Similarities arise from Manchester's new hotel

One wing of Papa Doug Manchester's hotel empire, Manchester Financial Group LLC, is building a 1035-room, $350 million hotel in Austin, Texas According to the publication AustinTowers, Doug Manchester, Papa Doug's son, is championing "a major push" to develop the …

Street, Richard have negative value this year, says publication

The publication Business Insider has used a formula to calculate Major League Baseball players' dollar value in 2013. Two Padres make the list of the 25 most overpaid. Relief pitcher Huston Street has a value of minus-$23.8 million this year, …

Those who lauded Sanders's sleazy actions denounce Filner's bumbling ones.

The flap over Mayor Bob Filner's mishandling of the Sunroad Enterprise matter brings to mind another scandal regarding that company back in the 2007-2008 time period. Comparison of these two scandals shows the staggering hypocrisy of the San Diego establishment …

Other chalking events, such as one pro-life protest, was granted permission from the Police Department. No charges were ever filed.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/30/48329/ Is it the mess or is it the message? Is it the fact that Olson's message was a key tenet of the Occupy Wall Street movement or would it happen to any person or group wishing to exercise their …

Still owes about $80,000 to former clients

Disgraced former-attorney Patricia Ann Gregory, 63, has been working lately as a part-time debt collector, according to a recent probation report. Gregory also receives income from social security and a military pension, the report stated. The former Carlsbad attorney, who …

Christmas party ended badly for manager of taco shop

Juan Rivas, 29, was sentenced to 30 days custody after a jury declared him guilty of misdemeanor battery for punching an employee after the company Christmas party. The fight occurred the early hours of a Sunday morning, after a Saturday …

Dr. Edward and Mary Rose Bodek ran up thousands on credit cards

Dr. Edward J. Bodek, 60, and his wife Mary Rose, 56, admitted this week that they have been stealing from their patients. They ran a dental practice at 317 North El Camino Real in Encinitas, California, for more than twenty …

Yacht publication does not give price

"Happy Days," the yacht that belonged to the late David Copley, publisher of the Union-Tribune, has been sold, according to the publication BoatInternational.com. The price was not given. The Reader had reported in January of this year that Copley's lavish …

Conspirators installed skimming devices inside gas pumps

Akop Taymizyan was sentenced today (June 28) to three years behind bars for his role in a sophisticated identity theft scheme. He and co-conspirators installed skimming devices inside gas pumps in California, Arizona, and Nevada. The devices secretly recorded gas …

18-year-old Occupy San Diego participant spent three days in jail in 2012 for writing free speech slogans in chalk. Lawyer for the woman says City Attorney was "personally involved" in the case.

Earlier this week, San Diego's City Attorney Jan Goldsmith issued a statement on the misinformation spread by the media in regards to the prosecution of a man for scribbling anti-bank statements in chalk on the sidewalk. "The defense is trying …

Company denounced, but almost all its revenue comes from abroad

A territorial tax system taxes only revenue earned domestically. Only a few countries, such as France, have such a system. The progressive Institute for Policy Studies came out with a study this month stating that a conservative organization, Fix the …

Manchester's Austin hotel raising Chinese capital through EB-5 program

The immigration reform bill recently passed by the United States Senate permanently authorizes and in other ways strengthens the EB-5 program, a method for foreign investment to come into the U.S. EB-5 was originally passed in 1990 and has been …

A judge noticed the defendant wore the same shirt to court seen in evidence photos

Abrahim Ah Saed was sentenced to time already served, twelve days custody, plus three years probation for a felony fraud which he admitted last month. A judge had noticed at a prior court appearance that Saed was wearing the same …

Marco Polo Cortes, golfing companion of former city councilman imprisoned in Cheetahs Strippergate case, signs up to lobby for “adult/nude” industry, city filing discloses

It's been more than eleven years since we first reported here about the unusual goings on at a strip club known as Cheetahs, and a decade since the FBI raided San Diego city hall, launching the infamous bribery case, known …

While the decades-old nuclear reactors at San Onofre may have seen their final days of power generation and the tide at large seems to be turning against nuclear power, the federal government is still spending money on developing the technology. …

Sheriff responds to a call of a man not breathing after crashing into rocks.

A 48 year old Colorado man was killed in a paragliding accident at the south end of Seacoast Drive in Imperial Beach Wednesday, June 26 according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. At around 4:15 p.m., deputies from the …

The Natural Resources Defense Council, claiming to be “the nation’s most effective environmental action group,” has released its Testing the Waters 2013 report, a study on water quality at beaches typically considered prime vacation spots. California as a whole doesn’t …

Judge Howard Shore says media has exaggerated possible punishment and also admonished Mayor Filner for statements made in support of the defendant.

The judge in the case of the anti-Bank of America protester has issued a gag order, prohibiting the defendant or any witnesses from speaking to any members of the media. Judge Howard Shore criticized the media coverage in the case, …

Sheriff’s deputies arrested seven people early Wednesday morning (June 26) in connection with a marijuana growing operation. While conducting a traffic stop around 1:30 a.m. on the 700 block of Ramona Drive in Julian, deputies found marijuana and “equipment used …

Democratic Assembly Majority Leader Toni Atkins and spouse Jennifer LeSar staging Cole political payback bash on Sunday at LeSar's San Diego consulting firm

With the blood money battle between the GOP's wealthy Lincoln Club and big labor all wrapped up in San Diego's fourth city council district, one of San Diego's poorest, it's time to pay the piper. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/27/48219/ Though a final campaign …

1,100 of 1,500 workers overall to lose jobs as part of plant shutdown

The first round of layoff notices for employees of the now-permanently shuttered San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station went out yesterday (June 26). Six hundred non-union employees at the plant were handed walking papers, and another 500 jobs will be slashed …

Susan Seibert expects four years prison

A 49-year-old woman admitted taking more than $500,000 from her pizzeria employer, in a plea deal in San Diego’s North County Superior Courthouse today. Susan Dawn Seibert was hired as bookkeeper for a chain of high-end pizza restaurants, Leucadia Pizzeria, …

First witness called but testimony cut short due to timing.

