Award-winning nonprofit media in the public interest, serving San Diego's inland region

Award-winning nonprofit media in the public interest, serving San Diego's inland region

Breaking News

Explore What Matters

Stay informed on the issues that shape East County. From local news and emergency alerts, to community celebrations

News Center

News Issues

Politics

Wildfires and Emergencies

Events & Arts

Visit East County

People

Communities

Features

Get East County Wildfire, Emergency Alerts

Critical wildfire and emergency notifications delivered instantly.Join Neighbors who stay informed and prepared with our award winning Journalist

Latest Stories

Sponsorship Placement

FIRE DOUSED ON PALOMAR MOUNTAIN

Printer-friendly version  September 16, 2009 (San Diego)—A fire that began early this evening has been contained at a half acre near Doane Pond on Palomar Mountain. Nine engines, four crews, three helicopters, two air tankers and tha Martin Mars were dispatched initially. As of 10:30 p.m., a single engine remains at the scene for the night, the U.S. Forest Service

Read More ...

AFTER MASSIVE OUTCRY, SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS SONIC WEAPON SWITCH “DISABLED”; CONCERNS REMAIN

Printer-friendly version  By Miriam Raftery September 16, 2009 (San Diego) – San Diego County Sheriff’s Department notified media today that it would hold a demonstration of its highly controversial “sonic weapon.” What was demonstrated, however, was only the loudspeaker capability of the device—a feature which has effectively been used in search-and-rescue operations and to broadcast messages during a sandcastle contest.

Read More ...

CANDIDATE PROFILE: FRANCINE BUSBY RUNNING FOR CONGRESS AGAIN

Printer-friendly version  "Leadership is about going where others won’t." –Francine Busby By E.A. Barrera September 9, 2009 (San Diego)–Democrat Francine Busby says the 50th Congressional District is ripe for change and she is the candidate best suited to unseat Republican incumbent Brian Bilbray next year. "There is an accelerating shift from the Republican Party to Independents and Democrats. This district

Read More ...

GAME OF THE WEEK: GROSSMONT SUFFERS TURNOVERS IN 34-7 LOSS TO VALHALLA

Printer-friendly version  by Christopher Mohr   September 15, 2009 (El Cajon)–Sisyphean. That one word  describes how the Grossmont Foothillers must have felt in Friday night’s 34-7 loss to the host Valhalla Norsemen.   The term refers to Sisyphus, a character from Greek mythology, who was sentenced to an eternity of rolling a large rock up a steep hill. Although Sisyphus

Read More ...

FALLBROOK SHERIFF’S DETECTIVES ARREST CHILD MOLESTER WHO APPROACHED CHILD AT BUS STOP

Printer-friendly version PUBLIC’S HELP SOUGHT TO IDENTIFY OTHER POSSIBLE VICTIMS September 14, 2009 (Fallbrook)–Detectives from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Fallbrook Substation, have arrested Enrique Lopez Torres for  24 counts of possession of obscene material (depicting children under 18), three counts of annoying/molesting a Child, three counts of Lewd Acts with a child and one count of false imprisonment with violence.  After discovering photos showing Torres

Read More ...

METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT PROPOSAL UNLEASHES A FLOOD OF PROTEST

Printer-friendly version  By Francine Phillips September 16, 2009 (San Diego)–The largest provider of water in Southern California, the Metropolitan Water District (MWD), based in Los Angeles, has completed its final round of labor negotiations of a five-year contract that includes a hike in retirement benefits that has stakeholders in San Diego crying “foul.” Last week pension particulars were spelled out

Read More ...

SONIC WEAPONS USED IN IRAQ POSITIONED AT CONGRESSIONAL TOWNHALL MEETINGS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY

Printer-friendly version  A Joint Investigative Report by East County Magazine and Liberty One Radio By Miriam Raftery   September 11, 2009 (San Diego) – “Long-range acoustic devices [LRADs] for crowd control can be extremely dangerous. These are used in Iraq to control insurgents. They can cause serious and lasting harm to humans…We want to know WHY our Sheriff Dept has

Read More ...

SEMPRA LOBBYIST SEX SCANDAL SPARKS CALL FOR LOBBYING REFORMS

Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery September 13, 2009 (Sacramento) –Last week, Assemblyman Mike Duvall (R-Orange County) resigned after bragging on videotape about sexual romps with lobbyists— including a lobbyist representing SDG&E and its parent company, Sempra Energy, according to an Orange County newspaper. Now Common Cause and the Courage Campaign have launched an online petition drive calling for lobbying reform legislation.

Read More ...

