Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Articles written by Gig Conaughton


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  • County opens new online Public Records Request Center

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated Mar 28, 2024

    The county has unveiled a new, easy, do-it-yourself website to help people submit public record requests, track their progress and even see if those records are already available because somebody else asked for them. Have you ever wanted to review county documents – maybe you were curious about a government function, or you were doing research for a project – but you didn’t know where to start? Now you can do it right online at the county’s Public Records Request Center website, https://www.sandiegocounty....

  • Tips to stay safe in heavy rains, flooding

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated Feb 9, 2024

    With hundreds of San Diegans already dealing with flood recovery and more rain predicted, everyone is encouraged to follow important safety and preparedness tips to deal with rain and floods. Here is a collection of handy tips from the county, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and SDG&E to prepare for and respond to rain and flooding. Protect your home and property Get free sand and bags at De Luz: De Luz Fire Station #16: 39431 De Luz Road, phone: 760-728-2422, or Fallbrook: Pala Mesa Fire Station #4, 4375 Pala Mesa...

  • SD County begins Notifying Restaurants of Permit Fee Refunds

    Gig Conaughton, San Diego County|Updated Aug 12, 2021

    SAN DIEGO (CNS) - San Diego County began notifying restaurants today of $4.5 million in permit fee refunds for the period of March 16, 2020 through June 15 of this year -- the result of a recent settlement in a lawsuit brought by a local restaurant group. The class-action settlement was for all restaurants and limited food preparation facilities that paid or were required to pay annual permit fees to the County of San Diego Department of Environmental Health and Quality. It provides a 50% refund of annual permit fees to...

  • County launches electric vehicle consumer guide

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated Jul 17, 2021

    Looking to help County residents who are thinking about buying an electric vehicle, the County of San Diego has created a new consumer guide website with information about benefits, costs, incentives — even a link to start shopping for vehicles. The County’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Consumer Guide is the latest product of the EV Roadmap that the County’s Board of Supervisors approved in 2019 to build charging stations, encourage people to buy electric vehicles, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The County Board of Super...

  • food

    Health advisory task force seeks public input on social services in June

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated Jun 16, 2021

    A San Diego County advisory board task force is inviting people to help the county improve how it connects people to social services that help them get food, housing and health care by sharing their program experiences in four special webinars this month. Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer and the "Outreach, Accessibility, and Enrollment Ad-hoc Task Force," a subcommittee of the county's Social Services Advisory Board, are holding four listening session webinars in June. The...

  • aerial larvicide drop

    County conducts first larvicide drop; reminds public about mosquito prevention

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated May 26, 2021

    With temperatures rising and summer coming, the County's Vector Control Program conducted its first routine mosquito-fighting aerial larvicide drop May 5-6 on dozens of waterways to help stop mosquitoes from potentially spreading diseases like West Nile virus. The waterways include Lake Rancho Viejo and the San Luis Rey River. The current schedule for more aerial larvicide drops includes June 2-3, 23-24; July 14-15; Aug. 4-5, 25-26; Sept. 15-16 and Oct. 6-7 if needed. These...

  • computer

    County library opens digital, audio bookshelves to local students

    Gig Conaughton, San Diego County Communications Office|Updated Apr 8, 2021

    Thousands of local students in 19 schools and districts have a whole new world of digital and audio books to read and listen to, thanks to the San Diego County Library – and they won't even need a library card. The County Library has signed on to make its thousands of digital and audio books available to "Sora," an app used by many school districts for its students and libraries. Because of that, students at the schools and districts – using just their student IDs ­– can check...

  • historic Star Ranch area in Campo.

    Board votes to buy, conserve historic Star Ranch land in Campo

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated Mar 24, 2021

    San Diego County supervisors voted March 17 to buy the 2,151-acre, historic Star Ranch area in Campo, its largest acquisition of sensitive habitat, wetlands, potential passive park land and hiking trails in a decade. County officials said the land will provide a permanent home for sensitive species and conserve important habitat including 200 acres of wetlands, and it could eventually provide a large park and connections for hikers to nearby trails such as the Pacific Crest Tr...

