The San Diego Union-Tribune (San Diego, CA) articles from August 2004

The San Diego Union-Tribune (San Diego, CA) archives from August 2004

Deadline for investors to switch to tax-deferred bonds soon approaching.
August 20, 2004... Byline: Lesley Mitchell Aug. 20--Most people have a pretty good idea what their 401(k) and other investments are worth because they get quarterly, or even monthly, statements that clearly show their balances. Not so with savings...

CORRECTION: Deadline for investors to switch to tax-deferred bonds approaches.
August 20, 2004... Byline: Lesley Mitchell Aug. 20--The story slugged SD-BOND-SWITCH, which was sent by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News for Aug. 20, was miscredited. The story was published by The Salt Lake Tribune. Please delete or kill the...

California lawmakers stall on electricity bill surcharge.
August 13, 2004... Byline: Craig D. Rose Aug. 13--If all went right, in the view of solar power advocates, Henk Tysma of Alpine would have become an adult "poster child" for their clean energy technology. For one thing, Tysma's installation of a...

Nine arrested in Hotel Del labor demonstration in San Diego area.
August 13, 2004... Byline: Michael Kinsman Aug. 13--Labor activists frustrated over slow negotiations for a union contract at the Hotel del Coronado staged a noon-hour demonstration at the resort yesterday, leading to the arrest of nine people. About 90...

Two San Diego companies pull back on plans for stock offerings.
August 13, 2004... Byline: Mike Freeman Aug. 13--Amid a sputtering market for technology initial public offerings, two young San Diego companies have taken steps to shelve their planned IPOs. Software seller Lindows Inc. plans to postpone its IPO...

The San Diego Union-Tribune business people column.
August 12, 2004... Aug. 12--DAVID W. DOWN has been named to the board of directors of the College of Business at San Diego State University. He is managing partner of KPMG. PIMA MEDICAL INSTITUTE has added Mark Devenere as director of clinical education...

Mortgage rates are dropping once more.
August 12, 2004... Byline: Mike Freeman Aug. 12--In June, it looked like the days of near-record-low mortgage rates were coming to an end. Fixed-rate mortgages had climbed to 6.3 percent, compared with 4.99 percent a year earlier. The refinancing boom...

Mobile storage firms in San Diego think inside the box.
August 12, 2004... Byline: Jordan Robertson Aug. 12--When Leah Miano decided to put her belongings in public storage for the summer, the last thing she needed was another worry. Now nine months pregnant, the 34-year-old mother of two had just gotten...

California governor's office airs criticism of energy bill.
August 11, 2004... Byline: Craig D. Rose Aug. 11--The gloves came off yesterday in the battle over California's electricity future when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration signaled opposition to a bill that would re-regulate the industry. ...

Sharp HealthCare faulted on nurse staffing at 3 San Diego hospitals.
August 11, 2004... Byline: Mike Freeman Aug. 11--State inspectors have found that Sharp HealthCare failed to meet nurse-to-patient staffing ratios at three of its San Diego hospitals during breaks and lunches. The California State Department of Health...

Kyocera adding to operations in San Diego area.
August 11, 2004... Byline: Diane Lindquist Aug. 11--Kyocera is increasing its presence in San Diego and Tijuana by adding the design, assembly and sales of solar photovoltaic modules to its regional operations. The manufacture of photovoltaic modules...

Translation service pays off big for San Diego's Titan.
August 11, 2004... Byline: Bruce V. Bigelow Aug. 11--The business of providing translators to the U.S. Army has increased substantially for San Diego's Titan Corp. over the past year and now accounts for roughly 10.3 percent of the defense contractor's...

Cox, SBC speed up Internet services to lure more customers.
August 11, 2004... Byline: Jennifer Davies Aug. 11--When it comes to Internet access, cable operators and phone companies are hoping that speed sells. No longer content to lure customers with price breaks, this week both SBC and Cox Communications...

Teamsters end strike, return to Coca-Cola in San Diego.
August 10, 2004... Byline: Michael Kinsman Aug. 10--Union workers at the Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of San Diego returned to work yesterday, ending their 20-day strike after agreement on a new five-year contract. Teamsters members voted 237-55 to accept...

