February 22, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) -- ECM columnist Cate Sacks, owner of the local shelter rescue and dog training company, Shelter Dogs to Dream Dogs, is no stranger to odd animal antics. But bad behavior hit close to home when Scooter, her seven-pound pet Maltese, was mauled by a stranger dog while out in public with the family.

The attack left a two-inch hole in Scooter's chest cavity and lungs. He also almost lost his eye and more.

By Kate Malatino

February 9, 2012 (Santee) – The Randy Jones “5K For Independence” walk and fun run will be held on February 18 at Santee Lakes.  The event benefits Home of the Guiding Hands, which assists developmentally disabled adults and which has been hard-hit by state budget cuts.

Participants are invited to stay at Santee Lakes for a day of family fun, picnic lunch, beer garden, and awards ceremony.

 
February 4, 2012  (Rancho San Diego, Jamul) -- Local Cub Scouts and their fathers volunteered on Saturday, January 28th to help maintain a nesting site for endangered California Least Terns at Mariner's Point in Mission Bay. They spent three hours clearing the nesting site of invasive plants so the terns can use the site for nesting and rearing their young during the next breeding season (from mid-April to August). 

 
Presented by Delta Kappa Gamma Society at the The United Church of Christ of La Mesa (UCCLM) 

 No?  Susan Conniry and Tom Beasley, authors of Ready or Not: A Disaster Survival Handbook, can help.

January 31, 2012  (Alpine) -- On Saturday, March 25, 2012 the communities of Alpine and Mt. Empire will host one of their traditions, the Miss Alpine, Miss Mt. Empire, and Miss East County Scholarship Pageants.

 
January 30, 2012 (El Cajon) -- The El Cajon Police Department is now accepting applications for the 2012 Citizen's Police Academy. The Citizen's Police Academy is an eight week program that allows members of the community to learn how their police department functions from the inside - out. 

 
January 25, 2012 (San Diego) -- As part of its ongoing commitment to cultural diversity and responsible banking, Union Bank, N.A., has partnered with KPBS to honor 17 local individuals who are making a difference to enrich the lives of others.  The honorees were announced as part of the 2011 Cultural Diversity Partnership, which recognizes and pays tribute to local heroes from eight diverse communities who are making a difference by improving their workplace, profession, neighborhood, community, region and the world.  The year-long celebration of diversity culminates with an awards ceremony on  February 8, 2012, where recipients will be formally recognized.

 
January 21, 2012 (Santee) – The 2012 holiday season may be almost a year away, but Santee Santas are getting an early holiday gift.  The all-volunteer, non-profit organization that has been bringing the spirit of the holidays to the Santee community for more than fifty years was informed that they will be the recipients of a $1,000 cash donation from Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market.

Update: 20% of $60,000 funding goal met so far; pledges sought from public

New! View a video of what may be lost:  http://palomarsp.org/friends/save_palomar_video_standard.htm

By Miriam Raftery

January 16, 2012 (Palomar) –  Friends of Palomar Mountain State Park has submitted a plan to the California Dept. of Parks and Recreation that could prevent the park from closing permanently on July 1 due to budget cuts. The group seeks pledges from inidividuals in hopes of reaching $60,000.  [Editor's note: 16% of the goal was met when we posted this. Now on Jan. 17, 20% of the goal has been met. Thanks to our readers who helped! I made a pledge and hope many more of you will help save this beautiful place!)

 To pledge, visit www.friendsofpalomarsp.org. (You won't be asked to pay unless State Parks agrees to the plan.) To  learn more and see photos of what’s at stake, see ECM’s story on Palomar State Park at http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/5539

January 17, 2012 (San Diego) – On the Go:  Transportation Solutions of Older Adults, founded in 2008, a division of Charitable Adult Rides & Services, Inc. delivered its 100,000th  ride last week to Sara “Suzanne” Tell, 80 years old. She received her most recent ride from Bill Farrar, retired police officer who has been volunteering since 2010 and has provided about 100 rides. 

 
Buy a bottle of “Sequoia” wine and help save animals at a no-kill shelter

 

January 6, 2012 (Alpine) -- In  December, the “Alpine Squares” square dance club held their 27th annual Christmas Sock Hop for the benefit of Rady Children’s Hospital.  Over $3700 was raised at this event, to be used for recreational therapy for the severely medically challenged children being treated there.  The dance was co-sponsored again by Toyota of Santee, and held at their showroom.

 
January 4, 2012 (San Diego) --In the beginning of its second year, the San Diego Veterans For Peace (SDVP) group’s Compassion Campaign has coordinated the efforts of a few dedicated veterans in an effort to help some of the most needy veterans. The Compassion Campaign established in December 2010, is the nonprofit group’s crusade to provide sleeping bag sets and waterproof gear to San Diego’s homeless population.

January 1, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Rose Hooper and her two teenage children lost their Jamul home in a fire December 29, two years after Rose’s husband died of cancer. Now Nick Baldwin, an El Cajon business owner, has started a drive to collect donated items to help this family in need.