  • Fallbrook library

    County Libraries move to door-side service

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated Feb 4, 2021

    With the state's new COVID-19 Stay Home order in effect, the County of San Diego's 33 libraries have moved to door-side service to help county residents practice social distancing and still enjoy all the library books, digital magazines, music, movies and other fare they love. People can still check out all library materials and safely pick them up right at their library's door. No appointments are necessary. Just use the county's online catalog, https://en...

  • two rain barrels

    Catch every raindrop with discounted rain barrel

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated Jan 13, 2021

    The weather forecasts say this could be a relatively dry winter, which means having a rain barrel to collect every precious drop of rain and cut your gardening water costs could be more important than ever. And this month local residents can pick up a discounted top-of-the-line rain barrel for $90 – and potentially as little as $25 – thanks to the County of San Diego's Watershed Protection Program, the nonprofit Solana Center and the Metropolitan Water District of Sou...

  • Christmas tree recycling sign

    'Tis the season for recycling

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated Dec 23, 2020

    The holiday season means gifts, packages, trees and yes – recycling. Now, recycling is probably not the first thing that pops into your mind when you think about the holidays. But the truth is Christmas and the holidays bring all kinds of recyclable things to our homes, from wrapping to all those packages from gifts and online purchases and yes, even our Christmas trees, if you're using a real tree. So, in keeping with the holiday spirit, the County Department of Public W...

  • First cold rains on the way; free sandbags for unincorporated residents

    Gig Conaughton, San Diego County Communications Office|Updated Nov 6, 2020

    San Diego County is expected to see its first widespread rains in months this weekend and the County of San Diego and CAL FIRE have free sandbags to help residents in unincorporated communities protect their homes and properties. The National Weather Service is forecasting rain and winds around San Diego County this weekend, meaning this could be a good time to pick up some free sand and bags. As they have in the past, the County of San Diego and CAL FIRE are providing free sand and bags to residents in unincorporated areas a...

  • painting of wind mills

    Air Pollution Control District's kid's calendar contest is back

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated Oct 21, 2020

    The "calend-air" contest is back! San Diego County's Air Pollution Control District is calling on local student artists to submit their original artwork illustrating the importance of clean air in the district's 2021 Kids' Calendar Contest. The annual contest is a cool way for local kindergarten through 12th grade students to see their art get published and to make a difference by helping the APCD reduce air pollution and protect the public. Students are invited to mail their...

  • building

    New Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk Office and Archive wins coveted Orchid Award

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated Oct 15, 2020

    The County of San Diego's new Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk's Office & Archive building in Santee has a new record to file – 2020 Orchid award winner for outstanding architecture. The ARCC Office was one of 14 projects honored with a coveted "Orchid" award last week by the San Diego Architectural Foundation at its yearly "Orchids and Onions" gala. The event honors the best and worst in local architecture, historic preservation, interior design, urban planning and landscape a...

  • Winter's coming, time to get discounted rain barrels

    Gig Conaughton, San Diego County Communications Office|Updated Oct 14, 2020

    It's still hot outside, but fall has officially arrived and that means the winter rainy season is just around the corner. It also means October is the perfect time to get a discounted rain barrel for as little as $25 to catch every drop, cut gardening water costs and protect beaches simultaneously. Thanks to San Diego County's Watershed Protection Program and the nonprofit Solana Center, residents can order a top-of-the-line, discounted $90 Ivy rain barrel online. And the...

  • Agriculture blossoms again in annual crop report, nears $1.8B

    Gig Conaughton, San Diego County Communications Office|Updated Sep 4, 2020

    Agriculture values blossomed for the third year out of the past four and grew close to $1.8 billion, a height they last reached in 2014, in San Diego County's annual crop report. The value of all agriculture crops and commodities rose about 1.5% in the new crop report that covers the 2019 growing season, from $1,769,815,715 in 2018 to $1,795,528,573. Total agriculture values also increased in the 2016 and 2017 reports, before slipping by one-quarter of 1% in 2019's 2018 report. This year's increase was fueled in large part...

