East County Magazine
COUNTY PARKS SERVICE TAKES ACTION TO SAVE MIGRATORY BIRDS AT LINDO LAKES
Printer-friendly version View a video by Billy Ortiz of water flowing into Lindo Lakes. View an earlier video of stilts in low water. View a Facebook page created by Ortiz with photos of wildlife at Lindo Lakes. June 22, 2013 (Lakeside) – Migratory shorebirds at risk for nesting areas drying out will be saved, thanks to an inquiry from Lakeside
ASSEMBLYMAN JONES AND EAST COUNTY MAGAZINE TO HOST EASTERN SAN DIEGO COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST
Printer-friendly version June 20, 2013 (Santee) –– Assemblyman Jones (R-Santee) and East County Magazine announced today that they will host a photography contest that features photographs taken in San Diego’s East County. The winning photographs will be displayed in Assemblyman Brian Jones’ Capitol Office and featured in East County Magazine. “It’s an honor to be able to highlight the
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: SUMMER FUN
Printer-friendly version June 21, 2013 (Campo)–Mary Clark and her son, Jimmie, 3, enjoy an idyllic moment in the summer sun amid wildflowers next to their family’s vineyard. Miriam Raftery captured the moment on a visit to the Campo Creek Winery earlier this month. The photograph illustrates the joy of rural living–a lifestyle treasured by many people in East
RUNNING CATTLE: HOME ON THE RANGE
Printer-friendly version Campo Creek Ranch offers local delivery of all-natural grass-fed beef By Miram Raftery June 13, 2013(Campo)—Cattle come running when rancher John Clark arrives. It looks like a scene out of a California “happy cows” commercial. View video. These beef cattle are raised in open pastures, not crowded feed lots. They graze in green pastures at Campo Creek Ranch
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: WHAT’S MISSING?
Printer-friendly version May 27, 2013 (Ocotillo) — When Jim Pelley arose at sunrise and looked out over the desert from his home in Ocotillo, he noticed something missing. So he grabbed his camera to record the unusual sight. A Siemens wind turbine at Pattern Energy’s Ocotillo Express Wind Energy facility had hurled off a multi-ton blade onto a
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: BIGHORN SHEEP AT MOUNTAIN SPRINGS
Printer-friendly version May 24, 2013 (Mountain Springs) – Photographers Jim Pelley and Parke Ewing spotted a herd of endangered Peninsular Bighorn sheep preparing to cross I-8 in Mountain Springs, at the county line separating San Diego and Imperial Valley counties. Residents report that wildlife is returning to the area over the past week, since wind turbines at the adjacent
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: FIVE PEAKS IN MISSION TRAILS
Printer-friendly version By Greg Dunne April 28, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) — My friend, David Hart, and myself went on a long and strenuous six-hour but fun hike of all five peaks at Mission Trails Regional Park on Wednesday. We enjoyed seeing many of nature’s wild life. Mule Deer, Red Diamondback Rattlesnake (always be aware of rattlesnakes this time
SIGNS OF SPRING: WILD LILACS
Printer-friendly version April 24, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) — A sure sign of spring in East County is when you see wild lilacs (ceanothus) blooming, covering fields and hillsides in a tapestry of lavender and purple. ECM editor Miriam Raftery captured these beautiful blooms in Deerhorn Valley. Printer-friendly version
WINNERS OF 2013 LAKE JENNINGS PHOTO CONTEST ANNOUNCED
Printer-friendly versionApril 24, 2013 (La Mesa) – The Lake Jennings March Photo Contest garnered 83 spectacular entries from individuals throughout Southern California and Arizona, from age 8 and older. Photographers roamed the banks, paddled into the deep, hung out in Hermit Cove, watched the wild life, and clicked shutters. Winning entries were selected in both the Youth and Adult categories.
TOWN OF CAMPO TAKES ON MEXICAN BANDITOS IN HISTORICAL REENACTMENT
Printer-friendly version By Ariele Johannson April 9, 2013 (Campo)–Imagine the Old West back in the 1800s. Lawmen are few and far between. Desperadoes sometimes spread terror throughout the new state of California. And Campo, on the United States-Mexican border, is the site of a confrontation between law-abiding citizens and one such gang of outlaws. The Gaskill Brothers Gunfighters,
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Photo of the Week: Jacumba Sunset
Printer-friendly versionApril 6, 2026 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – Martin Eder sent in this photo, taken along Interstate 8 just west of Jacumba near the San Diego-Imperial County line, after he attended the Magical Mystery Beatles tribute music festival at De Anza Springs Resort. The setting sun illuminated a plume in the sky, creating a magical effect. Printer-friendly version

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
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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.