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PADRE DAM DIRECTORS SPEAK IN ALPINE ON RATES, FIREFIGHTING AND WATER SAFETY
Story and photos by Karen Pearlman
Photo, left: Padre Dam Municipal Water District board members Kim Hales (who represents Alpine) and Suzanne Till share information with ratepayers on Sunday afternoon, March 30, at The Alpine Club.
April 1, 2025 (Alpine) – Just a few days before San Diego County Water Authority will give presentation to the Padre Dam Municipal Water District Wednesday about wholesale water rates in 2026 and 2027, Alpine residents gathered to share some concerns about rate increases, as well as fire safety and water purification.
Two Padre Dam directors spoke Saturday at The Alpine Club. Alpine resident Anne Craig spearheaded the March 30 visit that brought Dr. Suzanne Till, who serves in Padre Dam’s Division 2 area, and Kim Hales, who oversees Division 4, including Alpine.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SUSPENDS SOME STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT PLANS
By G. A. McNeeley
April 1, 2025 (Washington D.C.) — Some student loan borrowers are seeing their payment plans get suspended, which means their payments are rising. This has to do with changes at the Education Department implemented by President Donald Trump’s Administration.
Approximately 43 million Americans have some kind of student loan debt, according to Newsweek.
The Education Department reported that Americans collectively have $1.5 trillion in student debt nationwide.
LEMON GROVE INCIDENT COMMEMORATED AT NEW NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING SPACE
Mayor Snow presented proclamation to Roberto Alvarez, son of plaintiff in landmark legal case
By Karen Pearlman
Photo: mural artist Mario Chacon, by Christina Alvarez
April 1, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – Mario Chacon stood near the mural he painted three years ago with two assistants in Lemon Grove, and paused to give some thought on what the artwork represents.
The mural on the side of the building at 7963 Broadway depicts the story of one of the first historic successful public school desegregation cases in the United States.
DARK SIDE: TRUE STORIES FROM A TEENAGE POT SMUGGLER
Memoir by Stu Stall
Reviewed by Pennell Paugh
April 1, 2025 (San Diego) -- Stu Stall, a life-long resident of Coronado, has released a second memoir -- Dark Side: True Stories from a Teenage Pot Smuggler.
- Read more about DARK SIDE: TRUE STORIES FROM A TEENAGE POT SMUGGLER
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CA CLIMATE CREDIT TO OFFSET SDG&E CUSTOMERS' GAS & ELECTRIC BILLS BY AS MUCH AS $136 IN APRIL
Residential customers will receive the first two installments of bill credits this month; electric and gas-bill credits total more than $200 per household for 2025.
Source: SDG&E
March 31, 2025 (San Diego) - San Diego Gas & Electric® residential customers will get a break on their energy bill, thanks to the California Climate Credit administered by the California Public Utilities Commission as a result of the state’s effort to fight climate change. In April, residential electric customers and qualifying small businesses(link is external) will see a $81.38 credit on their statement. Residential customers with natural gas will also receive a $54.21 credit on the same statement.
Wildfires
ISSA BILL WOULD CUT ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS TO ALLOW FOREST, BRUSH CLEARING ON FEDERAL LANDS
East County News Service
Photo, right: Cleveland National Forest in San Diego County
February 11, 2025 (San Diego) – Congressman Darrell Issa, a San Diego Republican, has introduced the “Green Tape Elimination Act” that seeks to prevent wildfires by exempting all fuel reduction activities on federal lands from these environmental regulations for 10 years.
- The National Environmental Policy Act
- The Endangered Species Act
- The National Historic Preservation Act
- The Clean Air Act
- The Migratory Bird Treaty Act
- The Migratory Bird Conservation Act
LEMON GROVE NONPROFITS UNITE FOR LOS ANGELES FIRE RELIEF FUNDRAISER
East County News Service
February 10, 2025 (Lemon Grove) - On Saturday, February 1, the spirit of community and compassion was on full display as Lemon Grove nonprofit organizations joined forces at Treganza Park for a heartfelt fundraiser supporting fire relief efforts in Los Angeles. Over $2,100 was raised, according to a press release from organizers.
STATE FARM ASKS FOR MORE INSURANCE RATE INCREASES AFTER LA FIRES
By Levi Sumagaysay, CalMatters
CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters
Photo: The Eaton Fire burns in the community of Altadena. Firefighters were unable to get water from hydrants that ran dry, as homes and businesses burned, on Jan. 8, 2025. Photo by Ted Soqui for CalMatters
February 4, 2025 (Los Angeles) - State Farm, the largest insurer for California homeowners, this week asked the state to approve “emergency” rate increases for insurance policy holders, saying the recent Los Angeles County fires have imperiled its finances.
13 DEAD, 12,000 STRUCTURES BURNED IN L.A. WILDFIRES; CREWS FROM SAN DIEGO, MEXICO AND CANADA AMONG THOSE BATTLING BLAZES
By Miriam Raftery
Photos by Lakeside Fire Department, which has sent firefighters to battle the Palisades wildfire
January 11, 2025 (Los Angeles) – After days of massive destruction and widespread evacuations, firefighters are finally making progress on four remaining wildfires in the Los Angeles area. At least 13 people have died in the fires, which have destroyed an estimated12,000 structures, the Los Angeles Times reports.
At least 90 firefighters from San Diego County have been dispatched to help fight the L.A. fires, including Lakeside Fire Department, which posted photos on social media of the Palisades Fire that their firefighters have been battling since Wednesday. Hundreds of thousands remain evacuated, as firefighters slowly make progress toward controlling fires fueled initially by hurricane-force winds.
Here are the latest updates from Cal Fire and L.A.-based news outlets:
POWER RESTORED TO ALL SDG&E CUSTOMERS, THOUGH MORE OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE
Source: SDG&E
January 12, 2025 (San Diego) –On Friday, San Diego Gas & Electric reported that it had restored power to all customers affected by Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). Despite the restorations, unprecedented and prolonged dry conditions continue. SDG&E encourages customers to remain prepared with the potential for future shutoffs in the coming days.
SDG&E began de-energizing customers earlier this week in response to elevated wildfire weather conditions and the driest start to the rainy season in San Diego County in the past 174 years. This proactive measure was taken to reduce wildfire risk and protect public safety. Following patrols and inspections of power lines on foot and by air, SDG&E crews restored power for all customers who were impacted by PSPS as of Friday evening.