Hi, neighbors!
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🍪 One small local adventure 🌮 Missed our taco edition? |
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Heat remains in the forecast. |
💡 TIP OF THE DAY |
Heading to the Vista Farmers Market? Bring a reusable tote and jot down one meal you’d like to make. Let what looks good at the stalls fill in the rest of your shopping list. |
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Vista firefighters thanked the community this week after another Andy Valenta Memorial Charity Golf Tournament.
Players showed up.
Volunteers showed up.
Sponsors, donors and supporters showed up.
Which is basically how the fire service says “we’ve got you” without putting it on a Hallmark card. Read More... |
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The City of Vista recently honored Caylie Valenta as a local hero.
She did what people with grief and a mission often do.
She handed the honor right back to the person who started all of it.
“It’s not for me,” Caylie said in the city’s post. “It’s for Andy.”
Andy Valenta was a Vista firefighter and paramedic. A husband. A dad. A colleague who, by every public account, left a deep mark on the people around him. Read More... |
Vista just honored Deputy Jennifer Albright as a local hero.
Good.
Because traffic safety is one of those things everyone claims to care about right after something terrible happens.
A crash.
A close call.
A kid crossing where cars treat the street like a suggestion.
Then the flowers disappear.
The candles get picked up.
The rest of us go back to driving like the laws of physics are for other people. Read More... |
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Tri-City Christian delivered Vista-area football's win of the night, beating Victory Christian Academy 46–22 to improve to 4–2. The Eagles posted their highest point total of the season and now get a week to prepare for their next league matchup.
Rancho Buena Vista pushed Mira Mesa to a 21–17 finish after holding the Marauders scoreless in the second half, while RBV's freshman team won 25–8 to improve to 4–2. Vista High fell 35–12 to Hilltop, but the varsity Panthers put points on the board after a difficult stretch of scoreless games. Read More... |
Mission Hills gave San Marcos-area football its standout result Friday night, shutting out La Costa Canyon 14–0 on the road to improve to 5–1. The Grizzlies kept the Mavericks off the scoreboard for all four quarters, earning their first shutout since August and a strong result heading into their matchup with Carlsbad. On a night when two touchdowns supplied the winning margin, Mission Hills’ defense gave local fans plenty to celebrate.
San Marcos High battled Oceanside in a 28–21 loss, with Mo Henderson rushing for 106 yards and a touchdown and Sean Green adding 121 receiving yards and a score. The Knights are now 4–2, with both losses decided by seven points. Meanwhile, St. Joseph Academy’s unbeaten start ended with a 43–12 loss to Mammoth, leaving the Crusaders at 4–1. From a defensive shutout to individual bright spots and a chance to regroup, this week’s roundup follows three programs facing different next steps. Read More... |
Rancho Buena Vista flag football leads this week's Vista roundup after two Rams Jamboree victories and a championship celebration.
RBV varsity volleyball added a 3-1 league win over Canyon Crest Academy, while the freshman program also celebrated a Whiteout Night victory.
Tri-City Christian volleyball entered the week 11-3 overall and unbeaten in league play, and RBV's surf team celebrated finalists at a recent competition. Read More... |
San Marcos volleyball swept La Costa Canyon 3-0, improving to 22-7 and extending its home winning streak.
Mission Hills flag football saw a six-game winning streak end in a close 19-14 loss to Carlsbad, while the Grizzlies' JV girls golf program also celebrated a victory. Read More... |
🏈⚽🚩⛳🏊🏐🎾🏃♀️🏃🤽♂️
We can’t fit every great play into one newsletter! Catch the highlights here, then follow our Local Sports section for even more local sports stories, photos, videos, and game coverage. |
📸 FROM THE SIDELINES |
 Vista High JV football • Photo courtesy of Eduardo Javier Aguilar |
 Vista High Varsity football • Photo courtesy of Eduardo Javier Aguilar |
 Mission Hills freshman football • Frame from video courtesy of Vanessa Bulcao |
 Mission Hills freshman • Photo courtesy of Matt Bulcao |
Did you catch a great moment at a local game? Send the photo, team names, game date and photographer credit to hello@flarepublications.com. Help us put a name to the action. |
📸 THROUGH THE LENS |
 Sunset on Sunset • Photo by C. Morgan |
A familiar street in beautiful light. A trail view. A small neighborhood moment.
