2024 was riddled with scandals. The stories that most resonated with readers this year had to do with education, and the many sexual misconduct scandals that continue to plague the county’s largest school district, and narratives on housing, environment and one sailor’s heartbreaking story.
We asked our reporters about their top stories and what they think is going to happen in the new year.
Editor’s note: Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Deadly Failure: A Sailor Was in Crisis. Her Command Kept the Pressure on Anyway
By Will Huntsberry
What’s this story about?
Tiara Gray, an exceptionally smart teen who had a history of mental health struggles, was recruited by the Navy after scoring highly on a military aptitude test. This eventually landed her on the USS Essex docked in San Diego.
Despite thorough documentation of her struggles with self harm and suicidal thoughts while on the ship, as well as doubts from mental health professionals about her suitability to serve, Gray was encouraged to keep working.
The decision to keep her on the ship proved to be deadly.
Reporter Will Huntsberry — with the assistance of military records, Tiara’s personal journal and many interviews — told her story for the first time and explored the Navy’s role in her death.
Why did you pursue this story?
“I was already writing stories about the troubling rate of suicides in the military when I came across Tiara’s file. Almost immediately, I realized this case was different than others I’d seen. The military seemed to have made deadly mistakes in their treatment of Tiara. The more I dug, the more complicated the story became, but all the facts I uncovered continued to point to the military’s culpability in her death.
Tiara also interested me as a person. I had a copy of her journal and it painted the portrait of a sensitive person, actively trying to understand herself. She was not an average military recruit and I wanted to understand how the military atmosphere affected her.”
Where do you see this story going in 2025?
“Tiara came back to life in this story and because of that I think this story will continue to move people in the future. Many people have reached out to me and there have been large discussions in online communities about how the story has resonated with people. The military can’t currently recruit enough people to fill its ranks — and this places a unique pressure to keep people in the military, when they should be discharged. This problem isn’t going away and for that reason Tiara’s story will continue finding an audience.”
San Diego Unified Superintendent Sexual Misconduct Scandal
The stories: San Diego Unified Investigating Superintendent Lamont Jackson, Misconduct Allegations Substantiated Against SDUSD Leader and San Diego Unified Fires Superintendent After Investigation Reveals Misconduct with Female Staff
By Jakob McWhinney
San Diego loves a good scandal, and so do our readers.
These stories all had to do with allegations against San Diego Unified Superintendent Lamont Jackson.
First, we broke the news that the district was conducting an investigation into Jackson and later we learned that allegations of misconduct were substantiated. The investigation found that he likely engaged in misconduct with former district employees.
The school board fired Jackson as a result.
Why did you pursue this story?
“For years, we’ve reported on a troubling pattern at San Diego Unified. Educators have long engaged in sexual misconduct and too many times, district leaders have ignored complaints or allowed them to quietly retire. Generally, that was where district leaders’ roles ended.
This story, however, showed that the culture of complicity was far worse than we’d previously assumed. It showed that some district officials weren’t just not doing enough to stop sexual misconduct, they were engaging in sexual misconduct themselves. That’s a damning revelation that needs to force a reckoning at the second-largest district in California.”
Where do you see this story going in 2025?
“This story is far from over. With the elevation of Jackson’s former second-in-command, Interim Superintendent Fabiola Bagula, officials will have to figure out how to build back trust among stakeholders. When confronted with badnews, they’ve tended to go on the defensive. That doesn’t seem to have done them any favors on the trust front.
Now, Bagula will have to decide if she chooses to embrace the old playbook or try something new: real accountability. In discussions with me, she’s pledged to do just that, but we’ll have to wait and see how much walk is behind that talk.”
One Neighborhood Is Fed Up with a San Diego School
By Jakob McWhinney
What’s this story about?
Tucked away in the southeast corner of North Park, St. Augustine High School – an all-boys, private Catholic school – had become a real menace to its neighbors.
Everyday as classes were dismissed, students could be found racing their cars around the otherwise-quiet enclave, sometimes even shooting Nerf guns at neighbors’ windows and colliding with parked cars.
Nearby residents tried talking to the school about it to no avail. When interviewed, the school insisted they’re good community members.
“We’re an easy target,” the school’s principal said.
Why did you pursue this story?
“[This story] sat at an interesting intersection between education and community reporting that highlighted the very real impact some schools, especially non-neighborhood schools, can have on the communities in which they’re located.”
Where do you see this story going in 2025?
“I wasn’t entirely sure where this story was headed, so I called up Terrence Morrissey, who has long been on the forefront of this skirmish. Turns out things are going pretty great.
