January 11, 2012 (Sacramento) – California’s Board of Forestry and Fire Protection voted today to approve a revised fire parcel fee on structures in rural areas under jurisdiction of Cal Fire.

The fee, up to $150 per habitable structure, would raise up to $100 million annually for the state, which recently cut firefighting budgets statewide. About two-thirds of impacted property owners, however, will be eligible for a reduced $115 fee if they are covered by a local fire district.

 
Ribbon Cutting is Scheduled for Thursday, January 26, 2012

By Brian Lafferty

January 11, 2012 (San Diego) – Another Earth was the first of two films released in 2011 about the discovery of another planet; the other one was Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia. Both films delve deep into the lives of their troubled characters and contain some of 2011’s best performances. I liked Another Earth just slightly better because it uses the other planet to show how the discovery of Earth 2, and its possible parallels to this Earth, affects the lives of its characters.

By Brian Lafferty

January 11, 2012 (San Diego) – After I watched Alex in Wonderland, available from the Warner Archive Collection, I remembered an interview I saw that featured independent director Henry Jaglom. At one point he said Steven Spielberg and George Lucas ruined the movies for him because after the massive box office successes of Jaws and Star Wars, it became about events, distraction, mass entertainment, and mechanization.

By Miriam Raftery

January 11, 2012 (Spring Valley) – Jay Newman, 53, has been identified by the San Diego Medical Examiner’s office as the victim in last night’s deadly fight in the 3600 block of S. Cordoba Avenue in Spring Valley.

Sheriff’s deputies have arrested John Guy Durham, 55, who will be charged with murder, according to a press release from the Sheriff, which also revealed new details on the crime.

January 10, 2012 (Casa de Oro) – The San Diego Sheriff’s Department is investigating an “apparent homicide” in Spring Valley. Deputies responded to a call at 5:30 p.m. of a fight at a residence in the 3600 block of Cordoba Avenue. A fatally injured victim found inside died a short time later.

By Rikki Borkowski, Rancho Santa Fe

January 10, 2012 (San Diego) -- One in 16 children in the U.S. is suffering from food insecurity, the state of not being able to provide nutritious foods to you, oneself or family. This is a major problem all around the country, even in our own backyard. How can a country so advanced still be living in the 1950s in terms of food insecurity?

January 10, 2011 (McCain Valley)-- If you see smoke this week, don't panic.  Cal-Fire will be conducting a prescribed burn in the area of McCain Valley in San Diego's East County during daylight hours January 11 and January 12. Approximately 90 acres of brush will be burned over the next few days as part of a vegetation managegement burn plan.

 
January10, 2012 (Lakeside)  - ECM photographer Dennis Richardson snapped this photo of the unusually bright full moon this weekend at his home in Lakeside.

 
“I took it from my back yard using a 100 X 400 mm Canon lens set on 400 mm,” he said. 

January 10, 2012 (San Diego) – For the first time, all four of the leading contenders running for San Diego Mayor will debate this Friday, January 13 at 4 p.m.  Bob Filner, Bonnie Dumanis, Nathan Fletcher, and Carl DeMaio have all agreed to participate. 

The event will be held at the U.S. Grant Hotel. In the public interest will jointly sponsor this debate by The City Club, Lincoln Club, Independent Voter Network (IVN.US), and the U-T San Diego.

 January 8, 2012 (San Diego) – The Salvation Army Kroc Center invites guests to visit the facility at 6845 University Ave La Mesa, CA 92115 on Saturday January 14, 2012 from 10a.m. to 2 p.m.  Bring the family and enjoy child care, tours, fitness assessments and drop in on exercise classes in the gym and pool. All activities are free during the open house. 

 
Buy a bottle of “Sequoia” wine and help save animals at a no-kill shelter

 
January 9, 2012 (Sacramento) -- State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced that the 2012 Heritage School Registration System is open. Heritage schools—which give students a chance to focus on the language, culture, and traditions of a foreign country—must register online annually with the California Department of Education (CDE) by the end of January.

January 9, 2012 (Santa Ysabel) – A pair of thieves who broke into Dudley’s Bakery in Santa Ysabel early Christmas morning made off with the dough—no, not the kind used in breadmaking.  The pair stole cash after prying open a door.  Now the San Diego Sheriff’s Department has released infrared surveillance video of the Grinches who stole Christmas from the bakery’s owners—and asks for public help to identify the burglars. 

