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

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

When In-N-Out’s heiress announced she was leaving California, burger lovers wondered who might rise to fill the symbolic void. Enter The Sizzle Shack: a fresh, family-owned burger joint in El

Lizzie Bly July 29, 2025 2:39 pm

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

Santee has a new spot worth checking out—and no, it’s not another chicken chain. It’s The Stand, a fast-casual eatery that’s setting a new bar for casual dining with bold

Lizzie Bly July 14, 2025 2:36 pm

A photorealistic scene of a schoolroom table with stacks of U.S. cash, a calculator, pencils, manila folders, and a rubber stamp in focus; empty student desks and an American flag are softly blurred in the background.

Rethinking Charter Oversight: A Path Toward Fairness, Representation, and Educational Integrity

California’s charter dilemma isn’t about charters—it’s about who oversees them. This blueprint replaces district authorizers with independent regional boards, returns oversight fees to public

Lizzie Bly October 20, 2025 8:27 am

A sunlit school gymnasium with voting booths lined up and a child standing alone in the center, evoking themes of public accountability, education policy, and democratic process.

Stop Calling It Choice: Public Funds Deserve Public Standards

Charter schools were created in the spirit of innovation and flexibility—but with billions in public funds flowing into private hands and virtually no voter

Lizzie Bly October 16, 2025 6:36 pm

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

Rethinking Charter Oversight: A Path Toward Fairness, Representation, and Educational Integrity

Stop Calling It Choice: Public Funds Deserve Public Standards

Rethinking Charter Oversight: A Path Toward Fairness, Representation, and Educational Integrity

When the Tail Wags the Dog: How Tiny Districts Like Dehesa Are Raking in Millions While Educating Almost No One

If I Weren’t a Responsible Journalist I Would Name-Drop

What the Law Allows, What the Record Shows, and the Most Honest Answer We Can Give