Story and photos by Janis Russell

Photo, left: Don Parent, SDG&E, presents update on gas pipeline upgrades planned on Fletcher Parkway, Amaya and Jackson Drive

October 18, 2015 (La Mesa)—At Tuesday’s La Mesa City Council meeting, Council members heard from San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) about pipeline upgrades planned in La Mesa, received an update on downtown streetscape improvements nearing completion, and presented a commendation to a La Mesa resident who won the Fox TV Masterchef competition.

By Janis Russell

October 17, 2015 (La Mesa)-On Thursday November 5, the Caregiver Coalition of San Diego and the City of La Mesa are hosting a free educational event on caring for veterans. This event is geared towards the caregivers or family members caring for a veteran. There will be educational seminars, resource fairs, and lunch is provided by AARP.

Caregivers or family members can learn about services that are beneficial to veterans as well as community resources available to caregivers. The event is from 9:30am to 2:30 p.m. at the La Mesa Memorial Center, 4975 Memorial Drive, La Mesa.

Photo, left to right:  Heartland & Rescue Firefighter/Paramedic Neil Carter, Captain Tom Brown, and Firefighter/Paramedic Sean Finley. 

By Miriam Raftery

October 16, 2015 (La Mesa) – A woman who recently moved into a rental home at 7000 Colony Drive in La Mesa with her children got a big surprise on Saturday. Walking out of the family’s bedroom, she found a huge snake in the kitchen.

The startled mother called 9-1-1 and barricaded herself in the bedroom with her children while waiting for help to arrive. Heartland Fire & Rescue in La Mesa, along with La Mesa Police and the El Cajon Animal Control soon came to the rescue.

Source: City of La Mesa

October 7, 2015 (La Mesa)--On Thursday, October 8, from 9:30 to 12:00 noon, adult athletes age 50 and older from East County are teaming up with elementary school students for the annual East County Intergenerational Games in La Mesa.

This marks the 10th year the City of La Mesa hosts the Intergenerational Games event.  The games are held at La Mesa Arts Academy, 4200 Parks Avenue. Students from 2nd through 6th grade are paired with active adult’s age 50+ to compete in a circuit of non-competitive, fun activities.

Update Oct. 6, 2015 - La Mesa Police report that this missing juvenile has been found with friends in Imperial Beach and has been returned to her family.

Update Oct. 4, 2015 1 p.m. - Olivia's mother confirms that a friend received an Instragram message that appears to be from Olivia.  The message indicates she is safe but does not want to come home.  It is not certain whether the message was sent by Olivia or possibly by someone with access to her account.

East County News Service

October 4, 2015 (La Mesa) – Public help is sought to locate Olivia Miller, 14, A Guatay resident who vanished Friday night in La Mesa. She was last seen at 7 p.m. at the Journey Community Church at 8363 Center Drive.

According to La Mesa Police dispatch, Olivia is 5 feet 1 inch tall, weighs 110 pounds, has black hair and green eyes. She was last seen wearing a white baseball cap, black shirt and black pants. She may also have been wearing a white cardigan and carrying a brown backpack, her mother has advised East County Magazine.

Olivia’s mother, Sherrie Jockell, says Olivia had a picnic dinner with family at the church before services.  An assistant teacher in a class at church, Olivia never made it to class after dinner.  Family realized she was missing after the service, when she did not return to their car.  Olivia made no mention of going anywhere after church to her friends or family.

By Mike Allen

Photo, left: Concrete pour for new sidewalk, courtesy City of La Mesa. See more photos on the City's Twitter feed for the project.

September 29, 2015 (La Mesa)--Several downtown La Mesa restaurants say the city’s Downtown Village Streetscape Improvement Project has taken a much bigger hit on their businesses than anticipated—and the owners aren’t happy about having to shell out more money to get their patio seating back.

While the project that began construction in July of last year is nearly finished, there’s still work to be done, and most restaurants haven’t had their outside patios re-installed in time for this weekend’s big Oktoberfest celebration.

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.

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.

By Miriam Raftery

September 10, 2015 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Police received a call at 10:06 p.m. last night reporting shots fired in the 4400 block of Parks Avenue, only a block from La Mesa Dale Elementary School.   

Responding officers “rolled out to the scene and found three cars with bullet holes,” Sergeant Brian Stoney told East County Magazine.

Thus far police have no suspect and no motive. 

Saturday, October 17, 2015   8:00 am – 12:00 noon 

September 3, 2015 (La Mesa) -- Are you part of a group looking for a community project? If so, you can help make La Mesa beautiful. We have special projects in several of La Mesa’s 14 parks that may be the perfect fit for your organization’s community service endeavors.

East County News Service

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

August 29, 2015 (La Mesa) – The Albertson’s grocery store on Fletcher Parkway in La Mesa was evacuated around 2 a.m. on August 26^th due to a fire the erupted in trees between the store and State Route 125.

The Supporting Cast runs August 14 - September 13

By Kathy Carpenter, www.sdtheatrereviews.com Associate and Youth Reviewer

August 19, 2015 (La Mesa) - The Supporting Cast, is not a title of a play that grabs me and says “Hey, you need to see me.” However, the play it turns out is aptly named. The title is the name of a book the lead actor in the play wrote. The book is about people who are all married to famous people - thus the supporting cast. These are the heroes behind the celebrities who would not be who they are without the support of their loved one standing behind them. The wonderful support of the entire cast makes the play a hit.

By Miriam Raftery

August 18, 2015 (La Mesa)—Our staff has been hard at work ferreting information out on proposed initiatives seeking to weasel their way onto the 2016 ballot.  Here’s a scoop: La Mesa resident Pat Wright has proposed a ballot measure that would ask California voters to legalize owning ferrets as pets.

August 11, 2015 (La Mesa) -- Applications are being accepted for several openings on the City’s Youth Advisory Commission. Applicants must live within the city limits of La Mesa and be at least 13 years old, but not more than 20 years old, at the time of appointment.

Participating on the Commission is a great way for young people in middle and high school to work with their peers to explore and develop activities that promote positive youth relations in the City and gain volunteer experience that can be applied towards community service hours.

August 2, 1015 (La Mesa) -- Yesterday at approximately 8:42 p.m., the La Mesa Police Department received a report of a pedestrian that was struck by a vehicle in the 7500 block of El Cajon Boulevard. 

The pedestrian/victim (61 year old male) was walking across westbound lanes of traffic when he was struck by a 2-door sedan. The driver of the sedan remained at the scene and was cooperative with the investigation. Alcohol was not a factor in the collision.