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

REP. CONYERS TO SPEAK ON HEALTHCARE REFORM IN SAN DIEGO SATURDAY, JULY 11

Printer-friendly version  Town hall forum: Congressman John Conyers Jr. (D-MI), will discuss health care reform 1 to 4 p.m. July 11 at the Joe and Vi Jacobs Center, 404 Euclid Ave., San Diego. Conyers is a leading voice on Capitol Hill for healthcare reform and author of a single-payer healthcare bil that a Congressional committee has thus far refused to

Read More ...

NEW PALLATIVE MEDICINE HOTLINE IN SAN DIEGO

Printer-friendly version  The Institute for Palliative Medicine in San Diego will operate California’s first statewide consultative service for palliative care resources July 8, 2009 (San Diego) – Communities in California lacking palliative medicine resources will now receive top quality palliative care consultative and educational support through a new hotline housed and operated by The Institute for Palliative Medicine. The pilot

Read More ...

HEALTH REFORM: THE DEVIL IS STILL IN THE DETAILS; AN AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION FORUM JULY 17 IN SAN DIEGO

Printer-friendly version July 8, 2009 (San Diego) — Health Reform will impact all of us. Proposals are emerging from Congress, the White House, organizations and groups across the country. By July, several strong proposals will be taking shape and major issues clearly on the table. Successful health reform should address not only how coverage and access to care will be

Read More ...

GUHSD BOARD TO VOTE ON REVOCATION OF HELIX HIGH CHARTER AT MEETING THURS. JULY 9

Printer-friendly version July 8, 2009 (San Diego’s East County) – Grossmont Union High School District’s Board of Trustees will vote Thursday on a notification to revoke Helix High School’s charter. The Helix High School Foundation and Alumni Association is planning a rally and urging supporters of Helix to attend the meeting at the East County Regional Educational Center, 924 East

Read More ...

MOTORCYCLE IGNITES FIRE IN OTAY MESA

Printer-friendly version  July 8, 2009 (Otay)—A motorcycle accident has sparked a vegetation fire on Otay Lakes Road that is currently eight acres, CAL-FIRE informed East County Magazine at 5:43 p.m.   “Firefighters do not anticipate the fire getting any larger,” CAL-FIRE Captain Nick Schuler said, adding that no additional resources will be required to extinguish the blaze. The motorcyclist was

Read More ...

SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE WITHOUT ARCHITECTS: JULY 13 PROGRAM SHINES LIGHT ON ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOME DESIGN TECHNIQUES FROM IRAN

Printer-friendly version  July 8, 2009 (San Diego)–Architect Simi Razavian will demonstrate how people of Tabbas, Iran used micro-climate and local materials to create energy-efficient homes. She will illustrate how they used sun, wind, and water, along with thermal mass to create not only zero energy consumption buildings but also private and comfortable homes.    Razavian has a Master of Science

Read More ...

ASSEMBLYMEMBER BLOCK TO HOST 2 PUBLIC EVENTS THIS WEEK: OPEN HOUSE & FREE CLINIC FOR DISTRESSED HOMEOWNERS

Printer-friendly version July 5, 2009 (Lemon Grove)– Assemblymember Marty Block (D-78) will host an open house at his DistOffice in Lemon Grove on Friday, plus a free clinic in Bonita on Saturday for homeowners facing foreclosure.   "We had a very successful open house in December," commented the Assemblymember, "and would like to repeat that while introducing residents to our

Read More ...

TACKLE THIS: NFL PLAYER & FORMER ALL-AMERICAN QUARTERBACK HOLDS FOOTBALL PASSING CAMP AT GROSSMONT COLLEGE

Printer-friendly version  July 6, 2009 (El Cajon)–The Grossmont College Athletics Dept. and assistant Grossmont football coach Akili Smith, a former Grossmont College All-American quarterback and National Football League player, will host a football passing camp and tournament for high school football athletes starting at 9 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, July 10 and 11, at the college’s football field.  

Read More ...

GROSSMONT COLLEGE ANNOUNCES NEW SCHOLARSHIPS & MATCHING FUNDS UP TO $25 MILLION TO HELP EAST COUNTY STUDENTS AFFORD AN EDUCATION

Printer-friendly versionJuly 5, 2009 (El Cajon)–The Grossmont College Foundation has announced that $83,500 has been raised so far –mostly from five local entities — for six perpetual, $1,000-a-year scholarships for Grossmont College students as part of a partnership with the San Francisco-based Bernard Osher Foundation.   Additional scholarship monies raised over the next two years by the Grossmont College Foundation

Read More ...

“MAGNIFICENT MILKY WAY” WITH ASTRONOMER DENNIS MAMMANA AT BORREGO SPRINGS AUG. 15

Printer-friendly version  July 5, 2009 (Borrego Springs)–Few celestial sights are as stunning as an August desert sky. On Saturday, August 15, famed astronomer and night sky photographer Dennis Mammana offers an evening of galactic viewing along the Milky Way.     Mammana invites guests to "witness some of the most magnificent scenery anywhere" from “the nearest of stars and glowing

Read More ...

