By Miriam Raftery

September 9, 2024 (San Diego) – At least 14,000 SDG&E customers across San Diego had power outages yesterday afternoon, left sweltering in triple-digit heat.

The majority of those outages were due to a problem at a substation in Rancho San Diego, which was likely caused by the extreme weather conditions, according to SDG&E communications manager Alex Welling,Times of San Diego reports.

Extreme heat causes wear and tear on infrastructure equipment and the power grid.  A key issue yesterday may have been numerous households running air conditioning overnight, since low temperatures remained uncomfortably hot in many areas.

Fortunately, power to most customers was restored within a few hours, as SDG&E crews toiled through the heat to make repairs.

How can you prepare for future outages during high heat?  Here are some tips.

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts

Update 5:15 p.m.-- Forward spread has been halted at 65 acres and evacuation orders have been lifted. 

September 7, 2024 (Campo) -- Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for a brush fire burning at Church Road south of the Golden Acorn Casino near Old Hwy 80. The #ChurchFire has potential for 1,000 acres; it has burned 65 acres so far, per Cal Fire.

View an updated evacuation map here:  Genasys Protect  A temporary evacuation center is at the Golden Acorn Casino,1800 Golden Acorn Way in Campo.

By Miriam Raftery

September 6, 2024 (La Mesa) – Caleb Carvalho, 14, was riding his bicycle to school yesterday morning when he was struck and seriously injured by a garbage truck at the intersection of University Avenue and La Mesa Blvd. 

A Go Fund Me site has been set up to help the teen, a freshman and football player at Helix Charter High School, with his medical bills as he faces long road to recovery.

His father, David Carvalho, told NBC 7 that Caleb’s pelvis was broken on both front and back. Currently hospitalized, Caleb will need rehabilitation and costly medical treatments. 

Caleb was in the bicycle lane but the trash truck driver didn’t see him, running over Caleb as the truck pulled into a driveway.

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts

Update September 7, 2024: The fire has been extinguished. All evacuation orders have been lifted.

Update September 6, 2024:  The Escondido Union School District closed multilpe schools today.  Businesses in the area remained closed and evacuation orders continue. According to SDG&E, lithium ion battery storage fires must burn themselves out.

September 5, 2024 (Escondido) -- Evacuations have been ordered and road closures are in effect in Escondido, just west of I-15 and south of state route 78, due to a fire at a battery storage facility. Such fires have the potential to release toxic fumes.  Enterprise Street is closed between Mission Road and Auto Park Way.

There is an immediate threat to life, so residents are urged to leave immediately. The area is closed for the public to enter. View map of evacuation zones.

Evacuees should go to Pala Casino, or to Pueblo Bank and Trust Company, 11154 Highway 76,Pala,CA.

Annual concert is free this year, focusing on mental health awareness with screenings and information to the public

September 4, 2024 (El Cajon) -- El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells and his 14-piece band are partnering with the San Diego Rescue Mission this year on his acclaimed annual concert. This year’s event, “Shine a Light on Mental Health” will be held Saturday, October 12 at the Magnolia Theater,210 East Main St.,El Cajon.

The event begins with a health fair at 6:30 featuring nearly 15 local mental health and wellness providers in the courtyard providing free screening and information, followed by the concert at 8 p.m. Free tickets are available here.

Mayor Wells' 14-piece band plays Rock, Pop, R&B, and Blues from across a few decades by artists including Ray Charles, the B-52s, Santana, Stevie Wonder, Chicago, Earth Wind and Fire, Joe Walsh, and, as Wells noted, "a few songs you love but have no idea who sang them." The band is made up of friends he's played with over the years, and they are coming in from all over the country for this great cause. 

View full video

August 31, 2022 (Chicago)—In her acceptance speech for the Democratic party’s presidential nomination delivered last week in Chicago, Vice President and former prosecutor Kamala Harris presented her case to the American people. She spoke of domestic and foreign policy priorities, sharply contrasting her goals with those of her opponent.

“My entire career, I have only had one  client. The People,” said Harris, former California Attorney General and a former district attorney.  “With this election, our nation has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism and divisive battles of the past. A chance to chart a New Way Forward.”

