These were the most popular Voice of San Diego stories for the week of Sept. 19-Sept. 25.
1. Superintendent Says School Board Member’s Son ‘Part of’ Reason for Principal’s Removal
Superintendent Cindy Marten said there is some truth to a former School of Creative and Performing Arts principal’s account about why she was removed. (Mario Koran)
2. School Board President Demanded Action of District Staff After Bad Evaluation of Son
Emails obtained by VOSD show school board president Marne Foster used her influence to meddle in day-to-day operations at her son’s school. (Mario Koran)
3. How Public Land Became a Family’s Land After a Solar Fight
A powerful family, aided by two environmental nonprofits, used an environmental law to sue over a major solar project in Imperial County. A parcel of public land was handed over to the family. After that, the family dropped its opposition and the project went forward — seemingly without any changes to make the project more environmentally friendly. (Lisa Halverstadt)
4. School Board Trustee Calls for Independent Investigation Into Foster Ordeal
San Diego Unified Trustee John Lee Evans has called for an independent investigation to address ongoing fallout involving board president Marne Foster. (Mario Koran)
5. City’s Bold Climate Action Plan Could Be Nullified Before It Even Passes
San Diego’s ambitious plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by fundamentally changing the way residents get to work could be irrelevant before it’s even adopted. And the two politicians who’ve pushed it hardest – Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Councilman Todd Gloria – could cast votes that render it moot. (Andrew Keatts)
6. Opinion: We Do Not Have a Superintendent Who Caves to Pressure From Board Members
Even though many of the claims being made over what happened at the School of Creative and Performing Arts are patently false, the superintendent and the Board of Education have been handicapped by legal requirements that prohibit discussing confidential personnel matters. (John Lee Evans)
7. In Logan Heights, One Good Fence Makes Good Neighbors
Photographer J Raymond Mireles’ is using his Logan Heights fence as an experimental public art project meant to bring people together. (Kinsee Morlan)
8. Payoffs, Police and Phantom Parking: Your Best Nightmare Towing Stories
We put out a call to our readers asking for their experiences dealing with local towing companies. Surprisingly, not all of them are resoundingly negative. Here are 10 of the top stories we received. (Kinsee Morlan)
9. 4 Reasons City Water Bills Keep Rising
The city’s water department plans to increase rates by more than 40 percent in the next five years. (Ry Rivard)
10. San Diego Unified Eyes New CABs – ‘Heartburn or Heartbreak’ Not Included
If approved, San Diego Unified’s $100 million capital appreciation bond will end up costing $235 million by 2040 – more palatable than the 7.6 times repayment price of years past. (Ashly McGlone)