ECM PADRES REPORT: PADRES GET 3-1 SERIES WIN OVER DODGERS WITH 6-4 WIN
Printer-friendly version Like our sports coverage? Donate to help support ECM’s sports section! Type “Sports” on the donation line! Follow @ECMagSports on Twitter for live sports coverage and stories! Story by Liz Alper Photo via @Padres on Twitter September 3, 2017 (San Diego) – You know those pop songs that talk about what a great day it is? Like #PerfectDay that’s on The Nut Job 2 credits? That was probably what the Padres were singing yesterday as they swept the Dodgers in a day-night doubleheader and took a 2-1 series lead. Now it was time to take the series today with Alex Wood on the mound for the Dodgers against Jhoulys Chacin. They got off to a good start. Jose Pirela scored when Wil Myers stole second in the first and the Padres took a 1-0 lead. The bare minimum of effort was good enough until the fourth inning when Chris Taylor took Chacin yard with a sky high home run to center to tie the game. Justin Turner gave the Dodgers their first lead with an RBI double that scored Curtis Granderson for a 2-1 lead. Oooh, the Padres were mad about that. After a leadoff double by Matt Szczur in the home half of the fourth, Erick Aybar launched a two-run homer and with two swings of the bat, the Padres were back on top 3-2. Pirela blasted another homer into the upper left field deck in the fifth and the Padres led 4-2. The Dodgers got one back in the seventh when Yasmani Grandal hit a sac fly that scored Cody Bellinger, but the Padres kept the 4-3 lead. More insurance was needed, and Myers came through with a two-RBI single in the seventh and finally kick Wood out of the game. Luis Avilan came in and got the Dodgers out of the inning, but not before the Padres increased their lead to 6-3. Of course, Bellinger can’t go a day without showing off, so he blasted a high last-minute homer in the ninth, but that was nothing as the Padres took the series from the Dodgers 3-1 with a 6-4 win. The Padres are done with the NL West for a little bit and will host the Cardinals for four games starting tomorrow. Game one is a rare Monday day game at 1:40 p.m. Carlos Martinez will start for the Cards against Luis Perdomo. Printer-friendly version
WIND ADVISORY ISSUED AS LIDIA REACHES SAN DIEGO
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery September 3, 2017 (San Diego) — The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory in effect now through 10 p.m. tonight do to remnants of Tropical Storm Lidia, now downgraded to a tropical depression. Thunderstorms and rain are also impacting the region with heaviest rainfall likely on Mt. Laguna, where an inch of rain may fall. Gusty east to southeast winds over and west of the mountains are predicted, up to 45 miles per hour in canyons and foothills of San Diego County mountains. Use caution when driving, especially high profile vehicles. After yesterday’s scorching triple digit heat across the county the heat advisory has been cancelled today. Expect high humidity to remain, however. Printer-friendly version
FEDERAL JUDGE DISMISSES CASE OVER JAMUL CASINO BY FAMILY MEMBERS CLAIMING DESECRATION OF REMAINS
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery Photo: Jamul Indian Village site before the casino September 3, 2017 (Jamul) – U.S. District Judge Kimberly Mueller, Eastern District of California, dismissed on August 29th an amended complaint in Rosales v. Dutschke which sought $4 million in damages for what plaintiffs contend was the illegal and unconstitutional desecration of Native American remains to make way for the Hollywood-Jamul San Diego Casino. The judge had previously rejected earlier claims brought by Walter Rosales and the late Karen Toggery, descendants of the Jamul Indian band of the Kumeyaay nation. They contended their family’s remains were illegally removed from the site. Toggery and her family were forced off the land, their homes razed by the tribe to make way for the casino. Rosales and other plaintiffs had sued officials at the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Penn Gaming, and individual tribal leaders of the Jamul Indian Village, but did not sue the tribe itself, which has immunity under federal law. Judge Mueller’s order dismisses the complaint without option to amend, after earlier ruling against plaintiffs on multiple amended complaints. The judge noted that in resolving the last motion to dismiss, the court “admonished plaintiffs” to comply with a rule requiring that they articulate a “short and plain” statement showing why they believe they are entitled to relief, adding, “This complaint hardly fares any better.” The judge noted that the plaintiffs did not sue the tribe itself, which has sovereign immunity and has not waived that immunity. Judge Mueller noted that tribal leaders are protected by that immunity if conducting their official duties. “Plaintiffs do not specify which defendants intentionally or inadvertently excavated and removed the human remains. Where tribal defendants’ immunity hinges on the nature of their specific conduct, plaintiffs must allege more before the court can assume on a motion to dismiss that Meza, Chamberlain or Pinto excavated or removed any familial remains, and thus are not immune,” the judge wrote. Mueller further dismissed the case against the federal defendants as well, stating, “The JIV is an indispensable party. This case cannot proceed without JIV, and because JIV cannot be joined, this case cannot proceed on the operative complaint.” Toggery, who grew up on the reservation land, died in March of cancer. Her friend, Marcia Spurgeon, remembered her as a “braveheart” who had fiercely opposed the casino as a “believer and followed the old ways of her ancestors.” Kim Hamilton, editor of the Deerhorn Valley Antler, told ECM that a request to bury Toggery’s ashes at the Francis Xavier cemetery at Jamul Indian Village was denied, adding, “Services were at Pius X instead, and all expenses were covered by donations from Jamul residents.” Printer-friendly version
