East County News Service
March 18, 2025 (Rancho San Diego) – The controversial Cottonwood San Mine proposal is slated to be heard by the County Planning Commission in April, more than six years after it was first proposed. Thousands of residents have signed petitions and packed public meetings to oppose the project based on significant environmental, health and safety concerns, and community impacts such as traffic and potentially decreased property values.
Tonight, the Valle de Oro Community Planning Group will meet at 7 p.m. to finalize a recommendation to the County. This important meeting will be held in the Rancho San Diego Library,11555 Via Rancho San Diego, El Cajon 92019.
The project would allow at least 10 years of open pit mining on the site of the Cottonwood Golf Course along the Sweetwater River, just upstream from a federal wildlife preserve. The develop, New West Investment, contends the project is needed to supply sand for local building and infrastructure projects, avoiding the cost of importing sand.
By Leorah Gavidor
March 13, 2025 (Campo) -- When Urban Timber partners Jessica Van Arsdale and Dan Herbst learned they had just a few months to move their well-established tree salvage business, the couple had to scramble to find a place to move hundreds of tons of logs that they had saved from the landfill. The company that saves trees from urban displacement was itself facing displacement. After a few weeks of major stress and uncertainty, Urban Timber found its rural salvation in East County.
Former national park worker speaks out on Trump renaming tallest U.S. peak
By Walt Meyer
March 2, 2025 (San Diego) -- Because I worked in Denali National Park during the summer of 2024, lately people have asked me about the naming of Mount McKinley. I talked about this in one of the lectures I gave at the Denali Education Center.
East County News Service
March 1, 2025 (Mt. Helix) -- Mt. Helix Park invites you to Nature Day atop Mt. Helix on March 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This event will feature live animals, a butterfly release, booths from over 30 nature organizations, activities, crafts and a native plant sale.
By Suzanne Potter, Public News Service
February 25, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) - A coalition of environmental groups is suing the Trump administration to reinstate protections against new offshore drilling.