From the Fire Chief’s Corner: Christmas tree safety

Fiery crash in Ranchita kills girl, 8, injures seven others

County officials respond to November coyote attack at UTC

Paul Nichols, retro one-man band, to perform Dec. 5 at Mike Hess Alpine Brewing

Grossmont Healthcare District Awards Nearly $4 Million to Strengthen Health and Wellness Services Across East County

Shredded cheeses recalled in 31 states due to possible metal fragments: Cheese were sold at major retailers under several brand names

FBI San Diego investigation leads to seizure of fake cryptocurrency investment domain used by Tai Chang scam compound in Burma: 400 San Diegans victimized

East County Magazine’s “Feasting and Merrymaking” holiday party December 7

Buon appetito! New Gino & Gianni’s Pizzeria by Mamma Mia in La Mesa offers artful and delicious dining experiences

Jamul Casino Resort deepens philanthropic impact through year-round efforts

Destination East County: Dreamy December events to remember

Our guide to discovering the SDSU College Community

EAST COUNTY RESIDENTS SPEAK OUT ON OCCUPY ARRESTS, CLAIM CHILLING EFFECT ON FREE SPEECH

 
By Miriam Raftery

 
January 11, 2012 (San Diego)—An East County comedian finds the latest rounds of arrests at the Occupy San Diego protest site to be no laughing matter.  “I’m afraid to go down there. We have become a police state,” said comic Diane Jean. 

ELDERLY WOMAN MISSING FROM EL CAJON FOUND SAFE

January 11, 2012 (El Cajon ) – Gloria Maria Moler, 81, who was reported missing last night has been located.

“Police received a call about a wrong-way driver at 5:00 a.m.,” said Melissa Aquino with the San Diego Sheriff’s Department. “An officer detained Miss Moler and later discovered a missing person’s report about her.”

COUNCILWOMAN/CHAMBER LEADER MARY ENGLAND ANNOUNCES RUN FOR ASSEMBLY

By Miriam Raftery

January 11, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Lemon Grove Councilwoman Mary England announced today that she will seek a seat in the state Legislature. She is running in the newly redistricted 79th Assembly District, which has no incumbent. England is also president of the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce.England said her priorities will be to encourage private sector job growth, balance the state budget without raising taxes, and reform of the state’s public pension system.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY LIBRARY ANNOUNCES JANUARY FAMILY PROGRAMS


January 11, 2012 (San Diego County) -- You can still take the Winter Reading Challenge that runs until January 15 with more prizes being given away every week.  For more details, visit your local branch or http://www.sdcl.org/

READER’S EDITORIAL: VOICE YOUR CHOICE FOR THE FUTURE OF SAN DIEGO TODAY!

 
By Lori Holt Pfeiler, Associate Vice President of Our Greater San Diego Vision

 
January 11, 2012 (San Diego)--Right now San Diegans have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to plan for this region’s future.  We can weigh in on our priorities, hopes and concerns for this wonderful place, and become part of a collective vision and action plan for the future at www.ShowYourLoveSD.org. 

COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO AQUATICS CENTER OPENS AT THE MCGRATH FAMILY YMCA IN RANCHO SAN DIEGO

 
Ribbon Cutting is Scheduled for Thursday, January 26, 2012


January 11, 2012, Rancho San Diego) -- The highly anticipated new County of San Diego Aquatics Center at the McGrath Family YMCA in Rancho San Diego will celebrate  its ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 11:30 a.m. The state of the art facility, located at 12006 Campo Road, is in a position to provide a variety of programs  that help kids and adults learn water safety  skills, develop confidence in and around the water and enjoy the benefits of water exercise.

 

SDG&E ENERGY INNOVATION CENTER OPENHOUSE JANUARY 18


January 11, 2012 (San Diego) -- SDG&E invites you to visit the Energy Innovation Center on Wednesday, January 18 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for a Community Open House which will include guided tours of the center and smart home, demos in the food service demonstration kitchen, and interactive kiosks and exhibits.

VICTIM NAMED IN SPRING VALLEY FIGHT, SUSPECT ARRESTED FOR MURDER

By Miriam Raftery

January 11, 2012 (Spring Valley) – Jay Newman, 53, has been identified by the San Diego Medical Examiner’s office as the victim in last night’s deadly fight in the 3600 block of S. Cordoba Avenue in Spring Valley.

Sheriff’s deputies have arrested John Guy Durham, 55, who will be charged with murder, according to a press release from the Sheriff, which also revealed new details on the crime.

