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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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CONGRESSMAN FILNER JOINS LOCAL OFFICIALS TO OPPOSE RELEASE OF CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER TO OTAY MESA
Printer-friendly version ( Manuel Paul, San Ysidro School District Superintendent; Clarissa Falcon, District Director for State Senator Denise Ducheny; Rachel Solorzano, Congressman Bob Filner, Representative from Assembly Member Mary Salas’ Office; Yolanda Hernandez, San Ysidro School Board Member; Hector Espinoza, San Ysidro High School Principal; Jesus Gandara, Sweetwater School District Superintendent; Ralph Dimarucut from Assembly Member Mary Salas’ Office; Anastasia
HOT TOPIC: VIEJAS HOSTS WILDFIRE FIGHTING DRILLS FOR 60 FIRE PROTECTION AGENCIES
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery April 23, 2009 (Viejas Indian Reservation)—Preparing for fire season, fire engine crews from more than 60 fire protection agencies donned full safety gear and participated in structure protection drills, wildland hose lays, pumping evolutions and other exercises. Aerial resources, including helicopters, practiced coordinated fire attacks with ground crews under simulated fire conditions. The eighth annual event
HELIX WATER DISTRICT PROPOSES HEFTY WATER RATE INCREASE
Printer-friendly versionNew rates start metering May 1, Public Hearing May 27 By Kristin Hobbs Kjaero and Rachel Ford Hutman The Proposal (Rachel Ford Hutman) April 21, 2009 (La Mesa) – If you are one of the 260,000 residents in the Helix Water District, you may soon be paying a minimum increase of 20% more for your water—and for some heavy
BUNGLED BURGLARY: THREE ARRESTED IN LA MESA
Printer-friendly versionApril 23, 2009 (La Mesa)– La Mesa Police received a 911 call at 1:32 p.m. on April 22 from a witness who told dispatchers that a man and two women were breaking into a home in the 7900 block of Pasadena Ave. Officers arrived and detained two female suspects in the driveway of the victim’s residence. The witness told
STUDENTS GO ALL OUT FOR FREE COYOTE MUSIC FESTIVAL , HOPE FOR A HOWLING SUCCESS
Printer-friendly versionApril 23, 2009 (El Cajon, CA) – The bands are ready to play. The stage is set up and the equipment is in place. Thousands of flyers and postcards have been distributed, and hundreds of posters have been put up San Diego City and in East County. For the students in Cuyamaca College’s Music Industry Studies program, the efforts
SAN DIEGO’S CARBON FOOTPRINT IS BIGGER THAN LA’S: LOCAL POLICIES TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE ARE LAGGING, CPI REPORT FINDS
Printer-friendly versionApril 22, 2009 (San Diego)–The carbon footprint of the average San Diegan–including residential energy use and transportation–is larger than that of the average resident of Los Angeles, a review of available data shows. San Diego also lags behind LA in policies and programs to reduce energy use, according to Climate Change Performance and Policy: San Diego versus Los Angeles,
FILNER INTRODUCES BILL FOR FEDS TO PAY COSTS OF EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AT BORDER ENTRIES
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery April 18, 2009 (San Diego)—Congressman Bob Filner (R-San Diego) has introduced the “Save Our Border Communities Act, H.R. 670. The bill would require the federal government to reimburse costs for local police, firefighters and other first responders to provide services associated with U.S. ports of entry on the international border. “The federal government has not reimbursed
GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT TO HOST 23RD ANNUAL STUDENT ART EXHIBITION OPENING RECEPTION AND AWARDS CEREMONY
Printer-friendly versionApril 22, 2009 (El Cajon)– In celebration of student achievement, the Grossmont Union High School District is hosting its 23rd annual Creative Visions student art exhibition at Westfield Shopingtown-Parkway Plaza. The event officially kicks off with an awards ceremony on Friday, May 1, 2009, at 5:30 pm. Students will receive cash awards for artwork judged in the following categories:
SAN DIEGO ACLU SUIT CHARGES FBI & JUSTICE DEPT. WITH DODGING DOMESTIC SPYING FOIA: SEEKS IMMEDIATE PROCESSING OF FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUESTS
Printer-friendly versionApril 21, 2009 (San Diego)–The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department are illegally dragging their feet in responding to a Freedom of Information Act request seeking records from the Camp Pendleton domestic spying case sent in July 2008, according to a complaint filed late yesterday by the San Diego ACLU and the law firm Fish & Richardson
BOULEVARD FIRE NOW EXTINGUISHED; FIRE VICTIM DECLINED AIR TRANSPORT; HELICOPTER DISPATCHED TO CRASH AT IN-KO-PAH
Printer-friendly versionUPDATE 7:20 p.m. A fire that began in Boulevard earlier this evening has been extinguished, Cal-Fire confirms. Fire crews will remain on the scene for several hours dousing hot spots. The blaze caused $400,000 in damage. A fire victim refused air transport and has been transported to the burn unit at UCSD via ground transport. The helicopter was dispatched
