County Fair competitions draw thousands of participants
Paige Nelson
June 3, 2013
Inside the Grandstand at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, volunteers sort through an array of colorful jams brought in by entrant Star Slipock. Slipock has been making her homemade jams for 41 years and entering them into the Home and Hobby Competition at the San Diego County Fair since 1975. “I have a who...
Built on a handshake: Scripps Encinitas marks 50 years
Helen Hawes
May 30, 2013
Although Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a photo retrospective of its inception, it is already looking toward its 100th anniversary by creating a time capsule that will be opened in 2064. Staff members, former patients and members of the community recently...
Scripps Encinitas utilizing exoskeleton for therapy
Helen Hawes
April 21, 2013
Hermes Castro used to consider riding his bike 20 miles to work as part of his regimen as a triathlete and physical trainer. But on Sept. 1, 2006, his life changed as he was riding his yellow racing bike and got hit head-on by a drunken driver. In addition to multiple injuries, he suffered lower-extremity...
Bidding silent, but banner artists’ work can speak volumes
Helen Hawes
March 25, 2013
Silent bidding has already lifted the value of the Arts Alive banners that flutter along Coast Highway 101 in Encinitas from Leucadia to Cardiff. The 101 banners may seem to vary wildly in subject matter, but they all have one thing in common: they’re celebrations of living a seaside life. From mermaids,...
A twist on business: Cities differ on allowing sign twirlers
Christopher Earley
February 23, 2013
When sign spinner John Murray goes to work on a busy street corner, he attracts a lot of attention. But attracting attention is just part of the job. With a full head of curly and wild red hair, the 21-year-old Grossmont College student can flip a sign with the best of them. As traffic rolls past...
Second annual Kook Run draws colorful characters
Helen Hawes
February 7, 2013
Masked Zorros, cave people, a bride and some serious athletes shut down Coast Highway on Feb. 3 as they ran with 2,000 other contenders in the second annual Cardiff Kook Run 5K and 10K races. The event is held in honor of an Encinitas icon, the Cardiff Kook sculpture. Officially named “The Magic Ca...
Trio’s tenure: Retiring council members reflect on careers
Manny Lopez
December 27, 2012
The retirements of Encinitas Councilman James Bond, Solana Beach Mayor Joe Kellejian and Carlsbad Councilwoman Ann Kulchin mark the end of an era in North County coastal politics. With nearly a century of public service between them, each has left an indelible signature in the sand within some of...
Saving Times: Newspaper’s former archivist opens North County Times cabinets to local historical societies
Ernesto Lopez
December 19, 2012
North County historian Lucy Berk has a big task at hand. She is digging up paper files of the Times Advocate archives from 1983 to 1995 and distributing them to local historical societies. Berk worked at the newspaper as an archivist during that time frame, before its merger with The North County Bl...
Transfer of flower power: Paul Ecke III optimistic about poinsettia powerhouse’s future under new ownership
Manny Lopez
November 21, 2012
For the first holiday season since 1911, a member of the Ecke family will not be at the helm of the Encinitas company that popularized the poinsettia and made it the No. 1 selling potted plant in North America. In August, it was announced that all of the business assets of Paul Ecke Ranch, which included...
It wouldn’t be the holidays without: Staple has local roots
Lauren Ciallella
November 20, 2012
Editor's note: With the holidays around the corner, the North Coast Current revisits this story, first published in the Current in November 2008 Is it stuffing or is it dressing? “There’s really no difference,” says Leo Pearlstein, Mrs. Cubbison’s PR man since 1948. A personal friend of San...
Golden plates: Car buffs laud plan to bring back iconic colors
Donna P. Crilly
September 22, 2012
Classic car owners generally have a few things in common. Aside from a love of an era of cars when baby boomers were still babies, enthusiasts typically have money to spend and time to restore their classic models to a “T.” But there’s one thing they don’t have in common. Not all classic car...
Fresh crop: North Coast sees growth of farmers markets
Kelley Carlson
September 21, 2012
Farmers markets seem to be cropping up all over North County. They can be found in every city, from Oceanside to Carmel Valley along the coast, and as far east as San Marcos, Escondido and Valley Center. And people are flocking to them to buy fresh produce, unique crafts, organic food products and...
