By Karen Pearlman  

Photo via San Diego County Sheriff:  Homeless encampment fire in Santee,  February 2025

March 14, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- With an estimated one out of every five fires in San Diego County started in encampments where homeless individuals congregate, San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson has said enough is enough.  

“Nobody has a right to burn my constituents’ homes down, whether they intend to or not,” Anderson said, two days after the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to update the county’s Unsafe Camping Ordinance. It would apply to property that the county owns or leases and specified areas such as parks, open space and certain public works facilities. 

At their meeting on Tuesday, March 11, the supervisors voted 4-0 to empower appropriate authorities “to ensure public safety and do more than just cite repeat offenders,” Anderson said.  A final draft ordinance is expected to be presented by county staff to the board in about two months, when a final vote will take place.

By Miriam Raftery

June 29, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego County Supervisors this week approved a balanced budget of $8.5 billion for fiscal year 2024-2025. Among the East County capital projects funded are:

• Ramona Fire Station 80 - $250,000
• Ramona Sheriff's Substation - $5,000,000
• Stowe Trail - $4,400,000
• Sycamore Canyon Trails - $3,600,000
• Lindo Lake Improvements - $4,000,000
• East County Archery Park - $150,000
• Keeping Lake Hodges, Lake Sutherland, and El Capitan Reservoirs Open = $59,000
• $65.5 million for resurfacing 101 miles in unincorporated areas, including sections of Tavern Road and Japatul Road in Alpine. Report roads that need repairs here.

Supervisor Joel Anderson says, “Our balanced County budget is a huge win for District 2 residents and our shared top priorities of strong public and fire safety, attainable housing, improving homelessness and mental health, and supporting economic development.”

By Kirsten Andelman

Photo, left: flooded home of the Ford family along Chollas Creek

February 1, 2024 (Spring Valley)-- When 86-year old Bienvenida Ford felt the water on her feet January 22, all she could do was yell for her sleeping daughter, Debbie, who jumped up and called 911.  But by then, the waters rushing in from the swollen Chollas Creek were already up to the women’s calves.

Within 20 minutes, the water in their National Avenue living room was up to Bienvenida’s ribs.  In the nick of time, two rescue workers swam inside and dragged her by her armpits to higher ground. Meanwhile, Debbie Ford, age 50, was fending for herself, half paddling, half floating out the front door and towards higher ground.  Hundreds of yards away she could see their freezer – recently stuffed with homemade lumpia – laying on its side on a neighbor’s property.

By Miriam Raftery

October 29, 2020 (San Diego) – Restaurant owners in San Diego and several other counties filed claims Tuesday October 27, asking for refunds of state and local fees assessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Plaintiffs seek refunds of costs incurred for liquor licenses, health permits and tourism fees at a time when public health orders shut down many businesses or forced them to operate at reduced capacity, while incurring added expenses.

The state has 45 days to respond to the claims, after which a lawsuit could be filed.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

June 13, 2020 (San Diego) – The latest easing of COVID-19 restrictions are rolling out. Since yesterday, June 12^th, indoor movie theaters can reopen and film production of TVs and movies can resume. Also allowed to reopen, with limitations, are gyms, bars and wineries, swimming pools, hotels and other rental properties for travelers, and major tourist attractions such as zoos, aquariums, galleries and museums.

If you needed to evacuate for an emergency, could you just get in your car and go? For some, the answer may be no because they lack transportation, need additional help with medical equipment or gathering items in their home.

Studies have shown that during a disaster, older adults or people with disabilities, or access and functional needs have added challenges when faced with evacuation. This information inspired the County Office of Emergency Services to come up with the Neighborhood Evacuation Team program in partnership with the Community Emergency Response Teams throughout the region. The teams are made up of disaster-trained volunteers who can help in their neighborhoods.

People who reach out for assistance will be teamed up with a CERT member who can guide them through the process of making a plan that suits their needs, including working out transportation needs with a caregiver, neighbor or family member.

By Miriam Raftery

February 19, 2019 (Lakeside) – The Lakeside Community Planning Group has called a special meeting to be held this Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the Lakeside Teen Center in the Community Center. The County will have a representative present to “explain some of the actions that the County Planning Commission has approved and is sending to the Board of Supervisors for their approval regarding changes to the local zoning ordinances that will have an effect on Lakeside,” according to an email sent by LCPG chair Brian Sesko.

Sesko told ECM that the county presented the matter as zoning “cleanup” and complying with state mandates, but that some residents who went down and ready the full proposal raised concerns about potential impacts on Lakeside and other unincorporated areas.

He added that Supervisors are slated to hear the proposed amendments next Wednesday and that the County Planning Commission already voted in favor despite some objections.

By Miriam Raftery

July 15, 2017 (San Diego) – Over a half-million dollars in tax refunds has gone unclaimed by more than 1,360 residents and businesses in San Diego County. That includes property tax refunds,  Superior court money, and funds from county departments. View the list.

 If unclaimed by September 8, some of those funds will be lost to the owners and by law, will be transferred into the County’s general fund, according to County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister said.  Others on the refund list still have several years to claim their refunds.

"We've been trying to reach people who have had refunds for two years or more, and this is their last chance to claim the money before it's returned to the County of San Diego,” says McAllister. “If you've done business with the Superior Court, any county department, or with our office, you may have money in your name."

East County News Service

January 25, 2017 (Santee) – County Supervisors have unanimously approved plans to build new county offices on Mission Gorge Road in Santee, near the Edgemoor skilled nursing facility.  

Update April 23, 2016:  County staff has responded to ECM questions on this issue.  View their response here.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Elaine Lyttle, Hatfield Creek Winery & Vineyard, says the county's "priorites are wrong" and faults excessive regulations for stifling her award-winning winery in Ramona.

April 20,2016 (Ramona) –  Leaders in Ramona’s burgeoning wine industry warn in correspondence to Supervisors that Ramona’s wine industry could die on the vine as a result of changes proposed to the County’s Boutique and Small Wineries Regulations.

 The changes are set for hearing by Supervisors on Wednesday, April 27 at 9 a.m. at the County Administration Center (Room310, 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego).  View agenda and hearing announcement. 

Two versions of the ordinance will be up for consideration, one approved by the Planning Commission, the other a recommendation by staff of Planning & Development Services. One important note: legal challenges may be limited only to issues raised at a public hearing or in written correspondence delivered to the hearing body at or before the hearing, according to the hearing notice.

Source: County News Service

October 8, 2015 (San Diego)--Agriculture continues to be an economic heavyweight in San Diego County, totaling nearly $1.82 billion in value. Trendy crops — like grapes for the region’s budding wine industry — continue to rise. Specialty crops like cacti and succulents have blossomed in spite of, or maybe even because of, the ongoing drought.

County News Service

Photo: County crews work to clean up mud flow on Rutherford Road in Ramona, where over 3 inches of rain fell on Sunday.

July 20, 2015 (San Diego) -- The remnants of Hurricane Dolores created record rainfall in San Diego County, taking residents by surprise over the weekend. If your property or small business sustained damage from the weekend’s heavy rains and flooding, the County would like your help to estimate rain damages in our region.

The County Office of Emergency Services is asking storm-affected residents to complete a short damage survey form that will assist the County in collecting damage information and associated costs from the weekend’s heavy rains and flooding.

The information gathered from the surveys will be used to estimate total damages countywide and will determine if enough damages occurred to qualify the region for federal disaster assistance, such as low interest disaster loans from the Small Business Administration for those who are uninsured or underinsured.