SPLC PROVIDES TOOLS TO CURB RECRUITMENT OF TEENS BY RACIST HATE GROUPS; HATE CRIMES ON RISE
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery May 9, 2009 (La Mesa)—“There is an alarming increase in hate crimes in the United States,” James McElroy, chairman of the board for the Southern Law & Poverty Center (SLPC), told members and guests at the La Mesa –Foothills Democratic Club on May 6th. “We try to shine a little light on it. Hate is like
LEMONADE STANDS AIM TO SQUEEZE OUT MULTIPLE SCHLEROSIS MAY 30
Printer-friendly versionLemon Grove resident Kim German, 30, who has multiple sclerosis, is hosting a lemonade stand to raise money for multiple sclerosis from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 30, at the Lemon Grove VFW Hall, 6873 Federal Blvd., in Lemon Grove. The public is invited to drop by Kim’s lemonade stand, which will be one of more
BLOSSOM VALLEY CONSERVATION DAY MAY 30 OFFERS ENERGY& WATER SAVING TIPS
Printer-friendly versionMay 27, 2009 (Blossom Valley) — The Blossom Valley Water Task Force announces it will host an Energy & Water Conservation Day on Saturday, May 30th from 1 to 4 p.m. "If you haven’t heard by now, water deliveries will be cut to local agencies by 8 percent and a level 2 drought alert condition has been declared,"
WEEKLY CAJON CLASSIC CRUISE OPENS MAY 13TH FOR 9TH SEASON
Printer-friendly versionMay 1, 2009 (El Cajon)–Cajon Classic Cruise, the largest weekly classic car show in Southern California, returns to Main Street in Downtown El Cajon on Wednesday, May 13 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm with its 2009 Season Opener. In addition to viewing classic cars, the grand opening includes live music by the little Efert Band, a DJ from 104.2
BAFFLED BY BALLOT INITIATIVES? MAY 19 MEASURES PROVE STUDY IN CONFUSION
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery May 6, 2009 (San Diego’s East County)—The May 19 election includes six statewide ballot initiatives (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, and 1F) that are among the most confusing in recent memory. The stakes are high: stability of California’s budget process and the ability to fund vital services such as education, healthcare and public safety for
ECONOMIC CRISIS INCREASES SUICIDE RATE, COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH REPORTS. KNOW THE WARNING SIGNS
Printer-friendly versionMay 6, 2009 (San Diego)–May is Mental Health Month–and County of San Diego officials decided to kick it off highlighting the connection between the economic crisis and suicide. In San Diego County, the number of suicides increased 17 percent during the last five years, reaching 366 in 2008. The biggest increase took place in 2007 when the number
SOUTHERN POVERY LAW CENTER CHAIR TO SPEAK ON RISE IN HATE CRIMES: LA MESA, MAY 6
Printer-friendly versionApril 26, 2009 (La Mesa)–Jim McElroy, Chairman of the Board, Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), will speak on the rise in hate crimes in America during the May 6th meeting of the La Mesa-Foothills Democratic Club. A recent report from the SPLC shows a 50% rise in the number of hate groups in the United States. According to the
STATE OF EAST COUNTY: CITY LEADERS REVEAL PLANS RANGING FROM DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION TO A WATER SKI PARK IN SANTEE; JACOB TO PROPOSE FIRE DEPLOYMENT STUDY
Printer-friendly versionMay 2, 2009 (El Cajon)—Speaking at an East County Chamber of Commerce breakfast at Grossmont College yesterday, Supervisor Dianne Jacob took a cue from President Barack Obama and offered her own “100 days” post-election report. But she noted one key difference, “I did not take over any banks,” she quipped, then offered her own “to do” list. Mayors of
NEW FLU CASES CONFIRMED AT SDSU & POLINSKY FOSTER CHILDREN CENTER; NO CLOSURES AT THE SCHOOLS, BUT STATE PRISON SYSTEM HALTS VISITS AMID FLU FEARS
Printer-friendly versionMay 4, 2009 (San Diego)—San Diego County now has 24 confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza (the World Health Organization’s new name for swine flu). New cases include a 20-year-old SDSU student and a child at the Polinsky Center for foster children. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control have previously called for closing of schools where the virus is
ECO-FURNISHING LINE LAUNCHED IN SAN DIEGO
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery May 3, 2009 (San Diego)—Now your home can be beautiful—and green! San Diego designer Laura Birns, ASID, LEED AP, has launched LauraBirdsDesignEco-Furnishings. Named among the “Top 10 Green Gurus” by Innovative Home Magazine, the nationally published designer is a Certified Green Build Professional, USGBC,and Sustainable Furnishings Council member. Now she has created home and commercial furnishings
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