By Janis Mork

September 12, 2013 (La Mesa)- At Tuesday’s City Council Meeting, Council got a status report and update of  a revised and scaled down Planned Business Improvement District (PBID) development plan  from two members of the PBID  Formation Committee, Lynn McRey and Bill Ratan.  Council voted 4-1 to stop funding consulting fees for the faltering PBID effort,  dimming prospects for a PBID in La Mesa’s future. Mayor Art Madrid was the lone dissenting vote.

• Ramona wines beat French varieties in competition (UT San Diego)
• La Mesa Council deadlocked on PBID approval, will make decision in July (La Mesa Patch)   
• $1 billion hospital opens (Valley Roadrunner)
• DEA “accidentally” left forgotten suspect in holding cell for 5 days (UT San Diego)
• 6 La Mesa officers exonerated in fatal shooting of Andrew Yacko (La Mesa Patch)
• Lloyd Jr pleads guilty to manslaughter in Santee teen Carioscias’ death (Santee Patch)
• Lemon Grove School District cuts 30 jobs (UT San Diego)

• Voice of San Diego series:  Who is….

Bob Filner
Nathan Fletcher
Bonnie Dumanis
Carl DeMaio

• Other mayoral coverage:
• Filner releases pension plan (UT San Diego)
• Fletcher pledges to make cycling, transit a priority (Reader) 
• Fletcher-GOP feud still going strong: party sues candidate over $5,000 fundraiser (UT San Diego) 
• The Fletcher Flim-Flam (OB Rag) 
• The unfortunate trajectory of Carl DeMaio (Citybeat)
  

STATE

• San Diego takes water fight public (New York Times)
• UCAN reaches settlement to allow group to go on (UT San Diego)
• California rakes in healthcare grants (Saramento Bee)
• Environmentalists feeling burned by rush to build big solar projects (Los Angeles Times)
• Discovery of Indian artifacts complicates Genesis Solar project (Los Angeles Times)
• Calif. Public Utilities Commission: PG&E smart meter “opt out” fees suspended
• Diablo Canyon reactor gets some unwelcome guests  

January 12, 2012 --  (San Diego’s East County)--East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media.  This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:   

• Referendum drive to overturn California Dream Act fails (Sacramento Bee)
• California Supreme Court tackles redistricting (Sacramento Bee)
• Gov. Jerry Brown proposes axing traditional kindergarten (Sacramento Bee)

• Algae biofuels inject money in San Diego’s economy (LPBS)
• County Supervisors back Sycuan pact (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• 5 charged in Sweetwater school corruption (KPBS)
• Susan Davis meets her new constituents (Mount Helix Patch)
• SOHO buys historic Santa Ysabel store (Ramona Journal)
• Merchant alleges city, PBID violations of Brown Act (La Mesa Patch)

An ECM Special Report: Part I

By Walter Hall

August 19, 2011 (La Mesa)--In October, property owners in La Mesa’s downtown district will vote on an initiative with long range consequences for the city and surrounding area. At stake is the charter and character of a Property-based Business Improvement District, commonly abbreviated to PBID.