Pledging to be a President for all Americans, she added, “You can always trust me to put country above party and self. To hold sacred America’s fundamental principals—from the rule of law to free and fair elections, to the peaceful transfer of power,” alluding to her opponent, former President Donald Trump, convicted of felony fraud and facing numerous pending charges related to his efforts to overthrow the 2020 election results.

Harris said that if elected, she would strive to unite Americans around “our highest aspirations” and be a President “who leads and listens, who is realistic, practical, and has common sense. And always fights for the American people.”

View video of Mayor Racquel Vasquez’s State of the City 2024 address

By Miriam Raftery

August 28, 2024 (Lemon Grove) – In her 2024 State of the City address delivered August 14, Lemon Grove Mayor Racquel Vasquez said,  “We are gathered tonight to celebrate our remarkable accomplishments and to embrace the exciting opportunities that are before us, and to report a shared vision for the future of our city.”

That progress includes strengthening the city’s finances, enhancing infrastructure and elevating the quality of life, according to the Mayor.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos, top left to lower right:  Sitivi "Steve" Faiai, Councilman George Gastil, Jessyka Heredia,and Seth Smith

August 27, 2024 (Lemon Grove) – Four candidates are running for two City Council seats in Lemon Grove.  Councilman George Gastil seeks reelection. The other candidates are Sitivi “Steve” Faiai, Jessyka Heredia, and Seth Andrew Smith.  Depending on the outcomes in the Council and mayoral races, Lemon Grove will have at least one new face on its City Council, and could have as many as three. 

That’s because Councilmembers Liana LeBaron and Alysson Snow are challenging incumbent Racquel Vasquez in the mayoral race. LeBaron’s Council term is up this year, meaning if she loses her mayoral bid, she will be off the Council.  Snow’s term isn’t up until 2026, meaning she will stay on the Council if she loses her mayoral bid. If Snow wins, this would create a new open seat, which the new City Council could fill by appointment or special election.  Read ECM’s article on the mayoral race.

Lemon Grove’s City Council meetings have often been contentious, with clashes among some Councilmembers as well as pushback from some members of the public on issues including homelessness, housing, business development, street repairs and flooded storm drains. The city has a smaller budget than other East County cities, making it a daunting challenge to meet the many priorities voiced by residents.

Here are highlights of each candidate seeking to represent residents on the Lemon Grove City Council, listed in alphabetical order.

By Miriam Raftery

August 22, 2024 (Chicago, IL) – In an unprecedented action, numerous prominent Republicans have spoken at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for President—including top Trump administration leaders, a conservative judge,and elected Republican officials. These speakers urged Americans to put country over party, warning that their former boss poses a threat to American democracy and is unfit to hold the nation’s highest office.

Many other prominent Republicans have also endorsed Harris and/or warned that Donald Trump should not be president again, including his former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, his former national security advisor, Trump’s White House chief of staff, other administration insiders, and 15 former Republican members of Congress.

By Miriam Raftery

August 23, 2024 (El Cajon) – Three seats are on the ballot in El Cajon.  In districts 2 and 4,  Councilmembers Michelle Metschel and Phil Ortiz are running unopposed.  In district 3, Councilman Steve Goble, a retired businessman, faces a challenge from  Courtney Hall, a public policy expert and data analyst.

Below are details on their experience, qualifications, accomplishments and endorsements.

View video of full acceptance speech by Tim Walz

By Miriam Raftery

August 22, 2024 (Chicago, IL) – Cheered on by Democratic National convention delegates and many of his former students, Minnesota GovernorTim Walsh accepted the vice presidential nomination as Kamala Harris’ running mate last night. “I haven’t given a lot of big speeches like this,but I have given a lot of pep talks,” the former high school football coach, teacher, former Congressman and military veteran told the crowd.

He likened the 76-days until Election Day to a football game in the fourth quarter, adding, “We’re on offense and we’ve got the ball...and boy, do we have the right team.” He called Harris tough, experience and ready to “build a country where workers come first, healthcare and housing are human rights, and the government stays the hell out of of your bedroom.”

Walz said it was the players he once coached and his students who first inspired him to run for Congress.  “They saw in me what I had hoped to instill in them: a commitment to the common good, an understanding that we’re all in this together, and the belief that a single person can make a real difference for their neighbors.”