Articles by dweisman

CVS naughty, not nice, with recyclable cans

You know all those recycling containers situated just outside CVS store around town? Ever tossed a bottle or can in one of them, or otherwise tried to dispose of them at your local pharmacy? Surprise! The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) today announced a $3.6 million enforcement action against CVS Health Corp. for failing to meet its obligation to redeem Californians’ deposits…


Used books still in style at Cassidy’s

(Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end as Cassidy’s Books closed its doors in July 2020. This story, alas, must serve as an homage to what ws once an incredible experience for those who love books.) Tom McDevitt’ sat behind the large front counter at Cassidy’s Books, in the shadow of Fry’s Electronics at a back-of-the-curve, out-of-the-way strip mall considering North…


Don’t be a Trump, be a Nancy; and a social media tale: Grading San Marcos trailer parks

Baseball season has ended, my baseball season anyway since all I live for is watching multiple Major League Baseball games on numerous devices and screens. They call it the post-season for a reason. OK. While watching baseball games, I also dedicate a screen to scream at cable news while reading computer stuff about dotard and his disgusting criminal traitor regime. Not to get too far…


Seniors community foundation packs a punch

A new, well-funded and ultra-connected non-profit called San Diego Seniors Community Foundation entered the local arena with a splashy new “senior center assessment,” finding “San Diego’s senior population is rising, but the community is not ready for change.” The 11-page report got a lot of play in the media following its Aug. 20 release, and why not. Bob Kelly, former president and CEO of The San…


Found the car at Stockton, but not the canine

Stockton can be a mean town. Just ask Poway resident Cynthia Niswonger. Niswonger’s family vacation return trip from Oregon took a detour of the worst sort about 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 11 outside the McDonalds at 611 West Charter Way, Stockton. That is when a thief broke the lock on her green 2000 Ford Focus hatchback and stole the car. Complicating the theft was the…


From Janis Joplin to Vista biz for Lee Bittner

Times they have a-changed since the countercultural 1960s. So has drummer-turned-Vista-restaurant supply company owner Lee Bittner — to a degree. A former drummer with Janis Joplin’s Big Brother & the Holding Company, Bittner, 54, has toned down his personal act somewhat these days. But he maintains a lot of the core values of that youthful age which he combines with modern-day business acumen and a…


Herbs and spices thrive at Pearson’s Gardens

A few others grow herbs and spices in Southern California, but none grow as many as Cindy and Mark Pearson, whose Pearson’s Gardens & Herb Farm features close to 700 varieties. “They have the largest, and most diverse, selection of herbs in San Diego County,” said Nina Fox, president of the San Diego County Herb Society. “Cindy Pearson is extremely knowledgeable about the herbs botanically,…


Community news for the rest of us

People, but mainly PR agents, send stuff all the time to our e-mail account. Sometimes we publish, many times we don’t because, you know, that’s how we roll. When PR agents, known in old-time journo lingo as “flacks,” send us material, we send them back our ad rates, which are $100 a month for sidebar ads, $200 a month for banner ads below the top…


Food Network: Say it ain’t so, Rosie’s Cafe

After three years off the air, Restaurant Impossible returned to the Food Network Saturday, April 20 with a somewhat problematic visit to Rosie’s Cafe on Grand Avenue at Escondido. Food Network Gossip also covered restaurant makeover guru Robert Irvine’s highly eventful visit, but when the smoke from the kitchen cleared, with all due respect to owner Kaitlyn Rose, 32, and her enthusiastic foray into the…


High-spirited Escondido couple’s craft vodka finds its niche among giants

Spirit is where it’s at for Southeast Escondido couple Kerstyn and Michael Zepeda. Spirit as in enthusiasm for an unique product that has turned their business into the headwinds of an up-and-coming lifestyle. Featured recently at the 13th Annual Coeur de Cuisine benefit at California Center for the Arts, Escondido, the Zepeda’s recently launched Bella Mar Spirits vodka went down smoothly with the gala set….