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

Padres cruise to 11-1 win, move into first place in NL West

Printer-friendly versionScreenshot from official MLB video of a Ramón Laureano home run during Wednesday’s 11-1 Padres win in San Francisco By Karen Pearlman Aug. 13, 2025 (San Diego) – Don’t look now but the San Diego Padres are back in first place in the National League West. After a mid-season slump, the Padres (69-52) have rediscovered their winning form and are

Read More ...

Protestors demand El Cajon repeal ICE cooperation amidst recall effort against city councilmember

Printer-friendly version By Paul Levikow August 13, 2025 (El Cajon) – Dozens of East County residents filled El Cajon City Council chambers Tuesday, demanding the City repeal a resolution allowing police to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The effort was organized by Latinos en Accion and Activist San Diego to urge speakers to address the Council during

Read More ...

Caltrans moving ahead on SR 125/94 upgrades

Printer-friendly versionLa Mesa City Council hears update from Caltrans By Karen Pearlman Aug. 13, 2025 (La Mesa) – Road changes long planned for state Routes 94 and 125 in La Mesa at the junction with Spring Valley are starting to move again. The SR 94/125 Interchange Project, in the works for several decades by the California Department of Transportation in

Read More ...

Momentum Tutoring hosts Youth Business Fair at Santee Lakes Aug. 16

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service August 12, 2025 (Santee) – Momentum Tutoring (www.momentumtutoring.org) invites the community to the Santee Youth Business Fair at Santee Lakes, a dynamic one-day marketplace where young entrepreneurs will showcase their creativity, hustle, and heart. The event takes place on Saturday, August 16, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Lake #2, Santee Lakes Recreation

Read More ...

Trump orders fedoral takeover of Washington D.C. police

Printer-friendly versionNational Guard to also be deployed in nation’s capital city By Miriam Raftery August 11, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – President Donald Trump has issued an executive order to put Washington D.C.’s police force under federal control, claiming a need to reduce crime, CNN reports. However, according to a Newsweek report, violent crime in Washington D.C. was the lowest in

Read More ...

70 and strong as ever at Sharp Grossmont Hospital

Printer-friendly versionSHARP Grossmont Hospital employees stand atop the helicopter pad atop its Emergency Room on Aug. 11 as part of a celebration of the hospital’s 70 years of service to the community. Photo courtesy SHARP Grossmont Hospital By Karen Pearlman Aug. 11, 2025 (La Mesa) — Grossmont Hospital just hit 70 years, but the venerable facility is looking sharper than

Read More ...

Spring Valley woman facing animal cruelty charges

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Services Aug. 10, 2025 (Spring Valley) — San Diego County Department of Animal Services has taken custody of a Chihuahua and is pursuing animal cruelty charges against a Spring Valley woman after a disturbing video surfaced which appeared to show a dog being struck with a wooden plank, then covered with a container and kicked.   On

Read More ...

Santee gets a new brush fire engine

Printer-friendly versionBy Mike Allen Photo: Members of Santee Fire Dept, SD Regional Fire Foundation and the SD River Conservancy with new brush rig funded through the city along with grants from the two nonprofits. August 11, 2025 (Santee)– The city of Santee has another key tool in its goal of protecting the city from wildfires, a new brush fire engine. City

Read More ...

Fire devastates condo in Lakeside

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service   Photo by Shiloh Ireland   August 10, 2025 (Lakeside) – A fire on August 7 heavily damaged a unit in a condominium on Mapleview Street in Lakeside.   Crews from Lakeside Fire and San Miguel Fire departments responded to the blaze.  Since the residence is located less than two miles from a fire station,

Read More ...

SDSU CUTS ENROLLMENT, CHANGES ADMISSION & TRANSFER STUDENT POLICIES: ANNOUNCEMENT DRAWS CRITICISM

Printer-friendly version September 23, 2009 – In response to “devastating budget cuts”, San Diego State University President Stephen L. Weber announced that SDSU will cut enrollment by 10.8%, or 4,588 undergraduate students. In addition, the school will make changes to its admissions policy for incoming fall 2010 freshmen and transfer students. The announcement has sparked concerns and criticisms from community

Read More ...

