East County Magazine
HUNTER OPENS DOOR FOR SMALL BUSINESS CONTRACTORS
Border Fence creates opportunities for some, but draws criticisms from others, with waivers of environmental reviews by Gayle Early Gayle Early. October 1, 2008 (El Cajon) – Congressman Duncan Hunter’s office hosted an informal briefing by the Army Corps of Engineers on September 18 on the status of the border fence construction and possible subcontracting opportunities for local businesses. Mary
THE WILL POWER REPORT – HARD TRUTHS FOR HARD TIMES
Nothing but the Truth! By Will Power October 1, 2008 (San Diego) – Life has a few hard rules. Break them at your own risk. Here are a few: Never offer an alcoholic a drink. Never give a drug addict money or drugs. Never give politicians money. They need information, not more cash. Don’t expect taxes to ever go down.
FESTIVALS OF THE MONTH – OCTOBER 2008
By Miriam Raftery October 1, 2008 (East San Diego County) – Fall is prime time for festivals in East County. The tough part is choosing among so many fun-filled events. The air is crisp–and so are the ripe, juicy apples at Julian’s Apple Days October 4th and 5th. Savor apple cider and piping hot pies, or enjoy a horse-drawn buggy
NEW BLACKWATER PROTESTS MARK ANNIVERSARY OF NISOUR SQUARE SHOOTINGS
Congressman Bob Filner and Assembly candidate Ray Lutz of East County speak out against Blackwater at Otay Mesa Rally Story and photos by Gayle Early Sign from a military families organization opposed to Blackwater. October 1, 2008 (Otay Mesa) – In September 2007, 17 people were shot to death in the Nisour Square traffic circle in Baghdad, Iraq, by Blackwater
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 a meal near the Mediterranean Sea. Perched on a hilltop with distant ocean views visible through a screen of trees in rural Alpine, this eatery has the feel of a
RECIPES OF THE MONTH
Lavender Raspberry Oat Muffins and Lavender Avocados October 1, 2008 (Valley Center) – Lovely lavender blooms are good for more than sachets! Try these tempting recipes, compliments of The Lavender Fields in Valley Center. Printer-friendly version
EXTRAORDINARY TIMES, EXTRAORDINARY ART
By Jolene Crowley October 1, 2008 (SAN DIEGO) – Three local artists, Theresa Vandenberg Donche of Mt. Helix, Encinitas resident Reed Cardwell, and Igor Kautsenko of Fallbrook, will be displaying their latest work collectively entitled “Extraordinary Times, Extraordinary Art!” at 6 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 25, at 3911 Harney Street in Old Town. East County resident Vandenberg Donche was born to
TAP INTO THE MAIN TAP TAVERN
Story and photos by Jolene Crowley Courtesy of Main Tap Tavern. Main Tap Tavern in El Cajon boasts 24 hand-blown glass tap handles created by local artist Dan McStocker. The rehabilitation and beautification of Main Street in El Cajon continues with the July opening of Main Tap Tavern. Currently owned and operated by the East County father and son
WINING AND DINING AT LA BELLA VIDA
Benefit for Community Projects By Miriam Raftery September 20, 2008 (RANCHO SAN DIEGO) – More than 200 people attended the La Bella Vida Wine and Food Fest on September 20th, hosted by the Rancho San Diego/Spring Valley Rotary Club in the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College. Patrons sampled fare from numerous East County wineries and restaurants, also savoring the
7 BANDS HOLD CONCERT TO HELP FIRE VICTIMS OCT 4
ROC For Fire Relief Concert and Fire Expo Helps Neighbors, Celebrates Heroes Saturday, October 4th, 2008 12:00pm to 10:00pm Lakeside Rodeo Grounds, Lakeside www.rocsd.net Listen to music from the bands. October 1, 2008 (Lakeside) – “Relief is still needed in a serious way,” said Randy Seol of the band Strawberry Alarm Clock, a longtime San Diego resident who watched
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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.
