Judge Prager OKs convention center expansion tax
Ruling tentative; San Diego's plan was based on one used in San Jose
Judge Ronald Prager of Superior Court ruled today (March 11) that the scheme concocted to evade a citizen vote on the tax assessment for the $520 million Convention Center expansion meets legal requirements. San Diego voters had twice turned down …
Activist sues to block private CPUC huddle
March 20 meeting breaks open meeting law, says her lawyer
Masada Disenhouse today (March 11) filed suit in superior court after she was not permitted to attend a California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) meeting March 20 meeting at Scripps Seaside Forum. The subject will be cleantech. So-called "stakeholders" will be …
Three San Diego lawyers disbarred
Gun assault, child pornography, cheating of client involved
Three San Diego lawyers have been disbarred by the State Bar of California, according to the California Bar Journal. Jac Francois Pouliot was disbarred January 9. He was convicted in 2011 of assault with a deadly weapon, but failed to …
TMD puts 2014 funding requests on indefinite hold
Seventeen organizations informed of the hold today
According to Business Wire, the San Diego Tourism Marketing District put its 2014 funding requests on indefinite hold today (March 8). Terry Brown of Atlas Hotels, chairman of TMD, said the marketing promotion group does not have a contract -- …
Chargers hawking combined convention center/roofed stadium
Trouble is, experience says they don't work out
A judge begins hearing a case next week on the legality of hotel room rate surcharges to pay for the proposed expansion of the convention center. Later, the Coastal Commission will decide if the expansion should go ahead. Mark Fabiani, …
Former executive director of tribe gaming commission admits embezzlement
Troy Teague headed La Posta commission; casino now closed
Troy Teague, former executive director of the La Posta Gaming Commission, pleaded guilty today (March 8) to embezzling $57,000 from the La Posta Band of Mission Indians. The La Posta casino in Boulevard was the smallest of the 11 Native …
U.S. adds 236,000 jobs in February, unemployment rate drops
At 7.7%, February jobless rate lowest in five years
The U.S. economy added 236,000 jobs in February as the unemployment rate dropped to 7.7%, lowest since December of 2008, during the Great Recession. Economists had expected 160,000 jobs with the rate staying at 7.9%. Government shed 10,000 jobs, but …
Homes listed for sale plunge in San Diego
Other California cities drop sharply, too
The number of San Diego County homes listed for sale on Zillow plummeted by 39.4% for the year ended late February, the company reported today (March 7). Among the 30 largest metro areas, the contraction in California was dominant: Sacramento's …
Papa Doug gets the raspberries in Texas
His bankrolling of California's Proposition 8 hangs over his Austin hotel
The AustinChronicle.com today (March 6) tweaked San Diego's Papa Doug Manchester over the same-sex marriage issue. The new Fairmont Austin hotel is being financed by Manchester Texas Financial Group. The Chronicle reminded its readers that Manchester helped pay for California's …
Three-fourths of affluent to retire in San Diego
Those planning to move seek lower cost of living
According to a survey of 200 San Diegans by discount brokerage Charles Schwab & Co., 73% of the so-called affluent plan to retire in the county, while 24% plan to move -- almost half to achieve lower living costs. For …
Military contractors found guilty of fraud
Jury says bribery and money laundering part of scheme
A federal jury today (March 4) found two persons and one company guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bribery, and money laundering in connection with military contracting. Found guilty were Robert Ehnow, president of Poway's L&N Industrial Tool & …
In Miller obit, U-T misses historic sleaze story
Ed Miller battled and finally nailed C. Arnholt Smith
In all but a few daily newspapers, such as the New York Times, obituaries tend to gloss over or not even mention news that a community doesn't want to recall. So it is with the Union-Tribune's report today (March 4) …
For-profit education stocks hit on legislation fear
San Diego's Bridgepoint Education down 3.43%
For-profit education stocks got walloped today (March 4) after Senate Democrats proposed a bill that would strengthen the Department of Education's oversight of these controversial entities. According to Yahoo, the legislation would require the department to conduct reviews of colleges …
Hotel/worker battle escalates as cops arrest 20
Long-running Hilton Mission Valley fight could portend more labor discord
Twenty hotel workers were arrested last night (March 1) at the Hilton Mission Valley. By one account, 250 workers, community activists, and clergy members were there to protest low wages and job insecurity. The workers represent Local 30 of the …
Psychologist surrenders license after having sex with patient
Simmone Ballinger admits to Arizona tryst
The state's Board of Psychology, Department of Consumer Affairs, has entered into a stipulated surrender of license and disciplinary order with Simmone Ballinger, PhD, who admitted that she had sex with a patient during a trip to Arizona. This is …
Former USD athlete gets six months for game rigging
Brandon Johnson took bribes, gamblers cleaned up in Vegas
Brandon Johnson, former University of San Diego basketball hero, today (March 1) was sentenced to serve six months in custody for conspiracy to commit sports bribery. He had pleaded guilty last November. He influenced the outcome of USD games during …
Accreditor puts Bridgepoint on notice
It's one more concern about for-profit university's accreditation
Bridgepoint Education, the extremely controversial for-profit educational operation, posted a notice with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) today (Feb. 28) that it has more accreditation problems. The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges …
Peevey, supposed to be neutral, pushed secretly for Pio Pico
CPUC head requested another agency to write a letter to help SDGE
Tomorrow (Feb. 28), the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) votes on whether to permit San Diego Gas & Electric to push ahead with three gas-fired power plants. The most important is Pio Pico in the Otay area. But, it is …
SDGE still hopeful it will screw you
But annual report says if it can't, it will record a charge
On December 20, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) turned down an attempt by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE) to get ratepayers to cough up for uninsured costs of the 2007 fire, for which the utility was found responsible. …
Appeals court scuttles Encore robo-signing settlement
Thirty-eight states said payment "paltry"; stock plunges 7.21%
Stock of Encore Capital, which purchases defaulted consumer receivables, plummeted 7.21% today (Feb. 26) to $29.08 after a federal appeals court voided a $5.2 million settlement over charges that Encore used false affidavits and illegal tactics to collect debt from …