Daylight saving time: It’s backward time again when clocks step back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. Don’t forget to do the right thing clockwise or you’ll be out of sync. Californians early Sunday will join most of the nation in the yearly ritual of switching their clocks an hour forwards and back on daylight saving time. Will they be allowed to…
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As people in the U.S. prepare to turn their clocks back at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, I find myself bracing for the annual ritual of media stories about the disruptions to daily routines caused by switching from standard time to daylight saving time. About a third of Americans say they don’t look forward to these twice-yearly time changes. An overwhelming 63% to 16% majority…
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“For the first time media is the least trusted institution globally,” Edelman, the global PR and marketing firm concluded in its annual worldwide study on trust in institutions like the media, business and government. These international findings are in line with recent data coming out of the U.S. A 2016 Gallup poll reported that just 32 percent of Americans trusted the mass media, while an…
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Tucked inside Vallecitos Town Center at 1254 E. Mission Road in San Marcos, stands a small storefront with a big reputation. San Marcos Grooming, owned and operated by Maria Motta, has quickly become a favorite among local pet owners—not just because of its grooming services, but because of Maria herself. Maria is more than a certified dog groomer. Clients describe her as a “dog whisperer,”…
In 1982, National Silver Industries—originally founded by Samuel E. Bernstein—was acquired by Towle Manufacturing Co. for $4.3 million. [1, 2] Company Overview Founder: Samuel E. Bernstein founded National Silver Co. (later National Silver Industries) in New York City around 1890. The company’s products often featured the hallmark “SEB”. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] Expansion: Under his leadership and subsequent management, the company grew into a…
Hey, you. That’s right, YOU. Art lover, cultural icon. Keeping it classy, sassy and fun. Art for any space, any place, any situation, enjoyable and appreciating in value as you appreciate it for years to come. We’re talking tons of visual and personal pleasure, enhancing any experience, providing fun and coffee plus water cooler talk for ages immemorial. Frame it, display it, do with it…
Used by permission, this rather comprehensive look at Lake Hodges, Del Dios Highway and sites far and wide, first appeared at Postcards and Passports, San Diego resident Tami Zehrung Wilcox’s extensive travel blog. Only a few weeks ago, I took a day to discover Lake Hodges and the area surrounding it. I was astounded at all that it has to offer — especially its peaceful…
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Hail Estonia! Wait. What? Estonia opened an honorary consulate at La Jolla on January 24, 2019, later moving it to downtown San Diego. The Estonian honorary consul in the San Diego area is Dr. Michael Corey Chan, and the address of the consulate is 330 13th Street #2111 San Diego, CA, 92101. Give him a shout-out at 858-717-6379. “Honorary consuls with their energy and network…
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San Diego’s got sunshine, surf, and—who knew—synthetic journalism. Lately, a site called San Diego City Wire has been popping up in social feeds and search results, dishing out “local” tidbits about home sales, city meetings, and “community happenings.” It looks like any of the old-school weeklies that used to land on your porch in a blue plastic bag. The headlines are tidy, the writing reads…
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Editor’s Note: Michael Patrick Welch, renowned New Oreans writer, musician, teacher and friend of The Escondido Grapevine, conducted an interview with the provocateur known to Andy Kauffman and Bob Zmuda fans as Tony Clifton. While others have shunned this outstanding piece of informational journalism, we embrace it and re-print this as a public service. “After years of chasing Tony Clifton to get his thoughts on…
Reclusive and sitting in a luxury home high above the San Pasqual Valley, the charismatic “Lord of All Indoors” Steve Zungul continues to mystify and impress, albeit out of the public eye. He hasn’t spoken to anybody in the media for over a decade. His legendary indoor soccer career continues to do all the talking. Fans of the Croatian indoor soccer scoring machine, perhaps the…
Every dog has its day, they say, and apparently so does every cause, effect and plain old thing. Welcome to Thursday Oct. 8, 2026. It’s National Fluffernutter Day. Correct, National Fluffernutter Day is observed annually on Oct. 8, according to the National Day Calendar. This is a day set aside each year to make, and enjoy, the savory sandwich consisting of peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. Fluffernutter dates…
(Editor’s Note: Gavvy Cravath was an Escondido native, perhaps the first Major League Baseball star from San Diego County. Patrolling right field at the historic Baker Bowl for the Dead Ball Era Philadelphia Phillies, he led the National League in home runs six times in the years just prior to Babe Ruth’s arrival on the scene. Later, a Laguna Beach municipal judge, the crusty Cravath,…
There’s nothing wrong with celebrating romantic love, but the focus on such celebrations drowns out the voices of those who are fine as they are – single and happily so. As I’ve argued in my research on the ethics and politics of the family, social practices that celebrate romance, while ignoring the joys of friendship and solitude, reflect widespread assumptions. One is that everyone is…
The Grand Tea Room Thinks Pink Care for a little sympathy with some tea? Grand Tea Room is hosting “Think Pink” to raise money for breast cancer research. It’s part of this weekend’s Susan G. Komen 3-Day Breast Cancer Awareness walk, and at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17. Afternoon Grand Tea is $35, all included. It features tea sandwiches, “savories,” fresh fruit, desserts, scones and,…
Come, on man. Even dads need a little love, stoic as they may seem, so how about doing something on Father’s Day, which is Sunday, June 19 this year. Dads love to roar, so why not roar with the animals at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, especially with food thrown in the man cave. A special Father’s Day buffet takes place at 11:30 a.m….
