This week in The Alpine Sun

Lead Stories

APG subcommittee to release local trails guide  
The Alpine Planning Group’s Trails and Conservation subcommittee has been working for nearly a year towards the establishment of a community trails brochure, highlighting the various trails and walking areas available throughout Alpine. The endeavor is finally coming to fruition, with the soon release of the compilation of a many local trails and hikes.  

More voters are choosing mail ballots for elections     
     The growing number of Californians who choose to vote by mail may start requesting their ballots and voting on Monday for the Feb. 5, Presidential Primary Election, Secretary of State Debra Bowen announced today.
The number of people voting by mail has been moving steadily upward over the last decade. During the last statewide election in November 2006, 41.5 percent of the 8.9 million Californians who voted cast ballots by mail rather than at polling places. 

Hollingsworth announces fire relief legislation  
     State Senator Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Murrieta) has recently announced the introduction of disaster relief legislation to assist homeowners, businesses, and local governments afflicted by the wildfires that occurred in late 2007.

Alpine health expo to include many fun, health-related activities
Dance, figure out a maze and shoot basketball hoops when the fun starts at The Art of Living Healthy Expo on Jan. 26 in Alpine. The activities are part of a walk and run that kicks off the day-long event at the Alpine Elementary School at 1850 Alpine Blvd.   

San Diego County given more power to purchase airport land
When land next to an airport owned and operated by the County of San Diego is placed on the market in the future, county staff will now have the authority to negotiate with the landowners for possible purchase. 
 
Civic Report: Pine Valley PG to take on possible boundary changes

Brainiacs: The best kept secret for 25 years, Grossmont District’s Academic League  
     For the past 25 years, a little-known competition has been waged in the Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) — and it has nothing to do with sports. This activity involves some of the brightest students in the schools, and is known as the Academic League. Teams from each of the 11 local public high schools battle as fiercely and spiritedly as in any contest on the athletic field.

Alpine residents learns about fire and disaster preparedness  
     The Greater Alpine Fire Safe council welcomed Tom Beasley and Susan Conniry authors of Ready or Not, A Survival Handbook, to Joan Mac Queen Middle School to impart their extensive knowledge on the subject of urban disaster preparedness.

Keeping King’s dream alive
A coalition of East County community leaders have announced plans to co-sponsor “Keeping Dr. King’s Dream Alive,” a historic event honoring the legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. The public is welcome to attend the free event on Monday, Jan. 21st from noon to 1 p.m. at Promenade Park on Main Street, just east of Magnolia in downtown El Cajon.
 

Columns/Opinion

My Turn with Mike Thometz: The big lie on growth

My Turn with Shirley Driscoll-Perkiss: Sidestepping community involvement

Spiritual Sunrise with Merry Murray: Is your life a celebration or a catastrophe?


Sports

Granite’s McClanahan turning heads once again on the mat

El Cap’s skipper, Quinones, bests former Cougar squad