East County News Service

December 12, 2016 (Kensington) -- On Sunday, December 18, 2016 from 12:00-4:00 p.m. the Iris Auxiliary to the San Diego Center for Children presents a holiday home tour benefitting the San Diego Center for Children, San Diego’s oldest accredited children’s non-profit organization

Source: California Insurance Commissioner

December 8, 2016 (San Diego) -- Superior Court Judge Katherine Bacal today denied State Farm's emergency request to stay a November order issued by Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones. Jones’ order directed State Farm to reduce homeowner and renter rates by seven percent and issue refunds totaling over $100 million to State Farm's policyholders.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

December 5, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- The lights are likely up outside so, now is a good time to look at some safety tips for inside the home as Christmas nears, reminds Chief DiGiovanna.

By Miriam Raftery

December 1, 2016 (El Cajon) — A notice from the city of El Cajon today announces that a Draft Environmental Impact Report on the city’s proposed Housing Element Rezoning Program is available for public review and written comment starting December 5th through January 19^th.

A community open house is set for January 5^th from 6 p.m.to 7 p.m. at the El Cajon Branch Library (201 East Douglas) meeting room to discuss the project, the California Environmental Quality Act public review process and the content and findings of the draft EIR.

By Miriam Raftery

November 29, 2016 (Campo)- If you’ve got a hankering to own a 2,160 acre cattle ranch,  you may want to mosey on out to rural Campo and saddle up to see the Star Ranch.  The large property is on the market—and the owner is willing to consider offers on any of nine parcels separately or together. (View offering proposal).

A 455-unit housing development has been proposed on the site, drawing opposition from some neighbors concerned about impacts on groundwater supplies, traffic and loss of rural character.  Now the owner has put the site on the market-- and  is giving neighbors the first opportunity to purchase all or part of the sprawling rural property.

Photos: Palm tree (right) heavily damaged by South American palm weevil (left); photos courtesy of the Center for Invasive Species Research at UC Riverside

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

November 6, 2016 (San Diego) -- They’re 1 ½ to 2 inches long, jet black, with long snouts and a deadly appetite for one of Southern California’s biggest icons — palm trees.

In September, South American palm weevils were determined to have killed palm trees in San Ysidro.

East County New Service

September 20, 2016 (La Mesa) - The La Mesa Historical Society, in association with MODERN SAN DIEGO and San Diego Home and Garden, invites you to a showcase of seven hidden jewels, nestled in the hillside of Mt. Helix. The La Mesa Historic Home Tour is set for Saturday, November 5^th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

East County News Service

September 15, 2016 (El Cajon) - The Water Conservation Garden celebrates the fall planting season with the 2016 Fall Plantstravaganza! on Saturday, November 5 from 10am to 2pm, with a special members-only preview sale from 9am to 10am.   Garden memberships may be purchased at the gate.

East County News Service

August 27, 2016 (Alpine) - The Alpine Woman’s Club will hold its Eleventh Annual “Christmas in Alpine” Home Tour on Saturday, December 10th from 10am to 3pm. You will have an opportunity to stroll through five stunning country estates, and visit Kathy and Mario’s quaint and spectacular place they call Alpine Country Garden and Gifts Shop. The Historic Town Hall will be open from 1pm till 4pm, where you can view Dickens Christmas Village on the Town Hall stage. Ticket holders can also enjoy light refreshments and a surprise gift to say thank you for your support.

By Miriam Raftery

August 3, 2016 (La Mesa) – With scarcely any public notice, Helix Water Board passed a 10.3% rate hike by a slim one-vote majority. The stated reason was because water use has dropped due to customers conserving water--just as the district asked them to do.

Directors Kathleen Coates-Hedberg and Joel Scalziti voted against jacking up rates, while directors John Linden, Chuck Muse and Deana Verbeke voted for the rate hike over public objections.

July 26, 2016 (San Diego's East County) - Unless they’re a pet and you’ve given them a name, nobody wants rats or rodents skittering around their homes, scaring them at night, creeping them out by day and maybe even making them sick.

By Miriam Raftery

July 4, 2016 (San Diego) – Recently,  East County Magazine’s Radio Show  featured an interview with Amber Albrecht  from San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E).  The interview originally aired on KNSJ 89.1 FM Radio.

 We talked about a new fast-track process for going solar and about renewable meter adaptors invented by SDG&E employees to help you avoid costly electrical panel upgrades when going solar.

Hear our interview by clicking the audio link below.

East County News Service

June 23, 2016 (El Cajon) – Effective July 1, local realtors will be dealing with completing new forms from the California Association of Realtors (CAR). The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR), a 2,300-member trade group for San Diego-area realtors, will present “Forum on Forms,” a program for realtors on new changes in CAR forms, from 1 to 2 p.m. on Friday, July 1 at the PSAR East County Service Center, 1150 Broadway, El Cajon.

“We All Count” organizers voice concerns over undercount of homeless due to lack of data provided by shelter in El Cajon

By Miriam Raftery

May 12, 2016 (San Diego) – Results of “We All Count,” the annual count of homeless people countywide, show a 19% increase in the number of unsheltered homeless people, though a slight dip (less than a percentage point) in the total number of homeless countywide.

In an interview with the East County Magazine Show originally aired on KNSJ radio, Dolores Diaz, Executive Director of the Regional Task Force on the Homeless, and Michael McConnell, an advocate for the homeless who has served as team leader for “25 Cities”, a national initiative to end homelessness and publisher of Homelessness News San Diego, discussed this year’s results of the point-in-time homeless count, as well as long term solutions to end homelessness.

Hear our interview by clicking the orange arrow above (sound files may take a few moments to load), plus scroll down for additional details and updates obtained after our interview aired.

East County News Service

May 2, 2016 (San Diego) -- “Build a box. Fill it with Mel’s Mix. Add a grid…and start planting.” Mel Bartholomew, creator of Square Foot Gardening, has passed away at the age of 84 in La Jolla, California. His easy, innovative method of growing vegetables revolutionized the way millions grow their own food.