Dear friends of inewsource,

Following the Cash

With the special San Diego mayoral election in full swing, our reporter — Joe “Follow the Money” Yerardi — is tracking campaign contributions and early voting.

He’s back at updating our searchable database of donors every day. Anyone who gives at least $1,000 in the race has to be identified within 24 hours. There are some recent interesting contributors: Just last week, Willie Brown, former California speaker, gave $1,000 to help David Alvarez in his quest for the city’s top job.

He’ll give you the skinny on political action committees on Wednesday.

And we’ve launched our map of early absentee voting trends. More than half the voters in the city currently vote by mail. It’s an increasing trend we thought you’d be interested in following. Joe also will be updating those mail-in ballot numbers daily. So far, as in the primary, the biggest turnout is among the voters in Rancho Bernardo.

KPBS has cut a new Follow the Money promotion for TV. Here’s Joe with the latest: https://vimeo.com/84643346

Donor database: http://goo.gl/eCE8DO
Early voting map: http://goo.gl/LU1gVQ

Can extra taxes buy your child a seat in a new school?

Not in Poway Unified. Reporter Joanne Faryon tells us that more angry parents in the Poway district are incensed their children cannot attend a new school they thought they’d paid for in special Mello-Roos taxes.

Last time we told you about a similar controversy, it was about an elementary school. Today? It’s an $82 million K-8 school. As Joanne describes it, the Google of schools.

The school board will hear from parents tonight. And that likely will not be the end of it.

Story: http://goo.gl/HP3BwU

Water wars get local

Claire Trageser, with our media partner KPBS, details the fight over water at Lake Morena. The lake is owned by the city of San Diego, even though it’s 50 miles east of it, and the city has started to drain the water to save the city ratepayers some money.

The county, which runs fishing and other recreation out of the lake, is not happy. But, as Claire tells you, there’s not a lot they can do.

Story: http://goo.gl/1ANvSD

We hit our goal!

Thanks to all who became inewsource members through the end of 2013. If you like what we’re doing, become a member. At the very least, forward this email to a friend.

— Lorie Hearn, executive director
loriehearn@inewsource.org