November 6, 2012 (Alpine) -- On Friday, November 2, Junior Girl Scout Troop 6279 of Alpine collected over 375 pounds of nonperishable food items for the Alpine Food Bank thanks to the Alpine Albertsons and their generous customers.
Over a period of three hours, the Girl Scouts greeted Albertsons shoppers, asking them to give to the drive and handed them flyers listing shopping items that were needed at the food bank. The positive response was overwhelming. The girls especially wish to thank an anonymous patron who purchased over $200 worth of groceries and had Albertsons personnel deliver them to the Girl Scout collection site in front of the store.
Pictured from left to right, Back Row: Carlita Coleman, Claire Doucet, Kate Duffy, Carly Hodgson and Front Row (seated) Kenzie Wray & Carli Sheker (not pictured: Julia Tompkins, Rori McCarthy, Gracie Wyse, Karlee Dillon, Danika Dabbs, Brinleigh Aland)
November 5, 2012 (La Mesa)—A woman walking in the parking lot with her children near Fudrucker’s in Grossmont Center was robbed of her purse by two suspects in 1990s tan Saturn two-door car. The passenger leaned out the window and grabbed the victim’s purse, dragging her on the ground several feet before she was able to release her grasp. The victim was transported to a hospital with a wrist injury.
A search of the area by La Mesa PD and San Diego Sheriff’s ASTREA did not locate the suspects, who remain outstanding.
Update: February 13, 2013: Councilman Wells indicates that three months after this story ran, he has not been contacted by a Grand Jury and believes that he is not a target of the investigation.
By Miriam Raftery
November 5, 2012 (El Cajon ) – Updated November 6, 2012 -- Three people, including two members of the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) board, have confirmed that a Grand Jury is investigating why money from Prop H and Prop U was not used to fund a new high school in Alpine as mandated by the bond language.
El Cajon Councilman Bill Wells chaired the Prop H Citizens Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) and according to multiple witnesses, played a lead role in killing plans to build the district’s 12th high school in Alpine.
November 6, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--CAL FIRE/San Diego County Fire Authority in cooperation with State Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service resources will conduct a prescribed burn in the area of the Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve in East county near the community of Jamul. This burn is scheduled to take place during daylight hours on November 6.
November 5, 2012 (La Mesa) -- ECM reviewed the October 25 final financial reports before the election, and discovered that special interest money from out of town and out of state has poured into the La Mesa City Council race.
The California Real Estate Committee PAC located in Los Angeles filed an Independent Expenditure Report that showed they spent $30,000 on mailers for Laura Lothian, and had received a $7,716 contribution for a poll from the National Association of Realtors Fund located in Chicago.
Update November 8: This missing person has been found.
November 5, 2012 (Spring Valley) -- The San Diego Sheriff's Department is asking the public's assistance to locate a missing Spring Valley resident, Lisa Perrault. On October 28, 2012, Perrault was reported missing from her daughter's home in Spring Valley. Perrault has a medical condition that requires daily medication.
Dear EarthTalk: What is currently being done in the U.S. to ensure the wise use and safety of our nation’s groundwater? --Kevin Orr, Baton Rouge, LA
November 5, 2012 (San Diego) -- Keeping fresh water safe and abundant is a challenge for all societies. In the U.S., about half of the country’s drinking water comes from groundwater sources. Many rural areas derive all of their drinking water from groundwater, which also provides 40 percent of the irrigation needs of American farmers.
November 5, 2012 (El Cajon) -- An anonymous Facebook ad attacking three El Cajon councilmembers and another candidate has been taken down--but not before hurling blatant falsehoods and misrepresentations into cyberspace.
The ad included an unauthorized use of the City's official seal with a message claiming that the E l Cajon City Council has been involved in "lies, cheats, scandals and much more." A letter from the city attorney indicates such misuse for purposes of distortion is a felony.
November 5, 2012 (Alpine) – The Alpine Branch of the San Diego County Library will celebrate Veterans Day with a special Power Point presentation by author, editor and book publisher Diana Saenger on Thursday, November 8. She will begin her talk with stories from her Media-Award-Winning mid-grade book, The Vietnam War: Life As A POW.
