February 12, 2013 (La Mesa) – The first annual CARE Fair San Diego will be held at Lake Murray Community Church, 5777 Lake Murray Blvd., La Mesa on February 23 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  This free event offers information about assistance agencies, programs and ministries available in San Diego County.

Participating organizations will have informational booths about what services they offer, how to receive those services and how to volunteer.  The types of information provided will include emergency preparedness, elder care, nutrition, foster care and much more.  There will also be children’s activities throughout the day.

Critics call action "meaningless"

February 12, 2013 (El Cajon )—Newly elected Grossmont Union High School District Board Trustee Jim Stieringer plans to introduce a resolution on the 12th high school for Alpine at the board meeting at 924 East Main Street, El Cajon.   The public portion of the meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, February 13.

The motion directs the GUHSD to developed modified building plans and submit to the Division of the State Architect  (DSA) –but only after it is determined that the Alpine School District Unification plan is either abandoned or fails to achieve voter approval. In addition, the site and building plans must be modified to stay within the remaining budget.

February 12, 2013 (Santee)--Assemblyman Brian Jones (R-Santee) today released comments on a case of teacher misconduct in California’s public education system.  Brentwood Unified School District refused to fire a teacher after she kicked a five-year-old “special needs” student to the floor.The district stated that its hands were tied due to “flaws in the California Education Code” which prevented it from firing the teacher, Jones noted.

“Are you kidding me?” said Jones.

 The teacher was ultimately convicted of misdemeanor child abuse, but was allowed to continue teaching for two years, the Mercury News reported.  An investigation found that at least 11 employees failed in their legal duty to report suspicion of child abuse in earlier incidents.

February 12, 2013 (San Diego)--The California Department of Conservation/Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources on December 18, 2012 released a “discussion draft” of regulations for the oil and natural gas production technique known as hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”).  

The draft, if approved, would require oil and gas companies to disclose the chemicals injected for fracking and the location of wells, which are currently kept secret from the public. Some of these chemicals are known carcinogens; concerns have also been raised over contamination of drinking water supplies.

Safety Advocates to Rally and Hold Press Conference before Public Meeting on San Onofre nuclear facility Feb. 12 in Capistrano



Feb 11, 2012 (San Onofre)– Experts and oversight groups say they are astonished by the proposal by Southern California Edison to restart the Unit 2 reactor and run it at 70% capacity, putting millions of residents at risk of another emergency shutdown and radioactivity release to the environment, or worse.

A rally and press conference in opposition to restarting the San Onofre nuclear plant will be held at 4:00 p.m., Feb. 12, just prior to the 6:00 p.m. public meeting conducted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) at the Capo Beach Church, 25975 Domingo Avenue, Capistrano Beach, California.

Edison and the NRC are facing challenges to restart from a number of directions:

February 12, 2013 (La Mesa)—The San Diego East County Chamber is offering group tours to locations around the world.  On Wednesday, February 13 from 6-8 p.m., you can learn more at a travel briefing at the Grossmont Healthcare District auditorium, 9001 Wakarusa in La Mesa.

Trips include Tuscany in March,Costa Rica in July, Ireland this October, the French Riviera in November, South Pacific Wonders including Australia, New Zealand and Fiji in October-November, and our December Holiday shopping trip to New York City.

February 11, 2013 (Juchitan) –A wind farm worker was slain and the facility’s general manager injured by gunshots, a Mexican media outlet reported on February 8, 2013.  Witnesses reportedly told police that four hooded persons walked into a party in a residential neighborhood “with both pistols and rifles, straight to the two people.” The assailants escaped in a black vehicle.

February 12, 2013 (San Diego)--On Feb. 5, 2013, Union Bank, in partnership with KPBS, honored 16 local heroes who are making a positive difference in the lives of others. The heroes were selected each month in 2012 and were formally recognized last week at the cultural diversity celebration held at the San Diego Natural History Museum. 

Louis Frick and Leroy Elliot of East County were recognized for Disability Awareness Month (Frick), and Native American Heritage Month (Elliot).

