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HIMALAYAN RESTAURANT CELEBRATES 18TH ANNIVERSARY

Printer-friendly version    By Miriam Raftery   April 10, 2025 (La Mesa) – Khem Kharel, owner of Himalayan Cuisine in La Mesa, pulled out all the stops to celebrate the popular restaurant’s 18th anniversary with a lavish party on March 26.   The restaurant that first opened in 2007 and expanded in 2012 specializes in Nepalese, Indian and Tibetan dishes.

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1 OF EVERY 2 PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS IN SAN DIEGO IS ELIGIBLE FOR CALKIDS SCHOLARSHIPS

Printer-friendly versionScholarships worth up to $1,500 can be used for college or career training Source: CalKids Photo: Students wear CalKids T-shirts at anniversary event April 10, 2025 (San Diego) –  College acceptance and financial aid letters are arriving soon, and high school seniors and college students have a major opportunity to ease their higher education costs through the CalKIDS program.

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TRUMP’S MASSIVE GLOBAL TARIFFS WIPED OUT TRILLIONS IN US MARKETS BEFORE HE HIT PAUSE. WHAT DID, OR COULD, HIS TRADE WAR ACHIEVE?

Printer-friendly versionBy Matthew DeWees, Cronkite News   Photo via Library of Congress: Sen. Reed Smoot of Utah (right) and Rep. Willis Hawley of Oregon, both Republicans, on April 11, 1929. The Smoot-Hawley tariff they authored has been blamed for prolonging the Great Depression.   April 9, 2025 (Washington D.C.) — President Donald Trump’s tariff policy wiped out almost $10 trillion

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Spring Break-Out for Shelter Pets

Printer-friendly versionBy Yvette Urrea Moe County of San Diego Communications Office   April 10, 2025 (San Diego) — Join the sun, fun and forever homes spring break “paw-ty” at County Animal Services. Shelter pets are ready to trade kennel life for beach vibes — and you can help make their spring break-out dreams come true.   Come adopt your new

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EL CAJON MAN DIES IN LAKESIDE ROLLOVER CRASH

Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery April 9, 2025 (Lakeside) – An El Cajon man, 57, who was not wearing his seatbelt died at the scene of a solo vehicle crash in Lakeside this afternoon. He was driving a 2006 Toyota Tacoma westbound on El Monte Rd. about a mile and a half east of Lake Jennings Road when he lost

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JUDGE OVERTURNS SAN DIEGO COUNTY’S TRANSPORTATION GUIDELINES

Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery View the court’s ruling April 9, 2025 (San Diego) – San Diego Superior Court Judge Joel Wohlfei has struck down San Diego County’s Transportation Study Guide. The decision in a lawsuit filed by Cleveland National Forest Foundation (CNFF) and the Coastal Environmental Rights Foundation (CERF) is a win for environmentalists seeking to reduce emissions from

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THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S IMPACT ON SOCIAL SECURITY

Printer-friendly versionChanges at the SSA, such as staff cuts and office closures, are affecting customer service and beneficiary payments, and causing long phone wait times    By G. A. McNeeley    April 8, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – After President Donald Trump returned to The White House, one big focus of his presidency has been to eliminate wasteful spending in the

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READER’S EDITORIAL: DISTRICT 1 ELECTION ISSUES AND NEGLECT

Printer-friendly version By Jennifer Lynn   April 9, 2025 (Spring Valley) — I’ve written about this and spoken with the Representative from the County Registrar of Voters, who set up a table at two candidate forums, about Spring Valley being left out on the county web page and almost all media just stating cities and or South Bay. Spring Valley

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DISTRICT 1 SUPERVISOR RACE SET FOR RUNOFF

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 9, 2025 (San Diego) – The balance of power on the County Board of Supervisors remains in limbo, as the special election to fill the District 1 vacancy left by Nora Vargas’ resignation now appears headed for a runoff.  No candidate has received 50% or more needed to decided the race outright. As of

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WHAT’S GROWN IN EAST COUNTY STAYS IN EAST COUNTY! A GUIDE TO EAST COUNTY NURSERIES

