Articles by Special to The Grapevine

Escondido Charter gets a thumping

 The Escondido Charter High White Tigers football team got its posterior handed to it by the the Vincent Memorial Scots  28-7. The game was played at Southwest High’s Eagle Field in El Centro on Friday night., Sept. 2. Neither team managed to get on the scoreboard in the first quarter as both teams struggled offensively, each losing possession of the ball after a fumble or…


Fact Check: Will a sales tax hike relieve traffic congestion?

The Gist The San Diego Association of Governments hasn’t been shy about touting the benefits county residents will feel if they pass its proposed ballot measure in November. One of the proposal’s major selling points is that the projects the measure would fund will relieve traffic congestion. We found SANDAG thinks of traffic relief differently than a typical commuter might. Statement: “SAN DIEGO COUNTY ROAD REPAIR,…


San Pasqual High, CSUSM alumnus thrives in entertainment industry

Meeting Cheech Marin would lead most people to reference one of the dozens of TV shows or films in which the actor has appeared. Escondido native and San Pasqual High School graduate, Michael Flores took a different approach. He talked about art. One of the classes Flores took when he attended Cal State San Marcos required a trip to an area museum. He visited one…


SD homes too pricey? Try Escondido

While inventory is low, demand for Escondido is spurring development and new communities are underway. Hope still reigns for first time buyers in Escondido as the city is promulgating a first time buyer’s assistance program. — Realtor Del Phillips The economy is looking up for many and according to the Case-Shiller index tracking resales of single family homes, this trend is being reflected in home prices….


Valley View Casino Buffet | Valley Center

Last month my mom had the great idea to treat Jake and I to “free” buffet at Valley View Casino. I’m sure she planned this out carefully. Mom gets a ride to the casino while Jake and I get to feast! Normally the buffet (which features lobster!) costs $32.99 on the weekends so this was a DEAL. Thanks, Mom, for being a big time player….


Ship in the Woods sails into Felicita port

WSOHOIDPS? It’s not just a meaningless chain of letters. Look closely, and you’ll see a SHIP in those WOODS, the hidden name of an artful non-profit formerly based in a sprawling, mid-century rental in the hills of Del Mar. There, for five years, until their lease ended last summer, they welcomed the public to meet a changing cast of visiting artists and immerse themselves in…


‘Fly Boy’ stuns Perez at South Philly bout

Johnson-Perez wasn’t as hot a ticket seller as the sold out Hart-Johnson event in March. Still, the match drew a reported 721 fans to the 2300 Arena. Peltz Boxing, Bam Boxing and Joe Hand Promotions were the promoters. — John DiSanto, PhillyBoxingHistory.com. Escondido’s knight in shining boxing gloves Dashon “Fly Boy” Johnson came back to Philadelphia Friday night and left another good impression on local…


Voices of North County Voters: ‘I Honestly Have No Idea About Local Elections’

The Gist: There was a competitive election for county supervisor in coastal North County, but many voters told us on Tuesday that they declined to weigh in on that race because they weren’t sure what a county supervisor does. The presidential election is driving North County voters to the polls for this primary election. Gary Dyer, a 59-year-old North County real estate investor, was so…


Perez to test Dashon ‘Fly Boy’ Johnson

Escondido’s Dashon “Fly Boy” Johnson finds himself in another Philly main event, and is arguably even the star of the show. The promotion has been dubbed “He’s Backkkkk!”, and the promoters (Peltz, Hand and BAM) hope that Johnson has as much resilience as Jason Voorhees did in the Friday the 13th movies. — John DiSanto http://www.phillyboxinghistory.com/ Philadelphia’s summer boxing season kicks off Friday night in South Philly…


Fact Check: North County Wants Its ‘Fair Share’ of SANDAG Tax

Escondido Mayor Sam Abed claims SANDAG’s ballot measure allocates too much for public-transit projects in San Diego and not enough for highways in North County. While it’s true that increased transit funding is more beneficial for dense San Diego than suburban Escondido, transit dollars are still useful for North County. Statement: “The new proposal from SANDAG … 14 percent goes to freeways and 40 percent goes to public…