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:

By Miriam Raftery

Hear our interview: http://kiwi6.com/file/kt18gznf91

(Note, file may take a few moments to load, or cut and paste link into browser for faster open)

July 31, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) –Julian resident Tony Teora announced on East County Magazine’s radio show on KNSJ that he will be running for the 71^st Assembly seat, which is open due to Brian Jones stepping down due to term limits.

Teora, a Republican, considers himself a “maverick” and a moderate candidate. “We have politicans today who are controlled by special interests,” he says adding that too often, elected officials vote against the interests of constituents,he says.

May 26,2015 (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

• Power company's Darling (SD Reader)
• San Diego County's Unemployment Rate Dips To Nearly 8-Year Low (KPBS)
• Tijuana Plans Protection For Rare River Habitat (KPBS)
• City sprays golf courses with tap water (U-T)
• As farms fade, will developers move in? (U-T)
• CPUC Votes To Approve New Gas Power Plant In Carlsbad (KPBS)
• San Diego County Water Authority Proposes Water Rate Hikes (KPBS)
• SANDAG Isn’t Good at Predicting Population Growth (Voice of SD)
• SD hospitals fined for dangerous care (U-T)
• Microgrid and Water Recurrent Worries for Borrego Springs (Borrego Sun)

STATE

• Power company's Darling (SD Reader)
• Santa Barbara oil spill: Pipeline operator has long record of problems (LA Times)
• Study Finds Lingering Spike In Car Theft After California Prison Change (KPBS)
• California water agency relies on flawed system to track use (U-T)
• California farmers agree to cut water use. Enough to stem the drought? (CS Monitor)
• 50 million gallons of water lost after California dam vandalized: newspaper (Reuters)
• In California, Technology Makes "Droughtshaming" Easier Than Ever (NPR)

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

May 7, 2015 (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

• Longtime TV personality Bob Dale dies at 83 (U-T)
• West Sacramento Claims Santee ‘Hijacked’ Tax Revenue (Times of San Diego)
• State questions tribal fund spending (U-T)
• Lemon Grove axing its planning commission (U-T)

STATE

• California Drought Killed 12 Million Forest Trees Since Last Year (KPBS)
• Earnings jump at Sempra (U-T)
• California approves new uniform rules for seawater desalination (Reuters)
• California Regulators Approve Unprecedented Water Cutbacks (AP)

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

April 23, 2015 --  (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 event brings hope, help to homeless (UT San Diego)

• Where San Diego Gets Its Water – and Where it Goes (Voice of SD)
• Federal official admits taking bribes, theft (U-T San Diego)
• 3 top staffers leave supe's office (U-T San Diego)
• Iraqi official seeks local Chaldean support (U-T)
• San Diego jobless rate falls to 5.1 percent (UT San Diego)
• Surprise! San Diegans are good budgeters (SD Reader)
• Schools That Best Prepare Neighborhood Kids for Graduation Also Retain Them, or Vice-Versa (Voice of San Diego)
• David Glismann, 91, Grossmont choral director (U-T San Diego)

STATE

• Bill would ease CPUC appeals (U-T)
• Regulators back higher electric rates for some (U-T)
• A call to invest in safety of the power grid (Marketplace.org)
• Elizabeth Warren to headline California Democratic convention (Sacramento Bee)
• Are race relations in California better than rest of US? (CS Monitor)
• Chairman: Scrap San Onofre deal (U-T)

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

March 8, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)--Our January radio shows are now online!  You can listen online now (note sound files may take a minute to load). For links to listen to the shows plus a full list of topics and interviews in January, click here and scroll down.

Our top newsmaker interviews included representatives from Cleveland National Forest, the County’s Farm to School produce program, a War Victims group seeking reparations for Iraq War refugees, the postal workers’ union on cuts in postal services, a leading solar company on changes in solar incentives for consumers, an environmental advocate battling Soitec Solar’s projects in Boulevard, and La Mesa’s Chamber of Commerce president on honoring local heroes. Plus we interviewed two law-enforcement officers-turned-authors, La Mesa Police Chief Dan Willis and former ICE special agent Timothy Daniels.

You can hear the East County Magazine Show on KNSJ 89.1 FM on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 5 to 6 p.m., on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m, and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.