Award-winning nonprofit media in the public interest, serving San Diego's inland region

Award-winning nonprofit media in the public interest, serving San Diego's inland region

Breaking News

Explore What Matters

Stay informed on the issues that shape East County. From local news and emergency alerts, to community celebrations

News Center

News Issues

Politics

Wildfires and Emergencies

Events & Arts

Visit East County

People

Communities

Features

Get East County Wildfire, Emergency Alerts

Critical wildfire and emergency notifications delivered instantly.Join Neighbors who stay informed and prepared with our award winning Journalist

Latest Stories

Sponsorship Placement

Calif. Attorney General asks for help to identify “unlawful” activity of ICE and Border Patrol

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service Photo: ICE and CBP agents shoot non-lethal weapons at protesters in Minneapolis; by Chad Davis cc by 4.0 February 4, 2026 (Sacramento) – California Attorney General Rob Bonta has set up a website for the public to submit reports, photos and/or videos as evidence of potentially unlawful activity in California by federal agents or personnel. This includes

Read More ...

County Supervisors to decide on amplified music for boutique wineries

Printer-friendly versionPhoto by Miriam Raftery By Karen Pearlman Feb. 4, 2026 (San Diego County) – For the winemakers of East County, the sound of progress has long been a quiet one. Under current San Diego County laws, the region’s smallest “boutique” wineries — the family-run operations that make up an important part of the local agriculture scene — have been

Read More ...

Deadlock with Iran: U.S. military threats escalate tensions amid rising violence

Printer-friendly versionIranian-Americans in San Diego march for peace after Iran kills thousands By Alexander J. Schorr February 2, 2026 (San Diego) — After thousands of protesters and others were killed in Iran, Iranian-Americans have taken to the streets across the United States. including here in San Diego to take a stand for freedom. Tensions have been rising between Iran and

Read More ...

First-Ever Spring Valley Changemakers Summit Feb. 19 set to connect community and inspire action

Printer-friendly versionSource:  Spring Valley Community Alliance February 2, 2026 (Spring Valley) – The Spring Valley Community Alliance and Spring Valley Chamber of Commerce along with SEEDS partners invite residents and community members to the first-ever Spring Valley Changemakers Summit, a free community gathering designed to connect neighbors with local organizations and nonprofit partners, offering opportunities to learn about local projects, share

Read More ...

Get RAMped up and ready for a new radio station out of Borrego Springs

Printer-friendly versionGraphic courtesy Ram Media Foundation By Karen Pearlman Feb. 1, 2026 (Borrego Springs) – K-RAM 90.5 FM is hitting the airwaves this week. After years of radio static, the new station out of Borrego Springs will start broadcasting to the greater San Diego County desert community starting Wednesday, Feb. 11. Its license was granted March 19, 2025. Gabriel Wisdom,

Read More ...

TRUMP ORDERS MORE CENTRAL VALLEY WATER DELIVERIES–CLAIMING IT WOULD HELP LA FIRES

Printer-friendly versionBy Alastair Bland, CalMatters CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters Photo via Calif. Dept. of Water Resources:  A drone provides a view of a section of the California Aqueduct within the California State Water Project, located near John R. Teerink Pumping Plant. January 27, 2025 (Central Valley,

Read More ...

SVP TO BE CONDITIONALLY RELEASED TO HOME IN JACUMBA HOT SPRINGS

Printer-friendly versionBy Brooke Binkowski, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association Photo:  Herman Smith, San Diego County Sheriff’s Dept. January 27, 2025 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – A man classified as a sexually violent predator — or SVP — will be conditionally released to a home in Jacumba Hot Springs, likely displacing another SVP who was placed

Read More ...

LEMON GROVE CITY COUNCIL SHIFTS WINDOW ON TINY HOMES FEEDBACK

Printer-friendly versionBy Jessica Brodkin Webb   January 27, 2025 (Lemon Grove) — Lemon Grove Mayor Alysson Snow called the Jan. 21 City Council meeting “very light,” yet there was time enough for staunch resident pushback against a historically controversial tiny homes project which was not on the agenda.  The project, funded and in development by the County of San Diego,

Read More ...

