December 30, 2012 (San Diego) – Several lanes are blocked by a multi-vehicle accident on westbound I-8, just west of 805. 

In addition, a rollover accident has occurred on northbound 163 on the ramp to eastbound I-8.

A collision has also occurred on I-8 eastbound at East Main Street in El Cajon.

December 29, 2012 (San Diego)—A federal lawsuit has been filed by Celeste Deborah Cooney, who alleges that radiation from a bank of smart meters left her unable to reside in her home. Defendants in the suit include the SDG&E,  the State of California, Attorney General Kamala Harris, California Public Utilities chairman Mi chael Peevey, and Itron Inc., manufacturer of smart meters used in San Diego.

Cooney, a former bank vice president in Massachusetts, moved to San Diego to pursue a new career as a musician.  She performed at prominent locations including the Queen Mary and the Ritz Carlton.  But in April 2011, she developed a ringing in her ears, a “shock to her heart”, numbness, chest pain, heart palpitations and sleep problems that she attributes to a bank of smart meters at an apartment complex near her home in La Jolla.

Photo courtesy of ECM news partner 10 News

December 29, 2012 (Santee)—Jayme Midland, 25, was killed when the Volkswagen Beetle he was driving on State Route 52 was struck head-on by a Chevy pickup truck driving on the wrong side of the highway. 

The woman driving the truck suffered moderate injuries.  After treatment at Sharp Memorial hospital, she was arrested for gross vehiclular manslaughter while intoxicated. She has been booked into the Las Colinas Detention Facility, according to the California Highway Patrol.

 Midland,  a resident of Clairemont, was declared dead at the scene. The accident occurred shortly before 1 a.m. on eastbound 52, just east of Mast Boulevard in Santee.

December 29, 2012 (San Diego’s East County ) -  A storm moving through our region today and tomorrow is expected to bring rain and in mountain areas, snow.  By tomorrow, snow is forecast to drop down to 4,000 feet—low enough to include Julian and  Lake Cuyamaca—popular destinations for families seeking to frolic in the snow.

Gusty winds are also forecast in mountains and on desert slopes late Sunday. The storm system is expected to move east and out of our county on Monday,  so if you’re planning a trip to the mountains it’s best to wait until after the weekend.

Update: Both 163 and 805 are now reopened, though traffic on 163 remains slow as of 5:55 p.m.

December 28, 2012 (San Diego) -- For the second time today, a suicidal person threatening to jump off a bridge has caused major traffic delays.  Late this afternoon, State Route 163 has been shut down in both directions at the Laurel Street Bridge in Balboa Park.  The I-5 connector to 163 is also closed due to the jumper.

Earlier today, a man threatening to jump off a bridge forced shut-down of I-805 at State Route 54. That individual has been taken into custody and 805 is now reopened. 

If you or someone you know is suffering from suicidal thoughts, please contact these resources: 

East County Magazine is now on Facebook!  You can follow us, be our friend, and "like" us here:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/East-County-Magazine/524328380924611.

This is a new page, separate from our editor, Miriam Raftery's Facebook page.  We will be transitioning our news site's information to the new page, so please be sure to "friend" us for the latest posts. 

By Nadin Abbott

Photos by Tom Abbott, video by Nadin Abbott

December 27, 2012 (San Diego)-- The New Car Dealers Association of San Diego brings once again the San Diego International Auto Show, among the largest in the nation and the second largest in Southern California, to the San Diego Convention Center now Thursday through Sunday. The show this year features some old stand bys such as the Jeep Experience, where you can ride in one of several Jeeps to highlight the abilities of these vehicles. This year I rode a Trail Hawk Special Edition and the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Limited, which is a four door model. 

View a video of the ride here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9pv9QI__bM&feature=youtu.be

By Miriam Raftery

December 27, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The power of social media has given rise to a new phenomenon seen across our region and around the world:  residents are taking to the streets, sending tweets, and discovering the power of the people.  They’re organizing online, launching petitions, posting viral videos on Youtube, promoting causes on Facebook.  A year aqo, in 2011, the world witnessed the power of citizen activism when the Egyptian government was overthrown.  Here at home, the rise in citizen activism in the past year has led to some remarkable achievements and some noteworthy upsets.

