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

PHOTO OF THE WEEK: OCOTILLO SUNRISE

Printer-friendly version August 13, 2012 (Ocotillo) — ECM photographer Jim Pelley shot this beautiful sunrise this morning from the yard at his home in Ocotillo.  Soon this dramatic landscape may be only a memory, vanished in the dust as towering ocotillo cacti are torn down and replaced by 112 wind turbines, each 500 feet tall.  That’s the plan for Pattern

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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: BUTTERFLY BEAUTY

Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery November 8, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) — ECM editor Miriam Raftery snapped this colorful image of a monarch butterfly on a lantana plant at the backyard of a home near San Diego State University on last weekend’s Sustainable Homes Tour. Printer-friendly version

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BALD EAGLES, CANADA GEESE TAKE WING AT LAKE CUYAMACA

Printer-friendly version   By Miriam Raftery       October 31, 2011 (Lake Cuyamaca) – In search of fall foliage, I ventured out to Rancho Cuyamaca State Park today.  Though it’s still early for the vibrant gold aspens and oaks yet to turn, some splashes of color were visible.  I found a far more rare and thrilling sight — a pair of

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: AN ILLUMINATING IMAGE HONORING ALPINE’S VETERANS

Printer-friendly version       October 17, 2011 (Alpine) – Rod Hinrichsen snapped this inspiring image at the Alpine Wall of Honor last weekend, when 33 new names of local veterans were added to the monument. “It shows the reflection of the people that are honoring the reflection of the service that their neighbors gave for this great country, exemplified

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK: IT’S A DOG’S LIFE

Printer-friendly version   By Miriam Raftery   October 14, 2011 (La Mesa) — Editor Miriam Raftery snapped this pic of a pampered pooch and owner enjoying some lakeside dining at Anthony’s Fish Grotto in La Mesa. Dogs are welcome daily on an outdoor patio overlooking a duck pond.  Printer-friendly version

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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: RARE BIRD SPOTTED IN EAST COUNTY

Printer-friendly version September 24, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Photographer Greg Turok snapped these images of a Nutmeg Mannakin, or Spice Finch, and its mate in the Mission Trails Regional Park area Sept. 5.     “This bird is a recent resident to San Diego County,” said Turok, who has had the bird identified by the Ornithology Department at the

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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: VIEJAS REMEMBERS 9/11

Printer-friendly version     September 14, 2011 (Alpine) – Robert Scheid, vice president of community and public relations at the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians, has submitted these photos of tribal members participating in a ceremony at the Viejas reservation to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.   On Sunday, September 11, 2011, a wreath

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FOR “MUSTANG MAN” WHO DARED TO DREAM, A SPIRITED JOURNEY CONTINUES

Printer-friendly version By Miriam Raftery Video by Billy Ortiz  https://www.facebook.com/LakesideCaliforniaHistory/videos/1389484353508/   There comes a time in life when a person may decide to take a chance—to do something wild, so daring that it challenges the spirit and nurtures the soul. September 3, 2011 (Blossom Valley) – When Dale Harker, a Vietnam combat veteran and cancer survivor, decided to train a

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VIDEO TOUR: MISSION TRAILS, AMERICA’S LARGEST URBAN PARK

Printer-friendly version   August 28, 2011 (San Diego) — East County Magazine videographer Jack Winemiller has created this video tour of Mission Trails Regional Park.  At over 6,150 acres, Mission Trails is larger than Balboa Park, New York’s Central Park, and San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park combined!   From hiking to rock climbing, bicycling to birdwatching, you’ll find a variety of activities. There’s

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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

Printer-friendly version      August 21, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Photographer Wayne Brammer sent in these images of construction along the Sunrise Powerlink, with the following commentary on the Sunbird sky crane.   “Now if you’re a big kid like myself, you may like seeing choppers lifting BIG stuff.  Now this is a big chopper…”      

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PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: A SIZZLING SUMMER’S NIGHT IN EAST COUNTY

Printer-friendly version   August 21, 2011 (El Cajon) – Samantha Bonpensiero photographed the Novamenco concert at the Water Conservation Garden last weekend, capturing the beauty and drama of both music and dance on a sizzling summer’s night in Rancho San Diego.  Novamenco has emerged as one of San Diego’s hottest musical entertainment groups.              Printer-friendly

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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.