ATTEMPTED BANK ROBBERY IN ROLANDO
October 15, 2010 (San Diego) – Bank America at 6801 El Cajon Blvd. in the Rolando area was robbed on Wednesday at 12:17 p.m. The suspect, a black man in his mid-20s,5’5” to 5’8” tall, was wearing a brown/black baseball cap with ‘SD’ on it, a khaki shirt, and blue jeans. He slid a note to the teller, who read the note and told her co-worker they were being robbed. The teller walked away from the counter, and called the police. The suspect took his note and left the bank with no money. San Diego Police Department’s robbery Unit is handling the investigation.
LAKESIDE RESIDENTS SHARE FIRE PREPAREDNESS IDEAS FOR COMMUNITY
Phone-Tree, Hardy Board, fire gel and other readiness steps for community discussed By Dennis Richardson October 14, 2010 (Lakeside) Some East County residents are geared up to defend themselves against the next wildfire. Those who live in the fire prone areas are forming a common alliance, sharing their innovative ways to defend against the next wild-land fire. In the Wildcat Canyon area, a growing number of neighbors met over a potluck dinner this past weekend, sharing ideas on better ways to prepare for fire-season. Captain Chuck Palmore of the Lakeside Fire Department was the guest speaker. Captain Palmore shared his fire knowledge and presented information on defensible space around homes, how to prepare for evacuation, and recommended residents to leave early before a fire gets close. Later, he told the attendees how to shelter in place as a last resort. Captain Palmore then answered some thoughtful questions from the audience. Lakeside Fire Department under the command of Chief Andy Parr is a concerned partner in Lakeside’s – Fire Safe, Educational Programs and welcomes citizens to get involved: http://www.lakesidefire.net. There was a presentation on fire gel and how to use it. Fire gel stops the heat of the fire from burning your home. The gel comes in one gallon containers and can be sprayed on any structure and will protect for eight hours, said a resident who had used the gel during a recent fire. The gel product can be re-wet with a garden hose many times if needed. Clean up is easy with water. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire-retardant_gel. A representative from the Blue Sky Ranch prepared an elaborate phone tree calling system to alert people of danger. Those on the list are trained on how to put the system in-use. Those who first see the smoke of a threatening fire, will begin the calling process. For the system to work, it is necessary for individuals who are in phone contact to make a few calls from the list in a predetermined order. The calling order is as follows: • Anyone who sees a threatening fire calls all the number one name on the list, or number two person if number one is not reached They also makes contact with one person of a greater number in their own group. The ones call the twos, twos call threes, threes call fours, and so on. Here is a fictitious example of the calling list Group A 1. Dave Z. – Muth Valley 999-0000 2. Sue P. – Wildcat Canyon 999-0000 3. James L. – Moreno 999-0000 4. Tom W. – Eucalyptus Hills 999-0000 5. Sally Q. – Barona 999-0000 Group B 1. Alex V. – Wildcat Canyon 999-0000 2. Linda K. – Willow Road 999-0000 3. Kathy J. – Eucalyptus Hills 999-0000 4. Luke T. – Barona 999-0000 5. Susan B. – Muth Valley 999-0000 Group C 1. Harry W. – Willow Road 999-0000 2. Dory E. – Eucalyptus Hills 999-0000 3. Harold I. – El Monte 999-0000 4. Pete J. – Muth Valley 999-0000 5. Amy X – Wildcat Canyon 999-0000 The final presentation should be taken note of by anyone who lives in a fire prone area. Many structures are lost in a wildfire because the heat of a fire normally breaks the windows of a house; the fire then engulfs the interior of the house as a result. To overcome this, the use of Hardie-Board was proposed to cover all the structure’s windows. During fire season, the pre-fitted Hardie-Boards are laid out near the windows and are ready to be installed in a moment’s notice. A per-installed mounting system is mounted to each window, it only takes a few minutes to install them. The Blue Sky Ranch is already using this procedure to protect their houses and out-buildings. http://hardieboard.org/how-to-cut-hardie-board Needless to say, if you live in a fire prone area, you should be planning for the next fire.
