Government
Map of El Monte area

Board Votes to Restore, Improve El Monte River Valley Land in Lakeside

| 2:57 PM

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Calling it a great project for the entire region, San Diego County’s Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday to set aside $6.44 million to restore and improve roughly 98 acres of newly acquired open space, trails and recreational facilities in El Monte River Valley in Lakeside.

Environment
Coaster on tracks Credit: courtesy of North County Transit District

All Aboard: APCD Helps Coaster Train Riders Improve Air Quality

| 10:53 AM

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Thanks to a helping hand from the County’s Air Pollution Control District, train riders on the North County Transit District’s Coaster line are doing more to keep climate-changing, polluting greenhouse gases out of our air.

Consumer

Rains on the way, Get Sandbags from County, CAL FIRE

| 2:19 PM

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Rains, potentially heavy, are on the way this weekend and the County of San Diego and CAL FIRE are offering free sandbags to residents who live in the unincorporated areas.

Library
tablet with overdrive app

Looking for a Good Book? Check Out 2020’s Top 10 Checkouts

| 9:58 AM

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Looking for a good book? A great movie, e-book, audio-book, kid-book? There’s no better place to start than with the County Library’s Top 10 lists of books and materials readers and movie lovers checked out in 2020!

Environment
two rain barrels

When the Rains Come, Catch Every Drop with Discounted Rain Barrel

| 2:00 PM

Reading Time: 3 minutes

This could be a relatively dry winter. But that just means having a rain barrel to collect every precious drop of rain and cut your gardening water costs could be more important than ever. This month, you might be able to get a top-of-the-line rain barrel for as little as $25.

Health

Mouse Tests Positive for Hantavirus

| 10:17 AM

Reading Time: 2 minutes

A western harvest mouse collected in routine monitoring has tested positive for hantavirus. County environmental health officials are reminding people not to vacuum or sweep up after rodents if they find them in homes, garages, and sheds. Use wet-cleaning methods instead.

Parks and Rec
playground02:07

County’s Long-awaited Estrella Park Opens in Casa de Oro

| 2:23 PM

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The County’s long-awaited, newly improved Estrella Park in the Casa de Oro neighborhood in Spring Valley is open.