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Breaking News Stories

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 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 August 15, 2025 1:56 pm

Helmeted teen on e-bike crossing a Santee school-zone crosswalk.

20 mph, No Rulebook: Santee’s Youth E-Bike Reality

From social feeds and neighborhood forums to doorbell video, the message is the same: stop reacting after crashes and set clear rules—age floor, training, and school-zone fixes the city can

Lizzie August 14, 2025 4:45 pm

Illustration of children playing musical chairs in a classroom setting, symbolizing unstable school enrollment. One child wears a Method Sports Academy jersey, another carries a backpack labeled 'Flex-Based Learning.' Empty desks and paperwork labeled 'Independent Study Contract' are scattered around. The scene reflects confusion and competition for classroom seats amid Dehesa School District’s shifting student placements.

Method Musical Chairs: How Dehesa’s Enrollment Shuffle Fueled ADA Funding, Charter Growth, and Audit Flags

Dehesa’s enrollment skyrocketed—on paper. But the math doesn’t track. Resident students were displaced. Outsiders were brought in. Funding followed the fiction. At the center: inflated ADA, a $253K superintendent, and

Lizzie July 25, 2025 3:41 pm

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

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

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

In a time when independent journalism is disappearing and local issues are too often overlooked, a new publication is stepping in to fill the

Lizzie June 26, 2025 5:55 pm

School News

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

Rio Seco: An Expanded Investigation

Lizzie August 20, 2025 6:41 pm

The Tale of the Three Whites and the Two Phams — A one-school district. Five board members. Two families. And a growing rebellion.

In the rural hills outside El Cajon, where wildfire season sparks fear each summer, another kind of fire has begun to smolder. But this time, it wasn’t fireworks that started

Lizzie July 15, 2025 11:42 am

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 July 15, 2025 11:36 am