October 18, 2012 (La Mesa) – Biz Center Art, located in the La Mesa Biz Center presents Practicing the Present October 20 through January 2.  The opening receptions will be October 20 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.  The show will look at all aspects of the present.  Biz Center Art gallery manager Midge Hyde said, “This show runs from Fall 2012 into the new year.  I just thought it was a good time to look at where we are as artists, people and members of this community.”

By Dennis Moore

Kyocera, TurboTec, and String Quartet photos by Eric Ragin

October 18, 2012 (Tijuana)--As an American living in Tijuana, I have a unique perspective and vantage point on Tijuana Innovadora 2012, the 10-day showcase of business technology and culture in Tijuana, Mexico, that opened October 11, 2012 and ends on October 21, 2012. The eyes of the world will once more turn to Tijuana, truly a mosaic of Mexico, and discover what creativity and courage has led them to create. There’s no doubt, they are bound for greatness.

Fundraiser a success, but more help is needed:  “wish list” provided for families who lost homes

By Miriam Raftery

October 17, 2012 (Jacumba/Boulevard)—Ray Ritter, 2, and his parents are among nine families who lost everything in the Shockey Fire last month.  The home they were renting burned to the ground and they had no insurance.  But that’s just the latest in a string of tragedies for the Ritters.

“Dad died September 14,” Monica Ritter told ECM.  “His memorial service was Sept. 20 and on the 21st, our house burned down.”

ECM met the Ritter family at a fundraiser for Shockey Fire victims held last Friday at the Jacumba community center, where firefighters and community members turned out to raise $1,378.59.  The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation had already given over $3500 to the families during recovery after the fire—but now fire victims need additional help to rebuild their lives as the cold season draws near.

October 18, 2012(San Diego) --  A six-part marketing seminar series directed at micro, small and mid-size business owners/managers.  The first class was a sell-out, prompting the opening of a second session on developing a marketing plan on October 25th.

"This is the time of year when business owners and managers should be reviewing the successes and challenges of the past year and putting together a marketing plan for 2013 so they can hit the ground running come January 2nd," says Rama Beerfas, Chief Solutions Specialist at Lev Promotions and seminar presenter.

Rama Beerfas, Lev Promotions' Chief Solutions Specialist and Seminar Presenter

October 18, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather service has issued a hazardous weather statement for our region. Elevated fire weather conditions are forecast for the next week due to hot, dry conditions in the mountains and gusty northeast to east winds in deserts and foothills. The most severe conditions are expected Thursday.

Yesterday, record high temperatures were set in El Cajon (102), Ramona (98) and Escondido (100).

Upate: Patch.com has coverage of a Lemon Grove Council candidate debate:  http://patch.com/A-zfM4

Six candidates vie for seats

By Mark Gabrish Conlan

October 14, 2012 (Lemon Grove)--When the Republican Party swept the 2010 elections nationwide, their triumph stretched as far down as the small city of Lemon Grove in east San Diego County. The Lemon Grove City Council switched from a Democratic to a Republican majority, and in looking for items to cut from their budget they zeroed in on the city’s recreation department.

The vote wasn’t totally party-line. Democratic Mayor Mary Sessom joined Republican Councilmembers Mary England and Howard Cook in eliminating the recreation department and its annual budget of up to $260,000 per year, while Republican Councilmember Jerry Jones joined Democrat George Gastil in voting to keep it.

But the debate over community services versus fiscal responsibility, and the lingering bitterness of some Lemon Grove residents and civic activists over the Council targeting recreation to balance the city’s budget, has become the main theme of the 2012 Lemon Grove City Council race.

October 12, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – There are numerous important initiatives on the November 6 ballot. Topics include education funding, clean energy, criminal penalties, taxes and labeling what’s in your food. For our nonpartisan analysis and arguments on both sides of each proposition, click the links below.

Prop 30 aims to raise funds to stem budget cuts in public education

Prop 31 seeks to change state budget cycle

Prop 32: Political reforms or silencing voices?

