By Janice Arenofsky

November 13, 2010 (San Diego’s East County)--As Lois Abrams drove to El Toro High School in Lake Forest, Calif., her car all but disappeared behind the heavy curtain of smoke and ash stemming from the October 2007 San Diego County wildfires.

November 12, 2010 (La Mesa) – Savor fair trade coffee while perusing products from fair-trade artisans around the world at the La Mesa Holiday Alternative Gift Fair. The event will be held on Sunday, November 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, 7710 El Cajon Blvd., La Mesa in the parish hall.

November 12, 2010 (San Diego) – Congressman Bob Filner wants to make sure all active duty and veterans who were forced to involuntarily extend their service know that the deadline to submit a claim for retroactive “Stop Loss” pay is approaching.

All claims must be submitted by December 3, 2010.

October 31, 2010 (La Mesa)--The youth of United Church of Christ of La Mesa (UCCLM) invite you to visit their “SERRV Holiday Sale, Craft Fair and One-Stop Christmas Store” on Saturday, November 13th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Youth Learn Agricultural Business; Teach County Employees to Eat Healthy

November 12, 2010 (San Diego)--With Thanksgiving right around the corner, several San Pasqual Academy foster youth made their bimonthly delivery today of certified, organic produce to County employees to encourage them to eat healthier for the holidays, which is part of County’s year-round Build Better Health plan.

November 12, 2010 (Julian)--Julian Stage Company and the Julian Chamber of Commerce present the 2010 production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol--a Julian holiday tradition. Give your holiday spirit a boost with the classic story of a lonely, hard-hearted old man who finds the true meaning of life and love one haunted Christmas Eve.

Be sure to allow time to take in the quaint holiday charm of small-town historic Julian this holiday season, with its horse-drawn carriages, strolling carolers, and spiced cider.

By Miriam Raftery
 

November 12, 2010 (Alpine) – People in an Alpine barber shop in were startled to see a mountain lion roaming along the 1700 block of Alpine Blvd. shortly after 9:30 a.m. The lion reportedly leaped from a pine tree and later ran into bushes next to a home near the Alpine Community Center and Alpine Elementary School, prompting the Sheriff’s department to summon Fish & Game officials. By the time wildlife officers arrived, however, the lion was gone.

MADD JOINS FAMILY'S EFFORT TO CHANGE LAW, REQUIRE DRUG-TESTING IN FATALITY ACCIDENTS

November 12, 2010 (El Cajon) – John Holsheimer has been sentenced to a maximum of 300 days in jail, five years probation, and 320 hours of community service for killing Bridgette Hale, mother of an infant son, in a head-on collision January 24th on Highway 67. Holsheimer must also undergo 90 days of drug rehab at his own expense, pay $4,700 in restitution costs to the court, and is prohibited from coming within 100 feet of a casino for the rest of his life.

November 12, 2010 (Lakeside)--The Engine 3 crew from Lakeside's Lake Jennings fire station (fs3) responded to a vehicle fire in the 13000 block of Highway 8 Business Wednesday night. Engineer Chris Downing had little trouble finding the location of the fire as it was putting up a large, black smoke column visible from a distance. Luckily, the vehicle's driver had stopped in the middle of a parking lot with no other vehicles or structures in close proximity, Lakeside Fire reports.

Board rejects Jim Stieringer’s application for district staff job. Now Stieringer, who retired Friday, asks for his Board seat back--but his future remains in limbo

 By Billy Ortiz

Adventurist/Historian

November 11, 2010 (Lakeside) – This  video adventure  reveals an exciting discovery in my search for East County history. Reading about the history of the Lakeside Inn, I discovered that the innkeepers needed a water source, so a dam was built on Los Coches Creek back during pioneering days in the 1800s. An old black and white photograph of the dam captured my imagination.

I’d assumed that when the flood channel was built in the 1880s, the dam may have been destroyed. So I was excited when Pam Wilmers, a friend, told me a story of riding her horse to a waterfall back in the 1970's. I just had to take a look.

Benefits East County Toy and Food Drive

November 11, 2010 (La Mesa)--The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce and Viejas Band of the Kumeyaay Nation invite you to a night of “blues and brews” during Celebrity Waiter Night at Hooleys. The event takes place Tuesday, November 23 from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Hooleys Irish Pub & Grill in Grossmont Center, La Mesa. All tips and donations will benefit the East County Toy and Food Drive, serving needy children and their families this holiday season.

“We can’t all be heroes. Some of us have to stand on the curb and clap as they go by.” --Will Rogers

 By Nancy and Dawn Clement

November 5, 2010 (San Diego) - Today’s column is dedicated to our military in East County, and to active duty military and veterans worldwide--especially Dollar-wise Divas’ good friend Katie R. who is serving in Kabul, Afghanistan. Thank you for your service to our country. 

November 11, 2010 (El Cajon) – In honor of Veterans Day on November 11th, Supervisor Dianne Jacob will join the El Cajon Flag Committee for a flag display by Boy Scouts of America at 9:30 a.m. Congressman Duncan D. Hunter will also make an appearance at 5:30 p.m.

Both events are slated to take place at 250 E. Main Street in front of the courthouse and East County Performing Arts Center.
 

Hooked On Baja, By Tom Gatch, (The Countryman Press, Woodstock, Vermont, 2007, 206 pages.)

Book Review: By Dennis Moore

November 11, 2010 (San Diego) -- Tom Gatch, who has built a solid reputation as one of the foremost writers and photographers focusing on outdoor and recreational topics in Southern California and the Baja Peninsula, has written the definitive book on where and how to fish Mexico’s legendary waters, Hooked On Baja.