This is an independent opinion. Have one of your own? Email it to hoa@ivn.us Let me state this right up front. I dislike political signs. I consider them litter. I cringe when I see them sprouting up like weeds in my neighborhood in the weeks before an election is held. If I could restrict them to being in people’s yards or the windows of homes or businesses, I’d enjoy my neighborhood walks so much more.   Through multiple election cycles, I wait for at least one smart campaign to make a virt...

This is an independent opinion. Have one of your own? Write it! Email it to hoa@ivn.us Let’s conduct a brief experiment. Read the following statements about candidates for elected office and try to guess who they describe: * “He needs ways to respond without appearing defensive or brittle, his advisers say.” * “Four years of his nasal voice could lead to mass suicides across the nation.” * “His speaking style has a hard lecturing tone, like you’ve been called into the principal’s office.” ...

This is an independent opinion. Want to respond? Write your own commentary! Email hoa@ivn.us. "There is no life east of I-5" has been a common saying in San Diego County for at least 40 years. But in a county covering nearly 4,300 square miles, the strength of our region lies in its diversity. Nearly half a million people live in the cities and unincorporated areas defined as San Diego’s East County, including the cities of La Mesa, Lemon Grove, El Cajon, and Santee, along with the communities...