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News Ticker Entries for May, 2012

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Land of Ponzis, Penny Stock Swindles

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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken action against a San Diego penny stock firm and its head, and, in a separate case, against a San Diego stock promoter who appears to have played a major role in a …

Bloomberg Endorsement of San Diego's Fletcher Focuses Spotlight on New York Intrigue

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News late today that New York's billionaire mayor Michael Bloomberg had endorsed newly-minted independent California Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher for mayor of San Diego caught many by surprise. But whether or not Bloomberg's backing can lift the 35-year-old Fletcher from his …

Liberal Super PAC Attacks Scott Peters In New Ads

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The Progressive Kick political action committee wants the most liberal candidate to win the race for the 52nd Congressional District. The Oakland-based political action committee means to do so by shelling out major money on behalf of Lori Saldaña. According …

Four of Five UCAN Board Members Must Resign

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The settlement agreement among various parties in the Utility Consumers' Action Network dispute, which should be filed with Superior Court today (May 31) or tomorrow, mandates that four of five current board members should be replaced after six months if …

Inaccuracies Found on Proposition B Website

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Proponents of Proposition B, also known as Comprehensive Pension Reform, believe changing the current pension plan for city employees is needed in order to solve San Diego's budget shortfalls. They claim Prop B will save the city hundreds of millions …

Man Admits DUI Hit-and-Run, Released

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Edgar Ferrer Velasco, 29, admitted to committing a DUI hit-and-run in court this week and was immediately released on “summary,” or unsupervised probation. On the plea deal paperwork it was written: “I committed a hit and run, leaving the scene …

Local Firm Files Class Action Against Discount Chain

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San Diego based Shareholders Foundation, Inc., which bills itself as “a professional loss-prevention, settlement recovery, portfolio monitoring service,” is pursuing a class action claim against directors and officers at Big Lots, Inc. of Ohio, operator of 11 Big Lots! discount …

Youthful Multi-Felon Back In Court

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A 25-year-old man already convicted of four felonies has been ordered to stand trial on a fifth felony charge, according to a prosecutor in the Vista courthouse yesterday. Anthony Bruce Deskin’s criminal career began in 2006, when he was convicted …

Nonprofit News Donor and Qualcomm Founder Irwin Jacobs Backs Prop 29 Tobacco Tax Measure

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La Jolla billionaire Irwin Jacobs, who has bankrolled the newsroom at San Diego State University's owned-and-operated public televsion station KPBS and helped finance at least one other San Diego non-profit news operation, has opened his deep pockets for Proposition 29, …

Prop A Could "Adversely Impact" State Funding For San Diego, According to Fitch Ratings

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The outlook in San Diego for lease revenue bonds is stable, finds global rating agency Fitch Ratings in a May 30 article. The ratings vary from A+ on a $71 million bond held by the San Diego Public Facilities Financing …

Comedy Club Owner Goes Missing in San Diego

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A nationwide manhunt is on for Mark Wilson Anderson of Oklahoma City, OK, owner of the D.C. Improv comedy club in Washington, D.C. Anderson was last seen in San Diego on May 15 driving a silver Dodge Durango with Arizona …

Judge May Sanction Robbins Geller Firm

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According to Forbes magazine, a federal judge in Spokane, Washington, said he plans to sanction San Diego class action law firm Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd for submitting expenses in a class action suit "that included excessive air fare and …

U.S. Fraudster Caught in San Felipe to be Extradited

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A United States citizen, who was arrested last week in San Felipe for an investment scam, will be deported to the U.S. for prosecution. 51-year-old Eric Dean Sawtelle was arrested on charges of fraud, breach of trust, and embezzlement of …

Storied Mobster's Associate Gives Big to Prop B and DeMaio Campaigns

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A longtime associate of storied Las Vegas mobster Moe Dalitz has become a major backer of the campaign for Proposition B, the so-called pension reform measure that has been a key talking point for San Diego city councilman Carl DeMaio …

Handful of Vargas Bills to State Senate Floor

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State senator and congressional hopeful Juan Vargas recently saw five bills he authored move out of committee and to the senate floor for a vote, the Imperial Valley Press reports. Senate Bill 973 would allow local agencies to grant annual …

Prosecutor Wants to Know Who Wrote the Note

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Three defendants in a highly-publicized murder case have been ordered to provide handwriting samples, possibly to determine who really wrote an alleged “suicide note” which is said to put all the blame on one defendant. Investigators found Jessica Lopez in …

Fair Political Practices Commission Finds "Yes on Prop A" Ads Violate State Law

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The "Yes on Prop A" folks have a bit of work to do in upcoming days. At the top of the list, stop airing television ads with inadequate disclaimers at the beginning and end. Today, the Fair Political Practices Commission …

Candidates Running Without Opponents Give Campaign Cash to Political Parties

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For most local candidates, the June 5 Primary Election will be the end of a year's worth of campaigning. The candidates have spent much of that year looking for donors willing to contribute to their campaigns. But for the three …

Liquor Store Group Run by Outspoken Chaldean Leader Mails Hit Pieces Against Filner

