JOHN CHIANG, CALIFORNIA STATE CONTROLLER NOV. 15 TO HEADLINE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS LUNCHEON
November 3, 2012 (San Diego) – The League of Women Voters’ Lunch with League will feature Controller John Chiang as guest of honor on November 15 at Tom Ham’s Lighthouse Restaurant, 2150 Harbor Island Drive, San Diego from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Chiang, California’s chief fiscal officer, has fought to make finances more transparent and accountable to the public and to weed out waste, fraud and abuse of public money. He has also led efforts to reform the state’s public pension systems, helped local governments navigate difficult economic times, protected precious natural resources and launched financial and tax assistance seminars. Tickets for the lunch are $25 with a reservation. They will be $30 after November 12. Reservations can be made at www.lwvsandiego.org by clicking on the ‘donate’ button, ‘amount’ $25, ‘purpose’ November Luncheon. Or click here for the form to mail with a check.
LIONS CLUB FREE E-WASTE RECYCLING EVENT IN EL CAJON NOV. 4
November 3, 2012 (El Cajon) – Brotherhood Lions Club is holding a free e-waste recycling event at the El Cajon Home Depot that ends Nov. 4. The event is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 298 Fletcher Parkway, El Cajon. Unwanted, obsolete or broken televisions, computer monitors, LCD’s or laptops turned in to e-waste collection are eligible for a chance to win prizes. The prizes include 10 $25 Home Depot gift cards, 10 $25 VISA gift cards and 20 $10 VISA gift cards. *Qualified E-Waste for drawing to win the Gift Cards: Computer Monitors & Television Sets (known as Cathode Ray Tube Monitors), LCD/LED Televisions, Laptops (Items must be from the State of California), Printers, PC Systems, Servers, Copiers, Scanners, Fax Machines, Electronic Networking Equipment, Circuit Board Systems, UPS & PDAs, Power Supplies, Cellular and Landline Phones. Other E-Waste items that are not listed herein are not qualified, however, are still accepted at the event. Other E-Waste items include but not limited to the following items: CR/VCD/DVD Players, Home Entertainment Systems, Small household Appliances, all electrical cords, Small Portable Devices, & Forklift Batteries. There is a $5.00 service fee for Microwave Ovens. They cannot accept: Refrigerators, Washer and Dryers, Fluorescent Light Bulbs, and Household Batteries. The organization also accepts bottles and cans as donation. The Brotherhood Lions Club and Go Green 4 Good will also plant 5 trees for every 20,000 pounds of cathode ray tube e-waste recycled. Another upcoming e-waste collection event will be at the Lemon Grove Home Depot, 7530 Broadway, on December 8 & 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
RED FLAG WARNING: FIRE WEATHER WATCH
November 3, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for high fire risk in San Diego’s mountains and a less severe fire watch in inland valley areas. The alerts start at 7 p.m. Sunday night through 4 p.m. Monday. The red flag warning is issued due to low humidity and gusty winds forecast up to 30 mph. Temperatures should begin cooling later in the week, with partially cloudy weather and a chance of rain Thursday through Saturday. Sign up to receive free Viejas Wildfire & Emergency Alerts via email at the top right side of our homepage. You can also follow ViejasAlerts on Twitter for brief text alerts on your mobile device. We recommend all of the above, since you don’t know what form of communication will work best in a major regional emergency.
NEW SAN YSIDRO TO TIJUANA BORDER ENTRY OPENS
November 3, 2012 (Tijuana) — On November 1, 2012, the new border crossing from San Ysidro to Tijuana began operations. The crossing, known as El Chaparral, will have 22 lanes equipped with the latest technology for fast access to Mexico. Vehicles headed southbound on I-5 will turn right once they reach the border onto the modern facilities which create a more convenient crossing into Tijuana and other locations. “El Chaparral” also connects to a set of new bridges leading to tourist destinations like Rosarito Beach, Ensenada, as well as Downtown, Avenida Revolución, Zona Río, and different areas of Tijuana.
PHIL’S BBQ, SANTEE’S NEWEST RESTAURANT, COOKS UP FEASTS FOR A CROWD
By Rebecca J. Williamson November 3, 2012 (Santee)–Ashley and Jaycee, employees at the newly opened Phil’s BBQ in Santee, get into the mood to serve before the onslaught from “Friends & Family” night to benefit the East County Boys & Girls Club. The benefit was held before the grand opening and was very well attended. The restaurant opened up officially on Tuesday, October 30th. According to Fred Glick, Vice-President of Corporate Operations, the new restaurant facility at 9817 Mission Gorge Road in the Trolley Square Centre offers roomy dining areas, a sports bar with 80 inch flat screen tv’s, and of course, their signature BBQ sandwiches with “El Toro” being one of them. Chicken, salads, ribs plus more round out their menu. A tip to beat the lines historically associated with Phil’s BBQ – sign up for their birthday club online and receive a “go to the front of the line” pass as a birthday present from Phil. Phil Pace, co-owner, also has locations on Sports Arena Boulevard and San Marcos. Pace is also looking to branch out in other cities in the future. Look for Phil to possibly compete in a round of competition on the Travel Channel’s “Man vs. Food.” TV Host Adam Richman is putting together a special world competition show to be filmed in Las Vegas. Perhaps you can win in the “You vs El Toro” competition. Visit their website for details: www.philsbbq.net .
