March 9, 2013 (San Diego) – St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center will be the featured special guest artist at the Art Glass Guild’s Spring Patio Show and Sale on Saturday and Sunday, May 11-12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The largest art glass show in Southern California will be held at Spanish Village Art Center in Balboa Park. 

All forms of art glass including blown, fused, torch worked, stained glass, cast, etched, and mosaic will be featured. Over 30 juried glass artists will be exhibiting their art.

March 9, 2013 (Valley Center) -- What could be more relaxing than a Holiday English High Tea served up amid fields of lavender?

On March 16, enjoy an early St. Patrick’s Day tea featuring lavender scones served with jam and Devonshire cream, Irish artisan cheese, apples and candied nut crumbles sandwiches, and decadent Irish butter shortbread dreams. This festive fare will be served up at Keys Creek Lavender Farm in Valley Center.

Cost is $35 per person. For details and reservations, see http://www.kclfarm.com/  

Also Get Dog Licenses, Microchips and Rabies Vaccinations Sunday Clinic

March 9, 2013 (San Diego) – In an effort to prevent the birth of unwanted kittens and puppies this time of year, County Animal Services will continue to offer $100 coupons for spaying female cats and also make the coupons available for spaying female pit bulls and Chihuahuas through the month of March while supplies last.  Coupons for $75 are available for both male and female dogs of other breeds and male cats.

Pet owners can pick up the coupons from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, March 10 during a clinic at County Animal Services located at 5480 Gaines Street in San Diego. Owners can also get their four-legged family members microchipped, vaccinated and licensed during that time.

By Brian Lafferty

March 9, 2013 (San Diego) – When Sam Raimi is at the helm, look out!  His films bristle with energy.  Lots of it.  This trademark began with his first film, The Evil Dead.  Even though it was made on a shoestring budget, its brisk editing, overpowering scares, and elaborate make-up and gross-out special effects made it simultaneously freaky and exhausting. 

By Miriam Raftery

March 8, 2013 (San Diego) – Troy Teague, former Executive Director of the La Posta Gaming Commission, pled guilty today to embezzling $57,000 from the la Posta Band of Mission Indians.  The plea was made before Magistrate Judge Jan Adler, U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy announced.

The La Posta Casino (photo, left) shut down in October 2012.  A letter written by Tribal Council Chairwoman Gwendolyn Parada to employees stated that the casino, located off I-8, would close “due to its current financial situation,” 10 News reported. The smallest of San Diego County’s casinos, at its peak La Posta employed approximately 100 people.

Alvarado Hospital Expert Offers Tips for Adjusting to the Time Change

By Tina Barker

March 8, 2013 (San Diego)--With daylight saving time just around the corner, moving our clocks forward one hour on Sunday, March 10 at 2 a.m. also means losing one hour of sleep.

To some this may mean complaints of fatigue, memory lapses, impaired reaction time and clumsiness, but according to researchers that report in the New England Journal of Medicine there is a connection between sleep deprivation and cardiovascular health risks. An increase in the amount of heart attacks could occur during the first week of this time change.

The following tips given by Dr. Larry Emdur, pulmonologist, with Alvarado Hospital Sleep Center offers the following tips to help your body adjust to the time change in a faster and easier transition and alleviate your chances of serious cardiovascular health risks.

March 8, 2013 (City Heights) – Refugee farmers from Myanmar who participate in the International Refugee Committee’s agriculture training program will host a grand opening of their independent farm business , Hornbill Produce, at their new produce stand at City Farmer’s Nursery, 4832 Home Avenue in City Heights.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., enjoy live music with local Bluegrass/American Folk heroes Songs for People and traditional cultural dance from Myanmar. Tour the nursery and visit with the pony, chickens and goats. Stay for lunch at Nate’s Garden Grill.

By Tom Myers

March 8, 2013 (Alpine)--This question will be addressed at the next ACPG Circulation Subcommittee, scheduled for 6:30 pm on March 14 at the Alpine Community Center.