Dell makes move in the ink jet imaging field.
August 10, 2004... Byline: Mike Freeman Aug. 10--At Hewlett-Packard's campus in San Diego, color photos bake under lamps 100 times stronger than the typical lighted room. Technicians are testing how well the photos -- printed on one of HPs ink jet...

The San Diego Union-Tribune Michael Kinsman column.
August 8, 2004... Byline: Michael Kinsman Aug. 8--SUCCESSFUL LEADERS USE STORIES TO ENGAGE EMPLOYEES: Maybe you've been in a conference room when a well-meaning co-worker dims the lights and fires up a PowerPoint presentation. If the lights were on,...

San Diego State University wants to keep cell users on the line.
August 8, 2004... Byline: Kathryn Balint Aug. 8--If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. That's what San Diego State University decided when it started losing revenue from long-distance phone calls made by students in the dorms. Turned out, eight out of...

Corporate Fraud Task Force still has work ahead of it.
August 8, 2004... Byline: Craig D. Rose Aug. 8--Though it has been criticized for seeking easy-to-prove charges rather than busting corporate executives for major scams like the California electricity crisis, the Corporate Fraud Task Force takes credit...

The San Diego Union-Tribune business calendar column.
August 7, 2004... Aug. 7--AROUND TOWN TUESDAY: National Human Resources Association: "Courageous Conversations: How To Have That Tough But Necessary Discussion," 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., Doubletree Hotel San Diego/Mission Valley, 7450 Hazard Center Drive, San...

The San Diego Union-Tribune business people column.
August 7, 2004... Aug. 7--THE CARLSBAD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE has named Toni Padron executive vice president. Jamie Morel has been named director of governmental affairs. --OCTAGON RESEARCH SOLUTIONS has appointed Jennifer Jaye as director of process...

The San Diego Union-Tribune business people column.
August 6, 2004... Aug. 6--JOHN W. CUTCHIN has joined Solomon, Grindle, Silverman & Spinella as an associate. Cutchin was previously a partner at Duckor, Spradling & Metzger. TECHNET HAS ADDED DOUG FARRY as executive director. His first responsibility in...

Bankrupt San Diego financial services firm takes steps toward possible sale.
August 6, 2004... Byline: Mike Freeman Aug. 6--Xelan Inc., a bankrupt San Diego financial services firm whose aggressive tax shelters are being investigated by the IRS, has begun taking steps that could allow the company to be sold. Bankruptcy Judge...

California moves to revoke license of San Diego insurance broker.
August 6, 2004... Byline: David Washburn Aug. 6--California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi moved this week to revoke the license of a San Diego woman who allegedly sold worthless health insurance policies to people who are now stuck with...

San Diego's MEXPORT trade show makes resurgence.
August 6, 2004... Byline: Diane Lindquist Aug. 6--HK Plastics Engineering vice president Ron Krippner skipped last year's MEXPORT trade show, which attracts companies that supply goods to Baja California maquiladoras, because the industry was struggling...

San Diego drug developer Amylin Pharmaceutical to settle shareholders' suit.
August 6, 2004... Byline: Terri Somers Aug. 6--Amylin Pharmaceuticals said yesterday that it has agreed to settle a 2001 securities class-action lawsuit for $2 million. Under the settlement, which still must be approved by the court, the San Diego...

Jack in the Box has 9 percent rise in third-quarter income with new menu items.
August 5, 2004... Byline: Jordan Robertson Aug. 5--Jack in the Box said yesterday that third-quarter net income grew 9 percent on strong sales of new menu items, but the company also said it will open fewer new stores than expected the rest of the fiscal...

San Diego's office market rises for second straight quarter.
August 5, 2004... Byline: Mike Freeman Aug. 5--San Diego's office market continued to strengthen in the second quarter, sparking a nascent round of speculative construction for the first time in three years. Separate surveys by Burnham Real Estate...

