East County News Service

June 12, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- “They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services. The corruption has gone too. far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings,” states the website No Kings, which is organizing protests nationwide on Saturday, June 14. The demonstrations are expected to draw millions of participants nationwide and locally, thousands.

San Diego County has 11 “peaceful” protests planned. View map. and click each location for details; times of rallies vary The local protests are slated to be held in  Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Del Mar, El Cajon, Escondido, Mira Mesa, Ramona, Rancho Bernardo, San Marcos, and two in downtown San Diego including Civic Center Plaza and Waterfront Park.

Bills tackle public safety, insurance crisis, and more

East County News Service

June 5, 2025 (Sacramento) -- This week, Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) announced that five of his "common sense" bills passed the Senate with unanimous, bipartisan support, and that they are now under consideration in the State Assembly.

Each proposal aims to address urgent issues facing Californians -- from public safety and insurance coverage to updating outdated state laws.

“These bills are focused on real problems and offer real solutions,” Jones said in a statement to the public. “From protecting communities from sexually violent predators to fixing gaps in insurance coverage for mobile homes, I’m proud to have unanimous support in the Senate and look forward to working with my colleagues in the Assembly to get them across the finish line.”

East County Wildfire & Alerts

May 31, 2025 (San Diego) – The #HendersonFire has burned 300 acres and is 15% contained, Cal Fire reports.  The fire began last night along Henderson Road in the Pala area, burning in both San Diego and Riverside Counties.

Visit AlertSanDiego.org for the latest updates. For an interactive map with updated emergency evacuation information visit: OES Emergency Map  The Red Cross is assisting displaced residents, who may go to a reception and care site at Temecula Valley High School,31555 Rancho Vista Rd., Temecula.

Rabies is nearly always fatal without treatment

Image Credit: PhotoSpin

Source: San Diego County News Service

May 10, 2025 (Escondido) -- County public health officials are looking for people who may have come in contact with a wild bat found at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondidio on Wednesday, May 7 at 10:45 a.m. that later tested positive for rabies.    

The bat was found at the base of the public elevator in the African Loop near the hot air ballon ride. There is only one public elevator in the park.

By County News Center, County of San Diego Communications Office

April 4, 2025 (San Diego) - The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) declared a citrus quarantine expansion in Valley Center on March 26, after detecting the fatal citrus tree disease known as Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, in two citrus trees in residential neighborhoods in the Valley Center area during regular inspections.   

Organizers are seeking a headline sponsor

East County News Service

March 26, 2025 (Escondido) -- Mark your calendars for Valley Vibes, a free, family-friendly fiesta with interactive exhibits, great food, crafts and live music courtesy of North Park Rock-n-Blues Band. Valley Vibes will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 1, at the Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead, 12655 Sunset Drive, Escondido. The San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy and San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority are hosting the free event to celebrate nature and draw attention to the organizations’ conservation, education and recreation programs.

LIVESTREAMING UPDATE:   For those unable to attend  in-person, here are platforms where organizers plan to livestream this event:  

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/indivisiblencsd/ 
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@indivisiblencsd  
• Youtube Live - https://www.youtube.com/@IndivisibleNCSanDiego
• Twitch.tv - https://www.twitch.tv/indivisiblencsandiego; 

By Miriam Raftery

March 14, 2025 (Escondido) – After weeks of rebuffed requests for Congressman Darrell Issa  (R-48)to hold a community townhall to discuss constituents’ concerns, activists have scheduled an “Empty Chair Town Hall” at the California Center for the Performing Arts on Sunday, March 23 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The event, hosted by Dr. Allison Gill from the "Mueller, She Wrote" podcast, will provide constituents with the opportunity to voice questions and concerns they would typically address directly to their congressional representative, particularly regarding potential cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and Veterans Services.

Following recommendations outlined in the "Indivisible Guide" (indivisible.org/resource/guide), this Empty Chair Town Hall is part of a nationwide effort encouraged by Indivisible National during the congressional recess from March 13-23.

"When our elected officials refuse to engage with their constituents, democracy suffers," said  Pamela Albergo of Indivisible North County San Diego. "Rep. Issa hasn't held a town hall since 2017, but the concerns of his constituents haven't gone away."

Source: Cal Fire

March 2, 2025 (San Diego) – Cal Fire law enforcement investigators have arrested Ruben Vasquez on multiple felony arson charges following an extensive investigation into two wildland fires that ignited on January 21. The fires, known as the Pala Fire and the Lilac Fire, started 25 minutes apart near Interstate 15 and State Route 76 in the Pala Mesa and Bonsall areas.

Update 4 p.m.:  Evacuations have been listed and forward spread has been stopped.

Update 11 a.m. -- The evacuation center at Castle Creek Golf Course has closed. Evacutees should go to Riverview Church,4980 Sweetgrass Lane in Bonsall.

January 21, 2025 (Bonsall) -- The #LilacFire in Bonsall has burned 80 acres and destroyed two homes, with 10% containment.  Mandatory evacuations have been ordered. The fire is burning along Old Highway 395 and North Lilac Rd.

View evacuation areas at the Genaysis mapping site.  An evacuation center is at the Castle Creek Golf Course, 8797 Circle R Drive in Escondido 92026.  Large animals can be taken to the CRC Ranch at 43101 Anza Rd in Temecula - per San Diego Sheriff's on X.