Here are some of the results of citizen activism in our region over the past year.

December 27, 2012 (La Mesa)—A fire that began in or near a wall heater yesterday morning swiftly engulfed a granny flat in the 8400 block of Sunrise Avenue.  After a neighbor reported the blaze, Heartland Fire & Rescue crews arrived within five minutes.  

Firefighters stretched hose lines inside the building to aggressively fight the fire, while other crews vented the structure to allow smoke and hot gases to escape.  The blaze was doused within 10 minutes and firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to neighboring buildings. 

By Miriam Raftery

December 27, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)—East County lost some prominent residents in 2012, from celebrities and pioneers to lesser known individuals who achieved extraordinary accomplishments in their lives or touched our hearts in their passing. 

Scroll down to read about those lost in 2012; click on their names to read more about these remarkable individuals.

December 25, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – A wind advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service for mountains and deserts in East County from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, December 26.  Gusts up to 50 mph may occur near ridge tops.  Winds may make driving difficult, also producing blowing sand in desert areas. 

A hazardous weather outlook has also been issued for southwestern California.  Wednesday through Monday, a cold low-pressure system will bring light to moderate rain, with snow down to 4500 feet in mountain areas, along with strong winds.  Frost is possible in valleys and upper deserts Wednesday and Thursday nights.  Along coastal areas, a winds may create hazardous conditions for small crafts.

By Nadin Abbot

December 22, 2012 (Ramona)--The temperature was quickly dropping and the car thermometer read in the upper thirties as I talked to Janine outside her mobile home late last night She is a resident of the Ramona Terrace Estates, which lost propane yesterday due to a major leak.

Janine, who did not provide her last name, is worried since they will not get gas power restored until Christmas Eve. It will be cold for the next few days, and among the residents is her father, who lives in one of the units that are "propane only," so right now he is using a space heater to keep warm.

December 21, 2012 (Ramona) – It’s going to be a chilly holiday season for 220 residents of the Ramona Terrace Estates mobilehome park, 1212 H Street in Ramona, where a large leak in a 30,000 gallon propane tank  has forced shut-off of gas and heating.   According to Cal Fire Captain Mike Mohler,  the leak will impact residents for the next three to four days.

An emergency shelter/assistance center  has been set up at Olive Pierce Middle School, 1521 Hanson Lane in Ramona.

December 21, 2012 (San Diego)--County supervisors broke ground this afternoon for the new Registrar of Voters (ROV) building, the final piece of the puzzle in a years-long project to redevelop the County’s 47-acre operations center in Kearny Mesa.

“By this time next year, we expect to announce the grand opening of yet another high-quality, energy-efficient, public building in keeping with the rest of this award-winning campus,” said Board Chairman Ron Roberts. “This multi-purpose structure will provide a flexible election processing workspace and provide a light, bright and comfortable environment for voters, the general public and employees.”  

From left to right: Supervisor Dianne Jacob, Supervisor Bill Horn, Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer, Board Chairman Ron Roberts, Registrar Deborah Seiler, Supervisor Greg Cox, Incoming Registrar Michael Vu

By Miriam Raftery

December 18, 2012 (El Cajon) – Parents of Joseph Meram, a 16-year-old El Cajon teen who died July 6, 2011 after falling 80 feet from the top of Cedar Creek Falls in Cleveland National Forest near Ramona, has filed a lawsuit alleging “willful, wanton, or grossly negligent” actions on the part of the U.S. Forest Service. 

The suit cites many prior deaths, serious injuries and rescues at the site plus warnings of dangerous conditions just days before Meram's fatal fall. Unlike other fatalities due mostly to daredevil diving (now banned), Meram reportedly lost his footing and accidentally plunged to his death, striking his head on boulders. he lawsuit reveals, “He fell fully clothed with his running shoes and basketball shorts on, and his wallet and cell phone in his pockets.”