By Miriam Raftery

Updated 2:45 p.m.

July 31, 2024 (Santee) – An autopsy confirms that a couple found dead with head trauma yesterday morning at the Lantern Crest senior living facility in Santee died of gunshot wounds. The Sheriff's homicide unit has concluded that Michael Sheehan, 74, shot and killed his wife, Beverly Slater-Sheehan, then committed suicide.

 The incident is the second time this year that homicide investigators have been summoned to Lantern Crest to investigate suspicious deaths.

In May, homicide investigators were summoned to Lantern Crest to investigate another pair of deaths that were determined to be a murder-suicide. Investigators found that 82-year-old David Soulner fatally shot his wife, 79-year-old Claire Soulner, then  shot and killed himself.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo via Team USA

July 31, 2024 (Santee) – An East County athlete is making a big splash at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Alex Bowen scored three goals in Team USA’s second match, helping lead the team to a 14-8 victory over Romania.  Team USA will compete against Greece next Thursday.

Bowen was a star athlete at Santana High School, where he served as captain of both the water polo and swim teams. He helped lead the teams to several titles and was named most valuable player for the Grossmont North/Valley League in three consecutive years, 2008 through 2010.

After graduating, Bowen played water polo for Stanford University, scoring over 200 goals in four years. He was named a First Team All-American each year at Stanford.He later turned professional, competing in many countries, most recently for Noisy-le-Sec in France.

By Kristen Andelman

Photo:Jay Farrington testifiedto board on priorities for the Office of School Safety, which the GUHSD board majority later voted to eliminate.

July 18, 2024 (El Cajon) -- Grossmont Union High School District has ousted its School Safety Director Jay Farrington and eliminated the entire school safety department entirely, effective June 30. 

The action is shocking and particularly troubling in a district that survived two mass shootings at Santana and Granite Hills high schools back in 2001.The Santana shooting killed 2 students and injured 13 people; five people were shot and injured at Granite Hills. School shootings are at record levels nationwide today. So far this year, there have been 107 school shootings, killing 29 people and injuring 61.

The decision was made by the GUHSD board on May 11 in a in a 3-2 vote.  Board members Chris Fite and Elva Salinas voted against the cut, while members Robert Shield, Gary Woods and Jim Kelly voted to eliminate student safety.

By Mike Allen

June 21, 2024 (Santee) -- At the end of Santee Councilwoman Laura Koval’s District 3 town hall on June 18, she opened it up to questions, but there were no takers. Perhaps that’s a sign of satisfaction about the direction the all -Republican City Council has steered Santee over the past decade, or maybe it’s a lack of interest among residents.

She then tried to coax the assembly of about 30 people, mostly city staffers, and got this: “Tell us a fun Padres story.”

The former director of ticket sales for the Padres obliged, telling a story involving the team’s first World Series and the late Raiders defensive star Lyle Alzado. But she wasn’t challenged about any of the decisions she and her colleagues in the City Council have made in the past several years.

By Mike Allen

June 20,2024  (Santee) -- A nasty fight involving 25-30 teenagers at the first of Santee’s Summer Concerts at Town Center Community Park last Thursday resulted in changes in how the city manages the popular event.

Bree Osborne, a spokeswoman for the city of Santee, said the fight began soon after the June 13 concert ended at 8:15 p.m. when a “group of teens and minors caused some issues.”

She said the fight, which was centered around the restrooms at the west side of Town Center Community Park, required the response of an unknown number of Sheriff’s Department personnel, and that arrests were made.

East County News Service

June 19, 2024 (Santee) –Celebrating diversity and honoring LGBTQ+ residents, the Santee Pride Walk will beheld on Saturday,June 22 from10 a.m.to 4 p.m.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. with a rally at the Santee United Methodist Church,8964 Magnolia, followed by speakers at 11 a.m.and the walk stepping out at noon.

Hearing set for June 25; some neighbors are teed off

By Mike Allen

Photo: Augie Scalzitti at his home on Inverness Road looking at the Carlton Oaks Golf Course

June 15, 2024 (Santee) -- Augie Scalzitti is enjoying the good life in Santee, gazing from his deck to a stunning, clear view of the nearby Fortuna peaks and hills at Mission Trails Regional Park.

But that view will be dramatically altered if a proposed residential development for the Carlton Oaks Golf Resort that abuts his house on Inverness Road goes forward.

He points to a fence beneath his deck where trees and shrubs make up the “rough” part of Carlton Oaks’ carefully manicured 18-hole course. “They’re going to have to build that up about 10 feet, and the two-story homes will be another 30 feet above that,” he said. “When it’s done, I’ll be able to see into (future homeowner’s) bathroom.”

June 4, 2024 (Santee) -- Step back in time at the Santee Renaissance Experience on June 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event, held at 9000 Edgemoor Drive in Santee, will feature real Medieval style battles, multiple guilds to entertain and educate you, plus pirates, fairies, mermaids and a Madrigal choir.

You can also try your hand at archery, shop for crafts and wares, enjoy exotic food vendors and a beer garden.

By Mike Allen

Photos courtesy of Santee Fire Department

May 23, 2024 (Santee)-- A fire that sent large plumes of smoke across East County yesterday was caused when workers at the Advanced Water Purification (AWP) project in Santee were joining together two large pieces of plastic pipe.

Santee Fire Chief Justin Matsushita said while workers were fusing two large pipes that are 42 inches in diameter, the plastic material, called HDPE, caught fire and quickly overwhelmed the workers, prompting their 911 call.