TORNADO WARNING ISSUED FOR ALL OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Printer-friendly version January 19, 2010 (San Diego)- The National Weather Service issued a Tornado Warning for North West San Diego County and then extended the tornado warning for all of San Diego County until 3:15 pm. Check for further updates to come later. For additional weather updates check the NWS website http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=San+Diego&state=CA&site=SGX&textField1=32.7153&textField2=-117.156&e=1 Printer-friendly version
CAUSE AN ACCIDENT? SAN MIGUEL FIRE WANTS YOU TO PAY FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery January 19, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – San Miguel Fire Protection District voted Thursday to charge drivers who cause accidents for the costs of emergency services. Proposed fees range from $390 to $2,100. The plan has sparked heated debate among community members. Chief August Ghio says similar measures have been imposed in other communities around the U.S., including North County Fire District locally. Fire districts in Lakeside and Chula Vista are considering similar moves, he added. Ghio expects the fees could generate $175,000 a year in revenues for the cash-strapped fire district. The district faces a $1 million deficit. Proposition A, a ballot initiative that would have assessed district residents a $52 a year parcel tax fee for firefighting countywide ($1 per week) was defeated by voters. A proposed benefit assessment district measure proposed by San Miguel Fire also failed to win passage. “We’ve done everything we can possibly do to maintain a good level of service, but the economy keeps getting worse,” Ghio told East County Magazine. San Miguel has already take n one engine company out of service, cut $8,000 in staff positions, goods and services, and revised pension contributions to save $1 million a year, he said. “96% of our revenue is property tax,” he added, noting that he anticipates more budget cuts in the next fiscal year. “We don’t want to be spread so thin that we are impacting our responses to fires or rescues.” The fees would apply to both residents and nonresidents of the district. Still to be determined is what factors would trigger the assessment. Two public hearings on the proposed ordinance will be set for the public to provide input, most likely in February and March. Agendas for meetings will be available at the District’s website: http://www.smgfire.org/Default.htm. Ghio maintains he aims to focus principally on drivers guilty of negligent or criminal acts ranging from talking on cell phones to drunk driving. However the district already has an ordinance on the books that allows it to charge for DUIs (driving under the influence), businesses that trigger multiple false alarms, and negligent acts resulting in HAZMAT incidents or fires. But some community members are skeptical. “I am concerned that this may be the first step in charging everybody for everything,” said Raymond Lutz, founder of Citizens Oversight Projects (www.citizensoversight.org), a government watchdog organization based in El Cajon. “Are they going to let somebody’s car burn if they can’t afford to pay? I can imagine them coming to a car fire and checking up, as the insurance companies do these days, to see if you can pay.” Lutz argues that fire , rescue and paramedic services ideally should be provided by everyone paying equally into the system. “No one is planning to have a car fire,” he said, but added, “I understand they are strapped for money and looking for ways to pay for it.” He views the proposed ordinance as a reaction to voters failing to pass the fire parcel tax and the district’s benefit assessment district proposal. In addition, Lutz faulted the County for not adequately funding this fire district and others. “This County spends only a miniscule amount on all of the fire districts compared to L.A. County,” he observed. “I think they [San Miguel] are underfunded from the County standpoint, and they have been for years and years.” But Tod Aubin, a former EMT and fire/rescue officer, supports the move. "I agree with charging those who have been determined (after an investigation) to be at fault in an accident. The cost would be something the insurance company would cover as an option in a policy," he wrote in an e-mail to ECM. "Nowadays, it is expensive to roll an engine, rescue truck, EMS, cruisers, DPW workers and a host of other apparatus and personnel." Aubin would support charging for service beyond car accidents. "Charging to put out a house fire because of carelessness? yes. Faulty wiring? well, the house owner should know his dwelling well, it should be a part his assessment. This may motivate more home/business owners to practice fire safety and the