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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…
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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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FIRE AUTHORITIES MOP UP TWO SMALL BRUSH FIRES IN POWAY & LAKESIDE
Printer-friendly version August 6, 2009 (San Diego’s East County)1:45 p.m. – Two brush fires in Lakeside and Poway have been quickly contained. In Poway, a vegetation fire started at approximately noon today next to 15281 Hilltop Circle. “With assistance of the San Diego Fire Department, helicopters and us, we were qable to keep it at three acres,” Poway Fire
IDENTITY THEFT ALERT- YOU MAY BE AT RISK
Printer-friendly version By Peter Tworoger Identity theft can be devastating. The costs associated with identity theft have surpassed that of the drug trade. According to USA Today, the number of victims is expected to increase 20 fold over the next few years. Identity theft is not just about credit cards. The five types of identity theft are: DRIVERS LICENSE
SAN DIEGO SELECTED AS TARGET MARKET FOR LARGEST TRANSPORTATION ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT IN U.S. HISTORY
Printer-friendly version U.S. Department of Energy Chooses ECOtality’s eTec to Implement Project: 1,000 Electric Cars to be Tested in San Diego County August 5, 2009 (San Diego) – San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) and Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec) today announced that eTec, a leader in development of advanced transportation and energy systems, has been
SEMPRA ENERGY REPORTS SECOND-QUARTER 2009 RESULTS’ SDG&E EARNINGS RISE 15%
Printer-friendly version SAN DIEGO, August 4, 2009 – Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE) has reported second quarter 2009 earnings of $198 million, or $0.80 per diluted share, compared with second-quarter 2008 earnings of $244 million, or $0.98 per diluted share. Sempra Energy reaffirmed its previously announced 2009 earnings-per share guidance range of $4.35 to $4.60. Second-quarter 2009 results included an asset
BORREGO SPRINGS NAMED INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY COMMUNITY—ONE OF ONLY TWO WORLDWIDE
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery August 4, 2009 (Borrego Springs) — On Friday, July 31, Borrego Springs was designated by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) as only the second official International Dark Sky Community on earth—and the first in California. “It’s taken us nearly two years to make this happen, and we’re all pretty excited about this achievement,” said
IT’S IN THE HOLE! GOLF TOURNAMENT TEES OFF OCT. 16 AT COTTONWOOD
Printer-friendly version August 2, 2009 (El Cajon) –Looking for some fun in the sun? Rancho San Diego-Jamul Chamber of Commerce invites community members to take their best shots with local business members in the “It’s in the Hole Golf Tourmanent” Friday October 16. The event will be held at the brand new Lakes Course at Cottonwood Golf Course in Rancho San Diego.
$1.6 MILLION IN ANNUAL PERMANENT FUNDING ANNOUNCED TO ENCOURAGE DOCTORS TO SERVE IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES
Printer-friendly version San Diego’s Diamond Neighborhood Family Health Care Center will benefit from Thompson Program August 2, 2009 (San Diego) – Assemblymembers Mary Salas (D-San Diego) and Hector De La Torre (D-Los Angeles) announce permanent funding of $1.6 million annually to the Steven M. Thompson Program, which encourages doctors statewide to serve in low-income rural and urban communities .
GROSSMONT COLLEGE STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT NAMED TO CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES’ BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Printer-friendly version Student leader tasked with keeping state board attuned August 1 2009 (El Cajon) – Marc Valenzuela, Grossmont College’s new student body president, has a busy year ahead–including his latest appointment as a student liaison to the California Community Colleges’ Board of Governors. Valenzuela, who also represents the nine community colleges in San Diego and Imperial counties
BURNING ISSUE: ECM EDITOR SPEAKS ON SDG&E SHUT-OFF PROPOSAL IN TV, RADIO SHOWS
Printer-friendly version July 31, 2009 (San Diego) – Hosts of two radio programs and a TV show today interviewed East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery on some of the hottest topics in town– including a fiery East County issue: SDG&E’s proposal to shut-off power during fire-prone weather. Audio, video and transcripts from KPBS and KCBQ are available below. (cartoon reprinted with
VIEJAS CASINO NAMED “BEST CASINO” 10 YEARS IN A ROW; ALSO TAKES TOP HONORS FOR DINING & ENTERTAINMENT
Printer-friendly version August 1, 2009 (San Diego) – Viejas Casino (http://www.viejas.com) has been named the “Best Casino” for the tenth year in a row. Viejas also picked up awards for “Best Casino Dining,” “Best Live Music Venue” (for Concerts-in-the-Park), “Best Steakhouse” (for The Grove Steakhouse), “Best Dance Club/Entertainment” (for the DreamCatcher Lounge). The highly-coveted honors were announced today as part
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
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