East County Magazine
Photo of the week: Jacumba sunset
April 6, 2026 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – Martin Eder sent in this photo, taken along Interstate 8 just west of Jacumba near the San Diego-Imperial…
Male lion joins pride at San Diego Zoo Safari Park
East County News Service View video: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1484962496593617 March 24, 2026 (San Pasqual) — The lion pride at the Safari Park just got a little louder…
Sunrise to sunset is theme of 2026 Lake Jennings photo contest
East County News Service March 15, 2026 (Lakeside) – Lake Jennings invites you to enter your best photos taken at Lake Jennings between April 1…
Photo of the Week: Here’s the buzz!
East County News Service February 7, 2026 (La Mesa) — Kristin Kjaero snapped this photo of a honeybee pollinating flowers in her succulent garden in…
Photo of the Week: Beaver moon
Printer-friendly versionEast County News Service November 9, 2025 (Mt. Helix) — Dawn Sebaugh snapped this picture of the “Beaver Moon” on November 5, The November full moon was dubbed “Beaver Moon” because it’s the time when beavers are most active building their lodges for winter, and when the fur trading season was at its peak. The name has its origins
Photo of the week: Egret at Lake Morena amid dead plants and green water
Printer-friendly version East County News Service October 3, 2025 (Lake Morena) — Karen Pearlman snapped this photo of snowy white egret searching for fish at Lake Morena, casting a reflection in the deep green waters. The visit raises a curious question: Why are all the plants in the water at Lake Morena dead? It isn’t drought, since plants further up
Exclusive: ECM obtains video showing start of Coches Fire
Printer-friendly version View video September 17, 2025 (Lakeside) — East County Magazine photographer Patrick Ward has obtained surveillance video from a Lakeside homeowner who lives next to the spot where the Coches Fire began. The video from the homeowner, who asked to remain anonymous, shows vehicles on the roadway around 2:56 p.m. on September 8, 2025, followed by brush igniting
Photo of the week: Santee Fire Department’s new brush rig
Printer-friendly versionPhoto and story by Patrick Ward August 24, 2025 (Santee) – The Santee Fire Department this week held a push-in ceremony with its new home-type 3 brush engine, a symbol of the department’s commitment to safety and efficiency. The brush rig is designed to handle any emergency with precision and speed. The cost of the apparatus was
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
Photos of the Week: Crest Celebrates Independence Day
Printer-friendly version July 6, 2026 (Crest, CA) – Paul Levikow sent in these photos from the 79th Crest Fourth of July Parade near Nancy Jane County Park. Parade watchers lined La Cresta Blvd. and Suncrest Blvd., to watch motorcycles, offroad vehicles, bicycles, classic cars, floats, and equestrians. The community event also included a live band, crafts, venders, food,
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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.
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: OPEN HOUSE AT THE LAKESIDE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
Printer-friendly version Story and photos by Shiloh Ireland October 15, 2023 (Lakeside) — On Saturday, September 30, Lakeside Fire Protection District held its annual Open House featuring department trucks and an ambulance, a Sheriff department K9 demonstration, a REACH helicopter landing, face painting for kids, a dunk- a-firefighter booth and agencies with booths and demonstrations. The event brought a full
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: BOBCAT IN JAMUL
Printer-friendly version October 2, 2023 (Jamul) — Fabrice Borel of Jamul snapped a photo of this beautiful bobcat, which was so close he says he thought it might jump into his vehicle. California, where hunting bobcats has been illegal since Jan. 1, 2020, now has an estimated 70,000 to 100,000 bobcats, according to the California Fish and Wildlife Dept. You
THE MIGRANT CRISIS IN PHOTOS
Printer-friendly versionBy Rebecca Person Photos by Rebecca Person and photographers who asked to be anonymous October 1, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) — Waves of border crossers quietly filter into the high desert towns of Jacumba Hot Springs and Boulevard in the farthest eastern corner of San Diego County. Local residents and volunteers there respond with rounds of water and
WINNERS IN LAKE JENNINGS PHOTO CONTEST
Printer-friendly versionSeptember 28, 2023 (Lakeside)–Helix Water District announces the winners of the 2023 Lake Jennings Photo Contest, with this year’s first place in the adult category going to photographer Billy Ortiz of Lakeside for his image “Reflection.” (Photo, left) Now in its 12th year, the contest drew 60 photos from photographers throughout San Diego County. This year’s entries highlighted
VIDEO OF THE WEEK: TROPICAL STORM HILLARY HITS SAN DIEGO
Printer-friendly versionVideo by: Jessyka Heredia August 23, 2023 — Hurricane Hillary was downgraded to a tropical storm before hitting San Diego on Sunday. See what some residents experienced around the county from as far east as Sunshine Highway in Mount Laguna to as far north as La Jolla and as far south as Imperial Beach and several spots
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: ELECTRICAL STORM LIGHTS UP COWLES MOUNTAIN
Printer-friendly version August 20, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) –Michael Adam Cohen, award-winning entertainment reporter and photographer, shot these surreal images of a lightning storm over Cowles Mountain, as Tropical Storm Hilary drenched our region. The first image, viewed from Mt. Helix, makes Cowles Mountain appear to be an island floating in a foggy sea. In reality, those are clouds obscuring
VIDEO OF THE WEEK: HURRICANE FUELS LIGHTNING STORM IN JACUMBA
Printer-friendly versionAugust 19, 2023 (Jacumba Hot Springs) — Outer bands of Hurricane Hilary have sparked an estimated 1,000 cloud-to-cloud lighting strikes in San Diego County, the National Weather Service says. At the Desert View Tower in Jacumba Hot Springs, overlooking Imperial Valley, Gabrielle Schultz had a birds-eye view and shot this dramatic video of a lightning storm before dawn this
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: SPACEX ROCKET OVER EAST COUNTY
Printer-friendly version July 22, 2023 (Campo) – Mary Simmonds snapped this dramatic image from Campo of a SpaceX rocket launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base on July 19. The Falcon 9 rocket launched 15 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit. You can also view video of the rocket taken by Henri Migala at these links: https://youtu.be/1TfQx16gpDs https://youtu.be/CszalLzs5uY Printer-friendly version
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: COUNCILMAN GETS A SCARE AT COMICON
Printer-friendly version July 21, 2023 (El Cajon) – El Cajon Councilman Gary Kendrick sent in this photo of his reaction to a monster he encountered at Comicon. A childhood fan of comic books, Councilman Kendrick credits reading Superman comics with teaching him the important of being respectful to everyone, a value he strives to follow in his civic duties as
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: SHOWING PATRIOTIC SPIRIT IN LAKESIDE
Printer-friendly version July 5, 2023 (Lakeside) – Shiloh Ireland sent in these photos of spectators and participants celebrating our nation’s birthday at the Lakeside Patriotic 4th of July Parade yesterday. The parade was sponsored by the Maine Avenue Revitalization Association (M.A.R.A.). Printer-friendly version
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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.