By Miriam Raftery

September 8, 2019 (Julian) -- A long-vacant lot in the heart of downtown Julian may soon become a town square with an amphitheater and community park to serve as a hub for community gatherings, holiday events, a farmer’s market, art walk and more. Over $182,000 -- nearly a third of the $600,000 funds needed--have been pledged, according to the Julian Town Square website.

By Liz Alper

Photo via @Padres on Twitter

September 7, 2019 (San Diego) - The Padres are back home taking on the Rockies.  Jeff Hoffman started for the Rockies against Joey Lucchesi.

By Miriam Raftery

September 7, 2019 (Ramona) – A state investigation has determined that infected birds moved from within the virulent Newcastle disease (VND) quarantine area in Riverside County led to the recent detection of the disease in the Ramona area, Dr. Annette Jones, California’s state veterinarian, announced yesterday.

By Miriam Raftery

September 6, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – It’s been a wet and wild week, with dramatic lightning strikes, thunderstorms and hail the size of quarters reported in some parts of San Diego’s East County.  On September 4, the National Weather Service recorded 396 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes in a single day.

Source:  Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District

September 6, 2019 (Rancho San Diego) - The ECHO Chamber Music Series, now in its third year, is taking its 2019-2020 season at Cuyamaca College’s Samuel M. Ciccati Performing Arts Theatre to new heights with 14 concerts featuring performers such as Jason Vieaux, Bach Collegium, the Dalí Quartet, and members of the San Diego Symphony and other internationally acclaimed musicians who have performed across the globe.

By Miriam Raftery

September 6, 2019 (Ramona) – The Oasis Camel Dairy in Ramona is opening its farm store on Sept. 7, 8, 14, 15, 28 and 29 as well as Oct. 5, 6, 12, 13, 20, 26 and 27. Besides shopping for products such as camel milk bath bombs and lotions, you can now relax with country views while sampling 11 varieties of camel milk chocolate by Al Nassma including dark, milk, orange, sweet-spice, date and white chocolate varieties, along with non-alcoholic beverages and snacks.

East County News Service

Photo: Vegan burger, courtesy of Grossmont Center

September 6, 2019 (La Mesa) – You’re invited to taste how delicious a vegan lifestyle can be at the First Friday Night Market at Grossmont Center on Friday, October 4 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sponsored by Vegan San Diego, this free event gathers the most exceptional vegan vendors all in one spot so that you can savor and sip delectable plant-based food and beverages.

By Miriam Raftery, Editor, East County Magazine

I fought a case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to protect the rights of freelance journalists.  AB 5 takes that away – and hurts the public by restricting your voices from being heard in local media. 

Note: I grant free reprint rights on this editorial to any publisher who wishes to repost it in its entirety.

September 6, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – A bill to be heard any day now in the  State Senate and then head to the Governor for signature will destroy a free press in California – and we need your help to protect the public’s voices in out media outlet and others. The bill violates the U.S. constitution on multiple grounds.

AB 5 would prohibit media outlets such as ours from paying ordinary citizens to write articles on areas in which they have expertise, or hiring columnists who aren’t professional journalists, or even paying an eyewitness for photos of breaking news such as a wildfire or plane crash. A newspaper also won’t be allowed to pay for a column or editorial  unless the writer owns a journalism business or is an employee.

We've trained many citizen journalists here at East County Magazine -- including some who won journalism awards. We've run many paid pieces written by community members, too, to include a broad diversity of voices. But we won't be able to do so anymore if this becomes law.

This violates the First Amendment of the Constitution which guarantees freedom of the press and your freedom of speech.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Tenaja Fire, Southern Calif. Edison webcam

September 5, 2019 (Riverside County) – The fast-moving Tenaja Fire that started just before 4 p.m. yesterday near Tenaja Rd. and Clinton Keith Road in south Riverside County’s La Cresta community has swelled to over 2,000 acres, causing mandatory evacuation of around 2,000 homes in La Cresta and Murrieta, KTLA reports this evening. 

By Miriam Raftery

September 5, 2019 (El Cajon) -- The Magnolia Center, formerly known as the East County Performing Arts Center, will host its much anticipated grand reopening on September 10^th from 5 to 8 p.m. The City of El Cajon and Live Nation invite the public to the event which includes food, fun, activities, prizes, tours, presentations.

September 5, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) - East County Magazine's World Watch helps you be an informed citizen on important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include:

U.S.

• Some children of US troops born overseas will no longer get automatic American citizenship, Trump administration says (Task and Purpose) 
• Alaska’s Sea Ice Completely Melted for First Time in Recorded History (Truthout)
• Kroger asks customers to quit openly carrying guns in stores (Reuters) 
• Hurricane Dorian threatening the U.S. after devastating the Bahamas (CNN)
• Truckers voted for Trump in droves. Now they say his trade war is 'killing' their ability to make a living. (Business Insider)
• Judge throws out Trump order and restores Obama-era drilling ban in Arctic (Los Angeles Times)  
• Trump’s pardon offer may have violated federal bribery laws (Washington Post) 
• Video, reports of machines automatically changing votes in Mississippi GOP governor runoff (USA Today)

WORLD

• Hurricane Dorian's 200 mph wind gusts the 'strongest' recorded in northwestern Bahamas (10 News)
• First aerial footage shows complete devastation in Bahamas from hurricane (CNN)
• Britain may face snap elections after Boris Johnson suffers major loss in Parliament (Washington Post) 
• U.S. stops all aid to Palestinians in West Bank and Gaza (BBC)
• Muslim women ‘sterilised’ in China detention camps, say former detainees (UK Independent)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

By Miriam Raftery

September 5, 2019 (Santee) – For the second time in recent weeks, coyotes  killed a leashed dog in Santee, Michelle Cimmarrusti told 10 News.

East County News Service

September 4, 2019 (Campo) – The Fire Safe Council of San Diego, Cal Fire and the County Fire Authority invite you to learn principles firefighters use to protect your home and community at the Wildland Urban Interface Workshop on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Registration, networking and refreshments will begin at 7:30 with the course at 8 a.m. at the Mountain Health Community Center, 976 Sheridan Rd., Campo.

By Miriam Raftery

September 4, 2019 (El Cajon) – You’re invited to join the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce at a “Solar Experience” lunch and learn on Sept. 25 from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Chamber’s Business Resource Center, 201 S. Magnolia Ave. in El Cajon.