EL CAJON POLICE OFFICERS SHOOT MAN WHO TRIED TO TAKE CHILDREN, AIMED GUN AT OFFICERS
By Miriam Raftery May 15, 2014 (El Cajon) – A man who tried to take his children from his estranged wife at gunpoint. Jose Albert Garcia, 34, later aimed his weapon at officers and has been shot in the chest, Lt. Tim Henton with the El Cajon Police reports. Officers responded to a 911 call from Garcia’s estranged wife, who told officers he was at her door demanding that she give him their two children. Officers arrived and spoke with Garcia in the driveway, but he was “uncooperative” and refused to follow orders, Lt. Henton said. “He showed officers that he had a gun in his waistband, and eventually drew the gun.” Trained crisis negotiators tried to reason with Garcia for approximately 90 minutes. According to Lt. Henton, Garcia was threatening himself with the gun, and then started waving the gun around. Less-lethal beanbag rounds were used to try to subdue Garcia, but they were ineffective. Garcia ultimately pointed his gun towards officers, and pulled the trigger, but the gun malfunctioned and did not fire. “Officers repeatedly ordered him not to point the gun at officers. He racked the gun, and once again pointed the gun at officers. At this point, three officers fired their weapons at Garcia, striking him in the chest,” Lt. Henton said. Garcia was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital, where he underwent surgery. His condition is not known at this time. The personnel involved in the shooting have worked as police officers for 7, 13 and 19 years. Garcia will face charges of assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer. The investigation is ongoing.
HOT WEATHER TO CONTINUE THIS WEEKEND
By Cary Hyatt May 15, 2014 (San Diego) – High temperatures are forecast to continue this weekend, cooling off early next week. Today, sunny weather with a higher of 105 a low of 62 is forecast. A red flag warning for high fire danger continues through 5 p.m. this evening. Friday and Saturday will be sunny with a high of 96 on Friday and a high of 84 on Saturday; lows are forecast around 56 degrees both days. Expect fog Saturday night. This Sunday, we will have patchy fog and cloudy through the morning gradually clearing, with a high of 77 and a low of 55. On Monday, expect fog and clouds in the morning with only a high of 73. The weather is forecast to cool down in the next few days, but nonetheless you should keep yourself and any pets you may have well hydrated.
STRESSED OUT? SOAK AWAY TENSIONS AT JACUMBA HOT SPRINGS HEALING WATERS & ARTS FESTIVAL
By Miriam Raftery May 15, 2014 (Jacumba) –Celebrate a century of healing waters, outdoor adventures and the arts on Saturday, May 24 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Jacumba Hot Springs Healing Waters and Arts Festival. The community invites you to visit California’s “rejuvenation adventureland” at the Jacumba Hot Springs on Old highway 80 in the heart of Jacumba Hot Springs. Meet holistic healing and New Age practitioners, enjoy art walks and art sales, entertainment including multiple music venues, a drum circle and Kumeyaay bird singers, craft vendors, food including vegetarian options children’s activities, geocaching and more –all in a beautiful high desert setting. Keynote speaker Mimi Kirk, voted Sexiest Vegetarian Over Age 50 in a national contest sponsored by PETA, will share raw foods recipes and tips from her book, Live Raw Around the World. Admission and parking are free. This event is sponsored by the Jacumba-Boulevard Revitalization Alliance. For more information on this and other centennial events in Jacumba, visit www.jacumbahotspringscentennial.org.
