By Miriam Raftery

October 3, 2017 (La Mesa) – Our second East County Dining Club event once again filled a local restaurant to capacity. Guests savored special Italian dishes, homemade pasta,Italian and local wines, and  live Italian vocal music  at Tiramisu Trattoria in La Mesa--also winning a wealth of prizes, meeting neighbors and making new friends.

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.

East County News Service

September 30, 2017 (San Diego) -- Visionary Dance Theatre, a La Mesa-based dance troupe, presents “Circular Visions” at the City Heights Performance Annex (3795 Fairmount Ave, San Diego) on October 6th-7^th at 8 p.m.

East County News Service

September 28, 2017 (El Cajon) - The German America Club of San Diego hosts its annual Oktoberfest at its headquarters (1017 Mollison Ave.) in El Cajon over two weekends, September 29^th through October 1^st and again October 6^th through 8^th.

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.

East County News Service

September 29, 2017 (La Mesa) -- A wide variety of high quality, fairly traded international items will be available at a La Mesa gift fair on Sunday, Oct. 15 in the church hall at St. Martin of Tours Church in La Mesa (7710 El Cajon Blvd.)  The event will take place from 8 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.  Attendees can enjoy samples of fair trade coffee, tea, chocolate and ice cream while perusing gift items such as handmade baskets, jewelry, clothing, home décor, crafts and more. Also, available for purchase will be fair trade chocolate, coffee & teas.

East County News Service

September 26, 2017 (La Mesa) – The Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library, a consumer health library at 9001 Wakarusa St. in La Mesa, is hosting its current art exhibit featuring 45 paintings by Michael Dayon of La Mesa. The exhibit, ending Sept. 30, features Dayon’s paintings in a variety of media, including alkyd-oil, acrylic, gouache, graphite and mixed media. Also on display is Dayon’s “Fritz the Pearman” series (Fritz is Dayon’s “struggling artist” alter ego).

Hear our interview aired earlier this month on KNSJ radio with Ray Lutz, founder of Citizens Oversight, talking about the settlement agreement, by clicking the audio link.

East County News Service

UPDATE:  Other organizations concerned about San Onofre nuclear waste have issued statements calling today's event as a "sham" and voicing criticisms of the settlement deal. Read more:  http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/critics-call-todays-celebration-settle...

September 23, 2017 (Oceanside) — Citizens Oversight, an El Cajon-based watchdog group, will be announcing formation of a settlement oversight panel to monitor efforts to move nuclear waste from San Onofre to a safer place pursuant to a settlement agreement with Southern California Edison and the California Coastal Commission.  In addition, founder Ray Lutz will unveil a “1,000-year dry storage challenge” that aims to find a long-term solution to the nation’s lack of storage for nuclear wastes. 

By Valerie Watts

September 24, 2017 (El Cajon) -- Have you ever wondered what kind of businesses are located in East County, and whether there is anything actually being manufactured here?  You can find out when the East County Economic Development Council is hosts its 2nd annual Manufacturing Expo and Resource Fair on October 3, 2017 from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. at the Allen Airways Flying Museum in El Cajon (located at Gillespie Field). 

By Helen Ofield

September 24, 2017 (Lemon Grove) - The Lemon Grove Historical Society will hold the annual Pam Glover English High Tea on Oct. 8 from 2 - 4 p.m. in the H. Lee House Cultural Center, 3205 Olive, Lemon Grove, in support of the 2018 Treganza History Essay Competition for Third Grade in Lemon Grove Schools. Tickets are $25/person for a lavish, four-course high tea, party favors and door prizes.

East County News Service

September 22, 2017 (San Diego) -- On September 28, 2017, Nile Sisters Development Initiative (NSDI) will host "Refugee Crisis: Spotlight on South Sudan," an event featuring an informative panel of South Sudanese leaders and key stakeholders. The panelists will discuss the founding of Republic of South Sudan (ROSS), concerns over ballooning populations of refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs), as well as the responses by international, national, and local entities.  Confirmed panelists include former Governor of Western Equatoria, Honorable Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro and the Chairman and CEO of an international development firm, Dr. David S. Bassiouni.

By Helen Ofield, Lemon Grove Historical Society

Source: East County Chamber of Commerce

September 20, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) - The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce will hold the 15th Annual Women In Leadership Luncheon (WILL)  at the Town and Country Hotel in Mission Valley on Friday, September 22nd from 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. View the list of this year’s  2017 WILL Nominees.

East County News Service

September 19, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- This week’s Destination East County includes the Julian Apple Days Festival, an apple time tea, breakfast with firefighters and outdoor concerts in El Cajon and original dance performances in Bamboozled.

Plus, we’ll have a preview of coming attractions including Oktoberfests in La Mesa and El Cajon, a reception at Heritage of the Americas Museum for artist Padre Johnson, the Laguna Mountain Rendezvous, Kids Care Fest in Lakeside, and Borrego Days.

We also have Halloween happenings including Hauntfest on Main, a Haunted Elks Lodge, a Halloween Harvest Festival on Mt. Helix, a Spooky Campover at Lions, Tigers and Bears and the Boulevard Boo Parade.

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

Limited space still available! RSVP deadline extended.

September 12, 2017 (La Mesa) – Our next East County Dining Club event on September 21st at 6:30 p.m. just got even better! Sicilian Excellence will be offering tastes of Anticatindari and Buone Sergio Sicilian wines -- along with a delicious Italian special menu feast at Tiramisu Trattoria (8273 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa) plus local wine tasting  with the award-winning San Pasqual Winery,  Italian popular songs and arias performed by talented vocalist Valerie Watts, a wealth of prize drawings, and more are all part of the fun! 

We have a few seats left, so you can pay at the door ($28) but please call 619-698-7617 to RSVP or email editor@eastcountymagazine.org.

Cost  includes plated four-course special menu dinner, wine tasting, tax, tip, entertainment, opportunities to meet neighbors and make new friends.

Special menu:  Bruschetta, choice of soup or salad and choice of entrée:  Ravioli Ricotta, Spinaci or Zucca, Melanzana Alla Parmigiana, Pollo Marsala or Picata, Fettucine Bolognsee, Rigotoni Alla Norcina, Cavatelli di Ricotta, and delicious dessert: Tiramisu (plain or strawberry)