The East County Herald

Grossmont Healthcare District honors 2013 Healthcare Hero volunteers

Ron Cook — Tue, 14 May 2013 23:09:06 +0000

Two volunteer physicians, a volunteer firefighter, financial planner, community supporter and high school senior were among this year’s recipients of a 2013 Healthcare Hero award from the Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD). Now in its seventh year, GHD’s Healthcare Hero awards program recognizes and rewards front-line volunteers for significant contributions to healthcare in San Diego’s East County region. Recipients of a 2013 Healthcare Hero Award included:
Frank Ault, a Sempra Energy retiree and volunteer firefighter, who has led the San Diego Regional Fire Foundation as chairman for the past 18 years; Phil Bresnick, a member of the board of trustees for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s San Diego-based Pacific South Coast Chapter since 1991, the year after he was diagnosed with MS; Connie Conard, a long-time East County volunteer and supporter for a number of local organizations, including Grossmont Hospital Foundation, Friends of Vista Hill Foundation, East County Family YMCA, Salvation Army, Rady Children’s Hospital and USS Midway Museum; Dr. Susan Kaweski, a practicing plastic surgeon with a private practice in La Mesa, who donates her time as a volunteer physician for the San Diego County Medical Society Foundation’s Project Access San Diego; Dr. Ernest W. Shaw, age 91, who has served as a volunteer faculty member teaching medical students, as well as a board member on the Grossmont Hospital Foundation and member of the La Mesa Lions Club; and, Chase Whittaker, a senior at West Hills High School in Santee, who has logged more than 1,300 volunteer hours as a junior volunteer at Grossmont Hospital. The 2013 Healthcare Hero awards were presented on a luncheon held on May 15 at Sycuan Resort in El Cajon.

Santee Street Fair will feature 300 vendors

Ron Cook — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:57:31 +0000

The Santee Chamber of Commerce will present its fifth annual Santee Street Fair from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 25 at the corner of Riverview Parkway and Town Center Parkway. John Olsen, Santee Chamber president/CEO, says the event is the largest one-day festival in the East County. The street fair will feature more than 300 food and vendor booths, three stages of live entertainment, carnival rides and a beer garden featuring Santee’s own Manzanita Brewing Co. Musical bands will include Bobby and the Angels, Rockola and Liquid Blue. Pat Chambers is this year’s event chairman. Olsen said the event was created to bring awareness to Santee businesses, encourage local shopping and collect food and donations for the Santee Food Bank. For more information, visit www.SanteeStreetFair.com.

Senior Health Fair in Santee on Friday, May 17

Ron Cook — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:46:59 +0000

The 14th annual East County Senior Health Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Friday, May 17, at the Santee Trolley Square shopping center, 9850 Mission Gorge Road, in Santee. Admission is free. The public is invited to attend.
The East County Senior Services Providers, a coalition of community organizations and agencies serving seniors in the East County, said the health fair will feature more than 60 exhibit booths, along with free health screenings for stroke, blood pressure, blood glucose/diabetes and video otoscope. Information will be available about senior housing, home care services, home safety, fall prevention, health education, advance directives, nutrition and volunteer opportunities. In addition, a pharmacist will be on hand to review medication lists for adverse drug interactions. Attendees can bring a list of their daily medications. Also, officials with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department will collect and dispose of unwanted, unused or expired prescription medications as part of a prescription drug take back effort aimed at preventing prescription drug abuse.
Sponsors include the Grossmont Healthcare District, Sharp Grossmont Hospital and Santee Trolley Square. For event information, phone the La Mesa Adult Enrichment Center at (619) 667-1322.

