Gas Thieves Caught on Tape

Take a careful look at this photo.  These guys are picking the pockets of taxpayers.

Video cameras captured these two men siphoning gasoline from city vehicles at Santee City Hall on Magnolia Avenue at 6:20 a.m. on Monday, May 27 (Memorial Day).

They made away with about $100 in gasoline and took a $25 gas cap from a vehicle.

Over the past few years, gas has been repeatedly siphoned from vehicles at City Hall, and we’d sure like to put a stop to it.

If you recognize either or both of these men, please notify the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department  via the department’s non-emergency number (858) 565-5200.

Please share this post with your friends.        

Sign Up Your Kids for Free Fishing Derby

The thrill of reeling in a fish, no matter how large or small, is not quickly forgotten by a young angler.

Make this lasting memory possible by registering your child for the annual Santee Firefighters’ Fishing Derby scheduled for  6 a.m. to 11 a.m. June 15 at Santee Lakes No. 3 and 4. Act quickly, because the deadline for online registration is June 12.

Children from ages 3 to 17 are eligible and must be accompanied by an adult. Kids receive free admission to Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve, lunch, a raffle ticket and worms for bait.

The Lakeside Optimist Club will have fishing rods available for loan at no cost, but an adult identification is required.

Lunch for adults will be available for purchase along with additional raffle tickets for $2 each.

 You can register (click here) at the Santee Firefighters Assn. website

Explore Mission Trails Day - May 18th

Mission Trails Regional Park, the 5,800-acre natural park owned by the city of San Diego, is offering a free day of fun and entertainment for children and families on Saturday, May 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The 11th annual Explore Mission Trails Day will include free guided nature walks, talks and programs throughout the park, and special programs for children including up-close encounters with raptors, reptiles and other live animals.

The activities are centered at two areas: the Visitor and Interpretive Center near Jackson Drive and Mission Gorge Road  and the equestrian staging area at the western end of Mast Boulevard near State Route 52.

At the Interpretive Center, kids will have a chance to do crafts and, peruse several nature-oriented explore stations, or go on a guided nature walk. Families also have a chance to try early-morning bird watching or experience a twilight hike with nature experts. A special scope will be set up on the terrace for sunspot viewing.

Scholastic Publishing’s Ms. Frizzle™from The Magic School Bus© helps educate little ones about one of San Diego’s most common wild critters.

At the equestrian staging area, there will be free pony rides, a climbing wall, crafts, and interactive discovery stations where children can learn about animals and nature.

The Lake Murray and Santee Kiwanis Clubs will be selling hamburgers, vegeburgers, hotdogs and refreshments.

Shuttle service between the various parking locations will be available from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM.

A detailed map of the park and schedule of other Explore Mission Trails Day events are available at www.mtrp.org.

Santee Offers Free Smart Phone App

 

Reporting graffiti and finding phone numbers for key city services has never been easier.

 

Simply download the city of Santee’s new smart phone application called “MySantee”. It’s available for free upload on Google Play for Android users and on the Apple Store for I-Phone users.

Santee Offers Summer Day Camp Discount

Day Camp Field Trip

Summer camp is a place where kids have a blast while making priceless memories as well as friends for life.

And for the next two weeks only, getting your sons and daughters into summer camp can be more affordable than ever.

Beginning Wednesday, May 15, the city of Santee is offering a special discount of $15 off the regular price for a week of day camp. That includes regular day camp for youth entering grades 1 through 5 and X-factor camp for grades 6 to 9.

The deal is good for those enrolling for a full week, not single days or “Daily Deals.” With the discounted price, a week of day camp for Santee households is just $112, which includes a field trip and lunch daily.  Weeks that include a deluxe field trip to a local water park or bowling and Boardwalk amusement park are only $127.  Fees are slightly higher for non-Santee residents.

The offer expires May 31.  Camp starts on June 20. The camp day runs from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

To view the Summer Recreation Guide (click here) and to receive the discount during online registration enter the coupon code: MAY13.   No cash value. One discount per person. The offer is not valid with other discounts, including VIP, multi-family member registration or payment plans.

Give your child the gift of summer camp offered by the Santee Recreation Services Division.  More information is available by calling Community Services at (619) 258-4100 ext. 222 during regular business hours.

Santee Peddles Bike to Work Day

Cyclists participating in Bike to Work Day can get pampered with refreshments, encouragement and free T-shirts by dropping by either of two “energizer” stations in the city of Santee, which will be staffed from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Friday, May 17.

Santee’s Community Services Department will operate a bike-to-work pit stop at the intersection of Mast and Carlton Hills boulevards. A second station on Prospect Avenue east of Olive Lane will be staffed by Partnerships with Industry, a nonprofit that helps adults with developmental disabilities find jobs.

The two pit stops in Santee will be among 90 set up throughout San Diego County on Bike to Work Day, a national event observed annually on the third Friday in May.

Bike-to-Work Day participants can register here to win prizes offered through Sandag’s iCommute program.

The Santee City Council on April 24 approved a proclamation endorsing the bike-to-work event as “a healthy transportation alternative,” and noting that May is National Bike to Work Month.

“Santee commuters can reduce their weekly solo commute trips and the demands placed on the region’s roadways by 20 percent by choosing a commute alternative like biking to work just once a week,” the proclamation states.

Santee Launches Recycling Rewards Program

Senior Management Analyst Ed Ruiz

Starting today, Santee residents can earn discounts at nearly 3,000 businesses or  redeem points for merchandise by participating in a new curbside recycling  rewards program.

The first step is for residents of single-family homes to sign up online at Recyclebank.com/wm
Apartment residents are not eligible because they do not use curbside trash service.

Residents can earn reward points for placing paper, cardboard, cans, aluminum and other recyclable materials in the blue cart provided to most households by Waste Management.

Reward points will be awarded based on the aggregate weight of recyclable materials collected from each neighborhood.

“The point of this program is to encourage more residents to recycle by providing them with money saving incentives,” said Santee Senior Management Analyst Ed Ruiz, who oversees the city’s recycling program.

“Regardless of any rewards, recycling is simply a good thing for our community and for our planet,” Ruiz said.  "Santee is proud to be the first city in San Diego County to launch this program."

Reward points can be used for groceries, merchandise and discounts from hundreds of national retailers as well as local businesses.

More information about the program is available online at www.recyclebank.com/wm
or by phone at 1-888-727-2978.

Woodglen Vista Dog Park to Close for Maintenance

The 1-acre off-leash dog area at Woodglen Vista Park will close for five weeks beginning Monday, May 13 to allow public service workers to aerate the turf and re-seed the area with summer grass. It will reopen on June 18.

During the closure, pet owners who enjoy off-leash activity will be able use the Woodglen Vista Park baseball field

Monday through Friday from Dawn to 3pm* and Saturdays and Sundays from Dawn to Dusk* or the fenced dog park at Mast Park open daily from dawn to dusk.

 

“As any dog owner knows, dogs are tough on grass,” said Community Service Director Bill Maertz. “ But that beautiful green lawn is what makes this park so special. So we’re going to close it for maintenance to keep it that way.”

The Woodglen Vista Dog Park is one of the rare off-leash dog parks in the county with a turf (grass) surface.

Reminders to dog owners to pick up after your pet. Pets must be on a leash at all times in any city park, except when in designated off-leash areas. For a list of the designated off-leash areas and hours click here.

*Note: Due to special event reservations the ball field at Woodglen Vista Park will be open for off-leash dog use on Monday, 5/27 from dawn to noon only, Saturday, 6/8 from 6:00 pm to dusk only, and Sunday, 6/9 from 1:00 pm to dusk only.

Santee Wins Playful City USA Honor

KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit group, today honored the city of Santee as a “Playful City USA” for its ongoing commitment to a robust parks system and providing opportunities for children to enjoy the outdoors.

Santee was one of three cities countywide, 26 in California and 217 nationwide to receive the “Playful City” designation. The other two local cities to receive the honor are Encinitas and La Mesa.

