Locals Charged with Peddling Endangered, Protected Species
Four San Diego County citizens have been criminally charged with using internet sites to sell endangered species and other protected wildlife illegally. The charges announced in Los Angeles are the result of the Operation Cyberwild task force. Among nine cases …
U.S. Adds 200,000 Jobs in December
The U.S. gained 200,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate fell to 8.5% from a revised 8.7% in November, according to data released by the federal government this morning (Jan. 6). Both the jobs gain and unemployment rate were …
SD Could Benefit from Military Focus Change
President Obama outlined a new strategy for the U.S. military today (Jan. 5), and although changes could be made, San Diego, which relies heavily on the military, could benefit. "Details of preliminary information sound like [the effect on] San Diego …
Protesters Won't Leave Warner Springs Ranch
Warner Springs Ranch, which is to close today at 4 p.m. so that it can be sold to the Pala Band of Mission Indians, is meeting resistance from minority members. A group of people who have opposed the sale all …
Convention Center Glut Billowing, Says Journal
"From Boston to Austin, politicians spend money on fancy white elephants," says the Wall Street Journal in a piece dated Dec. 31. The Journal gives some compelling numbers: in 2010, the nation's convention centers had 86 million attendees. That compares …
Supreme Court Knocks Out Redevelopment Agencies
The California Supreme Court today (Dec. 29) gave a knockout punch to redevelopment agencies in a long-awaited decision. The court also knocked out a compromise measure that would have permitted agencies to continue operating if they shared some revenues with …
SD Tourism Lags Behind Other California Metros
San Diego tourism did not fare very well in November. Although there are improvements, the county lags behind other California metro areas, according to Smith Travel Research statistics. The San Diego occupancy rate was 60.8% in November, the same as …
Issa Gets a Pass in U-T Story on Pols' Wealth
On Dec. 27, both the Washington Post and New York Times had big takeouts on the wealth of members of the House of Representatives and Senate. The Washington Post put a long story on page 1. In it, the Post …
San Diego Home Values Keep Falling
The nation suffered "broad-based declines" in home prices in October, according to Standard & Poor's, as it published its last Case-Shiller home price indexes in 2011 today (Dec. 27). Average prices in the largest 20 metro areas dropped 1.2% in …
Estancia Hotel Warns It Could Lay Off 295
The Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa, recently bought at what was considered a low price, has told the California Employment Development Department that it could lay off as many as 295 employees. The highly-rated facility is at 9700 N. …
French Gourmet Heads Get Probation, Fines
Owner Michel Malecot and manager Richard Kauffmann of the La Jolla restaurant French Gourmet were sentenced in federal court today (Dec. 22) to probation and fines for knowingly employing more than ten undocumented aliens over a one-year period. Malecot got …
Chicago Sun-Times Bought for About $20 Million
The Chicago Sun-Times, that city's second largest newspaper with daily and Sunday circulation of around 400,000, has been sold for a bit above $20 million. The deal include a string of Chicago area daily and weekly newspapers and more than …
Failure to Extend Payroll Tax Break, Jobless Pay Could Hurt, Says Economist
"The U.S. is in recovery, but it is relatively mild and weak, and certain things could derail the recovery," says economist Ross Starr of the University of California San Diego. "Failure to extend unemployment benefits and failure to extend the …
Four Plead Guilty in Loan Modification Scheme
Four people who operated Oceanside's 1st American Law Center, a loan modification scheme, pleaded guilty today (Dec. 16) to charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion. Those pleading guilty were Gary Michael Bobel of Carlsbad, Scott Thomas Spencer …
County Gains 8000 Jobs in Month
San Diego County gained 8000 jobs between October and November and 26,600 jobs from a year earlier, according to the California Employment Development Department. The unemployment rate dropped to 9.2% in November, down from a revised 9.7% in October, and …
Do Manchester, Lynch Read Economic News?
New Union-Tribune owner Papa Doug Manchester and his chief executive, John Lynch, discussed their plans for the newspaper today (Dec. 15) on KPBS Midday Edition. Manchester, local hotelier, and Lynch, radio entrepreneur, have had their ups and downs in business, …
SD to Grow Slowly; Jobs Still a Problem
Kelly Cunningham, economist for the National University System Institute for Policy Research predicts that inflation-adjusted growth in San Diego in 2012 will be 1.8% -- moderate, but the best in six years. Employment will grow by 1.8%, but as more …
So Who's Less Clothed?
Will X. Walters, who was arrested and jailed for public nudity at the July 16 Gay Pride event, is making a cogent case that he was less scantily-clad than the women who wear G-strings at the Over-The-Line tournament, and are …
How For-Profit College Lobbyists Bought Congress
The New York Times today (Dec. 10) has a story on how the for-profit college industry spent $16 million to soften government plans to rein in industry corruption. The lobbyists won, as usual. This means another debt crisis is coming. …
Sigh. Another SD Alleged Fraud
Robert L. Holloway, a San Diego investment manager, has been arrested in Salt Lake City for his alleged role in a $25 million investment fraud, according to the U.S. Justice Department. According to the indictment, Holloway ran US Ventures LLC …