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The Neighborhood Market Association, a La Mesa-based trade group of liquor stores and markets run by Mark Arabo, an outspoken Chaldean Christian leader, has mailed at least two separate hit pieces against Democratic Congressman Bob Filner, a candidate for mayor …

Costs Surrounding San Onofre Shutdown Continue to Climb

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Costs resulting from the prolonged idling of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in northern San Diego County are all but certain to exceed $100 million, the website InsideClimate News is reporting. These expenses include daily purchases of alternate power …

Longtime Arellano-Félix Cartel Lieutenant Captured

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After 11 years on the run, a top lieutenant of the Arellano-Félix Organization (AFO) was captured in Tijuana. Pedro Aguilar Ulivarría, also known as “El Pit” or “El Uno”, was arrested Friday, May 25th. Aguilar Ulivarría was wanted for the …

DUI Arrests Down, Few Caught at Checkpoints

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Drunk driving arrests over the Memorial Day weekend are down from last year, the U-T San Diego is reporting, with the California Highway Patrol reporting 58 total DUI arrests through early Monday morning, as compared to 75 for the same …

U.S., San Diego Home Prices Still Struggling

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U.S. home prices ended the first quarter of this year at new post-crisis lows, according to today's (May 29) release of Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller numbers. "While there has been improvement in some regions, housing prices have not turned," says David …

Municipal Police Playing Major Roll in Tijuana’s Homicide Drop

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The municipality of Tijuana has seen a steady drop in homicides over the last year and a half, with much credit due to the municipal police. While many factors have come into play for the violence dropping, much of the …

SD Firm, Individuals Disciplined

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The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has hit San Diego penny-stock peddler World Trade Financial Corp. with a disciplinary action for selling a thinly traded penny without a registration statement in effect. Brokers Frank Brickell and Rodney Michel were fined …

Fletcher Campaign Receives Over $56,000 From Donors Outside of San Diego County and State

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From March 18 to May 19 Nathan Fletcher raised a total of $302,866 in campaign donations, second only to Carl DeMaio, who raised $373,590. Since Fletcher's announcement that he was jumping ship from the GOP, the two candidates have gone …

Redevelopment Woes: Chula Vista Files Against California Dept of Finance

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Chula Vista's Redevelopment/Successor Agency is not going out without a fight--a legal one. In April, a state-mandated oversight board convened to assume the task of dismantling the city's former redevelopment agency and paying out remaining contractual obligations. The oversight board …

Duke Cunningham Can't Have Gun

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U.S. District Judge Larry Alan Burns has told former Congressmember Randy "Duke" Cunningham, now in prison, that he can't have a gun when he gets out. In a letter filed with the court this month, Judge Burns says he has …

Don't Diss "Papa Doug's" Friends in UT Book Section

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National media commentators are writing about how "Papa Doug" Manchester, owner of the UT, is using the publication for his personal propaganda purposes. Another example showed up in the May 25-27 weekend edition of Counterpunch. Thomas Larson, a Reader contributor, …

Bilbray and Issa Aides Take Off on Posh Congressional Chiefs of Staff Retreat

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In February we reported that two members of Republican congressman Darrell Issa's staff had hit the road, thanks to well-heeled special interests. First, Laurent Morgan Crenshaw, an Issa legislative aide, headed for Las Vegas to attend the gadget-filled Consumer Electronics …

Top Drug Lord Allegedly Captured

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One of the most wanted drug lords in the world was possibly captured last night, May 24th, in the Sinaloa mountains. Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García, the co-leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, was rumored to have been captured in the …

Coronado Beach Ranked Nation's Finest

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The beach at Coronado has been tapped as the nation’s finest, according to a new survey out today from “Dr. Beach,” or Stephen Leatherman, a coastal science professor at Miami’s Florida International University. His list of the top 10 beaches …

Kiss Statue's (Final) Final Weekend

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After months of controversial wrangling over its future, “Unconditional Surrender,” the 25 foot recreation of a World War II era sailor kissing a nurse, appears to be finally approaching its final days on the San Diego bay front. Following several …

Some of La Jolla's Richest and an L.A. Casino Operator Kick in Big for Fletcher

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The most recent campaign disclosure report for San Diegans for Nathan Fletcher - Mayor 2012, posted online earlier today by the San Diego city clerk's office, reveals a virtual Blue Book of La Jolla contributors to the cause of the …

SDSU Seeks Help Identifying "Mystery" Photos

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San Diego State University is seeking help from the community in identifying thousands of photographs that have landed in their archives without proper notes as to their origin. “Basically, they were given to the archives by any department or person …

Booze Merchants Association Gives Big to Fletcher Mayoral Campaign

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The La Mesa-based Neighborhood Market Association, a group representing liquor stores and other retail alcohol outlets in San Diego and other cities in the county - and that has been fined by the city's ethics commission for prior campaign disclosure …

San Diego Republicans Raking in Cash

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The Republican Party of San Diego County is boasting that it’s set a new record for fundraising in recent months, collecting $557,618.79 between March 18 and May 19. “The level of support after announcing our endorsed, taxpayer centered Reform candidates …

