May 4, 2012 (San Diego's East County) -- Planning a picnic or a hike?  Checkout YourOnlineWeather.com with Gary Kelley:

April 30, 2012 (Lemon Grove) – A Hazmat team has been dispatched to 6800 Federal in El Cajon, where a contractor ruptured a natural gas line, Incident Page Network reported at 1:47 p.m.  Local businesses have been asked to shelter in place.

April 27, 2012 (El Cajon) --  A Sigalert was issused at 3:47 p.m. at Highway 8 and El Cajon Boulevard. An older grey Toyota with 3-4 occupants hit the center divider, and is facing the wrong way.

The number one lane is blocked, and a flat-bed tow truck is assisting.

 Update: 10 News has additional information on this situation: 

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Broadband-Lines-Cut-Copper-Theft-Alpine-Defense-Dept-148669775.html

April 24, 2012 (Alpine) – Sergeant J. Passalacqua at the San Diego Sheriff’s Alpine station has sent the following report on a serious communications and security breach in our region that has shut down broadband across the U.S., including critical defense networks: 

April 22, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – For years, the tobacco industry claimed that cigarettes don’t cause cancer—long after compelling medical evidence proved otherwise.  A similar scenario is now happening with the wind industry, which has put forth various “experts” funded by the wind industry to claim that no evidence exists of negative health impacts caused by wind turbines.

Those are dubious claims that ignore mounting medical and anecdotal evidence around the world indicating that living near wind turbines can harm human health. View a video made by residents living near wind turbines in Wisconsin, discussing health problems they are experiencing which are consistent with symptoms found at many other wind sites around the world: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71DxuicwCXw&feature=player_embedded

Family vehicle breaks down on way to hospital; officials offer tips for what to do if  bitten

April 21, 2012 (Deerhorn Valley) –San Miguel Fire has issued a reminder to the public about the importance of calling 9-1-1 if you or a family member is bitten by a rattlesnake. The warning comes after a two-year-old boy was struck by a rattler while playing in the yard at his Deerhorn Valley home today.

His parents put the boy in their car and his mother dialed 9-1-1 on her cell phone while heading to a hospital. But a flat tire en route could have ended in tragedy. 

Triple-digit temperatures forecast for local deserts

April 21, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a  Fire Weather forecast indicating a chance of thunderstorms as well as dry lightning over East County mountains Monday afternoon and early evening. 

Dry lightning, which occurs without rainfall, poses a greater risk of sparking wildfires than lightning during a rainstorm. However, the potential for a large fire remains low locally due to lack of strong winds. 

April 20, 2012 (San Diego) – The County Medical Examiner has identified Barzeen Barzanji, 20, a student from Santee as the man found dead this morning at a San Diego State University fraternity house. 

A 2009 graduate of West Hills High School, Barzanji planned to graduate next year from SDSU and worked as a waiter at P.F. Chang's restaurant, according to his Facebook page.

 Update: View video of protest: 

Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW2udw6iCG8

April 20, 2012 (Lakeside)—“Animals suffer both physically and mentally throughout these barbaric, violent, `entertaining’ practices,” the Animal Rights Protection and Rescue League of San Diego has posted on its Facebook page, urging a boycott of the Lakeside Rodeo.  “They are incredibly scared, stressed, and uncomfortable.”

The group plans to stage protests tonight from 5-7:30 p.m. and again tomorrow from 12-2 p.m. and from 5:30-7:30 p.m. 

April 19, 2012 (Ramona)--The County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health (DEH) has issued a Boil Water Order and Public Notification for Sutherland Reservoir Recreation Area Water System located at 22850 Sutherland Dam Road, Ramona, effective immediately.

The drinking water system has tested present for total coliform bacteria and absent for E. coli.

 April 16, 2012 (Rancho San Diego) – Firefighters with San Miguel Fire District dispatched units to a fully engulfed house fire in  the 1800 Block of Vista Grande at 4:40 p.m. today. On arrival, crews witnessed large flames shooting out of all of the home’s front windows, said Leonard Villareal, public information officer for San Miguel Fire. 

What can be done to make Highway 94 safer? April 19 meeting set at Barrett Junction Cafe

 
“Pray for me, I drive Highway 94”

April 16, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--That’s a bumper sticker spotted now and again on cars, SUVs and trucks traversing State Route 94 as it departs suburban San Diego out past Rancho San Diego and Jamul and enters a world quite different.  

The people who live along SR 94 “out east” toward Dulzura and Barratt Junction, Potrero and Campo are a different breed — a blend of distinctly Mid-Western American values of land and open space with a spirit of entrepreneurship to raise horses and sheep and to plant vineyards and bottle and brand their own wines.