East County Magazine
La Mesa hosting Home Energy Fair in March
East County News Service February 5, 2026 (La Mesa) — With San Diego County residents navigating some of the highest utility rates in the nation,…
Navy officials meet with Warner Springs community to address PFAS in water
Printer-friendly versionBy Karen Pearlman with additional reporting by Miriam Raftery Jan. 14, 2026 (Warner Springs) — Dozens of local residents and business owners visited the CAL Fire Station in Warner Springs on Jan. 12 to glean information from the United States Navy and several other federal groups as well as state and county water agencies about PFAS and their impact
“Forever chemical” crisis seeps into Southern California: from Sweetwater Reservoir to Orange County, districts grapple with how to protect drinking water supplies
Printer-friendly versionPhoto: PFAS have been detected in Sweetwater Reservoir, via Sweetwater Water Authority By Karen Pearlman Jan. 8, 2025 (San Diego County) — “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink” goes the line from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s 1798 poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, describing sailors surrounded by undrinkable ocean water. That old phrase also fits today. Obtaining clean,
Reader’s Editorial: Venezuela could yield more profits from ecotourism than from oil
Printer-friendly version By Renee Owens, wildlife biologist Photo by Renee Owens: capybaras and sunset in Venezuela’s llanos January 7, 2026 (San Diego’s East County) — Having lived and worked in Venezuela, I can no longer remain silent amidst all the clueless rhetoric. Venezuela is more than a cliché of dictators and oil. It is a wondrous place and a cautionary tale
The Water Conservation Garden gears up for a blooming 2026
Printer-friendly version Photo of a buttefly at the Dorcas E. Utter Butterfly Pavilion at The Water Conservation Garden and story by Karen Pearlman Jan. 3, 2025 (Rancho San Diego) — The Water Conservation Garden, the 6-acre botanical showcase of sustainable landscaping and water-wise gardening adjacent to Cuyamaca College, has rooted out its slate of events for Winter and Spring 2026. The schedule includes educational opportunities,
PFAS “forever chemicals” found in Warner Springs groundwater: Navy to host open house January 12 and provide testing of wells at nearby properties
Printer-friendly versionBy Miriam Raftery Updated Dec. 31 with comments from the Warner Spring Community Sponsor Group chair and a local winery representative, plus a statement from the Vista Irrigation District. December 27, 2025 (Warner Springs) — The U.S. Navy has announced that PFAS, known as “forever chemicals” have been detected in groundwater in Warner Springs. The contamination is believed to be linked to a
County share: Sustainability hacks during the holiday season
Printer-friendly versionSustainable gifts are always in. Photo from Pexels.com East County News Service Dec. 10, 2025 (San Diego County) — Going green and being sustainable poses some challenges, and can be especially difficult to navigate during the holiday season. Gving and receiving gifts and packages of all makes and models — and most come with wrapping of all types —
Loveland Reservoir water transfer at 21% but coming to an end, SWA says
Printer-friendly versionPhoto of Loveland Reservoir by Ostan Patton By Karen Pearlman Dec. 9, 2025 (Alpine) – Sweetwater Authority’s plan to leave Loveland Reservoir with at least 25 percent of its water capacity during the most recent transfer of water into the Sweetwater Reservoir has not gone as originally planned, as shared with East County Magazine on Dec. 5. Sweetwater Authority (SWA), the
East County AWP construction boosts cost, but officials say recycled water supply is worth the price
Printer-friendly versionBy Mike Allen Photo: Education Center at AWP plant December 5, 2025 (Santee) — Three years into construction, the massive East County Advanced Water Purification Program is approaching the finish line late next year when the region’s sewage now being treated at Point Loma will be pumped to a new Santee plant and converted to drinkable, purified water.