FIGHT ENDS IN APPARENT HOMICIDE AT CASA DE ORO HOME


January 10, 2012 (Casa de Oro) – The San Diego Sheriff’s Department is investigating an “apparent homicide” in Spring Valley. Deputies responded to a call at 5:30 p.m. of a fight at a residence in the 3600 block of Cordoba Avenue. A fatally injured victim found inside died a short time later.

Authorities have not yet released details on the victim or the cause of death.
 

WATER CONSERVATION GARDEN 2012 WINTER/SPRING CALENDAR OF EVENTS


March Members Month, The Backyard Flock: Raising Urban Chickens, Village Aquaponics Workshops, Fall in Love with Bees!, Designing a Small Space Garden and The Spring Garden Festival. 
 
January 10, 2012 (Rancho San Diego)—The Water Conservation Garden invites the public to enjoy its 2012 winter and spring events.  Gardening classes help residents save water and money by focusing on water-smart landscaping techniques and plants.  Classes are taught by experts and topics include lawn removal, water-smart landscape design, backyard composting, irrigation design and gardening for children.  Pre-registration is required for all classes.  To enroll call 619-660-0614 x 10

READER'S EDITORIAL: CHILD HUNGER AWARENESS


By Rikki Borkowski, Rancho Santa Fe

January 10, 2012 (San Diego) -- One in 16 children in the U.S. is suffering from food insecurity, the state of not being able to provide nutritious foods to you, oneself or family. This is a major problem all around the country, even in our own backyard. How can a country so advanced still be living in the 1950s in terms of food insecurity?

CAL FIRE TO CONDUCT CONTROLLED BURNS IN MCCAIN VALLEY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY

 

January 10, 2011 (McCain Valley)-- If you see smoke this week, don't panic.  Cal-Fire will be conducting a prescribed burn in the area of McCain Valley in San Diego's East County during daylight hours January 11 and January 12. Approximately 90 acres of brush will be burned over the next few days as part of a vegetation managegement burn plan.

SDG&E CELEBRATES SAN DIEGO’S BIGGEST ENERGY SAVERS


Lakeside
 Winner Achieves Nearly 50 Percent Energy Savings

January 5, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)– An energy efficiency program piloted by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) succeeded in more than doubling energy savings among participating residential customers during a three-month period. Erica Faunce of Lakeside, Calif., was declared the Biggest Energy SaverSM contest winner in San Diego after achieving a 46.5 percent energy savings, equal to 1,356 kilowatt hours for her family of three, and won a new laptop computer.

4 MAJOR MAYORAL CANDIDATES TO DEBATE ON FRIDAY


January 10, 2012 (San Diego) – For the first time, all four of the leading contenders running for San Diego Mayor will debate this Friday, January 13 at 4 p.m.  Bob Filner, Bonnie Dumanis, Nathan Fletcher, and Carl DeMaio have all agreed to participate. 

The event will be held at the U.S. Grant Hotel. In the public interest will jointly sponsor this debate by The City Club, Lincoln Club, Independent Voter Network (IVN.US), and the U-T San Diego.

KROC CENTER OPEN HOUSE JANUARY 14

 January 8, 2012 (San Diego) – The Salvation Army Kroc Center invites guests to visit the facility at 6845 University Ave La Mesa, CA 92115 on Saturday January 14, 2012 from 10a.m. to 2 p.m.  Bring the family and enjoy child care, tours, fitness assessments and drop in on exercise classes in the gym and pool. All activities are free during the open house. 

 

HAWK WATCH WINERY SEEKS DONATIONS FOR LIVING FREE ANIMAL SANCTUARY

 
Buy a bottle of “Sequoia” wine and help save animals at a no-kill shelter

 
By Millicent Arko
 
January10, 2012 (Warner Springs) -- During January, the owners of Hawk Watch Winery in Warner Springs will be accepting donated items for Living Free, a nonprofit no-kill animal sanctuary. Dog and cat collars, beds, food, scratching posts, treats, biscuits, and items the staff needs to maintain the animals’ living spaces and grounds are all needed. In fact, Living Free has an animal “wish list” posted on its website www.living-free.org/about/our_wishlist.html 

SUPERVISOR RON ROBERTS BECOMES CHAIRMAN OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS


January 9, 2012 (San Diego) -- In a ceremonial changing of the gavel, Ron Roberts assumed Chairmanship of  the San Diego County Board of Supervisors today, Monday, January 9 at 9 a.m. at the County Administration Center  at 1600 Pacific Highway in San Diego.

