East County News Service

November 8, 2017 (Santa Ysabel) - Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures in Santa Ysabel, (4424 State Route 78) just outside of Julian, will be offering a holiday hayride activity package on November 25^th from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Activities include a holiday hayride with caroling, candle dipping, rustic ornament making, cider pressing, a country hoedown, petting zoo, tomahawk throwing, rope making, a ghost town, slingshot range, hoops and stick relay races, plan racing, nature walks and a tire swing.

For more information, visit http://www.FortCross.com. 

East County News Service

November 5, 2017 (Julian) -- Christmas comes to Julian every year in an old-fashioned way with a Country Christmas Tree Lighting celebration on Saturday, November 25^th to start the holiday season.  Festivities start at 2 p.m. and continue until 7 p.m. including lighting of a giant Christmas tree in Pioneer Park, just one block from Julian’s historic town hall.

East County News Service

November 3, 2017 (Ramona) – Sheriff's deputies from the Ramona Station responded to a call of an assault with a deadly weapon last night at 5:53 p.m. at the Stage Stop Liquor store located at 578 Main Street in Ramona.

Backcountry hidden pleasures:   Our guide to unique lodging adventures in San Diego’s beautiful backcountry

By Jack Riordan

Photo, left: The Desert View Trail at the Burnt Rancheria Campground is a very easy and dog-friendly one mile scenic loop through the campground to a rewarding view of the desert floor below.  Photo by Jack Riordan.

November 1, 2017 (Mount Laguna) -- Nestled in the pines, beneath a blanket of starlight, you’ll find Burnt Rancheria.  As part of the Laguna Mountain Recreation Area in the Cleveland National Forest, this lush east county campground sits at 6000 feet above sea level, offering dream-like mountain scenery, as well as an easy escape from the day to day life in the city.

Source: Alpine Woman’s Club

October 23, 2017 (Alpine) --The Alpine Woman’s Club will hold its next monthly luncheon on November 21^st.  The Club is open to all East County women. The club is located in the Historic Alpine Town Hall, 2156 Alpine Blvd. After lunch Author Eleanor Garner will discuss her book, Eleanor’s Story: An American Girl in Hitler’s Germany.

Updated 12:43 p.m.

East County News Service

October 16, 2017 (Ranchita) – Cal Fire has announced that no criminal charges will be filed against shooters who started the Wilson Fire which has scorched 25 acres in the Ranchita area between Warner Springs and the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

By Miriam Raftery

October 15, 2017 (Alpine) – Jack Wadel, 60, was arrested yesterday after the Alpine Sheriff’s department received calls that the suspect “reportedly was threatening to shoot people in the crowded library, and was pointing a toy gun at people,” says Sergeant Alex Navarro with the Sheriff’s department.

By Miriam Raftery

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts

October 15, 2017 (Cuyamaca) -- The Green Fire is 75 percent contained at eight acres as of 10:30 a.m., Cal Fire reports.  The grass fire began yesterday afternoon near the Green Valley Falls campground area in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, not far from State Route 79.

A witness, who asked that his name not be published, told East County Magazine that he and his wife were hiking on the Harvey Moore Trail moments before the fire started and saw several people in the meadow.  Arriving at the parking lot and learning of the fire, the witness says the saw the people -- a couple and a third inidividual, get into an SUV and drive away.

By Valerie Watts

October 9, 2017 (Alpine) - Lions, Tigers and Bears announces its annual Spooky Campover from 3 p.m. Friday October 27 until 12 p.m. October 28.  Bring your own pumpkin to carve, food, camping gear and best costume to 24402 Martin Way, Alpine, CA 91901.  This event promises "a wild and ghoulish night under the stars with the rescued animals."  There will be pumpkin carving, s'mores, campfire songs, a costume contest and animal feedings.  To reserve your spot for this unique camping adventure, call (619) 659-8078 option 2, or book online www.lionstigersandbears.org

"The Gallery at Warner Springs” will showcase local art, serve as visitor center in historic Loretta Young House

Photos: Judith Doxey artwork depicting Warner Hot Springs pools and walkway

East County News Service

October 6, 2017 (Warner Springs) – Warner Springs Ranch Resort (WSRR) will now be home to “The Gallery at Warner Springs,” which will celebrate its grand opening on Sunday, Oct. 15 from 1-4 p.m. at the property’s Loretta Young House, located at 31652 Highway 79. In addition to food and drinks, the event will feature a raffle and silent auction benefitting the Warner Springs Cultural Association.

By Miriam Raftery

October 4, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- Today, Assemblyman Randy Voepel (R-Santee) announced he will be holding a "Listening Tour" through multiple communities within the 71st Assembly District including Santee, Julian, Lakeside, El Cajon, Ramona and Idyllwild.  The Listening Tour will provide an opportunity for constituents to hear a legislative update, ask questions, and offer ideas for how to improve California.

East County News Service

October 2, 2017 (Flinn Springs) — The Pumpkin Patch at Summers Past Farms in Flinn Springs invites you to Pumpkin Patch Weekends complete with corn maze, jumpy for kids, popcorn and more. There are also special dates for petting and meeting a variety of animals from alpacas to pigs, as well as a dog show, costume contest and more.

By Mimi Pollack

October 1, 2017 (Santa Ysabel) -- There are five luscious Siberian cupcakes residing near Santa Ysabel, on the way to Palomar Mountain. What are Siberian cupcakes? These are domesticated Russian foxes-- and this author was lucky enough to meet all five of them at the Judith A Bassett Canid Education and Conservation Center.

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

September 26, 2017 (Ramona) - Cool airplanes, awesome cars, flapjacks, Mexican food, live country music, a hot air balloon and a really big Smokey Bear — if that sounds interesting to you, you’re in luck!

Visitors can see all of that and more from 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 7 when the Ramona Air Fair & Fly-in comes back to Ramona Airport at 2926 Montecito Road.