January 2025

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 Washington D.C. and Sacramento, enabling you to keep up with what your elected officials are doing – and decide whether or not they deserve your vote next election. You can also share your views on key issues with the handy tools we’ve provided.  

Find out how they voted:  Major bills are listed at http://votesmart.org/ a nonpartisan organization, as well as key measures tracked by public interest groups. We also have articles on many recent bills in our Politics section at East County Magazine

Contact your elected officials, or to find out who represents you: visit our Sound Off! section in our “Citizens’ “Take Action” Center.

Calls, e-mails and letters to your elected officials often do make a difference.  It’s important for public officials to know how the people feel about important issues and votes. It’s vital to let our elected members know that we are keeping an eye on how they vote – and will hold them accountable at election time if they ignore the will of the people!

Hear our interview with Sierra Club Conservation Chair Ron Askeland and Loveland advocate Russell Walsh, aired on KNSJ

By Miriam Raftery

November 12, 2024 (Alpine) – Supporters of Loveland Reservoir are urging the public to attend a community workshop hosted by Sweetwater Water Authority tonight on trail improvements at Loveland Reservoir.  The meeting will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Alpine Woman’s Club, 2156 Alpine Blvd.in Alpine.

Sweetwater will offer an update on Loveland trails improvements at the meeting, the third in a series of public workshops.   The meeting comes after Sweetwater received a $750,000 state grant at the request of Senator Brian Jones for improvements at Loveland, and public input is sought on how to allocate those funds.

By Miriam Raftery

December 21, 2024 (San Diego) – Our guests on our East County Magazine Radio Show on KNSJ 89.1 FM this week were Brigette Browning, President of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, along with Ollivia Aguirre, a striking worker, mother of two young children, and psychosocial clinician currently on strike at Kaiser Healthcare in El Cajon. She is also a representative of the National Union of Healthcare Workers. We also spoke with Chris Chavara, a single father of three teenagers and member of the Ironworkers Local 229.

Our guests spoke about the Labor Council’s recent holiday food and toy drive, including how it helped their own families. A downturn in the construction industry and the healthcare strike impacted their households directly, yet both Chavara and Aguirre volunteered at the holiday drive to help give back to others, as well as receive much-needed help.

Browning, also president of UNITE HERE Local 30, also spoke about successes won by unions recently, including unionizing all Sharp Healthcare Workers and landing a historic contract for hotel workers following a strike at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel.

You can listen to our full interviews here and scroll down for more information. 

By Laura Preble, El Cajon

October 28, 2024 (El Cajon) -- As a 20-year veteran of Grossmont Union High School district (West Hills and Monte Vista High School), I want to strongly urge East County voters to elect Jay Steiger and Chris Fite to the school board.  

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

January 16, 2025 (San Diego) -- Recent brush fires in Southern California have proven January is extremely dry. But there’s a different dry in January. Dry January is an annual challenge that encourages people to give up alcohol for the entire month. It has gained widespread popularity in recent years as individuals look to kickstart their year with a focus on health, detoxification, and self-care. Originating as a campaign by Alcohol Concern in 2013, it has grown into a global movement, with millions of people participating each year.

The benefits of taking part in Dry January are far-reaching. Abstaining from alcohol for a month can help reset the body, improve sleep quality, boost energy levels, and even lead to weight loss. It’s also an opportunity to reflect on one’s relationship with alcohol and assess whether drinking habits need adjustment in the long term. Whether you want to take a break from the habit or simply explore how life feels without alcohol, Dry January provides a supportive environment for positive change.

CLICK TO READ ALL CURRENT AND PAST COLUMNS BY THESE COLUMNISTS:

Advancing Healthy Communities

Destination East County

Earth Talk ®

East County Eater

From the Chief's Corner

Political Wrangling

Produce Picks

Voter’s Watchdog

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.

East County News Service

December 18, 2024 (Washington D.C.) -- Today, legislation authored by Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48) to place 172 acres of land in East County, San Diego into tribal trust for the Jamul Indian Village passed the House and heads to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law, after a companion measure authored by Senator Padilla previously passed in the Senate.

Find resources for refugees throughout San Diego County by clicking this link. Many services are available including help with resettlement, immigration, education, jobs, literacy, healthcare, and much more. 

You can also find an interactive map here.

Find a resource guide for migrant workers,immigrants and refugees here.