May 21, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• La Mesa-Spring Valley, Lemon Grove school mental health grants cut early by Trump administration (KPBS)
• Repair project may temporarily increase Tijuana River sewage flow, pollution (NBC 7)
• San Diego’s Beach Bonfires May Finally Burn Out (Voice of San DIego)
• San Diego’s first comprehensive neuroscience hospital opens [at Sharp Grossmont Hospital] (EC Californian)
• Wildfire-resilient neighborhood coming to Escondido (10 News)
• San Diego State Passport Office making move to Alvarado Road (Times of San Diego)

STATE

• Bomb Obliterates CA Clinic, Triggering Terrorism Probe: Report (Patch)
• Newsom proposes to freeze Medi-Cal enrollment for undocumented immigrants (CalMatters)
• State Farm wins first-ever emergency rate hike in California  (NBC 7)
• Just 17% of state residents could afford a family home in first part of year  (City News Service)
• Newsom’s push to ban homeless encampments is making housing advocates uncomfortable (Times of San Diego)

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

April 24, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL 

• Her newborn baby died after a hospital refused to treat her, now she is suing for change (CBS 8)
• Updated state maps show San Diego County's areas at 'very high' risk for fires (10 News)
• Loved ones of El Cajon murder victim make appeal for information (10 News)
• San Diego-based USS Carl Vinson arrives in Mideast, launches airstrikes against Houthi rebels I(Times of San Diego)
• San Diego County loses $40M in funds just before new public health lab opens (Fox 5)
• Community rallies around (La Mesa) baseball coach diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (10 News)
• SDSU to Award Honorary Degree to Controversial Corner Store Figure (Voice of San Diego)
• Federal safety board lists Coronado Bridge as potentially at risk of 'catastrophic collapse' if hit by a vessel (CBS)
• CalTrans to invest $24 million in San Diego area infrastructure  (10 News)
• Supreme Court rules against San Diego-based marijuana dispensary in CBD suit (Reuters)
• 5 UC San Diego students have F-1 visas revoked, 6th student deported  (10 News)

STATE

• California economy now the world’s fourth-largest, overtaking Japan (Los Angeles Times)
• Peril And Rescues Spike Along Pacific Crest Trail In Wake Of Federal Cuts
• Sea lions are attacking people in the waters off California’s coast. Here’s why (CNN)
• A loophole in California law makes it hard to prosecute threats against schools. Will lawmakers close it? (Cal Matters)
• As the California.-Mexico land border tightens, focus turns to dangerous sea crossings (Mercury News)
• California's water reservoirs on track as winter storms may boost snowpack (KPBS )
• California needs $3.4 billion loan to cover Medi-Cal expenses (CBS)
• Dead fish stink up the Newsom-Trump truce on water (Politico)

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

March 21, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Issa Sues State, Saying Counting Mail-in Ballots After Election Day Violates Law (Times of San Diego)
• Supervisor pushing for notice to residents as federal funding in question (City News Service)
• Marni von Wilpert Announces Candidacy For State Senate in District 40 (Times of San Diego)
• Quiz: Where do the candidates for county supervisor in District 1 stand on the issues that matter to you? (KPBS)
• El Cajon-based raw cat food recalled after 2 pets sickened: Here's which products are affected (CBS)
• Fire destroys family-owned McDonald's restaurant in Spring Valley (KGTV)
• Imperial Beach mayor's EPA superfund request for Tijuana sewage denied (KGTV)

STATE

• California joins 19 Democratic states in suit to stop massive Education Department layoffs (Los Angeles Times)
• California’s Medi-Cal shortfall hits $6.2 billion with ‘unprecedented’ cost increases (KPBS)
• SoCal Edison investigating ‘zombie’ power line as possible start of Eaton Fire (KTLA)
• California has 30 new proposals to rein in AI. Trump could complicate them (Cal Matters)
• Gavin Newsom shocks LGBTQ allies with criticism of transgender athletes (Cal Matters)

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

East County News Service

February 22, 2025 (San Diego) --  East County Magazine has been selected by FeedSpot as the fifth best local magazine among the Top 15 San Diego Magazines on the web.

The site ranks  the best San Diego magazines from thousands on the web ranked by relevancy, authority, social media followers & freshness.

East County Magazine was established in 2008 and now averages 10 million hits and a quarter million visits each month. The site has won 147 major journalism awards.  Its mission is to provide in-depth news, views, and events coverage daily for the inland areas in San Diego County, reflecting the broad diversity of people and issues in our region, particularly those under-represented in other media.