San Diego defense contractor Titan posts $66.6 million loss for second quarter.
August 5, 2004... Byline: Dean Calbreath Aug. 5--San Diego's Titan Corp. said yesterday that it lost $66.6 million during the second quarter, largely due to the costs of a federal probe into foreign bribery charges as well as the company's failed merger...

San Diego-based wireless phone network builder to restate earnings.
August 5, 2004... Byline: Kathryn Balint Aug. 5--Shares of Wireless Facilities, a San Diego builder of wireless phone networks, dropped 18 percent in after-hours trading yesterday after the company announced it will have to restate earnings for the past...

The San Diego Union-Tribune business people column.
August 5, 2004... Aug. 5--VITERRA ENERGY SERVICES has promoted Hilmar Fink to president and Mike Clements to chief executive officer. Previously, Fink was chief operating officer and chief information officer and Clements was president. THE CALIFORNIA...

San Diego startup biotech company's test aims to determine best drug options.
August 4, 2004... Byline: Terri Somers Aug. 4--A tiny San Diego startup biotechnology company says it has a test that can identify whether expensive chemotherapy drugs would work on a patient with leukemia, which could improve treatment options and lower...

The San Diego Union-Tribune business people column.
August 4, 2004... Aug. 4--CHRIS JACZKO AND ALLISON GODDARD have formed the law firm of Jaczko Goddard LLP. Their focus is business litigation. Previously, Jaczko was a partner and Goddard was a senior associate at Cooley Godward LLP. --DEBRA THOMAS has...

Shares of San Diego biotech firm Ligand slide on auditor's resignation.
August 4, 2004... Byline: Penni Crabtree Aug. 4--Shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals plummeted 40 percent yesterday after the company announced the resignation of its auditor and a second-quarter loss that exceeded Wall Street expectations. The San Diego...

California businesses chafe at workers' comp reforms.
August 4, 2004... Byline: Dean Calbreath Aug. 4--When the California Legislature retooled the state's workers' compensation system in April, most businesses assumed they would soon see major cuts in the amount of money they pay into the system. But...

Shares of biotech firm La Jolla Pharmaceuticals jump on lupus drug news.
August 3, 2004... Byline: Terri Somers Aug. 3--La Jolla Pharmaceuticals announced yesterday that federal regulators approved the design of the post-market clinical trial it would conduct if its lupus drug Riquent is approved later this year. Although the...

The San Diego Union-Tribune business people column.
August 3, 2004... Aug. 3--LOEWS CORONADO BAY RESORT has hired David A. Devan as director of the resort's Sea Spa. Devan has more than 17 years experience working for spas at hotels, resorts and cruise ships. Most recently, he was manager of spa operations for...

Cox family seeks to buy back public shares of cable TV company.
August 3, 2004... Byline: Kathryn Balint Aug. 3--With competition growing in the telecommunications industry, the Cox family offered yesterday to buy back public shares of Cox Communications and take the cable TV company private. The deal is valued at...

California-based Callaway Golf's struggles lead CEO to resign.
August 3, 2004... Byline: Jennifer Davies Aug. 3--Amid dwindling sales and eroding market share, Callaway Golf chairman and chief executive Ron Drapeau resigned yesterday from the company he headed since May 2001. Drapeau, 57, will be replaced on an...

Magnets are used to elevate transit system in Sorrento Valley, Calif., test.
August 3, 2004... Byline: Bruce V. Bigelow Aug. 3--Behind General Atomics' Building 37, at the west end of Sorrento Valley, Sam Gurol is overseeing construction of a train to nowhere. Someday, though, it may lead to a new kind of magic carpet ride for the...

Former executive at mortgage lender PinnFund gets prison, restitution order.
August 3, 2004... Byline: Mike Freeman Aug. 3--A former executive involved in the notorious PinnFund financial scam was sentenced yesterday to more than six years in federal prison and ordered to pay nearly $6.7 million in restitution. Tommy A....

Consumer groups take up fight against cell phone carriers' extra charges.
August 1, 2004... Byline: Kathryn Balint Aug. 1--Anyone with a cell phone knows that a $39.95 monthly plan really costs more like $45. That's partly because of taxes. But cell phone companies pile on fees of their own that, for all intents and...