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Does your son or daughter play a sport at a level other than varsity?  Comment on this story or tweet @ECMagSports to request coverage!

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Story and photos by Liz Alper

January 23, 2018 (Spring Valley) - ECM traveled to Granite Hills on Tuesday night for a clash between the lady Eagles and the lady Wolf Pack on the court.  Granite Hills has started their season a little lackluster, going 7-10 overall and 1-1 in league.  The Wolf Pack sport the same 7-10 record, but are undefeated so far in league, going 2-0.

By Miriam Raftery

January 22, 2018 (Lake Jennings) – I went to Lake Jennings today hoping to see bald eagles recently spotted there. Instead, I found an osprey perched atop a eucalyptus tree. Nearby, a migratory white pelican in the lake was quickly joined by another pelican swooping in for a landing; I later saw several more.

By Sue Strom, Advocates of Safe Airport Policies (ASAP)

January 21, 2018 (El Cajon) -- We hope your year is off to a happy and healthy start.  However, for those of us concerned about heavy local traffic, safety, noise, toxic air and lead overhead, with protections for homeowners few and far between, the new year is already daunting.

FAA approval for an increase in air traffic... a state of the art flight training center... the lengthening of the 27L training runway...the redesign and enlargement of the Bradley Street interchange off hwy 67... and the development of 9 five acre parcels of land for aviation usage called the Cajon Air Center are all coming together step by step over the next several years to form the perfect storm.

Like our sports coverage?  Donate to help support ECM’s sports section! Type in “Sports” as your donation!

Follow @ECMagSports on Twitter for live sports coverage and stories!

Does your son or daughter play a sport at a level other than varsity?  Comment on this story or tweet @ECMagSports to request coverage!

Check out our sports section for more sports coverage!

Story and photos by Liz Alper

January 17, 2018 (Spring Valley) - For the first high school coverage of the new year, ECM traveled to Spring Valley, where the Vaqueros of El Capitan saw the Monte Vista Monarchs in the pool.  The lady Monarchs have a rough start to the season, going 2-4 overall and winless in league (0-2).  The Vaqueros are doing a little better; 6-5 overall but also winless (0-2) in league.

East County News Service

By Mike Allen

January 12, 2018 (Santee)--Smoking or vaping on Santee’s city trails such as the Walker Preserve and near Mast Park will no longer be legal following the City Council’s amending its code at its Jan. 10 meeting.

The newly amended law, that also bans smoking electronic cigarettes in the same areas, takes effect after the second reading of the measure Jan.24.

With the vote, Santee joins the rest of the 18 cities and San Diego county in prohibiting smoking on public trails, which is an obvious fire hazard. But the change didn’t go far enough for nearly all the speakers who testified before the council took its vote.

East County News Service

January 6, 2018 (Santee) – From fishing events to movies, concerts, and holiday celebrations, you’ll find lots of activities coming up in the New Year at Santee Lakes—starting with Trout Re-Opener days on January 13 and 14, when the lakes will be stocked with 2,000 pounds of rainbow trout.

Scroll down for details and learn more at www.SanteeLakes.com.

East County News Service

January 3, 2018 (Santee) – San Diego homebuilder New Pointe Communities is bringing much-needed, reasonably-priced homes to market in an urban area already well serviced by essential infrastructure. The company’s 18-townhome project, Montivo, located at 8850 Olive Lane in Santee, is now open for sales.

By Paul Kruze

December 29, 2017 (Santee) – Santee’s City Council would like nothing more than to follow in the footsteps of El Cajon and lure a large hotel chain to build a business-class hotel in the growing city. But at Council’s December 13th meeting, it became evident that the biggest question these days is not whether the sprawling community could support such an investment, but rather where to put it. So says a San Francisco-consultant firm that was hired by Santee last Spring to develop a feasibility study on what it would take for it to happen in short order.

By Paul Kruze

Hear audio of meeting: http://www.mediafire.com/file/bo4c5wwv6k6tmcb/SanteeSPARC12142017Meeting.mp3

December 21, 2017 (Santee) -- Cigarette smokers in our region may end up with one less place to smoke if the Santee City Council approves a recommendation of the Santee Park and Recreation Committee (SPARC) to ban smoking on its numerous hiking trails located within the city limits. Smoking would still be allowed in public parks, leaving Santee the last city in San Diego County to still allow smoking in public parks, although the city does restrict smoking to designated areas during special events.

Smoking marijuana, however, will remain prohibited in Santee parks, although the state is set to decriminalize use on January 1 after voters passed Proposition 64 legalizing the public recreational use and commercial purchase of marijuana.

Backcountry hidden pleasures:   Our guide to unique lodging adventures in San Diego’s beautiful backcountry

By Mike Allen

Photos by Cindy Growden

December 12, 2017 (Lakeside, CA) -- When we traveled to Utah last year, we checked out a resort that had tipis and got to thinking this might be something we’d like to try.

So, when we discovered that Lake Jennings offers them at its campground in Lakeside, we arranged to spend a night in one.

East County News Service

December 4, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – You’re invited to join cyclists spreading holiday cheer at the San Diego County Bike Coalition's 7th Annual Holiday Joy Ride. In honor of the Bike Coalition’s 1987 inception and 30 years as San Diego’s only countywide bike advocacy organization, a parade of two-wheeled travelers will combine fake mullets with tinsel, bells and bikes wrapped like presents.

After the festive spectacle, the organization will present its Golden Gear Awards to local two-wheeled heroes including Lakeside residents David and Nancy Nichols and La Mesan Pauline Callahan, volunteers of the year.

Upate December 4, 2017: The victim has been identified as Kenneth Owens, 76.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Lakeside Fire Chief Don Butz, on Facebook

December 1, 2017 (Lakeside) – A fire shortly after 4 a.m. this morning ruptured oxygen tanks, swiftly engulfing a home in the 9700 block of Emerald Hill Lane in Lakeside.  A 76-year-old man died in the fire after suffering second and third degree burns, but three other family members escaped, Patch.com reports. 

Fire crews from Lakeside, Santee, and Heartland Fire and Rescue responded to the fire, pulling out the victim who was declared dead at the scene, 10 News reports.  The blaze took a half hour to bring under control.

By Miriam Raftery

November 24, 2017 (Santee) – Off Broadway Live Theatre in Santee will present “A Big Band Christmas with The Gaslamp Quarter Jazz Orchestra & Leonard Patton" on Friday, December 22^nd at 7 p.m.

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

November 20, 2017 (San Diego's East County) - Escape the shopping madness of Black Friday on Nov. 24 and discover the upside of outside during County Parks’ Green Friday. You can relax, breathe in the fresh air and maybe work off some of those Thanksgiving dinner calories. You’ll save some green, too. Parking fees will be waived at all County parks.

County Parks is offering several special Green Friday events across the region. They range from coffee with a ranger and a “Work Off the Turkey” boot camp class to exploring a butterfly garden and a sunset hike.

They all take place on Friday, Nov. 24.  Here is a roundup of events: