When Vulgar Favors, Maureen Orth's book about the murderous saga of Andrew Cunanan, hit the best-seller lists last month, a national audience was offered a sinister portrait of San Diego, far different from the image …

When Ira Clifton Copley of Aurora, Illinois, first saw San Diego on a trip with his ailing brother to the Hotel del Coronado in 1891, it was a dingy town on the southern fringe of …

"Your wife has an ownership interest of approximately 11 percent in the Miracle Recreation Company, a Missouri company which designs, manufactures, and sells playground equipment. This interest is a separate property interest arising from your …

It reads like a bad science fiction novel: A small Illinois biotech company cuts a deal with UCSD. The university agrees to test a substitute for human blood on comatose patients — victims of gunshots …

STEPHEN ESMEDINAStephen EsmedinaA number of years ago, I was persuaded by a guileful siren with designs on the music biz to share my lowly downtown apartment for “a couple of days” with the great but …

The Reader has started this series of its best stories from the past 52 years — 2600 cover stories and some remarkable interior features — to help make up for the loss of its physical …

Taken by a SharkState game wardens began hunting the beast by trailing cattle blood in the water, from their patrol boat, between Bird Rock and the Scripps Pier. They found no shark of the magnitude …

The Reader has started this series of its best stories from the past 52 years — 2600 cover stories and some remarkable interior features — to help make up for the loss of its physical …

The Reader has started this series of its best stories from the past 52 years — 2600 cover stories and some remarkable interior features — to help make up for the loss of its physical …

This week's Midweek Read and Weekend Read on Wednesday and Friday come from Peter Navarro, now trade advisor to Donald Trump; Navarro wrote four lengthy front-page stories for the <em>Reader</em> . The stories chronicle his …

High-stakes steakhouseOn October 14 of last year — fewer than three weeks after Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom signed California Senate Bill 359 on September 28, allowing the state’s casino owning Native American tribes to sue …

Gate crashersWhen San Diego airport officials announced a new non-stop flight to Washington D.C.’s Reagan National Airport last month, the San Diego Union-Tribune greeted the news with a puffy write-up. “The new, highly coveted nonstop …

Rhino-cideThe San Diego Zoo made headlines last spring with news that its so-called frozen zoo might be used to clone members of a critically endangered rhinoceros species. “In 2018, the last male northern white rhino …

Newsom’s insulin failA drive by California Gov. Gavin Newsom to make low-cost insulin by spending $100 million in state funds has stalled, dashing the hopes of the well-heeled San Diego charity behind the project, which …

Scott and Todd’s showWith Democrat Todd Gloria safely ensconced in his second (and last) term as mayor of San Diego, speculation is already turning to who will come after his term ends four years hence. …

State of the shroomsWhether or not San Diego County will get a legalized magic mushroom program through state legislation is still hanging fire, according to a December 27 dispatch from CalMatters. The proposal, submitted last year …

Trashy behestsAs Chula Vista’s Republican mayor John McCann explores a run for the county supervisor’s seat being vacated by Democrat Nora Vargas, eyes are turning to his longstanding tactic of using cash behests from corporations …

Biden drones onThe recent rash of mysterious UFO sitings over New Jersey and elsewhere have some eyes turning to a La Jolla-based Poway drone maker with friendly ties to Joe Biden and a chilly relationship …

Sermons subpoenaedA controversial ex-mayor of Houston, Texas looking for higher office has ponied up $5000 for the 2026 gubernatorial campaign of termed-out state Senate Democrat Toni Atkins. Annise Parker, current President & CEO of the …

Basket betsHeath Freeman, the high-rolling Wall Street investor behind the takeover of a raft of distressed American newspapers, including the San Diego Union-Tribune, is moving into the world of junk sports. “In Heath, we’ve found …

Warrior junketWith the fate of United States military backing for Ukraine cast into doubt by November’s election of Republican Donald Trump for president, a top aide to GOP House member Darrell Issa has reported getting …

Jared backs Bobby Jr.Onetime La Jolla denizen Jared Polis, now governor of Colorado, is under fire from some fellow Democrats for praising the nomination by Donald Trump of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to run the …

Taxpayers’ fineChronically troubled Poway Unified School District, which recently took to local TV news to bemoan its increasingly strapped finances and argue for the desperate need for voters to pass new school bond debt, now …

SDSU’s un-transferredCommunity college students from San Diego and elsewhere around the state are losing out on a quality education, and much of the blame lies with California’s university system, particularly San Diego State University. So …

Detox luxeA newly released state audit report is calling out the concentration of luxury residential drug and alcohol detox centers along posh Country Rose Circle in Encinitas. “We found several small facilities with the same …