Rising big bass star Greg Springer of Vista has caught and released the largest bass in San Diego in almost two years, a truly massive 16.3 pounder. Springer landed the fish on Friday at Escondido’s Lake Wohlford near the South Shore Rockpile, while fishing from the shoreline with a 3:16 Lure Company Kokanee Glide Bait (pictured in one of those photos below). Springer had been on a mission to…
After discovering Karen and I cannot vote in city elections because our home is located in an unincorporated area of San Marcos, I’ve found we do live within the San Marcos School District, so we can vote on school bond measures. And, as County residents, we can vote in District 5 Supervisor elections. Jim Desmond, former two-term mayor of San Marcos, won his seat in…
The more things change the more they stay they same eerily reflects the appointment of a new Escondido police chief. That would be Ed Varso, announced Tuesday as new police chief come Dec. 27. Varso was Escondido police chief from January 2020 before leaving in June of this year to become Menifee’s second police chief. Varso served in the Escondido Police Department from 2002 until…
Here we are in year two of Trump II, and you’d have to be blind to say the administration hasn’t flooded the zone with Project 2025 schemes, would-be Presidential monuments, Racism, and lies like nobody’s ever seen before. From day one it’s been difficult for non-MAGA types to comprehend and react to the pace of administration actions. Broken down into their actual components, they include:…
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Randall Harold “Duke” Cunningham, former 50th Congressional District representative, and Navy flyer who shot down five MiGs over Vietnam and then shot himself in the foot with greed, died Wednesday in a hospital bed in Little Rock, Arkansas. Cunningham was 83. His family put the news on social media. No cause, no grand statement. Just the way it goes: a man who once wanted the…
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They came by car. They came by foot. They came from all over San Diego County on Saturday June 14, 2025 to say to “King Donald I,” no more acting like King George III — and then some — on what protest organizers titled “No Kings Day.” “I am protesting because I am scared about what’s happening in our country,” said Michelle Cyr, an organizer…
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Hundreds of thousands of California voters could have their ballots wrongfully discounted, according to a motion to intervene filed by the League of Women Voters of California (LWVC) on Friday against a lawsuit seeking to block counting mailed ballots received after Election Day. The LWVC, represented by the ACLU and the ACLU Foundations of Northern California, Southern California, and San Diego & Imperial Counties, seeks…
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Nobody, especially Trump, knows it yet. His fate, his downfall, and his doom is, as we speak, being set in stone. And considering the roll he is on, few will believe what I am writing here. Just as well. Best not to believe or repeat what I’m telling you. Fortunately, Trump is so full of himself and too stupid to see what he is doing…
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Used by permission, this rather comprehensive look at Lake Hodges, Del Dios Highway and sites far and wide, first appeared at Postcards and Passports, San Diego resident Tami Zehrung Wilcox’s extensive travel blog. Only a few weeks ago, I took a day to discover Lake Hodges and the area surrounding it. I was astounded at all that it has to offer — especially its peaceful…
Click Here or title to read more
I’ve talked about poltergeists before and we learned that if you don’t actually see what threw the plate at you then it was, most likely, a poltergeist instead of a ghost. Ghosts don’t fool around in the background of life. They are right there to scare the puddin’ out of you every chance they get. But why? Why does a ghostly spirit get his kicks…
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Editor’s Note: Michael Patrick Welch, renowned New Oreans writer, musician, teacher and friend of The Escondido Grapevine, conducted an interview with the provocateur known to Andy Kauffman and Bob Zmuda fans as Tony Clifton. While others have shunned this outstanding piece of informational journalism, we embrace it and re-print this as a public service. “After years of chasing Tony Clifton to get his thoughts on…
Click Here or title to read more
Every dog has its day, they say, and apparently so does every cause, effect and plain old thing. Welcome to Thursday Oct. 8, 2026. It’s National Fluffernutter Day. Correct, National Fluffernutter Day is observed annually on Oct. 8, according to the National Day Calendar. This is a day set aside each year to make, and enjoy, the savory sandwich consisting of peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. Fluffernutter dates…
Click Here or title to read more
Dateline Rancho Santa Fe. March 26, 1997. A 911 call came into the San Diego Sheriff’s Communications Center. It was treated as a prank call at first. From what turned out to be a nearby payphone, the caller said something so preposterous that dispatchers took their time in relaying the information to central command. “This is regarding a mass suicide. I can give you the address,” the…
Click Here or title to read more
