Register Staffers Didn't Want Manchester, Says L.A. Times
According to a story today (June 12) in the Los Angeles Times, some Orange County Register employees were happy that San Diego's "Papa Doug" Manchester, owner of the UT, did not buy the Register, as he had hinted he would. …
Manchester Fails to Corral O.C. Register
Wellesley, Massachusetts businessman Aaron Kushner and a group of investors have purchased the Orange County Register and six other papers from Freedom Communications, according to the Boston Globe and the Los Angeles Times. "Papa Doug" Manchester, owner of the UT …
Richard Russell Calls Primary Bear Market
La Jolla's Richard Russell, who has published Dow Theory Letters since 1958, has stated that stocks are now in a primary bear market. Russell is the preeminent interpreter of the Dow Theory, which is based on essays written by Charles …
NY Times Columnist Slams U-T Ownership
David Carr, media columnist for the New York Times, precisely pinpoints what is wrong with the Union-Tribune's current ownership and management in a column slated to appear tomorrow (June 11). Carr begins, "There is a growing worry that the falling …
New Proposal: Huge Hike in TOT Tax to Improve Infrastructure
Activists Katheryn Rhodes and Conrad Hartsell will present to the city council's rules committee Wednesday a plan to boost the Transient Occupancy Tax (hotel tax) from 10.5% to 15.5%. The increase would provide $73.5 million annually to spend on road …
Hailed as a Grower, Now Guilty of Fraud
Yan Skwara had worked on Wall Street 20 years when he arrived in San Diego a few years back. He called himself a farmer -- a grower of aspragus, aloe vera, and other things. His company was named U.S. Farms, …
UCAN Lays Off Two
Financially ailing watchdog Utility Consumers' Action Network (UCAN) has laid off two employees because of a paucity of funds, according to an outsider who is very close to the organization. There are now only three employees plus the new executive …
Tim Sullivan Tells His Side of the Story
Fired UT sports columnist Tim Sullivan has told his side of the story to a publication called The Sherman Report. First, and perhaps foremost, Sullivan mentions a column he wrote in 2006, in which he said current UT CEO John …
Another Honest Journalist Canned by U-T
Voice of San Diego reports this morning (June 2) that sports columnist Tim Sullivan is out at the Union-Tribune. Sullivan confirmed his ouster to the online publication by twitter, although his past columns are still on the U-T website. This …
Once-Ejected Sefton Son Should Share in Estate, Says Appeals Court
The Fourth Appellate District of California has reversed a Superior Court decision, and ruled that Thomas W. Sefton Jr., a son of prominent banker Thomas W. Sefton Sr., who died in 2006, should share in his father's estate. Thomas W. …
U.S. Adds Few Jobs in May, Unemployment Rate Rises
The U.S. gained only 69,000 jobs in May, according to the Labor Department. Economists had been expecting 165,000. The May gain was the smallest jobs increase in a year. April's gain was revised down to 77,000 from 115,000 and March …
Land of Ponzis, Penny Stock Swindles
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 …
Four of Five UCAN Board Members Must Resign
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 …
Judge May Sanction Robbins Geller Firm
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., San Diego Home Prices Still Struggling
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 …
SD Firm, Individuals Disciplined
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 …
Duke Cunningham Can't Have Gun
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
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, …
More San Diego Homeowners Underwater
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 …
San Diego Showing Tourism Growth
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, …