March 6, 2011 (San Diego) – After my mother died last November I learned something about myself: I have no regrets. I never say, “If only…” Instead, I tell myself, “If it weren’t for…” When I look back on my first twenty-five years of existence I see that I wouldn’t be where I am now if I did anything differently.
March 6, 2011 (San Diego) – Take Me Home Tonight suffers from a severe case of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It has trouble staying focused. Every time the film gets on track, there’s always something that derails it. If they had made it solely about the two leads, it wouldn’t have been such a slog to sit through.
March 6, 2011 (La Mesa)--Grossmont Healthcare District’s Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library, 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa, will host a free seniors discussion group on “Cut Salt From Your Diet The Easy Way,” featuring a presentation from Sandra Parkington, a registered nurse and president of HealthTrax, from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 23. The public is invited to attend. RSVP is not required.
March 5, 2011 (San Diego) -- A national conference that brought more than 1,700 representatives of two-year colleges to San Diego shined a spotlight on the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, from sessions by faculty and administrators discussing innovative ideas in education to the more than 100 district volunteers who helped ensure the event ran smoothly.
One spends more than twice as much on employee health insurance--almost one million dollars more
By R. Perry
March 5, 2011 (San Diego's East County) -- The San Miguel Fire Protection District spends more than twice as much on health benefits for its 96 employees than does the neighboring fire department in El Cajon.
In 2009 San Miguel Fire asked voters for a 1.5 million dollar benefit fee. The voters turned them down. The result was the closure of an entire engine company reducing response capability by eleven percent.
March 4, 2011 (Santee)--West Hills High School in Santee will once again be the location for the East County Special Olympics. The 28th annual event host¬ed by the Division 31 Kiwanis of East County takes place Saturday, March 12 from 9 to 11 a.m. The Special Olympics celebrates diversity and inspires participants, volunteers and all who attend the free event.
Athletes ages eight to 80 will participate in competitions including: a softball throw, long jump, the standing long jump, meter (up to 100 meter), and wheelchair races (5 and 10-yard dashes).
With 1.6 million people in the region tipping the scales, the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) today launched a major obesity-prevention media campaign.
By Kristin Hobbs Kjaero, Guest writer for the "East County Eater"
March 3, 2011 (La Mesa) – While we have many fine family restaurants in East County, it’s an event of great anticipation when a new restaurant opens of a little fancier variety, and so it was when a friend and I went to try the new Vine Cottage in La Mesa for lunch. We came away with a mixed feeling of, if not complete delight, at least strong promise.
Conservatives say eliminating most collective bargaining rights needed to contain costs; opponents accuse Governor of union-busting motives
By Miriam Raftery March 3, 2011 (San Diego) – A crowd of 1,000 demonstrators turned out in downtown San Diego Saturday as part of a nationwide movement in support of Wisconsin public workers. Wisconsin’s Governor Scott Walker seeks to eliminate nearly all collective bargaining rights for state workers including teachers, police, firefighters, janitors, highway workers and others. The state’s Republican-controlled House passed the proposal--and Senate Democrats promptly fled the state to prevent passage. Today, the Governor ordered their arrest.
A crowd of over 100,000 braved a snowstorm in Madison, Wisconsin following the house vote, occupying the capitol building overnight. Now recall campaigns have been announced against eight GOP Senators in Wisconsin who back the bill.
Much misinformation has been spread in the media and on Internet blogs. What would the Governor’s proposal do—and is it necessary? Could California be next to face a similar proposal? ECM has researched the issues and obtained views from all sides of the aisle.
March 2, 2011 (La Mesa) – Members of the newly formed East County Tax Hawks swooped in to address Helix Water District’s Board this afternoon, demanding changes to the District's memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding public employee pensions and benefits.
“A sleeping giant has been awakened,” David Smyle, co-founder of the Tax Hawks, said of taxpayers. He noted that Helix has twice raised water rates to the public in recent years while raising employee compensation and boosting benefits to levels higher than in the private sector. He also faulted the Board for not requiring employees to contribute to medical coverage and for approving a long-term contract, among other issues.
March 3, 2011 (San Diego) – “Not a done deal. We are in court,” reads a flyer published by opponents of the Sunrise Powerlink project urging the public to join a march to the federal courthouse downtown, where the first federal lawsuit against the high-voltage line will be heard on March 7th.
