in San Diego.  That dedication includes my support for expanding the San Diego Convention Center.   I am pleased to announce that I have been working closely with the Center’s Board of Directors and San Diego business leaders to develop a solid plan for the expansion effort,” he said. “I support what the Board has in mind and will be working with City staff at all levels to ensure we do everything necessary to get the project underway and completed in a timely fashion.”

July 18, 2013 (Ramona) – A hiker found dead on a trail at San Dieguito River Park on the San Pasqual Clevenger Trail has been identified as Ellen Turkish Comisso, 65, of La Jolla.

Two hikers found the victim in brush just off the trail on the morning of July 5 and called 911.  The San Diego Medical Examiner has found that her death was caused by hyperthermia, a condition most commonly associated with heat stroke.  It is unknown how long the victim had been deceased before she was found.

By Daniel J. Smiechowski

July 15, 2013 (San Diego) --Equivalent to our Independence Day, Bastille Day is the great national holiday of France. In the true Gallic tradition, Bastille Day is also celebrated in America.

Why have we Americans so fervently embraced a foreign holiday of which we know so little about? It is due, perhaps, to the unmistakable joie de vivre we have imported from the French culture. Our thoughts about Bastille Day are not so much an exercise in history, but rather a reflection of the things we view as endemic to the nation of France.

Drills aim to prepare law enforcement officers in the event of a school shooting

July 15, 2013 (El Cajon) – If you live or work in El Cajon be advised the Sheriff's Department will hold an active shooter training at Grossmont College on Tuesday, July 16th and Thursday, July 18th from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. THIS IS ONLY A DRILL.

Update July 15:  The property owner has granted a brief stay to allow Coyote Canyon Caballos d'Anza more time to relocate the herd.  The nonprofit group asks public help to contact federal and county elected officials and the Bureau of Land Management to urge that relocation on public lands in San Diego be approved and expedited.  Actions that could be taken include the county adding these wild horses to its protected species list and the BLM approving the horses for relocation to the Beauty Mountain area in northeast San Diego County.

By Miriam Raftery

July 14, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Plans to restore San Diego’s heritage herd of wild horses to public lands is in peril. An eviction notice has been served on the nonprofit organization that recently found and brought back the last descendants of San Diego’s original wild horses.  Unless the property owner backs down, the horses will be evicted on Monday, July 15.

July 11, 2013 (La Mesa) – The Helix Water District Annual Water Quality Report is now available online in both English and Spanish.  Again this year, as in all prior years, Helix’s drinking water meets or exceeds all State and Federal drinking water standards. 

The annual 2013 Water Quality Report contains important information about drinking water in the Helix District.  The District encourages customers to read the report carefully and ask any questions they might have about water sources, quality, or distribution by contacting:  (619) 667-6248 or wqr@helixwater.org.

By David Ross

Part I of several parts

On June 11, I became part of the story of the Chaparral Rebellion when my house on Palomar Mountain partially burned (photo, left).

In the 1980s a group of Western states fought federal intrusion in states rights called themselves the Sagebrush Rebellion. In San Diego County today a group of backcountry fire agencies are fighting to retain their autonomy from the two-headed coin that is the San Diego County Fire Authority and Cal Fire.

You might call this movement the Chaparral Rebellion.

By Miriam Raftery

July 8, 2013 (Spring Valley) – The Spring Valley Community Planning Group will hear a committee report Tuesday night  on Master Craft Homes’ proposed residential development at Jamacha Boulevard at Sweetwater Springs Boulevard, the former Evergreen Nursery site.

 The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 9 at the San Miguel Consolidated Fire Protection District headquarters, located at 2850 Via Orange Way in Spring Valley.