Three Dot Lounge…people behaving badly special edition

We are going to consider a few outstanding three-dot items stripped from below, well below, today’s sundry headlines. But first, a reminder and salute about he who pioneered the three-dot way…

Herb Caen at his office, Dec. 31, 1993/Nancy Wong

It’s been over 25 years since famed San Francisco journalist Herb Caen (1916-1997) died. For journalists and San Franciscans, Caen was a superstar. Known as “Mr. San Francisco,” his columns were a vital piece in the mosaic of one of the world’s great cities.

Caen wrote a column six days a week from July 5, 1938 until 1991 when he cut back to five days a week, then three, before dying in 1997 at age 80. He was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1996 for lifetime achievement. A special Herb Caen day in The City in 1996 drew 75,000 enthusiastic fans to honor him at City Hall.

Mr. San Francisco was a master of what came to be called “Three-Dot Journalism.” He threw everything from one-liners, gossip, anecdotes and information into this format that became a journalistic staple in the 1930s and 1940s.

There was a method to the madness of presenting San Francisco legend Herb Caen’s three-dot lounge history along with its various re-interpretations. That was to set up Escondido Grapevine’s own three-dot lounge approach to local news. For more about the concept, visit our story here. For more local three-dot news, keep on trucking below…

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Hot wheels, literally, this week

Only in SoCal (and Florida) — a fire engine goes missing and turns up 60 miles away … Engine 30 from San Diego’s Nestor Station, to be exact … fire crew ducks into a store near 16th and Palm for a quick errand … comes out to find their 20-ton ride has gone joyriding up I-5 … sirens silent, lights off … straight into Fallbrook, where deputies on Loch Ness Drive (yes, really) spotted the runaway red rig … The Great Fire Truck Caper of 2025 …

No word on the would-be Smokey who commandeered it — SDPD’s keeping mum … but sources say the rig was unharmed, not even a hose out of place … guess the thief respected the equipment … Still, between the CHP, Chula Vista PD, San Diego Sheriff, and half the county’s scanners lighting up, it was the hottest chase since the last Santa Anas …

As for motive? Maybe just someone who really wanted the fast lane all to themselves … or maybe Fallbrook needed a little extra fire coverage … either way, next time the boys of Station 30 grab snacks, they’ll keep one firefighter behind the wheel … you know — in case lightning strikes twice …

Maybe there was a full moon or something in the air. Just two days later, and 3,000 miles to the other ocean, a man stole a Tampa fire engine from a hospital and drove it until he crashed into another vehicle. Fox 13 Tampa Bay tells the rest of the story…

…and meanwhile, back at the hydrant, Station 30’s crew is thinking of installing The Club — just in case heroics go missing again.

What happened:

• When:The theft occurred around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18.
• Where:The engine was taken from the vicinity of 16th Avenue and Palm Avenue in the Egger Highlands neighborhood after firefighters entered a nearby store.
• Journey:The stolen engine was driven north on Interstate 5 for over 60 miles.
• Discovery:The engine was located in Fallbrook at approximately 5:10 p.m. on Loch Ness Drive.
• Arrest:San Diego Police, with assistance from the Sheriff’s office, arrested a suspect in connection with the theft.

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Ashes to Ashes causes a big San Marcos stink

If there’s a more San Marcos story than this one, we haven’t smelled it yet …

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office rolled up to Angel Paws Pet Cremation last Friday, warrant in hand, sniffing out what they politely called “possible fraud” … neighbors just called it a stench …

The once-trusted cremation shop on North Pacific Street closed last month without notice, leaving pet parents pacing and phoning for their furry loved ones — and getting nothing but silence … or worse …

Sheriff’s deputies respond to pet cremation business to help owners get their animals back./San Diego CBS8 screen shot

One heartbroken owner told reporters she was handed “her dog’s ashes,” only to later find her actual dog still inside the shuttered building …

Turns out Angel Paws had problems deeper than grief management — SDG&E had even cut the power, and the City of San Marcos slapped the site with an abatement order for “obnoxious odors” and “public health hazards” … civic code for “it reeked.”

Meanwhile, Gerry Wellman over at Sorrento Valley Pet Cemetery rode to the rescue, taking in 47 abandoned pets for cremation — including one sheep left unrefrigerated for two months … “We want to bring closure,” he said … a saint with a shovel.

City spokesperson Kristina Ray confirmed multiple odor complaints, court orders, and clean-up crews — and now sheriff’s detectives are combing through what’s left … officials say about 100 animals are still at Angel Paws …

The landlord has since seized the property and is trying to return remains to rightful owners — email BestFriendsUnitedSD@gmail.com if you’re still waiting for a proper goodbye …

…and meanwhile, back at the rainbow bridge, one hopes the next business to rise from these ashes smells a little more like roses — and a lot less like scandal …

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Drywall, wet hands

Escondido’s own Alta Drywall just got nailed — to the tune of $790,000 — by the U.S. Department of Labor … seems the feds say the company shorted some 580 workers, juggling hourly pay, “piece rate,” and timecards that somehow never cracked 40 hours … no matter how long the hammers swung …

The Labor Department called it “wage theft.” Alta called it “no comment.” … and while the company denies everything(as companies do), Uncle Sam’s still writing 580 checks …

Deputy Labor Commissioner Mabel Martinez says wage theft is as common as drywall dust in this town … “They make them work off the clock, steal tips, misclassify — you name it,” she sighed … most workers stay quiet for fear of retaliation, or deportation …

And Alta? They’re quick to remind reporters that many of the workers getting back pay still work there. … Loyalty, it seems, runs both ways — or maybe just one direction: toward the time clock that doesn’t tick past forty …

…and meanwhile, back at the punch clock, Escondido’s hardest workers are still hanging drywall — just hoping this time the checks don’t bounce off the studs.

What happened:

• The lawsuit: The U.S. Department of Labor sued Alta Drywall on behalf of 580 employees, alleging the company did not pay overtime or minimum wage to workers on two affordable housing projects in San Diego. 
• The settlement: In a September 2025 consent judgment, Alta Drywall agreed to pay $770,000 in backpay and liquidated damages to the workers, along with a $20,000 civil penalty to the Department of Labor. 
• The reason: The lawsuit claims the company was not accurately recording hours worked, particularly overtime, and was instead reporting lower, part-time hours. 
• Affected projects: The underpayment occurred on projects like the 200-unit Columba project in Chula Vista and the 309-unit Mt. Etna St. complex in San Diego. 
• Employee demographics: A review of the list of affected employees shows most have Hispanic surnames, which is common for the drywall industry, a field where wage theft is a known issue.

And that’s the news … through a glass lightly, from Escondido to Eternity — three dots, and out. . . .