TWENTY FOOT HIGH RATTLESNAKE CAPTIVATES JACUMBA HOT SPRINGS
Photo: Artist with a similar snake sculpture; installation set for Sept. 10 September 1, 2013 (Jacumba Hot Springs)–On Tuesday, September 10, Jacumba Hot Springs welcomes a giant striking rattlesnake sculpture by artist/designer Ricardo Breceda at the Community Park on Old Highway 80. The sculpture is constructed of welded metal and weighs over 800 pounds. It was a gift to the community from an anonymous community booster. The artist , who is best known for his gigantic metal sculptures in the Anza-Borrego Desert, will be on site for the September 10th installation–and the community is planning festive activities all day from 9 am to 5 p.m. to celebrate the event. Breceda will be selling signed copies of his art book/autobiography The Accidental Artist by Diana Lindsay. He will also display and offer some of his smaller sculptures for sale. Schoolchildren will visit as part of a field trip; music and photo opportunities are also planned. All are welcome to attend and join in the fun. “We are very excited to have this unique piece of art,” says Howard Cook, Chairman of the local Sponsor Group, the community planning organization for Jacumba Hot Springs. “It complements what we are already doing to create an ‘arts-centric’ community. Breceda’s art is a proven tourist draw and, now that our hot mineral springs spa has re-opened, the statue provides an additional reason for people to visit. Jacumba Hot Springs is a mere 70 miles East of San Diego off of interstate 8 and makes a great day-trip for San Diegans,” he added. This is not the only Breceda art in Jacumba Hot Springs. A magnificent six foot dragon graces the front of the newly renovated Chinese Castle on nearby Hill Street. The support and enthusiasm from the community is overwhelming, supporters report. While the statue was a gift, over $1,000 was needed for the installation. Donations poured in thanks to the fund-raising acumen of local resident Sonia Kara and $1200 has been raised. “It was easy, “Sonia says, “I just phoned the people up, told them about the statue and said, now, what are you going to give.” Over 24 people and businesses donated. The donor’s names will be on a bronze plaque embedded in the base of the installation. Other planned public art works in town include a series of murals by renowned local muralist Linda Churchill, a mosaic on the community center, also by Churchill, and a fountain by award winning local sculpture artist Kirk Gilliam. Next year the Jacumba Hot Springs community will be celebrating its Centennial, with many more activities soon to be announced. About The Artist Born in Durango Mexico, artist Ricardo Breceda has lived in California for the last 25 years. He has been creating his metal animal kingdom since the release of the movie Jurassic Park III. His daughter’s enthusiasm over dinosaurs sparked his interest in the creation of these prehistoric beasts. What started as a hobby quickly became a passion to transform metal into incredible life like creations. Since then Ricardo has become a well-known sculptor / designer. His sculptures are now found across the world, from Canada to Australia. One of his largest collection can be admired in Galleta Meadows, just outside the city of Borrego Springs California Most are life-size or many times larger sculptures of creatures that once roamed the Borrego Valley when it was a lush forest: Mammoths, camels, turtles, wild horses and giant sloths. For more information, call the artist at 951-236-5896 or email ricardobreceda@gmail.com.
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: RAIN AND FIRE
September 2, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) — Brian Duke Fast Forward Productions has sent in two dramatic photos of stormcells taken today. The first shot is taken near the Golden Acorn Casino and shows the incongruous combination of a brush fire (right) in the La Posta area beside the looming stormcell bringing heavy showers to the area. The second (below) is a panorama of multiple cells over the Campo/Boulevard communities, along with the fire. More thundershowers are possible through Friday, the National Weather Service predicts, so expect more wet and wild weather in coming days.