Printer-friendly versionBy Pamela Homfelt, pH Exterior Design June 1, 2009–If you’re landscaping or gardening in East County, why go anywhere but locally for everything plants? With the great variety and quality of plant nurseries plus economical, environmental and horticultural reasons, there is no reason to travel any further than right around the corner. Most of our East County nurseries are

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DESERT PROTECTIVE COUNCIL ISSUES “SOLAR DONE RIGHT” GUIDELINES

Printer-friendly versionJune 1, 2009 (San Diego’s East County)–The Desert Protective Council has established guidelines for solar energy installations. Policy makers and solar developers are encouraged to follow five principles for developing renewable energy to protect the environment from potential damage by massive solar farms. The DPC also suggests contacting Congressional officials to ask them to embrace the following “Solar Done

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NEED HELP TO MEET DROUGHT RESTRICTIONS? WATER CONSERVATION GARDEN HAS ANSWERS

Printer-friendly versionJune 2, 2009 (El Cajon)–On June 1, the City of San Diego’s mandatory water restrictions go into effect. http://www.sandiego.gov/water/conservation/drought/droughtlevels2.shtml. By July 1, most other water districts in San Diego County will also be implementing restrictions. http://www.sdcwa.org/manage/droughtordinance_agencies.phtml. Fortunately, the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College has plenty of tools to help you deal with impending water restrictions. Printer-friendly version

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CONTROLLED BURNS WED. & THURS. OVER EAST COUNTY’S RURAL AREAS

Printer-friendly versionJune 2, 2009 (Boulevard)–If you see smoke, don’t panic! CAL-FIRE has announced plans for a 100-acre controlled burn east of Boulevard near McCain Valley on Wednesday and Thursday, June 3 and 4, East County Magazine has learned. Smoke will be visible over most of East County, said CAL-FIRE Captain Nick Schuler. The controlled burns are part of CAL-FIRE’s program

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EAST COUNTY CHAMBER REPORTS DEFEAT OF “JOB KILLER” BILLS; COALITION OF POWERLINK OPPONENTS TAKE ISSUE WITH CHAMBER OVER GREEN ENERGY MEASURE & POWERLINK STANCE

Printer-friendly versionJune 4, 2009 — The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce reports victory in helping to defeat several bills it describes as “business UN-friendly bills." But a coalition opposed to Sunrise Powerlink has taken the Chamber to task for its opposition to one measure which supporters say would, in fact, create jobs in renewable energy production locally. The

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MORE KUDOS FOR CAL-PASS: RESEARCH AWARD LAUDS CONNECTION OF K-16 EDUCATORS

Printer-friendly versionJune 1, 2009 (El Cajon) – The awards keep rolling in for California Partnership for Achieving Student Success (Cal-PASS), the data-sharing resource that had its genesis as a Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District partnership with San Diego State University and is now a state-funded network of more than 7,000 institutions from elementary schools to universities. Cal-PASS has been awarded the

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WARNER SPRINGS PROGRAM TEACHES KIDS AGRICULTURAL SKILLS, PRESERVES WESTERN & NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE

Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery June 1, 2009 (Warner Springs)—“It’s always fun when we get an adult to volunteer to be the cow,” Sherri Freeman quipped, then deftly lassoed a running parent. Nearby, youngsters saddled up on a bucking mechanical horse, ground acorns, studied history of the Butterfield Stage Coach, hiked with an ecologist, visited farm animals, and learned about wild

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CLEAN, GREEN MACHINES: ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLES ON SHOW AT STREET SMART SAN DIEGO JUNE 7

Printer-friendly versionJune 1, 2009 (San Diego)—In San Diego, vehicle emissions are the number one cause of greenhouse emissions that cause global warming. Fortunately, a new generation of vehicles powered by alternative fuels now provides cleaner options for us all. Check out the latest innovations in alternative fuel vehicles from showroom models to electric sports cars and scooters at the third

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DINO MOUNTAIN ROARS TO LIFE AT THE SAN DIEGO ZOO’S WILD ANIMAL PARK

Printer-friendly versionStory by Marisa Kezirian Photo by Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo   May 31, 2009 2009 (Escondido)–For a limited time this summer, the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park offers its exceptional exhibit, Dino Mountain. The mechanical robotic dinosaurs come to life and give viewers a true life experience of being up close and personal with some of the

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