January 30, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Local businesses and nonprofits feeling the impact of federal immigration operations (KPBS)
• San Diego Fire Rescue Department tries out new fire prevention product (KPBS)
• Measuring the potential impact of mass deportations in San Diego  (KPBS)
• How San Diego's 1978 plane crash led to technology included in DC crash investigation (10 News)
• San Diego Council Bashes County Water Authority Over Costs (Voice of SD)
• Ukrainian volunteers from San Diego bring comfort and cuisine to LA fire victims (10 News)
• Despite uncertainty, Comic-Con to remain in San Diego through 2027  (KPBS)
• SDSU plans 7 new dorm towers to house nearly 4,500 more students on campus (KPBS)
• Survey of South Bay households find majority report health issues from sewage (KPBS)
• Oversupply and regulations hit San Diego cannabis revenue amid budget crisis (CBS8)
• Amtrak boosts LA-SD service on Pacific Surfliner (CBS)

STATE

• Trump's California water claim denied by state: "The military did not enter California." (MSN)
• Co-founder of life-saving Watch Duty App awarded for heroism in SoCal fires (KTLA)
• Trump says he wants voter ID laws as condition for wildfire aid for California (ABC)
• Fact check: What really happened with the Pacific Palisades water hydrants? (LAist)
• Cheat sheet: A very short guide for how to leave your house if you need to evacuate (LAist)
• Newsom orders investigation into dry fire hydrants that hampered firefighting in L.A.  (Los Angeles Times)
• Calif. Republicans weigh in on Trump allies’ calls for fire aid conditions (Washington Post)

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

December 16, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Mysterious car-sized drones spotted in night sky above San Diego County (CBS 8)
• Desert sculptor who created iconic Borrego Springs creatures hospitalized (NBC 7)
• San Diego's Ponzi Scheme Queen, Gina Champion-Cain, Seeking Early Release On 15-Year Sentence Due To 'Horrific' Sexual Abuse At Infamous Prison (SanDiegoville.com)  
• Decades old clothing store will remain open with help of another business owner (10 News)
• What Cajon Valley Board Member Anthony Carnevale Won’t Say (Voice of San Diego)
• Julian-based nonprofit says property managers don't want them at low-income community (10 News)
• South County Report: ‘Forever’ Chemicals Discovered in South County Water (Voice of San Diego)

STATE

• California’s plan to stabilize its home insurance market is now law. Will it work?(San Jose Mercury News)
• The price tag on Project 2025’s abortion plan: $300 million cut to Medi-Cal (Cal Matters)
• Battle Over Trans Student-Athletes Roils California High School Sports (Patch.com)

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

October 25, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• First locally acquired case of dengue virus reported in Escondido (NBC San Diego)
• Sheriff introduces new jail safety efforts, and faces critics, in first oversight-board appearance and in-depth interview
• State delivers millions in funding for rail corridor in San Diego and Orange County (KPBS)
• ‘They took away the love of my life’: Widow sues over diabetic man’s death in San Diego jail  (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• County Official Accuses Two Supes of Racist Remarks (Voice of San DIego)
• Grossmont High School math teacher named one of California's top 5 educators (10 News)
• First phase of CDC survey on health impacts of sewage crisis launching (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• State Bar seizes law office of El Cajon woman accused of posing as attorney (10 News)
• Big Donor Dominance: Campaign Finance in San Diego (Maplight)

STATE

• Fact-checking claims about California's Proposition 36: What it means for drug arrests (CBS 13)
• Kaiser Permanente Mental Health Workers Continue Strike; Union Accused of ‘Slow Walking’ Negotiations (Times of San Diego)
• California’s plan  to overhaul a key climate program — raising the cost of gas — ignites debate (Cal Matters)
• Endangered birds released at Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu  (Fox 5)
• L.A.’s quake mystery: 2024 brings the most seismic activity in decades. Why now? (LA Times)

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

September 3, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• COVID positivity rate hits 21% as students return to school (KPBS)
• Cajon Valley Union School District defies new California gender identity law with 'Parental Bill of Rights' (10 News)
• San Diego County offers home protection from wildfires  (KPBS)
• Gunman In 2001 Santana High School Shooting Up For Parole (Patch.com)
• Mayor seeks to curtail independence of San Diego's boards and commissions (KPBS)
• Grossmont and Cuyamaca Continue Strong Enrollment Increases into Fall 2024 (Times of San Diego)
• San Diego’s Fire Risk Soars as Brush Inspections Lag  (Voice of San DIego)
• Sewage Fix, Sort of  (Voice of San Diego
• Ramona High School football adjusting to new CIF regulations and heat policy (10 News)
• Leak forces waste disposal shipment to return to San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (KPBS)
• Texts sent by Nathan Fletcher’s accuser in sexual assault case undermine her claims, new court filing alleges (KPBS)