Send your Vista or San Marcos photo with its location and photographer credit to hello@flarepublications.com for a future Through the Lens feature. |
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Trade the usual Saturday errands for a garden outing. Alta Vista’s Fall Fun Festival brings kids’ crafts, a scarecrow contest, a plant sale and local art and craft vendors into the gardens. Wander the grounds, browse for something to take home and grab lunch from the Amigos de Vista Lions.
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North City becomes a full-day neighborhood gathering at the San Marcos Chamber’s Harvest Fest. Browse more than 250 vendors, discover local makers and follow the food aromas before settling in for live music on the Main Stage.
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Give Friday night a punchline. Kacklez brings a changing lineup of stand-up comics to Inzane Brewing’s Main Street taproom, with craft beer at the bar and an easy downtown night-out setting.
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Discover why the right cheese can make a beer taste different. Chef Dave leads an interactive pairing evening in Pure Project Vista’s barrel room, with five beer samples matched to five artisan cheeses and a welcome beer to start.
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Let Sunday brunch come with a little banjo and fiddle. Probable Caws brings an all-acoustic mix of Appalachian, bluegrass and old-time tunes to TERI Common Grounds’ Garden Veranda.
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📅 OTHER EVENTS WORTH A LOOK
Salsa, Cumbia & Bachata — Wednesday, Oct. 7, 6:30–11 p.m. Beginner class 6:30–7:30 p.m., then social dancing at Inzane Brewing, 236 Main Street, Vista. Class $15; social dancing $10. Details
Patio Trivia — Thursday, Oct. 8, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
Vista Farmers Market — Saturday, Oct. 10, 8 a.m.–noon Shop growers, prepared food and local makers at the courthouse, 345 S. Melrose Drive. Details
Plan Ahead: The Tell All — Tuesday, Oct. 13, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Bring a screenplay, short story or comic to share at The Film Hub, 170 Eucalyptus Avenue, Vista. $5 at the door; Film Hub members free. Details |
🎥 VIDEO OF THE WEEK
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✨ QUOTE OF THE WEEK |
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope.”
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Maya’s Cookies makes it easy to share a little sweetness. Its gourmet cookies are made with plant-based ingredients—no eggs, dairy, or other animal products—and come in flavors including Classic Chocolate Chip, Snickerdoodle, Lemon Chiffon, and the Famous “Everything” cookie. Expect the soft, chewy texture that cookie lovers look for. Treat yourself, build a box for someone else, or explore gift bundles and the Cookie Love Club. Maya’s also offers platters, catering, and corporate gifts, with nationwide shipping for sharing beyond its San Diego and San Marcos locations. It’s a thoughtful pick for celebrations, thank-yous, or an everyday cookie craving. |
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🧐 LOCAL FACT
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Our first stop in a new series of local restaurant reviews is Oggi’s Vista, where we picked up buffalo pizza, chicken tortilla soup, and chicken piccata while supporting an RBV fundraiser that night.
The pizza had a thick crust, generous toppings and cheese, and a buffalo kick we found manageable.
The soup arrived hot and creamy, with plenty of chicken and toppings packaged separately, while the chicken piccata offered tender chicken and a generous portion.
Our order was ready within 15 minutes on a busy evening and was well packaged for the trip home.
Dinner handled and a local school supported—two birds, one stone. Read More... |
Same restaurant. Same order. Same debate about where to go next time.
Lunch has a way of becoming a rerun.
Carla and Linda’s Local Tours advertises a way to change the episode: a once-a-month Vista outing centered on restaurant tastings. Read More... |
Come for a beer. Leave with a newfound interest in gas recovery equipment.
Admittedly, that second part is a tougher sell.
But at Pure Project’s Vista headquarters, carbon dioxide produced during fermentation is recovered for reuse in brewery operations. The bubbles get another assignment.
For Vista and San Marcos readers, that gives the business at 1305 Hot Spring Way a story beyond the tap list. Behind the gathering space is a working production facility with some interesting decisions built into the brewing process. Read More... |
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 Editorial illustration |
FARMERS MARKET FIND
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More About Woodstock 🐾
He is vaccinated, microchipped and neutered. Find him at San Diego Humane Society’s Escondido campus, 3500 Burnet Drive.
Meet Woodstock → |
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More About Andromeda 🐾
She is vaccinated, microchipped and spayed. Find her at San Diego Humane Society’s Oceanside dog campus, 2905 San Luis Rey Road.
Meet Andromeda → | Adoption process |
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Food truck owners: put your next stop on the local radar. |
Keep the local conversation going |
😄 JOKE OF THE DAY |
My reusable market bag and I have an understanding: |
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