By Kevork Kurdoghlian, California Urban Forests Council

March 11, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – AMPlifying the Urban Forest is coming to El Cajon and Santee on Saturday, March 12 to empower El Cajon, Santee and 26 municipal agencies and other organizations throughout California to plant nearly 2,000 trees with the help of volunteers. The program is developed and presented by the groundbreaking partnership between the California Urban Forests Council (CaUFC), West Coast Arborists (WCA), Taylor Guitars, Western Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture (WCISA) and the Britton Fund.

Tree planting in El Cajon starts at 8 a.m. at Wells Park located at 1153 E Madison Ave, El Cajon, CA 92021.

In Santee, volunteers will start planting trees at 10 a.m. at Woodglen Vista Park located at 10250 Woodglen Vista Dr. Santee, Ca 92071.

By Miriam Raftery and Mike Allen

March 10, 2022 (San Diego) – Citing wildfire evacuation concerns, San Diego Superior Court Judge Katherine Bacal has ruled that the city of Santee and the City Council violated state law in approving Fanita Ranch, HomeFed’s long-planned 3,000 home development.  The project would be built on more than 2,600 acres of fire-prone hillsides in the city’s northwest section.

The ruling found that the city’s environmental review of the project was inadequate, violating California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) by failing to adequately disclose how the development would affect wildfire evacuations and safety in the surrounding community.

The Judge also slammed the city for its last-minute removal of the Magnolia Avenue extension from the project just six days before approving the project’s EIR, even though that extension had been touted as a key wildfire evacuation route. This was inadequate for public review or evaluation of impacts on neighbors along other connector roads should an evacuation be needed. In addition, the judge found, “the City’s decision not to recirculate the EIR violated CEQA.”

Source: Helix Water District

Photo: Bald eagles at Lake Jennings, by Scott Lagace

March 5, 2022 (Lakeside) -- Helix Water District has launched its 11th annual Lake Jennings Spring Photo Contest to share the beauty of its reservoir with the local community. The contest is open to photos taken at Lake Jennings in Lakeside between March 1 and May 31, 2022.

By Matthew Manosh

Scroll down to links to videos from vigils

March 1, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) -- Local Ukrainian-Americans gathered in demonstrations these past few days in solidarity with their nation, which is under attack from Russian forces. Thursday night,  a prayer vigil was held in Santee on a vacant lot, where there are plans to build a Ukrainian Catholic Church. Father Yurii Sas of St. John the Baptizer Catholic Church in San Diego led his congregation in prayer and song, asking for God to protect his people in the Ukraine:

House of Ukraine shares link to donate to help Ukraine

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

(Image courtesy of the House of Ukraine) 

Feb. 24, 2022 (Santee) A prayer service and Panakhyda, a memorial service,  will be held for Ukraine at the future site of the Ukrainian Catholic parish in Santee today at 5 p.m. The memorial will honor those killed thus far by Russia’s attacks on the Ukraine, including children. The location of the future parish is 9308 Carlton Oaks Drive.

Organizers are encouraging attendees to bring signs, flags, wear Ukrainian shirts, or other supportive materials.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: CC-by-NC-ND

February 17, 2022 (Lakeside) – A 77-year-old woman was struck by a car while walking east at the intersection of Pino Drive and Lindo Lane in Lakeside this morning. She was taken to Sharp Memorial, where she died of her injuries.

The accident occurred at 6:45 a.m., when a 2000 Honda Accord driving north on Pino Drive hit the pedestrian. The Honda was driven by a Lakeside man, 37, who had a female juvenile passenger.

Update: At their meeting on February 16, Padre Dam's Board of Directors voted to begin the approval process of a time change from 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Staff will first research the change, such as impacts on other personnel's schedules and any financial ramifications, before sending it back to the Board of Directors for final approval at a later meeting, as per their rules.

By Miriam Raftery

February 15, 2022 (Santee) – Suzanne Till, a teacher, has asked her colleagues on the Padre Dam Municipal Water District Board to move meeting times from 3:30 to 4 p.m. since she has repeatedly been late due to the long commute from her job at a Chula Vista school.  But so far, the board has not done so.  The issue of moving the meeting time to later will be on the agenda for the board’s virtual meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 16 at 3:30 p.m., item 12. 

But some fear the board majority, all Republicans, may vote to oust Till, a Democrat, for tardiness in a partisan maneuver rather than accommodate a minor shift in meeting times. Till has fought against water rates, also opposing fines for late payments and water shutoffs during the pandemic. She holds a PhD in water resources geography and is a former Marine Corps Captain.  Her website details her record:  www.suzannetill.com .

By Mike Allen

February 12, 2022 (Santee) -- Santee’s grand plan to turn part of Trolley Square into an arts and entertainment district took a big step forward on February 9 when the City Council approved the sale of a parcel for a four-story, 89-room hotel.

Story and photos by Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

By Mike Allen

Photo:  the current Santee district boundaries

February 2, 2022 (Santee) -- The city of Santee continues the process of redoing the boundaries for its four electoral districts, which will likely result in keeping the lines as they currently are.

East County News Service

Photo via San Diego Sheriff Dept. 

January 29, 2022 (Lakeside) – Shawn Orr, 26, a wanted felon and gang member with a felony arrest warrant, has been captured in Lakeside.

According to Sergeant Aaron Meleen, “Orr was in possession of approximately 1 ounce of methamphetamine, two "ghost" guns, and various burglary tools” when Patrol and Crime Suppression Team deputies form the lakeside Substation contacted him on January 27 in the 12500 block of Lakeshore Drive.