Grant awarded to domestic violence survivor shelters in California

Domestic violence survivor shelters in northern California have received a $110,000 grant from The Allstate Foundation in order to support the Rural Economic Empowerment Project (REEP).

The funding for this will help to provide domestic violence service providers with resources to help victims learn economic independence. The Allstate Foundation works to support all efforts to build strong communities for families to live and work.

The executive director of the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence described how the grant from Allstate will make a tremendous difference for the women in children who have survived domestic violence in the area because rural places have less resources to help because economic insecurity is one of the main reasons that people stay in a abusive relationships.

San Diego's top Christmas events

San Diego offers a number of holiday events to help residents celebrate the holiday season.

December Nights in Balboa Parks, the largest free community festival offered, is the kick-off to the holiday season. This event has entertainment, food and holiday cheer for the whole family to enjoy.

Also, the 47th Annual Northland Toyland Parade and Holiday Fair will fill the streets with dancers, music, and puppet shows.

The Del Mar Holiday of Lights is also a popular seasonal event. The light show is the largest animated drive-through light show in the West Coast. There are over 400 lighted displays for your family to enjoy.

If you would like to learn more deatails about the holiday events in the San Diego area, visit the San Diego Union Tribune.

Avril Lavigne's divorce finalized

The divorce of Avril Lavigne and Derrick Whibley has been finalized.

According to court records of the divorce, Lavigne's pre-nup states that she will continue to control her musical instruments, musical catalog, her Volvo and Beverly Hills home. The couple has been separated since September 2009 after three years of marriage.

Although the Canadien singer's divorce has just been finalized, she has already moved and been dating TV personality Brody Jenner since February.

Veterans Day events in the San Diego area

The San Diego area offered a full day of events in order for people to celebrate Veterans Day and thank those who have served their country.

The events begin at 10 a.m. with a dedication to the Escondido Military Tribute and Wall of Courage. The event will be held in Grape Day Park on N. Broadway.

Other events include the San Diego County Veterans Parade that will be on Pacific Highway and will be honoring the Cold War Veterans who served between 1947 and 1991. All Cold War Veterans are asked to be honorary parade marshals.

At noon there will be a Veteran observation and a re-dedication of the Palomar College Veterans Memorial at the San Marcos Campus. The events will come to a close with a jazz concert at the Valley Center High School from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

For more details on this event or other events, visit the Signon San Diego web site today.

California recognizes National Domestic Violence Awareness Week

The state of California did their part to recognize National Domestic Violence Week by offering events for people to attend that helped to raise money and awareness for the crime that affects so many.

One event that was offered was called "The Silent Witness Campaign." This event took place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday and was a demonstration of 30 free standing wooden figures that each had a name of a person that lost their life in a domestic violence situation.

Also, on October 21, a community art show was held titled "Break the Silence of Domestic Violence; Stand Up, Speak Out." This is the eight year this event was held and it offered appetizers and refreshments for those who attended. Other events included documentaries of people who have overcome domestic violence situations.

Halloween 2010 events for the whole family

Palo Alto is offering many Halloween events this year that the whole family can attend. There is trick or treating for the kids and music and dance for adults to enjoy.

The Gamble Garden Halloween Haunted House is happening in the garden mansion this year and features events that are aimed at kids ages 4 to 10.

Then there is the Witches Delight Carnival which features a variety of carnival rides and a cake walk. Admission to the event is free, but tickets and games cost $1 each.

The Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo then hosts a Halloween Zoo Night. There will be a costume contest, guest animals, dinner, drinks and deserts.

If you or a loved one are interested in attending any of these events, visit the Palo Alto online web site for more information.

Santa Barbara cracks down on domestic violence offenders

One in every four women will be the victim of domestic violence during their lifetime, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Since felony domestic violence offenders are three times more likely to fail out of probation and go to jail, the Santa Barbara County Probation Department has been awarded $100,000 per year to help address this serious issue.

The money will go into implementing a Batterers Enhanced Supervision and Treatment (BEST) Program. The BEST program will advance the supervision for smaller probation caseloads that have been convicted of domestic violence, dating violence and other offenses such as stalking. GPS technology will be used on offenders that are the most high risk.

