By Kim Beales 

January 14, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- A night of enjoying fine wines, great food and live jazz is on the horizon in East County.  On Saturday, January 23^rd, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., the community will come together for a fun evening to benefit St. Pius X Catholic Church's building fund.  The money raised by the event is earmarked for the restoration of the church's buildings dating back to the 1950s.  Guests will enjoy unlimited wine tasting and heavy hors d'oeuvres. 

The event will feature the following wineries, all of which are located in East County along Highway 94:

January 9, 2016 (San Diego)—Greg Palast, one of the most celebrated investigative journalists on the planet, is coming to San Diego for  a fundraising meet and greet for KNSJ  radio, the Network for Social Justice, on Sunday, January 10^th at 6 p.m.  He’ll share results of his investigation into the “theft of the 2016 election and the billionaires behind it.”

The Chicago Tribune said of Palast, “What a journalist should be:  a truth hound, undaunted by power.”  San Diego news anchor Bree Walker called Palast “The best damn reporter in the USA.  Period.”  Britain’s Guardian called him “The most important journalism of our time.” Palast has broken front-page stories for BBC Television Newsnight, The Guardian, Nation Magazine, Rolling Stone and Harper's Magazine. 

 We thank the County of San Diego for a Community  Enhancement Grant to help support Destination East County.

Listen to Destination East County, also aired on KNSJ radio, by clicking the audion link.

January 6, 2016 (San Diego's East County)--This week’s Destination East County includes Hawk Watch in Ramona, a Family Fun Fest at Kroc Center, an art show at Mission Trails, a hike into the Jacumba wilderness and a desert oasis, and a bluegrass open mike night in La Mesa. All month long, you can get free health and fitness classes and services as part of Santee’s Health Awareness Month.

Plus we’ll have previews of coming attractions, including the opening of trout season at Santee Lakes,  a Martin Luther King Jr. Day breakfast, civil rights speaker and film showing, plus a hike to a garnet mine near Jacumba Hot Springs. So scroll down for all of these events and more.

East County News Service

January 4, 2015 (Ramona) –  Hawk Watch, a free celebration of raptors will take place at the Wildlife Research Institute in Ramona Grasslands at 10 a.m. each Saturday in January and February—rain or shine.   You can observe both wintering and resident raptors such as the Golden Eagle, Bald Eagle, Ferruginous Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Prairie Falcon, Red-shouldered Hawk, and Burrowing Owl.

Nineteen species of raptors have been recorded at this “raptor hotspot,” where you will learn the life histories of these beautiful birds as well as the importance of the Ramona Grassland ecosystem from WRI biologists.  In addition to wild raptors, you will also see several trained raptors and owls up close.

Listen to Destination East County, originally aired on KNSJ, by clicking the audio link.

By Miriam Raftery

December 27, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) --This week’s Destination East County includes New Year’s celebrations across our region, from swanky soirees to a masquarade party. Plus we’ll have previews of coming attractions, including some activities to start off the New Year, from a guided mountain bike ride with a ranger at Mission Trails to the opening of trout season at Santee Lakes, as well as live music featuring some hot local talent.

So stay tuned (and scroll down) for all of these events and more.

By Miriam Raftery

December 27, 2015 (San Diego) - The Martin Luther King Jr. community breakfast will be held on January 18 at 7 a.m. at the Jacobs Center (404 Euclid Ave., San Diego) . The featured speaker will be Rev. Richard Lawrence, a long-time Civil Rights advocate who marched with Dr. King to desegregate Chicago and participated in the Selma walk.

Photo credit to Redden-McAllister on Flickr

East County News Service

December 18, 2015 (El Cajon) -- Country music singer Travis Tritt will be performing at Sycuan Casino & Resort in El Cajon on January 24 at 7 p.m.

December 17, 2015 (Mt. Helix) -- Our holiday parties are legendary! Come join the fun Sunday, December 20 from 2-6 p.m. at our editor's home on Mt. Helix.

