By Miriam Raftery

Updated 12 p.m. to include comments from Pat Landis.

December 30, 2017 (Julian/Cuyamaca)—On January1st,  the full-time staffed San Diego County Paramedic Fire Engine serving the Julian and Cuyamaca areas will be permanently closed. The action leaves the communities to rely solely on volunteer firefighters and one ambulance for fire and life safety services, which could lead to long delays in medical services if that unit is transportation a patient to a hospital, critics contend.

The paramedic engine had been providing fire and emergency medical response services 24 hours a day, seven days a week under a temporary agreement between the County of San Diego and the Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District. The CAL FIRE Firefighters that were assigned to the engine have been reassigned to other facilities within San Diego County.

The action comes after the Julian Cuyamaca Fire Protection District voted to reject consolidation with the County Fire Department and remain independent—the last remaining volunteer fire department in the County.  Cal Fire firefighters blame the board for the current problems, but a former board member faults the district's fire chief.

By Miriam Raftery

December 9, 2017 (Julian) — Residents in the mountain town of Julian have had more than a power outage to cause frayed nerves.  Numerous small earthquakes have occurred, including a magnitude 4.0 quake Wednesday that has triggered 76 aftershocks.

East County News Service

October 1, 2017 (San Diego) -- San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) this week announced a $100,000 charitable grant to purchase essential equipment and medical apparatus for San Diego County Fire and rural fire agencies to better serve local communities and protect the region from future fires.

By Valerie Watts

August 26, 2017 (Julian) - “Stomp the grapes.  Drink the wine.” 

The Menghini Winery is hosting the 21^st Julian Grape Stomp Festa on September 2 from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.  The festivities are located at 1150 Julian Orchards Drive outside of Julian.  This unique event invites you to immerse yourself in the old-world Italian experience, tasting wines from ten local wineries, humming to Italian tunes by Roman Holiday, trying your hand at bocce ball, eating and shopping.  This year a falconry demonstration has been added to the list of attractions, where you can watch these regal birds “volare.”

Country threatens to take away all funds and a fire/paramedic engine if district board refuses County’s offer

East County News Service

July 27, 2017 (Julian) -- On Thursday, July 27 at 6:30 pm, at the Julian Fire Station (3407 Highway 79 in Julian), the San Diego County Fire Authority will make its final presentation to try to convince the community to dissolve its volunteer fire department and be accepted under the Fire Authority. 

The meeting will begin with a professional video mad for  the Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District (JCFPD),  followed by a Powerpoint presentation by County Fire Chief Tony Mecham. The audience will be able to ask questions and express concerns.

The County is proposing that, at a cost of $1.5 million, it will provide a staff of three professional firefighters 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. But if the JCFPD refuses the offer, the County will withdraw all financial support that it has been giving for 30 years, including a paramedic/engine placed at CalFire almost 2 years ago.

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts

June 23, 2017 (Julian-Shelter Valley) –  A planned power outage is scheduled  starting at 9 p.m. on Monday night,  June 26 through  6 a.m. on Tuesday morning, June 27 in the Shelter Valley area and the outskirts of Julian; a majority of the customers are in the eastern Julian area surrounding Banner Grade, SDG&E has announced.  Julian’s downtown historic district will not be affected.

The outage is needed to replace older power lines and equipment to make the system more weather- and fire-resilient. 

Below is the notice from SDG&E with full details for customers in the affected areas:

East County News Service

June 1, 2017 (Julian) --Sons of the American Legion will present the 11^th annual Julian Dance on June 10^th from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. The backcountry dance and barbecue features music by Three Chord Justice and the California Rangers, a large dance floor, plus dinner slow-cooked Santa Maria style over open oak-wood flames. 

This event is described as a “throwback to a simpler time with twinkly lights and bonfires backdropped by dark mountain skies,” a time for mountain residents and visitors to get together for a great time.

East County News Service

Photo:  Fearless Girl, Wall Street, N.Y.

April 28, 2017 (Julian) – Seeking to reverse “damage to our country using our American values of inclusion, tolerance, fairness and respect,” residents in Julian are organizing an Indivisible group, part of the nationwide effort to resist the agendas of Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

East County News Service

Photo: Jupiter and its moons

April 19, 2017 (Julian) -- You’re invited to a star party at William Heise County Park (4945 Heise Park Rd.) in Julian this Saturday, April 22^nd starting at 7 p.m. with the Curiosity Peak Observatory and the Julian Dark Sky Network. The event celebrates International Dark Sky Week.   Organizers state, “Join us to travel through space and time and get to see what our local starry nights have to offer. You will get to see planets, moon, star clusters, nebulae, galaxies and Jupiter with all its moons.”

East County News Service

March 21, 2017 (Julian) - Julian High School will host a mobile blood drive with the San Diego Blood Bank on Saturday, April 1 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The school is located at 1656 Highway in Julian; the blood drive will be in the parking lot.

About 1 in 7 people entering a hospital need blood. One pint of blood, which is the amount volunteers give when they donate blood, can save up to three lives. Approximately, 38% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood but less than 10% do annually. Since blood is always needed, volunteers are asked to give blood for patients, such as those going through cancer or trauma.

East County News Service

January 22, 2017 (Julian) – As a new storm sweeps into our region, the San Diego Sheriff retweeted this image, along with some winter wit from the Sheriff’s Julian substation: “Extra police presence in SD Mtns during inclement weather, use caution, FYI.”

By Miriam Raftery

November 1, 2016 (Julian) -- "Chris Gardner has been the Jess Martin Park volunteer park host for 6 years, for the community of Julian, he is simply irreplaceable!" So reads a petition launched by Julian residents hoping to keep Gardner on site.

East County News Service

August 18,2016 (San Diego's East County) -- This week’s Destination East County include night fishing, a jazz musical, and the Ramona Country Fair.  Plus we’ll tell you about coming attractions including grape stomp, a bluegrass festival, an apple festival and other festive finds.

So stay tuned for all of these events and many more!

June 16, 2016 (Julian) -- Alex Sharps dazzled the audience at the Julian Fiddle and Pickin' Contest last weekend, which drew competitors from across the nation.

Sharps placed third in the highly competitive Open Fiddling category.

East County News Service

May 31, 2016 (Julian) – You’re invited to grab your partner and mosey on up to Julian for the annual Julian Dance and Back Country Barbecue on Saturday, June 11^th from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.