East County News Service

November 15, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) - This week’s Destination East County includes a Swing with Santa charity golf tournament, live music at La Mesa Wine Works, a meteor shower watching event at Oakoasis Park in Lakeside, and the ever-popular Mother Goose Parade.

Plus we’ll have a preview of coming attractions over the next month including Pomegranate Days at the Oasis Camel Dairy in Ramona, Holiday Lights on Main in El Cajon, holiday hay rides in Santa Ysabel, a Julian Country Christmas, a bonfire and ice skating in Lemon Grove, Lakeside’s Spirit of Christmas on Maine, a Christmas Cabaret, La Mesa’s Holiday in the Village, and the San Diego Festival Chorus and Orchestra’s “Sounds Good” performance of Handel’s Messiah and other holiday favorites.

So stay tuned for all of these events and many more!

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

November 13, 2017 (San Diego's East County) - When most of us think about Thanksgiving, images of turkey, stuffing and time spent with loved ones typically come to mind, not fire hazards. However, an increased risk of fire is, in fact, a reality of Thanksgiving reminds Fire Chief Sam Digiovanna. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), three times as many home cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving as on a typical day. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires.

By Miriam Raftery

November 1, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes a wildlife walk, live hawk demonstration and world music ensemble concert at Mission Trails, an Autumn Fest at the Water Conservation Garden, the Ramona Art and Wine Fest, and acoustic concerts at the Rancho San Diego and Ramona libraries.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions, including Veterans Day activities at Grossmont Center, a Veterans’ Day commemoration in El Cajon, the Mother Goose Parade, a holiday hay ride and many more activities at Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures in Santa Ysabel, plus a Julian Country Christmas celebration later this month.

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!

East County News Service

October 17, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes HauntFest on Main in El Cajon, Carnival for Canines in La Mesa, Borrego Days desert festival and parade, a Toast to East County, the Laguna Mountain Rendezvous, alpacas at the Summers Past Pumpkin Patch, Scotty’s Scare Trail, and the Pumpkin Express train ride in Campo.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions, including a haunted Elks lodge, a Halloween Harvest Festival, the Hills Halloween Party, a spooky campover, the Boulevard Boo Parade, a “Hallowscream” night, a high desert mountain yoga retreat, an Autumn Fest and Plant Sale, the Ramona Art and Wine Festival, a live hawk demonstration, a Veterans Day ceremony and the 71st annual Mother Goose Parade. 

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

October 12, 2017 (San Diego) -- Wildfires seem to be burning daily in almost every county. You may not live directly in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) however you will likely be impacted by the large amount of smoke generated by these fires.

Particulate matter generated from the smoke is the main public health threat during short-term exposure to wildfire smoke, so it’s crucial to protect yourself.

East County News Service

October 3, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) --This week’s Destination East County includes Oktoberfest in El Cajon, Camels and Apples at the Oasis Camel Dairy, an art reception with international artist Padre Johnson at Heritage of the Americas Museum, a Circular Visions dance show, the Ramona Air Fair and Fly In, Summers Past Farms’ Pumpkin Patch, Scotty’s Scare Trail, and the Pumpkin Express haunted train ride in Campo.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions, including the Laguna Mountain Rendezvous, Kids Care Fest in Lakeside, the Borrego Days celebration, El Cajon’s Haunt Fest on Main, a Haunted Elks Lodge, a Halloween Harvest Family Festival on Mt. Helix, a spooky sleepover at Lions Tigers and Bears in Alpine, and the Boulevard BOO Parade.

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!

East County News Service

September 26, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes the La Mesa Oktoberfest, El Cajon’s summer concert season finale, opening weekend of El Cajon’s Oktoberfest, fall concerts at Cuyamaca College, and an art reception for Padre Johnson at Cuyamaca College.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including the Ramona Air Fair and Fly-In, the Laguna Mountain Rendezvous, Kids Care Fest in Lakeside, the Borrego Days celebration, El Cajon’s Haunt Fest on Main, a Haunted Elks Lodge, a Halloween Harvest Family Festival on Mt. Helix, a spooky sleepover at Lions Tigers and Bears in Alpine, and the Boulevard BOO Parade.