San Jose Murderer Nabbed in Mexicali

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The international unit of the Baja state police nabbed another fugitive Wednesday, May 23rd. Ernesto Daniel Chávez, a 23 year old from San Jose, California, was arrested in Mexicali where he was hiding. Chávez is a known Sureño gang member, …

Carmel Valley Planning Group to Discuss One Paseo Mixed-Use Project

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At the monthly meeting of the Carmel Valley Planning Group set for tonight, residents of Carmel Valley will have a chance to give their thoughts on One Paseo, a mixed-use project proposed for the intersection of Del Mar Heights Road …

More San Diego Homeowners Underwater

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New figures from Zillow this morning (May 24) indicate that in the U.S. in the first quarter, 31.4% of American homeowners are underwater (owing more on their mortgage than the home is worth), up from 31.1% in the fourth quarter …

Voter Survey: Smokers' Tax Losing Support, Brown Tax Proposal Remains Strong

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The nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California has released its latest survey on the opinions of likely California voters. Covered are a host of issues coming to the ballot, including Proposition 29, a proposed $1.00/pack cigarette tax increase, and a …

San Diego Showing Tourism Growth

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Tourism is definitely picking up in San Diego, the state of California and the nation. For the year to date through April, the San Diego hotel occupancy rate rose 4.7%, topping the gain of San Francisco, Anaheim and Los Angeles, …

Rumor: Manchester to Buy Register Thursday or Friday

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According to a rumor making the rounds at the UT, "Papa Doug" Manchester, owner of the paper, will as expected buy the Orange County Register, and the announcement will be made Thursday or Friday. The rumor of Manchester's interest in …

County Supervisor Candidate Brant Will — Hanging on to Idealism

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Campaign signs for County Supervisor Greg Cox have proliferated in Chula Vista for several months, but there was a rare sighting in the city last week — a Brant Will sign. Cox and Will are facing off June 5 for …

UCAN Likely to Get New Executive Director

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Beleaguered Utility Consumers' Action Network will probably get a new executive director, according to the second report of the court-appointed receiver, Richard Kipperman, which has been filed with Superior Court. Kipperman says in the filing that a potential global settlement …

Mexican Peso Weakened, Baja Tourism Rises

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The Mexican peso has risen over 14 to the U.S. dollar as of mid-day Wednesday, erasing gains it made through early 2012. Euro-zone anxiety affected the peso in early Wednesday trading, as reported by the Dow Jones Newswire. The peso …

San Diego U-T CEO Suggested Use of Paper's News Clout in Sign Dispute, City Emails Show

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John Lynch, chief executive officer of the San Diego U-T, formerly known as the Union-Tribune, thought of ordering the paper to run a story about a threat by the city to fine the U-T for what officials said were illegal …

Foreclosure Rates Continue to Fall

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Foreclosure activity was down across the board last month, the tracking website ForeclosureRadar reports, and that could be a bad thing for investors who have been cashing in on the hordes of overextended and/or underemployed borrowers losing their homes. “Foreclosure …

San Diego: Another Day, Another Ponzi

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John Clement of Encinitas was sentenced today (May 22) to two years in custody for defrauding investors in his $4.9 million Ponzi scheme named Edgefund Capital. He was also ordered to pay $4.9 million inn restitution, according to the U.S. …

San Diego Unified's Efforts to Secure Administration Building

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Faced with a projected $122 million deficit for next fiscal year, spending is not all that San Diego Unified is tightening. The district is also tightening security at the Education Center in Normal Heights. Since September, the district, under the …

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chair Resigns

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Nuclear Regulatory Commission chairman Gregory Jaczko yesterday announced his resignation from the body responsible for oversight of 104 nuclear power plants in the United States, including the embattled San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in northern San Diego County. The sudden …

Widow of Steve Jobs Gives $25,000 to Tax Measure Also Backed by Wealthy San Diego Donors

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According to state political finance records, Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple Computer's Steve Jobs, has come up with $25,000 for the campaign for voter approval of Prop. 29, the June ballot measure that would add a dollar per …

U.S. Bank Robber Caught in Ensenada

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The international unit of the state police in Baja California arrested a United States fugitive Monday, May 21st. 43 year old Aaron Peter Ruddy was arrested in Ensenada after being tracked down from his use of social networks. Ruddy was …

Federal Election Commission Cites "Problems" with Filner 2012 Campaign Committee Disclosures

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The U.S. Federal Election Commission, which enforces federal campaign finance laws, has told Democratic congressman and San Diego mayoral candidate Bob Filner that he can't fold his congressional campaign committee until "problems" are resolved regarding information contained in previous filings. …

Court: Americans with Disabilities Act Not a Medical Marijuana Defense

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California medical marijuana advocates were dealt a blow recently by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which has ruled that cannabis use is not protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ruling affirmed bans on cannabis dispensary bans on …

Bill Demanding CPUC Transparency Dies in Senate

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The state senate yesterday (May 21) defeated SB1000, which would have required the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to make public all investigative orders, accident reports, and similar documents. It got 21 votes, two fewer than needed for passage. The …

Sempra Partners with BP on Hawaiian Wind Farm

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San Diego’s Sempra U.S. Gas & Power has announced that it will partner with BP Wind Energy to develop a project known as the Auwahi Wind farm in Hawaii. When completed, the project would generate 21 megawatts of energy, enough …

