January 23, 2011 (Fallbrook) – East County Magazine writer Will Schwent seeks the public’s help to locate his brother, John Allen Schwent. “He was last known to be living in the Fallbrook area,” Will Schwent said. “He has alcohol and mental problems, but his family is anxious to know if he is even alive.
The family has not heard from the missing man for over two years. He was last seen during a visit with his sister in San Marcos. Family members initially believed he’d gone into hiding while paying off a court debt, but have become oncerned after so much time has gone by with no contact.
January 23, 2011 (San Diego’s East County)—Cleaning for a Reason, a nationwide organization, is offering free housecleaning service for women undergoing chemotherapy treatments.
The service is available once a month for four months during treatment. To sign up, just have the patient’s doctor fax a note confirming the treatment. Cleaning for a Reason will have a participating maid service in her zip code area arrange for the service.
January 23, 2011 (San Diego) -- Every few years we get a Japanese anime, mainly from Hayao Miyazaki (Ponyo, Spirited Away). This year’s import is not from Miyazaki but from Mamoru Hosoda. Summer Wars features one of the most unlikely genre combinations: shomin-geki (a genre that depicts the lives of ordinary, working-class families) and technothriller.
January 21, 2011 (San Diego) -- Over the last few years I’ve discovered a love-hate feeling with Pixar. Back in 1995 I was enthralled when I saw Toy Story in the theater. Since then I have seen every Pixar movie and I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of their films. They put more effort into their movies than most studios and it shows every time.
January 21, 2011 (El Cajon) – If you bought a lottery ticket in December, be sure to check your numbers. A Mega Millions lottery ticket sold at a Shell gas station at 13538 Camino Canada in El Cajon is worth $195,910---but so far, the winner has not come forward to claim the prize, State Lottery officials announced today.
The winning numbers drawn on Dec. 21 were 8, 32, 31, 11 and 12, and the outstanding ticket missed only the Mega number of 29.
January 22, 2011 (La Mesa)--The La Mesa Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance to help locate and apprehend Jeffrey John McPherson, 41, who is wanted for several counts of child molestation after meeting the victim on MySpace.com.
On June 24, 2010, McPherson was arrested by the LMPD for molesting a 16-year-old boy over a 9-month period. He failed to make a court appearance while out on bail. On December 3, a felony arrest warrant was issued. McPherson’s current whereabouts are unknown. He is white, 6’0”, 185 lbs, with brown hair, blue eyes, and multiple tattoos covering both arms.
January 21, 2011 (La Mesa)-- Many who get caught drinking and driving are under the impression that if they simply avoid the court system, the whole thing might fade away. Not in La Mesa, where police have issued a press release titled “You can run, but you can’t hide.”
La Mesa Police will be hot on the tails of the DUI (driving under the influence) offenders, with sweeps targeting those who either failed to show up for a court date or violated terms of their probation in a DUI case. On Monday, January 24, officers will deploy throughout the city to residences and places of business to clear court warrants on the books for the past year.
January 21, 2011 (La Mesa) – How can tragedies such as the massacre in Arizona, the workplace shooting at Barona, or the mass school shootings at Santana and Granite Hills be prevented?
James N. Madero, Ph.D., specializes in workplace and school violence prevention. He is the Director of Violence Prevention International, a national organizational consulting firm based in San Diego. Madero will speak on Wednesday, February 2nd at the La Mesa Community Center, 4975 Memorial Drive, La Mesa. The event, sponsored by the La Mesa-Foothills Democratic Club, is free and open to the general public. Socializing starts at 6:30, with the program at 7 p.m.
Senate leaders vow to block repeal--but a Virginia judge declares mandate to buy health insurance unconstitutional
By: Jeremy Los
January 20, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) -- House Republicans have stuck to their campaign promises and passed a measure to repeal the newly established health care bill. In what was a strictly symbolic vote, since the repeal will most likely die in the Democrat-controlled Senate and would not be signed by President Obama, the House Republicans have sent a strong message to the nation that they mean business.
Local Republican representatives Brian Bilbray, Darrell Issa, and Duncan D. Hunter fell in line with conservative cohorts, as every House Republican voted to pass the repeal. On the other side of the aisle local Democratic representatives Bob Filner and Susan Davis voted against the repeal.
January 20, 2011 (San Diego's East County)--The following local, state and national education news items are excerpted from a very informative e-newsletter published by Doug Deane, chair of the Business Education Committee at the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce.
