UPDATE FEBRUARY 2, 2010 :  The FDA has taken samples to test and launched an official investigation, also pulling seed bags from other local retailers, ECM has learned. In addition, samples have been sent to the manufacturer to test for toxins or contaminants.

By Miriam Raftery

Many aren’t aware of tax credit that can be claimed, County says

February 1, 2010 (San Diego)--The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) has launched the 2010 Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) campaign, an effort to get more low-income families and individuals to take advantage of the federal government’s largest cash assistance program.

January 31, 2010 (Julian) – Carl K. Davis Jr., 28, of San Diego died in a head-on collision shortly after noon yesterday on Highway 78 at Payson Drive, Julian.

January 31, 2010 (Alpine) – Firefighters from Viejas and the U.S. Forest service responded to a vehicle fire on Interstate 8 in Alpine this afternoon. Alpine firefighter/paramedics Broc Thorn and Colby Ross formed an attack line and quickly knocked down the fire before it spread into the nearby vegetation.

Is the LRAD disabled, or not?

By Miriam Raftery

January 28, 2010 (San Diego) San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore drew sharp criticism from the public and his three political opponents following an article we published last fall, revealing that his office purchased a long-range acoustic device (LRAD) and rolled it out at Congressional healthcare forums and other events.  The Sheriff’s office held a press conference in September to announce that the sonic weapons feature had been “disabled.”

Now the Sheriff has removed a press release discussing the disabling of the sonic weapons feature from the homepage and from the archives at his website. We contacted the Sheriff’s spokeperson, Jan Caldwell, to ask why the release was removed and whether the sonic weapons feature has been reenabled.

January 27, 2010 (Ramona) – Bridgette T. Hale, 36, was killed in a head-on collision on State Route 67 near Johnson Lake Road in Lakeside on Tuesday. Hale was driving southbound in her Chevy Astro Van when she was struck head-on by an Oldsmobile that had crossed a double-yellow line, according to the California Highway Patrol.

By Miriam Raftery

January 27, 2010 (Spring Valley) – A memorial service for David Norman Reid will be held on Sunday, January 31st at 2 p.m. at the Steele Canyon High School theater (see address below). Reid was killed last Friday when a car driven by Andrew Bellati, 18, crossed the center line at a high speed and crashed head-on into Reid’s van.

January 25, 2010 (San Diego) –Rescue Task Force, the humanitarian organization established in East County that has since merged with World Emergency Relief, is now working to restore electricity in Haiti.

 
“Lack of power can cost lives,” RTF’s Andrea Stone observed.

January 25, 2010 (El Cajon) – Rebecca Ann Phillips, 23, died after being hit by a red Chevrolet Metro on southbound Highway 125 shortly after 9:30 last night. According to witnesses, she was a passenger in a green Ford Taurus sedan that had pulled onto the shoulder just north of Grossmont College Drive. For unknown reasons, she stepped into traffic and was killed.

Walter Davis, host of Progress for San Diego, interviewed East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery on January 22 about our online publication’s accomplishments and goals for the future. Our thanks to Walter for this in-depth interview, which covered many important issues in our region--and how you can get involved in being the media! Click  image to view the interview now online. This show will also be aired on COX Channel 18/23 on February 7, 2010 at 5 p.m.

“In the fraction of a second, life’s changed for two families.” – Leonard Villareal, San Miguel Fire Dept.

January 23, 2010 (Spring Valley)—Andrew Bellati, 18, gained fame for his fast-ball pitches clocked at 88 mph. The Steele Canyon High School graduate recently signed with the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team.

But speed proved deadly in a head-on collision yesterday, when a red Mustang driven by Bellati crossed the center line and killed David Norman Reid, 50.  The collision also seriously injured Bellati and two other teens, both students at Steele Canyon.

December 21, 2010 (Valley Center) – A truck attempting to cross a flooded creek stalled and was swept sideways downstream in swift-flowing water at the same spot where an earlier rescue was made yesterday. At 3:37 p.m. today, Cal Fire and the Valley Center Fire Department responded and found two dogs trapped in the vehicle.

January 21, 2010– Heavy rain and high winds are expected to keep San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) crews busy as forecasters predict the worst of this week’s series of storms will sweep through the region today. Utility crews are being staged at operations centers for staffing around-the-clock to coordinate service restoration, communications and logistical support throughout the storms.

January 21, 2010 (Valley Center) – Two people have been rescued from a Toyota four runner that became stuck after the driver attempted to cross a stream and water began flowing inside the vehicle.

January 20, 2010 (San Diego County) 9:10 p.m. – Shortly after we issued an earlier alert about hazardous traffic conditions, CHP posted updates of several new hazards.

EAST COUNTY UPDATE:

Boulders are reported in the roadway at the junction of Sunrise Highway and Interstate 8. There are also large rocks in the roadway on Highway 78 near Sentenac Canyon in El Cajon, where a vehicle has struck the rocks and emergency responders are en route. I-15 northbound is flooded at the SR 75 offramp. The Carmel Mt. Road onramp to I-15 northbound is also flooded and now blocked. In Borrego Springs, boulders are in the road at SR 78 and Borrego Springs Road. In Santee, Gorge Road is flooded in the 9200 block after a flood channel overflowed.
 

OTHER SAN DIEGO COUNTY AREAS: