escondido city council

J’accuse: Esc. youth council members say Esc. Council member Morasco went racist over Allegiance Pledge

Immediately after the Escondido City Council meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 15, District 4 Councilmember Mike Morasco approached Escondido City Youth Council (ECYC) founding members. Why? Morasco, a Republican in his 13th year on the council,  questioned youth council members about their citizenship status because they quietly opted out of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of the meeting. “It’s incredibly disappointing to have…


Escondido, Rancho Santa Fe news briefs

News from around the Escondido-Rancho Santa Fe-San Marcos region… Get in shape at the park when COVID dies down Escondido officials Wednesday Nov. 18, unveiled a new outdoor fitness court located at Mountain View Park, 1160 South Citrus Avenue. This capital project is a featured part of a 2020 initiative launched by National Fitness Campaign (NFC), a nationwide consulting organization that partners with cities to…


Not so funny thing happened on way to filling Escondido’s vacant District 2 Council seat

In a nice political Seinfeld scenario, nothing happened with Escondido’s vacant District 2 seat last week and last month. However, this black cloud has the proverbial silver lining that will be lifted in November as Escondido voters will have the opportunity to vote on the matter. After three hours hours interviewing candidates for the city’s District 2 seat, previously held by the late John Masson,…


Escondido city news: Seeking new councilperson, sex crimes and bad puppies

Desperately seeking new Escondido city council member The City of Escondido is accepting applications for a potential appointment to the Escondido City Council to fill the vacancy created by the passing of Council Member John Masson, effective March 10, 2020. City Council members decided to appoint during a strange, virtual night meeting Wednesday, March 25 with most of the members and city staff teleconferencing in…


Escondido Councilman John Masson dies

Escondido city officials announced Wednesday morning that longtime Escondido Councilman John Masson has died. Flags at all city facilities, including City Hall, offices and parks, were lowered shortly after 10 a.m. and will remain lowered until the day of Masson’s internment. Masson, who was 55 years old, died after a yearlong battle with cancer. Funeral services are pending. The city-issued statement said: “The Escondido City…


A little action on a new Escondido action plan

(Margaret McCown Liles started blogging about the Escondido City Council following the demise of the North County Times as a public resource. Please visit her blog at http://ablueviewescondido.com.) “There’s definitely a new atmosphere in the city hall now. It is much more of the people, by the people and for the people.” — Margaret McCown Liles I arrived, promptly, at 11:50 am, last Wednesday, March…


Meet the new mayor, same as the old mayor

Escondido Mayor Paul McNamara had his office this week announce a monthly meet-and-greet event called “Meet the Mayor.” Just don’t ask McNamara about whether it’s appropriate for Escondido Assistant Manager Jay Petrek also to hold a second job as a San Marcos city councilman. Apparently, that’s where McNamara draws the line. Just as former Mayor Sam Abed was renowned for not answering legitimate questions and shunning public…


New Esco leaders duck Jay Petrek questions

(EDITOR’S NOTE: WHILE THE US  GOVERNMENT HAS RE-OPENED FOR THREE WEEKS, THE ESCONDIDO MAYOR AND COUNCIL PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY SHUTDOWN GOES TO DAY 20 WITHOUT ANSWERS. It is Wednesday, Feb. 6. The Escondido mayor, and four council members, have yet to answer, or even acknowledge, they received, the series of questions listed below. These questions were emailed and Facebook messaged to each of them Thursday, Jan. 17,…


Abed Alert: Mayor ditches post-election meet

(Margaret McCown Liles started blogging about the Escondido City Council following the demise of the North County Times as a public resource. Please visit her blog, from which this is taken, at http://ablueviewescondido.com.) Mayor Sam Abed was conspicuous by his absence at last Wednesday’s council meeting (Nov. 28). The change in the atmosphere was palpable. I was trying to remember if I had ever attended a…


Recycled water and social injustice upheld

Escondido’s city council approved a conditional use permit on Jan. 11 to build a recycled-water treatment plant  on a vacant lot at 1201 E. Washington Avenue near the Springs retirement home. The facility  will further treat water from the city’s Hale Avenue Resource Recovery facility to a level suited for agriculture, mainly avocados. In a later phase, the city will expand it to focus on potable reuse water….