DESTINATION EAST COUNTY: THIS WEEKEND’S TOP EVENTS & PREVIEWS OF COMING ATTRACTIONS
By Ariele Johannson May 15, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)–This week’s Destination East County includes all kinds of outdoor activities in East County parks and golf courses and a couple of film and theatre events. Our preview will tell you about a mock medieval battle taking place and a healing waters festival. We also have a section of ongoing weekly or monthly activities, so let’s get started! The Ramona Rodeo takes place from Thursday, May 15th-Sunday, May 18th at the Ramona Outdoor Community Center, Inc. Also on Thursday, there is a Chamber Rodeo Mega Mixer from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and free slack rodeo performance. On Friday, it’s Tough Enough to Wear Pink night. Mutton busting takes place with the little cowboys and cowgirls from 6:00-7:30 p.m. The rodeo performance begins at 7:30 p.m. A parade heads down Lakeside’s Main Street at 10:00 a.m. Saturday and in the evening it’s Proud to be an American night. The rodeo begins at 7:30 p.m. with a free family dance following the rodeo. Kids’ Day is on Sunday when kids get a cowboy hat, rope, and black handkerchief while supplies last. The final rodeo takes place at 2:30 p.m. and is a benefit for the fight against cancer. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… On Saturday, May 17th from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Part Two of Mt. Helix Park’s Nature/Sustainable Living lecture series will be held in the ampitheater atop Mt. Helix. This free, one-hour lecture on landscaping with California native plants will feature guest speaker, Greg Rubin. There is no parking at the summit, so walk up from the parking lots adjacent to and across from the San Miguel Fire Station at 10105 Vivera Dr. La Mesa, CA 91941. Allow yourself plenty of time to get to the top (about a 10 to 15 minute walk). Coffee and pastries will be available. Website: http://www.mthelixpark.org or call (619) 741-4363. Mt. Helix Park, 4905 Mt. Helix Drive, La Mesa, CA 91941 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… “Peter Pan” will be performed by the Greenfield Middle School in El Cajon beginning Friday, May 16th. Performances: May 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th at 7:00 p.m. and May 18th, 24th, 25th at 2:00 p.m. Greenfield Middle School, 1495 Greenfield Drive, El Cajon. Website: http://www.cytsandieg.org. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… El Cajon Valley Lions Club is preparing for their fund-raising event called “Gunsmoke IV” on Saturday night, May 17th from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Community Center in El Cajon. It’s a “Night of Gamblin’ ‘n Carousin’ in an Old West Saloon.” The Winchester Widows reenactors will be assisting the Lions. Tickets are now on sale from the Ladies or members of the Lions Club. The Winchester Widows focus their activities to assist the Challenge Ranch. For more information contact Dick Rogers, rrogers49@cox.net or phone 619-925-9058. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… It’s Tea Time again, and this occasion is the Alpine Women’s Club Victorian Tea on May 17th when they celebrate their 21st Annual Alpine Woman’s Club Scholarship Fundraiser at the historic town hall in Alpine. This year’s entertainment will be “Fashion through Time,” a show spanning a century of fashionable attire presented by members of the San Diego Costumer’s Guild. There will be two tea sittings, one at 11:30 a.m. and the other at 2:30 p.m. This event is open to the public and Victorian dress is optional. Cost is $35 per person. Tickets can be reserved by mailing a check made out to the Alpine Woman’s Club to Joanie Bogle, 10328 Hawley Road, El Cajon 92021. Please note which seating you prefer. Space is limited, so please order your tickets early. Tickets may also be purchased using PayPal online at http://www.alpinewomansclub.org. The club is located at 2156 Alpine Blvd in the historic Town Hall. For more information, please call Joanie Bogle at 619-328-5728 or email jnrbogle@cox.net or visit their website at http://www.alpinewomansclub.org. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… This week’s Destination column is featuring two golf events taking place in East County this weekend. The first one takes place at the Sun Valley Golf Course in La Mesa and is sponsored by La Mesa Park and Recreation Foundation. This day-long tournament is open to all ages and will be held on Saturday, May 17th with two shotgun starts, 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. The event kick-off is a pancake breakfast by the Heartland Fire Department. For more information, contact La Mesa Park and Recreation Foundation, 4975 Memorial Drive, La Mesa or call Danna Belski at 619-667-1331 or visit dbelski@ci.la-mesa.ca.us or visit http://www.lamesaparks.org. