See Neighbors, page 5

See Helix Scotties, page 4

See Mt. Helix, page 4

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

NEWS TIPS

(619) 697-2500 x124Editor@LaMesaCourier.com

ADVERTISE WITH US

(619) 697-2500 x133Sales@LaMesaCourier.com

New Mt. Helix Park ‘Yawkey Trail’ Perfect for Contemplation

Most of us take some time each New Year to review the past and contemplate

the future. Quieting the mind from everyday worries is not easy, but removing

yourself to a natural environment helps. And La Mesa residents have an especially

beautiful spot close at hand to do just that.

Mt. Helix Park recently unveiled a new quarter-mile nature trail, the i rst

formal trail in the Park. The trail was inspired by two people, Mary Carpenter

Yawkey, the mother to whom the Park is dedicated, and Miles Stepich, a long-

time advocate for a formal trail. Nearly 100 years

ago, Mrs. Yawkey would walk to the summit of an

uninhabited mountain (now the top of Mt. Helix) to

sit and enjoy the view and contemplate life. Later,

Mr. Stepich, a long time resident of Mt. Helix and

supporter of the Park Foundation, envisioned a

trail where people could leave the beaten path to

enjoy nature. After his death in 2009, Miles’ family

established a fund to help with the building of a

proper trail.

Last November, his vision became a reality

as more than 50 volunteers began carving a

modest trail from the southern, western and northern hillside. Under the direc-

tion of John Mead and Jeff Safford, six work parties labored to create this new

nature experience. Thanks to regular work day volunteers and crews from the

La Mesa

Neighbors:

Tom and

Julie KarloKPBS General Manager and his

wife are long-time residents

By Patti Anderson

La Mesa has long been known as

the perfect community to raise children

and establish roots that will last for

generations. You need look no further

than longtime residents Tom and Julie

Karlo for proof. Their story is a saga

of dedication and family-i rst priori-

ties that has led to great professional

successes, a loving 38-year marriage,

three children and four grandchildren

who have stayed in or near the neigh-

borhood to make their own lives.

Tom has contributed most of his

professional career to KPBS Public

Broadcasting and is now its top execu-

tive and general manager, and Julie,

has spent many years in the nonproi t

i eld. After 37 years in La Mesa, the

Karlos see the community as an ideal

home base.

When asked what has been the

catalyst for their lifelong commitment

to the La Mesa area, the answer is

simple. According to Tom…“La Mesa

has always provided the structure

a family needs to grow and thrive.

Stability and support is the key to any

accomplishment.”

State Champions! Helix Knocks Off

NorCal’s Best in CIF Division II BowlScotties speed by Del Oro High School 35-24 to

complete near perfect season, win first state title

By Ken Stone

La Mesa Patch

Darrien Oliver leaped high into the

stands, joining his fans. No small feat,

since the senior lineman is listed as 5

feet 10, 250 pounds. But Helix Charter

High School wore Eagle’s

wings on December 17,

after beating the best

Division II high school

team in Northern Cali-

fornia 35-24 in the state

championships.

Another high-l ier

was star quarterback Brandon Lewis,

quoted in The San Diego Union-

Tribune as saying: “I’m on Cloud 9. I

don’t remember the plays right now. I

feel that I’m l oating on air.”

Del Oro High School of Loomis,

northeast of Sacramento, discovered

what all but one Helix foe found this

magical season—the Scotties i nd a

way to win big.

Ken

Sto

ne

Ken

Sto

ne

Helix Scotties pose after winning CIF Division II Bowl.

The trail offers three

rock wall viewpoints,

complete with benches.

January 6, 2012 On the Internet at www.LaMesaCourier.com Volume 2 – Number 1

Invisible Children organization brings hope to Ugandan youth. Page 10

La Mesa History Matters!

Page 7

Getting Crafty inLa Mesa

Page 6

Scotties Coach Troy Starr and family

Balboa Park Proposal sparks controversy

Page 3

See Noteworthy, Page 7

News

NoteworthyCity of La Mesa Staff Logs Thousands of Healthy Miles

Since September, sixteen people from the City of La Mesa’s Community

Services division have been participating in a friendly East County Healthy

Miles competition sponsored by the County of San Diego. Each member keeps

track of the number of miles they walk, run or swim each week, which Mike

Pacheco, Community Services Manager, then calculates into a monthly total to

be submitted to the County ofice. “Healthier Me 4 La Mesa” (team name) trav-

eled 1581.75 miles from September – November 2011, and 500+ for December,

raising the total to over 2,000 miles!

Congratulations to all the East County Healthy Miles competition teams!!

Another round of competition will be starting soon. Any circle of friends, busi-

ness or civic group can organize a team and participate. For more information,

contact Amy.Menolez@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Fancy Food Trucks Visit La Mesa on Fridays

Food trucks have grown greatly in popularity over the past few months, with food truck gatherings nearly every day of the week in places like Mira Mesa, Normal Heights, Chula Vista, San Marcos, La Mesa, Point Loma, Hillcrest, and Paciic Beach. These gatherings usually feature a rotating selection of several trucks parked together in a parking lot, creating a makeshift social eating extravaganza. Such a gathering can be seen from 5-8 pm. on “Food Truck Fridays,” at the corner of Palm and Allison in La Mesa, the former location of the Friday Farmer’s Market. Note: Because these are recurring events, details can change frequently. Details can be conirmed by visiting http://wp.me/p1toAU-s7 or @sdfoodtrucks on Twitter.

San Diego Food Trucks (or SDFT) is a fan community about mobile food vendors in San Diego. SDFT does not organize any food truck events or own any food trucks, but simply aims to promote the food truck scene in San Diego, and is the irst and only online resource solely dedicated to it. We believe that food trucks are fun, exciting, and have the potential to expand our culinary scene. The “San Diego Food Trucks” Facebook page was founded in June 2010, and now has over 6,000 likes. Learn more at sdfoodtrucks.com.

Emergency Website Gets a Major Upgrade, Goes Mobile

Get critical emergency information on your computer, mobile phone

or tablet using the County’s new website at www.sdcountyemergency.com,

featuring technology developed in partnership with Microsoft.

“The new state-of-the-art site allows us to get important updates to resi-

dents quickly on their computers and on their mobile devices. And, it was

Top row (l. to r.): Heidi Thomas, Marisa Garcia; middle row: Mike Pacheco; Daniel

Cancino; Becky Jackman; Kaaren S. McElroy; Kathy Tinsley; Linda Schicker; front

row: Michele D. Greenberg-McClung; Catherine Hollarn; Dawn M. Olson; Judi Bonilla;

Angela DiBartola; Misty Thompson; not pictured: Yvonne Garrett; Joan B. O’Steen.

See Events, Page 3

JanuaryEvents CalendarGMIA NEIGHBORHOOD WALK ON MT. HELIX—JANUARY 7

The Grossmont-Mt. Helix Improvement Association (GMIA) is hosting a

walk up to the Mt. Helix Nature Park to welcome the New Year on Saturday,

January 7. Neighbors will be gathering at the San Miguel Fire Station at the

base of the mountain at 10 a.m. to begin the walk. The hosts promise hot coffee

will be waiting at the top!

SPRING YOUTH RECREATION CLASSES – CITY OF LA MESA –

REGISTER NOW!

La Mesa Community Services is now accepting registrations for the

Spring session that begins the week of February 8th. New youth classes offered

are: Baby Signs, Chess Challenge, 10andunder Tennis and Woodshop Wizards.

Other programs include: Art, Dance, Gymnastics, Fencing, Ice Skating, Small

Friends Enrichment Programs, Stroller Strides La Mesa, Theater, Tiny Sports,

Toddlers Tango, and World of Rhythm. Adult classes include: Aquatic classes,

Ballet, Belly Dancing, Boot Camp, Dog Obedience, Fencing, Irish Folk Music,

Tennis, Walk and Talk, Yoga, Zumba and many more. Call 619-557-1300 for

more information or view the online brochure & register at www.cityolamesa.

com/classes.

“INDOCTRINATED: THE GROOMING OF OUR CHILDREN INTO

PROSTITUTION” – JANUARY 11

The La Mesa Soroptimists Club as part of their STAT! (Soroptimists

Together Against Traficking) program is presenting “Indoctrinated: The

Grooming of Our Children into Prostitution” on January 11. As part of National

Human Traficking Awareness Day, the documentary ilm about child sex traf-

icking in San Diego County will be shown at several locations.

The ilm exposes the scope and destructive nature of child sex traficking

and uncovers tactics used by the people involved in this horriic crime. For your

convenience, the ilm will be shown at ive locations and the 30-minute ilm

will be followed by a Q&A session with local experts in the ield of commercial

sex traficking. There is no charge for the ilm. The doors open at 6 p.m. and

the ilm starts at 6:30 p.m. The locations are: La Mesa First United Meth-

odist Church, Alvarado Hospital, UCSD, The Church of Rancho Bernardo, and

Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

LA MESA HISTORICAL SOCIETY – THE CULTURAL HISTORY OF

THE KUMEYAAY / DIEGUENO – JANUARY 14

The La Mesa Historical Society will open its popular History Round-

table Series for the City’s Centennial year with a presentation on the cultural

origins of our region. Cheryl Hinton, M.A., Museum Director/Chief Curator

of the Barona Cultural Center & Museum will present an engaging overview

of the history, ethnography, and current activities of the Kumeyaay/Diegueno

peoples to discover, preserve, and continue their cultural legacy from prehis-

toric times through to today. The lecture will be held on Saturday, January 14,

at 10 a.m. at the Grossmont Healthcare District Auditorium, 9001 Wakarusa

Drive. For more information, contact Jim Newland, La Mesa Historical Society,

619-204-0051.

LA MESA CHAMBER – E-WASTE EVENT – JANUARY 14 & 15

The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce’s irst activity of the new year is

a community-wide E-WASTE event on January 14th and January 15th at

Grossmont Center. The event is FREE to the public. Residents are encouraged

to bring obsolete computers, televisions, microwaves (a $5 charge) and other

electrical items to the two-day event so they can be disposed of properly. The

location for the drop-off is between b2bit and Fuddruckers Restaurant on the

west side of the mall between 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Take this opportunity to help the

environment while cleaning out unused items; then stay to shop and eat at

Grossmont Center.

SAN DIEGO RESTAURANT WEEK 2012 – JANUARY 15 – 20

San Diego Restaurant Week brings the City’s vibrant food scene to life

for one week of delicious dining showcasing the freshest ingredients, most

lavorful dishes and tastiest culinary gems that San Diego has to offer! You can

choose from over 180 of San Diego’s most delightful and delicious eateries for a

three-course dinner prix-ixe menus for $20, $30, or $40 per person, depending

on the restaurant. Or try the lunch option – a two-course lunch prix-ixe menus

for just $10, $15, or $20 per person. No coupons to buy, no cards to punch, just

a phone call to your favorite restaurant will set up your reservation (it’s very

popular so be sure to make reservations). La Mesa restaurants participating

include Terra, Banbu Shushi, Casa de Pico, and Anthony’s Fish Grotto. To ind

a complete list of participating restaurants or more information, visit SanDi

egoRestaurantWeek.com or call 619-233-5008.

15TH ANNUAL MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL – JANUARY 22

Come join the fun on Sunday, January 22, and participate in the 15th

Annual Multicultural Festival Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King. As part of the

Centennial events celebrating La Mesa’s 100th Anniversary, the program will

be held from 2 – 3:30 p.m. at the La Mesa Community Center, 4975 Memorial

Drive.

Page 2 LaMesaCourier.com — January 2012

See Events, Page 4

Events, from page 2

See Cars or People?, Page 8 See Save Balboa Park, Page 8

PLAZA DE PANAMA:

CARS OR PEOPLE?By David Marshall, AIA

The choice is quite simple: Cars or people?