MARKETING MATTERS: REVIEW AND REGROUP FOR 2013
Tips and Tricks for Business Success and Growth By Rama Beerfas November 3, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – As we approach the end of 2012, it is time to review the year’s business successes, challenges and (dare I say it?) failures. If we want to make a difference to the growth opportunities we have available in 2013, then it is critical that we evaluate what worked, what didn’t, and where we didn’t pursue opportunities that we should have. From that assessment, we can develop a more informed plan for the coming year that will be more likely to succeed than a plan made from hopes, dreams and wishes. So, let’s get out the old 2012 business and marketing plans. Oh, oh…Never got around to putting those plans down on paper? Well, here’s your first lesson for 2013, put together a written business and marketing plan now for next year. Or, did you develop those plans, print them out and then shove them in a file folder never to be looked at again? This is also a problem – your marketing plan, especially, is a living document that needs to be reviewed at least on a quarterly basis. You may need to make adjustments to it as you see how successfully you’ve put into action certain parts of it, or possibly tweak it to adjust for changes in the economic climate or an unexpected opportunity or threat to your business. Lesson learned for next year’s plan! So, let’s assume that you have a written plan, that you’ve worked that plan over the course of the last year, made adjustments to it as necessary and are now ready to use that plan as a base for next year’s plan. Let’s go: Complete a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis to determine what may have changed within your business as well as with the environment in which you conduct business. Confirm that your target market(s) remain the same. Look at what new marketing tactics and tools are available that were not before, or that you didn’t have the resources to take advantage of in prior years. Review your financials to see how where your marketing activities need to be strengthened to boost your bottom line. Based on the results of 1 – 4 above, review this year’s plan to see if any of the goals are still relevant for next year. If yes, then carry them over to the new marketing plan, making the necessary adjustments to the expectations, timeline and strategies. Determine what your new goals are for the coming year – remember to make them Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. Yes, it is a somewhat simplified version of what is involved in putting together a successful marketing plan, but, if you complete the basic steps (as outlined above), then work the plan throughout the coming year, you will see positive business growth as a result. Rama Beerfas is Chief Solutions Specialist for San Diego-based Lev Promotions, offering business gifts marketing consulting, promotional products and more. Rama also offers seminars and training in marketing and customer service related topics. She can be reached at (619) 697-2045 or at rama@levpromotions.com or visit www.levpromotions.com. Column requests and comments are welcome.
BREW HA HA COMEDY SAN DIEGO CELEBRATES ITS 200TH LIVE STAND UP COMEDY SHOW
November 3, 2012 (La Mesa)–To date Brew Ha Ha Comedy has produced over 200 live stand-up comedy shows. They currently have two shows per week in La Mesa: every Wednesday at Haritna Mediterranean Restaurant and recently every Friday at The Holiday Inn, Mesa Grill. International headliner Chris Clobber and his partner businesswoman and Comedian Diane Jean started producing Brew Ha Ha Comedy at Twiggs in University Heights in October 2009. Brew Ha Ha Comedy gives talented comedians an opportunity to work their craft, regardless of their age, sex, race or sexual orientation. On Thursdays they hit the airwaves on KRLY My 107.9 FM which features a humors view on strange news from around the World, along with Trippy Trivia, a listener call-in segment, and the Amazing Al Gavi, on “The Week You Missed With Diane, Al and Chris.” When asked, “What makes Brew Ha Ha Comedy so different?” Diane Jean replied, “Our audiences come back week after week, because they know they’ll always get a great show, and it will not have the typical raciest, sexist, blue, homophobic material that is more commonly found in world famous venues in Southern California. Besides our show rooms are clean, beautiful, affordable, and easy to access, they feature great food, adult beverages and best of all we showcase and headline the most entertaining talent in Southern California and the world.” Go to www.brewhahaentertainment for details.