FOOTHILLS BAR ASSOCIATION TO HOST JUDICIAL CANDIDATES FORUM OCT. 14 IN LA MESA
October 14, 2010 (La Mesa) — The Foothills Bar Association invites the public to a Judicial Candidates Forum on Thursday, October 14th at 12 p.m. at the BJ’s Restaurant in Grossmont Center. Attorney Jim Miller and Deputy District Attorney Richard Monroy both seek the seat currently held by the Hon. Robert C. Coates, who is retiring soon. This is the only scheduled meeting where both candidates will be present. The public is welcome to come meet the candidates and ask them questions. There is no charge, however guests are encouraged to purchase lunch. BJ’s Restaurant is located at 5500 Grossmont Center Drive, La Mesa, CA (near Target and Bank of America in the Grossmont Center shopping mall). BJ’s phone number is (619)589-7222. Reservations are not required. For more information, call Mark Raftery at (858)527-0111 or contact mraftery@epsten.com.
ATTORNEY GENERAL CANDIDATE KAMALA HARRIS, IN SAN DIEGO, PLEDGES TO FIX BROKEN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
By Emily Anderson October 13, 2010 (San Diego) – Attorney General candidate Kamala Harris, speaking at the Democratic headquarters in Clairemont yesterday, pledged to help fix "our broken criminal justice system" if elected. Harris, who is part African American and part Asian, would be the first woman and first African American to hold the state attorney general office position if she wins. Shortly after her appearance in San Diego, Harris won a powerful endorsement from President Barack Obama, who called her a “strong voice for Californians.” The President noted that, as San Francisco’s District Attorney, Harris launched early intervention programs to reduce the cycle of repeat offenders, created a child sexual assault unit and environmental justice unit. “She prioritized the prosecution of financial predators, processing over 450 consumer complaints in 2009 and forming the state’s first stand-alone Mortgage and Investment Fraud Unit,” the President added. “Now she’s running to be California’s attorney general, and I am proud to stand by her. She is someone who understands the needs of all Americans, and I need allies like that fighting for change across the country.” Harris told San Diego supporters that she became an attorney to help in the fight for justice. “I grew up surrounded by adults who (went) full time marching and shouting about this thing we call justice,” she said, naming Thurgood Marshall, Charles Hamilton Houston and Constance Motley as lawyers she considers heroes. “They were those individuals who were using the skills of this great profession to translate the passion from the streets to the courtrooms of our country. They reminded folks … of that promise we articulated in 1776, that we are all and should be treated as equals.” She noted that her Republican opponent, Steve Cooley, supports Proposition 8, while she does not. Harris said she considers the measure unconstitutional and therefore too costly to defend. Regarding her stance on justice and fixing California’s broken system, she said that rather than assuming Democrats are soft on crime and that Republicans are tough on crime, we as a state need to think instead of how to be smart on crime. For example, she created the Back on Track initiative which helped 18 -24-year-olds who were first time, non-violent drug user offenders become productive adults. She said that this age group is a big population of people who are arrested who clog the system, while making it costly to keep them incarcerated. She noted that young adults in college are thought of as kids because it is the time of life in which schools help shape the future of these adults. Regarding the criminal justice system, she said that first time non-violent drug users who are 18 to 24-year-olds are considered adults who haven’t had guidance. Her Back on Track initiative, she said, was so successful that the U.S. Department of Justice told law enforcement agencies across the U.S. to implement steps to help this segment of the population get back on track. She said within a five year period, the re-offend rate dropped from 54 percent to less than 10 percent. First, she worked to have them receive GEDs and then they enrolled in community colleges to learn apprenticeship skills, such as how to become plumbers or carpenters. She said that although these first time, non-violent drug user offenders are mostly parents and have the natural desire to parent their children, they didn’t necessarily have life skills to be a productive adult. Aside from the Back on Track initiative, she also noted that about 120,000 California prisoners are released each year, but within three years of their release, 70 percent of them re-offend. The said California has the highest recidivism rate in the country, which is why she sees the justice system as broken. This re-offend rate is bad because not only does this equal a broken justice system, it means that it costs California between $10 billion and $25 billion. Secondly, it costs citizens our public safety. “There must be leadership in this state in what we have always known we are and can do, which is leadership around innovation, which is understanding that we don’t have to be burdened by defining success in a job based on blind adherence to tradition,” she said, referring to the fact that if elected as attorneys general, she won’t fall into tradition; she will fix the justice system. East County Magazine asked Hale her views on whether drivers in fatality accidents should be required to undergo mandatory blood draws to test