Four Aztecs and team as a whole earn academic recognition

Source: goaztecs.com press release

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

July 29, 2016 (San Diego) - The San Diego State women’s tennis team and four individuals were recognized for their efforts in the classroom by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

By Miriam Raftery, East County News Service

July 25, 2016 (San Diego) — Conrad Prebys, a generous philanthropist who supported numerous San Diego nonprofit organizations, health and education centers, died Sunday, July 24^th of cancer at Scripps Mercy Hospital with his family at his side.

No filing fees, ballot statement costs  $315 to $360 in smaller trustee districts

By Miriam Raftery

July 24, 2016 (San Diego’s East County ) – For the first time, the Grossmont Union High School District will hold elections in November for individual trustee districts.   There are no filing fees, though modest fees are charged for candidates to publish ballot statements. With smaller districts, the cost for ballot statements is far less than in the past --just $315 in Trustee Area 1 (Lemon Grove/Spring Valley/La Prensa),which is an open seat, and $360 in Trustee Area 2 (La Mesa/Casa de Oro/Mt. Helix and part of Rancho San Diego) currently represented by Jim Stieringer.

The candidate filing period opened July 18 and closes August 12^th.  August 12 is also the deadline for candidates to submit ballot statements, which for the first time will be accepted electronically.

East County News Service

June 30, 2016 (El Cajon) – Crews working on an electrical power line caused a power outage that has forced closure of Grossmont College on Wednesday.

Anne Krueger with the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District said all classes have been cancelled and offices closed on the campus until after the July 4^th holiday.  The school will reopen on Tuesday, July 5.

East County News Service

June 22, 2016 (San Diego's East County -- Due to the Border Fire,the Mountain Empre school district has posted the following information on rescheduling graduations to El Capitan High School for high school and middle school students, as well as cancellation of classes:

By Miriam Raftery

June 21, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – All schools in the Mountain Empire school district remain closed today due to the Border Fire.   The Mountain Empire High School graduation is tentatively set to be held Thursday at 6:30 p.m. contingent on air quality and fire conditions. 

By Miriam Raftery

June 12, 2016 (San Diego) – Five years ago, the California Dream Act authorized grants to help undocumented immigrant students attend community colleges, public universities and some private colleges.  But last year, about one-third of that “Dreamer” scholarship money was not given out, Ed Source reports.

By Miriam Raftery

June 8,2016 (San Diego’s East County)—Timothy Caruthers won 59% of the vote in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District 4 race. He will run off in November against Elena Adams, who received 33% of the vote. Incumbent Mary Kay Rosinski, who withdrew from the race but whose name still appeared on the ballot, got 9%. 

Although the race is nonpartisan, Rosinski was a Democrat and Adams has the backing of the Democratic Party after Rosinski’s withdrawal.  Caruthers is endorsed by the Republican Party, giving the GOP a chance to pick up a seat on the community college board in November.

Source: Hubbs-Seaworld Research Institute

Photo: California Dept. of Fish and Game

May 31, 2016 (La Mesa) — Students from Helix Charter High School in La Mesa will release tagged juvenile white sea bass into local waters off Crown Point tomorrow to restore healthy population levels as a participants in Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute’s “Sea Bass in the Classroom” (SITC), STEM education program.

By Shani Shahmoon, Originally published in the New York Observer

http://observer.com/2016/05/jewish-woman-forced-to-hide-from-anti-israel-activists-at-uc-irvine/

Photo by Paula Prizio

May 22, 2016 (Irvine) -- An event hosted by a pro-Israel student group ended abruptly Wednesday night as police were called to protect attendees from an angry mob that had gathered. One student who never made it inside the venue called 9-1-1 as she hid in fear from anti-Israel activists who chased her into a building on the University of California-Irvine campus.

East County News Service



May 18, 2016 (El Cajon) - A busy academic year highlighted by new leadership at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges culminates with commencement ceremonies June 1 and 2, where more than 4,200 degrees and certificates will be awarded.

East County News Service

May 17, 2016 (Lemon Grove) -- San Diego County Crime Stoppers and investigators from the Lemon Grove Sheriff's Substation want the public's help in identifying and locating those responsible for stealing 43 laptops from San Miguel Elementary School April 27^th or 28^th. 

East County News Service

Image from the Alpine High School Citizens Committee that has worked for years to get a high school built.  Now a judge’s ruling could deprive Alpine of bond money that voters approved for the school.

May 15, 2016 (Alpine) — An attorney representing the Alpine Taxpayers for Bond Accountability has told East County Magazine that his client is prepared to file an appeal if Judge Joel Pressman’s preliminary ruling setting aside a preliminary injunction against the Grossmont Union High School district stands. 

First-ever Zahn Spirit of Innovation Award among pomp and prizes at SDSU commencement celebrations on May 13 to 15 at Viejas Arena

By Jill Esterbrooks, SDSU News Center

May 13, 2016 (San Diego)--This year's crop of San Diego State University graduates is more diverse, determined and decorated than any in its 119-year history.

Take Austin Owens. He'll receive his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering and the first-ever Zahn Spirit of Innovation Award at the College of Engineering's commencement ceremony on May 14 at 5:30 p.m. Owens, who is "passionate about solving problems and making things happen against all odds," has been a four-year SDSU standout for founding the on-campus Mechantronics Club, competing in international RoboSub competitions and landing a post-graduation job at SpaceX, a space exploration company founded by Elon Musk.

Updated May 11: Plaintiffs issue statement saying they will appeal the ruling.

By Miriam Raftery

May 6, 2016 (Alpine) – A preliminary ruling by Superior Court Judge Joel Pressman would set aside a preliminary injunction against the Grossmont District. If the ruling stands, it will allow Grossmont to keep $42 million that had been set aside for an Alpine High School that the district never built. The money is a portion of bond measure funds approved by voters in part for the long-promised school.

The suit was filed by the Alpine Union School District and Alpine Taxpayers for Bond Accountability. The groups have 15 days to file an appeal.