 SEDC board fires embattled president
 PEGGY PEATTIE / Union-Tribune
Southeastern Economic Development Corp. President Carolyn Smith was fired after the mayor's accountants found large discrepancies in budget and compensation at the agency.
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This isn't just one of fishing's tall tales
Tuna-ranching pen off Baja snares boat
July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Wayde Nichols and four fishing pals looked forward to catching hard-fighting tuna as their sport-fishing boat motored out of Mission Bay on Friday night. They never expected to become the catch themselves.
In the middle of the night, their boat struck something that rendered it dead in the water.
More Metro News
3:59 p.m. July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Attorney for family of male dancer shot by police speaks out: An attorney hired by the parents of the male dancer who was shot to death by San Diego Harbor Police last weekend said Thursday the version of events police are telling is a “complete fabrication.” SAN DIEGO, 1:35 p.m. July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Copley Press explores sale of Union-Tribune : The parent company of The San Diego Union-Tribune announced Wednesday that it has hired an investment banker to look into the possible sale of the company. EL CAJON, 1:09 p.m. July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Helix High teacher pleads guilty to student sex charges: A Helix High School teacher charged with having unlawful sex with a student pleaded guilty Thursday morning in Superior Court. OCEANSIDE, 11:50 a.m. July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Traffic remains sticky after morning truck crash: Commuters heading south on Interstate 5 out of Orange County found themselves stuck in a traffic nightmare Thursday after a Vons big rig crashed into a disabled vehicle near Las Pulgas Road, flipped over and burst into flames. SAN DIEGO, 9:37 a.m. July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Flinn Springs home burns, one injured: A two-alarm fire burned a home in Flinn Springs Wednesday night, injuring one person and causing $350,000 in damage. SAN DIEGO, 4:41 a.m. July 24 (SIGNONSANDIEGO)
San Diego price at the pump dropping: The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County fell for the 17th consecutive day and has dropped 26.5 cents since hitting a record high, according to figures released Thursday by the Oil Price Information Service. 7:31 a.m. July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Hearing will determine fatal crash suspect's age: A hearing will be held tomorrow in Imperial County to determine the age of the suspected driver in a smuggling-related crash that killed six people and orphaned a 12-year-old girl. 7:28 a.m. July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Hearing set for Oct. 7 in bombing near courthouse: FEDERAL COURT: A federal judge in San Diego scheduled an Oct. 7 hearing date yesterday for a woman arrested in the investigation of a bombing outside the downtown federal courthouse in May. 7:26 a.m. July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
18-year-old is assaulted, robbed by group of men: LA MESA: An 18-year-old man was assaulted Tuesday night by a group of men who pushed him into some bushes and robbed him.
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO, July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Competing visions vie for City Hall: Two developers vying to rebuild San Diego's City Hall heard one thing loud and clear from the public: People want a more open city government. So when the two firms unveiled their proposals yesterday, there was a common thread – transparency.
ENCANTO, July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
A second chance at success : It's not the type of exclamation you usually hear at a graduation. “Where's my P.O.?” asked Adam Matschullat, using the shorthand for parole officer. “I told you I'd do it, right?”
CHULA VISTA, July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
This summer, kids' recreation is a gift: Alyssa Novoa, 9, loves dancing to R&B music, especially songs by the artist Rihanna. But Alyssa almost didn't get to participate in the Chula Vista Recreation Department's free hip-hop dance class because cuts to the city budget meant the program was about to close.
CAMPO, July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Naming the stars to celebrate a people: Nearly 300 American Indians from across the Southwest came to the Campo Reservation recently for the chance to sing the songs and dance the dances of the elders – and to hang out, catch up and play with friends and family.
IMPERIAL BEACH, July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
City cash for home repairs has catch: Imperial Beach is giving away money to homeowners – up to $30,000 each – to make their homes more energy-and water-efficient, beautify the exterior and improve safety indoors.
July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Sales tax measures going on ballots:El Cajon and La Mesa city officials will ask the voters for a sales tax increase to help solve an ongoing fiscal crisis that threatens services in both East County cities.
LA JOLLA, July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Crossing is unsafe, residents again say: After a vehicle struck and killed 67-year-old woman at a Bird Rock intersection this month, local residents grieved. But they also were angry: They have worried about the intersection for years and say no one has listened to their concerns.
EL CAJON, July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
48-year-old prank finally uncovered : Nearly 50 years ago, Dick Hager of Indio and Craig Ashley of La Mesa were about to graduate from Grossmont High School and aching to leave their mark with a prank.
CHULA VISTA, July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Governor pumps up Olympians: Olympic athletes on their way to compete in Beijing received special encouragement last week from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who toured the Olympic Training Center on Friday.
