RESEARCH TEAM STUDIES WIND TURBINE SYNDROME IN MANZANITA TRIBAL MEMBERS
Over two-thirds of study participants report chronic sleep deprivation and breathing disorders By Billie Jo Jannen A special report for East County Magazine March 5, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)–A university research team that specializes in studying health and social challenges of minority populations is now focusing on quantification of reported illness among Manzanita tribal members who live along the row of wind turbines erected five years ago by the neighboring Campo tribe. Lead researcher Arcela Nuñez-Alvarez, Ph.D., of the National Latino Research Center said the numbers, so far “…show some trends that I think deserve more attention.” Preliminary numbers in the small population being studied show that 68 percent of the households are suffering from chronic sleep disorders – an oft-mentioned complaint of people who live near turbines – and the same percentage reported respiratory problems. By comparison, respiratory illness in Imperial Valley – well known for its poor air quality, due to agricultural burning, spraying and dust — showed up in 30 percent of households, Nuñez-Alvarez said. The NRLC team just completed a January 2012 report on the effects of water pollution on Imperial Valley residents, entitled “Water Quality & Environmental Health Community Study.” Its project page includes air- and water-related studies in both urban and rural communities in San Diego and Imperial counties and is a contributor to various local projects, such as the 2008 asthma report card by the San Diego Regional Asthma Coalition. The team started work on the project last year at the invitation of the Manzanita tribe after tribal members began to notice a host of illnesses including asthma, cancer, heart problems, inability to sleep and concentrate, and an increase in behavior problems among children. These match reports of turbine neighbors from around the world in a set of problems that have come to be informally dubbed “turbine syndrome.” Worried about the unusual severity of health problems, Manzanita Chairman Leroy Elliott wrote a letter to the county last year, asking that approval of the Tule Wind turbine array be delayed until the study is completed: “We are experiencing an inordinate level of health challenges,” he wrote. “Any prior approval of the Tule Wind project will be placing our residents in an unreasonable and increased foreseeable health risk.” Despite requests from the tribe and others, the BOS approved the county’s portion of the Tule Wind project, which will place up to 123 turbines on over 15,000 acres of public and private land in McCain Valley. Wind turbine proponents, including SDG&E and San Diego County Department of Health, shrug off health complaints from turbine neighbors — despite noticeable consistency in the health complaints coming from people in other countries that have built them — saying there is no proof that the health problems of turbine neighbors came from the turbines. Wind turbine proponents offer no alternative explanation for those complaints. The research team, which operates under CSU San Marcos, is currently conducting additional interviews with families who live along the border of the Manzanita and Campo reservations, where the turbines are located, Nuñez-Alvarez said. The next step is to test air, water and soil to identify any factors other than the turbines that could cause or contribute to the kinds of illnesses being reported. A growing body of complaints worldwide points to two possible sources for turbine syndrome: infasound – subsonic sound waves, which have been studied in both the U.S. and Russia as potential weapons of mass destruction – and stray voltage – electromagnetic emissions associated with high voltage installations like power lines and electricity generation plants. According to Dave Stetzer — co-creator of an electrical filter billed as a way to reduce stray voltage in homes and businesses — the U.S. government has been aware of the dangers of electromagnetic emissions since the development of radar and its burgeoning use by the military. User manuals even warned radar operators that if they began to feel symptoms of “radiowave sickness,” they should inspect their equipment for malfunctioning parts. The symptoms of radiowave sickness range from inability to concentrate and stomach pains, up to heart arrhythmia, chest pain and difficulty breathing. The military also continues to conduct research on infasound, both as a tactical weapon and as a weapon to be defended against. Subjective symptoms of infrasound include fatigue, irritability, insomnia, headache, lack of ability to concentrate, and loss of equilibrium In November 2013, a tribal member, who asked not to be named, attended a Boulevard Planning Group meeting to alert the community to those problems. She said a series of cancers – four stomach cancers and one brain cancer – have cropped up