Prop 33: Insurance reforms or consumer scam?

October 17, 2012 (Ramona) -- Ramona CERT was among eight beneficiaries named in the inaugural 2012 awards made by the newly formed affiliate of The San Diego Foundation, The Ramona Community Foundation. The team was presented with a check for $4,000 during a reception at the Ramona Community Library on Saturday, October 6.

Pictured from L-R: Shelley Stefanyszyn, Don Scott, John Degenfelder, Chair-The Ramona Community Foundation, Wes Brustad*, Board Mbr-The Ramona Community Foundation, Cal-Fire Battalion Chief Burke Kremensky, Barry Davis*, and Philip Savage. Photo Credit: Maureen Robertson *San Diego Country Estates’ residents

October 16, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego Sheriff’s office announces several events to raise funds for Sheriff's Child Abuse Detective Ali Perez. Detective Perez was shot and wounded with Sergeant Craig Johnson while they were attempting to arrest a suspected child molester in Lakeside in September.

Sgt. Johnson is recovering at home.

Det. Perez face many months of recovery in the hospital. It is unknown if or when he will return to work. This incident has been a financial hardship for the Perez Family including his two daughters in college.

October 14, 2012 (Otay) - Over 25 vehicles and three homes were vandalized last night or this morning in the 1800 block of Magdalena Avenue and on side streets in Otay Ranch.

"The damage consisted mostly of spray paint on cars, garage doors or broken car windows," stated Lt. Eric Thunberg with Chula Vista Police.  "Some of the damage consisted of crudely drawn swastikas or parts of the human body."

October 13, 2012 (Otay)—Incumbent Otay Water District board member Mark Robak faces three challengers for Seat 5: water manager David Charles, civil engineer Ronald Ripperger, and retired civil engineer Tim Stanton. East County Magazine sent a questionnaire to all of the candidates. Ripperger and Stanton did not respond.  Replies from Charles and Robak are published below.

October 14, 2012 (Tijuana) -- Four Mexican designers presented a historic fashion show Sunday night outdoors as part of the Tijuana Innovadora conference before a standing-room audience of more than 700 fans. It was the first time such a large-scale show had been presented in the border city.

The designers were Louis Verdad and Ximena Valero, both based in Los Angeles, and Emedel Garcia and Daniela Villa, from Tijuana.

By Janis Mork

October 12, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)- Challenger Barbara Stevens has been a writer/editor for over 35 years. She grew up in San Diego, attended Point Loma High School and San Diego State University.

She wants to focus “on the kids more so than adults, focus on student achievement, education, the students’ and districts’ needs.”Stevens was motivated to run because her daughter went through the district, graduating from Helix Charter in 2008 and recently graduating from California State University San Marcos.

Local sports-themed hair care provider challenges team members and clients to make calls home possible for deployed and hospitalized U.S. service members through VFW’s Operation Uplink™

October 16, 2012 (Santee) -- Beginning October 15, Sport Clips Haircuts in Santee at 9349 Mission Gorge Road will join more than 950 of the franchise’s locations across the country in launching its annual “Help A Hero” fundraising campaign to support the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ (VFW) Operation Uplink™.

East County wind projects among hot topics discussed by candidates for Congress, Assembly and Mayor

Story by Miriam Raftery, videos by Paul Kruze

View ECM’s videos from the San Diego Green Candidates Forum:

Part I: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz2SAosb9-Y

Part II:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8rZTtkh7OY&feature=youtu.be

October 14, 2012 (San Diego)—November's election has big impacts for our region, our nation and our world--with San Diego poised to be a leader in the emerging green economy. 

Should our region’s needs be met by rooftop solar or industrial wind projects in our backcountry?  Should the San Onofre nuclear reactors be shut down?  How can we fuel San Diego’s economy and create green jobs? In what ways should transportation and water issues be addressed—and what about global climate change?  These were among the topics of lively discussion at the San Diego Green Candidates forum on October 4, where candidates for Congress, Assembly, Mayor and Supervisor shared their ideas on these important issues and more.