January 24, 2012 (San Diego) -- “Are you freaking kidding me?!” It’s a sentiment I experience—and express--daily. My concerns and interests have always been intensely passionate; I vacillate between a deep conviction that God is putting these things in my heart to be shared and an aversion to being perceived as judgmental by virtue of calling out what I see as blatant opposition to the true Gospel. Watching the race for the Republican nomination for president is bringing it all home.
January 24, 2012 (La Mesa) -- The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD, a public agency that supports various health-related community programs and services in San Diego’s East County, has presented $6,000 in scholarships to three nursing students based on their community involvement and future plans in the nursing profession. They include Karen Adams of El Cajon, Melissa Foster of La Mesa and Linda Matheny of El Cajon. Adams received $3,000, while Foster and Matheny each received $1,500. All three are nursing students at Grossmont College.
January 25, 2012 (San Diego's East County)--The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) seeks nominations for its 2012 Healthcare Hero Awards, GHD’s annual awards program that honors East County residents whose volunteer efforts help advance delivery of quality healthcare in the East County region.
January 26, 2011 (La Mesa)--Officials of many East County organizations recognized the contributions made by Bill and Norma Verbeck at a special luncheon eeting of the Kiwanis Club of La Mesa today at the La Mesa Community Center.
Bill Verbeck was awarded the Kiwanis International 50-Year Legion of Honor at the meeting. Tony Zambelli, president of the La Mesa Kiwanis Club, mad the presentation.
4-Month-Old Animal Euthanized Due to Severity of Injuries
January 25, 2012 (Crest) -- Crest resident Phillip Shawn Rich, 26, was arrested over the weekend for severely beating his 4-month-old male Siberian husky, causing such bad injuries the animal had to be euthanized.
January 23, 2012 (San Diego)--The San Diego Department of Environmental Health has issued a General Advisory for the coastal waters of San Diego County due to recent rainfall. Swimmers, surfers, and other ocean users are warned that the levels of bacteria can rise significantly in ocean and bay waters, especially near storm drains, creeks, rivers, and lagoon outlets that discharge urban runoff. Urban runoff may contain large amounts of bacteria from a variety of sources such as animal waste, soil, and decomposing vegetation.
Is duck-hunting training for dogs a wise use of public land and water, or just plain daffy?
By Miriam Raftery
January 23, 2012 (Jamul) – Last week, ECM reported on controversy surrounding sporting groups’ plans to create the Honey Springs Sporting Dog Training Facility in the Hollenbeck Canyon Wildlife Area, a state-owned preserve. Neighbors were shocked to learn that dog training ponds would be filled with 2.4 million gallons of groundwater a year.So was the local planning group and the area’s rural fire department, which relies on the same water supply to fight fires.
Now state and county officials have both confirmed that groundwater will be the key factor in determining whether or not the project moves forward.
January 23, 2012 (Mount Laguna)--The County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health (DEH) has issued a Boil Water Order and Public Notification for the Mount Laguna Recreation Area water system located on Sunrise Highway, Mt. Laguna, CA 91948 effective immediately.
The drinking water system has tested present for total coliform bacteria and absent for E.coli.
January 23, 2012 (San Diego) – Assemblymember Marty Block is sponsoring a Senior Financial Care and Health Care seminar on Tuesday, January 31 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. It will be held at The College Avenue Center at Beth Jacob Synagogue, 4855 College Avenue in San Diego.
January 23, 2012 (San Diego)-- As the hotly contested election year begins, public policy, the green economy and green jobs are in the spotlight. Green Experts Academy San Diego brings together public policy experts to provide breaking information about this arena as the U.S. moves into the election year and beyond.
In addition, attendees will be invited to join in a green policy brainstorm. Best ideas will be presented to the San Diego’s Mayor's office.
The seminar and workshop takes place on January 31 from 5:30-9 p.m. Cricket Communications is the venue host for this event, which costs $20 in advance http://greenexpertsacademy2012.eventbrite.com or $25 at the door.
January 21, 2012 (El Cajon) -- After several Boundary Committee meetings and public forums, the Grossmont Unified High School District board of trustees voted in September to approve recommendations for school boundary changes. Of course, not all were in a position to attend the public forums and many questions still remain unanswered.
One question we in the Real Estate business are asked most frequently is, “How does this affect our home values?”
January 23, 2012 (San Diego) – The last few years have been rough on a lot of people. People have lost their jobs, they don’t know how to support themselves and their families, and I’m sure there are those who, like George Bailey, wish they had never been born.
January 22, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – A high wind warning has been issued by the National Weather Service starting Monday at 6.a.m. through Tuesday at 4 p.m. A wind watch will remain in effect through Wednesday. Gale force winds may be strong enough to cause property damage and traffic hazards for motorists, the NWS warns.