for alcohol and drugs, a law that has been proposed by family members of Bridgett Hale, a Ramona mother killed by a wrong-way driver on Highway 67. The driver was charged only with a misdemeanor because CHP did not order a blood test. The proposed law is supposed by Mothers Against Drunk Drivers. Harris said she was not familiar with the case, but added that is it possible she could support blood draws to be mandatory law that CHP officials must follow in the future. If blood had been drawn and confirmed that the driver in Hale’s case was under the influence, he could have faced felony charges and a substantially longer jail terms. “I’ve … talked with many juries about what our justice demands and dictates, that there will be serious and swift and sever accountability when one human being kills another human being, or when a woman is raped or a child is molested,” she said. “I have done that unfortunate work of having to stand in front of juries … to talk about why in a civil and just society there will be severe consequences when one human being harms another human being.” Harris looked poised as she spoke on criminal justice issues as well as the importance of health care, protecting the environment, and electing Democrats at all levels. She noted that when President Obama was elected, his supporters elected a leader who was willing to
GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL: PATRIOTS IN THE PINK WITH SWEEP OVER PILOTS
by Christopher Mohr October 14, 2010 (San Diego) – The Patrick Henry High School Patriots’ girls volleyball team continued their impressive season with a three game sweep in their Eastern League match Tuesday night (10/12) against the Our Lady of Peace Pilots (Normal Heights). They won by scores of 25-16, 25-18 and 25-20 before a packed crowd at their home gym in San Carlos. Each of the match’s three games followed a similar pattern: both teams essentially traded points until the score was tied 15-15, then the Patriots would break away and pull out the win. The only difference was that the final score was closer with each subsequent game. Patrick Henry coach Justin Conde, in his second year at the school, discussed the Patriots performance, especially why each of the three matches reached a 15-15 score, "We tend to play to our competition a lot, so it takes some points until we’re ready to start playing in the system. We get out of the system, but once we get in the system, we find our groove, develop a good lead and finish matches." Lauren Hays, a senior at Patrick Henry, has played well enough this season to draw the attention of college recruiters, but has not made any commitments to any school yet. She led the way for the Patriots with 11 kills and 13 assists. As far as she was concerned, the reason for the Patriots’ win was pretty simple, "We play well together as a team." Major contributions for the Patriots also came from Nicole Kessler (15 digs), Kelsey Johnson (12 digs) and Kendra Mendicino. An unusual aspect of the game was the home team’s uniform. Patrick Henry’s school colors are green and gold, but the Patriots volleyball team wore pink uniform tops as part of a campaign to increase breast cancer awareness. Dig Pink T-shirts were on sale at the gym to raise money for the Side Out Foundation, which provides cancer research funding. Volleyball teams from club to collegiate levels across the U.S. will sell shirts to raise money for the foundation through the month of October. With the win, Patrick Henry improves to 22-3 overall, 6-0 in Eastern league play. The Patriots will make a short trip north to Tierrasanta to face their next opponent, the Serra High School Conquistadors (3-8, 1-3) in another Eastern League match on Thursday, October 14. This year’s Patriots’ team seems headed for a similar finish to last year’s team, which finished with a 27-2 record. Coach Conde analyzed the program’s progress under his leadership: "We had some high expectations coming out of last season because we have six starters returning from last year’s team, so we have that group coming back, so we have high expectations already. Now with this large of a team, we have 18 girls, and seven of them seniors, we are developing our younger players at a much faster pace. I would say in the long run we are actually ahead of schedule because our younger players are getting some playing time." OLP drops to 4-4 overall, 3-1 in Eastern league play. Their next opponent will also be the Serra Conquistadors, but the match will not take place until Thursday, October 21. Christopher Mohr is a freelance writer in the San Diego area and is an avid Chargers, Padres and Detroit Red Wings fan.
DETECTIVES ARREST MAN SUSPECTED OF STEALING ATM MACHINES IN SPRING VALLEY & NATIONAL CITY
East County News Service October 13, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Most people take out a modest cash withdrawal when they stop by a Automatic Teller Machine. But according to Sheriff’s officials, Brandon Jamaul Baker, 27, took out the whole ATM machine—three times. Yesterday morning, detectives from the Lemon Grove Sheriff substation and East County Gang Enforcement arrested Baker, 27, at his workplace in the 400 block of Cypress Lane, El Cajon. “Baker was positivel connected to at least three ATM thefts that occurred in late January in Spring Valley and National City,” said Sergeant Jeff Maxin. The multi-agency investigation was led by Lemon Grove detective Alejandro Navarro. The investigation is continuing; if you have any information regarding these thefts, contact the San Diego Sheriff’s Lemon Grove Station at 619-337-2000.