Should Balboa Park be a drive-thru or walk-thru

experience?

Since 1918, other than during the 1935-36

exposition, cars, trucks and buses have domi-

nated the heart of Balboa Park. The historic

uses and beauty of the Plaza de Panama, Plaza

de California, West El Prado, Esplanade and

Pan American Road have all been sacriiced for

the automobile. For more than 60 years park

supporters and city planners have tried to chase

cars out of the core of Balboa Park. But there is

no magic bullet to achieve this goal and the lack

of inancial resources has allowed this problem to

persist and worsen.

When Mayor Jerry Sanders approached

philanthropist Irwin Jacobs to help rid the Plaza

de Panama of cars Dr. Jacobs quickly realized

that the issue extended beyond just the central

plaza, which had become a parking lot, trafic

circle and throughway. Dr. Jacobs saw the stark

contrast between the people-friendly East El

Prado and the car crazy West El Prado. The East

El Prado was reclaimed for pedestrians back in

1973 – why couldn’t we do the same thing for

the entire El Prado in time for the Exposition

Centennial in 2015?

The solution developed by Dr. Jacobs will

completely remove cars from El Prado and

its related plazas, freeing up 6.3 acres of new

parkland. When was the last time you heard a

plan proposed for the park that increased park-

land? Dr. Jacobs formed the Plaza de Panama

Committee to not only oversee this ambitious

plan, but to fund it with private donations.

Trafic studies show that at least 80% of

park visitors arrive by car. So when you remove

7,000 daily autos from the core of the park you

must give cars somewhere else to go. The Plaza

de Panama Committee is proposing a new

bridge from the east end of the Cabrillo Bridge

to re-route vehicles around the rear of the build-

ings to a long-planned underground paid parking

SAVE BALBOA PARKBy Bruce Coons, Executive Director,

Save Our Her itage Organization (SOHO)

The proposed remodel and redesign of

Balboa Park is simply a bad plan. It is the

epitome of reverse urban planning. Inlexible,

permanent, with no smart or innovative trans-

portation solutions, no restoration of historic

features or spaces, and no plan for maintenance

or future park needs. Instead, a brutal and

destructive approach was taken for what was

originally a goal of removing 54 parking spaces

from the Plaza de Panama with an excessive

re-construction and transformation of the land-

scape and hardscapes. The plan as it stands now

is a means for bringing paid parking and thou-

sands of cars directly into the core of the park.

SOHO’s plan, found on our website shows how

the original goal can be accomplished quickly,

easily, with little impact, and for a fraction of

the cost.

Who would have thought when the occasion

of the 100th anniversary of the 1915 Exposi-

tion was announced, that this National Historic

Landmark with its spectacular Spanish Colonial

architecture and graceful landscape would be

transformed into what can only be described as

an unmemorable suburban ofice park appear-

ance with a freeway-like road running through

it. No thought has been given to what would

allow the park to move graciously, naturally, and

elegantly toward the future. Instead it is being

rushed to completion for 2015, in part because

of that hard timeline it is an immature design

with no feeling for the qualities that make

Balboa Park special and beautiful.

The name the Plaza de Panama Circulation

and Parking Project says it all. No mention of

restoration, beautiication, or becoming pedes-

trian-friendly. San Diegans are being told to not

worry, be happy about a two-lane highway and

bridge attached to the Cabrillo Bridge, cutting

into, through and around the park’s iconic

entrance; the removal of fully grown specimens

of graceful canopied trees between the plaza and

the palisades to be replaced with soldier rows

of palm trees, a three-story paid parking struc-

HEARTLAND FIRE AND RESCUE

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS CERT

TRAINING PROGRAMS – JANUARY 28

Make a New Year’s resolution to be better

prepared and take some classes that will help you

respond to an emergency. The 2012 East County

Community Response Team (CERT) academy

schedule has been posted on the Heartland Fire

and Rescue website at www.heartlandire.org.

Training in basic disaster response skills, such

as ire safety, light search and rescue, team orga-

nization, and disaster medical operations. Using

their training, CERT members will become better

prepared to assist others at home, in the workplace,

or neighborhood following a disaster. The classes

are ideal for Neighborhood Watch programs. The

classes begin January 28, and will be offered on

Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., at the La Mesa

Fire Station 11, 8054 Allison Avenue, La Mesa,

or the HTF location at 1301 N. Marshall Avenue,

El Cajon. To register, call 619-441-1737 and leave

your name and best contact number. Classes will

be offered through December.

COLLEGE DISTRICT, EAST COUNTY

CHAMBER LAUNCHES ‘BUSINESS

SOLUTIONS ACADEMY’

The San Diego East County Chamber of

Commerce, in partnership with the Grossmont-

Cuyamaca Community College District (GCCCD),

has launched a “Business Solutions Academy,”

featuring a series of professional development

educational classes, designed to assist business

owners in the East County. Two classes are sched-

uled for January, both of them from 1:30 to 4:30

LaMesaCourier.com — January 2012 Page 3

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Balboa Park’s Plaza de Panama: Two points of view

Major changes could take place by 2015

Balboa Park has been in the local news a lot lately. Perhaps you’ve seen the stories about the new

Balboa Park Conservancy, the plans for a celebration marking the Centennial of the 1915 Panama

California Exposition or heard something about a controversy surrounding a “Plaza de Panama

Project.”

Because Balboa Park is a regional treasure used, loved and supported by citizens throughout

the County, we believe our readers should be informed about any major changes that might affect

it. Therefore, we have invited two experts, who care passionately about the Park but disagree on

redevelopment plans currently under consideration—the Plaza de Panama Project—to present their

differing points of view on the project.

Background: Balboa Park’s Plaza de Panama Project – which began to see life in January 13,

2010, when San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders brought the subject forward during his State of the City

speech – was introduced to address parking and trafic congestion concerns within Balboa Park.

Dr. Irwin Jacobs, a local philanthropist and founder of Qualcomm, later created and formed a

committee to develop a plan to “remove trafic from the heart of the park and reclaim these spaces

for pedestrian use.” Oficials say funds for the project will come from “private donations and a self-

supporting bond.” The project is slated to be completed by January 2015, just in time for the 1915

Exposition’s centennial celebration.

But the Jacobs plan, which involves adding a by-pass bridge that would route cars traveling into

the Park from the west side to a road behind the California Building annex and Alcazar Gardens

and into a new parking garage built atop the Organ Pavilion lot, has met opposition from community

groups, most notably SOHO (Save Our Heritage Organization). SOHO sent a letter to the National

Trust for Historic Preservation protesting the plan and iled a lawsuit contesting naming the Jacobs

team to lead the project. Despite this, on July 19, City Council members voted 7-1 to approve the

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Plaza de Panama Committee (the Jacobs-led team).

Since then, the Plaza de Panama Committee has conducted an environmental review and study,

including alternative plans brought forth by local residents during public workshop sessions. A draft

of the EIR evaluating the plans proposed by the Committee is due out in mid-January 2012.

Helix Scotties, from page 1 Events, from page 3

Mt. Helix, from page 1

See Helix Scotties, Page 12

East County Transitional Living Center and the Armed Services YMCA,

the project has gone smoothly. In addition, four Boy Scout Eagle projects,

completed by Bruce Gordon, Nick Jones, Daniel Jacobs and Ladd Carnessale,

resulted in three rock wall viewpoints complete with benches that allow one

to comfortably sit in a slice of wilderness, take in the spectacular views and

contemplate life, much like Mary Carpenter Yawkey did so long ago. Addi-

tional Eagle projects and the development of better steps are underway. “Our

goal is to eventually have a master list of all the Eagle projects completed

in the Park,” said Executive Director Tracey Stotz. “The scouts have been

instrumental is so many projects. We can’t thank them enough,” she added.

The “Yawkey Trail,” named by an anonymous donor for Mrs. Yawkey, will

be an ongoing project. Interpretive signs, pointing out the vista highlights and

the Park’s lora and fauna, will be installed at each viewpoint in the Spring,

thanks to a donation by Corrugados de Baja.

Follow in the footsteps of Mrs. Yawkey: go up and enjoy the glorious view.

Helix executive director Rani

Goyal stood with coach Troy Starr as

the school accepted its irst-ever state

championship trophy in football.

Grossmont district schools Super-

intendent Ralf Swenson, a former

prep football coach in North Dakota,

savored the moment as well.

Starr had trouble describing his

victorious return to Carson and the

Home Depot Center (after coaching

in the Los Angeles CIF section,

where he won a City title in 1998

with Woodland Hills Taft).

“I’m at a loss for words,” he said.

“It’s just spectacular.”

But Starr told MaxPreps.com:

“It’s the best offensive and defensive

lines I’ve ever coached. It’s the guys

up front. That’s where it starts.”

Del Oro coach Casey Taylor

expressed admiration for his players,

telling the Sacramento Bee: “Our

guys were so resilient. They’d play

another quarter if it was allowed. We

were a little shellshocked there in the

second quarter, but we came back.”

In fact, the Golden Eagles scored

their inal points on a blocked Helix

punt and runback for a touchdown—

with 35 seconds left in the game.

Starr didn’t see it, though. He

was being showered with Gatorade.

Coming out of the tunnel at half-

time, Del Oro players were cheered by

former foes Westlake High School—

the only other team this season to

beat the Golden Eagles.

But Westlake’s luck was no

better at Carson. They lost the open

division title to ever-powerful De La

Salle High School of Concord 35-0.

Del Oro, whose team and

hundreds of fans traveled more

than 400 miles for their irst visit to

Carson, drew irst blood with a ield

goal on its irst possession—after

opening the game with an onside kick

that the special teams recovered.

But a Darrion Hancock TD run

put Helix up 7-3 with 4:24 left in the

irst quarter.

The Golden Eagles—wearing

yellow and black—came back with

10:11 left in the second quarter to

take the lead 10-7.

After a penalty negated a High-

lander touchdown pass to Jimmy

Pruitt, Helix scored on the very next

play when Lewis connected with

Gary Thompson on a long score with

7:25 to go in the irst half.

Kacy Smith (left) and Cameron Lee hold the irst-ever State football trophy in Helix history.

p.m. at the Chamber ofices, 201 S. Magnolia Ave. in El Cajon.

“New Year, New Attitudes,” a class on how to improve attitudes in the work-

force and how attitudes can affect customer service, company image, produc-

tivity and employee retention, will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 18. “Customer

Care Essentials,” a class on exceeding customer expectations, dealing with

challenging customers and managing customer feedback, will be held on

Wednesday, Jan. 25. Cost to attend each class is $45 per person for Chamber

members, $60 per person for non-Chamber members. For registration infor-

mation, contact the Chamber of Commerce at www.eastcountychamber.org or

(619) 440-6161, or GCCCD Workplace Learning Resource Center at Cuyamaca

College, (619) 660-4508.

Especially For Seniors…SENIOR RESOURCE PROGRAMS AT GROSSMONT HOSPITAL

The Senior Resource Center at Sharp Grossmont Hospital offers free or

low-cost educational programs and health screenings each month. The Senior

Resource Center also provides information and assistance for health informa-

tion and community resources. For more information, call 619-740-4214. For

other programs, call 1-800-827-4277 or visit our web site at www.sharp.com.

MANAGING DIFFICULT BEHAVIORS – JANUARY 13

Are you caring for someone with memory loss? Learn from Diane Darby-

Beach of the Alzheimer’s Association how to improve your communication skills

with memory-impaired adults and identify techniques to cope with challenging

behaviors. Friday, January 13, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Grossmont Health-

care District Conference Center, 9001 Wakarusa Street, La Mesa. Reservations

required. Call 1-800-827-4277 or register online at www.sharp.com.

