June 4, 2011 (La Mesa) -- This summer the City of La Mesa is offering fun, safe, and FREE outdoor family activities including the Chipotle “Sundays at Six” Summer Concert Series each Sunday in June and July at Harry Griffith Park. In addition, the city hosts a popular outdoor movie night July 29 at La Mesita Park plus a special "dive-in" showing at the La Mesa pool July 15.

 By Miriam Raftery

 Photos by Deputy Fire Chief Rick Sitta

June 3, 2011 (El Cajon) Updated 8 p.m. -- A 9 year-old boy was struck by a vehicle at Madison Avenue and East Main Street while riding his bike to school at 7:24 this morning.  Trapped under an SUV, the boy was crying for help, Incident Page Network reported.

Firefighters attribute a bicycle helmet to saving the boy's life. Photos show abrasions on one side of the helmet and tire tread marks on the other side.

By Mayan Avitable

June 3, 2011 (La Mesa) -- When I first met David Moye, he was a sixth-grader at Maryland Avenue Elementary School in La Mesa, California. The school’s students went on to a variety of colleges, careers and dreams.  David's dreams varied from music to public relations to living the American dream. In 1995, he started his career of weird news wriitng. 



"La Mesa," he says, "is the perfect place to start a career in weird news." After all, he tells me, he remembers the story of Frank Zappa coming up from El Cajon to La Mesa to go to the music store to find an obscure LP he had been searching for since reading a Look magazine article: The Complete Works of Edgard Varèse, Volume One. "Where else coud Zappa have possibly found such a work that influenced the world of modern music so much?" he asks."Where else could you find The Age of Unarius?"  The East County cult-like group believed there would be 33 spacecraft landing one on top of the other to teach us the way of peace and harmony. Those are just two among many experiences that led Moye to start a career in weird news. 

June 3, 2011 (La Mesa)-- Each June the East County Chamber takes great pride in organizing and hosting East County's largest Health Fair. Summer Healthcare Saturday. now in it's 9th year, the fair has grown to become a fixture in East County. It also provides a whole host of crucial health related screenings and testings for free to East County residents. Mark your calendars for Saturday June 11th and consider participating in this informative and important East County event.

June 3, 2011 (El Cajon) --The concerts on the Prescott Promenade, located at 201 E. Main Street will be offered on Fridays through September 30th from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Enjoy great music with no admission charge! Concerts are presented by the El Cajon Community Development Corporation and the downtown business district, and sponsored by Sycuan Casino and Taylor Guitars. 

June 2, 2011 (San Diego’s East County)--ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflecting all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views.

June 3, 2011 (El Cajon) – A child has been run over and remains trapped beneath a car at eastbound Main Street near Madison; Heartland Fire Department has been dispatched. In addition, an ambulance has been dispatched for a second accident on I-8 at Severin, according to the CHP website.

Watch for updates at www.EastCountyMagazine.org.

June 2, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Assemblyman Brian Jones (R-Santee) has issued a press release sharply criticizing Governor Jerry Brown for signing a contract for Will Lightbourne to head up the state’s Department of Social Services. The contract totals $1.25 million, spread over the next three and a half years.

The City of La Mesa invites you to the annual patriotic event

June 2, 2011 (La Mesa) --On Saturday, June 4th beginning at 9:00 a.m., downtown La Mesa will dress up in red, white and blue for the 14th Annual La Mesa Flag Day Parade,” A Salute to Old Glory! “ 

The parade begins at 10:00 a.m. and marches through downtown La Mesa Village. Spectators will enjoy over 75 entries, including marching bands led by the Third Marine Aircraft Wing Band. The 2011 Grand Marshalls are the 1961 Little League World Champions from La Mesa. Floats, military vehicles, active and retired war heroes, equestrian units, service clubs and youth groups will celebrate civic pride and our national symbol, along with a 20-foot wide ‘living flag’ carried by community volunteers. 

County urges vaccinations for children

June 2, 2011 (San Diego County) --Five new pertussis cases where others may have been exposed to the disease increased the local case total to 212 this year, the SAn Diego County Health and HUman Services said in Late May. The new confirmed cases occured in schools across the region, including Ramona, Poway, and San Diego schools. In 2010 , pertussis, also known as whooping cough, reached a record 1,144 cases for the county, including two infant deaths.

June 2, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) --The Honorable Thomas Graham Duffy, born July 18, 1927 in Racine, Wisconsin, passed away in his home on Monday, May 23, 2011.

“Known for his keen sense of wit, long time East County resident Thomas Duffy will be fondly remembered as an attorney, former El Cajon City Attorney, San Diego Municipal Court Judge, and later San Diego Superior Court Judge,” said Mark Raftery, former president of the Foothills Bar Association. “While on the bench, he was elected by all the Judges in San Diego County to be the Presiding Judge and was instrumental in unifying the Municipal and Superior Courts.”

June 1, 2011 (Spring Valley) – Following a suicide off the 125 bridge near State Route 54 in Spring Valley this morning, California Highway Patrol officers traced the victim’s car license plate—and made a gruesome discovery. The bodies of 41-year old Mary Alvarez, and her children, 12-year old Angelica Alvarez and 11 year old Ahmid Alvarez, were found inside a Chula Vista townhouse at 1746 Currant Way, said Chula Vista Police Department's public information officer Bernard Gonzales.

By Brian Lafferty

May 31, 2011 (San Diego) – I have a fear. This fear trumps snakes, spiders, heights, even death. It occurs at parties, especially of the birthday variety. It makes its presence known at the grocery store’s floral department. Despite their light and rubbery nature, they instill trepidation greater than public speaking. I’m talking about globophobia.