All schools in Bonsall are closed today due to the fire, according to the Bonsall Unified School District.

A second blaze that started overnight, the Pala Fire, is 100% contained at 17 acres. That fire was located west of I-15 and 2 miles north of Highway 76 in Pala.

East County News Service

File photo by Miriam Raftery

December 10, 2024 (Valley Center) — A bomb threat from an anonymous caller yesterday morning prompted a safety sweep at Harrah’s Resort Southern California on the Rincon tribe’s reservation in Valley Center. Resort staff found a backpack in an unauthorized area.

By Miriam Raftery

December 9, 2024 (San Diego) – A 15-year-old San Marcos girl is fighting for her life after suffering serious injuries. After running away from a treatment facility in North County, she was found in Mendocino “on the side of a highway, barely alive, some 600 miles away. Marielynn Watson was the victim of a horrific attack from a pack of off-leash dogs,” says Ron Logan, an East County Magazine photographer and cousin of the injured teen.

Logan, along with Marielynn’s father, David Watson, have started a GoFundMe site to help cover medical expenses for Marielynn, who remains hospitalized after multiple surgeries, with more needed.

“When I first saw her, I almost passed out,” Watson told ECM, adding that he was unemployed at the time of the attack by several pit bull dogs and has no insurance to cover his daughter’s medical bills. In addition to worrying about his daughter’s health, he is concerned that he could face financial ruin as the medical bills mount.

East County News Service

September 23, 2024 (Poway) -- Poway OnStage invites you to Eternamente: Dia de los Muertos Spectacular  on October 6 at 2:00 p.m. This celebration of life features lively music, dance, beautiful costumes, and a virtual altar to pay tribute to the departed. There will also be a meet and greet with the cast after the show in the lobby of the Poway Center for Performing Arts.

Update 8:30 p.m.The Nixon Fire has swelled to 3,500 acres, per pilot estimates reported on Watch Duty App.  A helitanker will be working the fire through the night, though some other air drops have been halted overnight. Winds have been shifting and there is no containment as darkness falls.

Per Cal Fire, nearly 2,000 residences are affected by evacuation orders and warnings.  This includes Sunshine Summit in San Diego County, where residents report Sheriff's deputies advising them to evacuate tonight, as well as in Aguanga, Cahuillo and possibly other communities in this rapidly evolving situation.

 

Update 6 p.m.-- The fire is now 1,000, burning into Beauty Mountain Wilderness. Homes remain threatened.  Additional large air tankers and other resources have been requestesd by the incident commander, Watch Duty app reports.

By Miriam Raftery

July 29, 2024 (Aguanga, CA) – A fast moving brush fire that started between Aguanga and Anza is threatening numerous homes and has sparked evacuation orders and warnings in Aguanga and on the Cahuilla reservation.  The fire in Riverside County is just over the San Diego County line, a few miles of Warner Springs.

It is burning eastward and per Cal Fire is currently around 295 acres with 0% containment. 

An evacuation center has been opened at Temecula Valley High School (31555 Rancho Vistas Rd., Temecula).  Animal services will be on site to assist with animals.

The fire has a dangerous rate of spread,per the incident commander and news photographers on site.

Update 12:46 p.m. per CAL FIRE San Diego County Fire: #GroveFire [update] the fire is now 900 acres and 10% contained. The cause has been determined to be lightning. Read the latest in Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association.

Update 8:38 a.m. 7/25 from Sekhar Padmanabhan a Staff Reporter on Watch Duty app: Evacuation order downgraded to a warning for zone SDC-0075. Fire holding at 816 acres.

Photo, right by Chet Kalinowski

Update 7:42 p.m. 7/24 from Liam Winstead: "FIRIS has mapped the fire at 816 acres. The permineter can be viewed by toggling on the Active Fire Perimeters layer on the Watch Duty map. Note that perimeters are preliminary and do not reflect any structure protection efforts by firefighters on the ground."

07/24/2024 07:14 PM PDT

Large Animal Shelter Opened at Ramona High School for Grove Fire

Per the San Diego Sheriff Department, residents impacted by the Grove Fire EVACUATION ORDERS with large animals can go to Ramona High School located at 1401 Hanson Lane, Ramona, CA 92065.

For those under an EVACUATION WARNING, always take into consideration that large animals take extra time to evacuate. It's best to leave now or prepare early so you are ready to go.

Follow @SDSheriff and @CALFIRESANDIEGO for updates.

For an interactive map with updated emergency information, visit: OES Emergency Map

Update 5 p.m.  Evacuation orders have been issued in the #Grove Fire, which is now 400 acres with potential for 2,000,  Find map and evacuation details at https://www.alertsandiego.org.  Evacuation center is at Warner Springs High.

Update: 4 p.m. the #GroveFire is now at 250-300 acres

Update: 3 p.m. the #GroveFire is now at 50 acres

By Jonathan Goetz and Miriam Raftery

Photos courtesy: Watch Duty app, San Diego Sheriff and East County Magazine

July 24, 2024 (Sunshine Summit) -- CAL-Fire is at scene of a vegetation #GroveFire in the area of Dodge Valley in the community of Sunshine Summit. The fire is 15 acres with a moderate rate of spread. Additional resources have been ordered, per CAL-Fire on X.