Escondido

New Escondido assistant city manager named, salary set at $164,390

Former Escondido assistant city manager turned-city manager Graham Mitchell said Thursday, March 17 that Jay Petrek would become the new Mitchell, i.e., new assistant city manager. Petrek is Escondido director of community development. His new salary will be $164,390. Mitchell, for example, also received benefits including 20 days of management leave with the ability to convert 15 of those days to salary, auto allowance of…


Escondido Country Club gets new developer agreement

Escondido Country Club & Community Homeowner Association members appeared this month to be on board and in approval of the recently announced agreement to have a new developer take the lead in the controversial redevelopment of the 110-acre property. “ECCHO’S Board of Directors recently learned that New Urban West, a respected community developer, entered into an agreement with Michael Schlesinger and Stuck in the Rough…


Borrego Health helps fill Downtown Escondido urgent care need

Competing emergency services providers swept into downtown Escondido Wednesday to fill the void left by the closure of Palomar Health’s emergency department. Expected since last June, announced last month, Escondido’s only downtown emergency room closed its swinging doors after a 65-year run. A few departments — labor and delivery, inpatient rehabilitation and behavioral health — remain at the 555 E Valley Parkway hospital that once…


Now hiring seasonal San Marcos lifeguards

Sun’s up, shades on, keep safe and lifeguard on, San Marcos. San Marcos Aquatics is looking for seasonal lifeguards to watch over city pools and aquatic facilities for summer 2016. “San Marcos lifeguarding offers a chance to become part of an exciting team that helps people safely enjoy the water and have some summertime fun,” Aquatics Manager Cheryl Salazar said. “With a guaranteed schedule of…


Escondido Goodwill Industries Thrift Shop rises phoenix-like on Friday, March 4

Knocked down, but not out, the Escondido Goodwill Industries Thrift Shop re-opened for business at 550 W Washington Ave. on Friday, March 4. That’s no mean feat considering the extent of damage engendered when El Nino huffed, puffed and blew the Escondido Goodwill roof down on Jan. 6. Goodwill officials said the damage was such that the store was closed longer than any of their…


State of the City: Escondido Mayor Sam Abed likes it

Escondido Mayor Sam Abed looked over all he had made and saw that it was very good during his State of the City Address. Those sentiments, and presentations of eight civic awards arose at sunrise Wednesday, Feb. 24 at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido Conference Center. Co-sponsored by the Escondido Chamber of Commerce, the event began at 7:30 a.m. with an optional $20…


Fans converge on store to meet rap star

Welcome to “underground” Escondido. The future starts now. Rapper Self Provoked was in the HypeFright house. His teenaged admirers snaked around the long building, spilling across the 239 E Valley Parkway parking lot into a well-mannered, yet energetic, line for a very special meet and greet opportunity. They were maybe 30 yards away from a staid Second Saturday Art Walk crowd trudging around the Escondido…


5,500 Palomar Hospital; 1,800 Graybill patients affected by medical data theft

An early 2014 breach at Escondido-based Palomar Health affected about 5,500 patients. The public health care district declined to comment, citing “pending legal matters surrounding this breach.” Graybill Medical Group at Escondido had a breach affecting about 1,800 patients. Officials didn’t respond to repeated calls for comment. Experts put the cost of a medical data breach at between $100 to over $360 per record compromised — more…


From climate change to road widening

Benefits of fixing climate change You think? North County Climate Change Alliance presents Dr. Tom English, a Carlsbad lecturer and scientist and Rolf Dorp, Alliance grass roots organizer discussing the benefits of fixing climate change. They’ll be at the Escondido Public Library’s upstairs Turrentine Room from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23. It’s open to the public and free. “Sponsored by The North…


Abed raising, not spending, supe race funds

San Diego County Supervisors (left to right) Ron Roberts, Dave Roberts and Bill Horn at 2014 State of the County Address. (Photo: Milan Kovacevic.) The latest campaign finance disclosures from candidates running for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors suggest an increasingly competitive race for Dave Roberts as he seeks re-election in District 3. Roberts, who was dogged last year by allegations he misused his…