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Hearing May 15 on proposed release of sexually violent predator Gary Snavely in Borrego Springs: public comments sought
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 11, 2026 (Borrego Springs) – The San Diego Superior Court has ordered the conditional release
Supporters flee Swalwell’s governor campaign amid allegations of sexual assault
Printer-friendly versionBy Jeanne Kuang and Yue Stella Yu, CalMatters This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Photo: U.S. Rep. Eric
News Issues
Hearing May 15 on proposed release of sexually violent predator Gary Snavely in Borrego Springs: public comments sought
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 11, 2026 (Borrego Springs) – The San Diego Superior Court has ordered the conditional release
Attacked by AI-cyberbots: Please help us fund critical security upgrades
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery April 10, 2026 (San Diego’s East County) – Our East County Magazine website is being attacked
Politics
Supporters flee Swalwell’s governor campaign amid allegations of sexual assault
Printer-friendly versionBy Jeanne Kuang and Yue Stella Yu, CalMatters This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. Photo: U.S. Rep. Eric
Latest No Kings rallies draw 70,000 in San Diego County, 8 million nationwide
70,000 San Diego County residents join 8 million nationwide in No Kings demonstrations, the largest ever U.S. protest By Miriam Raftery March 31, 2026 (San…
Wildfires and Emergencies
Cal State University San Marcos and nearby homes evacuated due to brush fire
East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts April 5, 2026 (San Marcos) – The #MoreeFire in San Marcos has led to evacuations, including the California State…
Help shape fire priorities in San Diego County
East County News Service April 4, 2026 (San Diego County) — With “fire season” now a year-round threat, public input is growing in importance as…
Events & Arts
Cheers to the Valley Wine Festival April 18 in Ramona
East County News Service April 5, 2026 (Ramona) – The Ramona Chamber of Commerce is inviting the public to savor the 2026 Cheers to the…
Destination East County: Festive events in mid-April and May 2026
By Miriam Raftery April 5, 2026 (San Diego’s East County) – As April continues, drifting into the merry month of May, there are many unique…
Visit East County
DESTINATIONS: Borrego and beyond — a beautiful backcountry day
Printer-friendly versionBy Karen Pearlman, with photos by Karen Pearlman and Miriam Raftery Feb. 22, 2026 (San Diego County) — With
We need your help! We have more news tips for East County issues than our budget can cover
Printer-friendly versionLast year tapped our resources at East County Magazine more than any on record, with so many major news
People
Donate to help pets in need at Alpine Pet Food and Supply Drive April 4
East County News Service March 14, 2026 (Alpine) – Dog and cat food, treats, grooming supplies, new pet toys, feeding
Descanso resident named American Honey Queen
By Miriam Raftery February 18, 2026 (Descanso) — You could call it sweet success. The American Beekeeping Federation has chosen
Communities
Hearing May 15 on proposed release of sexually violent predator Gary Snavely in Borrego Springs: public comments sought
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 11, 2026 (Borrego Springs) – The San Diego Superior Court has ordered the conditional release
San Diego County has free parking perks for seniors
Printer-friendly versionSan Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson holds up his senior parking pass at Mt. Woodson Gateway County Preserve in
Features
San Diego County has free parking perks for seniors
Printer-friendly versionSan Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson holds up his senior parking pass at Mt. Woodson Gateway County Preserve in
Don’t miss Santa Ysabel and Wynola on your way to visit Julian
Printer-friendly versionTiny mountain towns often overlooked by travelers in East County’s back country By Paul Levikow Photos by Miriam Raftery
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Fish advisory for Hodges Reservoir offers safe eating advice for 4 species
Printer-friendly versionSource: Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment October 21, 2025 (Sacramento) – Today, the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) issued a new fish consumption advisory for Hodges Reservoir, located approximately four miles south of Escondido, in San Diego County. The advisory provides safe-eating advice for black bass species, Channel Catfish, Common Carp and Threadfin Shad.
