East County News Service

August 31, 2018 (Lakeside) – Lake Jennings in Lakeside is hosting Spooky Camp-o-Ween events the two weekends before Halloween, Oct. 19-21 and Oct. 26-28, complete with ghost stories, s’mores, a campsite decorating contest, trick or treating and creepy crafts.

Next meeting set for Sept. 6 in Lakeside as community seeks solutions to its growing homelessness problem

By Ana Nita

View video here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOWE1HAQS7c&feature=youtu.be

August 29, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) -- Eric J. Lund, Director of the East County Homeless Task Force and CEO of the East County Chamber of Commerce, announced last week that East County will receive $2 million out of the $18.8 million in state funding for San Diego County to solve the homelessness problem.

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

August 18, 2018 (Santee) -- On August 19^th, inside the Santee Library, the Santee Mobile-Home Owner’s Action Committee, Inc. (SMOAC) will hold their 4^th Annual Backpack & School Supplies Movement.  Backpacks filled with school supplies will be handed out, free to students, at 10 a.m. until supplies are exhausted.

By Miriam Raftery

August 16, 2018 (Lakeside) – The body of 12-year-old Lia Rose Barakett was recovered yesterday from the San Vicente Reservoir in Lakeside, where she fell overboard from a boat during an outing with family and friends. Barakett, a Canadian resident, was visiting the area when the tragedy occurred.

By Miriam Raftery

August 11, 2018 (Santee) - A 52-year-old female inmate at Los Colinas Detention and Re-Entry Facility in Santee died in a local hospital, where she had been receiving treatment for the past six weeks.

By Mike Allen

Photo: Pam Kerzner testified, "We don't need any more houses," citing traffic delays.

August 9, 2018 (Santee) -- Voters in Santee hoping to have more say in future development projects will have to wait two more years to do so, following the City Council’s vote last night to prepare a report on the initiative’s possible impacts instead of putting the issue on the November ballot.

In a two-hour hearing Aug. 8 before an overflow crowd at City Hall, the Council voted 3-1 to prepare a report to be completed within 30 days. That effectively prevents a public vote in November because there isn’t enough lead time for a campaign, said City Attorney Shawn Haggerty.

By Miriam Raftery

August 5, 2018 (Lakeside) – Deb Carney Carlson is an administrator for the Brush Fire Partyline, donating her time to post fire alerts to keep others safe. Now her daughter, Tara, is fighting for her life – and needs help from the public.

By Miriam Raftery

August 1, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – The filing deadline to run for local offices is August 10^th.   We checked with El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove and Santee to find out which seats are on the ballot, and who has taken out papers declaring an intent to run for city council or mayor so far.  Below is the list of prospective candidates to date, though more candidates may file, and prospective candidates are not confirmed until they turn in signatures and meet verification requirements to qualify for the November ballot. 

If you are interested in running, you have until August 10 to pull papers and turn in the required signatures from registered voters in support of your candidacy. Since some city offices are closed on Friday the 10th, be sure to check with your local jurisdiction.

City Council and Mayoral races are officially nonpartisan; however, some officials tout their endorsements or affiliations with political parties. For those candidates, we have listed their affiliations.

East County News Service

July 29, 2018 (Santee) - The Santee Fire Department posted this photo of a red diamondback on Facebook, with a timely message:  “ Santee Fire Department is an “all hazards” fire department, which means we wrangle snakes from time to time! This little fella is one of the bigger snakes we’ve captured. Don’t put your hands or feet where you can’t see, and always look before stepping over doorsteps, snakes like to crawl along the sides of buildings.”

East County News Service

Update 7:20 p.m. -- Power is restored at the Smart and Final, but SDG&E's website indicates power is still out to over 1,200 customers.

July 24, 2018 (Santee) -- A power outage has occurred in the  Santee/Carlton Oaks area, affecting 2,359 customers. SDG&E is assesesing the cause but estimates restoration at 9:30 p.m.

ECM reporter Rebecca Jefferis-Williamson was shopping at the Santee Smart and Final when the lights went out.  "The big lottery Mega-millions is tonight and I can't buy my ticket," she quipped.

She was also unable to  buy groceries for dinner, since the store is accepting only cash during the blackout fur customers already inside the store.  Customers outside are being turned away.

East County News Service

Photo:  Michael Brueggemeyer of M2 Digital post Inc., director of Emmy award-winning campaign, accepts award wearing a dinosaur suit.

July 22, 2018 (Santee) – M2 Digital Post Inc. of Santee was awarded three Emmys at the 44th Annual National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Pacific Southwest Chapter Emmy awards show in Palm Springs last month.  The awards were in the category of Commercial Campaign and Photographer Short Form.

The two projects are part of the retailer’s investment in serving today’s customers

East County News Service

July 7, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) -- San Diego County residents today got their first look at two newly remodeled Walmart Supercenters. The El Cajon Supercenter at 605 Fletcher Pkwy, and Santee Walmart Supercenter at 170 Town Center Parkway both underwent extensive changes to better serve their customers.

East County News Service

July 5, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – Have you “herd?” It’s time to break out your cowbells and get your spots on.

East County News Service

June 30, 2018 (Santee) – After dousing a brush fire that charred about 500 square feet near Santee Lakes this afternoon, firefighters found a body at the scene.

The blaze was reported around 2:10 p.m. in the 9300 block of Fanita Parkway, Sheriff’s Lt. Rich Williams said, Patch.com reports.

The Medical Examiner is working to try and identify the decease. No description has been provided. Authorities are investigating the cause of both the death and the fire, but it is not yet known whether foul play was involved.

East County News Service

June 23, 2018 (Santee) - Caltrans has announced closure of State Route 52 eastbound on Sunday and Monday night between Mast Blvd. and Mission Gorge Road from midnight to 4 a.m.

The closure is to enable crews to upgrade overhead signs. Detours will direct motorists onto the Mast Blvd. exit, turning left, then right onto Cuyamaca Street and back on State Route 52.