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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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New Santee City Manager Wendy Kaserman has no time to nap
Printer-friendly versionBy Mike Allen December 21, 2025 (Santee) — Santee’s new city manager says she’s still getting up to speed in her new position, but there’s one item that puzzles her: her new office comes with a couch. “I never had an office with a couch or worked somewhere where the city manager had an office with a couch,”
Republicans ask federal court to overturn California’s new Prop. 50 maps
Printer-friendly versionBy Maya C. Miller and Mikhail Zinshteyn, CalMatters Photo: a “No on Prop 50” sign at the Kern County Republican Party booth at the Kern County Fair in Bakersfield on Sept. 26, 2025. Republicans are seeking to overturn the congressional maps voters approved last month. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. December
Trump administration sets goal to denaturalize thousands of U.S. citizens in 2026
Printer-friendly versionImmigration officials have reportedly issued guidance setting a quota of 100 to 200 denaturalization cases a month By Sharon Zhang This article was originally published by Truthout. December 20, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) – The Trump administration has reportedly set a goal of yanking citizenship away from over a thousand naturalized Americans in fiscal year 2026, in yet another escalation in
ACA plan hikes loom as Congress unable to agree
Printer-friendly version By Suzanne Potter, California News Service December 18, 2025 (Washington D.C.) — Health care premiums for an estimated 1.7 million Californians are set to skyrocket on January 1, as Congress has been unable to agree on a fix. On Wednesday, four Republicans joined Democrats to force a vote on a proposal to extend COVID-era subsidies, which won’t likely
La Mesa Police share results of DUI checkpoint
Printer-friendly versionSource: La Mesa Police December 17, 2025 (La Mesa) — The La Mesa Police Department held a DUI Checkpoint on Friday, December 12, between 6:30 p.m. and midnight, at 4900 Spring Street. Although no motorists were found driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, 880 vehicles were screened, and one driver was arrested for having a D.U.I. warrant.
How Southeast San Diego reduced gun violence
Printer-friendly version “We’re here to save lives.” – Cornelius Bowser, pastor at Charity Apostolic Church and the City of San Diego’s commissioner on gang prevention and intervention By Armando Rasing II Photo, left, by Armando Rasing II: Bishop Cornelius Bowser leading a service at Charity Apostolic Church December 17, 2025 (Southeast San Diego) – On a Friday night in early
San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office mourns passing of retired County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister
Printer-friendly versionSource: San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Larry Cohen December 17, 2025 (San Diego) – Retired longtime San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister passed away earlier this morning. Mr. McAllister served as San Diego County’s Treasurer-Tax Collector for twenty-three years, before retiring in August 2025. “This is a sad day at the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s office, and for San Diego,” said San Diego
Local leaders voice concerns over Afghans facing threats to safety amid new restrictions in wake of D.C. National Guard shooting
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery Photos: Tazheem Nizam, CAIR San Diego executive director, and Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac December 17, 2025 (San Diego) – Local community leaders who have worked to help Afghan refugees are speaking out over new restrictions imposed on Afghan immigrants following the shooting of two National Guard member in Washington D.C. on November 26 by Rahmanullah
East County Roundup: local and statewide news
Printer-friendly version December 17, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) — East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s round-up stories include: LOCAL Trump administration signs updated agreement with Mexico over Tijuana sewage (KPBS) Teacher at Christian Unified High School arrested for alleged sexual assault of family
Teacher at Christian high school in El Cajon arrested for alleged sexual assault of underage family member
Printer-friendly version East County News Service December 16, 2025 (Spring Valley) – Kevin G. Conover, 49, a Spring Valley resident and teacher at Christian Unified High School in El Cajon was arrested outside the school yesterday for alleged sexual abuse of a child under age 14 in his family. The alleged abuse was reported by a family member back
GROSSMONT ANNOUNCES OPENING ON CITIZENS BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
Printer-friendly version October 13, 2009 (La Mesa)–The Grossmont Union High School District is seeking applications to fill an opening on the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC). The CBOC is responsible for implementation of Proposition H, the $274 million general obligation bond measure passed in 2004 to bring facility improvements and renovations to the district’s schools. In addition, the CBOC also oversees
MWD TAKES PENSION HIKES OFF THE TABLE: WATER PENSION PROPOSAL FIRED UP CONTROVERSY
Printer-friendly version By Francine Phillips Photos courtesy of Helix Water Distict October 13, 2009 (San Diego) – The Metropolitan Water District (MWD), which supplies water for most San Diegans, decided yesterday to re-visit labor negotiations rather than pass a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that outlined a pension arrangement that was retroactive and underfunded by 75 million. MWD’s action was the
ASSEMBLYMEMBER SALAS HOSTS VETERANS HEALTH & RESOURCE FAIR OCT. 17
Printer-friendly versionOctober 14, 2009 (Otay) – Assemblymember Mary Salas, Chair of the Assembly Veterans Affairs Committee, will host a Veterans Health and Resource Fair at Southwestern College 900 Otay Lakes Road, Chula Vista, CA 91910. Over thirty representatives from health organizations and Veterans service organizations will be in attendance offering information, body mass index, blood pressure checks, and glucose screenings.