Watch the video on the Sheriff's Department's YouTube Channel http://bit.ly/wLYXek and on Vimeo http://bit.ly/A0yYD4.

Update: The male suspect and a woman have been taken into custody early this afternoon.  No injuries were reported.

January 9, 2012 (Del Cerro) – Shots have been fired at law enforcement officers by a suspect who has barricaded himself inside a Days Inn Motel at 5343 Adobe Falls Road near Waring Road in Del Cerro, visible from I-8 in the east end of Mission Valley, ECM has learned.

Detective Gary Hassen with San Diego Police Department confirmed the suspect is a “parolee at large.” Authorities at the scene have requested a response by a special weapons and tactics (SWAT) team, ECM news partner 10 News reports.

January 5, 2011 (La Mesa) – If the holidays have left you with old computers, TVs or other electronic items you no longer need, you can recycle them at the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce’s electronic waste and recycling event January 14-15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will be held at Grossmont Center between B2B Fit and Fuddruckers. 

Did you know that 70 percent of heavy metals as well as 40 percent of lead and mercury found in landmills comes from e-waste? 

View flyer with details and scroll down for more information.

La Mesa woman who wrote tell-all book about film industry was third-oldest Californian

January 8, 2012 (La Mesa) – Silent movie screenwriter Frederica Sagor Maas gained fame and notoriety in an era when few women attained such acclaim.  But on Thursday, December 29, 2011, Maas made her final exit, passing away at Country Villas, a La Mesa nursing home.

Scripts written by Maas starred some of Hollywood’s leading talents on the silver screen, including Greta Garbo, Norma Shearer and Clare Bow. The Hollywood Reporter called her a “pioneering” female screenwriter, while the Los Angeles Times memorialized her as “one of the last links to the silent film industry.”

January 7, 2011 (San Diego's East County)--The National Weather Service has issued a "fire weather planning forecast" for southwestern California. In San Diego County, moderate to strong northeast winds and very dry weather with low humidity are forecast for inland areas, combining to create "near critical fire weather conditions" on Sunday.

January 7, 2012 (Alpine) – A multi-vehicle pile-up shut down I-8 east near Dunbar Road this evening, but the roadway is now open, CHP reports. The accident results in injuries to seven people, who were transported to Grossmont Hospital.

 Update 8:35 p.m.: The fire is now knocked down and residents are cleared to return to their residences.

January 7, 2012 (Lakeside)--Firefighters are on the scene of a garage fire  at 12097 Gay Rio Drive in Lakeside.  "The fire is putting up a lot of smoke and they're getting people out of the houses nearby," ECM photographer Dennis Richardson told ECM.

One person is reportedly suffering smoke inhalation and will be transported to a local hospital.

January 7, 2012 (Spring Valley) – A runaway truck has rolled down a hill, struck a home and landed on a gas meter at a home at 1313 Portola Avenue in Spring Valley. A gas line has been ruptured and SDG&E has been called, Incident Page Networks reports at 5:13 p.m. A victim has been transported to a local hospital in moderate trauma status.

The vehicle was unoccupied, according to IPN.

 
January 7, 2012 (La Mesa) -- In the past three months the La Mesa Police Department management team has gone through many new changes.  With Chief Lanning’s retirement in September of 2011 and Captain Medero’s retirement in December 2011, seven promotions of existing LMPD staff were made in 2011 to consist of a new Chief of Police, two new captains, two new lieutenants and two new sergeants.

January 7, 2012 (El Cajon) – A transformer fire behind the Walmart store at Westfield Parkway Plaza caused a power outage last night at 9 p.m. The Regal movie theater escorted theatergoers outside using flashlights, while stores and restaurants at the mall also closed. View a video by Dennis Richardson: http://youtu.be/Y6IrzcdBW9g.

“Wind farms are the main cause. The issuing of license to kill will accelerate the decline toward extinction.”—Save the Eagles International

 An East County Magazine Special Report

By Miriam Raftery

January 6, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego County’s 48 pairs of nesting golden eagles and even rarer bald eagles could be in peril if proposed industrial-scale wind farms are built.  In a press release issued today,  Save the Eagles International (STEI) issued a dire warning, providing detailed documentation proving  that golden eagles and their nests are disappearing rapidly near wind farms across the U.S.

The group also blasted the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for changing its mission from protecting wildlife to “catering to the interests of an industry” that is a “ruinous one to boot.”