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East County Magazine
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Advancing Healthy Communities
Destination East County
Earth Talk ®
East County Eater
From the Chief’s Corner
Media Watch
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Destination East County: hot August nights bring late summer celebrations
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Advancing Healthy Communities: Inside the Bing and Underage Drinking Initiative’s 2025 Annual Status Report for County
By Seraphina Eberhardt, Program Director, Institute for Public Strategies July 1, 2025 (El Cajon) — Community leaders, prevention experts, and local advocates came together at Singing Hills Golf

CHIEF’S CORNER: SURVIVING A CIVIL UNREST EVENT
By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna June 20, 2025 (San Diego)– Things have been heating up lately, but in a different way. Civil unrest has become the new norm. Like any

ADVANCING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES: JOURNEY OF YOUR MIND: UNDERSTANDING SUBSTANCE MISUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH
By Seraphina Eberhardt Program Manager, Institute for Public Strategies June 17, 2025 (San Diego County) — High school students face mounting pressures, from academic expectations to social challenges.

DESTINATION EAST COUNTY: JAMMIN’ JUNE EVENTS
By Miriam Raftery May 20, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – June is jam-packed with summer fun, including outdoor concerts in El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Santee, and

EARTHTALK®: REDUCING RISKS OF CHEMICALS IN MANICURES AND PEDICURES
From the Editors of E – The Environmental Magazine Image via Pixabay April 15, 2025 Dear EarthTalk: Am I being exposed to harsh chemicals when I get a manicure or

ADVANCING HEALTHY COMMUNITIES: PROMOTE WELLNESS DURING MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH AND END STIGMA
By Seraphina Eberhardt, Program Manager, Institute for Public Strategies East County May 9. 2025 (San Diego’s EastCounty) — May 2025 marks Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to educating
CHIEF’S CORNER: RATTLESNAKES ARE COMING OUT—WATCH YOUR STEP!
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CHIEF’S CORNER: IF YOU’RE TEXTING, WHO’S DRIVING?
By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna April 30, 2025 (San Diego) — April is National Distracted Driver Awareness Month. You’ve seen it and there is a good chance you’ve done it.

TOUR DE TAPAS BRINGS TASTES OF EUROPE TO LA MESA VILLAGE
An East County Eater review By Miriam Raftery April 29, 2025 (La Mesa) – Now you don’t have to venture to a tapas bar in Spain or a sidewalk café
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CLICK TO READ ALL CURRENT AND PAST COLUMNS BY THESE COLUMNISTS:
Scroll down to see the most recent column entries by all columnists, or click your favorite columnist’s link below to see all current and past columns.
Advancing Healthy Communities
Destination East County
Earth Talk ®
East County Eater
From the Chief’s Corner
Media Watch
Archived Columns(Columnists no longer active.)
Scroll down to see the most recent column entries by all columnists, or click your favorite columnist’s link above to see all current and past columns.
THE CHEAPSKATE’S GUIDE TO LIVING WELL IN EAST COUNTY – OCTOBER 2008
Making ends meet is getting tougher. The cost of gas, food, college and just about everything else is going up, while wages have failed to keep pace with inflation. This
MEDIA WATCH – PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES: HOW TO SEPARATE SPIN FROM FACTS
By Miriam Raftery October 1, 2008 (San Diego’s East County) –Sorting out truth from fiction in political races is challenging. If you didn’t watch the first presidential debate, for example,
EAST COUNTY EATER – MEDITERRANEO BISTRO BAR & GRILL: A DELIGHTFUL FIND IN ALPINE
Mediterraneo Bistro Bar & Grill 1347 Tavern Road, Alpine 91901 (619)445-9902. October 1, 2008 (ALPINE) – Dining at the Mediterraneo Bistro Bar & Grill, one can almost imagine oneself savoring
THE ROLLING REVIEWER – AN ANTIQUE STORY
By Janelle Eckardt October 1, 2008 (La Mesa) — When considering a place and/or attraction in the East County to highlight from my perspective as a 20-something woman in a
GOOD MONEY: MARKET CRISIS? 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD DO NOW!
GOOD MONEY: Your guide to profitable and socially responsible investing By Judith L. Seid, CFP ® October 1, 2008 (La Mesa) — The crisis on Wall Street caused by the
Citizens “Take Action!” Guide
Whose interests are your elected officials representing: the people–or the special interests? Too many voters haven’t got a clue—so East County Magazine is shedding light into those smoke-hazed back-rooms in
Vines and Steins – Gio Wine Bar
Editor’s note: Gio’s has gone out of business, however a new restaurant has opened in its place. By Richard Noel If you’re out and about in East County and in
Sylvia’s Soapbox – Duncan the great white Hunter
Wildebeest hunt bags a Congressman By Sylvia Hampton Our congressman Duncan Hunter (R-52nd district) is leaving his congressional seat to his son. Sort of an inheritance or royalty passed on
Voter’s Watchdog – Protecting Your Right to Vote
By Miriam Raftery “We know where the fix is in this year. If I were in San Diego, I’d be afraid. I’d be very afraid.” – Bob Fitrakis, national election
East County Eater – Superb Sushi in Santee
OISHII JAPANESE & THAI CUISINE 10251 Mast Blvd., Santee 619-596-4852 www.oishiisantee.com September 1, 2008 (Santee) — Santee Sushi? If you thought East County only has cowboy and biker bars, you
Columns
East County Magazine
CLICK TO READ ALL CURRENT AND PAST COLUMNS BY THESE COLUMNISTS:
Scroll down to see the most recent column entries by all columnists, or click your favorite columnist’s link below to see all current and past columns.
Advancing Healthy Communities
Destination East County
Earth Talk ®
East County Eater
From the Chief’s Corner
Media Watch
Archived Columns(Columnists no longer active.)

Lemon Grove Forward Club announces annual Sock Drive for November
Source: Lemon Grove Forward Club November 4, 2025 (Lemon Grove) – The Lemon Grove Forward Club is kicking off its annual sock drive, “Socktober,” a tradition that has made a positive