El Cajon taxpayers were `fleeced,’ says Taxpayers Association

Ron Cook — Tue, 14 May 2013 22:40:03 +0000

The City of El Cajon’s investment in a local microbrewery that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy a year after its doors opened has garnered a Metro Golden Fleece award from the San Diego County Taxpayers Association (SDCTA). El Cajon officials earned the unenviable award after losing more than a half-million in taxpayer dollars as part of a gamble in the restaurant business at taxpayer expense, SDCTA said.
Last week, SDCTA, a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting accountable, cost-effective and efficient government and opposing unnecessary taxes and fees, presented its annual Goldens Awards, which offer praise or criticism for smart and not-to-smart government spending decisions over the past year.
Grossmont College’s Life Coach Program (LCP) earned a SDCTA nomination in the public-private partnership category, but the award went to the City of Chula Vista. SDCTA said the college’s program, funded through private donations and guided by an executive advisory board, resulted in college students completing more courses, earning higher grades and more likely to complete their degree. The category recognizes programs that stretched taxpayer dollars through innovative collaborations between public agencies and businesses.
Annually, SDCTA presents Golden Watchdog awards for government programs or services that exemplify efficient use of tax dollars or good government practices, and Golden Fleece awards for government programs, services or expenditures that exemplify wasteful, inefficient – or downright absurd – use of taxpayer dollars. Founded in 1945, SDCTA has spent over six decades saving the region’s taxpayers billions of dollars, as well as generating information to help educate the public.

Realtors to host home beautification project in La Mesa

Ron Cook — Tue, 07 May 2013 23:31:31 +0000

More than 100 members of the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR), a San Diego-area realtor trade group, are expected to volunteer for a two-day home improvement project this Friday and Saturday, May 10 and 11. A new roof, landscaping renovation and overall clean-up is planned for a home located at 4667 Troy Lane in La Mesa. Volunteers are scheduled between noon and 5 p.m. on Friday, May 10, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 11.
According to Jeff Campbell, 2013 PSAR president, the project will be accomplished with the help of a small volunteer army of PSAR members and supporters, including contractors and other building trade specialists who are donating labor and construction materials, such as plywood, roofing, paint and plants.
“Our members are involved in supporting the community in many ways, and this extreme makeover of this home in La Mesa is one of the ways we are giving back to the communities we serve,” Campbell said.
The homeowner Brian, who requested his last name not be made public, said he is disabled and has been unemployed for a number of years. “I wanted to keep up the maintenance on the property but have not been able to,” he said. “I am very grateful for the assistance of the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors.”
Campbell said PSAR approached La Mesa city officials seeking a home in need of an extreme makeover. “The home on Troy Avenue definitely needs work to satisfy housing code compliance,” said Bill Chopyk, La Mesa community development director. “We applaud the Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors for their efforts, and we expect the neighborhood will be very grateful for their efforts to spruce-up this home.”
The project is part of PSAR’s Helping Hands 4 Homes, a home improvement program that assists less-fortunate homeowners who are facing hardships and in need of new hope. “We are excited to do what we can to help beautify this home,” said Carey Guthrie, chair of PSAR’s Helping Hands 4 Homes committee. “We are grateful to our members and affiliate members who are donating their time and talents for this worthy effort.”
According to Guthrie, among the companies providing materials or labor to PSAR for this project: SD Quality Renovations, Louis A. Scheuer Roofing Specialist, Dixieline Lumber & Home Centers, Anthony’s Bee Removal Co., Movement Mortgage, Sam Calvano Home Loans, Finch Realty & Moving, Quality Escrow, Inc. Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, The Home Depot, Farmers Insurance Group, Windermere Real Estate SoCal, Eaton Escrow, Elite Escrow, First American Title, Fidelity National Home Warranty, Home Turf San Diego, AmeriFirst Financial Inc., Termite Advisors, Jeff Campbell & Associates, California Sign and Marketing, PSAR Young Professionals Network, Edco Disposal Corp., RCP Block and Brick, California Coastal Painting, Dunn-Edwards and La Mesa Lumber.

Artwork by Edgemoor residents on exhibit at La Mesa health library

Ron Cook — Tue, 07 May 2013 23:21:55 +0000

The Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library, a consumer health library in La Mesa, is now showing its Spring Art Exhibit featuring 25 paintings by residents of Edgemoor, a skilled nursing facility operated by the County of San Diego. The paintings, mostly oil on canvas, are primarily landscape scenes. Many of the paintings were created in a collaborative group effort by more than 30 artists. The Spring Art Exhibit closes June 22.
The art exhibit at Herrick Library is on loan from Healing Hearts at Edgemoor, an innovative art therapy program that is helping patients transcend severe impairment, disability and isolation. Founded in 2007 by artist and educator Linda Bounds, Healing Hearts at Edgemoor uses art as an effective alternative therapy. More information on this art program is available at www.healingheartsart.org. Located in Santee, Edgemoor has 192 patient beds serving people who are severely and chronically ill. Edgemoor patients range in age from 19 to 90 and live with progressive neurological diseases, traumatic brain injuries and other incapacitating illnesses.
Admission to the Herrick Community Health Care Library is free. The Spring Art Exhibit is open to the public during regular library hours, which are from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays through Fridays, and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. For more information, phone (619) 825-5010 or visit www.herricklibrary.org.