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!

By Miriam Raftery

September 24, 2017 (Sacramento) -- “Today, my office was informed for the first time by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that Russian cyber actors scanned California’s Internet-facing systems in 2016,” California Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced on Friday.

East County News Service

September 12, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) --This week’s Destination East County includes the Alley Cat Art Walk in El Cajon, Julian’s Music Festival, a Siren’s Crush concert in El Cajon, the Lemon Grove Lions Salsa Fiesta, Lakeside River Park’s Once in a Blue Moon gala, a Latino Film Festival at Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges, and an International Day of Peace rally in La Mesa.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including Julian Apple Days, Apple Tea Time, Bamboozled, Oktoberfests in La Mesa and El Cajon, Laguna Mountain Rendezvous, Kids Care Fest, Haunt Fest on Main, Borrego Days, a Haunted Lodge in El Cajon, a new Halloween Harvest Family Festival on Mt. Helix, and the annual Spooky Campover at Lions, Tigers and Bears in Alpine.

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

September 3, 2017 (San Diego) -- Have you ever wondered how firefighters determine which homes to defend and which ones we don’t during a wildfire?

As firefighters, we lay out our plans for the tactical operations before a brush fire by pre-planning our districts. During a brush fire, it’s imperative that we make quick but well-thought-out decisions that reflect life safety issues for both responders and citizens first, followed by property conservation.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

August 31, 2017 (San Diego) – It’s Labor Day Weekend. Anyone up for a barbecue or picnic?  Make sure to keep a close eye on the grill ensuring safety at all times.  Keep children away from the grill as well as combustibles and vegetation.

East County News Service

August 16, 2017 (San Diego's East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes a jazz concert at Mission Trail, the Heroes in concert in El Cajon, and the finale of Santee’s summer concert series with the Mighty Untouchables.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including the Ramona Country Fair, the Barona and Sycuan pow-wows, Descanso’s Deep Pit Barbecue, Oktoberfests in La Mesa and El Cajon, the Alley Cat Artwalk, Julian Apple Festival, Julian Music Festival. Laguna Mountain Rendezvous and more.

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!

East County News Service

August 11, 2017 (San Diego's East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes  a star party in Lakeside, a dive-in movie at Kroc Center, classic cruisin’ in El Cajon, outdoor concerts in Santee, El Cajon and Lemon Grove, ice skating and more.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including  Descanso’s deep pit barbecue, the Ramona Country Fair, La Mesa's Oktoberfest, an art show in Julian, Ramona’s first-ever grape stomp, a Laurel and Hardy comedy film night in Spring Valley,  the Laguna Mountain Rendezvous, World War II pilots sharing living history, the Alley Cat Art walk in El Cajon, Barona powwow and more.

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!

Bombshell story from Gizmodo underscores need for FCC to address serious issues with its public comment process before making any decision on net neutrality. 15,000+ people call on lawmakers to demand that FCC comply with transparency laws

Source:  Fight for the Future

August 7, 2017 (Washington D.C.) --In a bombshell story from Gizmodo today, a former FCC security employee lays waste to the agency’s claims that a pair of DDoS attacks took down the FCC comment website at the exact moments when large amounts of pro net neutrality comments would have been flooding into the docket following viral segments from comedian John Oliver in 2014 and 2017. The agency’s inability to maintain a functional way for the public to comment on its net neutrality proceedings has become an issue of concern for members of Congress overseeing the agency, and raises questions about how it can or should move forward with its rulemaking process.

By Miriam Raftery

August 7, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) - Is Fox News a hotbed for sexual harassment?  Fox News host Eric Bolling is the latest in a string of high profile Fox figures embroiled in allegations of tawdry workplace behavior.