CHIEF’S CORNER: STRUCTURE TRIAGE DURNG A WILDFIRE
Printer-friendly version By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna September 3, 2017 (San Diego) — Have you ever wondered how firefighters determine which homes to defend and which ones we don’t during a wildfire? As firefighters, we lay out our plans for the tactical operations before a brush fire by pre-planning our districts. During a brush fire, it’s imperative that we make quick but well-thought-out decisions that reflect life safety issues for both responders and citizens first, followed by property conservation. Structure Triage is ‘generally’ when strike teams (5 same type vehicles and a leader) prepare and set up and defend homes prior to an advancing fire-front approaches (there are times when single resources can/do structure protection). The strike team leader strategically directs what resources he/she wants and where to place the resources at the structures they are assigned to protect. Hopefully by demonstrating how we determine the safest way to protect your property as first responders, you’ll learn how to help us – help you! If we look at structures during a brush fire the same way we do towards patients during medical calls with multiple patients, our training teaches us to categorize the patients or homes in ways that allow us to most effectively and safely care for and protect them. Green category: These properties could be likened to the “walking wounded.” The homeowners have put effort into mitigating the hazards of these structures, so they will more than likely survive the event without extensive firefighting efforts or intervention. These homes are often built out of fire-resistive materials and landscaping, and they’ll have a good amount of survivable space around them, will be visible from the street, and feature good ingress and egress routes. With these types of homes, we can focus our efforts on simply stopping the fire from encroaching on the property, if needed. These types of properties can also act as possible safety areas for our folks if crews need to pull back and wait for the fire to pass. Yellow category: These homes may need some attention from an engine company that includes moving flammable lawn furniture away from the property or removing a wood pile from near the structure. Access may be a little more limited, as the driveway may be long or narrow, making it difficult for apparatus to pass each other. And these homes may need some routine patrols during or after the fire front has passed. If enough resources are on hand, it may be wise to station an engine at the location to extinguish any small fires that could ignite from embers in the air. As with the green category, these types of properties won’t have many issues, so they may also be considered for use as a safety zone, as firefighters may be able to ride out a blow-up without too much trouble. Red category: These are the immediate patients that will require some fast, effective work on our part in a short period of time. This may entail physically removing hazards, such as the wood piles, “stuff” that people collect around their homes or actual fuels, such as trees and/or brush that may be growing near or up against the home. Unlike the previous categories, with these homes, we will need to ask the question, will the amount of time and resources needed to protect this home really make a difference in its survivability? More than likely, these areas will not serve as safety zones, so crews will have to get in, get their work done and get out in time to get to a safety zone or move on to the next victim. Further, these types of homes will definitely need attention after the fire event. Crews will need to be able to go back as soon as possible to clean up around these structures, as more than likely there will be some lingering issues either from collateral fires or embers lodged in vents or decks. Black category: Unfortunately, these are the dead and the dying in the triage system. These structures simply cannot be saved. The homeowner has not done anything to mitigate hazards, the home may be built mid-slope or at the top of a chimney or chute, and there may be only one means of ingress/egress, but it’s often overgrown with vegetation, which makes it impossible for apparatus to use. There is no safety zone or any way for firefighters to retreat quickly if needed. Simply put, these homes will require too much time, effort, resources and risk to affect any positive outcome. Just as in medical triage, given the conditions, we must commit our resources to other structures and places that we think we will have a positive outcome. We simply cannot risk harm to our firefighters if the homeowners haven’t taken responsibility for their home’s safety and survivability. Which patient does your property categorize in? It might be a good time for that “checkup” and keep you and your property healthy! Remember: Structural triage is much like medical triage when it comes to deciding where to dedicate our efforts. Most importantly, we maintain situational awareness at all times and think decisively—remember that possessions are important, but they’re not worth yours or a firefighter’s life. Printer-friendly version
VEHICLE FROM RAMONA FOUND DOWN EMBANKMENT IN POWAY WITH WOMAN DEAD AT SCENE
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery September 2, 2017 (Ramona) — A blue 1997 GEO metro vehicle registered in Ramona was found down an embankment off westbound Poway Road, where it came to rest against two trees. After a passerby reported the vehicle, deputies searched for victims and found a dead woman who had been ejected, near an open driver’s side door. Deputies believe the accident most likely occurred several days ago, due to the condition of the deceased, said Sergeant Andrew Mowins. The woman will be identified by the Medical Examiner’s examination. The Poway Station Traffic Division is handling the investigation. If anyone has information about the accident, please call the Poway Sheriff’s Station Traffic Investigator line at 858-513-2811. Printer-friendly version
NINE DAMS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY RANKED BELOW SATISFACTORY ON SAFETY, NEWLY RELEASED STATE DATA REVEALS
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery Photo by Billy Ortiz: El Capitan Dam in Lakeside, ranked “fair” for safety, has an “extremely high “downstream hazard status for potential loss of life and property damage. September 2, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – The State of California on Friday released data on dam safety in California which found nine percent of dams statewide fall below satisfactory and could pose potential hazards in severe storms or earthquakes—including nine dams in San Diego County. The data previously, kept secret due to terrorism concerns, was disclosed after the Oroville dam spillway failure triggered concerns raised by the public and media, including East County Magazine, which recently put in a request for dam safety data in San Diego. A report with listings by county reveals that of 54 dams in San Diego County, nine are listed in “fair” condition and the rest are in satisfactory, the highest rating. No local dams were ranked poor or unsatisfactory. But “fair” is not a passing grade when it comes to dams. Fair means the dams are likely to hold up under normal capacity but could have problems in an earthquake or with excessive precipitation, so improvements are needed to assure public safety. The dams rated fair locally are at reservoirs at Lake Barrett, El Capitan in lakeside, Lake Hodges, Lake Morena in Campo, Mt. Woodson in Ramona, Lake Murray, Savage Dam at Otay, Sweetwater Main dam in Bonita, and Lake Wohlford in Escondido. Of those 9 dams listed in fair condition locally, eight also have downstream hazards rated “extremely high” meaning “considerable” loss of human life and property is likely. The extremely high risk classification is given to dams that may impact highly populated areas or critical infrastructure, or that have short evacuation times. One, Mt. Woodson, has a “high” downstream hazard. Four of the local dams are listed as receiving additional spillway evaluation. They are El Capitan, Lake Hodges, Morena, and Savage. Statewide, 94 dams are on the additional spillway evaluation list. Some of the dams with a “fair” rating have reservoirs that have been mostly drained by the city of San Diego to meet its water supply needs, such as Morena and Barrett, at 8% and 36% capacity currently, according to records from the city of San Diego. Six years of drought also drained down water through evaporation, though heavy winter rains partially replenished water levels. Some are nearly full, such as Lake Murray at 89%, while others, such as El Capitan at 37% capacity, are far from full. But even when only partially filled, an earthquake could pose risks to those downstream in some areas if a dam were to rupture. More extreme storms due to climate change could also heighten risks from in the past. Most of these dams with potential problems locally are owned by the City of San Diego. Mt. Woodson is owned by Ramona Municipal Water District, Sweetwater Main by the Sweetwater Authority, and Lake Wohlford by the City of Escondido. 10 News ran a story on the $7.5 million upgrades at Sweetwater, a concrete dam built in 1888 and recently deemed “unsafe.” The Sweetwater dam is 112 feet high and 700 feet wide. Of greatest concern in East County is the El Capitan Dam in Lakeside, a hydraulic fill dam made of rocks, built in 1934. The dam is 237 feet tall and 1,170 feet wide, but no longer meets state standards. ECM has requested additional information on the 9 local dams that failed to receive satisfactory ratings, including the 4 slated for spillway evaluations, to learn why and find out what steps are planned to make them safer. Printer-friendly version
ECM PADRES REPORT: PADRES SWEEP DOUBLEHEADER WITH DODGERS AND TAKE SERIES LEAD
