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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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Santee set to hire new city manager on Wednesday
Printer-friendly versionBy Karen Pearlman Sept. 5, 2025 (Santee) — The Santee City Council is set to hire a new City Manager at its next City Council meeting. Wendy Kaserman, who has been assistant city manager for the city of Poway since 2016, has been tapped to lead Santee. The City Council will consider appointing Kaserman on Sept. 10.
Evacuations in Spring Valley due to fast-moving fire
Printer-friendly version Update: Forward progress has been halted. The fire has been mapped at 75 acres and evacuation orders have been lifted, Watch Duty App reports. East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts Photo, right by Henri Migala September 5, 2025 (Spring Valley ) — Level 3 “go now” evacuations have been ordered in zone SDC-2153 in Spring Valley due to
Local agencies tout cooperative firefighting efforts, urge public to help by preparing for wildfires
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery Photo: Fire officials with an SDG&E Blackhawk helicopter September 5, 2025 (El Cajon) – Firefighting helicopters from multiple agencies were on display during a press conference held Aug. 26 at SDG&E’s hangar at Gillespie Field in El Cajon. Officials touted aerial assets and cooperative efforts as we enter the highest danger season, though wildfires now
El Cajon receives SANDAG grants to improve streetscapes, revamp Parkway Plaza and add housing
Printer-friendly version Photo by Karen Pearlman East County News Service Sept. 4, 2025 (El Cajon) – El Cajon has been given a Notice of Intent to be awarded three grants through the San Diego Association of Governments TransNet Smart Growth Incentive Program. The city is expecting to receive one engineering grant and two planning grants as part
Man found dead after SWAT standoff in Ramona
Printer-friendly version East County News Service September 4, 2025 (Ramona) — An hours-long standoff that led to the evacuation of a Ramona elementary school yesterday has ended with the discovery of a deceased man inside a home. On September 3, just before 9:30 a.m., deputies from the Ramona Sheriff’s Substation responded to a call for a welfare check of a
Advancing Healthy Communities: Cannabis data shows significant impact on physical and mental health of youth and young adults
Printer-friendly versionBy Seraphina Eberhardt Photo: “Cannabis Understands – 2017” by Jurassic Blueberries is licensed under CC BY 2.0. September 4, 2025 (San Diego) — New data shows a concerning trend: today’s high-potency cannabis products are linked to sharp increases in youth mental health crises, hospital visits, and addiction. On July 16, community members gathered for an important briefing hosted by the San Diego Imperial Valley High
Evaluation, Performance, Analytics Office releases new strategic plan
Printer-friendly versionBy Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office September 4, 2025 (San Diego) – The County’s Office of Evaluation, Performance and Analytics has released a new plan listing 18 questions that will guide the County’s evaluation of important programs and services, ranging from homelessness to climate, public safety, and physical and mental health. The County created the office,
CAL FIRE joins partners in signing charter to reduce wildfire ignitions in Southern Calif.
