When I contemplate the present condition of America, I am struck dumb by the sheer theater of it all — the gilded spectacle, the red-hatted congregation, the rallies that thrum like tent revivals for a man who believes himself chosen not by Providence but by poll numbers. We have suffered under the reign of Donald Trump as our forefathers once suffered under monarchs — and…
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Agriculture values rose by just over 1% to $1.67 billion, and vegetable and vine crops thrived in San Diego County’s Annual Crop Report released this week. The new Crop Report, which covers the 2024 growing season, showed the county’s list of Top 10 crops changed slightly from the previous year, with “Vegetables, Other” jumping over lemons into fifth place, just behind avocados. The Top 10…
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Daylight saving time: It’s backward time again when clocks step off one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. 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…
Click Here or title to read moreThe Escondido Grapevine has provided factual, informative and interesting information and news since 2015. It has been our pleasure and civic duty to do this, especially considering the status of North County as a news desert given the demise of The North County Times and low coverage priority of regional corporate, for-profit media.We have provided this service free of charge and never asked for financial support from the community. We exist to carry your voice. We do that for the good of the community. We produce excellent professional community journalism, commentary and analysis on issues, people and organizations that often go ignored in the mainstream press.
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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,”…
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…
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…
As people in the U.S. prepare to turn back their clocks on Nov. 2, 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 would like to…
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In the grand theater of nations, nothing matters now but the ruin we have invited upon ourselves. Neither the evident decay of reason nor the depths of ignorance; not the tempest of unbridled emotions nor the campaign built upon venom and folly; not even the absurdity of schemes so unworkable that only malice could defend them. None of it mattered. Behold the man: the candidate…
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Silvergate, silvershmate. Somewhere at the corner of Via De La Valle and Calzada Del Bosque — where the horses once snorted in the dawn fog and the rich came to escape the noise of the other rich — a new frontier is being staked out on 28 acres. The poles are white, the land is green, and the pitch is pure gold: Silvergate Rancho Santa…
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I owe my Trump-supporting family and friends an apology. I’ve been critical of the Trump presidency and — truth be told — still exhausted from the experience. But to be fair, President Trump wasn’t that bad. Other than when he… The Greatest Hits of Governance Incited an insurrection against the U.S. government. Mismanaged a pandemic that killed nearly half a million Americans. Separated children from…
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…
September 30, 2025 may mark the day communities in Southern California first took initiative to protect themselves from deadly nuclear waste stranded indefinitely at San Onofre. With Irvine Mayor Larry Agran spearheading the effort, a Special Study Session of the Irvine City Council convened on Sept. 30 to address the risks of 3.6 million pounds of highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel (SNF) stored in temporary…
Starting Nov. 1, just in time for Thanksgiving, people using the Calfresh food assistance program known as SNAP nationally, will have three months to find work before they are kicked off of the program. The new work requirements are part of President Donald Trump’s One Big (Bad) Beautiful Bill Act. A memo published last week by the United States Department of Agriculture notified states of…
It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 8 as 160 kids from 38 families along with 110 kids without family members were adopted in the form of gifts and goodies provided by host families at the Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos at 1 Positive Place. “We look for families we know will need support for the holidays,” Boys…
Not all bananas are created equal. When it comes to organic bananas, Mayra Velazquez de Leon knows that for everyone to understand this, consumers are going to have to strengthen their awareness and education about organic agricultural sustainability, the identifiers of true organic foods and environmental preservation. “Organic really is the whole picture,” she told The Produce News earlier this month. “It is about protecting…
(Editor’s Note: Hayfork is about as far as one can go from Escondido and remain in California, a distance of approximately 700 miles. Yet, two Escondido men were caught up in a recent incident resulting in the death of one. Jason Paul Brady, 40, who attended Orange Glen High School, immediately confessed to police to the April 4 murder of Amanda Patton, 21, and James…
With all the talk of how great the economy is and how anybody who wants a job can get a job, San Diego County’s neighbor to the east is suffering from sky-high unemployment numbers. To visit California’s Imperial Valley is to enter a sleepy place worlds away from the glamorous boom towns of California’s coast. Pickups outnumber BMWs. Vast farms irrigated by the Colorado River…
Young Duncan Hunter was elected because most of the voters in the district thought he was his father, also Duncan Hunter, who resigned rather than go to prison with his crony and partner-in-crime Duke Cunningham. Hunter Senior, I wrote in 2005, had a hand in virtually every military scandal involving large sums of money that had gone down over the past two decades. He was…
