Articles by Special to The Grapevine

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…


A tree grows at San Marcos High School

In keeping with the 46th Annual Earth Day theme of “Trees for the Earth,” the Lake San Marcos Democratic Club along with the San Marcos High School Senior Class planted a tree at the school quad. This tree, planted on April 20, 2016, will stand forever as a reminder of these ideals for all students who pass through the school in coming years. The club…


Money Pit Drive Thru, San Marcos

 Jake and I were up in the Northland (aka North County) for a little errand. The little errand took much longer than we though it would and it was quite late by the time we got around to eating dinner. I did some Yelpy research and found a place called The Money Pit Drive Thru and decided to go there because the name sounded rad….


Video games and vaping: Congressman Duncan Hunter, Jr. at WORK?

It’s the equivalent of saying “the dog ate my homework.” That’s the excuse Duncan Hunter Jr. gives regarding paying for video games with his campaign financing account. Embarrassments from Hunter, Jr., Escondido’s, 50th Congressional District representative, continue to accumulate. In just a few weeks, Hunter, Jr. has gone from supporting Donald Trump, to smoking an e-cigarette at a congressional hearing, and most recently to defending his…


Affordable, fun golf for the everyman at Castle Creek Country Club

If not for the blue-collar side of golf: Francis Ouimet would never have become a legend, Lee Trevino would never have won six majors, your local muni would now be a housing development and places like Castle Creek Country Club would be shunned for a dearth of collared shirts. Presenting a tenor of refreshing egalitarianism, Castle Creek isn’t shy about its operating philosophy. Amid a national public-golf…


Friends meet at Perks Coffee House

The TV series “Friends” may have had Central Perk, but here in San Marcos we have Perks Coffee House. Perks Coffee House not only serves coffee, but also serves: teas, wine, beer, cocktails and food. It’s a place to go whether you are getting brunch with friends or cramming for exams. This coffee house caters to everyone. Kassidy Clark/The Telescope Perks Coffee is conveniently located…


4 things that women should know about Social Security benefits

Ever since a legal secretary named Ida May Fuller received the first retirement benefit check in 1940, women have been counting on Social Security to provide much-needed retirement income. Social Security provides other important benefits too, including disability and survivor’s benefits, that can help women of all ages and their family members. How does Social Security protect you and your family?  When you work and…


Golden Door spa: How a legendary retreat made the ultimate comeback

San Marcos, California’s Golden Door spa has been restored to its former glory—which is exactly how you’ll feel when you leave. The short version of the story—how I came to be at Golden Door, the storied, ultra-luxe retreat sometimes referred to as the “Mrs. Astor of spas”—is that I have two children under the age of 5 and a demanding job that requires fair amounts…