Story and photos by Shiloh Ireland

March 21, 2023 (Lakeside) -- Lakeside has a new state of the art library. ECM took a preview tour of the 16,000 square foot facility on March 1 during a soft opening, also interviewing librarian Mary Elder. The grand opening is scheduled for March 25^th.

ECM has conducted a photographic and drone history since ground-breaking of this new addition to Lakeside. As part of the San Diego County public library system, it is open to all residents of the county to utilize its services and check out materials.

The library offers a spacious environment with a teen room, children's section with a cave and large screen computer screens, large print section, DVD area, outdoor patio, state of the art computer check-out machine, attractive artwork, Lakeside Friends of the Library’s room that offers books for sale and much more.

East County News Service

March 19, 2023 (Lakeside) – Reflections Day Spa invites you to its 7^th annual Haircuts for the Homeless event on Sunday, April 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donations of items to help the homeless are sought, including sleeping bags, blankets, tents, socks, jackets, beanies and toiletries.

Reflections Day Spa is located at 9909 Maine Ave., Lakeside, CA 92040.  Questions? Call (619) 334-2240.

Update 5 p.m.:  The Sheriff  has released a statement calling the students' report "unfounded."  Here is the full statement:

After further investigation, Detectives have determined this incident near Lakeside Middle School was unfounded. There is no danger to the community. We thank the public and the media for their cooperation and understanding.

East County News Service

February 8, 2022 (Lakeside) – Public help is sought by the San Diego County Sheriff’s department to find a man suspected of trying to grab a child walking to school in Lakeside yesterday around 8 a.m.

East County News Service

January 31, 2023 (Lakeside) – If you’re not a fan of football, Lake Jennings is offering you a quiet alternative to cheer about: on Super Bowl Sunday, February 12, the lake is offering free boat launches. If you do want to watch the big game, you can take in some early morning fishing before kick-off

Update: Due to inclement weather, this event has been postponed until March 19.

By Miriam Raftery

January 29, 2023 (Lakeside) – Lakeside Chamber of Commerce invites you to Touch-a-Truck, an experience “geared towards the kid in all of us,” according to the event website.  Guests can touch and see a wide variety of vehicles, trucks and equipment during the event on Sunday, Februry 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 11600 Riverside Drive in Lakside.

East County News Service

January 14, 2023 (Lakeside) – The Preteen Junior Miss Lakeside Scholarship Pageant will be held tonight at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds at 5 p.m., with the doors opening at 4:30 p.m. Tomorrow, the Miss Lakeside and Teen Lakeside pageants will be held at the same venue.

The Lakeside Rodeo Grounds hall is located at 12584 Mapleview Street in Lakeside.

The Miss Lakeside Program is a part of the San Diego 678 Pageant System which includes the two sister pageants Miss Ramona and Miss Julian.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: CC via Bing

January 3, 2023 (Lakeside) – The San Diego Sheriff’s department has released the identifies of two women shot and killed on December 30 in Lakeside by a man who then fatally shot himself.  Two juveniles were also in the home in the 13500 block of Interstate 8 Business when the killings occurred.

East County News Service

December 26, 2022 (Lakeside) – Scott Lagace snapped these photographs of a Bald Eagle, our national bird, over the holiday weekend at Lake Jennings in Lakeside. Though no longer federally endangered, Bald Eagles are still protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act as well as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. They remain rare in San Diego County, however, where there are only a handful of nesting pairs, making such a sighting a special thrill.

Story and photos by Shiloh Ireland

December 23, 2022 (Lakeside) - Wesley Maddocks of San Diego County Parks and Recreation featured Snow Day at Lindo Park in Lakeside.

"It has been a dream of our directors to bring snow to our parks," says Maddocks.

Twenty tons of ice were donated for this event and the crowd grew to approximately 150 as kids arrived from school. Santa sat patiently for the children to hear their Christmas wishes. It looked like all the participants had a fun afternoon.

By Miriam Raftery

December 18, 2022 (Lakeside) – San Diego County is a hub for child sex trafficking, with at least 3,000 victims here each year. How can you protect your children?  Find out on Thursday, January 19 when the Lakeside Union School District and El Capitan High School PTSA groups host a screening of the film “Stolen: a Year-Long Investigation into Child Sex Trafficking and Exploitation.”  This must-see film based on an NBC 7 investigative series will be shown at the El Capitan High School Events Center (10410 Ashwood St., Lakeside) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: El Capitan County Preserve

Update: The victim has been identified as 22-year-old Nathaniel Takatsuno, who had reportedly been free climbing without a rope when he fell 200 feet, Times of San Diego reports.

December 5, 2022 (Lakeside) – The body of a rock climber who fell to his death yesterday on El Cajon Mountain, located in the El Capitan County Preserve in Lakeside was recovered today by a Sheriff’s helicopter crew.

East County News Service

November 21, 2022 (Lakeside) -- Santa and his elves at the Lakeside Chamber of Commerce are hard at work, getting ready for the 25^th annual Spirit of Christmas on Maine Avenue in Lakeside on Saturday, Dec. 3 from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p m.