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… The 13th Annual Cheryl M. Case Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit Stoney’s kids takes place on Saturday, May 17th on the Lakes Course at Cottonwood Golf Club. For more information, call 928-210-7768. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… The Valley Vintage Market will host an outdoor market on Saturday, May 17th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. featuring antique and vintage home & garden decor, glassware, jewelry, and food. The event will be held rain or shine and with free admission. Hosted by Tucker’s Valley Furniture, the market is held in the large parking lot behind the C&C Furniture store at 850 E. Main Street, El Cajon 92020 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… The first annual Salvation Army East County Golf Tournament will be held at Cottonwood Golf Club on Wednesday, May 14th. This fundraiser to benefit the Salvation Army East County Food Bank is called “Driving Ahead to Prevent Hunger,” and it includes a check-in beginning at 10:00 a.m., a shotgun start at 12 noon, and a dinner and awards ceremony following the tournament. Contact The Salvation Army at 1101 East Main Street, El Cajon or call 619-440-4685. Location: Cottonwood Golf Club, 3121 Willow Glen Drive, El Cajon. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Julian Wild & Scenic Film Festival is now an annual event and will be held on Friday, May 16th at 6:00 p.m. at Julian High School. The festival presents a wide variety of international films that celebrate nature, the environment and people who are making a difference. The festival
CREATING NEW LIFE FOR OLD COMPUTERS CAN SAVE MILLIONS FOR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, GRAND JURY FINDS
May 15, 2014 (San Diego) – California adopted nationally-recommended standards for English-language arts and mathematics in 2013 as a condition for receiving federal education funds. These state standards are generally referred to as the Common Core curriculum that all California schools must now follow. While there are many benefits that can be attributed to the new curriculum, one downside is that beginning with the 2014-2015 school year all future statewide student achievement testing must be done on-line, utilizing computers instead of manually completed pen-and-ink forms. And that presents a problem, according to a report released by the 2013-2014 San Diego County Grand Jury today. School districts will need to make substantial investments to meet the minimum technical requirements (hardware, software and bandwidth) needed to support the testing, at a time when most school districts are struggling financially. The new testing begins with the 2014-2015 school year. The good news is that there is a cost effective alternative available that will allow schools to utilize old computers that would otherwise be discarded to administer the tests. It is a software product, Neverware™, which is already in use in New York City schools. In essence, Neverware™ and other similar software turns old computers into “dumb terminals” consisting of a keyboard, a monitor, and a connection to a network through which the test is administered. These terminals have no independent data processing capability, and are 100% secure, since any unauthorized changes are erased with every logout. The Grand Jury recommends that all school districts in San Diego County investigate the Neverware™ system and other similar software for possible use in conducting on-line Common Core student testing, and look to civic organizations and businesses for donations of old computers to further defray any cost impact of this testing requirement. The complete report can be found by clicking here.
ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS
May 15, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)–ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include: U.S NASA spots worrisome Antarctic ice sheet melt that could add 4 to 12 feet to current sea levels (10 News) Net neutrality puts FCC at center of storm (Washington Post) Dems ready student loan push (The Hill) U.S. passenger jet nearly collided with drone in March: FAA (Reuters) WORLD Sewol ferry captain and 3 crew members face murder charges in South Korea (CNN) EU court says people may remove unflattering links from Google (+video) (CS Monitor) France says Syria used chlorine in 14 recent attacks (Reuters) Separatists kill seven Ukraine soldiers in heaviest loss for Kiev forces (Reuters) Sudanese woman may face death for choosing Christianity over Islam (Reuters) Iraq Debates Law That Would Allow Men To Marry 