March 31, 2015 (La Mesa) -- Have you ever seen a Maypole dance? Now’s your chance. Bring your family to the NUA Sparrow Charter School Spring Festival on Sunday May 3, 10-11:30 a.m. for the maypole event followed by the festival 11:30 to 3 p.m.

There will be live music by Hullabaloo, Kathryn the Grape, Teagan Taylor and Olmeca Roots.

April 1, 2015—East County Magazine has the exclusive scoop on astounding major stories breaking today:

• Jamul Indians scrap casino plans, will build Chargers stadium instead
• Park Station revamps plans for high rise in La Mesa
• La Mesa unveils new downtown landscaping plan
• County sells naming rights to fire trucks

Is truth stranger than fiction? You decide. Be sure to  click this link to view these stories in our extra-special April 1st edition. (Trust us, you won't want to miss this news!)  Then click "read more" to open each story and get the full scoop.

A little April Fool’s Day fun.

By Skye High

April 1, 2015 (La Mesa) –After planners twice rejected proposals for an 18-story and 10-story high rise mixed use development at Spring Street and Baltimore Drive in La Mesa, the developers of Park Station have submitted alternative plans  aimed at doing more with less. The new plan will include a vertical cannabis farm, cubicle style hotel, community garden, lounge and rotating restaurant powered by renewable energy.

A little April Fool's Day fun.

By Betty Burns

April 1, 2015 (San Diego)—Seeking to prevent fire stations from closing again this season due to budget cuts, the County of San Diego announced today that it has sold corporate naming rights to fire trucks.

Hooters Restaurant was the first to sign up for this opportunity, also agreeing to provide Hooters waitresses to serve firefighters at their base camp during wildfires.

East County News Service

March 31, 2015(San Diego) – SDG&E has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to use unmanned drones to conduct aerial inspections of its gas and electrical facilities in rural East County.

April 9, 2015 (Julian) - Julian, San Diego’s historic gold community, hosts A Taste of Julian on April 11^th from 1 to 5 p.m.   This rural dining adventure features a self-guided culinary tour of restaurants, wineries and breweries.

East County Magazine invites you to join us for a night of wine tasting, wonderful food, spirited merrymaking, plus a sneak preview of our special La Mesa community news section! 

Join the festivities on Tuesday, March 31^st from 5:30 to 7:30 at the San Pasqual Winery & Gallery Tasting Room, 8364 La Mesa Blvd. in La Mesa. Limited space - reserve now to enjoy:

• Delicious foods from Tiramisu Trattoria, Bo Beau's and Grove Pastry Shop
• Unveiling of Mesa Community special section on www.EastCountyMagazine.org!
• Live music by “one man band” Paul Nichols
• Tell us what you’d like to see covered in La Mesa
• Learn about opportunities to “be the media”
• Hear about opportunities for your business or organization
• Plenty of prizes and surprises!
  

By Miriam Raftery

March 30, 2015 (Washington D.C.) - Two federal officials assigned to probe a black market in digital currency are accused of becoming black marketers themselves—allegedly stealing bitcoins from Silk Road, the company they were investigating.

By Susan A Mahalick

Photos by Robin MacKenzie

March 30, 2015 (Baja, California)--A not too hot day with lots of sunshine was the setting for a spring event in the wine valley.

East County News Service

March 30, 2015 (Jamul)—Jamul’s Fire Station now has paramedics on every fire engine.  Starting in mid-March, Jamul has had three paramedics to provide advanced life support services that emergency medical technicians can’t provide—such as administering IV medications and defibrillation of heart attack patients.

March 29, 2015 (San Diego)--San Diego County only requires that ambulances response within 30 minutes in rural areas, unlike urban areas where the limit is 10 minutes. The American Heart Association reports that brain death and permanent death start to occur in 4–6 minutes after someone experiences cardiac arrest.  The County's response time requirements are far too long for a heart attack patient to survive without brain damage. In addition, these times mean it sometimes takes more than the "golden hour" to reach a hospital following a trauma, stroke or other medical emergency, the time frame that medical experts recommend for saving lives. 

Take our Poll:  Should San Diego County require faster ambulance response than the 30 minutes currently required in rural areas?

Vote here: http://eastcountymagazine.org/poll/should-county-require-faster-ambulanc...

Honored for Long Record Supporting Immigrants and Working Families

East County News Service

March 29, 2015 (San Diego)--  Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, a San Diego Democrat, was honored Thursday night with the Cesar Chavez Foundation’s Legacy Award for her career supporting immigrants and working families. In commemoration of Cesar Chavez Day, the awards are presented to those who exemplify excellence and unparalleled commitment to community empowerment and advocacy.

March 29, 2015 (San Diego)--Connecting with Nature is the theme of the 2015 Explore Mission Trails Day at Mission Trails Regional Park on  Saturday, May 16^th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This popular event features free guided nature walks, talks and programs throughout the park, including live animals and special programs for children from pony rides to a climbing wall.

By Miriam Raftery

March 28, 2015 (Ramona)—A 4-year-old boy drowned in a swimming pool March 21^st at a neighbor’s home in Ramona.