In the months since we last reported on the tension, Morrissey and St. Augustine President Edwin Hearn have developed a close working relationship. Morrissey said he now has Hearn on speed dial and knows he can rely on him to address the community’s concerns. Hearn even brought him on a tour of the campus, which helped him realize that ‘they really do care about the success of their students and their students being good citizens in the community.’
‘I’m really confident now that if there are any issues that come up I can give Ed a call directly and we’ll work on it together,’ Morrissey told me. ‘We’re both trying to be better about seeing this shared community through the lens of the other side.’”
Another City Is Considering Ditching Housing First
By Tigist Layne
What’s this story about?
Housing First, an approach to homelessness that prioritizes getting people into housing before addressing mental health and substance use issues, has long been the standard in government. But in the past few years, some people have started pushing back on that.
This was the case in Vista this spring when the City Council considered abandoning Housing First, instead shifting the city’s focus on addressing mental health and addiction before shelter.
The Council ultimately decided to table this discussion, but may revisit it in the coming year.
Why did you pursue this story?
“I decided to pursue this story because it signified a larger shift in how leaders are approaching homelessness in North County. Vista discussed this new homelessness policy – similar to the one Escondido adopted earlier this year – and it goes against the state and federal standard to dealing with homelessness, which is Housing First.
This past year, we’ve seen some elected officials in North County crack down on homelessness in a way that we haven’t seen over the past few years. Almost every city in North County has adopted camping bans, and people are getting real about the impacts homelessness is having on their cities, residents, businesses, health and safety, etc. Vista considering this policy shows that some leaders are ready to try things their own way.”
Where do you see this story going in 2025?
“The Vista City Council ended up tabling this discussion, meaning they never adopted it or rejected it. They said at the time that they would bring it back at a later date. Vista’s Mayor John Franklin has said he plans to bring the policy back to the City Council in 2025.
If the Council considers it again, we may see them make a decision on whether or not they want to adopt the policy and use it to guide their decisions on homelessness. If they adopt it without any changes, it means they would be okay with not following the Housing First method, which also means they could lose out on state or federal Housing First dollars.”
While Tijuana Sends Sewage Over Border, US Avoids Source of Stink
By MacKenzie Elmer
What’s this story about?
San Diegans have long sought a solution to the Tijuana River’s persistent sewage problem, the source of a pungent smell locals have come to know all too well.
The issue is, the sewage comes across the border in Mexico, and the U.S. isn’t willing to cough up funds for fixes that fall beyond its territory. This has remained the case even though the federal government’s inaction has resulted in sewage levels that betray its own environmental laws.
Why did you pursue this story?
“I learned the federal government exempted itself from accountability or fines should its own actions violate certain environmental laws, like the Clean Water Act. The International Boundary and Water Commission violated the law at least 580 times. Yet San Diego citizens and cities continued to file lawsuits against the IBWC to try and force resolution of the decades-long sewage pollution problem. That never really worked. And it seemed the focus on the feds continued to detract from the actual source of the pollution: Tijuana.”
Where do you see this story going in 2025?
“We’ve already seen an about-face from the litigation community. Citizens are pursuing legal action against the federal government’s private contractor running a broken sewage plant at the border (broken due to prolonged underinvestment by Congress). It’s easier to win damages from private companies than the feds, so it’s clear that’s where angry San Diegans are directing their frustration without some other recourse to hold Tijuana and Mexico accountable. We’ll see whether those lawsuits turn up any wrongdoing by the private contractor. But we also have an incoming president who has taken hardline stances against Mexico as a trade partner even before taking office. And we have a new Mexican president, who represents similar interests as her predecessor who seemed inclined to helping Tijuana fix some of the sewage issues. Former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador sent the military to Tijuana to fix a broken wastewater treatment plant which is actually in progress. We’ll see whether new leadership produces progress.”
This Once-Quiet Agency Is Less Quietly Building An Empire in San Diego
By MacKenzie Elmer
What’s this story about?
San Diego’s Local Agency Formation Commission, otherwise known as LAFCO, has long flown under the radars of those who aren’t deeply entrenched in local government.
The agency’s main role has historically been to bring new cities and special districts into (or out of) existence, and control how, when and where public services go.
But LAFCO has started to set its sights on bigger battles recently, such as investigating and potentially ushering in structural changes at larger agencies like the Port of San Diego – and the bayside bureaucrats aren’t happy about it.
Why did you pursue this story?