9-Year-Old Girls (NPR) For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down. U.S NASA spots worrisome Antarctic ice sheet melt that could add 4 to 12 feet to current sea levels (10 News) The huge West Antarctic ice sheet is starting a glacially slow collapse in an unstoppable way, two new studies show. Alarmed scientists say that means even more sea level rise than they figured. Net neutrality puts FCC at center of storm (Washington Post) Silicon Valley once cheered the election of President Obama, comforted by his stance that Internet service providers should be banned from charging Web sites such as Facebook or Netflix for faster access to American homes. And for much of the past six years, tech firms felt shielded from the possibility that the Internet would ever have separate slow and fast lanes for traffic. But on Thursday, the government is poised to vote on a plan that could make that scenario a reality Dems ready student loan push (The Hill) Senate Democrats are preparing a June offensive on student loans meant to bolster the party’s 2014 election message. Democrats will push for a vote on legislation to allow people to refinance student loan debt at a lower rate. U.S. passenger jet nearly collided with drone in March: FAA (Reuters) An American Airlines Group Inc aircraft almost collided with a drone above Florida earlier this year, a near-accident that highlights the growing risk from rising use of unmanned aircraft, the U.S. air safety regulator said. WORLD Sewol ferry captain and 3 crew members face murder charges in South Korea (CNN) The captain and three other crew members of the Sewol, the South Korean ferry that sank last month, have been charged with murder, chief prosecutor Yang Joon-jin said Thursday. EU court says people may remove unflattering links from Google (+video) (CS Monitor) Google makes it too easy to dig up someone’s past, according to the EU’s highest court. It ruled Tuesday that Google must honor some requests to remove links from its search engine. France says Syria used chlorine in 14 recent attacks (Reuters) Syria may have used chemical weapons involving chlorine in 14 attacks in recent months, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Tuesday, expressing concerns that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is hiding toxic weapons. Separatists kill seven Ukraine soldiers in heaviest loss for Kiev forces (Reuters) Pro-Russian separatists ambushed Ukrainian troops on Tuesday, killing seven in the heaviest loss of life for government forces in a single clash since Kiev sent soldiers to put down a rebellion in the country’s east. Sudanese woman may face death for choosing Christianity over Islam (Reuters) A Sudanese court gave a 27-year-old woman until Thursday to abandon her newly adopted Christian faith and return to Islam or face a death sentence, judicial sources said on Monday. Mariam Yahya Ibrahim was charged with apostasy as well as adultery for marrying a Christian man, something prohibited for Muslim women to do and which makes the marriage void. Iraq Debates Law That Would Allow Men To Marry 9-Year-Old Girls (NPR) The Iraqi Cabinet has approved the measure and sent it to Parliament for a vote. Opponents say it would be a major setback for a country that has mostly secular laws
JUDGMENT CALLS? CONTROVERSY CONTINUES AS BILLBOARDS COME DOWN IN KEEHN VS. SCHALL JUDICIAL RACE
Judge Schall speaks out, defends her record (photo, left) By Miriam Raftery May 15, 2014 (San Diego) –Last week, we reported on a Superior Court candidate, Carla Keehn, who put up billboards drawing attention to judicial admonishments and a conviction for alcohol-related reckless driving (later expunged) involving her opponent, Superior Court Judge Lisa Schall. Judge Schall has issued a statement defending her record. In addition, Clear Channel has removed the billboards, stirring up new controversies over its actions as well as free speech issues in judicial elections. The billboards stated that Keehn was the only candidate not convicted of a crime, adding, “No one is above the law, not even a judge.” Clear Channel issued the following statement, 10 News reported. “Unfortunately our protocol for political ads was not followed and we took the ad down. We have offered the client a variety of resolutions, including the fullest refund allowable under the laws governing political contributions.” Keehn campaign spokesman Jeff Powers had this to say. “The supposed grounds for taking them down was that it was an “attack ad” and Clear Channel has a right to remove if they decide..