News Under the Radar
Back to the border?More than 13 months after Union-Tribune border reporter Wendy Fry departed for a new gig at non-profit CalMatters, the paper, these days operated by MediaNews Group — a chain owned by vulture …
Behesting blastsChula Vista mayor John McCann continues to collect so-called behests from the city’s developer and a related crowd, according to a series of disclosure filings with the city clerk’s office. On October 12, Vulcan …
Abe’s money clubThe Republican-leaning San Diego Lincoln Club, noted for fierce hit pieces dispatched against opponents in local elections, has a new role: drumming up developer cash for GOP ex-mayor Kevin Faulconer’s bid to knock …
Worn and dirty bedsBorder Patrol outposts in San Diego County have been called out again, this time by the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Homeland Security Department for worn and dirty detainee bedding, …
Fungible exchangeA political action committee tied to Republican ex-San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer, largely funded by a Sacramento-based business lobbying group, has closed up shop, distributing its remaining cash to the county GOP. Officially known …
Public windfall for Castellanos?San Diego Unified Port District commissioners, fresh from a mysterious July scandal that led Chief Executive Officer Joe Stuyvesant to take an indefinite leave of absence, aren’t necessarily barred by state law from …
Heath Freeman’s bull ridersAlden Global Capital, the vulture investing outfit that in July took control of the San Diego Union-Tribune from Los Angeles biotech mogul and LA Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, is the target of …
Toni’s Sempra connectionThe biggest donor to California state legislators during the first half of this year was none other than San Diego-based utility giant Sempra Energy. So reports the Sacramento Bee in a September 28 …
Inspecting a gift horse’s mouthA number of questionable self-contributions to UCSD have been targeted for audit by the school’s Audit & Management Advisory Services. A June 16 report covers cash donations from UCSD faculty members, …
Fox newsMediaNews Group, the famously staff-slashing publishing outfit that took over the Union-Tribune from Los Angeles pharmaceutical billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong in July, is gradually putting its own people in charge of the San Diego daily. …
Agenda unsettingHave San Diego Republicans abandoned any serious attempt to unseat incumbent Democratic mayor Todd Gloria? Such a surrender could be indicated by the October 3 filing of a campaign committee calling itself the San …
Dining on the P-cardSan Diego County’s so-called P-Card program has been riddled with abuse, mismanagement, and improper spending, according to a report recently posted online by county auditors. “Out of 274,272 P-Card transactions made during …
Un-retired slasherTom Karlo, who retired as chief of San Diego State University’s KPBS public broadcasting operation in 2020, received $172,206 in annual state pension benefits last year, according to the website TransparentCalifornia.com. “Karlo said he …
Voice of CateA self-styled “affordable housing” championing organization has agreed to pay a $1000 fine levied by the San Diego City Ethics Commission for repeatedly failing to report campaign contributions it made, including $25,000 to …
Pennsylvania newspaper sale contrasts with San Diego'sThe San Diego Union-Tribune, sold to Alden Global Capital by L.A. billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong on July 10, is no longer the most recent addition to Alden’s tattered collection of …
Torch passingThe journalism power-shift away from the once-influential San Diego Union-Tribune — of late handed off to Florida-based vulture investing outfit Alden Global Capital by LA Times billionaire owner Patrick Soon-Shiong on unrevealed terms — …