RIM FIRE IN YOSEMITE NOW 4TH WORST IN STATE’S HISTORY, BUT SAN DIEGO FIRESTORMS’ DEVASTATING TOLL NOT LIKELY TO BE TOPPED
By Miriam Raftery September 1, 2013 (Yosemite) –The Rim Fire burning in Yosemite National Park has charred over 225,000 acres. Smoke this weekend drafted into Yosemite Valley as more than 5,000 firefighters continue to battle the blaze. Investigators have not yet determined the cause, but illegal marijuana growing operations are suspected. The fire is 45 percent contained, but thousands of homes remain threatened and 11 homes have burned, along with the Berkeley Tuolumne Camp. (For details, see: http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/pub/cdf/images/incidentfile889_1195.pdf Cal Fire now ranks the Rim Fire as the fourth worst wildfire in California history, based on acreage burned nearly 225,000 acres. The fire could potentially surpass the 2003 Cedar Fire, which burned over 273,000 acres and remains our state’s worst wildfire ever in sheer size. But The Rim Fire is not likely to surpass the Cedar Fire in two other measurements of its disastrous scale. The Cedar Fire still holds the record of causing the most deaths—14, and burning the most structures – 2,820. Moreover, the collective toll of the 2007 wildfires here was even larger. By contrast, the next worse fire in both lives lost and structures burned was the 2007 Witch Creek Fire, which ranks 4th in the state’s history in acreage burned. But San Diego’s 2007 firestorms actually included seven separate fires burning at the same time. If you combine the damage from those seven fires, the 2007 firestorms destroyed 369,000 acres – nearly a hundred thousand acres more than the Cedar Fire. All told, those fires burned 13% of the total land mass in our county. San Diego’s 2007 firestorms also resulted in the evacuation of a half million people—more than any disaster in U.S. history at that time. Ten people lost their lives in the 2007 fires here, which also injured 23 civilians and 89 firefighters. The 2007 fires burned 1600 homes, 800 outbuildings and 253 other structures, second in damage only to the Cedar Fire. The state’s list of top ten worst wildfires includes a third firestorm in San Diego County—the 1970 Laguna Fire that charred over 175,000 acres, killed five people and burned 382 homes. San Diego’s three major fires in 2003, 2007 and 1970 in fact rank as the state’s three worst fires ever in structures lost. As for lives lost, only one other California fire has claimed more than two lives (theIiron Alps Complex fire in Trinity County in 2008. With drought, climate change, and strained budgets impacting firefighting resources, however, the prospect of future fires topping the records of San Diego’s destructive firestorms remains a frightening prospect.
MAN IMPERSONATING POLICE OFFICER STEALS CAR AFTER PULLING OVER MOTORIST ON FREEWAY
CHP seeks witnesses to brazen mid-day theft September 3, 2013 (San Diego) – The California Highway Patrol is warning motorists about two people in a white Crown Victoria equipped with flashing red and blue lights to resemble a police car. The pair reportedly pulled over a Jeep near the junction of freeways 805 and 905 today at 1:05 p.m.. A Hispanic man wearing a black jacket with “police” across the chest and wearing what appeared to be a holstered handgun on his hip got out of the passenger side of the Crown Victoria. He asked the Jeep driver to get out, then stole the vehicle. The theft occurred on I-805 northbound, south of Palm Avenue. The Jeep’s 28-year-old driver was traveling west on State Route 905 east of I-805 when the Crown Victoria pulled up behind him until he pulled over on the shoulder. After the theft, the Crown Victoria (same model car used by many law enforcement agencies) drove off. The victim was unable to see the driver of the Crown Victoria. The white Crown Victoria drove off following the Jeep. The victim was unable to get a look or give a description of the driver of the Crown Victoria. If you witnessed or has any information on this theft, please contact Investigator K. Jackman at (619) 220-5492.
TIPS TO PREPARE FOR WILDFIRES, EARTHQUAKES, AND OTHER DISASTERS
By Walt Meyer September 3, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) — For people in East County, it’s no secret that fire season is upon us. But at any time here in earthquake country, we can experience other sorts of disasters—and we should use the start of fire season as a reminder to check our emergency kits. As many who lived through the great fires of 2003 and 2007 know too well, there is often not time to think or plan, let alone pack once the fire is coming over the hills. And certainly with an earthquake there will be no advance warning. Coping with a range of catastrophes isn’t easy, but like holding fire drills at schools, going through the motions as practice for a disaster and having everything ready on a moment’s notice can do a lot to reduce panic when crucial minutes count. For households with children, elderly people or those with limited mobility, being ready to take action and evacuation if needed is especially important. It has often been suggested that while you are changing the clocks for daylight savings time in the spring and fall it is a good time to change the batteries in the smoke detectors. The start of end-of-summer fire season is a good time to make sure that everything is up to date in the emergency kit. That updating should start with the checklist. Did you add or lose any members of your household? That list should include pets. Check the dates on the canned goods and other perishables and make sure the stored drinking water is still good. Create an emergency plan for your family, identifying two places for the family to meet. One should be a place outside your home, but nearby–perhaps a neighbors or a specific street corner. The other should be a spot away from your neighborhood in case you can’t return home or