SERRA MESA, July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Fair canceled for lack of helpers: Serra Mesans will have to wait until 2009 for their next street fair, as organizers try to attract more volunteers.
SAN DIEGO, July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Casa Familiar finds new partner: A nonprofit San Diego social service agency will work with National City on a $3 million plan to buy, rehabilitate and manage two small housing complexes for low-income residents.
July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Council puts off utility tax decision:The Chula Vista City Council delayed a decision last night on asking voters to broaden a telecommunications tax.
One councilman disagreed with the measure, and another thought a last-minute change was improperly noticed to the public.
OTAY MESA, July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Border crossing to test opening more lanes:
Northbound crossers at the Otay Mesa port of entry can expect some relief Sunday with the test opening of four additional passenger-vehicle lanes between 5 and 8 p.m.
July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
There's plenty to explore in Tecolote Canyon park: Stretching from Morena Boulevard near Interstate 5 to the heart of Clairemont, Tecolote Canyon Nature Park is an outdoor oasis that offers city dwellers the chance to get away from it all, just a few miles from home.
July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Surf Cup plays on:No one person has been able to succeed the late Mick Dawson in his many administrative roles with the San Diego Surf Cup soccer tournament.
July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Low-cost 'passport cards' will be mailed out soon:Travelers and cross-border commuters who applied for low-cost U.S. “passport cards” earlier this year will soon be receiving them, the U.S. State Department said.
July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Southwestern College to hold outdoor concert:CHULA VISTA: The Southwestern College School of Arts and Communication will present an event it's calling “Sunday Afternoon in the Park With George.”
July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Man will face charges in crash that killed 2 people:RAMONA: A 35-year-old El Cajon man will face vehicular manslaughter and drunken driving charges after a crash in Ramona that killed two people and sent him and a fourth person to the hospital.
July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
For the record:
July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Teen stole tow truck and then crashed it, police say: SAN DIEGO: A teenage boy stole a tow truck and crashed it into a Big Lots store in the Midway District early yesterday, San Diego police said. July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
E-waste collection set for Lemon Grove: LEMON GROVE: The San Diego-based Electronic Disposal Group, a state-approved collector of e-waste, has one more free drop-off event scheduled for this month. July 24 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Camp Pendleton to close bike path during training: CAMP PENDLETON: The Marines have temporarily closed the Old Highway 101 bike path through Camp Pendleton so they can conduct training. 11:20 p.m. July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
SEDC fires its president: Trustees of the Southeastern Economic Development Corp. fired longtime president Carolyn Smith on Wednesday night, despite an outpouring of support from people who appreciated the agency's work in an underserved community.
July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Probe: Police dog died of heatstroke: The San Diego police dog left in the back of his handler's patrol car last month died of heatstroke, county investigators said yesterday, and it will be up to the District Attorney's Office whether it will charge the officer.
7:38 p.m. July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Floating tuna pen traps local anglers off Ensenada: Wayde Nichols and four fishing pals looked forward to catching hard-fighting tuna as their sport fishing boat motored out of Mission Bay last Friday night. They never expected to become the catch themselves. 7:20 p.m. July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Supporters turn out to back SEDC president: Supporters of Southeastern Economic Development Corp. president Carolyn Smith turned out Wednesday night, speaking in her favor at a meeting where her job is on the line. SAN DIEGO, 5:32 p.m. July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Suspected drunk driver arrested in crash that killed two: A suspected drunk driver was arrested following a Ramona accident in which two people were killed Tuesday night, authorities said. SAN DIEGO, 5:30 p.m. July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Three arrested in death of Spring Valley man: Authorities have arrested three people in the December death of a Spring Valley man, officials said Wednesday. 1:43 p.m. July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Aguirre sets his sights on Countrywide: San Diego City Attorney Mike Aguirre is taking on the lending industry, filing suit Wednesday against Countrywide Financial, which he accuses of engaging in unlawful and fraudulent predatory lending that victimized numerous San Diego home buyers. SAN DIEGO, 1:08 p.m. July 23 (SIGNONSANDIEGO)
Boil-water order issued for Ramona: San Diego County health officials Wednesday issued a “boil water” order for the Rancho Santa Teresa Mutual Water Co. in Ramona after tests confirmed the presence of total coliform bacteria in the water system. 12:30 p.m. July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
City has proposals in hand for a new downtown City Hall: Two very different proposals for a new San Diego City Hall are now on the table. One offers the city an iconic sail-like building with wind turbines at the top, council chambers atop a glass “mesa” and about 2 million square feet of private development on the surrounding blocks. The complex would generate its own energy through wind and solar panels. 12:01 p.m. July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
San Diego school board votes to put forward bond measure: After weeks of often-confusing deliberations over what its massive fix-it list should include, the San Diego school board voted unanimously Wednesday to put a $2.1 billion bond measure on the November ballot. SAN DIEGO, 12:02 p.m. July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Two men shot Tuesday night in College Area: Two men in their 20s were shot Tuesday night and one of them is not expected to survive, police said. SAN DIEGO, 8:45 a.m. July 23 (SIGNONSANDIEGO)
Another drop in San Diego gas prices: The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County fell for the 16th consecutive day and has dropped 24.3 cents since hitting a record high, according to figures released Wednesday by the Oil Price Information Service. SAN DIEGO, 8:16 a.m. July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Teen accused of crashing stolen tow truck into store: A suspected teenage drunk driver in a stolen tow truck crashed into a store in the Midway District Wednesday morning, San Diego police said. SAN DIEGO, 3:12 a.m. July 23 (SIGNONSANDIEGO)
Lucky few get early look at Comic-Con: A privileged few will get a sneak peek Wednesday night at the Comic-Con International Convention before the sold-out event gets under way at the San Diego Convention Center. SAN DIEGO, 4:32 a.m. July 23 (SIGNONSANDIEGO)
Teen crashes tow truck into Midway Big Lots store: A 17-year-old boy stole a tow truck Wednesday morning, then lost control of the vehicle and rammed it into a Big Lots store in the Midway District, police said.
