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San Diego — San Diego First District city councilman Scott Petersis set to throw a lavish campaign fundraiser for himself at his La Jolla mansion tonight, but some members of the honorary host committee listed on the invitation may be no-shows. They include fellow councilmen Michael Zucchet and Ralph Inzunza, prime subjects of the ongoing federal investigation of Cheetahs strip-club owner Mike Galardi. Councilmembers Toni Atkins and Jim Madaffer, both called to testify before a grand jury hearing evidence in the case, are also listed as honorary hosts, along with Mayor Dick Murphy and ex-councilman Harry Mathis, a big backer of the Chargers ticket guarantee. Another honorary host is Democrat William Rosendahl, who's listed as chairman of the California Commission on Tax Policy, which has of late been talking about levying a new 8 percent state tax on home satellite TV service. The rub: in real life Rosendahl just happens to be an executive with the country's fifth-largest cable TV operator, Adelphia Communications. City hall lobbyists Jim Milch and Lou Wolfsheimer -- whose clients once included the California Cabaret Association, which lobbied to water down the so-called six-foot no-touching rule at local strip clubs -- are also listed as supporters of Peters, who is facing an incipient recall movement. Meanwhile, over in Las Vegas, federal campaign records show that Galardi gave $5000 to the Nevada State Democratic Party last September. Paulina Galardi of Las Vegas also gave $5000 on the same date. A $1000 Mike Galardi contribution to the Republican congressional campaign of Lynette Boggs McDonald, a Las Vegas city councilwoman, was returned in December ... Ralph Inzunza Sr., father of the embattled San Diego councilman, is president of a new nonprofit corporation formed just last month, according to state records: San Diego and Imperial County Development Initiative ... As cops and controversy swirled around Cheetahs, Mike Galardi's other San Diego establishment, the Bull Pen, was quiet last week. Located in a strip mall across the parking lot from his strip club, the baseball-themed sports bar offers customers a bank of televised games from around the country and a $5 chicken burrito at lunch. Said to be a former player in school and big Padres fan, Galardi sold a Cardiff beach house to Padres star Ryan Klesko back in July 2000 for more than $1 million.

SAIC-TV La Jolla's Science Applications International Corp., the big defense contractor, has received a $45 million contract to set up Baghdad's first post-Saddam television station and U.S.-friendly newspaper, reports PR Week. SAIC's twice-weekly paper, al Sabah ("The Dawn"), produced by once-exiled Iraqi journalists in conjunction with American "Psychological Operations" agents, has an initial press run of 50,000 copies. The new TV channel offers a 30-minute nightly news show reportedly explaining the capital's lawlessness and the lack of power and water under occupation ... The San Diego Chamber of Commerce usually stages its monthly "Business After Five" mixer at a bar or other commercial establishment. Next month, though, the cocktail party moves to the San Diego Hospice: "This popular event draws 200+ people who are serious about expanding their business connections!"... Rancho Santa Fe's Wally Schirra, the 80-year-old ex-astronaut, had harsh words for his old bosses last week in Palm Springs. "I think they have lost sight of their safety programs," Schirra told the Press-Enterprise. "We have an expression we all use in aviation," he said. "It's called 'go fever.' You lower your standards when you have go fever."

For-sale signs Developer Sam Marasco and his LandGrant Development have labored for years to convince locals that their "Gateway of the Americas" shopping mall, hotel, and conference center on 64 acres along the border at San Ysidro is good for business. With long-standing editorial support from Union-Tribune columnist Neil Morgan, Marasco is still pushing for a controversial pedestrian bridge into Tijuana and has managed to latch on to at least $20 million in subsidies from San Diego's redevelopment agency. Now comes word that Marasco and his financial partner, Virginia-based J.E. Roberts Co., are attempting to sell a big chunk of the shopping mall for $85 million. According to Real Estate Alert, the 360,000-square-foot parcel is on the block, as well as a separate equity stake in the mall's second phase, for $35 million ... Randolph E. Ward, San Diego Unified School District chief Alan Bersin's first choice to replace outgoing chief of staff Terry Smith, has turned him down, insiders report. Ward, currently state trustee of the Compton Unified School District, did not respond to messages left on his answering machine.

Contributor: Matt Potter