By Miriam Raftery

August 1, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) — Republican Congressman Duncan D. Hunter may be facing the toughest challenge of his career. His Democratic opponent, Ammar Campa-Najjar, has raised over a million dollars, more than the $848,000 raised by Hunter as of  June 30th. 

Campa-Najjar has hired prominent national campaign strategist Joe Trippi, known for guiding upset wins even in conservative Congressional districts. Plus a new poll shows the two candidates in the 50th Congressional district in a dead heat among likely voters who reviewed ballot statements on both Campa-Najjar and Hunter.

By Miriam Raftery

July 30, 2018 (La Mesa) – New Origins, the applicant for a medical marijuana dispensary is suing the city of La Mesa, after the city reversed earlier approval of the dispensary to open in the La Mesa Medical Plaza on University Avenue near El Cajon Boulevard.

July 29, 2018  3 p.m. -- The National Weather Service just issued this urgent warning:

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED Severe Thunderstorm Warning National Weather Service San Diego CA 259 PM PDT SUN JUL 29 2018 The National Weather Service in San Diego has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... North central San Diego County in southwestern California... * Until 400 PM PDT *

At 258 PM PDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Hwy 79 Between Santa Ysabel And Warner Springs, or 9 miles northwest of Julian, moving southwest at 10 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is possible. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees. *

Locations impacted include... Warner Springs, Hwy 79 Between Santa Ysabel And Warner Springs, Lake Henshaw, Ranchita, Hwy S2 Between Hwy 79 And Hwy 78, S7 - East Grade Rd, Hwy 78 Between Ramona And Santa Ysabel, Hwy 79 Between Warner Springs And Oak Grove, Santa Ysabel, Los Coyotes Indian Reservation, Wynola and Santa Ysabel Indian Reservation.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building.

Update July 28, 2018:  The fire is now 365 acres and 40% contained, Cal Fire reports. 

Update 9 p.m.:  All evacuation warnings have been lifted for the area affected by the Pasqual Fire. All remaining evacuation orders are still in effect. Evacuees needing Red Cross assistance, call 858-309-1200, County Emergency Services reports.

Update 8 p.m.:  Forward spread of the fire has been stopped.  Repopulation plans for evacuees are now being discussed, per Cal Fire.

By Miriam Raftery

July 27, 2018 (San Pasqual) – The #SanPasqualFire has burned 240 aces in San Pasqual Valley and western Ramona and is currently 5% contained, according to Cal Fire’s incident page: http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents/incidentdetails/Index/2177 /.  The fire is burning in a southeast direction, prompting evacuations. Evacuees are advised to go to Ramona High School.

The blaze which started this afternoon along San Pasqual Valley Road has shut down highway 78 from Bandy Canyon to Haverford. Evacuations are ordered on Rangeland Rd, Oak Grove Rd, Highland Hills Dr, Horizon View, Rio Maggiore Dr, Cinque Terre Dr, Corniglia Dr, Via Cuesta, and Via Vista Grande.

By Miriam Raftery

July 26, 2018 (El Cajon)—A 75-year-old man suffered multiple non-life threatening stab wounds tonight in an attack at Second Street and East Madison Avenue in El Cajon. Witnesses called police at 7:55 p.m. to report the victim was on the ground near the intersection.

The suspect fled west on Madison, says Lieutenant Jason Taub, adding, “Witnesses were able to keep the suspect under observation and advise the police department of his current location.”

Companies say measures are needed to prevent bankruptcies, but Ramona group says the bills would increase risks of wildfires by axing incentives for utilities to improve safety

By Miriam Raftery

July 26, 2018 (Ramona) – Utilities are lobbying legislators to approve a pair of bills being pushed by Governor Jerry Brown in the wake of catastrophic fire storms  in Northern California linked to utility-owned lines and equipment.  Facing $10 billion in damages with reportedly only about $800,000 in insurance, PG&E has argued it could be pushed into bankruptcy without relief.  The utilities want to change California’s inverse condemnation laws, which hold utilities responsible for any fires caused by their lines. However, if a company is found to have safely operated its equipment, it can ask the California Public Utilities Commission to approve charging ratepayers for uninsured losses.