Mexicali on Alert Following San Luis Police Chief Murder

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The city of Mexicali has put 100 extra police officers on patrol, following the murder of the police chief of San Luis Rio Colorado. The officers have been spread out on the outskirts of town, to search for the shooters …

Facebook Hype Indicate Peak? Year 2000 Worse

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The highly-hyped stock of Facebook is trading down today (May 21) in its second day of trading. The first day, it was flat, surprising some analysts, who expected it to leap -- typical for hot new issues of stock, particularly …

Farmers Market Food Stamps Program Expands

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The number of farmers markets where recipients of food assistance under the CalFresh (formerly the Food Stamp Program) can shop for goods has doubled in recent months, the North County Times reports. When we last looked at the program in …

South Bay Albertsons Store to Close

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Albertsons Grocery Store on Coronado Avenue, the last chain supermarket south of Palm Ave serving the South Bay/Egger Highlands neighborhood, Imperial Beach and Nestor announced they will be closing at the end of June. Store Manager Billy Miles said it …

Rancho Santa Fe's Democratic Soft Money Queen Dating Al Gore, says Washington Post

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Over the years, we've reported on the very big money that longtime Rancho Santa Fe denizen Liz Keadle has given to a vast array of Democratic causes. One of few liberal political donors in the traditionally Republican zip code of …

New and Improved Jack In The Box For North Park Moving Forward

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A proposal to build a new Jack in the Box restaurant on the corner of Upas and 30th Avenue in North Park is moving forward in the permitting process. Yesterday, the City's Development Services Department released the draft negative declaration …

Good News for SR 125 Toll Road Drivers

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Drivers who have avoided the South Bay portion of SR125 because of costly tolls will be pleased to learn that the SANDAG board of directors will be voting on a toll reduction May 25. An attachment to the agenda for …

Lawyer Steigerwalt Suspended a Year

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The State Bar of California has suspended attorney Kerry Steigerwalt for one year, according to the Union-Tribune. He will also be on probation for two years. As detailed in my Reader columns of July 21, 2010, and June 22, 2011, …

Our First _______ President

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It ain't exactly news, and it ain't exactly local, but it might just be funny... October, 1998: Toni Morrison considers Bill Clinton as "our first black President." May 2012: Andrew Sullivan declares Barack Obama, who is actually black, to be …

Local Unemployment Drops Sharply

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The San Diego County unemployment rate dropped to 8.7% in April from a revised 9.6% in March and 9.7% a year ago. The improvement partly reflected a decline in the labor force (those employed and those looking for work) of …

La Jolla Billionaire Linked to Pro-Fletcher Super PAC Intending to Raise "Unlimited" Funds

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A newly formed federal super PAC with links to La Jolla billionaire Ted Waitt has launched a website feauring a series of TV commercials on behalf of a group of candidates proclaiming themselves to be independents. At the top of …

50,000 Absentee Ballots Already Cast for June 5 Primary

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A report released yesterday from Redistricting Partners and Political Data Inc. provides some insight on absentee voting in California, including data on voters that have already cast their ballots nearly three weeks before the official June 5 primary date. A …

Cameraman Found Guilty of Obstructing Officer

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After a two-day misdemeanor trial, a jury found James Charles Playford, 48, guilty of one count of obstructing a peace officer. The jury deliberated about an hour before their verdict, announced the afternoon of May 17. Playford, who calls himself …

Carlsbad Cop Makes a Plea Deal

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A Carlsbad police officer charged with stealing heroin from headquarters’ evidence room copped a plea today in the Vista courthouse. Michael Christian Koch, 44, pleaded guilty today to one of two felonies, second degree burglary, and the second charge, possession …

The High Price of a Free Education

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The price of a free education has risen in the past few years. As state legislators continue to take from education to balance the budget, the amount of school fees has increased. Often parents are forced to purchase graphing calculators, …

1.3 Tons of Pot Seized in Tijuana

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Municipal police and army soldiers in Tijuana, belonging to the Grupo Alfa unit, seized a large amount of marijuana on Wednesday. The unit responded to a complaint about suspicious activity at a home. 1.32 tons of marijuana was found in …

Port Releases Environmental Report on Convention Center Expansion

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The Port of San Diego went public yesterday with a draft Environmental Impact Report on a proposed expansion of the San Diego Convention Center and the neighboring Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel. The convention center project, if completed, would add …

Ex-La Mesa Gas Station Owner Who Hired 9/11 Hijacker Faces Fraud and Money Laundering Charges

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Osama Mahmud “Sam” Mustafa--who gained notoriety here after it came to light that one of the September 11, 2001 hijackers worked in a gas station he owned in La Mesa--is back in the news again. Mustafa, 49, who now lives …

Escondido Man Photographed Teen Under Bathroom Door

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Walter David Hunt, 44, took photos and video of a teenaged girl while she was in the bathroom by placing his cell phone near the floor and getting the images through the space under the door, according to evidence shown …

Lawrence and Suzanne Hess Gave $294,000 in Political Donations

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Super PACs have become the underbelly of American politics, a way that wealthy donors can give unlimited donations on behalf of candidates and political causes. In San Diego, a good deal of soft money, $145,000 in all, has been handed …

