Russia

THE GENIUS UNDER THE TABLE: GROWING UP BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN

Reviewed by Pennell Paugh

March 28, 2022 (San Diego) – The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain was written by Eugene Yelchin, who is a member of the San Diego Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. The topic is relevant at a time when Russia has launched a war in Europe threatening freedom of neighboring Ukraine, rekindling memories of the iron curtain, an invisible barrier which separated free nations from others in Europe until the Soviet Union collapsed.

In Leningrad, Russia, Yevgeny grows up in an apartment. Except for the kitchen and bathroom, each room is occupied by a separate family. One room has a government spy. Every apartment is like this.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

SDSU RUSSIAN LANGUAGE PROFESSOR SHARES VIEWS ON UKRAINIAN CONFLICT

 

By Kylie Dees

 

March 18, 2022 (San Diego) -- "The war between Russia and Ukraine is absolutely barbaric...and unthinkable on its scale. We are all deeply devasted," Russian language instructor Dana Shembel at San Diego State University said in an interview with East County Magazine.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

BIDEN APPROVES ANTI-AIRCRAFT WEAPONS FOR UKRAINE, CALLS PUTIN “WAR CRIMINAL” AFTER ZELENSKY ADDRESS TO CONGRESS

By Miriam Raftery

March 16, 2022 (Washington D.C.) – Following an emotional appeal by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the U.S. Congress today seeking more aid, President Joe Biden announced in a White House address that the U.S. will send antiaircraft systems, shoulder mounted missiles and more to help the Ukrainians defend their air space against Russian attacks.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

RUSSIAN SHELLING SETS FIRE TO EUROPE'S LARGEST NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN UKRAINE

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Security footage shows fire at at  Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in the southern Ukrainian city of Enerhodar

Update March 4, 2022: The fire has been extinguished and the containment vessel has not been breached, according to Ukrainian authorities.

March 3, 2022 (San Diego) – "As a result of continuous enemy shelling of buildings and units of the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is on fire,"  Dmytro Orlov, mayor of Enerhodar, a city in southern Ukraine, posted tonight on  hisTelegram channel. The facility contains six nuclear reactors.

The nuclear facility is the site where Ukrainian citizens have gathered in recent days forming a human shield in an effort to prevent Russian troops from capturing the nuclear plant. 


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

IN STATE OF UNION SPEECH, BIDEN ANNOUNCES NEW ACTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA OVER UKRAINE INVASION

By Miriam Raftery

Read full transcript of State of the Union speech

View video of State of the Union speech

View part 2 of our coverage, on domestic issues addressed by Biden

View the Republican response

Photo: President Joe Biden, center, says of the Ukrainian people, "You inspired the world.'  Left, Vice President Kamala Harris, right, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

March 2, 2022 (Washington D.C.) –President Joe Biden drew bipartisan applause during his State of the Union speech last night, when he recognized the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. and asked those in the Capitol chamber to rise and show the world that, “We, the United States of America, stand with the Ukrainian people.”

Biden announced new, strenuous actions against Russia and key supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin. These include:

  • Closing off U.S. air space to all Russian flights, further isolating Russia;
  • Ordering the U.S.  Justice Department to form a task force to go after crimes committed by Russian oligarchs and “corrupt leaders” profiting off Putin’s regime;
  • Plans to seize oligarchs’ assets including yachts, private jets and luxury homes
  • Releasing 30 million gallons of oil from America’s strategic reserved, matched by an equal amount from other nations to help reduce gas prices without Russian oil.

These add to recently imposed sanctions including:


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

UKRAINIAN-AMERICANS HOLD VIGILS IN SANTEE AND SAN DIEGO

By Matthew Manosh

Scroll down to links to videos from vigils

March 1, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- Local Ukrainian-Americans gathered in demonstrations these past few days in solidarity with their nation, which is under attack from Russian forces. Thursday night,  a prayer vigil was held in Santee on a vacant lot, where there are plans to build a Ukrainian Catholic Church. Father Yurii Sas of St. John the Baptizer Catholic Church in San Diego led his congregation in prayer and song, asking for God to protect his people in the Ukraine:


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

RUBLE PLUNGES AS WESTERN SANCTIONS IMPACT RUSSIAN ECONOMY; PUTIN MAKES NUCLEAR THREAT

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin, CC by SA via Bing.

