Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed
Big Screen — Movie commentary
Blurt — Music's inside track
Booze News — San Diego spirits
Classical Music — Immortal beauty
Classifieds — Free and easy
Close to Home — What it’s like on the street where you live
Cover Stories — Front-page features
Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes
Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts
Feast! — Food & drink reviews
Feature Stories — Local news & stories
Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore
From the Archives — Spotlight on the past
Golden Dreams — Talk of the town
The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it
Letters — Our inbox
Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites
Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans
Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists
Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news
News Ticker — News & politics
Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated
Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna
Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated
Poetry — The old and the new
Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers
Reading — The hunt for intellectuals
Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails
San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds
SD on the QT — Almost factual news
Sheep and Goats — Places of worship
Special Issues — The best of
Street Style — San Diego streets have style
Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves
Theater — On stage in San Diego this week
Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative
Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work
Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego
Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads
Your Week — Daily event picks
Grand Jury transcripts--are there hidden costs to bond construction?
Just finished PDF number 3 of Amigable's - WOW! Hard to believe the depth of the wheelin' and dealin' - and folks it was all about the money, the dinero, the greenbacks. Rather than dwell on the obvious corruption, let us consider the betrayal. Jim Cartmill, on the board since the 90's - how many issues have we had with superintendents under his tenure? Another long time board member Arlie Ricasa, heading up the rear Pearl Quinones. So under the reign of these persons we have had the following issues - the alleged selling of computers across the border (taxpayers property), the first Grand Jury investigation, and now the largest alleged corruption scandal in San Diego City/Council history. So IF we were to take their alleged part out of it, the obvious question remains: WHY and HOW did they ALLOW these things to happen on their watch? Why did they allow 'the gandara' to do whatever in the hell he wanted? They knew what he was up to - why didn't they stop it? And now THEY ARE ALLOWING BRAND TO DO WHATEVER HE WANTS - WHY???????? WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE? What is their moral compass?— June 2, 2013 3:46 p.m.
Grand Jury transcripts--are there hidden costs to bond construction?
I found it interesting that Mccann claimed he did not knw his wife was working for Cabello. He stated he did not know because he was in Iraq, I am wondering in how many households such a fact would not be known. I could have sworn that even John Mccann would need to file taxes on all monies earned by either spouse. Mccann's dealings with Jaime Ortiz is interesting as well. There are two days worth of Ortiz's testimony posted on two separate pdf's. A must read. While Quinones is taken to the cleaners in all testimony read so far Jim Cartmill and Arlie Ricasa are referred to as well. Ortiz states Cartmill was one of the board members you did not say NO to. But then so was Arlie Ricasa and Quinones, and Sandoval, and 'the gandara', He made reference to the 'manner' in which Cartmill asked. Also of interest the spending of Prop O monies to keep the District running. Now that was an interesting tidbit. It appears Arlie's spouse was perceived to be 'looking for business' so to speak from Rene Flores. Another must read segment. Folks, I have read every word of every PDF provided - all I can say is SHAME! SHAME! SHAME! While the campaign donations were legal - as were the dinners, and the Laker games, and the Padre games, and the beauty pageant entry fees, and the college education, and the wine and, and, and - it is still incomprehensible that this group found each other and began living off of our bond dollars so to speak. Jim Cartmill, John Mccann, you were a part of the mess. While you may not have been trolling job sites looking for $20 donations you were still trolling - your campaign donations, totalled in the thousands, you are mentioned as receiving some of the expensive food, attending sports events. As I read the transcripts I found myself asking aloud "why didn't Mr. Schoor press him, why did he allow him to get away with that lie, why didn't he ask why all of the 'um's? Then the light went on in my brain, THIS TRIAL! THIS BUNCH ON THE STAND - is going to be a hum dinger!!!!!!— June 1, 2013 6:24 p.m.
Grand Jury transcripts--are there hidden costs to bond construction?
Let us look for a positive in this mess John Mccann has been exposed - was it 6 or 7 days after he brought Brand back that Mccann went to Brand and requested that Brand go to the contractors and ask for money on Mccanns behalf. (read Brands Grand Jury's testimony in the UT) Time for John Mccann to start looking in the help wanted ads for his new career. His alleged bid in the upcoming Mayors race, doubt if any entity would endorse him now that Brand has dropped the dime. Yet one question remains was it Jim Cartmill or Arlie Ricasa that encouraged John McCann to make the call to Brand offering him 'the Gandaras' old chair? Do NOT loose sight of the fact that Jim Cartmill, Ed Brand, and Arlie Ricasa have been referred to as the Three Musketeers. Let us remember that Brand WHILE SUPER, lent Jim Cartmill approximately 50k to help Cartmill out of a bankruptcy WHILE CARTMILL WAS A BOARD MEMBER HMMMMMMMM, can anyone say conflict of interest? Wondering if there is any truth that a certain spouse of a board member offered their financial planning services to one of the firms, read those transcripts carefully!— May 31, 2013 3:07 p.m.
Grand Jury transcripts--are there hidden costs to bond construction?
Let me take you back in time, approximately 3 years ago. Back when a couple members of the community stood before the SUHSD school board, month after month with detailed data, concerns over how much money was being spent on Prop O. So naive were they, they were sure Jim Cartmill, Arlie Ricasa, alleged fiscal conservative John Mccann, and Pearl Quinones would out the brakes on until an inquiry could be done. But alas, little did the antagonists know, these board members were benefitting from the very company milking the bond dollars dry. John Mccann in his alleged attempt to silence the group actually had a TRO levied on one of them ( which cost us over 6k of our tax dollars). I, like all of you, have been busy reading the many stories on the Grand Jury testimonies in which all of the board members are being named. I feel it is important to put the following out there for your consideration - Bertha Lopez is the ONLY board member who has CONSISTENTLY, questioned, commented, researched, and called for change. I can not speak to her charges, that is for a court to decide. So why, you may ask do you consistently question Jim Cartmill, John Mccann, Arlie Ricasa and Pearl Quinones - it is quite simple BECAUSE THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING to bring about change or to change. Their arrogance, their elite holier than though attitudes, their perceived collusion with Brand is enough to make a maggot gag!!!!!!!! Let us consider the following quote - when you know better you do better. Why didn't they begin to do better when it was obvious the gig was up? THAT! IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION. Why have they allowed Brand to run amuck, each and ever decision Brand has made has done nothing but poke the bear so to speak. They have yet to realize Brand will leave and never look back, yet the words we are now reading ABOUT THEM AND THEIR GREED, has been burnt into our brains and will continue to have an effect every time we look at a middle/high school, and every time we look at our tax bill and think of the waste.— May 31, 2013 8:56 a.m.
Grand Jury investigation transcripts for South Bay school districts released
eastlaker: POWER TO THE PEOPLE!— May 30, 2013 7:09 p.m.
Grand Jury investigation transcripts for South Bay school districts released
Union Tribune is reporting that BRAND was asked by JOHN MCCANN to go to SGI and ask for campaign donations. Brand also stated that 'if I knew then what I know now I WOULD NOT HAVE COME BACK' paraphrase. So,,,,,,,,,,, board members you now se what Brand is all about Brand. I believe Brand just torpedoed Jihn Mccanns bid for mayor. We do NOT need a person like this leading the beautiful city if Chula Vista. No wonder Mccann balked when then the highly respected Maty Adato attempted to bring campaign donations before the voting board. I said it before and I will say it again, John Mccann is an imposter. John Mccann, the man who came in promising reform, then once he got there started begging for money from SGI via Brand. Johnny Boy, I think you just got thrown under the bus !!!!— May 30, 2013 6:42 p.m.
Grand Jury investigation transcripts for South Bay school districts released
Our board members, or most of them, are highly intelligent so called professionals, and as such, KNOW the difference between right and wrong. While I agree Garcia should have counseled them, truth of the matter is he allegedly was a part of it. His own wife was funneling, I mean donating, thousands to certain board member campaigns. Fortune 500 job - that is classic, and so very very true.— May 30, 2013 10:23 a.m.
It was always about animals
What a great story! It is nice to see the other side of the coin so to speak. There are many animal lovers like myself, all of which will find this story informative and comforting.— May 30, 2013 9:11 a.m.
Grand Jury investigation transcripts for South Bay school districts released
I am really looking forward to the testimony of a certain contractor who allegedly worked hard to insure that Jim Cartmill would win out over a honest, well respected, dearly loved Karen Janney. He pulled up Janney signs to prove his worth to certain persons including 'the gandara' I was told. Can't remember was it 20k or 30k 'the gandara' asked SGI to donate into Cartmill's campaign? You all know the story, there was 'the gandara' down in Mexico when he allegedly placed the call to Jaime Ortiz 'advising' him to 'donate?' 20k to Jim Cartmill's campaign coffer. Karen Janney, a board member, holy moly, they had just gotten rid of honest Jaime Mercado, surely Janney is NOT what 'the gandara' wanted.— May 29, 2013 10:06 p.m.
Grand Jury investigation transcripts for South Bay school districts released
Visduh: Garcia has lost much business due to amongst other things late, large billings - just 'google' his name. He is also being sued by his x partner, that partner is using info in our circumstance in his claim.— May 29, 2013 9:53 p.m.