By Miriam Raftery

May 4, 2018 (La Mesa) --  I took a trip into La Mesa’s downtown village today to check out opening day of the new Farmer’s Market, which has moved to downtown La Mesa along La Mesa Village.  The market is now operated by the La Mesa Village Association instead of the city, with a new farmer’s market company.

East County News Service

May 1, 2018 (La Mesa) - The City of La Mesa will present a Salute to Old Glory at its annual Flag Day parade on Saturday, June 2^nd down La Mesa Boulevard in the La Mesa downtown village.

Pre-parade entertainment includes performances by local middle school bands at 9 a.m., with the parade rolling out at 10 a.m.  This year’s grand marshal will local historian and author Jim Newland.

There will also be a free ice cream social after the parade at La Mesa Blvd. and 4^th Street to round out a day of patriotic celebration.

By Miriam Raftery

April 30, 2018 (La Mesa) – Remarks made by La Mesa School Board president and gun shop owner David Chong in a video on his Facebook page are drawing criticism from some parents and teachers, bringing gun issues to the November reelection campaign.

Memorial services in San Diego April 27 and May 1

East County News Service

April 27, 2018 (La Mesa) --- Gladys Palast (1921-2018), a beloved mother, former La Mesa resident, progressive activist and military veteran, passed away Friday at age 96 in Kaiser Permanente Hospital.  A life-long activist for union, education and civil rights, she is survived by her son, journalist, author and film producer Greg Palast and her daughter, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor Geri Palast. 

Gladys Palast was a union activist with SEIU and the San Diego Teachers Union.  Until the age of 80, she was also a school teacher in Los Angeles then San Diego.  She and her late husband, Gil Palast, were cofounders of the La Mesa Democratic Club and Activist San Diego, owner of KNSJ radio.

The first woman to enlist in the Coast Guard during World War II, she will be interred with full military honors at Miramar National Military Cemetery, 5795 Nobel Drive, San Diego, CA 92122 today at 11 a.m. along with the ashes of her late husband, Gil Palast. A celebration of her life will follow at 1 p.m. in the rec room at 6780 Mission Gorge Road in San Diego, where friends are invited to bring memories, stories and songs to share.

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

April 25, 2018 (La Mesa) -- The La Mesa City Council on Tuesday night gave a unanimous thumbs down, turning its back on an earlier La Mesa Planning Commission conditional use permit approval of a marijuana dispensary in the La Mesa Medical Plaza near 70th and El Cajon.

East County News Service

April 24, 2018 (La Mesa) – The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) is proud to announce the honorees for its 2018 Healthcare Heroes awards. GHD officials said the recipients are volunteers of all ages and walks of life who serve in health care in San Diego’s East Region community.

This year’s honorees include a family practice physician who helps those not able to afford health insurance, two volunteers who provide one-on-one comfort following crisis events, a 23-year-old who spends part of her weekends in a hospital emergency room, a couple who drives people to their cancer treatments and a non-profit board member who has volunteered for the past 20 years.

“The purpose of the Healthcare Heroes Awards is to recognize volunteers whose unsung work in healthcare might not otherwise be celebrated,” said Michael Emerson, GHD board president. “We are proud to recognize the 2018 winners and their inspiring commitment to caring for others.”

Here are the heartwarming stories of this year’s winners:

East County Dining Club invites you to join us at:

SWAMI’S CAFÉ

8284 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa

Friday, April 27 at 6 p.m.

Benefits East County Magazine

Swami’s Cafe has high ratings from Zagat, Trip Advisor and Yelp. Their dinner menu has an amazingly diverse menu of delicious dishes with f healthy options plus heartier fare and exotic choices. There’s something for all, and dinners are affordable! (Most entrees are under $20 including seafood, chicken, steak, burgers, pasta, salads, vegetarian options and more.)

Prizes include Midway Museum passes, wine baskets, gift certificates to local restaurants, boutiques and shops, jewelry, books, coffee, dance concert tickets, pilates class & much more.

