More Candidate Forums, La Mesa Apartment Fire, and Victim ID'd

At La Mesa-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.

We'll start with local politics, as last Tuesday's meeting of the La Mesa City Council was relatively short and uneventful. Of note, however, is that Helix Charter High School will reimburse the city for the cost of any additional requested police presence on its campus – mostly for extra-curicular activites.

In the second in a series of public forums, the five candidates for the city council met in council chambers and answered questions submitted by the audience. See what Kristine Alessio, Patrick Dean, Laura Lothian, Shannon O'Dunn and Ruth Sterling had to say about homelessness, campaign funding, and more.

A late afternoon fire in a La Mesa apartment, which was started after something was left on the stove, displaced two people last week. See some of the photos of the incident.

Stove Fire at Villa Knolls Apartments Leads to Smoke Inhalation for Student

Police are still looking for a suspect in the shooting of a man in La Mesa, who eventually died from his gunshot wound to the face. However, they did identify the victim as Hugo Alberto Solorio Mora.

It was revealed that the new Walmart "Neighborhood Market," which will occupy the old Circuit City building on Grossmont Boulevard, will be the first store of its kind in San Diego County, when it opens in the fall, opening before a similar store in Sherman Heights.

La Mesa Walmart Grocery Store Will Be the First in San Diego County

Krystal Alvarado has been arrested and charged with robbing the Bank of America branch inside Albertsons shopping center in Spring Valley. The robbery occurred in February, and local officials and the FBI were able to make the arrest in late September.

In high school football action, coach Tom Karlo has a good thing going with the Grossmont Foothillers team. The first-year coach has guided his boys to an undefeated record so far, including the latest win, a 42-12 dismantling of San Diego High School. Check out the pics.