“We haven’t decided if we are going to file a complaint yet.” He noted that Clear Channel just had four cases in Superior Court. Powers added, “It’s amazing what lengths the judicial powers in this town will go to in protecting their own. We believe this is a First Amendment issue. The law and First Amendment do not allow the government to discriminate based on the content of an ad. And we also believe Clear Channel is impacting Carla’s First Amendment rights by choosing to not air one side of an important issue.” Clear Channel has previously been embroiled in billboard controversies. After being petitioned by progressive activist groups, the company removed 145 billboards stating that voter fraud is a felony, messaging that opponents contended were meant to intimidate voters. Those billboards were placed anonymously. Clear Channel also removed billboards for a pro-Palestinian organization seeking defunding of the Israeli military. Keehn has questioned why Schall received a well qualified rating from the County Bar Association, while Keehn was rated qualified, given Schall’s past conviction and judicial admonishments. In addition, Keehn obtained her law degree from the University of California, Hastings, while Schall’s was from a law school not accredited at the time. East County Magazine has interviewed Carla Keehn , a career prosecutor and former Army Captain, on our radio show (listen to podcast here: http://kiwi6.com/file/x3reawfy6g). We issued an invitation to Judge Schall as well. Judge Schall responded that she was not available due to scheduling issues, but has now provided an extensive written response clarifying that her conviction was expunged and offering an explanation of the admonishments, as well as details on her 35 years of judicial experience and accomplishments. Judge Schall has served as a judge since 1985 and previously as a deputy district attorney, prosecuting over 300 cases. She has sat in every department of the San Diego Superior Court and has served as Supervising Judge in divisions handling criminal, civil, probate, mental health, and California Environmental Quality Act matters. She currently covers civil, criminal and family matters. She has been endorsed by all 125 Superior Court judges and over 15 retired judges as well as by City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, the San Diego Lawyers Club, Lincoln Club of San Diego, La Raza Lawyers, San Diego Family Bar Association and Crime Victims and Citizens for Law and Order. Schall is past president of the San Diego Deputy District Attorneys Association. She was voted Judge of the Year in 1993 by members of the San Diego County Probation Department, received a Crimes Victims Award in 1998, and was awarded the Judicial Excellence honor in 1995 by the Deputy District Attorneys Association. Regarding the reckless driving incident, Schall had this to say. “In Sept of 2007 while going through a divorce after 28 years of marriage and caring for 2 elderly parents, I was arrested and pled to a reckless driving with DUI conditions. A divorce makes us vulnerable, still no excuse. I apologized to every member of my bench, family members and business associates. I volunteered to speak at civic groups, volunteered to work in Family Court for 3 years and after I completed 3 years of probation I was granted an expungement (dismissal in June 2011) of my conviction.” She added, “Although the legal community knew of this arrest, I ran unopposed in Feb of 2008. The CJP (Committee on Judicial Performance) chose to publicly admonish me and disclosed the private admonishment of 1992. Every person and association that has endorsed me, is aware of my history. I have been rated well-qualified by those same peers (SDCBA) and endorsed by the UT. I believe it is my years of service, work ethic and willingness to work any assignment that has earned me their forgiveness and understanding.” As for the other two admonishments on her record, Judge Schall replied: “In 1992 I was assigned to the Juvenile Court. I was presiding over a dependency case. The matter was set to be scheduled to determine if the parental rights would be terminated and if the children would be eligible for adoption. I was notified by the attorneys for the foster parents and social services that the mother’s appellate attorney had been sharing with 3rd parties outside of the courtroom, confidential testimony given during court proceedings. This could be a violation of the Welfare and Institutions code. In an effort to determine what had in fact occurred I scheduled a hearing and directed all counsel, parties and the appellate counsel to appear. At the hearing I was unable to determine what had or had not occurred, reported my concerns to my Juvenile Presiding Judge and recused myself from the case. The CJP gave me a private admonishment advising me that that I exceeded my authority in ordering the appellate attorney to appear and had become embroiled
ELECTED OR APPOINTED CITY CLERK IN LA MESA?