WANT TO HELP YOUR COMMUNITY? JOIN EL CAJON’S TEEN COALITION

Printer-friendly version  Applications Due By Sept. 28 September 11, 2009 (El Cajon)–To engage, educate and empower–these are goals for the City’s Teen Coalition, which is kicking off another year of leadership and community service. This special coalition, offered through the City’s Recreation Department, is an opportunity for teens to develop skills in leadership, discuss important teen issues, and become involved

Read More ...

RETURN OF THE BODY SNATCHERS: FIRM WITH HISTORY OF GRAVE DESECRATIONS OWNS 10 CEMETERIES & FUNERAL HOMES IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY

Printer-friendly version  By Miriam Raftery, Editor East County Magazine   September 11, 2009 (San Diego) –Tonight, CNN reports that hundreds of graves were allegedly desecrated to make room for more remains in a Los Angeles cemetery, where employees are accused of ripping up concrete vaults with backhoes, shattering caskets and discarding body parts including a human skull. The story had

Read More ...

ECM World Watch: national and global news

Printer-friendly versionJuly 29, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) — As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include: U.S. Trump says Epstein poached young women from Mar-a-Lago. That raises new questions about what he knew.

Read More ...

East County Roundup: local and statewide news

Printer-friendly versionJuly 30, 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 Downtown La Mesa’s parking crunch (San Diego Reader) US signs MOU with Mexico on Tijuana River sewage crisis (Fox 5 San Diego) At least 8

Read More ...

Tsunami advisory for West Coast including San Diego after massive 8.8 earthquake

Printer-friendly version Tsumani could reach Hawaii and Alaska this evening, San Diego shortly after midnight, with risk of more tidal waves due to powerful aftershocks. East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts Note:  An earlier tsunami watch has been upgraded to a tsunami advisory. July 29, 2025 (San Diego) – The National Tsunami Warning Center has issued a tsunami advisory for

Read More ...

Health and Science Highlights

Printer-friendly versionJuly 29, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) — Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future. HEALTH FDA might ban fluoride supplements. Dentists are upset.  (Time Magazine) Simple home test for endometriosis developed (Newsweek) 5 million above-ground pools recalled after deaths reported in 6 states (Fox 5) Treatments From Llama

Read More ...

New Trump admin policy bars many students from adult school classes

Printer-friendly versionBy Adam Echelman, CalMatters Photo:  students work on an assignment during an English as a second language class at the San Diego Continuing Education Mid-City campus in San Diego on Oct. 6, 2023.  File photo courtesy Adriana Heldiz/CalMatters  July 28, 2025 (San Diego) – As President Donald Trump ramps up immigration enforcement, targeting immigrants at workplaces and street corners across

Read More ...

Behind the masks: who are the people rounding up immigrants in California?

Printer-friendly versionBy Michael Lozano, CalMatters Photo:  a line of federal immigration agents and protesters stand-off near the Glass House Farms facility outside Camarillo on July 10, 2025. Protesters gathered after federal agents conducted an immigration raid earlier in the day. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. July 27, 2025

Read More ...

Supervisor Desmond runs for Congress; multiple candidates take aim at his seat

Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery Photo:  5th Supervisorial district candidates Kyle Krahel, John Franklin and Rebeca Jones. July 27, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego’s 5th Supervisorial district will soon have a new representative.  Supervisor Jim Desmond, a conservative Republican, has announced plans to run for the 49th Congressional district . The 49th District, currently represented by Congressman Mike

Read More ...

Trump administration’s impact on California’s enviornment and the agencies that work to protect it

Printer-friendly version  Federal budget cuts have closed an EPA office and pose significant threat to California’s clean air, water, and clean energy sources  By G. A. McNeeley  July 25, 2025 (Washington D.C.) — On Thursday, July 10, California’s top leaders in wildfire response, water resources, natural lands and clean energy assembled to discuss budget cuts, staff reductions and more significant

Read More ...

GUHSD board adopts resolution to follow Brown Act and bylaws — President Woods denies violations

Printer-friendly versionBy Alexander J. Schorr  “We need public school leadership that we can trust.” —Madeline McCurry-Schmidt, a La Mesa parent and graduate of a GUHSD school   A new promise to keep   July 25, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) — All public boards in California are expected to follow the state’s open government laws. But explosive revelations based on public records published by

Read More ...

Get Wildfire Alerts & Wildfire Emergency News

Stay ahead of emergencies with real-time notifications delivered directly to your inbox when seconds count.

Partner To ECM

Connect with East County’s most informed and engaged community. Our readers trust ECM for critical news and actively support local businesses.

Our Engaged Audience

Unique Visitors

5 to 10 million hits

per month!

Number of Visitors
0

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

Thanks To Our Major Sponsors

📬 Subscribe to ECM – 100% Free, Trusted by East County Since 2008

Reviews and Feedback