East County Magazine
Photos of the Week: Two winning shots from Lake Jennings Photo Contest
East County News Service May 17, 2026 (East County) — The Helix Water District has announced the winners of the Lake Jennings 2026 Photo Contest: Sunrise to Sunset! and East County Magazine is featuring two for our “Photos of the Week.” At left and top, first-place youth category winner Hannah Hedrick’s “A Dusky Walk,” and below right, second place youth
Photo of the Week: Jacumba Sunset
April 6, 2026 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – Martin Eder sent in this photo, taken along Interstate 8 just west of Jacumba near the San Diego-Imperial County line, after he attended the Magical Mystery Beatles tribute music festival at De Anza Springs Resort. The setting sun illuminated a plume in the sky, creating a magical effect. Printer-friendly version
Male lion joins pride at San Diego Zoo Safari Park
East County News Service View video: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1484962496593617 March 24, 2026 (San Pasqual) — The lion pride at the Safari Park just got a little louder…
Sunrise to sunset is theme of 2026 Lake Jennings photo contest
East County News Service March 15, 2026 (Lakeside) – Lake Jennings invites you to enter your best photos taken at Lake Jennings between April 1…
Photo of the Week: Here’s the buzz!
East County News Service February 7, 2026 (La Mesa) — Kristin Kjaero snapped this photo of a honeybee pollinating flowers in her succulent garden in…
Photo of the Week: Beaver moon
East County News Service November 9, 2025 (Mt. Helix) — Dawn Sebaugh snapped this picture of the “Beaver Moon” on November 5, The November full moon was dubbed “Beaver Moon” because it’s the time when beavers are most active building their lodges for winter, and when the fur trading season was at its peak. The name has its origins in
Photo of the week: Egret at Lake Morena amid dead plants and green water
East County News Service October 3, 2025 (Lake Morena) — Karen Pearlman snapped this photo of snowy white egret searching for fish at Lake Morena, casting a reflection in the deep green waters. The visit raises a curious question: Why are all the plants in the water at Lake Morena dead? It isn’t drought, since plants further up the shoreline
Exclusive: ECM obtains video showing start of Coches Fire
View video September 17, 2025 (Lakeside) — East County Magazine photographer Patrick Ward has obtained surveillance video from a Lakeside homeowner who lives next to the spot where the Coches Fire began. The video from the homeowner, who asked to remain anonymous, shows vehicles on the roadway around 2:56 p.m. on September 8, 2025, followed by brush igniting in several
Photo of the week: Santee Fire Department’s new brush rig
Photo and story by Patrick Ward August 24, 2025 (Santee) – The Santee Fire Department this week held a push-in ceremony with its new home-type 3 brush engine, a symbol of the department’s commitment to safety and efficiency. The brush rig is designed to handle any emergency with precision and speed. The cost of the apparatus was $627,000,
State Parks Photo Contest Running Through Sept. 30
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park photo (left) by Karen Pearlman East County News Service July 15, 2025 (San Diego County) — California State Parks Foundation is inviting park visitors and photography enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels to capture the natural beauty, recreational activities and unique landscapes of California’s state parks. The California State Parks Foundation Photo
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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.
SNOW DAY PHOTO GALLERY
Families frolick in snow near Mt. Laguna (Miriam Raftery) Julian historic building (Miriam Raftery) Snowball fight! (Miriam Raftery) Who says building snowmen is just for kids? (Miriam Raftery) winter wonderland! (Miriam Raftery) Even the family dog is enjoying a snow day! (Miriam Raftery) Century-old Julian Hotel bedecked in holiday trimmings (Miriam Raftery) Lake Cuyamaca in winter
SNOW DAY! WINTER WONDERLAND IN EAST COUNTY MOUNTAINS
Story and photos by Miriam Raftery View our fun-in-the-snow videos | View our "snow day" photo gallery (Miriam Raftery) December 21, 2008 — Something about snow brings out my inner child. So on Thursday, the first clear day after last week’s storm descended on East County, I couldn’t resist taking a "snow day" and heading up to our beautiful
POLITICKIN’ EAST COUNTY STYLE
Counting down to the November 4 election, folks in East County and San Diego’s eastern region are pulling out all the stops to campaign for their favorite candidates. Printer-friendly version
FALL IN LOVE WITH EAST COUNTY
By Miriam Raftery, Editor Hey, beach dwellers – tired of those misty mornings? As the fog rolls in and the first chill of fall is in the air, head east and discover the beauty of our back country. Here are a few of my favorite pics, snapped last autumn in East County. You don’t have to visit New England to
PHOTOS FROM OUR READERS & STAFF
October 1, 2008 (EAST COUNTY) – BEST PICS FROM EAST COUNTY LAST MONTH Printer-friendly version
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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.