JOIN US MAY 8 FOR A FESTIVE FEAST! EAST COUNTY DINING CLUB AT LEMON GROVE BISTRO

SANTANA COACH AND WIFE WILL HEAD TO PARIS OLYMPICS TO WATCH SON COMPETE, THANKS TO A COMMUNITY FUNDRAISER

DESTINATION EAST COUNTY: MOTHER’S DAY EVENTS, HISTORICAL HAPPPENINGS, FOOD AND WINE FESTS AND MORE

TRUMP LAWYER ARGUES TO SUPREME COURT THAT PRESIDENTS SHOULD HAVE IMMUNITY EVEN FOR ORDERING EXECUTION OF A POLITICAL RIVAL

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN LA MESA'S "ART IN THE PARK"

GARDEN'S GIFT SHOP REOPENS ON MOTHER’S DAY WEEKEND

AZTECS BEAT UNLV FOR MOUNTAIN WEST CHAMPIONSHIP

SHIRTLESS FIREFIGHTERS TO SIGN CALENDARS AT DEANO’S PUB MAY 2 TO BENEFIT PROTECT SANTEE BALLOT MEASURE

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT APPROVES FUNDS FOR MIGRANT CENTER; COUNTY TO PROVIDE SHORT-TERM RELIEF

A DREAM FULFILLED: CHALDEAN COMMUNITY COUNCIL OPENS INCUBATOR BUSINESS CENTER IN EL CAJON

FEATHER ALERT ISSUED FOR MISSING CAMPO WOMAN

COUNTY HOSTS TWO VIRTUAL MEETINGS THIS WEEL ON ITS HOUSING BLUEPRINT PLAN

REGION RECEIVES $8.7 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR SECURITY MEASURES

 

 

May 16, 2010 (Washington, D.C). – U.S. Congressman Bob Filner has announced that San Diego and Imperial Counties will get more than $8.7 million for security preparedness. In San Diego, funds include protection of ports and public transit.

 

“It takes constant vigilance to be prepared and keep our country safe,” said Filner. “This money will go to keeping our critical infrastructure safe from terrorism, major disasters and other emergencies.”

10 CHILDREN INJURED IN SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENT AT GOLDEN ACORN CASINO

 

May 18, 2010 (Campo) – At least ten children have been injured in a collision this morning between a school bus and a light pole in the parking lot at Golden Acorn Casino on the Campo Indian reservation. Patients with injuries ranging from mild to moderate have been transported to Grossmont and Alvarado hospitals.

GOVERNOR PROPOSES TERMINATION OF WELFARE-TO-WORK AND DRASTIC CUTS IN SERVICES FOR SENIORS, DISABLED, & CHILDREN

 

Majority Vote Budget Initiative qualifies for ballot

How would you balance the budget? Take the Next10 budget challenge

 

By Miriam Raftery

May 14, 2010 (Sacramento) – Facing a budget deficit of over $20 billion, today Governor Schwarzenegger proposed deep new budget cuts.  The Governor proposes the complete elimination of the CAL-Works program (which will impact over 80,000 low-income parents and their children in San Diego County), slash in-home care for seniors and the disabled (including 23,000 seniors and disabled persons in San Diego County), and sharply cut funds for the Healthy Families program, among other drastic measures.

 

Hoping to end budget gridlock, teachers, firefighters and nurses last week joined together to submit more than 1.1 million signatures and qualify a Majority Vote Budget Initiative for the November 2, 2010 election.  “Late budgets hurt all Californians and the budget crisis is continuing to be the top issue in the state,” said Kay McVay, President Emeritus of the California Nurses Association, “This initiative will not end all of the gridlock, but it is a step in the right direction.”

RESIDENTS SQUAWK OVER PROPOSED CHICKEN RANCH DEVELOPMENT: FINAL HEARING MAY 19

Update May 20: Supervisors approved the Fuerte Ranch Estates project.
 

May 14, 2010 (Mt. Helix) – County Supervisors will vote Wednesday on whether or not to approve Reynolds Communities proposed Fuerte Ranch Estates development on the site of a former chicken ranch. Reynolds has scaled back initial plans from 76 to 36 homes on the 27-acre parcel adjacent to Damon Lane County Park at Fuerte Drive and Damon Lane.

 

The plan has ruffled feathers among many area residents, also raising hackles of East County planners.

WILL POWER REPORT: ROCK & HARD PLACE--MINERALS MANAGEMENT AGENCY


Nothing but the truth!

By Will Power

May 14, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) -- In the alphabet soup that makes up the Federal Government, few people have ever heard of the Minerals Management Service. But the MMS is well known to oil company executives, because for years it has operated as a sleeping watchdog while billions of dollars in taxpayer's money was pumped out the back door.

SDG&E ADDS PROPOSED SOLAR ENERGY PROJECT TO ITS PORTFOLIO FROM IMPERIAL COUNTY

 

Photovoltaic Facility Proposed by LS Power Could Deliver up to 130 Megawatts of Clean Energy to San Diego Across Planned Sunrise Powerlink

 

May 14, 2010 (San Diego)—San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) announced yesterday that it has signed a 20-year power-purchase agreement with an LS Power subsidiary to procure up to 130 megawatts (MW) of solar energy from the proposed Centinela Solar Energy facility in the Imperial Valley.

