STOP COTTONWOOD SAND MINE ORGANIZERS SAY DRAFT EIR IS “FLAWED,” FAILS TO ADDRESS MAJOR IMPACTS ON COMMUNITY
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery Updates: The deadline for public comments has been extended to Feb. 28 at 4 p.m. Send comments to Robert Hingtgen at Robert.Hingtgen@sdcounty.ca.gov. The Jan. 12 meeting referenced in the video has been cancelled due to COVID-19. The Jan. 19 virtual meeting will still be held. January 11, 2022 (Rancho San Diego) – The Draft Environmental Impact Report for the proposed Cottonwood Sand Mining project fails to address serious impacts to the community, say organizers of the Stop Cottonwood Sand Mine effort– and they are urging the public to speak out. “We believe the Project DEIR is a flawed document that does not adequately analyze the significant impacts of the Project to the people, wildlife, water, air, and roads of the community,” Elizabeth Urquhart stated in an email to ECM. “The DEIR does not propose adequate mitigation or alternatives to address those impacts.” Barry Jantz contends the project is also incompatible with the county’s general plan as well as the Valle de Oro Community Plan, thus also violating the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). In an exclusive interview with ECM aired on KNSJ, Urquhart and Jantz, organizers of efforts to oppose the massive project, shared their concerns and urged the public to speak out at virtual public meetings or via email before the February 14 deadline for public comment. Project description The project proposed by New West Investments seeks to mine sand on 251 of the 280-acre site occupied by Cottonwood Golf Course along the Sweetwater River in Rancho San Diego. The developer contends the aggregate sand is needed for concrete used in roadways and construction projects. The mining would be done in phases over the next 10-12 years, followed by reclamation that would take several more years to restore the property. The site is adjacent to homes and a federal wildlife preserve, also close to schools and businesses. Draft EIR highlights The draft EIR found aesthetics, or views, to be the only serious impact that can’t be mitigated. It found mitigation measures could reduce impacts to be less than significant for biological and cultural resources, noise, and paleontological resources. Astoundingly, it found the project would not have any potential significant impact (meaning no mitigation would be needed) on air quality, energy, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use and planning, transportation/traffic, agriculture, forestry resources, geology and soils, mineral resources, population and housing, public services, recreation, utilities and service systems, and wildfires. Experts sought “It’s important for us to reach out to experts that we know in the community and across San Diego to assist us with responding to the EIR,” Urquhart says. The Sierra Club, Audobon Society, a hydrology expert, biologists, construction professionals and others are assisting in that review. The group has outreached to a local tribe but is seeking a cultural resources expert to review the draft EIR. “That’s definitely an area of need,” Urquhart told ECM. Key concerns over community impacts “We’re going to have a hauling truck going by every two minutes,” Urquhart says. The trucks will run Mondays through Fridays from around 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with sand processing starting at 7 a.m. utilizing heavy equipment. “That won’t be mitigated,” Urquhart notes. That’s 176 trips, or 88 round trips, daily. In addition, 18 large trucks will be lined up along Willow Glen waiting to pick up sand. Jantz says two new entrances will enable trucks to make left turns several times each hour onto Willow Glen, an already heavily trafficked roadway with congestion near Steele Canyon High School. “As soon as you have an emergency…paramedics or fire needing to respond, there is definitely potential for delay,” he says. Delays could also impact residents evacuating during a major wildfire. Noise is another concern. The developer has proposed barriers 8-12 feet high. But Urquhart says residents live at various elevations in the valley and along the river, including some with homes next door to the proposed mining site. “You can’t mitigate all of it,” she maintains. Although the project is directly upstream from the Sweetwater National Wildlife Refuge, the developer has proposed little to minimize impacts on threatened and endangered species in the preserve other than moving back operations from certain nesting birds “to the extent feasible.” Urquhart opines, “It’s going to be whatever the heck they want, without regard to the biological impacts.” There are also health concerns. “This sand has the ability to cause Valley Fever and other respiratory diseases,” says Urquhart, adding that the site is very close to Jamul Elementary School and a park used by local sports teams. Respiratory ailments also pose potential to aggravate existing lung problems, such as