Our picks for Deane’s top education stories from the latest issue include:
January 20, 2011 (La Mesa)-- La Mesa Police responded to a robbery at 11:47 a.m. today at Wells Fargo Bank inside the Vons store at 8011 University Avenue.
County Urges Residents to Use Caution When Cleaning Up Rodent Droppings;
Video Provides Tips for Homeowners
January 20, 2011 (Alpine) -- A wild deer mouse trapped in Alpine during routine monitoring has tested positive for the potentially deadly hantavirus, San Diego County vector control officials said today.
San Diego Police Department Homicide Unit detectives are investigating the death of a nine-year-old girl inside her Mountain View apartment on January 17. On Monday at 10:21 p.m., officers were dispatched to a report of a non-breathing child at a residence in the 300 block of Milbrae Street. Paramedics transported the girl to a trauma center, where she died at 11:56 p.m. The victim has been identified as Elizabeth Holloway.
As is customary in child death cases, detectives from the Child Abuse Unit conducted a preliminary investigation. The Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy yesterday, which revealed the girl died from blunt force trauma.
January 20, 2011 (La Mesa) – Police confiscated an arsenal of weapons from the home of David Schreiner, whose phone call to police about a shooting at Helix High School promoted authorities to secure the campus January 14th. Search warrant records obtained by ECM news partner 10 News indicate that authorities seized 40 rifles, pistols, shotguns and muskets as well as six knives, a dagger, a tomahawk, a hatchet, a machete, a leather sap, and a camouflage ballistic vest.
January 20, 2011 (San Diego) – Three months after suffering a gunshot wound to his head, Monty is back to full duty as a San Diego Police service dog. The canine patrol member was injured by gunfire on October 27, 2010 while he and his handler were trying to locate a suspect wanted for assault with a deadly weapon and robbery charges in a Skyline apartment. The suspect shot and killed San Diego Police Officer Christopher Wilson, then later fatally shot himself.
Donations of cash, food also sought by rescue volunteers
January 19, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Nine-year-old Makena Sacks of Blossom Valley volunteers with her mother, Cate Sacks, to train dogs rescued from shelters. Now Makena asks help from ECM readers to save cats slated to be destroyed.
“I am hoping that I can save them but there are so many,” she writes. “The people at the shelter are putting cats down starting today, I need help taking these cats.”
January 19, 2011 (San Diego) – The San Diego Police Department and STAR/PAL invite the public to attend the 2011 Chief’s Challenge Indoor Triathlon on Saturday, January 22nd. Officers from SDPD and other local agencies will put their athletic ability to the test to help raise money to support underserved youth in our community. Proceeds will directly benefit inner-city youth who take part in STAR/PAL programs.
January 19, 2011 (San Diego) -- San Diego River Park Foundation announces a series of events to raise funds for establishing trails, parks, gardens and visitor centers along the 52-mile-long San DIego River. The events include San Diego Days, San Diego RiverFest, and a Healthy River Run.
January 19, 2011 (Alpine)--The proposed 12th high school in Alpine continues to face hurdles as the push for its groundbreaking soldiers on. The latest obstacles facing the potential campus are the potential missed enrollment trigger as well as the prospect that the school will not service all the students in the area.
January 19, 2011 (San Diego's East County) -- Motorists traveling on Mission Gorge Road to southbound State Route 125 in Santee will lose one lane for the next four weeks, Cal-Trans has announced. Southbound traffic will be directed along a shoulder to the future 52/125 southbound onramp starting Thursday morning at 5 a.m.
One On One: My Journey with Hall Of Famers, Fan Favorites and Rising Stars, By Jane Mitchell (Sweet Dreams Publishing Of Massachusetts, Bridgewater, Massachusetts, 2010, 638 Pages.)
Book Review by Dennis Moore
January 19, 2011 (San Diego)--The foreword to Jane Mitchell's book, One on One: My Journey with Hall of Famers, Fan Favorites and Rising Stars, by San Diego native and broadcast legend Dick Enberg and San Diego Padres' Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, speaks volumes about fellow San Diego native Mitchell and her book. While giving homage to her hometown, Mitchell explores the lives of some of our most celebrated personalities.
On Friday, March 4, the cities of La Mesa and Santee will hold the Miss La Mesa and Miss Santee Pageants. Pageant organizers are currently seeking outgoing women ages 13-26 to participate in a program that has been a tradition in the cities since the late 1960’s and is an outstanding mentoring program for young women. The pageants are sponsored by the local Chambers of Commerce and focus on community service. There is no swimsuit competition--and is no entry fee to participate.