Downtown San Diego offers numerous Halloween events

Downtown San Diego is offering a number of events for people to enjoy and celebrate the Halloween spirit together.

Some of the events include a Dos Equis XX Monster Bash which is San Diego's largest block party. The event begins on October 30 at 6 p.m. and continues until midnight. Some of the attractions at the event are DJ's, three bands, and a costume contest with a $3,000 grand prize. For this event, guests must be 21-years-of age.

There is also the Haunted Hotel event which is a spooky walk through a 130-year-old hotel. Throughout the tour people will experience clowns, zombies, and crackling noises and many other scary attractions. It is recommended that children be over the age of 10.

If you are in the San Marcos or San Diego area and are looking for more Halloween events, visit the San Diego News Room for more information.

Married couples with daughters more likely to get divorced

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, married couples that have daughters are more likely to get a divorce.

Researchers from the University of California San Diego and Berkley have studied the data and found that not only are married couples with daughters more likely to divorce, unmarried woman that are are expecting a child are more likely to get married if they are pregnant with a son.

Mothers with daughters are also less likely to remarry after divorce. The reason for the gender difference it unknown, but some think that it is the fear that if parents who have sons get divorced, the child will not have a role model.

Psychologists believe that woman who have daughters are more empowered to leave a bad marriage and do not need to get remarried because they already have a sense of companionship from their parents.

For more information on divorce rates, visit the Divorce statistics web site for more information.

Former reality TV star, Heidi Montag puts halt on divorce

Two weeks after the couple reconciled in Costa Rica, Heidi Montag has called off the divorce from her husband Spencer Pratt.

In July, the former Hills star, Montag filed for legal separation but the two were seen together in September on a charity walk which began rumors that they were planning to get back together.

The couple was also caught kissing at Montag's birthday celebration a few weeks ago. Montag filed a motion of dismissal of the divorce papers on Wednesday in the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Fifth annual California Native American Day celebrated by UCSD

The University of California San Diego will be celebrating the 5th annual California Native American Day on Friday. They will celebrate by offering 10 events that will show Native America Culture.

The events on Friday begin at 11:30 and end at 2 p.m. and it will be lead by a community leader and linguist from the area. He will also lead a workshop on bird singing and storytelling.

The other events will be held throughout the fall quarter and other community members are encouraged to attend to learn more about the culture.

If you would like to learn more about news and events in the San Marcos area, visit the Sign On San Diego web site for more information.

Lakers forward arrested in suspicion of domestic violence incident

The Los Angeles Lakers forward, Matt Barnes, has been arrested after a domestic violence incident although Barnes claims his is not guilty because he was the victim in the case.

The alleged incident occurred at 4:15 p.m. on September 8 when police responded to an emergency call at the man's house when a woman that was in a relationship with the man, called the police.

Officials said that both the man and woman had visible injuries when they arrived. Barnes was arrested after officials determined that he had been the primary aggressor. Barnes has a court appearance set for today.

Special events for Labor Day weekend in California

During the week with September 2-8, there will be many special events in California that can be fun for the whole family.

First, the Ukrainian Festival 2010 is a three-day event in San Diego that will celebrate Ukrainian culture. Activities include, beach volleyball, barbecue, bonfire and fireworks at Catamaran Resort beach.

The fifth annual Artwork on the Bay event will be happening at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Over 40,000 spectators are expected to attend the event and it will feature original paintings, jewelry, sculpture and more.

Also, "Disney Live! Mickey's Magic Show" that features Mickey Mouse and all of his friends on stage will be playing in the San Diego Sports Arena.

If you would like to learn more about the events going on in the area, visit the North County Times online for a full list complete with event details.

Grown children fight for past child support from billionaire father

A billionaire father in California is being sought by his two grown children, ages 18 and 22, claiming that he owes them past child support.

The children want the court to order their 78-year-old father to pay $400,000 a month per child because they claim that they child support they received was not enough.

The father paid $10,000 a month for each child when they were younger which paid for tutors, trips and nannies and he stated that he is still willing to pay for college for both of the children.

The mother of the children was never married to their father and never attempted to get child support. The father is ranked number 16 of the 400 richest Americans by Forbes magazine.

