East County Magazine

JUDGE RULES AGAINST SANTEE’S FANITA RANCH; CITY MULLS APPEAL
Printer-friendly version Court finds City Council should have allowed citizens to vote on ballot initiative before approving project By Mike Allen Photo: Fanita Ranch site, courtesy of Preserve Wild Santee August 15, 2024 (Santee) — Santee’s Fanita Ranch project, which would put about 3,000 new homes into the northwest quarter of the city, was dealt another set back last week

JUDGE RULES AGAINST SANTEE’S FANITA RANCH; CITY MULLS APPEAL
Printer-friendly version Court finds City Council should have allowed citizens to vote on ballot initiative before approving project By Mike Allen Photo: Fanita Ranch site, courtesy of Preserve Wild Santee August 15, 2024 (Santee) — Santee’s Fanita Ranch project, which would put about 3,000 new homes into the northwest quarter of the city, was dealt another set back last week

JUDGE RULES AGAINST SANTEE’S FANITA RANCH; CITY MULLS APPEAL
Printer-friendly version Court finds City Council should have allowed citizens to vote on ballot initiative before approving project By Mike Allen Photo: Fanita Ranch site, courtesy of Preserve Wild Santee August 15, 2024 (Santee) — Santee’s Fanita Ranch project, which would put about 3,000 new homes into the northwest quarter of the city, was dealt another set back last week
SUPERVISOR ANDERSON SEEKS SIGNATURES ON PETITION TO OPEN LOVELAND RESERVOIR FROM SUNRISE TO SUNSET
Printer-friendly version East County News Service August 11, 2024 (Alpine)—Supervisor Joel Anderson is asking the public to sign a petition which he will deliver to Sweetwater Water Authority asking the agency to restore sunrise-to-sunset hours at Loveland Reservoir. You can sign the petition here. Anderson has emerged as a champion for local recreational enthusiasts seeking to protect access at several
SUPERVISOR ANDERSON SEEKS SIGNATURES ON PETITION TO OPEN LOVELAND RESERVOIR FROM SUNRISE TO SUNSET
Printer-friendly version East County News Service August 11, 2024 (Alpine)—Supervisor Joel Anderson is asking the public to sign a petition which he will deliver to Sweetwater Water Authority asking the agency to restore sunrise-to-sunset hours at Loveland Reservoir. You can sign the petition here. Anderson has emerged as a champion for local recreational enthusiasts seeking to protect access at several
SUPERVISOR ANDERSON SEEKS SIGNATURES ON PETITION TO OPEN LOVELAND RESERVOIR FROM SUNRISE TO SUNSET
Printer-friendly version East County News Service August 11, 2024 (Alpine)—Supervisor Joel Anderson is asking the public to sign a petition which he will deliver to Sweetwater Water Authority asking the agency to restore sunrise-to-sunset hours at Loveland Reservoir. You can sign the petition here. Anderson has emerged as a champion for local recreational enthusiasts seeking to protect access at several

COUNTY “LEEDS” THE WAY ON SUSTAINABLE BUILDING
Printer-friendly version By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office August 7, 2024 (San Diego) –When the County broke ground last month on its seventh Crisis Stabilization Unit in El Cajon—a place to give people in the midst of crisis a calm place to recover—it wasn’t just a boon for behavioral health. It was also a boost for the

COUNTY “LEEDS” THE WAY ON SUSTAINABLE BUILDING
Printer-friendly version By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office August 7, 2024 (San Diego) –When the County broke ground last month on its seventh Crisis Stabilization Unit in El Cajon—a place to give people in the midst of crisis a calm place to recover—it wasn’t just a boon for behavioral health. It was also a boost for the

COUNTY “LEEDS” THE WAY ON SUSTAINABLE BUILDING
Printer-friendly version By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office August 7, 2024 (San Diego) –When the County broke ground last month on its seventh Crisis Stabilization Unit in El Cajon—a place to give people in the midst of crisis a calm place to recover—it wasn’t just a boon for behavioral health. It was also a boost for the

TWO COUNTY PARKS IN EAST COUNTY CLOSE FOR AUGUST DUE TO HIGH HEAT
Printer-friendly version Photo: El Capitan County Preserve By Shauni Lyles, County of San Diego Communications Office August 7, 2024 (San Diego’s East County)– Due to triple-digit temperatures, two County parks will be closed for the month of August. They are El Capitan County Preserve in Lakeside and Mt. Gower County Preserve in Ramona. These locations have difficult trails that end in isolated areas.
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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.