SSPE: Crime Is Down in Baja

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The Secretaría de Seguridad Pública del Estado (SSPE Spanish acronym or Ministry of Public Security of the State), declared that crime is down in the state of Baja California for the first quarter of the year. A report published on …

Department of Corrections Wants Control of Its Medical Facilities Back

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Last week the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation asked a federal judge to return control of prison medical facilities to the state, claiming that sufficient improvements had been made to guarantee inmates health care of a quality in compliance …

Fire Danger, Missing Documents at San Onofre

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A new report out yesterday commissioned by the environmental group Friends of the Earth questions the wisdom of resuming operations at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station under reduced load. Meanwhile, former plant workers are alleging that decades-old fire safety protocols …

Group Charges Imperial, SDGE Negotiated in Secret

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The 54950 Commission, an Imperial Valley watchdog group, charged today (May 15) that the Imperial Irrigation District, negotiating with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE) outside public view, effectively surrendered $14 million of reoccurring revenue and got nothing in return …

Trustees From San Diego Unified Hear Opposition to Selling Barnard Elementary

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Last week, San Diego Unified's Advisory Committee for Utilization of Excess School Property voted in favor of selling seven unneeded properties for some much-needed cash. And as we reported yesterday, the estimated $122 million deficit for next year has forced …

Local Firm Predicts Uptick in Housing Sales

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San Diego based Showing Suite Inc. says that its data on the level of showing activity, which tracks the frequency and total number of times homes are shown to prospective buyers, provide a reliable indicator of what real estate sales …

UN Urges Mexico to Better Protect Journalists

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A United Nations panel urged Mexico to pass laws to help protect journalists across the country yesterday, May 14th. A group of four experts, from the United Nations and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, asked the government to stop …

City Attorney Says Mayor and Council Can't Censor City Hall Lobby Exhibits

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Can San Diego's mayor and city council arbitrarily deny someone exhibit space in the lobby of city hall? No, says City Attorney Jan Goldsmith in a May 4 legal opinion that suggests the city may have opened a Pandora's Box …

UCSD: Smoking Marijuana Offers Benefits to MS Patients

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Smoking marijuana may be an effective treatment for pain and spasticity experienced by multiple sclerosis patients, the UC San Diego School of Medicine says in a new report. The study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal and led by …

Killer Left Advice for Sons Before He Committed Suicide

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Michael David Robles, 43, left notes giving advice to his sons on how to live before he hanged himself in his jail cell last March, according to a County Medical Examiner’s report released today. Investigator Leah Burton signed the report …

San Diego Unified's Real Estate Sale Now One Step Closer

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San Diego Unified School District is now one step closer to selling seven properties in order to obtain some much needed cash. On Thursday May 10, San Diego Unified's Advisory Committee on Utilization of Excess School Property recommended to keep …

Local Firm Ranks Other Local Retirement Plans

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BrightScope Inc., which bills itself as “a leading provider of independent financial information and investment research,” has released a list ranking the 21 San Diego companies with 401k plans containing more than $100 million in assets. The company assigns a …

Bucking National Trend, SD Gas Prices Jump

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Gas prices in San Diego jumped almost 13 cents over the weekend to a new average of $4.35 a gallon, according to Charles Langley of Utility Consumers' Action Network, who had predicted the increase Friday. This morning's (May 14) average …

FBI & Baja Police to Up Information Exchange

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States has agreed to up its information sharing with Baja California authorities, in order to help capture more fugitives. Officials from the FBI, Baja California state police, and state security officials met …

Gov. Brown Calls for Deep Spending Cuts, Tax Hikes

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Gov. Jerry Brown today (May 14) put forward his plans to try to reduce the deficit, which has ballooned to $15.7 billion, up from $9.2 billion in January. The deficit is now a stunning 17% of the state budget. Brown …

Email of Retired Government Security Agent in San Diego Hacked by Anonymous, Letter Says

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Email accounts of a retired agent for the California Department of Justice who was a member of a high-powered law enforcement computer security team in San Diego have been compromised by Anonymous, the infamous world-wide group of self-styled hactivists. Social …

Tubes Plugged at San Onofre, Seismic Studies to Move Forward

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Southern California Edison has moved forward with a plan first reported last week to take more than 1,300 tubes in the steam generators at San Onofre Nuclear Generating station offline. A total of 510 tubes at the Unit 2 reactor …

UC Education Increasingly Out of Reach for Local Students

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University of California students potentially face a six percent increase in tuition in the fall, according to a May 12 Huffington Post article. The possibility of another tuition increase worsens the news for local students who hope to transfer to …

Utilities Commission Employees Want Investigation of Simon

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Employees of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) have submitted a complaint to the Office of the Governor and the Fair Political Practices Commission, complaining of the "illegal and unethical" behavior of CPUC Commissioner Timothy Alan Simon. The complaint attaches …

"60 Minutes" to Air Report on Turkish Charter School Cleric Tied to Bob Filner

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Just in time for the final stretch of San Diego's race for mayor, the CBS news magazine 60 Minutes is airing a report this coming Sunday about a controversial Turkish spiritual leader, followers of whom, records show, have contributed money …

