March 10, 2016 (Hellhole Canyon) - The California lilac, know botanically as Ceanothus, has got the County's Hellhole Canyon Preserve looking downright heavenly.

East County News Service

January 1, 2016 (Wilderness Gardens Preserve)--The County of San Diego has created a video showing the joys of winter season hiking at Wilderness Gardens Preserve, located in  the picturesque San Luis Rey River watershed in Pauma Valley in northeast San Diego County.

July 20, 2015 (La Mesa) -- Crystal Bowman of La Mesa planted milkweed to attract Monarch butterflies, then moved the larvae into a home-made butterfly house that she built using old screen doors and mesh. Behold the miraculous result, as a Monarch caterpillar transforms into a chrysalis in this video. 

April 28, 2015 (Ramona) -- For those who missed our Spanish Fiesta at Hacienda de las Rosas Winery on Sunday, enjoy this demonstration of horsemanship by Jorge Valenzuela and a Peruvian Paso stallion raised by the winery's owner.  Flamenco guitar music was provided live by Miles Moynier.

November 6, 2014 (Alpine) -- An Alpine resident has posted a video on YouTube showing a close encounter with a bobcat that wandered into her backyard, apparently unaware of the photographer on a porch swing close at hand.

See full frame video from the event here:  http://youtu.be/Byf5fO_UxEQ  

September 18,2014 (Alpine)-- Viejas Casino & Resort set two new Guinness World Records today – for World’s Longest Sparkler Relay and World’s Longest Chain of Fireworks.

United Nations passes resolution for sanctions against ISIS backers; local Iraqis ask for airlifts to save lives

Hear our exclusive interview with Mark Arabo on progress at the United Nations to save Iraqi Christians, originally aired Aug. 20 on the East County Magazine Show on KNSJ 89.1 FM:

http://k007.kiwi6.com/hotlink/6scu4kz7x2/Arabo-UNresolutioninterviewfor8-20-14show-FINAlwithrallyclips.mp3

By Miriam Raftery

August 21, 2014 (El Cajon) – Chanting “Save Iraq, save humanity,” and “Save Iraqi Christians,” hundreds of Iraqi-Americans marched through the streets of El Cajon on Tuesday. Many are gravely concerned about family members trapped in Iraq or who have fled as refugees as terrorists now calling themselves the Islamic State have seized cities across Iraq, torturing , killing or kidnapping those who refuse to convert to Islam.  The community showed support, with many motorists honking horns and drawing cheers.

Speakers, including former State Senator Wadie Deddeh, Chaldean-American leader Mark Arabo, and religious leaders also turned out to show solidarity with the persecuted minorities of Iraq.

May 30, 2014 (Ramona) – Activists from Veterans for Peace and the Ramona Forum found a creative way to get their message out at the Ramona Parade.  Dave Patterson narrates the groups’ video, providing details on a “drone pork drop” float created here in East County.    View the video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuPsjj_12j0

By Miriam Raftery

February 15, 2014 (Mt. Helix)—The Mt. Helix Academy in la Mesa, which has students from kindergarten through ninth grade, takes pride in “happy kids who love to learn,” says Tracey Singer, marketing coordinator. So Singer wrote and directed a music video starring kids at the school “to show what a fun place we have,” he said. “To my knowledge we are the only school in San Diego, and probably the nation, that is marketing itself with original music videos.”

September 12, 2012 (Ocotillo)- Photographer Jim Pelley captures lightning show over a wind project in the Ocotillo desert.

July 24, 2013 (Ocotillo) - In a dramatic video, award-winning videographer Jim Pelley takes a wild ride along a flooding roadway in the heart of the Ocotillo Express Wind Project.  The brief storm, which lasted only an hour, closed Highway 98, also washing rocks and debris across access roads. (Note: video contains strong language as Pelley struggles to escape the rising floodwaters.)

Pelley, an engineer and resident of Ocotillo, has long contended that changes to natural drainage patterns made by the wind project developer, Pattern Energy, would worsen flooding in the region.  Ocotillo is in a federally designated flood plain, but area residents have said that in the past, it took hours of heavy rainfall to cause serious flooding.

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 in San Diego’s East County.  They receive no hormones and their diet is all natural – native grass or in some cases, barley. 

“They’re all much healthier to eat,” says Clark, adding that grass-fed cattle re higher in omega-3 fatty acids.  The ranch also offers all-natural chickens, pigs and rabbits – with meat delivered straight to consumers.

By Miriam Raftery

View videos:   Soldier, sea captain, mountain man’s "Rendevous tale

March 16, 2013 (Vallecitos) -- A soldier, a sailor, and a mountain man—all bringing to life tales from the 1850 and '60s, shared their stories at Vallecitos Days.  The two-day event continues Sunday morning (ending at 2 p.m.)  at the Vallecitos Stage Station in the Anza-Borrego Desert .

 For details see http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/12586.  To get there, take I-8 east to S-2 at Ocotillo and continue north until you reach the Vallecitos Stage Station on your left.

As we arrived, a soldier in a Union Army uniform offers visitors bread cooked over a campfire. It resembles s’mores, baked long and narrow to fit on a soldier’s gunstock to be carried on the trail.  Another Army man launches into a story of how he wound up  at this outpost, while nearby, a woman in a hoopskirt shades herself with a parasol.

By Billy Ortiz

View video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0EPuSgKJOY

November 20, 2012 (Lakeside) --Early in the morning on November 15 in El Monte Valley, I was driving slowly like always, hoping to see a cat. Today was my day--I spotted one close to the road, followed it up the mountain a bit and discovered that there was more than one. Much to my surprise, I saw a second and then a  third bobcat to my right. What I didn't realize was that I had gotten  between the mama and one of her young.

In 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 Lakeside farms for the 6th and 7th graders. 

View a special video tour of local farms in Lakeside created for the Lakeside Historical Society by clicking  this link.

In addition, view a presentation at Lakeside Middle School by freelance videographer Billy Ortiz here.