New Italian restaurant is open Christmas Day

By Miriam Raftery

December 21, 2017 (Lemon Grove) –Marco Provino, originally from Palermo in Sicily, worked as a chef in San Diego’s Gaslamp District at Panavino’s on Fifth before falling in love with manager Karina Karvalis. The couple married, moved to Lemon Grove and opened up Giardino’s Neighborhood Cucina, a delightfully authentic Italian restaurant with creative, upscale options at affordable pricing.

By Liz Alper

Photo via Youtube

December 15, 2017 (San Diego) - A lot has been said about Winston Churchill.  Some people (the British) see him as a hero who won Britain the Second World War.  Americans probably see him as that too, but with an added dose of crazy.  And still, some people in darker circles don’t see him as a hero at all.  Focus Features’ Darkest Hour reveals the truth about the man. Or does it?

By Miriam Raftery

December 5, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes the North Pole Limited train rides in Campo, the Ramona Holiday Wine Trail, a Christmas Cabaret in La Mesa, reindeer at Grossmont Center, and a Toy Parade in El Cajon, a performance of Handel’s Messiah in the College area,

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including La Mesa’s Holiday in the Village, Caroling in Borrego, Santa and Snow at Santee Lakes, a Christmas Carol in Julian, big band and jazz holiday concerts in El Cajon and Santee, Tony Orlando at Sycuan, fiddling and clogging with Celia Lawler at Parkway Plaza, Sinatra and friends at Borrego Performing Arts, and Carnaval Fantastique at Sycuan.

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

By Miriam Raftery

November 30, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes Alpine’s Christmas Parade of Lights and Snow Festival, the North Pole Limited train ride in Campo, Lemon Grove’s holiday bonfire with ice skating and a hayride, Ramona’s tree lighting with sleigh rides, a Jingle Paws walk for pets, Lakeside’s Spirit of Christmas on Maine, a Supermoon hike up Volcan Mountain in Julian, a Christmas Cabaret in La Mesa, and live reindeer visits at Grossmont Center.

Plus we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including La Mesa’s Holiday in the Village, San Diego Festival Chorus and Orchestra’s Sounds Good holiday concert, a Christmas Carol in Julian, singer Tony Orlando in concert at Sycuan, a big band and jazz concert in Santee, and Carnaval Fantastique at Sycuan.

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

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

November 27, 2017 (San Diego) -- The next best thing after Thanksgiving is the day after when we start preparing for Christmas. This week, we’ll start from the outside and work our way in.

East County News Service

November 15, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) - This week’s Destination East County includes a Swing with Santa charity golf tournament, live music at La Mesa Wine Works, a meteor shower watching event at Oakoasis Park in Lakeside, and the ever-popular Mother Goose Parade.

Plus we’ll have a preview of coming attractions over the next month including Pomegranate Days at the Oasis Camel Dairy in Ramona, Holiday Lights on Main in El Cajon, holiday hay rides in Santa Ysabel, a Julian Country Christmas, a bonfire and ice skating in Lemon Grove, Lakeside’s Spirit of Christmas on Maine, a Christmas Cabaret, La Mesa’s Holiday in the Village, and the San Diego Festival Chorus and Orchestra’s “Sounds Good” performance of Handel’s Messiah and other holiday favorites.

So stay tuned for all of these events and many more!

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

November 13, 2017 (San Diego's East County) - When most of us think about Thanksgiving, images of turkey, stuffing and time spent with loved ones typically come to mind, not fire hazards. However, an increased risk of fire is, in fact, a reality of Thanksgiving reminds Fire Chief Sam Digiovanna. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), three times as many home cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving as on a typical day. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires.

By Miriam Raftery

November 1, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes a wildlife walk, live hawk demonstration and world music ensemble concert at Mission Trails, an Autumn Fest at the Water Conservation Garden, the Ramona Art and Wine Fest, and acoustic concerts at the Rancho San Diego and Ramona libraries.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions, including Veterans Day activities at Grossmont Center, a Veterans’ Day commemoration in El Cajon, the Mother Goose Parade, a holiday hay ride and many more activities at Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures in Santa Ysabel, plus a Julian Country Christmas celebration later this month.

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

East County News Service

October 17, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes HauntFest on Main in El Cajon, Carnival for Canines in La Mesa, Borrego Days desert festival and parade, a Toast to East County, the Laguna Mountain Rendezvous, alpacas at the Summers Past Pumpkin Patch, Scotty’s Scare Trail, and the Pumpkin Express train ride in Campo.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions, including a haunted Elks lodge, a Halloween Harvest Festival, the Hills Halloween Party, a spooky campover, the Boulevard Boo Parade, a “Hallowscream” night, a high desert mountain yoga retreat, an Autumn Fest and Plant Sale, the Ramona Art and Wine Festival, a live hawk demonstration, a Veterans Day ceremony and the 71st annual Mother Goose Parade. 

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

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

October 12, 2017 (San Diego) -- Wildfires seem to be burning daily in almost every county. You may not live directly in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) however you will likely be impacted by the large amount of smoke generated by these fires.

Particulate matter generated from the smoke is the main public health threat during short-term exposure to wildfire smoke, so it’s crucial to protect yourself.

East County News Service

October 3, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) --This week’s Destination East County includes Oktoberfest in El Cajon, Camels and Apples at the Oasis Camel Dairy, an art reception with international artist Padre Johnson at Heritage of the Americas Museum, a Circular Visions dance show, the Ramona Air Fair and Fly In, Summers Past Farms’ Pumpkin Patch, Scotty’s Scare Trail, and the Pumpkin Express haunted train ride in Campo.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions, including the Laguna Mountain Rendezvous, Kids Care Fest in Lakeside, the Borrego Days celebration, El Cajon’s Haunt Fest on Main, a Haunted Elks Lodge, a Halloween Harvest Family Festival on Mt. Helix, a spooky sleepover at Lions Tigers and Bears in Alpine, and the Boulevard BOO Parade.

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

East County News Service

September 26, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes the La Mesa Oktoberfest, El Cajon’s summer concert season finale, opening weekend of El Cajon’s Oktoberfest, fall concerts at Cuyamaca College, and an art reception for Padre Johnson at Cuyamaca College.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including the Ramona Air Fair and Fly-In, the Laguna Mountain Rendezvous, Kids Care Fest in Lakeside, the Borrego Days celebration, El Cajon’s Haunt Fest on Main, a Haunted Elks Lodge, a Halloween Harvest Family Festival on Mt. Helix, a spooky sleepover at Lions Tigers and Bears in Alpine, and the Boulevard BOO Parade.

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

By Miriam Raftery

September 24, 2017 (Sacramento) -- “Today, my office was informed for the first time by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that Russian cyber actors scanned California’s Internet-facing systems in 2016,” California Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced on Friday.

East County News Service

September 12, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) --This week’s Destination East County includes the Alley Cat Art Walk in El Cajon, Julian’s Music Festival, a Siren’s Crush concert in El Cajon, the Lemon Grove Lions Salsa Fiesta, Lakeside River Park’s Once in a Blue Moon gala, a Latino Film Festival at Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges, and an International Day of Peace rally in La Mesa.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including Julian Apple Days, Apple Tea Time, Bamboozled, Oktoberfests in La Mesa and El Cajon, Laguna Mountain Rendezvous, Kids Care Fest, Haunt Fest on Main, Borrego Days, a Haunted Lodge in El Cajon, a new Halloween Harvest Family Festival on Mt. Helix, and the annual Spooky Campover at Lions, Tigers and Bears in Alpine.

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

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

September 3, 2017 (San Diego) -- Have you ever wondered how firefighters determine which homes to defend and which ones we don’t during a wildfire?

As firefighters, we lay out our plans for the tactical operations before a brush fire by pre-planning our districts. During a brush fire, it’s imperative that we make quick but well-thought-out decisions that reflect life safety issues for both responders and citizens first, followed by property conservation.