in people who live in a direct line along the Kumeyaay Wind array. Many people in the neighborhood are unable to work due to lethargy and “brain fog,” she said. She, herself, suffers from stomach pain, sleep deprivation and a constant headache that can be relieved only by leaving her home for a protracted period. Study participant Ginger Thompson, a tribal member and employee of Southern Indian Health, said she was treated for a rare kidney cancer and suffers from chronic sleep problems. Her granddaughter, who lives with her, has developed chronic, deep stomach pain that doctors can find no specific cause for. “A lot of the people here have some sort of stomach problem,” Thompson said. Thompson, herself, is unable to sleep the night through since the turbines started operating, and wakes up three to four times a night. Her symptoms, and those of her granddaughter, disappear completely when they take their annual two-week trip to visit out-of-state relatives. Thompson said she lives within a quarter of a mile from the Campo’s Kumeyaay Wind project, erected in 2005, and has no family history of cancer and no indication that she would be susceptible to it. “It was a fluke that they even found it,” she said. Thompson said that high levels of stray voltage were measured at her home when Dr. Sam Milham — a career epidemiologist who
WINEMAKER DINNER AT TERRA AMERICAN BISTRO MARCH 11
March 4, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Talented farm-to-table chef Jeff Rossman of Terra American Bistro (7091 El Cajon Blvd.) will host a sumptuous San Pasqual Winemaker Dinner Monday, March 11 at 6:30 p.m. at the restaurant. The five-course feast will be skillfully paired with sips by winemaker Linda McWilliams of San Pasqual Winery. The event costs $50 person and includes the following menu: Reception Lobster Tapioca American caviar, micro arugula Tiradito de Sea Bass Lemon-fennel conserve Taste of the Town Brut Sparkling Wine Arugula Salad Bacon, dates, goat cheese, flatbread 2009 Lake Country Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Lake Country Sauvignon Blanc Porcini-Crusted Sea Scallops Orange-maple-scented creamy polenta, GSM cranberry gastrique 2008 Santa Barbara “GSM” Blend Pan-Seared Duck Breast Brie cheese, blueberry jus 2009 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Dessert Duo Tres Leches Cake Chipotle-Scented Flourless Chocolate Cake Tawny Port Readers can call the restaurant at 619.293.7088, and visit terrasd.com for more information.
THE COALITION FOR CHANGE (C4C) FIGHTS FOR CHANGE FOR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES: LAUNCHES “UNLEASH NO FEAR” CAMPAIGN
Article by Dennis Moore “If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle.” —Frederick Douglass March 6, 2013 (San Diego)–Thousands of federal employees in the San Diego area are soon to be impacted by sequestration, automatic budget cuts mandated by the federal government. These cuts may have a larger impact on San Diego County than anywhere else in the U.S., since our region is home to wide-ranging naval operations, a bustling border and vibrant biotech and drone sectors. About $37 billion flows into the County each year, including billions of dollars for defense contracts and millions more for research efforts. The Coalition For Change, Inc. (C4C) is a Washington, DC based organization that promotes equality as well as exposes retaliation and racism in the federal government. “Civil servants (i.e., agents, air marshals, food inspectors, investigators, corrections officers, firefighters) function as America’s first line of defense against domestic threats. Therefore, we must protect our federal workforce against managerial abuse and reprisal in order to better protect our citizens.” That is what Tanya Ward Jordan, the founder of C4C, believes and espouses in her daily activities and advocacy on behalf of this organization. Now C4C is ramping up to strengthen its fight for federal workers. Jordan, a native Washingtonian, began a career in civil service with the U.S. Department of Treasury in 1978. After serving with Treasury, she later worked for the U.S. Department of Interior, the Government Accountability office and the U.S. Department of Commerce. Her encounters and observations of inequity within these federal agencies, especially the Commerce Department, led to her activism, prompted her volunteerism, and fueled her desire to help others subjected to unfair treatment and retaliation in the workplace. In 2009, an employment complaint Jordan filed was settled after a decade of administrative proceedings and litigation. Consequently, Ms. Jordan decided to give the immense pain she endured from several years of workplace injustice – “a purpose.” She formed The Coalition For Change, Inc., (C4C). The volunteer civil rights advocacy group serves primarily as a “support network” for federal workers who face race discrimination and reprisal. However, a key objective of the group is to