FIREFIGHTERS SAVE TWO AFTER VEHICLE PLUNGES DOWN 300-FOOT RAVINE
Printer-friendly version January 7, 2010 (Crest)– A difficult but successful rescue was made Thursday afternoon by members of the San Miguel Fire District. Crews were called to La Cresta Road near Coyote Ridge moments after a vehicle veered off the road and plummeted down a 300 foot embankment. A large SUV with two occupants rolled several times down the steep embankment and landed on its roof. The driver and passenger were both wearing seat belts. Both female victims, in their middle to late teens were able to get out of the crumpled vehicle on their own.Once reaching the victims, firefighters first stabilized both and ran several lines below to bring each victim up in a separate rescue basket. Early indications suggested their injuries were moderate to mild. The occupants, who are sisters, were transported to a local hospital for a complete evaluation. Traffic on La Cresta Road was reduced to a single lane during the rescue and efforts to salvage the vehicle. The California Highway Patrol is conducting the investigation into the cause of the accident. Police and fire departments from El Cajon and Lakeside joined in the rescue effort. Printer-friendly version
COUNTY RECEIVES $4.3 MILLION FOR HOMELESS PROJECTS
Printer-friendly version January 8, 2009 (San Diego) — More than $4.3 million is going to local programs that help homeless individuals find shelter and deal with challenges such as mental illness, disabilities and domestic violence. East County Magazine has e-mailed the County to inquire whether any of these funds will address the growing homelessness needs in East County. The County Department of Housing and Community Development applied for the funds from the Supportive Housing Program of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD. The County identified the greatest needs in the community by working with local governments and nonprofit agencies. The money will go to programs in the unincorporated areas and local cities, except for the City of San Diego, which applies for its own funds. This regional effort has resulted in close to $150 million in federal homeless funding in the county over the past 15 years. This year’s award includes renewal funding for 25 existing projects throughout the County sponsored by a variety of agencies that provide services including job training, health care, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment and child care. Grants are awarded competitively to local programs that provide transitional and permanent housing services for homeless persons and families, primarily in North County and San Diego. This year’s recipients include: Alpha Project, one project; City of Oceanside, one project; Community Housing Works, three projects; Community Resource Center, one project; County Department of Housing and Community Development, two projects; Crisis House, two projects; Mental Health Systems, three projects; North County Interfaith Council, four projects; North County Solutions for Change, one project; Regional Task Force on the Homeless, two projects; South Bay Community Services, three projects; Vietnam Veterans of San Diego, one project; Volunteers of America, one project. The County is awaiting HUD’s review of one new project sponsored by Mental Health Systems, which would use the money to help provide long-term housing and support services to homeless people in the North County who are chronically homeless and disabled. HUD is expected to award funds to new projects nationwide early this year. A complete list of local recipients is on the following page. For more information about homeless resources, visit the Housing and Community Development Web site. Printer-friendly version