FLASH FLOOD ALERTS and ROAD CLOSURES IN EAST COUNTY; FIRE IN BORREGO
Update 2:45 p.m.: Viejas Grade in Alpine is closed at Willows due to an ATV accident with injuries. Photo by Brett Staubaum: Smoke from Borrego tree farm fire and thunderheads overhead August 21, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)–The National Weather Service has issued two separate flash flood alerts due to thunderstorms in the East County. This is the second day in a row of stormy weather; yesterday over 200 lightning strikes occurred countywide, including 95 on land and 129 over coastal waters. The first storm cell today was reported about 23 miles south of Borrrego Springs, and the cell is nearly stations. It is producing flooding on sections of the S-1, (Sunrise Highway), as well as Pine Valley. Some of these areas were burned during the Chariot Fire, so there is a danger of mudslides as well. There is a second cell that is affecting I-8 and it is slowly moving towards the Mexican border. Both alerts are to remain in place until three this afternoon. In addition, CHP reports a lightning fire in Borrego at the Borrego tree farm; a road closure in the area has been lifted now. Sign up for free Viejas Wildfire & Emergency Alerts via e-mail at the top right side of our homepage and also receive a free weekly newsletter from East County Magazine with top news each week. You can also follow ViejasAlerts on Twitter for brief text alerts on your mobile phone.
SYCUAN TO HOST 25TH ANNUAL POW-WOW SEPT. 5 – 7
August 19, 2014 (El Cajon)—The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation will host its 25th annual pow-wow on September 5-7 at the Sycuan reservation in El Cajon. A pow-wow is a celebration and a time for people to join together, sing, dance, renew old friendships and make new ones. Traditionally, pow-wows also welcomed the beginning of life in springtime and provided a place for young people to meet and court. Today, dancers and singers from tribes across the nation come to compete for prize money as well as keep up relationships. Only registered contestants may participate in the dancing contests—but everyone can take part when an intertribal dance is announced – visitors included. Dancers are in the center of a circle, with the audience forming a larger circle around them to bring together the community and culture. There are no spectators at a pow-wow, Sycuan’s website states. Everyone is a participant.
PRESCOTT PROMENADE PARK & OTHER ATTRACTIONS IN DOWNTOWN EL CAJON
201 East Main St. – El Cajon, California, www.ci.el-cajon.ca.us Article & photographs by: Robert Gehr – Copyright Ó 2014 by Robert Gehr August 21, 2014 (El Cajon)–Renovated from the ground up, this wonderful park is located in downtown El Cajon at Main St. & Sulzfeld and features plenty of seating – from benches to grassy areas – for a break from the hustle of life. Shade trees, such as the blue flowering Jacaranda, give relief from the hot sun while street noise fades into the background. Sit quietly long enough, and you may see a variety of birds, including ducks from the waterscape across the street, ravens, hummingbirds and an occasional hawk. A Farmer’s Market is held here every Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. – year round – which features fresh produce from local farms, ethnic cuisine, and live entertainment. Here you will find special events such as: Concerts On The Green. These free music shows held on Friday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. – May 2nd through September 26th – feature a variety of musicians and bands performing for small groups of people under a shaded stage area in an intimate setting. A few hundred to a thousand people may gather to listen. Other random events held at this unique place include: art shows, dancing, local community affairs, and private functions. The park is a green space within the city, and spans Main St. to Douglas. A pedestrian connector to the San Diego County Library and the Ronald Reagan Community Center plus the El Cajon Civic Center is user friendly. It’s a nice place to relax, have a quiet conversation, meditate, or just enjoy a touch of nature’s beauty and a tranquil moment of time. Nearby interests include: a variety of places to eat (some feature live entertainment), a dance / exercise studio, musical instrument supply store, beauty salons, clothing stores, self defense training center,- acupuncture clinic, a well known coffee shop ,popular fitness center, artist studios, a number Middle Eastern businesses, eclectic shops, and more. The park is also a short walk form El Cajon’s City Hall, the County Courthouse and the El Cajon Police Department, which has a gleaming new public safety center as a prominent downtown architectural feature. More attractions: Don’t forget to visit the new Waterscape on Sulzfeld that features a fountain with a stream, and the new Centennial Plaza / Amphitheater (200 Civic Center Way) – which is used for weddings, community and private events, live performances, etc. You can also pay your respects to fallen warriors at the Veteran’s War Memorial. Annual events: Visit Downtown El Cajon, where the free annual Mother Goose Parade is held