East County News Service Update May 15, 2014: by a 4 to 1 vote, with Mayor Art Madrid opposed, Council voted to move forward with this proposal, with voters having the ultimate decision on a future ballot measure to make the City Clerk an appointed position. May 12, 2014 (La Mesa) — On Thursday, May 13 the La Mesa City Council will discuss whether to place an item on the November election ballot to change the City Clerk position from one that is elected to a staff position that would be appointed. Citing the increasing complexity of the position, Council Members Ernie Ewin and Ruth Sterling wrote, “City Clerk responsibilities require professional skills and expertise in areas such as election law, records management and conflict of interest regulations.” Among other things, the Clerks Office must have a thorough knowledge of election procedures and the public notification requirements of the Brown Act. The agenda attachment states that in California, approximately 28% are elected, while 72% are appointed, with La Mesa, Carlsbad, National City and Oceanside among those still electing them. In researching arguments for and against, East County Magazine found the most common argument against concern maintaining the accountability to the public that an elected position ensures. The other commonly raised concern is that an elected official must live within a jurisdiction making them more responsive to community, while a staff person can live outside the community. As currently structured, the position is divided in two parts: An elected position that functions as a ceremonial signatory, and a professionally trained staff of two which performs the actual day to day work of the Clerks office. The Council discussion would include whether the two parts of the job (ceremonial and functional) should be combined into one all encompassing staff position, who would make the appointment (one possibility would be the City Manager), or what other form the proposal might take. According to the City’s website, the City Clerk’s Division is responsible to: Administer all municipal elections Administer oaths of office Coordinate recruitments for board, commission and committee appointments Issue resolutions and prepare ordinances for publication and codification Maintain and protect all vital, permanent and historic records of the city Prepare agendas and support material for the City Council, Redevelopment Agency, Parking Authority and Public Financing Authority meetings Prepare, publish, post, and mail all public notices Receive appeals and subpoenas Serve as the filing officer for all campaign and conflict of interest disclosure statements as required by the Political Reform Act Update and maintain the Municipal Code Mary Kennedy, the current City Clerk, said she began working in the Clerks office in 1995, was then elected in 1998 and reelected since then, performing both parts of the job.
ADDITIONAL AIR POWER DISPATCHED TO REGION AS FIRES BURN THROUGH NIGHT
Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 news By Miriam Raftery May 15, 2014 (San Diego)–Fires have scorched over 9,200 acres since yesterday, with several still burning. A large DC-10 air tanker, 17 helicopters and military aircraft are en route to our region, where hot, dry temperatures and Santa Ana winds have prompted extension of the red flag alert for high fire danger to be extended through tonight. Nearly 600 people stayed in evacuation centers overnight from the San Marcos and Carlsbad fires. More than 125,000 residences countywide received evacuation calls through the County’s Alert San Diego system. The County Emergency website has received over 1 million visits in the past three days. Most area schools are closed today countywide due to the wildfires. In North County, three major facilities are impacted. Kaiser Permanente medical offices on Craven Road in San Marcos are closed; Palomar Medical Center and Palomar Health Downtown campus on Valley Parkway have announced cancellation of elected surgeries, 10 News reports. Below are updates on each major fire: The Cocos Fire in San Marcos: This firestorm has burned 700 acres and is still zero percent contained, said Cal Fire Captain Kendal Bortisser. Three structures are confirmed lost and another is damaged. “The fire is still very active and continues to move to the south,” Bortisser said. This fire has clogged traffic. Motorists are urged to avoid these roads and use alternate routes, said Sarah Gordon, County Communications Officer, • South Twin Oaks Valley Road at Hwy 78 • Craven Road at Twin Oaks Valley Road • Village Drive at Twin Oaks Valley Road • San Elijo Road at Double Peak Road • Melrose Drive at Rancho Santa Fe Road • Melrose Drive at San Elijo Road • San Elijo Road at Rancho Santa Fe Road • Elfin Forest Road at Calistoga Way • Questhaven Road at City Limit • Coronado Hills Drive at Via Del Campo • Fallsview Road at San Elijo Road Rancho Santa Fe Road will be opened to both north and southbound traffic at approximately 6 a.m., the city says. Information from City of San Marcos Twitter. The Poinsettia Fire in Carlsbad has swelled to over 800 acres, with 5 percent containment. It has also snarled traffic. The following roads are closed, said Tammy Glenn, County Communications Officer: Eight single-family homes, a multi-family structure and a commercial building have been destroyed. Aviara Parkway from Ambrosia Lane to El Camino Real El Camino Real from Alga Road to Palomar Airport Road Camino Vida Roble between Palomar Airport Road and El Camino Real Poinsettia Lane from Black Rail Road to El Camino Real Palomar Oaks Way For additional updates about the City of Carlsbad, visit www.carlsbadca.gov. Pendleton Fire: This fire has burned more than 6,000 acres, largest in the region, and is now 20 percent contained at the Naval Weapons Station Fallbrook. A second fire scorched over 24 acres near I-5, forcing full freeway closure for several hours yesterday. Lakeside Fire: This fire was extinguished late yesterday after burning 17 acres and forcing 1,300 evacuations, which have been lifted and all roads reopened. Highway Fire: Evacuations have been lifted in this wildfire in norther San Diego County, where yesterday I-15 near State Route 76 was closed after the fire jumped the highway, threatening homes. Bernardo Fire: This fire, which resulted in evacuation calls to 5,500 residences, is now 75 percent contained. Oceanside Fire: Approximately 50 acres burned in the San Luis Rey River bed, damaging one structure. This fire was 20 percent contained as of last night. Resources are available to all residents who may need recovery information through the County’s recovery website at sdcountyrecovery.com. Thousands of residents were without power, including some from intentional shut-offs by SDG&E seeking to protect itself from liability by preventing lines from catching fire during high winds. For the latest information on outages, check SDG&E’s outage map. Residents are urged to call 2-1-1 for all non-emergency calls and visit www.sdcountyemergency.com for updates online. Residents who have evacuated with large animals can take them to Cloverdale Ranch, 2460 Cloverdale Road, in Escondido. Two other shelters for large animals closed after receiving no animals, according to the County. Residents impacted by the fires who need help with their animals should call the County Department of Animal Services emergency line at 619-236-2341.
