January 3, 2010 (San Diego's East County)--What were the stories that captivated our interest and attention in the past year?  Stories that were newsworthy, tugged at our heartstrings, impacted our lives, or fired up indignation in San Diego's eastern regions?  Which images most indelibly reflect the changing times in East County--or captured key moments in time?

We've compiled our most compelling stories and images from 2009, starting with the first quarter (January through March):