every November the Sunday before Thanksgiving. This is a very big event, which attracts thousands of people and features many uniquely created, beautiful floats and entertainers. Various television & movie stars, as well as local celebrities are in the spotlight as well. Every year features a new and exciting theme, with past participants returning to display their talents. This is a must see! 2014 schedule: November 23rd from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Celebrity Red Carpet event: 8:00 a.m. Parade begins: 9:00 a.m. America on Main Street will be held on June 14th 2015 – from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. This is the second run of a new annual event. It fills a void where the memorable ‘Friendship Festival’ that was so well known and popular, left off. The debut 2014 event was well received and next year’s should be even bigger and better. Come enjoy the activities and food – embrace cultural diversity! Classic Cruises: Main St. is filled with old ‘classic vehicles’- vintage cars, trucks, motorcycles, and much more on Wednesday nights from 5-8 p.m. during the months of April 23rd through October 29th at the free Cajon Classic Cruise. Each event features a different theme and there is music to entertain you at Prescott Park. Food vendors are sure to satisfy the hungry. HauntFest on Main is October 24th 2015 from 5 to 10 p.m. This is a very popular Halloween celebration with ghouls and goblins roaming about, a scary good time for the entire family! Dress yourself and the kids in a favorite costume and check it out. The Hooleys St. Patrick’s Day Half Marathon 5k – March 15th 2015 brings out the Irish in everyone. This fun filled event begins at 8 a.m. Other attractions: a wine & beer garden, Irish dancers, live music, food, games, and the popular Tribes & Clans competition. Bring the kids and have a good time! Prescott Promenade is the nucleus of these well known downtown events, and more. El Cajon has plenty of free offerings it seems. Places to go and things to do – right here in this small city with a hometown feel. Historical note: Did you know that Main street in El Cajon and old Highway 80 is actually part of Historic U.S. Highway Route 80? Designated as such in 2006 by the State Legislature, it was originally a cross country “road” that connected the Atlantic Coast in Savannah Georgia, to the Pacific Coast in San Diego, California, and many places along the way. Also known as the “Dixie Overland Highway” – it was an all weather route for those traveling across the United States via automobile. East County is an interesting and entertaining place after all!
SHERIFF SEEKS HELP TO SOLVE COLD CASE MURDER: LARRY HARGIS, CAB DRIVER FOUND DEAD IN SPRING VALLEY IN 1970
August 21, 2014 (Spring Valley) — The Sheriff’s Homicide Detail wants your help in solving the murder of Larry Hargis. This case has remained unsolved for more than 40 years. On June 25, 1970, Larry Hargis reported for work at the Yellow Cab Company. During the pre-dawn hours, Hargis radioed the cab company dispatcher to let them know he was driving a customer from 11th and C Streets in downtown San Diego to Spring Valley. He was never heard from again. Later that day, Hargis was found shot to death in a field in the 800 block of Galopago Street in Spring Valley. There was no sign of his cab or wallet. The abandoned cab was later found in the 1200 block of 16th Street in Downtown San Diego. Investigators say robbery was the possible motive in Hargis’ murder. However, no suspect has ever been identified. If you have any information on the murder of Larry Hargis, call the Sheriff’s Homicide Detail at (858) 974-2321. You can also call the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 is being for information that leads to an arrest. Anonymous email and text messages can be sent in via www.sdcrimestoppers.com.
BORDER FIRE PROMPTS CAL FIRE WARNING TO SHOOTERS
August 20, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)—A 20-acre wildland fire on the border caused by target shooting last weekend has prompted CAL-Fire to issue a stern warning: shooting on state lands during these extreme drought conditions is prohibited—and if you start a fire, you can be held liable for firefighting costs. Each year, CAL FIRE experiences an increase in fires caused by recreational shooting across San Diego County. On average, fire suppression costs for shooting related incidents in San Diego County cost over $2 million dollars a year. Fuel conditions are at critically dangerous levels across San Diego County due to the multi-year drought. On June 20th, Cal Fire issued a high fire hazard proclamation making it illegal to discharge a firearm in areas under Cal Fire jurisdiction. Under state law, anyone who negligently or in violation of the law sets a fire, or allows a fire to be set, is liable for the fire suppression costs to fight that fire, as well as any rescue or emergency medical services needed. So if you want to go target shooting, the cost of going to a designated shooting range is minimal compared to the potentially enormous cost you could be responsible for if target shooting illegally on public lands ignites a wildfire.