La Mesa Chamber to collect e-waste this weekend

Ron Cook — Tue, 07 May 2013 23:21:21 +0000

The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce will host an e-waste recycling collection from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, May 11 and 12, at the Grossmont Center mall, 5500 Grossmont Center Dr., La Mesa, in the parking lot between CHUZE Fitness and the Fuddruckers restaurant. The event is a free service to properly dispose of electronic waste (e-waste), including computer monitors, televisions, PC systems, printers, copiers, facsimile machines and home entertainment systems that have reached their useful end, whether in working condition or not. Chamber officials said the event will help reduce improper and illegal dumping in landfills, and protect the plant from various toxicities from reaching our soil and environment. For more event information, including a list of qualified e-products, please contact the Chamber by calling (619) 465-7700 or visit www.lamesachamber.com.

SDSU Offers Summer Social Media Classes

Ron Cook — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:20:59 +0000

Registration is now open for the two summer courses being offered in the Professional Certificate in Digital and Social Media program through SDSU’s College of Extended Studies. They include:

Video Production for the Web II, Saturdays, June 1-29, 9 am-1 pm
This class teaches advanced shooting and editing techniques and utilizes professional-grade equipment and software. Students will shoot broadcast style packages with Sony HD video cameras and edit using Adobe Cloud Premiere Pro.

Publishing on the Web, Thursdays, July 25-August 15, 6-9 pm
Students learn how to set up a web presence, how to blog, and how to post regular content on the web. They also learn how and when to use the web’s many free or low-cost applications to increase website traffic and ensure site loyalty.

For more information, visit www.neverstoplearning.net/social, call (619) 594-0787, or email cjbrown@mail.sdsu.edu

This certificate program is designed for professionals who would like to hone their skills in how to use multimedia tools and harness the interactive power of the Internet to build an audience. Students will receive training in how to build their own web presence, including a website, a blog, an audio slideshow, and a video; as well as develop skills in social networking and SEO.

SDSU’s College of Extended Studies is an approved provider for “education to career” funding through San Diego Workforce Partnership, Military Spouse, and Veterans benefits. For more information concerning the military benefits, email rturner@mail.sdsu.edu or call (619) 594-3047.

This is a SDSU Research Foundation program.

SDSU’s College of Extended Studies reaches out to the greater San Diego community, the nation, and the world with a wide variety of lifelong learning classes, seminars, and certificate programs. Career advancement courses are offered in many areas of management, leadership, and quality improvement while self-enrichment courses range from accounting to web design. Additionally, the College offers more than 50 certificate programs, online courses, and many other learning opportunities. For more information or to register, call (619) 265-7378 (SDSU) or log on to www.neverstoplearning.net

Santee Relay for Life – Wings of Love

Ron Cook — Wed, 01 May 2013 21:00:18 +0000

Photos by Jay Renard

Santee – Six year old Riley is an active child, a Santee Princess, and close to a 3 year cancer survivor. Riley was diagnosed with a Wilms’ Tumor (a type of childhood kidney cancer) on March 9, 2010, shortly after her 3rd birthday. She had to have her right kidney removed and spent a week in the hospital. She underwent 20 weeks of chemotherapy, lost all her hair, but never her smile. She went into remission August 20, 2010.

When Riley was in the hospital, she always wears a pair of fairy wings that she had received for her birthday. Every week at chemotherapy she would wear her wings and march into clinic with her head held high. They became her signature. To this day, 3 years later, when she goes in every three months for her scans, she always wears her wings.