February 28, 2022 (San Diego) -- The war in Ukraine has captivated attention around the world and drawn near-universal condemnation of Russia for launching the unprovoked invasion in violation of international law. Today, CNN reports that Russia is facing a financial meltdown due to crushing impacts of new Western sanctions imposed over the weekend by the U.S. and allies.

With the Russian economy in freefall, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his nuclear forces into “special combat readiness,” the New York Times reports.

The ruble, Russia’s currency, fell 40% at one point Monday morning, while interest rates shot to an all-time high of 20% and savers rushed to withdraw money out of banks in Russia as well as European subsidiaries of Russia’s biggest bank. The ruble also lost 25% of its value compared to the dollar, CNN reports.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

AS SANCTIONS RATCHET UP AND EUROPE FUNDS ARMS FOR UKRAINE, RUSSIA RAISES NUCLEAR ALERT

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: First night of bombing in Kyiv,via Kristine Alessio from a friend in Ukraine

February 27, 2022 (San Diego) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia’s nuclear deterrent missile system to be on high alert, in response to what he calls “dangerous rhetoric” from the West and growing resistance to Russian forces that have invaded the Ukraine, Reuters reports.

Also today, for the first time in history, the 27-nation member European Union today announced it will send weapons to a nation at war, the Ukraine. Europe and Canada have banned all Russian aircraft from their airspaces, including planes belonging to Russian Oligarchs. In addition, the EU also banned airing of broadcasts by RT (Russian Times), Russia’s state media outlet.

NATO has activated forces to defend NATO nations in the event Russia’s military aggression advances to other nations that are NATO members, which the Ukraine is not. Under the North American Treaty Organization alliance, an attack on one nation is considered an attack on all.

The Pentagon has responded to its NATO commitment by sending B-52 bombers to patrol the skies over Eastern European allied territory, Newsweek reports today.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

RUSSIA LAUNCHES FULL-SCALE WAR AGAINST UKRAINE, REPORTEDLY ATTEMPT TO SEIZE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR PLANT

While world leaders denounce Russia for violating international law,  on eve of invasion Trump praised Putin for recognizing separatist regions as independent, predicted Russian president intended to "keep the peace."

By Miriam Raftery

Updated 2:06 p.m. with additional comments from Sara Jacobs.

February 24, 2022 (San Diego) – In defiance of international law, according to the United Nations, Russia last night launched a full-scale attack on the Ukraine including missile attacks on the capital, Kyiv, military targets and other cities far beyond separatist regions in dispute. Russian troops and tanks are also moving in on three sides of the Ukraine in the largest military threat Europe has faced since World War II.

Ukraine’s leaders have fled the capitol.  Chillingly, today exiled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted, ““Russian occupation forces are trying to seize the Chernobyl [Nuclear Power Plant]. Our defenders are sacrificing their lives so that the tragedy of 1986 will not be repeated," rerferring to the core meltdown at the nuclear reactor site

He added, “This is a declaration of war against the whole of Europe.” 

President Joe Biden condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin for choosing ”a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss of life and human suffering,” adding,”The world will hold Russia accountable.” In addition to sanctions already imposed, Biden announced he will convene a meeting of G7 leaders today and coordinate with NATO allies to ensure “a strong, united response that deters any aggression against the Alliance. Tonight, Jill and I are praying for the brave and proud people of the Ukraine.”


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

WATERGATE REVISTED: IN THE MIDST OF IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

 

My Watergate Scandal Tell-All: How I Unwittingly Caused This Historic Event, by Bruce Givner (ExecuProv Press, Santa Ana, California, 2019, 258 pages.)

Book Review by Dennis Moore

“This is a story I’ll tell to my students many times. Internships can make history!”

  • Larry J. Sabato, Director, UVA Center for Politics

November 8, 2019 (San Diego) - The Watergate story never dies. It has become more and more intriguing (and popular) as time goes by. It has evoked comment many a time when a Washington D.C. official becomes entangled in a self-styled web of deception. Watergate is no longer the name of a hotel and office complex. It is more than a proper noun that branded a piece of property and cemented its “title” in numerous pages of history books. It is now the go-to reference to identify any scandal, though its origin was first reserved for the most sordid political scandal our nation has ever witnessed – at least up until the writing of this book. In that respect, it ranks right up there in significance with Teapot Dome, Wounded Knee and Gettysburg.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

RUSSIA RETALIATES AGAINST U.S. BY PULLING OUT OF NUCLEAR ARMS TREATY

 
 
By Miriam Raftery
 
February 5, 2019 (Washington D.C.) – The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty negotiated by former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and  Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev may soon be history. Last week, President Donald Trump accused Russia of violating the treaty for years and announced that the U.S. would no longer honor its commitments under the treaty unless Russia complies within six months. Russia claimed it is not in violation and retaliated Friday by announcing it is pulling out of the landmark pact.

Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

READER’S EDITORIAL: REVEALED—HERE’S WHAT RUSSIA `HAS’ ON TRUMP

 

By Ricken Patel, Avaaz

July 21, 2018 (San Diego) - It’s now shockingly clear that Donald Trump is Putin’s poodle.

But we need the world to understand why, before it’s too late…

Trump's businesses went bankrupt so many times in the 1990s that many legitimate banks wouldn’t lend to him anymore. He turned to Russian oligarchs -- Putin’s ruling clique -- to bankroll his projects, and launder their dirty money for them. This was, and continues to be, a huge part of his business. He’s a Russian money launderer.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

DEMOCRATS FILE SUIT ALLEGING RACKETEERING AND CONSPIRACY IN 2016 ELECTION

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

April 20, 2018 (Washington D.C.) – The Democratic National Committee has filed a lawsuit against the Trump campaign, Russia, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and associates of President Donald Trump. The suit alleges racketeering, computer hacking, fraud and conspiracy to win the 2016 presidential election and harm Democrats.

The suit provides evidence of how the Trumps allegedly used their family business to curry favor with Russians as well as how Russia allegedly shared findings of a cyber-attack on Democratic National Committee headquarters with the Trump campaign. The evidence includes numerous written communications between Trump advisors and Russians, the Washington Post reports.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

AS RUSSIAN PROBE WIDENS, SO DO CREDIBILITY GAPS

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 20, 2018 (Washington D.C.) – In direct conflict to warnings from top U.S. intelligence agency representatives, The House Intelligence Committee’s Republican majority shut down its investigation and  issued an overview of its report which concluded that Russia’s election hacking and social media attacks were merely intended to cause discord, not help Donald Trump win the 2016 presidential election.  The GOP report also concluded that that it found no “evidence of coordination, collusion or conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russians. “


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

RUSSIA'S HACKING OF THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE

 

Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House, by Donna Brazile (Hachette Book Group, Inc., 2017, New York, NY, 268 pages).

 

Book Review by Dennis Moore

 

January 5, 2017 (San Diego) - Donna Brazile, former Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman has written a provocative and timely book about election politics and alleged Russian influence in our political process; Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

SENATOR FEINSTEIN: RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE “ALTERED THE OUTCOME” OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Senator Dianne Feinstein on Meet the Press, courtesy NBC News/William Plowman

January 16, 2017 (Washington D.C.) -- Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), on NBC’s “Meet the Press” program yesterday, said that after reviewing classified intelligence briefings as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, she believes Russia definitely interviewed in the U.S. presidential election—and that Russian meddling “altered the outcome” of the race.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

TRUMP URGES RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT TO STEAL CLASSIFIED INTELLIGENCE NECESSARY TO HELP HIM BEAT CLINTON

 

Reprinted with permission from The Moderate Voice, ,a member of the San Diego Online News Association (SDONA)

July 28, 2016 (Washington D.C.) - Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump is now cheering on and encouraging hacking by Russian hackers increasingly — and strongly — believed by experts to be working for the Russian government to undermine Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Trump’s own running mate Sen. Mike Pence is distancing himself from Trump, but I’m betting Sean, Rush, and many conservative Internet writers will not repudiate it but a)defend it, b)try to change the subject, c)do a mixture of defense and changing the subject.

It’s a unique moment in American political history: the nominee of a political party cheering on hackers to not just hack into the Democratic National Committee’s emails, but into a former Secretary of State’s private emails written when she was Secretary of State.