expose ill-treatment within the federal sector that impacts government’s ability to efficiently render services to the American public and that also jeopardizes the livelihood of U.S. citizens. See the No Fear video here: http://youtu.be/Cq4A6i09uhw A key aspect of The Coalition For Change is the identifying and exposing Responsible Management Officials, or “RMO” within the government. Within its website, www.coalition4change.org, the organization profiles and exposes these RMO’s that have made life miserable for honest and hard working government employees. Two of the most prominent RMO’s on this list are Craig Littlejohn, the white Chief Information Officer (CIO) in the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Solicitor’s Office, and Anne M. Wagner, the white Vice-Chairman of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), among many others. Richard W. Furcolo, the administrative judge in the racial discrimination case against Littlejohn, the (CIO) in the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Solicitor’s Office, said that Littlejohn called black staffers “monkeys” and improperly interfered with the selection process for a job sought by Adam Pierre, a black man. The judge said Pierre was significantly better qualified than the person given the job. Furcolo ordered the Department of Interior to retroactively place Pierre in the position of Supervisory IT Specialist and pay him $100,000.00 in damages, plus legal fees. The Judge said Littlejohn’s admitted monkey comment “was intentional, deliberate and simply deplorable.” According to Furcolo, “Littlejohn’s discriminatory animus toward the African-American employees he supervised is palpable. He is on record as commenting that, in his opinion, they – as a group – were not skillful and incompetent.” Incredulously, the Department of Interior appealed the judge’s order and has refused to implement it. Moreover, sources report that Littlejohn has not been disciplined for the alleged racist behavior. C4C did a FOIA request and learned that Littlejohn received a pay increase roughly two weeks after being found guilty by the EEOC. Clearly, there is a need for C4C. If a government worker or department can flaunt the rule of law and the courts, our country will be in chaos. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan said it best in her written Opinion recently in Kloeckner v. Solis, Secretary of Labor, No. 11-184, when she referred to and characterized the “Alternate Universe” of the Government. Anne M. Wagner, Vice-Chairman of the MSPB was put on the Coalition For Change (C4C) Responsible Management Official’s (RMO) list after she allegedly kept from the Senate Committee that was considering her confirmation to the MSPB the fact that she was at the time involved in a federal lawsuit of racial and employment discrimination, in which she was the named discriminator. It makes one wonder if President Obama had known that about her at the time would he have nominated her for this crucial and important government agency? When C4C found out about this, the watchdog group questioned the Department of Justice and other entities, as well as legislators. Wagner is still with the MSPB some three years later, making life-changing opinions and decisions on current and former federal employees’ lives. Again, this is the “Alternate Universe” to which Justice Ellen Kagan referred. One of those legislators contacted by C4C in regard to exposing and eradicating racism in the federal government was the Honorable Darrell Issa, Chairperson of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. Issa, who is based in Vista, California and represents much of the San Diego region, was sent a letter in April of 2011 by the President of C4C,
HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS SEEKS COMMUNITY HELP BUILDING HOMES FOR TWO DOUBLE AMPUTEE VETERANS IN EL CAJON
“We’re here for two of our American heroes.” — Supervisor Dianne Jacob By Miriam Raftery March 4, 2013 (El Cajon ) – Army Sergeant Odin Ayala and Marine Corporal Travis Greene each lost both legs serving in combat. But they were all smiles on February 23 at the groundbreakings of their new , specially adapted homes in El Cajon– thanks to the efforts of the nonprofit Homes for Our Troops. “Our motto is rebuilding homes, rebuilding lives,” said Tim McHale with Homes for our Troops. The group seeks donations as well as volunteers to help build these homes and more. Local community groups and businesses can also adopt a room, partnering in efforts to help these wounded veterans and others. Since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, more than 2.2 million U.S. troops have been deployed. At least 1,558 service members have suffered major limb amputations or spinal cord injuries. Due to advances in battlefield medicine, more severely wounded soldiers are surviving now than in past wars. “George Washington said that our veterans returning from war will judge American