April 14, 2012 (Julian) -- Join the park staff at William Heise County Park, 4945 Heise Park Rd. Julian, each Sunday in April and May at 10:30 a.m. for an easy to moderate hike through the trails of the park. The hikes will take place weather permitting. These hikes may be cold, so bring a sweater, jacket, gloves, water, and snacks.

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.

By Brian Lafferty

April 13, 2012 (San Diego) – The plot synopsis is the easiest part of writing film criticism. It’s also my least favorite. It puts a crimp on word counts; far too often I’ve had to jettison entire paragraphs of criticism to begrudgingly accommodate it.

April 13, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)—Forget April showers.  An April snowstorm bearing heavy snows and wind gusts up to 70 mph will be blustering across our region Friday and Saturday, the National Weather Service forecasts.

“We are requesting a moratorium on industrial wind turbine projects and initiation of unbiased, science-based peer-reviewed studies on health…They are subjecting rural residents to be guinea pigs or lab rats on a mass scale that has never been seen anywhere.” –Donna Tisdale, Boulevard Planning Group Chair

“Tapping into sources of renewable energy is critical for a number of reasons…We applaud the County’s commitment to achieving these goals by updating and streamling requirements for small and large wind energy systems.” – Jennifer Purczynski Enel Green Power/Padoma Wind Power LLC

By Miriam Raftery

April 12, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Tomorrow (Friday) morning at 9 a.m., the San Diego County Planning Commission will consider a proposed wind ordinance that would make it easier for industrial-scale wind facilities as well as smaller turbines to be built in unincorporated areas—primarily in East County communities. 

• Perfect recipe for wildfires as season starts early (NBC)
• With Santorum’s exit, Romney shifts focus (Washington Post)
• FDA details clot risk on birth control pills (USA Today)
• Romney blames Obama for women job losses actually caused by GOP (Rawstory)
• Obama: We could call the Buffet rule the Reagan rule (CBS news)
• Hill insider trading bill signed
• Where is George Zimmerman? Treyvon Martin shooting (CBS News)
• Apple, publishers accused of fixing e-book prices (Reuters)

• Defiant North Korea begins injecting fuel into rocket (Reuters)
• Syria pledges truce, if rebels hold fire (Reuters)
• Warnings over medical implant hacks (BBC)
• No sign of tsunami after powerful Indonesia quake (KPBS)
• Haitian orphans long wait is over (Fox)
• China braces for next act in leadership drama (Reuters)
• Norway’s mass killer Breivik found sane (BBC) 

April 12, 2012 (San Diego County) -- The 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.

April 12, 2012 (Ocotillo) – “My wife, Mary, and I had the pleasure of seeing a large group of bighorn sheep while we were on one of our desert wildflower trips,” Robert Baran says.

They photographed a group of 15 or more Peninsular Bighorn Sheep on Saturday, April 7 between Meyer Creek and Ocotillo.  

April 12, 2012 (El Cajon) –What role can the arts play in bettering El Cajon and its diverse population? 

San Diego Arts leaders including artists, journalists, writers, university professors, critics, and business people will discuss this question in a  panel mediated by Justin Hudnall, creator and leading operative of The Far East Movement. The event will take place Friday, April 13 from 5:30 to 8:30 at Studio C Contemporary, 140 East Main Street in El Cajon.

RSVP on Facebook.

 Update 8 p.m. - La Mesa Police advise they have cleared the area, but did not locate the suspects.

April 11, 2012 (La Mesa) 7 p.m. – The City of La Mesa warns of police activity near Dallas and Fletcher Parkway, where a police helicopter is searching for two men suspected of robbing a nearby Shell Station. 

April 11, 2012 (El Cajon) – Dan Hughes, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, will be the guest speaker at the April 17 meeting of The Cajon Valley Republican Women Federated.  The meeting will be held at the Pancake House, 1000 North 2nd Street, El Cajon at 7:00 a.m.