March 21, 2010 (San Diego) – An investigation by California Watch has found nearly 180 buildings on California public universities are too dangerous to occupy during a major earthquake. That includes San Diego State’s Love Library.

March 17, 2010 (El Cajon) – Rocket launchings, flying rubber-band powered airplanes and forensic crime scene exhibits were among the displays at the Southern California Regional Science Decathlon. The regional event was hosted at Grossmont College for the fourth consecutive year.

Music Professor Pat Setzer to receive Hayward Award for Excellence in Education

EL CAJON – Cuyamaca College music instructor Pat Setzer, a key player in the planning and construction of a performing arts complex inside the campus’ sprawling $45 million communication arts center, is one of four community college faculty members statewide to win the 2010 Hayward Award for Excellence in Education.

March 6, 2010 (San Diego) -- Congressman Bob Filner is among 111 cosponsors of the Community College Energy Training Act (H.R. 3731), legislation that will support community colleges as they train a new generation of technicians and other workers in America’s renewable energy industry.

March 2, 2010 (SDSU) – Four reported sexual assaults have occurred in the San Diego State University area in the past two weeks, including one case where the suspect reportedly broke in to the victim’s home. In addition, a man was robbed at gunpoint and another was beaten during a robbery on campus.

February 24, 2010 (El Cajon) -- Grossmont Union High School District has rescheduled a closed/executive meeting for Thursday, February 25 at 3:30 p.m.  The meeting was rescheduled after East County Magazine obtained a legal opinion from Terry Francke, general counsel at Californians Aware, that the Brown Act had been violated, as we previously reported. ECM requested both 24 hours notice and a written description of the "threatened litigation" and "one matter" listed on the original agenda.   

The revised agenda for tomorrow's meeting reveals that a lawsuit has now been filed by Helix Charter High against the district.  

ECM NOTIFIES BOARD OF BROWN ACT VIOLATION; REQUESTS POSTPONEMENT & DOCUMENTATION OF LEGAL CHALLENGE

Closed session shrouded in secrecy, including vague description of threatened suit

February 11, 2010 (La Mesa) – Tonight the Grossmont-Union High School District  voted 4-0 to send a notice of intent to revoke the charter from Helix Charter High School.  A public hearing will be held next month.  (for background, see our previous story.) Now Helix supporters are firing back—contending that the district’s motives may be financial, not altruistic.

February 5, 2010 (El Cajon) -- Cuyamaca College’s $28 million business and technology building has opened, just as students returned to campus for the start of the spring 2010 semester. Once relegated to temporary trailers, shared with a nest of skunks, the various disciplines in the business department are delighted to finally have a building to call their own.

February 5, 2010 (El Cajon) – On February 11, Grossmont Union High School District’s board will consider whether Helix Charter High School’s charter should be revoked, citing “continuing concerns by the GUHSD Board regarding the safety of Helix students,” board president Robert Shields wrote in an e-mail to media.

El Cajon Valley High is 1st of 8 East County campuses to get new science buildings through Prop H

January 29, 2010 (El Cajon) Say goodbye to portable buildings and science classrooms built during the Eisenhower administration. Grossmont Union High School District ushers in a new era for its East County high schools with opening of the first of eight new state-of-the-art science classroom buildings.

A new report from Grossmont College says the number of Grossmont students applying to receive financial aid is increasing, along with the amount of dollars disbursed in tuition assistance.

Michael Copenhaver, Grossmont College director of financial aid, said the number of students completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is 31 percent higher for a12-month time period from January to December 2009, compared to the same 12-month period in 2008.

January 24, 2010 (El Cajon) -- Grossmont Union High School District's board of trustees will hold a special meeting this Thursday, January 28th on budget issues. A closed session will be held at 5 pm, followed by a public session at 6 pm.

The meeting will be held at the East County Regional Education Center, 924 East Main Street in EL Cajon.

Sharpen your pencils, grab your manuscripts and laptops for the 26th annual San Diego State University Writer’s Conference January 29-31 at the SDSU campus.

The conference provides a rare opportunity for writers to have their works read by editors from some of the nation’s major publishing houses—and meet in person with editors and agents handling fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting, children’s books and more.

January 15, 2010 3:10 p.m. (San Diego) -- Millennial Middle School was put on lockdown following a bomb scare, San Diego Police Department confirms. The  Metro Arson Strike Team (MAST) was dispatched and students were evacuated.