💼🏫 San Diego Elite charter school CEO resigns after investigation into financial practices, new leadership set
💧🌊 El Paso faces a reduced Rio Grande water supply this year, relying more on groundwater. ⚖️🚔 Judge orders release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, but ICE plans to detain him before trial
💧🌊 El Paso faces a reduced Rio Grande water supply this year, relying more on groundwater
Diego Mendoza-Moyers, El Paso Matters.- El Paso’s water supply is being impacted by a shorter-than-usual river season from the Rio Grande, which will only provide water from early June through August. This will increase the city’s reliance on groundwater pumped from local aquifers. While this is a temporary situation, it coincides with the city's highest water demand, particularly during the summer when consumption peaks at 160 million gallons per day. El Paso Water is adapting by drawing water from the river through treatment plants. Still, it is also expanding desalination and wastewater recycling efforts to reduce its dependence on the Rio Grande. The city has faced similar challenges in the past, and experts suggest that its groundwater resources, although still plentiful, require careful management to prevent overuse. This shift underscores the increasing importance of sustainable water management practices in the context of climate change.
Key Data:
El Paso Water will rely more heavily on groundwater due to reduced availability of water from the Rio Grande.
The city experiences water consumption peaks of 160 million gallons per day in the summer.
The city has expanded desalination and water recycling to secure its water future.
Groundwater management is crucial to prevent the depletion of aquifers like the Mesilla and Hueco Bolsons.
💼🏫 San Diego Elite charter school CEO resigns after investigation into financial practices, new leadership set
Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune.- Meghan Freeman, CEO of Elite Academic Academy, resigned following a Union-Tribune investigation revealing financial benefits gained by her and founder Brent Woodard through a third-party corporation, Prime Educational Solutions. Freeman’s departure, described as a "planned career move," comes amid scrutiny over the charter network's financial dealings and potential conflicts of interest. The investigation revealed that both Freeman and Woodard profited from public school dollars while overseeing a network that provided hybrid and online education to 1,800 students. Woodard, who created the network, has maintained ties to Prime, which provides back-office services to Elite. The scrutiny and resignations point to deeper issues regarding private, publicly funded charter operations and the lack of transparency around the financial interests of those in charge. Ashlea Kirkland-Haynes will take over as CEO at a significantly lower salary of $250,000 annually.
⚖️🚔 Judge orders release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, but ICE plans to detain him before trial
Travis Loller and Ben Finley, Associated Press.- A federal judge in Tennessee has ruled that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whose deportation to El Salvador earlier this year sparked controversy, will be released pending his trial for human smuggling charges. However, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is expected to take him into custody and may attempt to deport him. The charges stem from a 2022 traffic stop, where Abrego Garcia was initially suspected of smuggling but was not arrested. His attorneys argue the charges were fabricated to justify his wrongful deportation. While the judge acknowledged ICE’s likely actions, she found no evidence to support the claim that he poses a flight risk or danger to the community. The ruling marks the latest chapter in a legal battle involving immigration, criminal charges, and the complex relationship between enforcement agencies.
📰💔 Tijuana journalists demand justice for 21 years of impunity in Francisco Ortiz Franco’s murder
Eduardo Andrade Uribe, ZETA Tijuana.- Members of Tijuana’s journalism community and the family of Francisco Javier Ortiz Franco, the ZETA journalist murdered in 2004, are demanding justice after 21 years of impunity in his case. On June 22, 2025, they gathered outside the Federal Attorney General’s Office, placing around 500 stickers with Ortiz’s image and the message “21 years, Crime Impunity.” Despite initial state-level investigations, the case was later transferred to the federal level, where progress has been stagnant. The family and journalists emphasize that Ortiz’s death was not only a personal loss but a violation of the right to information for all Baja Californians. The case has been involved in international litigation, with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights stepping in. Activists call for the Mexican government to hold those responsible accountable and highlight the lack of response from authorities.