Car Show Stuck In First Gear

LA MESA -- The annual Back To The 50s Car Show is supposed to start in La Mesa in just over two weeks, but the regular Thursday night summer event may be delayed for several weeks.

And when it does begin, it will be a scaled back event, missing many of the new features that had been incorporated in recent years.

Disagreements between some of the merchants promoting the event and the leadership of the La Mesa Village Merchants Association leadership has apparently thrown planning for the event into reverse.

"We will solve the problems and we will have a car show eventually, but it will be more like the car show of five or six years ago,'' said Rick Belew, who has assumed what he calls a sort of mediating leadership of the event.

Jonathan Baron, the owner of the Regal Bar, who led last year's car show, had raised $15,000 from sponsors for this year's event, but recent decisions by the association's leadership he said Wednesday had alienated he and other merchants.

"They basically don't want the car show,'' Baron said, "so they're doing this because they just can't kill it.''

Belew said the Merchants Association didn't want to invite back the music vendors who had increased the vibe along the avenue and no longer want to block traffic at 3rd Street or Palm Avenue. Blocking traffic at those locations had allowed the show to grow in recent years and invite back leading car clubs to display their cars.

Baron, who had gathered checks from several sponsors, including from Sycuan, said he had turned over the checks to the Merchants Association and was notifying the sponsors so they were aware the event was changing in scope from what…

O'Dunn Running For City Council

LA MESA -- Village Merchant Shannon O'Dunn, owner of O'Dunn Fine Art on La Mesa Boulevard, was telling friends and colleagues Wednesday that she plans to run for City Council in November.

O'Dunn, who is also a retired college professor, instantly won the endorsement of Mayor Art Madrid and other friends and supporters began filling out endorsement cards on her behalf at Wednesday's Flag Day fundraiser.

"I thought about it and I felt it was the right thing to do so I'm in,'' she told LaMesaToday.com.

O'Dunn has been a respected leader on Village issues and managed, through the tumultuous Property-Based Improvement District debates to keep communication open will all sides of the debate.

She previously ran unsuccessfully for council in 2008 and was attracted again by the possibility of an open seat in November. Current Council member Dave Allen will not be seeking re-election.

While official filing deadlines are still weeks away, the prospective field for the two seats up for grabs in November is getting more crowded. Incumbent Ruth Sterling has been telling everyone who will listen that she is running. Local realtor Laura Lothian, who lost to Madrid in 2010's mayor's race, has said she would seek a council seat. Also, local resident Patrick Dean, the only prospective candidate attending virtually all city meetings over the last two years, has said he would run as well.

There was also a recent City Council meeting sighting of Ian Schiff, the colorful candidate whose run in 2010 lacked votes but not character. Schiff hasn't said if he will be making a return appearance on the…

LA MESA -- Village merchants combined efforts Wednesday evening and raised a nice chunk of change to help support next month's Flag Day Parade.

Sanfillipo's Pizza, La Torta, Centifontis, the Regal Grill and other local establishments contributed food and drink. Harmonica John Frazer supplied great blues and local resident paid $25 a piece to add to the Flag Day coffers.

The event, held at The Regal, raised $600 and attracted several of the city's political leadership including Mayor Art Madrid, City Council members Mark Arapostathis and Ernest Ewin and the city's development chief Bill Chopyk and Assistant City Manager Yvonne Garrett.

Walmart Employee Stabbed During Robbery

GROSSMONT CENTER -- A Walmart employee who confronted a shoplifter was stabbed and injured this afternoon.

Police said that at approximately 3:45 p.m., the La Mesa Police Department received a radio call of a robbery that occurred at Walmart located at 5500 Grossmont Center Drive.

 Employees reported a male suspect attempted to leave Walmart without paying for merchandise. When Walmart loss prevention agents tried to detain the suspect outside of the store, the suspect brandished a knife and swung at the employees. A loss prevention agent was struck in the abdomen and both arms by the knife causing minor lacerations.

