July 8, 2014 (Lakeside) - At Oak Oasis  Preserve Campground in Lakeside, a free family campout and star party will be held on Friday night, July 25 through Saturday July 26.  You’re invited to join members of the San Diego Astronomy Association and park staff, using telescopes to view stars and planets from 8 to 10 p.m. If you plan to campover, arrive by 7 p.m.on Friday to set up before sunset.  (Note: Camping is only on Friday night.)

By Miriam Raftery

July 6, 2014 (San Diego's East County) -- Below are some of the newsworthy items on this week's agendas for boards, commissions and councils in East County. Taxes, electronic cigarettes and land use issues are among the hot topics to be discussed in these public meetings.  You can find full agendas and meeting details at the websites for each local governing body.

By Miriam Raftery

June 23, 2014 (Lakeside) – A suspect has been arrested by San Diego Police in the case of a triple homicide  of three young people with ties to Lakeside, where their family runs an Italian restaurant.

June 6, 2014 (Lakeside) – You’re invited to share ideas, problems or concerns regarding County Government at a “Coffee with Constituents” hosted by Dianne Jacob, chairwoman of the County Board of Supervisors.

Update 12 p.m.  The Poinsettia Fire in Carlsbad is now 100% contained.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

May 16, 2014 (San Diego’s East County)  9 a.m. --Escondido Police have arrested  Isaiah Silva, 19, and a juvenile for arson, U-T San Diego reports.  The arrests came after a citizen reporting seeing two people start a fire in a field near South Escondido Boulevard and another citizen reporting seeing arsonists start a blaze at Kit Carson Park.  However, Lt. Mike Kearney has stated that the two suspects are not believed to have started any of the major wildfires currently burning in San Diego County.

Cause of the other fires countywide remain undetermined.  There has been speculation in some media outlets of arson but officials have indicated the causes remain under investigation.  An arson strike force has been assembled to investigate the fires.

Over 121,000 evacuation notices have been sent by officials and hundreds stayed in shelters overnight as numerous fires burned across the region.

Below are updates on the major fires.

By Miriam Raftery

May 4, 2014 (Lakeside)--The San Diego Sheriff's Department Santee Station is asking for the public's help in providing any information that would lead to the arrest of a suspect who threatened a man with a knife and robbed him in Lakeside.

On Saturday, May 3rd, at 9:22 p.m. the suspect approached the victim who was riding his bike home from a meeting in the unincorporated area of El Cajon on Los Coches Road near Interstate 8. The suspect ran up to the victim and brandished a knife with a 4-6 inch blade and demanded cash. The suspect left the area on foot northbound towards Lakeside.

April 25, 2014 (Lakeside) -- Ever wonder what compels someone to become a rodeo clown -- running in front of a charging bull?  Mark and Cory Clement set out to find out in the debut edition of their new radio feature, "Wildest Jobs."  Hear a podcast of their entertaining and exclusive interview with a prominent rodeo clown at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds, which originally aired today on the East County Magazine Show on KNSJ 89.1 FM.

https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

April 24, 2014 (Lakeside) Tomas Gracilazo, trick roping expert, will perform his dazzling showmanship routine at each performance of the Lakeside Rodeo, which celebrates its 50^th anniversary with performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday  April 25-27 this weekend.

You can also see a full range of other rodeo events including bull riding, barrel racing, team roping, steer wrestling, tie down roping, bareback bronc riding, and saddle bronc riding. There’s also a special stick horse riding competition for children.

East County Resident Named President

April 7 2014 (Lakeside) - The San Diego Chapter of the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA), a non-profit trade organization of licensed landscape and landscape-related contractors elected its board of directors recently. East County resident Lawrence O’Leary was elected president of the board for a second term.  The other elected board members are:

Celebration of life planned April 13

Linda Marie Shipman, 62, of Lakeside, California, passed away on March 29, 2014. A devoted wife, mother and massage therapist, she was also known as a tireless community volunteer active in local charities, nonprofits and business organizations.

March 19, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - East County artists won five of the eight prizes in the 51st annual art showof St. Mark's United Methodist Church, 3502 Clairemont Drive, San Diego.

February 26, 2014 (Lakeside)-- Arriving at Blue Sky Ranch on January 16th, a team of 10 young adults from AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) began a 9-week service project. The team is working with Lakeside River Park Conservancy, Blue Sky Ranch and Silverwood Wildlife Sanctuary on various projects until their departure on March 20th.

February 22, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – A multi-agency probation sweep in East County conducted on Friday, February 21 resulted in 17 arrests.

Deputies and officers visited probationers in Santee, Lakeside and El Cajon to see if they were following the conditions of their release, also working with Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) Enforcement at San Diego Trolley stations in the area to conduct compliance checks on passengers.