By Miriam Raftery

February 24, 2011 (El Cajon) –Should El Cajon renew its Community Development Corporation (CDC) and Planned Business Improvement District (PBID)? Downtown merchants will be asked that question starting in mid-March, when a petition for renewal will be circulated to bring the issue up for a vote.
 

But a Blue Ribbon Commission chaired by developer Daryl Priest issued a report January 31st calling for the CDC/PBID to be suspected because of “ineffective management” by the CDC. The CDC in turn has issued a point-by-point rebuttal while mobilizing community support.

February 25, 2011 (San Diego's East County)--East County Roundup highlights top news stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s eastern region, published in other media.

Latest Roundup stories include:

• School district public records access graded (10 News)
• Newsmakers reflect on media glow (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Karate instructor pleads guilty to molestation (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego could be hurt by New Zealand-style quake (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Grossmont Healthcare CEO gets salary boost, will top $200,000 (La Mesa Patch)
• Water agencies look to power industry for lessons (North County Times)
• Planners say aging population to lessen water demand (North County Times)
 

By Dawn Celapino
 

This week has been one of those eye-opening weeks for my family. We had one of our Leash Your Fitness family members die VERY unexpectedly in a freak accident and then my sister was in a car accident–all in the same day! It made me think–what would happen to my dog if I died?

There are so many questions to answer and we wanted you to think about this too, since NOBODY can say what is going to happen to us each day. You may think that your sibling or friend would take care of your dog--but do they know all about your dog? These are a few things that are important:

February 23, 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.

February 23, 2011 (San Diego's East County) -- What can be more welcoming than a warm sunny day after the winter rains?  Our readers and photographers have documented the wonders of nature--and human nature, from the sands of Anza-Borrego Desert to the top of Palomar and Laguna Mountains.  We had so many great shots this week, we're posting a bonus edition of our "photos of the week" feature just for your enjoyment!

Abigail Migala photography exhibition continues through February 25

February 22, 2011 (Poway) – San Diego Sheriff’s deputies from the Poway Station have arrested Deondrae Dunn, 32, a parolee suspected of vehicle break-ins at the parking lot of Blue Sky Preserve.

“Deputies witnessed the vehicle break-ins and attempted to stop Dunn at the scene,” said Sergeant William Gitner.  Dunn fled in his vehicle and refused to yield at a traffic stop set up by deputies. He ran a red-light and later rear-ended a vehicle with an elderly couple at Rancho Bernardo Road and Acena Drive in San Diego.

February 24, 2011 (San Diego) -- Young Audiences of San Diego and The Salvation Army Kroc Center invite the public to a free Family Arts and Literacy Night Thursday, February 24th at 6:30 pm. Hundreds of families will gather in the Kroc Center Multipurpose Room-Education Building for an evening of fun for the “Carnaval Around the World” event and each child will take home a brand new book.

For this family-friendly Carnaval event, Afro-Cuban/Afro-Brazilian dance group Sol e Mar will perform. There will also be Capoeira and Samba workshops with musician and dancer Claudia Lyra.

By Billy Ortiz 

February 22, 2011 (Laguna Mountain)-- Laguna Mountain was a winter wonderland on February 21, 2011. More than a foot of snow fell from last weeks storm, bringing thousands of visitors to play in the snow on a "bluebird" Presidents day in the East County of San Diego, to use a ski term for a day of blue, sunny skies after a snowfall. 

My grandsons and I took a short drive from El Cajon to Laguna Mountain today.  What a sight! After leaving I-8 east,  we wound up the Sunrise Highway in anticipation, where we were greeted by thick blankets of snow covering the tall pine and oak trees and meadows.

February 21, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Two serious accidents have occurred tonight in East County. Wildcat Canyon Road in Lakeside is closed down due to a fatality accident at Mile Marker 1, as of 9:45 p.m. reported by Incident Page Network. In Ramona, power lines are reported down in the road and sparking on Vista Ramona Road at Timber Passage, according to the CHP website at 10:49 p.m.

February 21, 2011 (Escondido) – Alvin Palmes, 28, died Friday of peritonitis due to small bowel perforation following surgery for stab wounds. His death has been ruled a homicide.

February 29, 2011 (Poway)-- The Poway Chamber of Commerce and the City of Poway will be hosting a State of the Community Breakfast on Thursday, March 3rd from 7:30am to 9:30am, at Maderas Golf Club- 17750 Old Coach Rd. Featured speakers include Mayor Don Higginson and Mickey Morera, Senior Director at Cushman & Wakefield. Morera will speak on the crisis in commercial real estate.

“If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” -- George Washington

February 20, 2011 (San Diegio) – Sen. Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) announced this week that the State Auditor will conduct an investigation of California’s mutual aid response system to learn if budget cuts are undermining the program. Kehoe requested the audit at a Feb. 16 meeting of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee.

“Our mutual aid system, which was created in 1950 and has been a model for the country, is facing challenges as state and local governments slash their budgets,” Kehoe said. “If this system is further strained, it could jeopardize public safety during wildfires, earthquakes, floods, or mudslides. We can’t afford to let that happen.”

View the Pine Creek trail video: http://www.facebook.com/v/1334760865455

"I would rate this trail as a five-star experience...The trail is very scenic, with a chance to see wild turkey, cattle ranging in the canyon, and perhaps even a mountain lion."