By R. U. Smart

 April 1, 2011 (Rancho San Diego) – Faced with a growing budget gap, the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District today announced a major new means of boosting tuitions and revenues.

“Cuyamaca College will open our district’s first satellite campus this summer in Thailand,” announced Henri Migala, executive dean of institutional advancement. “Cuyamaca has gained an international reputation for our instruction in green jobs and sustainable technology, which we will now be outsourcing to Asia.”

By Brian Lafferty

April 1, 2011 (San Diego) – Director Martin Koolhoven says in the press notes that 1960s Italian spaghetti westerns inspired Winter in Wartime’s look. I didn’t see so much of that, or at least that didn’t run through my head as I watched it. Instead, I mostly saw another kind of influence, also from Italian cinema.

By Wanda B. Sekure
 

April 1, 2011 (El Cajon) -- The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has declared El Cajon the safest city in America.

“Our underwriters found that El Cajon is ideally situated to minimize risks of a catastrophe,” said Commissioner Macon Wills. “Not only is El Cajon midway between the Rose Canyon and Elsinore earthquake fault lines, it also sits far enough north to avoid border violence, inland a good half-hour from the coast, and a full 53 miles away from the San Onofre nuclear power plant,” he noted, adding that the U.S. has recommended a 50-mile evacuation zone around Japan’s troubled reactors. “ If a nuke meltdown, tsunami or killer quake occurs,” Wills declared, “El Cajon is going to look like heaven.”

By Nancy Clement, La Mesa writer and Lake Murray Aficionado

April 1, 2011 (La Mesa) - Barbara (Cleves) Anderson, the honorary Mayor of Lake Murray, just announced that she met with the San Diego City Council--and big changes will be happening at Lake Murray beginning June 1st. Water skiing will be allowed at the west side of the lake near the ball fields and second, there will a fee charged for being at the lake.

These recommendations were based on a feasibility study conducted by SCAMDAG.

Nothing but the truth!

By Will Power

April 1, 2011 (Washington D.C.) -- In an unprecedented turnabout, President Barack Obama announced he is confiscating the excess profits of banks and brokers who profited from the recent Wall Street Crash. All the bonuses paid out will be seized and used to pay down the national debt.

Even more important, President Obama ordered oil companies and pharmaceutical companies to lower their prices by 25% , or face nationalization. The third important change was a halt to all home foreclosures, Homes which are in danger of foreclosure are ordered into arbitration and refinancing.

By Jeremy Los

March 30, 2011 (Sacramento) – Governor Jerry Brown yesterday declared budgetary talks with Republicans “dead.”  The GOP issued 53 proposed alternatives, leading the Governor to accuse Republicans of obstructing the process with new demands that would widen the budget gap, not close it.  View Governor Brown's video message to the people by clicking the above image.

Standardized Assessment Would Save $4 Million in Testing Costs and Increase the Number of Students Assessed by 2.2 Million

March 30, 2011 – In an effort to increase efficiencies in California’s higher education system and boost student success, Assemblymember Marty Block (AD-78) announced that his community college student assessment legislation has been approved by the Assembly Higher Education Committee on a unanimous vote.

General Plan Update, Health and Wellness in La Mesa on agenda

March 30, 2011 (La Mesa)—Help create La Mesa’s vision for a healthier community at a community workshop on Thursday, April 7 from 6-8 p.m. at the La Mesa Police Station community room, 8085 University Avenue in La Meas. Topics for discussion include a new Health and Wellness element as well as the 2012 general plan update (available online at www.cityoflamesa.com/GeneralPlanUpdate).

March 30, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Charles Dumars, 46, of Poway died of coronary artery disease while hiking near Ramona on Saturday, March 26, the San Diego Medical Examiner’s office reports.
 

Dumars was with a group of Boy Scouts and their fathers hiking in remote terrain on Black Mountain Truck Trail. According to Ramona Patch.com, a 911 call indicated that Dumars as unresponsive and CPR was in progress.

March 30, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – East County Roundup highlights important stories of interest to East County and our region, published in other media.

Latest “Roundup” headlines include:

• Jerry Brown declares budget talks dead (Sacramento Bee)
• City Council approves medical pot ordinances (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• California construction jobs up in February (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Nearly $44K of lawn art stolen since October (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• California adds nearly 100,000 jobs in February (Los Angeles Times)
• 3 arrested in stabbing near Mast Park (Santee Patch.com)
• Sleeping controller = safety concerns (CNN)
• First sign of radioactivity reaches County (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Small businesses at risk for cyber attacks (KPBS)

March 29, 2011 (Rancho San Diego) – Cuyamaca College will again provide free classes and hands-on work experience in green building and sustainable energy to eligible students through a training program funded by San Diego Workforce Partnership. The $1.6 million in funding comes from federal stimulus money along with grants from the State Energy Program, Workforce Investment Act, State Energy Sector Partnership and others.

Robert Garber, interim president of Cuyamaca College, said the green building program is part of the college’s commitment to train workers for the expanding green economy.

March 29, 2011 (La Mesa)--A volunteer citizens group that oversees how the taxpayer-supported Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) is spending millions of dollars in voter-approved funds for infrastructure improvementprojects at Sharp Grossmont Hospital has issued its 2010 Annual Report to the Community.

March 29, 2011 (San Diego)--Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) and Education Secretary Arne Duncan made a call for education reform, framing the issue in a national security context. The push for reform was at a recent press conference following a tour of an early childhood facility at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

March 29, 2011 (El Cajon ) – Twenty artists displayed more than 100 works, met with visitors and shared secrets of their success at “Wine Down Wednesday” last week. The event, held at Westfield Parkway Plaza in the Macy’s court, showcased artwork from St. Clair Gallery with 20% of proceeds benefitting St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center.