March 4, 2011 (Santee)--West Hills High School in Santee will once again be the location for the East County Special Olympics. The 28th annual event host¬ed by the Division 31 Kiwanis of East County takes place Saturday, March 12 from 9 to 11 a.m. The Special Olympics celebrates diversity and inspires participants, volunteers and all who attend the free event.

Athletes ages eight to 80 will participate in competitions including: a softball throw, long jump, the standing long jump, meter (up to 100 meter), and wheelchair races (5 and 10-yard dashes).

“Make Every Drop Count” video competition open to local high school and college students

Conservatives say eliminating most collective bargaining rights needed to contain costs; opponents accuse Governor of union-busting motives

By Miriam Raftery
March 3, 2011 (San Diego) – A crowd of 1,000 demonstrators turned out in downtown San Diego Saturday as part of a nationwide movement in support of Wisconsin public workers.  Wisconsin’s Governor Scott Walker seeks to eliminate nearly all collective bargaining rights for state workers including teachers, police, firefighters, janitors, highway workers and others. The state’s Republican-controlled House passed the proposal--and Senate Democrats promptly fled the state to prevent passage.  Today, the Governor ordered their arrest.

A crowd of over 100,000 braved a snowstorm in Madison, Wisconsin following the house vote, occupying the capitol building overnight. Now recall campaigns have been announced against eight GOP Senators in Wisconsin who back the bill.
 

Much misinformation has been spread in the media and on Internet blogs. What would the Governor’s proposal do—and is it necessary? Could California be next to face a similar proposal? ECM has researched the issues and obtained views from all sides of the aisle.

March 3, 2011 (San Diego) – “Not a done deal. We are in court,” reads a flyer published by opponents of the Sunrise Powerlink project urging the public to join a march to the federal courthouse downtown, where the first federal lawsuit against the high-voltage line will be heard on March 7th.

March 3, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Helix Water District will hold a scoping meeting on Tuesday, March 8 at 7 p.m. at the Helix Water District Board Room, 7811 University Avenue in La Mesa. The meeting will provide an overview of the proposed El Monte Valley Mining, Reclamation, and Groundwater Recharge Project in Lakeside and what will be studied as part of the environmental impact review (EIR)/environmental assessment. The public will have an opportunity to provide written comments on what they would like to see studied as part of the EIR/EA.

The project is intended to provide a new local water source in an era when outside water supplies have become increasingly scarce due to restrictions on Delta pumping and drought on the Colorado River. 

Inaugural Gala Recognized Outstanding Individuals and Businesses

March 3, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) -- More than 350 members and guests of the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce gathered last Friday night to celebrate the start of the Chamber’s 100th year serving the business community and residents of our region. The evening featured recognition for many community leaders, introduction of some special new awards,  as well as inauguration of the Chamber’s new officers.

By Marilyn Gramse

March 3, 2011 (Blossom Valley) – On Monday, February 28, two equestrians were riding on the County designated trail on Quail Canyon. When they approached  a home in the 10,000 block of Quail Canyon, a pit bull dog and the owner came out to the equestrians. The pit bull began sniffing the horses, bit the rider, and attacked the horse--going for the throat. The horse, struggling for its life, began to circle, dumping the rider.

March 3, 2011 (San Diego's East County) — Over 150 local educators join the San Diego East County Regional Chamber of Commerce’s annual Summer Educational Tour each year. This year, the Chamber is inviting chamber members, school district colleagues and friends on an exclusive trip to Peru July 11-19 as part of the Chamber Travel Program for 2011.

March 3, 2011 (San Diego)—A 19-year-old man walking on 55th Street and Mary Lane Drive in the SDSU college area was stabbed last night around 11:20 p.m. According to Office Delimitros with San Diego Police, two Hispanic men in dark clothing, both who looked to be under 30, approached the victim. One suspect produced a knife and demanded money. A struggle ensued and the victim was stabbed in the shoulder.

March 2, 2011 (Santee) – After an extensive nationwide search, Santee City Manager Keith Till has named Robert E. Leigh as the city’s new fire chief. Leigh is currently a deputy fire chief for the city of Aurora, Colorado, the state’s third largest city and a community of 314,000 east of Denver.
 

$1.8 billion, the cost of the Powerlink, could fund 90,000 individual 5kW systems which would generate nearly a half million kW (450,000 kW) per hour, opponents say.

Story and photos by Ron Logan

March 1, 2011 (Alpine) – Tuesday morning, Sempra Energy and SDG&E encountered more pushback to their Sunrise Powerlink construction in downtown Alpine.

The Powerlink construction, which will take about two years to construct and is scheduled for completion in 2012, has drawn criticism at every step of the process, including hundreds of Alpine residents who have turned out at past hearings to voice overwhelming opposition to the project.

February 26, 2011 (Spring Valley) – Ragtime, the musical that won a Tony Award in 1998 for best musical score on Broadway, will be performed by Young Actors Theatre at the Encore! Theatre in Spring Valley March 17-20 and March 24-27.