November 2015

Escondido, Homelessness November 20, 2015

Solutions for Change affordable housing project gets $2.1 million Escondido boost

Escondido City Council members approved with extreme enthusiasm $2.1 million toward an affordable housing solution for Solutions for Change. It’s part of the non-profit group’s plan to provide housing for battered, abused women and children next year.   It was a Wednesday love fest of sorts for the Vista-based non-profit started in 1999 by “social entrepreneurs” Chris and Tammy Megison, who attended the council meeting…

North County, Politics November 20, 2015

Outside groups seen as crucial for Joel Anderson in San Diego supervisor race

Republican State Senator Joel Anderson’s campaign to dislodge fellow GOPer Dianne Jacob from her seat on the county Board of Supervisors in next June’s election has struggled to attract significant local funds, according to an inewsourceanalysis of campaign finance data covering the first six months of the year. State senator Joel Anderson is challenging fellow Republican Dianne Jacob, who has represented East County on the county…

Animals and pets November 19, 2015

Do animals reincarnate?

My soul was hurting. I had just lost my companion of seven years, a red toy poodle, Sammie, whom my daughter had given me. We had become inseparable. Additionally, I was coming out of a 26-year marriage and feeling lonely. Frankly, that particular day, I was inconsolable and wondering if I would ever get over it. I turned over to my Higher Power and started…

Entertainment, Music November 18, 2015

TEN Tenors come home for the holidays at California Center for the Arts, Escondido

Seven, eight nine, but 10, count ’em, The Ten Tenors at the California Center for the Arts (CCAE) , 7:30 p.m., Dec. 3? Sure, why not. The more the merrier the holiday season. What’s a better way to celebrate the holiday season than with international singing sensation The TEN Tenors? “I’m excited about the TEN Tenors,” enthused CCAE executive director Jerry Van Leeuwen said when…

Escondido, Politics November 17, 2015

Big Escondido city manager salary reveal and more came Wednesday (spoiler alert)

Time for the big reveal on Wednesday, Nov. 18. That’s when the Escondido City Council members unanimously approved, with no practical discussion, the new $234,719 annual base salary with an additional, and lucrative, benefits package and contract for newly hired city manager Graham Mitchell who assumes office Dec. 18. It’s the same as outgoing city manager Clay Phillips got in his last three-year contract although Mitchell…

Food, Restaurants November 15, 2015

Thanksgiving Escondido is about to pop

  Thanksgiving in the U.S. brought together families from near and far to celebrate a day of turkey, football, parades and possibly, this year, shopping. It’s one of the major American holidays laden with traditions and sometimes misconceptions about its origins. The holiday is mythologized as beginning in 1621 when the Pilgrims invited the native Wampanoag Indians to their colony to celebrate the first harvest…

Sports November 15, 2015

Lake Wohlford where the catfish are biting

You know what they say, a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work. And then some. That’s what brought three diverse generations of the Brinneman clan to the shore of Lake Wohlford last week where they found the catfish fishing and it was good. “We’ve got three catfish in there,” Roy Brinneman said, pointing to a cooler. “They just stocked…

Fire November 14, 2015

Two-alarm fire guts two condo units, causes $50K in damages on E. Valley Parkway

Four Escondido residents, a dog and two cats were displaced today as a 2-alarm fire ripped through their 2-story condo complex in the 2100 block of E. Valley Parkway, according to Escondido Fire battalion chief Mike Bertrand. Escondido firefights received the first alarm via 911 shortly after noon, Bertrand said. A roofing contractor doing repair work on the roof did the honors. “The initial report of…

Community November 12, 2015

Get your tamales on at Grape Day Park along with Dos Valles poinsettias, VC art

Here today, gone tamale? With a salute to that classic Speedy Gonzalez Looney Tunes animated feature, and a tip of the corn-based dough, Escondido hosts its first ever, and hopefully annual ,Tamale Festival. Tamales are set to roll from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14 at Grape Day Park, 321 N. Broadway. The FREE festival will feature a VIP tamale tasting area —…