Big questions have been swirling around county government contracting since prosecutors charged a former top leader of a contractor with misappropriating public money.
Earlier this year, the county hired an outside consultant to dig into its contracting practices. Now that report is out — and it recommends steps the county could take to upgrade its contract oversight, reports our Lisa Halverstadt.
Among the proposed changes: more countywide oversight and accountability standards for contracts, increased vetting of certain contracts and better tracking and communication of challenges.
What it didn’t do is dig into how insufficient county oversight may have contributed to a criminal scandal.
Sale of Immigrant Detention Centers to Feds Raises Safety Concerns
Immigration advocates are worried the recent sale of immigrant detention facilities to the federal government will worsen health and safety conditions.
Last week, we learned the Department of Homeland Security paid $1.5 billion for the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego County and the California City Detention Facility in Kern County. Both were formerly owned by a private prison company called CoreCivic.
CoreCivic has said it will keep managing operations for the foreseeable future, but some activists are still bracing for impact.
They told Voice contributor Kate Morrissey there could be less oversight and accountability now that the federal government owns the facilities. They also worry the sale will worsen medical care, something they’ve seen happen before.
A Beach Town With No Access to the Beach
A surf camp in Imperial Beach has been a summer staple for South San Diego kids since 1969. But lately, YMCA Camp Surf looks a lot different than it used to.
Because of ongoing sewage pollution from Tijuana, Imperial Beach is often closed to South County residents and to the children at Camp Surf. So, instead of using the nearby beach, Camp Surf kids are bused north to Mission Beach to access the ocean, according to a report by our partners at CalMatters.
And they’re not the only ones impacted by constant beach closures. The junior lifeguard program in Imperial Beach also has to frequently coordinate with lifeguard departments in other cities to give their students beach access.
The problem has gotten so severe that residents in the community say it impacts how kids are growing up – without the same access to outdoor areas that their parents and grandparents had.
Rabbitholed: The Maya Millete Case
If you’re a true-crime fanatic, like some of our staff, then you’ll want to dive into this one.
Last week, a jury found Chula Vista resident Larry Millete guilty of murdering his wife, Maya Millete, who first went missing in January 2021. The case was extremely out of the ordinary. That’s because investigators never found her body, a crime scene or confirmed her death.
What they did have is letters written by Maya that say Larry abused her.
But things get much weirder. Larry sent out hundreds of messages to online spellcasters “seeking ways to influence or harm her through supernatural means,” reported the California Post.
He also wanted spells that would lead to more sex, as KUSI reported.
Internet searches from inside the home asked how to psychologically torture someone. Investigators also found a vial of the old-school poison hemlock.
To this day, Maya’s body has never been found. Read a detailed breakdown of the trial here.
In Other News
- Leaders of the Islamic Center of San Diego are still lobbying the state for $20 million to strengthen security for more than 20 mosques and Islamic facilities in San Diego County following a deadly shooting at the Islamic Center in May. The state recently allocated funds for increased security at hundreds of nonprofits statewide, but none of the local mosques were selected. (Union-Tribune)
- City leaders in Santee voted to put a one-cent sales tax increase on the November ballot. If it passes, Santee will become the highest taxed city in East County. (Union-Tribune)
- Homeless seniors are staying homeless for longer periods of time and are finding permanent housing at a lower rate than other population groups, according to a new report by the Regional Task Force on Homelessness. (KPBS)
- Average funeral costs in San Diego can be upwards of $5,000 higher than average funeral costs nationwide. Here’s why. (KPBS)
The Morning Report was written by Lisa Halverstadt and Tigist Layne. It was edited by Will Huntsberry.