March 3, 2011 (Santee) -- Grab your gardening gloves and head on out to the SanTree Fest, a fun family event in Santee. Guests can volunteer to help plant over 50 trees or assist with river cleanup, enjoy live musical entertainment, sample healthy foods, enjoy kid crafts, and visit interactive environmental booths.
On our visit last year, some booths were also giving away plants, flowers, and even a potted pine tree. Kids and grown-ups had fun getting dirty--while helping to beautify the community.
March 3, 2011 (La Mesa) -- The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD), a taxpayer-supported public agency that serves as landlord of Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, has announced the sale of $136,860,000 in general obligation (G.O.) bonds to both institutional and retail investors in the U.S. municipal bond market. The bond proceeds will help provide ongoing financing for a number of capital improvement construction projects planned over the next several years at the publicly owned hospital.
March 3, 2011 (El Cajon)--The Grossmont College Art Council presents its annual fundraising Exhibition and Auction next week. The Hyde Gallery on campus will exhibit works of 18 established artists representing a variety of disciplines.
March 3, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Helix Water District will hold a scoping meeting on Tuesday, March 8 at 7 p.m. at the Helix Water District Board Room, 7811 University Avenue in La Mesa. The meeting will provide an overview of the proposed El Monte Valley Mining, Reclamation, and Groundwater Recharge Project in Lakeside and what will be studied as part of the environmental impact review (EIR)/environmental assessment. The public will have an opportunity to provide written comments on what they would like to see studied as part of the EIR/EA.
The project is intended to provide a new local water source in an era when outside water supplies have become increasingly scarce due to restrictions on Delta pumping and drought on the Colorado River.
March 3, 2011 (San Diego) -- Chelsea King never got to finish her run at Rancho Bernardo Community Park on February last year, when convicted sex offender John Gardner murdered her. This Saturday, March 5th, Sheriff Bill Gore and Sheriff’s Department employees will participate in Finish Chelsea’s Run at Balboa Park starting at 7:30 a.m.
Inaugural Gala Recognized Outstanding Individuals and Businesses
March 3, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) -- More than 350 members and guests of the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce gathered last Friday night to celebrate the start of the Chamber’s 100th year serving the business community and residents of our region. The evening featured recognition for many community leaders, introduction of some special new awards, as well as inauguration of the Chamber’s new officers.
March 3, 2011 (Blossom Valley) – On Monday, February 28, two equestrians were riding on the County designated trail on Quail Canyon. When they approached a home in the 10,000 block of Quail Canyon, a pit bull dog and the owner came out to the equestrians. The pit bull began sniffing the horses, bit the rider, and attacked the horse--going for the throat. The horse, struggling for its life, began to circle, dumping the rider.
Event at United Church of Christ La Mesa will benefits Charley Brown Children’s Center in La Mesa
March 3, 2011 (La Mesa) – Robert Preston, as Professor Harold Hill, created a memorable musical moment in the movie “The Music Man,” parading 76 trombones, 110 cornets and other instruments through the streets of River City. Sliding forward in time, on March 6, 2011 at 6 p.m., the eight trombonists in San Diego’s own Bone-A-FieD Brass Ensemble will appear in a special concert followed by a “Mini-Mardi Gras Party” featuring Cajun hors d’oeuvres and more music.
March 3, 2011 (San Diego's East County) — Over 150 local educators join the San Diego East County Regional Chamber of Commerce’s annual Summer Educational Tour each year. This year, the Chamber is inviting chamber members, school district colleagues and friends on an exclusive trip to Peru July 11-19 as part of the Chamber Travel Program for 2011.
March 3, 2011 (San Diego) -- Shana and Robert ParkeHarrison, famed photographers who combine sculpture, painting and theatrics to create surreal, fabricated images, will be featured in a conversation led by Arthur Ollman, director of the School of Art, Design and Art History at San Diego State University, at the Museum of Photographic Art’s Irwin and Joan Jacobs Theater at 7:30 p.m., March 9. The presentation, “Mending the World: The Collision of Nature, Culture & Humanity,” sponsored by the SDSU Art Council, will explore their art, exposing mankind’s impact on the environment in a way that is haunting and emotionally gripping.
