June 2, 2011 (Spring Valley) – The National Cat Protection Society invites you to its 43rd anniversary party. Tour includes kitten center, adult cat areas and retirement homes—enriched with a wall-to-wall overhead walkway, ramps, lifeguard tower,  island, volcano, pressure-controlled heating pads, scratching posts, and “Retirement Bay."

May 29, 2011 (La Mesa) – Friday night at 10:45, La Mesa Police Officers responded to a report of a robbery in the 4500 block of Maple Avenue.

May 21, 2011 (La Mesa)--On Tuesday, May 24, 2011, the City of La Mesa will host the Grand Opening of the Allison Avenue streetscape improvement project. The event will take place in front of and just east of the La Mesa Library (8074 Allison Avenue) at 4:30 pm.

Allison Avenue is located in the heart of La Mesa’s downtown and Civic Center providing access to shopping, the Trolley Station, bus stops, Civic Center, the Library and Post Office.

The award winning Allison Avenue project includes many new urban smart growth design concepts; including enhanced crosswalks with inlayed flashing pavement markers, decorative streetlights, walkability features, street trees,  landscaping, diagonal parking and improved bus shelters. 

May 6, 2011 (Alpine) – East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery will be on the air Friday from 6-7 p.m. on Billie Jo Jannen’s “TGIF” program on FM 107.9 radio. Today’s show will also feature Alpine Sun Editor Christy Scott in an editors’ panel discussing the hottest backcountry issues. Topics include Sunrise Powerlink, trans-border trucking, new solar proposed projects, graffiti, grants for fire mitigation, and more.   Listen live!

May 5, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Governor Jerry Brown has announced plans to travel throughout California discussing the budget deficit with the people. Now Senator Joel Anderson (R-El Cajon) has sent a letter inviting the Governor to meet with people in El Cajon. He has collected letters of support for his invitation from prominent community leaders including elected officials, business leaders, and prominent educators.

 If you would like your voice heard and want the Governor to come to East County, Senator Anderson suggests that you send your letter via fax (916-447-9008) or e-mail (senator.anderson@senate.ca.gov; his staff will then deliver it to the Governor.

May 5, 2011 (San Diego) – A new pageant takes the stage on Monday, May 30, when the Joan B. Kroc Center will host the 2011 Miss San Diego Cities Pageant. Pageant organizers are currently seeking outgoing women ages 13-26 to participate in the program. Miss San Diego Cities 2011 will receive at $1,000.00 scholarship while Miss Teen San Diego Cities will receive a $500.00 scholarship.

The pageant is open to residents of unincorporated areas as well as residents of cities within San Diego County. It will be the first county wide pageant since the “Fairest of the Fair” ended in 2004 that does not have a swimsuit competition, does not have a talent competition and where the contestants do participate in essay writing and speech presentation.

By Abigail Migala

San Diego River Park Foundation announces a series of events to raise funds for establishing trails, parks, gardens and visitor centers along the 52-mile-long San Diego River. The events include San Diego Days, San Diego RiverFest, and a Healthy River Run.

San Diego River Days May 7-8 and 14-15 offer community events along the 52-mile San Diego River from the mountains near Julian to Ocean Beach’s Dog Beach. Activities include bike rides, cleanups, mountain hikes, planting along the river, educational venues, along with nature and history walks. At the conclusion of River Days on May 15, the San Diego River Park Foundation and more than 50 organizations of the San Diego River Coalition join together with families from throughout the county for RiverFest.

Congressman Filner, the Freedom Rides, and Three Generations of Civil RIghts Activism

“I was 18. We did this thing, and we changed the whole legal structure of America. The sense that change is possible has been with me since."–Congressman Bob Filner

For the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Rides, Rep Bob Filner (D-San Diego) shares his memories as a Freedom Rider and of enduring two months in jail  to take a stand during the tumultuous Civil Rights movement.

May 2, 2011 (La Mesa) – William S. Lerach has spent his career heading up prosecutions of some of Wall Street’s biggest corporate crooks. He's recovered billions of dollars for defrauded shareholders from big banks, corporations, accounting firms and insurance companies. After his most notable success—recovering $7.2 billion for defrauded shareholders of Enron—he appeared in the Oscar-nominated documentary, “Enron, the Smartest Guys in the Room.”

A frequent commentator on economic matters as well as securities and corporate law, Lerach now makes a chilling prediction: that America’s public and private pension funds are poised to fail.  The new financial crisis will threaten the financial security of retirees due to the actions of Wall Street, he warns.

May 4, 2011 (Dulzura) – Gilbert N. Amador, 73, died May 2nd at Sharp Hospital of injuries sustained in a collision with a semi-truck April 28 at Dulzura. According to the San Diego Medical Examiner’s office, Amador was en route to an appointment and struck a semi-truck that was stopped in the roadway preparing to make a left turn.

May 4, 2011 (Washington D.C.) – E-mails that claim to show photos or videos of the killing of Osama bin Laden may contain a virus that will damage your computer and steal your identity, the Federal Bureau of Investigation warns.

May 2, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – A small brush fire scorched less than quarter of an acre this afternoon near Bell Junior High School on Briarwood Road in the Paradise Hills area.  According to Maurice Luque, spokesman for San Diego Fire Department, the blaze was swiftly doused. 

April 30, 2011 (Poway) -- The  Echo Pacific/POW! Golf Challenge  will tee off on May 16, 2011.  Golf, cocktails, games, dinner, live entertainment, and a silent auction are the components of a lively day and evening. Bid on weekend spa getaways, private cruises on San Diego Big Bay, VIP Padres tickets and a wide variety of dinner and entertainment packages- all to benefit  the POW! Foundation Profession Performances and Arts in Education Initiatives. 

April 29, 2011 (Rancho San Diego) – Four suspects have been arrested for allegedly participating in a home invasion robbery in which a Rancho San Diego family was brutally assaulted and their dog shot. The home invasion occurred on December 15, 2010 on Wildwood Drive.