Printer-friendly versionSource: CAL FIRE Sept. 3, 2025 (Riverside) — Earlier today, CAL FIRE Southern Region Chief Mike van Loben Sels signed the Southern California Ignition Reduction Program (SCIRP) charter at the Southern California Geographic Area Coordination Center in Riverside. The charter marks the launch of a public-private partnership created to reduce human-caused wildfire ignitions, particularly along roadways where
Mosquitos in Imperial County test positive for St. Louis Encephalitis virus
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service September 3, 2025 (Imperial County, CA) – Multiple pools of mosquitos in both Brawley and Holtville have tested positive for Saint Louis Encephalitis (SLE), the Imperial County Public Health Department announced on August 29. In rare cases, SLE can cause swelling of the brain or spinal cord, leading to long-term disability or death, though most
Cajon Cruise returns next week in El Cajon, hosted by Downtown Café
Printer-friendly version By Paul Levikow September 3, 2025 (El Cajon) – East County car enthusiasts have cause for celebration, after the El Cajon City Council on Tuesday approved a two-month extension of the Cajon Cruise on Main Street and Prescott Promenade, this time hosted by Downtown Café. The revived car show will rev up on Wednesday nights Sept. 10 through
Shane Harris leading backlash against parking fees in Balboa Park
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service Jan. 9, 2026 (San Diego County) — San Diego public advocate Shane Harris has introduced a new ordinance to fully repeal paid parking in Balboa Park and restore free public parking. To support this effort, Harris has launched this online petition to demonstrate broad public support for making Balboa Park parking free again. Harris has also called a
‘Reign of terror’: ICE builds appalling record of killings, beatings, kidnappings, and more
Printer-friendly versionBy Jake Johnson, Common Dreams Photo: Renee Good, 37, U.S. citizen and mother of a-6-year-old, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minnnesota. January 9, 2026 (Minneapolis) – Federal immigration enforcement agents, unleashed and emboldened by President Donald Trump, have been rampaging through the streets of cities across the United States for months, racking up an appalling record of abuses and alleged crimes,
San Diego Superior Court seeks citizens for Civil Grand Jury
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service Jan. 9, 2026 (San Diego County) — The San Diego Superior Court has announced an emergency extension for the 2026-27 Civil Grand Jury application deadline, moving the cutoff to Jan. 30, 2026. The move is an effort to bolster a dwindling pool of applicants for what is often called the county’s most powerful “watchdog” over
County public health officials urge childhood and adolescent vaccine schedule
Printer-friendly versionBy Fernanda Lopez Halvorson, County of San Diego Communications Office Image credit: Shutterstock January 9, 2026 (San Diego) – County public health officials continue to encourage childhood and adolescent vaccinations recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The County’s vaccine schedule aligns with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the West Coast Health Alliance. These recommendations follow a recent decision
Santana shooter granted resentencing hearing, may soon be freed
Printer-friendly versionJanuary 8, 2026 (Santee) – It’s been 25 years since 15-year-old Andrew “Andy” Williams shot and killed two students and injured 13 other people at Santana High School in Santee. He was sentence to 50 years to life in prison. But due to a new state law allowing juvenile offenders with life sentences to petition for resentencing, a Superior
“Forever chemical” crisis seeps into Southern California: from Sweetwater Reservoir to Orange County, districts grapple with how to protect drinking water supplies
Printer-friendly versionPhoto: PFAS have been detected in Sweetwater Reservoir, via Sweetwater Water Authority By Karen Pearlman Jan. 8, 2025 (San Diego County) — “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink” goes the line from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s 1798 poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, describing sailors surrounded by undrinkable ocean water. That old phrase also fits today. Obtaining clean,
Gavin Newsom forecasts a rosier California budget and banks on AI boom continuing
Printer-friendly versionBy Yue Stella Yu, CalMatters This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters Photo: Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during the State of the State address in the Assembly chamber at the state Capitol in Sacramento on Jan. 8, 2026. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters January 9, 2026 (Sacramento) – Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office on Friday forecast a “modest shortfall”
Tensions with Greenland rise: the United States is escalating conflict globally
Printer-friendly versionBy Alexander J. Schorr January 8, 2026 (Washington, D.C.) — After repeated threats by Trump administration officials to invade Greenland by military force if necessary, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers the President hopes to purchase Greenland, not attack it. Rubio’s statement came after Denmark’s Defense Ministry’s confirmation that its military is under a standing order to “shoot
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services changes recommended vaccine schedule for children
Printer-friendly version HHS justifies its decision, but health experts including American Academy of Pediatrics criticizes action By G.A. McNeeley January 8, 2026 (Washington D.C.) — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on January 5 announced that it is slashing the number of diseases for which vaccines are recommended for children from 17 to 11. The action drew swift condemnation from
Reader’s Editorial: Venezuela could yield more profits from ecotourism than from oil
Printer-friendly version By Renee Owens, wildlife biologist Photo by Renee Owens: capybaras and sunset in Venezuela’s llanos January 7, 2026 (San Diego’s East County) — Having lived and worked in Venezuela, I can no longer remain silent amidst all the clueless rhetoric. Venezuela is more than a cliché of dictators and oil. It is a wondrous place and a cautionary tale
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