Community Notes:

Old Town National City Reunion

To celebrate the 125th year anniversary for the City of National City the Old Town Reunion Committee is hosting an Old Town Reunion on Saturday, July 21st from 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM. It is one of the many events scheduled in celebrating the 125th Anniversary of National City. This event is dedicated in memory of Diego Aguilera who coordinated the first Old Town National City Reunion.

The Old Town National City Reunion is to celebrate the many good memories and history of the West Side of National City going back to the 1900s, The event will be held at the Casa de Salud/Manuel Portillo Youth Center at 14th & Harding in National City.

The celebration will have food booths, face painting, drinks (no alcohol), music (live bands), Carrillo Mariachi Group, Zumba Dancers, entertainment for adults/children, a tribute to veterans, and sharing of memorabilia. Reunion T-Shirts will be available for sale. There is No Charge to attend the Reunion. All proceeds from the Reunion will be donated to the City of National City youth programs and charity events.

Anyone interested in participating on the committee should contact Rosalie Zarate, Chairperson of the Committee at (619) 962-6911. If you have any memorabilia (clothing, vintage items, pictures, newspapers) to share, there will be a Memorabilia Day at the Casa de Salud on June 16 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Pictures will be scanned for inclusion in the video presentation and items identified for exhibit planning. Contact Eddie Perez at (619) 321-8382.

Schedule your calendars for the fun reunion of Old Town National City on July 21, 2012.

Chicano Park Gets $1 Million State Grant

Chicano Park in Barrio Logan will get new lighting, new playground equipment and a host of other upgrades, thanks to the city’s successful application for a $1 million state grant, Mayor Jerry Sanders announced Tuesday.

“Chicano Park is one of this city’s most popular parks and this grant will help us maintain it for future generations,” the mayor said.

The $1,008,200 grant also will allow the city to enlarge the park’s plaza, build a skateboard area, repair one of the park’s fountains and enhance the drought-tolerant landscaping. The state’s Department of Housing and Community Development funds the grants through Proposition 1C, the Housing ahd Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act of 2006.

The state cited San Diego’s commitment to various affordable housing projects, including the Mercado del Barrio project, which is being built adjacent to Chicano Park.

Lalo Alcaraz Art Show at the Roots Factory
Saturday, July 14, 2012 at 6:00 pm

Opening Reception for Lalo Alcaraz “Solo Art Show”, creator of La Cucaracha comic strip. This event is taking place during comic con weekend. Free / All Ages. Meet & Greet the artist!

Live Music Feat: Puente (Israel Maldonado Band) w/ DJ Boxy Dee.

Art – Muisc – Food – Live Screen Printing @The Roots Factory, 1878 Main St. Barrio Logan, CA 92112

Planned Parenthood Encourages Everyone to Get the Facts and Get Tested On National HIV Testing Day

As part of National HIV Testing Day (June 27), Planned Parenthood Federation of America is urging women, men, and young people to take charge of their health by learning how to practice safer sex, getting educated about the risks of HIV and scheduling an HIV test.

Planned Parenthood recently teamed up with leading organizations like the Magic Johnson Foundation and am-fAR to participate in the first ever National HIV Awareness Month (July 2012). The month is designed to reignite our national discourse on the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic, raise public awareness of HIV/AIDS, end HIV stigma and discrimination, and engage new stakeholders in the fight against the disease.

“By practicing safer sex and getting screened regularly, we can all live longer, healthier, and happier lives,” said Dr. Cullins.

Nationwide, Planned Parenthood health centers offer a wide variety of preventive health services, including testing for HIV and other STDs. In 2010, Planned Parenthood also offers online tools that can help you take charge of your health: visit: plannedparenthood.org/all-access/check-26541.htm

Northwest Civic Association’s next Town Hall Meeting

Northwest Civic Association’s next Town Hall Meeting will be in the auditorium of the Chula Vista Civic Center Library (at 4th & F), Wednesday, July 11th at 6:00 p.m. Maria Kachadoorian, Chula Vista’s Director of Finance/Treasurer will speak about the budget for the Parks & Recreation Department, the Library Department & the overall City budget. Also, Luanne Hulsizer, the new Executive Director at Third Avenue Village Association will introduce herself to the community and speak about the Third Avenue Streetscape Master Plan, which intends to reinvent, rejuvenate and enhance downtown Third Avenue. The event is free. Everyone is welcome. For further information, please call 619-307-3460. www.northwestchulavista.org.

Movies in the Park: Happy Feet 2 to be shown at the National City Municipal Pool

Grab your swimsuit and a blanket and head out to National City Municipal Pool on Friday, July 13 for a special free showing of the movie “Happy Feet Two.” As part of the San Diego Movies in the Park Series, this Movie in the Park event will feature a free open swim beginning at 7 p.m. with the movie starting at dusk.

“Happy Feet Two” takes viewers back to Antarctica with the world’s most famous tap-dancing penguin, Mumble, his wife, Gloria and their friends Ramon and Lovelace. Starring Elijah Wood and Robin Williams, this sequel tells the story of Mumble and Gloria’s son Erik, who is struggling to find his own talents in the Emperor Penguin world. With new dangers threatening the penguins, it takes everyone working and dancing together to save them.

“Viewing a movie while swimming in our municipal pool is a summer tradition that our residents have come to love,” said National City Mayor Ron Morrison.

This is National City’s fifth year hosting the Movies in the Park series in partnership with the San Diego County Parks and Recreation Department.

National City Municipal Pool is located at 1880 E. 22nd Street. For more information, call 619-336-4290, visit www.nationalcityca.gov or find us on Facebook. For full series schedule and select movie trailers, visit www.SummerMoviesInThePark.com.

African American Experiences of the Constitutuion Discussed

The San Diego Public Library will host a Book Discussion on African American experiences of the U.S. Constitution on Tuesday, July 10, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. at the Valencia Park/Malcolm X Branch Library, located at 5148 Market Street in San Diego. The discussion is being presented in conjunction with the four month project, Searching for Democracy: A Public Conversation about the Constitution. Professor Edward Blum of the History Dept at San Diego State University will facilitate.

This is the first of ten focused book discussions featuring The Penguin Guide to the United States Constitution: A Fully Annotated Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution and Amendments, and Selections from the Federalist Papers by Richard Beeman that will take place in select San Diego branch libraries. Topics will range from race and gender to faith and religion, dissent, and education and the arts. All the book discussions will be led by scholars from area universities and institutions.