This year's convention center business will be difficult
It could take years to woo back some major conventions, says expert Morrison
In convention business, this year "will continue to be a difficult year for San Diego," says tourism guru Jerry Morrison of Encinitas. He considers it good news that the San Diego Tourism Authority (formerly CONVIS) will be taking over booking …
La Jolla oncologist pleads guilty to importing unapproved drug
Dr. Joel L. Bernstein brought in Turkish version of Rituxan, billed Medicare
The U.S. Attorney's office announced today (Jan. 23) that La Jolla oncologist Dr. Joel I. Bernstein pleaded guilty to introducing an unapproved drug into interstate commerce. He also pleaded guilty to health care fraud. The drug was Turkey's Mabthera, which …
Former head of SD company charged in $28 million stock fraud
Mark Anthony Lopez arrested last week in stock manipulation scheme
Mark Anthony Lopez, former head of publicly-traded Unico, has been charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and two counts of obstructing justice. New Jersey trader Mark Allen Lefkowitz has already pleaded guilty. According to the U.S. Attorney's office, the …
Double-digit leap in SD housing values
Rents grow, but lag nation's pace, says Zillow
San Diego County housing values leapt 10% last year, according to Zillow.com. Only six of the top 30 metro markets had bigger jumps, and some such as Phoenix and Vegas were coming out of deep troughs. The median home value …
David Copley yacht for sale
Fraser Yachts asking $34.5 million for yacht that hung around Monaco.
"Happy Days," the yacht of the late publisher David Copley, is for sale by Fraser Yachts, which has a San Diego office. The price is $34.5 million, according to a document distributed by Fraser. The listing agent for the company …
Mickelson threatens to leave over taxes
Pro golfer weighing move from California, possible retirement
San Diego pro golfer Phil Mickelson stated in La Quinta over the weekend that there will be "drastic changes" in his life. He may reveal some of them at the Farmers Insurance Open that begins Thursday at Torrey Pines. His …
Anschutz still wants foot in door
He may not lure Chargers to L.A., and is having trouble with his wind farm, too
San Diego sports fans have long fretted over Denver multi-billionaire Phil Anschutz. The Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) has been planning a downtown stadium for Los Angeles; there has been concern that Anschutz would buy a big piece of the Chargers …
Ryan Leaf in state prison
Former Chargers quarterback threatened staff member and violated treatment plan
Ryan Leaf, the quarterback who was supposed to turn the Chargers around in 1998, has been moved from a drug treatment center to the Montana State Prison, according to the Associated Press. Leaf was charged with threatening a staff member …
December unemployment drops
County gains 700 jobs in final month
The San Diego County unemployment rate fell to 8.1% in December from 8.4% in November and 9% a year ago, according to the Employment Development Department. Not surprisingly, retail trade jobs rose 1,800. Thus, the December improvement was in significant …
Economy 2013 "maddeningly slow"
Cunningham sees San Diego lagging state, nation
Economist Kelly Cunningham of the National University System Institute for Policy Research sees San Diego County growing only 1.5% this year, adjusted for inflation, versus 1.6% for California and 2% for the nation. He assumes Congress will come to some …
Wall Street lawyer to head SEC?
Bloomberg says Mary Jo White in line to head securities agency
"Obama is not going to clean up financial corruption by pinning a sheriff's badge on Wall Street's protector-in-chief." Thus speaks San Diego attorney Gary Aguirre about today's report from Bloomberg News that Mary Jo White is under consideration to head …
Guns: Meese warns Obama could be impeached
Former San Diegan says president can't tread on Second Amendment
Edwin Meese, former close aide to Ronald Reagan both as California governor and president, told Newsmax that President Obama could risk impeachment if he takes executive action on reducing gun violence, according to Talking Points memo. Meese practiced law in …
Edison, SDGE want secrecy in San Onofre dealings
Aguirre charges ratepayers getting fleeced over San Onofre; CPUC may grant silence
San Diego attorney Mike Aguirre today (Jan. 14) filed a motion with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in an attempt to thwart a bid for secret hearings on the San Onofre nuclear facility mishap. The facility is jointly owned …
Borrego: one resort for sale, two big properties in escrow
But does the desert town have a future for resort business?
The Borrego Springs Resort & Country Club is on the market for $10 million, according to real estate salesman Rick Vesci, who has the listing. "It was never really successful," says Jerry Morrison, San Diego County hotel guru. "It was …
State investigating Bridgepoint
It's part of probe of for-profit educational institutions
Troubled Bridgepoint Education filed a report with the Securities and Exchange Commission this morning (Jan. 14) indicating that it has received an investigative subpoena from the California Attorney General requesting documents from March 1, 2009 to the present. Bridgepoint says …
Free and clear? Not here
SD lags nation in percentage of homes free of debt
Zillow,com reports today that 29.3% of U.S. homeowners own their houses free and clear of debt. San Diego County comes in at 21.5%. The highest percentages among metro areas are Pittsburgh (38.6%) and Tampa (33.2%) and the lowest are Washington …
Seau suffered from disease caused by hits
Media reporting that linebacker had chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Both ESPN and ABC News are reporting this morning (Jan. 10) that former star Chargers linebacker Junior Seau, who committed suicide last May, suffered from a debilitating brain disease attributed to 20 years of absorbing hard hits to the head …
UCAN board meeting gets testy
Insults fly -- still no consensus on what happened at so-called watchdog
The board of beleaguered Utility Consumers' Action Network (UCAN) met last night (Jan. 9) in both an open and closed session. In the open session, members discussed how, through a change in the bylaws, longtime board member Niel Lynch was …
Teachers' fund to dump firearm investments
CalSTRS becomes first public pension fund to to divest gun maker stocks
The investment committee of the $154.3 billion California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) voted unanimously today (Jan. 9) to sell any investments in companies making firearms that the state bars private citizens from owning, as well as makers of high-capacity …
San Diegan guilty of basketball heist
Fan kidnapped, robbed after UTEP game
San Diegan Brandon Lawrence Jones and El Paso's Jesus Manuel Gallegos have pleaded guilty to kidnapping and carjacking a man leaving a basketball game Nov. 5, 2011, beating him and emptying his bank accounts, according to the Federal Bureau of …