benefits of this healthy practice would be far reaching, the same would go for drivers, a safe driver benefits himself, you and me." The alternative, he believes, is worse. "We cannot afford to have stations closed (or brownout) and services cut too much longer. But he addded, "Now, we cannot rely on this ‘accident charge’ to bolster the failing system either, there needs to be a handle on cost, pensions, spending and so forth. A balanced attack effectively and efficiently contains a fire or stabilizes a victim therefore we need a balanced attack for this incident also." Comments posted by readers at a Union-Tribune story on the district’s plan to charge accident victims for services drew support from some, but sharp criticism from most. “Why should taxpayers foot the bill for people that cause these accidents?” one poster wrote. “Look at the expense of just car fires that set hillsides and canyons ablaze along our freeways.” Some blamed the firefighters’ union and suggested administrative costs should be pared down and firefighters take a cut in pay instead of charging for accident response services. “Emergency vehicles will become cash cows. “Fire trucks and ambulances will be sent to every fender bender,” another poster predicted, noting that jurisdictions that charge for emergency responses “can make money by doing so.” A poster identifying himself as Ivar concluded that the board should “be voted out of office pronto. Better yet, local residents should start a petition to recall the board right now.” Chief Ghio, who was recently struck by a driver who looked down to pick up a CD, believes the ordinance is needed not merely to recoup costs for the district, but also to encourage drivers to pay more attention and reduce the number of accidents and costly emergency responses. “We’re just trying to hold people accountable for acts
A,G. ENCOURAGES DONATIONS TO HAITIAN RELIEF & OFFERS TIPS TO AVOID SCAMS
Printer-friendly version A.G. Office Has Searchable Database of Registered Charities January 14, 2010 (Oakland) – Attorney General Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown Jr. today is encouraging Californians to make charitable donations for victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, but warns citizens to avoid "scam artists" who may prey on the goodwill of California donors. "After every tragedy, a wave of scam artists take advantage of generous individuals who want to help the victims of a tragedy," Brown said. "It’s important to thoroughly research charitable organizations before you write a check." The Attorney General’s Office regulates charities and professional fundraisers in order to prevent the misapplication of charitable donations made by Californians. Brown offers the following tips on how to give wisely in order to assure that donations will be used for the intended purpose: 1. Carefully review disaster-relief appeals before giving. In times of disaster, many "sound-alike" organizations and sham operations solicit donations. 2. Know the charity before you donate. Review the charity’s website and written material to assure the program is one you want to support. Check the organization’s financial filings to see how it spends its assets, how long it has been operating and what program services it offers. 3. Make sure the charity is registered in the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts. Registration does not guarantee that a charity is effective, but it is an important indicator. A searchable database is available at http://ag.ca.gov/charities.php. 4. Beware of organizations that don’t have a track record. Only give to established charities, not organizations that seem to spring up overnight. Again, check the Registry database to confirm this information. 5. Take action on your own rather than responding to solicitations. Seek out known organizations and give directly, either by calling the organization, using the organization’s official web site, or mailing a check to the address listed on the organization’s website. 6. Listen closely to the name of the group and beware of "copycat" names that sound like reputable charities. 7. Avoid donating through email solicitations. Clicking on an email may lead you to a website that looks authentic, but is established by identity thieves seeking to obtain money or personal information. 8. Do not give cash. Write checks to the charitable organization, not a solicitor. 9. Do not be pressured into giving. Even in times of emergency, reputable organizations do not expect you to contribute immediately if you are unfamiliar with their services. Be wary of appeals that are long on emotion, but short on details about how the charity will help disaster victims. 