LANSING SUES COUNTY, LOCAL OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS OVER BOULEVARD LAND HOLDINGS
By Miriam Raftery Photo: Gregory Lansing, testifying in favor of the ECO Substation project at a 2012 CPUC hearing August 20, 2014 (Boulevard) – Lansing Industries and related entities have filed a lawsuit against the County of San Diego and public officials including Supervisors, Boulevard Planning Group Chair Donna Tisdale, Supervisor Dianne Jacob, and County Planning Chair Michael Beck. In addition, the suit names the Endangered Habitat League and two groups fighting to protect rural landowners: Protect Our Communities Foundation and Backcountry Against Dumps (BAD). Greg Lansing and/or his entities acquired Big Country Ranch in 2006 and Empire Ranch in 2007 for a combined 6,280 acres, later adding additional parcels for a grand total of 8,000 acres in rural Boulevard. He proposed grandiose plans to rename the town Jewel Ranch and create a master planned residential community complete with a shopping mall, Vons grocery store, private fire and law enforcement, improved infrastructure, medical facilities and trails, according to minutes of the Boulevard Planning Group from January 3, 2008. After those plans failed to win approval, Lansing, who does not live in Boulevard, later tried unsuccessfully to bring industrial wind or large-scale solar projects to his sites. The suit seeks over $100 million in actual and punitive damage for alleged property loss due to changes in the County General Plan that down-zoned from 1 home per 4 acres to just 1 home per 80 acres. Lansing’s suit claims that the county did not provide adequate opportunity for public input before changing the General Plan and abused its discretion by approving the changes. He accuses Jacob of stating that down-zoning was not a foregone conclusion while instructing staff to prepare only low-density proposals due to water supply concerns. He blames Tisdale for the fact that only 200 of Boulevard’s residents signed a petition asking the County to reject the down-zoning proposal. The suit states that Tisdale authored a letter on behalf of BAD calling Lansing a “snake oil salesman” and that suggestions that claimed he would allow aggregate mining or a prison on the site if his project wasn’t approved were false and intended to intimidate residents. But meetings of minutes from a public meeting, a U-T article from January 2008, as well as recollections of some local residents who attended private meetings held by Lansing with some area residents tell a different story. A January 17, 2008 U-T San Diego article on a contentious Boulevard Planning Group meeting clearly states, “Lansing…warned residents that a prison or dump could be built in Boulevard without a planned development.” The newspaper article indicates that only two people spoke in favor of Lansing’s development plan. One of those was John Gibson, who himself has engaged in some verbal bashing of Tisdale. As ECM previously reported, at a May 2013 hearing by Supervisors on a proposed wind ordinance, Gibson, who represents the Hamann companies and had a vested interest in wind energy development, likened Tisdale and others opposed to wind projects to the Boston Marathon bomber. He stated that opponents of the Wind Energy Ordinance were “like people with a pressure cooker and ball bearings with a bomb, trying to stop the projects…This is economic terrorism.” Residents, however, overwhelmingly gave testimony revealing serious concerns about such projects, suggesting that they were the ones feeling terrorized by large energy developments and landowners who did not show concerns for public health. Lansing himself has testified to the California Public Utilities Commission in favor of both the ECO Substation and Tule Wind project slated for McCain Valley – two projects that are overwhelmingly unpopular with local residents due to the destruction of rural land, heavy water use and in the case of Tule Wind, massive industrialization of a scenic federal, public recreation area. Many voiced concerns about water issues at the 2008 Boulevard meeting, the UT reported. Residents doubted Lansing’s claims that studies showed adequate water. Water has been a hotbed of contention over several major projects in the region and residents have cause for skepticism of developers’ claims. SDG&E used three times more water than it estimated for its recent ECO substation project in the area. More recently, serious credibility doubts have been cast on SOITEC solar’s water use projections made by a company with a track record for missing the mark by a country mile on water usage estimates. Boulevard Planning Group minutes indicate a large turning at the meeting where Lansing made a presentation in January 2008, with the vast majority opposed to the project. Concerns cited included traffic, loss of rural character, water usage, and loss of small businesses if a mall were built. Lansing failed to answer many questions posed. Moreover, the community had voted in slow growth “to keep Boulevard rural,” the group’s minutes state. Charlene Ayers, who runs the Ranter’s Roost discussion group for backcountry issues, said that an August 8, 2008 private barbecue held by Lansing in hopes of wooing support from neighbors was vague on details and that all residents got was “a burnt hotdog.” She added, “He seemed a might disturbed at all the catcalls, interruptions and confrontational statements yelled out from the crowd as he tried to `re-educate’ them to his point of view. Most yelled out that they liked Boulevard that way that it is.” As for water, Ayers wrote that despite promises by Lansing of ample water for his project, “He lied about having done and/or submitted a water study to the County. His paid consultant, Coopersmith from Latitude 33, would not back him up, and said that no water studies had been done therefore none had been submitted to the County…Nothing promises on the invite, barbeque or details of the project, were delivered. That would be a clue as to how much to trust the guy,” said Ayers, who concluded, “Not at all.”