FREE BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING – JANUARY 20 AND

JANUARY 31

No appointment necessary. Open to the public. For information, call

619-740-4214. Sharp Grossmont Hospital Senior Resource Center, 9001 Waka-

rusa Street, La Mesa, Tuesday, January 31, 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. Or visit the La

Mesa Adult Enrichment Center, 8450 La Mesa Boulevard, Friday, January 20,

9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.

SHAPE UP IN THE NEW YEAR – JANUARY 26

Want to lose weight? Think you need more iber? Want to have more

energy and just feel better overall? Think you should exercise, yet don’t have

“the get up and go” to do it? Learn simple tricks to make your diet healthier.

Find out why being healthy is challenging and develop a plan to make it easier!

Presented by Candy Cumming, Registered Dietician, Sharp Center for Weight

Management on Thursday, January 26, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. at the Grossmont

Healthcare District Conference Center, 9001 Wakarusa Street. Reservations

required.Call 1-800-827-4277 or register online at www.sharp.com.

FEELING BEAUTIFUL? APPLY FOR MS. SENIOR SAN DIEGO

PAGEANT – JANUARY 30

The Ms. Senior California beauty pageant is conducting a search to ind

contestants in the San Diego area for the irst preliminary pageant to take

place in February 2012. The pageant is open to women who have reached

the “Age of Elegance,” age 60 and up. The pageant seeks to allow women to

step into the spotlight of grace and dignity and accept the recognition they so

richly deserve. Pageant competition is based on an interview, an evening gown

presentation, sharing of a philosophy of life and a talent. The pageant will be

held on February 18, at the Balboa Park Club, 2150 Pan American Plaza in

San Diego. All interested contestants can contact San Diego Pageant Director,

Peggy Padilla at 760-431-9275 or email at peggy.100@att.net. The deadline for

submittal and approval of applications is January 30. For more information,

visit the pageant website at www.MsSrCalifornia.com.

PROJECT C.A.R.E. COMMUNITY ACTION TO REACH THE

ELDERLY

This free program helps people who live alone by offering a phone call

each day. It there’s no answer, someone is called to check on you. Other Project

C.A.R.E. services include Vial of Life, a friendly visitor from the Retired Senior

Volunteer Patrol and more. East county residents may call the Sharp Grossmont

Hospital Senior Resource Center at 619-740-4214. Others call 1-800-510-2020.

Ken

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Page 4 LaMesaCourier.com — January 2012

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See Neighbors, Page 11

Neighbors, from page 1

VIEW FROM THE

ROAD…By Donna Alm

Aunt Grace had been trying for months to hold a

reunion in Pismo Beach with the large number of my

Italian cousins. Finally a weekend in the fall of 2009

was found that most could be there. We convoyed

up the coast with Bill (my brother) and Sally, Patsy

(my sister) and Bernie, each couple in their own RV.

The drive up the coast made for a leisurely travel

day, with arrival that evening at the Pismo Coast RV Park. A beach is a great

place anytime, and this place provides direct access to one of California’s i nest.

Walking the beach as the rising sun cast changing colors on the waves remains

one of those special photos in my mind.

On Saturday, we enjoyed Pismo Beach’s Annual Band Competition. It

featured our niece Gracie, who performed splendidly in her dashing uniform

as she led the Visalia Jr. High School band down the street. The famous Pismo

Cinnamon Roll Café provided space for a long “catch-up” conversation with our

brother, Jim, while he waited for the band to pack up for the return drive to Visalia.

A good representation of the Calzia family became reacquainted that

evening over a yummy pot-luck dinner. We shared stories – about growing

up within each of our families, stories about our parents and about our lives.

Uncle George shared stories about his parents, grandparents and siblings, the

Italian center we cousins share. We laughed, smiled and shed a tear or two. It

was one of those times that memories are made of.

I think we all sensed the specialness of the evening; the goodbyes were

hard to say. As the oldest of my family, I have the most recollection as a young-

ster of visiting our grandfather’s farm in San Fernando Valley during the

summers and the aunts and uncles and cousins nearby. Being around them

was always a joyful experience, and we always returned home with wonderful

fresh produce, along with sweets from the bakery in Burbank owned by one of

Mom’s cousins.

As RV trips go, this one was very nice indeed! Families come together

in different ways and for different reasons. This one was just right. The time

with my siblings was fun and continued as we spent time together in a chilly

Yosemite before returning home. The time with cousins in that circle with

Uncle George and Aunt Grace was too short, yet we all learned so much about

family history, ourselves, and each other.

Closing one year and opening the next for new opportunities is again upon

us. In retrospect, all that has given me the most pleasure has been connected to

others. May 2012 bring you time with loved ones, near or far. Happy New Year!

The Karlos and their young family began their long relationship with La

Mesa when they bought their i rst house off Lake Murray Drive in 1973. At

the time, Tom was a telecommunications and i lm student at San Diego State

University, having moved with Julie from the San Francisco Bay area. With

three growing children – Tom, Greg and Kim - Julie juggled school schedules,

swimming, baton, music lessons, and even more. La Mesa provided the perfect

locale with its proximity to the university and access to the highly accred-

ited La Mesa/Spring Valley school district. There also was access to community

activities in abundance, with a nearby state-of-the-art community center for

after-school and weekend programs.

Now living on the Mt. Helix side of La Mesa, the Karlos have witnessed

the changing landscape where coyotes, rabbits, egrets, and hawks now vie for

space with hybrid cars and mini vans. Once an equestrian stronghold, the

horse culture has given way to urban-centered residents who appreciate the

country-like quiet, but are freeway close to San Diego’s revitalized downtown.

As the driving force behind today’s KPBS Public Broadcasting, Tom gives

credit to the La Mesa community for providing him the important base that

he needs for his nonstop schedule. Being out in the community is key to his

hand-on approach to guiding the organization.

“I want people to have a chance to meet me and know who I am, so I can

listen to their input. At the end of the day, it’s what they want from the station.”

Karlo rel ects.

His vision for the station has refashioned it into one of the most successful

PBS afi liates in the country. In his tenure as general manager, he has insti-

tuted a whole new direction for the stations, bringing television and radio

under one management.

“KPBS has always been a well-respected San Diego institution, but now

the goals are more specii c – to be the premier source of local news analysis on

all distribution platforms – TV, radio, web and social media.”

Recently, KPBS launched a comprehensive evening news program that

taps into new technology. Within an hour of the show’s airing, it can be viewed

on the web anywhere in the world and a special downloadable app also has

been created for mobile viewing.

Tom’s frequent trips to Washington have placed him in the national spot-

Kroc Center Offers Fun with FitnessIt’s the New Year and time for

those resolutions to get i t and feel

better. Check out The Salvation Army

Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community

Center, conveniently located on the

boundary of La Mesa at 6845 Univer-

sity Avenue, San Diego (www.KROC-

CENTER.ORG), and see what they

have to offer. Stop by and pick up the

Winter 2012 catalog of classes and

i tness activities. Or better yet – visit

the free open house on January 14.

The Center is opening its doors

to the community from 10 a.m. to 2

p.m. Guests are encouraged to bring

the whole family and come dressed to

work out or swim. The trained Day

Camp counselors will host a fun and

exciting day care area for children so

parents can take guided tours, and

drop in on free exercise classes both

in the gym and the pool. There will

also be i tness assessments, great

deals on membership, and personal

training pack-

ages. This is a

great opportu-

nity to stick to

your New Year’s

Resolutions by

starting your

exercise and i tness routines at the

Kroc Center.

Have an interest in a specii c

activity? Try out the new Introduction

programs to see if you like a partic-

ular class. Members get i rst priority

to sign up for the new classes. New

membership rules apply to the new

programs so make sure you check

the specii cs before you join any of

the activities. Become a member of

the Kroc Center during the month of

January and registration is FREE.

That’s a $99 savings. Sign up at the

Open House and get a free Kroc gift.

There is no annual commitment and

adult memberships start as low as

$26 a month – one of the best deals

in town! Your membership fees go

directly to cover the hard costs of the

wide range of community services

offered by the Kroc Center. So by

joining in any of the new member-

ship categories, you are investing in

your community.

Director of the Center, Major

Rick Peacock, detailed all the exciting

changes coming to the Kroc Center

with the expansion of their i tness

programs. Come try out the Latin

rhythms of the Zumba dance classes

on the newly expanded dance l oor,

or hit the energy-i lled Step Aerobics

classes. Strength and toning classes

include Absolute Abs!, Core, Floor

and More, On the Ball with the Swiss

Exercise Ball, or get some extra kick

with Burn Out! Want to try Yoga or

Pilates? Look into the Gentle Yoga,

Mat Pilates and Power Yoga classes

or start the day with Sunrise Yoga or

Tai Chi.

Prefer swimming instead? The

Kroc Center has three pools – a lap

pool, recreation pool and a therapy

pool. Whatever type of swimming

works best for

you is avail-

able. Classes

of all kinds

are presented

throughout the

day or free swim

time to work on your own exercise

program is always available. The

therapy pool has just undergone

resurfacing and the addition of hand

rails at the sides for greater ease

of exercise. Arthritis Foundation

classes are offered in both swimming

and group i tness classes.

But that’s not all that’s offered.

Try the Ice Skating classes, join the

Cycling programs, or climb a wall.

Open Rock Climbing is available at

the Center. If you want a personalized

experience, connect with the Certii ed

Personal Trainers for a program that

focuses on specii c needs in a special-

ized i tness program that is designed

especially for you. Whatever type of

program you need – you can i nd it

at the Kroc Center in 2012. So give

them a call (287-5762) and get going.

Get i t and have fun too! K.C.

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LaMesaCourier.com — January 2012 Page 5

Offer valid with 12-month registration.

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News and Views

Happy New Year!By Mary England, CEO

La Mesa Chamber of Commerce

The Ofi cers and Board of Directors of the La

Mesa Chamber of Commerce wish each of you a very

happy New Year. We recently held our annual elections

and the new Board members are: Mike McCorkle of

Excel Security, returning for another term; Bob Hollie

from the La Mesa Lions Club; Mark Daemon, owner

of With Esteem; Marcia Tolin from the new La Mesa ofi ce of Windermere

Real Estate; and Jim Wieboldt from Unique Travel Concepts, also returning

for another term. Plans are in store for great events and activities in 2012,

including several that will promote the 100th anniversary of the City of La

Mesa, a wonderful milestone in the city’s history.

The i rst activity of the New Year is a community-wide E-WASTE event

on January 14th and January 15th at Grossmont Center. The event is FREE

to the public and you are encouraged to bring obsolete computers and other

electrical items to the two-day event so they can be disposed of properly. The

location for the drop-off is between b2bi t and Fuddruckers Restaurant on the

west side of the mall between 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Take this opportunity to help the

environment while cleaning out unused items and then stay to shop and eat at

Grossmont Center.

Join us for a welcome ceremony and ribbon-cutting to celebrate the addi-

tion of the California Coast Credit Union as a new member of the Chamber of

Commerce. This open house reception will take place on January 25th between

5:30 – 7 p.m. Stop by California Coast Credit Union at 8002 La Mesa Boule-

vard (in the Vons Shopping Center) and say hello to the California Coast team,

led by Al Garcia, Branch Manager.

We roll into February with a breakfast event with County Supervisor

Dianne Jacob. The breakfast will be held on February 15th from 7:30 a.m. – 9

a.m. at the La Mesa Masonic Lodge, 4731 Date Street, La Mesa. This annual

State of the County meeting always gives us a perspective on county govern-

ment, upcoming programs and services that are available to businesses, and

information for county citizens.

