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OPINION: Yes On Measure W For Clean Beaches And Oceans — And, Possibly, ‘New’ Drinking Water

Los Angeles County Measure W is a parcel tax to pay for cleaning up stormwater — the dirty runoff created when rain hits the streets and other paved surfaces, picks up toxic urban gunk and carries it downstream to foul the beaches and pollute the ocean. Depending on how you look at it, the measure is either a hard but necessary pill to swallow or an exciting step into the future. In either case, it’s the right move, and The Times urges voters to say yes.

San Diego County Has Enough Water For 2019, Water Authority Says

San Diego County will have enough water for 2019 in spite of low rainfall and high temperatures over the past year, the San Diego County Water Authority announced Monday. Rainfall during the 2018 water year, which ran from Oct. 1, 2017, to Sept. 30, totaled slightly more than three inches at San Diego International Airport, the county’s precipitation measurement site. SDCWA officials say that’s 67 percent lower than normal and the county’s second-lowest annual rainfall total since 1850.

Padre Dam Board Freezes Water Rates

With one of the highest costs for water in San Diego County, Padre Dam Municipal Water District has faced a lot of pushback from residents tired of expensive bills. But some relief is in sight. As of July 1, the district said, the average customer in its service area paid the third-highest cost for water in the county — just over $100 per month.

California Utilities Restoring Power After Intentional Cuts To Tens of Thousands Due To Extreme Fire Danger, Santa Ana Winds

California utilities are restoring power to tens of thousands of customers after intentionally cuts due to extreme fire danger and Santa Ana winds, which may persist into Tuesday. Just over 31,000 customers remained without power in California early Tuesday morning, according to poweroutage.us. A woman was killed Monday morning when high winds blew a tree on a vehicle the woman was inside in Tustin, about 35 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles in Orange County, KABC-TV reported.

The Santa Ana Winds Spare San Diego. But Don’t Get Cocky

The “devil winds” whipped San Diego County Monday, then quickly and mysteriously moved on, sparing the region the sort of hellacious horrors that the Santa Anas often bring in autumn. Having been told to brace for trouble, San Diegans collectively shrugged, sighed and went about their business. Most were unaware that the region was the beneficiary of timing and topography.

San Diego Expected To Have Enough Water For 2019

San Diego County will have enough water for 2019 in spite of low rainfall and high temperatures over the past year, the San Diego County Water Authority announced Monday. Rainfall during the 2018 water year, which ran from Oct. 1, 2017, to Sept. 30, totaled slightly more than three inches at San Diego International Airport, the county’s precipitation measurement site. SDCWA officials say that’s 67 percent lower than normal and the county’s second-lowest annual rainfall total since 1850.

Harris Headlines Fall Conference for Women in Finance

For Lisa Marie Harris, serving as the director of finance for the San Diego County Water Authority is far more than a job. It’s part of a calling that started in college. As an undergrad, Harris secured a fellowship to study public policy at the University of Michigan, which confirmed her desire to pursue a career in government finance. Today, she is responsible for overseeing the Water Authority’s $2.3 billion debt portfolio, developing the agency’s bi-annual $1.5 billion operating budget, and setting the agency’s annual rates and charges.

Wildfire Watch: Santa Ana Winds Put Southern California on Alert

The winds notorious for fueling Southern California wildfires were expected to kick up for the first time this year on Sunday night, putting the region on alert, according to the National Weather Service. The season’s first major Santa Ana winds may reach gusts of up to 75 mph in the region’s mountains, creating critical fire weather conditions through Tuesday night. Last year, the winds drove the Thomas Fire, which destroyed more than 280,000 acres in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. and took more than a month to contain.

Metropolitan Water District Board Elects First African American Woman, Gloria Gray, as Chairwoman

Water veteran and community advocate Gloria D. Gray was recently elected chairwoman of the board of directors of the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) of Southern California. She has vast experience in state, regional and local water issues and has served as West Basin Municipal Water District’s (WBMWD) representative on the 38-member Metropolitan board since April 2009. “I am excited to help lead Metropolitan into the next era, as we work collaboratively to overcome challenges to our imported water supplies brought by climate change, invest in local resources and continue providing a reliable water supply to Southern California,” Gray said.

Cyanobacteria Found in Salton Sea

The Imperial County Public Health Department announced Friday that cyanotoxins were found in the Salton Sea. In recent months, low levels of cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, were detected blooming along the northern shore of the Salton Sea in Riverside County.  Water testing conducted by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board have confirmed the presence of three cyanotoxins: Anatoxin-a, Saxitoxin and Microcystin at the Desert Shores Harbor of the Salton Sea.