ECM WORLD WATCH: NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NEWS
August 20, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)– East County Magazine’s 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. The 65 people who might run for president in 2016 (The Hill) Obama: Entire world “appalled” at ISIS execution of journalist Foley (The Hill) U.S. tried to rescue hostages in Syria, but couldn’t find them (CBS) Texas Governor Rick Perry turns self in on felony charges (USA Today) Could Islamic militants in Iraq bring their fight to America? (+video) (CS Monitor) Grand jury to mull Michael Brown case (CNN) Shock video: St. Louis cops gun down man (Huffington Post) Government Watchdogs Complain Of Closed Doors Set Up By White House (NPR) INTERNATIONAL Kidnapping westerners is big business (USA Today) Exclusive: Islamic State militants grab new weapon – Iraqi wheat (Reuters) Brazilian Presidential Candidate Campos Dies In Plane Crash (NPR) Rights group says Chinese police open fire on Tibetan protesters (Reuters) For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down. U.S. The 65 people who might run for president in 2016 (The Hill) …Twenty-three Democrats have been mentioned as a candidate or are eyeing a bid, according to an analysis by The Hill. The GOP side has 42. Most of the people on this list won’t run, and some have adamantly claimed that they’re not interested. But many politicians have changed their minds on seeking the White House. Before mounting his 2008 bid, then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) said he wasn’t running. Obama: Entire world “appalled” at ISIS execution of journalist Foley (The Hill) President Obama on Wednesday vowed the United States would remain vigilant in its efforts against Islamist militants in Iraq after the brutal execution of photojournalist James Foley. U.S. tried to rescue hostages in Syria, but couldn’t find them (CBS) President Barack Obama sent special operations troops to Syria this summer on a secret mission to rescue American hostages, including journalist James Foley, held by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, but they did not find them, the Obama administration said Wednesday. Texas Governor Rick Perry turns self in on felony charges (USA Today) Gov. Rick Perry, the longest-serving governor in Texas history, turned himself in amid the cheers of supporters at the Travis County Courthouse on Tuesday to face two felony counts of abuse of power. He was not a contrite defendant. Could Islamic militants in Iraq bring their fight to America? (+video) (CS Monitor) To protect Iraqi civilians, the US has struck Islamic State positions. In response, the militants – including foreign fighters, some of them Westerners – are threatening the US itself. Grand jury to mull Michael Brown case (CNN) Two months. It looks like it might be that long before a local grand jury decides whether to bring charges in the death of Michael Brown — the loud, passionate calls for swift justice notwithstanding. Shock video: St. Louis cops gun down man (Huffington Post) St. Louis Police Release Video Of Kajieme Powell Killing That Appears At Odds With Their Story Government Watchdogs Complain Of Closed Doors Set Up By White House (NPR) Inspectors general complain that they’re being stiffed on the access they need to serve effectively. Four lawmakers are now demanding that the Obama administration comply with transparency requests. INTERNATIONAL Kidnapping westerners is big business (USA Today) The kidnapping of Western journalists, tourists and aid workers has become a multimillion-dollar business in which hostages such as James Foley become pawns for bandits, tribesmen and militant groups looking to make a buck or score ideological points. Exclusive: Islamic State militants grab new weapon – Iraqi wheat (Reuters) After seizing five oil fields and Iraq’s biggest dam, Sunni militants bent on creating an Islamic empire in the Middle East now control yet another powerful economic weapon – wheat supplies. Brazilian Presidential Candidate Campos Dies In Plane Crash (NPR) Eduardo Campos, an economist who was running for president as the leader of the Brazilian Socialist Party, has died in a plane crash southeast of Sao Paulo. He was 49. Rights group says Chinese police open fire on Tibetan protesters (Reuters) Chinese police have opened fire on Tibetan demonstrators in southwestern China, wounding 10 people, after the Tibetans protested against the detention of a respected village leader, a Tibetan rights group said.
