May 18, 2011 (Alpine) -- The FAA, US Marine Corp and local aviators have all approved flyovers to mark the dedication of the Veterans Wall of Honor, planned for May 30, 2011, at 1 p.m. on the grounds of the Alpine Community Center.
The ceremony is called "Mission Honored: Dream Achieved." It marks the dedication of the Wall of Honor, and unveil a tile with the name of Lt. John Flinn, our own Medal of Honor recipient whose name is the first to be placed on the Wall of Honor. Hundreds of other tiles will be mounted in honor of veterans who sacrificed to serve our country.
A Community Celebration for the Dedication of the Veterans Wall of Honor
May 18, 2011 (Alpine) -- Fernando Gonzalez volunteered to be the general contractor for the Veterans Wall of Honor, and couldn't be happier with the results. "This is a beautiful symbol of respect and honor for those who have sacrificed for our country in the armed services. The vision is perfect ,the commitment of the community is fantastic, and I am so proud to contribute a small part. It's my best project ever!"
The wall of honor will be dedicated on May 30, 2011 at the Alpine Community Center.
May 17, 2011 (San Diego) – A couple of months ago someone e-mailed me an article. A team of scientists used gene mutation to create Autism in mice. The study, which was published in the science journal, Nature, could potentially lead to a cure for Autism or reverse it. But you know what?
May 18, 2011 (San Diego) – Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) invites constituents to a town-hall style public meeting on Wednesday, May 18 from 6-7 p.m. in the Normal Heights Community Center at 4649 Hawley Blvd., San Diego 92116.
“Please come share your ideas, ask a question, and get an update about what’s happening in Congress at my Mid-City/Uptown Neighborhood Day this Wednesday evening,” the Congresswoman said.
May 17, 2011 (Lakeside) – Billy Charles Hileman, 41, a divorced San Diego resident, has been identified as the man found dead behind a dumpster April 1st in the driveway of a home at 12102 Wildcat Canyon Road in Lakeside.
May 18, 2011 (La Mesa) – Ashley Charlton, a junior and AP student at West Hills High School, has been named the grand prize winner for her entry in the 3rd Annual Golden Artistry Jewelry Design Competition.
Other top entrants for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place were Cassandra Kingsbury from El Capitan, Scott Holcomb and Noraa Reeder from Santana.
Thousands of students turned away as education opportunities fade for many;
College leaders & students issue plea for public to ask help from local legislators who continue to oppose budget measures to protect community college funding
By Miriam Raftery
May 17, 2011 (El Cajon) –Tens of thousands of students have been turned away from community colleges in our region this summer following $73 million in budget cuts---at a time when California had the largest high school graduation rate in history and unemployment levels are soaring. Fees have gone up by nearly a third and staff positions have been slashed—but the worst may be yet to come.
“An all-cuts budget would be nothing short of an educational Armageddon,” warned Cindy Miles, Chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (GCCCD). Miles joined leaders of six community college districts in a press conference at Grossmont College today to show the dire consequences of recent budget cuts and worse impacts if the all-cuts budget is enacted. She and other leaders praised Governor Jerry Brown for requesting an extension of existing taxes to prevent the all-cuts budget option. (View a video with more of Miles' remarks.)
But Republicans (including East County representatives Joel Anderson and Brian Jones) have refused to support the Governor’s budget. They remain determined to force an all-cuts budget regardless of consequences on local students and our region’s economy, top educators warned.
May 17, 2011 (San Diego) -- La Maestra Community Health Centers celebrated 21 years of providing quality, culturally and linguistically appropriate health, and well-being services through its Circle of Care.
To begin the 22nd year a generous donation from Kaiser Permanente will help provide more of the sonographic imaging services that have been helping those in need.
$5,000 Award Will Give Middle School Students Access to Laptop Computers
May 17, 2011 – Middle school students at Ramona Lutheran School are set to benefit from a $5,000 education grant awarded today by the Barona Band of Mission Indians. Assemblyman Brian Jones (R-Santee) joined Principal Donna Myers in accepting the grant that was presented to the school by Edwin “Thorpe” Romero, Chairman of the Barona Band of Mission Indians.
“Today’s teaching and learning process is being transformed by technology,” said Chairman Romero. “Barona is pleased to award this grant that will provide middle school students at Ramona Lutheran with access to computers. Our hope is to enrich their educational experience and help prepare them for high school.”