Miss La Mesa and Miss Santee 2011 will each receive at $1,000.00 scholarship while Miss La Mesa Teen and Miss Santee Teen 2011 will each receive a $500.00 scholarship.
January 19, 2012 (San Diego)--The constituents of the 52nd Congressional district are pleased that the majority party in the House has pledged to be open and fair in dealing with the crucial issues facing our nation today. We are also pleased to learn that cutting waste, fraud and abuse in the budget is your top concern. Therefore we ask the following questions to see if you, as our representative, are firmly behind these pledges and will vote to fulfill these promises. We thank you for sharing your answers with us.
January 18, 2011 (Palomar) --If you see smoke, don't panic. The United States Forest service will be conducting a controlled burn today and tomorrow near the intersections of Palomar Divide Truck Trail and Halfway Road placing it on a North East / East aspect of Palomar Mountain.
January 18, 2011 (San Diego) – The Green Hornet is beset with many problems. The first glaring issue involves the casting. I could not buy Seth Rogen as either Britt Reid or his alter ego the Green Hornet. I can understand why he was cast; Rogen co-wrote the screenplay with his longtime writing partner Evan Goldberg. Having been an established actor and a bankable writer (he also co-wrote Superbad and Pineapple Express) I don’t doubt he had his heart set on playing such an enduring and somewhat iconic character.
But Rogen has miscalculated this time around. He should have let someone else play the hero this time. Someone who would have brought a smooth, sly personality to both characters.
January 23, 2011 (Fallbrook) – East County Magazine writer Will Schwent seeks the public’s help to locate his brother, John Allen Schwent. “He was last known to be living in the Fallbrook area,” Will Schwent said. “He has alcohol and mental problems, but his family is anxious to know if he is even alive.
January 23, 2011 (San Diego’s East County)—Cleaning for a Reason, a nationwide organization, is offering free housecleaning service for women undergoing chemotherapy treatments.
By Brian Lafferty
By Brian Lafferty
January 21, 2011 (El Cajon) – If you bought a lottery ticket in December, be sure to check your numbers. A Mega Millions lottery ticket sold at a Shell gas station at 13538 Camino Canada in El Cajon is worth $195,910---but so far, the winner has not come forward to claim the prize, State Lottery officials announced today.
January 22, 2011 (La Mesa)--The La Mesa Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance to help locate and apprehend Jeffrey John McPherson, 41, who is wanted for several counts of child molestation after meeting the victim on MySpace.com.
January 21, 2011 (La Mesa)-- Many who get caught drinking and driving are under the impression that if they simply avoid the court system, the whole thing might fade away. Not in La Mesa, where police have issued a press release titled “You can run, but you can’t hide.”
anuary 21, 2011 (La Mesa) – How can tragedies such as the massacre in Arizona, the workplace shooting at Barona, or the mass school shootings at Santana and Granite Hills be prevented?
Options include a Valentine’s Day cooking class and tips on everything from growing vegetables to replacing water-thirsty lawns
Artist’s reception for Abigail Kurtz Migala on February 6
San Diego Police Department Homicide Unit detectives are investigating the death of a nine-year-old girl inside her Mountain View apartment on January 17. On Monday at 10:21 p.m., officers were dispatched to a report of a non-breathing child at a residence in the 300 block of Milbrae Street. Paramedics transported the girl to a trauma center, where she died at 11:56 p.m. The victim has been identified as Elizabeth Holloway.
By: Jeremy Los
One On One: My Journey with Hall Of Famers, Fan Favorites and Rising Stars, By Jane Mitchell (Sweet Dreams Publishing Of Massachusetts, Bridgewater, Massachusetts, 2010, 638 Pages.)
On Friday, March 4, the cities of La Mesa and Santee will hold the Miss La Mesa and Miss Santee Pageants. Pageant organizers are currently seeking outgoing women ages 13-26 to participate in a program that has been a tradition in the cities since the late 1960’s and is an outstanding mentoring program for young women. The pageants are sponsored by the local Chambers of Commerce and focus on community service. There is no swimsuit competition--and is no entry fee to participate.
By Sylvia Hampton
January 18, 2011 (Palomar) --If you see smoke, don't panic. The United States Forest service will be conducting a controlled burn today and tomorrow near the intersections of Palomar Divide Truck Trail and Halfway Road placing it on a North East / East aspect of Palomar Mountain. 
By Brian Lafferty
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