November 5, 2012 (San Diego's East County) - IPN reports at 12:25 p.m. a major accident on Highway 84 at Barrett Lake Road has blocked lanes in both directions. A motorcyclist is down with serious injuries. According to the CHP website, the injured rider will be airlifted from Barrett Cafe.
November 4, 2012 (El Cajon) – “Doesn't the "spirit" of those kids/young adults shine thru in the photo beautifully?” says Rebecca J. Williamson, who captured the moment at last month’s 3rd annual Chaldean Festival at Prescott Promenade in El Cajon.
By Lynne Jennings, Board President, San Diego Guild of Puppetry
November 5, 2012 (San Diego)--To our dismay, we discovered last week that our small, hard working, non-profit has been unjustly portrayed for months in Steve Danon's campaign for SD County Board of Supervisors Seat #3. Although it is clear that he does not feel the arts are worthy of funding(as is his right), he has for some reason made our small arts organization a prime target on his website and in the media. A refrain he has repeated over and over again has been: "No more $10,000 taxpayer paid funds to the San Diego Guild of Puppetry”. Since we were mentioned specifically in E.A.Barrera's May 23, 2012 article, “Danon Seeks to Shake Up a Stagnant Board of Supervisors” We hope you will help us set the record straight and let your readers know who we really are, what we actually do, why we were worthy of the one time $10,000 grant we received from the Board of Supervisors in 2004, and why we are worthy of continued funding.
SDG&E now offers an “outage ap” for Smart Phone users
November 5, 2012 (Santee) – An “underground cable failure” caused a power outage November 1 that left 1,285 temporarily in the dark, SDG&E spokesperson Amber Albrecht has informed ECM.
November 5, 2012 (Spring Valley) -- Spring Valley – San Miguel Firefighters responded to fire in a detached garage at 2501 Bancroft Drive yesterday shortly after 4:30 p.m. When crews arrived on scene the garage was spewing flames and thick black smoke and had already set a three-bedroom home next door on fire at 2505 Bancroft, about 12 feet from the garage where the fire reportedly started.
“There were three people in the home when it caught fire. All evacuated safely, however one resident was treated on the scene for smoke inhalation and released,” San Miguel spokesman Leonard Villareal said.
Despite the fact that we have been a nation at war for more than a decade, sadly, and surprisingly, the plight of America's veterans has not by any measure been a front-burner issue in this presidential election. But it's not too late for you to make it one.
November 4, 2012 (Lemon Grove)-- How can Lemon Grove find the money to repair its pot-holed streets, revive its downtown and restore its shuttered Recreation Department?
At a candidate forum Monday night, incumbents and challengers offered a wide range of proposed solutions. Read full coverage at Lemon Grove Patch.
November 5, 2012 (San Diego's East County) -- There are many important issues on your ballot, from president to local school boards, council races and initiatives. Early voting is underway at the Registrar's office, or vote at your polls on Tuesday. If you have questions, contact the Registrar of Voters.
November 3, 2012 (San Diego) -- The East Coast has been battered by Hurricane Sandy, which caused dramatic damage. Many of us in sunny San Diego may believe our only major risks are earthquakes and wildfires. But our region is not immune to hurricanes. The first recorded major hurricane to hit San Diego County was 1858. Then in 1976, Hurricane Kathleen reduced I-8 to rubble, washed out a railway and destroyed a bridge in San Diego’s East County, causing major flooding as far east as Ocotillo in Imperial County. View photos of Hurricane Kathleen's damage from a book written by a CalTrans engineer.
Wikipedia lists several tropical storms and hurricanes that damaged Southern California and Arizona. Moreover, with climate change,storm tracks are slowly moving north from Mexico, so we are at increased risk. Regardless, you should be ready for a disaster. Government authorities have warned for years that people need to be ready to be on their own for 72 hours. This is a general civil defense recommendation not limited to the United States.