May 17, 2011 (Sacramento) –Assembly Higher Education Chair Marty Block (AD-78) issued the following statement in response to Governor Brown’s May Revise budget proposal:
“Governor Brown’s May Revise is a responsible roadmap with a long-term vision that preserves education funding and provides hiring incentives to get people back to the workplace – two critical components to maintaining our economic recovery. Given the remaining deficit and difficult choices before us, I am encouraged to see this plan provides funding for K-12 education and community colleges. An otherwise all-cuts budget proposal would have caused unprecedented damage to our public colleges and universities, already grappling with deep cuts that will undoubtedly impact access and affordability."
May 17, 2011 (San Diego's East County) --Now that tax season is over, it is a great time to ask yourself if you are financially prepared to deal with an emergency.
May 17, 2011 (Casa De Oro) -- A fast and effective attack allowed San Miguel firefighters to extinguish a fire that started in the kitchen of an upstairs apartment unit in the Casa De Oro area across the street from Spring Valley Middle School. Fire damage was confined to that single unit.
Crews were called to the Helix Square Apartments on the 3800 block of Conrad Drive at 11:21 a.m., Monday. The fire was considered knocked down ten minutes later. Inside the residence at the time of the fire was one adult male who evacuated the upstairs apartment, but was treated on the scene for smoke inhalation. He was later transported to Grossmont Hospital.
Local pastor visits 60 Congressional offices and meets with CA Senators; Feinstein pledges to oppose new nuclear plants
By Rev. Peter Moore-Kochlacs
Special Correspondent for the Southern California Ecumenical Council, the National Religious Coalition for Creation Care and the Green Ecumenical and Interfaith Religious Communities in California
May 14, 2011 (El Cajon) -- April 29 to May 6 was a working week for me in Washington, DC. I was in the Capitol advocating against our government’s current new nuclear power public policies.
Visiting over 60 Congressional Senate and House offices, I made the point on moral, safety and financial grounds that in light of the Fukushima, Japan nuclear power plant accidents and other problems inherent with nuclear energy, the federal government should stop permitting the building of new US land-based nuclear power plants.
May 16, 2011 (San Diego) -- Citing budget concerns , the State of California (and the U.S. federal government) are studying plans to turn over California's most precious beaches, lakes, and forests to private entrepreneurs who will rent California's own land back to its citizens for a profit.
Seventy Califiornia state parks are slated for permanent closure, including Palomar Mountain State Park and San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park in San Diego County. Once the title to these pristine and irreplaceable lands is clouded by contract law, do not expect the public to ever see them again for free.
May 16, 2011 (El Cajon) – Captain Darren Norton and his wife, Mary, will be transferred from the Salvation Army’s El Cajon headquarters to accept new assignments as the Corps Officers at the Pasadena Tabernacle Corps effective June 29th. Captain North has headed up many activities in East County for the Salvation Army, including the annual East County Toy & Food Drive each holiday season as well as efforts to help fire survivors.
May 15, 2011 (La Mesa) – Byron Lydell Brown, 46, of San Diego has been arrested for the robbery of a Shell Station in La Mesa. A robber at the station, located at 5150 70th Street, was reported to La Mesa Police at 12:24 a.m. on May 12th.
The clerk told officers that the suspect entered the store and posed as a customer. After several minutes, he approached the clerk and told him that he had a knife in his pocket. The suspect threatened to stab the clerk in the chest if he did not hand over money in the register.
May 18, 2011 (El Cajon) -- Captain Sam Diego and all of his crew are busy preparing for the Cajon Valley Jamboree of 2001 to be held atthe Holy Trinity School Campus 405 Ballard Street, El Cajon from May 20 through May 22, 2011.
This year's theme, "Your Passport To Travel and Fun," is rallying the community together for plenty of fun right here in the heart of El Cajon. The Cajon Valley Jamboree is just as committed now as it was in 1948 in bringing the City of El Cajon and fostering communities spirit.
Click on Captain Sam Diego name to view his video preview of this event.
May 15, 2011 (Washington D.C.) -- In response to reports that the Pentagon is considering allowing detainees at Guantanamo Bay the opportunity to visit with family, Congressman Duncan Hunter (CA-52), a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, introduced legislation this week to prohibit the U.S. Secretary of Defense from allowing detainees at the facility to meet with family members.