Republican Presidential Candidate Fred Karger Runs Ads in San Diego

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Move over, Mitt, there's another Republican presidential candidate hoping to swoon San Diego's conservative voters. At least for one week in late April there was. Starting on April 26 ending on May 3, Republican candidate Fred Karger ran ten television …

Arena Pharmaceuticals Shares Soar on Good Obesity News

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Stock of biotech Arena Pharmaceuticals is up 62.59% to $5.95 this morning (May 11) on news that a panel of experts recommended approval of the company's obesity pill. However, there is still concern about the side effects of the pill, …

VA Field Office Audit Finds Errors in Disability Payments, Failure to Offer Mental Disorder Treatment

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A report released Thursday from the Veterans Administration Office of Inspector General found several shortcomings at the VA’s San Diego regional field office. While most of the seven areas of findings were related to clerical issues such as mail processing, …

Filner Border Backers Give Big Bucks to Change Term Limits

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A firm run by a family that is one of San Diego mayoral candidate Bob Filner's biggest campaign funders has made a $50,000 contribution to proponents of Proposition 28, a measure that would change state legislative term limits in ways …

Poway Woman Forced to Surrender Wild Birds to State Wildlife Officials

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You can say that Dr. Lindy O'Leary's seven-year battle with the state's Fish and Game Department was all for the birds. Today, after years of fighting and hundreds of thousands of dollars in attorney fees on both sides, O'Leary is …

Utilities, Solar Industry Spar Over "Net Metering"

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The California Public Utilities Commission is close to acting on a proposed ruling entered last month which could significantly affect the state’s solar power industry and the number of consumers allowed to participate in a program called “net metering,” a …

San Diego to Consider Foreclosure Maintenance Ordinance

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The Center on Policy Initiatives and Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, respectively a progressive think tank and community activism group, held a joint press conference outside City Hall this afternoon to raise awareness of and tout a new survey …

UT, Orange County Register Will Join Forces, Says Lynch

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John Lynch, chief executive of the UT, told the Downtown Lions in a power point presentation yesterday (May 8) that the UT is in final talks to purchase the Orange County Register, Coast Magazine, and 24 local newspapers in Orange …

Purse Snatcher Expects Four Years Prison

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Fletcher Everingham Calen, 25, made a plea deal last week that could get him four years in prison for his most recent offense, a purse-snatching. Calen admitted he was out on bail for a previous offense when he grabbed the …

"Grand Theft Dog" Felon Has Moved

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A woman who went to jail because she said she tried to “rescue” a dog had her case moved to another jurisdiction last week. Trina Vukov was found guilty of “grand theft dog” after she took a dog that she …

Escondido Teen Guilty of Crime Spree

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Hugo Elmer Garcia committed nine felonies during a violent crime spree in Escondido on the night of May 18, 2011. A jury at the Vista courthouse deliberated for about an hour before declaring the defendant guilty this morning, May 9. …

Oakland Company to Demolish South Bay Power Plant

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Oakland-based Silverado Contractors, Inc. was selected from 11 bids submitted for the task of demolishing the South Bay Power Plant along Chula Vista’s bay front, the Port of San Diego reports. The contractor has previous experience in power plant deconstruction, …

National Park Service Opposes Plaza de Panama Project

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The National Park Service has come out against Irwin Jacobs's plan to clear traffic from the Plaza de Panama in Balboa Park by constructing a Cabrillo Bridge bypass road that would lead to a new parking garage behind the Organ …

Edison Reports Increased Damage, Backs Off Restart Proposal at San Onofre

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Southern California Edison, operator of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, has announced that more than 1,300 tubes that carry radioactive water and steam through the plant’s generators are so heavily damaged that they will be taken out of service. …

San Diegans Give Big to Romney Super PAC but Not to Obama's

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Residents of San Diego and surrounding cities continue to shell out major cash to Mitt Romney's super PAC, Restore Our Future. According to campaign finance reports, Thomas Sudberry, owner of San Diego-based Sudberry Properties, has decided to support Mitt Romney, …

San Marcos H.S. Rated 11th in Country by Magazine

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U.S. News & World Report, working with the American Institute for Research, is out with its list of the top high schools in the U.S. San Marcos High School comes in 11th in the country, and the Preuss School at …

Private Military Facility Plan Dies in the Desert

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It appears that plans for Wind Zero, a planned military/law enforcement training site and auto-racing facility near the Imperial Valley community of Ocotillo, have died. Wind Zero plans called for shooting ranges, a live-fire training house, indoor virtual training, helicopter …

Anger and Police at Sweetwater Union HS District Meeting

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Before the May 7 board meeting even began, the street in front of the district office was lined with police cars. Stationed inside the board room along the wall were several armed private security officers. An overflow crowd was fenced …

Lobbyists for Irwin Jacobs-Backed Balboa Park Road Project Rack Up $34,000 in Fees

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A Denver firm working for a nonprofit corporation backed by billionaire Qualcomm founder Irwin Jacobs has spent another $34,000 lobbying San Diego city officials on behalf of the Jacobs-favored Plaza de Panama road plan for Balboa Park, says a recently …

