GET IN THE GROOVE AT THE SANTEE STREET FAIR MAY 26
May 26, 2012 (Santee) — The Santee Street Fair is back May 26 at RiverView Parkway from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. This year’s featured bands include Atomic Groove, Creedence Relived and Liquid Blue. There will be rides, entertainment, arts and crafts, vendor booths, a variety of food and a Beer Garden. The free festival is open to all ages.
POLICE WARN OF MAN IN RED VEHICLES TRYING TO KIDNAP YOUNG CHILDREN
May 25, 2012 (San Diego) – San Diego Police have issued a warning that on three occasions in the past two weeks, a man in a red vehicle has attempted to abduct children near Emerson Elementary School in the Mountain View neighborhood in southeast san Diego. According to Officer David Stafford, a white male in his 50s attempted to coerce the youngsters by offering money and when they refused, ordering them into his vehicle. He has been reported driving a red truck and also a red sports car with damaged front passenger side bumper. The man, in his 50s, is described as white, pot-bellied and bald with a white goatee and salt-and-pepper hair. He has a thin face with pronounced cheek bones. The attempted kidnappings occurred in the 3500-3700 block of Oceanview and in the 3500 block of Logan Avenue. Please forward any information to SDPD Southeastern Division Investigations, Detective Ruben Hernandez or Sergeant Sainz at 527-3500.
MILITARY SEEKS TO BLOCK WIND INDUSTRY NEAR DESERT BASES
By Miriam Raftery May 25, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The military has dealt a major blow to the wind industry, announcing that it may soon oppose wind projects in the Mojave desert due to interference with military radar tracking aircraft. The revelation raises questions over whether wind turbines also interfere with "avian radar" that wind companies claim could save birds from the blades. Environmentalists now fret that eliminating military bases may result in project siting in areas where threats to wildlife and habitat may be even worse. Radar concerns have already axed a half dozen wind projects near Barstow after the Department of Defense raised concerns. Wind developers have been conducting testing in hopes of building up to 15 industrial wind facilities on public properties owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, but adoption of a proposed “adverse impact zone” could scotch those plans. Environmentalists have also raised concerns over wind turbines’ impacts on endangered eagles and condors, as well as fragile desert terrain and ecosystems. But some fear eliminating areas near military bases may result in wind companies pushing projects in even more environmentally sensitive locations to meet California’s mandate to derive a third of its power from renewable sources by 2020. Read full details at http://www.pe.com/local-news/topics/topics-environment-headlines/20120520-mojave-desert-military-wants-to-limit-wind-development.ece
BANNER FIRE NOW 3,100 ACRES; FULL CONTROL NOT EXPECTED UNTIL MAY 30
May 25, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The Banner Fire has now scorched 3,100 acres and cost $575,000 in fire suppression costs. “Full control of the Banner Fire is expected on May 30th, and firefighters still have 12 miles of fireline to construct,” said Roxanne Provaznik at Cal-Fire. “The fire is burning primarily in grass and light brush. Strong erratic winds are driving the forward spread of the fire, poor road access, steep and rugged terrain hampers the firefighting efforts.” Mandatory evacuation of the Stage Coach Trails RV Resort was lifted as of 6:00 p.m. State Parks resources, archaeological, cultural and sensitive habitat remain threatened. Resources are also being deployed to prepare for a burning operation along the Rodriguez Canyon Truck Trail. Currently there are 51 engines, 17 fire crews, 3 bulldozers, 9 water tenders (438 Firefighters). Cause is still under investigation. Current fire information can also be obtained at: http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_details_info?incident_id=617
SUSPECTS IDENTIFIED IN POWAY HIGH SPEED PURSUIT THAT ENDED IN CRASH
All had criminal records, face new charges May 25, 2012 (Poway) – San Diego Sheriff’s office has revealed details in a high-speed chase that ended in a crash in Poway on May 22. Two of the occupants were on probation while a third had an outstanding arrest warrant; all now face new charges. Corporal Chris Lawrence spotted the vehicle with an equipment violation driving westbound in the 12800 block of Poway Road at 12:22 a.m. The driver refused to stop, instead driving through a parking lot and then back onto westbound Poway Road, where the driver accelerated and attempted to flee. Lawrence broadcast that he was in pursuit of the vehicle, which turned north onto Pomerado Road and reached speeds of 85 mph in a 45 mph zone. While attempting to turn east onto Holland Road, following a 1.3 mile pursuit, the driver lost control and collided head-on into a brick wall at the corner of Pomerado and Holland. The vehicle sustained major front-end damage. All three occupants were taken into custody. The driver, Samuel Gillespie, 19, is currently on probation and has been charged with felony evading arrest. The front passenger, Milton Rodgers, is a convicted felon who is also on probation. A loaded sawed-off shotgun in the vehicle was found to belong to Rodgers. He was transported to a hospital with leg pain. After his release, he will be charged with "numerous weapons violations," said Sergeant Tim Matzkiw. The rear passenger initially gave a false identity, but authorities later determined her real identity is Reneya Taylor, 19. Taylor had an outstanding warrant for her arrest. She was booked on the warrant for possessing stolen property and also giving false identification to a peace officer.
