By Miriam Raftery

November 19, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – This holiday shopping season amid a pandemic, we’ve scoured the shops and online stores across San Diego’s East County to find our recommendations for gift items unique to our region.  Our picks include many artisan and locally hand-crafted treasures, farm-fresh humanely raised foods, delicious sweet treats, warm and stylish wearables, and gifts that benefit local nonprofits including a wildlife sanctuary. This year, we’ve chosen many places offering online ordering  as well as locations allowing ample social distancing.

September 18, 2020 (San Diego) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include: 

LOCAL

• Former SD Sheriff's Captain Pleads Guilty to Trafficking ‘Off-Roster' Firearms (NBC San Diego)
• In Jamul, two hemp farms lost in Valley Fire (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Your say: How is virtual learning going so far? (San Diego Union Tribune)
• Blue Lives Matter Is the Wildfire Cavalry No One Asked For (Daily Beast)
• Federal Jail Downtown Now Has One of the Country's Worst COVID Outbreaks (Voice of San Diego)

STATE

• California eviction moratorium is ‘a real nightmare’ for renters to understand — here’s what you need to know (Marketwatch)
• Fast-moving Snow fire, sparked by burning car, prompts evacuations near Palm Springs (Los Angeles Times)
• In California, Trump continues to deny climate change is real: “It will start getting cooler” (Los Angeles Times)
• Another California firestorm where warnings did not prevent mass deaths (Los Angeles Times)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

May 27, 2020 (San Diego) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include: 

LOCAL

• San Diego County Supervisors approve coronavirus stimulus package (Patch)
• Homeless Residents Around the County Confront Lack of Shelter, Resources (Voice of San Diego)
• San Diego County revives human relations commission in wake of racist incidents in Santee (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Lemon Grove Could Be Running on Fumes Within Two Years (Voice of San Diego)
• Choir Featuring Members of San Diego’s Homeless Community Shines on ‘America’s Got Talent’ (NBC 7)
• Anthony’s Fish Grotto Reverses Closure Due to Customer Support (La Mesa)
• San Diego Courts Grapple With Issues Over Resuming Jury Trials in COVID-19 Era (City News Service)
• Protests persist as distress deepens over economic crisis (San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• Several CA retailers closing due to coronavirus (Patch)
• California records second-deadliest single day ever; more than 2,000 new cases (San Jose Mercury News)
• California cracks down on rogue bars (CalMatters)
• Gym, motorcycle dealer, hair salon among 60 businesses charged with violating stay-at-home rules  (Los Angeles Times)
• California recommends testing all residents and staff at nursing homes (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Newsom greenlights testing for coronavirus at California pharmacies (San Francisco Chronicle)
• State Sen. Hueso introduces bill to address California’s digital divide (San Diego Union-Tribune)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

December 2019

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all across East County

Not a creature was stirring, from Borrego to El Monte.

Cowboy boots were hung by chimneys with care

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

From Barona to Ramona, Jacumba to Jamul

East County residents celebrating the Yule

Have taken time from gift wraps and home-cooked dishes

To send Santa their heartfelt holiday wishes.

August 8, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL

• East County woman loses hundreds in pet scam (10 News)
• Lemon Grove residents working on sales tax measure for city  (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• As San Diego increases use of streetlight cameras, ACLU raises surveillance concerns (Los Angeles Times)
• Navy sailor acquitted in deadly East County love triangle trial (Patch)
• Can new homes on the edge of San Diego stop wildfires? (Desert Sun)
• Video: Female duo raids La Mesa house as owner watches on doorbell cam (10 News)
• San Diego Explained: An Earthquake Could Impact San Diego's Water Supply (Voice of San Diego)  
• 3 hurt, 2 killed in Leucadia cliff collapse: Sheriff (NBC 7)

STATE

• States sue Trump administration over fuel economy penalties (Associated Press)
• Calif.’s new law requiring candidates’ tax returns appears unconstitutional — or does it?  (San Francisco Chronicle)
• What is a ‘California Indian tribe’? How a proposed law unearthed a decades-old wound (Sacramento Bee)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos (top left to bottom right):  Steve Vaus, Joel Anderson, Tom Lemmon, and Kenya Taylor

Update:  Lemmon has opted not to run.

May 30, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – Stepping down due to term limits in 2020 after 28 years, San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob leaves some big shoes to fill.  Four candidates, two Republicans and two Democrats, have thus far announced plans to run for the 2^nd Supervisorial district, which covers 2,000 square miles encompassing the eastern two-thirds of the county.

The contenders for the ostensibly nonpartisan race are Poway Mayor Steve Vaus and former State Senator Joel Anderson, both Republicans. Democrats Tom Lemmon, a labor leader who heads up the San Diego Building and Construction Trades Council, and Kenya Taylor, a mental health counselor and NAACP board member, are also in the running.

Below are highlights of their backgrounds and goals if elected, as well as analysis of the challenges each may need to overcome to win the race.

Hear audio version

By Miriam Raftery

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all across East County

Not a creature was stirring, from Julian to El Monte.

The stockings were hung by the chimneys with care

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon will be there.

By Miriam Raftery, Editor

December 20, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – It’s been a turbulent year across East County.  Some of our top stories were purely local issues – a fire that ravaged Alpine, battles to stop sand mines in Lakeside and Rancho San Diego, debate over the future of Julian’s fire department, the controversies embroiling El Cajon Councilman Ben Kalasho, the indictment of Congressman Duncan Hunter, growing pains in Santee, and protests over a proposed parole office in La Mesa, to name a few. 

Other top stories reflect local impacts of national  and statewide actions, such as  impacts of marijuana legalization, concerns over a child migrant detention center in El Cajon, protests over gun violence in schools, the e-scooter craze, homelessness, and new faces swept into office during the election.

