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!

April 6, 2017 (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

• El Cajon moves along on redistricti plans for election (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• ShotSpotter tells police only 1 in 4 shootings are reported (SD Union-Tribune)
• New and improved (and taxpayer funded) field turfs are still failing (Voice of San Diego)
• Rep. Hunter says he was not involved in criminal action (SD Union-Tribune)
• San Diego County makes Justice Dept. list for limited cooperation with immigration officials (SD Union-Tribune)
• Rescue cushion highlighted by man jumping over I-5 (KNSD)

STATE

• Are your housing costs sky high? A new fight is coming over California rent control (Fresno Bee)
• Could California use existing money for road repairs?  (Capitol Public Radio)
• Too young for juvie?  Calif. bill bars prosecution for kids under 12 (Sacramento Bee)
• Mojave Desert water project gets Trump administration approval  (KPCC)

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

Photo by Darin Sefcik:  First place winner in East County Magazine's 2013 photography competition

March 15,  2017 (Santee) -- Assemblyman Randy Voepel (R-Santee) and East County Magazine announced today that they are hosting a photography contest that features photographs taken in San Diego’s East County.  The winning photographs will be displayed in Assemblyman Randy Voepel’s Capitol Office and published in East County Magazine.  Categories include wildlife, landscapes, cities and towns, activities, and people. 

“Eastern San Diego County is full of beautiful scenery and iconic landmarks, and I can’t wait to showcase photos of our wonderful community in our State’s Capitol,” Voepel said.  

Miriam Raftery, Editor of East County Magazine said, “We’re pleased to partner with Assemblyman Voepel to showcase the best of East County’s beautiful scenery, unique communities, people, wildlife, and activities.” 

Click "read more" or scroll down for for details:

September 6, 2016 (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

• Community action pays off in Casa de Oro (East County Californian)
• Hundreds of Syrian refugees find new home in San Diego (10 News)
• News In Numbers: Half Of San Diego County Extremely Vulnerable To Wildfire (KPBS)
• School board hopeful disputes ballot statement (San Diego Union-Tribune)
•  Property Crime Rate In San Diego Region Up 4%, SANDAG Reports (KPBS)
• Man wearing gay pride shirt stabbed in hate crime, San Diego Police say (Patch.com)

STATE

• Grizzly bears in California: reintroduction push ignites strong emotions (Mercury News)
• 2 PUC reform bills die, emails will stay secret (San Diego Union-Tribune)
•  Is Ruling Too Late to Fix California's Pension Mess? (Reason)

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

July 26, 2016 (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

• La Mesa hikes effort on local climate plan (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Hunter hires a law firm amid campaign finance review (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Seven horses euthanized in Del Mar’s first eight days of racing (10 News)
• San Diego city okays plastic bag ban (Times of San Diego)
• San Diego, Tijuana officials question safety of new pedestrian crossing (KPBS)
• Santana coach arraigned for alleged sexual relations with student (Patch)
• Supervisors punt on Lilac Hills (Voice of San Diego)
• San Diego man held captive in Iran, family says (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego County Water Authority, Coastkeeper Trade Barbs Over Conservation (KPBS)
• San Diego facing $4.6M water pollution fine (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Rep. Issa proposes bipartisan-backed changes to H1-B visas (Times of San Diego)

STATE

• Out of control wildfire grows to 33,000 acres in Santa ClaritaValley (Los Angeles Times)
• Cal-Trans launches nine month road-charge pilot program(Equipment World)
• Report: San Onofre reactor was pushed too far, leak resulted(San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Trump backers sue San Jose for allowing 'mob' assault (Reuters)
• Court defies appellate order on San Onofre emails (San Diego Union-Tribune)