• Delicious feast! Glazed ham and yams, cinnamon baked apples, beet/strawberry and eggplant salads from Baba al Hara,  pasta and salad from Olive Graden, desserts from New York Bakery
•  Wine tasting with Grant James Vineyard and Pearson Bros. Winery, plus holiday beverages (21 and up.)
• Live music (folk, rock, and holiday songs) with Paul Nichols, Cindy Burnham, Tim and Marijo Luranc,
• Holiday games, prizes and surprises! Prizes include a mountain vacation,  wine lover’s baskets, dance lessons, silver jewelry, hand-woven shawl from Weaving Works in Santa Ysabel, California Wolf Preserve tour in Julian,  Passes and big-cat feeding for 2 at Lions Tigers &  Bears, dinner at Descanso Junction, Glamour Girlz gift basket, personal trainer for a month at CHN Fitness in Santee, yoga lessons at CHN Yoga, and much more. 
  

East County News Service

December 9, 2015 (Ramona)--The Ramona Valley Vineyard invites you to take a break from the holiday hustle and give yourself and and your friends a unique holiday wine experience.  You can join  Join 15 RVVA member wineries on December 12th & 13th for the second weekend of wine, fun and holiday spirits along the Holiday Wine Trail.

Your “Get Your Merry On” Holiday Wine Trail Passport is your ticket to great deals and festive fun over all four days of the wine trail.  Each participating winery is offering different holiday wine trail specials including heavily discounted tastings and pairings, bottle and merchandise discounts, unique holiday gift items featuring local artisans.

East County News Service

December 8, 2015 (El Cajon) – The IraqiCenter for Dialogue invites you to participate in a " Youth Conference" on December 17 at 11 a.m. at the Royal Palace, 1340 Broadway, El Cajon, CA 92021.

East County News Service

December 1, 2015 (Lemon Grove) – Lemon Grove’s annual community bonfire will be ablaze at Civic Center Park (3200 Main Street) on Friday, December 4 from 5 to 9 p.m.  

Activities also include  hayrides, a rock climbing wall, game booths, photo booth, arts & crafts, face painting and a game truck.  Free hot chocolate, chili, cornbread, cookies, fruit and popcorn will be provided.

Listen to Destination East County by clicking the audio link, originally aired on KNSJ radio.

December 1, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) --This week’s Destination East County includes an array of holiday happenings including major community festivals such as the Alpine Parade of Lights and Snow Festival, Lakeside’s Christmas on Maine, a tree-lighting and sleigh rides in Ramona’s Old Town, Santa at Santee Lakes, as well as holiday music performances and stage productions, plus a Chaldean Christmas Gala to help people in need.

Plus we’ll have previews of coming attractions including La Mesa Shimmers, La Mesa’s Christmas in the Village, a holiday home tour in Alpine, and a holiday open house at an alpaca farm in Descanso. Scroll down for all of these events and more.

Choral members also needed

November 30, 2015 (Rancho San Diego) – The San Diego Festival Chorus performs "Joyous Music for the Season" on December 6 at 3 p.m. in the College Avenue Baptist Church.   The program features an 80-voice chorus and 48-piece symphony orchest in its 15th season, perfoming Mendelssohn's "Hymn of Praise" and a unique arrangement of  holiday music.

Cost: Adults $17, Seniors and students $15, Children under 12 yrs $5, Military free

East County News Service

November 26, 2015 (Lakeside) – Santa and his elves are hard at work getting ready for the Lakeside Chamber of Commerce’s 17^th annual Spirit of Christmas on Maine Ave. in Lakeside.  The holiday tradition takes place on December 5^th from 4 to 9 p.m. and is free to the public.

With an atmosphere of an old-fashioned, hometown Christmas, the event features the sights and sounds of Christmas including local school performances, Santa Claus and photos with Santa, food and drink, kids activities, rides and jumpy jumps, booths, crafters, and lighting of the community Christmas tree.