FREE DOCUMENT SHREDDING SATURDAY
Printer-friendly version October 13, 2009 (El Cajon)- To help prevent identity theft, San Diego County Credit Union has announced that free shredding services will be available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, at its El Cajon branch, located at 312 West Main St. The public is invited to bring a maximum of two boxes containing
SHERIFF’S DEPT. OFFERS LANDLORD TRAINING SEMINAR
Printer-friendly version October 13, 2009 (San Diego)–Bill Gore, Sheriff, San Diego County, announces the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department sponsorship of a free one day Landlord Training Seminar for Mobile Home Park managers and staff. It will be held on Thursday October 22nd, at 9621 Ridgehaven Court in San Diego beginning at 8:00 a.m. Light refreshments will be served. The Landlord Training
BETWEEN WILDFIRES: ASK QUESTIONS!
Printer-friendly version Part 1 of an 8-part Series By Anne S. Fege, Ph.D., M.B.A., wildfire ecologist/educator and retired Forest Supervisor, Cleveland National Forest October 13, 2009 (San Diego’s East County)–By any accounts, we will always be “between wildfires” in southern California. That raises three wildfire questions that face San Diego. What will it take to keep houses from igniting?
IS ISRAEL THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA? FREE LECTURE BY ISRAELI ACTIVIST OCT. 15 AT GROSSMONT COLLEGE
Printer-friendly versionOctober 13, 2009 (El Cajon)–Grossmont College’s Arabic Club will host a free lecture by Israeli activist Mike Peled, author of “The General’s Son: The Journey of an Israeli in Palestine,” from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15, in Room 220, a lecture hall on campus. The title for Peled’s lecture is “Is Israel the new South
GOVERNOR VETOES BILL TO INCREASE FIRE PROTECTION
Printer-friendly version AB 666 WOULD HAVE REQUIRED COUNTIES TO ENSURE THAT FIREFIGHTING SERVICES EXIST BEFORE APPROVING NEW BUILDING SUBDIVISIONS October 13, 2009 (Sacramento)–Governor Arnold Scharzenegger has vetoed legislation by Assemblymember Dave Jones (D-Sacramento) to require counties to ensure that adequate fire protection exists before approving new subdivisions in high fire hazard areas. “I am very disappointed that the Governor chose
COUNTY HOPES NEW LAW WILL SPUR HOME SOLAR, WIND
Printer-friendly version Governor signs AB 920 to compensate solar and wind powered homes for surplus energy SAN DIEGO— Owners of home solar and wind energy systems that generate extra kilowatts can soon turn those surplus electrons into compensation thanks to new legislation signed by the Governor this week. Assembly Bill 920, which earned strong backing from Chairwoman Dianne Jacob
NAACP CALLS ON SDSU TO REVERSE POLICY CURTAILING LOCAL STUDENT ADMISSIONS; SAN DIEGO NAACP PLANS PROTESTS OCT. 13 & 14
Printer-friendly version San Diego (October 11, 2009)—The San Diego branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is reacting strongly against San Diego State University’s (SDSU) recent decision to eliminate the guaranteed admissions policy for local students who meet CSU eligibility criteria. The University’s new admissions policy will cap local enrollment in the incoming freshman class
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