The trial in the case of the man who wrote protest slogans in children's washable chalk on a public sidewalk outside of three Bank of America branches has begun. The case has started more than one year after Olson made …

The real estate industry California Association of Realtors trade group is out with its latest report on “distressed” property sales, analyzing foreclosures and short sales (in which a bank accepts a payoff amount less than what is owed), finding that …

Tim Lambesis not due in court again until September

Timothy Lambesis, who is out of custody on $2 million bond posted last May, was in a San Diego courtroom today, June 26, setting his next court date for September 16, 2013. The divorce of Timothy Lambesis from his wife …

Military, cell-phone, conservative, and San Diego State University lobbies all factor in fast-paced, high-dollar San Diego congressional race

With Carl DeMaio set to kick off his campaign for congress this evening in the shopping aisles of Coles Carpets, the race for special interest campaign cash between the Republican former San Diego city councilman and his rival, incumbent Democrat …

The issue of access at La Jolla Children's Pool will be floating into Federal Court. This case, however, is not just access to the water but gaining access to the beach itself for those with disabilities. On June 25, Jack …

San Diego Gas & Electric is sending out bills to about a quarter of its customers, or 350,000 residents and businesses throughout the county, warning of a pending rate hike set to hit their bills September 1. The utility blames …

Those opposing give $25.1 million to senators

President Obama spoke today, as he did in the 2013 State of the Union speech, about limiting greenhouse gas emissions. He announced executive actions he can take. But MapLight, a group tracking how money flows through political bodies, points out …

They allegedly manipulated the benchmark LIBOR rate

The Regents of the University of California and the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) filed suits in separate federal courts today (June 25), according to Reuters. The Regents filed in San Francisco and SANDAG filed in U.S. district court …

Division of Ratepayer Advocates says Edison and SDG&E should remove nuclear facility charges from customers' rates

The Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA), a wing of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), representing consumer interests, today (June 25) filed a motion urging the CPUC to direct Southern California Edison (SCE) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) …

Arguments are set to begin tomorrow morning.

The First Amendment has no place in Superior Court Judge Howard M. Shore's courtroom, not when it comes to vandalism with water soluble chalk. Today the trial began in the case of a San Diego man who is being charged …

Court proceedings now suspended for Bryan Chang

A Los Angeles man accused of beating his mother to death in her ocean-view home in San Diego County will have a “mental health evaluation,” ordered this morning by a superior court judge. Bryan Chenhua Chang was brought before Judge …

Advice letter to former mayor Jerry Sanders comes after questions about Republican’s road trip to Mexico City with current Democratic mayor Bob Filner

The hottest days of summer are right around the corner, so what better time for craft beer-promoting ex-San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders to find even more ways to cool off? Of course, the advice might also have come in handy …

The local Republican party is looking to groom potential political candidates for office, announcing yesterday (June 24) the upcoming launch in July of a six-month candidate training program, the “Project for California’s Future.” After ponying up $350, aspiring conservative politicians …

S&P/Case-Shiller numbers show hot markets

Standard&Poor's/Case-Shiller home price data released this morning (June 25) show prices continuing to soar in April. San Diego prices rose 3.7% from March to April, topping the 20-city composite's sturdy 2.55% gain. Year-over-year, San Diego values are up 14.7%, topping …

Cuadra stole money from employer, spent most of it to start league

Jaime Cuadra pleaded guilty today (June 24) to wire fraud and filing a false income tax return in connection with his embezzlement of more than $1 million from Oceanic Enterprises and its parent, Umami Sustainable Seafood. He was chief financial …

House disclosure form shows he dabbled in junk bond funds

North County Congressman Darrell Issa took in $59.4 million last year, according to a disclosure form he filed with the House, according to the publication Politico. Issa pared down his debt in 2012 as bank borrowings dropped from $100 million …

The Escondido City Council is set to consider three-year contract extensions for City Manager Clay Phillips and City Attorney Jeffrey Epp at a meeting on Wednesday, June 26. A couple of controversial items are being eliminated from the contracts, which …

San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit System announced progress on Friday (June 21) on an agreement with Pacific Imperial Railroad, which seeks to revive the freight-oriented Desert Line railroad between Tecate and Plaster City, in the Imperial Valley east of San Diego …

No mention of infamous client Roger Hedgecock, political godfather Doug Manchester, nor Moe Dalitz's notorious La Costa resort in new book by Las Vegas ex-mayor Oscar Goodman

San Diego has had a long line of controversial mayors, but arguably no one as colorful - and Mafia connected - as the former mayor of Las Vegas, ex-mob lawyer Oscar Goodman, who also has more than a few memorable …

He should know; he pulled history's largest Ponzi scheme

MarketWatch has interviewed Bernard Madoff, the architect of history's biggest Ponzi scheme, in prison. (He is serving 150 years.) "The individual investor is the last person that has any information," said Madoff in the interview. The Securities and Exchange Commission …

Study compares resale ticket prices, winning percentage, competition quality

According to MarketWatch, a Texas company, TicketCity, has done a study of how much bang baseball fans get for their buck. The Padres rank 28th among 30 Major League Baseball teams. First, TicketCity considers the price of tickets bought from …

Saturday night’s DUI crackdown at the San Diego County Fair, which brought officers from eight local law enforcement agencies together to conduct “saturation patrols” around the fairgrounds, resulted in 95 total traffic stops, with 16 drivers evaluated for driving under …

Man faces 13 years and $13,000 if convicted of vandalism with sidewalk chalk.

Jan Goldsmith's job as City Attorney is to represent the City of San Diego. In addition, it appears as if his office is also fully prepared to stand up for the little...rather, the big banks. On Tuesday, the City Attorney's …

Clear, sunny day draws families to breezy fun

The first Saturday of summer saw consistent crowds all day at the beaches in Oceanside, California. Visitors Kassidy, 8, and Kaidance, 3, found kelp leaves on the sand near the pier. The City of Oceanside, located on the coast of …

Transcripts were given as a response to a public records request from only two days before.

Mayor Bob Filner said he wanted a more open, transparent city government. Having the City Attorney release transcripts of closed session meetings two days after the meeting transpired, however, was probably not be what he envisioned. On Thursday, June 20, …

Conservative group says Mayor's style is too abrasive.

Mayor Bob Filner is ruining San Diego's reputation, says conservative political group, The Lincoln Club. And while many residents might consider that a good thing, the Lincoln Club does not agree. They say Filner is too strong of a mayor. …

Occupancy still below comparable rate for 2007

According to Smith Travel Research, occupancy in San Diego hotels inched up to 68.7% this year through May, compared with 68.2% the same period a year ago. San Francisco, Orange County and Los Angeles all registered better increases. Jerry Morrison …

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, responsible for law enforcement in Del Mar, has announced that it will be partnering with police from Coronado, National City, the San Diego County Probation Department, and UC San Diego Police to conduct a …

House Republican Darrell Issa partakes of multiple dips in D.C. law and lobbying firm's golden money pool

With half-time approaching, it's been a lucrative political fundraising year for members of San Diego's congressional delegation, both Democratic and Republican. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/21/47931/ Freshman Democrat Juan Vargas kicked off the big cash harvest in March with his first annual “Margaritas, Mariachis …

County gains 6000 jobs for month, 20,300 from year ago

The San Diego County unemployment rate was 6.7% in May, down from a revised 7% in April, and below a year-ago's 8.8%, according to the California Employment Development Department. The county gained 6000 jobs between April and May. Leisure and …

The U.S. Border Patrol embraces an unlawful policy that allows agents who have rocks thrown at them to respond with deadly force, the widow and children of a Mexican national killed in a border-crossing scuffle claim in federal court. Maria …

Jones reportedly let go one week after mystery donation from developer Sunroad is exposed.

Was there a shakeup in the Mayor's Office after an alleged shakedown? That could be the case. There have been rumors circulating that Allen Jones, former developer turned Filner Deputy's Chief of Staff, will be stepping down and out of …

Did not beat girlfriend, nor try to run her over, nor flee officers with wanton disregard

Kenneth Wayne Welch, 42, got into an argument with his girlfriend while they were in a car and he grabbed her by the hair and pushed her head into the center console, a prosecutor told a judge today, June 20, …

He brought in Totoaba swim bladders from Mexico

Jason Xie, Sacramento resident, pleaded guilty yesterday (June 19) to bringing endangered Totoaba fish swim bladders into the United States. The fish are endemic only to the Gulf of California. The swim bladders are highly prized in Asian markets for …

San Diego County Crime Stoppers is looking for information this afternoon (June 20) that might help them identify a group that violently assaulted an Imperial Beach man last month. On May 27, an unnamed 18 year-old Hispanic man was drinking …

Freshman Democrat's first free trip of congressional career takes him to familiar lobbyist golfing territory

When he was a member of the state legislature and a big favorite of insurance companies, Democratic Congressman Juan Vargas regularly showed up at free golf outings around the country including, according to a March 2006 report in what was …

Appeal due to lack of public notice was dropped two days after Ann Romney appeared at City Council hearing.

Who says non-agenda public comment at city council meetings doesn't have any impact? Of course, it helps when your last name is Romney. On Thursday, two days after Ann Romney, wife of former presidential candidate Mitt Romney, showed up unannounced …

Lawsuit alleges Carl Wayne Hopkins died from long-term exposure to fuels and lubricants, some of which produced by Monsanto.

A lawsuit was filed in San Diego's Southern District U.S Court on Wednesday against the powerful seed company and king of genetically modified organisms (GMO), Monsanto, for their role in the death of former San Diego Airport Authority employee Carl …

The City of Del Mar is warning residents to prepare for traffic delays this weekend related to the LXMATS San Diego Lacrosse Tournament, which will take place at the San Diego Polo Fields off El Camino Real and is expected …

But this won't last, warns Zillow.com economist

Home values in the U.S. continued surging in May, but the West ran away with the prizes -- for the sellers, that is, according to Zillow.com. Sacramento prices rose 1.7% in May from April, topping the 30 major markets. San …

Oceanside cops tracked cell phone to culprit

There were a string of burglaries almost a year ago, the night of July 4th in 2012, in the seaside community of Oceanside. The morning of July 5, residents of four different homes on North Cleveland Street said they went …

Wall Street Journal tells of officials looking gift horse in the teeth

Today (June 19) the Wall Street Journal asks if San Diego once again merits the apt appellation "Enron by the Sea." (The New York Times originally came up with the oft-repeated description a decade ago.) The Journal tells how in …

San Diego Gas & Electric is boasting about the successes of its 117-mile Sunrise Powerlink, stating in a June 18 release that the $1.9 billion transmission line is proving even more valuable than expected given the demise of the San …

"Macho Sports" ran from Peru, taking Internet and telephone bets

Eighteen members of a gambling ring located in Southern California and Peru were charged with operating "Macho Sports," an illegal Internet and telephone gambling business, in an indictment unsealed today (June 19). They are charged with taking millions of dollars …

San Diego State University-run public broadcasting operation steps into congressional fray with investigation of GOP foe of House Democrat on Armed Services committee

San Diego State University's KPBS public broadcasting operation is out today with an expose of ex-city councilman Carl DeMaio, the failed Republican San Diego mayoral candidate who recently announced he was running for congress against La Jolla Democratic freshman Scott …

Programs have until July 31 to apply for grants funding environmental projects near Mexico border

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), $1 million USD will be made available for eligible environmental projects near the U.S.-Mexico border. Proposals must be submitted by July 31. Awards are expected to average around $50,000 each and …

Authorities and family members are searching for child after she disappeared on June 18

Authorities and family members are frantically searching for an eight year old girl, after she disappeared from a Tijuana shopping center on June 18. The child, Natalia Hernández Hernández, was at the Centro Comercial Soriana de la Plaza Universidad shopping …

Suit similar to successful one against Orange County Register

U-T San Diego must pay 1.285 former newspaper carriers $3.18 million, according to an intended statement of decision by Superior Court Judge John S. Meyer, as reported by the Union-Tribune. The newspaper's chief executive, John Lynch, said there will be …

California home prices continue to spike, according to a new report from PropertyRadar, formerly ForeclosureRadar. The research firm attributes the price increase, though, to decreased supply and a lower proportion of “distress sales,” including foreclosures and short sales. Such distressed …

Peninsula planning group accused of violating the Brown Act in their quest to keep two illegally placed stop signs in Point Loma

'Stop in the name of the bylaws,' is the message from dozens of Point Loma residents in Point Loma to the Peninsula Community Planning Group. The residents are accusing the planning group of violating the Brown Act, the Robert's Rules …

Calexico, CA citizen arrested in possession of heroin and methamphetamine hidden in vehicles muffler

United States Customs and Border Protection officers arrested a California woman, at the Calexico downtown port of entry, in possession of a substantial amount of hard drugs. According to CBP officials, the arrest and seizure occurred on June 12, around …

Initial cost estimate at $499,000

The Padre Dam Water District is seeking sealed bids for the replacement of a restroom facility at the Sycamore campground within Santee Lakes, with an engineer’s estimated cost in excess of $499,000. While specifications for the project are unavailable without …

Gary Hart's "Monkey Business" has nothing on Duncan Hunter's "Finished Business" upcoming fundraising cruise backed by boat makers lobby

Democratic Senator Gary Hart had his fling with Donna Rice in Bimini on a yacht called Monkey Business back in 1987. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/18/47713/ Next month congressman Duncan Hunter is planning on doing another kind of politicking on a yacht called Finished …

Will Governor Brown use his veto power? What do local politicians have to say about their vote?

Peter Scheer of the California First Amendment Coalition is calling on people who are concerned about open government to contact Governor Jerry Brown's office about a "trailer bill" that was attached to the senate budget bill (SB 71) and passed …

But Oakland A's owner denies he sabotaged the plumbing

On Sunday, the Oakland A's sewage system backed up. Neil deMause of fieldofschemes.com said one thing was certain: there would be renewed calls for a new, subsidized stadium. True. Major League Baseball quickly jumped in and declared, "As we have …

The affordable housing advocacy group San Diego Housing Federation is out with its annual Ruby Awards, which honor new housing projects and notable individual achievements throughout the county. This year’s Rubies, given for projects completed in 2012, include the 77-unit …

Lawsuit filed by "backcountry groups" over changes to General Plan.

All it is is a fuss over wind...energy. That's the crux of a lawsuit from so-called "backcountry warrior," Donna Tisdale and far east county preservation groups, Protect Our Communities Foundation, and Backcountry Against Dumps. The latest legal complaint, filed on …

Construction to last a week in order to build canopy for Border Patrol agents

Two to three lanes will temporarily close down each night, at the Otay Mesa southbound border crossing, in order to build a canopy for Border Patrol agents. The construction begins on June 17 and plans to end on June 21. …

Pleads not guilty to murder and use of knife

Oceanside police said 24-year-old Arturo Salazar killed the mother of his two children and stuffed her body under the bed they shared, last week. On Thursday, June 13 2013, officers contacted Salazar in his rented home on Leeward Court, after …

Could get life in prison for killing Carlsbad man

Joseph Robertson Verkade has been declared guilty of murder, in the shooting death of a man in his Carlsbad garage more than two years ago. Homeowner Michael Sahagun, 63, was declared dead of a shotgun wound to the chest in …

Brown family has history of controversy regarding cross-border-related energy involvement in California and Mexico

Governor Jerry Brown's insider contingent at Sempra Energy got bigger last week with the announcement that his sister, former California Treasurer Kathleen Brown, had joined the board of the San Diego-based utility giant, which owns SDG&E and the Southern California …

Tomorrow, June 18, marks the kick-off of San Diego Unified School District's Summer Fun Cafe, a free lunch program for the children of residents throughout the district. The district is inviting students and parents to a free barbecue to launch …

The San Diego Sheriff’s Department conducted another early morning warrant sweep on Saturday (June 15), clearing 36 warrants by arresting 27 individuals with misdemeanor and felony domestic violence and DUI warrants outstanding. This week’s sweeps focused on the cities of …

Authorities resist bribe from suspects who allegedly made death threats

Baja California state police arrested two suspects in Tijuana with a large amount of United States currency, on Saturday, June 15, after responding to a citizen complaint. Officers checked on a residence after a citizen called authorities to report a …

Papa Doug's son releases consultant study claiming there is need for it

The $350 million Fairmont Hotel in downtown Austin will start going up in November, according to the Austin American-Statesman. Developer Douglas W. Manchester, son of San Diego hotelier/publisher Douglas F. (Papa Doug) Manchester, told the newspaper that a new consultant …

23% of local jobs require such skills

There is a category of jobs with the acronym STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). According to a new study by the Brookings Institution, 23% of local jobs require such skills. This is 10th in the nation. To no one's …

California's 4th District appellate court holds that allegations of suicidal tendencies trump San Diego woman's constitutional right to bear arms.

Chalk up a victory for San Diego GOP city attorney Jan Goldsmith, not in his long-running power war with Democratic Mayor Bob Filner, but instead over an allegedly suicidal dentist, who - citing her constitutional right to bear arms - …

Dole Food, the largest tenant on San Diego’s working waterfront, is facing a challenge as shareholders fight a move by chairman and CEO David Murdock to privately acquire the company for $1.5 billion, or $12 per share. In 2012 the …

Event will be at DeMaio's house on Saturday, June 15.

Former councilmember and runner-up in last year's mayoral race Carl DeMaio is courting the female vote in his run for the 52nd Congressional seat. Tomorrow, DeMaio is hosting a "Champagne with the Campaign" event on Saturday afternoon from 11am to …

Medbox, Inc., manufacturers of a marijuana vending machine marketed at medical marijuana collective storefronts, is touting its success in obtaining an amendment to proposed San Diego Municipal Code 42.1502 that would allow for the placement of its machines in local …

Town asked to chip in $20,000 to keep motivational seminar

CORPORATE WELFARE REPORT: The J.W. Marriott Desert Springs resort is asking Palm Desert to cough up $20,000 to help keep a Tony Robbins motivational seminar from moving to Florida this year, according to the Desert Sun. Robbins's five-day "Date With …

Suspect has allegedly admitted to killing and burying victims

A 20 year old Tijuana native is in custody after allegedly killing seven victims in Baja California Sur. The victims were found in two mass graves, outside of the city of La Paz, early in the week of June 9. …

Police announce $1 million warrant for suspect now in Florida

The mother of a 14-year-old boy who was abducted last Monday said a family member went to pick up the boy at the end of the school day, and they knew just minutes after 3 p.m. that the child had …

Planning Commission to discuss the appeal at an upcoming meeting.

Mitt Romney has seen some ups and downs this year. The latest bad news focuses on his plans to tear down his beachside home in La Jolla in order to put up a two-story, 11,062 square-foot home with an attached …

Fresh military base closure fears spawn new lobbying gig for Washington law firm of San Diego super lawyer and regional Economic Development Corporation board member

The process of deciding which of the nation's sprawling complex of military bases should be closed in the name of efficiency has always provided a lucrative arena for lobbyists, local politicos, civic boosters, and other influence peddlers. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/13/47419/ Another round …

Escondido policeman said he expects case to be tried here

Police say a 36-year-old man intercepted a 14-year-old boy on his way home from school in Escondido and absconded with the child across country, to Florida. On Monday, June 10, the boy’s parents immediately reported their son missing when he …

City must find legal justification for assessments or else might be on the hook for millions in refunds.

Some property and business owners say assessment districts are the perfect tool to revitalize and promote their neighborhoods. Others say they are often mismanaged and are an illegal way for municipalities to get more bang in regards to public services …

Now that the shutdown of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station has been permanent for nearly a week, the realities of what the plant’s closure means in the long run, long overshadowed by the three-way battle between plant operator Southern California …

Says tax base recovering but pension problems linger

Fitch Ratings has assigned A+ ratings to $40 million of San Diego capital improvement projects and Old Town Light Rail Extension lease revenue refunding bonds, and also $6 million of Balboa Park/Mission Bay Park Refunding bonds. The City has "a …

Mayor vetoed council's decision to grant developer a setback. Mayor has since changed his position and now City Attorney is asking about two mystery checks from Sunroad to Mayor's Office

Updated from an earlier version Is Mayor Bob Filner making secret inroads with developer Sunroad Centrum? If so, San Diego City Attorney Jan Goldsmith is on the case. In a June 10 memo, yes another memo, Deputy City Attorney Shannon …

El Hongo inmates shown posing with cell phones in social network photos

Photos were recently discovered of a convicted murderer, in a Baja California prison, which were apparently uploaded from their own cell phones to a personal Facebook account. The inmate, Luis "hipster prisionero" Pachecho Rodríguez, is shown in photos posing with …

The San Diego Sheriff’s Department station in Santee is seeking to reunite victims of bicycle theft in the Santee and Lakeside areas with their missing rides. Deputies are asking anyone who’s had a bicycle stolen within the last six months …

