escondido politics

Community, Escondido November 20, 2023

J’accuse: Esc. youth council members say Esc. Council member Morasco went racist over Allegiance Pledge

Immediately after the Escondido City Council meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 15, District 4 Councilmember Mike Morasco approached Escondido City Youth Council (ECYC) founding members. Why? Morasco, a Republican in his 13th year on the council,  questioned youth council members about their citizenship status because they quietly opted out of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of the meeting. “It’s incredibly disappointing to have…

Escondido, Homelessness March 12, 2023

Most Escondido homelessness funds went to police, not homelessness programs, according to city staff report

Some $1.4 million of $2 million targeted to address homelessness in Escondido went to the city’s police department rather than homelessness services, according to a city staff report released last month. The money that specifically comes from the city’s general fund came under fire from some residents at a February 15, 2023 city council meeting, according to the Voice of San Diego. “We keep seeing…

Escondido May 11, 2020

Not so funny thing happened on way to filling Escondido’s vacant District 2 Council seat

In a nice political Seinfeld scenario, nothing happened with Escondido’s vacant District 2 seat last week and last month. However, this black cloud has the proverbial silver lining that will be lifted in November as Escondido voters will have the opportunity to vote on the matter. After three hours hours interviewing candidates for the city’s District 2 seat, previously held by the late John Masson,…

Courts/Law, Escondido, North County, Police, Police/Fire, Vista April 1, 2020

Escondido city news: Seeking new councilperson, sex crimes and bad puppies

Desperately seeking new Escondido city council member The City of Escondido is accepting applications for a potential appointment to the Escondido City Council to fill the vacancy created by the passing of Council Member John Masson, effective March 10, 2020. City Council members decided to appoint during a strange, virtual night meeting Wednesday, March 25 with most of the members and city staff teleconferencing in…

California, Escondido, Featured, Politics, Valley Center January 11, 2020

Marie Waldron’s time in the barrel has come

With the the local (un)likes of Joel Anderson and Sam Abed gone, solid gone and Duncan Hunter on his way to prison for campaign finance fraud; the list of Republicans left in formerly ruby red Inland North County has shrunk like Seinfeld’s George Costanza’s manhood in a cold swimming pool. Now, it’s longtime faux “moderate” Republican Marie Waldron’s time in the barrel. A coalition of North County…

Escondido, Media, San Marcos March 1, 2019

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…

Editorial, Escondido, Opinion January 27, 2019

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,…

California, Politics, Rancho Santa Fe January 25, 2019

RSF state rep. switches from Repub. to Dem.

If you can’t beat them, join them. State Assemblyman Brian Maienschein went from red to blue Thursday, Jan. 24. Maienschein announced at the State Capitol in Sacramento a switch from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party, saying he had “shifted to the left” on key issues in recent years, specifically citing gun control, immigration, abortion and LGBTQ rights. The old switcheroo changed the state Assembly…

Breaking News, News, San Marcos January 16, 2019

Wham, bam, thank you ma’am at SM Council

It took 23 San Marcos City Council candidates over 2 1/2 hours Tuesday night at City Hall to present credentials and answer a handful of questions. It took Mayor Rebecca Jones, Vice-Mayor Sharon Jenkins and council members Randy Walton and Maria Nunez the governmental equivalent of a New York second, or about five minutes, seemingly to rubber-stamp Escondido Assistant City Manager Jay Petrek as their…

Featured, News, North County, Politics, Riverside County January 5, 2019

Ammar Campa-Najjar hits comeback trail

Ammar Campa-Najjar makes it official It’s official, Campa-Najjar is back in the race to replace the disgraced, and clinging to a real person’s job in Congress, Duncan “Friggin’” Hunter. Campa-Najjar this week filed to run against Hunter in California’s 50th Congressional District in 2020, should Hunter even make it that far. Hunter’s date with campaign finance fraud destiny at Federal Court in September may result…