Education

EUSD trustee Jose Fragozo pleads not guilty to 13 election fraud felony charges

Escondido Union School District’s circus came to Vista Superior Court Thursday, but it was no laughing matter as embattled school trustee Jose Fragozo pleaded not guilty to 13 election fraud felony counts. Subdued and wearing a dark coat, Fragozo stood in front of arraigning Judge James A. Mangione around 2 p.m. at Department 14, beginning a process that will see a readiness hearing on March…


EUSD trustee José Fragozo defends himself against DA election fraud complaint

The San Diego County District Attorney will be filing a criminal complaint against José Fragozo charging him with misrepresenting his domicile for purposes of being elected to the Escondido Union School District (EUSD) Board. Fragozo will be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 4. He denies any criminal wrongdoing and will defend himself in court against these false charges. Fragozo, an elected EUSD Board member, called…


Grand Avenue filmmaking 101: ‘Mr. Getaway’

Lights, camera. Action? What the heck was going on Saturday in the alley behind the 100 block of E Grand Avenue? A white mini-van was there. People were milling around. Sometimes the mini-van was moving, and people were running around. Weird. While word on the street is “alley-way-cul-ture” is a secret Escondido happening, this was unusual even for that. Turns out this was the master…


Escondido high school teachers want salary increase

Money, honey. Even as Escondido Union School District (EUSD) elementary and middle school teachers were griping about salaries 20 percent lower than they believe they should be, their high school counterparts were engaged in a heated dispute with their school board. over pay and pension funding. Elementary and middle school teachers, many dressed in powder blue EEEA (Escondido Elementary Educators Association) T-shirts packed the EUSD…


Escondido Union School District under fire

Forget about basketball courts, the Escondido Union School District (EUSD) is playing its games this month at Vista Superior Court. Judge Richard Whitney in Department 21 may make his ruling at any time, but clearly nobody truly will be called a winner. In any event, without a settlement, the court dispute could last past Valentine’s Day, fittingly enough. With Whitney more like a school yard…


Escondido Union School District Board gets curiouser and curiouser

Teachers practically in full revolt over low salaries. Allegations of violations of state public meeting laws. One board trustee sent to exile miles away. Discordant discussions of steep school enrollment declines. Another board trustee bursting into tears. Deeply divided and torn asunder, the dysfunction that is the Escondido Union School District (EUSD) was in full public display on Thursday. It wasn’t a pretty sight and…


Escondido Union School District un-civil war continues unwell into the New Year

When the going gets tough at the Escondido Union School District (EUSD), the restraining orders get going. That’s not going to change as 2015 rolls into 2016 since EUSD trustee Jose Fragozo has to phone it in at the next school board meeting set for 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14 at district headquarters, 2310 Aldergrove Ave., just off Auto Parkway. Following two days of testimony…


Escondido Union School District Board: ‘Another Embarrassment Parts I-II’

Another Escondido Embarrassment, Part II (Dec. 15) Jose Fragozo had to phone it in again last night, but the connection was much better. Even though he was given very short notice to obtain a room, with ADA accessibility, he was able to do so at the NCLA office at 370 Mulberry Drive, San Marcos. After the Pledge of Allegiance, the next relevant item on the agenda…


Go2Grow giving it a mentoring go for Escondido teens; ribbons cut Dec. 10

Millennial mortgage lender Elana Karoly wanted to give back. Now she hopes the community will help her and Escondido’s new teen center to grow. A 501©3 tax-deductible non-profit, Go2Grow needs $2,000 a month to survive past March. After fundraising benefits and drives, the group has about 15 percent of the funds it needs to survive. The goal is to enroll 100 kids in the mentoring…


CSUSM-curated California Center for the Arts exhibit celebrates Dia de los Muertos

Re-membering our Ancestors: Discovering Ourselves, an exhibit curated by California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) Professor David Avalos, proclaims, with vivid colors and creative displays, the sense of loyalty people have to one another in life and in death. The exhibit is open now through Sunday, Nov. 22 at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido. Re-membering is influenced by the Mexican holiday commonly referred to as…