Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
NIGHTTIME RESCUE DOWN A CANYON
CAL FIRE, San Diego Sheriff's Department, Coast Guard, SD Copter 2 are working in the darkness to rescue someone over the side and down an 800 ft deep canyon. The rescue attempt is occurring at Nate Harrison Grade, a paved dirt county road, & Hwy 76.
CANYON RESCUE
CAL FIRE, San Diego Sheriff's Department, Coast Guard, SD Copter 2 are working in the darkness to rescue someone over the side and down an 800 ft deep canyon. The rescue attempt is occurring at Nate Harrison Grade, a paved dirt county road, & Hwy 76.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
SMACKING DOWN A SMALL WILDFIRE
CAL FIRE Units responded Sunday afternoon to the scene of a small vegetation fire off Wilkes Road in Valley Center.
An aggressive response from the air and the ground kept this fire to around two acres.
Units responded from CAL FIRE/Valley Center Fire Department and the San Diego Sheriff's Department Helicopters.
An aggressive response from the air and the ground kept this fire to around two acres.
Units responded from CAL FIRE/Valley Center Fire Department and the San Diego Sheriff's Department Helicopters.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
MIDNIGHT PLUS SEVERAL HOURS, WAITING TO GET HOME
Well, once more the California Highway Patrol has demonstrated its complete lack of interest in serving the humble motorist. As of Tuesday night Hwy 76 was closed again for interminable hours, as it always seems to be whenever a big rig crashes near the intersection of the highway and Rincon Ranch Road, which seems to happen A LOT!
There was apparently a death, and a spill of fuel that required hours of cleanup by Haz-Mat.
So, like hundreds of other people, I'm waiting to get the word to be allowed to go home on the only way in or out that doesn't involve driving several hours out of the way. Finally, about 1:30 a.m. I call the CHP dispatch office and am told by a dispatcher that traffic is being allowed through one lane at a time. I drive from my office to the intersection of Valley Center Road and Hwy 76 where a bored looking, typically arrogant CHP officer tells me that no dispatcher EVER told me that traffic was being allowed through. "I don't know who told you that, but it wasn't one of our dispatchers." Strange, I tell him, but I'm pretty sure I dialed 1-858-637-3800. "I can understand your concern," he says, clearly NOT understanding my concern.
I return to my office and call the dispatch number and am told that well, the information was put up incorrectly and that they have to keep track of lots of information, sorry about that, blah, blah, blah. Meanwhile, I've driven about 15 miles out of my way based on their faulty information!
Oh well, par for the course when your dealing with the CHP and CalTrans and other agencies who routinely shut down Hwy 76 and then don't bother to talk to each other, and don't give the slightest damn about residents who are inconvenienced by their total lack of communication.
Let me make it clear. I don't begrudge the CHP keeping a road closed to conduct a death investigation and to clean up a mess as long as necessary. What I DO begrudge is the "public be damned" attitude of your typical CHP officer when dealing with the people who pay his salary.
I've seen this happen time and time again during the last year as a result of the wildfires and the resulting dangers posed by mudslides. The needs of residents who must use those roads to go to home and work are treated with a cavalier disregard bordering on contempt. It doesn't just happen to me. It happens to hundreds of people almost every time there is an accident. This time it happened to me. Next time it'll happen to you—and the attitude of the CHP will be "We're overworked, so naturally we get our facts messed up sometimes. Get over it!"
Yeah, right!
There was apparently a death, and a spill of fuel that required hours of cleanup by Haz-Mat.
So, like hundreds of other people, I'm waiting to get the word to be allowed to go home on the only way in or out that doesn't involve driving several hours out of the way. Finally, about 1:30 a.m. I call the CHP dispatch office and am told by a dispatcher that traffic is being allowed through one lane at a time. I drive from my office to the intersection of Valley Center Road and Hwy 76 where a bored looking, typically arrogant CHP officer tells me that no dispatcher EVER told me that traffic was being allowed through. "I don't know who told you that, but it wasn't one of our dispatchers." Strange, I tell him, but I'm pretty sure I dialed 1-858-637-3800. "I can understand your concern," he says, clearly NOT understanding my concern.
I return to my office and call the dispatch number and am told that well, the information was put up incorrectly and that they have to keep track of lots of information, sorry about that, blah, blah, blah. Meanwhile, I've driven about 15 miles out of my way based on their faulty information!
Oh well, par for the course when your dealing with the CHP and CalTrans and other agencies who routinely shut down Hwy 76 and then don't bother to talk to each other, and don't give the slightest damn about residents who are inconvenienced by their total lack of communication.