NRC Not Receptive to San Onofre Reactivation Proposal

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Nuclear Regulatory Commission chairman Gregory Jaczko is not ready to consider a timetable for restarting nuclear operations at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, despite an announcement last week from plant operator Southern California Edison that it would soon present plans …

Tijuana Police Officers Arrested for Meth Sale

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Two Tijuana municipal police officers were arrested by Mexican state police during a crystal methamphetamine delivery on Sunday. The officers were arrested with 29 grams of the drug, only a block away from a municipal police station. Samuel Tovar Fermín …

San Diego's Inequities in Infrastructure Spending

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The Commission on San Diego Regional Infrastructure and Equity, a group of “national and local foundations [which] is comprised of 14 members from the three cities and from local organizations,” including the local progressive think tank Center on Policy Initiatives, …

First Look at Proposed U-T San Diego Video Billboard and News Ticker in Mission Valley

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Late Friday we learned from a city development department notice posted on the front lawn of U-T San Diego that the newspaper wants to build 198 residential condominium units, 234,415 square feet of office space, and a 6470-square-foot retail facility …

Maienschein Loans Campaign $60,000

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Brian Maienschein's campaign for state assembly is sitting on some serious cash. According to campaign finance reports, Maienschein has an ending balance of $166,218. That's nearly nine times the amount that his closest opponent (Dustin Steiner) has raised. When it …

Work Continues on Embarcadero Revamp

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The Port of San Diego on Friday released its most recent update on the North Embarcadero Visionary Plan, a large-scale undertaking to revamp San Diego’s bayfront. Beginning today, all eastbound traffic on Broadway will cease between North Harbor Drive and …

Mexican Army Intercepts Drug Shipment

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Mexican Army officers, along with local police, intercepted a vehicle headed for the U.S. border near Mexicali with over 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of marijuana. The drugs and vehicle were put on display for local media late Saturday evening. The …

City Notice Posted on Front Lawn Reveals Union-Tribune Seeking Condo, Office, and Retail Development Permits

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San Diego developer Doug Manchester, who bought the San Diego Union-Tribune amid speculation that he was primarily attracted by the venerable but struggling newspaper's Mission Valley real estate, is apparently living up to expectations. According to a "Posted Notification of …

Burglar Wants Her Property Back

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An admitted felon has demanded Carlsbad Police return property to her that they seized when they went to her home investigating the theft of thousands of books from county libraries. Through her attorney, Maria Carmen Nater, 45, got a superior …

Man Admits Setting Fire to Girlfriend's Home

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Marc Bentley Thompson, 52, admitted arson and injury to a roommate in a plea deal he signed last Wednesday, May 2. Thompson used gasoline to set ablaze his girlfriend’s trailer home in Valley Center last February, according to Sheriff’s Lieutenant …

Bookkeeper Admits Taking Money

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Sixty-four-year old Jennifer Lyndi Davey admitted taking money from her employer over a six-year period, and she expects to get more than five years in prison at her sentencing, according to plea deal paperwork. Davey put in writing that she …

Cinco de Mayo DUI Patrols to Focus on Escondido, SDSU

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Escondido and the area surrounding San Diego State University will be the targets of DUI crackdowns over the Cinco de Mayo weekend, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department reports. Law enforcement has announced the use of “saturation patrols,” where a …

South County Corruption Investigation Widens

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Yesterday the Union Tribune reported that the home of Gary Cabello, a South County bond manager, had been raided by the district attorney's office. The Carlsbad office of Alta Vista Financial was also raided. The district attorney has an ongoing …

San Onofre Operator to Present Plan to Resume Operations

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Despite a recent finding that radiation detectors had been offline for months at the time of the Fukushima Daiichi meltdown without officials noticing, and the manufacturer of malfunctioning steam generators reporting it won’t conclude its analysis of the units until …

Recently Released Inmate Found Living at Pot Grow House

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San Diego Sheriff's deputies in San Marcos made two arrests yesterday morning as a result of a fourth amendment waiver compliance check on an individual recently released from custody. Vincent Barnett was free as a result of AB 109, a …

April Employment Growth Feeble

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The U.S. added only 115,000 jobs in April. Economists had expected 163,000. The unemployment rate dipped to 8.1% from 8.2% in March, but economists said that reflected people leaving the labor force, which is made up of those employed or …

San Diego Radiation Monitor Not Working During Fukushima Crisis, Audit Reveals

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An April 19 audit by the Inspector General of the United States Environmental Protection Agency has revealed that major components of the government's radiation monitoring and reporting system, including an air sampling device in San Diego, were not functioning during …

San Diego Unified Looks to Sell Properties

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For San Diego Unified, desperate times call for drastic budget measures. Officials at San Diego Unified are searching to bridge next year's projected $120 million budget shortfall and avoid laying off thousands of teachers and employees. On May 29, boardmembers …

State Inmate Transfers - Realignment or "Prisoner Dumping?"

