Julian Gets Free Internet

Julian - Due to communications disruptions from the fires, Microsoft and the County of San Diego are providing free Internet access for Julian residents.

The Internet service is available at a specially-equipped bus in the parking lot of the Julian Branch Library, at 1850 Highway 78. The bus includes computers with Internet access, printers, a WiFi hot spot, cell phones and an Xbox unit.

The bus will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. until communications are restored to the area, according to a press release from the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services.

--Anna Cearley, staff writer

Red Cross closing shelters

The American Red Cross has closed the following shelters. No evacuees were residing in the shelters at the time of closure.

Harrah's Rincon Reservation, 777 Harrah's Rincon Way, Valley Center

Mount Miguel High School, 8585 Blossom Ln., Spring Valley

Poway Community Park, 13094 Civic Center Dr., Poway


INDIVIDUAL CLIENT SERVICES
American Red Cross Client Service volunteers will be available at the following Service Delivery Sites on Saturday, October 27th for one-on-one meetings with families who have emergency-caused needs and whose homes and personal effects have been destroyed by the wildfires (new locations in bold).

Del Mar Fairgrounds, West Grandstands Lower Level, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Potrero - Kiwanis Community Center, 25771 Potrero Valley Rd, Potrero, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Dulzura Community Center, 1136 Community Building Road, Dulzura, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Photo identification that includes home address from an affected area is required to receive service. Additional service locations, as well as hours of service for upcoming days, will be posted on www.sdarc.org. Visit this site for the most current information.

--Greg Gross, Breaking News Team

Habitat for Humanity wants YOU

The San Diego chapter of Habitat for Humanity is seeking volunteers and donations to aid people who lost their homes in the wildfires or need assistance in cleaning up their property.

The organization plans to offer rebuilding assistance for the uninsured and underinsured who have nowhere to turn, said spokeswoman Carolyn Bollman. Decisions will be made on where rebuilding efforts will occur after damage assessments are completed.

For more information, call the Habitat for Humanity office at 619-283-4663 or visit www.sdhfh.org.

--Ron Powell, staff writer

Fire relief benefits scheduled

Local media outlets are lending a hand to raise money for San Diego's fire-relief effort. Here are some benefits in the works:

- Cox Communications and Channel 4 San Diego have teamed up with the San Diego Padres and the Fashion Valley Mall for a week-long donation drive. Today through Nov. 2, the public can drop off cash donations or checks payable to ARC-San Diego Wild Fires at the Fashion Valley Mall. Padres third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff will make an appearance tomorrow from noon to 2 p.m., and Channel 4's Sam the Cooking Guy will be on hand from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday. It all happens on the south side of the Fashion Valley Mall, near the Boudin Bakery. The hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, except for Sunday, when the hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. All proceeds will go to the American Red Cross and the San Diego Foundation's fire-relief efforts.

- Radio stations XX Sports Radio (1090 AM and 105.7 FM) and San Diego 1700AM will host Mission Recovery, an on-air memorabilia auction and donation campaign to benefit the American Red Cross fire-victims fund. Auction items include tickets to the 2008 Super Bowl, vacation packages, signed memorabilia and a dinner for two with Pete Rose. The Mission Recovery effort started today and will run through Nov. 2.

- The KGB Halloween Blood Drive couldn't be happening at a better time. The grand-daddy of all blood drives will be held Tuesday at Dixieline in Kearny Mesa, 4888 Convoy Street. The drive runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

- Tuesday's 91X Concert From the Crypt will benefit the San Diego Foundation for Fire Relief Efforts. Local faves Louis XIV will headline the all-ages show, which has been moved to the House of Blues, 1055 Fifth Ave., downtown. Tickets can be purchased at the House of Blues on the day of the show only.

- Karla Peterson, staff writer

La Mesa RV Center Donates RVs for California Fire Victims

La Mesa RV, with nine RV dealership locations in the United States and two in the areas of the recent ravaging firestorms in the state of California, is reaching out to help fire victims.

