East County News Service

February 20, 2016 (Pine Valley) -- Pine Valley is celebrating the grand opening of a multi-use field for baseball and soccer events.

By Miriam Raftery

February 16, 2016 (Ramona) – The Milagro Farm Winery has announced that it is closing its tasting room to the public effective immediately while undergoing upgrades, with plans to reopen in the next couple of months.

Update:  SDG&E, Supervisor Dianne Jacob, Alpine Union School District and the Alpine Community Planning Group have issued responses to the concerns raised by this study; also the County Dept. of Education had new EMF readings taken at the Alpine Elementary School that appears to have reassuring results for parents.  View responses:  http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/alpine-powerlink-concerns-spark-responses.

By Miriam Raftery

February 12, 2016 (Alpine) -  Electric magnetic field (EMF) levels along the route of the underground Sunrise Powerlink high voltage line have been measured at dramatically higher levels than before the line was installed.  High EMF levels have been linked to leukemia in some studies. 

East County News Service

February 4, 2016 (Descanso) -- City folks are invited to come surround yourselves with adorable animals at a Valentine’s weekend Open Ranch at Alpacas of San Diego, located in Descanso (9718 River Drive).  This free event will be held Saturday, February 13^th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Mention you heard about this event on East County Magazine, and receive a 10% discount on any item purchased!

You can meet the animals, learn about alpacas and even shop for a gift for your sweetheart, including jewelry and crafts made by local artists, natural soaps and of course, alpaca wool products.  There will also be a crafts table for kids. 

By Miriam Raftery

February 11, 2016 (Ramona) -- Savoring an afternoon of superb wine tasting at Vineyard Grant James in Ramona, it’s not hard to realize  why this family-owned winery has been drawing rave reviews on Yelp.  The place has ranked five stars—the top rating, with 64 reviews. 

The wines are complex and satisfying.  Owners/hosts Jacques and Susanne Sapier are warm and welcoming.  A stone patio with views of the sun setting over nearby mountains provides an idyllic setting.  Live music by a Dave Billock and his local band, plus delicious locally-made cheeses, round out a palette-pleasing experience.

By Joe Green

By Miriam Raftery

February 5, 2016 (Ramona) –“Valentine’s Day will always be very special here at the dairy, as this was when our beloved Valentine was born in the snow,” writes Nancy Riegler, co-owner of Oasis Camel Dairy in Ramona. 

By Miriam Raftery

February 3, 2016 (Julian) — From Maine Lobster-watermelon salad to leg of lamb, scallops in saffron and banana bruleé, the Valentine’s weekend “aphrodisiac menu” at Jeremy’s on the Hill in Julian has an array of delights you’ll love to savor.  This special menu will be served up Friday, Saturday and Sunday, February 12-14 from 4 pm. to close.

East County News Service

January 31, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – The San Diego County Planning Commission, after months of review and public input on proposed changes to the tiered winery ordinance, will hold a hearing on Friday, February 5^th on the proposed zoning ordinance amendment.  In addition, planners will consider a proposed map for the Hoskings Ranch residential development project in Julian.

Some winery owners voice continuing concerns over the proposed changes. Teri Kerns, co-owner of Ramona Ranch Winery, told East County Magazine, "We are pleased to see that a few of our suggestions have been incorporated, for example, allowing the wineries to be open until 6 pm during the winter hours, and increasing van capacity to 15 but disappointed that the majority have not been.   We are concerned that new wineries will not be able to open, given the restrictions on structures and codes and disagree with the County's broad prohibition on events and parties, amplified music, and the stand against advertising.

East County News Service

January 29, 2016 (Alpine) – Bruce Cochrane, Superintendent of the Alpine Union School District, has given notice that he will be leaving the position he has held since mid-2014. 

East County News Service

January 26, 2016 (Ramona) — The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department has withdrawn its plans for an Emergency Vehicle Operations Course at the Golden Eagle Farm in rural Ramona off Highway 78.

By Miriam Raftery

January 14, 2016 (Descanso) -- KNSJ Radio (89.1 FM Descanso) is off the air affter the station's transmitter on Mount Laguna froze and broke during  last week's winter storm.  The repair estimate is $1,500, said Martin Eder, founder of KNSJ, a public nonprofit radio station that serves East County and San Diego.

Donations are urgently needed to cover this unexpected major repair cost and may be made via PayPal, credit card or check at http://knsj.org/donate/.  

The East County Magazine  Show airs on KNSJ on Mondays and Fridays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.  During the outage, which began last week, our radio show and others on the station can still be heard online by downloading the TuneIn App for your cell phone or by listening to the streaming audio online at http://knsj.org/knsjpopup.html.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos: Above, Jim Pelley sent us photo of snow-covered Laguna Mountains, viewed from desert in Ocotillo

Below, Fox 5 TV tweeted image of news van on Mt. Laguna for a "San Diego snow day"

January 7, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – After four years of drought, when it rains, it pours!  During the past 72 hours, the National Weather Service reports heavy snowfall in our local mountains including 12 to 15 inches on Mt. Laguna.  In addition, many communities soaked up  several inches of rain, topped by Mt. Woodson with nearly seven and a half inches.

Here are highlights on the snow and rainfall totals over the past three days.

East County News Service

Photo: Mt. Laguna on December 29, 2015, courtesy UCSD's HP WRen webcam

December 30, 2015 (Mt. Laguna)--Visitors flocked to Mount Laguna yesterday after a light snowfall left just enough for sledders to enjoy some winter fun.  A frost advisory is in effect for much of our region tonight through Thursday, with clear skies forecast for New Year’s Eve.

Though warmer weather this weekend is expected to melt away those patches of snow remaining, a new storm expected to hit Wednesday and Thursday of next week could bring more snow to the region, including Julian as well as Mt. Laguna—so keep those snow boots and sleds handy.