Join us for one of our signature events, our 4th annual Casino Royale, to

be held on February 23rd, for an evening of fun and recognition. The Chamber

celebrates eight local heroes who make La Mesa a better place to live, work,

and play. Members from the La Mesa Police Department and Fire Department,

paramedics, and volunteers from the retired volunteer groups who serve our

community will be honored for their contributions. The event will be held in

the Golden Ballroom at the Town and Country Resort Hotel in Mission Valley

from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 for this worthy event and your ticket gives

you $250 worth of gambling chips to start your evening of fun. Sponsorship

opportunities are available; contact Mary England at maryengland@lamesa

chamber.com for more information.

The year 2012 is an exciting time for the City of La Mesa, the La Mesa

Chamber of Commerce and the businesses and store owners in our community.

The Chamber has many important events on the drawing board for the coming

year and we encourage you to become a part of them. We believe our members

and businesses are our most precious resource and remind you to shop locally.

Our businesses open their doors daily to offer you goods and services at compet-

itive prices – so please continue to support those merchants and community

services. Please visit our website for information on all our events and see what

we have planned for the coming year: www.lamesachamber.com.

Discover a New Hobby in La MesaBy Donna Jones

January is the month of reso-

lutions. Lose weight, exercise more,

quit smoking, or i nally clean out the

garage. But most resolutions have a

negative connotation. But why not

start the New Year on a positive note

by taking up a new hobby?

In the Village of La Mesa there

are several businesses that offer all

kinds craft classes. Small class sizes

guarantee the personal attention that

new students need. And it’s the one to

one interaction that’s needed to learn

any art form—you

can’t get that from

a book or a video.

La Mesa’s

early founders

hoped to establish

an artist’s colony

here. That’s prob-

ably why there is

such an artistic

vibe in the neigh-

borhood. Come to

a class and make new friends. Get

away from your computer and be

creative. There are lots of choices.

Here are just a few:

Knitting

Two Sisters and Ewe

8874 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa

619-460-8103

www.twosistersandewe.com

Gorgeous yarns of every variety.

Classes from beginner to advanced.

Private lessons are available. Classes

are limited to 6 students. Full service

i ber arts center: knitting, crochet,

spinning and weaving.

Yarn and Thread Expressions

7882 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa,

619-460-9276

Recently relocated from Lemon

Grove to La Mesa. Offering all types

of yarn and knitting supplies. Classes

from beginner to advanced from one

person up to eight students. Call for

a schedule or pick one up in person.

No website, but a Facebook page is

coming soon.

Quilting

Country Loft

4685 Date Avenue, La Mesa

619-466-5411

www.cloft.com

On January 14th, Country

Loft will host an Open House with

samples from the classes, plus Blocks

of the Month, demonstrations and

the release of

the new printed

class schedule.

Besides quilts,

learn to make

dolls, stitchery,

rug hooking, and

applique. One

of the few local

sources of wool

applique supplies.

Country Loft leans

toward a homespun look and carries

many reproduction Civil War fabrics.

Classes for beginners to advanced,

on-going or single classes.

Rosie’s Quilt Shop

7151 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego

619-697-5758

www.rosiescalicocupboard.com

On the western end of La Mesa,

just far enough into 92115 to be a

San Diego address. According to

their website, 18,000 bolts of 100%

cotton fabrics. Quilting classes from

beginner to advanced, plus basic

sewing machine classes. Also, “Mini

Retreats” that last from Friday

evening to Sunday afternoon.

Jewelry

Bouncing Bead

8876 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa

619-460-2323

Page 6 LaMesaCourier.com — January 2012

Our customers ask:

Q. I have a watch I really like and keeps time well, but

it is starting to look old. What can I do to refurbish it?

A. One of the irst things to do is to replace the band. Many times we can get the exact band directly from the watch manu-

facturer. This will give most of your watch a fresh new look. Next take a look at

your crystal. If it is scratched we can also replace that for you. Some watches have

cases that can be buffed and polished. Of course while you are here we will check

your battery to make sure it is fully charged.

BIRTHSTONE OF THE MONTH- JANUARY -GARNET

Garnets are a group of gemstones that are avail-

able in a rainbow of colors, including a color

change variety. The dark red variety, Mozam-

bique garnet is beautiful especially in the check-

erboard cut. Tsavorites from Kenya, are bright

intense green rivaling emeralds. Spessartite gar-

nets range from yellowish orange to reddish orange and are primarily mined in

Brazil and Sri Lanka. The Rhodolite garnet is named for the rhododendron lower and is a beautiful cranberry color. Garnets have a hardness of 7-7.5 which means

they are a gemstone that can be worn easily everyday to enhance your business

and casual wardrobes.

Call Enhancery Jewelers at (619)282-3900 for answers to any gem and jewelry

questions you may have. Enhancery Jewelers is located in the Chili’s Shopping

Center at 4242 Camino del Rio N.#17 (at I-8 & Mission Gorge). Open Tues.-Fri.,

10-6pm; Sat. 10-4pm. Martin and Kathleen White have owned Enhancery Jewel-

ers for over thirty years. They specialize in diamond and gemstone jewelry, custom

design, appraisals, jewelry and watch repairs.

Visit us on the web at www.enhancery.com or follow us on Facebook...

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Rooms in the McKinney House,

including the kitchen, are

furnished to give a glimpse

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Life in La MesaBy Pam Crooks, Editor

New Year’s is always a good time for relecting

on the past year. Launching the La Mesa Courier in

June of last year was certainly a high point for me.

I’d had the idea for a few years but couldn’t do it on

my own. I am grateful to Publisher Jim Madaffer

for seeing the possibilities, sharing his expertise and

investing in a printed La Mesa newspaper as well as

a website. People I meet want to know why I think

a print newspaper is important, and how it is faring

so far. You might be interested to know this as well.

First a little about me and newspapers. I’ve loved them ever since my

brother and I collected, and painstakingly wrote out and re-copied neighbor-

hood news by hand, delivering it door to door. I wrote for a small daily paper

during, and right after college, and reading one or two papers with my morning

coffee is an important part of my daily life. If you’re holding a newspaper in

your hands, your eyes are scanning two printed pages that may put 12 articles

in your line of sight at once. I love glancing over and discovering a new story

after I inish reading a totally different article on the same page. An arresting

photo or headline will catch my eye, and I’ll learn something I knew nothing

about before. I’ll see an opinion piece and read a thoughtful argument from a

different perspective than my own.

I sincerely hope people are experiencing that kind of serendipity when

reading the La Mesa Courier. I know I am learning a whole lot I didn’t know

about our community by editing it!

How’s it going after seven months? Well, judging by the increasing number

of phone calls, comments on line, and article submissions, I’d say the people of

La Mesa know we’re here and now look forward to the paper every month

(letting us know if they didn’t get it). Our readers tell me they like the positive

tone, the variety of topics covered and the print quality of the publication itself.

Of course I also hear from folks who disagree with a story or point out errors.

This says to me that people are reading it carefully.

What will our readers learn about their community in this issue that they

didn’t know before? I hope as much as I did putting it together….

As the months go by, more and more people are discovering the paper and

sending us material or story ideas. Is there a topic you’d like to see covered, an

organization we should know about, a person who should be recognized? Write

or call. I’d love to hear from you.

If you prefer to read the Courier online, go to LaMesaCourier.com and click

on current issue. To write to Pam, send an email to pam@lamesacourier.com or

a letter to 8030 La Mesa Blvd., #145, La Mesa, 91941. Pam can also be reached

by phone at (619) 697-2500 x 124.

developed at no cost to the taxpayers,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman,

Bill Horn.

The site is the result of collaboration between the County and Microsoft

to ind a way to increase capacity on the site, while improving the features and

functions. Microsoft offered to develop it for free, giving the company a product

it can show to other jurisdictions.

The site uses cloud technology, enabling it to expand the number of users

it can handle as web trafic increases.

“During the 2007 wildires, national news outlets linked to our emergency

site, which resulted in a lood of visitors and required us to purchase enough

server capacity to handle increased trafic.

The new site can be adjusted as needed, handling a high volume of visits

without paying for storage space during non-emergency times,” said Holly

Crawford, Director of the Ofice of Emergency Services.

La Mesa History Matters

THE REVEREND

HENRY A.

MCKINNEY HOUSEBy Kathleen Crawford

The Reverend Henry A.

McKinney House is one of La

Mesa’s oldest landmarks. The

c. 1908 home is located at 8369

University Avenue at the corner

of Pine Street, and has served as the headquarters for the La Mesa Historical

Society since 1977. The house museum was the irst house designated as a

historic landmark in the City of La Mesa. The landmark designation states

that the “McKinney House serves as a good example of semi-rural, middle-

class life in La Mesa at the turn of the twentieth century.”

Reverend Henry A. McKinney, his wife Florence, and their two sons, Henry

Cromwell and Wilfred Joyce, moved from Perry, Illinois to the San Diego area

in 1899. The family irst moved to National City and then by 1901, relocated

to La Mesa. The City of La Mesa had not been incorporated yet and the area

was known as Allison Springs. Reverend McKinney purchased two and one-

half acres of land, which included a lemon grove, and built the two-story, wood

frame home for his family in 1908. An additional son, Donald, was born after

the family moved to La Mesa.

The McKinney family was active in the religious, cultural and educational

life of early La Mesa and Reverend McKinney served as interim pastor at the La

Mesa Methodist Church from 1898-1905. He also raised lemons on the family

property, opened La Mesa’s irst furniture store, and served as the librarian for

the county library established in his store. He also held the position of trustee

on La Mesa’s school board for eight years. Florence McKinney was noted for

her work in the Methodist Church.

The McKinney House has served

as a museum and the headquarters

of the La Mesa Historic Society since

1977. The organization was founded in

1976 to preserve the history of La Mesa

through historic home tours, lectures,

exhibits, promotion of local historic

preservation activities and the creation

of historical archives documenting La

Mesa’s history. A search was made for

a suitable home for the all volunteer

organization and in 1977, the Society

purchased the historic McKinney

house from Donald McKinney who still

resided in the family home.

In the 1980s, the house was

restored to its original 1908 appear-

ance and opened to the public as a

museum and research library. The

house is illed with antiques from the

turn of the century and some of the

original McKinney family furnishings.

The house gives a wonderful glimpse

into life in La Mesa in the early twen-

tieth century. So plan a visit some time during this historic year in La Mesa

and see what early La Mesa was like. Or look into the historic archives and

research your own home or school report. The archives are open on the second

and fourth Saturdays of every month from 1–4 p.m.

LaMesaCourier.com — January 2012 Page 7

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Cars or People?, from page 3 Save Balboa Park, from page 3

structure, topped with a landscaped park, behind the Organ Pavilion. This new

circulation route, along with an improved tram system and disabled access, is

the key to removing cars from El Prado and the plazas.

The new Centennial Bridge is the most debated aspect of the proposed

project because it introduces a new structure in Balboa Park’s historic district

and would be visible from some vantage points. As a member of the design team

I can say that we all would prefer that the Centennial Bridge wasn’t necessary

– but it is. It is the cornerstone of the plan to rid Balboa Park of cars while main-

taining the convenient access that helps support the park’s many institutions.

The minimalist design of the bridge and the screening provided by existing and

new trees would reduce the bridge’s visibility to a level that most people will i nd

acceptable.

Without the Centennial Bridge the only way to rid El Prado and the plazas

of cars is to close Cabrillo Bridge to cars. Closing the bridge – the only access to

the park from the west -- has not received support from any of the park’s insti-

tutions. The vast majority of those same institutions are supporting the Plaza

de Panama project because they understand that the benei ts far outweigh any

impacts.

It’s important for everyone to visualize what this plan would achieve. The

next time you’re in Balboa Park go stand in the Plaza de Panama (avoiding

trafi c of course) and imagine no circling cars, no exhaust fumes, no asphalt,

and no engine noise. Now picture children splashing in rel ecting pools, people

sipping coffee and relaxing under shade trees and street musicians playing.

Cars or people? For most San Diegans that’s an easy choice to make.

