By Alexander J Schorr

May 19, 2025 (San Diego) -- East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery interviewed Nora Milner, an immigration attorney based in San Diego. This interview originally aired April 4 on KNJS radio, with a Youtube video available. Milner, who works at the Milner & Markee (LLP) law firm, specializes in immigration law.

In the interview, she voiced alarm over blatant denials of due process for immigrants under the Trump administration, warned that even citizens are not safe, and offered tips for those concerned about being visited by ICE or detained for potential deportation.

By Miriam Raftery

May 17, 2025 (San Diego) – Curtis Morrison is an immigration attorney  and Democrat running for the 48^th Congressional district against Congressman Darrell Issa, a Republican.  He’s previously worked as a realtor and substitute teacher.

Last month he sat down for an in-depth interview with East County Magazine, originally aired on our radio show on KNSJ radio. View video, hear audio, or scroll down to read highlights.

2026 will be a pivotal election year, since Republicans hold a very slim majority in the House and Senate; if Democrats regain control of one or both house, they will have the power to reign in many of the Trump administration’s controversial actions.

December 31, 2024 -- Our radio shows from August through December 2024 are now online.

Highlights included La Mesa and Lemon Grove candidate forums, interviews with other local candidates, interviews with local labor union leaders, authors, election integrity expert Ray Lutz, Loveland Reservoir advocates, and Early California Speaks representative Victor  Contreras. We also covered hot local issues, festive locale vents, and more.

The East County Magazine Show airs Mondays and Fridays from 5 to 6 p.m. on KNSJ, 89.1 FM.  Our shows rerun on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.

Note: Some shows were reruns; original run dates are listed below. Shows also include intros, station IDs and public service announcements.

For links to listen plus an index with topics and interviews in each show, click the "read more" link and scroll down. Audio links are below the index. (Audio files may take a few moments to load.)

Audits to focus on "split ticket" swing states where Trump won while down-ballot Republicans lost; donations sought to support effort

Hear our interview with Ray Lutz, originally aired on KNSJ Radio, on his election audit efforts and potential consequences

File photo:  Ray Lutz, founder of Citizens Oversight Projects

December 8, 2024 (El Cajon) -- Citizens Oversight, a nonprofit based in El Cajon, is launching a series of ballot image audits across key counties in swing states to examine the integrity of the 2024 election outcomes.

The audits will focus on swing states where Donald Trump won over Kamala Harris in the presidential race, while down-ballot Republicans lost.  Initial attention will be on areas such as Nevada, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona and North Carolina.

Audits will be only feasible in areas where ballot images and cast vote records are available.

According to Citizens Oversight’s press release,“The effort is grounded in well-documented concerns about vulnerabilities in election systems, including the unauthorized exposure of voting machine software in recent years. This exposure may have allowed malicious actors to exploit weaknesses within the systems. The report from Mesa County, Colorado, revealed a `back door’ in the Dominion election management system (EMS), enabling results to be accessed and altered, raising further alarm about the potential for undetected manipulation. These same concerns were documented in the case DeKalb GOP vs. Raffensperger where the computer security expert Clay Parikh said the Dominion voting system security was `horrible,’ and that no election should be trusted.”

View video of full interview,  hear audio,  or scroll down for highlights

East County News Service

November 2, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – Stephen Houlahan is a former Santee City Councilman and registered nurse who led successful effforts to block a dangerous liquified natural gas pipeline through the 48^th Congressional district that he is now running to represent.  That seat is currently occupied by Rep. Darrell Issa. The contrast is dramatic—and Houlahan says he’s running to restore freedoms, protect our democracy, and bring home federal dollars to underground power lines that have sparked wildfires and caused insurance rates to skyrocket.

The contrast couldn’t be more clear.

