East County News Service

October 2, 2018 (Alpine) – If you’re looking for a safer trick-or-treating option for children, Viejas Outlets in Alpine invites you to visit from 5-8 p.m. on Halloween night, Wednesday October 31^st, for a treat.  The movie “Hocus Pocus” will also be playing on the big screen at the ice rink at 6 p.m. (The ice rink will be opening for the season on Nov. 2.)

Viejas Outlets is located at 5005 Willows Road ∙ Alpine, CA 91901 ∙ (800) 847-6537 https://viejas.com/san-diegos-premier-outlets-mall/

East County News Service

October 1, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) -- Ready to get spooked? County parks invite you tor a haunted adventure through the woods. Don’t forget to dress up in your favorite Halloween costume!

By Miriam Raftery

October 1, 2018 (Lakeside) – Now in its 19^th year, Oma’s Pumpkin Patch at the Van Ommering Dairy in Lakeside is open for the season now through October 31^st .  You can visit Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

By Miriam Raftery

September 29, 2018 (La Mesa) – Our East County Dining Club filled up Fourpenny House in La Mesa Wednesday night for a sold-out event.  Guests savored dishes ranging from Scottish mussels to Yorkshire wraps, also enjoying a demonstration of the Scottish pipes by proprietary Peter Soutowood. 

Source: San Diego County Parks

September 28, 2018 (Agua Caliente) – The County of San Diego is offering two presentations at Agua Caliente County Park, including opportunities to learn more about bighorn sheep plus an “Agua after dark” habitat hike.

East County News Service 

September 27, 2018 (El Cajon) -- The Haunted Amusement Park is opening its doors to the public Friday, September 28, 2018 with a big fundraising event for the non-profit group Team Parker for Life to help fund Childhood Cancer Research.

East County Dining Club

September 7, 2018 (La Mesa) – Our next East County Dining Club adventure will be on Wednesday, September 26^th at 6:30 p.m. at Fourpenny House, a delightfully cozy and delicious Scottish restaurant and pub in La Mesa’s downtown Village (8383 La Mesa Blvd.)  RSVP early to reserve space at this popular new eatery.

Savor Scottish foods such as bangers and mash, crofter’s pie, salmon, ale-braised mussels, artisanal cheese, Yorkshire wraps, bread pudding and more, plus custom-brewed craft beers, wine and spirits.  

Order anything you desire off the menu and Fourpenny House will donate 20% of proceeds to benefit East County Magazine and East County Wildfire and Emergency Alerts.

We will also have lots of prizes including gift certificates from Fourpenny House, Farmer's Table, Vine Cottage, Reanimated Records, books from Maxwell's House of Books, a Celtic music CD, jewelry, San Pasqual wine, and more!

East County News Service

September 22, 2018 (La Mesa) — The La Mesa Historical Society presents a history roundtable lecture series titled “Classic Craftsman to Modern Mud.”  A presentation on October 6th from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at the Grossmont Healthcare Auditorium (9001 Wakarusa) will discuss unique neighborhoods including Mt. Nebo and its exclusive tracts (Looking Park, Windsor Hills and Eastridge) that will be explored during the organization’s 13th Annual Home Tour "Modern Mud!" 

East County News Service 

September 22, 2018 (El Cajon) -- The forgotten clothes in your closet could help someone in your community. The El Cajon Library (201 E. Douglas Ave.) is partnering with The Street Store to hold a pop-up clothing store for the homeless on Saturday, September 29^th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

By Miriam Raftery

September 21, 2018 (San Diego's East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes Hank Williams Jr. in concert at Viejas, the Julian Country Fair, a star party at Mission Trails, a piano and guitar concert at a winery in Ramona, East County Dining Cub at Fourpenny House in La Mesa,and Siren’s Crush performing in downtown El Cajon.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including Oktoberfests in La Mesa and El Cajon, spooky campouts at Lake Jennings in Lakeside and Lions, Tigers and Bears in Alpine, a masquerade ball in el Cajon, the Pumpkin Express at the Campo railway depot, the Laguna Mountain Rendezvous, Borrego Days desert festival and parade, fair trade shopping in La Mesa, and HauntFest on Main in El Cajon.

So scroll down for all of these events and many more!

East County News Service

September 20, 2018 (El Cajon) -- The 7^th Annual “HauntFest on Main” is back on Friday, October 19 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the 200 block of East Main Street in Downtown El Cajon.

This fun, family-friendly Halloween-themed community event features live music, costume contests, carnival rides & games, candy challenge activities, Monster’s, Inc. & Monster’s University outdoor movies, face painting, craft booths, inflatables and more! Admission is free, but some of the rides will charge a nominal fee.

For more information, visit www.Hauntfest.org or call (619) 441-1754.

By Ken Stone

Reprinted by Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers to The New York Times and The Washington Post, will speak at 7 p.m. Oct. 2 at SDSU’s Montezuma Hall. Photo via SDSU

September 15, 2018 (San Diego) - Daniel Ellsberg, the famed leaker of the Pentagon Papers in the early 1970s, is set to speak at San Diego State University next month. For that you might thank a renowned leaker of early 2010.

East County News Service

September 14, 2018 (Alpine) -- Come for a wild and ghoulish night under the stars with the rescued exotic animals of Lions Tigers & Bears in Alpine on Friday night, October 26^th through Saturday morning, October 27th. The annual Spooky Campover at this world renown non-profit animal sanctuary is a family favorite. Enjoy pumpkin carving, s’mores, campfire songs, special animal feedings and more.  A costume contest will be held Saturday morning, followed by a special feeding visit to watch the big cats and bears enjoy their pumpkin treats.  

East County News Service

September 14, 2018 (Julian) - Julian’s Old Fashioned Country Fair will be held September 22^nd and 23^rd at Julian Farm and Orchard (4381 Highway 78) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  A cider press will provide fresh Julian apple cider.

Photo courtesy of Marty Ennis: Am anniversary commemoration of the PSA crash two years ago drew hundreds to Grossmont College to hear witnesses, first-responders and family members of those who perished share their memories of the tragedy. This year marks the 40^th anniversary and a film screening and discussion on Sept. 25will be open to the public. 

East County News Service

September 13, 2018 (El Cajon) -- The 40^th anniversary of the PSA Flight 182 crash in San Diego that killed 144 people and scattered wreckage and carnage across North Park will be remembered at an event Sept. 25 at Grossmont College.  Family members of those who perished, as well as first responders and PSA workers, will share their memories following a free, public screening of the documentary film, “Return to Dwight and Nile,” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25, at Grossmont College’s Griffin Gate, Building 60.