The suspect fled the scene on foot and was located by La Mesa police officers at the Grossmont Trolley station. The loss prevention agent received medical attention at the scene but was not transported to the hospital.

The suspect, Zane Holloway (18 years old) was arrested and booked at San Diego County Jail on the listed charges.

While this was a relatively minor theft attempt, it was one of the first reports of injuries during what has been a spate of robberies over the last few years.

La Mesa Racers Take To The Streets Saturday

LA MESA -- Quietly, over time, the men and women of La Mesa's Kiwanis Club have built a franchise.

With all the precision and order of a NASCAR event, the club members and their sponsor, Drew Ford, arrive on the little slope near La Mesa Middle School and within hours transform the place into a race venue.

There is a pit area where it is both instructive, fun and touching to watch fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, working the wrenches and screw drivers in trying to find the subtle adjustments that can lead to speed. There is a food emporium and there are growing number of fans who bring chairs, umbrellas, coolers and set up along the route to watch the drivers test to find the fastest grooves in this city street slope.

At the finish line, the cars and drivers are gathered up by a crack crew from Drew Ford and cycled back up to conduct wheel swaps before their next races.

This weekend the Soap Box Derby arrives again and there is much on the line. These races, which start Saturday at 9 a.m. and continue every few minutes through about 4 p.m., will help determine which of La Mesa's young racers will be heading back East for the national mother of all Soap Box Derbies.

The video above gives a sense of the action. If you're looking for an alternative and fun outing for your children or if you just like to enjoy youth in constructive and entertaining action, we recommend you check this scene out.

Parking along side streets and strolling into the race street is common for these…

Youth Commission Warns Bullying, Fear Rampant

LA MESA -- When the City Council created a Youth Commission in the early 1990s, the students planned  dances and did some public service. On Monday, the nine-member group headed by Janelle Lafond took on some weightier issues.

In a special meeting called with the commissioners by the City Council, the youths Monday painted a pretty challenging picture of life for a typical teenager in La Mesa today.

The youths, who conducted a full-fledged youth summit to gather perspectives of other young people, told council members that they live in a culture of pressure, violence, the threat of violence and bullying -- both physical bullying and the more frequent "cyber" bullying that occurs, often anonymously, on computer bulletin boards frequented by youths today.

"The cyber bullying is the worst and most frequent,'' one commissioner said. "And it is anonymous, except for the person they are talking about.''

At one point Councilman Ernest Ewin (pictured right) asked the commissioners how many of them had witnessed incidents of "sexual harassment" that was on the list of youth concerns.

One by one, each of the youth commissioners recounted incidents of girls being touched inappropriately, including having breasts groped by boys.

While this was a City Council meeting, not a school board meeting, the age of the commissioners -- ranging from middle through high school -- assured the topic of life in local schools would come up.

The…

Allan Making A Special Delivery

LA MESA -- City Councilman Dave Allan's final months in office may be characterized as "Rolling Thunder.''

No, Allan isn't screaming from the dais these days, but this weekend he will be firing up his beloved motorcycle and will begin an 8,100 mile coast-to-coast tour of America that will include a special delivery for La Mesa.

Allan, who has spent much of his last term on council assuring La Mesa honors its veterans, will be carrying a special commemorative plaque created by a local merchant to memorialize La Mesa's new Veteran's Memorial Parkway.

The glass-enclosed marker, which includes a picture of the new memorial signs erected along Fletcher Parkway, was created by Randy Formanek of Village Awards & Engraving on University Avenue  specifically for Allan's trip.

Allan intends to arrive in Washington on Memorial Day and place the plaque along the Vietnam Memorial.

"They collect the things left at the wall," Allan said, ''and they keep them in a museum. I think this should be there.''

After making his D.C. delivery, Allan plans to continue up the East Coast, ending in the most northern reaches of Maine as part of a life-long plan to bike to the "four corners" of the U.S.

"If all goes according to plan I'll be back for the City Council meeting on June 11th,'' Allan said.