those experienced by some survivors of COVID-19. The draft EIR claims the project won’t impact recreation, even though it eliminates a golf course. Jantz notes the site “is zoned for recreation use,” adding that he believes the projects is not compatible with existing land uses. The Valle de Oro community plan “wants to retain a unique balance of urban, semi-rural, agricultural and open space land uses. New development must conserve natural resources and topography” Jantz notes. The developer claims it will comply with those requirements by ultimately restoring the land once the project is completed. But Jantz caused that logic flawed, stating, “If someone has a child going into kindergarten at the beginning of this, that child will be going into college at the end.” Jantz concedes the need for aggregate sand for construction projects. But he contends, “Just because something is needed doesn’t mean it’s appropriate to mine it anywhere.” Urquhart recalls when the developer gave a presentation to the Valle de Oro planning group several years ago. “They were asked to show us a similar project, an industrial sand mind in the middle of a residential area with homes, businesses, schools and senior centers…they couldn’t name one at all in California.” Urquhart argues that the DEIR is so deeply flawed that it should be reissued for public
FIRE DESTROYS REFUGEE’S RESTAURANT, 3 OTHER BUSINESSES IN EL CAJON
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery Photo: Kabul Star Restaurant, one of four businesses destroyed by the blaze January 11, 2022 (El Cajon) – A fire destroyed four businesses in the Broadway Plaza Shopping Center in El Cajon on January 5. Two beauty shops, a smoke shop and an Afghan restaurant were destroyed. A GoFundMe site has been set up to assist Karim Wafa, owner of the Kabul Star restaurant, and his family including four young children after the fire turned their dreams into ashes. The family has weathered a series of challenges. Wafa came to the U.S. as a refugee from war-torn Afghanistan five years ago. He says he and his wife worked hard, stocking groceries by day and driving Uber nights and weekends to save up to open the restaurant. “The pandemic threw a wrench into our dreams,” Wafa states on the GoFundMe page. “Even then, we kept our dream going by offering take out and catering.” He was awakened by a call at 2:30 a.m. on January 5th alerting him of the fire. He rushed to the scene to find neighbors and other good Samaritans using fire extinguishers until Heartland Fire arrived, but despite all efforts they could not save the building. There were no injuries, but the impacts for Wafa and his family are devastating. “It took us months and years of hardworking, giving up all comfort, sacrificing little things in life just to save all I could to start my dream restaurant and it took just hours for all of it to be burned down. My family and I are completely devastated,” he says. The couple had dreamed of giving a good life to their children, ages 8, 10, 12 and 14. “My eldest wants to do get good education and serve this country by enlisting in the Navy. He believes he has to give back to this country which he considers his own. The country which brought his family out of rubbles and help put food on the table,” Wafa says. “This country is a land of opportunities and I am hopeful to rebuild my dream, our dream as a family. For this, I am seeking support from my community, so I can build back my restaurant and fulfill the dream of giving my family a good life while serving my community,” he says, adding, “Any help and prayers are appreciated.” Printer-friendly version
EAST COUNTY EATER: BUSY B THAI CAFÉ– A TASTE OF THE FAR EAST IN EAST COUNTY
Printer-friendly version Story and photos by Henri Migala January 10, 2022 (El Cajon) — It seems that everywhere you look in East County, there is another culinary delight to discover. If you favor the flavors of the Far East, you must visit Busy B Thai Café, 330 Magnolia Ave, in El Cajon. I spent my childhood growing up in Bangkok, Thailand, when my family was stationed there in the ‘60s, so I have a long-standing appreciation for Thai food and culture. Visiting Busy B Thai Café is like slipping into a small piece of Bangkok, right in the middle of El Cajon. This charming and cozy restaurant is decorated with images and artifacts reflecting both the rich culture and religion of Thailand. East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery and I started with an order of Spring Rolls, which were light, fresh, crispy, and refreshing, complemented with a tangy peanut sauce. It was a cold and rainy day, so soups seemed to be the appropriate order. Miriam savored the Tom Yum soup (Thai hot and sour soup spiced with lemongrass, lime juice, mushrooms, and tomatoes) and I sampled the Tom Kha soup (coconut soup with galanga, lemongrass, lime juice, tomatoes, onions and mushrooms). Both were home-made from scratch, and full of the many rich and exotic flavors that Thai food is renowned for. The menu also includes many traditional dishes that Thailand is known for – curries, coconut flavors, various chicken, fish and beef dishes, soups, salads, and of course, rice. There are also quite a few vegan and healthy dining options. Busy B Thai Café is charming enough for an intimate and romantic date, yet the prices are surprisingly affordable to take the whole family. If you want to enjoy both the ambiance and flavors of Thailand, you can find a small slice of it right in El Cajon, at Busy B Thai Café. You can view their menu at their website: https://busybthaicafe.com/ Printer-friendly version
