More than $2 million in prizes awarded; over $3 million raised for San Diego’s Ronald McDonald House

East County News Service

May 20, 2018 (San Diego) - Raising more than $3 million for Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego® to support families of hospitalized children, the 14th Annual Dream House Raffle with more than 2,300 prizes awarded, including  grand prize winner Anthony Strom from San Diego, who receives his choice of $1.3 million paid as an annuity over 20 years or $900,000 as a one-time cash payment. 

East County News Service

May 19, 2018 (Jamul) - The best of San Diego County’s wineries, fabulous food, and vintner insights on wine production are on tap at the third annual St. Pius X Catholic Church Wine Tasting Festival Saturday, June 30, 6–9 p.m., at The Grove at D&S Farms, home to Granite Lion Cellars. All proceeds will benefit Jamul’s St. Pius X parish improvement fund and youth programs.

By Kendra Sitton

April 26, 2018 (Jamul) — ECM has new details on an attempted kidnapping of an 11-year-old girl walking between Oak Grove Middle School and Jamul Primary School on Tuesday.

The 6th grade student was using a dirt trail in the rural area frequented by other kids and even Oak Grove’s cross-country team. Near the bottom of the trail behind a baseball dugout, a man suddenly grabbed her backpack from behind, possibly in an attempt to knock her off her feet. She stood firm and then the suspect grabbed her arm tightly, so much so she described it as feeling like her arm was going to explode. She was able to escape and run towards the school.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  file photo

December 5, 2017 (Jamul) -- A lost hiker set off a flare that sparked a brush fire in the Lyons Valley area of Jamul this afternoon. Fortunately, firefighters were able to swiftly contain the blaze, which charred only half an acre.

By Miriam Raftery

November 11, 2017 (Jamul) –What’s better than a home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner?  The one you don’t have to make. Fortunately, Fabrison’s  Country French restaurant in Jamul is offering delicious take-out dinners for Thanksgiving. 

The menu includes free-range turkey, butternut squash soup, garden greens salad, green bean casserole, orange cranberry sauce, sugar-spiced glazed carrots, roasted potatoes (with garlic and rosemary option), gravy, french baguette stuffing, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie.

Cost is $39.95 per person. You can choose from these take-out options:

East County News Service

September 21, 2017 (Jamul) --  Debbie Ekhaml snapped this picture perfect portrait of a mule deer buck in Jamul. 

By Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine

Hear our interview with Josh Butner at the audio link and scroll down for highlights.

September 4, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Josh Butner says he’s running for Congress against Representative Duncan Hunter in the 50th Congressional District to “put people first, not personal profit or special interest politics.” 

A former Navy Seal Lieutenant Commander and current trustee on the Jamul-Dulzura Union School District board, he wants to champion a strong public education, restore integrity, and provide strong leadership on issues ranging from foreign policy to helping military families to combating climate change.

East County Magazine’s Show recently sat down with Butner for an in-depth interview originally aired July 21 on KNSJ radio. Hear the full 42-minute interview by clicking the orange audio link, and scroll down for highlights. He is one of five Democrats in the race; two Republican challengers to Hunter have also announced intentions to run. With Hunter under a federal criminal probem, this race is drawing national attention.

Premier Event:  August 25 at Fabrison's Country French Restaurant

13881 Campo Rd., Jamul

We still have a few spaces--and the restaurant has graciously allowed to take a few people at the door with checks to East County Magazine but please RSVP to be sure there is still room.   Reserve now for summer's hottest party! 619-698-7617 or 619- 303 8593 after 3 p.m.

August 3, 2017 (San Diego's East County) -- East County Magazine proudly announces launch of our East County Dining Club! 

We've pulled out all the stops for our launch party at the fabulous Fabrison's Country French Restaurant on August 25 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. We have thousands of dollars in prizes, a delicious all you can eat gourmet French feast, winetasting from the Toast of the Coast winning Deerhorn Valley Winery, music by "Diva" star Lenelle Wylie and more!

Try fabulous foods, win amazing prizes, bring your friends and meet new ones, plus help sustain nonprofit news in the public interest and wildfire/emergency alerts for East County.

Sign up for invitations to future East County Dining Club adventures to savor cuisines from around the world (and the best American foods, too!)-- all in East County.  Email editor@eastcountymagazine.org with "Dining Club" in the subject line.

Reservations and payment are required by Aug. 20 for this very special dining club launch party. See the delicious details below!

By Miriam Raftery

June 18, 2017 (Jamul) – East County has a fabulous new destination for lovers of French foods. Fabrice and Allison Borel, owners of Fabrison’s French Creperie San Diego’s Little Italy and Coronado, have opened up Fabrison’s  in  Jamul .

This location has not only their signature “crepes for lovers,” but also a full menu of country French cuisine for breakfast, lunch and now, dinner.  So far, the Jamul location has earned a five-star review on Yelp, and it’s not hard to see—and taste—why.

By Miriam Raftery

May 14, 2017 (Jamul) – Wineries from along the emerging Highway 94 wine corridor  served up fruits of their labors at the Jamul Wine Festival April 29^th at St. St. Pius X Catholic Church in Jamul,  all to benefit building classrooms for local children.  Guests also savored an abundant array of delicious foods,  bid on unique silent auction items,  enjoyed live music, a presentation with wine tasting tips, and more.

“We are excited to have this opportunity to showcase the Vineyards and Wineries in Jamul and to make our Festival the first of many to come,” said Gary Gorton with the Knights Council 9659 at the church.

East County News Service

May 1, 2017 (Jamul) – When SDG&E received approval to build the Sunrise Powerlink high voltage lines across rural East County, the company was required to provide fire mitigation grant of up to $2,000 for impacted homeowners to create defensible space through landscaping and/or install fire-hardening building materials to protect their properties.

By Rebecca Jefferis-Williamson

Photo, left:  Kenneth Meza, Vice Chairman of the Jamul Indian Village Tribal Council, addresses attendees.

March 24, 2017 (Jamul) -- Fighting fires in the East County just got a little easier thanks to the Jamul Indian Village Tribe, which handed over the keys to two fire trucks to the San Diego Fire Authority at a ceremony that was held March 22 on the premises of the Hollywood Casino in Jamul.

Report rock slides, boulders or other dangerous road conditions to the County Operations Emegency Call Center (858)565-5262. Help save lives!

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Christina Dahners-Johnson:  Seasonal creek behind Lyons Valley Trading Post in Jamul had been dry for at least seven years before this storm.

February 27, 2017 (San Diego) – Flooding is wreaking havoc on rural roads and highways countywide.  In Mission Valley, the San Diego River has water cresting among the top 10 levels on record, with the ballfield at Petco Park and some parking garages currently submerged.

George Barnett, a member of the Alpine Community Planning Group, posted in the Ranter’s Roost forum, “ It’s raining like hell in Alpine…Viejas Creek is way outside   its normal channel and Via Viejas into the old ranch area is closed with the dam well over-flowing.  To my eye, on a dark and cloudy day, more water is coming down the creek than I recall seeing in maybe 10 years.”

By Miriam Raftery

January 10, 2017 (Jamul) – Winnie Perry Whitby, the husband of Melissa Whitby, whose dead body was found with upper body trauma on a trail near their Jamul home on Saturday, has previously been charged with murdering two men in Maryland over two decades ago, but was acquitted by a jury.

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications

January 9, 2017 (Jamul) -- Nearly four dozen dogs were taken from a home in east Jamul in the last week after County Animal Services investigated complaints about an excessive number of dogs on the property.