It's Official, but Buried: Haas Resigns
Yesterday, this blog reported the rumor that Richard Haas, who heads such critical areas as water, wastewater, general and environmental services, and capital projects, was one of a long line of Mayor Jerry Sanders' staffers to leave. Today (Tuesday) the …
Rumor: Another Key Sanders Aide Leaves
According to a rumor racing around City Hall, Richard Haas, who heads public works, has resigned. I cannot yet get anyone to confirm it officially, and have not been able to get directly to Haas. If the rumor is not …
Union-Tribune's Circulation Plunge Second Worst Among Top 25 Dailies
Official statistics from the Audit Bureau of Circulations released Monday morning show the Union-Tribune's average daily circulation plummeting 8.53 percent to 278,379 for the six months ended September 30, compared with the previous six-month period. Only one paper in the …
Surprised? Associated Builders & Contractors Endorse Sanders
Here's the least surprising political endorsement of the year: the Associated Builders and Contractors of San Diego have endorsed Mayor Jerry Sanders in the 2008 race. This is like ventriloquist Edgar Bergen calling his dummy, Mortimer Snerd, the most dynamic …
Levitt Agrees With Aguirre
Arthur Levitt, former head of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and Mike Aguirre, San Diego city attorney, have not kissed and made up, exactly. But they are agreeing on a key issue: the SEC should hold the politicians and bureaucrats …
Union-Tribune Circulation Plummets, Says Trade Magazine
Union-Tribune daily circulation is plunging at more than three times the rate of other metropolitan daily papers, according to Editor & Publisher, the media trade magazine, which was apparently leaked advance information on the official Audit Bureau of Circulation numbers, …
Copley YMCA Fundraiser Turns Into Aguirre Hate Fest
Even Mike Aguirre haters were rolling their eyes in acute discomfort Saturday night at a fundraiser for Copley YMCA. David Copley was there smiling, seemingly oblivious to the tackiness. Herb Klein, corporate welfare lobbyist, was guest of honor at the …
Former Invitrogen Scientist Hit With Insider Trading Charges
The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed insider trading charges against Harry S. Yim of Vista, a former scientist at Invitrogen, which makes tools for genetic research. The agency charges that at a private employee meeting in 2004, Yim heard …
Blackwater Responds; Journalists Hits Back
Blackwater USA, the mercenary firm that wants to put a training camp in Potrero, has defended itself against charges of bullying the press. Miriam Raftery says that although she had a press pass and permission from a fire official to …
Blackwater Intimidated Press at Potrero Site It Covets
Mercenary firm Blackwater USA has been bullying members of the press at the Potrero site it wants to use as a training camp. On Friday, reporter Miriam Rafferty, who had a press pass and was waved through by a fire …
Two Years Ago, Think Tank Warned of Inadequate Fire Protection
Mayor Jerry Sanders took bows last week from adoring San Diegans and a fawning press that refused to ask tough questions. The mayor should have been asked about a study two years ago by the Center on Policy Initiatives. It …
Four Schwarzenegger Vetoes Worsened San Diego's Fire Defenses
Arnold Schwarzenegger took bows during Sunday's football game and preened for TV cameras when Qualcomm was serving as a shelter. San Diegans and the local press cheered. But the press was not asking him about four vetoes of bills that …
Three RB Neighborhoods Didn't Get Warnings
The Trails, Westwood, and Montelena neighborhoods of Rancho Bernardo lost about 200 homes in the fires. Residents say they got very little warning from the reverse 911 system. Also, Mayor Jerry Sanders went on TV Sunday evening at 11 and …
In June '07, Sanders Said San Diego Had an Anti-Fire Program "That Works"
After the Pines Fire of 2002, a Wildland Fire Task Force issued a report saying that 80 percent of wildland areas in San Diego could burn explosively under typical periods of high fire danger. After the 2003 fires, there were …
Were Rancho Bernardo Residents Warned in Timely Way?
I am learning of Rancho Bernardo residents whose homes, or neighborhoods, went up in flames without a prior warning from the highly-touted reverse 911 system or any other official method, other than friendly neighbors. Also, residents wonder why Mayor Jerry …
"Reporters" Lobbing Softball Questions at FEMA Brass Were Actually FEMA Employees
The Federal Emergency Management Agency hit a new low in journalism during the California fires, according to the Washington Post today (Fri., Oct. 26). While the fires raged Tuesday, the agency's deputy administrator held a news briefing. As the so-called …
Watch for Fire Hoopla at Chargers Game Sunday
There are a couple of things the city and county learned from the 2003 fires, but one stands out: media manipulation. It appears that the City is trying to empty Qualcomm stadium of refugees so that on Sunday, there can …
Aguirre on Emergency Committee; Governor Sought Advice
When Çity Attorney Mike Aguirre wrote a memo suggesting that the City have a plan to evacuate if the air got dangerously bad, he was doing so as a member of a special City committee devoted to handling emergencies. Aguirre …
U-T Uses Fire to Smear Aguirre -- Inaccurately, As Always
When the fires began Sunday morning, I asked my wife, "How long will it be before the U-T blames Aguirre for starting the fire?" It didn't take long for the U-T to use the fire to smear him. This morning …
Frye Requested Bigger Brush Management Staff
On May 31, Councilmember Donna Frye requested that the city council add two code compliance officers and four brush abatement workers to the City payroll. "Anticipation of a high-risk wildfire season mkes these positions critical for public health and safety," …