Thanks To Our Sponsors
Be a sponsor!
Breaking News
Explore What Matters
News Center

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

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
News Issues

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

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
Politics

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

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
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

Lionel’s Legacy hosting sleepover party and more in Lakeside April 18-19
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 14, 2026 (Lakeside) — East County-based senior dog rescue group Lionel’s Legacy is holding

Mountain Empire Art Show Debuts April 15 in Boulevard
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 14, 2026 (Boulevard) — The Backcountry Resource Center in Boulevard will be busy this Wednesday,
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

Lionel’s Legacy hosting sleepover party and more in Lakeside April 18-19
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 14, 2026 (Lakeside) — East County-based senior dog rescue group Lionel’s Legacy is holding

Mountain Empire Art Show Debuts April 15 in Boulevard
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 14, 2026 (Boulevard) — The Backcountry Resource Center in Boulevard will be busy this Wednesday,
Features

Lionel’s Legacy hosting sleepover party and more in Lakeside April 18-19
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 14, 2026 (Lakeside) — East County-based senior dog rescue group Lionel’s Legacy is holding

Mountain Empire Art Show Debuts April 15 in Boulevard
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 14, 2026 (Boulevard) — The Backcountry Resource Center in Boulevard will be busy this Wednesday,
What East County Topic Matters Most to You?
Get East County Wildfire, Emergency Alerts
Latest Stories
Sponsorship Placement
RESIDENTS HOPE TO BUY POWAY MOBILEHOME PARK FROM CITY
Printer-friendly version By D.R. Schwab February 3, 2010 (Poway) — It would be a first for Poway: Converting a city-owned mobile home park to resident ownership. For the second time in six years, it’s something that residents of Poway Royal Mobile Estates, the City’s largest mobile home park, are attempting to do. Residents of the 501-acre, nearly 400-space sprawling
YEE-HA! LAKESIDE COMMUNITY EXPO AT RODEO GROUNDS PROVES CROWD-PLEASER FOR YOUNG AND OLD
Printer-friendly version February 3, 2010 (Lakeside) – Gunshots rang out on Saturday at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds, where historical re-enactors from the Hole in the Wall Gang staged a mock Western-style shootout. Members of the Victorian Roses Ladies Riding Society looked on, clad in elegant period attire. It was all part of the Lakeside Community Expo sponsored by
BODY OF MAN, 23, FOUND ON HORSE TRAIL IN ALPINE
Printer-friendly version February 3, 2010 (Alpine) – Riders on a horse trail about three-quarters of a mile northeast of 3589 Cougar Summit in Alpine found the body of a Hispanic man on January 31st shortly before 4 p.m. Authorities were not able to extricate the body until the next day, due to nightfall and difficult terrain. According to the
LAKESIDE CITIZENS PUT SDG&E OFFICIALS IN HOT SEAT OVER POWERLINK IMPACTS
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery “How can you sit there and say it’s safe to be there when that canyon has burned every year—and you’re going to put those towers up, leave us with no power, and we only have one way in and one way out?” — Myles Thurman, Lakeside February 3, 2010 (Lakeside) – San Diego Gas & Electric officials received
RAIN FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
Printer-friendly version February 3, 2010 (San Diego) – Light rain is forecast for Friday and Saturday, possibly continuing into Sunday throughout San Diego County, the National Weather Service predicts. Rain is expected to be less severe than other recent storms, with major flooding unlikely, though streams may overflow. Mudslides and debris flows are possible in burned areas, however, and snow
NEW REPORT DETAILS IMMIGRANTS IN OUR REGION
Printer-friendly version February 2, 2010 (San Diego) – A statewide report on immigrants released this week reveals that 23% of residents in San Diego County are immigrants—and nearly half (45%) of those immigrants are citizens. Of all children in the region, 43% have at least one immigrant parent. These and other intriguing findings are based on data collected in the
MAYOR MADRID’S PERSPECTIVES: THE PAST YEAR, THE NEW YEAR, AND THE FUTURE OF LA MESA
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery February 2, 2010 (La Mesa)–In an exclusive interview, La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid offered his perspectives on the past year and the coming one. Despite challenging economic times for communities across America, La Mesa has weathered the storm in better shape than many. Mayor Madrid provides insights into the city’s successes, future challenges, and new
FIRE DESTROYS MOBILE HOME IN VALLEY CENTER
Printer-friendly version February 2, 2010 (Valley Center) Cal Fire responded to a structure fire in Valley Center today at approximately 3:21pm, finding a double wide mobile home fully engulfed in flames. The elderly resident told fire officials that when he returned home, he noticed the house was full of smoke when he opened the front door and a neighbor called
BOYS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: EAGLES SOAR OVER HIGHLANDERS, 64-55
