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East County Roundup highlights stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland region, published in other media. This week’s top Roundup headlines include:
• State singes more from Cal-Fire budget (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Schools flagged for earthquake list left unchecked (Voice of San Diego)
• County has $250,000 in unclaimed funds (Lemon Grove Patch)
• Big changes coming for Alvarado Hospital (La Mesa Courier)
• Journey’s end for reknowned hiker and writer Jerry Schad (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• La Mesa says its ready to put down roots (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Man shot in face Saturday faces months in hospital (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Public art in Village may cost $125,000 as part of City centennial celebration (La Mesa Patch)
• Teachers play musical chairs as school starts in La Mesa-Spring Valley District (La Mesa Patch)
• El Cajon Police Chief retiring (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Former Helix baseball coach named commissioner of CIF San Diego (La Mesa Patch)
• ACLU threatens suit over County grant to church (CityBeat)
STATE SINGES MORE FROM CAL FIRE BUDGET
August 16, 2011 (San Diego Union-Tribune)-- A fresh round of budget cuts threatens to weaken the state's already-strained fire protection network, even with the peak fall fire season fast approaching in Southern California.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/aug/16/state-singes-more-from-fi...
SCHOOLS FLAGGED FOR EARTHQUAKE RISKS LEFT UNCHECKED
August 11, 2011 (Voice of San Diego)-- early a decade ago, state experts flagged thousands of school buildings that might be vulnerable in an earthquake. Engineers cautioned school districts that more inspections were needed to tell if the buildings were in trouble.
But here in San Diego County, many of those inspections never happened. Only about 100 of the 301 school buildings countywide that raised concerns have been reviewed, repaired or demolished.
http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/education/schooled/article_e52c82da-c39a-...
COUNTY HAS $250,000 IN UNCLAIMED FUNDS
About 900 individuals and businesses are eligible for refunds, but must claim them by October
August 18, 2011 (Lemon Grove Patch) -- There's two months left to get in on $250,000 in unclaimed refunds, Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister said Wednesday, urging anyone who has done business with the county to check to see if they're owed money.
About 900 accounts, including both individuals and businesses, have money to be claimed, McAllister said. More than half the total is from property tax refunds.
http://lemongrove.patch.com/articles/county-has-250000-in-unclaimed-funds-2
BIG CHANGES COMING FOR ALVARADO HOSPITAL
New Administrator Updates the Community
August 2011 (La Mesa Courier, La Mesa, CA) – Alvarado Hospital Medical Center is undergoing a $30 million renovation that includes infrastructure upgrades and remodeling, as well as an investment in technology and information systems, according to new administrator Peter J. Adamo.
http://www.lamesacourier.com/article/Local_News/News/BIG_CHANGES_COMING_...
JOURNEY’S END FOR REKNOWNED HIKER AND WRITER JERRY SCHAD
August 10, 2011 (San Diego Union-Tribune)--Is there a patch of dirt Jerry Schad hasn’t walked?
For decades, he’s been our Juan Cabrillo, exploring every nook and canyon, tramping coast and countryside. He is the man behind what is widely considered the local bible of hiking, “Afoot & Afield San Diego County.”
Now his world is no bigger than his bedroom. He’s been bedridden since June. He’s weak and is getting hospice care. He takes morphine at night for the pain.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/aug/10/journeys-end-san-diego-ex...
LA MESA SAYS ITS READY TO PUT DOWN ROOTS
Helix Charter High chosen as site for community garden
August 11, 2011 (San Diego Union-Tribune)— Ricky Nelson would be proud: The City of La Mesa is finally going to a garden party.
After a full-year search for some healthy community grounds in which to cultivate carrots, celery, cilantro, corn, cucumbers and the like, it’s all coming to fruition at Helix Charter High.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/aug/11/la-mesa-says-its-ready-to...
MAN SHOT IN FACE SATURDAY FACES MONTHS IN HOSPITAL
August 9, 2011 (San Diego Union-Tribune)--A 23-year-old man who was shot in the face Saturday at an El Cajon-area drive-through restaurant has undergone 14 surgeries and is improving at Sharp Memorial Hospital, his family said Tuesday.
Martin Hana, the ninth of 12 children in an Iraqi immigrant family, is awake and able to write simple notes to visitors but hasn’t been able to speak, said his sister Sarah Hana, 18.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/aug/09/man-shot-face-saturday-fa...
PUBLIC ART IN VILLAGE MAY COST $125,000 AS PART OF CITY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
August 16, 2011 (La Mesa Patch)--La Mesa’s centennial celebration will include a Party of the Century in January 2013, a website to be launched this November and an official logo for branding souvenirs and other items.
But the crowning effort might be a grand work of public art planned for The Village downtown with a possible price tag of $125,000 and room for a time capsule.
http://lamesa.patch.com/articles/public-art-in-village-may-cost-125000-a...
TEACHERS PLAY MUSICAL CHAIRS AS SCHOOL STARTS IN LA MESA-SPRING VALLEY DISTRICT
August 17, 2011 (La Mesa Patch)--Attention, students: Expect to see a lot of new grown-ups at your neighborhood school when classes begin today in the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District.
One hundred and twenty-two teachers—or about one–fifth of the district’s certificated workforce—changed schools.
http://lamesa.patch.com/articles/teachers-play-musical-chairs-as-school-...
EL CAJON POLICE CHIEF RETIRING
August 17, 2011 (San Diego Union-Tribune)--Just as the El Cajon Public Safety Center is ready to open, the career of one of its top employees will be coming to a close.
El Cajon Police Chief Pat Sprecco will retire in December. The Pine Valley resident has been with the department for 39 years, a police officer for 35 years. He was named chief in 2008.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/aug/17/el-cajon-police-chief-ret...
FORMER HELIX BASEBALL COACH NAMED COMMISSIONER OF CIF SAN DIEGO SECTION
August 16, 2011 (La Mesa Patch)-- Jerry Schniepp, a former baseball coach at Helix Charter High School, has been named commissioner of the CIF San Diego section—making him the head overseer of high school sports in the county
http://lamesa.patch.com/articles/former-helix-baseball-coach-named-commi...
ACLU THREATENS SUIT OVER COUNTY GRANT TO CHURCH
August 11, 2011 (CityBeat)--The ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties has sent a letter to San Diego County Counsel Thomas Montgomery challenging the county's position on a $21,000 grant to Green Oak Ranch Ministries, a church in Vista, following this week's report in CityBeat.
The letter cites the No Aid Clause in the California Constitution and two state higher-court decisions—including one from 90 years ago—which ACLU legal director David Blair-Loy says expressly bans public money from going to religious institutions, even for non-religious purposes. Blair-Loy tells the county it must take "appropriate action" to avoid litigation.
http://www.sdcitybeat.com/sandiego/blog-455-aclu-threatens-suit-over-cou...
SWEETWATER ADMINISTRATORS RESIGN
August 3, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) --Two administrators in the Sweetwater Union High School District resigned this week.
Diego Ochoa stepped down from his new post as principal of Bonita Vista Middle School less than two weeks into the new school year.
The Watchdog reported that Ochoa signed off on the improper erasure of 115 Ds and Fs from student transcripts while principal at Castle Park High School, and he was subsequently demoted. He said he simply used the wrong form to enter scores from a credit-recovery program.
…Castle Park’s former assistant principal of student activities, Abram Jimenez, also resigned this week from his new post as assistant principal at Bonita Vista High School. Attempts to contact Jimenez were unsuccessful.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/aug/03/2-sweetwater-administrato...
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