online community journalism

Baseball, Books January 3, 2017

Tale of the Toppled Hurler: A Peter Hartwell Story (Part 8)

Tale of the Toppled Hurler: A Peter Hartwell Story by Bruce A. Kauffman c 2017  All rights reserved. For full story to date, visit: https://escondidograpevine.com/a-the-tale-of-the-toppled-hurler-a-peter-hartwell-story/. Last we looked, intrepid journalist Peter Hartwell had been abducted at the Back Bay railroad station in Boston and brought to the Charles River, where he’s thrown into the back seat of a sleek late-model two-door Infiniti. A corpulent fellow jiggles…

San Diego December 30, 2016

inewsource: ‘Our favorite stories of the year’

As 2016 draws to a close, the reporters and editors of inewsource are highlighting our favorite stories of the year. They ranged from a look at the student homelessness crisis in San Ysidro to investigations into the complex machinations of the powerful California Public Utilities Commission. These stories are also a template for the kind of fearless and data-driven investigative journalism we plan to do even more…

Valley Center December 29, 2016

VC dispute: Michael O’Connor v. David Ross

(Editor’s Note: Michael O’Connor is a retired 32-year Escondido firefighter who is a Valley Center Community Planning Group member. The dispute concerns reporting about the defeated Measure B in the November 2016 election that would have allowed the Lilac Hills Ranch housing project to be built in rural Bonsall and Valley Center. ) I responded to a story written by editor David Ross of the Valley Center Roadrunner. Seems…

Rancho Santa Fe, Surprising and Strange, The World December 28, 2016

Heaven’s Gate and other ‘cult’ architecture

Religions have inspired some of the great architecture of human history. Reims Cathedral. The Blue Mosque. Angkor Wat. But what about those faiths that aren’t exactly major? Or are controversial? Or aren’t religions at all? Since many fringe religious groups tend not to mesh well with society, they often take to the country. In the process, they sometimes employ innovative planning strategies, as is the…

Breaking News, News, Weather December 21, 2016

Rain, rain comes this way through weekend

Weather forecasters are describing a one-two punch of winter storms arriving in San Diego County for the end of this week. Overnight and early morning sprinkles in San Diego County are expected to continue throughout most of Wednesday as the first and weaker of two upcoming winter storms moves toward the region. “It’s a really nice, organized cold front coming through Friday night and Saturday…

Breaking News, Politics December 15, 2016

Hunter under fire from House Ethics panel

The House Ethics Committee said Thursday it is continuing an investigation into possible ethics violations by Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., following an inquiry launched by the independent Office of Congressional Ethics. The ethics panel did not disclose the nature of the investigation, but a Washington-based watchdog group filed a complaint last spring alleging that Hunter improperly used campaign funds to pay for tens of thousands…

Agriculture December 15, 2016

Send your best, not a pest this holiday

Who would want a homemade holiday fruit basket — with creepy mealybugs? Or a clipping from grandma’s wreath with gypsy moth eggs nestled inside? Giant whiteflies hiding in hand-picked poinsettias, or some tree-killing bacteria in their holiday citrus? Nobody, right? But it can happen. If you’re one of the millions of Americans who will be traveling this holiday season, remember — don’t pack a pest!…

The World December 14, 2016

Leichtag steps up for Aleppo medical relief

CARLSBAD, CA. — The Leichtag Foundation today said it was providing $75,000 in emergency grants for Aleppo emergency medical relief, and called for North County residents to do the same. “Leichtag Foundation has approved emergency grants to Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS) and the White Helmets, which are both providing relief directly to the citizens of Aleppo,” officials said. “We have identified these organizations in consultation over the…

Food, Restaurants December 13, 2016

Champion’s aside, Rosie’s Cafe now open

Lines out Grand Avenue, tears on half-eaten cinnamon rolls, Champion’s Family Restaurant wrapped it up Friday, Jan. 29, after 44 years in business, the future be damned. Now, almost a year later, bookending Champion’s run is the new Rosie’s Cafe, which soft-opened with little notice on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 117 Grand Avenue in downtown Escondido. Owned and operated by the youthful Kaitlin Rose, under…