November 3, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Four years after winning election to replace his father in the House of Representatives, what sort of record has Congressman Duncan D. Hunter amassed in Washington? To help voters assess Rep. Hunter’s two terms, ECM has taken a look at his voting record, legislation, campaign finances, campaign promises, and ratings from a variety of interest groups ranging from senior citizens, women and immigrant groups to business groups, educators, labor, gun rights, environmental, and veterans organizations.
Hunter refused to participate in any debates against his opponent, David Secor since the primary election. Secor interviewed with ECM and asserts that Hunter has ignored the needs of middle class voters and those who struggling in his district, also taking extreme stances on women's and senior's issues.
Hunter, a combat veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, failed to respond to interview requests from ECM and other prominent East County media. He also failed to provide information to the League of Women Voters for its nonpartisan SmartVoter site. He has not held a single live town hall meeting in his district . Locally, his appearances have been largely restricted to Chamber of Commerce and Tea Party events, as well as Republican fundraisers.
Below is the information on his record that we’ve compiled based on nonpartisan independent sources and his own legislative office.
November 3, 2012 (Alpine) – The Alpine Mountain Empire Chamber hosts a lunch with State Senator Joel Anderson on November 15, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Paparazzi’s Restaurant, 1347 Tavern Road, Alpine. The topic for discussion is “An Update from Sacramento”. Anderson, State Senator from the thirty-sixth Senate District, represents over 1,000,000 constituents. He was named the “California State Senate Legislator of the Year” by the California Small Business Association and California Small Business Roundtable.
November 3, 2012 (San Diego) – The League of Women Voters’ Lunch with League will feature Controller John Chiang as guest of honor on November 15 at Tom Ham’s Lighthouse Restaurant, 2150 Harbor Island Drive, San Diego from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Chiang, California’s chief fiscal officer, has fought to make finances more transparent and accountable to the public and to weed out waste, fraud and abuse of public money. He has also led efforts to reform the state’s public pension systems, helped local governments navigate difficult economic times, protected precious natural resources and launched financial and tax assistance seminars.
November 3, 2012 (El Cajon) – Brotherhood Lions Club is holding a free e-waste recycling event at the El Cajon Home Depot that ends Nov. 4. The event is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 298 Fletcher Parkway, El Cajon. Unwanted, obsolete or broken televisions, computer monitors, LCD’s or laptops turned in to e-waste collection are eligible for a chance to win prizes. The prizes include 10 $25 Home Depot gift cards, 10 $25 VISA gift cards and 20 $10 VISA gift cards.
November 3, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for high fire risk in San Diego's mountains and a less severe fire watch in inland valley areas. The alerts start at 7 p.m. Sunday night through 4 p.m. Monday. The red flag warning is issued due to low humidity and gusty winds forecast up to 30 mph.
Temperatures should begin cooling later in the week, with partially cloudy weather and a chance of rain Thursday through Saturday.
November 3, 2012 (Tijuana) -- On November 1, 2012, the new border crossing from San Ysidro to Tijuana began operations. The crossing, known as El Chaparral, will have 22 lanes equipped with the latest technology for fast access to Mexico.
Vehicles headed southbound on I-5 will turn right once they reach the border onto the modern facilities which create a more convenient crossing into Tijuana and other locations.
November 3, 2012 (Santee)--Ashley and Jaycee, employees at the newly opened Phil’s BBQ in Santee, get into the mood to serve before the onslaught from “Friends & Family” night to benefit the East County Boys & Girls Club. The benefit was held before the grand opening and was very well attended. The restaurant opened up officially on Tuesday, October 30th.
November 3, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – As we approach the end of 2012, it is time to review the year's business successes, challenges and (dare I say it?) failures. If we want to make a difference to the growth opportunities we have available in 2013, then it is critical that we evaluate what worked, what didn't, and where we didn't pursue opportunities that we should have. From that assessment, we can develop a more informed plan for the coming year that will be more likely to succeed than a plan made from hopes, dreams and wishes.
November 3, 2012 (La Mesa)--To date Brew Ha Ha Comedy has produced over 200 live stand-up comedy shows. They currently have two shows per week in La Mesa: every Wednesday at Haritna Mediterranean Restaurant and recently every Friday at The Holiday Inn, Mesa Grill.