READER’S EDITORIAL: GREATER DENSITIES INCREASE FIRE DANGER TO EAST COUNTY RESIDENTS
An open letter to Supervisor Dianne Jacob By Lou Russo Photo: Alpine fire April 14, photo by Billy Ortiz April 14, 2014 (Alpine) — As I watched the news today, and as I watch the City of Carlsbad news conference, a flood of memories return. In particular, I am reminded of the Cedar fire, but also all the places currently at risk; e.g. Fallbrook, San Marcos, Bonsall, Camp Pendleton. I spent over 20 years in that area, including years off Hwy 76 in Oceanside, near Bonsall. Many of those cc’d on this email lived through the Viejas, Cedar, Horse, etc. fires here in Eastern Alpine; many of them lost their homes. As I write this, Jim Easterling has forwarded to the Alpine Community Planning Gruop (ACPG) members that Alpine currently has one, let me repeat that, one fire truck left in Alpine…the rest have all left to support other agencies. As I type this, out my back window I can see the wind traveling west, right down the Sweetwater River canyon…which borders Cleveland National Forest and all its fuel. As I write this, there is currently a fire in Lakeside, a few exits down the freeway. Earlier today, Interstate 15, Highways 76 and 78 were closed. Traffic on Interstate 5 was at a crawl. As you are aware, these are all multi-lane arteries. Let me repeat that…the largest transportation arteries in the County were parking lots. (Interstate 8 here is two lanes each way and Alpine Blvd is a total of two lanes.) The City of Carlsbad is reporting that 8 homes, three businesses and a condo complex have been lost so far. A city! A city with good streets, large fire department and fire hydrants! As you are aware, from the minority letter I sent you regarding the ACPG final input for the former FCI lands (input from the ACPG that had densities 60% greater than what the residents of Eastern Alpine approved as their input) that the former vice chair, now chairman made a series of statements that were untrue. One of those statements to the group, that influenced their vote, was that dense development prevents/stops wildfires. We see before our eyes today that that is completely false. It was false when he made it, and it is being proven false as I type. As we move toward the vote on the part of the BOS, the residents here in Eastern Alpine want you to know that our density recommendations push the limit of firefighting capabilities, road access/egress and a myriad of other factors put forth by your staff. The ACPG recommendation BOS will see does NOT represent the residents and quite frankly, as we see today, puts us in Eastern Alpine at severe risk from fires. Look to the east of us Dianne. It’s ALL fuel. Look at the way the winds blow during these Santa Ana’s. It’s directly from this fuel to our homes. Look at the topography. It’s stacked against us for fires. Finally, look at the road structure. We will be lucky to get out. We CANNOT live with the densities the developers/realtors/builders on the ACPG majority want. TODAY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY THE PROOF IS IN FRONT OF OUR EYES! Lou Russo is a member of the Alpine Community Planning Group. The opinions in this editorial reflect the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine. To submit an editorial for consideration, contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org.