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 ...

Grocery Workers at Ralphs, Albertsons Vons and Pavilions Vote to Ratify New Contracts

Printer-friendly version East County News Service Image via UFCW San Diego’s Facebook page July 14, 2025 (San Diego) –Grocery members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Locals 135, 324, 770, 1167, 1428, and 1442 voted this week overwhelmingly to ratify new three-year agreements with Ralphs (a subsidiary of Kroger) and Albertsons (which includes Albertsons, Vons, and Pavilions). The union

Read More ...

East County Roundup: Local and Statewide News

Printer-friendly versionJuly 15, 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 San Diego residents protest water rate hikes as county votes on new pricing (10 News) San Diego’s Sycuan And Viejas Tribes, Qualcomm & Sempra Among

Read More ...

Suncrest Truck Trail Not a Viable Option for Fire Evacuation Route in Crest, According to Fire Officials

Printer-friendly versionFire officials announce other upgrades in fire protection for Crest By Paul Levikow July 14, 2025 (Crest) – For years, Crest residents have asked the County to create an additional evacuation route on Suncrest Truck Trail to protect residents in the rural community that was devasted in the 2003 Cedar Fire.  In response to a reader’s request, ECM looked

Read More ...

Deaf Mongolian Immigrant Held by ICE In Otay Mesa for Months Without Access to Interpreter

Printer-friendly versionThe Otay Mesa Detention Center operated by CoreCivic. (Photo by Adrian Childress/Times of San Diego)   By Wendy Fry, CalMatters   Update July 23, 2025 — ICE has released this immigrant, Cal Matters reports, after four months in custody and following a judicial order to provide a Mongolian interpreter.  He is now living with a family member.   July 14,

Read More ...

Advancing Healthy Communities: Inside the Bing and Underage Drinking Initiative’s 2025 Annual Status Report for County

Printer-friendly version  By Seraphina Eberhardt, Program Director, Institute for Public Strategies   July 1, 2025 (El Cajon) — Community leaders, prevention experts, and local advocates came together at Singing Hills Golf Club in El Cajon recently to talk about the realities of alcohol misuse in our neighborhoods.   The San Diego County Binge and Underage Drinking Initiative (BUDI) released its

Read More ...

Health and Science Highlights

Printer-friendly versionJuly 14, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) — Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future. HEALTH Major medical associations sue Kennedy, Trump administration health leaders for Covid-19 vaccine changes (CNN) Supreme Court preserves Obamacare coverage of preventive healthcare (Politico) Gates Foundation commits $1.6B for global vaccine effort after US

Read More ...

Walmart Recalling Ozark Stainless Steel Water Bottles

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Services   July 13, 2025 (San Diego County) — Walmart stores are recalling metal water bottles that can cause blindness when lids snap up.   The retailer recalled the Ozark Trail 64‑oz stainless steel insulated water bottle after lid incidents left two consumers blind.   In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Walmart has issued

Read More ...

SDSU Swim & Dive Earns 7 Scholar/All-America Honors

Printer-friendly versionAztecs also named a CSCAA Scholar All-America Team for 19th consecutive semester   East County News Services   July 15, 2025 (San Diego) — Seven student-athletes from the San Diego State University swim and dive program were named College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of AmericaScholar All-Americans for the 2024-25 campaign, as announced earlier this month by the College Swimming

Read More ...

SANDAG Looking for Community Input; Zoom Meeting on July 16

Printer-friendly versionEast County News Services   July 13, 2025 (San Diego County) — The San Diego Association of Governments is hosting a special online presentation/feedback session on the 2025 Regional Plan for unincorporated communities in San Diego County.   The meeting will be held via Zoom from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 16. Register here. The regional plan can

Read More ...

Residents Urge Council Members to Ban Sale of All Animals in Lemon Grove

Printer-friendly version Story and photo by Jennifer Sencion   July 13, 2025 (Lemon Grove) —  Dozens of concerned residents and animal advocates spoke at the Lemon Grove City Council meeting Tuesday night to demand a citywide ban on the retail sale of all animals.   Sixteen of the nearly 20 speakers urged Councilmembers to expand on California Assembly Bill 485,

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