COVID-19 Local News Relief Fund aids over 200 newsrooms nationwide
By Miriam Raftery
East County Magazine has been selected to receive $100,000 through the Facebook Journalism Project COVID-19 Local News Relief Fund Grant Program. Facebook announced that more than 200 news organizations will receive nearly $16 million in grants through the program as part of Facebook’s $100 million global investment in news.
Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.
July 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:
For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.
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Tsumani could reach Hawaii and Alaska this evening, San Diego shortly after midnight, with risk of more tidal waves due to powerful aftershocks.
East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts
Note: An earlier tsunami watch has been upgraded to a tsunami advisory.
July 29, 2025 (San Diego) – The National Tsunami Warning Center has issued a tsunami advisory for the entire West Coast including San Diego County after , an 8.8 quake, struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula late this afternoon. This is among the 10 strongest quakes ever recorded worldwide. The quake has been upgraded from earlier estimates.
Aftershocks including a 6.7 quake have also occurred.
The quakes and aftershocks have potential to produce tsunamis, or tidal waves, posing life-threatening danger.
Avoid low-lying coastal areas until the tsunami advisory is lifted. The earliest a tsunami could reach San Diego County is estimated at around 1:15 a.m. for La Jolla and Oceanside, slightly later in the South Bay and earlier for Northern California, Alaska and Canada.
The advisory extends indefinitely due to powerful aftershocks that produce additional risks.
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July 25, 2025 (San Diego) – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in San Diego and its law enforcement partners yesterday arrested five people believed to be associated with the Mexican Mafia prison gang, the latest in string of related arrests and indictments.
The latest five suspects have been indicted for allegedly running an illegal gambling establishment, money laundering, and importing methamphetamine.
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July 7, 2025 (La Mesa) -- To protect the public and keep mosquitoes from potentially spreading West Nile virus, which was recently detected in Rolando, the County is scheduled to conduct ultra-low volume, truck-mounted, pesticide-mist treatments this week. The spraying aims to reduce the number of adult mosquitoes on about 4,000 parcels in the community of Rolando, which includes parts in San Diego and La Mesa.
The treatments are scheduled to take place from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. from Wednesday, July 9 through Friday, July 11, depending on conditions.
While the treatments pose a low risk to people and pets and the pesticide dissipates in roughly 20 to 30 minutes, residents may wish—as a precaution—to stay inside, keep pets and pet bowls inside, and close windows during the treatment.
More information, including a map of the treatment area, frequently asked questions, and contact information for Vector Control, can be found on Vector Control’s Adult Mosquito Control Information webpage.
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July 2, 2025 (San Diego) – Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre has declared victory in the 1st Supervisorial district special election, after her opponent, Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, conceded the race.
Aguirre issued this statement, “Whether you voted for me or not, I’m ready to work my heart out to bring down costs, protect our health, and deliver results—no matter your income, political party or zip code. We need bold action to protect against Trump’s Medicaid cuts, clean up the polluted sewage poisoning our communities and finally get serious about putting County funding where it belongs: in our communities to help working families who are struggling."
The San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council, which recruited hundreds of union members to knock on doors and make calls to elect Aguirre, posted that thanks to these efforts, San Diego County now has “a pro-union, community-first majority—blocking right-wing austerity that would’ve gutted services for our most vulnerable.”
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June 25, 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:
For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.
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June 21, 2025 (San Diego) - - On June 26, San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) will vote on a staff recommendation to end its sponsorship and funding for the Water Conservation Garden.
The Garden says accessibility to the public is at risk if SDCWA withdraws, and started an online petition campaign to request that an option to stay, be added to the Committee's agenda. The petition has received 1,319 signatures in its first 24 hours. One can also send an email addressed to committee members via their clerk at kwalker@sdcwa.org.
The proposal to end SDCWA’s support of the Garden will go first to the Administration and Finance Committee at 9 a.m. which will consider two options: to withdraw, or to withdraw and donate $150,000 over the next two years. The result of the Committee's vote will then move to a list of consent items at the full SDCWA Board meeting at 2p.m.
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Image: Fentanyl pills seized by U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency
June 24, 2025 (San Diego) – Deaths from fentanyl dropped 30% countywide in 2024 over the prior year. That coincides with a major increase in drug seizures, including 1.9 million fentanyl pills worth more than $20 million over the past 18 months, Sheriff Kelly Martinez announced Monday in a press conference.
“When children as young as 13 years old began dying from using the drug, we knew we needed to act with more urgency,” said Martinez, who credits state and county funding for aiding law enforcement's crackdown on illlegal fentanyl sales.
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Image: Lands proposed for sale in Rep. Darrell Issa's district
June 18, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – Senate Republicans have slipped language into the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” budget reconciliation measure that would allow sale of up to 250 million acres of federal public lands in 11 states including California.
The Wilderness Society calls this a “disturbing giveaway that sets an extremely dangerous precedent.”
A map of lands to be sold includes much of Cleveland National Forest in San Diego’s East County, as well as portions of Mt. Laguna and Pine Valley, plus large tracts of U.S. Forest and Bureau of Land Management lands in northeast county, desert areas near Anza Borrego Desert State Park, and even some coastal locations.
Over 16 million acres are proposed for sale in California, including Big Sur, an iconic and picturesque section of California’s coastline.
Find links to contact your Congressional members and Senators at the bottom of this article.
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June 16, 2025 (San Diego) – Federal immigration officials have begun arresting immigrants and refugees at San Diego’s federal courthouse, denying them due process at hearings that could have granted them legal status in the U.S. Now, Bishop Michael Pham and two local auxiliary bishops have announced that on World Refugee Day June 20, they will stand in solidarity with migrants making court appearances. They are also calling on all diocese parishes to join them and celebrate a mass devoted to immigrants.
Pham, who came to America as a refugee from Vietnam at age 8, understands the hardships that refugees and migrants face. His family fled Da Nang to Malaysia, then escaped on a rice barge with no food or water, huddled among dead bodies before finding freedom. He is the first bishop appointed by Pope Leo IV, who has voiced strong support for refugees and immigrants.
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June 12, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) -- “They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services. The corruption has gone too. far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings,” states the website No Kings, which is organizing protests nationwide on Saturday, June 14. The demonstrations are expected to draw millions of participants nationwide and locally, thousands.
San Diego County has 11 “peaceful” protests planned. View map. and click each location for details; times of rallies vary The local protests are slated to be held in Carlsbad, Chula Vista, Del Mar, El Cajon, Escondido, Mira Mesa, Ramona, Rancho Bernardo, San Marcos, and two in downtown San Diego including Civic Center Plaza and Waterfront Park.
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“We will be dropping water at night this summer.” – Chief Tony Mecham (photo, left)
By Miriam Raftery
June 3, 2025 (San Diego) – “The largest economic threat in San Diego County is a large, devastating fire,” says Tony Mecham, County Fire Chief and Cal Fire Unit Chief. But he told a crowd of fire safe council members during the San Diego Regional Fire Foundation’s SAFE awards on May 19, “We have something that’s working in San Diego.”
During the event, Chief Mecham praised efforts of fire safe council volunteers to reduce fire risk. He also announced new firefighting aircraft and equipment for our region, gave an outlook on this year’s severe fire potential amid drought conditions, and shared his experiences and lessons learned from battling major fires including the Eaton Fire that ravaged Los Angeles County in January, and shared concerns over federal budget cuts.
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June 3, 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:
For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.
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May 28, 2025 (San Diego) --County Public Health is working in close collaboration with Father Joe’s Villages and the San Diego Rescue Mission to notify residents, employees and volunteers who may have potentially been exposed to tuberculosis (TB) at the Father Joe’s Villages Paul Mirabile Center (PMC) and the San Diego Rescue Mission South County Lighthouse.
The dates of potential exposure at Father Joe’s Villages Paul Mirabile Center are from Feb. 14, 2025 to March 18, 2025, and from April 6, 2025 to May 7, 2025. Dates of potential exposure at the San Diego Rescue Mission South County Lighthouse are from March 28, 2025 to April 11, 2025.
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May 24, 2025 (San Diego) -- Pulitzer Prize winning author Chris Hedges will speak at a fundraiser for KNSJ radio on Friday, May 30 at St. Paul’s Cathedral, 2728 6th Avenue in in San Diego.
Hedges, is a journalist, author, commentator and Presbyterian minister who has worked as a war correspondent and New York Times Middle Eastern Bureau Chief, winning the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for coverage of global terrorism.
He has written numerous books on war, fascism, and the rise of the Christian right in American politics. He currently hosts The Chris Hedges Report podcast.
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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:
For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.
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Three other state parks in San Diego County also recognized
East County News Service
Photos. left and right by Bob Kutschner: Wildflower fields at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
May 17, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – Anza-Borrego Desert State Park has been named the best California state park for wildflower viewing in a new “Best of California State Parks” poll released by the California State Parks Foundation. Anza-Borrego also won an honorable mention for best camping location.
Three other state parks in San Diego County also made the list.
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May 10, 2025 (Escondido) -- County public health officials are looking for people who may have come in contact with a wild bat found at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondidio on Wednesday, May 7 at 10:45 a.m. that later tested positive for rabies.
