April 27, 2012 (El Cajon) -- Drop-off unused prescription drugs, no questions asked, on April 28 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the following locations:

El Cajon Police:  100 Civic Center Way
La Mesa Police: 8085 University Ave.
Lemon Grove Sheriff’s Station:  3240 Main St.
Walgreens: 10512 Mission Gorge Rd., Santee

April 27, 2012 (Santee) – On April 27 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. an estimated 250 volunteers will clean-up, beautify and restore the area of the San Diego River Trail in Santee.  Volunteers will meet at the northeast pavilion in the Walmart parking lot, 170 Town Center Parkway.

The event is sponsored by Mormon Helping Hands with the City of Santee, the San Diego River Park Foundation, Santee Kiwanis and Santee-Lakeside Rotary Clubs joining in the community effort.

April 27, 2012 (Santee) -- The Santee Chamber is sponsoring an e-waste recycling event April 28-29 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Costco Wholesale Parking Lot at 101 Town Center Parkway, Santee.  The items that are accepted include computers, TV’s, monitors, laptops, wires, stereos, radios, phones, small printers/copiers, VCR’s, DVD players, etc.  Items not accepted include household batteries, household appliances and lightbulbs.

April 27, 2012 (El Cajon) --  A Sigalert was issused at 3:47 p.m. at Highway 8 and El Cajon Boulevard. An older grey Toyota with 3-4 occupants hit the center divider, and is facing the wrong way.

The number one lane is blocked, and a flat-bed tow truck is assisting.

April 27, 2012 (Alpine) – The Southern Indian Health Council, Inc. will be holding its 6th annual Spring Gathering on April 28 at 4058 Willows Road, Alpine from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.  The event is to raise public awareness for sexual assault, child abuse and supervised visitation.

By Miriam Raftery

April 26, 2012 (Ocotillo) – A former firefighter who has parachuted into raging wildfires, Viejas Community Relations Director Charlie Brown (photo, left above) has no shortage of courage. But he choked back tears as he spoke about what Ocotillo and its ancient geoglyphs means to him and other tribes that have long considered the site sacred.

Brown has heard stories from his grandfather, who lived to be 109, about Ocotillo--where mountains are named in tribal creation stories. He has taken his own son there to learn about his heritage. One giant geoglyph is registered on the National Registry of Historic Places. Tribes across the southwest convene here for sacred ceremonies.

But soon, Brown fears, the sound of turbines atop his ancestors’ graves will “be like beating on somebody’s soul…sacrificing something that’s been there for 10,000 years.”  http://youtu.be/FbPmplN2UDA.

• Feds make first arrest in BP Gulf Coast oil spill (CBS)
• Justices to hear appeal over controversial Arizona immigration law (CNN)
• Obama takes on college costs, eyes young voters (Bloomberg)
• Radioactive particles from Japan detected in California kelp (Los Angeles Times)
• Romney sweeps five northeast primaries (USA Today)
• Mitt Romney: Mothers should be required to work outside home or lose benefits (HuffingtonPost)

• Stirring Mexico volcano closes schools, raises alert (Reuters)
• Afghan girls in school after poison attack (BBC)
• Japan fears nuclear plant sits atop active geological fault (Reuters)
• Hollande and Sarkozy head for runoff in French election (NY Times)

"What they did tonight is unconscionable."  --Board member Criss Brainard

"We have to fix this now." --Board President Chris Winters

By Miriam Raftery

April 25, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Despite unanimous testimony by the public and firefighters in opposition, the San Miguel Consolidated Fire District board voted 4-3 tonight to enter into negotiations with Cal-Fire and with labor to turn firefighting services over to the state agency.

April 25, 2012 (Santee) – UNICO San Diego will host its annual charity golf tournament to raise funds for the Brian Piccolo scholarship award on May 3 at Carlton Oaks Country Club, 9200 Inwood Drive, Santee.  The tournament culminates with the presentation of the award to various San Diego High School seniors during June.   

• Grossmont District deals with layoffs for 2012-13 (UT San Diego)
• Fundraiser for missing hiker search efforts (CBS 8 News)
• DeMaio and Fletcher heat up mayoral debate (UT SanDiego)
• Heated exchange highlights SD Mayoral debate (10 News)
• City attorney threatens to squeeze legal fees out of civic watchdog (CityBeat)
• Controversy, dispute envelop Palomar College construction site at Indian burial ground (OB Rag)
• Group launches effort to recall Sweetwater school trustees (UT San Diego)
• SDG&E avoids shutdown of Powerlink helicopters (UT San Diego)
• Getting to the bottom of city issues (La Mesa Today) 
• El Cajon Nixes Chickens (UT San Diego)
• Council refuses to sign PBID petition (La Mesa Today)

• Measure to repeal death penalty in CA qualifies for ballot (Sacramento Bee)
• Social media password bill advances in state Senate (Sacramento Bee)
• Steinberg to push California for initiative changes (Sacramento Bee) 

April 25, 2012, San Diego) --The San Diego State University School of Music and Dance continues the celebration of its 75th Anniversary with two free performances of “Opera Arias” on Wednesday, May 2, at 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Smith Recital Hall.  The noon program will be an operatic sampler of the full-length evening program.