East County News Service

Photo: Creative Commons image of rainbow trout via Bing

January 10, 2022 (Santee) – Santee Lakes invites you to Trout Reopening Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, January 15 and 16 from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lakes 2, 3 and 4 will be stocked with a whopping 2,500 pounds of rainbow trout including large fish up to eight pounds.

Find details and directions at https://www.santeelakes.com/.

10 volunteers honored with Senate Certificates of Recognition

Source:  Senator Brian Jones

Photo: Senator Brian Jones loading food at the drive-thru distribution event and afterwards with Feeding San Diego volunteers (below right)

East County News Service

December 3, 2021 (Santee) -- Lantern Crest Senior Living is hosting its annual drive-through Holiday Light Extravaganza featuring thousands of twinkling lights throughout its 34-acre East San Diego property! Cocoa and snacks will be available for purchase with proceeds benefiting the Lantern Crest Foundation.  The event takes place every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Thursday, Dec. 2 to Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021 (12 nights to choose from!).

Story and photos by Scott Lagace

November 14, 2021 (Santee) -- On November 11, 2021, on the 11th hour at the 11th minute, Santee Chamber of Commerce CEO Kristen Dare began a Veterans Day ceremony which attracted many veterans and East County patrons to celebrate the unveiling of a new Veteran’s Memorial and dedication of the Veterans Memorial Bridge over Santee Lakes on Mast Blvd.   

Traffic, homeless and racism are top concerns

By Mike Allen

Photo:  Josh Williams, president of BW Research, answers question about the Santee survey on Nov. 2 in front of City Council members Rob McNelis, Dustin Trotter and Mayor John Minto. All five members were present.

November 8, 2021 (Santee) -- A survey commissioned by the city of Santee found that while the great majority of residents, 80 percent, feel the city’s quality of life is excellent or good, about a third said that quality is declining.

East County News Service

November 2, 2021 (Santee) -- The City of Santee’s annual Holiday Lighting Celebration returns this year, and will provide the community with the traditional elements they have come to expect when celebrating the holiday season. The event will take place Friday, November 19 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Santee Trolley Square.

By Mike Allen

October 15, 2021 (Santee) -- The joint powers agency creating the East County Advanced Water Purification (AWP) Program is using a new virtual reality video to inform local citizens about the project as it moves toward construction.

By Miriam Raftery

October 12, 2021 (Santee) – The Cessna plane that crashed into a Santee neighborhood yesterday, killing the pilot and a UPS driver, also ignited fires that destroyed two homes and left one couple hospitalized with serious burn injuries.

Two GoFundMe sites have been set up to help the injured couple, Phil and Maria Morris, and their neighbors, Cody and Courtney Campbell.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Dr. Sugata Das, via Yuma Regional Medical Center, and Steve Krueger, UPS driver, via Facebook.

October 12, 2021 (Santee) – The pilot in yesterday’s deadly plane crash in Santee has been identified as Dr. Sugata Das, a cardiologist from Yuma Regional Medical Center.  The hospital’s chief medical officer, Dr. Bharat Magu, described Das as an “outstanding cardiologist and dedicated family man” who “leaves a lasting legacy.”

Bystander recounts efforts to help rescue survivors from burning home

By Miriam Raftery and Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

Nadin and Tom Abbott also contributed to this report.

Photo, left: Screenshot off video by ECM news partner 10 News

October 11, 2021 (Santee) – A plane has crashed near Santana High School close to the intersection of Greencastle and Jeremy, setting homes nearby on fire.

Two fatalities are confirmed and two others have been transported to a hospital with injuries. 

A temporary evacuation point has been set up at the Cameron Family YMCA at 10123 Riverwalk Drive, Santee, for families displaced by the crash.

Santana High tweeted that all students are safe and a secure campus order has been lifted.Students are being allowed to leave if they have no afternoon classes.

An ECM reporter witnessed body parts on roofs and scattered across the neighborhood, adding to the trauma facing residents.

Stephanie Diaz, another neighbor, says the crash occurred at 12:12. "It was just like in the movies," she said of the sound, adding that the whole house shook. 

David Witthoft said he used to work on military jets as a mechanic. He said he was in the house when "I heard the pilot go full throttle, and then I heard it hit the ground" with a loud boom. His house filled with smoke and the stench of burning debris, he added.

Numerous homes in the area suffered damage ranging from blown-out windows to cracked solar panels, in addition to two homes destroyed by fire.

Hillcreek Elementary also alerted parents/ guardians that they were "safe and sound."

San Diego Sheriff asks that the public avoid the area. A Hazmat team has been dispatched.

There are reports of a box truck also damaged by the crash.

Source: Padre Dam Municipal Water District

October 4, 2021 (Santee) -- \ Ladies at the Lake Fall Market will be held on Saturday, October 16 at Santee Lakes from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Shoppers and craft fair goers throughout San Diego have been anticipating this upcoming event that celebrates women owned businesses. 

By Mike Allen

Photo:  David Clarke, owner, Team C Construction

August 21, 2021 (Santee) -- At a June celebration marking the 60^th anniversary of the Padre Dam Municipal Water District, top officials and directors of the agency heaped glowing praise for the new administrative offices, event center and general store at Santee Lakes that was completed in April.

By Mike Allen

August 9, 2021 (Santee) -- Starting this week, customers of the Padre Dam Municipal Water District who pay their bills late will incur late fees and if nonpayment goes for more than 60 days, customers could have their water shut off.

Update: All lanes open reports Caltrans San Diego, and Fire Scanner reports “[r]esources will be on scene mopping up the fire for the next couple of hours.”

By Jonathan Goetz

August 1, 2021 (Santee) – A vegetation fire nick-named the #MissionFire has closed the two westbound State Route 52 lanes at Fanita Drive, reports Caltrans San Diego.

@SDCountyFires broke the story on twitter and reports that crews have upgraded to a “high wildland response,” firefighter lingo for a serious response and a sign that this fire is being taken very seriously and may pose a great danger to the surrounding community.

The fire burned at least one acre and "multiple explosions" were heard in the area, behind Sprouts at 9361 Mission Gorge Road, they report.

This is a breaking story and updates may be posted above or in a new article.

If you have photos, details, or an eyewitness account on this or any local emergency please contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org

Thanks to the Grossmont Healthcare District and San Diego Regional Fire Foundation for their generous sponsorship of our East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts!