The prospect of two great trips as well as an opportunity to learn about healthy eating with natural foods headlined the Feb. 9 monthly Hot Topics Business Networking Breakfast of the Alpine Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce. Presented by the Chamber and Holt Travel & Tours, the “Discover Tuscany” and “Shades of Ireland” tours are open to the general public, Chamber members and guests learned at Fuller Hall at 2225 W. Victoria Drive, next to the Alpine Community Church. “There will be wine at every dinner meal,” Pam Robinson, district sales manager for Collette Vacations, assured those interested in this fall’s trip to Tuscany. That 10 -day adventure, which includes sightseeing in classical Rome and Florence ---- the “Cradle of the Italian Renaissance,” will focus on the rolling landscapes, charming towns and luscious food and wines of the Tuscan region. “Tuscany is kind of a hub-and-spoke place where you stay in one hotel and branch out from there,” Robinson explained about the trip. “You unpack once.” Michelangelo’s famous statue of “David,” Siena, historic Assisi and the Basilica of St. Francis and the medieval and picturesque village of San Gimignano are also on the preliminary tour schedule. The trip starts Nov. 2 from San Diego.
The following spring’s 10-day tour of Ireland’s rolling hills, historic castles and hospitable cities of Dublin, Waterford, Killarney and Limerick will reveal the 40 shades of green and other delights on the Emerald Isle. “There’s over 850 pubs in just Dublin,” Robinson said. After flying March 12, 2011, out of San Diego, travelers will visit the Blarney Castle, the world-famous Waterford Crystal facility, and the breathtaking Lakes of Killarney. The preliminary itinerary includes a jaunting car ride and tea in an Irish home as part of Ireland’s rich culture. More details about both trips, refreshments and an opportunity drawing will be available at a presentation at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 9, at Holt Travel & Tours, 2241 W. Victoria Drive in Alpine. Call (619) 445-9193 by March 5 to reserve a seat.
While the audience was still savoring thoughts of far-off places, guest speakers Joseph Murray, Diana Haworth and Michael Varbaek of The Vibrant World introduced the group to The Art of Healthy Living by eating raw food and Mila. Mila is a highly nutritious blend of seeds once used by Aztec warriors and North American Indians for the seeds’ nourishment and healthy benefits, the trio said “I’m on a mission to make people healthy,” Joseph Murray said about how Mila and naturally organic foods have dramatically improved his health. “It’s made such a profound change in my life that I’m now an independent (Mila) distributor.”
As they quickly sliced fresh fruits and vegetables to whip up a healthy smoothie, Haworth and Varbaek explained how raw foods and Mila can help people lose weight, look and feel younger, fight disease and have more energy. “This is a whole raw meal we’re making right now,” Varbaek said before handing out refreshing smoothie samples to everyone. Haworth and Varbaek will demonstrate the benefits of living food nutrition and how to include delicious simple raw dishes into daily living at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 7, at The Vibrant Kitchen in Alpine. The cost is $35 per person. Call (619) 743-4263 to reserve a spot. For Mila information, call (619) 820-5793 or visit www.healthandfreedom.lifemax.net
Carlette Anderson is Alpine’s new Honorary Mayor for 2010!
The owner of Save-A-Heart, The CPR Pros, was announced the winner at the Dec. 1 monthly Hot Topics Networking Breakfast of the Alpine Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce.
It caught Anderson, who was the first candidate to toss her distinctive cowgirl hat into the ring for the voluntary position, by surprise.
“Am I speechless? No,” Anderson told the crowd in the beautifully decorated Viejas DreamCatcher Lounge. “Thanks, you guys. It was a community effort.”
This year’s friendly race raised more than $3,000 for Alpine’s schools, thanks to Anderson and candidates Charlie Brown, Viejas director of community relations; Sallie Brown (no relation), Mary Kay Cosmetics sales director, and Sue Lancaster, Joan MacQueen Middle School teacher.All four candidates repeatedly said it didn’t matter who won as long as the annual fund raiser by the Alpine Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce and its Education Committee brought in money for the schools.
Every dollar donated to an Honorary Mayor candidate’s campaign counted as a vote. Anyone could vote as often and as much as they wished. The candidate with the most dollar votes won.
The donated dollar votes are tax deductible, because they’re collected and distributed through the nonprofit Alpine Chamber Community Foundation.
“I was very surprised (to win),” Anderson said later. “I really didn’t think I was going to be the (Honorary) Mayor.”
She succeeds 2009 Honorary Mayor Bob Ring, manager of the Alpine Albertsons supermarket and new chairman of the Chamber’s board of directors.
During his year as Alpine’s Honorary Mayor, Ring started the successful “Apples for Education” program to raise more money for schools.
“Being Honorary Mayor has really been an honor,” Ring said during his last speech in office at the meeting. “It’s been so much fun working with all of you . . . and raising money for education. It’s going to be fun to see what the next year will bring.”
Help for schools
During her acceptance speech, Anderson didn’t waste any time giving everyone a peek at what she wants to do during her one-year term.
The long-time Chamber member told the group she will continue to support Ring’s “Apples for Education” and she has a new plan to raise more money for Alpine’s schools.
Her proposed “School Supporter for Our Children. Your Change Brings Change” will bring in money through the change customers can put into big containers at local businesses, Anderson explained.
So far, she said, Albertsons and Alpine Auto Repair have agreed to host containers.
More businesses will be asked to participate, and each one that does will get a window plaque telling the public they support Alpine’s schools, said Anderson.