ON THE SILVER SCREEN: "ROBIN HOOD" LESS THAN MERRY

 

By Brian Lafferty

May 14, 2010 (San Diego) -- Robin Hood is the year’s first big disappointment, considering the people involved in making it. Directed by Ridley Scott, it stars Russell Crowe as the title character and fine actress Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian. As always, Scott demonstrates his ability as one of the most visual directors out there today, teeming with expertly crafted shots that nearly give the film an epic feel. Crowe and Blanchett do not disappoint in the acting department. It is not a bad movie by any means but rather aggressively unsatisfying; to paraphrase Sean Connery from the 1976 film Robin and Marian, (a better film than this incarnation) instead of getting red meat I wound up settling for only bread and cheese.

 

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW….VINTAGE GOWNS & MORE AT SPARROW BRIDAL



May 13, 2010 (La Mesa) –La Mesa Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting and toasted with champagne this week to celebrate the grand opening of La Mesa’s newest business, Sparrow Bridal Boutique. 

 

But the dazzling wedding gowns, sparkling jewels and pearls aren’t all new. A chic boutique that’s ideal for the bride on a budget, Sparrow carries an array of both new and gently worn gowns, specializing in classic, vintage bridal wear.  The shop carriesdesigner-label dresses, traditional and bird cage veils, vintage and costume jewelry, fashionable purses, garters and other accessories. 

DUO ROBS WELLS FARGO BANK AT GROSSMONT CENTER

 


May 13, 2010 (La Mesa) – This evening at 5:13 p.m., a man and woman robbed Wells Fargo Bank in the Grossmont Center Mall. They used a demand note and threat of a gun during the robbery, obtaining cash before fleeing on foot.  

 

It was the third East County bank robbery in the past two days, though the events are not believed to be related.

EDITOR'S BLOG: GUHSD COMMITTEE SHOULD CHECK REAGAN RECORD ON NATIVE AMERICAN ISSUES BEFORE NAMING ALPINE HIGH SCHOOL FOR FORMER PRESIDENT



By Miriam Raftery

 

"Your comments about American Indians indicate that your knowledge about us, and about the historical relationship between Indian governments and the United States, is lacking to the point of being shameful." -- American Indian Movement of Colorado, in an open letter to President Ronald Reagan, 1988

 

May 13, 2010 (Alpine) – Alpine's Native American tribal members were not invited to serve on a committee to recommend a name for Alpine’s planned new high school. A Union-Tribune editorial published during  debate over whether to build a 12th high school observed, “The Viejas and Sycuan Indian tribes consider Alpine to be their community. The tribes fully understand how important education is…They are important allies to have when taking on a forgetful district bureaucracy.”

BANK ROBBED IN LAKE MURRAY AREA; BOMB THREAT MADE

 

May 13, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Shortly after noon yesterday, a tall man wearing a white, stretchy mask passed a demand note to a teller at Chase Bank on Navajo Road near Lake Murray. He claimed to have a bomb and threatened to detonate it with a hand-held device resembling a cell phone.

CONCERT SERIES UNVEILED FOR DREAMCATCHER AT VIEJAS

 

May 12, 2010 (Alpine)  – The DreamCatcher at Viejas Casino in Alpine announces a concert lineup featuring musical styles ranging from country to jazz, as well as rock, rhythm and blues. 

 

The series includes country legend Merle Haggard and other musical stars such as the Temptations, as well as a two-woman show, Vicki Lawrence and Mama, inspired by characters from the Carol Burnett TV comedy show.

GIPPERGATE: PUSH TO NAME ALPINE HIGH SCHOOL FOR REAGAN SPARKS COMPLAINTS OVER SCHOOL BOARD'S TACTICS



Board meets May 13; Critics slam GUHSD for secretly stacking advisory board with conservative political figures

By Miriam Raftery



May 12, 2010 (Alpine) – Why doesn’t the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) want the public to be given the names of people appointed to serve on a committee to name Alpine’s planned new high school?

“It’s a secret that East county’s high school district evidently would prefer you didn’t know,” stated a San Diego Union-Tribune editorial.  The GUHSD board forced the newspaper to file an official public records act request to obtain committee members' names.

The list suggests the GUHSD trustees hand-picked political figures, a large majority of whom support naming the new school after former president Ronald Reagan.

 

POLICE NAB MAN ACCUSED OF ROBBING CREDIT UNION AT GROSSMONT CENTER

 

Slim pickings for suspect Robert William Pickens

 

May 11, 2010 (La Mesa) – La Mesa Police today arrested Robert William Pickens, 44, of San Diego on suspicion of holding up the Mission Federal Credit Union at Grossmont Center.

POLITICAL WRANGLING: VULTURES, SHEEP & PORK BARREL POLITICS ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

 

By Buck Shott

May11, 2010 – This week, we bring you a ringside seat for the latest political knock-down, drag-out fights in state and local races.

 

MISSING IN ACTION: Ballot statements have been published for the June primary—but one local candidate’s statement is conspicuously absent.

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