HEARTLAND FIRE & RESCUE RESERVE FIREFIGHTER ACADEMY NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
July 26, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)–Heartland Fire & Rescue, serving the Cities of El Cajon, La Mesa and Lemon Grove, is currently accepting applications for the reserve portion of the Heartland Fire Academy through August 7, 2015. Applications will be accepted between 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at 100 E. Lexington Avenue in El Cajon. A reserve firefighter is an auxiliary position with Heartland Fire & Rescue Fire Department. It’s an excellent opportunity for those interested in a fire service career to get hands-on experience while also giving back to the community. Participation as a reserve neither implies nor guarantees an offer of employment with the Heartland Fire & Rescue Fire Department; however, it is a valuable resume builder toward a firefighting career. After successful completion of the reserve academy, the reserve firefighter is expected to continue personal growth through required monthly training classes, training assignments and ride-along experience. During the ride-along shift, reserves will be assigned as part of an engine company or paramedic unit and experience first-hand, firefighting, medical aids, rescue calls and other public service activities. Reserve firefighters also gain experience through participation in fire prevention and fire education programs. For additional information, such as minimum requirements, visit www.heartlandfire.org and click on “Jobs.” Applicants are encouraged to refer to these websites frequently for updated information.
ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS FACE TRIAL FOR VANDALIZING FURS NATIONWIDE, INCLUDING SAN DIEGO AND EAST COUNTY
July 26, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)—Two animal rights activists have been apprehended in Oakland and will face trial in San Diego for vandalizing furs across the nation, including locations in San Diego and East County. They face charges under the Conspiracy to Violate the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. The U.S. Attorney’s office in San Diego announced Friday that Joseph Buddenberg, 31, and Nicole Kissane, 28 are charged with terrorizing the fur industry during cross-country road trips in which they released thousands of minks from farms, destroyed breeding records, freed a bobcat from a Montana farm and vandalized numerous properties including in California. Prosecutors allege the two drove to San Diego two years ago and used paint, paint stripper, a super glue-type substance, butyric acid, muriatic acid and glass etchant to vandalize Furs by Graf, a retail furrier located in San Diego. The activists also allegedly damaged the Spring Valley and La Mesa homes and personal property of current and former owners of the fur business, according to the indictment. To publicize their actions, the defendants drafted “communiques” describing their conduct and posted them on websites associated with more extreme animal rights organizations, the indictment alleges. The defendants allegedly slashed the tires of a meat distributor’s truck in San Francisco; smashed windows and glued the door locks at a furrier business in Minneapolis; and vandalized and attempted to flood the Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, home of an employee of North American Fur Auctions. “Whatever your feelings about the fur industry, there are legal ways to make your opinions known,” said U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy. “The conduct alleged here, sneaking around at night, stealing property and vandalizing homes and businesses with acid, glue and chemicals, is a form of domestic terrorism and can’t be permitted to continue.” The defendants took a number of steps to avoid detection by law enforcement, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. According to prosecutors, the pair withdrew large sums of cash from their bank accounts immediately before setting off on a road trip, largely avoided the use of phones, and used only cash for purchases. They also stopped logging in to known online accounts and email, using public Internet computers and encrypted email instead, prosecutors said. The pair also sold allegedly sold items on e-bay to finance their travels. The indictments are “the result of several FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces around the country,” said Eric Birnbaum, special agent in charge of the FBI’’s San Diego Field Office. He adds, “The FBI and our JTTF partners will continue to investigate and seek the prosecution of those who engage in similar criminal conducdt for the purpose of advancing their own personal agenda.”
MAN SHOT IN SPRING VALLEY
July 26, 2015 (Spring Valley ) – Shortly after midnight Saturday morning, July 25th, Sheriff’s deputies from the Rancho San Diego station responded to a report of a shooting at an apartment at 1034 Leland Street. Deputies found a 55-year-old man inside who had suffered a gunshot wound to his legs. The victim was transported by paramedics to Scripps Mercy Hospital, where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries. According to the reporting party, several gunshots were heard just prior to the victim collapsing to the ground. No suspect is in custody at this time. If you have information, you can call the Sheriff’s non-emergency line at (858)565-5200. You can also remain anonymous and be eligible for up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest by calling Crime Stoppers at (88)580-8477.
RAIN TO RETURN
East County News Service July 26, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)–Enjoy the sunny weather while it lasts. Thunderstorms and rain are apt to return to San Diego County this week, the National Weather Service predicts. A high pressure build up in the Four Corners region is forecast to bring a humid monsoonal flow to Southern California starting Wednesday. Rainy weather coming into our region from the southeast could last until the weekend. Mountains and desert areas are most apt to have stormy weather, particularly in the evenings.
HEAD-ON COLLISION KILLS 2 IN LAKESIDE
East County News Service Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News July 26, 2015 (Lakeside)—A head-on crash on Lakeside’s Wildcat Canyon Road near Blue Sky Ranch killed two people early this morning, the California Highway Patrol reports. A Saturn sedan with three people inside crossed over the center line, smashing into a Toyota Camry with two people in the vehicle around 5 a.m. The fatalities were two of the people in the Saturday. The three other people involved in the crash were transported to a hospital with moderate to major injuries. Our news partner, 10 News, reports that Wildcat Canyon Road was closed for four hours in both directions during an investigation. The two fatalities are reportedly brothers.