Twelve-year-old killed, two other children critically injured crossing street in San Carlos
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service Photo courtesy of ECM news partner 10 News Update 1 p.m., Oct. 21: A GoFundMe has been set up and a vigil will be held Tuesday night at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church Update 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20: San Diego Unified School District has identified the boy who died as sixth grader Andrew Olsen. Sixth graders Anne
La Mesa raises parking meter fees
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery October 20, 2025 (La Mesa) — If you plan to park in La Mesa, you’ll be paying more for meters starting in January. The City Council has approved doubling parking meter rates from 75 cents an hour to $1.50 an hour for all 433 meters in the downtown village. It’s the first price rise in
Health and Science Highlights
Printer-friendly versionOctober 20, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) — Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future. HEALTH California company recalls nearly 245,000 pounds of pasta tied to listeria outbreak (AP) Officials confirm first US cases of more severe mpox strain with no travel history The CDC says people must consult a
Artillery round from Camp Pendleton celebration explodes over I-5, hits CHP vehicle
Printer-friendly versionAccident comes after Governor Gavin Newsom raised safety concerns and closed freeway By Miriam Raftery Photo: Shrapnel that struck CHP vehicle October 20, 2025 (Camp Pendleton, CA) – An artillery round exploded prematurely over I-5 on Saturday, causing metal shrapnel to strike a California Highway Patrol vehicle. The incident occurred while Vice President J.D. Vance was at Camp Pendleton
Advancing Healthy Communities: 2025 substance use and overdose report card released
Printer-friendly versionSan Diego County sees progress in overdose prevention, but challenges remain By Seraphina Eberhardt Photo: District Attorney Summer Stephan, standing with other county officials, speaks at a press conference recognizing International Overdose Awareness Day. Photo courtesy of Marla Kincade, Substance Abuse and Overdose Taskforce October 19, 2025 (San Diego) — San Diego County is seeing progress in the efforts to
Trump aims to slash refugee admissions and add racist criteria
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery Image left: Refugee issues covered by ECM over the years includes persecution of Iraqi Christians, Kurdish immigrations fleeing ISIS, a migrant crisis at the Mexican border, asylum seekers fleeing violence in Africa, efforts to help African women refugees, Afghan refugees starting new lives in East County–many after helping the U.S. military, Ukrainians in Santee after
No Kings rallies draw millions nationally, over 85,000 locally to protest authoritarianism
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery Photo, right: Washington D.C. No Kings rally, courtesy of organizers October 19, 2025 (San Diego) – No Kings rallies yesterday drew an estimated 7 million protesters nationwide, including estimates ranging from 25,000 to 50,000+ in downtown San Diego’s Waterfront Park and over 35,000 more in rallies held in cities and towns across San Diego County. San
No Kings rallies across San Diego County and nation Oct. 18
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service October 16, 2025 (San Diego) – Organizers are predicting that this Saturday’s “No Kings” demonstration against the “authoritarianism of the Trump regime” may be the largest yet, including over 2,500 sites in all 50 states as well as territories and other nations. Locally, a large rally is planned at Waterfront Park in downtown San Diego
GUHSD Board passes biased nonviolent discourse resolution and scaled-down limits on protestors
Printer-friendly versionBy Alexander J. Schorr Screenshot: Board President Gary Woods with Superintendent Kirsten Vital Brulte, defending their non-violence resolution in classrooms. “Trust is earned.” Jay Steiger, 2025 October 16, 2025 (El Cajon) — The Grossmont Union High School District Board passed an amended policy limiting protests outside board meetings, adopted a resolution providing religious exemptions in classrooms, and adopted a
Chaldean bishop under investigation for alleged embezzling, personal misconduct
East County News Service Photo by Miriam Raftery: Bishop Shaleta in May 2024 at opening of incubator business center for refugees and immigrants in El…
Chaldean bishop under investigation for alleged embezzling, personal misconduct
East County News Service Photo by Miriam Raftery: Bishop Shaleta in May 2024 at opening of incubator business center for refugees and immigrants in El…
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service Photo by Miriam Raftery: Bishop Shaleta in May 2024 at opening of incubator business center for refugees and immigrants in El Cajon February 25, 2026 (El Cajon) – Bishop Emmanuel Shaleta, the top official at St. Peter the Apostle of San Diego Chaldean church in El Cajon, is under investigation by the Sheriff’s fraud unit
ICE agents outside local school campuses raise concerns
Printer-friendly version By Alexander J. Schorr February 25, 2026 (San Diego) — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity has increased in surrounding school areas, which includes the occupying of parking lots, monitoring of bus routes, and arrests occurring blocks away from schools. At least 3,800 children have been booked into ICE detention between January 2025 and early 2026. Families have expressed anxiety over “haunting and taunting” by
AI glasses: another potential power that poses threats to schools
Printer-friendly versionBy Alexander J. Schorr Photo: screenshot of Meta’s Ray Ban AI Glasses analysis by Surfshark February 25, 2026 (San Diego) — AI in the United States has the potential for great power and change in the nation. It is very much a new “wild west,” and because there are no significant guardrails, there is great danger from it facing human
Public input sought on La Cresta Road safety following head-on fatal collision
Printer-friendly versionBy Paul Levikow Photo via San Diego Fire Protection District February 25, 2026 (Crest) – The Crest Dehesa Granite Hills Harbison Canyon Planning Group is seeking public input on the safety of La Cresta Road, following a recent fatal head-on collision in Crest. Josefina Sanchez, 72, was killed by an alleged drunk driver in the crash Feb. 11, 2026 while visiting her son
Unidentified driver dies in Dulzura collision
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service February 25, 2026 (Dulzura) – An unidentified male driver of a 2009 Nissan Cube has died in a hospital of injuries sustained February 23 around 2:55 p.m. He was driving eastbound on State Route 94, west of Little Tecate Road in Dulzura, when he veered into ongoing traffic and struck a 2003 Dodge Ram driven
After Supreme Court overturns some of Trump’s tariffs, Democrats push for refunds to U.S. businesses
Printer-friendly versionBy G. A. McNeeley Image created with ChatGPT February 24, 2026 (Washington D.C.) — Three Senate Democrats released legislation on Monday, February 23 that would mandate refunds of tariffs paid under President Donald Trump’s higher duties that The Supreme Court struck down on Friday, February 20, according to CNBC. The legislation, led by Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon), Senator Jeanne Shaheen
Escondido City Council looking at showdown over ICE training contract
Scrrenshot, left, of Escondido City Council meeting from Feb. 18 courtesy city of Escondido website video By Karen Pearlman Feb. 24, 2026 (Escondido) — The…
Escondido City Council looking at showdown over ICE training contract
Printer-friendly versionScrrenshot, left, of Escondido City Council meeting from Feb. 18 courtesy city of Escondido website video By Karen Pearlman Feb. 24, 2026 (Escondido) — The city of Escondido is bracing for a charged City Council meeting tomorrow (Feb. 25), as elected officials prepare to publicly look at a quietly renewed agreement allowing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to train at a
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