David Marshall is an architect, preservationist, and author of San Diego’s

Balboa Park. Detailed information about the Plaza de Panama project, including

a video that simulates the i nished product, can be found at www.PlazaDeP

anama.org

ture funded by a city bond and general fund, and the construction of concrete

retaining walls as high as 24-feet and massive landi lls in Palm and Cabrillo

canyons. This new road will bisect the central mesa with a massive ditch and

destroy the tranquility of Alcazar Garden forever, in one of the most majestic

urban parks in America. If this project were to be constructed, the Balboa Park

we all know and love would be unrecognizable.

The Jacobs plan is a 1960s solution rather than a vision for 2060. It does

not remove cars and trafi c. It only moves cars from one area to another, while

bringing in much more trafi c making the park a literal thoroughfare and less

accessible to people, especially lower income families and the disabled.

The people who live, work, and raise their families here, and use Balboa

Park should be the ones with the most inl uence for community revitaliza-

tion, transit issues, and preservation development. One individual should not

be allowed to redesign, destructively alter and scar permanently the “People’s

Park” just because they have the means to.

When you destroy your history you destroy the ability to tell the story of

a place. For a solid future a city must retain vestiges of its history; a site such

as Balboa Park, a National Historic Landmark should be held in the highest

regard as it is a monument of a productive past and should be used as a stage

for an exciting future, instead of being obliterated along with one hundred

years of progress.

The needs and desires of the many must outweigh the shortsightedness

of the one.

Bruce Coons is Executive Director of Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO).

www.sohosandiego.org

Page 8 LaMesaCourier.com — January 2012

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10383 Bonnie Lane, La Mesa. Architect’s dream home on secluded private drive in Mt. Helix. 5776 SF, 5BD/6.5BA, large ofice, separate handicap-accessible guest casita, 2 garages, 2 laundry rooms, & fully monitored security. Spectacular hilltop views of city lights & mountains on this expansive 1.17acre estate. $2,050,000Porter/ Veuger | 619.316.6173

12375 Foxtail Way, Descanso. Custom Southwest style home perched high on the mountaintop with amazing views all the way to the coast. Close to Cleveland National Forest and Cuyamaca State Park, so riding and hiking abound. 2 car attached (and in-ished) garage, additional 1,700+SF garage for vehicle, RV storage and workshop. $698,500 Tom Peyton | 619.548.3390

5712 Baltimore, La Mesa. Beautiful top loor condo located next to Lake Murray. This nicely upgraded one bedroom condo features new kitchen and bathroom cabinets and counters, freshly painted walls, new looring, plus a new A/C & heating system. Priced to sell at $126,900Porter/ Veuger | 619.316.6173

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645 Forester Lane, Bonita. Great home that needs some love! Built in 1988, tile loors and new counter tops and appliances. 5th bedroom is a bonus room w/o closet, 3BA, 3 car garage and below ground pool that may need a little work. $399,000 Garry Major | 619.251.4620

4478 Carmen Drive, La Mesa. Stunning execu-tive home with panoramic views. Formal living and dining room, kitchen with breakfast area and massive family room. Extra room w/ full bath could be a 4th bedroom or an ofice. Upstairs master retreat. Lots of outdoor space for entertaining. $749,000 Darel Handley | 619.993.7190

LaMesaCourier.com — January 2012 Page 9

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See Gingham, Page 12

1,000 Shoppers Visit Goodwill

Store on Opening WeekendThe nonprofit’s 17th retail outlet in San Diego County.

By Ken Stone

La Mesa Patch

About 1,000 customers explored

the new Goodwill store in The Village

when it opened the irst weekend in

December—with 750 on Saturday

alone, the nonproit said.

“Several individual customers

purchased over $600 of merchandise

each,” said Sharon Corrigan, the local

Goodwill spokeswoman, citing igures

from sales director Jacky Brown.

“There was a line outside at the

10 a.m. opening, but after noon we

had a pretty steady low of shoppers

with no real issues with the crowd, or

the checkout process.”

She said irst weekend sales

could evoke traditional Thursday-

Sunday openings, and

“are in the neighborhood

of $20,000 for that time

frame. It appears that the

new La Mesa store, for its

location and size, is right

on track.”

Customer feedback

for the county’s 17th Good-

will retail outlet is posi-

tive, Corrigan said. “They

seemed to be very excited

that we are open. There

were some students also that told us

they cut a few classes, but thought it

was worth it to shop at Goodwill.”

The closest donation center—at

the Spring Street trolley station—

opened November 1, and “has been

averaging just under 10 donors a

day, and that number did not signii-

cantly change over the store opening

weekend.” She said donation centers

are usually slow starters, building

after time as more and more people

notice their presence. “We should

have a better idea of how this one

center is doing vs. the other two in La

Mesa in six months or so,” she said.

The newly branded Goodwill

Plaza building occupies the iconic

Clocktower Building at the north-

east corner of Spring Street and La

Mesa Boulevard. Corrigan said Good-

will staff is very happy to be in the

neighborhood, and to “have all the

wonderful shops and restaurants

nearby, and looks forward to devel-

oping strong relationships with the

community in the years to come.”

Volunteers Needed for

Homeless Count This MonthBy Charles Iyoho

We All Count! That is the message from The Regional Task Force on the

Homeless in San Diego County. There are more than 9,000 homeless individ-

uals and families in San Diego County.

The Regional Task Force on the Homeless is a nonproit organization dedi-

cated to collecting data and working to implement solutions to end homeless-

ness in the region. On Friday January 27 through February 3 from 5 a.m. to 8

a.m., the Task Force will be counting folks living on the streets and in shelters.

Jennifer Litwak, projects and development manager for the Task Force,

says ”the goal of the campaign is to provide an accurate count of the county’s

homeless population, to raise awareness of homelessness issues, provide infor-

mation on the needs and demographics of the county’s homeless population,

and provide critical data and solutions for local agencies and the community to

help end homelessness in the San Diego region.

The process is a well-organized, comprehensive effort, which includes

in-depth personal interviews with people living on the streets.

According to Litwak the data collected is used by the Department of

Housing and Urban Development to determine San Diego’s share of federal

funds to implement solutions and prevent homelessness.

The need is great. We have a huge county here in San Diego,” she said.

“We’re looking for volunteers to help” says Litwak.

Previous counts have led to millions of dollars in federal funding which

has been distributed and utilized by local service providers and government

agencies.

The Task Force hopes the efforts will result in more than $16 million in

federal funds to help San Diego’s homeless programs.

For more information on the WeAllCount Campaign, and how to volun-

teer, contact Jennifer Litwak at 858-292-7627 ext.16, e-mail Jennifer.Litwak@

rtfhsd.org or go to www.CountSD.org.

Gingham Chef Brings New Flavors

to La Mesa By Genevieve Suzuki

Get your appetites ready La

Mesa, executive chef Brian Malarkey

is ready to make his new restaurant,

Gingham, the place to go for anyone

who wants really good barbecue.

Er, correction – according to

Malarkey, it’s called “slowed smoked

meats with ample sauce.”

“I call it smoked meats because

when you say ‘barbecue,’ everyone

has a preconceived notion,” said

Malarkey, who helped open San

Diego’s Oceanaire and was a inalist

on season 3 of Top Chef. “This is

going to be different

– better.”

Malarkey envi-

sions providing a

very cool picnic feel

for Gingham patrons.

The restaurant, which

opened this month,

sits in the space that

once belonged to Gio’s

Bistro and Wine Bar

on La Mesa Boule-

vard. Gingham is

the latest addition to

Malarkey’s restau-

rants, all named for different fabrics.

His Gaslamp restaurant, Searsucker,

serves up new American classic

cuisine and Del Mar’s Burlap marries

seafood and Asian fare. Malarkey will

also be opening two more restaurants

in 2012: Herringbone in La Jolla and

Gabardine in Point Loma.

For now, Gingham has captured

much of Malarkey’s attention. Last

month he reported traveling east on

the I-8 at least ten times a week in an

effort to get things set for the restau-

rant’s New Year’s Eve kickoff party.

The drive isn’t too much of an

issue for Malarkey, who said he

really likes La Mesa. The Village

reminds Malarkey of his hometown,

Redmond, Ore. “It’s got a little home-

coming feel for me,” he said. “It’s a

little bit more quaint. A small town

group of people.”

Malarkey promises smoked

meats, slow roasted hams, house

brown sausages, homemade jam and

ketchup, and lots of fried chicken.

Nightly offerings come from cate-

gories, such as ‘Not From a Can,’

‘Baked,’ ‘Oil Boil,’ ‘Low and Slow,’

‘Smoked’ and ‘Charbroil.’ Gingham in

the daytime will resemble its sister

spot Searsucker, with open seating,

chalkboard style menu and walk-up

ordering.

“It’s dirty good,” he said. “We

got the best meat cooks in Southern

California.”

Malarkey’s old

mentor from The Ocean-

aire, Mike Mitchell, will

be heading Gingham’s

operations. “He’s a great

leader,” said Malarkey.

Malarkey said he

and his business partner,

James Brennan, came

up with the idea to open

Gingham after being

approached by Gio’s

owner Gabe Giordano to

take over the lease of the

7,000-square-foot space. “He said he

wanted to hand it over to us,” he said.

“The building was so appealing. It is

absolutely adorable.”

Don’t expect to see Gio’s when

you visit. Malarkey and his team

gutted the place to create a space for

Gingham to call its very own. “Gio

had done a $2-1/2 million facelift,”

said Malarkey with a chuckle. “[Gio’s

owner] said, ‘Malarkey! What did you

do to my restaurant?’”

Restaurant guests are greeted

by a lounge featuring unique furni-

ture and a bullet and gun embel-

lished chandelier. The space, which

was once a Ford showroom, also

sports colossal garage doors for walls

and faux animal heads and vintage

paintings.

Malarkey said he understands

it may take some time to whet La

Good

wil

l In

du

stri

es

Good

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es

Page 10 LaMesaCourier.com — January 2012

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SENIOR CARE SERVICES

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Business & Services Directory

Neighbors, from page 5

light. He has contributed to several high proi le committees that set policy

for future funding and operational issues for the industry, including federal

support and bandwidth policies.

And, if running a major media outlet were not enough, Tom spends his

fall weekends working for NFL Films, where he is an award-winning cinema-

tographer. He is now in his 34th season, having participated in the i lming of

13 Super Bowls. This is also a family affair with Julie and their sons acting

as camera assistants. Tom is credited with capturing on i lm the famous “holy

roller play”, one of the most viewed football moments in the history of the

game. The sequence of events Tom captured changed the rules of the game in

relation to fumbled plays.

Giving back to La Mesa is a priority. Tom is on the board of Sharp Gross-

mont Hospital Foundation and will be its chairman next year. He also has been

active on the Mt. Helix Park Foundation board.

With children grown, Julie Karlo transitioned from the frenetic duties of

super mom – PTA, Girl Scouts, soccer, little league, gymnastics – to supporting

a multitude of San Diego causes. She has spent the last 18 years as marketing

coordinator at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, and now heads Balboa

Park’s Museum Council. She was a key staff member for two of San Diego’s high

proi le centennial celebrations – The Hotel del Coronado and Mercy Hospital.

Today, she also splits her time between board obligations at St. Madeleine

Sophie’s Center and recently sat on the organizing committee for the March of

Dimes inaugural fundraising gala. And, as Tom’s “i rst lady”, Julie is always

at his side for the many community events they attend representing KPBS.

Always health and i tness conscious, Julie confronted major health challenges

in 1990 with a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis and, few years later, a diag-

nosis of breast cancer. She beat both these potentially devastating diseases and

when doctors suggested a more relaxing day-to-day schedule, she responded by

power-walking the Rock N Roll Marathon in 2002.