  • County marks Overdose Awareness Day: No one has to die

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated Sep 4, 2020

    Standing in front of 645 placards representing every person who died by accidental drug overdose in San Diego County last year, county and other officials said Monday, Aug. 31, these deaths did not have to happen – and no one else has to die. County Supervisor Kristin Gaspar, County District Attorney Summer Stephan, County Behavioral Health Director Dr. Luke Bergmann, law enforcement, drug prevention and health care officials gathered at the County Administration Center Monday morning to commemorate International Overdose A...

  • There's lots of free stuff to do in July

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated Jul 16, 2020

    It’s the summer of coronavirus – and to keep it from spreading we’re staying home more, foregoing big vacations and looking for new ways to entertain and educate kids who have been home for months. Well, here’s some good news. There are still some great, fun, free/or inexpensive things that kids, families and adults can do in July. And we’ve got a list! For example, you can join the County Library’s summer learning challenge, check out great e-books – or call to check out actual books and material and pick them up at your li...

  • Mosquito in Black Mountain Ranch area tests positive for West Nile virus

    Gig Conaughton, San Diego County Communications Office|Updated Jun 18, 2020

    A mosquito caught in routine trapping in the Black Mountain Ranch area has tested positive for West Nile virus, the first appearance of the virus in San Diego County in 2020. County environmental health officials reminded people to protect themselves from mosquitoes that can potentially transmit disease by following the county's "Prevent, Protect, Report" guidelines – including finding and dumping out standing water in yards and around homes to keep mosquitoes from b...

  • County unveils online census kiosks at county libraries

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated Mar 27, 2020

    County Board of Supervisors Chairman Greg Cox, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and other officials unveiled new census laptop stations March 12 that will let the public fill out online census forms at all county of San Diego libraries. The census laptop stations will give people who may not have access to computers at home the ability to fill out the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 census questionnaire online. They will be placed at all 33 County library branches and in its two bookmobiles. The 2020 census is the f...

  • County unveils online census kiosks at county libraries

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated Mar 21, 2020

    County Board of Supervisors Chairman Greg Cox, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and other officials unveiled new census laptop stations March 12 that will let the public fill out online census forms at all county of San Diego libraries. The census laptop stations will give people who may not have access to computers at home the ability to fill out the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 census questionnaire online. They will be placed at all 33 County library branches and in its two bookmobiles. The 2020 census is the f...

  • County libraries move to curbside pickup to help stop coronavirus

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated Mar 21, 2020

    The county of San Diego’s libraries are going to curbside pickup to help county residents practice social-distancing to stop the spread of coronavirus and still enjoy all the library books, digital magazines, music, movies and other fares they love. Starting Wednesday, March 18, county library patrons can use the library’s online catalog or call their branch libraries, place orders for the books they’re looking for and then pick them up at the library’s curbside weekdays between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. when the mat...

  • County libraries move to curbside pickup to help stop coronavirus

    Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office|Updated Mar 17, 2020

    The County of San Diego’s libraries are going to curbside pickup to help county residents practice social-distancing to stop the spread of coronavirus and still enjoy all the library books, digital magazines, music, movies and other fare they love. Starting Wednesday, March 18, County library patrons can use the Library’s online catalog or call their branch libraries, place orders for the books they’re looking for and then pick them up at the Library’s curbside weekdays between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. when the mat...

  • 3 wild mice test positive for hantavirus

    Gig Conaughton, San Diego County Communications Office|Updated Mar 4, 2020

    Three wild mice collected in routine monitoring in Carlsbad have tested positive for hantavirus, prompting San Diego County officials to remind people they should never sweep or vacuum up after rodents if they find them in living spaces. County officials said it was important for people to remember to use "wet-cleaning" methods instead of sweeping or vacuuming if they find evidence of rodents in homes, sheds, garages, cabins or other living spaces. Hantavirus is potentially...

  • County creates online portal to track General Plan progress

    Gig Conaughton, San Diego County Communications Office|Updated Feb 27, 2020

    Since San Diego County adopted its general plan nine years ago, 5,802 residences have been built in the county’s unincorporated communities, leaving capacity for another potential 60,748 residences under the plan. And now residents can track progress on the general plan and local development online, thanks to a new county website – the Housing Capacity and Production Portal, www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/pds/HPCP-UA/HPCP-IT.html. The portal includes text summary reports; maps that show how many residences have been bui...

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