January 12, 2005 - Top Stories
BY DAVID ROSS
As she tried to cross Cumbres Road near Lilac early Sunday evening, Shannon Murphy suddenly found her truck swept away off the road, into a creek and onto its side.
The 24-year old woman scrambled out of the driver’s side and sat on the truck, awaiting rescue.
Murphy was one of three drivers in three different locations Sunday night who ran afoul of a rampaging nature—and had to be rescued.
Murphy’s rescue may have been the most hazardous of the evening.
For a few moments Sunday night Valley Center Fire Chief Kevin O’Leary feared that rescuers wouldn’t successfully extricate Murphy.
However, the crew of the San Pasqual Fire Engine hook and ladder lowered the ladder over the water.
The problem would be lifting Murphy the eight feet from the truck up to the ladder.
“Standing there watching it, I was fearful that they weren’t going to be able to do it,” recalls O’Leary.
* * *
The first rescue occurred about 7:30 p.m. when a vehicle with three occupants tried to cross the San Luis Rey River on the Valley Center side of Cole Grade.
Firefighters from both sides of the raging torrent responded, from the Rincon CDF station, and the VC fire stations.
The vehicle was too far into the creek and could move back or forward, according to the O’Leary.
They called for assistance from a swift water rescue team from Camp Pendleton.
While they were waiting, Capt. Todd O’Carroll of the CDF came up with a plan and called for assistance from Truck 67, which is the San Pasqual fire department’s hook and ladder (paid for by funds from Rincon reservation).
They lowered the ladder over the car and effected the rescue.
At about 8 p.m. they got a call for a vehicle at Couser Canyon & Hwy 76.
That vehicle was stuck just where the road dips (near Pauma School) and the creek crosses.
Luckily the water receded rapidly and firefighters were able to walk the two occupants of the care to safety.
The last of the three incidents was also the most dramatic, the rescue of Shannon Murphy.
As she sat on the side of her truck, the water was flowing rapidly around her. Its roar was overwhelming and the rain was falling in torrents.
According to O’Leary, “When we responded, we requested a swift-water team and also went hunting for some equipment. “
They borrowed some personal floatation devices and swim gear from the Deer Springs Fire Dept.
The VC Fire Dept. has swift water rescue technicians, but no swift-water rescue gear. That omission is being rectified this week, said the chief.
San Diego Lifeguards arrived at scene of one of the earlier rescues, but were no longer needed. O’Leary requested them to come to the Cumbres site.
The hook and ladder truck was backed down to the bridge and maneuvered between two oak trees to where it was over Murphy.
The San Diego Lifeguards lifted Murphy up and over the ladder.
“It was quite a difficult feat,” commented O’Leary.
* * *
Although it would seem unnecessary to warn adults not to cross roads with swiftly moving water, apparently it is.
Engineer Dan Beeson of the VCFPD comments: “A word of advice from the fire department is to not corss low flowing water. A few inches of water is enough to move a vehicle. Find refuge, stay at someone’s house until the water drops below the bridge.”
Most of these roads are private roads, and it’s expensive to put in a dedicated bridge on such roadways.
“We understand why the Arizona crossings were put in but they are unsafe.”
* * *
Raging waters have continued to keep the firefighters busy as the week continued, so far without any more rescues.
They are using the small squad vehicle to access danger points and block them off. The heavier engines just don’t work in this type of situation.
Lake Wohlford Road remained closed to traffic on the Escondido side because of mudslides.
Woods Valley Road is still open although there have been many slides.
Flooding has also been recorded on Lilac near Via Piedra and on Canal Road in the San Pasqual reservation.
Sand bags are available to the public from the Cole Grade CDF station, the North Lake Wohlford VC fire station and the CDF Rincon station.
The first ever Roadrunner Newsmaker Award has been given to four Valley Center Fire Relief “angels,” Terry & Mimi Van Koughnett, Michelle Schied, and Dianne Conaway.
Many, many people have given selflessly to bring solace, food and shelter to the many people who were made homeless by 2003’s wildfires, however these four have been the most prominent, hence the title “Newsmaker.”
The publishers of The Roadrunner commented, “Although there were many important contributions made by all of the people nominated to this year’s Newsmaker Award,” we felt that these four fulfilled both criteria: They did something important to benefit the community, and they were prominent in news stories during 2004.”
There is no monetary award associated with this honor, it’s just a way to recognize four hard-working community members.
Plaques will be given, and we hope to photograph the honorees as soon as we can get them all together.
* * *
Conaway served as president of the Valley Center Fire Relief Fund, a non-profit group that raised more than $275,000 for victims of the Paradise Fire.
When the organization first began its work, last January, Conaway was quoted as saying that it would “be a way to bring everybody together to continue doing what they are doing now: clean up, fund-raising etc. This will allow us to extend our efforts so that people and groups outside our community can come in, roll up their sleeves and get to work! As a volunteer myself, I hope to spread the work around for the recovery efforts so that no one has too big of a job.”