And while the Karlos, along with many La Mesans, appreciate the commu-

nity for its many assets, six-year-old grandson Chase Karlo sums up what

many of our younger residents feel is their favorite part of living in La Mesa:

“I like the sunshine.”

La Mesa ReadsBy Jessie Goodwin, Librarian

Happy New Year from everyone at the San

Diego County Library’s La Mesa Branch! Thank you

La Mesa, for making our library the highest circu-

lating branch in the San Diego County system

in November. Last month, La Mesans read a wide

variety of i ction titles. Once again, a graphic novel

topped our “most read” charts at the La Mesa Branch.

Fables by Bill Willingham, which follows the lives of

fairy tale and folklore characters living side by side

with humans in New York, was a hot title. The Confession by John Grisham

was another popular choice. Grisham continues his examination of the l aws in

our legal system with this tale of a man who resolves to confess to a nine-year-

old crime—but another man is already convicted and awaiting execution for

the murder. Another suspenseful title, I’ll Walk Alone by Mary Higgins Clark

was a favorite selection. The 30th book by Clark is a fast paced thriller about

an interior designer who is wrongly accused of identity theft and implicated in

murder. She’s never met the victim before. Or has she?

Our Winter Reading Challenge for all ages continues until January 15.

Come into the library and check out at least i ve items for a chance to enter

our rafl e. We are giving away great prizes like board games, audio books,

re-useable lunch bags, and ear buds.

Please join us at the library for a performance by an award-winning

singer songwriter. Barbara Nesbitt will perform an acoustic concert on Sunday,

January 21, at 2 pm. This free concert is part of the San Diego County Library’s

Acoustic Showcase series, which brings incredibly talented performers to

library branches throughout the year.

La Mesa library staff members are here to assist you seven days a week.

Please stop in and check out what’s new.

LOCAL BRANCH OF INTERFAITH

SHELTER NETWORK OPENS

Two La Mesa churches will host homeless families

A shelter program for homeless men, women and children that has oper-

ated in East County since 1986, opened January 2, and will operate through

May 12 this year. The Interfaith Shelter Network provides emergency shelter

on a rotating basis among nine church congregations in the East County (110

faith communities county-wide), each hosting for two weeks.

Participating churches will include the First United Methodist Church of

La Mesa and Foothills United Methodist Church, also in La Mesa. First United

Methodist was one of the churches that helped start the ISN in this part of the

county and it continues to be a role model for the program. In fact, the volun-

teer orientation for the 2012 East County ISN was held in the Fireside Room

at FUMC in October. The City of La Mesa provides Community Development

Block Grant funding to help support the East County ISN.

Shelter guests are referred by two local agencies, Volunteers of America

in El Cajon, 619-447-2428 x 30 or 31; and Crisis House, 619-444-1194 x 312.

LaMesaCourier.com — January 2012 Page 11

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Mesa’s appetite for Gingham, but is conident it will be the kind of place diners

can visit several times a week.

“It’s going to take a little work. [Mayor Art Madrid] says it’s going to

be busy from day one…I really see this as being La Mesa’s restaurant,” said

Malarkey, who said everything costs less than $20.

“This menu is going to be so bad-ass that people are going to come from all

over to see what’s going on,” he said.

Malarkey said Gingham will likely appeal to a younger set than the usual

La Mesa eatery. He also wants to do trolley tours and offer discounts to patrons

who show their trolley tickets.

Because of Gio’s past struggles with La Mesans over live music, Malarkey

said the City Council “politely” took away the restaurant’s live music permit.

There aren’t any hard feelings, though. Malarkey said the group opposing the

live music approached him to tell him the rescission doesn’t have to be forever.

“They said, ‘Brian, once we trust you, we’ll help you get it back,’” he said.

Even without live music, Malarkey is convinced Gingham’s patio, decked

out with a large ire pit, hanging lights and lush landscaping, will attract a

nice crowd.

“The patio will be the coolest place to hang out in La Mesa,” he vows.

Gingham is open Monday-Friday from 11:30 a.m. to close, and 5 p.m. to

close on Saturday and Sunday.

Helix Scotties, from page 4

Helix led 14-7 and never looked back, going into halftime ahead 28-10

after a Michael Adkins run and a Kendal Keys catch.

Lewis was 11-for-16 passing and accounted for 254 yards and three

touchdowns.

The slightest of sprinkles started at 6:10 p.m.—more than 2 hours after

the game began. Few cared, and only some sideline oficials and cheerleaders

brought out umbrellas or raincoats.

The Highlanders inished the season 13-1, and the Golden Eagles 13-2.

“It was a once in a lifetime experience to be here with my friends,” Del Oro

senior Nick O’Sullivan told his local newspaper. “Helix is a good team. They’re

very physical. They displayed good sportsmanship.”

And at the home of Major League Soccer champion L.A. Galaxy, the Scot-

ties starred on a night of nights.

Article and photos courtesy La Mesa Patch. The Courier is pleased to

announce a new partnership with this local on-line media organization. We look

forward to sharing several stories from their site with our readers each month.

LMC Editor’s note: At the end of the season, Helix High linebacker Kacy

Smith and quarterback Brandon Lewis were named CIF-San Diego Section

“Players of the Year” by the media. An inspiring story about Kacy was featured

in Rick White’s column in the December issue of the La Mesa Courier. If you

missed it, go to lamesacourier.com and type “Kacy Smith” into the search box.

Gingham, from page 10

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Page 12 LaMesaCourier.com — January 2012

If you’re like most San Diegan’s, your home is your biggest investment. With energy prices skyrocketing seemingly every day, high utility costs are a concern for most of us. What’s more, San Diego has the dubious honor of having one of the highest utility rates in the country.

One local business, ASI Hastings Heating and Air (The White Gloved Guys) has announced a strategy that will help San Diego homeowners get up to $8,000 in special energy incentives to make energy and comfort improvements to their homes with little or no out-of-pocket expense.

You Can Get Up to $8,000 in energy incentives

“These energy programs are unprecedented,” says owner Ken Justo. “The fi rst program, Energy Upgrade CaliforniaTM was introduced early this year and rewards homeowners with up to a $4000 incentive for making their homes more energy effi cient, comfortable and safe. But to sweeten the pot even more, the city of San Diego is matching funds dollar for dollar for qualifying homeowners with a program called San Diego Home Energy

UpgradeTM (SDHEU).” According to Justo these are two of the richest programs in county history.

Your neighbors are saving an average of 24% on their utilities, you can too

ASI Hastings, a Green Homes America company has already helped more than 125 families make energy and comfort improvements to their homes in 2011. According to a report provided by the city of Chula Vista, the average homeowner involved in their Energy Upgrade Carbon

Downgrade program is saving 24%. “Sure, we’re helping people lower their utility bills but that’s a small part of the story” Justo commented. “People are telling us their homes have never been more comfortable. One family told me that they stopped taking their allergy medication since they’re improvements were completed. It’s truly remarkable; but the best part is that these homeowners are using

energy incentives dollars to make these improvements.” (See video testimonial on YouTube, http://youtu.be/fo6ItDgM6Nk)

Getting started is easy“Getting started is easy,” states Justo. The fi rst step is a 26 point home

comfort and energy assessment; this service is normally $149, but for the

LOCAL BUSINESSMAN HELPSHOMEOWNERS IN OUR COMMUNITY GET UP TO $8,000 FOR HOME ENERGY AND COMFORT IMPROVEMENTS

month of January ASI will be giving the service away for only $49. “It’s common sense really, once people have a clear understanding of how they can make their home more healthy, comfortable and energy-effi cient using other people’s money they have a hard time not getting involved. Essentially the assessment gives homeowners a basic energy, safety and comfort roadmap. “

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45, so call today.

ASI Hasting Heating & Air - 1-800-481-COOL (2665) or visit asiheatingandair.com/services/home-energy-evaluation

Ken Justo, (far left) and the White Glove Guys are committed to educating homeowners how to become more energy effi cient.

View a video testimonial with your smartphone and this QR code.

Important Information You Can Use From ASI Hastings Heating & Air

Acknowledgment: This material is based upon work supported by the California Energy Commission and the U.S. Department of Energy under Award Number DE-EE0000905.

Disclaimer: This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the California Energy Commission, the United States Government, nor any agency thereof, nor any employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any speci� c commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the California Energy Commission, the United States Government, or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or re� ect those of the California Energy Commission, the United States Government, or any agency thereof.

The fi rst step to participating in the

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For just $49 the home energy assessment

from ASI Hastings includes:

■ Infrared camera scans to spot hidden defects.

■ Energy leak test using a blower door.

■ Air conditioning e� ciency and performance evaluation.

■ Furnace e� ciency and performance evaluation.

■ Attic insulation level and quality.

■ Wall insulation level and quality.

■ Test for gas leaks.

■ Test carbon monoxide emissions.

■ Test mechanical ventilation for proper venting.

■ Test ambient and worst-case CO levels of home.

■ Test stove/oven for CO levels and proper venting.

■ Test furnace for CO levels and proper venting.

■ Test all gas � ues while exhaust fans run.

■ Duct leakage test.

■ Inspect � lters in heating and cooling system.

■ All appliances e� ciency evaluated.

■ Pinpoint sources of home comfort issues.

■ Utility bill analysis.

■ Lighting e� ciency rating.

■ Water heater e� ciency test.

■ E� ciency ratings of exterior doors.

■ E� ciency ratings of all Windows.

■ Test garage for air leakage to interior.

■ Check substructure for moisture issues.

■ Inspect electrical, plumbing, and chimney for air leaks.

■ Inspect clothes dryer for proper venting to exterior.

See Invisible Children, Page 15

INVISIBLE CHILDREN:

Local Organization with an

International ImpactBy Jessica Roach

By now most San Diegans are familiar with the organization Invisible

Children, founded by East County natives Jason Russell, Laren Poole (a 2001

graduate of Helix High), and Bobby Bailey. These three set out on a trip to

Africa in the spring of 2003, equipped with a video camera and in search of a

story to tell. In their travels to the East African nation of Uganda, they learned

of the thousands who, by force or fear, had been exiled from their homes by the

Lord’s Resistance Army, a rebel movement active in the area. Upon meeting

locals and discovering the impact of Africa’s longest-running war, Jason, Bobby,

and Laren were moved to create a documentary about the Ugandan people’s

plight. The i lm, entitled Invisible Children: Rough Cut, was originally shown

only to the creators’ family and friends. As support grew, they realized the

message could be shared with a larger audience. Since 2003, the organiza-

tion has seen great success: millions of

dollars have been raised for education

and rebuilding projects in Uganda, thou-

sands of people worldwide have become

aware of the 25-year conl ict in Northern

Uganda and surrounding regions, and

the global community has enacted laws,

security measures, and humanitarian

aid toward the rebuilding of the war-torn

nation.

Named for the Ugandan children

who were abducted from their homes and

forced to become rebel soldiers, Invisible

Children strives to end the use of child

soldiers and bring peace to central Africa.

The conl ict in Northern Uganda stems from an uprising by the Lord’s Resis-

tance Army (LRA), whose aim was to overthrow the Ugandan government for

unjust treatment of Northern Uganda’s Acholi people. Support for the LRA

dwindled over time, so leader Joseph Kony turned to abducting local children

and forcing them to serve in his army. An estimated 90% of LRA troops were

abducted as children.

The international community has brought East African issues to the

forefront in recent years, thanks in large part to Invisible Children’s efforts.

Successes include the Northern Uganda Crisis Response Act of 2004 and the

International Criminal Court’s 2006 issue of arrest warrants for Joseph Kony

and his four top commanders. In 2006, the LRA left Uganda and became active

in its neighboring countries, including Democratic Republic of the Congo, South

Sudan, and the Central African Republic. Invisible Children has responded by

setting up an ofi ce in the Congo and expanding its scope to Uganda’s neigh-

boring countries. Global pressure has led the Government of Uganda and the

LRA to negotiation talks, though a peaceful resolution has yet to be reached.