DOGGONE DEER! DETER DOE-EYED DINERS FROM YOUR BACKYARD THIS FALL & WINTER
By Joan Casanova, Green Earth Media Group October 13, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) — With fall and winter right on our heels, you may think you’re out of the woods when it comes to deer damage in your backyard landscapes. Wrong. Actually, fall and winter mark the beginning of the worst seasons for deer damage. Deer will eat just about anything in the winter — their food supply is low and they can’t be choosy. They are hungry enough in the winter to eat vegetation that they ordinarily would not eat. As with other wildlife, land development has reduced deer’s natural habitat. Combine that with fewer natural predators than in the past and easy access to your landscapes, and modern-day deer not only survive, they thrive! The most important thing to understand about fighting deer is that it’s easier to prevent damage than to react to it. So it behooves you to know your enemy and stay at least one step ahead of them. Deer are creatures of habit — they establish feeding patterns and return to the same spot over and over again, even when that same spot stops offering enough food for them. Even just a few deer can cause significant damage to your landscaping. “A single whitetail deer can consume, on average, 8 -12 pounds of foliage a day,” says James Messina of Messina Wildlife Management. “In many areas of the country, deer overpopulation is a serious problem. With nowhere to go and not much left to eat in the dead of winter, deer can wreak havoc on shrubs, trees and gardens, and destroy new buds and leaves before they have a chance to grow, ruining your prospects for any spring growth.” Messina says you can be sure deer have been munching on your landscapes this fall and winter if you see: 1. Rub marks on trees where bucks have rubbed their antlers to mark their territory; the tree bark is actually rubbed off. 2. Any kind of torn vegetation is also another telltale sign, deer do not have incisor teeth, and therefore, they “rip” the vegetation when they bite into it. 3. Damage found off the ground, up to 6 feet, which rules out small animal damage. 4. Deer tracks are also easy to identify. The prints are about 2 to 3 inches long and are shaped like broken hearts. So what do you do to keep the deer out of your backyard? There are loads of “home remedies” that have been tried with varying results–human hair, soap, pepper spray, even a battery operated radio, sealed in a plastic bag, tuned to a talk radio station fooling deer to think humans are in the yard! These remedies might work sporadically, but they are not reliable deterrents for deer. Then there’s fencing. Properly built and maintained fencing can be an effective method for preventing deer damage. But, deer can jump up to and clear an 8-foot fence on level ground, and they can easily push and remove plastic netting. Installing a 6- to 8-foot fence can be an effective solution to some extent, but fencing is costly and can be quite unsightly. Perhaps one of the most effective and easiest methods to deter deer is repellents. Deer repellents are designed to impart objectionable odors or tastes. Most are not allowed on food crops. Some repellents can also be injurious to certain trees or shrubs, and especially to new growth. Now Messina Wildlife Management (www.messinawildlife.com) offers Deer Stopper, a 100-percent organic repellent, that works by both smell and taste. You won’t have to worry about burning your plants or using it on edibles. Deer Stopper is actually pleasant smelling, but the deer find it unpleasant enough to keep away. The product dries clear and odor free. Deer Stopper is ideal for winter protection: if plants are covered by snow, it can be applied directly to the snow to prevent digging and foraging. As the snow melts, the product will bind to the plants and bulbs below the earth. Deer Stopper is listed for use by organic growers, meaning it is safe to use on any vegetation, including edibles. It is an all-natural, biodegradable liquid repellent that guarantees deer will stop feeding on your prized gardens, shrubs and trees for 30 days per application. This winter protect your plants and shrubs and create your own boundaries for foraging deer. Now you’re in control, just spray Deer Stopper and watch those doggone deer disappear from your backyard landscapes. For more information on Deer Stopper, retail store locations and repellents for other garden pests like rabbits, groundhogs and squirrels, visit www.messinawildlife.com.
METEOR OVER EAST COUNTY MONDAY NIGHT?
October 13, 2010 (Jamul) – An East County Magazine reader asks, “I want to know who else saw the blue and whitish-orange meteor I saw from my house in Deerhorn Valley in Jamul at approximately 8:50 pm on Monday evening, October 11.” The reader, who asked that her name not be published, added, “I saw it when it was rather low–it had a head on it and had a pretty thick tail.. .thicker than the meteors you usually see in a meteor shower. A moment later the surrounding horizon on both sides lit up…From my vantage point it looked like it was southeast, maybe in the area of Otay Lakes or Dulzura.” Dennis Mammana, who pens the “Stargazer” syndicated column, told East County Magazine that the description does sound like a meteor and indicated that such sightings are more common than most people realize. If you spotted the meteor or have a photograph, please contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org.