SNOW FALLING IN EAST COUNTY MOUNTAINS

Printer-friendly version Photo by Craig S. Maxwell today:  Snow in Rancho Cuyamaca State Park January 27, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory idue to snow falling across San Diego’s mountain areas, with more snow possible tomorrow. Areas impacted in the winter weather advisory range from high desert communities such as

Read More ...

TROOPS ARRIVE AT BORDER AFTER TRUMP DECLARES BORDER EMERGENCY, AUTHORIZES MIGRANT SEIZURES IN SCHOOLS, CHURCHES AND HOSPITALS

Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery Photo: screenshot of aerial video by ECM news partner 10 News shows military troops with razor wire at a staging site in the South Bay, as troops prepare to deploy to fortify U.S. – Mexico Border and aid in Trump crackdown on border crossings. January 26, 2025 (San Diego) – A tough crackdown on immigrants

Read More ...

TRUMP BLOCKS FLIGHTS TO U.S. FOR APPROVED REFUGEES, INCLUDING U.S. MILITARY FAMILY MEMBERS AND AFGHANS WHO HELPED OUR TROOPS

Printer-friendly version  Impact has left refugee aid groups locally and nationally in shock By Miriam Raftery Photo via Pentagon:  Troops evacuating Afghans after fall of Kabul January 26, 2025 (San Diego) – Following an executive order issued by Donald Trump to suspend refugee resettlement,  the Trump administration has cancelled all flights for over 10,000 refugees already approved to resettle in

Read More ...

CAL FIRE HOLDS BORDER 2 FIRE TO 6,625 ACRES AS RAIN AIDS EFFORTS, BUT MUDSLIDES ARE POSSIBLE RISK

Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery Photo courtesy of Cal Fire Update January 30,2025 10 a.m.– All evacuation orders have been lifted.  The fire is 100% contained. Update January 29, 2025 9 a.m.– The Border 2 Fire is now  90% contained, as rain helped firefighters’ efforts. Cal Fire says there is no risk to the public or structure threats. Update January 27,

Read More ...

BORDER PATROL REPORTS RESCUE OF HIKER SHOT IN JACUMBA WILDERNESS BY SUSPECTED CARTEL MEMBERS

Printer-friendly version East County News Service Photos courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol January 25, 2025 (Jacumba Hot Springs, CA) – Two hikers in the Jacumba Wilderness were robbed and attacked, with one man shot by “suspected Mexican cartel terrorists,” according to a press release issued by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. According to the CPB, agents from the

Read More ...

SDG&E RESTORES POWER TO ALL CUSTOMERS AFTER HISTORIC WEATHER EXTREMES

Printer-friendly versionSource: SDG&E January 25, 2025 (SDG&E) – San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) announced this evening that power has been fully restored to all customers affected by recent Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). Over 19,000 customers were impacted in dozens of local communities. These shutoffs were implemented as a wildfire prevention measure in response to unprecedented weather conditions that

Read More ...

Get Wildfire Alerts & Wildfire Emergency News

Stay ahead of emergencies with real-time notifications delivered directly to your inbox when seconds count.

Partner To ECM

Connect with East County’s most informed and engaged community. Our readers trust ECM for critical news and actively support local businesses.

Our Engaged Audience

Unique Visitors

5 to 10 million hits

per month!

Number of Visitors
0

5 to 10 million hits

per month!

A quarter million visits

each month

Most widely read news site dedicated to

San Diego’s East County

Winner of over 150

journalism awards

“Sponsoring East County Magazine is a great way to reach our loyal and engaged readers, who value organizations and businesses that support nonprofit, independent news in the public interest and wildfire/emergency alerts that keep people safe and informed. Sponsors can choose to underwrite our community news site, support a favorite section or a new special section, underwrite an event, or sponsor our wildfire and emergency alerts.”

Miriam Raftery, Founder of East County Magazine

Thanks To Our Major Sponsors

📬 Subscribe to ECM – 100% Free, Trusted by East County Since 2008

Reviews and Feedback