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. 

Update June 20, 2021 11 a.m. -- The fire is holding at 343 acres and remains 5% contained, Cal Fire reports this morning.

Update 8 p.m.  --  Cal Fire tweet:  #OverlandFire off of Canebrake Canyon Road and Great Southern Overland Stage Route , East of Mount Laguna in San Diego County is 343 acres and 5% contained. Change in acreage due to better mapping. @CALFIRESANDIEGO

By Miriam Raftery

June 19, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) – A brush fire burning near Canebrake along the Great Southern Overland trail has scorched 500 acres and is zero percent contained as of early this afternoon, Cal Fire reports. The #OverlandFire is east of Mount Laguna in the Anza-Borrego Desert.

No evacuations have been ordered as of 1:30 p.m. The fire is in a remote location and is not currently threatening any structures. However, a Cal Fire spokesman on Twitter indicated access for ground crews is difficult due to rugged terrain, requiring additional air resources that are now on scene.

Several Canebrake residents contacted ECM to clarify that the fire is not burning within the community of Canebrake, but to the west.

By Miriam Raftery

June 8, 2021 (Ramona) – The Ramona Valley Vineyards Association invites you to experience the beautiful Ramona wine country and visit up to 16 wineries on Saturdays and Sundays in June during the “Summer of Wine Trail.”  

By Miriam Raftery

June 4, 2021 (Alpine) – A 63-year-old San Diego woman is dead and several others injured following a collision in Alpine last night.

A GMC Sierra pickup truck and a 2000 Toyota Solara collided on westbound Interstate 8, west of Tavern Road in Alpine at 6 p.m. The impact caused both vehicles to veer toward the center divide, plunge down an embankment and overturn. The GMC came to rest blocking an eastbound lane on I-8, while the Toyota came to rest in the center median.

Data raises troubling rural/urban equity disparity in vaccine distribution 

By Miriam Raftery

May 17, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) – COVID-19 Vaccination rates in East County communities are significantly below the county average – but most rural, mountain and desert communities haven’t even been documented.  

By Claudia Erickson

May 14, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) -- We have been living and breathing by our technology during the pandemic.  Zoom meetings are essential and watching reruns of “The Office” has admittedly helped many a soul get through some tough months. Using our tech devices has been a lifeline, but has also brought about increased anxiety, Facebook fights and Twitter wars.