San Diego has a long memory for war and a short memory for dissent. That’s not an accident. This city supplied ships, pilots, technicians, and Marines for Vietnam the way Pittsburgh once supplied steel. The war was not somewhere else. It was here, in the barracks, the flight lines, the shipyards, the college campuses, and the neighborhoods that lived on deployment schedules. What we don’t…
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USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is celebrating National Volunteer Week by thanking and honoring its Earth Team volunteers for their service to conservation. One of those so honored was Commander Theresa Everest, an Escondido resident who knew farming was her next step after service in the U.S. Navy, that included deployment to Kuwait and Afghanistan. Two traumatic brain injuries ended Everest’s career with the Navy and…
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Parades rolled through many American cities on Veterans Day, Nov. 11 honoring the anniversary of the end of World War I on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, what once was known as Armistice Day. None of those parades, however, featured tributes or remembrance of one of the war’s oddities made all the more poignant by today’s tensions…
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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…
You can’t say America doesn’t know how to celebrate a birthday. For the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary down at Camp Pendleton, they decided to party the old-fashioned way — with artillery. A 155-millimeter shell was fired in salute. It didn’t quite wait for the finale. Somewhere between ignition and impact, it skipped the schedule and dropped shrapnel on the California Highway Patrol detail guarding Vice…
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The true measure of a Southern California community shines clearest when one of its children faces an impossible hurdle. Today, a powerful grassroots movement is spreading across regional networks to support 13-year-old Lua Woods as she wages a fierce battle against Burkitt’s Lymphoma at UCLA Medical Center. Lua is no stranger to profound resilience. At just two years old, she survived a severe medical crisis…
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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 America continues to grapple with the legacy of Donald Trump, it has become increasingly clear that the “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 landscape,…
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,”…
Jimmy Breslin. That’s my lede. Jimmy Breslin. Or rather, AI Jimmy Breslin. Breslin was OK. Not a great writer, but an OK muckraker. So, sue my story tag, you’re it, Kevin Breslin, Jimmy’s apparent self-appointed nepo baby defender of the family jewels. I wasn’t a big Jimmy, and now Kevin, Breslin fan; and sometimes not a fan at all, but considered Jimmy Breslin part of…
The California Dream is a myth for many California Indian peoples and tribes. Since settlers arrived, California Indians’ reality has largely been one of land dispossession, cultural assimilation and even genocide. If California Indians were to design their own dream it would place decolonization at its core. Decolonization is the undoing of colonialism, part of what I study as a scholar of Native American studies….
Nearly three months after San Diego County’s most destructive fire of 2020 burned down her Lawson Valley home, 78-year-old Eileen Menzies spends her days sifting through the rubble she has yet to completely clear from her property. A neighbor whose new hemp farm was nearly destroyed is meeting with lawmakers in hopes of improving agricultural insurance in fire-prone areas. And two miles across the hills…
Tale of the Toppled Hurler: A Peter Hartwell Story by Bruce A. Kauffman c 2016 All rights reserved. For full story to date, visit: https://escondidograpevine.com/a-the-tale-of-the-toppled-hurler-a-peter-hartwell-story/. Followers of reporter/editor Peter Hartwell have so far heard him relate how the Boston Red Sox lost a bid to be the World Champions of baseball for the first time in eighty-six years because their ace collapsed walking off the mound…
No Steven Colbert. No “60 Minutes. No nothing this week on KFMB, the San Diego CBS affiliate, and CW San Diego for those looking for them on DirecTV and AT&T U-verse. What’s a satellite TV and cable junky to do? The latest in TV content disputes hit San Diego and 50 other markets hosting Tegna’s 64 TV stations reaching 41.7 million TV households covering 39%…
Stone Brewing’s powers-that-be have been talking about this since time immemorial, and now they’re ready to pop the top: Stone Hotel, debuting in 2018. It’s a $26 million, 100,000-square foot buildout at the 1990 Citracado Pkwy. home of Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens, home base for the now international craft brewery empire. “You can’t rush a good thing,” said Greg Koch, CEO, co-founder and…
Earth Day, appropriately enough, was celebrated in the Earth Day way at Escondido’s Terra Madre Gardens. “This is the first time we’re doing it,” said Jessica Sanchez, who co-owns the farm with her spouse David Solomon. “The farm has a lot to offer and wants the community to be involved.” That meant following up its composting workshop at 9928 Protea Gardens Road by Old Highway…
SoCal Pro Wrestling will be holding its thirteenth New Year’s Retribution event on Jan. 25 at the Boys & Girls Club of Vista, CA. The event will be headlined by Ju Dizz defending his SoCal Pro Heavyweight Championship against former champion Andy Brown. Ju Dizz defeated Dirty Doug to win the SoCal Pro heavyweight Championship on April 13, 2019. Since that time he has successfully…
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…
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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…
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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…
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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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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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As America continues to grapple with the legacy of Donald Trump, it has become increasingly clear that the “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 landscape,…
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
Jimmy Breslin. That’s my lede. Jimmy Breslin. Or rather, AI Jimmy Breslin. Breslin was OK. Not a great writer, but an OK muckraker. So, sue my story tag, you’re it, Kevin Breslin, Jimmy’s apparent self-appointed nepo baby defender of the family jewels. I wasn’t a big Jimmy, and now Kevin, Breslin fan; and sometimes not a fan at all, but considered Jimmy Breslin part of…
Click Here or title to read more
The California Dream is a myth for many California Indian peoples and tribes. Since settlers arrived, California Indians’ reality has largely been one of land dispossession, cultural assimilation and even genocide. If California Indians were to design their own dream it would place decolonization at its core. Decolonization is the undoing of colonialism, part of what I study as a scholar of Native American studies….
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…
Click Here or title to read more
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…
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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
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