Let me make it clear. I don't begrudge the CHP keeping a road closed to conduct a death investigation and to clean up a mess as long as necessary. What I DO begrudge is the "public be damned" attitude of your typical CHP officer when dealing with the people who pay his salary.
I've seen this happen time and time again during the last year as a result of the wildfires and the resulting dangers posed by mudslides. The needs of residents who must use those roads to go to home and work are treated with a cavalier disregard bordering on contempt. It doesn't just happen to me. It happens to hundreds of people almost every time there is an accident. This time it happened to me. Next time it'll happen to you—and the attitude of the CHP will be "We're overworked, so naturally we get our facts messed up sometimes. Get over it!"
Yeah, right!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
16 YEAR OLD GIRL KILLED IN QUAD ACCIDENT
By DAVID ROSS
Some material was contributed by Samantha Carr
Tuesday 1:15 p.m., a 16-year old Valley Center High School student, Catherine Peltzer, was thrown from her four-wheel farm vehicle. She later died.
Also injured was her passenger, a 15-year old boy, Seth Redbird, who was not related to her, but is of Valley Center. He was treated at Palomar Medical Center for multiple lacerations to his face.
According to the California Highway Patrol Miss Peltzer was driving a Kubota RTV-900 (Farming Vehicle) on Oak Trail Road southbound, at an unknown speed. The driver lost control of the vehicle, drove over the east road edge and down an embankment.
The Kubota rolled over once, ejecting the driver and her passenger. Miss Peltzer sustained major internal injuries and was transported to Palomar Medical center where she was pronounced dead.
Redbird was also transported to Palomar Medical and was treated for multiple lacerations to his face.
Alcohol and/or drugs were not a factor in this collision, according to the CHP.
The girl, who was a sophomore, was not technically a student at the high school. She had transferred out earlier in the year.
At the high school they put up a large swath of butcher paper for kids to write things about the deceased for her parents to keep.
A psychologist is on call at the high school. Students can drop in at any time to talk about how they feel about Miss Peltzer’s death and how it’s affecting them.
There was a moment of silence Wednesday morning in all the classrooms.
One adult who knew her described her this way: “She was larger than life and an incredible personality. She was in the choir with Laralee Beck and had the voice of an angel.”
We will have more updates as events warrant.
Some material was contributed by Samantha Carr
Tuesday 1:15 p.m., a 16-year old Valley Center High School student, Catherine Peltzer, was thrown from her four-wheel farm vehicle. She later died.
Also injured was her passenger, a 15-year old boy, Seth Redbird, who was not related to her, but is of Valley Center. He was treated at Palomar Medical Center for multiple lacerations to his face.
According to the California Highway Patrol Miss Peltzer was driving a Kubota RTV-900 (Farming Vehicle) on Oak Trail Road southbound, at an unknown speed. The driver lost control of the vehicle, drove over the east road edge and down an embankment.
The Kubota rolled over once, ejecting the driver and her passenger. Miss Peltzer sustained major internal injuries and was transported to Palomar Medical center where she was pronounced dead.
Redbird was also transported to Palomar Medical and was treated for multiple lacerations to his face.
Alcohol and/or drugs were not a factor in this collision, according to the CHP.
The girl, who was a sophomore, was not technically a student at the high school. She had transferred out earlier in the year.
At the high school they put up a large swath of butcher paper for kids to write things about the deceased for her parents to keep.
A psychologist is on call at the high school. Students can drop in at any time to talk about how they feel about Miss Peltzer’s death and how it’s affecting them.
There was a moment of silence Wednesday morning in all the classrooms.
One adult who knew her described her this way: “She was larger than life and an incredible personality. She was in the choir with Laralee Beck and had the voice of an angel.”
We will have more updates as events warrant.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
ALL QUIET ON THE BIKER FRONT
Sheriff's deputies and CHP officers who are out in force this weekend appear to be keeping the peace, although it may just be that the Mongol bikers visiting La Jolla Reservation don't plan any problems. The feared arrival of the Hell's Angels on Palomar Mountain doesn't seem to have materialized. The two groups are sworn enemies.
Our photographer went to La Jolla Rez Friday night where talked to some Mongol bikers that he described as "pretty nice guys" although they asked him not to take their pictures. We see regular patrols of deputies and CHP traveling in convoys up and down Valley Center Road from their HQ at the corner of VC Road & Cole Grade. They have also been noted on Hwy 76 where they occasionally stop motorists.
Our photographer went to La Jolla Rez Friday night where talked to some Mongol bikers that he described as "pretty nice guys" although they asked him not to take their pictures. We see regular patrols of deputies and CHP traveling in convoys up and down Valley Center Road from their HQ at the corner of VC Road & Cole Grade. They have also been noted on Hwy 76 where they occasionally stop motorists.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