TECATE FIRE HALTED AT 2 ACRES

Printer-friendly version  September 23, 2009 (Tecate) – A fire that began at 9:56 a.m. in a mobile home off Humphries in Tecate has been stopped at two acres, CAL FIRE reports. An outbuilding on the property also burned.   Twelve engines, two fire crews, two air tankers, a helicopter, a bulldozer, a water tender and about 100 firefighters swiftly extinquished

Read More ...

EDITORIAL: SDSU ATTEMPTING TO IMPLEMENT A POLICY THAT HARMS LOCAL STUDENTS

Printer-friendly version  Public letter to Charles B. Reed, Chancellor and Board of Trustees, California State University "We concur that SDSU is once again pursuing a strategy of “discouraging” local students from enrolling at the campus. This discouragement had been one of the well kept secrets on the campus. …By closing the door to many of these youngsters the University and

Read More ...

SWEEPING AWAY TRUANCY: GUHSD REDUCES DROP-OUT RATE BY DROPPING IN ON KIDS WHO DITCH SCHOOL

Printer-friendly version  By Miriam Raftery   September 23, 2009 (Santee) – If you’re playing hooky in the Grossmont Union High School District, you might get some unexpected visitors . Today, Superintendent Bob Collins dropped in at the homes of truant students in Santee, along with a Sheriff’s Deputy and child welfare worker. Juvenile Detail sweeps also include visits to places

Read More ...

BIG INSURANCE: SICK OF IT!

Printer-friendly version Story and photos by Leon Thompson September 22, 2009 (La Jolla) Health reform advocates today held a “Big Insurance: Sick of It” rally as part of a nationwide day of action. Locally, a rally was staged in front of the San Diego office of Anthem Blue Cross, the California subsidiary of insurance giant Wellpoint. Protestors demanded that Anthem

Read More ...

GAME OF THE WEEK – BONUS COVERAGE: MONARCHS ENCOUNTER REBELLION AT SFC

Printer-friendly version by Christopher Mohr (SOLANA BEACH) – At a private, religious K-12 school like Santa Fe Christian, it’s a given that  students are well-versed in the story of David and Goliath. What’s doubtful however, is that those who taught that story expected its lessons would be applied to the high school football program.   According to the CIF, SFC

Read More ...

GAME OF THE WEEK PREVIEW – COUGARS LOOKING TO POUNCE ON VISITING TITANS

Printer-friendly version  by Christopher Mohr   (RANCHO SAN DIEGO) – This Friday, we head to Rancho San Diego to cover the home opener between the Steele Canyon Cougars and the visiting Eastlake Titans.   Steele Canyon (1-1) comes off a 2008 season where they finished 7-6, but won three out of their last four games, going deep in the playoffs.

Read More ...

FREE SMOKE ALARMS!

Printer-friendly version    The Burn Institute Senior Smoke Alarm Program is for people 55 and over who own their own homes. All smoke alarms, batteries and maintenance direction are provided by The Burn Institute for the program – free of charge.   If a senior is a renter, The Burns Institute will, at the renter’s request, call the owner on

Read More ...

SENATOR KEHOE TO CHAIR JOINT LEGISLATIVE HEARING ON WILDFIRES IN SAN DIEGO SEPT. 23

Printer-friendly version  September 21, 2009 (San Diego) — Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego), Chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management, convenes an informational hearing on the State of California’s preparation for future wildfires. The hearing will be held Wednesday, Sept. 23 from 1-4 p.m. at Caltrans District 11 headquarters, Garcia Auditorium, 4050 Taylor Street in San Diego. Kehoe

Read More ...

ACCIDENTS CLAIM LIVES OF 2 EAST COUNTY WOMEN

Printer-friendly version  Sylvia Earnhart, 73, El Cajon Pamela Sue Marabeas, 53, Santee September 21, 2009 (Santee)—Santee resident Pamela Sue Marabeas, 53, was killed early yesterday morning when the SUV she was driving was struck by a pickup truck at the intersection of Mission Gorge Road and Highway 125 in Santee. A witness called 9-1-1 and sheriff deputies responded, along with fire department

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