By Miriam Raftery

November 26, 2010 (San Diego, California) – As temperatures hit record cold Thanksgiving night, San Diego’s homeless still had no winter shelter.

“People are literally freezing out there,” said Bob McElroy, director of the Alpha Project, which helps San Diego’s homeless and mentally ill get off the streets.

Council first considered a shelter in the East Village area, to serve homeless people countywide. (East County has no winter shelter.) Then in October, Council voted to open Golden Hall as a temporary winter shelter—but reneged on that pledge the day after the election, voting to shift the shelter to Barrio Logan instead. But yesterday, workers were still assembling beds—leaving the homeless outside in a bitter cold that dipped below freezing.

November 25, 2010 (El Cajon) – Alex Gilliam, Jr., 53, was struck and killed Tuesday evening by a westbound car while crossing the 500 block of East Chase Avenue in El Cajon on his motorized scooter.

By Tanya Huang

November 23, 2010 (San Diego) — San Diego State students, faculty and staff were blocked from areas around the trolley station for almost three hours while the San Diego State University (SDSU) Police Department investigated an undisclosed, suspicious package which was later deemed nonthreatening.

November 22, 2010 (San Diego)-- Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego officially opened today by providing its first burials of veterans and family members at the new facility.

Military honors at the opening ceremony included a rifle salute and the playing of “Taps.” Acting Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Steve Muro gave remarks and was joined by VA and local officials in the interment of cremated remains. Casket burial options will be available in early 2011.

November 22, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) -Construction crews from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) have day and night work scheduled for State Route 67 (SR-67) on Tuesday. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. crews will close the southbound on-ramp at Magnolia Avenue. The northbound Bradley Avenue on-ramp and Prospect Avenue off-ramp will close along with the southbound Magnolia on-ramp.Then at 9 p.m. all lanes of State Route 67 between Prospect and Woodside Avenues will close.

November 21, 2010 (San Diego) – Angela Dawn Mendez, 33, died in a pre-dawn 4:45 a.m. yesterday morning on I-15 south of State Route 76 in Fallbrook. She was the driver and sole occupant of a 2004 Range Rover Discovery that veered off the highway, rolled down an embankment several times, and landed on its roof on a service road below.

November 20, 2010 (Lakeside) – Christopher Cory Carioscia, 17, told his family he was going surfing at Pacific Beach on the evening of October 26th. The former El Capitan High School student hasn’t been seen by his family since.

The Sheriff’s department never notified the media about the teen’s disappearance, although it’s been reported on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Chldren website and other missing children sites. Now, the Union-Tribune reports that Carioscia’s car was found burned on the Barona reservation the day after he vanished.

Information courtesy of Alpine Community News Network

November 19, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – A memorial/celebration of life and fundraiser will be held this Sunday, November 21st at 2 p.m. for members of the Saddletramps motorcycle club in Lakeside who lost their lives Nov. 13th in a tragic accident in Ocotillo.

November 18, 2010 (San Diego) – Congressmen Bob Filner (D-San Diego) is calling for the U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee to hold a hearing to examine the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) security screening procedures at airports, including full-body scans and pat downs.

Environmentalists, desert enthusiasts and East County organizations also object to Tessera’s 10-mile-long, 6,000-acre desert solar farm which would tie in to Sunrise Powerlink
 

By Miriam Raftery
 

Fund established to help Trayer family; blood drive planned Saturday for injured victims
 

By Miriam Raftery
 

November 15, 2010 (Ocotillo) –The odor of burned rubber still hangs heavy in the air along Highway 98 east of Ocotillo, where five people lost their life in a horrific crash on Saturday. A lone bouquet of flowers in the sand serves as a silent memorial to four members of the Lakeside Saddle Tramp Club and a car passenger who died at the scene.

November 14, 2010 (Wynola) – A traffic collision involving three motorcycles has resulted in major injuries at the junction of Wynola Road and Farmer Road near Julian.

Mercy Air has been requested and a landing area established following the accident, which was reported at 3:31 p.m., CHP reports.

November 14, 2010 (El Cajon) – Anthony Watson, 22, of Spring Valley was struck and killed on November 10th when he attempted to run across the westbound lanes of Interstate 8 near State Route 67. He was hit by an SUV. Medics transported him to Sharp Memorial Hospital’s trauma unit, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Authorities seek driver who fled scene after crossing line, causing collision

Update Nov. 14:  Authorities now say that the driver who fled the scene was in a gold Honda Civic

November 13, 2010 (Ocotillo) – A horrific pileup today included seven motorcycles from Lakeside’s Saddle Tramps club and two other vehicles.  The crash left five dead, including at least four East County residents, and injured six others.

According to the CHP, a car crossed the center line on State Route 98 seven miles east of Ocotillo around 1 p.m., attempting to pass a group of motorcyclists. A  sedan veered to avoid a head-on collision with the car, then struck several motorcycles.

By Miriam Raftery
 

November 12, 2010 (Alpine) – People in an Alpine barber shop in were startled to see a mountain lion roaming along the 1700 block of Alpine Blvd. shortly after 9:30 a.m. The lion reportedly leaped from a pine tree and later ran into bushes next to a home near the Alpine Community Center and Alpine Elementary School, prompting the Sheriff’s department to summon Fish & Game officials. By the time wildlife officers arrived, however, the lion was gone.