Despite party praise at national level, DeMaio's name thus far missing from list

San Diego County Republicans are wasting no time getting a jump on the 2014 election campaign, releasing a list of official party candidate endorsements for the election to take place a little less than a year and a half from …

La Mesa Police announced on Tuesday afternoon (June 11) that they had made two arrests related to a string of robberies involving an individual wearing a Spider-Man mask, dating back to a January 28 heist at Sierra Market on the …

One charged $867.40 for unneeded work

The Bureau of Automotive Repairs has disciplined three firms in the county. Arian Inc., dba Cox Automotive Service, 5782 Miramar Road, was fined for performing unnecessary repairs. The customer was charged $867.40 for work that did not have to be …

Peddling Nova Gen stock, he told investors gross untruths

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has banned Paul Randall Fraley from the securities industry. The commission's complaint said that from 2006 to 2009, he raised more than $2.3 million through an unregistered offering of Nova Gen stock. He misrepresented …

The hiring outlook in San Diego County through the third quarter of 2013 is generally positive, according to data released today (June 11) by local temp firm Manpower of San Diego. Overall, 19 percent of San Diego companies surveyed plan …

Don Azul officially announces run for city council.

Add another runner to the race for the District 6 council seat. On June 11, soon to be 30-year-old Clairemont resident Don Azul officially threw his hat in the ring by submitting a Statement of Organization with the City Clerk's …

Under continual fire for saddling students with debt while spending more on marketing than education and lately accused of preying on African-Americans, San Diego’s Bridgepoint Education has announced that it’s branching out from its for-profit degree programs and adding a …

Panelists present budget possibilities and concerns for the 79th district

Shirley Weber, assembly member for the 79th district, hosted a town hall meeting in Chula Vista June 8. Although the meeting was organized around the question "What are your priorities for San Diego?", the format concentrated on panel presentations rather …

Medical examiner's report described "graze wound" on one arm

A man found shot to death might have put up his arm trying to block the final bullet, based on information contained in a medical examiner’s report, just released. An autopsy was performed on John Charles Upton, 56, the day …

Mayor Bob Filner appeared yesterday afternoon (June 10) along with Jack Webster, president of the American Albacore Fishing Association and other Association members for a press conference held against the backdrop of San Diego’s tuna fishing fleet to celebrate a …

A man and woman executed during broad daylight in the streets of TJ

Two violent deaths occurred in Tijuana, during the afternoon hours of Monday, June 10. In the first homicide, a woman was shot in the head and killed around 2:00pm (1400). The shooting took place on the avenida Milton Castellanos. The …

Bridgepoint's Ashford among top two schools, says Salon.com

Salon.com has an excellent article dated June 9: "Young, black and buried in debt: How for-profit colleges prey on African-American ambition." Black college enrollment soared 35% between 2003 and 2009, almost twice the rate of white college enrollment, says the …

Facility under construction in Baja California Sur to lead region in clean power

Construction is currently under way on a solar energy facility plant in the Baja California Sur city of La Paz. When the facility is finished, which is estimated for August, 2013, it will power an estimated 160,000 homes. The facility …

Unknown amount of U.S. tax dollars to flow to team owned by wealthy Republican Spanos family, backers of Texan Rick Perry

According to a twitter round-up this morning on U-T San Diego's website, Chargers players and cheerleaders are paying surprise visits around town today, including one to the paper's newsroom, where they were photographed with beaming staff members. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/10/47159/ Meanwhile, with …

Would minimize greenhouse gas emissions, avoid fossil fuel utility plants

Carla Peterman, a commissioner of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), proposed today (June 10) that the commission begin a proceeding to look into whether or not utilities should adopt energy storage systems. She notes in the proposal that new …

"Promotion of growth and development" cited as purpose of awarding ten tickets worth $87.69 each to law firm

Democratic city councilman David Alvarez is spreading some baseball love in the form of free tickets to a Padres game in the city's Petco Park, says a recent disclosure. According to a June 4 filing posted online by the city …

New Jersey company that oversaw last year's debacle once again has contract for massive fireworks display

The Port of San Diego and Garden State Fireworks, the same company behind last year’s catastrophically failed Fourth of July fireworks display, are gearing up for a slightly scaled-down version of last year’s event, which drew national attention when a …

Planning commissioners will discuss an appeal from historical preservationists during a June 13 hearing.

Call it a one-stop shop for all of your development needs. Golba Architecture not only designs residential and commercial building projects, but its principal, San Diego Planning Commissioner Tim Golba, is qualified to provide a historical analysis on the property. …

As part of the “Shark Summer” program to be launched this July and August at Birch Aquarium, Dr. Andy Nosal, the aquarium’s DeLaCour Fellow for Ecology & Conservation, is preparing to launch a weather balloon outfitted with video recording equipment …

Judge says rotating dining spa, in foreclosure, should be auctioned

La Vista, a fancy, rotating restaurant atop a hotel in Punta del Este, Uruguay, has been ordered closed, according to the Uruguay newspaper, El Pais. It is scheduled to be auctioned June 27. It is one of a series of …

Brokerage, closed in 2011, loses before arbitration panel

WFP Securities has been ordered to pay almost $19 million to a trust representing investors who lost money in a Ponzi scheme sold by the defunct brokerage, according to the Wall Street Journal. The trustee of the liquidating trust accused …

At around 12:30 this morning (June 8), San Diego Sheriff Deputies Dollard and Brown report being "struck repeatedly by a green laser" while flying over La Mesa. The deputies employed an infrared camera to locate 34 year-old Fernando Arrolando from …

