April 11, 2024 (El Cajon) – Recent rains have brought spring flowers. Robert Gehr sent in these photos of beautiful blooms in his El Cajon neighborhood.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Miriam Raftery: Campo tribe's original wind project; the tribe hopes to build a new project connected to the substation challenged by rural activists.

March 20, 2024 (Campo) — An Appellate Court has found that a trial court wrongfully dismissed a lawsuit against San Diego County challenging Supervisors’ approval of Terra-Gen’s Boulder Brush substation in rural East County. The substation would connect to Terra-Gen’s Campo Wind project on Campo tribal land. 

Earlier plans called for the substation to also connect to the proposed Torrey Wind project in Campo, but Terra-Gen has since withdrawn its application for that project after a deadline expired.

By Chris Berg, marketing and engagement manager,  City of El Cajon

March 14, 2024 (El Cajon)  - The City of El Cajon announces its inaugural June Bloom of El Cajon competition, a community-focused event designed to inspire and reward the creation of green spaces across our urban landscape. This initiative, in partnership with Armstrong Garden Centers, aims to engage citizens and businesses alike in fostering a greener, more vibrant City.

The June Bloom competition invites all residents and business owners in El Cajon to participate in transforming the community through the power of gardening. By enhancing front yards, balconies, storefronts, and community spaces with lush plants and creative landscaping, participants will not only contribute to the beautification of the City but also have the chance to win thousands of dollars in prizes.

By Miriam Raftery

February 28, 2024 (Alpine) -- A community workshop on trail improvements at Loveland Reservoir will be held on Thursday, March 14 at the Alpine Women’s Club (2156 Alpine Blvd) in Alpine from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

State Senator Brian Jones convened the workshop along with the Sweetwater Water Authority to hear from residents concerned about trail erosion and limited public access due to erosion caused by severe winter storms in January of last year.  

East County News Service

Photo: New Allied Gardens Off-Leash Dog Park; screen shot, @AGGCcouncil via Facebook 

February 19, 2024 (Allied Gardens) – A new dog park opened last weekend in San Diego’s Allied Gardens neighborhood for pet owners to bring their dogs to frolic off-leash. The new park, next to the Allied Gardens Pool at 6707 Glenroy Street in San Diego, is larger than most other local dog parks.

Source: San Diego Humane Society

Cub found on roadside in Simi Valley brought to Ramona Wildlife Center for lifesaving care

February 14, 2024 (Ramona) -- A young male mountain lion has a second chance at life after being hit by a vehicle the night before Thanksgiving and found on the side of a road in Simi Valley. Local animal services alerted California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), who quickly transported the cub to Santa Clarita where veterinarians provided initial medical support overnight. The 5-month-old cub was then transported to San Diego Humane Society's Ramona Wildlife Center for care by its Project Wildlife team early the next morning, Thanksgiving Day - Nov. 23, 2023.

East County News Service

February 7, 2024 (La Mesa) -- The Collier Park renovation is almost complete with the reopening/ribbon cutting celebration on February 10, 2024!

Join the City of La Mesa for interactive activities, presentations, and resources while you enjoy the new park, playground, fitness equipment, walking trails, courts, and more.

JPA to discuss options in a closed-door meeting with legal counsel

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left:  Dr. Michael Hager, President, Friends of the Water Conservation Garden, and Lauren Magnuson, Interim Director of the Garden

January 30, 2024 (El Cajon) – Friends of the Water Conservation Garden and the garden’s new interim director, Lauren Magnuson, made impassioned pleas at a January 23 meeting,  asking the Joint Powers Authority (JPA) to allocate additional funds through June to help alleviate a financial crisis.

The Water Conservation Garden is celebrating its 25^th anniversary this year. Magnuson. said, “We supported the community during the pandemic. Now we are hoping that the community will support us.”

The Garden has over $1 million in financial obligations, including large loans taken out during the pandemic and some smaller grant funds slated to be returned. Questions have been raised by the JPA over years of inaccurate record-keeping practices and borrowing by Friends to cover the Garden’s operating expenses, among other concerns.

“The Garden has significantly cut our monthly budget by more than half,” Magnuson told ECM in an interview earlier this month. “We unfortunately had to furlough a good portion of our staff and lean on current staff to absorb those furloughed positions.” She has pledged full transparency and open communication with staff and volunteers, scrambling to pull together financial records and options to help the garden grow and thrive in the future—though the task is daunting.

January 21, 2024 (Borrego Springs) -- The Anza Borrego Desert Natural History Association’s Education Director Mike McElhatton will lead a full moon nighttime walk in South Palm Wash on January 24 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  The moonlight walk is a tradition of the organization, now in its 13^th year.

Experience the unique and serene beauty of moonlight on the canyon walls along this a free 1.5- mile walk through South Palm Wash. Meet at ABDNHA to carpool. A flashlight, water, and good hiking shoes are required. Activity cancels with cloud cover or high wind. Call the Nature Center at 760-767-3098 to reserve. This walk is fairly easy with short moderate sections.

By Miriam Raftery

January 11, 2024 (Alpine) – Two environmental groups filed a lawsuit in Superior  Court on January 5 against San Diego County. The suit filed by Cleveland National Forest Foundation and California Native Plant Society contends that the county failed to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act when supervisors approved an environmental impact report in December for Alpine’s first community park. The Alpine Community Park, adjacent to Cleveland National Forest and Wright’s Field, would include a sports complex and more.