Santee and East County: Senior Programs, Infrastructure Work, and a Night Under the Stars
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Santee's city calendar on Saturday includes two senior programs — a 55-plus Intergenerational Day with Bingo and a Tai Chi session — representing the kind of programming that keeps older adults active and connected in a city with a significant senior population. On the infrastructure front, construction of a new right-turn lane from Cuyamaca Street onto Mission Gorge Road is ongoing on weekday schedules; the city has confirmed that access to a nearby Chevron and Raising Cane's will remain open during the work. Updated traffic signals with flashing yellow left-turn arrows are now operational at several Santee intersections, changing how drivers execute permissive left turns.
Tonight's standout East County event is the free Star Party at Oakoasis County Preserve in Lakeside, running from 8 to 9:30 p.m. The San Diego Astronomy Association is providing volunteers and telescopes as part of the county's Parks After Dark program — a short drive from Santee and a strong option for families. Also in adjacent East County, La Mesa is hosting a history and film evening at Trinity Presbyterian Church featuring early silent films with live Wurlitzer organ accompaniment and a talk on the history of Flying A Studios.
Looking ahead on the Santee calendar: the next free Summer Concert at Town Center Community Park East is Thursday, July 16, featuring Cassie B. Santee Swim Day falls on July 18. On August 5, Lantern Crest Senior Living will unveil a large mural by artist David Ybarra honoring San Diego history — free and open to the public from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. The mural incorporates local icons including the Hotel del Coronado, the USS Midway, and the Lakeside Rodeo, along with a tribute to Harold K. Brown, a civil rights leader and former Lantern Crest resident.
Several California laws that took effect July 1 are already reshaping daily routines in Santee. Standardized 'best if used by' and 'use by' labels are now required on food products. Large restaurant chains must display allergen disclosures for nine allergens on menus. Schools must have smartphone restriction policies in place. And Senate Bill 79's transit-oriented housing rules — permitting up to nine-story residential development near qualifying transit stops — now factor into future development debates at Santee City Hall, adding complexity to a fall ballot already anchored by the city's proposed 1 percent general sales tax.