Earlier this year, Allan announced that he would not be seeking re-election in November. He flirted briefly with a run for the state Assembly, but quickly…

Officials Warn Of Suspicious Men Stalking School

GROSSMONT HIGH SCHOOL -- School officials have issued a warning to local families after two high school girls were approached separately by suspicious men while they were on their way to school.

In a letter to school families, Grossmont Principal Dan Barnes, said the two girls were approached by two different adult males and asked if they wanted a ride to school.

The girls reported it to school officials who alerted the El Cajon Police School Resource officer assigned to the school. Police have stepped up patrols in the area.

The student described the first man as a black male in his 40s with a shaved head and driving a black, late model Volkswagen with chrome rims and tinted windows. He was seen near El Cajon Boulevard nad Marshall Avenue.

The second man was described as a white male in his 50s with grey hair, average build, wearing eye glasses. He was driving an early 2000s model tan minivan with a wheel chair ramp on the back. The man was seen near Amaya Drive and Water Street.

Police are recommending students not walk to school alone. If you spot anyone fitting these descriptions or can see  a license plate on a car fitting these descriptions, call the El Cajon Police at 619.579.3311 or the La Mesa police at 619.667.1400.

Officer Tina Greer, the school resource officer, can be called directly at 619.668.6074.

Police Report Prostitution Arrests Along El Cajon Blvd.

LA MESA -- This week's Weekly Crime Report from the La Mesa police includes information on prostitution arrests along El Cajon Boulevard and a warning that traffic enforcement will continue to focus on busy end-of-school-year events near La Mesa schools.

Police also are telling motorists that warnings given to motorists who violate the new turn restrictions at High Street and Sacramento Avenue will become full tickets soon.

Case Highlights:

On Sunday, May 13 at 3:36 AM, the 7-11 store at 4253 Palm Avenue was robbed. The suspect was a White or Hispanic adult male. He was described as being 6 feet tall, 210 pounds, bald, wearing a red bandana over his face, a grey coat and dark pants. No one was injured. If you have any information about this incident, please contact the La Mesa Police Department at (619) 667-1400.

Traffic Information:

Last week the City installed new signage restricting turns at the intersection of High Street and Sacramento Avenue in the Serramar Housing neighborhood. Initially, officers have been warning drivers in an effort to educate the public about the new signs. In just the first week, officers issued 125 warnings for violations of these signs. Please adhere to the sign restrictions. Officers will begin issuing citations soon.

As the school year nears its end, officers will focus extra enforcement efforts at and around our City’s schools for the next few weeks. Traffic congestion tends to increase as special school events bring more students and visitors to those areas.…

7-11 On Palm Robbed For Third Time

LA MESA -- For the third time this year, the 7-11 at the corner of Palm Avenue and Echo Drive was hit by a robber.

The store, which was hit on consecutive days in early February, was visited by a robbery again early Sunday morning just after 3:30 a.m. Police said the store, located at 4253 Palm Ave., was robbed of cash by a lone male suspect who demanded money.

Police said the business was staffed by a single clerk who was approached by an adult male suspect who had a red bandana covering his face. The man demanded cash, but never made any threats with a weapon and no weapon was seen. The clerk gave the suspect cash from the register.

The man left the business on foot, going north toward Echo Drive. The suspect may have entered a car that drove away eastbound on Echo or may have left on foot. The clerk was uncertain of the details of the suspect’s escape. The clerk activated a silent robbery alarm at the start of the robbery, but the suspect was gone by the time La Mesa Police officers arrived within two minutes. La Mesa Police officers searched the area, but did not locate suspect. The cash loss is undetermined at this time.

The suspect is described as a white or Hispanic adult male, unknown age, 6’-00” tall, 210 lbs. He was bald with a light complexion. Along with the bandana, the suspect was wearing a gray coat and dark pants.

The pace of robberies in La Mesa has slowed lately, but this corner of town, situated close to the 125 exits, and…