North County

Progressive voter guide for June 5 election

(Editor’s Note: Here’s a quick and easy way to vote in the June 5, 2018, primary election brought to you courtesy of Doug Porter and the San Diego Free Press. The Grapevine endorses all his endorsements, so get out there and get rid of every Republican enabler of Donald Trump and unAmerican values. It’s especially important to vote for the best local progressive candidates because Republicans…


Desmond campaign finance fraud alleged

San Diego County supervisor candidate and San Marcos Mayor Jim Desmond committed campaign finance fraud, taking $2,150 in illegal campaign contributions from San Marcos Highland project officials seeking to do business in San Marcos since 1981, a Twin Oaks Valley Community Sponsor Group member alleged Wednesday. Desmond is considered the leader in the June 5 primary being held to replace District 5 Supervisor Bill Horn,…


VC horse rescue wracked by fraud, abuse

Attorney General’s Office halts HiCaliber’s fundraising, spending for failing to file tax docs HiCaliber Horse Rescue, a Valley Center nonprofit embroiled in allegations of fraud and animal abuse, can no longer raise or spend money until it submits proper financial disclosures to the state. The California Attorney General’s Office sent HiCaliber a letter Friday stating the nonprofit is considered “delinquent” for failing to submit federal…


Coastal North County least diverse in area

Brian Pollard with the Urban Collaborative Project, a San Diego nonprofit, walks around a southeastern San Diego community where he says new residents have made once primarily African-American areas more diverse. (Megan Wood, inewsource) By the numbers: San Diego County’s most diverse neighborhoods When two residents in the southeastern San Diego neighborhood of Encanto meet, there’s a 71 percent chance they’re of different racial and…


Hang on to your fruit – invasive Mexfly back

This is one unwanted visitor from Mexico that even Donald Trump’s fabled wall could never stop. And it’s a dire threat to local, state and national fruit growers and consumers. A portion of San Diego County has been placed under quarantine for the Mexican fruit fly following the detection of seven Mexflies within the City of Encinitas. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the…


Del Mar racetrack back to normal after Lilac Fire horse rescues head home to Bonsall

Thoroughbreds jogged on the main racetrack at Del Mar this week as life after the horrific training track fire in nearby Bonsall began to settle for horses and horsemen involved with the events at San Luis Rey Downs last Thursday. Del Mar Thoroughbred Club and 22nd District Agricultural Association officials reported that there were currently 260 Thoroughbreds and approximately 500 other-breed horses stabled on the…


Through Pulitzer photog Don Bartletti’s lens

California State University Bakersfield’s Walter Stiern Library Presents Program is exploring issues in immigration with a series of events through December. The series includes a Pulitzer Prize winning photographer, a documentary screening, and a poetry reading. The prize-winning photographer, Don Bartlett of the Los Angeles Times, spent a lot of time visiting migrant camps around North County San Diego, including Oceanside, Carlsbad, Fallbrook, Valley Center and Escondido….


Wasted days and wasted nights on SR 78

And maybe someday we will find, that it wasn’t really Wasted time Mm,hm Oh hoo, ooh, ohh, Ohh, ooh, mm. — Eagles “Wasted Time” With great fanfare, SANDAG in 2012 broke ground for a $41 million road widening project on State Route 78 near Interstate 15 as well as around Nordahl Road “to ease traffic congestions during morning and afternoon commuting hours.” Guess what? It…


Ousting Hunter: Dem challengers debate

One way or another, to paraphrase Blondie, we’re gonna to find ya’, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-50th District), and we’re gonna get ya’, get ya’, get ya’, get ya’… Either you’re going to prison for campaign finance and bank fraud, or going to go, end of political story, period, courtesy of one of these Democratic challengers at the ballot box. Indivisible North County hosted a Democratic…


Local bus drivers say show us the money

Bus drivers and mechanics for San Diego’s North County Transit District allege they are owed thousands of dollars in accrued vacation, sick and personal time from First Transit, a national company that operated NCTD’s bus service for the past seven years under a $178 million contract. It’s unclear how many people are affected and how much money is at stake, though interviews with drivers and…