What was that old conservative book? “None Dare Call it Treason.” This is NOT from The Onion:


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

THE RUSSIANS WERE COMING--ONCE THERE WAS BORSCH: APRIL 7 IN LEMON GROVE

 

By Helen Ofield, Lemon Grove Historical Society President

March 28, 2016 (Lemon Grove) -- Jack Innis of "San Diego Legends" fame will hole up in the H. Lee House, 3205 Olive, Lemon Grove on April 7 at 7 p.m. with one intent: to tell all about the time San Diego nearly became a Russian city.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

CRIMEAN EXPERT SPEAKS WITH ECM

By Miriam Raftery

San Diego State University Professor Emeritus Phil Pryde, editor/author of Environmental Resources and Constraints in the Former Soviet Republics, shared insights into the unfolding crises in the Crimea and Ukraine.  What are the implications of the upheaval and impending eleciton for the region and the world?  

ECM editor Miriam Raftery and intern Jessica Redmond interviewed Professor Pryde for KNSJ radio. Listen to the interview:

Audio: 


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

RUSSIAN AGGRESSION, UKRAINIAN SOVEREIGNTY, OR CRIMEAN SELF-DETERMINATION?

 

San Diego Ukranians Speak Out

“My 17 year old friend was shot by snipers for delivering vegetables to protestors in independence square.”—Vera Skop, San Diego

By Jessica Richmond

March 14, 2014 (San Diego)-- Since the February 28th takeover of the Crimean region in the Ukraine by unmarked Russian troops, Ukrainians have been asking, “Are we safe from Russian expansionism?” In San Diego, with a population of approximately 15,000 Ukrainians, this has become a sensitive topic. Sources from Ukraine confirm that family members at home and abroad are equally worried about the escalating encroachment of Russia on the sovereign Ukrainian territory of Crimea.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

ECM WORLD WATCH: GLOBAL AND NATIONAL NEWS

November 8, 2012 --  (San Diego’s East County) – ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflecting all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

WORLD


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

ECM WORLD WATCH: GLOBAL AND NATIONAL NEWS

October 18, 2012 --  (San Diego’s East County) – ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflecting all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

  • Fresh signs of U.S. housing recovery (BBC)
  • This is the biggest economic story in the world ( Business Insider)
  • Man arrested after plotting federal reserve bomb, authorities say (CNN)
  • Women’s issues move to forefront after debate (Washington Post)
  • Romney’s missteps on Libya may hurt criticism of Obama foreign policy (Washington Post)
  • Obama edges Romney in second debate: Poll (CBS)
  • Conservatives assail debate moderator Crowley (CBS)

WORLD

  • Report: Syria using widely banned cluster bombs (Christian Science Monitor)
  • Israel parliament to hold new election (UT San Diego)
  • Russia moves to prosecute leader of protests (Reuters)
  • Thousands of British troops to leave Afghanistan in 2013 (Reuters)
  • Thousands march in Spain to protest austerity (UT San Diego)
  • French president proposes banning homework (ABC News)
  • Firefox 16: latest upgrade taken offline due to security (BBC)

Read more for excerpts and links to full stories.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

SAN DIEGO WRITEWAY CALENDAR OF EVENTS: MAY 13-20

May 15, 2012 (San Diego) -- San Diego Public Library continues the downtown verse poetry & spoken word program for May. Greek Drama, Hawaiian Poetry, San Diego State University Students are featured in May. The next featured performances are: 


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

WILL POWER REPORT: PRIVATE PRISONS?

Nothing but the Truth!

By Will Power

 
October 27 , 2011 (San Diego)--The USA now has more people in prison than China and Russia combined. Sentencing enhancements and Three Strikes law can put an unemployed drug user into prison for life in a heartbeat. Many State prisons are so overcrowded that private prisons are used to house out-of-state prisoners who get no judicial review when they are shipped from one state to another.

Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

TSUNAMI WATCH ISSUED FOR CALIFORNIA AFTER 8.9 QUAKE IN JAPAN TRIGGERS WORLDWIDE TSUNAMI THREATS

 

TOKYO FLOODED BY TSUNAMI

 

TSUNAMI COULD REACH SAN DIEGO FRIDAY  

AT 8:41 A.M.

 

TSUNAMI WATCHES/WARNINGS ISSUED FOR HAWAII, ALASKA, CALIFORNIA, OREGON, WASHINGTON, AUSTRALIA, RUSSIA, TAIWAN, GUAM, PHLIPPINES, INDONESIA, MARIANAS ISLANDS, SOUTH AMERICA, ANTARCTICA & MORE


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.