Escondido

Olga Diaz addresses Jay Petrek questions

After six weeks of trying to get answers about Escondido Assistant Manager Jay Petrek’s appointment to the San Marcos City Council, Escondido Councilwoman Olga Diaz sent answers to The Grapevine on Thursday, Feb. 28. That leaves Escondido Mayor Paul McNamara, Deputy Mayor Consuelo Martinez and council members John Masson and Michael Morasco to go. Thank you. As the Washington Post states on its masthead: “Democracy Dies…


That happened. News you may have missed

This week promises a new overload. Michael Cohen testifies for three days before Congress, including a public Wednesday slam-fest. Donald Trump goes on formerly busted heel spurs to Hanoi to hold another fake summit with the evil murderous North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. Congress will pass a resolution blocking Trump’s fake national emergency. It goes to the Senate. Former national security advisors from across…


Escondido Creek runs through it

Escondido Creek Conservancy wants the city of Escondido to restore creeks. No surprise perhaps, yet still newsworthy, the Escondido Creek Conservancy Board asked Escondido officials to consider creek restoration priorities in 2019. Here were the priorities submitted for consideration: Restoration of Escondido Creek The Conservancy has received a grant to create a 30 percent restoration design for the portion of Escondido Creek in Grape Day…


Road danger ahead for cyclists, pedestrians

As cities strive to improve the quality of life for their residents, many are working to promote walking and biking. Such policies make sense, since they can, in the long run, lead to less traffic, cleaner air and healthier people. But the results aren’t all positive, especially in the short to medium term. Local bicyclists face the most risk of injury crashes in Pacific Beach,…


Stone Brewing shaking things up locally

Stone Brewing officials this week confirmed reports the company would consolidate Escondido and Vista facilities and re-assign some employees. The number of employees being re-assigned within North County was unspecified although Stone CEO Dominic Engels confirmed he was among that number. “We have a good amount of unused space in our national distribution facility in Vista, so that will be where most of the team…


Escondido fish poop helping feed the world

Today, surrounded by freezing temperatures, thousands of heads of lettuce grow, nestled in a cozy greenhouse fed by nutrient-rich nitrates. Or you could call it what it is: fish poop. The process, called aquaponics, allows farmers to grow local, organic produce anywhere at any time of year. Aquaponics is a sustainable method of farming that combines aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (cultivating plants in water)….


Meet the new mayor, same as the old mayor

Escondido Mayor Paul McNamara had his office this week announce a monthly meet-and-greet event called “Meet the Mayor.” Just don’t ask McNamara about whether it’s appropriate for Escondido Assistant Manager Jay Petrek also to hold a second job as a San Marcos city councilman. Apparently, that’s where McNamara draws the line. Just as former Mayor Sam Abed was renowned for not answering legitimate questions and shunning public…


Security gaps continue at local shipyard

HII San Diego Shipyard continues to ignore federal rules designed to protect billion-dollar Navy warships it repairs, despite an inewsource investigation last month that revealed shipyard security lapses and drew the interest of a local congressman. San Diego is the principal homeport of the Navy’s Pacific Fleet, and waterborne security threats have been a top priority for the Navy since the deadly terrorist bombing of…


New Esco leaders duck Jay Petrek questions

(EDITOR’S NOTE: WHILE THE US  GOVERNMENT HAS RE-OPENED FOR THREE WEEKS, THE ESCONDIDO MAYOR AND COUNCIL PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY SHUTDOWN GOES TO DAY 20 WITHOUT ANSWERS. It is Wednesday, Feb. 6. The Escondido mayor, and four council members, have yet to answer, or even acknowledge, they received, the series of questions listed below. These questions were emailed and Facebook messaged to each of them Thursday, Jan. 17,…


‘Round town: Hercules, low gas, and murder

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s at Valley Center History Museum The January birthdate of famed actor-bodybuilder Steve Reeves is being remembered at the Valley Center History Museum which has a collection of the late star’s memorabilia. Known internationally as the winner of every major bodybuilding competition as as the star of “Hercules” and 17 other motion pictures, Reeves is little-known as a rancher…