For this event, you can order anything off the menu, but please RSVP to reserve space and check in before ordering.

Come meet your neighors and the media, and enjoy some great food!

 RSVP TO RESERVE SPACE: 619-698-7617 or editor@eastcountymagazine.org

Update April 20: The Design Review Committee hearing slated for April 23 has been postponed. 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Jeff Phair, right, shares information with area resident Anthony McIvor, left, at site of planned La Mesa Summit Estates.

April 12, 2018 (La Mesa) – On a hilltop above the Serramar development in La Mesa’s Eastridge area, local builder Jeff Phair hopes to build La Mesa Summit Estates.  The proposal calls for 30 new homes—each with multi-generational suites complete with separate entrances, stacked washer/dryers, and media centers.  They’re designed for families that want space for parents, grandparents or grown children---and the concept came out of extensive meetings with neighbors.

 “All developers don’t wear black hats,” an article in The Phair Company’s newsletter is titled. The company has a policy of “cooperative community based planning” that calls for meeting with neighbors and incorporating their input into designs, where possible, before ever approaching city staff of elected officials.

Source:  City of La Mesa

April 11, 2018 (La Mesa) - Applications are now being accepted for volunteer positions on the City’s boards and commissions. The deadline for submission of applications is 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in the City Clerk’s office at La Mesa City Hall, 8130 Allison Avenue. Applications may be obtained at City Hall or from the City of La Mesa website, www.cityoflamesa.us.

By Miriam Raftery

April 6, 2018 (La Mesa) – Last week, La Mesa’s City Council approved the city’s first medical marijuana dispensary, New Origins, set to open in the La Mesa Medical Plaza on Center Street near El Cajon Boulevard.  But now the chief executive officer of Family Wellness Center in the same complex, is asking the city to rescind the permit.

East County News Service

April 4, 2018 (La Mesa) – The Grossmont Healthcare District’s Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library, 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa, will host “It’s All About The Conversation,” a free program on advance care planning (ACP), from 10 to 11 a.m., Wednesday, April 25. The program is part of the library’s “Wellness Wednesday” series, normally held on the fourth Wednesday of the month. Admission is free. Light refreshments will be served. Advance RSVP is not necessary. Handouts will be available.

East County News Service

April 2, 2018 (La Mesa) – The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce will present Health Fair Saturday, one of the largest annual free health fairs in San Diego’s East County Region, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 7, in the promenade area near the movie theaters at the Grossmont Center mall, 5500 Grossmont Center Drive, La Mesa.

Updated with revised start date of May 5th for the Farmer's Market

 By Jonathan Goetz

Miriam Raftery also contributed to this report

 March 30, 2018 (La Mesa) – La Mesa residents will soon be able to stroll the heart of the downtown village to shop for fresh produce, crafts and other items on Friday afternoons and evenings.  The  La Mesa City Council voted 4-1 at Tuesday’s meeting to move the Farmer’s Market to the downtown village on a six-month trial basis.  It will be run by the La Mesa Village Association instead of the city as a special event each Friday  from 3 to 7 p.m. starting May 5th, with street closures from 1 to 8 .p.m.

 The change has drawn support from many shoppers and some businesses, but has also engendered opposition from restaurants concerned about losing regular patrons on their busiest night of the week and neighbors with noise and parking concerns.

 The new market is projected to be approximately double in size of the current Friday night farmer’s market near the civic center, which must  ultimately move due to redevelopment plans.

East County News Service

March 27, 2018 (La Mesa) – Maxwell House of Books, an independent, used book retail book store in La Mesa, will host a book signing and lecture featuring La Mesa historian and author Jim Newland discussing his latest book on the history of Grossmont Hospital. The event will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Thursday, March 29. Maxwell House of Books is located at 8285 La Mesa Blvd., in the heart of the historic La Mesa Downtown Village. According to Craig Maxwell, book store owner, proceeds from books sold that evening will be donated to the La Mesa Historical Socie ty.