By Miriam Raftery

July 11, 2024 (Alpine) – The nonprofit Friends of Loveland Reservoir has been advocating for a return of sunrise-to-sunset hours at Sweetwater Reservoir.  Such access was agreed to along with an easement as part of a land-swap deal between the U.S. Forest Service and Sweetwater Water Authority (SWA) years ago, but in recent years amid tightened budgets, that agreement has not been honored.

Friends of Loveland states in an email to its supporters that it proposed for members of its large volunteer base to open and close Loveland daily from sunrise to sunset, with a new lockbox and gate key.  “ SWA agreed to open the gate every morning and would work with a volunteer group as long as USFS provided oversight. Unfortunately, the USDA Office of General Counsel did not agree,” the Friends group states in its email.

Friends of Loveland Reservoir (FLR)has sent a letter in response to the Forest Service sharply criticizing the federal agency for refusing to enforce the public’s access rights and asking for a meeting with the Forest Service, FLR, and SWA representatives.(See copy of their letter below).

FLR also urging the public to contact the following Forest Service representatives:

By Miriam Raftery

Image: Rendering of proposed Murray Project in La Mesa, via Enersmart's project website

July 8, 2024 (La Mesa) – A battery fire at the Gateway energy storage facility in Otay Mesa in May forced evacuation of nearby businesses for nearly two weeks.  

Enersmart has proposed building a battery energy storage facility at 8131 El  Paso Street in La Mesa.

After the Otay fire, La Mesa City Manager Greg Humora recently sent an e-mail to the mayor and city councilmembers highlighting key differences between the Otay and La Mesa projects in size, technology, and fire protection plans.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Vincent, lost cast from Del Cerro Reservoir area, is still missing.If you find him, please contact Amanda Everett at abeverett.personal@gmail.com,  or 619-261-4717.

July 9, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – When Amanda Everett lost her cat, Vincent, she posted notices online in hopes of finding help to locate her missing pet. Instead, she says, thieves tried to scam her into giving them money for emergency surgery on her cat, whom they falsely claimed had been brought to a local shelter. Other scammers sought to trick her into giving our personal information that could be used for identity theft.

Everett posted this warning on social media, which she has given ECM permission to reprint.

Update July 11:  Trump has recently said of Project 2025, "I have no idea who is behind it." However, CNN reports that at least 140 people who worked for Trump were involved in Project 2025's creation, including six of Trump's former cabinet secretaries,  his White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, his long-time advisory Steven Miller, and several attorneys who represented Trump in election inteference cases.  The project's top architects describe it as a blueprint for a second Trump administration.

By Miriam Raftery

Image: Spirit of '76, painting by A.M. Wilard depicts American Revolutionary War fought to win freedom from British tyranny

July 4, 2024 (San Diego) – Today, we celebrate our nation’s declaration of independence from Britain’s king in 1776. But ironically, America’s democracy is at risk, along with the liberties we cherish.  Constitutional experts warn that like several failed democracies, most notably Germany in the 1930s, the United States now faces the very real threat of becoming an autocracy,  or dictatorship.

The threat is two-fold: first, a document called Project 2025 is a blueprint for converting our democracy to an autocracy and the guidebook for a second Trump term of office. Second, a Supreme Court ruling this week effectively grants Trump, Biden, or any future president king-like authority to break the law without fear of prosecution for crimes.

Steven Levitsky, coauthor of the award-winning, bestselling book How Democracies Die states, “Democracies may die at the hands not of generals but of elected leaders—presidents or prime ministers who subvert the very process that brought them to power. Some of these leaders dismantle democracy quickly, as Hitler did in the wake of the 1933 Reichstag fire in Germany. More often, though, democracies erode slowly, in barely visible steps.” He further warns, “This is how elected autocrats subvert democracy—packing and “weaponizing” the courts and other neutral agencies, buying off the media and the private sector (or bullying them into silence), and rewriting the rules of politics to tilt the playing field against opponents. The tragic paradox of the electoral route to authoritarianism is that democracy’s assassins use the very institutions of democracy—gradually, subtly, and even legally—to kill it.”