Tucked inside Vallecitos Town Center at 1254 E. Mission Road in San Marcos, stands a small storefront with a big reputation. San Marcos Grooming, owned and operated by Maria Motta, has quickly become a favorite among local pet owners—not just because of its grooming services, but because of Maria herself. Maria is more than a certified dog groomer. Clients describe her as a “dog whisperer,”…
Click Here or title to read more
In 1982, National Silver Industries—originally founded by Samuel E. Bernstein—was acquired by Towle Manufacturing Co. for $4.3 million. [1, 2] Company Overview Founder: Samuel E. Bernstein founded National Silver Co. (later National Silver Industries) in New York City around 1890. The company’s products often featured the hallmark “SEB”. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] Expansion: Under his leadership and subsequent management, the company grew into a…
Click Here or title to read more
Hey, you. That’s right, YOU. Art lover, cultural icon. Keeping it classy, sassy and fun. Art for any space, any place, any situation, enjoyable and appreciating in value as you appreciate it for years to come. We’re talking tons of visual and personal pleasure, enhancing any experience, providing fun and coffee plus water cooler talk for ages immemorial. Frame it, display it, do with it…
Click Here or title to read more
The Escondido Grapevine: Your Premier Advertising Partner in North County San Diego Businesses need advertising platforms offering extensive reach while exemplifying innovation and adaptability in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape. The Escondido Grapevine stands at the forefront of digital journalism, serving as both a model for future online presentations and a comprehensive news source for North County San Diego communities. The Grapevine offers unparalleled opportunities…
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Editor’s Note From Nextdoor….. “I just learned today that Knorr’s Candle Factory on Via de La Valle is closing 10/31/23 and they are having huge sale, including holiday decor, to cut inventory. It was always one of my favorite places to shop and such a local tradition. Please support them and stop by. Everyone loves beautiful candles!!” — Chari Chanin As the world, and…
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Editor’s Note: Michael Patrick Welch, renowned New Oreans writer, musician, teacher and friend of The Escondido Grapevine, conducted an interview with the provocateur known to Andy Kauffman and Bob Zmuda fans as Tony Clifton. While others have shunned this outstanding piece of informational journalism, we embrace it and re-print this as a public service. “After years of chasing Tony Clifton to get his thoughts on…
Click Here or title to read more
Reclusive and sitting in a luxury home high above the San Pasqual Valley, the charismatic “Lord of All Indoors” Steve Zungul continues to mystify and impress, albeit out of the public eye. He hasn’t spoken to anybody in the media for over a decade. His legendary indoor soccer career continues to do all the talking. Fans of the Croatian indoor soccer scoring machine, perhaps the…
Click Here or title to read more
Every dog has its day, they say, and apparently so does every cause, effect and plain old thing. Welcome to Thursday Oct. 8, 2026. It’s National Fluffernutter Day. Correct, National Fluffernutter Day is observed annually on Oct. 8, according to the National Day Calendar. This is a day set aside each year to make, and enjoy, the savory sandwich consisting of peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. Fluffernutter dates…
Click Here or title to read more
(Editor’s Note: Gavvy Cravath was an Escondido native, perhaps the first Major League Baseball star from San Diego County. Patrolling right field at the historic Baker Bowl for the Dead Ball Era Philadelphia Phillies, he led the National League in home runs six times in the years just prior to Babe Ruth’s arrival on the scene. Later, a Laguna Beach municipal judge, the crusty Cravath,…
Click Here or title to read more
Dateline Rancho Santa Fe. March 26, 1997. A 911 call came into the San Diego Sheriff’s Communications Center. It was treated as a prank call at first. From what turned out to be a nearby payphone, the caller said something so preposterous that dispatchers took their time in relaying the information to central command. “This is regarding a mass suicide. I can give you the address,” the…
Click Here or title to read more
People have been debating D.B. Cooper ever since his Thanksgiving 1971 leap into history and out of a commercial flight from Portland to Seattle with a whole bunch of money. The same, on a smaller scale, appears to be happening with North County’s own Geezer Bandit, so-called. He hit Vista — twice — Rancho Santa Fe, La Jolla — twice — Poway and 10 other…
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Sept. 11, 2001: Local ironworker Paul Pursley spent 10 weeks at “Ground Zero” following the terrorist attack. His major complaint in the years following concerned his inability to get correct, and affordable, treatment due to the costs involved, costs that Congress finally agreed to add funding to the 9/11 First Responders fund almost 18 years later. “Ironworkers worked every day,” Pursley said. “We went on 12-hour shifts…
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Sept. 10, 2001 was pretty much like any other day. That is to say honored only in its passing, don’t remember what happened. Sept. 11, 2001, as we all know, was a day seared in our personal and national memories like few others. Don’t know when the carnage began, but at my Del Dios home phones started ringing way too early in the morning and…
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