 Photo by Melissa Jacobs

Union Bank and KPBS honored the 2012 Local Heroes at the San Diego Natural History Museum: Back row (L to R) honorees Michael A.V. Cruz, Larry T. Baza, Jill Borg Spitzer, Danny Gutierrez and JiAel Brownell; middle row (L to R) honorees Michelle Houle and Mike Kawamura; Tom Karlo, KPBS general manager; George Ramirez, Union Bank executive vice president and chief diversity executive; Lawrence Henry, Union Bank senior vice president and regional executive; and honoree Jeri Dilno; front row (L to R) honorees Dennis-Michael Broussard, Louis Frick, Laurel Moorhead, Bishop Roy Dixon, Dr. Doris A. Howell and Leroy Elliott. (Honorees Patricia A. Dixon and Gussie Zaks not pictured.)

For complete Calendar including Authors Events, go to www.SDWriteWay.org

February 10, 2013 (San Diego)--The San Diego Public Library's 47th Annual Local Authors Exhibit: The Library is going to display it in the exhibit, which will run the entire month of February 2013 in the lobby of the Central Library downtown.

February 10, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)--The draft environmental documents for the Forest Conservation Initiative (FCI) Lands General Plan Amendment have been released for public review.  The lands included cover vast tracts of unincorporated communities in East County and beyond.

This Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been prepared as a Supplemental EIR (SEIR) because only minor additions or changes are necessary to ensure the General Plan Update Program EIR adequately applies to the proposed changed designations of the Forest Conservation Initiative Lands GPA.  The proposed Project for the SEIR is based on community planning and sponsor group endorsed land use maps. 

February 10, 2013 (Spring Valley)—A victim shot multiple times outside Fannie’s Bar in Spring Valley shortly after midnight has been transported from Grossmont Hospital to Sharp Memorial Hospital.  Details on his condition are not available, said Sergeant James Blanton with the San Diego Sheriff.

At 12:08 a.m., the Sheriff's Department received 911 calls concerning gunshots being fired outside Fannie's Bar, located at 9143 Campo Road in Spring Valley. Upon arriving, deputies contacted several patrons inside the bar, as well as possible witnesses outside the bar.

Update Feb. 10: Los Angeles Police Chief today announced a $1 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Dorner

February 9, 2013 (San Diego)--Today the Joint Regional Intelligence Authority issued a bulletin regarding Christopher Dorner, a former Los Angeles Police officer and ex-military member who is believed to have committed multiple murders and also shot police officers in a spree of violence that led him to San Diego late last week. He is considered armed and extremely dangerous.  

Update 8:40 p.m. -- The Deerhorn Valley Antler Alerts has this update: 

Expect 94 to be closed in both directions between Otay Lakes Rd and SR-188.  Head-on crash 300 yds east of Community Bldg Rd has reportedly claimed 2 lives, with another serious injury transported.  According to Yvonne Purdy from Dulzura CERT, the closure is will last approximately 3 hours.  The coroner's was delayed by the traffic backup and had to travel east using the westbound lanes.

February 9, 2013 (San Diego's East County)--6:35 p.m. State Route 94 is shut down in both directions due to a head-on fatality accident at Marron Valley Road, near the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint in East County, the California Highway Patrol reports.

Photos by Phu Nguyen/Cuyamaca College photographer

February 9, 2013 (El Cajon)-- A library exhibit featuring John Robert Clifford, a seminal figure in African American history and a forefather of a Cuyamaca College administrator, and a stepping demonstration by members of a historically black fraternity are part of the commemoration of Black History Month at Cuyamaca College.

Danene Brown, interim vice president of instruction at Cuyamaca College, poses next to a campus library exhibit about her great-great-great uncle, John Robert “J.R.” Clifford, a seminal figure in African American history. The display is part of the college’s commemoration of Black History Month.

By Erika Lawrence

Social Security District Manager, El Cajon

February 9, 2013 (El Cajon)--January is Financial Wellness Month — a great time to think about your own financial future. It also happens to be at this time that many people make resolutions for the New Year. Why not combine the two and make your own financial wellness a resolution for 2013?