on how they are treated when they come back,” McHale observed. Homes for Our Troops has already built many homes in 33 states for wounded veterans. But 1,000 more are needed. “I remember looking down at my legs. They were already gone,” said Army Corporal Travis Greene, who was on his third deployment when he lost both legs in Ramadi, Iraq on December 7, 2005. He was helping a med-evac team with a stretcher to evacuate a Marine injured in an IED blast when a second bomb exploded beneath a truck, causing amputations to five Marines, including Corporal Greene. “Another soldier was crawling through puddles of fire. People in a helicopter were calling out, `You’re gonna make it,” he recalled. Gunny Szcepanowski with Wounded Warrior Regiment was with Greene in a hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. “I was there when his body quit fighting and we brought him back,” he said. Corporal Greene spent over a year and eight months in hospitals, including Balboa Naval Medical Center. He suffered allergies to medications and complete muscle atrophy. “I couldn’t even roll over,” he said. Since then, however, he’s begun building a new life. He got married and now has a five-month-old son. Greene said he drew inspiration from Corporal Neil Frustaglio, who was injured in the same blast. Frustaglio, who traveled from Texas to the groundbreaking, said moving into a home built by Homes for Our Troops has been a “life saving experience” after living in inaccessible housing. “Neil and I rode across the U.S. together four months after his injury. The resilience of our warriors is alive and well,” said Szepanowski. Sgt. Jake Keesler, a Fallbrook veteran, has also received a house built by Homes for our Troops. He spoke of how it’s helped him through adaptive features such as a roll-in shower that accommodates a wheelchair. He also thanked Viet Nam Veterans, many of whom participated in the ceremony as part of the Patriot Guard. “What we have today is because of you,” he said. “Thank you.” Army Sergeant Odin Ayala was on his third deployment when he lost both legs in an IED blast in Kandahar, Afghanistan on September 14, 2011. While on a search and seizure mission, he stepped on an IED and lost both legs above the knee, as well as the index finger on his left hand. Sgt. Ayala rose proudly to his feet, on artificial limbs, to speak after accepteing a proclamation from State Senator Joel Anderson’s office. The Senator’s staff pledged to send a team to come and help build the home. “To this day, I don’t regret anything,” said Sgt. Ayala, who added that the infantry was his calling. He spoke of younger soldiers ages 18 and 19 in his unit, then added, “I’m glad it happened to me, not them. I’m not sure they could have handled it.” He thanked Homes for our Troops and the large crowd present. “There are so many people here who want to help you out,” he said. “Thank you, they will make my life so much easier. How can I complain when I am still getting gifts like this?” His future goals including building a family, earning a master’s degree in engineering, and coaching high school football , a sport he formerly played. Sgt. Ayala ended by urging the crowd to “keep in your prayers those who are over there still.” Ayala and Greene will soon have homes across the street from each other on a quiet cul-de-sac on George Maria Way in the Rancho San Diego community in unincorporated El Cajon. Supervisor Dianne Jacob welcomed the young veterans to our community, calling them “American heroes.” She thanked them for “fighting for our freedoms” and added, “East County is the best area that you could possibly be living in.” San Diego has the largest military installation in the world, said Jacob, who added, “In East County we have the highest concentration of military and veterans in San Diego County.” Homes for our Troops was started in 2004 in Massachusetts by a building contractor. The 501c3 nonprofit has the highest possible rating from Charity Watch and the American Institute of Philanthropy. Each homes built by the organization contains over 155 special adaptive features to assist disabled veterans. They are seeking donations of land, products and services, includes trades people to help with construction. Organizations can adopt a room for $3,000 to $5,000, depending on the room. Donations large and small are welcome. At the local groundbreaking, Broadview Mortgage presented a $17,000 check to the cause. “A kid in South Caroline sells lemonade and bracelets; she donates about $5,000 every year,” McHale added. Without adaptive homes, veterans may be confined in wheelchairs to just a couple of rooms for the rest of their lives, McHale said. “This is not charity. This is our gift to the Greene and Ayala families for their families,” he concluded. “We have
DINE WITH YOUR DOG AT CHEF MICHAEL’S® FOOD TRUCK FOR DOGS MARCH 14 IN POWAY
