Welcome
September 2008
Dear Readers,
Back in the Dark Ages before Internet and cell phones, chatting over the back fence with neighbors was the cool way to get news Think of this site as your virtual back fence: a place to share your views with neighbors all over East County!
We started this publication to fill a news void, give voice to people whose voices aren’t being heard in existing media--and show all those beach dwellers and downtown denizens that there actually is life east of I-15.
Okay, so we don’t have beaches. Or sand fleas. But we do have beautiful lakes, mountains, and deserts. No coastal fog here -- just plenty of sunshine and solar panels sprouting up faster than wildflowers after a spring rain.
We don’t have over-the-line tournaments or sandcastle building contests. But we’ve got grape stomps, jazz and bluegrass festivals, rodeos, parades, free concerts, movies in the park, and Indian pow-wows -- just a few of this month’s festivals! (See our calendar for more events). Bonus point: No weekend beach traffic jams East of I-15.
You can still find vestiges of the Old West in East County, with rural towns proudly celebrating their heritage. San Diego’s eastern region is also home to all 19 Native American tribal reservations in San Diego County. Where else can you find cowboy and Indian museums – as well as tribal-owned resorts, spas, golf courses, casinos, shopping malls and theaters with celebrity entertainers?
We’re eager to connect our readers by building a virtual community. Concerned about wildfires, healthcare, land use projects, border issues or other community topics? Have a hot tip on a story we should cover? Let us know. Post your views here. Found a great back roads bistro we should review? Please share! Irked at public officials’ stances or votes? Sound off. (If you don’t know how they voted, or want to contact your elected representatives, check our Citizens Action Center.)
Our mission is to build better communities. We’ll profile people making a positive difference, keep you informed about important issues, and cover exciting events beforehand so you can attend with family and friends. Our community resource section and columns offer a wealth of useful tips and info.
We also have a wildfire e-mail alert service plus live updates during emergencies – all free, thanks to our generous donors and sponsors. (See our “Donors and Sponsors” section to help support our independent community media and emergency alert services.)
Most importantly, please let us know what you think – and what else you’d like to see in our upcoming issues.
Miriam Raftery
Editor, East County Magazine
Posting Guidelines
Welcome to the East County Magazine's Back Fence Blog, your place in cyberspace to share news and views with neighbors here in San Diego's eastern region.
We respect all viewpoints and encourage participation by everyone in our community. Please keep posts brief and courteous (no name-calling, threats, hate speech, libel or profanity) and respect copyright laws. Comments will be screened to be sure guidelines are followed, so expect a brief delay before seeing remarks posted.
If you notice an inappropriate post, please contact webmaster@eastcountymagazine.com or editor@eastcountymagazine.org.