October 28, 2019  (San Diego) --- The National Weather Service has issued a red flag alert, warning of extremely critical fire weather conditions arriving Tuesday night and continuing through Thursday afernoon.  This has potential to be the strongest Santa Ana wind event so far this season, the NWS predicts.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: ECM news partner 10 News

October 28, 2019 (Ramona) – The Sawday Fire which began Friday morning and scorched 97 acres was caused by a parked trailer that caught fire, Cal Fire reports. It is not yet known what caused the trailer to ignite along Sawday Truck Trail near Littlepage Road.

By Miriam Raftery

October 28, 2019 (Los Angeles) – The fast-moving #GettyFire that erupted overnight near the famous Getty art museum has shut down the 405 freeway in Los Angeles.  Several homes have burned and thousands are threatened. Mandatory evacuations have been issued as far south as Pacific Palisades, affecting 10,000 commercial and residential structures as well as the University of California, Davis campus, CBS 8 reports.

Fire officials described the evacuation zone s a box bounded by Mulholland Drive on the north side, the 405 on the east, Sunset Boulevard on the south and Temescal Canyon Road on the west. A broader evacuation warning area extends north to Topanga and west to Malibu.

By Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine

Photo, left, via CalTrans:  Glencove Fire in Vallejo shut down the Carquinez bridge for several hours

October 27, 2019 (San Diego) – Governor Gavin Newsom today declared a statewide emergency as wildfires whipped by hurricane-force gusts forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate. As apocalyptic images emerged, the danger for those caught in the paths of the infernos deepened due to intentional power shut-offs by PG&E that left over 2 million Californians in the dark.

“We area deploying every resource available,” Governor Newsom announced at a press conference, also urging everyone in evacuation zones to heed warnings from offficials and first responders.

Update October 26:  30 homes have burned in Rosarito, where a man and his dog were found dead after their home burned, Mexico News Daily reports. Over 70 homes have now burned in Tecate. The National Forestry Commission (Conafor) had contained only 35% of the estimated 50 fires raging in Mexico.

By Miriam Raftery

“People had to hike out through the mountains to save their lives,” – Tecate resident Veronica Lavarello

October 25, 2019 (Tecate, Mexico) – Fires burning in Mexico have displaced at least 1,645 people forced to evacuate their homes. The blazes have killed three people, Associated Press Reports. Deaths include a 12-year-old girl and a 19-year-old woman, the Mexican new site Radar Tecate reports.  Antonio Rosquillas, director of Baja California Civil Protection, indicates two others are injured. In Rosarito, where 30 homes have burned, a man died in a structure fire along with his dog, Mexico News Daily reports.

Tecate Mayor Zulema Adams announced that at least 54 homes  have been destroyed and 100 have been damaged.

One of the fires shut down the coastal highway north of Ensenada for several hours today. A fire in the Tecate region burned over 35,000 acres. Schools in Tijuana, Tecata and Rosarito were all ordered closed today due to heavy smoke.

Smoke has been visible on the northern side of the international border but thus far the blazes are confined to Mexico.

Mexico’s president has declared a state of emergency, as dozens of families remain in shelters.  Tonight, the intensity of Santa Ana winds has diminished, aiding firefighters battling the blazes.

Join East County Magazine at our Haunted Mt. Helix Manor for our annual Halloween party!

Open to all subscribers (subscribe free at the top right side of our homepage):

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26  

4 p.m.- 8 p.m.

4438 Hideaway Place, La Mesa, CA 91941

--Bring a devilishly delicious dish to share

--Costume contest and parade

--Prizes and surprises! (Prize donations welcome)

Thanks to our prize donors! City Tacos, La Loteria del Jamul, La Mesa Chamber of Commerce, Scare Trail at Marshal Scotty's, SoCal Axe Throwing, Pearson Brothers Winery, Reanimated Records, and more. Prizes include gift certificates to local restaurants and shops, wine lovers gifts, coffee lovers' basket, chocolate truffles, Spring Fling and Summer Bash Business Expo tickets, accessories, holiday party passes and more.

Cost $16 in advance, $20 at the door.  GET TICKETS: 

By Claire Trageser, KPBS | CALmatters

CALmatters is an independent public interest journalism venture covering California state politics and government.

