Breaking News Stories

Satirical photo illustration of a man in a toy sized police car with a bullhorn near a school. Commentary photo, AI Generated Likeness

The Tone Zone: Where Adjectives Get a 23-Point Traffic Stop

welcome to the Tone Zone: audits on the left, a taxpayer-funded tone check on the right. equal prominence, extra sunlight. Facts > Feelings.

Lizzie Bly September 3, 2025 1:18 pm

Letter excerpt signed by Superintendent Bradley Johnson stating the district will forward the notice to East County Schools Federal Credit Union and that the Parents’ Club is not authorized to conduct any further activities connected to Dehesa School District.

Setting The Record Straight

In my view, based on the documented sequence, you pause long enough to let volunteers cure the filings—you don’t drop a public hammer and then route a notice to the

Lizzie Bly August 28, 2025 11:36 am

Microphone on a public meeting dais with other mics in a row; American flag and people out of focus.

Rio Seco: An Expanded Investigation

A credible new lead—centered on Education Code and the collective bargaining agreement—has shifted the Rio Seco story. We are examining how decisions were made and whether the processes those rules

Lizzie Bly August 20, 2025 6:41 pm

Superintendent Johnson Speaking To Law Enforcement

From Ice-Cream Social to Closed Campus: What Dehesa’s First Days Revealed

After the welcome went missing, Dehesa parents say safety and tradition took a back seat. Two days later, only silence—and unanswered questions—remain.

Lizzie Bly August 15, 2025 1:56 pm

Community Spotlight

Op Ed

School News

A colorful satirical cartoon illustration of a one-room schoolhouse on a massive pedestal of cash, surrounded by oversized paperwork and red tape, symbolizing bloated administration costs in a tiny school district.

Superintendent in One-School District Paid $2,522 Per Student Without Required Credential

A tiny school district in rural East San Diego County is paying a $252,000 salary to a superintendent overseeing fewer than 100 students — without a valid administrative credential. A

Lizzie Bly July 15, 2025 11:36 am

The Tone Zone: Where Adjectives Get a 23-Point Traffic Stop

Setting The Record Straight

Rio Seco: An Expanded Investigation

From Ice-Cream Social to Closed Campus: What Dehesa’s First Days Revealed

The Sizzle Shack: A New Burger Royalty Emerges in East County

Community Spotlight: The Stand Brings Flavor & Fresh Energy to Santee

East of 52 Launches: A New Voice for Unfiltered, Local Journalism in East County

Superintendent in One-School District Paid $2,522 Per Student Without Required Credential