Find some Puppy Love at Cupids & Canines event at Grossmont Center

East County News Service
 
Jan. 22, 2026 (La Mesa) -- Love is in the air, love is on a leash and love is going to be found at a La Mesa shopping mall next month.
 
A week before Valentine's Day, the San Diego Animal Support Foundation will again help play matchmaker as the nonprofit transforms Grossmont Center into companion animal central for the group's 14th annual Cupids & Canines MEGA Pet Adoption Event.
 
From 11 a.m until 3 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 7, much of the inner corridors of the shopping center will be filled with more than two dozen animal rescue agencies seeking to pair hundreds of adoptable animals -- from dogs and cats to rabbits, turtles, tortoises and exotic birds -- with people looking to increase the amount of love in their homes.
 
The event aims to turn a day of shopping into a lifetime of companionship.

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Fort Cross brings 'Old Timey' adventure to Julian region

East County News Service
 
Jan. 22, 2026 (Santa Ysabel) – A family farm in the Julian mountains is bringing back its popular guided tour that brings rustic adventure and recreation education to the outdoors.
 
Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures will host its popular Farm Tour Adventure on Jan. 31, a high-energy, two-hour guided circuit at its farm, nestled in the scenic landscape of Northeast County.
 
Fort Cross, at 4425 Highway 78, has evolved from a living history site into a premier destination for agriculture workshops and team building. The end of January tour, running from 1 to 3 p.m., offers visitors a curated activity rotation designed to keep guests of all ages moving and learning.

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A sweet and Grand (Avenue) time in Escondido with the Chocolate Festival

East County News Service
 
Jan. 22, 2026 (Escondido) – Wrappers will crinkle and corks will pop next month along Grand Avenue in Escondido.
 
The Escondido Chocolate Festival is set for Feb 7, turning the city’s historic downtown into a literal moveable feast for those with a sweet tooth, a penchant for chocolate pairings and an appreciation for local flair.
 
Hosted by the Escondido Downtown Business Association, the event is a self-guided "chocolate crawl" designed to help visitors ages 21 and up shop, eat and play their way through the heart of the city.
 
The festival runs from noon to 5 p.m., but showing up early at the Maple Street Plaza check-in will help chocolate aficionados beat the rush.

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Spotlight on the Desert: ABF annual photo contest returns to Borrego Springs

East County News Service

Jan. 22, 2026 (Borrego Springs) -- The rugged beauty of the Anza-Borrego Desert will take center stage as the Anza-Borrego Foundation kicks off the 20th anniversary edition of the Anza-Borrego Desert Photo Contest.

The event starts the afternoon of Jan. 31 with the judge's critique at Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center. Winners will have their photographs shown at the 2026 Photo Contest exhibit, where the community and visitors will get to enjoy the desert through the eyes of the region’s most talented photographers.

The month-long celebration of visual storytelling begins with a day of reveals and expert insights, culminating in a gallery show that supports the continued preservation of California’s largest state park.


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Borrego Springs Golf Classic set for Feb. 20, supports Boys & Girls Clubs

East County News Service
 
Jan. 22, 2026 (Borrego Springs) – Community members and golf enthusiasts are hitting the links at the de Anza Country Club next month for the 27th annual Borrego Springs Golf Classic.
 
Chaired by Martha Deichler and Kathryn White, the event is a vital fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego, with every dollar raised going directly toward supporting the Borrego Springs Branch.
 
The event starts at 8:30 a.m. for signups and breakfast with a 9:30 a.m. shotgun start on Friday, Feb. 20. The deAnza Country Club is at 509 Catarina Drive in Borrego Springs.

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Lemon Grove residents look to halt retail sales of commercially bred birds

 
Photo of petition-gathering outside of Sprouts in Lemon Grove courtesy Amit Dhuleshia
 
By Karen Pearlman
 
Jan. 22, 2026 (Lemon Grove) -- A group of Lemon Grove residents and regional animal welfare advocates are launching a formal bid to update local pet sale regulations, aiming to make Lemon Grove the next California city to prohibit the retail sale of commercially bred birds.
 
