This week in The Alpine Sun

Lead Stories

APCD to fund local school bus upgrades  
     The San Diego Air Pollution Control District will be spending $3,519,420 in Federal economic stimulus funding and local matching funds to replace, repower, or retrofit 127 school buses, including several Alpine Union School District, and Mountain Empire Union School District buses.  

BOS approves SDG&E helicopter use agreement     
     The County of San Diego has added to its aerial arsenal with an agreement between the county and San Diego Gas & Electric to utilize an SDG&E helicopter for firefighting purposes if necessary. 

Explorer Program offers training to future firefighters  
     Viejas Firefighters have introduced a new program that offers training to become a firefighter along with First Aid and CPR certifications to young adults between 14 and 21 years of age.   

Border Log: Illegal alien shot by border bandits 

Women aim for safety and fun at Alpine shooting clinic
Aloma Richards discovered a new skill at the Lemon Grove Rod & Gun Club range in Alpine. The co-owner of the Alpine Postal Annex in Alpine was there on Oct. 11 with her two teen-age daughters, Ashley, 17, and Ann Marie, 15, for a “Women on Target” shooting clinic. 
 
1BOG offers group incentives for local solar installment  
Businesses and homeowners will have the opportunity to take advantage of solar incentives through a new pilot program being offered in the county. Co-founded in June 2008, by General Manager Dave Llorens, Sylvia Ventura, and Dan Barahoma, as a pilot program in San Francisco, 1 Block off the Grid (1BOG) is making the process of going solar a little easier for businesses and homeowners.

 Animal law violators will be given option of “pet traffic school”
Pet owners who violate relatively minor animal-related laws in unincorporated San Diego County or in Department of Animal Services contract cities will soon be able to attend the pet owner version of traffic school rather than be assessed the full fine amount.

BCLT donates $10,000 for Arroyo habitat restoration
Blunt-nosed, warty-skinned with horizontal pupils, it isn’t a beauty. But once in large numbers from Monterrey to San Diego and northern Baja, the Arroyo toad has lost 65 percent of its natural habitat through urban sprawl, dams, grazing, mining, and off-road vehicles. It is now a listed Endangered species.

There are many resources to help your child get into college
Being a parent isn’t easy, especially when it comes to helping your children achieve their dreams of going to college. Today, higher education is essential for anyone who wants a better quality of life and job success. That’s why it’s so important to ready yourself to help your children in this important phase of their lives.
 

Columns/Opinion

My Turn with Congressman Bob Filner: Veterans Day: Putting our troops and veterans first

My Turn with Peter Bauer: Medicare open enrollment begins Nov. 15

Spiritual Sunrise with Merry Murray: When God is silent he isn’t sleeping

Good Health Naturally with Dr. Darrel Crain: Actual facts take the bite out of Swine Flu hysteria

County Cares with Health and Human Services: Mammograms save lives

While You Were Sleeping with Nancy Slaff: LRAD’s – a threat to peaceful protests and Grandma’s?


Sports

East County teams qualify for water polo playoffs

Viejas continues Pop Warner Alpine Mountaineer partnership