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

May 4, 2016, 2016 (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

• Two Home Invasions, Two Families Who Waited on Hold With 911 (Voice of San Diego)
• Growing water crisis in Borrego (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• What’s behind San Diego County’s alarmingly high C-section rates? (KPBS)
• Annual count finds nearly 9,000 homeless in San Diego County (KPBS)
• Senate Demands Department Of Energy Remove San Onofre Nuclear Waste (KPBS)
• Mom: brain-eating amoeba killed my daughter (10  News)
• San Diego Needs Transit More Than Ever — and SANDAG’s Plan Doesn’t Have Enough (Voice of San Diego)
• San Diego Home Prices Jump 6.4% From 2015 (KPBS)
• After 47 years, La Mesa volunteer says bye to kindergartners(San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Five Apollo astronauts to visit San Diego (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Hispanic entrepreneurs do best in Texas (San Diego Reader)

STATE

• Deadline passes in Probe of San Onofre nuclear deal (KPBS)
• Jerry Brown raises California smoking age to 21, tightens vaping rules (Sacramento Bee)
• CPUC meets with Wall Street types, too (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Three-day drama led to UC Davis Chancellor Katehi’s suspension (Sacramento Bee)

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

March 15,  2016 (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

• Plan would allow Cleveland forest development (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Anza-Borrego Desert wildflower watch (DesertUSA)
• San Diego Doctors Win Long Campaign For Higher Medicare Pay (KPBS)
• Rideshare bills stall in Hueso's committee (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego Region Gets A Break On Water Conservation Goals (KPBS)
• Documents Raise Questions About San Diego Aquaculture Project (KPBS)
• Huge housing projects continue slow march forward (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Lawsuits cloud bid to build Rosarito desalination plant (San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• California Lawmakers Approve Raising Smoking Age To 21 (KPBS)
• California To Permit Medically Assisted Suicide As Of June 9 (NPR)
• Report: Criminal Justice System Errors Cost Taxpayers Millions In California (KPBS)
• At Calif. Campuses, A Test For Free Speech, Privacy And Cybersecurity (NPR)
• Judge Keeps High-Speed Rail On Track In California (KPBS)
• How Southern California Gas Could Make Up For Aliso Canyon Disaster
• Storms replenish key reservoirs amid California drought
• California's biggest reservoir, Shasta, rises to key milestone

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

January 27, 2016 (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 business owner duped in utility scam (10 News)
• Who’s planning a religious resort in Mission Valley? (U-T)
• ‘Lucky life’ lotto winner dies after becoming a millionaire (NBC)
• Local cities asked to back spent nuclear fuel bill (U-T)
• State Probing Experimental Hubbs Fish Breeding Program That’s Spawned Deformities, Mixed Results (Voice of SD)
•  Federal Authorities Do Little To Punish San Onofre Over Closure (KPBS)
• State Accountability Scarce Four Years After San Onofre Leak (KPBS)

STATE

• Saudi Arabia is buying up California farmland (Water Deeply)
• Porter Ranch: Regulators approve comprehensive abatement order over massive gas leak (Los Angeles Times)
• Porter Ranch ‘climate disaster’ shows need for national fracking ban: Sanders (Los Angeles Times) 
• In California, A Treasure Hunt For Gold Rush-Era Fruit And Nut Trees (NPR)
• Leaking L.A. County Methane Well Under Stress (KPBS)
• California Regulators Order Company To Permanently Close Leaking Gas Well (NPR)
• Exclusive: California gas leak spotlights shoddy regulation of aging storage wells (Reuters)

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

By Miriam Raftery, Editor

December 24, 2015 (San Diego's East County) --It’s been a tumultuous year around the world and also here in San Diego’s East County. 

These ranged from water woes to lawsuits over education and transportation.  East County residents rallied for refugees and protested land use projects ranging from a sand mine to a shooting range, as well as a casino, solar farms, a hotel highrise, and safety concerns after a plane crash near Gillespie Field.  Our coverage helped clean up illegal dumping in Cleveland National Forest and save free speech outside Supervisors' meeting place.  Other hot stories touched on fire safety, terrorism, police scandals, and winery regulations,  There was also some good news--Lake Jennings was spared, a new habitat for bears opened, local police stepped up efforts to protect pedestrians, and Supervisor Dianne Jacob led efforts to find a cure for Alzheimer's. 

Here are the stories and issues that captured the attention of our East County readers in 2015: