SD October Jobs Outlook Improves
The workforce index published by the San Diego Workforce Partnership rose beyond the normal seasonal increase, according to Mark Cafferty, president of the partnership. Indeed.com job availability leapt from 74,580 in September to 88,212. The county unemployment rate inched downward …
Brandes Lays Off More Than 40
Brandes Investment Partners, a large San Diego money manager, has laid off more than 40 employees, mostly in the local office, according to former employees. The company did not respond to queries about the layoffs. Curiously, the layoffs seem to …
Moss Out of New U-T Lineup
The Union-Tribune's masthead today (Dec. 6) reveals moves the company is taking under Papa Doug Manchester, new owner. On Monday, Ed Moss, who had been brought in May 12, 2009 as president, was still listed as president. Today, a day …
Bar Gives Shames Warning Letter
The State Bar of California has issued Michael Shames, head of Utility Consumers' Action Network (UCAN), a warning letter for identifying himself as an attorney when he was an inactive member of the bar. Shames had dropped out of the …
Suicide Kit Peddler Dodged Taxes
El Cajon's Sharlotte Hydorn pleaded guilty today (Dec. 3) to not filing federal income tax returns since 2007. During the period, Hydorn, a retired school teacher, brought in more than $150,000 in income, including from the sale of helium hood …
Unemployment Rate Falls; Job Growth Disappointing
The U.S. created 120,000 jobs in November, a bit less than the 125,000 economists expected, the Labor Department reported today (Dec. 2). The unemployment rate fell to 8.6%, the lowest in two and a half years, but economists said that …
SD Housing Prices High, but Market Sticky
The price of San Diego area homes was $204.02 per square foot in September, topping Las Vegas ($66.15) and Phoenix ($74.28) where the bubble popped, and Detroit (64.33) and Cleveland ($65.35) which are in long-term depressions, according to Radar Logic. …
Richard Russell Recovering from Hip Replacement
Richard Russell, 87, publisher of one of the longest-running investment newsletters, Dow Theory Letters, is recovering from hip replacement surgery. He fell in the shower on October 22. Russell started Dow Theory Letters in 1952 and has published it from …
He Said He Made Money for Clients in Commodities. Not So.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has charged San Diegan Charles Steven Goodie and his CSG Commodity Service Group, a one-person outfit, with breaking commodity trading laws. According to the complaint, Goodie collected $494,000 from at least 15 investors, told them …
AT&T Talking with Leap, Says NY Times
AT&T, the second largest telephone carrier, seemingly thwarted in its attempt to buy T-Mobile, the fourth largest, "has been secretly working on an audacious 11th-hour deal" with San Diego's Leap Wireless, according to the New York Times. Leap would sell …
San Diego Home Values Lag Nation
San Diego County home values dropped 0.8% from August to September — a worse performance than the 0.6% drop of the largest 20 cities, according to Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller data released this morning (Nov. 29). San Diego values were down …
SD Growth to Continue Lagging U.S.
Economist Kelly Cunningham of National University System Institute for Policy Research says that this year, inflation-adjusted growth in San Diego will come in at 1.4%, which will top California's 1.2% but lag the U.S.'s 1.6%. Next year, the San Diego …
Rumor: U-T Sale Imminent
The rumor mill has the Union-Tribune being sold soon — perhaps this week. The same rumor mill has Canadian press baron David Holmes Black back in the picture. Before Platinum Equity bought the U-T in 2009, Black was seen scouting …
Council to Consider Kessler Settlement
On Tuesday, city council will consider a $200,000 settlement of the unlawful termination and retaliation suit against the City filed by Scott Kessler, who once rode herd on the business improvement districts. Kessler had cooperated with a police detective and …
SEC Levels Fraud Charges Against Local Firm
The Securities and Exchange Commission today (Nov. 10) charged Del Mar's investment advisory firm, Western Pacific Capital Management, and its president Kevin James O'Rourke, with fraud. According to the SEC, during 2005 and 2006, Western Pacific and O'Rourke were brokers …
Home Underwater Rate Here Lower Than Nation
There is one piece of good news in the Zillow.com report released this morning (Nov. 8). Nationally, 28.6% of single-family mortgages are underwater (more debt on a home than it is worth). The San Diego number is 25.8%. Otherwise, the …
Amylin, Lilly Split on Diabetes Drug
Biotech Amylin and big pharmaceutical firm Eli Lilly have ended their partnership in the diabetes drug exenatide, sold as Byetta. Amylin will pay Lilly $250 million in cash and up to $1.2 billion in total, based on future exenatide sales, …
It's Confirmed: Hedgecock to KFMB
San Diego radio station 760 KFMB will take on the Roger Hedgecock talk show beginning Jan. 2, 2012. On Nov. 2, the Reader's News Ticker reported the rumor that Hedgecock was leaving KOGO for KFMB. The rumor was initially reported …
Yes, Manchester IS Looking at U-T
Hotelier and real estate magnate Doug (Papa Doug) Manchester is considering purchase of the Union-Tribune, VoiceofSanDiego.org is reporting this afternoon. More than a month ago, on September 29, the Reader, on this News Ticker, reported the rumor that Manchester might …
Workforce Index Declines
The local labor market didn't receive good news in the latest results of the San Diego Workforce Index. The index declined to 84.92 in September from August's 85.15. The consumer confidence index for the Pacific Region plunged almost 40% between …