Update: Due to construction on the "barrier- the WALL"  organizers had to make adjustments and have the water merge at Imperial Beach by the pier on June 14. The driving access to the park will be gated. The water that was collected will still be taken/ran to the corner of Mexico and California. This was changed because this event is for everyone and easier for brothers and sisters with disabilities, according to a post on Bobby Wallace's Facebook page. 

By Miriam  Raftery

Photo, left:  Barona tribal members with Passamaquoddy tribal members in Maine

Photo,right: via "Run with the Sun" page of indigenousnetwork.org; Bobby Wallace (right) with run participants

June 1, 2023 (San Diego’s East County) --  Local Native Americans are about to complete the longest  indigenous prayer run in U.S. history. “Run with the Sun” is the brainchild of Lakeside resident Bobby Wallace, a member of the Barona Band of Mission Indians,  in hopes of protecting waters across America.

“It’s been awesome making changes in people’s minds about water everywhere,” Wallace told ECM in an interview today.  “We started running, traveling with the water over every footstep of this continent, over every major waterway, with a prayer for all water.”

The effort is supported by the Barona, Sycuan and Viejas tribes in San Diego’s East County, as well as participants from other tribes across the U.S.

Update 9:05 p.m.  -- Evacuation warnings have been lifted, the County Office of Emergency Services reports.

East County Wildfire and Emergency Alerts

Video by Joe Dyke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSxmnewoRkI

July 12, 2022 (Dehesa) -- The #HarbisonFire burning in Dehesa has prompted evacuation warnings along Sycuan Oaks Drive, Vista De La Montana, and Trafalgar Road.  A warnings is to allow vulnerable people (such as those with disabilities or large animals) to leave in advance of an evacuation order.  A temporary evacuation point is at Sycuan Market, 4915 Dehesa Rd., El CAjon.

Harbison Canyon Road is closed between Dehesa Rd. and Crest Blvd.  

Forward spread of the fire has been stopped. Cal Fire reports 37 acres have burned.  

East County News Service

September 10, 2021 (El Cajon) – The annual Sycuan Pow-Wow returns September 10-12. The event will take place at the pow-wow grounds next to the Sycuan Casino and will feature Native American dance competitions, Kumeyaay bird singing, peon games, and more.  

Barona, Campo, Jamul, Sycuan, and Viejas Jointly Announce Casino Closures in Response to Coronavirus crisis

Source: Kumeyaay Nation

March 18, 2020 (San Diego's East County)  — Tribal government leaders of the Barona Band of Mission Indians, Campo Kumeyaay Nation, Jamul Indian Village, Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation and Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians today jointly announced that they are temporarily closing their casinos amid concerns over the Coronavirus (COVID-19) beginning on Friday, March 20 at noon through the end of the month.

The Tribes are united in this decision to close for the health and well-being of the community, their guests and approximately 9,000 employees. Despite this closure, it is their hope that they can continue to provide emergency services for their respective communities.

In Campo, the gas station and convenience store will remain open for the convenience of residents.

East County News Service

November 29, 2019 (El Cajon) – The ALS Association Greater San Diego Chapter will present the 11th annual ALS Golf Classic, a fundraising golf tournament, on Friday, Dec. 6 at the Singing Hills Golf Resort at Sycuan, 3007 Dehesa Road, El Cajon. The tournament is open to the public.

By Miriam Raftery

June 18, 2019 (Sycuan) – Members of sovereign tribes from across North America convened at the Sycuan resort in San Diego’s East County June 9-11 for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People and Trafficking Awareness Conference.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, top: Carrizo Gorge federal wilderness area

June 29, 2018 (Alpine) – Most visitors to San Diego County head to the beaches or the well-known mountain town of Julian. But the County’s lesser traveled southeast region, known as the Alpine Mountain Empire, includes vast tracts of wilderness, quaint mountain towns, a historic train, museums, Native America reservations, resorts, parks and lakes.

Backcountry hidden pleasures:   Our guide to unique lodging adventures in San Diego’s beautiful backcountry

By Miriam Raftery

May 24, 2018 (Sycuan) – The Sycuan Casino held a topping off ceremony on Tuesday to celebrate placement of the final beam at the 12-story, 300-room hotel and resort slated to open in March 2019.

Sycuan Tribal Chairman Cody Martinez thanked tribal elders and members, the executive team, and Swinerton builders.  “It really is a collaboration,” he said, calling the tribe’s achievement “a family effort--everybody bringing together the vision of what it is going to take to bring Sycuan to the next level.”

The hotel will create 700 new jobs for the community, Chairman Martinez said.

East County News Service

January 15, 2018 (El Cajon) – The entertainment line-up at Sycuan’s Live & Up Close Theatre this season is widely varied, including Tejano musicians Flaco and Friends in April and Artrageous, an interactive art and music experience in July. 

By Miriam Raftery

March 31, 2017 (El Cajon) –“This is truly our day. We’re here to celebrate,” Sycuan Tribal Chairman Cody Martinez told a packed house during a groundbreaking on the Sycuan reservation for the tribe’s casino expansion.

The ambitious project will include a 12-story hotel resort with 300 rooms,  adult pool with swim-up bar, kids pool,  gardens including a 420-foot-long “lazy river,” new restaurants , spa,  60,000 in additional gaming space, and a spacious 11,401 square foot ballroom that can double as concert hall seating 1,200 or banquet room  with capacity for 700. The $226 million, 500,000 square foot project is slated to open in 2019.

East County News Service

December 21, 2015 (El Cajon, CA) – Thirty local charities received over $75,000 in donations from Sycuan at a Gift Giving Ceremony on December 10th, an event that started back in 2006. Each member of Sycuan’s leadership team, comprised of elected tribal council members, the casino executive management team and the casino directors, had the opportunity to each select a charity of their choice to support. All 30 charities were present at the event that took place in Paipa’s Buffet, where they had the opportunity to speak to the group about their cause and receive their monetary donation.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Phil Konstanin

April 10, 2015 (El Cajon ) – Rock and roll superstar Chubby Checker will perform a concert with a “Twist” on  April 23^rd at Sycuan’s Live & Up Close Theater.  Checker rocketed to fame in 1960, when his recording of “The Twist” was the number one song in the nation, sparking a new dance craze and countless variations such as the “Peppermint Twist”, “Let’s Twist Again” and “Twist and Shout.”

Read our prior story about the debut of Sycuan's documentary

Hear our exclusive interview with Sycuan Chairman Daniel Tucker during the debut: click here. 

June 30, 2014 (El Cajon) – Sycuan’s “Our People. Our Culture. Our History” film has been honored with a 2014 EMMY® Award, Pacific Southwest region, for outstanding achievement in television. The acclaimed documentary has also received a prestigious Gold CINDY® Award in the Regional Broadcast category and a Special Achievement Award for Direction and Production Design.

The 48-minute program tells the story of Sycuan and the Kumeyaay Nation through the words of its people - Tribal elders, Council leaders, family members and the next generation. Augmented by incisive observations from Native American historians and a range of subject matter experts, this documentary follows the incredible 12,500 year journey of a People who has survived against overwhelming odds to become a sovereign, prosperous nation who continues to honor its past while building its future and positively impacting their community.