December 25, 2011 (Alpine) – TC Construction is offering a $500 reward for return of items stolen from a job site pump station at Victoria Drive and Victoria Park Terrace in Alpine, or for information leading to conviction of the person(s) who stole the equipment.  The theft occurred the morning of Wednesday  December 21.

Items taken include: 

• 1 ½” submersible pump
• 100ft extension cord
• 3 jackhammers: 90 lb., 60 lb. & 40 lb.
• 80 lbs. of aluminum

 
December 27, 2011 (La Mesa) -- La Mesa will hold it's New Year's Eve party on Friday, December 31, from 8:00 p.m. until midnight. The party will be at The La Mesa Adult Enrichment Center at 8450 La Mesa Boulevard in La Mesa.

Local business leaders praise decision to expand renewable energy

Opponents hope Supervisors, court will protect scenic, cultural and wildlife resources

By Miriam Raftery

December 26, 2011 (McCain Valley) – U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar signed approval December 20 forTule Wind Project on federal lands in McCain Valley in East County. The federal lands portion approved by the Department of the Interior constitute the bulk of the project, capable of generating up to 186 megawatts (MW) of the project’s total 200 MW capacity. 

The project will need additional approvals from the County of San Diego, California Public Utilities Commission, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and California State Lands Commission.  The County will hold hearings on a major use permit in the first quarter of 2012.  Planning Commissioners and ultimately, the Board of Supervisors are expected to vote on the issue.

 Region’s community colleges eyed as potential future sites

Book Review by Dennis Moore  

December 28, 2011 (East County) -- Anat Tour, this East County (San Diego) resident , has done it again – following up her debut publication of  Mama’s Shoe with an enchanting story of friendship and hope,  The Rainbow Animals. She has taken The Rainbow Animals a step further by having it published as a bundled package, CD/DVD and booklet insert.

By Buck Shott

Past presidential fibs have led to impeachment and resignation. Shouldn’t honesty be a key qualification for any presidential candidate?

December 28, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Voters, and the candidates they support, often have drastically different views on the various issues.  But honesty and integrity are two traits we should all agree upon as minimal “qualifications” for anyone seeking the presidency.

Granted, in the heat of a campaign any candidate may have a slip of the lip, forgetting a statistic or misstating an name. But when presidential contenders knowingly tell brazen lies, air campaign ads with outright falsehoods, and then shamelessly defend such fibbing, we should all think twice about the character of those seeking our nation’s highest office.

 
December 28, 2011 (Kensington) Chef/Owner Ken Irvine of the Bleu Boheme invites the public to celebrate the "Reveillon" a New Years Eve celebration for a three -course festive menu with four choices of each course at $59.95 per person this Saturday, December 31. Bleu Boheme is located at 4090 Adams Avenue, San Diego CA 92116, in the Kensington area (between Terrace Drive and Kensington Drive).

Story by Miriam Raftery

Photos by Kathie Wellington

December 29, 2011 (Jamul) -- Firefighters are at the scene of a one-alarm structure at Skyline Truck Trail and Lawson Valley Road. Traffic is blocked in both directions at the 15000 block of Skyline Truck Trail at Lawson Valley Road.

December 27, 2011 (San Diego's East County) -- Lakeside teen Matthew Parish, 17, has been identified as the victim killed December 21 in an El Cajon accident.  According to the Medical Examiner's office, Parish was apparently riding his skateboard in the 1200 block of Jamacha Road when he was struck by a vehicle.  There are conflicting news reports indicating he may have been walking across the street and carrying his skateboard when he was hit.

December 27, 2011 (San Diego)—Emako Mendoza, 76, the Paradise Hills woman mauled by a neighbor’s two pit bulls in June, died on Christmas Eve after being hospitalized December 23 due to complications from those injuries, according to the Medical Examiner.

December 27, 2011 (Bonita) - A dune buggy accident has claimed the life of David Sylvester Metje, a 52-year-old married man from Bonita.  Metje was the driver and sole occupant of an off-road vehicle when he lost control and was ejected. The accident ccurred in the 4700 block of Butternut Hollow Lane in Bonita.

