Articles by dweisman

Escondido May 4, 2016

Controversial Southwest Sewer Realignment project to flow soon

Environmentally challenged and beset by a bizarre bidding process, the Southwest Sewer Realignment project along Felicita Road “will begin soon,” Escondido officials said this week. “Construction on Escondido’s Southwest Sewer Replacement project will begin soon with completion expected by March 24, 2017,” Escondido spokesman Randy Manns said. “Motorists and cyclists should expect heavy delays – due to single lane travel – along Felicita Road between…

Politics May 4, 2016

Hunter’s ‘sarcastic’ bill to draft women passes House Armed Services Committee

Congratulations and kudos to Escondido Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter Jr. (Insert sarcastic label here.) Or rather ‘Gotcha’ as Politico proclaimed in a headline last week about his efforts. Last week, the House Armed Services committee passed a groundbreaking bill he proposed. It’s a measure that would change America as we know it should the full House pass it into law on the back of the…

Breaking News, News, Traffic May 3, 2016

I-15 turns into highway to commuter hell

How did the brand spanking-new, 10-day-old, $10 million I-15 “Integrated Corridor Management System” work Tuesday in its first true test dealing with massive freeway traffic due to an unforeseen traffic event? Failed. Miserably. Escondido and North County commuters encountered a traffic jam-up of Biblical proportions following a series of collisions near Lake Hodges shortly before 6 a.m. Tuesday. Most of the congestion didn’t clear until…

Lifestyle/Society May 1, 2016

San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum celebrates Brazil at its 2016 Spring Gala

San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum put the fun into fundraising at its Brazil 2016 Spring Gala Saturday, raising nearly $200,000 while raising the patio performance roof for good measure. The Museum, now at its appointed place, 320 North Broadway, across from Grape Day Park, has proven to be an Escondido success story with 140,000 visitors in the last year, an 100 percent increase over two…

Police, Police/Fire April 29, 2016

People (and bodies of water) behaving badly — Valley of Discovery edition

Night time was not the right time to party early Thursday at the normally quiescent San Marcos cul-de-sac in the 600 block of Helmsdale Road, off Kirkwall Drive near Palomar College. An intimate gathering of about 10 people erupted in an argument that led to gun shots, injuring a 20-tear-old female bystander as two men grappled over a loaded pistol. One man pulled out the…

North County April 27, 2016

Pink ribbons and fundraiser for Kayla Castro

A fundraiser on behalf of critically injured rock climber Makayla Castro, 18, was held 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 28 at EscoGelato, 122 S Kalmia, Escondido. Twenty percent of all proceeds will be donated to Kayla and her family to relieve some of the financial pressures they face, organizers said. The Escondido teen was nearing the end of her freshman year at Grand…

Police April 26, 2016

Escondido Police arrest registered sex offender allegedly targeting minors

Escondido Police issued a lengthy news release addressing the arrest of Rennard Cawkwell, 46, of Oceanside on suspicion of felony charges related to communicating online with a 16-year-old girl. The girl initially believed she was speaking to a 17-year-old boy, police said. Cawkwell was a registered sex offender previously on active GPS monitored parole, Escondido police Lt. Ed Varso said in the news release. After…

Education April 25, 2016

Portable classrooms, despite heat and noise, find permanent homes here

Editor’s Note: Portable classrooms have their share of critics and raison d’etre. An Inewsource investigation published here under special agreement gets to the bottom of the portable classroom question. Escondido Union School District has almost as many portable as permanent classrooms, 419 of the former to 489 of the latter in a district with 19,204 students. In fact, EUSD ranks second in all of San…

Valley Center April 24, 2016

Flower power ruled Valley Center Saturday

A busy Saturday for Dos Valles Garden Club featured its annual flower show, plant sale. Dos Valles Garden Cub’s biennial 33rd Flower Show turned into an annual Saturday, April 23, blooming and spreading across the Valley Center Library on Cole Grade road. It’s theme: “Recycle, Respect, Restore the Earth.” Budding and beautiful, even bold, the show transformed the library into exciting exhibits of locally grown…

The Grapevine April 21, 2016

Welcome to our April print issue

So, here it is our next issue, hitting the streets of Escondido, San Marcos, Valley Center, Vista.  Online, aside from the non-local, San Diego Union Tribune, The Grapevine has more daily page views than any North County media source. In fact, it has 15 to 20 times more daily page views than the nearest competitor(s). As has been found to be the best community news…