By Mike Allen

Photos by Janis Russell

October 8, 2015 (La Mesa)--Emotions got nearly out of control at a packed Helix Water District meeting Oct. 7 as customers lashed out at the board’s plan to raise rates over the next five years.

After more than three hours of presentations from water district staff and testimony from angry customers, the five-member elected board voted 3-2 to adopt a five-year rate increase plan, beginning Nov. 1 and continuing to 2020.

East County News Service

September 9, 2015 - The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce has announced the entertainment lineup of its new “FallFest” event being held October 16th and October 17th at Grossmont Center (5500 Grossmont Center Drive, in the Macy’s parking lot.)

The entertainment lineup will combine the best in music with “a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll.”

Source: Heartland Fire & Rescue

October 3, 2015 (San Diego's East County) - Heartland Fire & Rescue will be hosting two Fire Prevention Open House events in October. The events will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2015 in Lemon Grove and Saturday, October 10, 2015 in La Mesa. Due to construction there will not be an event held in El Cajon this year. Residents and visitors are invited to attend one or both of the two Heartland Fire events. Please see below for more details.

Drive to support AJ’s Kids Crane and Rady Children’s Hospital 

October 2, 2015 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa Police Department will begin its 3rd Annual Toy Drive on October 5, 2015 which will continue through November 17, 2015. The police department is hoping to collect enough toys to fill their Bearcat Rescue Vehicle, which will deliver the toys to AJ’s Kids Crane in the Mission Valley Ikea parking lot on November 17th. 

October 2, 2015 (La Mesa)--Lamplighters Community Theatre in La Mesa continues its current season with a mystery. Stage Fright by Charles Marowitz will run Oct. 9-Nov. 8.

A leading metropolitan drama critic is led by an attractive production assistant into a recently discovered 19th century theatre. There, the critic will film a television interview for a documentary on the actor John Wilkes Booth, who once acted on those very boards. The critic, F.F. Charnick, notorious for his venomous reviews, visibly warms to the classy elegance of the British P.A. But no sooner has he downed a glass of wine than he falls drugged and unconscious.

East County News Service

September 30, 2015 (La Mesa)-- Heartland Fire & Rescue crews from La Mesa and Lemon Grove, with assistance from San Diego Fire, responded to a house fire in the 4100 block of E. Arrieta Circle in La Mesa this morning. 

The first Chief Officer arrived within five minutes to report a single story, single family dwelling with heavy smoke coming from the house. Firefighters quickly attacked the fire from the interior, while simultaneously cutting a hole in the roof to alleviate smoke and hot gases from inside the structure, said Sonny Saghera, public information officer for Heartland.

Two meetings set on rate hikes Sept. 30 and Oct. 7

East County News Service

September 29, 2015 (La Mesa) — Helix Water District’s Board has voted unanimously to rescind a 10 percent penalty assessed on its highest tier water users. The change comes after customers cut water use 28 percent, enabling the district to meet the 20 percent cuts mandated by the state. Board member Kathleen Hedberg asked for those penalized to receive rebates, but instead the funds will be used for water conservation outreach, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

But the district is moving forward on hefty water rate hikes for water users. The Grossmont-Mt. Helix Improvement Association (GMIA) opposes what it describes as a 70% rate hike over five years. The GMIA invites the public to a community forum on the rate hike on Wednesday, September 30^th at 7 p.m. at Murdock Elementary School (4354 Conrad Drive in La Mesa).

The GMIA has crafted a sample letter for those opposed to submit public comment: http://www.gmia.net/docs/SampleLetterToTheHelixWaterDistrict.pdf

East County News Service

California Sen. Joel Anderson (R-Alpine) will listen to constituents and invite ideas on how to improve state government at a “Community Coffee” starting at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Chapel at Grossmont, 5651 Water St., La Mesa. The free event, open to the public, will be hosted by La Mesa City Council members Guy McWhirter and Bill Baber.

September 25, 2015 (La Mesa)—A Fair Trade gift faire in La Mesa on October 11 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. will offer hand-crafted baskets, jewelry clothing accessories, chocolate, coffee, tea and more.  Fair Trade certification means artisans and farmers in the poorest areas of the world receive fair, livable wages for their product or ingredients, offer the public “socially responsible” shopping.

By Mimi Pollack

Photo: Maggie Espinosa in the Oxnard Strawberry Fields

September 25, 2015 (La Mesa)--In Spain, there is a famous pilgrimage/walk, called El Camino de Santiago de Compostela, a 450 mile walk. Many people have that walk on their bucket list. La Mesa resident Maggie Espinosa has completed her own version of that peregrination by walking the 800 mile El Camino Real, up the California coast.

September 23, 2015 (La Mesa) -- Balls to fetch, toys to chase, oils to bless and anoint for healing, ribbon bows to tie to collars, and photos to cherish. Celebrating the importance of animals in our lives, The Table: United Church of Christ of La Mesa and Animal Blessings, which provides support services for caretakers and animals, invite you to participate in a Community Blessing of Animals on Saturday, October 10, 2015, between 10:00 am and noon.

President of East County realtor trade group is directing realtor talent show

East County  News Service; photo  by Carey Guthrie

View video from the 2014 Un-fashion and Variety Show: http://youtu.be/XtBkvN8ETOw

September 21, 2015 (Alpine)--Who said real estate agents can only sell houses?

Alpine resident Carey Guthrie is directing and producing a talent show that will feature dancing and singing abilities of realtors from throughout San Diego County. Guthrie manages two real estate sales offices in La Mesa Village for Windermere Real Estate SoCal. She also serves as the 2015 president of the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR).

On Thursday, Sept. 24, PSAR will present a fun-filled evening of fashion, food and entertainment at its fourth annual Un-Fashion and Variety Show at the Scottish Rite Event Center, 1895 Camino del Rio South in Mission Valley. Proceeds will benefit the Military Warriors Support Foundation.

Musical continues Sept. 17-19 in Visionary production at Pt.. Loma High

Review by Kathy Carpenter

Associate and Youth Reviewer www.sdtheatrereviews.com

September 14, 2015 (La Mesa) - Visionary Community Theatre and Visionary Youth Theatre join together for an outreach program of epic proportions to present "Hairspray." What do you get when you mash up several high schools and a professional choreographer? Great dancing, singing, and acting.

East County News Service

September 14, 2015 (La Mesa)--The Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library, a consumer health library at 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa, is now hosting its Summer Art Exhibit featuring 14 oil and watercolor paintings of landscape scenes by Mike Hefner of San Carlos. The show runs through the end of September.

The exhibit includes Hefner’s plein air watercolor paintings that highlight the beauty and history of San Diego, from its coasts and mountains to the deserts of Baja. Plein air means “open air” and refers to paintings created outside and on location.

By Miriam Raftery

September 10, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Grossmont High School’s principal sent a letter to all parents yesterday warning of a apparent attempt to kidnap a female student on Tuesday, September 8th. 

According to Principal Daniel Barnes, the teen girl was waiting for a ride at 3:30 p.m. near the baseball field on Milden Avenue when she was approached by a man, who beckoned to her with a cigarette and told her to “get in” his vehicle. She refused and the man drove off on Water Street.

The victim described the suspect as a Hispanic man about 30 to 40 years old with brown hair, brown eyes, dark complexion, round face and large mole on his right cheek.  He was driving  a maroon single cab pickup truck, possibly a Ford F-150, older model with chipped paint.