The bat was found at the base of the public elevator in the African Loop near the hot air ballon ride. There is only one public elevator in the park.
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May 6, 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:
For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.
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April 30, 2025 (San Diego) -- San Diego writer, Peter Shaw recently released a debut novel: Murder on the Way: A Camino de Santiago Mystery.
On a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, the Camino family sends a hitman who poses as a pilgrim. His target stole a bag of the gang’s money, now travels as a pilgrim. To begin his new life, the target has undergone plastic surgery.
The reader, remaining in the hitman’s point of view, finds that the pilgrimage is changing the man dramatically.
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Photo,left: Bob Filner on Election Night 2012, when he won election as San Diego Mayor
(April 28, 2025) San Diego -- Bob Filner, who served as San Diego’s 35th mayor and as Congressman representing San Diego and border regions in East County, died April 20. He was 82.
A fierce advocate for civil rights, his decades-long career in public service was marked by notable accomplishments and controversy,culminating in his resignation from the mayor’s office amid a scandal of multiple allegations of sexual harassment. He later pled guilty to charges of false imprisonment and battery.
Yet throughout his life, he remained a passionate, sometimes combative, champion for the underdog and fierce advocate for civil rights.
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April 25, 2025 (San Diego’s East County – The Anza-Borrego Desert in inland San Diego County is captivating with its beauty and expansiveness, humbling and powerful in its quietness. A landscape of extremes -- sun-scorched earth and hidden blooms, rugged canyons carved by time, and sudden spring wildflowers when the rain gods have been kind -- the desert has a raw quality that strips everything down to the essentials of light, shadow, stone and sky.
Our desert region includes Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, famous for its spring wildflowers and rugged terrain; the city of Borrego Springs, the nation’s first “Dark Sky” community and ideal for stargazing; Agua Caliente State Park, known for its thermal pools; Ocotillo Wells, a wildly popular draw for off-road vehicles; and Jacumba Hot Springs, a town that has reinvented itself and become a destination on its own merits.
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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:
For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.
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Padres lead NL west division in team’s best season start
By Karen Pearlman
Photo courtesy of San Diego Padres: Winning pitcher Michael King gets Gatorade ice bath after complete-game shutout of Colorado Rockies Sunday at Petco Park
April 13, 2025 (San Diego) – The San Diego Padres are all alone in first place in the National League West, above both the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants, with a winning ratio of .813. That's the most winning record in Major League Baseball, across all divisions.
And as the team improved to 13-3 after a 6-0 win over Colorado on Sunday afternoon in front of a sellout Petco Park crowd of 42,706, the Padres continue to leave opponents scoreless.
The Padres are off to their best start in the team’s 57-year history in Major League Baseball. The team currently tops the National League west standings, ahead of the Giants (11-4) and Dodgers (11-5).
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East County has long been called the playground of San Diego County. Visitors and residents alike will find many unique adventures to experience in our inland region, from tours of rugged desert terrain and wineries to activities such as zip-lining, sky sailing, scenic hikes, trail rides, vintage railway rides, wildlife safaris, fishing, boating, beautiful gardens, and more. There are also unique classes such as falconry, rock climbing, pioneer skills such as axe-throwing, star gazing and more, as well as visits to wildlife preserves, soothing hot springs, farms, flower fields, and even a gold mine.
Some are free, while others have fees ranging from very affordable to more extravagant splurges. There are activities for solo adventurers, couples, and families, many of which you won't find anywhere else.
Here are a few of our East County guide’s favorite local adventures:
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April 9, 2025 (San Diego) – The balance of power on the County Board of Supervisors remains in limbo, as the special election to fill the District 1 vacancy left by Nora Vargas’ resignation now appears headed for a runoff. No candidate has received 50% or more needed to decided the race outright.
As of this morning, Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, a Republican, has 43.58% and Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre, a Democrat, has 31.62%. Mail-in ballots will continue to be counted until one week after Election Day.
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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.
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April 4, 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:
For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.
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April 1,2025 (Rancho San Diego) – Today, the County of San Diego made a surprising announcement it has acquired the former Cottonwood Golf Course site in Rancho San Diego from the developer who planned a sand mining operation on the site.
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July 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:
June 25, 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:
East County News Service
“We will be dropping water at night this summer.” – Chief Tony Mecham (photo, left)
May 24, 2025 (San Diego) -- Pulitzer Prize winning author Chris Hedges will speak at a fundraiser for KNSJ radio on Friday, May 30 at St. Paul’s Cathedral, 2728 6th Avenue in in San Diego.
East County News Service
Photos. left and right by Bob Kutschner: Wildflower fields at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Rabies is nearly always fatal without treatment
By Karen Pearlman
By Karen Pearlman
East County News Service
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