A woman now charged with misappropriating $210,000 in public money through the nonprofit where she worked was one of the first people to raise concerns with county officials about the very same nonprofit.
Last June, Amy Knox, the former chief operating officer of the Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego, urged county officials to investigate her former employer, which provided services to the county.
The county says the internal probe that followed ultimately led it to cancel its two county contracts with the group and to report issues to the District Attorney’s Office.
The county initially denied Voice of San Diego’s record request for the internal probe. The county relented after Voice threatened to sue to force its release.
Now our Lisa Halverstadt has a rundown of the review that uncovered a slew of issues. Among them: a months-long delay in reporting a non-fatal overdose, inappropriately co-mingled personal and business expenses and lacking county oversight.
Border Report: Tijuana Women March Against Gender Violence
On Sunday, hundreds of women in Tijuana marched in this year’s 8M movement, an annual demonstration to protect women’s rights and end violence against them.
The event always takes place on March 8, International Women’s Day. Women of all ages spent the day protesting pervasive femicide, sharing stories of abuse and demanding justice.
In Mexico, women are killed at a rate of about 10 per day, according to a 2022 report.
“Ni una mas,” they chanted as they marched. It means, “Not one more.”
At the demonstration, protestors carried feminist and intersectional feminist flags, painted messages on statues, posted flyers denouncing specific men and sang songs together, Voice contributor Kate Morrisey writes.
No. 2 Bureaucrat Departing County Government
The county’s No. 2 bureaucrat is leaving county government next month.
The county announced Monday that 20-year county staffer Caroline Smith will leave her post as assistant chief administrative officer on April 3 – and that Chief Financial Officer Joan Bracci will then take on an additional role as assistant CAO.
The departures come at a turbulent time for county government, which is projecting massive federal cuts and grappling with high-profile challenges including the recent contractor debacle.
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In Other News
- The San Diego City Council is set to approve agreements at today’s meeting that aim to cement the city’s ownership of Liberty Station. The city is currently fighting over control of the property with management company Seligman Properties. (Union-Tribune)
- Assemblymember Carl DeMaio and his political action group Reform California have endorsed Jim Desmond for the 48th Congressional District seat, DeMaio announced in a press release Monday.
- Related: Last Friday, Rep. Darrell Issa ended his reelection campaign for the 48th Congressional District, and Desmond withdrew his name from the 49th District race, choosing instead to run for the 48th District. There was some speculation that DeMaio would jump into the 48th District race, too, but he decided against it. Read all about the recent shake-up here. (Voice of San Diego)
- Federal judges have ruled in recent months that ICE has unlawfully detained at least 22 legal immigrants and asylum seekers for entering Camp Pendleton for work or by accident. (Union-Tribune)
- County officials and the San Diego Foundation announced the Partnership to Protect San Diegans on Monday, an initiative that funds safety-net programs that are threatened by federal funding changes. (KPBS)
The Morning Report was written by Lisa Halverstadt and Tigist Layne. It was edited by Will Huntsberry.