One of Invisible Children’s biggest achievements is youth involvement and

empowerment. Over the years, numerous teams of “IC Roadies” have set out

across the U.S., and later across the globe, to air the documentary and spread

the word to schools, colleges, church groups and beyond, about the conl ict in

Northern Uganda. Events such as the “Global Night Commute” of 2006, and

“Displace Me” of 2007, called people in major cities to leave their homes for one

PBID or No PBID??Petitions mailed in late December

Over 200 property owners in the La Mesa Village business area have

received petitions with an appeal to sign and return them to support creating

a PBID in La Mesa.

A PBID (spoken as: ‘P’ Bid), or a Property-Based Business Improvement

District, is a California special governmental district intended to promote busi-

nesses in a neighborhood-sized area. It’s analogous to a i re district or a school

district. You’ve probably experienced a PBID in San Diego’s Little Italy, Fisher-

man’s Wharf in San Francisco, or the National City Mile of Cars.

The idea of a PBID is to make and maintain civic improvements over

and above usual city amenities thereby enhancing business opportunities in

the district, and to charge the benei tting businesses for these enhancements.

The property owners in the district are required to pay an annual assessment

based on the size and use of their property and its street frontage. Residential

properties typically pay only a token amount while retail properties carry most

of the load. Government facilities pay as well. A 1994 State law governs the

creation and operation of PBIDs.

The idea of a La Mesa PBID has long simmered while interested locals

watched the drawn-out, sometimes tumultuous, creation of the El Cajon PBID

completed in 2006. The City of La Mesa i rst cooked up the present recipe

while planning for a revitalized business district. An active group of business

supporters followed. Now detailed maps, rules, processes and petitions are

getting the approval process underway.

The proposed district would include over 200 properties along the La

Mesa Blvd corridor starting at University Avenue with the La Mesa Springs

(Von’s) Center and running through The Village to just past Grant (before the

Senior Center) – not quite to the point of rejoining University. It includes the

properties that face Allison, the commercial properties along Lemon Ave on

either side of Spring Street, and extends to include the large block with the

Sprouts market. (The Civic Center is included so the City is among the larger

assessment-payers.) The district is broken into zones based roughly on prox-

imity to its center at La Mesa Blvd and Palm.

If petitions are received representing more than 50% of the subject prop-

erty value, the City Council will initiate a mail ballot and hold a public hearing.

When voting ends, if the ‘yes’ vote represents greater relevant property value

than the ‘no’ vote, the City Council will direct creation of the district, initiate

its board as dei ned in the adopted district plan and launch the new district.

This process usually takes from a few months to two or three years, and as

taxes and regulations are involved, controversy is to be expected.

In May of 2010, President

Obama signed the LRA

Disarmament and Northern

Uganda Recovery Act,

with IC’s Jason Russel,

Laren Poole, and CEO

Ben Keesey present at

the White House while

he signed the bill.

LaMesaCourier.com — January 2012 Page 13

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Invisible Children staff outside

their Gulu, Uganda ofi ce in 2007.

Crafty, from page 6 Noteworthy, from page 7

www.thebouncingbead.com

All types of products for jewelry

making from Swarovski Crystals

to soldering supplies. Classes from

beginner to advanced, private or

semi-private lessons available. “One

Hour Wonders” are classes where you

can learn a new technique and go

home with a i nished project in under

an hour.

Fusion Glass Company Gallery and

Studio

8872 La Mesa Blvd, La Mesa

619-461-4440

www.fusionglassco.com

A unique gallery of handcrafted

glass jewelry: pendants, earrings,

bracelets and more. Classes in wire

wrapping, and stained glass. Ladies

Night is the 2nd Wednesday of the

month. Learn glass fusion using a kiln

and make a medium sized pendant.

Photo gallery on Facebook. Private

classes and parties are available.

Connie’s Luminous Glass Originals

From her home studio

619-249-1511 or connie@clgoriginals.

com

clgoriginals.com

Connie L. Govier’s fused glass

art creations range from jewelry to

sun catchers. She sells her pieces

through home parties and art shows.

Each month she has what she calls

“Weekend Playshops” where you can

design your own glass creation at her

home studio. No experience needed,

classes are limited to 5 students.

Upcoming class is on January 14th.

See the website for more details.

Ceramics

Get Centered Clay Studio

8186 Center Street, Suite D, La Mesa

619-667-7077

www.getcenteredclay.com

Come play with clay! Get

Centered offers classes and work-

shops, from beginning to advanced as

well as studio member-

ships for those who

do not need instruc-

tion. Classes include

wheel throwing and

hand building, as well

as glazing and i ring

techniques. They

sell kinds of pottery

supplies, plus one of a

kind ceramic gifts.

CeramiCafe Art Lounge

5500 Grossmont Center Drive, La

Mesa

619-466-4800

www.ceramicafe.com

CeramiCafe offers over 500

blank ceramics to paint, a mosaic

station, and clay to capture precious

prints from your baby or furry friend.

Drop ins are welcome, but you can also

make a reservation for your birthday

party, scout program or corporate

event. There is even a Friday Night

Wine and Cheese Painting Gath-

ering. Bring your own wine; the shop

offers cheese and crackers.

Painting and Sculpture

Art & Light Gallery and Studio

8277 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa

619-395-4452

www.artandlight.com

A contemporary gallery and

studio space, Art and Light offers

classes for ages 5 to adult in drawing,

watercolor, ceramics and sculpture.

The studio specializes in college prep

programs and will help aspiring art

students put together a portfolio.

Adult students will enjoy the atmo-

sphere of learning in a gallery of

working artists.

There are many

more places to i nd

your creative passion.

Don’t overlook the

City of La Mesa’s adult

classes and programs

at the La Mesa Recre-

ational Center. Check

the website www.

cityol amesa.com.

Also, Michael’s, Aaron Brothers and

JoAnn Fabrics offer classes in all

kinds of crafts.

Creativity is its own reward.

Whether your project turns out great

or not, the satisfaction of saying “I

made that” more than makes up for

a crooked seam or a lopsided vase.

I read a quote from Michael Jordan

that said, “How did I get this good?

I failed. I failed a lot.” I think a lot of

people are afraid to try because they

might fail. But if you give creativity

a try, you might just i nd out you’re

good at something. And how cool is

that? Getting compliments on a scarf

you knitted or snuggling down into

a quilt you made. Giving the gift of

something one of a kind or hanging

up a picture you painted (even if

it’s on the refrigerator), you created

something.

Visitors can also get information

about preparedness and recovery on

the site, using the tabs across the

top of the page, as well as up-to-date

maps, a searchable list of shelter

locations and social media messages.

Three Volunteer Positions

Now Open on City Boards and

Commissions

Applications are now being

accepted from La Mesa residents for

unscheduled vacancies on the City’s

Building Codes Review Board, Envi-

ronmental Sustainability Commis-

sion and Human Relations Advi-

sory Commission. Applicants for the

Building Codes Review Board must

have an architectural, construction,

and i re and life safety background.

The Environmental Sustainability

Commission’s vacancy represents the

senior adult population of La Mesa

and the Human Relations Advisory

Commission’s position represents the

disabled members of the community.

Interested residents may obtain

an application at the City Clerk’s

Counter in La Mesa City Hall, 8130

Allison Avenue, Monday through

Thursday, and on alternate Fridays,

from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on the

City’s website at www.cityol amesa.

com, or in the Board, Commission

and Committee notebook at the La

Mesa Library reference desk, 8074

Allison Avenue, during normal busi-

ness hours. Applications will be

accepted until the positions are i lled.

Further information can be

obtained from the Ofi ce of the City

Clerk, 619.667.1120.

Two Sisters and Ewe

Page 14 LaMesaCourier.com — January 2012

Earn up to $35,000+Seeking compassionate moms who are:

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Call (858) 248-4058

Apply at www.conceptualoptions.com

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Give the Gift of LifeHelp Create a Family... Become a Surrogate

Near immediate match. We have families waiting.

www.cityoflamesa100.com

Did you grow up in La Mesa? Raise your family here?Hear stories from your grandparents? Tell us why you care about our community!

Help us celebrate the American Hometown. Go to www.cityolamesa100.com.Selected stories will be featured as part of the Centennial campaign!

The mission of the La Mesa Centennial is to promote La Mesa’s 100th birthday through a community-driven celebration of its heritage – past, present, and future.

1912-2012 La Mesa Centennial: Celebrating the American Hometown

Share your Story, La Mesa!

Join us for these Centennial events:

Jan. 14 – Kumeyaay Historical Review sponsored

by La Mesa Historical Society

Jan. 22 – Multicultural Festival sponsored by the

Human Relations Advisory Commission

Go to www.cityolamesa100.com for details.

u

- Photos courtesy of

La Mesa Historical

Society

Invisible Children, from page 13

night to sleep outside in solidarity with the invisible children of Uganda.

A main thread in all of Invisible Children’s events, media, and campaigns

is a sense of zest and the ability to produce a unique spin on activism and

community involvement. “Events are fun, fresh, and exciting,” recalls Jamie

Roach, former Invisible Children employee, “yet the dedication to the organiza-

tion’s mission remains the central focus throughout.”

The power of the Invisible Children community has been demonstrated

in many ways over the years. The organization was awarded $1 million from

Chase Community Giving’s contest in 2010, where it was named number one

non-proit by Facebook users’ votes. The ilmmakers appeared as guests on

Oprah in April of 2011, for their continued efforts in Central and East Africa.

A recent campaign entitled “The Frontline” called on teams to raise funds that

will be used to directly protect local communities in the Democratic Republic of

the Congo; total fundraising from this campaign at its close in December was

$1,743,670.

A visit to its website (invisiblechildren.com) gives an idea of the vivacity

of this organization. Founded and staffed by devoted, compassionate, and fun

individuals, Invisible Children shines as an organization with big dreams that

remains humbly rooted in its beliefs and intent. On the website, one can learn

more about the history of the war in Central and East Africa, check out the

“LRA Conlict Tracker” for up-to-date developments on the LRA’s movement,

and ind themselves swept up in IC’s whirlwind of media and quirky updates.

There are many ways to donate and get involved with the organization: the

Legacy scholarship programs introduce Ugandan students in need of sponsor-

ships; colorful bags and bracelets made by and beneiting Ugandans are for

sale; and opportunities to participate in the latest contest or campaign.

While the atrocities committed by the LRA in Northern Uganda, and now

the Congo, are no laughing matter, Invisible Children inds a way to evoke

warmth, a strong sense of community, and even joy amidst these dificult situ-

ations. The staff shares stories of those who have experienced severe hard-

ship yet remain hopeful. Just like the Ugandan people, the organization moves

steadily forward with tenacity and strength. With many goals already achieved,

Invisible Children remains conident and inspired, expanding its scope and

ability to spread peace, hope, and goodwill in this world.

La Mesa Cooks!Healthy Vegetable NachosServes 4

Ingredients:

1 cup diced tomato

1 (10 ounce) package of frozen corn

¼ cup diced green bell pepper

½ cup chopped broccoli lorets

2 tablespoons sliced green onions

2 tablespoons white vinegar

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon black pepper

½ bag (7 ounces) baked corn tortilla

chips

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

½ cup chopped parsley

Tools:

Large mixing bowl

Small knife

Measuring spoons

Measuring cups

Large mixing spoon

Baking sheet

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix tomato, corn, green pepper, broccoli,

onions, chilies, vinegar, garlic powder and black pepper in a large mixing

bowl.

Spread tortilla chips on a baking sheet. Top with vegetable mixture.

