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

August 16, 2018 (La Mesa) – Keller Williams Realty San Diego East Foothills in El Cajon, the largest real estate brokerage in San Diego’s East County region, has announced the hiring of Jeffrey Davies as managing director of KW Commercial.

Story and photo by Melinda Myers

Photo:   Removing faded flowers before they can set seed, also known as deadheading, encourages an additional flush of flowers on many perennials including daylilies.

June 27, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) -- Keep your perennial gardens looking their best throughout the hot summer months with a bit of midsummer grooming and care. Investing time midseason means you’ll be enjoying beautiful gardens now through the end of the growing season.

East County News Service

June 21, 2018 (El Cajon) – The Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors (PSAR), a real estate trade group with an El Cajon office, will present a class for realtors on recent changes to real estate transaction forms from the California Association of Realtors (CAR). The class will be held from 11 a.m. to noon, Tuesday, July 3, at the PSAR East County Service Center, 1150 Broadway, El Cajon. All real estate professionals in San Diego County are invited to attend. Admission is free for PSAR members, $20 per person for nonmembers. For more information, call PSAR at (619) 421-7811, or visit www.psar.org/formsnew.

Source: Ilan Lael Foundation

Cover photo credit:  Michael Gerdes and Chris Henry

May 16, 2018 (Wynola) -- The Ilan-Lael Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Wynola, will host its annual Father’s Day Open House and Studio Tour on Sunday, June 17^th.

Just three miles west of Julian, this picturesque spot with views of the Volcan and Cuyamaca Mountains is home to renowned artist James Hubbell.  Between the late 1950’s – 1960’s, using natural local materials, James designed and constructed a handful of artistic buildings that became his family’s home, now a designated historic landmark.

East County News Service

June 8, 2018 (Rancho San Diego) – The dog days of summer are here – with “Wags and Wine” on Tuesday, June 19 from 5 to 7 p.m.  You’re invited to bring your furry friend for a special evening stroll through the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego.

Alpine-Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce

Who knew Alpine had a castle?

May 29, 2019 (Alpine) -- Guests were treated like royalty May 23 at the Alpine Castle! The first of the “It’s After 5 Somewhere” mixers by the Alpine Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce was delightfully medieval with all the modern amenities at the palatial home in the Alpine foothills.

Source: Helix Water District

May 9, 2018 (Rancho San Diego) -- The award-winning Water Conservation Garden will host Customer Appreciation Day on Saturday,    May 19, for customers of Helix Water District, the City of San Diego, Otay Water District and Sweetwater Authority.

By Miriam Raftery

April 18, 2018 (San Diego) -- The dream of home ownership is slipping away from many San Diego County residents.

The median price of a home has shot up 9.5 percent in the past year, hitting a record $625,400 in March, according to the California Association of Realtors.

Update April 20: The Design Review Committee hearing slated for April 23 has been postponed. 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Jeff Phair, right, shares information with area resident Anthony McIvor, left, at site of planned La Mesa Summit Estates.

April 12, 2018 (La Mesa) – On a hilltop above the Serramar development in La Mesa’s Eastridge area, local builder Jeff Phair hopes to build La Mesa Summit Estates.  The proposal calls for 30 new homes—each with multi-generational suites complete with separate entrances, stacked washer/dryers, and media centers.  They’re designed for families that want space for parents, grandparents or grown children---and the concept came out of extensive meetings with neighbors.

 “All developers don’t wear black hats,” an article in The Phair Company’s newsletter is titled. The company has a policy of “cooperative community based planning” that calls for meeting with neighbors and incorporating their input into designs, where possible, before ever approaching city staff of elected officials.

Source: Cuyamaca College

Photo: The Ornamental Horticulture nursery at the 2017 Spring Garden and Butterfly Festival.

April 6, 2018 (Rancho San Diego) -- Up to 5,000 visitors will converge on the Cuyamaca College campus when the annual Spring Garden and Butterfly Festival returns for its 25^th year on Saturday, April 28, as the college, The Water Conservation Garden and the Heritage of the Americas Museum present an array of family-friendly events featuring plant sales, craft vendors, wine tasting and more.

By Kendra Sitton

March 29, 2018 (Jamul) -- The latest Jamul-Dulzura Planning Meeting on Tues., March 27 was dominated with discussion about a proposed development on Village 14, Planning Areas 15 and 19. The proposal would bring over a thousand new homes into an unincorporated area of 6,163 people, as of the last census.

East County News Service

March 9, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) -- The Water Conservation Garden invites the public to its third annual Water-Wise Home Garden Tour.  The tour on March 24 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. will highlight five beautiful gardens utilizing an array of color, variety, and low water use plants, shrubs and trees.  The gardens emphasize plants from semi-arid regions of the world including Australia, New Zealand, Southwestern U.S. and South Africa.

By Miriam Raftery

February 14, 2018 (Lemon Grove) – Lemon Grove, a community that has its roots in agriculture, will soon be getting a community garden—complete with fresh, organic vegetables, an adjacent flower garden, and a butterfly-friendly garden.

Traffic impacts remain key concerns

By Mike Allen

January 20, 2018 (Santee) -- HomeFed Corp., the developer of Fanita Ranch in north Santee, says its plan will preserve about three quarters of the 2,600-acre parcel as open space, while nearly doubling the number of houses it seeks to build on the site.