A proposed "Rescue-Only Pet Store Standards" initiative seeks to expand existing state protections that currently cover only dogs, cats and rabbits. Since signature gathering began on Jan. 10, petitioners report collecting hundreds of signatures from local voters as they move toward qualifying for the November 2026 municipal ballot.
 
Under the proposed Lemon Grove ordinance, Chapter 6.10, pet stores within city limits would be prohibited from selling any bird unless it was obtained from an animal shelter, humane society or nonprofit rescue organization.

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2025 Stories of the year

By Miriam Raftery

January 22, 2026 (San Diego) – It’s been a turbulent year across our nation, around the world, and here in San Diego County. While national news largely dominated headlines with rollout of unprecedented actions by the Trump administration and protests in response, many local news stories and issues also shaped our lives for better or worse in 2025.

These include Supervisors voting down the Cottonwood sand mine project, mass firings in the Grossmont High School district, immigration controversies in El Cajon, new faces on Lemon Grove and La Mesa city councils, recall efforts against several officials, housing and homelessness, death of a La Mesa Police officer, wildfires, a community reducing gun violence, “forever chemicals” in Warner Springs groundwater, efforts to limit placement of sexually violent predators, a Lakeside sand miner’s lawsuit against the county, preservation of a scenic waterfall, battles to protect access to local lakes, new developments in Santee, revitalization efforts in El Cajon, a Congressman’s refusal to hold townhall meetings, and many more.

Below are highlights and lowlights of the major news stories and issues in 2025 covered by East County Magazine, including top local stories, local impacts of national actions, and several top international news stories.


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Health and science highlights

January 22, 2026 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

SCIENCE AND TECH

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


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Wildlife Research Institute announces 2026 "HawkWatch" series at Ramona Grasslands

East County News Service
 
Jan. 21, 2026 (Ramona) — The Wildlife Research Institute (WRI) began its annual "HawkWatch" program on Jan. 3 and has had two more events since then, all offering the public a direct look at one of Southern California's most significant raptor populations. But don't fly the coop! More programming is coming.
 
The free weekly events, held at Begent Ranch in the Ramona Grasslands, combine educational presentations with guided field observations of local and migratory birds of prey.
 
The rest of the dates for 2026 are as follows: Jan. 24, Jan. 31, Feb. 7, Feb. 14, Feb. 21 and Feb. 28. Each session begins at 10 a.m., with a suggested arrival time of 9:30 a.m. to secure parking.

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City of San Diego secures $4 million in federal funds for stormwater infrastructure project along Chollas Creek

East County News Service

Photo by Genevieve Jones-Wright: flooding in Encanto in January 2024

January 21, 2026 (San Diego) -- New federal funding will support four critical stormwater infrastructure projects in the City of San Diego, including drainage improvements along Beta Street in Southcrest, which has been impacted by flooding during recent winter storms.


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To comply with new state laws, GUHSD board passes protections for immigrant students by 3-2 margin

By Alexander J. Schorr

File photo, left: Trustee Jim Kelly called the measure “anarchy” and voted against it, along with Trustee Gary Woods

January 21, 2026 (El Cajon) —  The Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) Board of Trustees on January 19 voted 3-2 to pass a resolution to establish new guidelines for responding to federal enforcement on campuses. This follows new state mandates and significant community pressure after the board majority previously refused to hear a similar but more stringent measure proposed by Trustee Chris Fite in late 2025.


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What to know about flu and cold season

By Alexander J. Schorr

Photo via CDC.gov

January 21,  2026 (San Diego) — The current 2025–2026 flu season in the United States has seen high activity, primarily driven by a dominant influenza A(H3N2) strain known as subclade K. According to the latest CDC preliminary estimates as of January 12, at least 7,400 deaths have occurred due to flu so far this season. Last year alone ,288 children in the U.S. died of flu. Approximately 180,000 individuals have been hospitalized, and an estimated 15 million people have been sickened.


