East County Magazine
A DAY WITHOUT A BAG GOES COUNTYWIDE
Printer-friendly version More than 25,000 reusable shopping bags to be given away Dec. 16 December 16, 2010 (San Diego)–To promote “green’” shopping for the holidays and beyond, San Diego County has declared Thursday, Dec. 16, “A Day Without a Bag,” with shoppers encouraged to forgo single-use bags, and retailers and volunteers planning to give away more than 25,000 reusable
PADRE DAM’S SANTEE LAKES WINS AWARD FOR SOLAR PROJECT
Printer-friendly version December 8, 2010 (Santee) – At the Association of California Water Agencies conference in Indian Wells on December 2, Padre Dam’s Santee Lakes received the Theodore Roosevelt Award, ACWA’s honor for innovative resource management. The award was given to Santee Lakes for its solar power project, which placed 14,000 solar panels on top of the newly-constructed 300
2010 “GREEN” RANKINGS ISSUED FOR 10 LARGEST PUBLICLY TRADED U.S. HOMEBUILDERS
Printer-friendly version Major new “Green Homebuilder” Survey ; Impact of Recession Gauged in Terms of Progress (and Lack of Progress) Among Major U.S. Homebuilders. December 7, 2010 (Bethesda, Maryland)–An updated ranking of the environmental and sustainable practices of the United States’ 10 largest publicly traded homebuilders has been released today 2010 in a new report from the investment firm
HOLIDAY IN THE GARDEN LIGHTS UP NIGHT AT WATER CONSERVATION GARDEN DEC. 3 & 4
Printer-friendly version December 3, 2010 (Rancho San Diego)–The public is invited to enjoy holiday-merry making at The Water Conservation Garden’s third annual ‘Holiday in the Garden’ event. The five-acre water-saving garden will be illuminated with thousands of energy-saving lights, courtesy of SDG&E. The glow of holiday lights will make an enchanting backdrop as visitors stroll the grounds and enjoy activities
WHY ARE SOME EAST COUNTY CITIES CHARGING 100 TIMES MORE THAN OTHER LOCAL CITIES FOR COMMERCIAL SOLAR FEES?
Printer-friendly version East County News Service High fees violate state law, and discourage rooftop solar, Sierra Club says November 29, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – The Sierra Club has launched a campaign to urge local municipalities charging exorbitant permit fees for commercial rooftop solar installations to lower those fees to actual cost-recovery levels. A survey by Sierra Club found
FREE JOB TRAINING PROGRAM IN GREEN BUILDING AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY PRACTICES
Printer-friendly version November 20, 2010 (Rancho San Diego)– Cuyamaca College and three other community colleges will be providing free classes and hands-on work experience in green building and sustainable energy to 360 students through a training program funded by San Diego Workforce Partnership. The $1.6 million in funds for the program comes from federal stimulus money along with grants from
LAKESIDE DAIRYMAN DAVE VAN OMMERING NAMED FARMER OF THE YEAR
Printer-friendly version Farmer powers dairy operations with electricity from cow’s methane waste, diversified business by opening pumpkin patch and Christmas tree patch for visitors November 20, 2010 (Lakeside) – Dave Van Ommering, co-owner/operator of Van Ommering Dairy in Lakeside, was honored as the 2010 Farmer of the Year for San Diego County at the California Center for the Arts
NATIVE GARDEN PLANTING & COMMUNITY POTLUCK NOV. 20 IN SANTEE
Printer-friendly version November 14, 2010 (Santee) – Volunteers are needed on November 20 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon to help San Diego River Park Foundation complete creation of an East County native Plant Garden at the Edgemoore Polo Barn—future home to a museum on the history of East County and Santee. Volunteers will help install native plants and trees that were used
TURN OVER A NEW “LEAF”– STATE OFFERS TAX CREDIT FOR PLUG-IN VEHICLES
Printer-friendly version November 12, 2010 (San Diego)–Next month, San Diego will become one of the first and few markets in the country where Nissan will begin selling its plug-in electric vehicle called the Leaf. That model will be joined by the Chevrolet Volt, another plug-in electric vehicle, by year’s end. These models and other plug-in electric vehicles are eligible for
WATER-SMART GARDENING FESTIVAL NOV. 13
Printer-friendly version Water-wise, fire-wise and cool-season gardening resources available November 12, 2010 (El Cajon) — In many parts of the U.S., people would scoff at the notion that fall and winter can be prime gardening months. But not in San Diego, with its Mediterranean climate characterized by mild to cool, wet winters and warm to hot, dry summers. The
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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.