Source:  City of La Mesa

Photo via Tree City USA

February 22, 2018 (La Mesa) - The Arbor Day Foundation, in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management, has named La Mesa a 2017 Tree City USA for the 38th consecutive year.

La Mesa achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

By Michelle Mowad, County of San Diego Communications Office

February 17, 2018 (San Diego's East County) - Take a fresh approach to your wedding ceremony and say “I do” in a park. From romantic country meadows to bayfront ocean views or rustic ranchos, San Diego County Parks and Recreation has a wide array of outdoor spaces for wedding ceremonies and receptions in every part of the county.

With venue fees starting at $105, County parks are not only a beautiful option, but a budget-friendly one, too! To tour event spaces or make reservations, contact Parks at (858) 565-3600.

Here are just a few of the scenic spaces to exchange vows. Find the complete list of venues online.

By Miriam Raftery

February 7, 2018 (Sacramento) – California could be heading into a new drought.  Electronic measurements taken February 1^st by the state’s Department of Water Resources reveal that rainfall and snowpack water levels remain below average, four months into the rainy season.

Substantial relief to ratepayers: $873 million will not be paid to utilities over the next 5 years, resulting in $775 million reduction

East County News Service

January 31, 2017 (San Diego) – Citizens Oversight, also operating as the “Coalition to Decommission San Onofre,” today signed a settlement agreement with Southern California Edison (SCE), San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) and other ratepayer advocates to bring to a close the dispute over the amount ratepayers are obligated to pay for the San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station (SONGS).  The nuclear plant was subject to an emergency shutdown on January 31, 2012, and permanently shuttered on June 6, 2013.

Warner Springs and Murrieta farm raises pastured chickens, rebuilds healthy soils and grasslands, and coexists with wildlife

Story and photos @Pasturebird and Primal Pastures.

January 27, 2018 (Warner Springs) -- Most people don’t set up a wholesale pastured poultry operation in an area known for its mountain lion activity as much as for its orchards.  Yet for farmer Paul Grieve of Pasturebird, flourishing habitat is an integral part of farming. “The important thing to us is that we build an ecosystem.  Our role is to steward the land and grow a great environment for Mother Nature.”

Initiative would require public vote on significant changes to General Plan, to protect backcountry from “sprawl-style development” and traffic gridlock

East County News Service

Update: Hear our interview with former Supervisor Pam Slater Price and Mark Jackson from Save Our San Diego Countryside by clicking the audio link.  Learn more at https://saveoursdcountryside.org/.

January 24, 201 (San Diego) -- Today the San Diego County Registrar of Voters approved the title and summary for the “Safeguard Our San Diego Countryside” Initiative, clearing the way for proponents to gather signatures to place the initiative on the November 2018 ballot. If passed, the measure would require voter approval of amendments to the San Diego County General Plan that significantly increase density on parcels in the unincorporated county now designated for farming, open space, and wildlife uses.

Update January 24, 2018:  Supervisors voted 4-0 yesterday to approve this, with Supervisor Horn absent due to leaving early.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Joe Brunetto, owner of Marechiaro's Italian Restaurant and Jack Shu, president of Cleveland National Forest Foundation, speak out against retail project proposed for land visible in background

January 22, 2018 (Lakeside)—San Diego County Supervisors will hold a hearing Wednesday on Lake Jennings Marketplace, a proposed retail strip shopping center on Olde Highway 80 in Lakeside.  The project by South Coast Development requires approval of an environmental impact report,  a General Plan amendment and rezoning  of residential land  to commercial.

But opponents say the developer earlier promised to build multi-family housing on the site, not a shopping center.  Cleveland National Forest Association (CNFF) and a local restaurant owner are heading up opposition to the project, saying what the community needs is housing, not more retail. 

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

January 20, 2018 (San Diego) - The San Diego County Planning Commission voted 6-1 Thursday to recommend that the County’s Board of Supervisors approve the County’s revised Climate Action Plan, with some modifications.

Story and photos by A.J. Herrington

January 15, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) --​ ​A group of children from the inner city San Diego neighborhood of City Heights travelled to Boulder Creek Preserve Saturday to plant trees at the wildlife sanctuary near Descanso.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill in the Gulf Coast

January 10, 2018 (Washington D.C.) – Just days after Trump’s Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced plans to open up 98% of our nation’s coastlines to offshore oil drilling and fracking, Zinke said he is removing Florida off that list, stating, “I support the governor’s position that Florida is unique and its coasts are heavily reliant on tourism as an economic driver.”

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Santa Barbara oil spill, 1969, dumped up to 100,000 barrels of crude oil off California's coast, killing 3,500 sea birds as well as marine mammals such as dolphins and seals. (Dick Smith Collection, University of Santa Barbara)

January 5, 2018 (Washington D.C.) – Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke yesterday issued a sweeping proposal to open up 98% of all outer continental shelf areas for offshore oil drilling -- including off San Diego’s coastline.  By contrast, drilling is currently allowed in only 6% of those areas.

The proposal, which also includes plans to drill in the Arctic, elsewhere along the west coast, the Atlantic coast and the Gulf coast, has drawn strong opposition from environmental groups and from California’s Attorney General.  View map of proposed drilling sites. The public will have an opportunity to weigh in however in public comments and public meetings to be held around the country.  A schedule of those meetings will be posted here.  Online comments at regulations.gov will be accepted starting January 8^th.

By Andy Tolley, County of San Diego Communications Office

Video courtesy County of San Diego

January 2, 2018 (Julian) - William Heise County Park in Julian offers more than 10 miles of picturesque hiking trails.

We’ve highlighted a one-mile stretch, the Cedar Trail, that will get your heart pumping, given you go try it out after watching the virtual version of it!

William Heise County Park offers up camping, cabins, playgrounds and more. Find it and all of our parks at sdparks.org.

By Miriam Raftery

December 27, 2017 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – Hi ho! The Jacumba Hikers and Walkers are hitting the trail to Carrizo Gorge and Walker Canyon on December 30^th.   This six mile hike is rated hard due to a steep down and up trek across the gorge, where hikers will see an up-top view of the “Impossible Railroad” at De Anza Resort, then head north on an old road to an abandoned railroad settlement in historic Walker Canyon.

Source: EDCO

December 22, 2017 (Lemon Grove) -- Incidental contamination in recycling containers may threaten recycling efforts and participation by residents and business. Contamination occurs when non-recyclables are placed in recycling containers before collection and can include anything from food waste, appliances to plastic bags. During this time of year, even old worn out strands of Christmas lights that are not recyclable may be found in recycling bins. End-use markets for recyclable materials, which are mostly in Asia, have shrunk and demand for material quality is higher than ever.

East County News Service

December 19, 2017 (San Diego) -- With another holiday season upon us, I Love a Clean San Diego and the County of San Diego have again joined together to encourage residents to recycle their Christmas trees and minimize the amount of waste sent to the landfill. You can put your tree to better use through recycling at locations countywide.