November 11, 2015 (Alpine)--The Alpine Education Foundation (AEF) hosted its second annual PunkinChunkin Competition Sunday, November 8 at Joan MacQueen Middle School in Alpine.

September 19, 2015 (San Diego)--San Diego County officials today launched a new type of community alert to help find seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and others who are reported missing and in danger.

The Sheriff’s Department and other local law enforcement agencies can now directly notify the public via email and cell phone text message when a person with dementia or other cognitive impairment, or with a developmental disability, goes missing in the region.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos: Supervisor Dianne Jacob proposed preservation of lands adjacent to those that Michael Beck, El Monte Nature Preserve LLC, seeks to turn into a sand mining operation.

August 7, 2015 (Lakeside) – The San Diego River Conservancy’s board voted unanimously on Thursday to support a motion made by Supervisor Dianne Jacob to lead a consortium of environmental groups in an effort to seek funding to buy parcels of surplus land that Helix Water District is planning to sell.  If successful, the acquisition would preserve the land for the public as open space with trails for hiking, horseback riding, jogging and dog walking. View full video of the hearing.

July 24, 2015 (Lakeside) – Lakeside’s River Park Conservancy presents its 9^th annual Once in a Blue Moon Gala & Auction at Hazy Meadow Ranch on Saturday, August 29. Happy hour starts at 5 p.m., followed by dinner, with dessert and dancing concluding at 9 p.m.  Special guest speaker will be Supervisor Dianne Jacob.

East County News Service

April 6, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – Democrat Rudy Reyes, a Cedar Fire burn survivor who has run for Supervisor in the past, advised ECM today that he is entering the race in the 2nd Supervisorial district. State Senator Joel Anderson, a Republican, has also announced plans to challenge incumbent Supervisor Dianne Jacob, a Republican who has held the seat for more than two decades.

A three-way race could make it difficult for any candidate to win outright with over 50% of the vote, making a run-off race between the two top vote getters more likely. There is still time for additional candidates to file to run.

If Jacob is reelected in 2016, this would be her final term of office due to term limits approved by voters. She has received over 200 endorsements including Sheriff Bill Gore, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, Supervisors Greg Cox and Ron Roberts, Congressman Darrell Issa, and dozens of elected officials in East County.

March 25, 2015 (La Mesa)—Supervisor Dianne Jacob will be the featured speaker at the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting on Tuesday, April 14, 2015 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at Marie Callender's, 6950 Alvarado Road San Diego, CA 92120.

By Dave Roberts

February 10, 2015 (San Diego)--The directive from Sacramento to policy-makers across California is unambiguous: to meet strict state mandates, we must allow for more renewable energy projects within our county.

December 19, 2014 (Jacumba Hot Springs) –A Superior Court Judge has approved the release of sexually violent predator Gary Snavely to be housed in Jacumba Hot Springs:

East County News Service

September 17, 2014 (San Pasqual)--The San Pasqual Volunteer Fire Department has been dissolved by the San Diego Board of Supervisors.  Supervisors took the action after a fire board member was caught telling firefighters to steal water from a fire hydrant owned by the city of Poway.  The fire was not needed to fight fires; instead San Pasqual Fire delivered the purloined water to a friend of the board member whose well had run dry.

The board member, Charles Dilts, asked Supervisors to postpone their decision until after fire season is over. But Supervisors refused, citing a Sheriff’s investigation and violation of the public trust by the fire department. San Pasqual’s fire station will now be run by the County Fire Authority, which plans to replace some vehicles.

Photo: View of Oak Creek/Boulder Creek area taken by Cynthia Burnham from her home, where she reports seeing an SDG&E helicopter hovering "very low" for at least 10 minutes.

An open letter sent to the California Public Utilities Commission,  U.S. Forest Service/Cleveland National Forest, Congressman Duncan Hunter and Supervisor Dianne Jacob:

By Cindy Buxton

Dear CPUC, Foresters, Congressmen, and Supervisors:  

August 31, 2014 (Boulder Creek)--Several residences and visitors to the Cleveland National Forest lately between Descanso and Julian in the Boulder Creek area have complained about low flying helicopters.  These were seen hovering over people's back yards by only a few hundred feet. Subsequently we are to learn in the East County Magazine that several other residences identified the helicopters belonging to SDG&E, also experienced this to the point that horses were so frightened that they were injured.  One of the helicopters seen by several residences along Boulder Creek Road had a visible camera on the front  and apparently was not necessarily  in line with the ROW (right of way) for the TL626 line.

East County News Service

August 18, 2014 (San Diego)—San Diego County’s Health and Human Services Agency’s Aging and Independence Services (AIS) has received national honors for two of its programs aimed at supporting older adults.

July 16, 2014  (San Diego’s East County)--David Chambless is a convicted child molester and sexually violent predator  with a mental disorder who has been living in Jacumba for the past five years, after being released from a state mental hospital.

June 11, 2014 (San Diego) – Last week, our interview with Supervisor Dianne Jacob aired on KNSJ radio.  You can now listen online to the full interview by clicking here:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/au...

Supervisor Jacob discussed the County’s new regional initiative to tackle the Alzheimer’s epidemic, which has reached epidemic proportions locally.  She also shared details on the County’s Aging Summit coming up on June 12. 

Scroll down to read the County’s press release on the Alzheimer’s project spearheaded by Supervisor Jacob, which aims to bring together top researchers to seek a cure, as well as bringing help to caregivers and patients.

By Miriam Raftery

March 9, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) -- Supervisor Dianne Jacob’s proposal to bring veterans’ services to several County libraries in rural areas. Will be on the agenda for San Diego Supervisors on Tuesday. Jacob introduced the measure following an East County Magazine investigation which found there are no County veterans services in rural areas of East County, or anywhere east of La Mesa.

February 10, 2014 (Rancho San Diego)--A new Sheriff’s Station opened Monday on Campo Road in Rancho San Diego, near the intersection of Highways 54 and 94.