With the cooperation of local RV parks in the San Diego area, including Campland On The Bay, KOA in Chula Vista and Chula Vista RV Resort, La Mesa RV is helping fire victims by donating a motorhome or trailer for their use for a one week time period. Each of the campgrounds have partnered with La Mesa RV in offering their sites for use by the victims in the donated RVs.

La Mesa RV feels an obligation to the citizens of this community to do what we can as a company to assist during this tragic time. We appreciate our partnering campgrounds in assisting us with this program to provide spaces for the motorhomes.

La Mesa RV is spearheading the coordination of the use of the vehicles and campsites. Victims of the fires that are interested in the program are asked to contact La Mesa RV Center at 858-874-8000 and ask for Steve Love Monday through Friday or Jan Mosegaard on Saturday and Sunday. People that participate in the program will need to go to La Mesa RV to be assigned a vehicle and camping space.

In addition, La Mesa RV is placing a special order for housing units direct from the factory for purchase by people needing housing. These 32-foot towable housing units include a full kitchen, queen size bed in the bedroom and a set of bunk beds. La Mesa RV will help with the placement of these units onto campsites or homesites if needed. La Mesa RV will be providing this service to the community for no mark-up on the sale of the unit. Contact La Mesa RV Center in San Diego for more information or go to the website www.lamesarv.com.

Villa Monte Vista's 99 residents return home today

American Medical Response (AMR) is coordinating the return of 99 elderly residents to Villa Monte Vista (1296 Monte Vista Road, Poway), a skilled nursing facility, this afternoon.

The residents were evacuated earlier this week due to the wildfires. Thirty of the residents will be picked up from Palomar Continuing Care (1817 Avenida del Diablo, Escondido) at 2 p.m.

This large scale repopulation of Villa Monte Vista will be completed by ambulance strike teams arranged through AMR, the County's disaster ambulance coordinator.

Returning residents to their homes is a good sign that progress is being made and the lives of these individuals will begin to get back to normal.

Housing available

Fairfield Properties has immediate rental housing available including month-to-month leases as well as specials for victims of the wildfires in California. This includes San Diego, Los Angeles, Inland Empire and Orange County.

All of the information can be found at the bottom of this page:
http://www.fairfield-properties.com/

Pro bono post-fire financial planning

San Diego County fire victims interested in meeting with a financial planner to discuss their finances in light of this tragedy are encouraged to contact the Financial Planning Association of San Diego.

We have members offering to provide pro bono advice to fire victims. Topics available for discussion may include, but are not limited to, debt management, budgeting, what investment accounts to pull money from, types of loans, and understanding homeowners insurance. San Diego FPA can be reached at 619-504-0142, info@fpasandiego.org, or www.fpasandiego.org.

My stuff duffel bags for kids

The My Stuff Bags Foundation is offering its duffel bags filled with new, comforting items (toys, stuffed animals, clothing, blanket) to children and teens throughout Southern California who have lost all their belongings in the recent fires.
The bags will be distributed through qualifying community organizations such as schools, houses of worship, employers, insurance companies and others in the fire-devastated areas. Organizations are encouraged to contact the My Stuff Bags Foundation immediately at (866) 3-MYSTUFF.
"Each My Stuff bag carries the message, `Lots of people care about you,' because almost all of the items inside are donated," says Janeen Holmes, president and CEO of My Stuff Bags, a nonprofit organization that provides its duffel bags to abused, neglected, abandoned and displaced children. "It is the foundation's way of wrapping its arms around these unfortunate children."
The foundation, launched in 1998, is calling upon individuals, corporations, organizations and public and private foundations for funding and donations of new children's items, including essentials like toothbrushes and toothpaste, toys, stuffed animals, books, games, clothing, school supplies, and one of the most comforting and important items, a cuddly blanket, often made by volunteers. Visit mystuffbags.org for more information.
-- Jane Clifford

Free counseling for fire trauma

Anyone in need of counseling support due to the fires can get free assistance from a group of volunteer mental health professionals.

Fire and Loss Counseling is organized by San Diego marriage and family counselor Aimee Zakrewski. Its members are licensed and pre-licensed psychotherapists and psychologists with experience in bereavement, grief and loss.

Anyone needing help can visit http://www.azgrowth.com/flc.html