Articles by dweisman

Escondido city manager merry-go-round

Oh what a tangled web, the search for a new Escondido city manager has woven. That would be the search for a third city manager since 2015, and that’s not including interim city managers. While Mayor Sam Abed said over 70 candidates have applied for the permanent job, and city officials said the search was proceeding smoothly, it was proceeding nonetheless. For now, City Attorney…


Issa pulls an Indivisible surprise party (Updated with evening town hall)

(UPDATED 11 p.m. Thursday: Several hundred people turned out at an emergency health care town hall designed to meet with Rep. Darrell Issa (R-49th District) while he was in the district for congressional recess. However, despite staging a surprise morning appearance to meet with Indivisible protestors with his own supporters in tow, Issa was nowhere to be found on an even playing field.) Rep. Darrell Issa (R-49th District)…


Another DUI checkpoint with no DUI drivers

Escondido Police Department’s great reveal about its Jan. 28 DUI/Drivers License checkpoint took some reading between the lines to get the rest of the story. Nowhere in Lt. Mike Kearney’s “Sobriety Enforcement Results” was the most pertinent subject of a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint revealed in so many words. Which is to say, yet again, the sobriety enforcement roadblock yielded no DUI suspects. “Checkpoints are placed…


Hunter served over tearing down high school painting that made him ‘angry’

As if absconding with tens of thousand of campaign dollars masquerading as a personal piggy bank or ducking an in-person town hall with his constituents weren’t bad enough, now this for embattled Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-50th District). He’s been served. By extension. Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO) filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday against the architect of the Capitol for removing a painting by former…


Community news from Bonsall, San Marcos to Sweden and Dixon Lake

Bonsall Women’s club goes lyrical The Bonsall Woman’s Club’s (BWC) March 2 meeting will feature a special program with singer Lisa Sanders and her harmonizing partner, Karen Hayes. “Lisa is a singer-songwriter who resides in San Marcos and has been the opening act for such notable artists as B.B. King, Al Green, the Dixie Chicks, and more,” BWC publicity chair Gail Golden said. “This harmonizing duo…


When ALEC’s Joel Anderson says drain the swamp, he forgets he is the swamp

(Editor’s Note: In a RARE public opportunity, state Sen. Joel Anderson said this week he would hold an “Escondido Community Coffee Town Hall Meeting” hosted by Escondido Mayor Sam Abed and Escondido Councilman Ed Gallo, both Republicans like Anderson, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 9 at VFW Post 1513, 230 E. Park Ave. Escondido 92025. RSVP was specified at 619-596-3136, although an…


Issa, Hunter protests getting bigger, better (Updated-Video Thursday)

A third week of protests centering around Republican Representatives Darryl Issa (49th District) and Duncan Hunter (50th District) along with various causes swelled Tuesday to over 700 people at four locations, organizers said. Protests at Issa’s home-town Vista office attracted twice as many participants compared to the previous Tuesday with nearly 300 people lining the streets of an industrial area with massive displays of signs…


Amidst ethics probes: Hunter won’t meet with voters, approve any funds for district

Rep, Duncan Hunter (R-50th District) had a busy day of “just say no” as his chief aide said the Alpine congressman wouldn’t hold an in-person town hall and Hunter said he wouldn’t assist in any federal aid requests from sanctuary cities, including his own. All of San Diego County, and cities in Hunter’s district, are classified as sanctuary areas, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs…


Constituents flood Issa, Hunter offices

Nearly 400 people braved some nasty weather Tuesday to rally at five separate San Diego County and area events, asking for political accountability and preservation of the Affordable Care Act known popularly as Obamacare. They also asked for in-person town hall meetings and pledges to oppose President Trump’s proposed Muslim ban. Close to 140 people were caught in the rain outside of Rep. Darrell Issa’s Vista…


200-plus voters hit Issa, Hunter offices

Around 200 constituents turned out to express concerns to Rep. Darrell Issa, who was not in attendance. Many called for an in-person town hall meeting. Two separate Indivisible groups spent Tuesday demonstrating outside the offices two of the only remaining California members of Congress, Rep. Darrell Issa, (R-49th District) and Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-50th District). Smaller group met with managers of the respective pro-Trump congressmen….