10. If you are contacted by a solicitor, ask what percentage of your donations will be used for charitable activities that help victims and how much will be used to pay for administrative and fundraising costs. State law requires solicitors to provide such information if requested by donors. Be wary of fundraisers who balk at answering. 11. Find out what the charity intends to do with any excess contributions remaining after victims’ needs are met. 12. There are many forms of giving. Alternative forms of giving include charitable gift annuities, in-kind contributions, and endowments. For additional tips on charitable giving, go to http://ag.ca.gov/charities/charit_giving.php. Information on national charities is available from the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance at 800-575-4483 or www.give.org. Californians who believe they or others have been victimized by fraudulent charitable solicitation can file a complaint online with the Attorney General’s Registrar of Charitable Trusts at http://ag.ca.gov/charities.php Printer-friendly version
BOYS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: PATRIOTS DOWN POINTERS, 64-53
Printer-friendly version by Christopher Mohr (SAN DIEGO) – When you see the Christian High School Patriots’ boys basketball team at its best, you see a team that runs like a well-oiled machine. In the opening minutes of their January 15th game at Point Loma High School, that’s exactly how they looked against the host Pointers. The game was a matchup of two contrasting teams. Christian came into this game with an impressive 14-2 record, which included wins over schools with much larger enrollments and winning records such as Mira Mesa and Poway. On the other hand, Point Loma had struggled to a 2-6 start. They were at a disadvantage since some of their players also played on the football team, which had an extended playoff run overlapping with the start of basketball season. The Patriots started this game with a 15-2 run, aided largely by the shooting of Brazilian native Icaro Parisotto, who drained two three-pointers and added a two-point field goal, scoring eight of the Patriots’ initial 15 points. Point Loma then responded to Christian’s initial surge with one of their own. They went on a 10-5 run to close out the first quarter with the score more respectable at 20-12 in the Patriots’ favor. Nate George scored six of those points, enabling his team to stop the proverbial bleeding. Unfortunately for the Pointers, the Patriots continued their torrid pace in the second quarter. This time another member of the team’s international connection contributed. Zsolt Lakosa, a Hungarian native, scored nine points in the quarter to increase the Patriots’ lead to 15 with the score 37-22 at halftime. "I think we came out good, we shot the ball well, we played good in the first half," Lakosa said about the Patriots’ fast start. The shooting touch that allowed the Patriots to take such a commanding lead in the first half seemed to have stayed in the locker room for the second half, allowing Point Loma to outscore Christian 16-14 in the third quarter. Lakosa was the only player for the Patriots able to score consistently contributing 11 points. Christian led at the end of the quarter 51-38, but maintaining that margin had been anything but automatic. The Patriots slowed down so much to start the fourth quarter that the game began to look like the Tortoise and the Hare. Point Loma closed the gap to 51-43 early in the quarter and the home crowd became noisy, hoping for an upset. "We need to be prepared for this. Sometimes we cannot make all the shots, we cannot make all the layups," said Parisotto about the scoring slump. The threat of a Point Loma upset soon fizzled out, however as Christian did just enough to hold on for a 64-53 win. Even though the Pointers outscored the Patriots again in the fourth quarter, 15-13, it wasn’t enough to overcome the huge deficit from the first half. Christian improved their record to 15-2 with the win. Lakosa led all scorers with 24 points; Parisotto had 20. "I think sometimes in the second half we had a couple of mistakes; in the first half we were solid with the defense and offense too," said Parisotto about the game, "We need to work more on the defense." Point Loma dropped to 2-7 with the loss. George led the Pointers’ scoring effort with 12 points. Christopher Mohr is a freelance writer in the San Diego area and is also a huge Chargers, Padres and Detroit Red Wings fan. Scoring Summary __________________________________________ Christian 20 17 14 13 – 64 Pt. Loma 12 10 16 15 – 53 __________________________________________ Christian Lakosa 24, Parisotto 20, Allen 9, Poteet 5, Hueslin 2, Dillon 2, Sauls 2 Pt. Loma George 12, Callejon 8, Heyward 4 (only stats available; five others combined for 29 points) Printer-friendly version
THE DOG BLOG: 5 TIPS FOR WORKING OUT WITH YOUR DOG!