PASSAGES: SEARCH & RESCUE CANINES HONORED BY EL CAJON COUNCIL
Dogs and their trainers saved lives during 911, hurricanes, and other disasters East County News Service October 13, 2010 (El Cajon)–At yesterday’s City Council meeting, October 12th, Mayor Mark Lewis and the City Council paid posthumous recognition to two canines, both former members of the El Cajon Fire Department’s Search & Rescue canine team, Billy and Icon. In November of 1998, Billy was paired with then El Cajon Fire Captain, now Fire Chief Mike Scott, an 18-year veteran with the El Cajon Fire Department. Though Scott’s work included 10 years with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Urban Search & Rescue Task Force, he had yet to try his hand at being a canine handler. After watching fellow firefighter Steve Swaney work with the County’s first Search & Rescue Canine, “Sherman,” Scott inquired about becoming a handler himself. Scott and Billy spent countless hours training, getting ready for their first Search and Rescue assignment. In June 1999, Scott & Billy responded to a landslide and retaining wall collapse in San Diego. But the real test of their skills and abilities came when they were dispatched to the scene of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Also notable was their assistance for the Torrey Pines Bluff collapse in December 2004. Scott and Billy served together as a FEMA Certified Canine Disaster Search Team for six years. Even in retirement, Billy’s eyes would still light up at the sight of his training toy! Billy passed away a few months ago on August 16th. In February of 2008, after months of training, El Cajon Fire Captain Steve Swaney and Icon achieved FEMA Certification to become members of the Canine Search and Rescue Team for San Diego County. In September 2008 they were deployed to Hurricanes Ike and Gustav where they searched abandoned residential and commercial buildings to ensure no survivors were left behind after the devastating storms. But Icon’s came to an end unexpectedly when he passed away suddenly during the night of July 3, 2010. The veterinarian determined Icon’s death was the result of several cancerous tumors on his lungs and heart. Though Icon never showed any signs of distress and his yearly medical check-ups never revealed any signs of the disease, the stress of the cancer eventually become too much for Icon’s heart to handle. At just five years old, Icon’s life ended too soon, but not before he made his mark on the Urban Search and Rescue program.
READER’S EDITORIAL: WATER DISTRICT MANAGER SALARIES
By Dan McMillan, Ratepayer and Director Padre Dam Municipal Water District October 13, 2010 (Santee)–Referencing recent articles and discussions about water district general manager’s salaries, I would like to comment that some water districts are keenly aware of the present economic conditions faced by their ratepayers and are taking steps to correct some of the economic issues. In 2010, the Board of Padre Dam MWD lowered the compensation of their management team by over 6% and the General Manager, Doug Wilson’s compensation by 5.5% to $190,740 per year. Mr. Wilson announced his retirement in July, effective in December. Public records will show the GM received a small increase in 2008 (new Board), no increase in 2009 and decrease in 2010. The Board is taking advantage of the present economic conditions to advertise for a new general manager with a starting salary range of $147.000 to $167,000. Some will say this is too low to obtain qualified candidates, but I feel the Board will have an interesting time reducing the applicants to a reasonable number. We need to remember the Director of Water Resources, State of California makes $149,500 per year with less benefits. Unfortunately the new pay rate for the General Manger will not alleviate Padre Dam of future costs. Doug Wilson served on the Board for 12-14 years prior to being employed by the District and under the OLD PERS rules and gained PERS retirement credits. (The legislators have since changed this practice.) Wilson’s Director PERS credits plus military credits plus working for the District about 13-14 years will provide Doug Wilson with a retirement of about $171,000 plus full medical. This is about one per cent (1%) of the total water billings for Padre Dam for 2009. These corrections did come with some political ramifications: Doug Wilson has chosen to challenge a sitting Director, Jim Maletic, in the November 2 election. Jim is an advocate and supporter of costs and rate reductions. Jim supported my motion in January for a zero percent (0%) increase in Padre’s share of the rate. We were outvoted 3-2. Doug Wilson, GM, has now endorsed James Peasley, who is challenging me for my seat and my cost and rate reducing ideas. Peasley is an employee of the adjacent water district. Through open discussion and full disclosure we can all help improve OUR public agencies. The opinions in this editorial reflect the views of its author and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine. To submit an editorial for consideration, email editor@eastcountymagazine.org.