March 3, 2011 (San Diego)—A 19-year-old man walking on 55th Street and Mary Lane Drive in the SDSU college area was stabbed last night around 11:20 p.m. According to Office Delimitros with San Diego Police, two Hispanic men in dark clothing, both who looked to be under 30, approached the victim. One suspect produced a knife and demanded money. A struggle ensued and the victim was stabbed in the shoulder.
March 2, 2011 (Santee) – After an extensive nationwide search, Santee City Manager Keith Till has named Robert E. Leigh as the city’s new fire chief. Leigh is currently a deputy fire chief for the city of Aurora, Colorado, the state’s third largest city and a community of 314,000 east of Denver.
February 27, 2011 (San Diego's East County) -- One of the heaviest snowfalls in memory, dropping snow down to under 1,500 feet, spurred many of our readers and staffers to send in photos of winter wonderland images across our region.
$1.8 billion, the cost of the Powerlink, could fund 90,000 individual 5kW systems which would generate nearly a half million kW (450,000 kW) per hour, opponents say.
Story and photos by Ron Logan
March 1, 2011 (Alpine) – Tuesday morning, Sempra Energy and SDG&E encountered more pushback to their Sunrise Powerlink construction in downtown Alpine.
The Powerlink construction, which will take about two years to construct and is scheduled for completion in 2012, has drawn criticism at every step of the process, including hundreds of Alpine residents who have turned out at past hearings to voice overwhelming opposition to the project.
By Brian Lafferty
By R. Perry
March 4, 2011 (Santee)--West Hills High School in Santee will once again be the location for the East County Special Olympics. The 28th annual event host¬ed by the Division 31 Kiwanis of East County takes place Saturday, March 12 from 9 to 11 a.m. The Special Olympics celebrates diversity and inspires participants, volunteers and all who attend the free event. 
“Make Every Drop Count” video competition open to local high school and college students
Vine Cottage
March 3, 2011 (San Diego) – A crowd of 1,000 demonstrators turned out in downtown San Diego Saturday as part of a nationwide movement in support of Wisconsin public workers. Wisconsin’s Governor Scott Walker seeks to eliminate nearly all collective bargaining rights for state workers including teachers, police, firefighters, janitors, highway workers and others. The state’s Republican-controlled House passed the proposal--and Senate Democrats promptly fled the state to prevent passage. Today, the Governor ordered their arrest.
March 2, 2011 (La Mesa) – Members of the newly formed East County Tax Hawks swooped in to address Helix Water District’s Board this afternoon, demanding changes to the District's memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding public employee pensions and benefits.
March 3, 2011 (San Diego) – “Not a done deal. We are in court,” reads a flyer published by opponents of the Sunrise Powerlink project urging the public to join a march to the federal courthouse downtown, where the first federal lawsuit against the high-voltage line will be heard on March 7th.
March 3, 2011 (Santee) -- Grab your gardening gloves and head on out to the SanTree Fest, a fun family event in Santee. Guests can volunteer to help plant over 50 trees or assist with river cleanup, enjoy live musical entertainment, sample healthy foods, enjoy kid crafts, and visit interactive environmental booths.
March 3, 2011 (La Mesa) -- The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD), a taxpayer-supported public agency that serves as landlord of Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, has announced the sale of $136,860,000 in general obligation (G.O.) bonds to both institutional and retail investors in the U.S. municipal bond market. The bond proceeds will help provide ongoing financing for a number of capital improvement construction projects planned over the next several years at the publicly owned hospital.
March 3, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Helix Water District will hold a scoping meeting on Tuesday, March 8 at 7 p.m. at the Helix Water District Board Room, 7811 University Avenue in La Mesa. The meeting will provide an overview of the proposed El Monte Valley Mining, Reclamation, and Groundwater Recharge Project in Lakeside and what will be studied as part of the environmental impact review (EIR)/environmental assessment. The public will have an opportunity to provide written comments on what they would like to see studied as part of the EIR/EA.
naugural Gala Recognized Outstanding Individuals and Businesses
25% of businesses checked had pricing errors—and customers were over twice as likely to be over-charged than under-charged
By Marilyn Gramse
Event at United Church of Christ La Mesa will benefits Charley Brown Children’s Center in La Mesa
Burning questions focus on suspected arson at business owned by Issa
![](/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/resize/PLprotest3694%281000px%29-250x186.jpg "A ratepayer displays sign to morning commuters calling on SDG&E to stop Powerlink and "ratepayer abuse."")
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