By Miriam Raftery

March 22, 2018 (La Mesa) -- Guests got into the festive spirit at our East County Dining Club's recent Mardi Gras party, held at the San Pasqual Winery Tasting Rooom in the heart of La Mesa's downtown village.

If you missed the fun, there's still time to RSVP for our next dining club event at Giardino's Italian Cucino in Lemon Grove on Thursday, March 29. Find the delicious details here - and RSVP by March 25 to reserve space! 

By Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine

February 26, 2018 (Anza-Borrego) – The Anza Borrego Desert Research Center has posted stunning photos on its Twitter feed showing snowfall transforming the desert to a fairytale scene, as well dramatic sun rays, all taken in Sicco Road in Anza-Borrego State Park between Feb. 14 and 22.

Story and photos by Robert Gehr

January 31, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) -- Many of us were treated to a special, once in a lifetime event if we were awake and looking towards the western sky during the early morning hours. Did you see it?

By Miriam Raftery

January 21, 2018 (San Diego) - An estimated 37,000 people took to the streets of downtown San Diego for the second annual women’s march protesting policies of the Trump administration, according to San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman.  Zimmerman tweeted photos of the large crowd, adding, “All of us thank you for saying hello throughout the rally and walk.”

East County News Service

January 7, 2018 (Spring Valley) – San Miguel Fire Department captured this dramatic photo of a firefighter battling a trash truck fire in the 3500 block of Sweetwater Spring Boulevard in Spring Valley on January 3^rd.

The truck dumped its load in a parking lot to save the truck from burning.

By Miriam Raftery

December 23, 2017 (San Diego) – If you were startled by brilliant, fast-moving lights in the sky last night over southern California, you’re not alone.  San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman reports that SDPD received many calls reporting the phenomenon, and tweeted the photo, left. 

No, it wasn’t a UFO with space aliens, or a U.S. military aircraft. In fact, it was a successful launch of a SpaceX rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base near Santa Barbara.

East County New Service

December 8, 2017 (La Mesa) – Paul Kruze provided these photo of La Mesa’s holiday tree and street lighting,illuminated at the “La Mesa Shimmer” event.   

Shops along La Mesa Boulevard are also bedecked with holiday trim, just in time for the start of La Mesa’s annual Holiday in the Village celebration this Saturday, December 9^th from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, December 10^th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

East County News Service

November 17, 2017 (Jamul) – UCSD’s HP-Wren video camera atop Lyon’s Peak in Jamul captured this stunning sunset last week. 

You can view a dazzling time-lapse video here, taken November 7th:  http://c1.hpwren.ucsd.edu/…/lp-s-…/large/20171107/MP4/Q6.mp4

Story and photo by Robert Gehr

October 6, 2017 (El Cajon) -- October’s harvest moon is on display right now in our night sky. The full moon event peaked on October 5^th and shows just how bright it can be depending on where it‘s positioned in the sky.

East County News Service

September 21, 2017 (Jamul) --  Debbie Ekhaml snapped this picture perfect portrait of a mule deer buck in Jamul. 

East County News Service

August 7, 2017 (Boulevard) – John Mauris snapped these photos of a Cailfornia grey fox in Boulevard. Though less colorful than their cousins, the red foxes, grey foxes are even more agile.

These crafty foxes are one of only two species of canines capable of climbing trees.  

By Miriam Raftery, Editor, East County Magazine

July 4, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – The votes are in!  Congratulations to the winners in our East County Photography Contest.  Below are the winners, chosen by our readers from semi-finalists selected by our editorial staff.  The first place winner in each category will be displayed at the State Capitol, courtesy of Assemblyman Randy Voepel. The top four winners in each category are published in our East County Magazine article below. 

Due to the large volume of high-quality entries, we added extra categories to allow  more winners.  The categories are wildlife, landmarks, communities, close-ups, people, landscapes, waterscapes, sunsets and regional.  

Congratulations to our winners! We thank all who entered, and hope all of our readers will enjoy viewing the amazing works of these talented local photographers!   View winners: 

East County News Service

July 11, 2017 (Flinn Springs) – “I watched this whole fire play out, since we live so close,” Renee Owens wrote in an email to ECM. “It’s not the first fire I have ever witnessed, but this one got so hot and moved so quickly at first it was downright scary. You could hear the trees pop and explode, the fire reached 60 foot flames on some of the steep slopes, and stopped right at the I-8 just a couple hundred feet from a huge propane storage tank. It traveled frighteningly fast at first, but once the air tankers and helicopters showed up - combined with hitting some steep and sparsely vegetated cliff faces - they managed to tamp it down pretty quickly despite the heat and wind. It came within a couple hundred feet of houses near Dunbar lane. Watching it go from enormously hot and fast to under control was seriously impressive, and we owe some major thanks to the pilots on this one.”

As of 10 p.m. tonight, the fire is 10% contained and has burned over 400 acres.  All roads have been reopened.