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Man, 21, fatally struck while walking on freeway in El Cajon

East County News Service

January 20, 2026 (El Cajon) – A 21-year-old man from Kaibeto, Arizona walked onto Interstate 8 west from Mollison Avenue, amid low-lighting conditions on January 17 at 1:20 a.m.  He was struck by a 2021 Toyota Venza driven by an El Cajon man,49.


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Cans of tuna recalled due to botulism sent to major retailers including California

East County News Service

January 20, 2026 (San Diego) – Cans of Genova yellowfin tuna that were recalled due to potentially fatal botulism were inadvertently shipped to stores by a distributor, including Safeway, Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions in California. An earlier recall included some sold under the Trader Joe’s label in California.


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Local rabbi disinvited from speaking at King breakfast over Israel connection

By Donald H. Harrison, San Diego Jewish World, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Rabbi Hanan Leberman in Israel in 2018.  Image from American Jewish Committee video

January 19, 2026 (San Diego) - The rabbi of a local synagogue was disinvited from delivering a closing message at the All People’s Breakfast in Balboa Park Monday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., drawing criticism from San Diego’s Jewish community.


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Spring Valley Community Planning Group elects new officers amidst controversy over filling board vacancies

By Paul Levikow

January 19, 2026 (Spring Valley) – The Spring Valley Community Planning Group board elected executive officers for the 2026 term Tuesday, but not before some members expressed concerns about how they would fill vacancies. A few cited perceived interferences on behalf of District 1 County Supervisor Paloma Aguirre’s office.

Lora Lowes, board member and former chair, said she got a phone call from a representative of Aguirre before the meeting.


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New Woodspring Suites now Santee’s largest hotel

By Mike Allen

January 19, 2026 (Santee) -- Santee’s newest hotel came in handy for a few local families who needed a temporary home because their regular abode sustained serious damage.

“One guest stayed for two weeks because their house flooded, and another stayed three weeks because their house caught fire,” said Jesse Duenas, general manager of the Woodspring Suites on Mission Gorge Road near the confluence of SRs 52 and125 that officially opened before New Year’s Day.


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Tony Winney to be interim City Manager in Lemon Grove

Photo of Tony Winney from Winney's LinkedIn page

By Karen Pearlman

Jan. 17, 2026 (Lemon Grove) -- The Lemon Grove City Council will formally appoint former Coronado Assistant City Manager Tony Winney as interim City Manager, with a start date of Jan. 26.

The City Council is expected to hire Winney at an annualized base salary of $215,000 at this Tuesday's City Council meeting. The hire ends a three-week period of a vacant city manager position after Lydia Romero stepped down on the last day of 2025.
 
According to the city staff report on the matter, the former city manager's employment contract with the city terminated by its own terms on Jan. 1 and "no action was taken by the City Council to extend the former city manager's employment contract."
 
Romero has not made a statement about her departure from the city after 10 years of service. Winney has been part-time Deputy City Manager - Special Projects for the city of Rancho Cucamonga since February 2025.

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County looking for people to help with Point-in-Time count

Photo by Karen Pearlman
 
East County News Service
 
Jan. 17, 2026 (San Diego County) -- San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson is looking for residents to help in the county's annual Point-in-Time Count, the one-day evaluation and counting of the region's population of those experiencing homelessness.
 
Every year, Anderson joins hundreds of residents and county employees in waking before the sun rises to take part in the snapshot of the county’s homeless population.  
 
This year’s regional effort will take place from 4 to 8 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 29.

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Passages: Suzanne Chambers, ex-Otay Water CFO, Dream Dinners franchisee, community volunteer

 
East County News Service.
 
Jan. 17, 2026 (Spring Valley) – Spring Valley resident Suzanne “Suzie” Chambers passed away surrounded by family members at her home on Jan. 2 at age 78, after a five-year battle with cancer. 
 
Born Aug. 25, 1947 in Seattle, Wash., Chambers moved to San Diego in the 1970s with her first husband, Jim Garcia. She attended San Diego State University, then went on to build a life rooted in service, leadership and community.
 
She began her career with the Otay Water District in 1976 and later became the district’s first female executive and chief financial officer, retiring in 2000.
 
In 2013, Chambers and her daughters opened a Dream Dinners franchise in La Mesa, which they operated until 2025.
 
Her dedication to the community including volunteering at the Water Conservation Garden in Rancho San Diego, serving as a founding board member of the Rancho San Diego Friends of the Library and participating in the Over the Hill Gang Car Club. Her efforts helped build strong foundations for these organizations, enabling them to thrive.

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Santee bank robbery suspect arrested

East County News Service

January 16, 2026 (Santee) – Bruce Clark Furze, 31, was arrested last night while trying to cross the international border pedestrian port of entry at San Ysidro. He is being charged with robbing the Chase Bank on Town Center Parkway in Santee on Monday, January 12, according to Sergeant Justin Crews with the San Diego County Sheriff’s criminal intelligence unit.


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CalAware cofounder and open government champion Terry Francke leaves legacy of reforms

By Miriam Raftery

January 16, 2026 (San Diego) – CalAware Founder and open government champion Joseph Terrence “Terry” Francke died December 24 with his wife, Carolyn “Muffy” Francke at his side. As cofounder and long-time general counsel of Californians Aware (CalAware), Francke fought for the rights of the public and press to access information, court actions and public meetings of government bodies.His legal advice led to numerous reforms across California, including interventions that led to improved public access at boards and agencies in San Diego and East County.

He also served as general counsel to the First Amendment Coalition and as legal counsel for the  California Newspaper Publishers Association, as well as a newspaper editor, school district information officer, and public affairs officer for the U.S. Marines.


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Strengthening San Diego County fire preparedness while protecting taxpayer dollars

By Paul Levikow

January 16, 2026 (San Diego) – San Diego County is facing increased budget challenges when it comes to providing fire preparedness in unincorporated areas, prompting the Board of Supervisors to take actions to improve how fire infrastructure is delivered and maintained.


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New leash on life for seven dogs rescued from dire conditions in La Mesa

There was a sendoff to a foster home for this lucky dog and several others rescued at the end of last year from an apartment in La Mesa. Photo courtesy San Diego Humane Society
 
East County News Service
 
Jan. 15, 2026 (La Mesa) -- Seven of the 40 dogs and puppies rescued from an apartment in La Mesa at the end of last year by the San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement were placed into foster homes on Jan. 15.
 
Those in foster care are allowed a critical step in recovery, giving them a calm, quiet space to decompress and begin building trust outside of a shelter environment.
 
The rescue began after the La Mesa Police Department conducted a welfare check on Dec. 29 on a tenant facing eviction. When our Humane Officers arrived, they found 40 dogs and puppies living in feces and unsanitary conditions. 

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Body armor coming to El Cajon Police Department’s K9 Titan

East County News Service
 
Jan. 15, 2026 (El Cajon) -- Titan, the El Cajon Police Department's resident K9, will receive a bullet and stab protective vest through a charitable donation from nonprofit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.
 
K9 Titan’s vest will come within the next 10 weeks and will be embroidered with the sentiment “In memory of Milo.”
 
Since joining the ECPD in July 2025, K9 Titan, now 3, is partnered with Officer Malak Tilko.
 
Police K9s are uniquely trained to support officers in a wide range of duties, from building searches and suspect tracking to narcotics detection and community engagement. Their presence enhances officer safety, increases operational effectiveness, and strengthens public trust.
 
Providing protective equipment to K9s like Titan ensures these highly trained partners are afforded the same level of protection as the officers they serve alongside.