the entire area is be evacuated. It’s helpful to pick a friend’s place so your friend can let you in and relay messages if needed. Practice the plan with your family, including your children. Don’t just say, “Let’s meet at the Smiths.” Walk over there and plan which door or side of the Smiths’ will be the meeting place. Practice is especially important for children. If they get used to doing something when there is no panic, they will be much less frantic should a real disaster strike. The routine will make it seem more normal. Know the places where family members spend a good deal of time. Review the emergency plans at your workplace, your children’s school or daycare center, friends’ homes and other places where members of your family regularly spend time away from home. Plan safe routes away from your home and business to high, safe ground. Make sure your children are aware of the routes away from home. Also, have alternate routes in mind if the first option is blocked. Develop a plan for family pets and livestock–and have a back-up plan because some evacuation shelters may not allow animals. Designate a friend or family member outside the area who family members can call if separated. Having someone with whom to check in will also help relieve stress so you know everyone is safe, if not together. Have family members memorize that number in case the cell phones die and that call has to be made from a strange landline on which a number saved in speed dial won’t work. Keep current important documents in a safe-deposit box or send copies outside the area to be kept by a trusted relative or friend. After Katrina, many banks were lost along with homes, so with the deeds, insurance certificates and every other proof of ownership and the homes themselves gone, it was hard for many residents to start the paper chase to get their property covered. Using information provided by SDG&E and supplemented with additional tips, we’ve come up with the following suggestions to be prepared: Have one set place for your emergency supplies that should include, at minimum: Three-day supply of bottled water (one gallon per person per day, plus extra for pets of special needs) A three-day supply of packaged, dried, and canned food that could prepared without cooking First aid kit and essential medicines Pet food and pet carrier, if applicable Manual can opener Portable radio and flashlights with spare batteries in waterproof bags An extra set of car keys Credit cards and some cash in case the power is out and ATMs aren’t working Special items for infants, elderly or disabled family members Also make sure you have a car charger for your cell phone(s). During last year’s power outage, many people had to charge their phones in their cars. If you don’t have a charger that stays in your car, it would be a good idea to get one. The price of back-up phone chargers has come down enough to be very affordable and worth the investment not only for emergencies, but for long days away from power—just going to Comic-Con, for instance. Know how to operate everything if the electricity is off—the keyless entry and electric garage door and gates, for instance. Is there something in your house, like a gas feed that may need to be turned off? Make a list. And if any of these things are complicated, have copies of any instructions with the emergency kit. It’s better to have supplies ready and never need them than to need them and not have them. SDG&E has also prepared some videos with more helpful information: On fire season planning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-imkIoLBRk And on emergency preparedness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=285PTi7MdBA
SHERIFF BEGINS CHARGING SEARCH AND RESCUE FEES FOR THOSE WHO BREAK THE LAW
Safety tips also offered for hikers this Labor Day weekend By Miriam Raftery August 30, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) — Starting today, August 30th, you could be billed for emergency costs if you become lost or injured as a result of violating federal, state or local laws. An amended County ordinance allows for a civil process to collect up to $12,000 in recovery expenses. Law breakers can also be arrested or cited for criminal offenses. The fees only apply to those who break the law, such as a rescue operation due to illegal drinking , diving or hiking where prohibited. Every year, dozens of people are lost or injured in San Diego County’s vast back country. Ill‐equipped and reckless hikers put a strain on Sheriff’s Department resources and budget. When deputies and ASTREA are tied up in a Search and Rescue call, they are not able to respond to other emergencies or follow up in their own investigations. In July of 2013, the Board of Supervisors amended San Diego County Ordinance 364.1 to allow for ther eimbursement of costs during Search and Rescue operations. If you have an emergency don’t wait to call 9‐1‐1. The longer you wait, the more difficult the rescue becomes. Remember, permits are required to visit Cedar Creek Falls in the East County. Alcohol and cliff jumping are not allowed. Watch the Sheriff’s Department’s public safety messages on YouTube: http://goo.gl/IDJHIW , http://goo.gl/cJBWwl. With the Labor Day weekend and the weather being so warm, here are other safety tips: Tell someone you are going hiking or caving, where it is located and when you expect to return. This is to ensure if something goes wrong and you don’t return on time, someone knows where to begin the search. Never go caving or hiking alone. Know your limits. Choose trails that match your level of physical fitness and areas where you are not going to get lost. Bring ample food, water, sunscreen, flashlight, map, GPS, first aid kit, multi‐purpose tool or knife, whistle. Cell phone signal may be limited, but it’s still good to have a phone in case you need to call for help. Wear proper clothing, boots, sunglasses, hat, gloves, helmet, etc.
GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT POSTS SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN 2013 API TEST SCORES
District Records an Overall Gain of 14 Points On August 29, 2013, the California Department of Education (CDE) released the 2013 Growth API for schools and districts in California. For high schools, the API measures how well students are performing on both the California Standards Tests (CSTs) as well as the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). The Grossmont District’s API increased by 14 points to 769, marking the tenth consecutive year of growth. In addition to significant growth at the District level, two of GUHSD’s high schools demonstrated dramatic improvements. El Cajon Valley High School increased its API by 73 points and Monte Vista posted a gain of 29 points. Below are additional highlights. Highlights: At the subgroup level, the District realized dramatic growth among students with disabilities (+28 points), socioeconomically disadvantaged (+38 points), and Hispanic/Latino students (+30 points). Performance in the core academic areas continued to improve with an overall increase in the percentage of students scoring at the Advanced or Proficient levels of 1.5 points. The strongest growth at the District level was in Social Science (+2.7 percentage points) and English Language Arts (ELA) (+2.0 percentage points). The largest specific areas of improved performance include: Grade 10 ELA (+4.0 percentage points), Geometry (+3.5 percentage points), and US History (+3.7 percentage points). Individual School Highlights: El Cajon Valley demonstrated outstanding achievement in 2012-13. In addition to the school’s 73 point growth on the 2013 Growth API, these gains were matched in each of the school’s significant subgroups. African Americans were up by 79 points, socioeconomically disadvantaged students went up by 78 points, Hispanic/Latino students increased by 76 points, English Learners had a 47 point increase, and students with disabilities went up by 43 points. The school exceeded all of its API growth targets. The results from CST testing reflect improvement in all subject areas. Monte Vista made substantial gains on both the CST tests as well as the California High School Exit Exam where the percentage of students passing increased by 8 percentage points. The 2013 Growth API shows a 29 point increase with dramatic improvements in the Special Education, English Learner, and Caucasian subgroups. The school was one among very few high schools Statewide to have met all of its targets under No Child Left Behind accountability rules. The largest gains were in English Language Arts, Science, and Social Science. Monte Vista’s achievement is particularly noteworthy for its similar schools ranking. With a similar schools rank of 9, Monte Vista is outperforming 90 percent of high schools Statewide that have comparable student demographics. Santana continued to show improved scores, and its 2013 Growth API of 814 exceeds the State target. The school showed large gains in its Hispanic/Latino subgroup with a growth of 29 points. CST scores increased in all subject areas with the largest gains in Geometry (+16.0), Algebra I (+8.3), and Integrated Science (+18.3). Santana continues to score well above the State’s established target of 800. Valhalla increased the percentage of students scoring at the Advanced or Proficient levels on the CST tests schoolwide, with the largest increases in High School Math (+4.0), Integrated Science (+5.6), and US History (+4.6). The school’s API went up by 7 points with significant growth among the Hispanic/Latino subgroup (+26) and the socioeconomic subgroup (+14). Valhalla continues to score well above the State’s established target of 800. West Hills continued to exceed the State API target with a 2013 Growth API of 807 and demonstrated significant growth among its Special Education (+31) and Hispanic/Latino (+14) subgroups. Schoolwide increases in the percentage of students scoring Advanced or Proficient were most pronounced in Physics (+11.5), High School Math (+6.4), and 10th Grade English Language Arts (+4.7). West Hills continues to score well above the State’s established target of 800. Grossmont improved at all grade levels in English Language Arts (ELA) and realized significant improvement in the areas of Integrated Science (+29.0), Physics (+14.9), and US History (+4.8). Mount Miguel made gains in Geometry (+4.9), Algebra II (+6.8), and US History (+7.0) and showed significant improvement among its African American, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and English Learner subgroups. El Capitan posted a 10 point increase in the 2013 Growth API and showed significant growth among its Hispanic/Latino (+28), socioeconomically disadvantaged (+19), and English Learner subgroups (+22). The largest CST improvements were among the 9th Grade ELA (+12.0), Chemistry (+11.0), and Physics (+14.0) CST tests. Granite Hills realized large gains on the Earth Science (+8.8), High School Math (+16.2), and Geometry (+6.7) CST tests. Overall, the school met its API growth target while showing significant improvement among students with disabilities (+27 point growth on the 2013 Growth API). The District’s charter schools Helix Charter and Steele Canyon scored at 804 and 798 respectively. More detailed information may be obtained directly from the schools.