East County Magazine
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: EAST OF EAST COUNTY
Printer-friendly versionBy Tom Lemon August 10, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) — When you’re driving east on Interstate 8 past Jacumba and the Desert View Tower there’s a sharp left turn and you begin to descend Mountain Springs Grade. You will drop about three thousand feet to the desert in ten miles, and can see the remains of Old
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: WILD RIDES AT THE BULLS ONLY RODEO
Printer-friendly version July 29, 2012 (Lakeside) — Barry Claessens (www.bcphotography.biz) snapped these action shots at the Optimist Club’s "Bull’s Only Rodeo" at the Lakeside Rodeo arena on July 21. Rodeos began to help cowboys hone their skills and, in the case of bull-riding, showcase their bravado. Isn’t this the original extreme sport? Today there are some modern-day twists. Some local bull riders
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: ON THE ROCKS
Printer-friendly version July 23, 2012 (McCain Valley) – ECM reader Tom Lemon sent in these spectacular photos of McCain Valley, site of the proposed Tule Wind facility in San Diego’s East County. "I first visited McCain Valley around 1995 after reading Jerry Shaad’s book Afoot and Afield in San Diego County. I began camping and hiking in the Valley and
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: SPACE INVADERS?
Printer-friendly version July 25, 2012 (Ocotillo) – No, this isn’t the mother ship that’s landed in Ocotillo. It’s another alien power – the first wind turbine foundation poured at Pattern Energy’s Ocotillo Express project. Photographer Jim Pelley measured a single turbine foundation hole measures 286 feet. More than 100 turbines, each 450 feet tall, are planned to invade this
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: SNOWFALL AT MCCAIN VALLEY
Printer-friendly version July 19, 2012 (McCain Valley) – Tom Klimek of Lemon Grove shared these photos that he took of McCain Valley “as few have seen it,” blanketed in snow, isolated in its pristine beauty. “On March 18, 2012 I drove to Laguna Mountain and then to McCain to enjoy the late winter storm that brought wind, rain, hail, and
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: STORM OVER OCOTILLO
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery Photo by Jim Pelley July 15, 2012 (Ocotillo) — Photographer Jim Pelley captured this inspiring image of sunbeams illuminating the proverbial silver lining of this storm cloud over the desert in Ocotillo. There is a tragic irony to this spectacular image, however. The landscape in shadow beneath the stormcloud is being destroyed, as excavation
DOWN ON THE FARMS: A VIDEO TOUR OF LOCAL AGRICULTURAL IN LAKESIDE
Printer-friendly versionIn honor of Harold Hilliker Farm Day at Lakeside Middle School, videographer Billy Ortiz created a video documentary tour of local agricultural sites Story, photos and video by Billy Ortiz June 30, 2012 (Lakeside)– Lakeside Middle School held its first annual Harold Hilliker Farm Day on May 30. It was a day full of information on agriculture, highlighting several
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: HORNED DESERT LIZARD
Printer-friendly version June 20, 2012 (Ocotillo) — Photographer Jim Pelley snapped this image of a horned desert lizard, whose camouflaged appearance blends right in with its desert surroundings. Pelley spotted the reclusive reptile on the site of the Ocotillo Express wind energy facility, which is now under construction. Printer-friendly version
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: REFLECTIONS AT SANTEE LAKES
Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery May 30, 2012 (Santee) – ECM editor Miriam Raftery took a break from the hustle and bustle of news editing for a stroll at Santee Lakes. There, she spotted a majestic great blue heron and a colorful wood duck, both with images reflected in the water’s surface, as
PHOTO OF THE WEEK:READY TO BLOW–POPOCATL VOLCANO
Printer-friendly version May 22, 2012 (Mexico) – ECM correspondent Nadin Abbott and her husband, Tom are vacationing in Mexico and captured this image of Popopcapetl, a smouldering volcano 30 miles from Puebla (pictured) and 60 miles from Mexico City. An eruption could occur at any time. “When it does go, they will have to test air at different altitudes to
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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.
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: RACCOONS IN SAN CARLOS
Printer-friendly version June 30, 2025 (San Diego) – Diana Rozenshteyn snapped this photos of masked intruders– a raccoon family– in the backyard of her San Carlos home near Cowles Mountain. You can view more of her work at her website, San Diego in Bloom | Nature Photography by Diana Rozenshteyn. Printer-friendly version

INTERVIEW WITH CAL FIRE CAPTAIN ON MONTE FIRE
Printer-friendly versionJune 22, 2025 (Lakeside) — Cal Fire Captain Robert Johnson discusses firefighting efforts in the Monte Fire in Lakeside, during an interview yesterday with Shiloh Ireland. View video. At the time of the interview, the fire had burned 1,051 acres of rugged terrain on El Capitan Mountain. El Monte County Park in Lakeside became the staging and command center for

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: LAKESIDE RESIDENTS THANK FIREFIGHTERS
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service June 23, 2025 — Photographer Shiloh Ireland provided this video of Lakeside residents Sarah Ann WIlson and BIlly Ortiz unfurling a banner to thank firefighters who worked tirelessly to protect homes and halt the Monte Fire in Lakeside’s El Monte Valley. View video: Monte Fire Appreciation to Firefighters- 06/21/2025 Also see Ireland’s drone video showing the
VIDEO OF THE WEEK: ELEPHANTS’ POOL PARTY!
Printer-friendly version East County News Service May 11, 2025 (Escondido) — Elephants at the the San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park in Escondido found a cool way to beat the heat during this week’s heat wave–holidng their own pool party. In this video, you’ll see the herd’s matriarch, Swazi, playing in the water with the youngsters. When one elephant goes in,
ENGAGED COUPLE SEEKS PHOTOGRAPHER WHO SHOT THIS PHOTO IN BORREGO ON MARCH 16, 2024
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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: PLAYING POSSUM
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service April 4, 2025 (La Mesa) – Cailin Acosta spotted these playful opossums on the fence in her La Mesa yard. “I was super excited, but my 12 year old twins were not impressed, ha,” she writes. “I did reach out and touch its fur. It was crispy, like a Bristol scrub, so interesting!”

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: MARY’S DONUTS CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service Photos by Karen Pearlman March 29, 2025 (Santee) – Mary Hennessy, the 90-something owner of Mary’s Donuts, grabs a sweet treat during her business’s 40th anniversary bash Saturday morning, March 29. Hennessy, who plied the donut trade at a Winchell’s Donuts, bought the former Zona’s Donut Shop with her husband, and opened the original Mary’s Donuts

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: TREED!
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service March 28, 2025 (San Carlos) – San Carlos resident and ECM reporter Karen Pearlman snapped this photo of a pair of raccoons chased up a tree by her dog,Charlie. Printer-friendly version

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: BORDER 2 FIRE
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service January 28, 2025 (Jamul) — Robert Hobbs sent in these images of the Border 2 Fire, which burned over 6,500 acres after starting on Otay Mountain in San Diego County on Jan. 23. These photos were taken Jan. 23 and 24 from Jamul.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: PALISIDES FIRE IN LOS ANGELES
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service January 8, 2025 (Los Angeles) – No, that’s not a tornado or mother ship descending. Henri Migala snapped this apocalyptic image of the Palisades Fire which is devastating Los Angeles. This photo was taken from the Westin Hotel near Los Angeles International Airport. As of today, the fire has burned 15,832 acres, has destroyed many
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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.