Loveland Reservoir draining underway brings pushback from East County residents
Printer-friendly version Loveland Reservoir showing what is left of the public fishing zone. Photo by Ostan Patton By Karen Pearlman Dec. 5, 2025 (Alpine) – It’s been three years since Loveland Reservoir was drained by Sweetwater Authority to “deadpool” level for the first time ever, leaving the area susceptible to environmental challenges, killing fish and increasing fire hazards. Now another extreme draining is underway by Sweetwater
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting — not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine’s local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
THE ENERGY THAT SAN DIEGO DRINKS
Printer-friendly version March 16 program to explore link between water use and demand By Anne Tolch March 9, 2010 (San Diego) — When we turn on our faucets we use not only water, but all the electricity and natural gas needed to transport, heat, and treat both water and the wastewater. With local supplies insufficient to meet demand,
FILNER COSPONSORS COMMUNITY COLLEGE ENERGY TRAINING ACT
Printer-friendly version March 6, 2010 (San Diego) — Congressman Bob Filner is among 111 cosponsors of the Community College Energy Training Act (H.R. 3731), legislation that will support community colleges as they train a new generation of technicians and other workers in America’s renewable energy industry. “To end our dependence on fossil fuels, we need to start preparing
COURT RULES COUNTY VIOLATED LAW BY EXEMPTING VEGETATION CLEARING PLAN IN BACK COUNTRY FROM ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS
Printer-friendly version County argues timely removal of dead trees is needed to prevent devastating wildfires; opponents say plan destroys wildlife habitat with no public review March 2, 2010 (San Diego) – A Superior Court judge last week issued a preliminary ruling in favor of the California Chaparral Institute, indicating the County of San Diego violated state law by
FOR THE BIRDS? PROPOSED BAN ON LEAD SHOT IN STATE WILDLIFRE AREAS DRAWS CRITICISM & PRAISE
Printer-friendly version SENATOR HOLLINGSWORTH OPPOSES PLAN February 28, 2010 (Sacramento) –Assemblyman Pedro Nava (D-Ventura) has introduced a bill to ban use of lead shot by hunters of pheasant, quail, and other game birds in California wildlife areas. The measure is modeled after a federal ban enacted in 1991, which prohibits lead shot in hunting of ducks and other waterfowl. “It has
NEW CLEAN ENERGY SYSTEMS FOR RESIDENCES AND BUSINESSES: CCSE HOLDS WORKSHOPS ON FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY
Printer-friendly version February 20, 2010 (San Diego ) – “San Diegans can learn about a new fuel cell technology for home and business applications that supplies clean base and load power 24/7, while reducing grid dependence and lowering carbon dioxide emissions, “ says Chuck Colgan, public relations representative for the California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE). CCSE is hosting
UTILITY-BACKED BALLOT INITIATIVE DRAWS CRITICISM FROM LOCAL LEADERS
Printer-friendly version Should cities and counties be barred from starting up public power entitities to compete against utility giants such as SDG&E–and offer clean energy options to residents? Voters to decide. February 17, 2010 (San Diego) – A June ballot initiative seeks to change California’s constitution to make it harder for cities and counties to give residents alternatives to
EDITORIAL: MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH BIODIESEL
Printer-friendly version "The year in which we were supposed to send U.S. and Russian astronauts to Jupiter began with two death blows to the biodiesel industry."–Tyson Gustus, broken-hearted Jezebel admirer/owner By Tyson Gustus I love my car. I even named her. Jezebel. Jezebel and I go back a long time. (In today’s disposable society, seven years is a
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE WIND FARM?
Printer-friendly version GONE WITH THE WIND: 25 wind turbines damaged; witness saw explosive blue light before Campo-area wind farm went dark “I saw a huge flash of blue out on the side of the hill where the windmills were. It started in the middle and spread out in all directions. It lit up the whole hillside the white-out of a snowstorm."–Ken Daubach,
“NIFTY FIFTY” LIST TAKES GUESSWORK OUT OF DROUGHT TOLERANT LANDSCAPING
Printer-friendly version San Diego, CA (Feb. 9, 2010)—A full-color plant list with photos, called the Nifty-50: Plants for Water Smart Landscapes, is now available to the public through the Water Conservation Garden and participating nurseries. The list narrows the diverse selection of plants that thrive in San Diego’s semiarid climate to 50 choices, each of which made the list
LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS SEEKS NEW BOARD MEMBERS FROM EAST COUNTY
Printer-friendly version February 6, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – The League of Conservation Voters’ San Diego chapter seeks new board members from the East County area. “Our goal is electing and monitoring public officials relative to their positions on environmental issues,” says Nikki Symington, board member of the nonpartisan organization. “We need more representation from the East
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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting — not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine’s local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.