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) tried that approach, but the CPUC refused to approve charging ratepayers for the company’s liabilities in the 2007 firestorms, finding that SDG&E did not follow all required safety procedures. Now the big utility companies want to eliminate inverse condemnation in relation to wildfires--a proposal that has backcountry residents sounding the alarm.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: San Bernadino National Forest Service

July 26, 2018 (San Bernadino) – Brandon McGlover of Temecula has been arrested and charged with intentionally setting multiple fires in Riverside County including the raging #CranstonFire, Cal Fire reports. The wildland forest fire burning in San Bernadino National Forest has scorched over7,500 acres and is 5% contained, according to Cal Fire’s incident page.

Thousands have been forced to flee, with over 2,000 homes threatened and mandatory evacuations ordered for the entire towns of Idyllwild, Pine Cove, Fern Valley, Apple Canyon Garner Valley and other communities.

By Miriam Raftery

July 26, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – The filing period to run for local offices opened on July 16 and closes August 10.  But so far, no candidates have pulled papers to run, let along qualified, in most East County or other inland San Diego County races listed on the Registrar’s site for school boards, water boards, fire boards and community planning groups. In others, only incumbents have filed.

For instance, in the Grossmont Union High School District, heated controversies and lawsuits have erupted over alleged bond misappropriation, failure to build an Alpine High School, and efforts to shut down popular charter schools.  Yet so far, incumbents Jim Kelly, Robert Shield and Dr. Gary Woods have all pulled papers to seek reelection, but nobody has filed to run against them.

Note: City council and mayor candidates apply through cities and will not be listed until after the filing deadline has closed. ECM has requested info from East County cities on those races.

Below are other local races in East County, including names of any candidates who have pulled papers to run (though not yet qualified).

East County News Service

Update 7:20 p.m. -- Power is restored at the Smart and Final, but SDG&E's website indicates power is still out to over 1,200 customers.

July 24, 2018 (Santee) -- A power outage has occurred in the  Santee/Carlton Oaks area, affecting 2,359 customers. SDG&E is assesesing the cause but estimates restoration at 9:30 p.m.

ECM reporter Rebecca Jefferis-Williamson was shopping at the Santee Smart and Final when the lights went out.  "The big lottery Mega-millions is tonight and I can't buy my ticket," she quipped.

She was also unable to  buy groceries for dinner, since the store is accepting only cash during the blackout fur customers already inside the store.  Customers outside are being turned away.

East County News Service

July 23, 2018 (San Diego) -- Due to high temperatures in California and most of the western U.S., the California Independent System Operator Corporation (ISO) has issued a statewide Flex Alert that calls for voluntary electricity conservation from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 24 and Wednesday, July 25.

By Jonathan Goetz

July 23, 2018 (El Cajon) – George Gastil, a former Lemon Grove Councilman and history professor at Grossmont College and San Diego State Univesrity, opened the inaugural meeting of the East County Leadership Council (ECLC).  The newly formed 501c(3) nonprofit organization has a mission statement to promote “quality discussion of politics and public policy in the East County region of San Diego County.”

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: ECM News partner 10 News

July 21, 2018 (Ramona) – The Cinnamon Fire that scorched 13 acres in the Witch Creek area yesterday destroyed Ramona’s original stagecoach stop built in 1870, prompting rescue in efforts that saved the family's dogs. Other dogs in a boarding kennel on the property are also safe.

“We lived there for 12 years until we built a new house,” the owner of Kritter Camp Boarding Kennel, located on Creek Hollow Drive in Ramona, told East County Magazine regarding the historic structure. At the time of the fire, she added, “My daughter and her boyfriend lived there.”

East County News Service

July 21, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) - California Democratic Party Chair Eric C. Bauman announced today that the CDP will no longer be accepting contributions from companies or trade associations that operate private prisons, private detention centers or other incarceration services as for-profit businesses. 

East County News Service

July 20, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) -- Possible thunderstorms are forecast for this weekend as monsoonal moisture conditions continue.  In addition, the National Weather Service has issued an extreme heat warning for next week.  “Dangerous” temperatures are expected to reach 116 degrees in the desert, over 100 degrees in our mountain areas and 99 degrees in El Cajon.

By Ken Stone

Reprinted with permission from Times of San Diego, amember of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Suspended Battalion Chief Mike Van Bibber of Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District. Image via Julian Fire Plugs

July 19, 2018 (Julian) - Julian’s volunteer firefighters have filed an emergency appeal with a state appellate court in hopes of making an August 10 deadline to place a measure on the November ballot.

Their aim is to have the 2,246 voters in the Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District decide whether to repeal a fire board action to dissolve the district.