At least five victims confirmed in bloody Tijuana night

The Attorney General of Baja California (La Procuraduría General de Justicia del Estado) announced Saturday morning, June 8, that five people were murdered during recent hours in Tijuana. The five homicides occurred individually, in different parts of the city. The …

Poway is assuring residents that its water is safe to drink, despite a disturbing taste and odor noticed by city residents. A June 6 release from the city traces the funk to an algae bloom in Lake Skinner, a reservoir …

Field representative for Democrat Shirley Weber also works for Voice & Viewpoint newspaper and in marketing gigs for non-profit Reality Changers and Internet's Imagine Media Group, regulator's opinion letter says

An aide to Democratic 79th District Assemblywoman Shirley Weber has been told by the state's political watchdog agency that it is okay for her to be a reporter for a local newspaper, work in public relations and as a social …

Woman injured after running into an uneven and cracked sidewalk in Linda Vista

Why should the City of San Diego pay for some expensive sidewalk study when it can just rely on the increasing number of lawsuits filed by pedestrians injured on San Diego's fractured and faulting sidewalks. On June 5, Lily Mata …

The National Republican Congressional Committee is touting polling data in a letter to its members that seems to indicate a10-point lead among voters for Carl DeMaio, who announced last week that he would challenge Democrat Scott Peters for California’s 52nd …

But unemployment rate rises as more join labor force

The United States gained 175,000 jobs in May, more than economists had expected. That is a sharp improvement from the 149,000 in April. However, the unemployment rate rose to 7.6% from 7.5% in April as more Americans joined the labor …

Announcement made early this (Friday, June 7) morning

Southern California announced this morning that it is shutting down the troubled San Onofre nuclear power plant, according to a story in the Los Angeles Times. The move comes 17 months after the plant was closed because of steam generator …

The ongoing saga over the future of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station along San Diego’s northern coast appears to be drawing to a close, as Edison International, parent company of plant operator Southern California Edison, says this morning that …

They don't generate job growth or promote business development

Enterprise zones, which through tax breaks were supposed to help small businesses in distressed areas, are a boon for big business, but are not creating jobs or development, according to a study by the Sacramento-based California Budget Project. The zones …

Price-to-income ratio getting pretty high again

Kelly Cunningham, economist for the National University System Institute for Policy Research, says investors are jumping into the San Diego housing market, and since there is not much new housing coming on to the market, the ratio of housing prices …

Tax-free “employee” foundation chaired by utility giant's SDG&E external affairs chief kicks in big for LGBT Center, Focus on the Family, Catholic bishop

In the wake of this week's FBI raid on the capitol offices of Democratic state Sen. Ron Calderon, San Diego-based Sempra Energy has been picking up some attention as a big Calderon campaign contributor and personal gift giver. http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/06/46986/ Of …

Victim was shot in broad daylight while waiting for a hamburger

A man was gunned down in Rosarito, Baja California, while waiting for a hamburger shortly after noon, on Thursday, June 6. The victim, who authorities have only identified as a 34 year old male named Omar, is believed to have …

Driscoll owned, Driscoll's Wharf and Marina, a popular spot for small commercial fishing operations.

San Diego's commercial fishing industry took a major hit today upon learning of the death of Cathy Driscoll, owner of Driscoll's Wharf Marina at America Cup's Harbor. According to a source, Driscoll died after allegedly committing suicide in the early …

Bank robber caught attempting to rob the same branch a third time

Steve Edward Ruby has pleaded guilty to federal counts related to six bank robberies and an attempted seventh, over a year after his indictment last April. Known as the “Insistent Bandit” for his rude and demanding demeanor when addressing tellers, …

Newly elected state Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez announced yesterday (June 5) that she’ll be taking labor industry cohort Evan McLaughlin to Sacramento with her as chief of staff and installing seasoned local politico Humberto Peraza as her local district director. McLaughlin …

Prosecutor said abuse went on for three years

Jesus Alejandro Solorzano, 38, was declared guilty of 21 counts of child rape by a jury late yesterday, June 5, 2013. Solorzano’s defense attorney first addressed the jury by listing the many awards and commendations the man had earned during …

Xiaomi founder models self after Steve Jobs

The New York Times today (June 5) has an excellent story on China's Xiaomi, whose head, Lei Jun, is a "professed [Steve] Jobs acolyte," says the Times. One question is whether the company's products are close to Apple clones. The …

Campaign papers were filed with the City Clerk's Office on June 5

Mitz Lee doesn't just intend on running for the District 6 city council seat, she is running for the District 6 council seat. Today, Lee, a former San Diego Unified School Board Member, filed a Statement of Organization with the …

The Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Fire Department has announced it plans to conduct a controlled burn of dead brush along Aqueduct Road in East Miramar on Sunday, June 9 in order to limit the risk of wildfires this summer. …

Regency Centers wants land-use changes to put an In-N-Out Burger close to homes.

