SDG&E AWARDS SAFETY GRANTS TO MORE THAN A DOZEN COMMUNITIES IN SAN DIEGO’S EAST COUNTY
Contribution provides critical support for community fire preparedness and prevention programs By Stephanie Donovan Photo: getting prepared; on July 14, SDG&E hosted a breakfast at the utility’s Kearny Mesa headquarters to distribute dozens of grants to support community partners focused on fire and emergency preparedness. John Sowers, SDG&E’s vice president of electric distribution operations, applauded the efforts of these grassroots groups to help improve regional safety. July 21, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – More than a dozen East County community-based organizations dedicated to fire and emergency-preparedness programs recently received a financial boost, thanks to a $900,000 grant from San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). SDG&E distributed the grants July 14 to more than 80 representatives of San Diego County Fire Safe Councils, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and other regional safety partners. “Safety is paramount at SDG&E, and we will continue to partner with state and local fire agencies, first responders, and weather experts to enhance overall fire preparedness in the region,” said John Sowers, vice president of electric distribution operations. Among those receiving grants: the Lakeside Fire Protection District (FPD) CERT, the CERT for Deer Springs and the Julian-Cuyamaca FPD, the East County and the San Diego Rural CERT, the De Luz CERT and the De Luz Volunteer Fire Department, along with Fire Safe Councils in Harrison Park, Potrero/Tecate, Crest, Cuyamaca Woods, Mount Laguna, Outer Jamul, Pine Valley, the Real East County Fire Safe Council and the Back Country Land Trust of San Diego County. SD&GE awarded the grants as part of SAFE San Diego, the utility’s philanthropic initiative aimed at supporting non-profit organizations dedicated to disaster preparedness, emergency response training, wildfire education, and defensible space assistance programs. Many of these safety groups depend on volunteers and are located throughout the communities served by the utility. Other groups that received grants: 2-1-1 San Diego Disaster Program, the Burn Institute, the Forest Fire Lookout Association and nearly a dozen sovereign nations in San Diego County. “On behalf of SDG&E, I couldn’t be more proud to be a champion for these smaller, volunteer-based organizations, who clearly feel strongly about helping their community and their neighbors,” said Sowers. “In many instances, these are the people who are among the first responders when there’s an emergency, such as a wildfire or earthquake.”
FULL CLOSURE OF STATE ROUTE 67 IN LAKESIDE SCHEDULED FOR TWO WEEKENDS
Source: Caltrans news release July 21, 2016 (San Diego) – Construction crews will close northbound State Route 67 (SR-67) from Winter Gardens Boulevard to Lakeside Avenue and southbound SR-67 from Lakeside Avenue to Mapleview Street Friday, July 22, and Saturday, July 23 from nine at night until 11 the following morning. Mapleview Street at SR-67 will also be closed intermittently during these hours. Motorists are advised to expect delays and to avoid the area if possible. The same closures will also take place Friday, July 29, and Saturday, July 30. Detours will be signed to assist motorists around the closures. Northbound SR-67 traffic will be directed to exit at Winter Gardens Boulevard then turn left to cross over the highway, right on Industry Road, left on Channel Road, right on Lakeside Avenue and left onto northbound SR-67. Southbound SR-67 traffic will exit at Lakeside Avenue, turn left on Channel Road and right on Industry Road to the Winter Gardens Boulevard on-ramp to southbound SR-67. Mapleview Street traffic will follow the signed local detour. Secondary detours will also be available. The closures are needed to allow crews to reconstruct the asphalt concrete pavement. Follow https://twitter.com/SDCaltrans and visit https://www.facebook.com/CaltransDistrict11 to keep current on transportation information in San Diego and Imperial counties.
