Wesak Full Moon Festival – Buddha Blesses the World April 1st began with Mercury stThe Wesak Buddha Full Moon Festival is Tuesday, April 23, 2024. After Sun enters Taurus on Friday, after Saturday’s transit of Jupiter/Uranus in Taurus (the real beginning of the Aquarian Age), after Earth Day and the first night of Passover, Monday at sundown, one of the year’s most important full moon festivals occurs on Tuesday. This is the April Buddha Full Moon or the Wesak (holy waters) Festival. During this festival the Buddha appears in the heavens, He carries and distributes a blessing to humanity and E ..read more

The former president of the United States, Donald Trump, started the first of four criminal trials this week. Even if the former president was facing only one trial it would be worth repeating because of the historic value: No other ex-president has ever stood before a judge and jury in a criminal case. But Trump has four cases in front of him. This one is in Manhattan. The case that started this week, the one revolving around money paid to an actress during his 2016 presidential campaign to cover up the affair with the pornography star reminded me of a brief incident in a South Bay courtroom ..read more

I can’t help but laugh when I see videos and memes about “getting rich with real estate.” Whether it’s on Instagram, TikTok or X, it’s a common topic: How homeowners can supposedly make easy money by renting out an Accessory Dwelling Unit, one half of a duplex, a room or even a garage. I’ve even heard rentals described as a “passive” investment – meaning there’s not much work involved. Alan Pentico This is 100 percent wrong. Let’s get one thing straight: managing rental properties requires work, whether you own just one or two properties or hundreds. Landscaping the grounds and maintaining bui ..read more

On April 9, the South Bay Irrigation District Board of Directors approved a proclamation to rebrand the district as South Bay Water. The updated name enhances the connection between the district and its role as the governing branch of the Sweetwater Authority. Launching later this spring, to involve the community in the rebranding effort, South Bay Water announced that the district will hold a logo design contest, with the winner being awarded a $500 prize. For more information, visit www.sweetwater.org. “Our district holds a rich legacy in our region’s evolution, and plays a pivotal role in o ..read more

I once boarded a plane to Palm Springs. The temperature on the plane was about 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This was in the middle of summer. I walked out of the plane into a record temperature of 121. What a contrast! Many years ago I was a student at the University of Toledo. It is near the border with Michigan. There was a night early in January when I walked from the dorm to an auditorium to see a film- Throne of Blood. It is a Japanese version of Macbeth. That night the temperature was -24, with a wind chill factor of -56. The actors were Toshiro Mifune as Lord Macbeth, and Isuzu Yamada as Lady ..read more

Chula Vista Police Department’s Assistant Chief Phil Collum passed away after a short battle with a rare form of cancer on April 12. “It is with tremendous sorrow that Chief Roxana Kennedy announces the loss of her second in command and close friend, Assistant Chief Phil Collum. He passed away yesterday evening after his short battle with a rare form of cancer,” the department said in a news release the next day. Chula Vista Assistant Police Chief Phil Collum Collum began his law enforcement career in 1990 in Santa Cruz, California, moving back to San Diego in 1994 and hired by the CVPD in Oct ..read more

Going or not going to college is a personal decision. No one should be ashamed to choose a different path. One of our local community colleges shows a 50.5 percent dropout rate and only 21.3 percent graduate. Obviously, they tried to see if that is what they really wanted. There may be several reasons as to why they changed their minds but it was their choice. After all, most people do indeed choose not to go to college and choose other professions or occupations. Recently there have been several stories arguing that people should consider not going to college considering the almost absurd cos ..read more

It may be April, but spring football is in the news. The NFL Draft is coming up April 25-27 in Detroit, Mich., while the United Football League officially kicked off its inaugural season on March 30 following the merger of the revived United States Football League and XFL in December. Who will be the NFL’s top quarterback taken in the draft, its top running back and receiver? Which team will gain the most impact from the college ranks? What direction with the Chargers, Rams and Raiders take? Will the Chiefs and Lions reload sufficiently to return to the Super Bowl? All good questions to be ans ..read more

The Mar Vista Mariners visited the Hilltop Lancers for a novel seven-on-seven boys lacrosse game on Monday. Normally, games are played 10 per side but with low participation numbers on some teams, it’s a way to still get in a game experience. The lower numbers on the field created more space for offensive runs and more physicality as a result. It was as much fun to watch as it was to participate in. “We don’t have any subs,” Mar Vista coach Luis Neria said. “My boys play as hard as they can. They play their hearts out.” After a 2-2 halftime draw, the host Lancers wound up winning by a score of ..read more

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