By Kate Yapjoco

April 14, 2012 (Spring Valley) -- The annual free Spring Valley Community Health and Wellness Festival is being held April 21, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at Spring Valley County Park, 8735 Jamacha Blvd., Spring Valley.

April 14, 2012 (Santa Ysabel) -- Spring is the perfect time to enjoy a guided hike in the beautiful Santa Ysabel Preserve.  Join park Rangers and explore the many wildflowers of the area, and watch for the varied wildlife. The April 22 hike will depart from the Highway 79 Staging area at 9:00 a.m.  The April 28 hike will leave from the Farmer Staging area located at 500 Farmer Rd.

April 13, 2012 (Lakeside) -- Join the Ranger April 22, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., for a moderate hike to explore the world’s second most endangered habitat, the Coastal Sage Scrub at the Lakeside Linkage Preserve, NE corner of Los Coches Rd. and Ha-Hana Rd. You will learn how the Native Americans used the plants, and will be looking for wildlife that calls this habitat home.

April 12, 2012 (Alpine) – The Alpine Chamber of Commerce is holding its “I Love a Clean Alpine” event on April 14 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  The event begins at the Triangle, 2157 Alpine Blvd. with a free continental breakfast.  Vests and bags will be distributed for cleaning up Alpine Blvd. and Wrights Field. At noon lunch will be provided.

April 7, 2012 (La Mesa) – The La Mesa Historical Society has opened a new exhibit at its McKinney House Museum at 8369 University Avenue, La Mesa.  It’s featuring a new room display showcasing the history of old time toys and games from tiddlywinks to spinning tops, tin windup toys, kaleidoscope, checkers, jacks and many more to illustrate a child’s play time long ago.  All of the items come from the collections of the Society and are displayed in a classroom setting with old photos of students from Allison School and La Mesa Grammar School between 1910 and 1929.

April 4, 2012 (Lemon Grove) --  The "History Alive" lecture series continues on Apr. 5 at 7 p.m. in the H. Lee House Cultural Center, 3205 Olive, Lemon Grove, when the Lemon Grove Historical Society presents "A Fireside Chat with Estelle Lauer."   This warm and witty writer, teacher, and former columnist for the Valley Grove News and Life News, is a walking repository of often hilarious tales that reveal the back story of Lemon Grove and its unique cast of people and institutions.  

April 2, 2012 (El Cajon) – The Knox House Museum is open for tours the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The museum, which is the first commercial building in El Cajon built in 1876, is located at 280 N. Magnolia Avenue.  The continuing exhibit is “Shards, Archaeology Tools & Milk Bottles?”

March 30, 2012 (San Diego) -- Kids and families will have their choice of enjoying traditional egg hunts, meeting the Spring Bunny, gobbling up a pancake breakfast and just generally having some egg-ucational fun over the next two weekends at County parks in Ramona, Spring Valley,  Cardiff, Del Mar and Encinitas.

“A good egg hunt is a fun spring-time tradition for many families and it’s hard to imagine a better place than an egg-hunt in one of our great parks,” said Brian Albright, director of the San Diego County Department of Parks and Recreation. “They’re the perfect place for the whole family.” 

March 27, 2012 (Lakeside) – Lakeside’s River Park Conservancy will be having a free presentation for members by local Project Wildlife bat expert Cindy Myers and her bat ambassador.  There are roughly two dozen bat varieties in San Diego County.  Learn about this small, furry and ecologically essential mammal.

Space is limited to 20 members.  RSVP by Wednesday March 28 by contacting Cindy Collins at 619-443-4770.

March 25, 2012 (Ramona) – The Ramona Music Fest is Saturday, March 31 from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Dos Picos County Park, 17953 Dos Picos Park Road in Ramona.  A variety of exceptional music artists will light up two stages.

The headliners this year are Rockola and Cactus Twan Whyte Grano & Nash.Rockola has earned no fewer than eight San Diego Music awards in their three decades together. Cactus Twang Whyte Grano & Nash offer spot-on performances of beloved classics made famous by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

March 24, 2012 (El Cajon) – On March 28 Cajon Valley Middle School is opening their doors to the public from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. to showcase their new campus at 550 East Park Avenue, El Cajon.  The school is highlighting all the new programs taking place: computer labs, a community garden, newcomer classes, art, music and dance exhibitions, AVID and Writing for Change programs, an extended day program, athletics, clubs and tutorial support.

March 19, 2011 (Lakeside) – The Sheriff’s Department is partnering with County Parks and Recreation as well as County Health and Human Services to hold a Community Festival at Lindo Lake Park, 9841 Vine Street, Lakeside on March 24.  The event will be from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.