North County

Sorry Sam: Dave and Kristin headed for supervisor race runoff

Incumbent 3rd District Supervisor Dave Roberts will square off against Encinitas Mayor Kristin Gaspar in November. Escondido Mayor Sam Abed is out. “I’m happy to be past that milestone and am looking forward to the next months ahead,” Gaspar said. Roberts finished first, with 38.79 percent of votes cast (53,108), while Gaspar was in second place, with 34.28 percent (46,939), according to the latest tally,…


‘Hey Baby, it’s the Fourth of July’

Escondido, San Marcos and the world celebrate the Fourth of July on the 4th of July; that’s a Monday. It’s Birthday No. 240 for the good ole U.S. of A. Here is the official word on how Escondido and San Marcos are celebrating the annual holiday. Escondido: 53rd Annual Independence Day Festival & Fireworks Escondido’s annual Independence Day Festival & Fireworks has become a North…


Not your grandparents farmers market

There are farmers markets and then, there are (cannabis) farmers markets. At an undisclosed location and time in San Marcos, revealed only to certified medical marijuana card holders through private message, but with a $15 admission price, the San Diego Cannabis Farmers Market “North County Edition” rolled into somewhere for a while Saturday. “We ask that you not give out the location to non-market attendees…


Supervisor race not as much about party as it was about the people

Sam Abed was looking forward to an easy win in the June primary to challenge incumbent Dave Roberts for the 3rd District seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. The Republican mayor of Escondido had the old guard of the party solidly behind him. He won the official endorsement of the county GOP, and counted in his camp such old-school party republican stalwarts…


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…


North County Report: Roberts, Gaspar — Not Abed — advance to D3 runoff

The Gist: Darrell Issa might have a real race on his hands, North County voters less interested in local race than the presidential contest, New York Times drops in on Carlsbad and more in our weekly roundup of North County news. Perhaps the biggest news for North County in Tuesday’s primary election was the District 3 race for county supervisor. Encinitas Mayor Kristin Gaspar knocked…


Of roads, town halls and apartment buildings

Don’t go messing with San Elijo Road Meanwhile, over at San Marcos, motorists take care. Beginning Monday, May 16, otherwise known as today, when the story filed, traffic was reduced to one lane on both north- and southbound sides along San Elijo Road and S. Twin Oaks Valley Road “to accommodate roadway improvements critical to student, pedestrian, bicycle and traffic safety while paving the way…


Follow the money: Abed, Gaspar, Roberts

The three candidates for the District 3 seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors have raised, and loaned themselves, a total of nearly $300,000 in the first four months of this year, according to financial disclosure forms filed with the county of San Diego. The contributions, received between Jan. 1 and April 23, were fairly evenly split between the three candidates – incumbent…


District 3 county Supervisor race en fuego

“Escondido Mayor Sam Abed, critics say, is old school, a stereotypically brash small-town mayor. His GOP creds have been challenged by his attempts to block a 99-cent store from coming to Escondido and his acceptance of union support during his 2014 re-election campaign.” — Thomas K. Arnold The race for the District 3 seat on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors is heating up,…


Political notes featuring H. FUJI Shioura

Editor’s note: Mail-in ballots for the June 7 California Primary may be sent back in to the San Diego County Registrar of Voters any time after May 9. Registration for the primary continues as well. Escondido City Clerk Diane Halverson said Escondido voters could register through midnight Monday, May 23. For more information, call (858) 565-5800. Meanwhile, the 50th Congressional District might be 44 percent…