July 12, 2012 (Alpine)—Old blue eyes is back—at least in spirit.  Frank Sinatra impersonator Monty Aidem will perform a free tribute concert on Friday, July 13 from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight in the V Lounge at Viejas Casino.  Aidem has performed at top casinos in Las Vegas and other major venues.  

July 4, 2012 (Santa Ysabel) -- An official of the Santa Ysabel Resort and Casino announced that the facility will continue to operate as usual while it seeks to restructure its debt under Chapter 11 of federal bankruptcy law.

The tribeʼs attorneys filed the petition yesterday in federal bankruptcy court Southern District of California.

 By Miriam Raftery

June 30, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – A new website, www.savemissiontrails.org, has been launched to oppose the Quail Brush Generation Power Plant.  The group asks the public to send e-mails to decision makers and attend two key upcoming meetings, both on July 19. 

July 1, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Cal-Fire has stopped the forward spread of a two-acre brush fire that started in the 14000 block of Otay Lakes Road near the Thousand Trails Campground at Pio Pico.

No structures were threatened by the blaze, which IPN reported at 2:18 p.m.  Cal-Fire halted the forward spread of the slow-burning fire at 2:57 p.m.

“She had an attitude of gratitude,” La Mesa resident Ethel Rudolph says of her mother, Titanic survivor Anna Sofia Turja

By Ellinoa Blake

July 1, 2012 (La Mesa)--In the heart of La Mesa lives a hidden historical gem: Ethel Rudolph, whose mother, Anna Sofia Turja survived the Titanic tragedy. In her cozy home, Ethel sat down with East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery and I to share her mother’s moving tale.

In honor of this year’s 100^th anniversary of the Titanic sinking after striking an iceberg, Rudolph recently visited Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition at the San Diego Natural History Museum, which runs through September 9.  

She reflected, “It brought back a lot of nostalgia, things Mother had said.”

Scroll down to read her dramatic story, including a video interview describing an eyewitness account of one of history's greatest tragedies.

June 30, 2012 (La Mesa) --La Mesa Police along with the Sheriff's helicopter and K9 officers are looking for a “dangerous person” in the area of Culowee and Clearview tonight. The suspect may be armed, Incident Page Network states.

He is a white male wearing a black hat and black shirt. Please call 911 if you see him.

June 30, 2012 (Lakeside) – Tumbleweed Riding Club will be having a Used Tack Sale on July 7 from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the Club, 13315 Willow Road, Lakeside.  The gates will open at 7:30 a.m. for sellers to set up.

The cost is $5 per seller and is free to buyers.  Sellers must bring their own tables, chairs, racks, tarps, etc.

In honor of Harold Hilliker Farm Day at Lakeside Middle School, videographer Billy Ortiz created a video documentary tour of local agricultural sites

Story, photos and video by Billy Ortiz

June 30, 2012 (Lakeside)-- Lakeside Middle School held  its first annual Harold Hilliker Farm Day on May 30.  It  was a day full of information on agriculture, highlighting several Lakeside farms for the 6th and 7th graders. 

View a special video tour of local farms in Lakeside created for the Lakeside Historical Society by clicking  this link.

In addition, view a presentation at Lakeside Middle School by freelance videographer Billy Ortiz here.   

June 29, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) -- Deputies from the Santee Community Policing and Problem Solving Unit (C.O.P.P.S.), Santee Detectives, and Officers from the San Diego Probation Department conducted "Operation Overwatch" in Santee, Lakeside, and Unincorporated El Cajon at 6 a.m. on June 27.  The purpose was to conduct compliance checks on subjects who were released early from custody under Assembly Bill 109, also known as the "Public Safety Realignment Act."