May 15, 2011 (Spring Valley) – A fire at the McGrath rock quarry resulted in a multi-agency response hindered by explosions from combustibles and ammunition in storage on the site, which had no water access.
“Had this been three weeks later with the brush drying out, we would have also had a wildland fire,” said Battalion Chief Andrew Menshek with San Miguel Fire Department.
May 14, 2011 (San Diego's East County) -- Today the San Diego Sheriff's Departments Court Services field unit conducted a warrant sweep in the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa and Santee, as well as unincorporated areas of El Cajon, Alpine and Lakeside. Focus of the operation was on the apprehension of suspects with outstanding misdemeanor and felony warrants. A total of 48 persons were arrested and 65 warrants were cleared.
May 14, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego Sheriff’s department had planned a training exercise this weekend for Search and Rescue volunteers. The exercise was cancelled, however, in order to enlist help from the SAR volunteers in a real-life search and rescue mission that has yielded a happy ending.
Patricia McGinn, 63, of La Mesa was found safely at 2:30 p.m. today in a canyon in the 5000 block of Mountainbrook Road in Santa Ysabel by SAR volunteers, after neighbors reported hearing her call for help.
Projects Funded by Proposition H, Proposition U School Bonds
El Cajon, Calif. (May 11, 2011) – Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) announced today that it has awarded several new construction contracts, valued at over $50 million. Many of the projects are now underway at campuses throughout the district as part of the Prop H and Prop U bond programs. In the months ahead, the district projects it will award another $38 million in work.
May 13, 2011 (Santa Ysabel)--The Sheriff’s Search and Rescue (SAR) and deputies from the Pine Valley Substation have released a photo of Patricia McGinn, 63, who has been missing since 11:30 a.m. She was seen walking away from her car in the 4800 block of Mountainbrook Road, Santa Ysabel at 11:30 a.m. Witnesses have indicated she seemed disoriented.
The area is near the Inaja Memorial Park (Thomas Guide page 1135-C4) in Santa Ysabel. Patricia McGinn is a white female, 5 feet 8 inches tall, with gray hair. She was last seen wearing a light blue shirt and dark blue pants.
Parkway Plaza in El Cajon is Local Westfield Shopping Center
Los Angeles - (5/3/11) – Westfield announces the third year of its highly successful Westfield Family program, the free membership program that enhances and energizes the family shopping experience by bringing family-friendly activities and events, money-saving promotions, and convenient amenities offered exclusively at Westfield Shopping Centers.
Now offered at 30 centers across the country, the Westfield Family program will continue its successful and popular program elements that make shopping fun and easy for families, including the Monthly Retailer Calendar highlighting family retailer events, promotions and offers; family-friendly retailers, eateries and amenities at each center; and Westfield Family Events offered at select centers.
New this year to Westfield Family are Westfield FamilyFun Days, two free activities per month geared towards children ages 2-5 and their caretakers. At each themed Fun Day, kids will be able to create a craft with their parent, have a snack and learn more about the theme of the month through read-aloud story time. Westfield has increased the scope and capacity of the activities, and moms will receive a Westfield calendar featuring educational tips and ideas based on the month’s theme. The program began in April with “The Great Outdoors,” and continues in May with “Get Fit.”
Alan Cohen, Westfield’s Executive Vice President of Marketing says “We are enhancing Westfield Familythis year by providing more events and activities, showcasing our commitment to the families that make up such a strong segment of our shopper base.”
Signing up for the program is simple and can be done online (www.westfield.com), through a mail-in postcard, at the Westfield Concierge or management office, or at any of the Westfield Family events.
For more information and updated information on Westfield Family activities, promotions, and services, visit www.westfield.com.
May 13, 2011 (La Mesa) -- Thirty-six youngsters ages 8 to 17 will race on Saturday, May 21, as they compete in the 9th Annual Drew Ford/Kiwanis Club of La Mesa Soap Box Derby.
The race cars, which are built from kits, achieve 24 mph as the roll down Junior High Drive adjacent to Highwood Park and La Mesa Middle School.
The double-elimination races get underway about 9 am and continue until about 3 pm with trophy presentations. Winners of the two divisions — stock and superstock — in this derby are sent by the club to Akron, Ohio, to compete in the National All-American Soap Box Derby in July.
