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.

By Karen Pearlman

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.

By Miriam Raftery

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.

East County News Service

March 4, 2025 (Jacumba Hot Springs) -- A man is facing assault with a deadly weapon and other serious charges after a search of his property in Jacumba uncovered firearms, explosives and booby traps, says Lieutenant Jeff Ford with the San Diego County Sheriff’s department.

East County News Service

March 2, 2025 (Borrego Springs) – The Ram, a grassroots, nonprofit community radio station serving Borrego Springs is now online and can be heard here.

Funds sought to digitalize archived articles

Source:  San Diego History Center

February 12, 2025 (Borrego Springs) - The San Diego History Center and Desert Media Holdings Inc, owner of the Borrego Sun newspaper, have reached an agreement forthe transfer of the Borrego Sun archive ensuring the preservation of the San Diego County community’s history for future generations.

By Brooke Binkowski, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  County Supervisor Jim Desmond delivering his State of North County speech in June. (File photo courtesy of Desmond’s office)

January 16, 2025 (San Diego) - San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond announced that he will run for Congress.

By Jessica Brodkin Webb

January 7, 2025 (El Cajon) --In 13 days, President-elect Donald Trump could potentially begin to make good on his campaign promise to pursue mass deportations of immigrants and refugees living in the United States.

“As President I will immediately end the migrant invasion of America," Trump said in a Sept, 2024 speech and although he has not released specific details of how he might direct such a plan at a federal level, community leaders stand divided on how best to respond at the local level.

Under current California law, state and municipal governments are barred from working in conjunction with federal law enforcement agencies to actively pursue deportation for anyone who has not committed a serious crime. That approach stands in direct opposition to Trump’s proposed plan to conduct mass immigrant deportations.

El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, in a letter to the Calif. Attorney General, says he plans to propose that his city fully cooperate with federal immigration authorities. San Diego’s Board of Supervisors majority, by contrast, has urged county authorities not to turn over any immigrants to federal authorities, while the County Sheriff has said she will take the middle ground and follow state law, cooperating only when immigrants have committed serious crimes.

Besides posing a challenge for local elected officials who must decide how they will answer to conflicting state and federal guidelines, an element of murkiness also exists for prominent community members and social service agency heads who spend many hours each week working directly with refugees.

By Miriam Raftery, East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts

December 9, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – With a red flag warning in effect from the National Weather Service due to high fire danger today through Friday, SDG&E has begun public safety power shutoffs affecting 8,949 customers in Alpine, Boulevard, Campo, Descanso, Jacumba and Jamul. There are also unplanned outages in Julian and Borrego Springs. However, up to 108,619 more customers may face planned power outages between now and December 13 at noon, according to SDG&E, including most East County communities.

Communities at risk of outages in San Diego County include the Barona reservation, Borrego Springs, the Campo reservation, Capitan Grande reservation, Cardiff, Chula Vista, Del Mar, El Cajon, Encinitas, Escondido, Fallbrook, Granite Hills, Jamul Indian Village, Julian, La Jolla Reservation, Lakeside, La Mesa, La Posta reservation, Lakeside, Los Coyotes Reservation, Manzanita reservation, Mesa Grande reservation, Pala,

Pala reservation, Pauma Valley, Pauma reservation, Poway, Ramona, Ranchita, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Santa Fe, Rincon reservation, San Diego, San Marcos, San Pasqual Reservation, Santa Ysabel, Santa Ysabel reservation, Santee, Solana Beach, Sycuan  reservation, Valley Center, Viejas Reservation, and Warner Springs.

Community Resource Centers are open in many communities.  For a list of community resource centers, see https://www.sdge.com/psps-dashboard.

Source: CalFire

November 21, 2024 (San Diego's East County) - - The CAL FIRE San Diego Unit is preparing to conduct prescribed burns across San Diego and Imperial Counties as part of an ongoing effort to reduce wildfire risk, enhance ecosystem health, and protect community safety. These projects are planned during carefully selected weather conditions that meet specific safety and ecological parameters.  A controlled burn is being conducted today in the Campo area.

Each prescribed burn project undergoes a comprehensive review to ensure it meets the criteria for environmental benefit, appropriate weather, smoke management, and fire safety. Once a project is approved, trained CAL FIRE personnel will conduct the burns under strict guidelines.

East County News Service

November 14, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – A cold storm from the Gulf of Alaska is forecast to bring scattered showers across our region Friday and Saturday, with snow possible in the mountain areas and frost in some areas.

Gusty winds are also forecast, with peak gusts up to 55 miles per hour in mountain and desert areas as early as tonight.

East County News Service

September 30, 2024 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – Jacumba Art gallery at 44608 Old Highway 80 in Jacumba  Hot Springs, will host an exhibit of new paintings by talented local artist Linda Churchill. You’re invited to view this special exhibit on Friday, October 18 at 3 p.m.

Churchill, owner of Muralizing, specializes in landscapes and has 35 years experience creating large-scale murals,in addition to paintings.

The artist suffered a devastating loss last year, when a fire destroyed her art studio and home, as ECM reported.

Visit Jacumba Art on Facebook for more on the new art gallery.

By Miriam Raftery

September 9, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – Yesterday’s sweltering temperatures broke numerous all-time temperatures across our region, as the heat wave continues today with triple-digit  temperatures. New high temperature records for September 8 were set in several local communities, including some that have been keeping track of weather records for over a century:

LOCATION             NEW RECORD         OLD RECORD        PERIOD OF RECORD

ESCONDIDO             109                        104 in 1944              1893

RAMONA                   110                        103 in 2018              1974

ALPINE                      105                        104 in 1984              1951

EL CAJON                 108                        104 in 1984              1899

The highest minimum temperatures on record were also raised. San Diego tied  a record set back in 1875, with the low temperature a balmy 75 degrees. The follow communities also raised the record for highest minimum temperatures: