November 25, 2011 (San Diego) -- Councilmember Marti Emerald, Council President Tony Young, the San Diego Police Department and Rebuilding Together teamed to launch the “Safe Light Project”  on November 22, beginning with the neighborhoods of Mt. Hope and Mountain View. The organizations are teaming with community volunteers to install solar lighting on homes in neighborhoods that lack adequate lighting.

 November 25, 2011 (Lemon Grove)-- Lemon Grove will kick off the Holiday Season with the 14th Annual Community Bonfire, Friday, December 2 from 6--8 p.m. at Civic Center Park. The celebration features games, face painting, laser tag, live music and horse-drawn carriage rides. This family event is free, and features an Open House at the Parsonage Museum and H. Lee House. Free Refreshments are available.

November 25, 2011 (Alpine) -- Gretchen Rossi of Bravo's hit reality series "The Real Housewives of Orange County" will join 11 other local celebrities at Viejas Casino on Monday, November 28 in a Celebrity Slot Tournament at Viejas Casino.  100 percent of the winnings from the tournament, which begins at 10:30 a.m., will be donated to the local Salvation Army.

Firefighter who saved kitten will adopt it, if owner not found

Story by Miriam Raftery

Photos by El Cajon Police Captain Jim Redman

November 23, 2011 (La Mesa) – On Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, Grossmont Center will unveil new holiday décor complete with bright-colored pencil trees, retro colored lights and peace signs, bringing back nostalgic memories of holidays in the 1960s for the shopping mall’s 50th anniversary holiday season.

November 23, 2011 (Lakeside) – A three hour stand-off with a SWAT team has ended with the suicide of a 75-year-old Lakeside man. The man, a hospice patient, reportedly had leukemia and had been told he had only days to live, a neighbor told 10 news.

 Local in-home care provider comes up with new
ways to save on prescription drugs for seniors and their pets.

November 23, 2011 (La Mesa)— A lone gunman forced a female employee to open the door after closing time at the Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt, 5640 Lake Murray Blvd., around 9:46 p.m. on November 21.   He ordered two employees to a back room and tied up the hands of one behind her back, using zip ties. He then ordered the other employee to hand over money from a safe.

By Miriam Raftery

November 23, 2011 (Washington D.C.) – The Congressional budtet “super committee” charged with reducing the deficit by $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years failed to reach a deal by Monday's deadline. This sets in motion triggers forcing automatic deep cuts starting January 2013 in Defense spending and social programs including Medicare, Social Security, veterans’ benefits and food stamps.

The six Republicans on the 12-member committee demanded spending cuts in domestic programs listed above and sought to extend Bush tax cuts. Democrats wanted to raise taxes on millionaires, minimize cuts to social programs and add stimulus spending aimed at creating jobs while off-setting costs with savings from ending the Iraq War.

November 23, 2011 –Viejas Casino & Outlets has launched a Holiday Toy Drive to support the local Salvation Army. Through November 26, Viejas Casino guests who bring in a new, unwrapped toy will receive $5 Free Play Cash.

By Miriam Raftery

Mrs. Cubbison’s Best Stuffing Cookbook, by Leo Pearlstein and Lisa Messinger (Square One Publishers, 2005)
 

November 24, 2011 (San Diego)—Do you have an extra meal to spare as a Thanksgiving dinner for a homeless person? 

Jennifer Hughes, a local attorney, is partnering with friends at a local Buddhist temple to deliver Thanksgiving dinners to the homeless.  Hughes has offered to arrange pick up of meals before 4 p.m. today to deliver them to those in need. For pickup, call 619-840-7797.  Alternatively, donated food may be delivered to the temple before 5 p.m.