• Carlton Oaks land agreement will connect Mission Trails to River Trail (Santee Patch)
• Victim in fatal Alpine crash was to graduate from UCSD (UT San Diego)
• La Mesa Spring Valley School District faces negative bond rating (San Diego Reader)
• Giant SDG&E line sparks rural activism (UT San Diego)
• A closer look at executive pay at Sempra, Qualcomm and other companies (UT  San Diego)
• The local newspaper makes national news- NYT criticizes UT San Diego for using newspaper as pulpit for business interests (Voice of San Diego)

• ‘Third strike’ and GMO foods labeling initiatives qualify ballot (Sacramento Bee)
• Sacramento leaders eye pension changes, sales tax (Sacramento Bee)
• Election officials: get used to uncounted ballots (Sacramento Bee)
• California likely to need to cut spending more (Reuters)
• California Highway Patrol Officers  union agrees to monthly furlough (Sacramento Bee)  

May 23, 2012 (Alpine) – Alpine voters will decide on the June ballot whether  nearly $12 million in bond monies should be authorized to fund the Alpine Union School District.  The District faces a half million dollars in annual budget cuts due to falling property tax revenues and anticipated cuts in state funding. 

By Miriam Raftery

May 9, 2012 (Alpine) -- Looking for a wild time this weekend?

Lions Tigers & Bears, San Diego's only exotic animal rescue facility, will be holding its annual fundraiser May 12 from 2:00  to 6:00 p.m. with a VIP reception from 1:00 to 2 p.m.
 
Festivities include silent and live auctions, ranch animal encounters, , food, live entertainment and visits with the big cats.

April 25, 2012 (Alpine) – The Center to Help Instill Respect & Preservation for Garden Wildlife, Inc. (CHIRP) is hosting the 15th Annual Alpine Sage & Songbirds Festival & Garden Tour May 4-6 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m at the Show Court at Viejas Outlets, 5000 Willows Road, Alpine.  This year’s theme is Waterwise & Butterflies and the garden tour will include 6 bird and butterfly friendly gardens, a place of worship habitat garden and a raptor rehabilitation facility.

 Update: 10 News has additional information on this situation: 

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Broadband-Lines-Cut-Copper-Theft-Alpine-Defense-Dept-148669775.html

April 24, 2012 (Alpine) – Sergeant J. Passalacqua at the San Diego Sheriff’s Alpine station has sent the following report on a serious communications and security breach in our region that has shut down broadband across the U.S., including critical defense networks: 

April 12, 2012 (Alpine) – The Alpine Chamber of Commerce is holding its “I Love a Clean Alpine” event on April 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  The event begins at the Triangle, 2157 Alpine Blvd. with a free continental breakfast.  Vests and bags will be distributed for cleaning up Alpine Blvd. and Wrights Field. At noon lunch will be provided.

Editor's note:  A representative of Marc Halcon and Covert Canyon has objected to several points this story. We stand by our story with addtional clarifications and details. Read our full response here:   http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/9220. 

By Miriam Raftery

$3,000 reward offered for information leading to arrest of shooter

February 23, 2012 (Alpine) – A dog found shot and abandoned in Alpine is improving after surgery, ECM news partner 10 News reports. Named “Chance” by veterinary staff, the golden retriever mix is no longer on oxygen or an IV; Chance is eating and drinking on his own and may soon be available for adoption.

February 7, 2012 (Alpine)—Planning group members will hear public testimony and a presentation by the County Department of Planning and Land Use on a draft land use plan for former Forest Conservation Initiative lands in Alpine.

The changes could make it easier for some landowners to build on certain properties in the Alpine area.

February 2, 2012 (Alpine) – A Sig Alert has been issued due to an accident blocking the left lanes on I-8 east just west of Dunbar Lane. An overturned vehicle is on its roof. The Sig Alert was issued at 10:09 a.m. Traffic has reportedly been backed up to Tavern Road. CHP is in process of reopening one of the blocked lanes, CHP website indicates.

January 29,2012 (San Diego’s East County) – If you’re driving in East County, please be aware of the following hazardous situations:

• A medical helicopter is en route to 1840 Buckman Springs Road in Cameron Corners, where a rollover accident has resulted in major injuries. The accident involves a van that went off the roadway near a fire station. The accident was reported at 11:08 a.m.
  
• A bicyclist, 17, has been hit head-on by a vehicle on Japatul Road at Hidden Glen. CHP is closing the roadway, CHP reported at 10:47 a.m. The victim was reportedly conscious and breathing.
  
• High wind warnings have been issued for I-8 from Alpine to the County line and CHP advises the area is unsafe for high-profile vehicles. A wind warning has also been issued in the Julian/mountain areas.
  
• In Alpine, Arnold remains closed at South Grade due to repairs from a water main break.

January 25, 2012:  Updated to include comments by Terry Francke, General Counsel at Calaware, who concludes this was not a Brown Act violation and a response from the San Diego District Attorney declining to prosecute the matter.

By Miriam Raftery

January 21, 2012 (Alpine) – Alpine Community Planning Group member George Barnett appears to have violated the Brown Act when he expressed his views on an agenda item in an e-mail to members of the ACPG’s Public Facilities Subcommitee meeting, a top County official has concluded. In the e-mail, Barnett voiced strong views regarding a hand-out by the East Alpine Property Owner’s Alliance on proposed land-use changes, calling its conclusions “nuts” and “needlessly alarmist.” 

January 7, 2012 (Alpine) – A multi-vehicle pile-up shut down I-8 east near Dunbar Road this evening, but the roadway is now open, CHP reports. The accident results in injuries to seven people, who were transported to Grossmont Hospital.