Printer-friendly versionBy Dawn Celapino January 19, 2009 (San Diego’s East County — It is New Years Resolution time and although, taking rover for a walk is GREAT exercise—most people need a little more. The following are five tips that you can do with your dog to prevent boredom, burn more calories, and gain more strength. TIP 1: Make your dogs walk a workout walk. Incorporate exercises along the way to help with your upper body and leg strength. TIP 2: Pick up the pace–don’t let Rover pull you all over! Be in control and do a power walk or add hills to burn more calories TIP 3: Incorporate your dog in your stretching and yoga. Your dog reads your energy, so at the end of the day try to do your stretches and be calm–your dog will follow suit. TIP 4: Be creative with your exercise, take your dog rollerblading, kayaking, hiking, surfing, etc. Break up the rut of just doing daily walks. TIP 5: Always incorporate dog commands and games in your dogs workout–the mental stimulation will tire them and you can have fun teaching them new things. **As always please be a responsible parent and –pick up after your dog!** Of course if you do not have the imagination or know how to incorporate the above. Why not try a Leash Your Fitness class? They do all of the above and more to keep you and your furry friend fit! Please visit www.LEASHYOURFITNESS.com to find out more. Dawn Celapino is a fitness trainer with www.LeashYourFitness.com. She has taught yoga, kickboxing, boot camp & sculpting classes in corporate, outdoor & residential settings. Dawn loves to run, hike, mountain & road bike, kayak, swim, surf, & yoga. As long as her Cairn Terrier, Jack, is with her, she is happy. Printer-friendly version
POWERLINK REVELATIONS SPARK HEATED DEBATE IN ALPINE
Printer-friendly version By Diana Barreto and Miriam Raftery “Who is going to move to Alpine and put their kids in a school 40 or 50 feet from a high-voltage line?” – Michelle Steinbuck, mother and Alpine resident “We have done everything we can to make sure everyone here, and everyone else who is not here, gets to know exactly what is being ramrodded down our throats.” — Milt Cyphert, co-founder, East County Community Action Coalition January 17, 2010 (Alpine) San Diego Gas and Electric’s current proposal for Sunrise Powerlink, including undergrounding high-voltage power lines along Alpine Boulevard, was not well received by 400-plus people at a meeting on January 14th. County Supervisor Dianne Jacob convened the meeting to show the community information left out of the latest report submitted by SDG&E to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in Sacramento. Jacob said her number one goal is to stop the project. Ultimately she believes the courts will decide the fate of Powerlink; multiple lawsuits seek to halt the project by challenging approvals by the PUC and by the federal Bureau of Land Management. In addition, the U.S. Forest Service has not yet granted approval for Powerlink construction through the Cleveland National Forest. If the project does get built, Jacob said she would fight to do as much as possible to minimize the negative impact this project would have on the community. At the start of the meeting, just two people raised hands indicating they were for the project, 25 people remained undecided, and the vast majority were against it. That was before County staff presented evidence that construction would use massive amounts of water, create serious traffic delays and disruption to local businesses for up to two years, among other impacts. (SDG&E was slated to submit new documents to the PUC on Friday; ECM is requesting a copy and will post it when obtained.) “This project will require millions of gallons of water. Most will come from groundwater dependent areas,” said Eric Gibson from the Department of Planning and Land Use. Many community members stood up to voice their concerns about impacts of the project. Responding on behalf of SDG&E were Linda McDonald and Jose Lopez, an expert on undergrounding. A presentation by County staff cited information pertinent to the decision-making process in Sacramento that was left out of the report given to the PUC by SDG&E. Major regional impacts presented include fire safety, groundwater resources, biological resources, multiple species conservation plan (MSCP) lands, and additional access in the backcountry that could introduce unauthorized or illegal activities. The presentation also illustrated dimensions of trenches for the underground power lines and also the length and location of the entire project. Along Alpine Boulevard, 40 subterranean vaults would be built, each measures 26 x 12 by 12 feet. (illustration, left) Attendees seemed concerned about all of these issues as well as the effect the construction on Alpine Boulevard would have on businesses in the area. Linda McDonald of SDG&E replied that if the roads were closed, “golf carts could be used” as alternatives to ferry customers and allow businesses to remain open. The audience responded with derisive laughter. “This could put me out of business,” Michelle Little, owner of the Vines restaurant, told East County Magazine after the meeting. Other major concerns voiced by the public were health and safety issues. Fire safety issues were brought up by the co-founder of the East County Community Action Coalition, Milt Cyphert, and other members of the community. “I don’t know of any