WOODSTOCK FOR ASTRONOMY GEEKS: JULIAN’S STARFEST AUGUST 21-23
East County News Service August 21, 2014 (Julian)–The Julian StarFest runs from August 21-August 24 among the grape vines and apple orchards at Menghini Winery in Julian.Anyone can enjoy the Julian StarFest by participating in the free public star party on Saturday, August 23rd. Arrive in Julian between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. and you can enter the StarFest grounds (1150 Julian Orchards Ln, Julian, CA 92036) for free. Take a star tour of the heavens using the many telescopes set up in the viewing area. Experts will be on hand to answer questions about what your looking at and about the telescopes. The Julian StarFest committee and San Diego Astronomy Association use proceeds to purchase telescopes for any schools that request them, aiming to restore astronomy to our education system. Parking is available nearby and we suggest you bring a red light flashlight to guide yourself to the observing area. If you don’t have a red light flashlight, red film will be provided to cover a white light flashlight. Please, no white lights in the observing area. If you wish to take part in the drawing at 5:00 p.m., you must arrive before 5:00 p.m. and pay regular admission prices.
UNDER FIRE FROM WILDLIFE OFFICIALS, DESERT SOLAR CO. CLAIMS NEUTERING CATS IS CURE FOR BURNING BIRDS
By Miriam Raftery August 20, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)—U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service officials have warned California this month that solar-tower technology used at Ivanpah and proposed by BrightSource near Joshua Tree National Park on the California-Arizona border have the “highest lethality potential” of all desert solar technologies. The warning comes after Ivanpah, the first facility to use the concentrated solar technology, was found to be burning birds alive, Associated Press reports. The proposed site is on a flight path for birds migrating from the Colorado River to the Salton Sea and is richer in bird life than Ivanpah—including protected peregrine falcons and Golden Eagles. Wildlife experts have also raised concern that the vast sea of shimmering solar panels is actually attracting waterfowl. In addition, some officials have called these solar fields “mega traps” for birds because the power towers attract insects on which some birds feed. Bright Source’s proposed mitigation to offset bird deaths has drawn scoffs from wildlife experts. The company proposes to fund spaying and neutering feral cats, which one government study found kill over 1.4 billion birds each year. However stray cats customarily stalk small birds—not eagles, falcons, or waterfowl such as ducks, geese and pelicans. Moreover, Kevin Emmerich at Basin and Range Watch, an environmental advocacy group, observes wryly, “You never see herds of feral cats in the desert. Anytime someone’s cat spends the night outside, the coyotes get fed well. So cats are not killing birds anywhere close to the power towers.” Incineration of birds in flight is so common over the Ivanpah facility that workers have dubbed the tormented birds “streamers” as they fall from the sky in flames, dead or dying a tortuous death. Federal wildlife authorities want bird deaths to be tracked for a year to assess the toll during the migration season at Ivanpah, while research continues on options. But for now, biologists say there is no known way to save birds from the lethal concentrated solar flux technology – except to not build the projects and to decommission the one recently opened.
COMMUNITY RALLIES TO HELP RAMONA MARINE WHO LOST LEGS IN AFGHANISTAN EXPLOSION
By Miriam Raftery August 20, 2014 (Ramona)–On August 9th, Brandon Dodson’s life changed forever. The Marine Corps Staff Sergeant from Ramona was on combat patrol in Hemand Provice, Iraq when an Improvised Explosive Device, or IED detonated. He lost both legs and suffered other serious injuries including a fractured pelvis, broken tailbone and broken hand, KPBS reports. Sgt. Dodson, a graduate of Ramona High School in 2003, is married and has a 20-month-old son. To help the family, Dodson’s buddy in the Marine Corps, Dave Smith, has set up a webpage at GoFundMe.com. So far, it has raised almost $100,000 from a thousand different donors. To donate, you can visit http://www.gofundme.com/SsgBrandonDodson . The site also has an address where you can send letters to cheer up this wounded warrior. This was his fifth deployment, including service in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Dodson’s parents, his wife Jasmine, and 20-month-old son Indiana have all traveled to Walter Reed Hospital in Maryland, where Dodson is hospitalized. Smith writes that Dodson: “ is hands down one of the best Marines I have ever seen in combat and is the type of leader who makes the Marine Corps great, upholding all of the values we aspire to.” He also posted some encouraging news on Dodson’s progress. “He is opening his eyes more and beginning to hold longer conversations. His wounds are healing well although he still has quite a long road ahead of him.”