By Miriam Raftery

June 1, 2024 (San Diego's East County) -- East County has some joyful June events coming up—including La Mesa's Flag Day Parade, a Star Party in Julian, a Renaissance Experience in Santee, a Taste of Julian, Descanso Day Parade and Fair, Bathhouse Bazaar concerts in Jacumba Hot Springs, live music at the Magnolia in El Cajon, a twilight walk at Mission Trails, a comedy night in La Mesa,a Chili Cookoff with Lemon Grove Lions Club, the Santee Pride Walk, Julian Town Square Music Festival, Santee summer concerts, La Mesa's classic car show, Lemon Grove's concert series opener,and El Cajon’s outdoor concerts and classic car shows, and more.

By Miriam Raftery

May 3, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -- Late springtime in East County is blossoming with unique events including Campo Days, Santee's Street Fair and Craft Beer Festival, an artists’ reception at Olaf Wieghorst Museumi n ElCajon,  a lilac festival in Julian, Vintage Alpine, Mother’s Day teas, La Mesa’s Art in the Park, Gifts from the Garden, a Taste of Ramona, El Cajon concerts in the park, Wild in the Country at Lions, Tigers and Bears in Alpine, and the Santee Street Fair & Craft Beer Festival.

For a full list of festive fun events, scroll down.

By Miriam Raftery

April 24, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -- Late springtime in East County is blossoming with unique events including a lilac festival in Julian, Lakeside’s Rodeo and Western Days Parade, concerts starring Neil Young and Tanya Tucker, Sweet Pea Day at Summers Past Farms, a Spring Festival at Cuyamaca College, Vintage Alpine, Mother’s Day teas, a Taste of Ramona, and Wild in the Country at Lions, Tigers and Bears in Alpine.

No Excuses – Time for a Screening!

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

Photo: I dedicate this article to one of my best friends from childhood, Andy Troncale, every year. I know Capt. Troncale (Arcadia Fire Dept. Truck Co. 105) would like you to follow the advice here to help you maintain your wellness.

DA has found no cases on San Diego County tribal lands, but nationally, an estimated 40% of women sex trafficking victims are Native Americans.

By David R. Shorey, East County Program Director, Institute for Public Strategies

March 17, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -- Human trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery that continues to plague communities worldwide. Tribal Nations are not immune. In the shadows of our society, traffickers exploit vulnerabilities. Among the most vulnerable are those grappling with substance use disorders. The correlation between addiction and trafficking is not merely coincidental but deeply intertwined, perpetuating a cycle of exploitation and suffering.

By Miriam Raftery

March 4, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – With spring fast approaching, many festive and creative events are sprouting up across East County. These include Daffodil Days in Julian, Tomatomania at the Water Conservation Garden, an Earth Day Fair in La Mesa, a plein air art show in  Borrego Springs, a junior fair and barbecue in Lakeside, Nature Day on Mt. Helix, Cajon Classic cruises, plus plays, concerts, and a stargazing party.

By Miriam Raftery

February 9, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) —Comedy shows, Fido Fest, film showings, wolf tours, a plein air desert art show, Valentine teas, and an attempt to break a world record for most dogs viewing an outdoor moving are among the festivities coming up across San Diego’s East County.

By David R. Shorey, East County Program Director, Institute for Public Strategies

February 5, 2024 (San Diego) - Tara Stamos-Buesig hit rock bottom one Sunday night while working the streets on El Cajon Boulevard near Hoover High School. She was a sex worker wearing a mini skirt and fishnet stockings. She was snared in a San Diego Police sting operation in an area notorious for prostitution. It was after she had filled her hypodermic needle with the drugs she recovered off the dirty floor of a fast food restaurant restroom and injected them into her system. That’s when she decided to change her life.

By Jessyka Heredia

January 24, 2023 (La Mesa) – Mastiff kitchen in La Mesa is serving up homemade sausages that will really knock your socks off, but their menu has so much more to offer, so you might want to share family style. From crispy pan pizza’s and burgers to Brussel sprouts, you won’t be disappointed.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

January 10, 2024 (San Diego) -- Making a New Year’s resolution is one thing. Remaining resolute and seeing them through is quite another. It’s important to make them realistic and obtainable.

Every January we start a new recruit fire academy. The first order of business is to review all academy policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs). Understanding policies, and training on them repeatedly, provides recruits with a sound foundation in safe and consistent operations before learning basic firefighting skills.

In addition to learning policies, our recruits develop “Integrity Agreements.” Integrity Agreements are like policies but are more personal in nature. The recruits develop them as a team, but they own them as individuals.

Like policies, these agreements hold recruits accountable for actions on and off the training ground. We tell them, “If you don’t live up to the agreements, you have no one to blame but yourself. You own them; they are custom-made by and for you!”

By Mike Atkinson

December 8, 2023 (La Mesa) - As a Texas BBQ aficionado, I've been anxious to try the newly-opened Papalo Sonoran-Style BBQ in La Mesa Village. Chef Drew Bent has a legendary pedigree, most recently the founding chef behind San Diego's Michelin-recognized Lola 55 modern taqueria.