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Navy officials meet with Warner Springs community to address PFAS in water

By Karen Pearlman with additional reporting by Miriam Raftery
 
Jan. 14, 2026 (Warner Springs) -- Dozens of local residents and business owners visited the CAL Fire Station in Warner Springs on Jan. 12 to glean information from the United States Navy and several other federal groups as well as state and county water agencies about PFAS and their impact on the waterways in the region.
 
The U.S. Navy announced late last year that PFAS were detected in groundwater in Warner Springs, with contamination believed to be linked to a former landfill, wastewater treatment site and spray aeration field at the Navy’s Remote Training Site in Warner Springs,at 34567 State Route 79. The Navy most recently sampled the groundwater in 2024 and is now offering testing of wells for residents in approximately a one-mile radius near the site.
 
The site reportedly was used by the Navy as a Survival Invasion Resistance Escape School, using what they learned from Vietnam era prisoners of war. There, pilots are taught thow to survive if you crash or must eject, how to navigate, not be found, or if found how to resist interrogation.
 
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are "forever chemicals" that have been found in water as far away as the Arctic Ocean and as near as the Sweetwater Reservoir locally, as well as in Warner Springs.

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La Mesa Chamber's Casino Royale coming to El Cajon in February

 

East County News Service
 
Jan. 14, 2026 (San Diego County) -- The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce is holding its annual “Casino Royale” next month in El Cajon.
 
The night of gaming, with presenting sponsor Kirk Paving, Inc., is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 26 at the Courtyard by Marriott in El Cajon.
 
La Mesa Chamber President and CEO Mary England said that ticket holders will be entertained by the professional gaming company Casino Knights. Attendees will receive gaming chips, enjoy an Italian dinner prepared by Chef Sergio Bellofatto (owner of Little Roma), savor desserts designed by Edible Arrangements of La Mesa, view silent auction items and try their luck at games of chance.

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Damon Brown named new San Diego County Counsel

East County News Service
 
Jan. 14, 2026 (San Diego County) -- The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has approved the appointment of Damon M. Brown as County Counsel.
 
Brown was chosen after the county launched a national recruitment, bringing broad and diverse experience at the national, state and local levels.
 
A trial attorney and policy executive with more than two decades of experience leading high-stakes litigation, regulatory enforcement and legal strategies across government and private practice, Brown will lead the Office of County Counsel, the department that manages the County’s civil law needs.
 
The office provides advisory and litigation support to the Supervisors, County departments and County officers, boards and commissions. It also represents the County in juvenile dependency matters and administers public liability claims.
 
The previous County Counsel for San Diego County was Claudia Silva, who served from 2022 until an departure in July 2025. David J. Smith was appointed Acting County Counsel after Silva left the position.

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Champion racewalkers return to Santee

Percy Karlstrom, winner of the chamionship racewalk in Santee

Photos and story by Mike Allen

January 14, 2025 (Santee) -- Santee’s reputation as a world-class venue for race walking was burnished again Jan. 10 when it hosted the 2026 USATF Marathon Race Walk Championship in and around the Trolley Square Mall. 
 
It was the 13th consecutive time -- and the 15th overall -- the city has hosted championships in the sport, which has one event -- the half marathon -- in the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympic Games, being held in Los Angeles.
 
“This is an unbelievable honor for Santee, which as a city is just 46 years old!" said Santee Mayor John Minto. "We love being the 'Race Capital of the United States.' They (race walkers) fly under the radar but they are among the toughest and most uniquely talented athletes that there are in all of sport.”
 
While Los Angeles is certainly in mind for the best competitors, most of the race walkers' sights were more focused on making the United States team that will vie for medals at the World Team Race Walking Championships in Brasília, Brazil, scheduled for April 12, and the 2026 Senior Pan-American Athletics Championships, to be held the last week of June in Medellin, Colombia.

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Supervisors advance ordinance to limit federal law enforcement’s access at county facilities

By Paul Levikow

January 14, 2026 (San Diego) – The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Tuesday advanced a new law that would prohibit federal agents from accessing non-public areas at County facilities unless they have a warrant or court order.


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