Ex-U-T owner was "good guy" in Romney's alleged auto bailout profiteering
Romney charged with failing to report massive profits in deal tied to auto bailout. Platinum Equity failed in attempt to be workers' savior, according to press reports.
A coalition of good-government and labor groups called today (Nov.1) for the United States Office of Government Ethics to investigate presidential candidate Mitt Romney's alleged failure to disclose the massive profits he raked in from the auto bailout, which he …
Who's Mr. Clean? Larry Remer? Voice of San Diego?
Larry Remer, the publicist and local progressive, is slamming the Voice of San Diego, the online publication. The subject is ethics. The tale is hilarious, and I thank Matt Potter for alerting me to it. Some history is in order. …
SD home values rise in line with nation's large metro areas
San Diego County home values rose 0.9% in August from July, according to data released this morning by Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller. That's the same as the composite 0.9% gain of the 20 largest metro areas. Year-over-year, local home values rose …
Most U-T circulation numbers decline, according to ABC
According to Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) data released this morning (Oct. 30), U-T circulation declined for all but its Saturday edition between Sept. 30, 2011 and Sept. 30, 2012. Sunday circulation dropped from 368,723 in fall of last year …
Accountant Klingensmith loses license
The California Board of Accountancy officially announced today (Oct. 29) that Escondido accountant Ronald Klingensmith has admitted the accuracy of charges filed by the board and has lost his license. The accounting firm of Ron Klingensmith & Associates will cease …
Illinois teachers fund axes two SD money managers
The severely ailing Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois has dropped two San Diego money managers. According to an announcement last Friday, the fund dropped Brandes Investment Partners, which was managing $655 million in international stocks, and Denali …
U-T sells North County Times Escondido site
U-T San Diego has revealed on its North County website that it has entered escrow to sell its 4-acre Escondido site -- former home of the North County Times -- to Classical Academy charter school. U-T got $7 million in …
Card data stolen from Barnes & Noble stores; 4 SD stores affected
Book retailer Barnes & Noble said today (Oct. 24) that customers shopping at 63 of its stores as recently as last month may have had credit or debit card information stolen, according to Reuters. Barnes & Noble said it had …
Former Jefferson staffer testifies she was told to falsify job numbers
Karen Grant, a former assistant career services dean at Thomas Jefferson School of Law has filed a declaration stating that she was told by her supervisor to pad employment numbers. Publications such as Law School Transparency and the National Law …
SD housing outperforms most metro areas in third quarter
San Diego home values rise faster than most other metro areas in Zillow report, but SD is not in top ten turnaround markets.
National home values rose 1.3% in the third quarter, according to a Zillow report released this morning (Oct 23), and year-over-year values rose 3.2%. Among the 30 largest markets, San Diego did better than the nation, rising 3.2% in the …
San Bernardino not paying Calpers
San Bernardino, which went into Chapter 9 bankruptcy in August, is not making its regular contribution to the California Public Employees' Retirement System (Calpers) according to a story in today's (Oct. 22) Wall Street Journal. An official told the Journal …
Murdoch mulls buying LA Times, Chicago Tribune
Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. is looking to acquire the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune, according to a story today (Oct. 20) in the Los Angeles Times. Chicago-based Tribune Company, which is expected to emerge from bankruptcy soon, owns both …
SD unemployment drops, but job gains are slight
The county's unemployment rate dropped to 8.4% in September from 9% in August, according to the state Employment Development Department. However, the county gained only 200 jobs in the month. The big gainer was local government, up 4,100 jobs, but …
Man arrested for child porn linked to NY bomb plot
The New York Times has reported that Howard Willie Carter II, arrested for child porn in San Diego Wednesday, has been linked to a Bangladeshi man who is accused of plotting to blow up the New York Federal Reserve in …
UCAN head quits after 10 days; Langley out, too
Pat Zaharopoulos, who became temporary executive director of watchdog Utility Consumers' Action Network on Oct. 8, resigned today (Oct. 18), explaining that her knowledge of non-profits was too limited. She succeeded Kim Malcolm, who lasted only a few months, and …
Cymer sells out for big premium
Tech equipment maker Cymer has agreed to be purchased by ASML Holding NV, Europe's largest semiconductor maker, for $2.6 billion. Cymer shareholders will receive $20 in cash and 1.1502 ASML ordinary shares, according to Bloomberg News. That's 72% higher than …
Local law school has one of worst employment records
The publication Business Insider has published a list of American law schools with the worst employment records -- that is, percent of 2011 grads that were unemployed or seeking employment nine months after graduation. The data are from the Wall …
Department of Justice investigating Bridgepoint
Bridgepoint Education announced in a filing Monday (Oct 15) that it is being investigated by the U.S. Justice Department. Bridgepoint stock plummeted almost 9% in after-hours trading. Bridgepoint said investigators are looking into compensation of its admission personnel. The Department …
Split decision on SDGE's attempt to get ratepayers to ante up
California Public Utilities Commission Administrative Law Judge Maribeth A. Bushey today (Oct. 15) issued a decision rejecting the attempt by San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Gas Co., units of Sempra Energy, to get ratepayers to pick up …
Overbuilt Convention Centers Cutting Prices
The weekend edition of The Wall Street Journal (Oct. 13-14) shows how the convention center industry keeps expanding into a glut. Although leisure travel has recovered from the deep recession, convention business has not made similar gains, says the Journal. …