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Breaking News Stories

A fragile house of cards beginning to collapse on a wooden desk under warm light, symbolizing the fragility of power, accountability, and corruption

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

A reporter’s reflection on restraint, ethics, and the stories I chose not to publish—yet.

Lizzie October 10, 2025 10:58 pm
Stadium crowd stands, raising black “Turning Point” signs; red-white-blue outfits fill the seats during the Charlie Kirk memorial in Glendale, Arizona.

Inside the Arena: A Reporter’s Reflection

From the floor, I did a slow 360 and felt chills rip through me. The crowd rose, sang, embraced, and the emotion hit like a tidal wave—love, admiration, mourning, resolve.

Lizzie September 23, 2025 9:14 pm
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 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 August 28, 2025 11:36 am
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Community Spotlight

Op Ed

The ordering counter at Lakeside Social coffee shop, showing large black and gold menu boards filled with drink and food options hanging above a counter lined with flavoring syrups and coffee equipment.

Sipping Local: Why Lakeside Social is the New Heart of Woodside

With a sprawling specialty menu, generous portions, and a high-energy atmosphere, this Lakeside gem is proving that a great cup of coffee is only the beginning of the experience.

Lizzie April 20, 2026 1:12 pm
Sizzle Shack

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 July 29, 2025 2:39 pm
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Golden retriever sits at a desk surrounded by tax forms, receipts, a calculator, and an IRS-labeled box.

The Golden Retriever Who Wanted a Tax Break

A lawsuit asks the IRS to treat a dog as a “dependent.” The legal problem is easy. The policy problem is worse.

Lizzie December 23, 2025 12:19 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 October 20, 2025 8:27 am
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School News

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 benefit, gives charter families a voice,

Lizzie October 20, 2025 8:27 am
A close-up, high-resolution photograph of U.S. currency, with tightly stacked hundred-dollar bills in sharp focus. The lighting emphasizes the texture and detail of the paper, evoking themes of money, funding, and financial influence.

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

A small East County school district with under 100 students authorizes more than 13,000 charter enrollments across Southern California. As oversight fees rise and land deals expand, questions emerge about

Lizzie October 14, 2025 8:35 am
A fragile house of cards beginning to collapse on a wooden desk under warm light, symbolizing the fragility of power, accountability, and corruption

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

A reporter’s reflection on restraint, ethics, and the stories I chose not to publish—yet.

Lizzie October 10, 2025 10:58 pm
santee school distrcit

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

What weighs on me is knowing how much this community invested and still having to say: it’s over, legally. The records are sealed, and because we aren’t a party, there’s

Lizzie September 2, 2025 10:58 am
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