airplanes or helicopters who are going to go into any blind patch of smoke when they don’t know where the lines are,” said Cyphert, who lost his home in the Cedar Fire (photo, right). Firefighters would be unable to fight fires without air support, meaning if a backcountry area near the lines catches fire,”They’re just going to have to let it burn—until it gets to a population center where there are homes,” he said, “and then how are you going to stop a 25 mile fire line or longer, because you let it burn out of control?” View videos of Milt Cyphert’s testimony, which drew a rousing ovation from the crowd: Part 1, Part 2 (above), Part 3 . Cyphert, a heating and air conditioning contractor, said he has worked on high voltage equipment and seen what happens when smaller lines fail, creating a “molten arc” of steel, copper and aluminium. “If a 12 KV line can blow up and blow a manhole cover a block away and go through a car windshield, what’s going to happen to a 230 kv line when its wires start to get corroded and electrical connections start to heat up,” he asked, “and eventually it has a boom and it’s right there beside the school?…Do we let kids play in the park, in the recess area right there or not?” A concerned mother, Michelle Steinbuck of Alpine, voiced her worries about the construction happening near the elementary school and the electromagnetic fields that would result from the underground power lines. She was also worried about her home devaluing due to these resulting power lines. “Who is going to move to Alpine and put their kids in a school 40 or 50 feet from a high-voltage line?” she asked. In addition, she voiced concern over safe evacuation in the event of a new fire. “We waited almost an hour with kids in my car,” she recalled, noting that Alpine Blvd. was clogged during a prior wildfire. “If we shut lanes down, how are we able to leave safely in case of a fire, and how are we to get gas?” Laura McDonald of SDG&E insisted that covers could be put over open vaults quickly in the event of an emergency requiring evacuation. Two other community members were also concerned about the electromagnetic fields that could have been the source for their family
WANT TO GET PUBLISHED? 2010 SDSU WRITER’S CONFERENCE JAN. 29-31 SHOWS YOU HOW
Printer-friendly version Sharpen your pencils, grab your manuscripts and laptops for the 26th annual San Diego State University Writer’s Conference January 29-31 at the SDSU campus. The conference provides a rare opportunity for writers to have their works read by editors from some of the nation’s major publishing houses—and meet in person with editors and agents handling fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, children’s books and more. The conference also offers opportunities for writers of all skill levels and experience to improve their writing and increase their publishing savvy. For details, costs, and registration information, visit http://www.ces.sdsu.edu/Pages/Engine.aspx?id=736#signing . Questions? Call (619) 594-2517. Printer-friendly version
WILL POWER REPORT: THE LAW’S DELAY MAY BE MY DEATH WARRRANT
Printer-friendly version “It is imperative the [health care] bill pass soon. If it doesn’t, we will be stuck with the status quo. For me personally, it will mean a death warrant.” By Will Power Nothing but the truth! January 18, 2009 — The Democrats have been thwarted for six months from passing health care reform. Now the death of Ted Kennedy may mean there is no reform at all. What’s maddening is that the Democrats only need 51 votes, according to the Constitution. It’s the Senate rules requiring 60 votes to effect closure that is stalling the bill. The Democrats need to sue immediately in the Supreme Court for a ruling on the validity of closure. Nowhere in the Constitution is there mention of 60 votes for closure. Accordingly, the rule is unconstitutional on its face. But the Democrats, who have used the same rule in the past, are too gutless to require actual application of the US Constitution. Too many backroom deals are being made. Every lobbyist in Washington is paying off legislators to get special privileges written into the 2500 page health care bill. But every special deal just delays passage and makes the health reform Bill less effective and more partisan. What started out as health care reform is ending up as a pastiche of special favors, tax write-offs, and special favors for certain states. It is an abomination disguised as legislation. It is imperative the bill pass soon. If it doesn’t, we will be stuck with the status quo. For me personally, it will mean a death warrant. My last MD office visit cost $2500, of which $400 was covered by my insurance. It seems my MD does not accept my insurance policy, nor does he have to abide by its rules. What kind of health care is that? I have perfectly good health insurance, but the MD doesn’t like the company, and denies it? If the Republican stalwarts manage to stop health care reform this month, I predict there will never be any reform of the system whatsoever. The rich will continue to use medical care as a club for their selfish political purposes. Big Insurance will continue to donate money to politicians who will contribute to the medical monopoly. The poor will suffer and die so the rich can have tummy-tucks and botox. Will Power is a retired history teacher who holds a Masters Degree in creative writing. Printer-friendly version