Award-winning nonprofit media in the public interest, serving San Diego's inland region

Award-winning nonprofit media in the public interest, serving San Diego's inland region

East County Magazine

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Villa Musica expanding to East County for 20th anniversary

East County News Service April 22, 2026 (El Cajon) — For two decades, the halls of Villa Musica’s Sorrento Valley headquarters have been alive with a specific kind of beautiful chaos — the steady thumps on the drum, soaring scales of soprano singers and the first notes of student violinists. Now with Villa Musica is celebrating its 20th anniversary, the

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Lemon Grove Library hosting Sheriff’s reentry event

East County News Service April 13, 2026 (Lemon Grove) — The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office Reentry Services Division is holding a public event aimed at bridging the gap between life behind bars and life as a productive neighbor. From 4 to 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 14 at the Lemon Grove Library, the community is being invited to meet the

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Teamsters strike at SDSU impacts traffic on I-8

By Miriam Raftery   February 17, 2026 (San Diego) – Teamsters Local 2010 is holding a four-day unfair labor practice strike at 22 California State University campuses starting today, including San Diego State University and Cal State San Marcos.  Campuses remain open, however an alert sent by SDSU cautions that traffic along I-8 near campus is backed up; students and

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Reader’s Editorial: Cajon Valley’s compensation vote raises questions about priorities

By Alex Welling February 26, 2026 (El Cajon) — Last week, the Cajon Valley Union School District Board of Trustees voted to increase its monthly compensation from $630 to $2,000 — the maximum amount permitted under state law for a district of its size. That figure does not include their taxpayer-funded healthcare benefits.   Several months ago, district educators received

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ICE agents outside local school campuses raise concerns

By Alexander J. Schorr February 25, 2026 (San Diego) — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity has increased in surrounding school areas, which includes the occupying of parking lots,  monitoring of bus routes, and arrests occurring blocks away from schools. At least 3,800 children have been booked into ICE detention between January 2025 and early 2026. Families have expressed anxiety over “haunting and taunting” by federal agents

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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting — not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine’s local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

SCHOOL THREAT IN ALPINE

Source:  San Diego Sheriff’s Department November 22, 2024 (Alpine) – On Thursday, November 21, around 5:30 p.m., the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office was notified by the administration of Shadow Hills Elementary School in Alpine about threats made by two students against a group of students and teachers. School administrators told deputies from the Alpine Sheriff’s Station they had identified the

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CA UNDOCUMENTED STUDENT GROUPS WORRY ABOUT INCOMING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

By Suzanne Potter, California News Service November 20, 2024 (Sacramento)– As President-elect Donald Trump announces immigration hard-liners as his deputy chief of staff and border czar this week, groups supporting undocumented college students in California are vowing to stand up for people’s rights. Golden State colleges serve 83,000 undocumented students, according to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal. Jessie Ryan, executive

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GROSSMONT-CUYAMACA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT AND LEADERS HONORED WITH TOP EAST COUNTY AWARDS

District earns Partnership of the Decade Award; leaders honored Source:  Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District October 31, 2024 (El Cajon) – On Friday, October 25, the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District was honored with a Partnership of the Decade Award from the East County Economic Development Council at their 40th Anniversary Gala. The event celebrated the accomplishments of the East County EDC, as

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GROSSMONT-CUYAMACA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT AND LEADERS HONORED WITH TOP EAST COUNTY AWARDS

District earns Partnership of the Decade Award; leaders honored Source:  Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District October 31, 2024 (El Cajon) – On Friday, October 25, the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District was honored with a Partnership of the Decade Award from the East County Economic Development Council at their 40th Anniversary Gala. The event celebrated the accomplishments of the East County EDC, as

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GROSSMONT-CUYAMACA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT AND LEADERS HONORED WITH TOP EAST COUNTY AWARDS

District earns Partnership of the Decade Award; leaders honored Source:  Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District October 31, 2024 (El Cajon) – On Friday, October 25, the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District was honored with a Partnership of the Decade Award from the East County Economic Development Council at their 40th Anniversary Gala. The event celebrated the accomplishments of the East County EDC, as

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STUDENT ARRESTED AFTER BRINGING BB REPLICA FIREARM TO SCHOOL IN SPRING VALLEY

East County News Service October 22, 2024 (Spring Valley) — A juvenile has been arrested on suspicion of threatening another student and bringing a replica firearm (BB gun) to an East County magnet school yesterday. On Monday, October 21, just before 2:30 p.m., the Sheriff’s Communications Center received a call about a school threat at STEAM Academy, located in the

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STUDENT ARRESTED AFTER BRINGING BB REPLICA FIREARM TO SCHOOL IN SPRING VALLEY

East County News Service October 22, 2024 (Spring Valley) — A juvenile has been arrested on suspicion of threatening another student and bringing a replica firearm (BB gun) to an East County magnet school yesterday. On Monday, October 21, just before 2:30 p.m., the Sheriff’s Communications Center received a call about a school threat at STEAM Academy, located in the

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HEAR OUR INTERVIEW: VICTOR CONTRERAS, EARLY CALIFORNIA SPEAKS, BRINGS HISTORY TO LIFE FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

Hear audio of full interview aired on KNSJ October 20, 2024 (San Diego) — Victor Crosthwaite Contreras is the founder of  Early California Speaks, an organization that provides historical recreations for schools and other locations. East County Magazine recently interviewed him for our radio show on KNSJ, where he spoke about the multicultural programs offered. He also provided a dramatic

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TWO CANDIDATES VIE FOR OPEN SEAT ON SANTEE SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD

School bond also on ballot for Santee voters By Mike Allen Photo:  Monique Silver, left, and Tracie Silver, right October 5, 2024 (Santee) –The Santee School District has two seats on its governing board up for election next month. Dianne El-Hajj is running unopposed for Seat No. 2, while Seat No. 4 has two candidates, retired teacher Monique Silver and

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TWO CANDIDATES VIE FOR OPEN SEAT ON SANTEE SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD

School bond also on ballot for Santee voters By Mike Allen Photo:  Monique Silver, left, and Tracie Silver, right October 5, 2024 (Santee) –The Santee School District has two seats on its governing board up for election next month. Dianne El-Hajj is running unopposed for Seat No. 2, while Seat No. 4 has two candidates, retired teacher Monique Silver and

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Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting — not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine’s local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.