Printer-friendly versionby Christopher Mohr February 2, 2010 (La Mesa) – Last Friday’s basketball game at Helix High School between the host Highlanders and the visiting Eagles of Granite Hills High School had its share of scoring runs by both teams. The only problem for Helix was that Granite Hills’ scoring runs were longer in duration as the Eagles prevailed with
NEARLY 100 BIRDS, DOZENS OF MICE DIE AFTER EATING BIRD SEED SOLD AT LOCAL WAL-MART, EAST COUNTY LEADERS REPORT
Printer-friendly version UPDATE FEBRUARY 2, 2010 : The FDA has taken samples to test and launched an official investigation, also pulling seed bags from other local retailers, ECM has learned. In addition, samples have been sent to the manufacturer to test for toxins or contaminants. By Miriam Raftery January 31, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Milt and Laura
Register to Vote!
Printer-friendly versionVoter registration drives are being held at several East County locations listed below. You must be registered by October 20th to vote in the November 4th presidential election. Registering in person means you don’t have to worry about forms getting lost in the mail or arriving too late. If you’re not yet registered, you can sign up at any
WATER SHORTAGE REVIVES RECYCLED WATER PROPOSALS
Printer-friendly versionBy E.A. Barrera Photos by Daisy Sharrock October 1, 2008 (SAN DIEGO) – Water is the single biggest issue facing the future of San Diego County. Even the process for updating San Diego County’s land use general plan – the so-called General Plan 2020 process – depends on the availability and amount of water the area will sustain. "Water
Health Tips
Printer-friendly version HUMAN WEST NILE VIRUS CASES REACH FIVE TOTAL SAN DIEGO August 18, 2008 — Another confirmed locally-acquired human case of West Nile virus (WNV) brings the year-to-date total to five—including one patient in East County, according to the County Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA). FDA DECISION ON BPA OUTRAGES HEALTH ADVOCATES FALLS CHURCH, Va., Aug 20, 2008
A Firestorm of Controversy – Still No County Fire Department Five Years After Cedar Blaze
Printer-friendly versionBallot measure will ask voters to approve tax for fire services By E.A. Barrera Photos courtesy of La Mesa Fire Department “Given the existing high-risk conditions that are projected to continue into the future, destructive firestorms will certainly occur again. Yet, even armed with this knowledge and after the Cedar Fire wake-up call, the San Diego region is woefully
DYING TO COME TO AMERICA – Immigrant Death Toll Soars; Water Stations Sabotaged
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery September 1, 2008 (Holtville)–“These people came here looking for opportunity. Not one of them expected to die,” said Enrique Morones, erecting a hand-made wooden cross at a gravesite marked only by a brick engraved with the name Jane Doe. A few years ago, there were twenty bricks in this pauper’s graveyard at Holtville in Imperial County,
Tough Medicine, Part I
Printer-friendly versionGrossmont Hospital Investigations Raise Oversight Concernts, Criticisms By Sara McInerney, staff writer, and editor Miriam Raftery September 14, 2008 (La Mesa)–Revelations of preventable patient deaths and alleged neglect at Sharp Grossmont Hospital have led some community leaders to demand increased oversight even as new complaints of patient care at Grossmont surface. Grossmont is one of four hospitals in San Diego
Tough Medicine, Part II
Printer-friendly versionCommunity Leaders Call for New Hospital in East County: Long Waits in Grossmont ER, Patient Deaths Heighten Urgent Need By Sara McInerney, Staff Writer September 18, 2008 (La Mesa)–Government investigations into at least three preventable patient deaths at Sharp Grossmont Hospital have raised serious questions about the facility’s capacity to service the needs of East County’s growing population. Closure of
Democratic Candidates Urge Voters to Unite for Change at East County Rally
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery "I’ve been a Republican for 35 years and I became a Democrat in January," La Mesa Councilmember David Allan told a crowd of approximately 350 people at the East County Uniting for Change picnic on Sunday at Harry Griffith Park in La Mesa. Sponsored by the La Mesa-Foothills, East County and Santee Democratic Clubs, the event
Budget Crisis Hits Home
Printer-friendly versionState workers in East County struggle to cope with prospect of huge pay cuts, lay-offs; Judge orders Sept. 12 hearing on Governor’s wage-slashing orders By Miriam RafteryPhotos by Aida Canonizado Mildred Scarber, a state employee who works at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in El Cajon, was shocked to learn that Governor Schwarzenegger has ordered all state employees’
Taxing Issues
Printer-friendly versionLa Mesa Council candidates address budget gap, public safety and future growth By Miriam Raftery State budget cuts have left La Mesa facing a potential budget shortfall of several million dollars. In exclusive interviews with East County Magazine, challenger Shannon O’Dunn as well as incumbents David Allan and Ruth Sterling shared their views on bridging the budget gap as
Get Wildfire Alerts & Wildfire Emergency News
Partner To ECM
Our Engaged Audience
5 to 10 million hits
per month!
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
Community Links
📬 Subscribe to ECM – 100% Free, Trusted by East County Since 2008
- Emergency alerts
- Breaking news
- No spam ever