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The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has been actively broadcasting the views of supporters of its campaign to reduce prison populations, sending out at least two emails in recent weeks highlighting positive commentary on its actions. The efforts, mandated …

Protests Planned Against Border Patrol Violence

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An assortment of community groups and clergy members have called for a national day of action today demanding that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder open an investigation into the death of Anastasio Hernandez Rojas, an undocumented San Diego resident who …

DMV Staffers Took Bribes and Provided False Licenses, Says U.S. Attorney

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The U.S. Attorney's office charged today (May 2) that El Cajon and Rancho San Diego Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) employees fraudulently provided drivers licenses to applicants who had failed or not taken the required tests. The employees were bribed …

Chargers

Seau Apparent Suicide Could be Watershed NFL Event

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If it turns out that former Chargers great Junior Seau indeed committed suicide, and that he shot himself in the chest so that his brain could be examined for symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), San Diego will be in …

California Fugitive Nabbed in Tijuana

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An alleged drug dealer from California was nabbed in Tijuana today, May 2nd. The Coordinación de Enlace Internacional de la Policía Estatal Preventiva (International Coordination Liaison of the State Preventive Police) apprehended the fugitive, after requests from United States law …

State Controller Weighs in on Prop A

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State Controller John Chiang is offering his advice to San Diegans as it concerns Proposition A, the “Fair and Open Competition + City Contracts Online” initiative that seeks to impose a blanket ban on city officials considering the use of …

Wealthy "Patriarch of Broadway" Was Snubbed in Attempt to Buy Padres

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In early February of 2009, the kinky installment deal by which Jeff Moorad was to buy the Padres was announced. It has since blown up and the team is back in the hands of John Moores, who has retreated to …

Doug Manchester Lobbyist Also Employed by Las Vegas Developer Backing DeMaio

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A high-powered contract lobbyist for the Grand del Mar, the North City mega-resort operated by U-T San Diego publisher Doug Manchester, continued to lobby the office of San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders and city development officials on behalf of the …

Councilmember Sherri Lightner's Campaign Receives Thousands From One Paseo Developer

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Representatives from Kilroy Realty have gone out of their way to gain support from Carmel Valley residents for their 1,857,440 square-square foot development project One Paseo, Carmel Valley's largest development to date. But residents have come out against the project, …

Former Charger Running Back Arrested in FBI Fraud Sting

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Former San Diego Chargers running back Michael Bennett was arrested in Miami on Monday along with fellow NFL alumni William Joseph and Louis Gachelin, the Miami Herald is reporting. FBI agents working an undercover operation targeting identity-theft and tax-return fraud …

Boxing Trainer Gets 86 Years for Shooting Rival

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Mark Anthony Diaz, 51, was sentenced to 86 years prison yesterday for shooting a rival boxing trainer in the back two years ago; the shooting occurred April 7, 2010. Testimony at trial suggested that Diaz became desperate when Hector Gil, …

Bomb Scare at Two Imperial Beach Schools

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Lt. Marco Garmo of the Imperial Beach Sheriff Station reported that at 2:30 pm Tuesday May, 1st an unknown male called and reported that he had placed bombs on the Mar Vista High School campus on Elm Ave. in Imperial …

Columnist Blames Lobbyists for Expanded Drone Use Authorization

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The use of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, is set to greatly expand due to approval of their expanded use in U.S. airspace by both Congress and President Obama, writes New Jersey columnist John Whitehead. Today’s drone use is frequently …

Nephews of Cartel Leader Under Federal Investigation

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A Mexican federal judge has ordered that two nephews of a Sinaloa Cartel leader be held for 40 days while a federal investigation is held. The investigation is being held to determine the level of involvement of the two men …

Bridgepoint Reports Poor Earnings, Stock Plummets

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San Diego's extremely controversial for-profit college operation, Bridgepoint Education, reported disappointing first quarter sales and earnings; twenty minutes from today's (May 1) close, the stock is down 5.2% to $20.44. First quarter earnings per share of 71 cents failed to …

San Diego Tourism Picks Up

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The spring break and five weekends in March helped lift tourism in the first quarter, notes La Jolla hotel expert Jerry Morrison. Revenue per available room in March rose 14.9% from February, topping the other California metro markets. San Francisco …

City Attorney Jan Goldsmith's Campaign Committee Donates $25,000 to Romney Super PAC

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City Attorney Jan Goldsmith is one of three San Diegans to have donated to Mitt Romney's super PAC, Restore Our Future. According to a federal Election Commission disclosure report, on March 31, Goldsmith moved $25,000 from his campaign committee to …

Dueling Endorsements in the CA-52 Race

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Scott Peters is trumpeting the endorsement of another sitting Democratic politician in the race for the newly-drawn 52nd congressional district: mayoral hopeful Bob Filner. “Congressman Filner’s endorsement was a great surprise, and a tremendous honor,” said Peters in a release …

Boycott Ends Over Pepsi's Controversial Contract With Local Biotech

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A pro-life group has called off a yearlong boycott of Pepsi products after receiving a satisfactory assurance from the company that a San Diego biotech under contract with the soft drink maker would not be using cells from a human …

New Format Permits Dailies to Report Circulation Gains

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Changes in the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) format for reporting newspaper circulation permitted dailies to report gains in the most recent statistics published this morning (May 1). The figures are for the six months ended March 31 of this …

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