October 22, 2009 (El Cajon) – Here’s the purr-fect event to bring your pet—or find a pet if you don’t already own one. The Third Annual Animal Shelter Open House this Sunday, October 25th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The shelter is located at 1275 North Marshall Avenue in El Cajon and admission is free. Games, food, prizes, clowns and a miniature horse are among the attractions—along with an animal Halloween costume contest at 1 p.m.

October 21, 2009 (San Diego) - Members of the Westboro Baptist Church picketed outside local schools during the past week, bearing messages of hate directed towards Jews, gays, and the military. Designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Westboro has gained notoriety for indoctrinating children into a cult-like web of hate (photo, left, child displays hate messages).

In San Diego, however, a handful of Westboro protesters were vastly outnumbered by hundreds of counter-protesters bearing messages of tolerance and peace; no local residents joined the protesters, according to news reports. A gay rights group, meanwhile, invited supporters to pledge donations for every minute of the Westboro protest.

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!

By Nancy and Dawn Clement

October 22, 2009 (San Diego’s East County)-Costumes are not about how much money you spend. You could spend hundreds of dollars and still have a less-than-exciting costume. What make a costume great is a little creativity--along with a few accessories. For example, take a man in an ordinary suit, slick back his hair, give him a pencil thin mustache and a string tie, and voila – Clark Gable! Take the same man, in the same suit, give him a wide tie, spectators, and a waist chain, and you have a Mobster. The clothes you wear are a mere canvas on which to paint your costume.

If you need a little inspiration, check out these sites:

October 20, 2009 (El Cajon)—Just before 9:00 p.m. this evening, El Cajon firefighters responded to reports of an apartment fire at 1077 E. Lexington Avenue. When the first crews arrived, flames and heavy smoke were seen coming from a second floor apartment of the 12-unit complex. About twenty firefighters fought the blaze, knocking it down in 15 minutes. Two occupants of a neighboring apartment were trapped on their second floor balcony and were rescued by crews. Three families displaced by the fire are being assisted by the American Red Cross.

October 20, 2009 – San Diego Police have evacuated the Postal Annex at 6549 Mission Gorge Road after discovery of a suspicious device. “We have secured the Annex . Metro Arson Strike Team (MAST) is on site and evaluating,” Detective Gary Hassen told East County Magazine at 2:45 p.m. today.
The Postal Annex opened a package and found “wiring connected to a PVC pipe with foam around it at 12:45 p.m.,” Hassen told East County Magazine.

(Click arrows to hear the haunted train)

October 19,2009 (Campo)— The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum at the historic Campo Depot invites families to board the Pumpkin Express and ride the rails to the great pumpkin patch.  In addition to a scenic one-hour train ride, kids can tour the haunted train, pick out a pumpkin and decorate it on-site. These spirited train rides are offered on Oct.24-25 and on October 31st, with departures at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

by Christopher Mohr

(RANCHO SAN DIEGO) October 16 - Friday night's game between Valhalla High School's Norsemen and the Mt. Miguel Matadors had nearly everything a fan could want: a closely contested match between two competitive, talented teams that would not be decided until almost the last minute. It was a game that truly lived up to all the hype it received beforehand.

Poway’s Aptera among companies that will benefit from measure

October 18, 2009 (Washington D.C) .--The United States House of Representatives passed a bi-partisan measure led by North County Congressman Brian Bilbray (R-CA) and Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) that will expand production of domestic fuel-efficient vehicles.

The amendment, included in the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act (H.R. 3183) which passed by a 308-114 vote, would expand the type of cars eligible for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentive Program so that new companies and designs can compete on an even playing field with more traditional automakers.

October 18, 2009 (La Mesa) – San Diego Master Chorale will present an encore performance of “From Handel to Halloween: Music for our Spirits” on Sunday, October 25th at 4 p.m. in La Mesa.

Hear a wide variety of "spirited" choral music including classics, folk songs, popular music in keeping with the season, spirituals, and a special focus on men's voices. Known as the “voice of San Diego,” the San Diego Master Chorale is comprised of 120 of San Diego’s finest singers and is an arm of the San Diego Symphony. The SDMC is celebrating is 49th season.

SACRAMENTO – Sen. Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) announced today that Gov. Schwarzenegger recently signed five of her bills into law, including ones dealing with redevelopment funds, solar energy, and hybrid vehicles.

“I’m grateful for the governor’s support of these bills that will improve the quality of life for Californians,” Kehoe said. “Government can work for the people, and I think the public will see that with these new laws.”

OCTOBER 18, 2009 (La Mesa) – Want to save money on some early holiday shopping--and help raise money for breast cancer patients and their families?

Photos by Monica Zech

October 15, 2009 ) -- In La Mesa today, city leaders, fire department chiefs and staff from El Cajon, La Mesa, and Lemon Grove, gathered for the official signing of a Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement (JPA). This agreement will create a shared management team to coordinate fire and emergency medical services, firefighter training, fire prevention, emergency planning, and community preparedness.

POLICE CHASE NABS SUSPECT; PAROLEE MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OTHER AREA CRIMES

October 15, 2009 (La Mesa) Crime didn't pay for a lone gunman who robbed a Shell gas station clerk at gunpoint around 12:15 today. The suspect took money from the register and fled. The station manager arrived just before police and went looking for the robber in his own car.  Coincidentally, he was flagged down by a man a few blocks away, on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Being a good citizen, the manager gave the stranger a ride back toward the Shell gas station so the man could buy gas—not realizing that that the stranded man was actually the robbery suspect. When the suspect realized he was being returned to the crime scene where police were, he kidnapped the gas station manager and forced him to drive west on interstate 8--leading to a harrowing series of events.

October 15, 2009 – It’s time to round up the family and head ‘em on out to one of East County’s most unique events—the annual Western Heritage Days Vaquero Festival in Descanso.

The all-day event Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18, hearkens back to the days of Spanish California and our early rancheros heritage. The popular event also includes some new twists, however—notably the Extreme Cowboy Race.

WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH PICKETING LOCAL SCHOOLS

By J. Richards

Editor's note:  Westboro Baptist Church, headed by Fred Phelps, has gained notoriety for protesting at funerals of gay individuals. In San Diego, however, on October 16 the group (which calls Jews "Christ killers") plans to target Jewish schools and organizations.  

October 15, 2009 (San Diego)--The Westboro Baptist Church will be in San Diego County to stage a series of pickets this Friday through Monday, with their "God hates..." pretty-much-everyone-else signs and websites.

They use shock tactics to get media attention, such as picketing military funerals while declaring 9-11 to be God’s punishment and their wish for the death of more soldiers.  I might have let their presence pass without anything more than a tsk-tsk, knowing their words speak more loudly against them than anything anyone else could say.

Our children's school, however, is on their picket schedule, so that children from pre-school on will have to pass this group's picketing in order to get to class in the morning.