Escondido

On eve of what would have been Amber Dubois’ 21st birthday, Amber the rescue dog gets back on her feet (Video)

Amber Dubois would have celebrated her 21st birthday soon. On the eve of that, Amber, the yellow lab rescue dog with a heartbreaking backstory, was recovering nicely this week from a second knee surgery to get her back on her feet and back to saving lives Named after murdered Escondido teen Amber Dubois, the dog already had her left knee ACL surgically repaired in June….


Former Escondido Mayor Jim Rady dead of cancer at Age 73

‘He was an awesome dad and a wonderful grandfather.’ — Daughter Julie McKay. Known for his intellect and directness, former Escondido Mayor James Michael “Jim” Rady died at his home surrounded by loved ones following a long battle with cancer on Sept. 18. Mr. Rady served from 1976 to 1988 on the Escondido City Council, serving in the largely ceremonial post as mayor from 1982…


Homeless people don’t shelter themselves making volunteers key for Interfaith Community Services’ Haven House (Video)

Homeless people don’t shelter themselves, so the call went out this week for a few, if not more, good volunteers to help Escondido’s non-profit homeless center help others. Despite its official designation as a “year-round shelter,” the fact is Interfaith Community Services’ Haven House “re-opens” its doors on Dec. 1. those doors don’t open themselves. “For those sleeping on the streets, a warm bed, nutritious…


Stone Brewing CEO Greg Koch kicks himself upstairs (Video)

Quirky, but successful, Stone Brewery co-founder Greg Koch kicked himself upstairs this week to a higher calling. After serving as Stone’s CEO since its 1996 founding, Koch named himself executive chairman doing pretty much what he has been doing for a while, long-term strategy and planning. Koch even announced the beginning of the  search for a a new him, the new CEO. “This is not…


Hey ISIS, Escondido PD is on the front lines. Or something like that.

As if Escondido police didn’t have enough to do with crime and all that, apparently they also are devoting time and energy to defending the Hidden Valley from ISIS. Escondido police Sgt. Eric Distel this week had a lot to say to regional news sources about a special program he has been heading since last October to teach people about spotting suspicious terrorist behavior and…



Kersplat! From Airsoft to high velocity, Mr. Paintball USA is shooting up Lake Wohlford Road

Red, white and/or blue, maybe yellow, green and orange, Mr. Paintball USA is shooting up Lake Wohlford Road, but in the fun, non-lethal way. “When we’re reffing,” Raul Anda said, “We get shot all the time. The kids like playing the Airsoft games. They’re more like video games. We have several fields here, very fast action games; close quarter contact fields, special low impact games.”…


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…