International headliner Chris Clobber and his partner businesswoman and Comedian Diane Jean started producing Brew Ha Ha Comedy at Twiggs in University Heights in October 2009. Brew Ha Ha Comedy gives talented comedians an opportunity to work their craft, regardless of their age, sex, race or sexual orientation.
November 3, 2012 (San Diego) -- Dear EarthTalk: I heard that the Arctic summer sea ice is at its lowest level since we began recording it. What are the implications of all this melting? -- Jo Shoemaker, Bowie, MD
It is true that on September 16, 2012 the world reached a new low: The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) reported that the extent of sea ice across the Arctic was at its lowest since satellite record-keeping began in 1979. On that date the sea ice reached its summer minimum, 1.32 million square miles, half of what the average size of summer ice was between 1979 and 2000, and almost 20 percent lower than the previous record minimum of 1.61 million square miles set on Sept. 18, 2007. NSIDC added that, despite especially warm conditions in 2007 being much more favorable for sea ice loss than this year, the thinning of sea ice due to climate change has made the ice more vulnerable to breakup and melting.
November 3, 2012 (San Diego) – It is a surprise to many that wild rainbow trout still exist in San Diego County. One place they do is on Boulder Creek, at the foot of the towering Cuyamaca Peak in East County.
The San Diego River Park Foundation, in partnership with San Diego Fly Fishers and other organizations supporting wild trout conservation, has launched a project to ensure the survival of the wild trout on Boulder Creek, one of two known creeks in the San Diego River Watershed which support the trout.
November 3, 2012 (La Mesa)--The FBI and El Cajon Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify the unknown male responsible for robbing the US Bank, 490 Fletcher Parkway, El Cajon. On Friday, October 26, 2012, at approximately 2:29 p.m., an unknown male using a demand note robbed the US Bank, located at 490 Fletcher Parkway, El Cajon, California. After receiving a sum of money from the victim teller, the robber exited the bank and was last seen leaving as a passenger in a silver or gray Cadillac.
November 6, 2012 (Alpine) -- On Friday, November 2, Junior Girl Scout Troop 6279 of Alpine collected over 375 pounds of nonperishable food items for the Alpine Food Bank thanks to the Alpine Albertsons and their generous customers.
November 5, 2012 (La Mesa)—A woman walking in the parking lot with her children near Fudrucker’s in Grossmont Center was robbed of her purse by two suspects in 1990s tan Saturn two-door car. The passenger leaned out the window and grabbed the victim’s purse, dragging her on the ground several feet before she was able to release her grasp. The victim was transported to a hospital with a wrist injury.
Update: February 13, 2013: Councilman Wells indicates that three months after this story ran, he has not been contacted by a Grand Jury and believes that he is not a target of the investigation. 
November 6, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--CAL FIRE/San Diego County Fire Authority in cooperation with State Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service resources will conduct a prescribed burn in the area of the Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve in East county near the community of Jamul. This burn is scheduled to take place during daylight hours on November 6. 
Update November 8: This missing person has been found.
E - The Environmental Magazine
November 5, 2012 (El Cajon) -- An anonymous Facebook ad attacking three El Cajon councilmembers and another candidate has been taken down--but not before hurling blatant falsehoods and misrepresentations into cyberspace.
November 5, 2012 (Alpine) – The Alpine Branch of the San Diego County Library will celebrate Veterans Day with a special Power Point presentation by author, editor and book publisher Diana Saenger on Thursday, November 8. She will begin her talk with stories from her Media-Award-Winning mid-grade book, The Vietnam War: Life As A POW. 
November 4, 2012 (El Cajon) – “Doesn't the "spirit" of those kids/young adults shine thru in the photo beautifully?” says Rebecca J. Williamson, who captured the moment at last month’s 3
By Lynne Jennings, Board President, San Diego Guild of Puppetry
November 5, 2012 (Santee) – An “underground cable failure” caused a power outage November 1 that left 1,285 temporarily in the dark, SDG&E spokesperson Amber Albrecht has informed ECM.