July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Fire plan dividing Jacob, Roberts:A plan to radically change how wildfires are fought in San Diego County has pitted one supervisor against the other. The rift between Supervisors Ron Roberts and Dianne Jacob began growing late last year, at least one political observer said, when Roberts focused his attention on wildfire issues, an area Jacob has worked on for years.
July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Unions OK pension trims for city's future workers:Hoping to avoid a November ballot measure, San Diego's labor unions instead gave in to many of Mayor Jerry Sanders' demands in a last-minute deal that reduces retirement benefits for future city employees.
The move sidesteps a frustrated electorate, avoids a likely lawsuit from the unions over the mayor's bargaining tactics and leaves the door open for future benefits increases.
July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Surfer's mom sues over death:
The mother of a professional surfer who was fatally beaten in La Jolla last year filed a lawsuit yesterday against five young men involved in the fight, their parents, and the bar where some members of the group had been drinking.
SAN DIEGO, July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Permanent beach alcohol ban could go on fall ballot: SAN DIEGO
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Voters might soon have the opportunity once more to decide if San Diego beach-goers should be allowed to drink alcohol.
SAN DIEGO, July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Downtown parking to be discussed: SAN DIEGO
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The public can weigh in on the state of parking downtown at a meeting tomorrow hosted by the city's downtown redevelopment division.
July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Pechanga to lay off 400 employees:In another sign of the flagging economy, Pechanga Resort and Casino said yesterday that it plans to lay off more than 8 percent of its work force, or roughly 400 of its nearly 4,800 employees.
July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Crash leaves truck on car, killing two people : RAMONA:
Two people died in a collision that flipped a flatbed truck on top of a sedan, crushing the driver's side of the car on state Route 78 yesterday, authorities said.
July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
San Diego man diagnosed with West Nile in hospital:
A 24-year-old resident of central San Diego has become the first person in the county to be diagnosed with West Nile virus – and the seventh in California – this year.
July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
For the record:
July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
For the record:
July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Anti-gang operation leads to 81 arrests: Eighty-one people were arrested last week as part of an anti-gang operation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with cooperation from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department and Escondido police. July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Wanted man surrenders after five-hour standoff: ALPINE: A sheriff's SWAT team took into custody a man who had holed up in a house on the Viejas Indian Reservation for five hours yesterday before surrendering. July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Chula Vista may seek to lower telecom tax rate: CHULA VISTA: The City Council tonight will decide whether to place a measure on the November ballot asking voters to decrease a utility users tax rate on telecommunications but include more ratepayers. July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
$104,654 Fantasy 5 ticket sold at Vista gas station: VISTA: A winning Fantasy 5 lottery ticket worth $104,654 was sold in Vista for Monday night's game, California lottery officials said yesterday. July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Wildfire safety tips offered in Web report: After an intensive study of the Witch Creek fire that swept through the county in October, an insurance industry research organization has released recommendations for homeowners to avoid future tragedy. July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
El Cajon, La Mesa voters to decide sales tax issue: EAST COUNTY: Two East County cities facing multimillion budget deficits will ask voters to help cover the shortfalls by approving sales tax increases in November. July 23 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Bio-terrorism training continues until tomorrow: Local, state and federal agencies are participating in a four-day training drill that focuses on how the groups respond to a bio-terrorism attack.
