A Scotties Football Crown, Pearl Harbor Survivor in Spring Valley and Tragic Loss of Grossmont Student

At Mount Helix Patch, we know that in your busy lives there may be some stories that you can't read about the day they happen. With the "Week That Was" column, we'll provide a roundup of the most important stories of the week.

Congratulations to the Helix HS football team, for taking home its first CIF title since the Reggie Bush and Alex Smith Era. Now the Scotties will advance to the state playoffs.

Stu Hedley remembers the day he almost died. It was December 7, 1941, the date that has "lived in infamy" when Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Empire of Japan. Hedley told the tale of surviving that fateful day in American history to a group of guests at the Casa de Oro library.

Talks of more and more budget cuts continue to face the La Mesa-Spring Valley District. When will it end?

Patch.com is having a holiday contest that can earn money for local public schools in Spring Valley. All you have to do is decorate your house with tons of lights, upload photos to enter, and have it be selected. So get out there and decorate, and upload, and vote, and WIN!

It was learned that after 40 years of hippotherapy on Mount Helix, Horsemanship for the Handicapped will close its doors in the Spring. There will be more to come on the closing of this charity.

Dozens turned out for a festive celebration of the Spring Valley Chamber's annual Christmas mixer. In addition, three local youth sports organizations received $1,000 gifts that were raised during the Spring Valley BBQ Festival in October.

In the most tragic news of the week, it was learned that David Gonzalez, a 16-year-old sophomore at Grossmont HS, was killed along with his grandmother, in the fiery five-car crash on SR-125 on Friday night. The crash was blamed on a Lemon Grove man, who was charged with DUI.