Articles by dweisman

Escondido, San Marcos public safety allocations revealed by SANDAG report

Escondido led San Diego County jurisdictions this fiscal year in the percentage of overall public safety funding allocated in the city budget. The city allocated 43 percent of its budget to law enforcement, a similar percentage as El Cajon. Otherwise, the nine incorporated cities in the county spent an average of 33 percent of budgets on law enforcement. Not all the Escondido funding came from…


Four killed, three injured in fiery Hwy 78 crash near Nordahl Drive late Sunday

A young boy, a teenage girl and two women from Loma Linda died late Sunday on Highway 78 while a Fallbrook driver was arrested, then released following a fiery crash, California Highway Patrol officers said. Three other people driving with the four killed were injured. Just before 11 p.m., according to CHP Sgt. Curtis Martin, the driver of a 2014 Chevy Sonic attempted to change…


Upon further review: Mayflower Dog Park is back for the holidays

As with Mark Twain’s famous refutation of his publicly reported death, reports of the Escondido Dog Park’s demise were greatly exaggerated, according to Escondido officials. Closed last week due to fears of the presence of the highly contagious parvovirus, Escondido dog officials re-opened the park today, Wednesday, Dec. 16. Dog park lovers beware, however. Despite reports of parvovirus at the park, Escondido officials did nothing…


’Tis the season to shop, shop, shop

From The Escondido Promenade to Westfield North County regional mall, from Grand Avenue to Welk Village, holiday shopping is in the Great Grapevine air. The National Retail Federation expects U.S. Holiday shopping to increase by 3.7 percent this season. Top-selling items so far this season included Lego Star Wars, the Barbie Dream House, Samsung 4K television sets and Apple Inc’s iPad Mini. Star Wars toys…


Fun Saturday around Escondido featured parade, art walk, and festivities downtown

“Maple Street Plaza was bustling with craft vendors and shoppers. Downtown Escondido was alive today with seasonal spirit.” — Matt Fox, realtor Saturday started early and continued often around downtown Escondido with  “A Superhero Christmas” kicking off at 9:30 a.m. at Escondido High School. That would be, in other words, the staging point for the Escondido Jaycees 65th Annual Christmas Parade. Under cool, but sunny skies,…


Save $$$ with Escondido Promenade coupons, contest; support The Grapevine

COUPON CONTEST: Person with the highest verified sales ticket at one of the stores featured in the Escondido Promenade coupon ad wins free membership to exclusive Beau View Ranch. Contest ends Dec. 24. Receipt copy should be e-mailed to EscondidoGrapevine@gmail.com by Dec. 31. Escondido Promenade, the 300,000-square-foot mega-mall at Valley Parkway and Interstate 15, is the place to go this holiday season for anything you…


Diorama creative catalyst drama coming to pocket park, California Center for the Arts

Diorama creative catalyst drama coming to pocket park, California Center for the Arts “Information retrieval” is one way to view art, at least according to Escondido artist Matthew Hebert who unveils his temporary diorama art on Dec. 12 at Heritage Garden Park. The 2-year-old park, actually a pocket park, is not to be missed at the corner of Grand Avenue and Juniper Street. The project…


Stone Brewing Co. going where no U.S. craft brewer has gone before

America’s ninth largest craft brewer, Escondido’s very own Stone Brewing Co,. is poised to become an international first with a twist Stone debuts the first European-based brewery built, owned and operated by a U.S. craft brewer in March. They’re doing it in the land of Oktoberfest and all things beery, Germany, and its premier city, Berlin. “Most people think it’s an odd thing that an…


Briefly Speaking: Queen Califia’s Magical Circle, CSUSM business, El Nino preps

Queen Califia’s Magical Circle open two days in December Weather permitting, Queen Califia’s Magical Circle in Kit Carson Park, 3333 Bear Valley Parkway, will be open to the public on two days in December: From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m Saturday, Dec. 12, and Sunday, Dec. 27. Queen Califia docents will be on site to answer questions. Queen Califia’s Magical Circle is the only American…


Iconic Major Market has gone to the Stumps

Escondido’s iconic upscale supermarket, Major Market, has gone to the Stumps. That’s Stump’s Family Marketplace with an upscale market at Ocean Beach Stump’s wasted no time taking over the Major Market brand either, quickly rebranding the store’s Facebook sites. Actually, it was a week of coming and going for Stump’s, which had its 10,000-square-foot Rancho Santa Fe outlet closed after landlord Susan Wooley raised the…