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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,
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ROBBERS VIOLENTLY ASSAULT, INJURE MAN & WOMAN AT 24 HOUR FITNESS IN LA MESA
Printer-friendly version Police Seek Suspects: 3 Hispanic Men with Shaved Heads; Reward Offered October 2, 2009 (La Mesa) – Last night at approximately 8:28 PM, a man and woman were assaulted by three men and knocked unconscious outside the 24-Hour Fitness Center in La Mesa. The 34 year old female victim was standing in the parking lot waiting
LIGHTNING FIRE HALTED IN PAUMA VALLEY
Printer-friendly versionOctober 2, 2009 (Pauma Valley) — CALFIRE reported a half-acre brush fire in the community of Pauma Valley off Rincon Ranch Road and South Mesa Drive. The fire was started by a lightning strike mid slope and burned uphill towards a grove. The fire was reported at 3:22 p.m., however the spread of fire was halted at 3:37
WILL YOU BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE NEXT WILDFIRE STRIKES? SIGN UP FOR E-MAIL & CELL PHONE NOTIFICATIONS
Printer-friendly version EDITOR’S UPDATE: ECM no longer recommends AlertSanDiego. While the service does provide timely notification of emergencies targeted by zip codes, we have received complaints of SPAM, political mail and excessing mailings sent to subscribers of that service. Instead, we recommend only the Viejas Wildfire & Emergency Alerts service powered by East County Magazine. We average a couple of alerts per week and we
POVERTY RATE AT 50-YEAR HIGH IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY; EL CAJON HAS WORST POVERTY RATE IN COUNTY
Printer-friendly version New Census data show 850,000 county residents living in economic hardship September 29, 2009 (San Diego)–Poverty in San Diego County shot up in 2008, rising at a much faster pace than in California or the nation. This plunge in quality of life for many San Diegans is documented in U.S. Census data released today. The data shows
PEDESTRIAN ROBBED & BEATEN IN LA MESA
Printer-friendly version September 30, 2009 (La Mesa)–At approximately 1:50 PM on September 28, 2009 a man called La Mesa P.D. from the Kaiser Hospital in San Diego to report that he had been robbed walking home from a local bar early Sunday morning. Assailants beat the man and reportedly left him unconscious. La Mesa Police contacted the male victim at the
DEMOCRATIC CLUB RETURNS TO SPRING VALLEY-LEMON GROVE
Printer-friendly version Candidates for Attorney General and Insurance Commissioner Spoke at Festive Gathering September 30, 2009 (Lemon Grove) – Dozens of people packed into the Por Favor Restaurant in Lemon Grove Friday night to celebrate the community’s newly formed Spring Valley-Lemon Grove Democratic Club. The new club hosted an impressive array of guest speakers, including two candidates for statewide
RED FLAG WARNING THURSDAY: CAL-FIRE BOOSTS STAFFING & EQUIPMENT DUE TO FIRE DANGER
Printer-friendly version September 30, 2009 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service in San Diego has upgraded its fire weather watch to a red flag warning. The red flag warning will be in effect from 3 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 1st throughout most of the County, includingi nland valleys and mountains. Weak to moderate Santa
GAME OF THE WEEK: TITANS TAME COUGARS IN 38-13 WIN
Printer-friendly version by Christopher Mohr (RANCHO SAN DIEGO) September 25 – Steele Canyon’s football team is not happy right now. After the Cougars’ 38-13 loss to Eastlake Friday night, head coach Ron Boehmke gathered his players in a circle on the field, and told them in no uncertain terms that this performance was not acceptable. The players knew it,
TSUNAMI ALERT ISSUED FOR WEST COAST
Printer-friendly versionSeptember 29, 2009 (San Diego) 4:30 p.m. — Federal experts have issued a tsunami advisory for possible dangerous currents in coastal areas of California and Oregon following a magnitude-8 earthquake in the Pacific Ocean near Samoa. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center says an advisory means that a tsunami capable of producing strong
SMALL BRUSH FIRE IN SPRING VALLEY
Printer-friendly version September 29, 2009 12:20 p.m. (Spring Valley)– A small brush fire has been reported at 1502 Ramona Avenue in Spring Valley, Incident Protection Network reported at 11:26 a.m. The fire was reportedly heading uphill toward a home. A dispatcher at Heartland Fire informed East County Magazine that the fire is not considered a threat and that all but
Chicago ICE raid draws condemnation over tactics including zip-tying naked children and terrorizing residents, even citizens