(Editor’s Note: In a RARE public opportunity, state Sen. Joel Anderson said this week he would hold an “Escondido Community Coffee Town Hall Meeting” hosted by Escondido Mayor Sam Abed and Escondido Councilman Ed Gallo, both Republicans like Anderson, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 9 at VFW Post 1513, 230 E. Park Ave. Escondido 92025. RSVP was specified at 619-596-3136, although an…
1302 Encinitas Blvd. just west of El Camino Real was hit by a massive anti-Elon Musk protest all day Saturday where hundreds of patriots lined the pavement outside the criminal Musk Tesla ripoff facility. Meanwhile, many motorists at the busy intersection honked horns in support as protestors waved placards calling Musk a traitor and calling for his removal from federal government and the criminal trump…
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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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As America continues to grapple with the legacy of Donald Trump, it has become increasingly clear that the former president and his loyal base are not merely disruptive forces in politics—they represent a deep and troubling erosion of the values that define democratic societies. From spreading baseless conspiracy theories to emboldening hatred, Trump’s rhetoric and actions have left an indelible mark on the American political…
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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…
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Every dog has its day, they say, and apparently so does every cause, effect and plain old thing. Welcome to Wednesday Oct. 8, 2025. 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…
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Having a ghost in your house doesn’t necessarily mean pictures fly off the wall at you and the dog cowers and growls at the top of the basement stairs. Spirits are everywhere, and they come in a variety of shapes, sizes and intentions Hollywood has led people to believe that ghosts are not only real but vicious things that rip flesh and possess children to…
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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…
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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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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
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…
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
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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A slice of Vista’s past was being served Tuesday over biscuits and gravy at Mom’s Kitchen, once knows as Allen’s Alley Cafe. While a lot has changed over the last 70 years around Vista, Mom’s Kitchen has not. So, the biscuits and gravy were flowing at the town’s oldest, continuously serving restaurant much as they have since, at least, 1950 when it was known as…
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I owe my Trump-supporting family and friends an apology. I’ve been critical of the Trump presidency and — truth be told — still exhausted from the experience. But to be fair, President Trump wasn’t that bad. Other than when he… The Greatest Hits of Governance Incited an insurrection against the U.S. government. Mismanaged a pandemic that killed nearly half a million Americans. Separated children from…
Click Here or title to read more
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…
Click Here or title to read more
September 30, 2025 may mark the day communities in Southern California first took initiative to protect themselves from deadly nuclear waste stranded indefinitely at San Onofre. With Irvine Mayor Larry Agran spearheading the effort, a Special Study Session of the Irvine City Council convened on Sept. 30 to address the risks of 3.6 million pounds of highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel (SNF) stored in temporary…
Click Here or title to read more
Starting Nov. 1, just in time for Thanksgiving, people using the Calfresh food assistance program known as SNAP nationally, will have three months to find work before they are kicked off of the program. The new work requirements are part of President Donald Trump’s One Big (Bad) Beautiful Bill Act. A memo published last week by the United States Department of Agriculture notified states of…
Click Here or title to read more
Fire doesn’t care about zoning. A bridge won’t save you when the hills already are burning. Harmony Grove? Try irony grove. The San Diego County Board of Supervisors did it again. Five officials in a bright, air-conditioned room downtown on Oct. 1, 2025 voted yes—unanimously, naturally—to build a brand-new suburban fairy tale called Harmony Grove Village South. You’d think, from the name, they were approving…
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When Jonathan Berman came to Cal State San Marcos as a film professor in 2004, he was close to finishing a documentary about a Northern California commune during the counterculture era. The documentary was released the following year. Now, 20 years later, Berman is marking the anniversary of the film with a new digital restoration and a national tour of screenings and interviews. “Commune” is…
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Let’s show up and do the work. Ain’t no superhero comin’ to save the country from Donald J Trump, Project 2025, and the freaks around the White House. I’m not going to dilly dally and rehash the ‘debate’ around Yea or Nay on Proposition 50; either you are going to make a commitment to fight fascism on this level or not. Yes, it’s partisan, but…
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Every dog has its day, they say, and apparently so does every cause, effect and plain old thing. Welcome to Wednesday Oct. 8, 2025. 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
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