East County News Service

July 2, 2024 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Police Department is investigating a troubling string of hate crime vandalism that occurred on June 27 between1:30 and 3 a.m. in the 1300 block of Greenfield Drive. Five parked vehicles were spray-painted with swastikas and hate speech, including gay and anti-Arab slurs, 10 News reports.

Lt. Will Guerin state in a press release, “Our primary focus is on identifying and arresting the individual(s) responsible for the damage.The motive is unclear, he says, adding that investigators have not yet determine whether the suspect(s) had any connection to the victims.

El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells told 10 News, “"This is not what you want to see in our community or in any community," Wells said. "And it's really not indicative of El Cajon."

Update 8:55 p.m. - the fire is at 47 acres and 50% contained per Cleveland National Forest on X.

Update 7 p.m. --Old Highway 80 has reopened.

Update 4 p.m.--Boulder Oaks Campground is being evacuated as a precaution.

Update 2:12 p.m.--Eastbound I-8 exit at Kitchen Creek is closed, per CHP site. The fire is now 43 acres and 5% contained, per Cleveland National Forest.

Update 11:53 p.m.  CHP is closing down Old Highway 80 between Kitchen Creek and Buckman Springs Road.

June 30, 2024 (Lake Morena) -- The #Kitchen Fire reported 15 minutes ago has grown to 25 acres, with no containment. The fire startedon Kitchen Creek Road near Old Highway 80 in Campo's Lake Morena community.

Cal Fire is assisting Cleveland National Forest on this wildland fire. For more information on the #kitchenfire follow the Cleveland National Forest and watch for updates at https://www.eastcountymagazine.org. Air and ground resources have been dispatched.

East County News Service

File photo: SWAT team, courtesy of San Diego County Sheriff

June 30, 2024 (Poway) –Travis Bradley Miller, 34,is in custody following a six-hour SWAT standoff at his home in the 13000 block of York Avenue in Poway

His roommate called 9-1-1 around 1:30 p.m. yesterday o report that Miller attacked him with a box cutter.The roommate had abrasions during the altercation with the suspect. 

By Miriam Raftery

June 29, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego County Supervisors this week approved a balanced budget of $8.5 billion for fiscal year 2024-2025. Among the East County capital projects funded are:

• Ramona Fire Station 80 - $250,000
• Ramona Sheriff's Substation - $5,000,000
• Stowe Trail - $4,400,000
• Sycamore Canyon Trails - $3,600,000
• Lindo Lake Improvements - $4,000,000
• East County Archery Park - $150,000
• Keeping Lake Hodges, Lake Sutherland, and El Capitan Reservoirs Open = $59,000
• $65.5 million for resurfacing 101 miles in unincorporated areas, including sections of Tavern Road and Japatul Road in Alpine. Report roads that need repairs here.

Supervisor Joel Anderson says, “Our balanced County budget is a huge win for District 2 residents and our shared top priorities of strong public and fire safety, attainable housing, improving homelessness and mental health, and supporting economic development.”

Balloons found on and under powerlines

Story & Photos by Josh Stotler

June 26, 2024 (Rancho San Diego) -- Many factors can cause a fire. As temperatures begin to climb and vegetation dries out, the risk of wildfire is all too real to rural San Diegans. A recent vegetation fire was reported along Jamacha Blvd. and Campo Rd. just outside Rancho San Diego on Wednesday, June 19.

The fire was dispatched as a small vegetation fire in medium to heavy fuels with a moderate rate of spread. San Miguel fire was first on scene and confirmed an active brush fire. Units from neighboring agencies including Cal Fire and air support from San Diego Sheriff's ASTREA and Romona Air Attack base were dispatched to the scene. 

As ground crews battled the flames the investigative division of Cal-Fire was focusing on the cause of the fire.

Update: Evacuation orders have been lifted but certain areas remain closed to vehicle traffic.

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts 

Photo courtesy of ECM news partner 10 News

June 25, 2024 (Del Mar) -- A fire in Del Mar has burned 19 acres, resulting in mandatory evacuations for 2500 people, though firefighters have halted the fire's forward spread. Evacuees are being directed to the Del Mar Fairgrounds, where the San Diego County Fair is underway.

If you are going to the Fair, be aware that traffic and air quality have also been negatively impacted. Del Mar Heights and Carmel Valley Rd. exits are both closed due to the fire. Air quality is impacted as far east as Poway.