“San Diego’s Local Agency Formation Commission doesn’t often draw the limelight. But it’s newish leader, Keene Simmonds, is a character that’s become difficult to ignore. Under Simmonds leadership, LAFCO played a high-profile role in breaking off a piece of the powerful San Diego County Water Authority’s iron grip on water sales in the region. Generally it’s an agency that’s asked to step in. It’s reactive. But I decided to write this story once I saw LAFCO taking a proactive role in establishing its territory: Its pursuit of impressing power on the Port of San Diego.”
Where do you see this story going in 2025?
“There’s evidence the fight between LAFCO and the Port has died down. LAFCO’s next high-profile role would be whether the neighborhood of La Jolla can secede from the city of San Diego and become its own municipality. That promises to be a very contentious battle ahead.”
‘I Can’t Wait Until You’re 18’: Despite Years of Sexual Harassment Allegations, San Diego Unified Allowed Teacher to Quietly Retire
By Jakob McWhinney
What’s this story about?
We revealed that a teacher with a history of complaints for inappropriate behavior stayed in the classroom because it took years for the school district to take action.
Why did you pursue this story?
“While the blockbuster news on the sexual misconduct at San Diego Unified front this year was the firing of Superintendent Jackson, the story of teacher Bruno Schonian was another ugly entry in the district’s history of teacher sexual misconduct.
Through it largely occurred years ago, the sluggishness of district officials’ response and their decision to allow Schonian to retire rather than try to fire him was extremely troubling. Even more troubling was the fact that this was far from the first time we’ve seen officials take that approach.”
Where do you see this story going in 2025?
“The Schonian case took place largely before the pandemic and officials have insisted a years-old overhaul of how they approach sexual misconduct complaints will have a real impact on their ability to tackle issues promptly and effectively. It’s yet to be seen just how true that is.
The case of Hoover High Assistant Principal Charles De Freitas, who was arrested for allegedly distributing child pornography to a minor earlier this year, offers a tidy counterpoint. Less than two years before his arrest, a parent reached out to then-Acting Superintendent Jackson expressing concern De Frietas was grooming their child. The district investigated the complaint but did not discipline De Freitas. That story wasn’t ancient history, so skepticism about a big fix may be warranted.
In any case, we’ll continue to investigate.”
Lease for San Onofre Beach Is About to Expire, And the Rent Is Going Way Up
By Tigist Layne
What’s this story about?
“When I heard that the lease for San Onofre Beach was going to expire in a matter of months, I thought about how devastating it would be for so many people if that meant the public would lose access to the San Onofre beach. I pursued this story because I wanted to understand if the lease’s expiration would impact public access, and if that was the case, I thought people should know about it.
Along the way, I discovered a rich history about how San Onofre State Beach came to be, and uncovered a military policy that was going to make it much more expensive for the state parks department to keep managing San Onofre Beach.”
Where do you see this story going in 2025?
“A few months ago, the state parks department and the military reached a 25-year lease agreement for the beach and the campground. That means public access to the beach is safe for at least another 25 years.
In 2025, it would be cool to learn more of the beach’s history and any existing conservation methods.”
- School Sexual Misconduct Scandal: A prestigious private school rocked by allegations of sexual misconduct involving students and faculty members.
- Sewage Stink: A city in turmoil as residents complain of a foul odor emanating from the sewage system, causing health concerns and property damage.
- Political Corruption Exposed: High-ranking government officials implicated in a corruption scandal involving bribery, kickbacks, and embezzlement.
- Climate Crisis Escalates: Record-breaking temperatures, natural disasters, and environmental degradation highlight the urgent need for global action on climate change.
- Tech Giants Face Antitrust Scrutiny: Big tech companies under investigation for monopolistic practices and antitrust violations, leading to calls for regulation and reform.
- Cybersecurity Breaches: Major corporations and government agencies targeted by cyberattacks, exposing sensitive data and raising concerns about cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
- Healthcare Crisis: Overcrowded hospitals, shortages of medical supplies, and overwhelmed healthcare workers struggle to cope with a surge in COVID-19 cases and other health emergencies.
- Social Justice Movements Gain Momentum: Protests and demonstrations advocating for racial equality, gender rights, and social justice reforms spark widespread debate and calls for change.
- Economic Recession Looms: Rising inflation, unemployment, and economic uncertainty create a looming recession, impacting businesses, consumers, and financial markets.
- Global Unrest: Political unrest, conflicts, and humanitarian crises around the world underscore the fragile state of global stability and the need for diplomacy and cooperation.
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