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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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Health and Science Highlights
March 4, 2026 (San Diego’s East County) — Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future….
U.S. issues worldwide caution, urges Americans in Middle East to depart immediately—but cancelled flights, closed airports make evacuation difficult
By Miriam Raftery March 4, 2026 (Washington D.C.) – Following the U.S. and Israeli military attacks on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory bombings in cities across…
U.S. issues worldwide caution, urges Americans in Middle East to depart immediately—but cancelled flights, closed airports make evacuation difficult
By Miriam Raftery March 4, 2026 (Washington D.C.) – Following the U.S. and Israeli military attacks on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory bombings in cities across…
Teamsters strike at SDSU impacts traffic on I-8
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery February 17, 2026 (San Diego) – Teamsters Local 2010 is holding a four-day unfair labor practice strike at 22 California State University campuses starting today, including San Diego State University and Cal State San Marcos. Campuses remain open, however an alert sent by SDSU cautions that traffic along I-8 near campus is backed up; students
City Of San Diego abruptly ends longstanding media ID and parking placard program, raising new questions about access, accountability, and press rights
Printer-friendly version Source: Sandiegoville February 26, 2026 (San Diego) – The City of San Diego has abruptly discontinued its Media Identification Card (Press Pass) Program and the blue parking placards that for decades helped local journalists cover breaking news safely and in real time. The change, effective February 13, is being framed by San Diego Police Department as an administrative modernization
The true State of the Union
Printer-friendly versionBy Alexander J. Schorr Screenshot: President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the Capitol during his State of the Union Speech “It is indeed a turnround for the ages,” President Donald Trump, 2026 February 27, 2026 (Washington, D.C.) — President Donald Trump gave his 2026 State of the Union address on Wednesday, touting the first year of his
U.S. and Israel attack Iran, reportedly kill Ayatollah Khamenei
Printer-friendly versionIran retaliates with strikes targeting U.S. military bases, Israel and civilian targets By Miriam Raftery Photo via U.S. Navy: USS Abraham Lincon aircraft based in San Diego has been dispatched to the region February 28, 2026 (Tehran) – The U.S. and Israel today launched massive air strikes in Iran. President Donald Trump has said the operation aims to overturn
East County Chamber honors leaders, organizations at 114th annual soiree
Printer-friendly versionSycuan Casino Resort hosted the San Diego Regional East County Chamber of Commerce’s 114th annual East County Honors Awards Gala over the weekend. Photos and story by Karen Pearlman March 2, 2026 (El Cajon) — More than 400 business and nonprofit leaders, community advocates and public officials gathered at Sycuan Casino Resort last Saturday for the 114th Annual East County
Casualties mount across Middle East; Trump says military conflict could last months, won’t rule out ground troops
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery Photo: Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, in press conference today March 2, 2026 (San Diego) – The U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in Operation “Epic Fury” which began Saturday are believed to have killed 49 senior Iranian officials, including the Ayatollah Khomeini, according to the White House. The USS Abraham Lincoln and stealth bombers based
KNSJ community radio suffers catastrophic damage when winter storm topples its rented tower
Printer-friendly version Station is still streaming online, but restoring broadcast signal requires urgent funding for engineering, equipment, and a possible new site East County News Service February 28, 2026 (Descanso) – “The tower where KNSJ rented space since beginning broadcasting on July 4th, 2013, is now a crumpled pile of steel and cabling,” states a press release from KNSJ 89.1
Probation enforces no trick or treating at some neighborhood homes
Printer-friendly versionBy Yvette Urrea Moe, County of San Diego Communications Office October 31, 2025 (San Diego) – No Jack-O-Lanterns, festive lights or Halloween decorations of any kind, candy outside or contact with children is allowed at the homes of sex offenders, and a San Diego County Probation team went out to make sure they were following the restrictions. Supervising Probation
Charges filed against driver who killed cousins in Lemon Grove
Printer-friendly version East County News Service October 30, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – The hopes and dreams of Nadia Charles, 19, and Junior Joseph Juste, 20, cousins who came to America from Haiti seeking a better life, were snuffed out on New Year’s morning when two vehicles collided in Lemon Grove. The crash pushed one of the vehicles into the two
Spring Valley woman sentenced for animal cruelty
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service Oct. 30, 2025 (Spring Valley) — A woman has been sentenced in an animal cruelty case after San Diego County Department of Animal Services officers responded to a case involving a Chihuahua in Spring Valley. Animal Services met with the dog’s owner in August after receiving a recording from a member of the
Save a life, honor a Legend at Bill Walton Memorial Blood Drive on Nov. 5
Printer-friendly versionLast year’s inaugural Bill Walton Memorial Blood Drive hosted by the San Diego Blood Bank was in Mission Valley. This year’s Nov. 5 drive will be at Grossmont Center, in Walton’s hometown. Photo by Karen Pearlman East County News Service Oct. 30, 2025 (La Mesa) — The San Diego Blood Bank is calling on the community to
California commits $80M boost to food banks as hardship rises
Printer-friendly version The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank’s main warehouse. Photo courtesy San Diego Food Bank East County News Service Oct. 30, 2025 (Sacramento) — In a vital response to increasing economic strain on families across the state, California has officially approved fast tracking an additional $80 million in extra funding for local food banks. The
Help shape the County’s Emergency Operations plan through an online survey
Printer-friendly version By Yvette Urrea Moe, County of San Diego Communications Office Oct. 30, 2025 (San Diego) — Residents, businesses and community organizations, your feedback is needed to help shape how the region responds to disasters, especially if you want the County to consider specific community needs. An online survey is available for community members and organizations to
County reaches $16 million settlement over jail death of Hayden Schuck
Printer-friendly versionJudge had threatened sanctions over 55 hours of deleted video By Alexander J Schorr Photo: The late Hayden Schuck October 29, 2025—San Diego County Supervisors have voted to approve a historic settlement to resolve the in-custody wrongful death of Hayden Schuck. In the case of Estate of Hayden Schuck v. County of San Diego, et al. (Case 23-cv-00785-DMS-AHG), they
Woman, 63, critically injured in El Cajon hit-and-run collision
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service October 29, 2025 (El Cajon) — On Thursday evening, October 23, a vehicle traveling westbound on Main Street in El Cajon struck a pedestrian who was crossing southbound. After the collision, the driver of the vehicle failed to stop and fled in the vehicle, says Lt. Joe Crawford with El Cajon Police. The pedestrian, a
Deer mouse tests positive for Hantavirus in Rancho Cuyamaca State Park
Printer-friendly version By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office October 29, 2025 (Cuyamaca) — A deer mouse collected in routine monitoring Oct. 22 at the Los Vaqueros Group Horse Campground in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park has tested positive for the potentially deadly hantavirus. Finding hantavirus in wild rodents is not uncommon in San Diego County. And people rarely come
Apostille pop-up shop returns to San Diego for final 2025 event
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service Oct. 29, 2025 (San Diego County) — Need international document authentication? Now’s your chance. San Diego County residents needing international document authentication will have an opportunity to have a one-stop-shop for it on Wednesday, Nov. 5, as the California Secretary of State’s Apostille pop-up shop returns for a fifth and final 2025 appearance.
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