Cuyamaca College program helps K-14 instructors meet new math, science standards; introduces teens to teaching profession

Update March 11:  Trustee Dick Hoy provided this update on the vote.  

"The item involving issuing layoff notices was split in two.  Librarians were voted on separately.  The vote to issue layoff/reassignment notices to teachers and Vice Principals passed 4-1--Hoy dissenting.  The vote to reassign librarians passed 3-2--Hoy and Schrieber dissenting. .. It should be posted soon.  They were difficult decisions for each member of the board."  A video of the meeting will be posted soon on the GUHSD website, he advised.

“…Schools with librarians have their students achieve better on standardized tests than those that don’t.” – Nancy Everhart, president, American Association of School Libraries

By Jeremy Los

March 7, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – High school libraries across East County will soon be losing services of trained librarians, if proposed budget cuts are approved Thursday by the Grossmont Union High School District board.  As California struggles to dig itself out of a massive budget hole, the board must also contend with massive budget gaps. 

“As I understand the proposal,” Grossmont Union High School District Board Vice President Dick Hoy told East County Magazine, “all librarian positions will be cut.”

March 3, 2011 (San Diego) – “Not a done deal. We are in court,” reads a flyer published by opponents of the Sunrise Powerlink project urging the public to join a march to the federal courthouse downtown, where the first federal lawsuit against the high-voltage line will be heard on March 7th.

Event at United Church of Christ La Mesa will benefits Charley Brown Children’s Center in La Mesa

March 3, 2011 (La Mesa) – Robert Preston, as Professor Harold Hill, created a memorable musical moment in the movie “The Music Man,” parading 76 trombones, 110 cornets and other instruments through the streets of River City. Sliding forward in time, on March 6, 2011 at 6 p.m., the eight trombonists in San Diego’s own Bone-A-FieD Brass Ensemble will appear in a special concert followed by a “Mini-Mardi Gras Party” featuring Cajun hors d’oeuvres and more music.

$1.8 billion, the cost of the Powerlink, could fund 90,000 individual 5kW systems which would generate nearly a half million kW (450,000 kW) per hour, opponents say.

Story and photos by Ron Logan

March 1, 2011 (Alpine) – Tuesday morning, Sempra Energy and SDG&E encountered more pushback to their Sunrise Powerlink construction in downtown Alpine.

The Powerlink construction, which will take about two years to construct and is scheduled for completion in 2012, has drawn criticism at every step of the process, including hundreds of Alpine residents who have turned out at past hearings to voice overwhelming opposition to the project.

March 2, 2011 (Spring Valley) -- Monte Vista High School in Spring Valley was placed in lockdown briefly shortly after 10 a.m. this morning after a teacher reporter overhearing students talking about a gun in a bush.

“It’s all over now,” Lt. James Bovet with the San Diego Sheriff informed ECM at 11:15 a.m. “There was no indication that the gun was on or even near the school, however they did a search but did not find anything.” Ten patrol cars were dispatched to the school is located at 3230 Sweetwater Springs Blvd.

March 1, 2011 (Lakeside) – The San Diego Sheriff’s office today issued a press statement asking for help to locate surveillance videos that may show Christopher Cory Carioscia, aka Christopher Younghusband, with the person or persons who killed him. Carioscia, 17, disappeared October 26th after telling relatives he was going surfing at Pacific Beach. His burned vehicle was found on the Barona Indian Reservation the next day.  

On December 4, 2010, investigators found Carioscia’s body at a remote area of the reservation. The teen died of multiple bullet wounds from a .357 caliber firearm, most likely a revolver, say investigators, who recovered the bullets. Homicide investigators have identified several persons of interest but thus far no arrests have been made.

February 28, 2011 (Pine Valley ) –“This is a grim example of human smugglers’ disregard for life. They place profits over life,” Ralph Desio, U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) public affairs specialist said of a tragedy this weekend.

Acting on a report from the San Diego Sheriff of eight people lost in a winter snowstorm near Sunrise Highway in the Pine Valley Area, the CBP activated its Border Search Trauma and Rescue Team.

By Brian Lafferty

February 28, 2011 (San Diego) – Take one part Luis Buñuel, add one part David Lynch, throw in a sex comedy and what do you get? Kaboom, the newest film by independent director Gregg Araki. Currently playing at the Landmark Hillcrest, it is among his better works.

February 27, 2011 (Lakeside) – Matthew Christopher Mitchell, 18, of Lakeside has been identified by the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office as the person found crushed to death Thursday at a commercial property in Lakeside. 

February27, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – The weekend storm has passed, leaving 26 inches of snow on Laguna Mountain and 16 inches on Mount Palomar. Alpine, Pine Valley, Campo and other communities received ample snow to require snow plows to clear roads.  

Below are the latest road conditions and weather updates.

 " I just sprinted as fast as I could and went in for the layup."  -- West Hills player Emily Cole on her game-winning shot

 by Christopher Mohr

March 24-27 Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair is among top science fairs in the U.S.

By Mary Domb Mikkelson

February 26, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) -- Budget woes. School funding cuts. American kids left behind. You’ve read the headlines, endured the political posturing, heard – and shared - the concerns of parents and teachers. The litany of protests is long – and worrisome. Is there good news anywhere?

Yes! San Diego and Imperial County students, bucking the downward trend, are known for their scientific achievements. Do these kids have an edge, have something special going for them? Absolutely.

February 26, 2011 (2 p.m.) - New road hazards have been announced since our morning update  including SIGALERTS and closures of several major highways and freeways due to hazards ranging from boulders to flooding to power lines collapsed by heavy snow.