July 20, 2011 (La Mesa)--Sharp Grossmont Hospital’s Senior Resource Center offers free or low-cost educational programs and health screenings each month. The Center also provides health information and community resources.

July 20, 2011 (El Cajon)-- Mother Earth Alternative Health Cooperative, Inc., is attracting a steady stream of customers three weeks after opening its doors in an unincorporated area of El Cajon near Gillespie Field.

Some might say it’s high time. California voters approved medical marijuana with a ballot initiative back in 1996, but San Diego Supervisors filed suit to block implementation.

"Seeing is believing!" Lynne McTurk, Funbelievable

By Miriam Raftery

July 20, 2011 (Lakeside) – Now there’s a place where you can let kids climb the walls—plus run, jump, and bounce to their heart’s delight. It's a great place to beat the summer heat and let the kids run wild. 

The Grossmont College Adult Reentry Program will host “Recreate Yourself,” a free orientation meeting for adults interested in returning to school to learn a new career, earn a college diploma or upgrade workplace skills for a job promotion, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 2.

July 23, 2011 (San Diego) -- The East County Youth Symphony will present a concert of Wolfgang Mozart symphonies No. 40 and 41 at San Diego State University (SDSU) on Saturday, July 23 at 7 p.m.

The program will be held at the Smith Recital Hall (SDSU campus) 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego.  Funds raised at this performance will be used to purchase music instruments for the Orchestra.

July 19, 2011 (La Mesa) -- Helix Water District will hold an informational public meeting on the proposed water rate increase on July 21 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the La Mesa Community Center, 4975 Memorial Drive in La Mesa.

July 19, 2011 (San Diego) – A car fire spread into brush alongside State Route 52 near mast Boulevard this afternoon on the northern edge of Mission Trails Regional Park.

July 18, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – The California Redevelopment Association and the League of California Cities today filed suit in California's Supreme Court. They seek to block implementation of state budget measures that would force redevelopment agencies to either dissolve or fork over hefty sums to the state coffers.

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders held a press conference to support the law suit today, joined by La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid, National City Mayor Ron Morrison, and other local leaders.

By Miriam Raftery

July 18, 2011 (El Cajon) – A fire that began around 1:35 on a hill above the 2600 block of Windmill View Road in Fletcher Hills briefly threatened several homes this afternoon.

Heartland Fire & Rescue credits quick action by about 30 firefighters, along with "the fact this hillside was recently cleared of heavy brush by hired workers and goats, creating a defensible space" with limiting the fire to only half an acre. No structures were burned and there were no injuries.  

July 18, 2011 (Washington, D.C.) -- The National Restaurant Association has unveiled a new nationwide initiative that provides parents and children with a growing selection of healthful menu options when dining out. "Kids Live Well," a program the Association launched today in collaboration with Healthy Dining, highlights how restaurants can create innovative solutions to provide better-for-you menu options.

21 BANDS and 120 CRAFT BREWERIES "LIVE ON THE LAWN" AT QUALCOMM

Why are three swimming pools approved for construction, but not the new school approved by voters? Citizens Oversight Committee should demand accountability

By Bill Weaver

July 17, 2011 (Alpine)--The majority of Grossmont Union High School District‘s education facilities and campuses were in horrendous shape prior to the Prop H improvement bond. Decades of needed maintenance had been neglected.  Now we have funds from Prop U as well.  We should all be very proud of our support leading to our successfully passed 2004 Prop H and 2008 Prop U Bonds.

That said, some members of the GUHSD Governing Board now boast of fiscally conservative policies, and how they are now protecting the districts’ financial future and its fiscal health. I am a fiscal conservative also, and I take issue.

July 16, 2011 (Jacumba) -- Wayne Brammer captured these two images of a Cal-Fire crew and a San Diego Sheriff's helicopter in action battling a brush fire near Jacumba this week.

"With all  the power lines running all over this area, my hat goes off to all of these guys. The smoke and power lines made it tough," he wrote, adding that he was amazed to see a house still standing after this blaze near Old Highway 80.