“It did something kind of funny,” said Sikes, 61. “It just stuck there.”

For about 30 hair-raising miles beginning near Lake Jennings Park Road near Flinn Springs, Sikes tried frantically to slow down the 2008 hybrid. At one point the speedometer hit 94 mph, said Sikes, who called 911.

A CHP officer was dispatched and while driving alongside, coached Sikes over a loudspeaker on how to get control of the car, a process that involved the brakes, the emergency brake and, when the speed came down some, turning off the ignition.

To me, this is a true hero – and a GREAT job by the driver not to panic and do anything stupid. I wonder if I could be that strong in that stressful of a situation!?

The bomb squad of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department was slated to arrive on campus just before noon to examine the package, which police found in a bathroom after receiving a tip from a student, Hackenberg said.

It’s most likely some stupid kid playing a prank – if they only knew how much damage and tax dollars it costs…not to mention they trouble they’ll get in.

Anyway, here is a little more info on it:

A convicted sex offender charged with murdering one teen and suspected in the death of another appeared in court Tuesday as a judge issued a gag order and delayed a key hearing in the case.

Defendant John Albert Gardner III spoke only to acknowledge that he waived his right to speedy proceedings.

Superior Court Judge David J. Danielsen rescheduled the preliminary hearing from March 18 to Aug. 4. The hearing is meant to show if there is enough evidence to send Gardner to trial.

The defense sought a September date, and the prosecution wanted the hearing by July.

Danielson also issued a gag order on parties in the proceedings.

The regular meeting starts at 7 p.m., preceded by a study session at 4 p.m., in the Cultural Center, 183 N. Main St.

The midyear budget review by the city’s finance director indicates both sales and property tax revenues are still declining.

As a result, the city expects to reap nearly $1 million less in those revenues than originally projected in the budget for the year ending June 30. Taking other adjustments into account the city would be about $1.14 million short by the fiscal year’s end, winding up with an estimated $6.3 million in sales tax revenue and $4.9 million in property tax revenue. Overall, the city would end the year having received $21.8 million in general fund revenue, while spending $24.1 million.

On the bright side, the city spent just $117,660 of a $1.02 million allocation from its supplemental reserve fund to cover a shortfall in last year’s budget, the report states. The city’s finance director recommends using that unspent amount to cover the anticipated deficit, along with another $245,160 drawn from the supplemental reserve and other measures such as reduced spending by some departments.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the 4.0-magnitude quake occurred at 8:18 p.m. Monday. It was centered 14 miles east-southeast of Julian.

There are no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

I didn’t feel this one, but, a 4.0 is a pretty good size one…I usually feel those. Maybe I mistook a crunch of my pretzel for the trembler, eh? haha

Anyway, one person died and another was feared dead Monday night in a fire that destroyed an Encinitas home.

When firefighters arrived at 7:26 p.m. at the home, at 1125 Regal Road, it was completely engulfed with flames shooting through the top of the single-story house, said Deputy Fire Chief Scott Henry of the Encinitas Fire Department.

Fire crews doused the fire by 8:10 p.m., Henry said, and soon discovered one of the residents, a wheelchair-bound 82-year-old man, dead inside the wreckage of the home, Henry said.

As of late Monday night, a second resident of the home, an 83-year-old woman, had not been accounted for, Henry said.