STATE

• As California dam removal hits final stage, river flows freely for first time in a century (SF Gate)
• Newsom vows to take funding from cities, counties for not clearing encampments (NBC San DIego)
• New plastic bag ban comes before California Legislature (KPBS)
• UCLA Must Protect Jewish Students’ Access to Campus, Federal Judge Rules  (Times of San Diego)

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

July 18, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• In-Depth: $10 million effort to assess San Diego's aging dams (10 News)
• Border arrests plunge 29% in June to the lowest of Biden's presidency as asylum halt takes hold (10 News)
• Poll finds majority of San Diego, Imperial County officeholders experienced threats (KPBS)
• UC San Diego poised to super-size dorms to ease chronic housing shortage (San Diego Union-Tribune)

STATE

• Hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries, billions of dollars: The cost of extreme heat in California (Cal Matters)
• Project 2025, GOP platform blast California, teeing up critiques of Biden stand-ins (LA Times)
• Space firms pitch SpaceX workers hurt by Elon Musk’s plan to move company out of California  (Mercury News)

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

East County News Service

June 29, 2024 (San Diego) – East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery received three awards in the San Diego Society for Professional Journalists’ journalism contest.  The awards recognized Raftery’s investigative report into the Mother Goose Parade’s demise, a profile on “backcountry warrior” Donna Tisdale, and an analysis/timeline of evidence in Espionage Act charges against former President Donald Trump.  The wins bring ECM's total journalism awards to 146 since ouri inception 16 years ago.Individually, Raftery has won hundreds of awards in her journalism career spanning four decade.

Read the winning entries, all entered in the Daily Reporting and Writing category:

Second place, investigative/enterprise story:  Is the goose cooked? Mother Goose Parade organizer duck media calls after event cancelled for fourth straight year

Second place, profile:  End of an era: `Backcountry Warrior’ Donna Tisdale retires after final battle

Third place, politics/election story:  Trump indicted under Espionage Act for risking national security, sharing defense secrets and hiding evidence from grand jury

June 4, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Shark scientists use new DNA technology to track great whites after San Diego attack (NBC San Diego)
• Nearly four years after protests took a violent turn in La Mesa, the healing continues (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego wants twice as many people in 2 popular neighborhoods. Its controversial plans could get OK’d this week. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• San Diego Padres player Tucupita Marcano banned for life by MLB for betting on baseball (10 News)
• Auditors Flag SDG&E’s Soaring Costs to Bury Power Lines(Voice of San Diego)
• 20 years of the Lebanese Festival in El Cajon (10 News)
• Morning Report: Gloria Pushes Back on Countywide Water Rate Hike (Voice of San Diego)

STATE

• Recess is a right next year in California. Are school districts ready? (KPBS)
• CA Among Worst States For Tick-Borne Illness: Ranking (Patch)
• Sacramento Report: Flurry of Votes Decides Which Bills Move on, and Which Die (Voice of San Diego)
• California Sen. Alex Padilla convinces colleagues to vote against bipartisan border bill (Los Angeles Times)
• Former California water official pleads guilty to conspiring to steal water from irrigation canal  (KPBS)

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

May 9, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Supervisor Nora Vargas will take medical speaking rest for vocal nodules  (KPBS)
• Supreme Court to hear case claiming CBD product from Vista company got trucker fired (NBC San Diego)
• Assistant Superintendent Named Finalist to Take Helm at Grossmont Union HS District (Times of San Diego)
• MTS hopes new 'Copper Line' can improve trolley system's reliability  (KPBS)
• Fantasy or a New Reality? How This Group Plans to ‘Fire SDG&E’(Voice of San Diego)
• Mayor Gloria Wants to Empty Public Power Piggy Bank (Voice of San Diego)
• A Court Says Agencies Can Delay Records Responses Indefinitely and We Must Fight It (KPBS)
• How Mexico’s historic election will impact the San Diego border region  (KPBS)
• Majority of San Diego County’s largest school districts cutting jobs amid budget shortfalls (inewssource)
• Authorities Reveal How Missing Surfers from U.S. and Australia Found at Bottom of Well in Mexico Died (People)

STATE

• Law that ended single-family zoning is struck down for five Southern California cities (Los Angeles Times)
• Restaurant Service Fees Will Soon Be Illegal In CA (Patch)
• California finally reverses its population-loss streak (Politico)
• At least 16 people died in California after medics sedated them during encounters with police (KPBS)
• RFK, Jr. qualifies for California ballot (The Hill)
• Biden expands 2 national monuments in California significant to tribal nations (KPBS)
• California reports the first increase in groundwater supplies in 4 years  (KPBS)