One of many people that this relief organization worked with was Michelle Schied, director of Valley Center Fire Recovery, who for many months coordinated assistance to fire survivors through other agencies.
Mrs. Schied helped get materials to fire survivors who needed to rebuild, worked as a resource to help survivors wend their way through the tortuous regulations involved in getting aid from organizations such as FEMA, and connected people with organizations to help get them into temporary housing.
For several months at her own expense she rented a trailer at the County yards and maintained a Local Assistance Center (LAC).
The soft-spoken yet tenacious husband and wife team of Terry & Mimi Van Koughnett continue to operate the Paradise Fire Relief Committee more than a year after the fires.
Its mission, according to its web site (www.paradisefire.com), is, “Serving the needs of our community in the aftermath of the Paradise fire. . .individual and family case management, connecting fire victims to resources, taking care of unmet needs.”
“Our job,” Terry Van Koughnett told The Roadrunner last year, “is to connect clients with resources. None of the resources provide one hundred percent, but together they can help.”
They have helped several dozen fire survivors get into temporary as well as permanent housing.
The Roadrunner thanks these dedicated residents, and invites our readers to thank them as well.
It’s people such as these that make living in Valley Center so rewarding.
By DAVID ROSS
After six years the Valley Center version of General Plan 2020 is nearing completion, but the County is being warned that the planning group won’t endorse the final product unless an “equity mechanism” is included for owners who are seeing their land downzoned.
VC planners have been given the final map for the two nodes of the Villages by the Dept. of Planning & Land Use. Dealing with the town’s center is the final part of the process.
The public will be able to get a final pass at these maps at a special meeting, Jan. 24, 7 p.m. at the middle school.
At that point the two year environmental impact report process will start. It will have lots of opportunities for public input, but not many opportunities to actually change any aspects of the plan.
The Jan. 24 meeting is the last public input before that process starts.
At Monday night’s planning group meeting the board, with several new members, heard a report on the process from Larry Glavinic, chairman of the GP 2020 subcommittee.
“We’re about eighty-five percent along in the process,” he said, then added, “Something needs to be said: This whole plan from VC’s perspective is predicated upon us having an equity mechanism in place. If that doesn’t happen, I would consider all of these things null and void.”
The planning group has gone on record several times that it won’t support the current plan without an equity mechanism.
The plan, predicated upon the “smart growth” philosophy, downzones the outer perimeter of the community, while shoehorning higher density into its center. The planning group’s position is that it is unfair to enrich one set of landowners at the expense of another.
An “equity mechanism” would find some way to transfer some of the wealth back to the property owners adversely effected.
So far, the County has not officially taken a stand in favor of an “equity mechanism” although it has been discussed many times.
“The real thing making this thing move along is that the Planning Commission will hear this on Feb. 18 whether we give them anything or not,” said Glavinic.
Rosemary Rowan, regional planner, was at Monday’s meeting. She and Bob Citrano are in charge of the VC GP2020 process.
Glavinic quizzed her about infrastructure related to the densities that the County is proposing for the center part of town.
“Does the County have any money earmarked today for any new circulation roads?” he asked.
“Not that I’m aware of,” Rowan answered.
“Is there any money earmarked to do any sewer connections?”
“No.”
“Is the notion of a Village Limit line firm as of today?”
“Yes, it has teeth behind it.”
The third question was related to whether or not properties that are outside of the Village will be able to get zoning changed so that they can be included in it, and increase their property’s density. Any lots that are one half acre are included within the Village limit line.
After getting these answers, the planning group followed Glavinic’s recommendation to approve the County’s proposed residential densities and limit line.
The public can see copies of the new proposed map at the VC library.
* * *
In other business, the board welcomed new members, including Kris Preston, Keith Simpson, Deborah Hofler and Leon Schwartz. Craig Johnson, also a new member, was absent for the first meeting due to an illness.
They acknowledged the vacancy created by the death of Elaine Nolan, who had been elected to the board in November.
The board elected new officers: Chairman, Andy Washburn; vice chairman, Larry Glavinic; Secretary, Keith Simpson; parliamentarian, Robert Hancock. The Nominations subcommittee, which deals with vacancies, was also appointed, and includes Craig Adams, Keith Simpson, Leon Schwartz. Adams was named chairman.
The nominations subcommittee will deal with filling the vacancy of Elaine Nolan’s seat, plus filling vacancies on the VC Design Review Board and the I-15 Corridor Design Review board.
Snappy’s manager Stacy Turman inspects the bathroom where burglars broke into the drive-through eatery Tuesday night (January 4). The burglars entered though the roof. A safe containing $1500 was ripped from the floor.
The Valley Roadrunner
P.O.B. 1529, Valley Center, CA 92082
Tel. 760.749.1112 Fax 760.749.1688
Website: www.valleycenter.com
Email: editor@valleycenter.com
Copyright © 2005, Palomar Community Newspapers, dba Valley Roadrunner. All rights reserved. This content may not be archived, retransmitted, saved in a database, or used for any commercial purpose without the express written permission of the Valley Roadrunner.