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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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FANITA RANCH GETS GO AHEAD FROM SANTEE CITY COUNCIL–AGAIN
Printer-friendly versionBy Mike Allen June 12, 2025 (Santee) — The largest residential project in Santee’s history, Fanita Ranch, was granted approval by the City Council, in a 3 -1 vote June 11 with Vice Mayor Rob McNelis recusing himself. It was the third time in five years the Santee City Council gave its approval to the project that will add
“NO KINGS” PROTESTS PLANNED SATURDAY NATIONWIDE OVER AUTHORITARIAN TACTICS, INCLUDING 11 EVENTS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY
Printer-friendly version East County News Service June 12, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) — “They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services. The corruption has gone too. far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings,” states the website No Kings, which is organizing protests nationwide on Saturday, June 14.
SAN DIEGO GROCERY WORKERS VOTE TO OK STRIKE AMID CONTRACT DISPUTE
Printer-friendly versionUFCW Local 135 grocery store workers have authorized an unfair labor practice strike. (Photo courtesy of UFCW Local 135) By Elizabeth Ireland, Times of San Diego Updated with statements from Albertsons and Ralphs June 12, 2025 (San Diego County) — More than 90 percent of voting United Food and Commercial Workers Local 135 members at Ralphs,
CALIF. SENATOR PADILLA FORCIBLY REMOVED FROM HOMELAND SECURITY PRESS CONFERENCE AND HANDCUFFED
Printer-friendly version Action sparks bipartisan outrage By Miriam Raftery June 12, 2025 (Los Angeles) – In a shocking action, California’s U.S. Senator Alex Padilla was forcibly dragged out of a press conference in Los Angeles today, thrown on the ground and handcuffed while trying to ask a question of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Video shows he clearly identified himself,
IN A WIN FOR PUBLIC ACCESS, CITY COUNCIL VOTES TO KEEP LAKE MURRAY OPEN DAILY
Printer-friendly version By Karen Pearlman Photo by Karen Pearlman: wild birds at the Lake Murray reservoir June 11, 2025 (San Diego) – The future of continued daily access to Lake Murray is looking a little brighter today. With a 7-2 vote, the San Diego City Council on Tuesday approved a 2025-26 budget that preserves activities at Lake Murray and other
GUHSD BOARD REJECTS TEACHERS’ ETHNIC STUDIES PROGRAM, PROVIDES UPDATES ON AI AND TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES
Printer-friendly versionBy Alexander J Schorr Photo, front row: Zahra Nuristani and Maggie Kelly, student board members stepping down, and Sage Larson, one of two new student board members At the June 6 meeting, Grossmont Union High School District’s governing board rejected an ethnic studies program prepared by teachers, announced AI and technology updates, shared a video from the new superintendent,
LOS ANGELES IMMIGRATION PROTESTS, CIVIL UNREST FUEL CLASH BETWEEN GOVERNOR AND PRESIDENT
Printer-friendly versionBy Alexander J. Schorr Photo: KTLA screenshot: flashbang deployed amid L.A. civil unrest at Los Angeles Sheriff’s officer looks on June 11, 2025 (Los Angeles) — California sued the Trump administration this week over the President’s order to deploy 2,000 California National Guard troops to Los Angeles without the Governor’s consent. California Governor Gavin Newsom has argued that the
PASSAGES: ART MADRID, FORMER LA MESA MAYOR WHO SERVED THE CITY FOR OVER 30 YEARS
Printer-friendly version By Karen Pearlman June 10, 2025 (La Mesa) – Leaving behind a legacy of service, prolific leadership and unwavering commitment to civic matters, longtime La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid has passed away at age 90. His leadership shaped the city, earning admiration and respect from residents, businesses and civic leaders around the region and across the country. He
SANTEE REPLACES LOW-INCOME APARTMENTS WITH CONDO PROJECT
Printer-friendly version An infill condo project for 52 units is coming to Santee Photo and story by Mike Allen June 9, 2025 (Santee) — The Santee City Council unanimously approved another infill condominium project recently, this one for 52 units on the site that once housed the PureFlo Water dispensary, and had previously been approved for low-income apartments.
‘EVERYBODY STOOD UP’: WHY A UNION LEADER’S ARREST GALVANIZED CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS ON IMMIGRATION
Printer-friendly versionThis story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. By Jeanne Kuang June 9, 2025 (San Diego County) — The union leader federal agents detained at an immigration protest in Los Angeles last week is well known to California’s Democratic leadership from his years of activism in and out of the Capitol. That’s one reason so many leading
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
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