Articles by dweisman

Duncan Hunter’s ONLY successful bill killed

Say what one will of the convicted legislative fraud that was Duncan Hunter (R-Vapeville), but in his 10 years in office partying and scamming like there was no tomorrow, he managed to pass ONE — count ’em ONE — measure out of a committee during his time in “public service.” Yeah, it was “sarcastic,” Hunter said after his measure requiring women to register for the…


Hernandez Hideaway goes COVID-19 rogue

Ah, “historic” Hernandez Hideaway, Del Dios — on the shores of Lake Hodges — ode to risky business and no, the founder did NOT invent the margarita; got shut down this week. Blame it on COVID-19. along with the owner’s vile violation of San Diego County restaurant re-opening guidelines. Turns out social distancing and sanitation procedures at the fabled headquarters of the Hodgee Monster Appreciation…


Lilac Hills — zombie project that just won’t die

Talk about zombie development issues, this ghost of a project, rejected several times by voters and local planning commission members, Lilac Hills is back on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors agenda again. A ballot measure seeking approval of the Lilac Hills project was soundly defeated by voters in 2016, but the proposal was different from what the San Diego County Planning Commission had…


Three-Dot Lounge visits Rancho Santa Fe

We are going to consider a few outstanding three-dot items stripped from below, well below, today’s coronavirus headlines. But first, a reminder and salute about he who pioneered the three-dot way It’s been over 20 years since famed San Francisco journalist Herb Caen (1916-1997) died. For journalists and San Franciscans, Caen was a superstar. Known as “Mr. San Francisco,” his columns were a vital piece…


Mrs. Walker Texas Ranger comes to town

Starting in a few weeks, The Grapevine will be rolling out several methods by which you can support the truest form of community journalism in San Diego County. Actual on-the-ground running, non-corporate, non regurgitated and press-release journalism, the Grapevine aims to connect on a personal basis with community interests, concerns and aspirations. To that end, one of the features for enthusiastic sponsors will be membership…


Kindergarten-quality OAN cowers in public

With about 75 protesters forming outside San Diego-based Trump wannabe and Russian influenced One America News Network (OAN) on Saturday, the kindergarten-quality station showed its bravery by posting armed guards behind locked gates. Then, it got even worse for the nation’s least influential media supporter of the Trump embarrassment. Network founder and CEO Robbert Herring Sr. brought out his own kindergarten-quality sign, tried to affix…


2020 MLB Draft: Some locals get crunked

Several local players made the grade in the wild, and weird Major League Baseball (MLB) abbreviated five-round draft on Wednesday and Thursday while the San Diego Padres took six newbies with hopes to bring them into the Petco fold. The five-round 2020 MLB Draft is in the books now. A total of 160 selections were made over two nights in the abbreviated selection process. MLB…


Identifying surveillance at protests

The full weight of U.S. policing has descended upon protesters across the country as people take to the streets to denounce the police killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and countless others who have been subjected to police violence. Along with riot shields, tear gas, and other crowd control measures also comes the digital arm of modern policing: prolific surveillance technology on the street and…


Virus-denier Issa sues to stop mail-in ballots

An original virus denier, Darrell Issa must believe forcing people to go physically to polling places amid the coronavirus would help him somehow. Issa on Thursday, May 21 sued to halt California Governor Gavin Newsom’s order requiring all registered voters receive absentee ballots. Issa, a Vista Republican conducting a carpetbagger campaign — he lives in the 49th District — to return to Congress, argued that…


COVID-19: Masks along the side of the road

Major Market becomes a masking hotspot Sara Chhng-To of Aspara’s Salon & Day Spa took her coronavirus layoff to heart by going into the masking business. These days, she can be found from around noon to 5 p.m. daily at the northeast corner of the Major Market parking lot, 1855 S. Centre City Parkway, Escondido. Chheng-To makes many masks hersef and brings in a varety…