DESERT PROTECTIVE COUNCIL FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST OCOTILLO WIND EXPRESS PROJECT
May 25, 2012 (San Diego) — Today the Desert Protective Council is filing a lawsuit in Federal Court in San Diego to stop the Ocotillo Wind Energy Facility Project (OWEF) from causing damage to fragile desert lands in western Imperial County, adjacent to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the largest state park in the U.S. The lawsuit, naming the Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar, the County of Imperial, California, and the Project Permittee, Pattern Energy of La Jolla, CA as defendants, alleges that the Secretary violated the right-of-way provisions of the Federal Lands Policy Management Act (FLPMA) when he approved the Project. The lawsuit further alleges that the Secretary acted illegally when he approved amending the 1980 California Desert Conservation Area Plan (CDCA), and when he ignored the requirements of NEPA to explore all reasonable alternatives and to take into account the cumulative impacts of this project. The lawsuit alleges that Imperial County ignored the requirements of CEQA, as well as County ordinance standards relating to noise intended to protect nearby residents from excessive noise that will disturb their peace and interrupt sleep. The suit alleges also that both the Secretary and the County failed to take adequate measures to protect the endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep and the protected golden eagles that inhabit the 12,400-acre site where the Pattern Energy plans to build 112, 450-ft. tall turbines. The lawsuit asks for an injunction to halt construction of the Project. The Desert Protective Council (DPC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit membership organization. Founded in 1954, the DPC’s mission is to safeguard for wise and reverent use by this and succeeding generations those desert areas of unique scenic, scientific, historical, cultural, spiritual or recreational value and to educate children and adults to a better understanding of the deserts. DPC will be asking the District Court to resolve this matter as soon as possible so that the already started construction activities can be halted in order to prevent additional irreparable damage to natural resources and to the Native American cultural landscape. The California Environmental Law Project of Mill Valley, California represents DPC in this litigation.
FOUR DEAD, THREE INJURED IN HIGH-SPEED CRASH ON HIGHWAY 67
May 25, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)–A 20 year old man from Poway was traveling northbound on SR-67 north of the Poway city limits in a Chevrolet Silverado truck today when he lost control, causing a deadly crash that claimed the lives of four people and injured three others, including a five-year-old girl. “According to witness and physical evidence, he was traveling at a high rate of speed and failed to maintain control of the Silverado,” Officer Brian Pennings with the California Highway Patrol said. “The truck traveled across the solid double yellow lines into the southbound lanes and directly into the path of oncoming traffic.” The driver of a Toyota Camry that was traveling southbound was unable to avoid colliding with truck. The Silverado then collided with a second vehicle (Toyota Corolla). All three vehicles came to rest blocking the southbound lanes. The male driver of the Silverado as well as his 34 year old male passenger (San Diego) sustained fatal injuries. Their female rear passenger was transported with unknown internal injuries. The male and female occupants inside the Camry also sustained fatal injuries. Fortunately, Nicole Pinning of Ramona, (24), and her 5 year old female passenger were transported with only moderate injuries. Due to the nature of the collision, SR-67 was temporarily closed for clean up and investigation.
HOWLING WINDS, HIGH FIRE DANGER THIS WEEKEND
May 25, 2012 (San Diego)–A red flag warning has been issued for the desert, with high wind warnings and possible rain forecast for other areas across East County this weekend. Get the latest weather update from Your Online Weather with Gary Kelley.