October 7, 2009 (La Mesa) – The big beer garden filled to capacity on Friday and Saturday night, when party-goers from around San Diego County gathered in downtown La Mesa to celebrate La Mesa’s Oktoberfest. Entertainment ranged from polka dancing to a rock-and-roll band, plus perennial favorites such as the beer stein hoisting contest (photo, left). La Mesa Police estimate that more than 200,000 people flocked to the three-day event.

Story and photos by Kristin Kjaero

October 7, 2009 (Lake Murray)—In honor of this year’s 25th California Cleanup Day on September 19, Coastal Cleanup Day in San Diego County was bigger than ever. 10,032 volunteers in the county (up from 7,800 last year) covered 163 miles of coast and inland waterways to collect 101,933 pounds of trash and recyclables.

Celebrate Borrego Springs' "Starry Starry Nights" and International Dark-Sky Community designation!

October 7, 2009 – You’re bound to feel star struck at the Galactic Gala honoring Dennis Mammana, Borrego Springs’ celebrity astronomer and Borrego Days Parade Grand Marshal. The event will be held on Thursday, October 22 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Anza Borrego Desert State Park Visitors Bureau; RSVPs are requested by October 9.
 

A highlight of the evening will be an astronomy program titled “Stroll along the Milky Way” with honored guest Dennis Mammana.

National Consumer Law Center Looks at 25 Programs in 14 States Including California: Mediation Programs Seen as Faltering

October 7, 2009 (Washington D.C.)--A spate of new state and local programs that have emerged over the last year requiring mediations or conferences before foreclosures sales take place have great potential to help homeowners, but are suffering from the same lack of industry accountability that has plagued voluntary federal mortgage modification programs, according to a major new study from the nonprofit National Consumer Law Center (NCLC).

By Congressman Bob Filner
Democratic Representative from the 51st Congressional District

The impacts of the climate crisis are already being seen around the world through increasing hurricane intensity, melting ice caps, and refugees fleeing extreme weather conditions. Here in Southern California, we are particularly vulnerable to a variety of threats posed by unchecked global warming – threats to our environment, our economic stability, and our overall quality of life.

While residents of San Diego are no strangers to drought and emergency water conservation measures, climate change will bring a new generation of drought’s stranglehold on our communities as we see our water supply shrink from increasing average global temperatures. Local Scripps researchers concluded in an April 2009 report that if human-induced global warming continues to reduce runoff from the Colorado River, San Diego will be unable to deliver a regular water supply to the region (The press release can be found online at http://scrippsnews.ucsd.edu/Releases/?releaseID=977).

By Miriam Raftery
Photos by Leonard Villareal

October 6, 2009 (El Cajon) -- Dale Wojczynski, owner of a home destroyed by fire on September 30, had been fined $10,000 by the County for ignoring numerous orders to clean up the property.  A criminal case has been filed and will be heard on October 29.

San Miguel Fire District firefighters battled the two-story house fire in the Granite Hills area of unincorporated El Cajon. Firefighters prevented the blaze from spreading to neighboring homes, but could not save the home due to a large amount of flammable debris.   A 9-1-1 call was made by a resident at 6:07 a.m. Two people inside the home, located on the 2100 block of Valley View Blvd,  both got out safely.  Residents told fire investigators there were no smoke alarms in the home, but fortunately a resident was awakened by the alarm clock function of her cell phone.

By Miriam Raftery

October 6, 2009 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Police are conducting an investigation into a Helix Charter High School assistant principal in a case involving a runaway female student.

“We hope to finish our investigation this week and forward to the District Attorney with a misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor,” La Mesa Police Lieutenant David Bond told East County Magazine.

KIDS FREE DAYS for children 11 years old and younger has been expanded and is now available all during the month of October. Everybody loves our World famous Zoo; now’s the time to enjoy the cooler weather as you learn more about animals and conservation. Come check out two fun, new play areas at the ZOO, and experience “Radical Reptiles” at the Discovery Station in the Wild Animal Park at San Pasqual.

September 13, 2009 (El Cajon) – Learn about becoming a firefighter, police officer or 9-1-1 dispatcher at the El Cajon Fire Safety & Career Expo on Saturday, October 10th. The event will also feature a new Kids’ Fun & Safety Zone with a variety of family-friendly activities.

October 5, 2009 (Spring Valley) -- William D. Gore, Sheriff of San Diego County, announces a presentation regarding domestic violence and resources available to those who find themselves in abusive relationships. The event will be held on Tuesday, October 27th 2009, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the San Miguel Fire Station, located at 2850 Via Orange Way in Spring Valley.

Thousands enjoyed free concert, car show and kids fun zone

Story and Photos by Leon Thompson

Viejas (September 26, 2009) Thousands of enthusiastic rock music fans of all ages convened in the parking lot of Viejas Casino to hear a free concert co-sponsored by radio station Magic 92.5 on Saturday, October 3. The event, new this year, was clearly a success—as evidenced by a line of cars backed up to the freeway exit by mid-afternoon.

The event featured attractions for the whole family including free rides in the fun zone for the young and young at heart, a vintage and custom car show. A troop of young spray-can outlaws fascinated the crowd by transforming a blank wall into living art that seemed to jump from the wall. (The artists, who declined to have their faces photographed, honed their skills from years of practice in places not so welcoming as here.)

By Miriam Raftery

October 5, 2009 (San Diego’s East County) – Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine) issued a press release announcing that the House of Representatives passed a conference report on H.R. 3183, the fiscal Year 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations Act. The legislation includes $120,000—funding secured by Congressman Hunter, according to the release, to perform a feasibility study of the water system in San Diego County and determine an approach to connect under-utilized reservoirs.

There’s just one problem: Hunter voted “no” on adoption of that conference report on October 1st, according to the roll call vote published in the Washington Post.

By Enrique Morones

October 1, 2009 (San Diego) – Today marks the 15th anniversary of the wall of death—the border wall of shame. Since October 1st 1994 and the launching of Operation Gatekeeper here in San Diego, thousands have died. Nobody knows the exact number: 5,000, 6,000, 10,000. How many more?

October 5, 2009 (El Cajon)--The Grossmont College Jazz Ensemble, featuring jazz saxophonist soloist Christopher Hollyday, will perform starting at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8, at the Cuyamaca College Arts Center auditorium, 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway, in El Cajon. The performance is open to the public. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.

By Miriam Raftery

October 5,2009 (San Diego)—“Our schools have been left to fall to the bottom of rankings in the nation,” Tom Torlakson told delegates at the San Diego Grassroots Convention in San Diego on September 26th. “In the early ‘70s, we were the best in the nation.”

Gloria Romero, also running for the state’s top education spot, also issued a call to turn around California’s underperforming schools. “It’s shameful that California leads the nation in drop-outs,” she said. “Let’s put education at the top of the Democratic agenda.” She called education “the civil rights issue of our time.” She added, “My mother had a sixth grade education. I have a PhD. That’s the power of education to turn around a life…We spend more on prisons to locok up people than we do on educating our students.”