East County News Service

August 15, 2021 (Julian) - The Friends of the Julian Library continues their "Music on the Mountain" concert series with guitarist Fred Benedetti.  

Born in Japan, Benedetti began playing guitar at age nine and is now Chair of Guitar Studies and an associate professor of music at Grossmont College.  

The event will be Friday, September 3 at 3 p.m. at the Julian library.  Admission is free. For more information, please email Jonna Waite at jakwaite@gmail.com.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: National Weather Service

August 9, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service is warning of elevated fire conditions, with mountain thunderstorms Monday followed by more thunderstorms Tuesday to Saturday in the deserts and mountains.

Update: The fire is 75% contained, reports Cal Fire San Diego shortly before 5 p.m.

By Miriam Raftery and Jonathan Goetz

August 1, 2021 (Julian) - The #QueenFire has burned 15 acres near the Desert Queen Mine, approximately 2 miles east of Banner and 5 miles east of Julian near State Route 78.

The fire is burning in difficult terrain for ground crews. Cal Fire reported at approximately 3:18 p.m. that "[f]irefighters continue to make great progress from the air and ground."

East County News Service

July 29, 2021 (Ramona) – Vineyard Grant James in Ramona invites you and your dog to celebrate “Dog Days of Summer” with a “paw-ty” on July 31 and August 1.

By Miriam Raftery

July 17, 2021 (Julian) – For the past 37 years, the Julian News has been the voice of Julian, a historic gold-mining town in San Diego’s mountain region.  Michael Hart and his wife, Michele Harvey, have owned and run the independent weekly publication since July 4, 2004, covering everything from major firestorms to community events.

After getting shot at, Sheriffs obtain a search warrant and allegedly find guns, drugs and flammables

Source: San Diego County Sheriff's Department Bureau of Media Relations

By Miriam Raftery

July 3, 2021 (San Diego) -- The San Diego County Office of Emergency Services is asking all County residents to fill out a survey about the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program.  The SDG&E program to shut off power during high fire-risk conditions has sparked controversy across the backcountry among residents left without electricity to power their homes, businesses, wells pumps, and other vital needs. The deadline to complete the survey is July 13.

The survey asks residents whether they received adequate notification of such outages and whether they experienced financial losses, among other details – the first step toward documenting impacts of the program and potentially leading to changes.

East County News Service

East County Wildfire and Emergency Alerts

Photo by Jonna Waite, viewed from west Pine Hills

Update July 5, 2021: The #YsabelFire is 90% contained; firefighters have held it to 173 acres.

Update 7:05 p.m. Fire remains 173 acres and is now 17% contained. All Evacuation Orders and Warnings have been lifted. Road closures lifted; Highway 79 remains open for one-way traffic.

Update 4:45 p.m. -- The fire is now 173 acres and 0% contained, but the spread has slowed, per Cal Fire.  A temporary evacuation point has been established at Lake Henshaw.

July 3, 2021 (San Diego's East County) – The CHP website reports that a county trash truck rear-ended a motorhome, sparking a fire that ignited vegetation on Highway 79 north of Highway 78 in Santa Ysabel. (screenshot, right).

The brush fire is over 10 acres and is now threatening homes.

Photo, left: Burned RV, via Cal Fire

By Miriam Raftery

Fireworks are back—along with many traditional Fourth of July festivities in San Diego’s inland region, from parades to picnics to patriotic music, rides, games, and more. Find Indepedence Day events and/or fireworks in El Cajon, Julian,Poway, Ramona, Santee and Valley Center.

By Miriam Raftery

June 29, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) – If you’re looking for a getaway with your furry friends, you’ll find many dog-friendly destinations in San Diego’s mountain communities

Your options range from dog-friendly hikes to restaurants, wineries, breweries, stores and adventures to share with your four-footed traveling companions.

East County News Service

File photo: marijuana cultivation

June 25, 2021 (Warner Springs) – Sheriff’s detectives seized 427 marijuana plants worth nearly a half million dollars, along with seven firearms and around $10,000 in cash following a search warrant served yesterday at noon.  

Detectives from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department's Narcotics and Gangs Division, along with deputies from the Fallbrook Crime Suppression Team and members of the Special Enforcement Detail served the search warrant in the 38000 block of CA-79 in Warner Springs.

The warrant was part of an investigation by Sheriff's Detectives of illegal marijuana cultivation and sales in San Diego County.  

By Miriam Raftery

June 23, 2021 (Ramona) – Family and friends are grieving the loss of Anthony Eunice, a 17-year-old Ramona resident who died June 13 from injuries in a car accident.