Supersized campaign cashA developer-backed independent campaign committee being used to rescue the mayoral bid of incumbent Democrat Todd Gloria is also trying to beat back a California rent control measure. The group, officially titled San …

Rincon’s splashy suicideBig time gambling interests are playing a major role in the Republican-based Lincoln Club’s hit-piece effort to take down Democratic County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer. On October 12, fresh money rolled into the club’s …

Captive lobbyingStrike at least one would-be influence peddler from the ranks of ex-government insiders who want to sell their big-money services to corporations seeking to get their way with San Diego’s Port District — at …

A spam king and his dadA widely proclaimed ex-king of spam and YouTube influencer with a big-money slot machine channel who hails from Colorado — along with a million-dollar contribution to San Diego’s longtime hit …

Summer of drugsDillon Cooke, an aide to House Democrat Scott Peters of La Jolla, picked up some free travel and a stay in San Francisco from Center Forward, a non-profit group known for pushing pro-Pharmaceutical …

U-T’s strange volleyball daysThere was a time not long ago that the Union-Tribune was the mouthpiece for San Diego professional sports. In those old days, the paper hustled mightily for the Chargers, denying for two …

Taxing charityThe well-monied effort by city hall Democrats, led by incumbent mayor Todd Gloria, to hike San Diego sales taxes picked up major cash support on September 10 in the form of $40,000 in donations …

Sports and taxesTorrents of political cash to support passage of the sales tax measure backed by San Diego mayor Todd Gloria and his fellow Democrats on the city council have begun pouring in from out …

From paper to policeIs the Union-Tribune, cast off last summer by Los Angeles billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong , about to get a long-hoped-for second life? So believe an ever-hopeful few, as the paper advertises for new …

Quid pro ArsenaultThe prospect of riches from high-end real estate continues to attract wealthy investors, who come up with major money for so-called independent political committees boosting elected officials here.For example, developers of North County’s …

I.V. hatersA new report by the California State Auditor’s office on violations of the federal Clery Act, an crime disclosure law, has singled out the Imperial Valley Community College District for failing to fully report …

Palomar’s Petco pleasuresThe people who run Palomar College have long been allies of Southern California utility giant Sempra Energy, notably around the time the San Diego-based firm became the subject of an August 17, 2023 …

Future hits and missesA battle between San Diego’s politics of the past and those of the its possible future is playing out in this year’s mayoral race. Forces for Democratic mayor Todd Gloria — backed …

Blind council Have San Diego mayor Todd Gloria and the city council been getting away with fiscal murder? So suggest two mid-July reports by City Auditor Andy Hanau accusing the council of being derelict in its …

The El Paseo messThe last living player in a 2005 backstage power struggle over future development at San Diego State University has died. As consultant to the San Diego State University Research Foundation, Fred Pierce, …

Rooms with a ConAs this year’s Comic-Con draws closer, threats that the big-bucks event could soon be moving to another city are rising as well, the sharpest via a July 10 dispatch on Forbes.com. “I …

No Great WallAfter traveling to San Diego’s troubled border region, a senior researcher for the conservative Heritage Foundation has returned to Washington, D.C. and painted a dire picture of burgeoning Chinese immigration across the border …

Old San DiegoA controversial San Diego political committee bowed out of city politics by filing its official termination statement with the city clerk’s office on June 21. New San Diego, founded and operated by Democratic …

Waste much, want moreGiven the Democrats firmly in charge of both the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and San Diego’s City Council, plus a group of well-heeled contractors and labor unions lurking in the …

Homeless tackledA non-profit foundation tied to a controversial giant San Diego-based healthcare staffing outfit has come up with $75,000 for mayor Todd Gloria’s San Diegans Together Tackling Homelessness effort, according to a February 20 behesting …

Behest chasingControversial San Diego City ambulance contractor Falck USA gave a total of $5000 on May 16 at the behest of San Diego City councilwoman Marni von Wilpert to Los Angeles-based Equality California, per a …

Pain and sufferingWith college players set to begin pulling down cash salaries and pros like Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry leading the NBA with an annual $51.9 million, it’s easy to forget that Bill …

Peace and sanctityAn array of special interests, including pot dealers, funded the February 21 annual state of the county speech by Democratic County Supervisor Nora Vargas, newly posted disclosure filings show. Cannabis dealer March and …

Dark money assetsA $50,000 donor to the California ballot measure committee run by state Senate Democrat Toni Atkins of San Diego has been told by lawyers for the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission to stop …

Old GloriaSan Diego Democrat Todd Gloria promised a new generation at city hall when he was running for mayor four years ago. But as he approaches his reelection battle this coming November, Gloria has quietly …