By Mark Gabrish Conlan

February 19, 2013 (Revised February 20) -- Qualcomm co-founder Irwin Jacobs’ plan for an extensive remodel of the Plaza de Panama in Balboa Park sailed easily through the San Diego City Council last summer — Councilmember Sherri Lightner’s was the only vote against it — but it hit a snag in San Diego Superior Court February 5.

That’s when Judge Timothy Taylor, ruling in the suit the Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO) filed against the city to stop the Jacobs plan, found that the city had basically ignored its own rules by insisting that the current configuration of the park, with much of its area used for large, free parking lots, was not a “reasonable beneficial use of the property” under city law.

February 19, 2013 (San Diego's East County) --Cleveland National Forest is conducting burning operations today in the San Vicente area in East County and on Palomar Mountain near Observatory Campground.  This is a continuation of burning operations that began yesterday, but are not expected to continue into tomorrow due to the weather system that may bring rain and that is moving into southern California.

The Forest Service is burning fuels that have been piled as a result of hand and mechanical fuel treatments in the area.

Lemon Grove Filmmaker Jim Ellis Creates 33-Minute Documentary for Children, Parents to Watch Together

By Mark Gabrish Conlan

February 18, 2013 (Lemon Grove)--Nikki’s story is all too typical of the ones told in Lemon Grove filmmaker Jim Ellis’s new 33-minute documentary, Indoctrinated: The Grooming of Children Into Prostitution. At age 18, to raise the money to go to college, she took a job in a strip club. There she met an older man who helped her out financially, bought her nice clothes and accessories, and got her to fall in love with him and ultimately move in with him. Then he put the hammer down and told her that in order to keep her lifestyle — and his affections — she’d have to have sex with other men, for which he, not she, would be paid. Nikki’s story ends more happily than most such tales; she got out of “the life,” as prostitutes call it, and in her 20’s is trying to piece her life back together. She’s sufficiently self-assured that of all the present and former prostitutes Ellis interviewed, she was the only one who agreed to show her face on camera instead of having it electronically blurred.

February 18, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) -- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is reviewing its policies on radiofrequency (RF) radiation, such as that emitted by cell phone towers, smart meters, broadcast antennae and other sources.  Public comments will be accepted until March 6, 2013.

By Janis Mork

February 18, 2013 (La Mesa)- At the La Mesa City Council meeting Tuesday, Paul Marra, senior principal from Keyser Marston Associates Inc., and Stephen Cook from Fehr and Peets  gave a presentation on the La Mesa Village Parking garage.

 Bill Chopyk, La Mesa community development director, advised that staff recommended that the Council establish the parking in-lieu fee to “provide an incentive to develop downtown.” Developers would pay this fee into a fund in lieu of providing required parking on site, and the fees can be used to provide centralized public parking, (http://www.mapc.org/resources/parking-toolkit/strategies-topic/fees-lieu).

February 17, 2013 (New York)--Pressman Toy (www.PressmanToy.com), announced winners of its first annual Mastermind Braintwister Challenge February 10 at its 110^th annual American International Toy Fair. The first place winners, 4^th grader Gaurov Bansal, age 10 from Stamford, CT; won for “Letters Equal Numbers” and 5^th grader Sophi Schneider, age 10 from Dresher, PA, won for “Wordsticks Mode 4 – Let’s Race.”  Each received a $1,000 scholarship.

Three Braintwister category winners were also awarded $100 each:

•          “Difficulty” – Luke Cepurac, 10, La Mesa, CA,  for his entry “Order Up”
•          “Skills” – Erica Blakely, 12, Tinley Park, IL, for her entry “Who, What, Where”
•          “Creativity” – Max Hartle, 12, Tampa, FL, for his entry “Air Attack”
  
  

February 17, 2013 (La Mesa) – By affiliating with National Derby Rallies (NDR), the Drew Ford/Kiwanis Club of La Mesa Soap Box Derby Rally Races set for March 2 and 3 on Junior High Drive in La Mesa, will allow drivers up to age 21 – if they can still fit in the race cars. The cut-off with All American Soap Box Derby is age 17.

“By affiliating with NDR, we are also gaining exposure of our La Mesa races to the NDR family of soap box derby,” said Derby Director Steve Blake.  “NDR, which is based in Bowling Green, Kentucky, focuses on rally races.

February 17, 2013 (Alpine) – Sullivan Solar is hosting an open house on Saturday, February 23 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 2855 Via Viejas Oeste in Alpine.

Learn about incentives for going solar.

If your average electric bill is $197, installing a 5 kW solar system is now possible with zero out of pocket costs and new monthly solar payments of $165—less than your current utility bill.

February 17, 2013 (Lakeside) – The Lakeside Library is having its 100th birthday party on Saturday February 23rd from 12:30 - 3:00 p.m. You’re invited to a Centennial Celebration.

Scroll down for a schedule of events, including games, a trivia contest, historical presentations, Sparkles the Clown, a costume contest (dress as your favorite character from a book, or as a librarian) and of course, birthday cake.

Becoming your parents' parent conjures up pictures of "tangled apron strings."

By Marsha Kay Seff

February 17, 2013 (San Diego) -- As a child, the strings seemed well-defined.  You needed your parents and their role was to fulfill your needs.  Now, with your parents aging and leaning increasingly on you, the apron strings are tangled, wound tightly around you.

This role reversal isn’t easy for any of you.  Your parents, no doubt, are fighting furiously to cling to their dignity and independence.  And you’re pulled between the demands of your life and theirs.

February 16, 2013 (El Cajon)--Cuyamaca College's Ornamental Horticulture Department is hosting its 5th Annual Sustainable Landscape Conference, "Air, Earth, Water, Fire," from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday, March 7, 2013, at the college's Performing Arts Theater. The $90 registration fee covers the conference, a trade show, and a continental breakfast and lunch.

County News Center

February 15, 2013 (Santee)--A Marine from Santee was chosen from more than 70 applicants to adopt the young Chihuahua that fell 80 feet from a cliff in Ocean Beach Jan. 11. The four-month-old pup has been under the care of County Animal Services while it recovered from head trauma, fractured ribs and numerous bruises. Once the little dog was healed, with the help of the department’s Spirit Fund, Animal Services began accepting adoption applications.

“Marine Gunnery Sergeant John Szczepanowski was chosen because he sent a story along with his application and it struck a chord,” said Animal Services Director Dawn Danielson. 

Szczepanowski works in the wounded warrior regiment at Marine Corps Headquarters.    

Lutefisk - will it produce an Edvard Munch’s Norwegian scream out of you? 

By Rebecca J. Williamson

February 16, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) -- “Strange, one of a kind, unique; a very different kind of food,” said a native Norwegian and former President of the House of Norway in Balboa Park—Eugenie King. 

King, a Spring Valley resident, laid out the fundamentals of this Nordic delicacy. “It’s a fish, cod, which is soaked in lye.”