• Issa voted against certifying the 2020 election results and opposed efforts to investigate the Capitol insurrection.  Houlahan says a peaceful transfer of power is a hallmark of democracy, and has won endorsement from National Security Leaders of America, a bipartisan group of retired military leaders and cabinet officers.
• Issa is coauthor of a bill to outlaw abortion nationwide, with no exceptions even to save a mother’s life.  Houlahan wants to restore women’s reproductive freedoms taken away when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
• Issa voted against the bipartisan infrastructure bill. Houlahan wants to fight to bring home infrastructure dollars to improve storm drainage infrastructure, repair the dangerous El Capitan dam, and improve fire safety.
• Issa has opposed clean energy investment.  Houlahan  backs rebuilding the energy grid, including undergrounding power lines to protect our backcountry.
• Issa voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Houlahan wants to protect it and expand Medicare to cover those 55 and up, also adding a MediKids program to cover 4 million uninsured children.
• Issa, one of the wealthiest members of Congress, has been accused of corruption including most recently failing to timely report hundreds of thousands of dollars in treasury bonds, a potential violation of the Stock Act.  Houlahan says he will stand against corruption and for transparency, calling for tougher penalties on insider trading by members of Congress and a need for honest leadership.

In an exclusive interview with East County Magazine also aired on KNSJ radio,  Houlahan also shared his views on the economy and inflation, immigration and border security NATO, the Israel-Gaza conflict,  Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and more.

October 17, 2024 (Lemon Grove) -- All four candidates running for Lemon Grove City Council participated in East County Magazine’s candidate forum on Oct.10, which was moderated by editor Miriam Raftery.

The candidates are Councilman George Gastil, a history professor, Seth Smith, Chair of the Lemon Grove Planning Commission, architectural designer and project manager, high school coach Steve Faiai, and Jessyka Heredia, a small business owner, community volunteer, and reporter who previously covered Lemon Grove issues for our news site. 

Candidates fielded questions on issues including infrastructure, housing, homeless, the business community, and increasing access to public meetings through livestreaming and videotaping.  See highlights of their responses belone, or click here for video of the complete forum.  Listen to audio here, as aired on our radio show on KNSJ, edited slightly for length.

View forum:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7V44cS5UCY

A version of this forum, edited slightly for length,also aired on the East County Radio Show on KNSJ.  Hear audio.

By Miriam Raftery

October 7, 2024 (La Mesa) – All four candidates vying for two open seats on the La Mesa City Council spoke out on their goals and priorities if elected during an Oct. 3 forum on Zoom moderated by ECM editor Miriam Raftery. They addressed issues including housing and homelessness, restoring remote public comments, policing and public safety, district elections and campaign finance reform, and infrastructure to protect against extreme storms such as January’s floods.

Candidates opened with introductions, experience and top goals if elected.

Don't get burned! Safety tips to prepare for wildfires

By Miriam Raftery

Hear full interview

September 30, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – Cal Fire Captain and Public Information Officer Mike Cornette, in an interview aired on the East County Magazine Radio Show on KNSJ, offered an outlook on peak wildfire season, information on new Zone Zero defensible space requirements around homes, as well as tips to prepare for wildfires and keep your household safe.

On the fall outlook for wildfires,  he notes that fire season is now year-round. “We’ve seen large fires anywhere from January to December in every different part of the state, every different part of the county.” Now that peak fire season approaches, there is heavy grass from last winter’s heavy rains, “so we’re still expecting potential for large wildland fires through December.”

Recent major fires in Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange and San Bernadino Counties should be a "wakeup call" for residents across California to be prepared for wildfires by creating defensible space around homes and being ready to evacuated if needed.

Captain Cornette urges people to maintain defensible space from 0 to 100 feet around your home—thinning fuels in the morning, with high humidity and lower temperatures,  “to make it more survivable.”

April 26, 2024 (El Cajon) – Jolyana Jirjees, the new executive director of the Chaldean Community Council, recently sat down for an interview on East County Magazine’s radio show on KNSJ.  She was a winner of San Diego Metro Magazine’s 40 under 40 award, and is also an elected member of the Cajon Valley Union School District board of trustee.

A refugee herself who fled religious persecution in Iraq when she was 19 years old and pregnant, she recalls, ““In my community in Iraq, it was very difficult to travel from one place to another due to street bombings or children being kidnapped for ransom.”

She came to San Diego without knowing English or where to turn for help. Fortunately, she was able to earn a high school diploma at  Diego Valley, learn English, and obtain bachelor’s and master’s degrees from  San Diego State in sociology and counseling.

“After I graduated, my main passion was to help the newcomer refugees as I struggled to find my way when arriving to the US, she recalls.

Author Gus Lee interviews with Anat Tour, host of East County Magazine Show’s “Bookshelf” feature on KNSJ

View video

Hear audio 

January 8, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) -- In an engaging conversation with esteemed American author and ethicist Gus Lee, Anat Tour, host of East County Magazine Radio Show’s “Bookshelf” on KNSJ Radio,  explores the depths of Lee's captivating novel, China Boy.  A best-selling author with many notable books, Lee's illustrious career includes serving his time at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and his role as West Point's Chair of Character Development, and acting Deputy Attorney General.

View video of interview and scroll down for transcript.

December 12, 2023 (San Diego) -- East County Magazine recently interviewed Cailey Underhill,  Advocacy and Development Director for the Solar Rights Alliance, on our radio show aired on KNSJ. The topic was AB 205, which the Legislature passed to create what supporters called a fixed charge for utility rates,  but which opponents call a utility tax. It’s poised to become the largest utility tax in the nation. 

Solar Rights Alliance say this will be unfair to consumers—and they’re fighting to get the utility tax repealed. They are urging ratepayers to ask legislators to repeal the utiliity tax provision of AB 205 in January when the Legislature returns to session in Sacramento.

“We have one of the highest paid superintendents in the state of California, so why are test scores continuing to tank? “ – Alex Welling

By Miriam Raftery

November 25, 2023 (El Cajon) – In an exclusive interview, Alex Welling, candidate running for the Trustee area 5 seat on the Cajon Valley Union School District board of trustees, speaks out. He’s concerned about respecting parents’ rights, increasing transparency, improving low standardized test scores, and holding staff accountable. He has also called for an audit of district finances.

He’s a conservative challenging board  chairman Jim Miller; both are Republicans. Welling has a master’s in legal studies as well as bachelor’s degrees in political science and government.  He’s the communications manager of wildfire resiliency for SDG&E and previously served a public communications officer for SANDAG and as field director for the American Action Network devoted to free market principals. He’s also served on the city of Chula Vista’s board of ethics.

View video  of East County Magazine’s interview,  hear audio aired on KNSJ Radio, or scroll down for highlights.

Hear audio aired on KNSJ Radio

View video of interview with Jay Steiger (Note: Max Coston, whose name appears on screen, is Steiger's campaign manager)

September 27, 2023 (San Diego's East County)-- Jay Steiger is running for the Grossmont Union High School Board in Trustee Area 2,  Steiger is a middle school teacher who graduated from Monte Vista High School in the Grossmont District and he’s a parent of two children who graduated from Grossmont High School. In an exclusive interview, he shares his goals to assure a 21st century education for students and assure that all students, staff and teachers are treated with respect and inclusivity.

Steiger says he’s running because extremists have targeted school boards in the 2024 election, and he wants to prioritize students’ wellbeing and education over extremist policies he believes could harm our community.

August 15, 2023 (San Diego's East County) -- Our radio shows from May through July 2023 are now online. 

Highlights included our two-part forum with Supervisor candidates, our interview with Lilian Serrano from Southern Border Communities Coalition on migrant camps in Jacumba, interviews with several advocates for the homeless, and coverage of top local issues such as the VSV livestock disease outbreak, major wildfires, the controversies over Cottonwood Sand Mine and Loveland Reservoir, and more.

The East County Magazine Show airs Mondays and Fridays from 5 to 6 p.m. on KNSJ, 89.1 FM.  Our shows rerun on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. Pacific Standard Time. Note: Some shows were reruns; original run dates are listed below. Shows also include station IDs and public service announcements.

For links to listen plus an index with topics and interviews in each show, click here or click the "read more" link and scroll down. Audio links are below the index. (Audio files may take a few moments to load.)