East County News Service

April 8, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – Lemon Grove invites you to hop on over to the Lemon Grove Recreation Center at 3131 School Lane, Lemon Grove for the city’s ninth annual Eggstravanza from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Saturday, April 19.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left, courtesy of Hawaii Dept. of Transportation:  Maui wildfires are among the disasters for which recovery funds have been withheld by FEMA under the Trump administratioin

April 7, 2025 – A federal judge has found that the Trump administration violated a court order to unfreeze FEMA funding to states to help victims recover from natural disasters.  On April 4, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration to immediately comply with the court order and release the funds to the states. The action followed a lawsuit by attorneys general from 23 states, including California.

 Specifically, the Court found that FEMA’s current freeze violates the Court’s preliminary injunction order to restore the funding.

“Today’s court order makes it unequivocally clear: the Trump Administration’s reckless effort to hold up millions in emergency funds is unlawful,” said Attorney General Bonta said on April 4. “We won’t stand idly by as we continue to see the Trump Administration breaking the law and will be closely monitoring to ensure that the Administration follows the court’s order and critical funds are released."

By Mike Allen

April 7, 2025 (Santee) -- Santee’s City Council and its mayor are looking at giving themselves a 5 percent pay hike at the Council’s next meeting on April 9, if they agree with the recommendations of the citizens salary setting advisory committee.

The committee voted April 2 to boost the pay for the council’s part time jobs, as well as giving them a $100 monthly raise in their gas allowance, and maintaining a $90 per month technology allowance.

The committee said the increases should apply to the next two fiscal years, 2025-26, starting July 1, and for the following fiscal year.

The projected pay hikes exceed the current national cost of living increase, which was 2.8 percent as of February, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and are more than the last round of pay increases the Santee Council approved in 2023, which was 4 percent for each of the next fiscal years.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Karen, left and right:  Protest in Borrego Springs Saturday drew about 300 residents

April 6, 2025 (San Diego) –  An estimated 12,000 protesters in downtown San Diego turned out yesterday, according to San Diego Police, with other estimates far higher. The peaceful demonstration was part of the nationwide “Hands Off” rallies which drew millions of demonstrators against the dismantling of federal programs, mass firings, and erosion of rights under the Trump administration.

April 6,2025 (San Diego's EASt County) -- Our radio shows from January through March 2025 now online.

Highlights included coverage of major issues across East County, including Grossmont High School District’s mass firing of librarians and teachers, El Cajon adopting measures on immigration, vaping, and an antisemitism resolution, Lemon Grove appointing a new councilmember,  local Syrians celebrating their homeland’s liberation, local impacts of Trump administration actions, and much more.

The East County Magazine Show airs Mondays and Fridays from 5 to 6 p.m. on KNSJ, 89.1 FM.  Our shows rerun on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.

Note: Some shows were reruns; original run dates are listed below. Shows also include intros, station IDs and public service announcements.

For links to listen plus an index with topics and interviews in each show, click the "read more" link and scroll down. Audio links are below the index. (Audio files may take a few moments to load.)

East County News Service

Photo courtesy of ECM news partner 10 News

April 4, 2025 (Spring Valley) – An assault suspect with a warrant for his arrest fled when a deputy approached him midmorning north of Sweetwater reservoir. He holed up in a home in the 900 block of Gillespie Drive in Spring Valley and refused orders to surrender, prompting a SWAT standoff, 10 News reports.

By County News Center, County of San Diego Communications Office

April 4, 2025 (San Diego) - The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) declared a citrus quarantine expansion in Valley Center on March 26, after detecting the fatal citrus tree disease known as Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, in two citrus trees in residential neighborhoods in the Valley Center area during regular inspections.   

By Karen Pearlman

Photo: Slugging star Fernando Tatis Jr., courtesy of San Diego Padres

April 4, 2025 (San Diego)  --- With seven consecutive wins to start the 2025 season, the San Diego Padres got off to their franchise-best start since they launched in 1969 as an expansion Major League Baseball club.

Although the team lost to the Chicago Cubs 3-1 on Friday, April 4, in the opener of a three-game series in Chicago, the Padres were riding high as one of the two hottest and only undefeated teams in MLB – both in the National League West Division.

The Padres were perfect through the first week of the season after sweeping the Atlanta Braves over four games followed by a three-game sweep of the Cleveland Guardians at Petco Park. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers were ahead, with an 8-0 record going into a three-game series in Philadelphia against the Phillies.

By Fernanda Lopez Halvorson, County of San Diego Communications Office

April 4, 2025 (San Diego) - ​The County of San Diego is advising people not to eat locally harvested mussels, clams, scallops or oysters that were not purchased from a state-certified commercial shellfish harvester or dealer.  

By Mike Allen

Photo: Dan Denham, CEO, San Diego County Water Authority

April 4, 2025 (Santee) -- There’s no doubt that customers of Padre Dam Water District, already paying among the highest rates in the nation, will pay even more for the coming year. It’s just a matter of how much.

Two Democratic candidates vying for the District 1 seat want the county to delay its budget approval until after the seat is filled. 

By Lisa Halverstadt and Jim Hinch, Voice of San Diego

April 4, 2025 (San Diego) - Two Democratic candidates for supervisor are urging the county to delay its annual budget vote until after a now-vacant District 1 seat is filled. That push appears unlikely to garner needed support from a sitting board majority but a 2-2 political split on the county board may mean the candidates get their wish by default.   

Source:  Grossmont Healthcare District

April 3, 2025 (La Mesa) — A new chapter in health education access will begin in East County on April 7 as the Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD) unveils its new Mobile Outreach Library (MOL) during a press conference and ribbon-cutting ceremony at District headquarters at 9001 Wakarusa Street in La Mesa at 9:00 a.m. The launch coincides with the beginning of National Library Week and celebrates the District’s continued commitment to bridging healthcare and information gaps for all its residents.

Multiple weekly protests are also planned against Trump, Musk and  Issa, including in East County

East County News Service

April 2, 2025 (San Diego) – A coalition of over 100 organizations are joining together for “Hands Off!” rallies nationwide to stand up against the “destruction of our government and our economy for the benefit of Trump and his billionaire allies.”