Bob Citrano, SD County Planner will be on hand to explain the roadway improvements recommended in a recent Supplemental Environmental Impact Report. San Diego County is seeking public comments on the SEIR report for the Former FCI lands which are the subject of a proposed amendment to the San Diego General plan adopted in 2011. Although the amendment deals with land use density changes in nine planning areas within the County including areas north, east and south of Alpine, the traffic assessment portion of the SEIR deals with the traffic impacts that increased population would bring to Alpine.

March 8, 2013 (La Mesa)--Shortly after 6:00 a.m. this morning, Heartland Fire & Rescue crews in La Mesa, with  assistance from San Diego Fire, responded to reports of a structure fire in the 5700 block of Baltimore Drive.  As crews arrived on scene, flames were seen coming from the roof area of a two-story condo unit at 5715 Baltimore Drive. The end unit was unoccupied and in the process of being renovated, the neighboring condo was evacuated.

March 8, 2013 (San Diego) – March marks the beginning of spring (as well as spring break!) and National Nutrition Month.  So Apartment Guide has issued its recommendations on the most fit places to live nationwide. The publication found that for many consumers—about 20 percent—the barrier to entry for getting fit isn’t due to lack dedication, but lack of disposable funds. With median income levels continuing to drop—8 percent since 2007—monthly gym memberships can be cost prohibitive. However, with so many apartment buildings featuring fitness centers (often gratis!), apartment dwellers are at an advantage here; there’s no excuse for passing on your workout! 

Update March 16, 2013: A second restraining order has been granted to Jim Pelley, the other ECM photographer threatened by Pattern Energy's manager, Russell Graham.

By Miriam Raftery

March 7, 2013 (El Centro)—Superior Court Judge Richard Bohlander today granted an injunction for civil harassment relief  to protect freelance photographer Parke Ewing following a violent threat made by Russell Graham, construction manager at Pattern Energy’s Ocotillo Express Wind Facility.

Ewing’s photos and videos of the project have appeared in East County Magazine as well as on his own Facebook Page and a website documenting the project’s impacts on the desert and the community.

March 8, 2013 (San Diego) – The National Weather Service has issued a flood advisory for minor flooding in urban areas of San Diego, as well as several East County communities including El Cajon, Santee, Spring Valley and Valley Center. 

As ECM previously reported, snow is forecast for mountain areas down to 3500 feet, with thundershowers at lower elevations.

View full flood advisory below.

Public meetings set, including March 26 in Alpine and March 27 in Ramona

March 8, 2013 (San Diego) – Forest Service officials are seeking public comments on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for a Proposed Amendment to the Land Management Plans for the four Southern California national forests (the Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino).

The environmental impact statement analyzes the proposal to modify the existing land use zones allocations in selected inventoried roadless areas to include more back country non-motorized and recommended wilderness areas.  It also analyzes the proposal to modify the land management plan monitoring framework.  The statement evaluates alternatives for both topics, including an alternative that would recommend most of the study area as wilderness.  The environmental impact statement can be found on the project webpage at:  http://www.fs.fed.us/nepa/nepa_project_exp.php?project=35130

March 8, 2013 (San Diego) – Freedom of speech, protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, due process, and freedom of travel are just a smattering of the many rights the United States affords to its people.  

One needn’t be overly familiar with 20th century world history to see how movies like Barbara serve as a reminder of how easy it is for Americans (admittedly myself included) to take for granted these freedoms.  From 1961 to about 1990, the Berlin Wall separated the free, democratic West Germany from the communist, police state East Germany.  East Germans faced police harassment, were spied and informed on to the government, and were for the most part forbidden from leaving the country. 

Bill would provide federal tax adjustment to local breweries

March 7, 2013 (San Diego)-- To help the local craft brewing industry, Congresswoman Susan Davis (CA-53) joined a bipartisan group of members in cosponsoring H.R. 494, the Small Brewer Reinvestment and Expanding Workforce Act. 

“San Diego is increasingly becoming known as a hub of the craft brewing industry, which has contributed to the growth of small businesses and jobs in the region,” said Davis, a member of the House Small Business Caucus. “Small, independent brewers are a fast rising segment of our economy and Congress should help them compete against large, multi-national brewers.”