By Mike Allen

June 12, 2025  (Santee) -- The largest residential project in Santee’s history, Fanita Ranch, was granted approval by the City Council, in a 3 -1 vote June 11 with Vice Mayor Rob McNelis recusing himself.

It was the third time in five years the Santee City Council gave its approval to the project that will add 2,949 houses to some 2,600 acres of open space in the city’s northwest quadrant. Santee was challenged legally by a coalition of environmental groups twice before, including last year on the basis that the language in  the city’s environmental impact report (EIR) was deficient.

Santee’s interim City Manager Gary Halbert said those deficiencies were corrected and contained in a revised EIR that was approved. The city will provide those changes to the same Superior Court judge, Katherine Bacal, to get her approval. Should she agree the changes are legal, developer HomeFed Rancho Fanita can proceed with construction, Halbert said.

By Karen Pearlman

Photo by Karen Pearlman: wild birds at the Lake Murray reservoir

June 11, 2025 (San Diego) – The future of continued daily access to Lake Murray is looking a little brighter today.

With a 7-2 vote, the San Diego City Council on Tuesday approved a 2025-26 budget that preserves activities at Lake Murray and other city-operated reservoirs and lakes, avoiding many previously threatened cuts to hours and days of operation.

The action came after Friends of San Diego Lakes submitted a petition with more than 8,500 signatures of residents opposed to a proposal to close the popular lake on weekdays.

There will also be no cuts to recreation center hours or park restrooms, and while city libraries will remain closed on Sundays, the budget reversed proposed Monday closures for 16 branches.

It remains to be seen whether Mayor Todd Gloria will sign or veto the revised budget. 

From left to right: Mairene Branham, Violeta Lombrera and Eva Pacheco. (Photo by Mimi Pollack)

By Mimi Pollack 

Artistic rendering of coming changes to Campo Road (Courtesy County of San Diego)

By Karen Pearlman

June 7, 2025 (Casa de Oro) – The County of San Diego is moving into the next phase of the ambitious Campo Road Corridor Revitalization Specific Plan, aimed at transforming the Campo Road corridor into a safer, more walkable and vibrant community hub.

Backed by a multi-million-dollar grant awarded early this year, county personnel along with input from stakeholders continue to focus on detailed design and engineering for public infrastructure improvements including a more walkable environment, improved safety and connections for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, said Audrey Hamilton, project manager with the County Department of Public Works, who led a June 4 Zoom meeting on the latest news for the area.

The coming work is expected to bring new life to portions of Campo Road and surrounding streets in the unincorporated area between Spring Valley and La Mesa.

There’s been more than a decade of discussion and years of tentative plans for revitalizing the main commercial strip and adjacent residential area along Campo Road in Casa de Oro.

East County News Service

Bills tackle public safety, insurance crisis, and more

East County News Service

June 5, 2025 (Sacramento) -- This week, Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego) announced that five of his "common sense" bills passed the Senate with unanimous, bipartisan support, and that they are now under consideration in the State Assembly.

Each proposal aims to address urgent issues facing Californians -- from public safety and insurance coverage to updating outdated state laws.

“These bills are focused on real problems and offer real solutions,” Jones said in a statement to the public. “From protecting communities from sexually violent predators to fixing gaps in insurance coverage for mobile homes, I’m proud to have unanimous support in the Senate and look forward to working with my colleagues in the Assembly to get them across the finish line.”

San Diego lawmakers reacted with fury Monday to last weekend’s armed ICE raid on a popular South Park restaurant, accusing the federal government of heavy-handed tactics in support of arbitrary arrest goals.

Reprinted, with permission of author, from Times of San Diego, a  member of the San Diego Online News Association

Rep. Juan Vargas speaks to media outside the federal courthouse in downtown San Diego. (Photo by JW August/Times of San Diego)

By JW August

June 2, 2025 (San Diego) -- “Why were ICE agents armed to the teeth as if they were entering a war zone, storming restaurants?” asked Rep. Juan Vargas at a press conference on the steps of the federal courthouse downtown.

