News of a damning District Attorney report that found four current and three former trustees who served on the board of the 51,000-student Capistrano Unified School District repeatedly violated open meeting laws by holding illegal closed meetings (See, "Brown Act Blues," Oct. 18), culminated today with a break between newly elected trustees and the so-called "old guard."
The district and the board have been tightlipped since the report was released last week. The board's silence was broken toda
Things didn't quite hit showdown tenor last night at a special Capistrano Unified School District board meeting meant to address findings by the OC DA that four of the board's current members had repeatedly violated open meeting laws by holding illegal closed meetings. The meeting was scheduled for closed session but pressure from three newly elected board members to have the meeting in public won out last night.
We couldn't believe it ourselves, but proof arrived in our offices today and it appears that embattled Capistrano Unified School District trustees Sheila Benecke and Marlene Draper have joined indicted ex-superintendent James Fleming in the North Pole!
Although the two trustees -- who are the subject of a recall campaign -- have not formally resigned, it appears they will be skipping town over the holidays and putting in a little extra volunteer time with Santa.
See the crew at work here!
Guys, either you go or you're going to cost everyone a lot of money -- that's roughly the sentiment delivered to longstanding Capistrano Unified School District trustees Marlene Draper and Sheila Benecke Tuesday by three of the seven members on the tense and divided board.
The three newest trustees -- Ellen Addonizio, Anna Bryson and Larry Christensen -- who were elected in late 2006 as part of a joint "reform" ticket following the indictment of the district's ex-superintendent James Fleming,
So, this has nothing to do with Heath Ledger's overdose, but it's news that broke today and we've been with this story for a while now, so what the hell.
Last September we spent some time with the CUSD Recall Committee, a feisty, frustrated group of parents and South County residents who pledged to collect enough signatures (read: 60,000) to recall two long-serving trustees on the beleaguered Capistrano Unified School District board. They've done it, they announced today. But they're hoping
It was predictable that the turnout wouldn't be huge for a special recall election at the end of the month but nevertheless, two 20 year veterans of the Capistrano Unified School District board who have been clinging to their posts were effectively booted out last night after the night's tallies were in.
Nearly 70 percent of the 24,000 votes cast favored recalling longtime trustees Sheila Benecke and Marlene Draper. Parents and residents have been trying to recall Benecke, Draper and two ot
The Capistrano Unified School Board was honored with a coveted "Darkness Award" by the California First Amendment Coalition this past weekend. Winners who earn the award usually, among other things, lie, thwart freedom of speech and subvert the public's right to know. The old Capo board (which predates the current board and its newly elected "reform" trustees) had it nailed in at least two of those categories and the First Amendment Coalition agreed, citing a continued inability to abide by ope
The Temecula Creek Inn--with its views of miles of verdant, vine-covered hills, a golf course, sumptuous spa treatments and nearby wine tastings--is a splendid spot for a decadent weekend getaway. In late 2007, about a month after beginning his post as Capistrano Unified School District's newest superintendent, A. Woodrow Carter accepted an invitation to spend a weekend at the Inn for the "California Superintendent's Health and Wellness Institute." Carter didn't give many details about the retre
The DA doesn’t file criminal charges against CAPO Unified School trustees, but their violations of the state open-meeting law will go on their permanent records