EARTHTALK(R): ARCTIC SUMMER SEA ICE AT LOWEST LEVELS EVER RECORDED
November 3, 2012 (San Diego) — Dear EarthTalk: I heard that the Arctic summer sea ice is at its lowest level since we began recording it. What are the implications of all this melting? — Jo Shoemaker, Bowie, MD It is true that on September 16, 2012 the world reached a new low: The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) reported that the extent of sea ice across the Arctic was at its lowest since satellite record-keeping began in 1979. On that date the sea ice reached its summer minimum, 1.32 million square miles, half of what the average size of summer ice was between 1979 and 2000, and almost 20 percent lower than the previous record minimum of 1.61 million square miles set on Sept. 18, 2007. NSIDC added that, despite especially warm conditions in 2007 being much more favorable for sea ice loss than this year, the thinning of sea ice due to climate change has made the ice more vulnerable to breakup and melting. Meanwhile, researchers with the European Space Agency’s CryoSat-2 probe reported in August that beyond the loss of sea-ice extent, the thickness and volume of the ice has also been declining significantly faster than expected. They found just 1,679 cubic miles this past summer as compared to 3,118 cubic miles in the summer of 2004. They anticipate that the Arctic could be ice-free in the summer for a day or more by the end of the decade. The implications of such melting are potentially immense. For starters, wildlife like polar bears, seals and walruses depend on sea ice for their survival; their habitat is literally being pulled out from under them. Polar bears were added to the federal Endangered Species List in 2008 for this very reason in what environmentalists herald as a great victory in that the federal government officially recognized the existence of global warming and would therefore be able to take more decisive action to rein in carbon pollution—of course, that part of the dream has yet to be realized. Perhaps even more alarming is the fact that melting sea ice and accelerating Arctic warming spur changes in the jet stream that increase the frequency of weather extremes like droughts, floods, heat waves and cold spells in the mid-latitude regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The fact that 2012 has been a scorcher all around—July was the hottest month on record, with two-thirds of the U.S. in drought, wildfires running rampant and half the counties in the country designated as federal disaster areas—only makes the connection between carbon pollution and the greenhouse effect all the more apparent. Environmentalists argue that we already have the technology and the legal tools to achieve rapid greenhouse pollution reductions “Full use of all of the Clean Air Act’s successful pollution-reduction programs is our best route to quick reductions in greenhouse gas emissions,” says Shaye Wolf, climate science director at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute. “The Obama administration, however, has been too slow and timid in using this bedrock law to cut pollution.” “The polar meltdown shows we’re teetering on the brink of climate-change catastrophe,” adds Wolf. “Arctic sea ice plays a critical role in regulating the planet’s climate. We can’t wait any longer to cut carbon pollution.” CONTACTS: Center for Biological Diversity, www.biologicaldiversity.org; National Snow and Ice Data Center, www.nsidc.org; European Space Agency’s CryoSat-2, www.esa.int/esaLP/LPcryosat.html. EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E – The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.
SAVING WILD RAINBOW TROUT: CRITICAL BOULDER CREEK ACQUISITION COMPLETED TO LAUNCH PROJECT
November 3, 2012 (San Diego) – It is a surprise to many that wild rainbow trout still exist in San Diego County. One place they do is on Boulder Creek, at the foot of the towering Cuyamaca Peak in East County. The San Diego River Park Foundation, in partnership with San Diego Fly Fishers and other organizations supporting wild trout conservation, has launched a project to ensure the survival of the wild trout on Boulder Creek, one of two known creeks in the San Diego River Watershed which support the trout. The San Diego River Park Foundation announced today that it has successfully completed a critical acquisition along the creek that has three pools where the trout were found. “This fragile population is at risk of being lost. It is a tragedy as wild trout used to thrive in these areas and there are few places remaining where stream conditions allow for the trout to survive year round. These land locked trout are part of our heritage, and it is incredible to be part of an effort to stabilize the population and restore parts of the creek. This small 2.35 acre property is a key piece,” said Rob Hutsel, Executive Director of the San Diego River Park Foundation. The conservation project is part of the River Park Foundation’s Save the Source Program, a larger effort to conserve critical lands at the headwaters, or source, of the San Diego River. More than 100 donors came together to purchase the property from the owner who has been very supportive of this effort. Donations ranged from $2 to $5000. More than $30,000 was raised in just a few days and with the support of a $85,000 bridge loan the acquisition was completed. The San Diego River Park Foundation has three years to pay of this loan which was made possible with the support of Mesa Rim Climbing and Fitness Center. With the success of this acquisition, the San Diego River Park Foundation has reached agreement with the owner of an adjacent 11 acre property to purchase that property if $50,000 can be raised before January 2013.
FBI AND EL CAJON POLICE SEEK PUBLIC HELP TO IDENTIFY U.S. BANK ROBBER
November 3, 2012 (La Mesa)–The FBI and El Cajon Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify the unknown male responsible for robbing the US Bank, 490 Fletcher Parkway, El Cajon. On Friday, October 26, 2012, at approximately 2:29 p.m., an unknown male using a demand note robbed the US Bank, located at 490 Fletcher Parkway, El Cajon, California. After receiving a sum of money from the victim teller, the robber exited the bank and was last seen leaving as a passenger in a silver or gray Cadillac. The robber is described as a white male, around 30 years old, 5” to 5’10” tall, weighing about 160 pounds. He wore a light colored hooded zip up jacket with design, sunglasses, solid red baseball cap, dark pants, dark shoes, tattoos on neck and dark colored t-shirt under hooded jacket. Bank surveillance photos are included. If you have information, please call: (858) 499-7810 direct office telephone number (858) 565-1255 24 hr. office telephone number