East County News Services

June 27, 2025 (Lakeside) -- The Lakeside Firefighters are hosting a $5 pancake breakfast on Saturday, June 28 at Lakeside Fire Station 2.

The breakfast of pancakes as well as sausage, eggs, orange juice and coffee, will be served from 8 a.m. until noon at the station at 12216 Lakeside Ave.

At the event, there will be games and opportunity drawings as well as fire engines on display.

Photo at Forester Creek in Santee by Karen Pearlman

East County News Services

June 27, 2025 (Santee) -- If you care about the environment and don't mind getting a little dirty, then a clean up at Forester Creek may be the perfect fit for you!

By Kristin Kjaero

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.

East County News Service

June 23, 2025 -- Photographer Shiloh Ireland provided this video of Lakeside residents Sarah Ann WIlson and BIlly Ortiz unfurling a banner to thank firefighters who worked tirelessly to protect homes and halt the Monte Fire in Lakeside's El Monte Valley.

View video:  Monte Fire Appreciation to Firefighters- 06/21/2025 

Also see Ireland's drone video showing the scope of damage:  Monte Fire Lakeside, California 

By Mike Allen

June 23, 2025 (Santee) -- While golfing and expansive courses are diminishing nationally, the owner of Santee’s only golf course is pushing a plan that would convert the current 1950s facility to a modern country club resort including 242 new houses, a 42-room hotel, a redesigned course, and other amenities.

The project that was formally announced last year has completed an environmental impact report (EIR) posted on the city’s website (www.cityofsanteeca.gov) outlining in detail all aspects of the development, its ramifications and how those impacts can be mitigated. The public comment period on the document opened June 10 and is slated to close July 24.

By Miriam Raftery

June 19, 2025 (Campo) --  Billie Jo Jannen, an award-winning journalist and chair of the Campo-Lake Morena Community Planning Group from 2013-2025, died May 27 of cancer at age 69. 

Jannen was a powerful voice for backcountry residents. She won awards for investigative reporting and spent nearly 25 years as a reporter and editor covering East County’s hottest topics such as wildfires, wind turbines, border and land use issues. Her coverage drew national attention on 60 Minutes and 20-20 TV shows.

She also rooted out tales of feral pigs and turkey hunts, offered tips on how to remove horse manure, and covered local politics. As Jannen wryly noted, “Some might see similarities in these topics.”

East County News Service

June 19, 2025 (Ramona) – An abandoned home in the 1600 block of Casteel Lane, Ramona caught fire around 6 p.m. yesterday, quickly spreading to two neighboring properties.

The blaze caused extensive damage to the home as well as outbuildings, fences and brush on adjacent properties.

East County News Service

June 19,2025 (Santee) – A woman who died at the Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility in Santee on June 13 has been identified as Linda Bagby, 53, of El Cajon.  This is the sixth in-custody death this year at detention facilities in San Diego County.

Deputies were serving dinner when they found Bagby unresponsive in her cell, according to Lieutenant Juan Marquez.

 Upon observing the situation, the deputies immediately activated 9-1-1, requested assistance from the facility's medical staff and began CPR. Paramedics and the Santee Fire Department assumed lifesaving measures upon their arrival,” he says.   Despite their efforts, Bagby was pronounced deceased at the detention facility at about 4:35 p.m. 

Update: June 18, 2025 6:45 p.m. The fire has burned 858 acres and is 25% contained.

Update:  June 18, 2025  8 a.m.-- The fire is now 400 acres and 20% contained.

Story and photos by: Josh Stotler

View video

June 17, 2025 (Lakeside) – Cal Fire has ordered several firefighting aircraft to be ready to fly at 8:00 a.m. and return to the Monte Fire in Lakeside’s El Monte Valley, where evacuation orders and warnings remain. View Genasys Evacuation Map and San Diego Emergency Information,

 As of this evening, this fire has been mapped at 350 acres and is 10 percent contained. El Monte Road is still closed except for verified residents, but other roadways have reopened.

By Leorah Gavidor

Photos by Irvin Gavidor

June 19,2025 (Campo)-- Veterans have a friend in Campo: his name is Kevin Martin, and he’s a Vietnam-era Marine veteran himself.

Thanks to Martin and a group of volunteers, along with a grant from San Diego County, vets in Campo will soon have a new place to hang out. VFW Post 2080 is moving from its old dilapidated building to freshly renovated quarters down the block on Sheridan Road, at the edge of Camp Lockett. Martin was recently elected commander of the post.

“These veterans, they fight for us, our families, our rights, and then they get home and get treated like crap. I’m not letting that happen on my watch,” Martin said. 

Update: The hearing has been postponed until July 9. 

By Karen Pearlman

June 13, 2025 (Rancho San Diego) – Technical difficulties with audiovisual needs postponed the San Diego County Planning Commission meeting today, delaying for at least a month an agenda item about a controversial sand mine being planned for East County.

The 9 a.m. meeting at the county’s Operations Center on Overland Avenue had three items on the agenda, including the sand mine proposed for part of the Cottonwood Golf Course in Rancho San Diego.

The County’s Planning & Development Services department, which analyzed the project with plans, zoning ordinances and other regulations, including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), is recommending denial of the project.

The group wrote in a report that they found the project “to have a harmful effect on desirable neighborhood character and that the site would not be suitable for the proposed type of development.”

Photos and story by Karen Pearlman

June 11, 2025 (El Cajon) – He spent more than 50 years helping close to 10,000 stranded motorists along all stretches of freeways across San Diego County, and now Thomas Weller could use some assistance of his own.

While health issues forced him off the road in 2017, Weller (photo left, Weller in front of his El Cajon home) still goes by the name “San Diego Highwayman” for his decades of service changing tires, replacing batteries, filling up empty gas tanks, standing watch over drivers and passengers in need – all at no charge.

The calling card he always handed out to those whom he helped reads: “Assisting you has been my pleasure. I ask for no payment other than for you to pass on the favor by helping someone in distress that you may encounter.”

By Karen Pearlman

June 10, 2025 (La Mesa) – Leaving behind a legacy of service, prolific leadership and unwavering commitment to civic matters, longtime La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid has passed away at age 90.

His leadership shaped the city, earning admiration and respect from residents, businesses and civic leaders around the region and across the country.

He passed away in his home in La Mesa on Friday, June 6, according to his daughter, Lisa Madrid.

Madrid was elected to public office in La Mesa six times, including two terms as a City Council member from 1981-1990 and four terms as mayor, leading the city from 1991-2014, including during the city's centennial celebration in 2012. He previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps, including a stint in Korea, then spent 35 years working for Pacific Bell before entering politics.

Controversial Headline Performer, Safety Concerns Cited as Reasons for Withdrawal

By Karen Pearlman

June 7, 2025 (San Diego) – Many local Jewish organizations from across San Diego County that have traditionally been part of the annual San Diego Pride event will not be joining in this year.

Jewish community leaders say that because the Pride Festival chose musical artist Kehlani to be a headliner at the annual July festival, there will be no official, organized Jewish presence there.

According to a media release shared last week from the Jewish Federation of San Diego, the groups and synagogues that will not be participating in San Diego Pride include the Federation, ADL-San Diego, Lawrence Family JCC, Temple Emanu-El of San Diego, Congregation Dor Hadash, Congregation Beth Israel of San Diego, Congregation Tifereth Israel Synagogue and Temple Adat Shalom of Poway.

It also includes the festival’s current volunteer director of medical operations and assistant director of medical operations, Dr. Jennifer Anger and Eliyahu Cohen-Mizrahi. Both individuals are Jewish and have also stepped away from their roles with Pride.