The newspaper was formed in 1995 from the merger of the North County Blade-Citizen of Oceanside (founded 1929) and the Escondido Times-Advocate (founded 1909) by Howard Publications. Beginning in 1997, the Times also published The Californian in Temecula, located in southwest Riverside County.
The newspaper was established in 1995 through a merger of the North County Blade-Citizen of Oceanside (founded 1929) and the Escondido Times-Advocate (founded 1909), by Howard Publications.  In 1997, The Times began publishing The Californian in Temecula, situated in southwest Riverside County.