Mayor Party

From the Union Tribune -

...Technically, the mayoral race is nonpartisan, but Francis had won the Republican Party's endorsement in the primary. Francis and Sanders are both Republicans, Frye is a Democrat.

Sanders said he would seek the Republican Party's endorsement...

Go vote...

From the Union Tribune-

San Diego residents vote today to pick a new mayor and decide whether the federal government should take control of the Mount Soledad cross and war memorial.

Voters can cast ballots at the Registrar of Voters Office, 5201 Ruffin Road, Suite I, in Kearny Mesa or at one of the city's 713 polling places from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Election-related questions will be answered by phone at (858) 565-5800, also from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Voters can log on to www.sdvote.com to look up their polling places, view their sample ballot and find answers to other election-related questions.

The San Diego Union-Tribune would like to hear from voters who have problems at the polls. They can contact the paper on Election Day at (800) 339-VOTE – (800) 339-8683.

and now Murphy

From the Union Tribune-

City Attorney Michael Aguirre said yesterday he will investigate whether former Mayor Dick Murphy entered into what Aguirre called "an unlawful quid pro quo relationship" with San Diego's firefighters union – an allegation Murphy quickly denied.

Aguirre said at a morning news conference there was evidence that Murphy agreed last year to torpedo recommendations by the city's Pension Reform Committee in return for political backing from the union.

Runoff Likely

From the Union Tribune -

SAN DIEGO – An independent poll released Monday indicates that City Councilwoman Donna Frye holds a commanding lead in Tuesday's San Diego mayoral race and will face former Police Chief Jerry Sanders in a November runoff.

The poll also showed Proposition A, the Mount Soledad cross issue, passing by the thinnest of margins.

The poll surveyed 400 registered voters between Thursday and Sunday who said they had already voted or that they were likely to vote in Tuesday's election.

The results show Frye capturing 36.8 percent of the vote, Sanders with 27 percent and Francis with 22.5 percent. The margin of error was plus or minus 4.9 percent.

New Acting Mayor

From the Union Tribune -

On a 6-0 vote, the City Council selected Atkins to serve as deputy mayor until a mayor is elected and sworn in. They are entrusting her with the reins of city government during one of the most troubling times in the city's history, and Atkins said she plans to govern through cooperation.

How long she will serve depends on the outcome of today's mayoral election to replace Mayor Dick Murphy, who resigned and left office July 15.

If one of the 11 candidates wins a majority, the new mayor would be sworn in Aug. 22. If there is a runoff Nov. 8 between the top two finishers, then Atkins would serve 133 days, with the new mayor sworn in Dec. 5.

Shoting at the Border

From the Union Tribune-

Mexican authorities are investigating the nonfatal shootings of two Mexican men in the border area between Campo and Tecate early Saturday.

One man has stated he was shot about 200 yards inside the United States. The other said he was shot by a masked assailant about 20 yards south of the fence on the Mexican side.

Officials have not linked the shootings to the presence of armed civilians patrolling the border outside Campo, about 14 miles to the east of Tecate, since mid-July.

...
Jim Chase, the Oceanside resident who organized the Campo border-watch event, said those who have been patrolling with him have "not discharged one round yet, not even in practice." He did, however, say he has run across several people who are doing their own patrols.
...

That morning, Chase said he called the Border Patrol after he picked up a man and a woman hitchhiking along state Highway 94.

The border watchers are only supposed to report illegal activity; Chase said he was tired and he didn't realize they were undocumented immigrants when he picked them up. He said he became suspicious and notified the Border Patrol once they were in the car. He dropped them off near the Border Patrol station in Campo, he said.
"

Isn't that kidnapping?

Guilty

From the Union Tribune -

SAN DIEGO – Acting Mayor Michael Zucchet and Councilman Ralph Inzunza were convicted Monday on federal corruption charges, with a jury finding the politicians conspired with a strip club owner to ease restrictions on such clubs.
The panel convicted Inzunza on nine counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy and three counts of extortion. Zucchet was convicted of one count of wire-fraud conspiracy, five counts of wire fraud and three counts of extortion.

Both are immediately suspended from the City Council and will have to resign when they are sentenced, City Attorney Michael Aguirre said. The date for sentencing has not been set.

Subpoenaed

From the Union Tribune -

SAN DIEGO – Two members and two employees of a Washington, D.C., yacht club where Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham lived aboard a defense contractor's boat have been subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury in San Diego investigating the congressman, according to a person with knowledge of the plans.

The four who are flying to San Diego to testify Monday are the first witnesses known to be appearing before the federal panel that is gathering evidence on the eight-term Republican from Del Mar and his dealings with defense contractor MZM Inc.

Pension Fun

From the Union Tribune -

Diann Shipione, the former pension board member who alerted the San Diego City Council to problems with its retirement system, has said she will not accept a councilman's invitation to return to the panel.

Shipione, who is married to mayoral candidate Pat Shea, said yesterday that the San Diego City Employees' Retirement System is beyond the help of one or more new trustees and should be shuttered.

The system, which has a deficit of at least $1.4 billion, could transfer its assets to the state's pension fund or be forced into new management, perhaps as part of bankruptcy proceedings, Shipione said. Having the city declare bankruptcy has been Shea's main campaign proposal.