For 59 years, Republicans maintained control of Vista’s city council. That changed in 2022 when voters elected Democrat Dan O’Donnell to the City Council.
Another shift on the horizon? Now, Democratic Councilmember Katie Melendez is up for reelection, and Vista’s Republican Mayor John Franklin is trying to replace her with Republican newcomer Denise Barragan, who he encouraged to run and has publicly endorsed.
A win by Barragan would tilt the scales in Republicans’ favor once more.
Franklin and Melendez have butted heads for years, on everything from policing to housing taxes to issues involving SANDAG.
Supe Vargas: There’s No Toxic Gas Concern in Tijuana River Valley
Reports from researchers that there were toxic or lethal gases spreading into South Bay communities from the Tijuana River triggered widespread panic this week.
Some schools canceled outdoor activities. And Congressional delegates called on the feds to declare a state of emergency due to the river’s pollution. But, county officials weren’t so sure there was reason to be alarmed.
“The county has not received any data that as of now indicates a public safety concern,” San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas said. “Our county experts worked side by side with researchers… and found there were no significant hydrogen cyanide readings. The levels are not posing a public health hazard.”
One researcher at a San Diego university didn’t take too kindly to the county’s and Vargas’ statements.
San Diego Unified’s New Interim Supe
San Diego Unified’s board president Shana Hazan announced during Tuesday night’s meeting that the board had voted unanimously to appoint Fabiola Bagula interim superintendent during closed session.
“Bagula understands the vision and values of our community and has already demonstrated her ability to move the district forward in partnership with our board. She is compassionate, transparent and an outcome-oriented leader who brings the stability our students and staff need as we navigate this transition,” Hazan said during the meeting.
The move seems to be yet another signal that the board will forego the much-touted national search that led to them hiring former superintendent Lamont Jackson and once again promote from within. Multiple board members have indicated that they are confident in Bagula’s leadership and that she will be the district’s leader for the foreseeable future.
“I’m honored in the belief that the board has in my leadership and as a San Diego native I love this city and have dedicated my life’s work to both education within this district, across the county and also the state,” Bagula said.
The board promoted Bagula from deputy superintendent to acting superintendent when it fired Jackson a week and a half ago after an investigation substantiated allegations that he’d sexually harassed multiple female employees who once worked for the district.
Song of the Week
Lecx Stacy, “Are We Awake”: Do you like gentle guitar strums? Delicate banjo plucks? Sirenic female vocals? How about bursts of fuzzed-out electronic percussion or washy, ethereal synths? If you answered ‘yes,’ to any of these questions, Lecx Stacy’s “Are We Awake,” has at least a little something for you. The mixture is at times chaotic, at others serene, and always engrossing. Read more about the Song of the Week here.
Like what you hear? Check out Lecx Stacy at Casbah on Wednesday, Sept. 11.
Do you have a “Song of the Week” suggestion? Shoot us an email and a sentence or two about why you’ve been bumping this song lately. Friendly reminder: all songs should be by local artists!
In Other News
- In a post on the city of San Diego’s Instagram on Tuesday morning, officials warned that scammers are placing fake QR codes on parking meters to steal payment info.
- Supervisor Jim Desmond’s push to have the county send a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom requesting $51 million in ongoing cash for services tied to conservatorship expansion was postponed. A spokesperson said Desmond was out sick Tuesday and plans to present the proposal at a board meeting later this month.
- A U.S. District Court Judge sentenced the former police chief for the Manzanita Band of the Kumeyaay Nation to 12 weekends in federal custody and 10 months of home confinement for accepting more than $300,000 in bribes for handing out police badges. (Union-Tribune)
- The San Diego City Council approved a five-year, $10.6 million lease for two floors of a downtown office building that will allow them to move some of the city’s Development Services Department workers out of their aging Civic Center office space. (Union-Tribune)
- Scandal-plagued 101 Ash building may find new life as affordable housing. Three unknown bidders have submitted proposals to convert the building into low-income or extremely low-income housing. (Union-Tribune)
- To whoever mailed a palm tree to notorious palm tree hater, Scott Lewis: Bravo.
The Morning Report was written by Jakob McWhinney, Tigist Layne, Andrea Lopez-Villafaña and Lisa Halverstadt. It was edited by Andrea Lopez-Villafaña.