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

April 6, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• Broken Border Sewage Plant Gets Its Fix (Voice of San Diego)
• MS-13 leader, one of FBI’s most wanted fugitives, arrested at California-Mexico border (Los Angeles Times)
• Hiring in San Diego’s high wage jobs, tourism helps keep unemployment rate flat(San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Community helps keep beloved Lemon Grove BBQ restaurant open (10 News)
• La Mesa City Council upholds entertainment permit for Charcoal House  (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Port commissioners declare Tijuana River Valley emergency  (KPBS)
• Tens of thousands of residents moved out of San Diego County last year—almost double the number a year earlier (San Diego Union Tribune)
• AMR to offer free EMT job training for women  (KPBS)

STATE

• California opens applications for program helping first-time homebuyers with down payments (NBC San Diego)
• California’s largest home insurer won’t renew 72,000 policies (SF Chronicle)
• California Republican Senate candidate Steve Garvey owes at least $350,000 in back taxes (Sacramento Bee)
• Former state Controller Betty Yee announces campaign for California governor (10 News)
• Politics Report: The Great Tax Ballot  (Voice of San Diego)

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

February 19, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

• More than 1,200-plus San Diegans still homeless after the Great Flood of 2024 (NBC)
• Nonprofits exhaust relief resources for San Diego County flood victims (10 News)
• Hundreds of storage units in Spring Valley damaged during flooding (10 News)
• The Jan. 22 Floods Displaced More Than 1,000 San Diegans from Their Homes (Voice of San Diego)
• 'This is my life. It is all gone,' says owner of Lemon Grove car dealership damaged in storm (10 News)
• Mudslide damages home, causes road closure in Lakeside (NBC San Diego)
• Caltrans expects to finish $37 million SR-67 repaving project by May (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Tesla to pay $1.5 million in hazardous waste case brought by California prosecutors (KPBS)
• City of San Diego loses access to water from Lake Hodges  (CBS 8)
•  El Cajon's Nurse Navigation 911 program frees up resources for emergencies  (!0 News)

STATE

• Biden Promises Aid to California After Mudslides and Power Outages  (New York Times)
• Death toll at 9 as storm destruction mounts in Southern California  (Los Angeles Times)
• An income-based, fixed-rate charge could start on CA utility bills.  (CBS 8)
• Why California might mandate the 'science of reading' in all schools (Cal Matters) 

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

January 22, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -- East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego's inland regions, published in other media.  This week's round-up stories include:

LOCAL

•  High cost of housing contributing to inflation in San Diego  (KPBS)
• Most people petitioning mental health CARE Court in San Diego County are qualifying for help (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• El Cajon approves $500,000 business grant program to improve storefronts (San Diego Union-Tribune)
• Insurance rates unexpectedly spike for many across San Diego County (CBS 8)
• This refugee has championed a San Diego urban farm for years. Now, a nonprofit is threatening to evict her. (inewssource)
• Police: Driving instructor arrested after allegedly molesting, filming students(10 News)
• Home destroyed in fire once belonged to preservationist of Alpine's history ( NBC San Diego)
• Mexican Military Takes Over Broken Tijuana Sewage Plant Rehab (Voice of San Diego)
• Ex-GOP student leader's links to Jan. 6 Capitol riot and a neo-Nazi web site (USA Today)
• San Diego Could Be First to Float Solar on Drinking Water (Voice of San Diego)
• Gastrointestinal Illness Strikes 30 People at Safe Sleeping Site Near Balboa Park (Times of San Diego)
• Family of Ashli Babbitt, Shot in Jan. 6 Capitol Attack, Files $30M Wrongful Death Lawsuit (Times of San Diego)
• Allegations: San Diego County retaliated after a second sexual harassment complaint against Nathan Fletcher (CBS 8)
• A court knocked down Berkeley’s natural gas ban. That has San Diego area plans up in the air.  (MSN)

STATE

• 5 major candidates want to be California’s new US senator. Where they stand on the economy, crime and the border(KPBS)
• Schiff would abolish filibuster, end the Electoral College in his pro-democracy plan (Politico)
• Republican Steve Garvey has a chance to play spoiler in California’s Senate race (Cal Matters)
• Schiff takes narrow lead in Senate race; tight contest for second, new poll shows (L.A. Times)
• Supreme Court will hear case about homeless encampments, with huge implications for California (KPBS)
• 'Daylighting' law aims to increase visibility at intersections. Will San Diego enforce it?  (KPBS)
• New California law: putting pen to paper for required learning of cursive writing  (KPBS)

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