“We will be dropping water at night this summer.” – Chief Tony Mecham (photo, left)

By Miriam Raftery

June 3, 2025 (San Diego) – “The largest economic threat in San Diego County is a large, devastating fire,” says Tony Mecham, County Fire Chief and Cal Fire Unit Chief. But he told a crowd of fire safe council members during the San Diego Regional Fire Foundation’s SAFE awards on May 19, “We have something that’s working in San Diego.”

During the event, Chief Mecham praised efforts of fire safe council volunteers to reduce fire risk. He also announced new firefighting aircraft and equipment for our region, gave an outlook on this year’s severe fire potential amid drought conditions, and shared his experiences and lessons learned from battling major fires including the Eaton Fire that ravaged Los Angeles County in January, and shared concerns over federal budget cuts.

$300,000 in grants awarded to 31 local Fire Safe Councils throughout the San Diego region

June 2, 2025 (San Diego) -- The San Diego Regional Fire Foundation (Fire Foundation) awarded $300,000 in grants to 31 Fire Safe Councils (FSCs) to aid in wildfire prevention and preparedness, including community education to make their neighborhoods safer.

"Our goal is to make San Diego County the safest in the nation," said Joan Jones, Executive Director of the San Diego Regional Fire Foundation. "You are the boots on the ground," she told Fire Safe Council members during the awards presentation on May 19 at an SDG&E facility."We have 13 new fire safe councils this year!"  San Diego now has over 50 fire safe councils-- the most of any region in the United States - all supported by the Fire Foundation. 

Fire Safe Councils are community-led, volunteer-based organizations dedicated to protecting homes and communities from wildfires. FSCs support their communities through various activities including fire-hardening homes, removing flammable plantings, hosting vegetation chipping events, installing reflective address signage, and educating and assisting neighbors with emergency preparedness.

In 2024, volunteers from FSCs invested 16,000 of their time in clearing 1.5 million cubic feet of vegetation, collecting 178 tons (356,000 pounds) of trash, metal, and e-waste; distributing 53,000 newsletters, and presenting 100  wildfire safety education events all geared toward making their communities safer for all residents.  

By Miriam Raftery

Image: Exhibit from defendants' closing brief in which the Kalashos claimed substantial unpermitted changes to first, third and fourth floors of their Fletcher Hills rental property are each a "nothng burger."

June 1, 2025 (El Cajon) – Former El Cajon Councilmember Bessmon “Ben” Kalasho and his wife, Jessica Deddeh, made major unpermitted construction changes using unlicensed contractors at the Fletcher Hills home that they are currently renting to a family with children,  That’s the finding of San Diego Superior Court Judge Joel R. Wohlfeil.

However, the judge this week also ruled against the City of El Cajon’s request to impose over $2.5 million in fines and denied without prejudice the city’s request to put the home into receivership to be sold to pay the fines, meaning fines or receivership could be allowed in the future if the Kalashos fail to comply with the court orders.

Instead, the judge ordered Kalasho to allow a city inspector access to determine whether health or safety hazards exist and prohibited occupancy including rental of the property  until any code violations found are corrected, and until the Kalashos comply with building, housing and zoning codes.

By Miriam Raftery

May 31, 2025 (Poway) – A 22-year-old motorcyclist died at the scene of a head-one crash with a Ford Truck hauling a boat along State Route 67 north of Poway Road today. 

Deputies from the Poway Sheriff’s station responded to a report of the collision at State Route 67 and Ellie Lane around 11:45 a.m. Poway Fire and paramedics arrived and performed life-saving measure, but the motorcyclist succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

Sara Siebers posted on Facebook that the motorcyclist “hit the pylons and crossed over into oncoming traffic. Hit us head on.”

East County Wildfire & Alerts

May 31, 2025 (San Diego) – The #HendersonFire has burned 300 acres and is 15% contained, Cal Fire reports.  The fire began last night along Henderson Road in the Pala area, burning in both San Diego and Riverside Counties.

Visit AlertSanDiego.org for the latest updates. For an interactive map with updated emergency evacuation information visit: OES Emergency Map  The Red Cross is assisting displaced residents, who may go to a reception and care site at Temecula Valley High School,31555 Rancho Vista Rd., Temecula.