Source: Caltrans

Photo:  Detour will route motorists onto Montezuma Valley Road

March 30, 2019 (Borrego Springs) — Construction crews will close a 13-mile segment of State Route 78 (SR-78) from San Felipe Road/ Great Southern Overland Stage Route (S-2) located just east of Julian to Borrego Springs Road for 24 hours beginning Wednesday at sunrise. The closure is needed for rock scaling to remove boulders and loose soil from highway slopes to ensure that they remain stable.

By Andy Tolley, County of San Diego Communications Office

March 28, 2019 (Julian) - The time to go is now! Check out some of the beautiful flowers and green landscapes at Agua Caliente County Park. There’s probably only 1-2 weeks left of the peak bloom season at the park, so make plans and don’t forget to bring your camera!

March 21, 2019 (Anza-Borrego) -- Our editor, Miriam Raftery, took these two videos of Bighorn sheep along Montezuma Valley Road, the steep grade into Anza-Borrego Desert State park.  If you're heading to Borrego, which means "Bighorn," keep a sharp eye out for these desert denizens along rocky slopes.

Superbloom season is in full swing

By Miriam Raftery

March 15, 2019 (Borrego Springs) -- What a glorious day in Borrego Springs!  The desert is in full bloom --- a huge contrast to just a few days go, when I last visited and found some early blossoms but not the spectacular flower fields now delighting visitors.  Something about frolicking in a field of flowers elicits pure joy. (Photos left and right, along DiGiorgio Road.)

By Miriam Raftery

March 13, 2019 (Borrego Springs) – This year’s super bloom season has brought an added bonus.  “Butterflies are gracing us with even more color,” says photographer Bob Kutscher, who snapped this image south of Clark Lake in the Anza-Borrego desert.  Swarms of the Painted Lady butterflies on their migratory path from Mexico are being reported across Southern California.

If you plan to go view wildflowers in the desert this weekend, be sure to read this and plan an alternate route.

March 8, 2019 (Julian)-- Caltrans crews are preparing to close a six-mile segment of State Route 78 (SR-78) from Wynola Road just east of Julian to Great Southern Overland Stage Route (S-2) later this afternoon for rock scaling activities, according to Caltrans. The emergency closure may extend through the weekend as needed to ensure that the highway slopes are stable.

Residents will be allowed access through the closures as safe to do so.

Motorists on eastbound SR-78 from Ramona toward Banner grade will be detoured onto northbound SR-79 at Santa Ysabel, then directed to turn right onto San Felipe Road (S-2), to eastbound SR-78 towards Ocotillo Wells.

Motorists on westbound SR-78, east of the closure, will be detoured to turn right onto San Felipe Road (S-2) to southbound SR-79, to Santa Ysabel to westbound or eastbound SR-78.

By Miriam Raftery

March 8, 2019 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – The proposed 90 megawatt Jacumba Valley Ranch (JVR) solar project on 1,345 acres next to the Jacumba Hot Springs airport has a project footprint “much larger than the small town that is right next door,” says Donna Tisdale, chair of the Boulevard Planning Group.

An environmental impact report will be prepared and public input  is sought on what should be included in the EIR.  Comments are due by April 8.  A scoping meeting will be held on March 21, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. at the Highland Community Center, 44681 Old Highway 80, Jacumba Hot Springs.

Below is the county’s public notice with full details:

East County News Service

March 3, 2019 (Borrego) -- Anza Borrego Desert Park has posted a video of wildflowers  blooming early across the desert, along with tips on what you should know if you plan to go wildflower watching.

https://www.facebook.com/AnzaBorrego/videos/2668093956566649/

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Culp Valley at top of long passing lane (south side) looking southerly

By Miriam Raftery

February 21, 2019 (Ranchita) – For years, residents of Ranchita, a small town between Borrego Springs and Julian, have complained about prolonged periods of time when their fire station was unstaffed, leaving their community without rapid response to medical emergencies and fires. 

But now, just as area residents prepare to go to the polls in March to vote on a ballot initiative to determine the fate of the Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Department, the County Fire Authority and Cal Fire have announced that they have upgraded staffing at the Ranchita Fire Station to permanent full-time staffing and are in the process of boosting paramedic services.  

East County News Service

February 2, 2019 (Oceanside) – An Oceanside father of four who vanished on January 4th may have traveled to East County.  John Sturkie’s cell phone was traced to El Cajon on January 5 and 6 before it died. He is known to frequent Julian, the mud caves in Anza-Borrego desert, Palomar Mountain and Brawley/Calipatria.

East County News Service

January 22, 2019  (Borrego) -- Thanks to the rain, wildflowers are blooming early this year in the Anza-Borrego desert, according to Sunbelt Publications. If you’re planning to visit the Anza Borrego Desert State Park, these sites will provide updates on where and when to view those beautiful blooms:

East County News Service

January 5, 2019 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – Following the recent death of hiking leader Richard Henry Alcorn, the Jacumba Hikers group will be inactive until new hiking leaders step forward. The group has long organized hikes in desert areas of east San Diego County and Imperial County.