By Miriam Raftery

April 7, 2015 (Alpine) – Superior Court Judge Joel Pressman has issued a tentative ruling in the Alpine Union School District’s lawsuit against the Grossmont Union High School District over funding for an Alpine high school.

By Miriam Raftery

March 20, 2015 (Alpine) – Lou Russo, an outspoken former member of the Alpine Community Planning Group, may soon be back on the board, the Registrar of Voters office has confirmed.

James Roe defeated Russo on the November ballot, but moved out of the area for a job prior to the election and is thus ineligible to take the seat.

East County News Service

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

March 11, 2015 (Alpine) – Two horses running loose in Alpine early this morning were hit by vehicles, and one horse is dead. The California Highway Patrol is trying to find out who owns the horses; if you have information please call Animal Control at 619-498-2305.

East County News Service

March 4, 2015 (Alpine) – A panel of three appellate court justices have denied a request by the Grossmont Union High School District, which had asked the justices to issue a stay halting an injunction ordered by Superior Court Judge Joel Pressman.

February 19, 2015 (Alpine)--The Alpine-based nonprofit ARCHES is offering the cooking workshop Let’s Make Hearty Soups from 10:00 AM to 1 PM on Saturday February 28 at Alpine Ranch Chiropractic located at 450 Summerhill Court in Alpine. The workshop will be taught by Nancy Teas-Crain, RD.

January 27, 2015 (Alpine)--Happy Valentine’s Day! You’re invited to come celebrate the “perfect romantic evening” at Mediterraneo Bistro on Saturday February 14, 2015. Enjoy a Special Menu & extensive wine List on this lovely day.

Photo, top left:  Gil Frank and Melissa Medina

Photo, top right: Linda Frank Luz (center, in white) with her extended family

By Leon Thompson

January 4, 2015 (Alpine)--A very special holiday party and family reunion took place at the Mediterraneo Italian Bistro in Alpine on Saturday, December 20^th.   

Linda Frank Luz is the mother of Gilbert Frank III, co-owner with Enzo Croce of Alpine’s popular upscale restaurant.  She’s the perfect hostess, welcoming and introducing friends and family from as far away as Portugal and Brazil. The Frank and Croce families have long colorful histories in San Diego, from humble fishermen to a fleet of tuna boats to bankers then hotels and restaurants. 

I felt honored to be there, invited as a longtime friend of the restaurant, chef and owners.  I was surrounded by warm and hospital people with movie-star good looks.

Viejas Tribal government staff, Casino & Resort team members and guests helped reach toy drive goal

Link to video from Toy Drive “Big Reveal”:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3c8rQTaZqUCY0J5b0JFT193c0U/view?usp=sharing

December 16, 2014 (Alpine)--One of the biggest annual holiday toys drives in San Diego County just set a new record. The 2014 Viejas Toy Drive to support the local Salvation Army exceeded its goal …raising a total of 14,702 toys.

By Miriam Raftery

December 7, 2014 (Alpine)—The Alpine Tavern & Grill hosts an “Injunction Function” last week, donating 20% of the evening’s proceeds to help fund a lawsuit against the Grossmont Union High School District over its failure to build an Alpine High School despite two bond measures approved by voters.

Bobbi Brink, founder of the rescue facility in Alpine (photo, left) works to save bears and other exotic animals from canned hunts and cub petting operations in U.S.

By Miriam Raftery

December 5, 2014 (Alpine) – East County Magazine stopped by  Lions, Tigers and Bears this week for a sneak-preview of the brand new bear enclosure that opens this Saturday, December 6^th, at the rescue facility’s annual holiday party and fundraiser from 1 to 4 p.m.. 

We also got some up-close-and-personal looks at some of the big cats and bears who will be celebrating too—with Christmas trees, holiday packages to rip open and special foods for these special rescued animals—including Cherry Bomb, Teddy, Albert and Baloo —grizzly and Himalayan black bears who will be turned loose into their new two-acre home (albeit a temporary home while an even bigger two-acre preserve is built.)

By Miriam Raftery

November 27, 2014 (Alpine) - Phevos will soon be the newest tiger to call Lions, Tigers and Bears home.  The Alpine rescue facility has been approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for a permit to import the tiger, who was suffering in abusive conditions in a foreign zoo.

East County News Service

November 22, 2014 Alpine) – Alpine Union School District (AUSD) and the Alpine Taxpayers for Bond Accountability are seeking an injunction to stop the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) from spending money that plaintiffs contend should be set aside to build a high school in Alpine.  The case will be heard on December 5 at 1:30 p.m. in San Diego Superior Court, Dept. C-66 by Judge Joel Pressman.   View the lawsuit here.

The suit contends that the Grossmont district is “unlawfully wasting school bond revenues approved by the voters for an Alpine high school” by spending the money from Prop H or U on other unauthorized projects.  However the Alpine plaintiffs seek only to block bond fund use on any new or future construction projects – not interrupt any pending or contracted for construction projects.

By Miriam Raftery

November 22, 2014 (Alpine) – You’re invited to an afternoon of yuletide fun watching animals open their Christmas presents at Lions, Tigers and Bears. The animal rescue facility hosts is annual Christmas Festival Fundraiser on Saturday, December 6^th from 1-4 p.m.  You can also do holiday shopping at more than 40 vendor booths, enjoy food from Descanso Junction and visit Santa Claus. (To buy tickets, click here.)

“This year we are putting out an extra special request for donated Christmas Trees that we can give to the animals on this special day. Trees are an amazing form of enrichment for the animals,” says founder Bobbi Brink. (Click here to donate a tree.)

In addition, a new bear habitat will be unveiled during the December 6^th event featuring rescued bears Albert, Cherry Bomb, Teddy and Baloo.

November 6, 2014 (Alpine) -- An Alpine resident has posted a video on YouTube showing a close encounter with a bobcat that wandered into her backyard, apparently unaware of the photographer on a porch swing close at hand.

By George Barnett, Alpine

October 27, 2014 (Alpine)--Alpine’s Steve Hunyar has been staking-out positions this week on “dirty politics coming to “little old, sleepy Alpine”, and has been attacking AUSD board members Eric Wray and Glenn Dickey.