Harris Fire survivors among thousands nationwide ordered to return money to FEMA
By Miriam Raftery
May 12, 2011 (Potrero) – Donald and Veronica Lytle are stunned after receiving a letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) demanding that they return all of the $1,647.43 that FEMA paid them in 2007 for cleanup and temporary lodging after their home on Potrero Valley Road was damaged in the Harris wildfire. FEMA has offered no explanation for the demand, other than stating that the entire amount was an “overpayment.”
The Lytles say FEMA insists their home did not suffer fire damage--despite mounds of ashes blown inside and a hole knocked in the roof by a tree felled during a firestorm so extreme that it fueled its own weather system.
ECM editor Miriam Raftery visited Potrero during that firestorm and concidentally, interviewed the Lytles’ next-door neighbor—witnessing firsthand the devastation clearly caused by the horrific wildfire.
May 13, 2011 (Japan) Officials at Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), operator of the hard-hit Fukushima nuclear facility, yesterday publicly confirmed that a meltdown has occurred at Reactor number one.
Now Japan’s nuclear safety agency states that efforts to cool the reactor with water may be pointless, since fuel rods are believed to have melted and sunk to the bottom of the containment vessel—where highly radioactive water is now leaking through holes at the bottom, Japan’s NHK World news agency reports.
May 13, 2011 (East County) - San Diego RiverFest will be held May 15, at the Qualcomm Stadium Practice Field, starting at 10:00 a.m. This year’s theme is “Celebrating San Diego River Parks & Trails.” Proceeds help preserve riverfront areas in East County and San Diego.
Over 5,000 outdoor enthusiasts, eco-friendly nature lovers, pet lovers, and people from throughout the county are expected to attend the event, which includes bands entertaining as well as booths filled with arts, crafts, jewelry, plants, historical and multicultural displays, and exhibits on water conservation, saving energy, the environment, healthy living and outdoor recreation.
By Brian Lafferty
May 18, 2011 (San Diego) – Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) invites constituents to a town-hall style public meeting on Wednesday, May 18 from 6-7 p.m. in the Normal Heights Community Center at 4649 Hawley Blvd., San Diego 92116.
By Miriam Raftery![](/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/resize/GCCCD-budget-John-Weber-vet-165x220.jpg "U.S. military veteran John Weber said it "saddens him deeply" that opportunities for veterans will be harmed by budget cuts.")
By Miriam Raftery![](/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/resize/GCCCD-budget-Miles%2C-Cindy-s-150x208.jpg ""We're concerned about how to keep the doors of opportunities open," said GCCCD Chancellor Cindy Miles.")
Nothing but the Truth!
May 15, 2011 (La Mesa) – Byron Lydell Brown, 46, of San Diego has been arrested for the robbery of a Shell Station in La Mesa. A robber at the station, located at 5150 70th Street, was reported to La Mesa Police at 12:24 a.m. on May 12th.
By Miriam Raftery
May 15, 2011 (Spring Valley) – A fire at the McGrath rock quarry resulted in a multi-agency response hindered by explosions from combustibles and ammunition in storage on the site, which had no water access. 
By Mike Thaller
May 14, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego Sheriff’s department had planned a training exercise this weekend for Search and Rescue volunteers. The exercise was cancelled, however, in order to enlist help from the SAR volunteers in a real-life search and rescue mission that has yielded a happy ending. 
May 13, 2011 (Santa Ysabel)--The Sheriff’s Search and Rescue (SAR) and deputies from the Pine Valley Substation have released a photo of Patricia McGinn, 63, who has been missing since 11:30 a.m. She was seen walking away from her car in the 4800 block of Mountainbrook Road, Santa Ysabel at 11:30 a.m. Witnesses have indicated she seemed disoriented.
By Miriam Raftery
May 13, 2011 (Japan) Officials at Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), operator of the hard-hit Fukushima nuclear facility, yesterday publicly confirmed that a meltdown has occurred at Reactor number one.
May 13, 2011 (East County) - San Diego RiverFest will be held May 15, at the Qualcomm Stadium Practice Field, starting at 10:00 a.m. This year’s theme is “Celebrating San Diego River Parks & Trails.” Proceeds help preserve riverfront areas in East County and San Diego.
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