This week in The Alpine Sun

Lead Stories

Smuggler gets 70 months for breaking border agent’s leg 
A 70-month term in federal prison was handed down March 23 to a suspected illegal alien smuggler who severely injured a U.S. Border Patrol agent when he ran over the agent’s leg with his car in Pine Valley.  

Mountain Health & Community Services feels the impact of tough times
     For more than 20 years, Judi Shaplin, CEO and President of Mountain Health & Community Services, Inc (MHCS) has dedicated her time to educating the public and our legislators, in an effort to increase the understanding that there are still rural areas in San Diego County. 

MTS reduces weekday bus service to Alpine and Back Country
The Metropolitan Transit System has reduced the weekday frequency of bus service between the El Cajon Transit Center and Alpine to once every hour. MTS Route 864, which runs between the El Cajon Transit Center and Alpine, will still run from ECTC to East County Square every 30 minutes during weekdays.   

Alpine Earth Day
This year’s Earth Day celebration will be the biggest ever in scenic Alpine. Sponsored by the Alpine Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce, the day-long event on Saturday, April 25, will have new, free activities as well as the traditional cleanup in this foothills community.  

Local groups file appeal over Sunrise Powerlink project
An appeal to the U.S. Department of the Interior over its Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approval of San Diego Gas & Electric’s Sunrise Powerlink transmission project was filed recently by three local organizations in San Diego County. The appeal notice to the Interior Board of Land Appeals is the first step to a court appeal. 
 
Holiday lights, old building relief among zoning changes  
The County of San Diego’s most recent cleanup of its Zoning Ordinance will place a 60-day annual limit on holiday lights and will eliminate a requirement that unreinforced masonry buildings built prior to earthquake standards be brought into compliance or torn down.

Local Cub Scout hopes to repeat win at SD500 derby
Wyatt Havin is hoping to repeat, or beat, his second place win at last year’s San Diego 500 Pinewood Derby race, which will take place at Qualcomm Stadium. For the second year in a row, eight-year-old Wyatt has taken the top spot in the local Cub Scout Pack 105 derby.

Understanding the Last Supper
Most Christians, Protestant and Catholic, keep the remembrance of the Last Supper or Holy Communion.
 

Columns/Opinion

My Turn with Lee Hamilton: Conference committees fade — Democracy suffers

Spiritual Sunrise with Merry Murray: The resurrected Christ within

The Grossmont Solution Report with Bill Weaver: Questions and answers about the Alpine High School

Tattered Tidbits with The Alpine Historical Society: History of the Alpine Community Center