COUNTERFEIT MONEY HITS LA MESA

Blame it on the economy,the hot weather, whatever, but you'll be surprise people are counterfeiting not $100, not $50, not even $20-Dollar bills, they're going for the Mighty Buck! That's right just this evening, a blond woman in her 20s, went to a local Chevron Station and decided she wasn't going to be without her tobacco, and not having money decided to produce her own currency: Five fake single-dollar-bills. The suspect grabbed the smokes, ran out the door, hopped into her truck, and was last seen puffing her "red 100s" towards the I-8 freeway.

TROLLEY GATES BLOCKED

For over 30 minutes last night, three trolley gates on Spring Street were down. MTS Transit Enforcement Officer Triold had to direct and divert traffic to avoid any accidents. According to Triold a broken power box locked the three gates that run from I-8 to the 94 Freeway on Spring Street blocking traffic from incoming vehicles for several minutes.

TWO SHOOTING SUSPECTS UNDER ARREST

La Mesa Police Department has two suspects of the August 8 shooting in custody. A tip led police to capture two men - who happened to be brothers, and were responsible for the shooting at Baltimore and El Cajon Boulevard were two men were critically injured.
Both suspects have been charged with two counts of attempted murder.

A NEW BUILDING FOR LMPD

Two years is the time expected for the city to inaugurate its new facility. The station will be built in the Civic Center area. The project's total price estimated at $18.6 million includes costs of construction management, architectural designs, testing and inspection services, and setting up utilities. The project will be paid mostly with proceeds from a $25 million bond measure approved by La Mesa voters in 2004.

PALOMAR MOUNTAIN OBSERVATORY

Palomar Mountain Observatory can delight anybody, kids and adults, in a day trip from La Mesa.

SUMMER TIME ON A BUDGET

With gas prices soaring most of the summer La Mesa residents have to be creative.
Some still like to go out of town, even if few miles away, to have the feeling of a vacation time spend with the family.
With beaches too crowded to enjoy, some people have taken their adventure to the San Diego County near mountains.
A good day trip is hitting north on 67, pass Ramona, and make the first stop at Santa Ysabel. The small town was once home of one of many Mission in California. Now site of the Santa Ysabel chapel. Driving north-west there's a lake for breath taking pictures. Few miles down there's a brand new casino with a good restaurant.
After lunch, the trip follows towards Palomar Mountain. The scenery is awesome and hardly any traffic. Palomar Mountain is a very interesting place to visit, not for the possibility to be in contact with nature but because the Palomar Mountain Observatory is enclave there.
Instead of coming back the same way, going forward on 79 allows to enjoy the many orange trees along the road. from there people can either hit I15 South, or turn on Valley Center Road and still enjoy the scenery before hitting the freeways again.
Within 50 miles La Mesa residents can enjoy a day-away-home, and maximize their gas consumption, coming home feeling they, too, had a summer vacation.

SUSPECT WANTED

The La Mesa Police are looking for a man that witnesses say shot two men last night. One victim was found shot near El Cajon Boulevard and Guava Street, the second victim was found on a shoulder of Interstate 8 under the Baltimore Drive overpass.
Despite the help of a helicopter and several police cars searching the area for over an hour, the suspect -described as a light-skinned black man, 6 feet tall, driving a black or gray Ford Focus, wasn't found.
Anyone with information should contact La Mesa Police Department at 619-667-1400.