Photo:  Flames from the Witch Fire light up the early Friday morning sky in northern San Diego County, Oct. 26, 2007. Photo by Jon Vidar/Associated Press

October 23, 2019 (San Diego) - As Pacific Gas & Electric Co. plans power shutdowns beginning Wednesday in parts of 17 Northern California counties due to high winds and fire danger, its management of the crisis has been widely criticized.

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

October 23, 2019 (El Cajon) -- As part of East County Magazine's investigation of the Cajon Valley Union School District, ECM asked Superintendent David Miyashiro, EdD and school board President Tamara Otero to back up their often repeated claim that the district has reaped great benefits with its more than half-million dollars in expenditures on  videos over the five years. Both ignored multiple requests for verifiable benefits and for interviews.

On Friday, at 1:45 p.m., however, ECM received a response to our California Public Records Act request from Naomi Rodrigues, the district’s Executive Coordinator. Our request asked for any verifiable financial and enrollment benefits from the district’s paid marketing and promotional videos published on YouTube from July 2014 through Sept. 24, 2019.

“NO SUCH DOCUMENTS EXIST” wrote Rodrigues (photo, left) in her e-mail to ECM.  It is unclear if she was aware of our article published shortly before her response was received.

Although the district could not document any financial benefits or increased enrollment tied to its videos, less tangible benefits may include increasing student morale and boosting the district’s image elsewhere. Consistent with the latter point, Rodrigues listed four videos which she indicated have been featured and showcased by the San Diego County Board of Education.  (View full e-mail response from Rodrigues.)

Lakeside planning group postpones action until Nov. 20 on proposal to deepen East County Sand Mine in Morena Valley to 80 feet

By Ana Nita, East County Magazine

October 23, 2019 (Lakeside) – Early in the morning on October 1st, dozens of trucks and heavy machinery traveled through in all directions on the job for the many industrial sites located (some would say “dumped” here with minimal or no county oversight) in this town. 

By Mike Allen

October 22, 2019 (Santee) -- The owners of the Carlton Oaks Golf Course submitted plans to the city of Santee to build 285 residential units on the site and other new development to create an upscale tourist attraction. The golf course itself will be moved and revamped to accommodate the new facilities.

Superintendent and school board president refuse to answer questions on videos; recent flash mob video cost over $21,500

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor; Miriam Raftery, Editor, also contributed to this report.

Photo: Superintendent David Miyashiro in CVUSD flash mob video

Update:  Shortly after publication of this report, the CVUSD belatedly responded  to ECM's California Public Records Act requst for documentation of any financial or enrollment benefits received by the district due to its promotional videos on YouTube.  Naomie Rodrigues sent an e-mail advising that "NO SUCH DOCUMENTS EXIST" but noted that some videos were published on the County Department of Education's website.  View our article on her reply and the district's lagging responses to other records requests. 

October 16, 2019 (El Cajon) -- The internet has revolutionized video marketing. From small businesses to government agencies, organizations can now harness resources at YouTube and other online portals to directly market messages to a target audience.

The Cajon Valley Union School District (CVUSD) has utilized its Youtube channel and other social media portals to disseminate professionally produced video marketing and promotional messages for its school projects and World of Work career path program.

Utilizing taxpayer money, the district has produced and promoted impressive videos such as “A Day in the Life of a Cajon Valley Bus Driver,” “Education and business leaders from Vista and Colorado tour Cajon Valley,” an invitation to a Grandparents Day event, Fall Festivals, Madison Avenue Elementary Lemonade Fundraiser, and numerous WoW (World of Work) videos. The District also produces a monthly “broadcast” with news and events directed to school personnel and staff.

Hefty costs

But critics say the CVUSD is making too much of a good thing, since these videos produced by the district have come with a high price tag.

According to information provided to East County Magazine by the CVUSD in response to a public records request, from July 2014 (when David Miyashiro became Superintendent) through June 30, 2019, the district has spent over half a million dollars -- $576,289.60 to be exact -- on marketing and promotional videos.

Supervisor Nathan Fletcher today began his two-year term as Chair of MTS

**Remarks from new MTS Board Chair Nathan Fletcher (video) 

East County News Service

October 21, 2019 (San Diego) - In a unanimous vote today, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) board of directors elected San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher to a two-year term as chairperson. His appointment will run through December 2021. Supervisor Fletcher takes over for San Diego City Council President Georgette Gómez, who held the post since January 2018.