December 27, 2011 (Deerhorn Valley) –A paraplegic is trapped in a minivan that has rolled onto its side at 21325 Deerhorn Valley Road in the Jamul area, Incident Page Network reports.  Multiple victims are reportedly involved.

December 27, 2011 (Otay) – San Diego Police seek help to locate Josephina Yolanda Lopez, 58.  “The San Diego Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue Unit has been called out to look for Lopez,” said Lt. Andra Brown.

Lopez was visiting family in the Otay area at 523 Doolittle Ave. She was last seen December 23 at 11 a.m., when she told family members she was going to walk to a CVS store at 3300 Palm Avenue.   She has medical problems and requires medications. 

 By Charlotte Reed

• East County Realtors rally to aid less fortunate at Christmas time
• Two new scams reported in East County

 
December 27, 2011 (San Diego County) -- The Winter Holiday Anti-DUI crackdown has resulted in more driving under the influence (DUI) arrests from local traffic enforcement and special Avoid the 14 DUI deployments over a two week period in San Diego County. In the past 11 days, from 12:01 a.m. Friday December 16th through midnight, Monday December 26th, deputies/officers representing 14 County law enforcement agencies booked 534 people for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.  In 2010, 444 DUI bookings occurred during the same time period. This is an increase of 20%.

 Travels in time to Bucuresti, Romania

By Miriam Raftery

December 27, 2011 (San Diego) – Christmas trees add beauty to homes during the holidays. But a dry tree can become a fire hazard. Fortunately, there are many places to recycle your tree in East County and San Diego. 

December 27, 2011 (Valley Center) – Thieves ransacked a Valley Center home last Thursday, making off with over $10,000 worth of belongings. The family’s cherished miniature Yorkshire Terrier, “Cookie”, is also missing. 

“She’s part of our family,” owner Joanne Hansen told ECM news partner 10 News. The dog weighs just one pound, eight ounces.

December 28, 2011 (Lakeside) – A motorcyclist down in the 11400 block of Wildcat Canyon Road has prompted shutdown of the highway.  The accident was reported at 3:27 p.m.  Traffic is blocked south of Barona, CHP reports. 

By Walter Davis

Update December 27, 2011:   The victim has been identified as Daniel C. Dacon, Jr., 24, a single man who lived with his parents n San Diego. 

December 26, 2011 (Barrett Junction) – A motorcyclist has died at the scene of an accident on State Route 94 just east of Romo Road near the Barrett Café.

December 25, 2011 (Washington D.C.)—This year, the White House chose the holiday theme “Shine, give, share” to give the American people an opportunity to pay tribute to our troops, our veterans, and their families.  President Barack Obama invites you to share a holiday mesasge with our troops by clicking this link:

Share Your Message

December 25, 2011 (Ramona)—Nelson Edward “Mac” MacWilliams, 54, has been identified by the Medical Examiner’s office as the driver who died December 20 in a rollover accident on Wildcat Canyon Road in Lakeside. RamonaPatch.com reports that MacWilliams worked in Congressman Duncan Hunter’s El Cajon office, handling military and veterans’ issues.
 

“He will be missed, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family,” Rep. Hunter said, Patch.com reported. MacWilliams, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, resided in Ramona.

December 25, 2011 (La Mesa)—Walter Barrios, 22, of La Mesa is under arrest for attempting to rob a 15-year-old skateboarder at  knife point. La Mesa Police officers responded to the incident in the 8500 block of Dallas Street last night around 6 p.m.

The victim told police he was riding his skateboard on the sidewalk when he was confronted by the suspect, who pointed a large hunting knife at the teen and demanded property.

Company went out of business without recalling dangerous product

December 25, 2011 (Washington D.C.)--The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers again not to use the ShoulderFlex Massager, imported by King International and sold by various companies, due to serious potential health risks. 

Hair, clothing or jewelry can become entangled in the ShoulderFlex Massager and cause serious injury or even death from strangulation. There have been reports of one death and one near death, due to strangulation, associated with the use of this device.