Printer-friendly version“It’s illegal. Unconstitutional. It’s dangerous. It’s wrong. This is not about deportation. This is not about safety. This is about authoritarianism. It’s about stoking fear. It’s about breaking the Constitution” – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson By Alexander J. Schorr October 8, 2025 (Chicago) — On Friday morning at 1:00 AM on Chicago‘s South Shore Drive, federal agents in military garb smashed through doors with flash-bangs, dragged residents
Law enforcement stands ready to respond to regional emergencies
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service October 8, 2025 (San Diego) — In the wake of recent high-profile incidents across the nation, Sheriff Kelly Martinez and local law enforcement agencies held a press conference yesterday to advise the community that they are prepared and ready to respond to any emergency in San Diego County. Sheriff Martinez was joined by San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Center (LECC) Director Roy
Diet tea recalled for containing sugar, posing danger to diabetics
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service October 7, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Over 2,854 cases of Lipton Green Tea Citrus made by PepsiCo have been recalled because they actually contain mislabeled bottles of Lipton Green Tea Mixed Berry. The berry flavor is supposed to contain zero sugar, but these drink bottles labeled “Diet” in the mixed berry flavor contain 25 grams
Bicyclist dies after collision in Lemon Grove
Printer-friendly versionSource: San Diego County Sheriff October 7, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – A bicyclist is dead after a collision with a black Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck shortly before 9:30 p.m. last night in the 8500 block of Troy Street in Lemon Grove. Deputies form the Lemon Grove Sheriff’s station responded to reports of a serious injury collision and found the
Missing Spring Valley teen
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service October 7, 2025 (Spring Valley) – Public help is sought to local Angel Mauricio Reyes Mejicanos, 15, who vanished after walking his sister to school on September 29. He was reportedly sighted in the Encanto area on October 1. His family is pleading for public help to find him according to the RAD Movement, which
Charging your devices: Safety steps can prevent lithium-ion fires
Printer-friendly versionBy Yvette Urrea Moe, County of San Diego Communications Office Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine contributed to this report Photo: firefighters purposely overloaded a lithium-ion battery to show what can happen. October 6, 2025 (San Diego) — Make sure you’re charging your lithium-ion batteries safely for devices such as cell phones and laptop computers. Using the wrong charger or one
No kidding–firefighters save goat trapped in boulders
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery October 6, 2025 (Descanso) – A goat trapped between boulders on Mizpah Lane in Descanso has been freed, thanks to the efforts of Cal Fire/San Diego Fire crews. Firefighters from Station 44 in Pine Valley and Station 45 in Descanso responded and performed a technical rescue to extricate the goat. “We are deeply honored to serve
Recall Ortiz effort in El Cajon fails to qualify for ballot
Printer-friendly versionAn effort to recall El Cajon City Council Phil Ortiz (seated, left) is not moving forward. By Karen Pearlman Oct. 6, 2025 (El Cajon) – A grass-roots effort begun in 2024 to recall El Cajon City Councilmember Phil Ortiz has fizzled after organizers failed to turn in signatures as required by last Friday to qualify a recall for the
Reduced Santee Council approves 285-unit condo project near Town Center Community Park
Printer-friendly versionBy Mike Allen October 5, 2025 (Santee) — The vacant lot behind the Cameron YMCA will soon be vacant no longer. The Santee City Council voted 3-0 to approve a 285-unit condominium project on the 22.17-acre site which had long been used by dog walkers, model car and plane users, and overspill parking during big events at the Town
Media Watch: Free speech groups denounce deportation of Emmy-award winning journalist for live-streaming ICE raids and protests
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery October 5, 2025 (Atlanta, GA) – In an action that has drawn condemnation from journalism and civil liberties organizations, the Department of Homeland Security on Friday deported Mario Guevara, an Emmy award-winning journalist, to El Salvador in retaliation for his live-streaming of ICE raids. “The government kept Mario unlawfully detained for weeks because of his
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