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

Padre Dam’s Ray Stoyer Water Recycling Facility decommissioned after more than a half-century of use

Printer-friendly versionRay Stoyer Water Recycling Facility at Padre Dam Municipal Water District, Santee Lakes Community event makes way for the East County Advanced Water Purification Program Story and photos by Paul Levikow April 13, 2026 (Santee) — After more than a half-century of water reuse in East County, the Ray Stoyer Water Recycling Facility has been decommissioned, marking the end

Read More ...

Lemon Grove Library hosting Sheriff’s reentry event

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 13, 2026 (Lemon Grove) — The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office Reentry Services Division is holding a public event aimed at bridging the gap between life behind bars and life as a productive neighbor. From 4 to 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 14 at the Lemon Grove Library, the community is being invited to meet

Read More ...

Man arrested for threatening deputies, firing shots in Santee

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 13, 2026 (Santee) — With help from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Detail (SWAT) team, an armed man who threatened deputies was arrested April 11 at his security systems business in Santee. Deputies responded to reports of possible gunshots near North Magnolia Avenue around 12:33 a.m. Upon arrival, deputies checked the area

Read More ...

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 of Sexually Violent Predator Gary Snavely.  The California Department of State Hospitals has recommended the placement of Snavely at 3406 Running M Road in Borrego Springs  He was convicted of lewd and lascivious acts with two girls ages 8 and

Read More ...

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 Swalwell speaks to a crowd during a town hall he hosted at the Fresno Convention & Entertainment Center in downtown Fresno on Dec. 15, 2025. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local April 10, 2026 (Fresno) – Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, one

Read More ...

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 by AI-cyberbots that have repeatedly crashed it. Our new website designed in WordPress is ready to launch with great new features for readers – but we can’t launch without critical security upgrade programs that cost thousands of dollars.  Please help!

Read More ...

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 Ramona. (Photo courtesy Joel Anderson Facebook page) East County News Service April 10, 2026 (San Diego County) — While parking prices across the region seem to be climbing faster than a fit hiker scaling Iron Mountain, local seniors can count

Read More ...

CHP urges drivers to follow hands-free cell phone law; officers report more violations as distracted driving causes hundreds of crashes annually

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 10, 2026 (San Diego County) — Distracted driving causes hundreds of crashes across California each year, and violations of the state’s hands-free cellphone law remain an ongoing concern. As part of Distracted Driving Awareness Month, the California Highway Patrol is urging drivers to put down their phones and stay attentive to help make roads safer

Read More ...

Learn how to use the county’s ‘Tell Us Now!’ app on April 13

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 10, 2026 (Rancho San Diego) — We’ve all been there: you’re driving through somewhere in San Diego County and run over a jagged pothole, spot a flooded culvert or keep seeing the same abandoned vehicle on a street corner…. but the thought of trying to find the right County department to call and report

Read More ...

ECM World Watch: national and global news

Printer-friendly versionApril 9, 2026 (San Diego) — As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include: U.S. Trump’s VA killed a home loan program. Vets are now losing their homes because of it (NPR) Eligible young

Read More ...

LOCAL JOBS ORDINANCE MOVES FORWARD

Printer-friendly version  February 25, 2010 (San Diego) – By a unanimous vote, on Wednesday a local jobs policy ordinance won approval of the City’s Rules, Open Government and Intergovernmental Relations Committee. The Committee directed the City Attorney’s Office to draft the policy for the San Diego City Council to consider within 60 days. Proposed by City Council President Ben Hueso,

Read More ...

SUPERVISORS BAN PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS, TO DISMAY OF LABOR

Printer-friendly version    UPDATE FEB. 23:  The Board has voted unanimously to outlaw project labor agreements through an ordinanance, instead of putting a similar measure on the ballot.    February 20, 2010 (San Diego) – San Diego’s Board of Supervisors will vote Tuesday on whether to place a ballot initiative before voters that would ban project labor agreements (PLAs). PLAs, adopted in

Read More ...

LAKESIDE CITIZENS LAUNCH RECALL AGAINST 2 FIRE BOARD MEMBERS

Printer-friendly version      February 25, 2010 (Lakeside) – Lakeside residents who say they feel “burned” by several elected fire board directors who terminated Fire Chief Mark Baker have launched a recall election to oust two of those members.   At Tuesday night’s meeting, Cynthia Smith, vice-chair of the Lakeside First Community Oversight Committee, read a letter requesting the three

Read More ...

WHAT HAPPENED TO MICKEY GUIDRY? SAN MARCOS TEEN WENT MISSING THANKSGIVING WEEKEND NEAR OCOTILLO CAMP IN ANZA-BORREGO; WHEREABOUTS REMAIN A MYSTERY

Printer-friendly version Questions raised over early handling of case; no major search mounted for weeks after Jeep SUV found disabled 22 miles off-road in remote desert locale   “Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest of the year. Tens of thousands of people were in the desert…It’s likely someone would have come across him. If it was at night and he was

Read More ...

HELIX SUES DISTRICT; GUHSD RESCHEDULES MEETING FOR THURS. FEB 25

Printer-friendly version    February 24, 2010 (El Cajon) — Grossmont Union High School District has rescheduled a closed/executive meeting for Thursday, February 25 at 3:30 p.m.  The meeting was rescheduled after East County Magazine obtained a legal opinion from Terry Francke, general counsel at Californians Aware, that the Brown Act had been violated, as we previously reported. ECM requested both 24 hours notice

Read More ...

FIRE ENGULFS SPRING VALLEY HOME

Printer-friendly version  February 24, 2010 (Spring Valley)  Firefighters are on the scene of a two-alarm blaze that has fully engulfed a residence at 8814 Bancroft in Spring Valley.  The blaze, south of 94,  has sent up a plume of black smoke visible for many miles.  The photo at left was taken from Mt. Helix. Printer-friendly version

Read More ...

MUSIC TO THEIR EARS: BANDS, CROWDS TURN OUT FOR VALLEY MUSIC EVENT

Printer-friendly version    By Miriam Raftery   February 23, 2010 (El Cajon) – A standing-room-only crowd turned out to savor music from seven different bands at Valley Music’s grand reopening on Saturday.     “This has been the best way to get people to find us,” co-owner Andrea Long said, noting that providing entertainment has been a successful way to

Read More ...

FILNER INTRODUCES BILL TO SUPPORT WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS

Printer-friendly version    February 23, 2010 (San Diego) – Congressman Bob Filner (D-San Diego) recently introduced H.R. 4488, the National Wildfire Infrastructure Improvement & Cost Containment Act.   “It is about time that we properly recognize our brave federal wildland firefighters and make sure they are on par with other federal firefighters,” Filner said in a newsletter to constituents. “Congress

Read More ...

KRVARIC DENIES SENDING EMAIL TRASHING GOP CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE

Printer-friendly version    By Miriam Raftery   Mike Thaller also contributed to this report   Updated February 25   February 23, 2010 (San Diego) San Diego County Republican Party Chairman Tony Krvaric has told East County Magazine writer Mike Thaller that he did not send a “vile” e-mail harshly critical of Mason Weaver, one of three Republicans in the 53rd

Read More ...

GUHSD CANCELS TONIGHT’S SPECIAL MEETING; LEARNS LESSON IN STATE SUNSHINE LAWS

Printer-friendly version  February 23, 2010 (El Cajon) – In response to a request by East County Magazine, the Grossmont Union High School District has announced cancellation of tonight’s special meeting. As noted in our story earlier today http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/2818 , ECM notified the district that the meeting was in violation of Brown Act requirements because the district failed to provide 24

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