EL CAJON WOMAN, 53, DIES IN CUSTODY AT SANTEE DETENTION FACILITY

Printer-friendly version East County News Service June 19,2025 (Santee) – A woman who died at the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility in Santee on June 13 has been identified as Linda Bagby, 53, of El Cajon.  This is the sixth in-custody death this year at detention facilities in San Diego County. Deputies were serving dinner when they found Bagby

Read More ...

MAYOR GLORIA VETOES KEY BUDGET ITEMS, CUTTING ACCESS TO SOME LAKES , FUNDS FOR BRUSH CLEARING, STORMWATER PROJECTS AND MORE

Printer-friendly version By Karen Pearlman June 18, 2025 (San Diego County) – A little over a week after the San Diego City Council voted 7-2 to continue to fund consistent public access to city-owned and operated lakes and reservoirs, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria wielded his line-item veto power to cut access at some lakes, though Lakes Murray and Miramar

Read More ...

KALASHOS FAIL TO SHOW UP TO BEGIN JAIL SENTENCE; NEW ARREST WARRANTS ISSUED

Printer-friendly version By Karen Pearlman File photo by Miriam Raftery June 18, 2025 (El Cajon) – Just weeks after they stood in San Diego Superior Court for a trial about code enforcement issues at their Fletcher Hills home, former El Cajon City Councilman Bessmon “Ben” Kalasho and his wife, Jessica Deddeh Kalasho, skipped out on a scheduled June 9 court

Read More ...

MONTE FIRE SCORCHES 350 ACRES, 2 FIREFIGHTERS HOSPITALIZED

Printer-friendly versionUpdate: June 18, 2025 6:45 p.m. The fire has burned 858 acres and is 25% contained. Update:  June 18, 2025  8 a.m.– The fire is now 400 acres and 20% contained. Story and photos by: Josh Stotler View video June 17, 2025 (Lakeside) – Cal Fire has ordered several firefighting aircraft to be ready to fly at 8:00 a.m. and

Read More ...

EVACUATIONS IN LAKESIDE FIRE

Printer-friendly version East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts Photo: Red areas are under mandatory evacuation orders as of 5 p.m. Yellow areas have evacuation warnings.  View interactive map here for latest evacuation updates. This is the county’s map which has more details than others.   Find out what evacuation zone you are in by typing your address here:  https://protect.genasys.com/search?z=14&latlon=32.794773%2C-116.962527 Update 6:44 p.m.– Fire

Read More ...

RENOVATED VFW POST TO OPEN SOON IN NEW CAMPO LOCATION

Printer-friendly version By Leorah Gavidor Photos by Irvin Gavidor   June 19,2025 (Campo)– Veterans have a friend in Campo: his name is Kevin Martin, and he’s a Vietnam-era Marine veteran himself.   Thanks to Martin and a group of volunteers, along with a grant from San Diego County, vets in Campo will soon have a new place to hang out.

Read More ...

FIRE ALONG BORDER IN CAMPO

Printer-friendly version Update 7:55 p.m.– Cal Fire reports the #Border6Fire in Campo is now 200 acres burning on the south side of the U.S./Mexico border. “We remain engaged on the northern edge of the fire as firefighters from Mexico support suppression efforts in Mexico,” Cal Fire posted on X. East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts Photo via Cal Fire June 16,

Read More ...

EVACUATIONS IN BONSALL

Printer-friendly version Update 5:26 p.m.– Evacuation warnings have been lifted.  The fire is now 20 acres and 10% contained, Cal Fire reports. Evacuation orders remain in place. Update 4:29 p.m.– Forward spread of the #MissionFire has been stopped, per Cal Fire. East County Wildfire & Emergency Alert Service June 16, 2025 (Bonsall) — The #MissionFire is burning near South Mission

Read More ...

SAN DIEGO BISHOP, A FORMER REFUGEE, CALLS ON CLERGY TO ACCOMPANY IMMIGRANTS TO HEARINGS AT COURTHOUSES

Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery June 16, 2025 (San Diego) – Federal immigration officials have begun arresting immigrants and refugees at San Diego’s federal courthouse, denying them due process at hearings that could have granted them legal status in the U.S.  Now, Bishop Michael Pham  and two local auxiliary bishops have announced that on World Refugee Day June 20, they

Read More ...

60,000+ IN DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO “NO KINGS” RALLY, THOUSANDS MORE COUNTYWIDE PROTEST AUTHORITARIAN ACTIONS OF TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

Printer-friendly version By  Miriam Raftery Photos,left:  Aerial image of No Kings rally downtown, courtesy of ECM news partner 10 News, and protestor in El Cajon, photo by Miriam Raftery. June 15, 2025 (San Diego) – At least 60,000 people participated in “No Kings” protests in downtown San Diego, according to the San Diego Police department. Local organizers estimate even more,

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