August 10, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - Robert Gehr snapped this photo(s) during National Night Out on August 5 at the El Cajon Police Department.  “Low civilian turnout was a bit disappointing, yet that meant no crowds,” he writes. “Games for the kids, face painting as well. SWAT display, mini fire truck rides, hot dogs, Sheriff mounted patrol, K-9 and SWAT demonstrations, and lots of camaraderie amongst Police personnel.” This annual event was also free.”

Hear our interview at the Ramona Fund for Animals Wildlife Center: https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

By Miriam Raftery

August 7, 2014 (Ramona) – The Ramona Fund for Animals Wildlife Center is one of only three facilities in San Diego County that rehabilitate injured or ill wildlife for release back into the wild. Currently the Center is nursing back to health two coyote pups found with burned feet during the May wildfires.

The Center, founded by Cleveland Amory, also has some permanent residents that cannot be rereleased, including  a hand-raised captive cougar in these photos (shot through the bars of its enclosure). This mountain lion was reported by a local veterinarian after its owner, who purchased it illegally from out of state, brought the cub in for a “well kitten” checkup.

July 6, 2014 (El Cajon) – Randy Jordan snapped this photo of the fireworks final at El Cajon’s 4^th of July celebration in Granite Hills/Kennedy Park.

June 20, 2014 (Boulevard) – Michele Strand sent in this serene scene of a sunset over rural Boulevard in San Diego’s East County.

May 16, 2014 (Rancho San Diego) – Valerie Harrison sent in this dramatic image of a pair of firefighters battling an inferno during a house fire in Rancho San Diego on May 14.

April 26, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - Helix Water District has selected 17 winning entries in its Lake Jennings Month-of-March Photo Contest.  Seventy-five submissions competed in two categories, adult and youth, for cash prizes of $100 for first places, $50 for second places and $25 for third places.  Honorable mentions receive ribbons and certificates.

April 15, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – Night sky photographer Dennis Mammana (© Dennis Mammana/dennismammana.com) captured this beautiful image of a rare ‘blood moon” eclipse overnight in the Anza Borrego Desert.

April 10, 2014 (La Mesa) -- Our editor, Miriam Raftery, didn't have to look far to find a photo of the week. She snapped this picture in her home office of her cat, Rex, snuggled up with her dog, Ginger--who didn't seem to mind awakening form naptime to find the interloper occupying her space.

If only the whole world could get alone so well!

By Miriam Raftery

March 31, 2014 (San Diego's East County) -- Kathleen Hedberg is best known locally as an outspoken advocate for ratepayers on the Helix Water Board.  But in February, Hedberg's outgoing ways--along with a bright yellow banana costume--caught the eye of Let's Make a Deal's host. 

Hedberg was chosen as a contestant on the popular TV game show's 50th anniversary airing -- and won a gleaming new 2014 Chevrolet Spark car for her "a-peeling" efforts.

By Miriam Raftery; photos by Tom Lemon

March 16, 2014 (Cibbets Flat) – Tom Lemon sent in these these idyllic photos with a subject line, “East County has a stream!” These images were taken at Cibbets Flat in the Kitchen Creek area.

February 23, 2014 (Rancho San Diego) – Jennifer Hanna snapped these images of a brush fire behind her home on Sunday, February 16.  The blaze, near Fury and Wieghorst in the Rancho San Diego area of El Cajon, was swiftly dowsed by firefighters.

By Nadin Abbott

Photos by Tom and Nadin Abbott

February 21, 2014 (San Diego) There is nothing like a romantic evening outside by the porch with a fire. Well, it was not quite that. Over the last two months we have had a good dozen fires in the Fashion Valley area in San Diego. Since some have been posted on the Twitter feed, you even saw them.

February 15, 2014 (Jacumba)—Wayne Brammer sent in these photos of SDG&E’s new Eco Substation in Jacumba. The project is (so-named for hooking up to industrial-scale renewable energy projects. But to most backcountry residents, the project is an ecological disaster that destroyed the landscape and used three times more water (90 million gallons total) than SDG&E estimated.

“This thing is a monster and they’re wasting water all over the place, not just here but all the way to Boulevard,” writes Bramley, referencing other energy projects in the pipeline.  “We really do need to separate from the city and have our own county,” he concluded, linking back to a reader’s editorial on this issue.

February 4, 2014 (McCain Valley) – Charles and Laurie Baker sent in these surreal images taken while hiking in the Mica Gem and Table Mountain wilderness areas in McCain Valley, where winds and weathering have carved out fantastic rock formations in this rugged terrain.

January 23, 2014 (Carrizo Gorge) – Laurie Baker sent photos taken while hiking at the rugged Carrizo Gorge in McCain Valley, near the site of a planned industrial wind facility.  Her images show the dramatic rock formations that make this area one of the most spectacular scenic vistas in San Diego's East County.