Sponsored by the Humana Foundation, this recognition is given to communities that demonstrate a commitment to community partnerships that foster opportunities for children to play.

Santee earned the recognition for the second consecutive year by partnering with local school districts and nonprofit groups to provide joint-use recreation facilities and playing fields for local youth.

By earning a Playful City USA designation again, Santee is eligible to apply for grants to pay for park improvements, playground equipment, and recreation programs.

One of the primary goals of Playful City USA is to encourage communication and idea sharing between cities. For a complete list of winners or more information, click here.

Santee Bird of the Month for May

While walking the dirt haul road along the Walker Preserve east of Magnolia Avenue, we spotted a flock of cormorants frolicking in a pond in the San Diego River.

Here’s what the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website says about these water birds:

“The gangly Double-crested Cormorant is a prehistoric-looking, matte-black fishing bird with yellow-orange facial skin. Though they look like a combination of a goose and a loon, they are relatives of frigatebirds and are a common sight around fresh and salt water across North America—perhaps attracting the most attention when they stand on docks, rocky islands, and channel markers, their wings spread out to dry. These solid, heavy-boned birds are experts at diving to catch small fish.”

Buzz Kill: Aerial Mosquito Abatement This Weds

If you see a helicopter hovering over the San Diego River in Santee this Wednesday, May 8, it’s probably a contractor working for the county’s Vector Control Program.


The aircraft will be dropping a tiny grain-sized mosquito larvicide called VectoMax, which contains two types of laboratory grown bacteria that prevent mosquito larvae from maturing into flying adults that bite.

This will be the second aerial application of mosquito larvicide for the 2013 mosquito breeding season. Additional applications are typically done at three- to four-week intervals during the summer.

County officials say the larvicide pellets are harmless to humans, wildlife and the riparian habitat that surrounds the river. The county's mosquito-abatement effort is aimed at preventing the spread of West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne diseases.

County officials say the granules, which are about one-eighth of an inch long, will not generate a fog, mist or cloud.

The aerial drops are aimed at preventing the spread of the West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne diseases.

Got Shade? Get a Free Street Tree

Need some shade?  We got you covered.

Santee residents can learn how to qualify for a free street tree during a 1-hour workshop at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, May 4 at the Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve, 9310 Fanita Parkway.

Workshop participants will learn how to qualify for a free tree in the parkway in front of their home, a benefit offered by the Santee Neighborhood Tree Planting Program. 

Shade trees reduce the need for air conditioning, reduce greenhouse gases and increase property values.

“The benefits of a shady tree in your parkway far exceed the average $10 annual cost to water it, ” said Annette Saul, Santee’s  parks and landscape supervisor.  “Summer is right around the corner and we can all benefit from more shade and energy savings.”

Under the program,  the city will plant a shade tree in parkway between the sidewalk and the street and trim and maintain the tree over its lifespan. To qualify, a homeowner must sign an agreement promising to water the tree. Several species of trees are available, including those that are deciduous as well as evergreens.

“There are an estimated 700 vacant parkway sites in Santee where shade trees could be planted, so it would be great to get more trees in the ground to help the city become more sustainable and beautiful,” Saul said.

Saturday’s workshop is part of the Green Day at the Lakes event, which includes tree planting and activities for children from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

To RSVP for the workshop, contact Cfrazier@padre.org or call (619) 258-4792.

For more details on the Neighborhood Tree Planting Program, contact Annette Saut at (619) 258-4195 ext. 101 or asaul@ci.santee.ca.us

Reserve Canopy Space at Santee Salutes on July 4

Tired of getting up early to grab a premier spot to watch Santee’s fantastic fireworks show on the 4th of July?

Santee’s Special Events Division is offering advance reservation for family canopy sites at this popular community event.

 A limited number of 10' x 10' spaces are available in a prime viewing area, along with a reserved preferred parking spot, for a $125 fee. The proceeds will be used help offset costs for the event, which is free to the public.

 The canopies are removed at sunset by the Special Events staff  to avoid obstructing peoples’ view of the fireworks.

 Reserve your space now because once they are gone, they’re gone. Click here to access the reservation form.