Who wouldn't like to have an In-N-Out Drive-Thru just steps from their front doors? Residents of Pacific Bluffs Condominiums in Clairemont, that's who. A group of residents in Clairemont are fighting a proposal from Regency Centers, the new owner of …

Democrats Hueso and Lara, along with Viejas, Sempra, and Bridgepoint, have had big money ties to state's Latino Legislative Caucus

In a California capitol raid rivaling the Shrimpscam bust of the 1980s, FBI agents last evening rolled through the offices of Democratic state Sen. Ron Calderon of Montebello - a political ally of San Diego Sen. Ben Hueso, also a …

Former Nuclear Regulatory Commission chief Gregory Jaczko stopped short of condemning utility Southern California Edison’s plan to resume operation under partial power at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station on San Diego’s northern coast, but when pressed at a forum …

U.S. construction at Mexico border near San Diego to build awning over traffic lanes

Construction began Monday, June 3, on a canopy that will cover all south bound lanes into Mexico at the San Ysidro port of entry. The project will require three to four lanes to close during the hours of 21:00 (9pm) …

William Joseph Watson allegedly got cash, goods, by selling to addicts

According to the U.S. Attorney's office, physician William Joseph Watson was arrested and charged today (June 4) with selling thousands of Oxycodone prescriptions for non-medical purposes. Allegedly, the pills were bought by addicts who used them, sold them on the …

But look at those cities that are higher on the list

Travel.com has come out with a list of the most romantic U.S. travel destinations. San Diego is 13th on the list. San Francisco is first and New York second -- both understandable, plausible. But Miami is third. Miami? And Las …

Tourism marketing dollars may have been stalled within San Diego over bickering between Mayor Bob Filner and a group of wealthy hoteliers that controls the city’s Tourism Marketing District, but neighboring National City is out with a new campaign funded …

Child’s father is expected to speak at sentencing next month

“The evidence was overwhelming.” “His testimony was totally unbelievable. He blamed everybody else, everybody else was lying, it was all a conspiracy against him.” “We know the difference 'tween right and wrong.” Jurors made comment in a courthouse hallway after …

Recent revisions to income guidelines under the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) program released yesterday (June 3) could make it easier for many borderline applicants to qualify for a 20 percent discount on utility bills. Under the old guidelines, …

So-called watchdog still "irredeemably corrupt," he says

Charles Langley, the well-known and respected executive of Utility Consumers' Action Network (UCAN) has resigned. He joined the group in 1996 at $25,000 a year. His salary has been slashed to $32,000, which adjusted for inflation is less than he …

Group fights appeal from the Plaza de Panama Committee with an appeal of its own

As historic preservation group Save Our Heritage Organisation has learned, the bypass bridge is a tough proposal to kill. But the group hopes to end it once and for all with a June 3 cross-appeal filed in San Diego County …

Wailing about the cost of art — tiny fraction of subsidized stadia.

UT-TV announcer Roger Hedgecock has interviewed one Trent Seibert, an on-air and in-print reporter for the UT purported Watchdog section. Both Hedgecock and Seibert lament the cost of public art placed by the Port District. But neither gives any perspective. …

Rock singer paid $160,000 premium to post $2 million bail

Timothy Peter Lambesis, 32, bailed out of jail after twenty-four days in custody, he had been arrested on suspicion of soliciting the murder of his estranged wife. Documents in his court file indicate Lambesis or his agent paid $160,000 in …

Adult arrested when authorities located missing girl

A missing 11 year old girl was located in Ensenada, two weeks after she was reported missing by her grandmother. The child vanished from her home in Ensenada on the evening of May 17. Authorities located the child on June …

El Cajon Police are treating the death last night of a local resident as a homicide, and have announced this morning (June 3) the arrest of the victim’s husband. According to a police report, Salem Zora returned home to his …

Concerns over citizens left without TV before July state elections arise

The plan for the city of Tijuana to become the first city in Latin America to broadcast television in only digital has been put on halt for the time being. The majority of the city is now in fully digital, …

All-new equipment for park built in 2004

San Elijo Hills Park, adjacent to the upscale San Elijo Hills master-planned development in San Marcos, is set to re-open to the public on Tuesday (June 4), after being closed for renovations since early May. Completed less than a decade …

Partnership with non-profit news organization with reported links to Koch brothers revives talk that San Diego publisher could also team in L.A. Times takeover

Is non-profit journalism, the growing practice of using tax free foundation dollars to sponsor what used to be done by now-fading advertiser-supported media, just for liberals? http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/jun/03/46759/ Not if San Diego hotel magnate and GOP publisher Douglas Manchester's U-T San …

Focus on DUI and domestic violence charges

Sheriff’s deputies cleared 27 warrants and made 20 arrests over the weekend in a warrant sweep targeting individuals with DUI and domestic violence charges outstanding. Early Saturday morning, authorities began attempting to contact individuals in violation of court orders such …

He bought it when John Moores needed tenants in ballpark-related building

On May 30, the late David Copley's downtown condo was sold to software whiz Steve G. Bjorg for $3.4 million, according to Redfin and real estate records. Copley had purchased the condo when John Moores, former Padres owner, was searching …

Driver from San Jose, California lost control on sharp curve

A spectator of the Baja 500 race was killed near Ensenada, BC, after an American driver lost control of his vehicle on a sharp curve. The incident occurred just northeast of Ensenada on June 1. An 11 year old boy …

James Cameron took to the stage in the company of local scientists at U.C. San Diego's Mandeville Auditorium Friday to accept the 2013 Neirenberg Prize for Science in the Public Interest awarded annually by Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Though Cameron is an "Explorer-in-Residence" with the National Geographic Society, and he has worked on several deep-sea exploration projects, including diving the wreck of the Titanic and setting a record for the deepest solo dive in a submersible, he holds …

Lake Elsinore officials told single cross on veterans memorial is inappropriate, change design to multiple crosses

As expected by many in the Lake Elsinore community in southern Riverside, a lawsuit has been filed to block the funding of a veterans memorial outside the city-owned stadium that serves as the home of the Storm, a San Diego …