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Local leaders voice concerns over Afghans facing threats to safety amid new restrictions in wake of D.C. National Guard shooting
By Miriam Raftery Photos: Tazheem Nizam, CAIR San Diego executive director, and Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac December 17, 2025 (San Diego) – Local community leaders who have worked to help Afghan refugees are speaking out over new restrictions imposed on Afghan immigrants following the shooting of two National Guard member in Washington D.C. on November 26 by Rahmanullah Lakanal,
County share: Sustainability hacks during the holiday season
Sustainable gifts are always in. Photo from Pexels.com East County News Service Dec. 10, 2025 (San Diego County) — Going green and being sustainable poses some challenges, and can be especially difficult to navigate during the holiday season. Gving and receiving gifts and packages of all makes and models — and most come with wrapping of all types — plus
Gifts and love from The Karen Cooper Foundation for dogs at the San Diego Humane Society
Photo from The Karen Cooper Foundation gift sharing for dogs courtesy San Diego Humane Society East County News Service Dec. 9, 2025 (San Diego) — Christmas arrived a few weeks early for more than 600 dogs at the San Diego Humane Society. Thanks to the generosity of The Karen Cooper Foundation, on Tuesday, Dec. 9, every dog under the SDHS’ care received
Buon appetite! New Gino & Gianni’s Pizzeria by Mamma Mia in La Mesa offers artful and delicious dining experiences
By Heidi Hope December 2, 2025 (La Mesa) – Gino & Gianni’s Pizzeria by Mamma Mia, a new pizza restaurant in La Mesa, evokes Italian ambience from delicious food to images of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel paintings on the ceiling. As a huge pizza enthusiast, I appreciated the variety of pizzas on their menu. I savored the Mamma Mia Signature, consisting of
East County Magazine’s “Feasting and Merrymaking” holiday party December 7
December 1, 2025 (La Mesa) – ‘Tis the season to be jolly—so East County Magazine is hosting a “feasting and merrymaking” holiday party this Sunday, December 7 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at a private Mt. Helix home. The party is open to all subscribers—and subscriptions to our e-newsletter is free! Subscribe. Cost is just $20 and bring a
Destination East County: Dreamy December events to remember
East County News Service Listen to an audio version of this story. November 30, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – ‘Tis the season to be jolly—and there’s plenty of merry events coming up in December across East County! Festivities include a stage production of “’‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” in La Mesa, Pine Valley’s Camp Christmas holiday lighting extravaganza, the
Holiday season safety tips & reminders from the California Fire Foundation and PSA program
Source: California Fire Foundation November 29, 2025 (San Diego) – The holiday season is a time of joy, family gatherings, and cherished traditions. As families across California prepare for festive celebrations, it’s essential to prioritize safety—especially in a state prone to wildfires. Here are some key holiday safety tips from the California Fire Foundation: 1. Kitchen Safety The kitchen is
Artists from St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center to show off skills
East County News Service Nov. 28, 2025 (El Cajon) — The holiday spirit is already brightening up downtown El Cajon, with St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center and its Sophie’s Gallery again central to the vibe. Next month, St. Madeleine Sophie’s is inviting the community to meet and discover the creative talents of some of its artists while giving an
New City Sinfonia and Downbeat Big Band swing into the holidays with Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker
East County News Service Nov. 25, 2025 (El Cajon) — The sounds of the holiday season will get a swinging upgrade next month, as the New City Sinfonia and the Downbeat Big Band team up for a special performance featuring Duke Ellington’s jazz interpretation of Tchaikovsky’s classic, The Nutcracker Suite. Organizers of the Dec. 10 event at Grossmont
It’s Thanksgiving, take our annual cook-safely quiz!
By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office Image credit: Shutterstock November 24, 2025 (San Diego) – Thanksgiving! For home chefs, it’s the Oscars, the Super Bowl, the biggest, feast-i-est day of the year. And the quickest way to ruin the occasion would be to serve your family and friends heaping platefuls of something that could make them sick
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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.
Our Guide to Live Entertainment venues