By Mike Allen

 View full-size map B adopted by Council here.

 April 14, 2018 (Santee) -- Santee’s ongoing process of shifting from voting for their representatives by all city voters to a system of district elections took another step to reality last week when the council adopted a map made by Mayor John Minto and held the first reading instituting the change.

 Minto offered a map he drew that divides the city into four areas and with a close balance of some 13,000 people in each district. His motion also called for a change in the cycle of elections that results in two council seats being elected every four years starting in 2020. The mayor’s position will remain at large, or selected by all city voters.

 His motion, which was seconded by Councilman Ronn Hall, passed 3-2 with Council members Brian Jones and Rob McNelis opposed. The second reading and adoption of the law and the map is scheduled for April 25.

Source:  San Diego Sheriff's Department

March 13, 2018 (Santee) - San Diego County Crime Stoppers and investigators from the Santee Sheriff’s Station are asking for the public's help to locate two unknown suspects wanted in connection with using a stolen credit card and identity theft.   

By Mike Allen

January 28, 2018 (Santee) -- In his first state of the city address last week, Santee Mayor John Minto outlined a vision that puts a priority on several capital improvement projects and saving money on the city’s growing pension liabilities.

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.

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.

Senator Anderson votes no, rest of San Diego legislators vote yes on landmark measure

East County News Service

September 26, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- Gov. Jerry Brown today signed Senate Bill 214, legislation authored by Sen. Toni Atkins that will strengthen the capacity of the San Diego River Conservancy to protect and enhance historic, cultural and natural resources within the watershed along the 52-mile San Diego River.

By Miriam Raftery

September 17, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- According to a California Health Alert Network bulletin, San Diego County’s outbreak of hepatitis A now includes  cases in La Mesa, El Cajon and Santee as well as unincorporated areas of the County, though cases have now been confirmed “in all parts of the County,” the report states.

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

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!

Story and photos by Liz Alper

September 15, 2017 (Spring Valley) - ECM Friday Night Lights stuck around Spring Valley this week to see the Matadors of Mount Miguel square off against a school we don’t get to report on often:  the Wolf Pack of West Hills High.  The kids from Santee left their blue turf this week with a 2-1 record on the young season.  The Matadors are improving, but still in the loss column at 1-2.

East County News Service

August 24, 2017 (Santee) – A Sheriff’s sergeant from the Santee substation sustained minor injuries when his patrol vehicle was struck by a trolley Wednesday evening at 6:25 p.m.

The sergeant, traveling westbound on Buena Vista Avenue at Cuyamaca Street, entered the intersection and was broadsided by the southbound trolley. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.

East County News Service

August 9, 2017 (Santee) – A woman walking her dog shortly after 9:30 p.m. Monday night in the 9700 block of Cottonwood in Santee was violently assaulted.

The Sheriff’s office reports that a man attacked the woman from behind and cut her shorts. The victim suffered scratches and was taken to a hospital, then released later that evening.

East County News Service

July 24, 2017 (Santee) – Deputies from the Santee Sheriff’s station responding to a vehicle fire this morning in Santee collided with a southbound trolley at Prospect Avenue and Cuyamaca Street.

The deputies entered the intersection with lights flashing and sirens on.  Twelve passengers were in the trolley, but fortunately no injuries were reported, the Sheriff’s Department reports.

Updated with more special Independence Day events.

East County News Service

June19, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Julian’s Fourth of July Parade, El Cajon’ Independence Day picnic with fireworks and the  Santee Salutes patriot celebration are cherished annual traditions in East County.  Below are details. If you know of an East County Fourth of July activity we’ve missed, please email editor@eastcountymagazine.rog and post details in our comments section below.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Facebook

May 11, 2017 (Santee) — Santee resident Andrea Daves, 33, seemed to have everything to live for.  A married Navy sailor with children ages 2 and 3, she was on maternity leave when her body was found in a burning vehicle on Mast Boulevard in Santee back in February.   But now her death has been determined to be a suicide; cause of death was thermal burns, according to a press release issued by Lt. Kenneth Nelson with the Sheriff’s Homicide Unit.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Jeff Holz at Equestrian Center in Santee

April 21, 2017 (Santee) — San Diego County Fire Chiefs, along with fire agencies across the region, held their annual wildland fire preparedness exercises April 19-21 in Santee and Tierrasanta to prepare for the upcoming fire season.