Printer-friendly version Like our sports coverage? Donate to help support ECM’s sports section! Type “Sports” on the donation line! Follow @ECMagSports on Twitter for live sports coverage and stories! Story by Liz Alper Photo via @Padres on Twitter September 2, 2017 (San Diego) – In the nightcap of today’s doubleheader, Yu Darvish started against Jordan Lyles, another new face from the Padres. The Dodgers weren’t getting fooled this time. Justin Turner doubled in the first to score Curtis Granderson and the Dodgers took a 1-0 lead. Funny how a lot can change in three hours. But Hector Sanchez made things right again in the Padres’ half of the first with a sac groundout to tie the game. But Adrian Gonzalez, the former Padre, singled up the middle to bring Turner home and give the Dodgers the lead again, 2-1. But as we did this afternoon, we went back and forth tonight. Carlos Asuaje hit a home run in the Padres’ half of the third to tie the game once more. This time, they took it a bit further. Sanchez singled to right to score Erick Ayba. Matt Szczur added the big one with a single to right with the bases loaded, giving him two RBIs and the Padres took a big 5-2 lead. A few more runs for good measure came in the seventh when Yangervis Solarte, who hit a walk-off home run in the afternoon game, singled to score Sanchez and Jose Pirela hit a two-RBI single of his own for a 7-2 Friars win and the Padres sweep the doubleheader day and take a 2-1 series lead. The finale is tomorrow at 1:40 p.m. Alex Wood starts for the Dodgers against Jhoulys Chacin. Printer-friendly version
AZTECS DEFEAT UC DAVIS IN SEASON OPENER
Printer-friendly version Like our sports coverage? Donate to help support ECM’s sports section! Type “Sports” on the donation line! Follow @ECMagSports on Twitter for live sports coverage and stories! Story by Liz Alper Photo: Rashaad Penny rushed for 197 yards. Courtesy goaztecs.com September 2, 2017 (San Diego) – College football is back and the San Diego State Aztecs are the only football team left in San Diego. This season, they’re stepping up to the plate and are ready to #Win22. Tonight in week 1, they faced UC Davis. They got off to a good start in the first quarter with junior John Baron II’s field goal. Senior tailback Rashaad Penny broke the game open with a 61-yard rushing touchdown and the Aztecs led 10-3 after one. Sophomore tight end Kahale Warring kicked off the second with a touchdown and Penny scored his second rushing touchdown of the game and the Aztecs went to halftime up big, 24-3. In the third, the freshman wide out Isaiah Richardson showed what he can do with a 21-yard touchdown reception. Sophomore running back Juwan Washington punched it in after the Aztecs strung together a 99-yard drive downfield to give the Aztecs a 38-3 lead after three. UC Davis scored twice, but the Aztecs prevailed with a big win in week one to get the season rolling. Your final score from the Q: 38-17 SDSU. Next week, the Aztecs go to Arizona to face Arizona State. Kickoff is at 8:00 p.m. next Saturday. Box Postgame notes Postgame quotes Printer-friendly version
BORDER FIRE NEAR DULZURA IS 75% CONTAINED
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery, East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts Photo, left: Cal Fire, 9/2/2017 Photo, below right: Paula Maness, 9/1/2017 September 2, 2017 (Dulzura) – The Border Fire south of Dulzura is now 75 percent contained and has charred an estimated 130 acres, according to Cal Fire. The brush fire began yesterday along Highway 94 near Marron Valley Road.It is currently spreading to the northeast and is not expected to impact populations. Firefighters will remain on scene constructing containment lines and mopping up hot spots. Approximately 220 fire personnel have been battling the blaze, which has utilized 20 fire engines, 10 fire crews from multiple agencies, 2 helicopters and 3 bulldozers, as well as 7 water tenders. A Cal Fire helicopter had a hard landing yesterday but the pilot escaped without injury. Cause of the hard landing is under investigation. Cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Sign up for free East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts via email at the top right side of our homepage, and you can also receive a free weekly e-newsletter with top news and events. You can also follow EastCountyAlert on Twitter for short text alerts on your mobile phone. Printer-friendly version
BRUSH FIRE HALTED IN LAKESIDE
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery, East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts Photos: Robert E. Younger September 2, 2017 (Lakeside) – A vehicle fire on Wildcat Canyon Road ignited dry brush, just north of Muth Valley Road and south of Pata Ranch Road. Named the Ranch Fire, it charred an estimated three-quarters of an acre this evening before forward spread was halted, Cal Fire reports. Cal Fire and San Diego County helicopters provided air support to ground crews from Barona and Lakeside Fire departments, says Robert E. Younger, a resident of Wildcat Canyon in Lakeside who lives directly across from the blaze. Sign up for free East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts at the top right side of our homepage to receive free alerts via email. You can also receive a free weekly e-newletter with top news and events each week. Also follow EastCountyAlert on Twitter for brief text alerts on your mobile phone. Printer-friendly version