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

Fanita Ranch challenged again in new lawsuit
Printer-friendly version By Mike Allen July 23, 2025 (Santee) — As expected, a coalition of environmental groups including Preserve Wild Santee have filed a new legal challenge against Santee’s biggest residential project, Fanita Ranch, which the City Council most recently approved in June. It was the third time in five years that the Santee City Council gave its approval to

State Parks Photo Contest Running Through Sept. 30
Printer-friendly versionAnza-Borrego Desert State Park photo (left) by Karen Pearlman East County News Service July 15, 2025 (San Diego County) — California State Parks Foundation is inviting park visitors and photography enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels to capture the natural beauty, recreational activities and unique landscapes of California’s state parks. The California State Parks Foundation

Cottonwood Sand Mine Backers Fail to Dredge Up Enough Votes, as Planners Deadlock
Printer-friendly version By Karen Pearlman …”I have never seen such a destructive project with such negative impacts on the people who live in a community.” — former Supervisor Dianne Jacob, a Jamul resident (photo, left) July 9, 2025 (San Diego) – The Cottonwood Sand Mine is a wash, at least for now. After nearly six hours of testimony, presentations and

INJURED MOUNTAIN LION RETURNS TO WILD; 2 OTHER CUBS CONTINUE REHAB AT RAMONA WILDLIFE CENTER
Printer-friendly versionStory and photos via San Diego Humane Society June 29, 2025 (Ramona) — After nearly five months of rehabilitation at San Diego Humane Society’s Ramona Wildlife Center, a young mountain lion injured in a vehicle strike has been successfully released back into the wild. The male mountain lion, estimated to be around 10 months old, was released

WATER CONSERVATION GARDEN LOSES SD COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY FUNDING
Printer-friendly version Photo and story by Karen Pearlman June 26, 2025 (San Diego) – The fate of public access to the Water Conservation Garden in Rancho San Diego is a little less certain after another partner, the San Diego County Water Authority, on Thursday voted to withdraw its funding and participation from the Water Conservation Authority, operators of

SAN DIEGO RIVER CLEANUP IN SANTEE ON SATURDAY
Printer-friendly version Photo at Forester Creek in Santee by Karen Pearlman East County News Services June 27, 2025 (Santee) — If you care about the environment and don’t mind getting a little dirty, then a clean up at Forester Creek may be the perfect fit for you! The San Diego River Park Foundation is having a cleanup event from 8

COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY VOTES JUNE 26 WHETHER TO WITHDRAW FROM WATER CONSERVATION GARDEN: PETITION LAUNCHED TO SAVE GARDEN’S FUNDING
Printer-friendly version By Kristin Kjaero June 21, 2025 (San Diego) – – On June 26, San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) will vote on a staff recommendation to end its sponsorship and funding for the Water Conservation Garden. The Garden says accessibility to the public is at risk if SDCWA withdraws, and started an online petition campaign to request that

ENVIRONMENTALISTS SOUND ALARM OVER BUDGET AMENDMENT TO SELL OFF PUBLIC LANDS—INCLUDING FOREST LANDS IN EAST COUNTY
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery Image: Lands proposed for sale in Rep. Darrell Issa’s district June 18, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – Senate Republicans have slipped language into the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” budget reconciliation measure that would allow sale of up to 250 million acres of federal public lands in 11 states including California. The Wilderness Society

COTTONWOOD SAND MINE HEARING POSTPONED DUE TO TECHNICAL ISSUES; PLANNERS RECOMMEND DENIAL OF PROJECT
Printer-friendly versionUpdate: The hearing has been postponed until July 9. By Karen Pearlman June 13, 2025 (Rancho San Diego) – Technical difficulties with audiovisual needs postponed the San Diego County Planning Commission meeting today, delaying for at least a month an agenda item about a controversial sand mine being planned for East County. The 9 a.m. meeting at the county’s
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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.