COUNTY REPORTS RECORD COVID CASES, URGES SAN DIEGANS TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS
Printer-friendly versionBy Katie Cadiao, County of San Diego Communications Office January 10, 2022 (San Diego) – The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency is reporting record numbers of new COVID-19 cases, even when factoring in that more than a third of the results from the previous three days are due to reporting delays from last week. The record cases include 12,563 new cases reported for Sunday, 17,507 for Saturday and 19,009 for Friday. The previous daily high in cases was 8,313 reported for Jan. 2, 2022. The surge in new COVID infections comes as local hospitals are struggling with staffing amid hundreds of their employees contracting the virus and being unable to report to their shifts. “We expected to see a surge after the holidays, especially with the arrival of the more transmissible Omicron variant, but these numbers are unprecedented in this pandemic,” said Wilma J. Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “The virus is everywhere in our community. We must all step up now and re-dedicate ourselves to the precautions that we know work.” This includes: Getting vaccinated Getting a booster when eligible. Boosters are now available and recommended for everyone 12 years and older. Wearing a tight-fitting mask indoors when in public places. The state currently requires masks in indoor public places. Getting tested only if you have symptoms. Staying home if you’re sick. If you test positive at home, isolate for at least five days. A PCR test is not needed to confirm a positive rapid antigen test. Seeking treatment from your doctor if you have moderate to severe symptoms. Employers should be flexible and if the job allows, let employees work remotely for their safety and the wellbeing of those around them. Wooten also said that there is a misconception about the Omicron variant being far less dangerous or deadly than prior strains of COVID-19. “Hospitalizations are increasing amid this current surge and it’s important to understand that hospital admissions are a lagging indicator,” Wooten said. “We expect hospital admissions to increase even further in the coming weeks as people who are currently ill develop more severe symptoms.” To help alleviate the strain on local hospitals and prepare them for the expected surge in admissions, County health officials recommend that only people with symptoms needing emergency care should go to a hospital emergency department. At this time, COVID-19 testing should be reserved for those at higher risk of serious illness and people who need it the most. People should not go to an emergency department for testing with no or mild COVID symptoms. The region’s health care providers offer testing to members who meet each systems’ criteria. Many neighborhood pharmacies offer same-day testing as do other locations. The County, which has about 10% of the region’s testing capacity, has a network of no-cost testing public sites that are both walk-up and can take appointments. Printer-friendly version
EL CAJON TO HOST FOURTH REDISTRICTING HEARING JANUARY 22 TO CONSIDER DRAFT MAPS; DEADLINE TO SUBMIT MAPS IS JANUARY 14
Printer-friendly versionSource: City of El Cajon Photo: El Cajon, CC by SA January 10, 2022 (El Cajon) — The El Cajon City Council is hosting its fourth Redistricting Hearing on Saturday, January 22 at 10:30 a.m. at El Cajon Valley High School, located at 1035 East Madison Avenue, in El Cajon. Redistricting is the process of adjusting City Council voting districts, following the US Census, to ensure that each district has roughly the same number of residents. During the hearing, City staff will provide an overview of the redistricting process, discuss submitted draft maps, and potentially select the City’s next City Council District Election Map. Draft maps will be accepted until January 14, 2022, at 12 p.m. To create, submit, or view submitted draft maps, visit www.elcajon.gov/redistricting. Maps can also be submitted by email at redistricting@elcajon.gov. Translated information including presentations, tutorials, and flyers, can be found on the City’s website. Materials are available in Spanish, Arabic, Somali, Pashto, and Dari. Residents may request an interpreter for the hearing by email at redistricting@elcajon.gov. To learn more, visit www.elcajon.gov/redistricting. Click here for more information Printer-friendly version