Cup of Chisme: Fall from Grace
EM - News Moderator 
Poway City councilmembers met on Friday to discuss how to replace Councilmember Tony Blain, but decided to delay setting a date for a special election, CBS reports.
Why is this happening? Blain resigned on Wednesday, a day after voters in his district voted to recall him. And two days after he was due in court for an arraignment hearing on the four felony charges and one misdemeanor he’s facing.
North County reporter Tigist Layne has followed Blain’s fall from grace since the beginning of this year when the city’s top lawyer accused the councilmember of harassment. She then got her hands on a bunch of emails that Blain sent to staff and elected officials.
Blain told Voice of San Diego at the time that this was all a “political lie” from corrupt city leaders. But the emails showed that he had harassed employees and engaged in backroom politics.
All this drama led to a censure vote, a lawsuit and later criminal charges.
Layne wrote a profile on Blain’s rise and very big fall. Read it here. It’s good.
Garden Will Stay Open
Our Jim Hinch learned on Friday that the county has found a way to keep a community garden near the Tijuana River Valley open.
National City-based nonprofit Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center will run the community garden so farmers can continue growing fruits and vegetables.
Background: Hinch revealed in October that farmers were getting evicted by the Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County. Representatives with the agency said it was because the county had posted pollution warning signs near the garden, which made it to risky to stay in operation.
More Chisme to Start Your Week
- San Diegans living in their recreational vehicles told our City Hall reporter that the city has not done enough to improve access to safe parking lot. That’s not true, city officials said. Read more about the latest dispute here.
- Will Huntsberry reports that the developers who are proposing giving 49 acres in the Midway District a facelift with thousands of apartments, public spaces and a new sports arena, have a plan to get past the city’s height limit law. Read more here.
- What’s on Mayor Todd Gloria’s wish-list? More funding for homeless services.
The post Cup of Chisme: Fall from Grace appeared first on Voice of San Diego.
