New Format Permits Dailies to Report Circulation Gains
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 …
Local Workforce Index Drops
The workforce index compiled by the San Diego Workforce Partnership dropped to 83.98, in January, down from 86.26 in November, which had been the highest in three years. Moving in an unfavorable direction in January were the county unemployment rate, …
Telemarketer Indicted in Mortgage Scheme
A federal grand jury has indicted telemarketer Jose Ruiz for mail and wire fraud, money laundering, and other alleged offenses. The indictment was unsealed four days ago. Ruiz ran telemarketing operations under various names, including "Equity Choice," "Casa Nuestra," and …
Gen-Probe Agrees to be Bought; Stock Soars
Stock of biotech Gen-Probe is up 18.8% to above $81.68 this morning (April 30) as the company agreed to be purchased by Hologic for $3.7 billion in cash. That comes to $82.75 in market price. Gen-Probe, maker of diagnostic products …
Sempra Chief Exec Dumps Almost $1 Million of Stock
Debra Reed, who was named chief executive officer of Sempra Energy on June 27 of last year, on April 24 told the Securities and Exchange Commission that she has sold 15,000 Sempra shares worth $966,000. The sale took place April …
Tom Blair Laid Off by UT
Tom Blair, longtime columnist in San Diego, has been laid off by the UT. He has told friends by email of the layoff. Blair assisted Neil Morgan at the former Tribune, then moved to become three-dot columnist at the Union. …
Grantville Group Protests Phony Projects City Wants to Complete
The Grantville Action Group has challenged various redevelopment projects that the City claims should go forward, even with the abolition of redevelopment agencies. After that abolition, various cities created Enforceable Obligation Payment Schedules, made up of projects that they insisted …
Jerry Sanders for Romney's Veep?
Examiner.com has come up with a suggestion that will astonish knowledgeable San Diegans: retiring Mayor Jerry Sanders could be on the vice president ticket with Mitt Romney. The publication asserts, "Under Mayor Sanders' mayorship, the city of San Diego has …
Port Wants Economic Study of Tidelands
The San Diego Unified Port District has sent a request for proposals for a major economic study of port property. The consulting firm doing the study will be required to give a comprehensive listing of the types of business, industry …
Hoteliers Vote for Convention Center Expansion
More than 92% of San Diego hoteliers have voted in favor of a room tax that would pay for much of the proposed $520 million convention center expansion, according to the Union-Tribune. However, many obstacles still remain, including the approval …
Housing Market May Stay Weak for a Generation
Housing values may take a generation or more to rebound, Yale economics Prof. Robert Shiller told Reuters Insider today (April 24). "I worry that we might not see a really major turnaround in our lifetimes," said the professor, co-creator of …
Amylin Seeking Buyer
Biotech Amylin Pharmaceuticals is seeking a buyer, news services are reporting. In February, the company quietly rejected a $22 a share bid from Bristol-Myers Squibb. Corporate raider Carl Icahn, Amylin's third largest shareholder, sued the company, claiming that a corporate …
County Unemployment Rises in March
The San Diego County unemployment rate rose to 9.5% in March -- up from 9.4% in February but down from 10.1% a year earlier -- according to the California Employment Development Department. The leisure and hospitality industry gained 2800 jobs …
SDGE Smart Meter Opt-Out Plan Approved
The California Public Utilities Commission today (April 19) approved a plan permitting San Diego Gas & Electric customers to opt out of their wireless smart meters -- at a stiff price. Utilities began installing the meters -- essentially obsoleting the …
Lawyer, Mother Convicted in Mortgage Scam
Orange County attorney Stephen K. Chrysler, owner and chief executive of Carlsbad's SKC Real Estate, and his mother, Carlsbad real estate agent Aida Agusti Castro, were convicted by a jury today (April 18) of running an $8 million mortgage scam …
Qualcomm Earnings Jump; Stock Plunges on Guidance
Qualcomm stock has plunged 4.49% to $62.64 in after-hours trading today (April 18) after the company reported strong quarterly sales and earnings, but speculators weren't happy with guidance for the current quarter. For its second quarter, the wireless chip maker …
This Ponzi Scheme Promised 5% to 8% a Month
Steven Bartko was sentenced today (April 16) to two years in prison for still another San Diego special: a Ponzi scheme. Bartko, telling investors he provided circuit boards and electronic parts to government contractors, promised monthly returns of 5% to …
Happiness Guru Tony Robbins Bemoans Deficits
San Diego motivational speaker Tony Robbins, who teaches people how to overcome fears, continues to generate fears about the state of the economy. A youtube making the rounds this year features Robbins moaning about the federal deficit -- not an …
Is SDGE Lying?
The Division of Ratepayer Advocates, which as a body within the California Public Utilities Commission represents the interests of utility customers, has filed a paper saying that San Diego Gas & Electric is not telling the truth. The division recommends …
Bridgepoint Exploiting Military, Says Senator
Sen. Tom Harkin, chair of the Senate's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, released figures today (April 12) showing how for-profit colleges, particular San Diego's Bridgepoint Education, take dubious advantage of tuition assistance (TA) funds provided by the Department of …