2015

Grapevine Investigation, The World September 7, 2015

Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services under state investigation

The Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services has been under fire in recent years with official commissions investigating high-profile deaths of children who had come in contact with the foster care system. It’s being investigated again by state regulators for possible baby-selling charges. Allegations are being investigated that Los Angeles DCFS personnel were involved with taking babies from the child welfare system and…

Agriculture, Education September 6, 2015

Taking agricultural education to a whole ‘nother level

  SAN PASQUAL VALLEY — Organic farming pioneer and consultant, resource conservation leader, and now agricultural educator, Scott Murray hoped his back-to-the-future efforts will keep farming viable in California and the nation.  Murray was doing it, in part, at a groundbreaking venue, the San Pasqual Academy. Located in the San Diego Agricultural Preserve about 35 miles northeast of downtown San Diego, it’s a first-in-the-nation residential education…

Blogs, Columns/Blogs, North County, Tourism, Travel September 6, 2015

Out and About with Russel Ray — “The Big Eye”

The Russel Ray, Property Consultant home inspection this past Thursday was out on Palomar Mountain. It caught me off guard when I scheduled it because I had no clue that there were homes up on Palomar Mountain. Once I finished the inspection, I headed over to the “Big Eye,” more properly known as Mount Palomar Observatory: The Big Eye is only 62 miles from where…

Blogs, Music September 6, 2015

The View from Here: Music Fest

The view from here is rhythmic. This Saturday my family and I enjoyed the Music Fest at Bates Nut Farm, which was co-produced by the Valley Center/Pauma Music Boosters and Cattle Call, LLC. Last year was the first time we attended and it was so fantastic that we were excited to see the announcement pop up on social media a couple of months ago. Music…

North County, Sports September 6, 2015

Annelise Frederiksen plays through at Woods Valley G.C.

With all due respect to Thomas Wolfe and the “You can’t go home again” crowd, Annelise Frederiksen has gone home again and found it par for the course. Not only does Frederiksen now work at the Woods Valley Golf Course, it was the first golf course she ever played when she took up the game at age 14. “I kind of do a little bit…

Education, Valley Center September 6, 2015

VCHS Class of 2015 says goodbye to all that

“It’s a Beautiful Day,” the song and the event, rang out across Jaguar Stadium Thursday, June 11 as the Valley Center High School Class of 2015 commenced its Commencement Exercises. Some 2,500 to 3,000 friends, families and supporters overflowed the stadium’s bleachers, lined the newly installed field turf in white chairs and otherwise took in the 15th Valley Center High School Commencement ceremonies. They would…

Business, North County, San Diego September 6, 2015

Doves of Love soar above San Diego

Larry Zetterquist and Kathy Duffany are Doves of Love San Diego. So are their white racing and homing pigeons. The Valley Center couple were prominently featured during Western Days events along with their progeny, in this case a flock of white racing pigeons that pass for doves. They transport the birds in small, airy cages draped with red-white-and-blue bunting suitable for release and return to…

Featured Business Review, Health, Lifestyle/Society, The World September 6, 2015

Introducing Dr. Mark Starr and 21st Century Pain and Sports Medicine

No pain, no gain may be one of the oldest saying in sports, meaning athletes for the longest time have been challenged by coping with that pain. Pain management is essential for everybody from athletes seeking to keep going to regular folk trying to deal with day-to-day living. Mark Starr, MD (H), has studied and pioneered some of the most efficacious pain management techniques. This…

News, San Diego, Sports September 5, 2015

Steve Becvar going to the Gulls

Times they are a’changing for Steve Becvar. He’s going from executive director of the  Greater San Diego Chapter of the ALS Association to its Board of Directors as he accepts a post as new vice president of sales for the equally new San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League (AHL). First things first, “The San Diego Gulls are thrilled to announce the hiring of…

Escondido, Food, Restaurants, Tourism, Travel September 5, 2015

A Drive North — Smokey’s Lake Wohlford Cafe, an appreciation and review

Thought I’d get out my East County posting “rut” and still stay within San Diego County, which is about 4,200-square-miles. I had a long story about how we got here, but will leave that for another time. Let’s just say “The Mister” and I drove through Escondido to Valley Center, picked up some meat by the side of the road, still $35, and then stopped at Bates Nut Farm…