HEAT ADVISORY FOR THE WEEKEND
East County News Service July 21, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – High pressure will strengthen over Southern California, causing a summer time heatwave to sweep much of the region. The heat advisory is in effect from noon today to 8 p.m. on Saturday. Temperatures are expected to reach 113-117 degrees in the Anza Borrego desert, 100-105 degrees in the valleys and 95-102 degrees in mountains below 5,000 feet. Take extra precautions if you work outside. Wear lightweight and lose-fitting clothing when possible and drink plenty of water. Reschedule strenuous activities for the morning or evening. To reduce risk of heat stroke while outside working, the National Weather Service recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in air-conditioned environments. Find a Cool Zone. Cool Zone information: Cool Zone sites, mostly located in the hottest areas of the county, help older adults and others keep cool and save energy costs. In the summer, the County designates Cool Zone sites, air-conditioned settings where seniors and others can gather. The sites encourage people to share air conditioning during the heat of the day, lowering individual usage and helping to conserve energy for the whole community. Residents can use officially sanctioned Cool Zones to escape the heat and rest up before going back outside. Supervisor Dianne Jacob created the Cool Zone idea out of concern for seniors and disabled persons with health problems that could be complicated by the effects of heat.
PADRES SIGN CUBAN PROSPECT JORGE ONA
By Liz Alper Photo: Youtube screenshot July 20, 2016 (San Diego) – As part of a major project by Padres general manager A.J. Preller to increase the number of international prospects in the Padres’ farm system, the Padres have signed 19-year-old Cuban prospect Jorge Ona for $7 million, the Union Tribune’s Dennis Lin reports. Ona, an outfielder, was declared a free agent by the MLB on Tuesday, is the second Cuban the Padres have signed this month. Left-hander Adrian Morejon signed on July 7. Ona is expected to start in the Padres’ organization next season in single-A Fort Wayne.
SIX HOURS LATER, PADRES STILL CAN’T BEAT CARDS; NOW ONE GAME AWAY FROM BEING SWEPT
By Liz Alper Photo courtesy @Padres on Twitter July 20, 2016 (St. Louis) – After losing earlier today, the Padres looked to rebound in game two of today’s doubleheader. Paul Clemens made his debut as a starter against St. Louis’ Jaime Garcia. The game stayed silent until the third when Jedd Gyorko continued Operation Revenge on the Team That Traded Me with a solo home run—his fifth home run in five games—to give the Cards a 1-0 lead. If you didn’t think Gyorko was serious about his revenge on the Friars, he proved it to you in the fifth with—you guessed it—another homer, this time for two runs and a 3-0 Cards lead. Kemp tried to start a fight back with a solo homer of his own in the sixth to make the score 3-1 Cardinals. The Pads pulled to within one in the seventh with a solo homer from Ryan Schimpf and the Cards’ lead was 3-2. Schimpf becomes the 13th Padre to homer in both games of a doubleheader. But the rally was stopped short there and the Padres would go on to lose by one, 3-2. Game four, the final game of the series, will be an hour earlier tomorrow at 4:15 p.m. The Padres will try and avoid the sweep. There will be a slightly lopsided pitching matchup in Andrew Cashner for San Diego against Adam Wainwright for St. Louis. Transaction News: Padres recall left-hander Keith Hessler from AAA El Paso as 26th man for today’s doubleheader
REPUBLICAN CONVENTION DAY THREE: PENCE ANNOUNCES VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION, CRUZ DOESN’T ENDORSE TRUMP
By Liz Alper Slideshow photo courtesy Gage Skidmore on Wikipedia July 20, 2016 (Cleveland) – As ECM reported last night, Indiana governor Mike Pence formally announced his vice presidential nomination by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on day three of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland tonight. Pence is most known for the national controversy he created last year when he signed into Indiana law a bill that would extend protections to businessess who refuse services to same-sex couples. Trump chose him as his vice presidential running mate last Thursday. The mysterious aura surrounding Trump’s wife, Melania’s speech on Monday night was finally cleared as a longtime staff writer for Trump, Meredith McIver, who has also helped Trump with some of his books, took responsibility for the copied passages. The passages were suspected–and confirmed–to be from current First Lady Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention in 2008. “This was my mistake, and I feel terrible for the chaos I have caused Melania and the Trumps as well as to Mrs. Obama,” McIver wrote. “No harm was meant.” Former presidential candidate and Texas senator Ted Cruz spoke Wednesday night and what he had to say was earth-shattering; Cruz withheld his endorsement of Trump, who later walked out onstage and flashed a thumbs-up gesture at the crowd. Other speakers included Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, former House speaker Newt Gingrich, talk radio host Laura Ingraham, Pence and Trump’s son, Eric.