More meetings set for May 18 in Boulevard and May 27 in Lakeside

May 10, 2010 (Alpine) – San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) will host a community meeting on Sunrise Powerlink at 6 p.m. tonight at the Alpine Women's Club, 2156 Alpine Blvd. in Alpine.

“Many may think this is a David vs. Goliath fight, but remember, David won the fight. We can, too,” said Sharmin Self, East County Community Action Coalition, an organization representing 79,000 people opposed to the Powerlink project. Self urged community members to attend the meeting, adding, “Numbers do count.”

 
April 25, 2010 (San Diego's East County) - San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) has announced four community meetings on Sunrise Powerlink during May in Campo, Alpine, Scripps Ranch, and Boulevard. (Details below).  But conspicuously absent is a long-awaited second meeting in Lakeside that SDG&E officials promised area residents. 

At a contentious first meeting in Lakeside, SDG&E officials promised to respond to citizens' concerns in a follow-up meeting. Lakeside's new fire chief, Andy Parr, missed that meeting but pledged to attend the subsequent public meeting.  SDG&E has since cancelled two followup meetings in Lakeside, one due to weather and a second due to conflicts with the Lakeside Rodeo calendar.

39 cover bands compete for $40,000 in cash prizes April 11 through June 20

April 9, 2010 (Alpine) – It’s southern California’s biggest cover band smack-down, as Viejas Casino hosts the 4th annual Ultimate Music Challenge.

Thirty-nine of the area’s best cover bands will compete at Viejas Casino’s DreamCatcher Lounge every Sunday night from April 11th through June 20th from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.Up to five bands will perform each Sunday, with the winning bands advancing to the semifinals, then to the Championship on June 20th.

March 29, 2010 (Alpine) – An Alpine woman drove away a winner at Viejas Casino over the weekend, taking home a new Smart Car.

Barbara L. (last name withheld on request) won the Smart Car when her name was drawn Sunday evening from a drum full of entries of players at Viejas Casino during the month of March.

February 20, 2010 (Alpine) – A kayaker on Palo Verde Lake in Alpine was rescued last night by a Coast Guard helicopter after becoming disoriented during a storm.

February 7, 2010 (10:10 p.m.) - A six-car crash including a head-on collision is blocking lanes on both east and westbound I-8 at Japatul Valley Road. CHP has issued a SIG ALERT and is turning around vehicles on eastbound 8 at Willows Road.

February 3, 2010 (Alpine) – Riders on a horse trail about three-quarters of a mile northeast of 3589 Cougar Summit in Alpine found the body of a Hispanic man on January 31st shortly before 4 p.m. Authorities were not able to extricate the body until the next day, due to nightfall and difficult terrain.

January 31, 2010 (Alpine) – Firefighters from Viejas and the U.S. Forest service responded to a vehicle fire on Interstate 8 in Alpine this afternoon. Alpine firefighter/paramedics Broc Thorn and Colby Ross formed an attack line and quickly knocked down the fire before it spread into the nearby vegetation.

January 16, 2010 (Alpine) – Virgil Frank Garrett of El Cajon has been identified by the County Coroner’s office as the victim who died in a January 9th accident in Alpine. Today would have been his 50th birthday.

November 29, 2009 (Alpine) - How would you like to complete your Christmas shopping and help rescued big cats at the same time? On Saturday, December 5th from 1 to 5 p.m., a holiday party will be held at 24402 Martin Way in Alpine featuring food, wine, beer, a silent auction, and holiday shopping with over a dozen local vendors. 

November 9, 2009 (Alpine) -- Hate holiday shopping? Here’s something to purr about. Lions, Tigers and Bears, a big cat rescue facility in East County, invites you to a holiday party where you can help big cats while shopping for those on your gift list.

September 24, 2009 (Alpine) – Radio station “Magic” 92.5 is hosting a free block party featuring live entertainment by stars including Teena Marie, Lisa Lisa, Debbie Deb, Siren’s Crush and Rising Star. Other activities will include a car show, jumpies for children, crafts, foods, shopping and the Viejas interactive fountain.

September 3, 2009 (Alpine) – A man plunged 200 feet to his death from a viewpoint off Eastbound I-8 east of Willows Road in Alpine this afternoon. U.S. Forest Service and Border Patrol officials responded at 12:30 p.m., when a technical rescue was attempted. However the patient was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.