San Diego's top Art & Design events of 2010

Southern California has a multiple art and design events and the talent at the events is extraordinary, but there are some events that really stand out and make their mark. Here a few of the top shows of 2010.

One of the top events is The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles Gala which was at the bottom of the list in 2008 after facing some financial issues. This year's event occurred in November and raised $4 million.The event was topped off by a performance from Lady Gaga and the Bolshoi Ballet dancers.

The next event on the list is Hammer Museum's Gala in the Gardens that was in October and raised the most money that it has in history, $1.3 million.

The number three art and design event is the Los Angeles Art Show. This year was the 15th annual show and it lasted for four days in the month of January.The show drew in crowds of over 40,000 people.

If you are interested in learning more about events in your area, visit the BizBash web site for event details and coverage.

Woman and her parents all charged in child custody case

A woman and her parents have all be charged after the woman took the child out of state breaking a child custody agreement.

They have been charged with interfering with child custody after the 34-year-old woman had arranged to meet with the 6-year-old boy's father to hand him back off after visiting with his mother.

The woman never showed up causing the father to go by the mother's house and see boxes outside as if the woman was moving.

The woman and her parents had been planning this for quite some time because the family had dyed their hair and changed tags on their car.

Special events in the San Marcos area this week

The week of August 5-11 is offering many fun-filled special events for the whole family to enjoy.

The San Marcos Civic Center is having a movie weekend. Each night at 8 p.m. family-friendly movies will played on an outdoor screen.

Another event that is great for children is the San Diego International Children's Film Festival which will feature more that 175 children's films from all over the world. The programs are scheduled in one-hour groups and are aimed at different age groups. Children under the age of 12 are free when accompanied by an adult.

The fifth annual Artwalk on the Bay festival is also occurring this weekend. The festival will feature more than 3,000 paintings, jewelry,and sculptures of original work from artists.

If you are in the San Marcos area this week, be sure and check out some of the events taking place. For more events and details, visit the North County Times website.

Christina Milian and The Dream announce separation

Christina Milian and The Dream(real name Terius Nash) have announced their separation after The Dream filed for divorce in February.

The divorce papers stated that the marriage was "irretrievably broken" despite just having a child together five months ago. The couple was married in a small ceremony in September 2009 and another ceremony in Rome in December of the same year.

Earlier this month, pictures surfaced of Nash and his assistant on the beach in the Caribbean. The couple has asked for consideration from others during this time.

If you are interested in learning more about divorce cases or legal options you have if you are in the situation,visit this helpful divorce web site for more information.

Comic-Con begins in San Diego

San Deigo's Comic-Con, an international comic book convention that began in 1970, has started in San Diego.

Today is the first day of the four day event and people attending today will be able to get a sneak preview of two new television shows: Adult Swim's Childrens Hospital and AMC's Walking Dead.

Childrens Hospital is a humorous medical show that spoofs medical dramas. The walking dead is a t.v.show about zombies. These and other events are going to make this year's Comic-Con a memorable event.

If you are attending the event and you would like to learn the schedule of events, visit the Comic-Con event web site.

Divorce ban may be put to vote in California

The office of the Secretary of State of California recently approved a Sacramento man's request to collect signatures to add a ban on divorce to the state's voters ballot. The campaign has been named the 2012 California Marriage Protection Act and is said to be inspired by last year's vote to prevent gay marriage in the state.

For many in the state, the campaign does not appear to be a serious effort, and many people believe that it may have been started to satirize last year's ban on gay marriage.

If you are interested in reading more about divorce in California, visit this helpful San Diego divorce resource.

Charity dog wash event on July 18

The weekend of July 18 there is a charity dog washing event put on by Dogtopia that will help get your dog clean and raise money for charity at the same time.

The event is hoping to raise money for working dogs in the area such as police and military dogs. Their goal is to raise $20,000 in total. The event is occurring at 21 store locations across the United States.

This the first time the event has occurred in the Bay Area, but nationwide this is the sixth annual charity dog washing event.

If you are interesting in attending charity events in the San Marcos area, visit the San Francisco Chronicle news site for more events and details.