March 9, 2013 (Poway)–In today’s 24-7 world, it’s easier than ever to take your dog for granted. Chances are quality bonding time is now a simple bowl of food in the morning, a short walk around the block, and maybe, if they’re lucky, a quick scratch of the belly. “Where’s the love? Where’s the togetherness? It’s time to recreate the magic and make a dinner date with your dog!” says Samantha Colla with Chef Michael’s, who will be serving up food for you and your dog on Thursday, March 14 from 5-8 p.m. at Innovations Academy, 10380 Spring Canyon Road in San Diego. On Thursday, March 14, Chef Michael’s invites you to join the communal dining trend with the Chef Michael’s Food Truck for Dogs and San Diego community during Food Truck Thursdays at Innovations Academy. Here, you and your pet will have the opportunity to dine together and meet new friends from the community. The first 100 people to visit the Chef Michael’s Food Truck for Dogs will also receive a voucher (up to $10) to use at their favorite participating food trucks for a complimentary meal for themselves. In 2012, Chef Michael’s noticed that dogs were underserved at the curb, so they deployed a food truck for dogs to treat dog-owners and their four-legged friends to a food truck experience unlike any other. In response to fans’ overwhelming requests, the Food Truck for Dogs will be visiting 14 additional cities in 2013, including the San Diego area. Since Chef Michael’s understands that dedicated dog-owners want to take their dogs with them everywhere; it’s only natural to make mealtime another opportunity for quality time with your dog. Follow the Chef Michael’s Food Truck for Dogs while it’s in the San Diego area via Twitter @thefoodfordogs and www.facebook.com/foodfordogs for additional chances to visit the truck while it’s in town. Visitors and their dogs will be able to pull up a chair and make new friends through the tour’s communal dining experience. After all, food trends aren’t just for people – they’re for dogs too! If you’re a pet-owner and you agree, join us! Go to Facebook.com/foodfordogs and sign the Paw-tition.
RAIN, SNOW FORECAST FOR WEEKEND; WIND ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT
March 6, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory for local mountains and deserts effective now through 3 a.m. on Thursday. Gusts of 45 mph or more are predicted, with breezy though less strong winds continuing Thursday. A cold winter storm is forecast to bring heavy snow to East County’s mountains; the NWS has issued a winter storm watch from late Thursday through Friday evening. Snow level is expected to fall from 4,500 feet Thursday night to 3,500 feet or lower by Friday The weather service predicts six to 12 inches of snow accumulation is possible at and above 6,000 feet, while four to eight inches are expected in the 4,000- to 6,000-foot range. Elsewhere in the county, thunderstorms are possible, with the storm is expected to bring a an inch of rain in the at lower elevations, and a quarter inch is expected in the deserts.
TWO PERSPECTIVES FROM TWO GENERATIONS: ARTIST RECEPTION MARCH 10 AT MISSION TRAILS
Reflective Frog by Nancy Everds Two Perspectives From Two Generations Art Exhibit March 9-April 5 March 5, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)–The Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation (MTRP) will present an exhibition featuring two award-winning photographers, Joan Everds and Nancy Everds. This exhibit will be on display in the Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center Art Gallery March 9 – April 5, 2013. The public is invited to a reception in honor of the artists on Sunday, March 10, 2013 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. The current exhibit Close to the Soil, photographs by James Respess, ends March 8. A video of the exhibit is available here. For more information, visit www.mtrp.org.
JULIAN FACES BURNING ISSUE: POTENTIAL LOSS OF VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
By Miriam Raftery March 4, 2013 (Julian) – Julian’s all-volunteer fire department, faced with a budget crunch, is weighing a proposal to turn over firefighting responsibilities to the County Fire Authority. But some residents are voicing fears that they could wind up burned. Dozens of firefighters and property owners packed into the Julian Town Hall Thursday night. Many expressed concerns that out-of-town firefighters would not be familiar with rural areas and may not find homes in a firestorm. Relying on firefighters far away would also mean longer response times to fight fires in this historic mountain community. Palomar Mountain Fire District Chief George Lucia came to warn the District not to join the County Fire Authority, as his District has already done. “If I could turn back time, I would never put pen to paper with the County,” Chief Lucas said, NBC news reported. “I have regretted it every day since then.” More details: Julian could lose its volunteer fire department (KUSI) Julian-Cuyamaca considers joining County fire authority (NBC)