Sprinkle with cheese. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until

cheese melts. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

This healthy recipe for the New Year was submitted by longtime

cooking teacher Janet Burgess. If you have a special family favorite you’d

like us to consider, please send it to info@lamesacourier.com, or mail it to

La Mesa Courier, 8030 La Mesa Blvd., #145, La Mesa, 91941.

LaMesaCourier.com — January 2012 Page 15

La Mesa Courier8030 La Mesa Blvd. #145 • La Mesa, CA 91942

Phone: (619) 697-2500 • Fax: (619) 697-2505email: info@LaMesaCourier.com

Visit our website at: www.LaMesaCourier.com

Editor:

Pam Crooks, ext. 124

Assistant Editor:

Kathleen Crawford, ext. 136

Staff Writer

Charles Iyoho

Graphic Artist:

Aleta El Sheikh

Advertising Consultants:

Lionel Talaro, ext. 128

Maria Simencic, ext. 133

Garilee Gallegos, ext. 142

Michelle Goldstein, ext. 143

Publisher:

Mission Publishing Group, LLC

Writers and Advertising Sales Experts Wanted

Please call 619-697-2500, Ext. 122

Circulation: 20,000. Published 12 times in 2012 and delivered to all single family homes in 91941 and 91942 and

at over 150 bulk locations throughout our circulation area of La Mesa, California by Mission Publishing Group, LLC.

Classified ads and articles must be submitted by mail, e-mail or dropped off at our business address, 8030 La Mesa

Blvd. #145, La Mesa, CA 91942.

Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisements or material submitted which are deemed to be objectionable.

Publisher’s liability for errors: La Mesa Courier assumes no financial liability for errors nor for omission of copy and upon

request will furnish a letter of correction to the advertiser. The Publisher, Mission Publishing Group, LLC., shall not be

liable for any error in published advertising unless an advertiser proof is requested in writing 12 days prior to publication

date and clearly marked for corrections. If the error is not corrected by the Publisher, the liability, if any, shall not exceed

the space occupied for the error. Further, the Publisher shall not be liable for any omission of an advertisement ordered

to be published. On written request, Publisher shall reschedule and run the omitted advertisement at the advertiser’s

cost. All claims for adjustment must be made in writing within 30 days of the date of publication. In no case shall the

Publisher be liable for any general, special or consequential damages.

Equal Housing Opportunity: Real estate advertising in La Mesa Courier is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Law which

makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap,

familial status or national origin or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” La Mesa

Courier will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate that is in violation of the law. This is to notify La Mesa

Courier readers that all dwellings advertised in La Mesa Courier are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain

of discrimination call HUD at 1-800-669-9777 or TTY at 1-800-927-9275.

News and information printed in La Mesa Courier is obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but accuracy

on information sent to the paper cannot be guaranteed. Articles and opinions of writers or letters to the editor that are

submitted for publication to the La Mesa Courier are the views of the writers and should not be considered the views of

the publisher. Content of paid advertisements is solely the responsibility of the advertiser. © 2012, all rights reserved.

FREE CLASSIFIEDSFree classified ads are available to private parties and to non-profit organizations that do not charge for their services. Only one ad per party or organization will be accepted per issue as a free classified - additional ads must be paid for with submission of the ads. Free classifieds are limited to 25 words or less. Ads of more than 25 words cost 50¢ per additional word; payment must accompany the ad. All free classifieds will run for only one issue even if you indicate on the ad that you want it to run more than one time. All classified ads - free or paid - must be submitted by mail only or hand-delivered to Postal Annex at 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #145, La Mesa, CA 91942. THE LAST DATE PRE-PAID ADS WILL RUN IS PRINTED AFTER EACH AD - IF NO DATE IS GIVEN, THE AD RUNS ONLY ONE ISSUE. The following ad classifications are eligible for free classified ads: FOR SALE, GARAGE SALES, LOST & FOUND, WANTED, FOR RENT, NOTICES and YOUTH SERVICES. However, this does not include WANTED ads for multi-level sales or FOR RENT ads for vacation/rental condos or NOTICES for any profit-making organization.

PAID CLASSIFIEDS - $8/25 words or lessBUSINESS CLASSIFIEDS including SERVICES, CHILD CARE, BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, NOTICES, HELP WANTED, & FOR SALE ads for any profit-making enterprise costs $8 for 25 words or less plus 50¢ per word over 25, payable in advance of publication only. NOTICES ads may NOT be ads normally classified under SERVICES (i.e., business ads) the Editor reserves the right to reject or re-classify any ads sent in under the NOTICES category that should more appropriately be placed elsewhere. PAID ADS may run for any consecutive number of issues, provided that proper payment for the ads is received in advance. NO PHONE CALLS WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR RENEWAL OF ADS. THE LAST DATE PRE-PAID ADS WILL RUN IS PRINTED AFTER EACH AD. IF NO DATE IS INCLUDED AFTER THE AD, IT RUNS ONLY ONCE. When counting words—a word is a word, regardless of the number of letters. A telephone number is a word. An address such as “10000 San Diego Mission Road” is 5 words. We do not mail “proofs of publication” for classifieds.

MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO “LA MESA COURIER”

PLEASE READ INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. CIRCLE THE APPROPRIATE CLASSIFICATION. Make checks payable to “La Mesa Courier.”

Mail to 8030 La Mesa Blvd., #145 La Mesa, CA 91942.

FOR SALE CHILD CARE BUS. OPP. NOTICES

FOR RENT SERVICES WANTED (see restrictions above)

LOST & FOUND HELP WANTED GARAGE SALES

AMOUNT OF PAYMENT INCLUDED WITH AD: _________ CHECK #

2012 LA MESA COURIER SCHEDULENote: Deadlines are firm. No extensions.

Display ads & Business/Service Directory listings are paid in advance.

PUBLICATION DISPLAY AD SPACE AD ARTWORK ARTICLES CLASSIFIED AD

MONTH DEADLINE 5 pm* DEADLINE 5 pm DEADLINE 5 pm DEADLINE Noon

January December 20 December 27 December 27 December 31

February January 18 January 24 January 24 January 28

March February 13 February 21 February 21 February 25

April March 13 March 20 March 20 March 24

May April 10 April 17 April 17 April 21

June May 8 May 15 May 15 May 19

July June 12 June 19 June 19 June 23

August July 10 July 17 July 17 July 21

September August 14 August 21 August 21 August 25

October September 11 September 18 September 18 September 22

November October 9 October 16 October 16 October 20

December November 13 November 20 November 20 November 24

*Deadline to reserve space for advertisers not currently on a contract.

Mail or drop off your ad or article at our mailing address at 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #145, La Mesa, CA 91942

Articles may be sent via E-Mail to: Info@LaMesaCourier.com

Classiied AdsSERVICES

CUSTOM-FINISH CARPENTRY Doors, entry doors,

replacement windows, interior moldings (base crown,

etc.) Cabinetry, closet organizers, patios. Lic.#657086.

Call John (619) 208-6131. (10/12)

THE BIG DEAL 7 rooms or areas of carpet cleaned,

plus a sofa and loveseat just $349. You’re saving $150.

For details, call (619) 772-4764. BBB Member www.

trulycleancarpets.com (1/12)

Flute Lessons, SDSU Flute Professor, Emeritus. 35

years experience. BM, MM, and Doctor of Musical Arts

degrees. Partial scholarships available. musicwest@

septemberflute.com (2/12)

Quality exterior carpentry. Decks, Fences, Patio Covers

and Termite Repair. License #365241 www.aactionbuilders

ofsandiego.com Bob 619-275-1493 (04/12)

Pet/Housesitting Services. Est. 1983, Bonded.

Pet-tenders offers feeding, walking, plant care,

housesitting-and above all…spoiling…in your own

home! www.pet-tenders.com 619-298-3033. (03/12)

Flute/Piano Instruction. 30 years experience.

Beginner to advanced. Music Education. B.A. Degree.

Reasonable rates. Available for teaching in your home

or mine. Rick, 619-286-8012. (03/12)

Professional Power Washing. We specialize in

cleaning driveways, patios, tile roofs, stucco,

wood decks, rain gutters. Call 619-460-8177 www.

sandiegopowerclean.com. (03/12)

Contractor/handyman, small jobs ok. Plumbing,

carpentry, electrical, doors, roll up garage door repair,

laminate floors. Licensed and insured, Bill #701783.

619-698-0375. (01/12)

Linda’s Puppy Love. Bonded, licensed, insured pet

& house sitting service offers daily dog walks, cat care,

vacation visits, overnight care, love, care & attention.

www.lindaspuppylove.com 619-857-3674. (01/12)

Keith Everett Construction and Handyman Service:

All phases of home remodeling and repair. Window

and door replacement specialist. Repair or build any

style of fence, deck, or patio cover. Kitchen and bath

remodels. Senior discount, references. No job too small.

Lic #878703. Call 619-255-3499. (01/12)

RESIDENTIAL REMODELING

Room Additions, Patios, Patio Covers, Decks,

Window Retrofit, Kitchen & Bath Remodel, Handicap

access remodeling. www.johngeneralcontractor.com

CSLB#535667, John 619-559-5567. (3/12)

4LITTLECOOKS

Hands on cooking classes for kids ages 6-13.

4littlecooks@gmail.com 619-463-7576 (5/12)

FOR SALE

Save $30,000 in Brokerage fees. Retired R.E. Broker

selling home--3 BR, 2 BA—all updated amenities.

Virtually maintenance free. Orig. $500,000, now

$459,000, with no extra fees. Tel.: (619) 464-4083. (3/12)

Baby Grand Piano, 5’5” long. Good condition. Self

pick-up. Price $700. La Mesa, call 619/697-9916.

‘Visions of Coronado,’

January 12–February 20Juried Art Exhibit in Coronado Features Three La Mesa Artists

For some people, the name “Coronado” conjures up images of an historic

hotel in a seaside setting; for others the name represents an island community

closely bound to the US Navy, while still others are reminded of an old-fash-

ioned American small town. These perspectives of the Crown Isle have been

inspiring artists ever since the town was founded in the late 1800s.

From January 12 to February 20, Visions of Coronado, an exhibit of 24

recent works of art depicting some aspect of Coronado life will be on display

at the Coronado Museum of History and Art. The juried show was selected

from 60 original pieces submitted by artists from all over San Diego County

and created in a wide variety of media, materials and styles. The jurors were:

Cornelia Feye, Director, School of the Arts and Art Education, La Jolla Athe-

naeum; Bill Mosley, Artist and Professor, Grossmont College; and Leah Ollman,

Art Critic, Los Angeles Times.

Five paintings by three different La Mesa artists were chosen for this

exhibit. Jami Wright’s impressionistic watercolor painting, “Twilight at NAS

North Island”; an acrylic painting and another in oil by Christine Schwimmer,

entitled “Contemplation by the Shore” and “Reaching the Sandbar”; and two

abstract oil/acrylic/pencil works by Theresa Vandenberg Donche, “Masts and

Sails—Coronado” and “Sea Breeze—Silver Strand.” Ms. Donche maintains a

gallery in Old Town, but lives in the Mt. Helix area of La Mesa.

The exhibit is dedicated to the memory of Sara Rowe, a beloved Coronado

resident artist, who passed away in October 2011. Sara was renown in the San

Diego area for her watercolor paintings of local landmarks. She won numerous

honors for her paintings, many of which were made into prints and note cards.

The Coronado Museum of History and Art is located at 1100 Orange

Avenue, adjacent to the Coronado Visitor Center. The Museum is open from

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (except Christmas and New Year’s Day). Admission is

by donation. For more information, log onto coronadohistory.org or call (619)

435-7242.

‘Twilight at NAS North Island,’ a watercolor painting, by La Mesa artist Jami

Wright, was one of only two dozen chosen for a juried show at the Coronado Museum

of History & Art. Four other paintings by La Mesa artists are also included.

Page 16 LaMesaCourier.com — January 2012