JANUARY EVENTS AT MISSION TRAILS REGIONAL PARK CENTER


January 9, 2012 (San Diego) -- On Sunday, January 15, 2012, the San Diego Clarinet Quintet will perform at Mission Trails Regional Park at 3:00 p.m. in the Visitor & Interpretive Center theater or amphitheater.
 
The quintet is part of the San Diego Clarinet Society, and is composed of professional musicians who have performed with the San Diego Symphony, San Diego Ballet Orchestra, San Diego Opera Orchestra, and Starlight Opera.
 
 

HERITAGE SCHOOLS CAN NOW REGISTER WITH STATE, SUPERINTENDENT TORLAKSON ANNOUNCES

 
January 9, 2012 (Sacramento) -- State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced that the 2012 Heritage School Registration System is open. Heritage schools—which give students a chance to focus on the language, culture, and traditions of a foreign country—must register online annually with the California Department of Education (CDE) by the end of January.

 

MAN AND WOMAN ARRESTED AFTER SHOTS FIRED AT MOTEL IN DEL CERRO

Update: The male suspect and a woman have been taken into custody early this afternoon.  No injuries were reported.

January 9, 2012 (Del Cerro) – Shots have been fired at law enforcement officers by a suspect who has barricaded himself inside a Days Inn Motel at 5343 Adobe Falls Road near Waring Road in Del Cerro, visible from I-8 in the east end of Mission Valley, ECM has learned.

BINGE AND UNDERAGE DRINKING INITIATIVE LAUNCHED IN COUNTY

Costs ot teen drinking alarm authorities
January 9, 2012 (San Diego) -- San Diegans should be alarmed at the amount of money coming out of their pocketbooks as a result of underage drinking, the head of San Diego County’s Alcohol Policy Panel Beth Sise said today. Underage drinking cost Californians nearly $6.8 billion in 2010, according to a report released recently by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, a nationally recognized nonprofit specializing in research related to the use of alcohol and other drugs. 

CREATE A NEW YOU - WITH A NEW JOB - FOR THE NEW YEAR


Corporate Exec-Turned-Novelist Says It’s Never Too Late
 
January 9, 2011 (Los Angeles)--With 7 million Americans receiving unemployment benefits, and many counting the years – instead of months – since their layoff, author Darlene Quinn says now is a good time to reinvent yourself. She cites James Sherk, a senior policy analyst for the Heritage Foundation, who says the jobs people held two or three years ago often simply aren’t there anymore.

PETITION LAUNCHED TO OVERTURN BOUNDARY CHANGES IN GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT


By Miriam Raftery

 
January 7, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – A petition has been launched by residents of the Grossmont Union High School District asking the Board to rescind boundary changes that impact approximately 3,675 current students as well as many more future students.  Gregory Kerrebrock, who launched the online petition, says many homeowners and parents were never notified.  “Our voices were not heard in the original decision making process,” the petition reads.  “Do you know how this may affect you or your school children or property value?” 

RECYCLE YOUR ELECTRONIC WASTE JAN. 14-15 AT GROSSMONT CENTER


January 5, 2011 (La Mesa) – If the holidays have left you with old computers, TVs or other electronic items you no longer need, you can recycle them at the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce’s electronic waste and recycling event January 14-15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will be held at Grossmont Center between B2B Fit and Fuddruckers. 

HOLLYWOOD SCREENWRITER, AUTHOR FREDERICA ‘FREDDIE’ MAAS MAKES FINAL EXIT AT AGE 111

La Mesa woman who wrote tell-all book about film industry was third-oldest Californian

January 8, 2012 (La Mesa) – Silent movie screenwriter Frederica Sagor Maas gained fame and notoriety in an era when few women attained such acclaim.  But on Thursday, December 29, 2011, Maas made her final exit, passing away at Country Villas, a La Mesa nursing home.

Scripts written by Maas starred some of Hollywood’s leading talents on the silver screen, including Greta Garbo, Norma Shearer and Clare Bow. The Hollywood Reporter called her a “pioneering” female screenwriter, while the Los Angeles Times memorialized her as “one of the last links to the silent film industry.”

“NEAR CRITICAL” FIRE WEATHER FORECAST FOR SUNDAY

January 7, 2011 (San Diego's East County)--The National Weather Service has issued a "fire weather planning forecast" for southwestern California. In San Diego County, moderate to strong northeast winds and very dry weather with low humidity are forecast for inland areas, combining to create "near critical fire weather conditions" on Sunday.

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