Here are the issues and events with the biggest impacts across East County that East County Magazine has covered in 2018, from January 1st through year's end.

By Buck Shott

Hot on the campaign trail in East County, we’ve got the latest claims, controversies, mud slinging and... singing!

Here’s our rundown of the juiciest campaign tidbits as Election Day draws near:

August 2, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL

• What Happens if Lemon Grove Sours on Cityhood? (Voice of San Diego)
• Local activist sues El Cajon City Councilman Ben Kalasho, claims he's blocking critics on Facebook (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Audit Reveals Tough Decisions Coming at SANDAG  (Voice of San Diego)
• Searing temperatures claim seven lives, send hundreds to Mexicali shelters (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Study: county pension benefits soar (San Diego Reader)
• Supervisors approve hundreds of new homes in north San Diego County (KPBS)

STATE

• Northern Calif. wildfire claims sixth victim (The Hill)
• State regulators approve San Onofre nuclear settlement, trimming $750M from original deal (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• CPUC wipes away Peevey/Edison collusion, criminal investigation (SD Reader/Don Bauder)
• California farmers and Mexican cheese sales, U.S. trade war takes a toll (Reuters)
• She desperately put a wet blanket over her great grandchildren as their home burned. All three died. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Yosemite fire: Flames threaten park’s giant Sequoia trees (San Jose Mercury News)
• 40 California Hospital Employees Lost Their Homes In A Wildfire. They Showed Up To Work Anyway. (BuzzFeed News)
• CA State Parks Revises Reservation Rules After Complaints From Campers (NBC 7)
• PG&E spends more than $1 million to lobby California officials on wildfire laws (Sacramento Bee)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

May 10, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

LOCAL

• San Diego's night-time surf glowing with aqua colored light as bioluminescence takes hold (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• ·People are afraid of retribution’: Hunter clan fights for survival (Politico)
• Gathering aims to relaunch Minutemen, fortify border in response to caravan (SD Union-Tribune)
• Granite Hills High teacher resigns amid misconduct allegations (SD Union-Tribune)
• Lemon Grove teachers, district at impasse, hire mediator (SD Union-Tribune)
• San Diego DA Candidates Spar Over Police Shooting Investigations, Leadership (KPBS)
• Homeless court offers alternative to revolving door (SD Union-Tribune)
• Congressional District 50: Rep. Duncan Hunter's campaign finance issues have drawn plenty of challengers (SD Union-Tribune)

 STATE

• Neo-Nazi candidate kicked out of California state GOP convention (NBC)
• Gig economy faces shakeup after California high court ruling (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Big utilities are desperately trying to stick consumers with bills for  Calif. wildfires (Los Angeles Times)
• Offshore wind farms coming to California — but the Navy says no to large sections of the coast (SD Union-Tribune)
• 3 Californias? The initiative to break up the state may be on the ballot in November
• Calif. Republicans won’t endorse in governor’s race (Los Angeles Times)

 For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

May 3, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include:

Local

• Ruling Slams SDG&E’s Plan for a New Gas Pipeline (Voice of San Diego)
• Lemon Grove ready to move along on vision for future of downtown (SD Union-Tribune)
• ‘Shocking’ suicide rate at San Diego County Jails: report (Patch)
• Rep. Duncan Hunter attempts to create legal expense fund to cover costs of FBI investigation (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Tule Wind project knocked offline (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Burrowing owls get new ‘digs’ in East County (Fox 5)
• Settlements reached in 2 sexual-misconduct cases against San Diego County deputy, 13 cases remain (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Lemon Grove names members of its new planning commission (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Outrage as neighborhood becomes dumping ground for dogs (10 News)
• State regulators launch probe into Dronenberg allegation (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• The fastest woman on the planet in 2018 is ... a San Diego State senior.  (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• State rejects appeal of SDSU lecturer who felt he wasn't treated fairly in discrimination case (San Diego Union-Tribune)

 State

• Does this California wildfire bill protect consumers? Or give utilities a blank check? (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Here's how to watch the first mission from California to Mars (San Francisco Chronicle)
• Housing: What would the candidates for governor do? (Cal Matters)
• Land purchase makes a big cat crossing across I-15 possible (San Diego Union-Tribune)

 For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

By Miriam Raftery

April 19, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) - This week’s Destination East County includes a murder mystery theatre in Julian, a meteor watch in Lakeside, a hike for you and your dog in Santa Ysabel, an antiques and crafts fair at Summers Past Farms, girls night out at Cajon Classic Cruises, and a lilac festival.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including the San Diego Concert Band’s American salute, the Lakeside Rodeo, a garden and butterfly festival at the Water Conservation Garden, a medieval music concert at Mission Trails, History Alive and film nights at the Library in Lemon Grove, El Cajon’s dinner and a concert series, Vintage Alpine, the Final Adventures of Sherlock Holmes onstage at Grossmont College, a Salsa Fiesta in Lemon Grove, a Taste of Julian, San Diego Festival Chorus and Orchestra's spring concert, and the Coyote Music Festival at Cuyamaca College.

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!

January 7, 2018 (La Mesa) --You’re invited to a Russian and Ukrainian feast with our East County Dining Club on Thursday, January 25^th  at 6:30 p.m. at Village House Kalina (8302 Parkway Drive, La Mesa). As always, we’ll have prizes galore! Proceeds benefit East County Magazine and our wildfire/emergency alerts.

 Join us on our culinary adventure to the land of hearty and flavorful fare  – food that nourished the creative powers of Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky,  Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Pasternak, Cossack dancers and the Bolshoi Ballet.  Da!

This restaurant seats only 38 people so we expect to sell out; early RSVPs are recommended.

We must receive your RSVP no later Jan. 24, along with choice of entree (see list below) since these special dishes take time to prepare!