Articles by dweisman

Gas, housing and the Golden Door Spa

Escondido gasoline prices rise for seven straight days  Up and down, ye olde gasoline price merry-go-round is going up, up and away again. The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County rose two-tenths of a cent Tuesday to $2.824, the seventh consecutive daily increase. The average price is 1.5 cents more than one week ago and 6.1 cents higher…


Keeping up with the region, dam it

Dam it, Lake Hodges ESCONDIDO, CA. — San Diego County has 54 dams, including the venerable Lake Hodges Dam at Del Dios. State officials judge them all to be safe — an impressive feat considering that the average dam is 62 years old Inewsource filed Public Records Act requests with the California Division of Safety of Dams and 19 dam-owning public agencies, such as water districts, requesting the…


So, you want to work for Stone Brewing

A funny thing happened to Stone Brewing Co. on its way to global expansion and hotel entrepreneurship: 5 percent of its work force got laid off Thursday. ESCONDIDO, CA. — We don’t know how many employees were affected by this. Stone didn’t say.  However, the company website said it employs 1,100 people, and industry websites put the number of jobs eliminated at 50 to 75….


November to remember: Hospice volunteers, pet benefit, adult student art

The Elizabeth Hospice seeks volunteers Want to give back to the community and help those who are seriously ill? The Elizabeth Hospice is scheduled to host its next volunteer training from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8 and Wednesday, Nov. 9  at The Elizabeth Hospice administrative building, 500 La Terraza Blvd, Suite 130, Escondido. Volunteer training is free and open to the public,…


Escondido Art Walk Saturday Night

Escondido Art Walk Saturday Night toasting the town with sights and sounds, gratis Hors d’Oeuvres and a splash of craft beer or wine. Ground Zero, Grand Central Station, stage right is Escondido Partnership for the Arts, sponsor and exhibitor of the finest in local art. Across the Street Person Pocket Park, stage left, a long lanky fellow with a bass and percussionist scores the hit of…


Can Duncan Hunter come out & debate?

It happens every congressional election year, like death and taxes. Like father, like son, Duncan Hunter don’t need no stinking debates. Hunter Sr. was infamous for ducking debates against contenders. Now, his son, and heir to the 60-percent Republican registered 50th Congressional District fiefdom of a seat, is following the same path in daddy’s footsteps. There’s a delicious irony to this refusal to tell voters…


No more Souplantation for you?

It’s almost too easy to go Seinfeld “Soup Nazi” as in no Souplantation for you. Rancho Bernardo-based Garden Fresh, owner-operator of Souplantation, is closing 20 to 30 of its 123 restaurants in 15 states as part of a reorganization caused by filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware. Rest assured lovers of the all-you-can-eat soup and salad self-serve eatery with outlets at Escondido Promenade along…


Local crime rates fall, county rates rise

People may have behaved badly this year, but they’re behaving a lot less badly around San Marcos, about the same around Escondido and somewhat greater around Valley Center than last year. Overall, crime rates in these three communities combined dropped this year compared to last year, bucking a trend that found overall countywide rates rising. This, according to mid-year 2016 crime statistics compiled by SANDAG and…


What’s in a Lilac Hills Ranch ballot opponent argument?

What’s in a ballot measure opposition statement, Lilac Hills Ranch fans, should be settled by San Diego Superior Court Judge Eddie C. Sturgeon almost immediately following a Tuesday, Sept. 13 hearing. The ever-contentious, and litigious, question of placing 1,700 homes and 90,000 square feet of commercial space on agricultural land that is currently zoned to hold 110 new homes and no commercial space in very…


Fire this time: Dangers abound, San Pasqual response time improves

When it comes to North County: Fire, bad. Additional fire-fighting resources, good. The bad news this week, as if residents didn’t know it intuitively: More than half the land in San Diego County – including neighborhoods reaching almost to the ocean and densely settled foothill cities – is at high or very high potential for difficult-to-control fire according to data gleaned from maps prepared by…