Riley’s parents heard of the Relay for Life and were invited by a friend who had a team to come by and check it out. The 2011 Relay for Life in Santee was their first exposure to the event. Maria Maes, then Miss Santee, greeted Riley and her family. When Maria saw Riley putting on her purple Survivor shirt, she started to cry and came over and gave Riley, her mother, Janell, and Janell’s, sister Valeie, each a hug. Janell and Valerie were not even at the event more than 10 minutes when they turned to each other out with tears in their eyes and said, “Next year we will have a team for Riley and Mom!!”

For the 2012 Relay For Life, Riley’s mother and aunt, created a team for Riley, named “Riley’s Wings of Love”. They created a “Riley’s Wings of Love” Facebook page. Between Riley’s “Wings of Love” page, her mother’s and aunt’s facebook page, over 60 people signed up to be on her team, including 9 Cancer Survivors.
Riley’s brother Reef, who was 7 years old last year, came up with an awesome on-site fundraiser. Cancer ribbons were made out of Legos. The family made 350 of them in 12 different color to represent the different types of cancer. They raised over $1600.00 for the American Cancer Society.

Riley’s family is excited for the 2013 Relay For Life of Santee this year!!! They will once again offer the Lego ribbons and other fundraisers to make 2013 the best year yet. Santee’s Relay for life starts on Saturday June 1 at 10am and ends Sunday June 2 at 10am. The location is Santee Town Center Community Park East, 550 Park Center Drive, Santee, CA 92071. Be part of the celebration of life. Visit the American Cancer’s Relay for Life Site for more information on a Relay for Life site near you: http://www.relayforlife.org/

Real estate notes: apartment sales in El Cajon

Ron Cook — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:56:12 +0000

– The 22-unit Peach Palms, 1038 Peach Ave., and the 18-unit Sierra Gardens, 1050 Peach Ave., have been sold for $4,337,500. The buyer was DCC Peach Palms LLC, 3610 Hancock St., San Diego, with DCC Multifamily Fund LLC as manager and Drake Carver Communities LLC as fund manager. Drake Carver Communities LLC operates a multi-family fund currently acquiring properties in Southern California. The acquisition was financed with a loan of $3,036,250 through JP Morgan Chase Bank (NYSE: JPM). The seller of the property was 532 West Olive Street L.P., a California limited partnership. Built in 1970, the apartments are comprised of two two-story buildings with a mix of seven one-bedroom and 33 two-bedroom units totaling 34,726 square feet.
– The 34-unit Autumn Ridge Villas, at 1019 Peach Ave., has been sold for $3,264,000. The buyer was DCC Peach Avenue LLC, 3610 Hancock St., San Diego, with DCC Multifamily Fund LLC as manager and Drake Carver Communities LLC as fund manager. The acquisition was financed with a loan of $2,284,000 through JP Morgan Chase Bank. The seller of the property was Betty T. Ma, trustee of the Betty T. Ma Living Trust. Built in 1968, the 26,500-square-foot apartment consists of a pair of two-story buildings, with a mix of 10 one-bedroom and 24 two-bedroom units on a 41,818-square-foot lot that includes 42 parking spaces.
– Greenfield Estates, a 58-unit apartment property at 501 Greenfield Dr., has been sold for $8 million. The buyer was Greenfield Estates 58 LLC, 6847 Elaine Way, San Diego. The buyer paid $2,316,000 and assumed a February 2008 Fannie Mae (OTC: FNMA) loan with a current balance of $5,684,000. The seller of the property was Greenfield Partners L.P., with Greenfield Genpar LLC as general partner. Built in 1988 on 1.92 acres, Greenfield Estates consists of eight two-story buildings featuring 55 two-bedroom units, two three-bedroom units, one four-bedroom unit with total rentable square footage of 45,575. The property includes 33 garages totaling 46,200 rentable square feet, a community pool, spa, barbecue, laundry facilities and rental office. The property was sold in late 2005 for $6.7 million.
– Tarzana, Calif.-based Mollison 150 Enterprises LP has purchased the 150-unit Bella Vista Apartments, 545 N. Mollison Ave., for $12 million. The community built in 1964, is subject to low-income housing tax credit restrictions due to expire in 2028, according to a statement from brokerage firm Hendricks-Berkadia, which represented the buyer and seller. The seller was Madison/Mollison LP of Carmel, Ind., with Pedcor Housing Corp. as its general partner. The buyer partnership, which includes CARE Housing Services Corp. of Tarzana, plans renovations to the property.