CHALLENGES FACING U.S. IN AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN: SDSU PROFESSOR DIPAK GUPTA TO SPEAK IN LA MESA MARCH 4
March 1, 2009 (La Mesa) — Dr. Dipak Gupta, distinguished professor in Political Science at SDSU will share his knowledge about challenges facing the U.S. in Afghanistan and Pakistan during a talk at the La Mesa Community Center on Wednesday, March 4th. Questions to be addressed include: Can we achieve a military victory in Afghanistan, or will we wind up like the Russians who spent 10 years and committed 160,000 troops in Afghanistan only to leave in defeat? What can be done to support the fragile new government in Pakistan, a country with nuclear weapons? Dr. Gupta is also Chair of the International Security and conflict Resolution program at SDSU, and has lectured extensively across the country. In 2007, Professor Gupta, along with others, helped secure a $1.7 million grant from the Hansen Foundation to start the Hansen Summer Institute on Leadership and International cooperation. The grant will allow 20 college students from conflict zones of the world to come to SD for a 3-weel long education program. The meeting, which is hosted by the La Mesa-Foothills Democratic Club, is free to the public. Refreshments and networking start at 6:30, meeting at 7 p.m. The La Mesa Community Center is located at 4975 Memorial Drive, La Mesa.
GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT WRAPS UP CLASSROOM MODERNIZATION PROJECTS, BREAKS GROUND ON EIGHT NEW SCIENCE BUILDINGS
Milestones Mark Completion of Phase 2B, Start of Phase 3A for $274 million Prop H School Bond Program Valhalla High School Principal Mary Beth Kstan takes the ceremonial shovel turn, joined by Valhalla science teachers, a student and District staff in a groundbreaking ceremony on Feb. 12 for the school’s new two-story science building, which will house 12 science clasrooms with labs. Completion is scheduled to be completed in Feb. 2010. March 1, 2009 (El Cajon) — Grossmont Union High School District has announced that two major milestones have been achieved on the landmark $274 million Proposition H school bond passed by voters in 2004. First, Phase 2B, which includes standard classroom modernization projects, has been completed at seven of the district’s 16 campuses, representing a total of 224 fully upgraded and enhanced classrooms to better serve the needs of East County students and staff. The remaining elements of Phase 2B include: — Mount Miguel High School–opened bids in January; received board approval on Feb. 12 and construction to begin over the next 30 day — Valhalla High School, Foothills Adult School, Steele Canyon High School, Viking Center, Chaparral High School, Homestead Frontier and the Work Training Center–presently in the pre-design or full design stage Once all Phase 2B modernization projects are complete, a total of 276 classrooms will have been modernized to the new district standards. Rendering of new science building at Grossmont High, one of 8 new science buildings being constructed with Prop U funding. Secondly, Phase 3A is now underway, which includes the construction of eight new science classroom buildings on campuses throughout the district. Construction for each building is expected to take approximately 12 months. All eight of the science classroom buildings have either commenced construction or are in the pre-construction phase. Upon the completion of Phase 3A, the district will have 72 new science classrooms and laboratories available for instruction. Proposition H was approved by 62 percent of voters in March 2004 to fund repairs of aging schools in the district as well as the construction of a new school. It was the first bond passed by voters in the East County in 37 years. The program includes student safety improvements, upgrades and expansion of technology and other infrastructures, renovations of outdated classrooms and the construction of new science classrooms. The construction phases include: Phase 1 and 2A –Underground utility infrastructure (2005 — 2006) Phase 2B — Modernization of standard classroom buildings (2007 — 2009) Phase 3A — Construction of new science classrooms (2009 — 2010) Phase 3B-R — Modernization/construction of remaining prioritized work (2009 – 2010) New School Construction (2011 — 2013) More information on the Proposition H program can be found at proph.build-guhsd.com or at the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee Web site at cboc.guhsd.net. Established in 1920, Grossmont Union High School District encompasses an area of approximately 465 square miles, including all of the cities of El Cajon, Santee and Lemon Grove, most of the city of La Mesa, a small portion of the city of San Diego, and the unincorporated areas of Alpine, Dulzura, Jamul, Lakeside and Spring Valley. Over 24,000 students are served by the district’s schools.
THRIVING IN HARD TIMES SERIES: El Cajon Mom Finds Her Calling, Builds Recession-Proof Business Selling Phone Services From Home
By Miriam Raftery Just a few months after starting a home-based business in fall 2008, Karie Schmidt of El Cajon has a team of entrepreneurs working for her. She is earning a comfortable income, has flexible hours to spend with her family, and enjoys perks such as free phone service and free travel–including a trip to a pre-Kentucky Derby race in Lexington. Her success in an era when many large companies are struggling amid a difficult economy makes her accomplishments even more remarkable. “I committed to being a homemaker and a Mom,” said Schmidt, who devoted herself to being a full-time, stay at home mother for 15 years. With her son now a teenager, she wanted to return to the work force and earn a part-time income, but didn’t want a traditional full-time office job. Then she discovered a “perfect storm” of factors that enabled her to start a home-based business with Lightyear Network Solutions, a telecommunications marketing company founded in 1993. Lightyear was launching the first wholesale company specializing in wireless phone service. “A cell phone used to be considered a luxury, but now it’s a necessity,” observed Schmidt, who got in on the ground floor of the new venture. The company sells cell-phone services provided by one of the nation’s leading wireless network providers, she added. Lightyear also offers representatives the opportunity to earn free phone service and to sell other telecommunication services, if people wish to expand their income opportunities. In addition, representatives can earn credits towards other items, such as a Blackberry or a smart phone. Incomes vary widely depending on how many hours a person works, and what other options are chosen. Some team members have earned a couple of thousand dollars a month working part-time, Schmidt confirmed. “A Cuban immigrant who came over on a raft is now making a ton of money,” she said, adding that the man started out selling voice-over protocol, a reloadable card for Internet phone service. “The price of calls on the Internet is incredibly great.” People who want to join Schmidt’s network of home-based entrepreneurs get a free cell phone and have their monthly cell phone bills paid for through their own home-based businesses–plus they receive income based on products and services that they sell, as well as people they recruit to join the company. The cost to join is under $100–minimal compared to most other home-based or network marketing businesses. Schmidt is able to write off a percentage of meals, travel, and other costs associated with her home-based business. “It’s a perfect fit,” she says of her new-found career. “I am able to use skills I love–meeting and talking to people. I’m also building a residual income that Chuck, my husband, and I can depend on for later–and I get to travel and have fun.” Recently, she traveled to Dallas to meet with other team members. She also attended a conference in Louisville, where Lightyear’s chief executive officer rewarded team leaders with a special treat. “He took a bunch of us in a stretch limo to a Kentucky Derby pre-event horse race,” said Schmidt. In today’s hard times, Schmidt takes pride in helping each newcomer to her team get his or her own home-based business out of the starting gate, off and running. “This really is an economy-proof business,” she concluded with a smile.