January 22, 2012 (Washington D.C.) -- Despite pressure from the powerful U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops lobby, the White House announced today that the President would not call for an expansion of the religious exemption in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services'(HHS) proposed rule regarding contraceptive coverage without cost-sharingby female employees.
Several workshops scheduled in 2012 to help thousands of American families avert foreclosure
January 22, 2012 (San Diego)--Wells Fargo & Company is hosting the first of three free workshops across Southern California in San Diego for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Wells Fargo Financial, Wachovia Mortgage and Wells Fargo Home Equity customers facing financial hardships. Wells Fargo has invited more than 9,000 mortgage customers in San Diego County and South West Riverside to the free workshop which will be held on Wednesday, January 25, 2012 from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., at the San Diego Convention Center - Hall E located at 111 West Harbor Drive in San Diego. Parking is free - customers should refer to the event website for instructions.
A sharing of artifacts recovered from the Titanic wreck site
January 22, 2012 (Santee) -- Fourth grade students at an East County elementary school were treated to an extra special show-and-tell in January. A sampling of artifacts recovered from Titanic, 2.5 miles below the ocean’s surface, were shared with more than 130 enthusiastic Rio Seco Elementary students in Santee. The show-and-tell was a preview of Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, opening Feb. 10, 2012 at the San Diego Natural History Museum.
January 22, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is offering absolutely free tax preparation and e-filing services in East County. Volunteers will staff these locations from February 1, to April 17, 2012.
January 22, 2012 (Spring Valley) – Three victims have been hospitalized after being stabbed with a broken wine glass at a Spring Valley home early this morning. Nicholas Millican, 24, has been arrested for assault with a deadly weapon.
January 21, 2012 (San Diego)--San Diego City Council will be discussing a proposed “Urban Agriculture Ordinance” on Tuesday, January 31 at 2 p.m. in council chambers, 202 C Street, 12th floor, downtown San Diego. The proposal aims to make it easier to grow food in city limits.
January 21, 2012 (La Mesa) -- Next week, the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) and the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) Boards will hear action items on the development of community gardens on school district properties, including Helix Charter High School in La Mesa as well as schools in San Carlos and San Diego.
San Diego Roots, an organization which supports community gardens, is encouraging the public to attend meetings January 26 for the GUHSD and January 24 for the SDSUSD to show support for the gardens, which would benefit community residents as well as students.
January 21, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) --The Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation (MTRP) will present "Trails", an exhibition January 22-February 10 featuring award-winning plein air artist Margaret Larlham. Many of the works were painted in, and are about, Mission Trails and others are of South Africa where the artist previously lived.
The public is cordially invited to a reception in honor of the artist on Sunday, January 22, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
January 21, 2012(Sacramento) Assemblymember Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) has introduced legislation to prevent abusive ex-spouses from forcing their victims to pay them spousal support and other financial compensation following a divorce. AB 1522 was inspired by the case of a San Diego area woman who was ordered by a court to pay her husband's legal fees plus monthly spousal support, despite the fact that he was convicted of committing violent sex crimes against her and was ultimately sent to prison.
January 21, 2012 (Washington, DC) -- Congressman Bob Filner recently introduced legislation to ensure that the Department of Defense meets its obligation to contract with small businesses owned and controlled by service-connected disabled veterans.
January 21, 2012 (Sacramento) -- Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and state public health officer, today warned individuals who work or play outdoors in the winter months to be on the alert for ticks that may carry bacteria that cause Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.
January 21, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued an urgent high wind warning for San Diego County mountains and deserts. The warning is in effect from now through 10 p.m. tonight as a strong storm moves through the region.
January 21, 2012 (Santee) – The 2012 holiday season may be almost a year away, but Santee Santas are getting an early holiday gift. The all-volunteer, non-profit organization that has been bringing the spirit of the holidays to the Santee community for more than fifty years was informed that they will be the recipients of a $1,000 cash donation from Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market.
January 25, 2012: Updated to include comments by Terry Francke, General Counsel at Calaware, who concludes this was not a Brown Act violation and a response from the San Diego District Attorney declining to prosecute the matter.
By Miriam Raftery
January 21, 2012 (Alpine) – Alpine Community Planning Group member George Barnett appears to have violated the Brown Act when he expressed his views on an agenda item in an e-mail to members of the ACPG’s Public Facilities Subcommitee meeting, a top County official has concluded. In the e-mail, Barnett voiced strong views regarding a hand-out by the East Alpine Property Owner’s Alliance on proposed land-use changes, calling its conclusions “nuts” and “needlessly alarmist.”
By Miriam Raftery
By Brian Lafferty
Several workshops scheduled in 2012 to help thousands of American families avert foreclosure
A sharing of artifacts recovered from the Titanic wreck site
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