November 5, 2012 (Spring Valley) -- Spring Valley – San Miguel Firefighters responded to fire in a detached garage at 2501 Bancroft Drive yesterday shortly after 4:30 p.m. When crews arrived on scene the garage was spewing flames and thick black smoke and had already set a three-bedroom home next door on fire at 2505 Bancroft, about 12 feet from the garage where the fire reportedly started.
By Jamie Reno
November 4, 2012 (Lemon Grove)-- How can Lemon Grove find the money to repair its pot-holed streets, revive its downtown and restore its shuttered Recreation Department?
By Nadin Abbott
November 3, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Four years after winning election to replace his father in the House of Representatives, what sort of record has Congressman Duncan D. Hunter amassed in Washington? To help voters assess Rep. Hunter’s two terms, ECM has taken a look at his voting record, legislation, campaign finances, campaign promises, and ratings from a variety of interest groups ranging from senior citizens, women and immigrant groups to business groups, educators, labor, gun rights, environmental, and veterans organizations.
November 3, 2012 (Alpine) – The Alpine Mountain Empire Chamber hosts a lunch with State Senator Joel Anderson on November 15, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Paparazzi’s Restaurant, 1347 Tavern Road, Alpine. The topic for discussion is “An Update from Sacramento”. Anderson, State Senator from the thirty-sixth Senate District, represents over 1,000,000 constituents. He was named the “California State Senate Legislator of the Year” by the California Small Business Association and California Small Business Roundtable.
November 3, 2012 (San Diego) – The League of Women Voters’ Lunch with League will feature Controller John Chiang as guest of honor on November 15 at Tom Ham’s Lighthouse Restaurant, 2150 Harbor Island Drive, San Diego from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Chiang, California’s chief fiscal officer, has fought to make finances more transparent and accountable to the public and to weed out waste, fraud and abuse of public money. He has also led efforts to reform the state’s public pension systems, helped local governments navigate difficult economic times, protected precious natural resources and launched financial and tax assistance seminars.
November 3, 2012 (El Cajon) – Brotherhood Lions Club is holding a free e-waste recycling event at the El Cajon Home Depot that ends Nov. 4. The event is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 298 Fletcher Parkway, El Cajon. Unwanted, obsolete or broken televisions, computer monitors, LCD’s or laptops turned in to e-waste collection are eligible for a chance to win prizes. The prizes include 10 $25 Home Depot gift cards, 10 $25 VISA gift cards and 20 $10 VISA gift cards.
November 3, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for high fire risk in San Diego's mountains and a less severe fire watch in inland valley areas. The alerts start at 7 p.m. Sunday night through 4 p.m. Monday. The red flag warning is issued due to low humidity and gusty winds forecast up to 30 mph. 
November 3, 2012 (Tijuana) -- On November 1, 2012, the new border crossing from San Ysidro to Tijuana began operations. The crossing, known as El Chaparral, will have 22 lanes equipped with the latest technology for fast access to Mexico.
By Rebecca J. Williamson
Tips and Tricks for Business Success and Growth
November 3, 2012 (La Mesa)--To date Brew Ha Ha Comedy has produced over 200 live stand-up comedy shows. They currently have two shows per week in La Mesa: every Wednesday at Haritna Mediterranean Restaurant and recently every Friday at The Holiday Inn, Mesa Grill. 
November 3, 2012 (San Diego) -- Dear EarthTalk: I heard that the Arctic summer sea ice is at its lowest level since we began recording it. What are the implications of all this melting? -- Jo Shoemaker, Bowie, MD
November 3, 2012 (San Diego) – It is a surprise to many that wild rainbow trout still exist in San Diego County. One place they do is on Boulder Creek, at the foot of the towering Cuyamaca Peak in East County. 
November 3, 2012 (La Mesa)--The FBI and El Cajon Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify the unknown male responsible for robbing the US Bank, 490 Fletcher Parkway, El Cajon. On Friday, October 26, 2012, at approximately 2:29 p.m., an unknown male using a demand note robbed the US Bank, located at 490 Fletcher Parkway, El Cajon, California. After receiving a sum of money from the victim teller, the robber exited the bank and was last seen leaving as a passenger in a silver or gray Cadillac.
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