“Every month I’m going to write an article in The Alpine Sun telling the amount of money collected, the supporting businesses and how the money is being used,” she said. “I think it would be more exciting for the community to know where the money’s going and what it’s buying. It makes people more open to donating.”
Chamber helps
The Chamber Education Committee’s Honorary Mayor’s campaign, the Alpine Essay Contest Dinner and the Luau at the Ranch fund raisers have provided more than $60,000 for local schools during the past six years.
Supt. Greg Ryan of the Alpine Union School District has repeatedly expressed appreciation for the fundraising during tight economic times.
The district’s budget is about $16 million this year, compared to about $19 million last year.
This year, Ryan said, teachers may want to use the money from the fundraisers to buy very basic supplies such as writing materials and computers.
Familiar in Alpine as a businesswoman, writer of the new “My Alpine” local history book, and through the Alpine Tree Town USA program, Anderson appreciates the value of pooling community support and service to get things done.
“I always believe if everybody does a little bit, great things can be accomplished,” she said.
Continued from News page Any proposed bond measure would require an independent oversight committee and annual audits to be sure the money is used only for voter approved school improvements and repairs, not for salaries, administration and overhead, according to Ryan.
If district voters are willing to pursue a bond measure, he said, it would provide money now to help pay for solar panels and improved heating systems at the schools to cut energy costs by 80 percent.
“That would reduce our operating costs every year by close to $200,000,” said the superintendent.
The district, which has been assessing facilities’ needs and considering financing options, also is considering drilling wells and putting in low-flow plumbing to reduces expenses as well as upgrading classroom technology.
“We’re looking at getting more fuel efficient buses,” Ryan said. “We may purchase new buses with the bond money also.”
The $11 million raised with the new bond could start covering costs for improvements as soon as it’s passed, he said.
Public opinion sought
Currently coping with a budget that is about $500,000 in the red and a dwindling reserve fund down to about $1 million, the school board is trying to find out whether district voters are willing to consider a proposed bond measure on the June ballot. “We’re doing a public information campaign now to see if there is support for it,” Ryan said. He said a survey last November by statewide Caldwell Flores Winters of about 400 Alpine property owners resulted in about a 68 percent support rating for a bond measure.
Another survey will be done in late February, and if the approval rating is positive then the board will proceed with a June bond measure, Ryan said. He said if the approval rating isn’t positive, the school board will “quite likely postpone.”
“At this point we’re still within the proposal stage,” said school board member Gina Henke, a Lakeside school teacher. “The public is really going to have to speak to us to let us know what they want. We don’t want to put a measure on the ballot just to have it fail.”
Henke said she thinks the proposed bond measure “will be more palatable . . . since it’s a bond extension rather than a tax increase.”
The bond measure will help the district move ahead in key areas, she said.
Ryan said a flyer about the proposed bond measure was due to be mailed out to the community the week of Jan. 25. The superintendent said he also will speak about the proposal at the Feb. 9 Hot Topics Networking Business Breakfast of the Alpine Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce at Fuller Hall, next to the Alpine Community Church.
District faces more cuts
With 2,000 students seeking an education in the Alpine district’s schools, Ryan said the school board has been cutting administration and reducing operating expenses to save money during the state’s continuing budget problems and the recession. Turner said there are now 295 full-time or part-time employees in the district, down from 309 during the last annual budget. “We have to make more cuts, because the state has been constantly cutting back for the last three years,” Ryan said. “The governor has proposed more cuts for next year, about $600,000.” The district is already spending reserve money to meet budget needs, so the state’s next cuts to education funding will mean laying off people, the superintendent said. “We’ve actually looked at selling some of the property around the district office,” said Ryan. “We haven’t decided yet.”
For more information, visit www.alpineschooldistrict.net, call the school district office at (619) 445-33236 or attend the Chamber’s breakfast meeting.
Call Kelly at (619) 445-2722 or e-mail Kelly@alpinechamber.sdcoxmail.com to make reservations.
SDG&E Update Energy Efficiency
Smart meters set the stage for energy savings and improved service.
You’ll soon have a new tool that can help you gain better control of your energy use and costs. SDG&E® will replace 1.4 million electric meters with smart meters and upgrade 900,000 natural gas meters from March 2009 to December 2011. SDG&E’s smart-meter initiative is part of California’s Energy Action Plan, a statewide roadmap for achieving a reliable, affordable and sustainable energy future.
Smart meters are digital devices that collect and communicate your energy-use data regularly throughout the day to SDG&E. Eventually, you’ll be able to monitor your energy use daily via the Internet instead of waiting for a monthly recap on your bill. You’ll be able to track your home energy use hourly and business energy use every 15 minutes. Knowing when you use energy can help you save it, which also helps the environment by preserving natural resources.
“We’re using smart-meter technology to develop improved service options for customers, including new ways to save energy, save money and add convenience to everyday life,” says Debra Reed, SDG&E president and chief executive officer. “In the future, for example, smart meters may allow you to earn bill credits for conserving power at peak-use times.”
Smart meters already serve about 7,200 large businesses in SDG&E’s service area. To prepare for installations regionwide, SDG&E tested the smart-meter technology at selected homes and businesses in the Tierrasanta community last year.
SDG&E will notify you by mail a few weeks before technicians arrive to install your smart meter. To learn more about smart meters, visit www.sdge.com/smartmeter or call 1-800-336-7343.
Want to manage your account electronically?
Later this year you’ll be able to view your energy use information online. To prepare, sign up for My Account, SDG&E’s personalized online account management service available at www.sdge.com/myaccount. Have your account number hand