Vons groceries store. Photo credit: Alexander Nguyen Kroger — parent company of Ralphs and Albertsons — parent of Vons — are expanding their planned sale of grocery stores, offloading 166 more locations than previously agreed upon to C&S Wholesale Grocers as they work to get regulatory approval for their proposed $25 billion merger, the companies said on Monday. The companies have been looking to sell stores to address regulators’ increasing concerns that the merger will lead to higher prices, store closures and job losses. Under the new agreement, C&S will pay Kroger ab ..read more

3990 Ruffin Road. Photo credit: Courtesy, CBRE An office building on Ruffin Road in Kearny Mesa has been sold for $12.2 million to the California Schools Voluntary Employee Benefits Association. Matt Pourcho, Anthony DeLorenzo, Matt Harris and Casey Sterk of CBRE’s Investment Properties represented the seller, CAPL Building LLC, in the transaction. “We continue to see phenomenal office demand from owner-users,” said Pourcho, executive vice president at CBRE. “Users still want to control their destiny and understand the advantages of owning compared to renting.” The two-story Class A ..read more

Rick Milenthal (left) and Neil Mortine of The Shipyard. The Shipyard, a Columbus, Ohio-based advertising agency with offices in San Diego, Newport Beach and Sacramento, has announced it will acquire Fahlgren Mortine, a public relations firm also headquartered in Columbus. The acquisition is expected to close at the end of April, a Shipyard spokesperson told Times of San Diego. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The combined company will have nearly 400 professionals with industry expertise in tourism, economic development, financial services, consumer products, energy, retail, bu ..read more

Dominion CEO John Poulos speaks after Dominion Voting Systems and Fox News settled defamation suit a year ago. Photo by Eduardo Munoz via Reuters After settling three defamation lawsuits since May 2022, San Diego-based One America News isn’t quite ready for a fourth. Chip Babcock, lead attorney for OAN owner Herring Networks, said Thursday that Dominion Voting Systems might not expect a deal in its own multibillion-dollar suit against the far right network over its 2020 election lies. “Herring Networks is not currently seeking, nor has it sought in the past, a settlement with Dominion,” Babcoc ..read more

A “Now hiring” sign is displayed on the window of an IN-N-OUT fast food restaurant in Encinitas. REUTERS/Mike Blake The unemployment rate in San Diego County decreased to 4.4% in March, down from a revised 4.8% in February and above the year-ago estimate of 3.5%, according to figures released Friday by the state Employment Development Department. Last month’s rate compares with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 5.3% for California and 3.9% for the nation during the same period. Between February 2024 and March 2024, total nonfarm employment in San Diego County increased by 4,400 for a total of ..read more

Community leaders at the announcement of the opening of the El Cajon Small Business Incubator. Photo credit: Courtesy, Chaldean Community Council The new El Cajon Small Business Incubator will be launched by the Chaldean Community Council thanks to a $500,000 grant from San Diego County. The intent of the initiative is to support local entrepreneurship, spur economic growth and create job opportunities in El Cajon with a focus on low-income and underserved refugee communities. The city of El Cajon is providing the lease for the incubator space for $1 per year. The county funding comes via ..read more

Construction workers on a job site. Photo via Pixabay The unemployment rate in San Diego County decreased to 4.4% in March, up from a revised 4.8% in February and above the year-ago estimate of 3.5%, according to figures released Friday by the state Employment Development Department. Last month’s rate compares with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 5.3% for California and 3.9% for the nation during the same period. Between February 2024 and March 2024, total nonfarm employment in San Diego County increased by 4,400 for a total of 1,557,200 jobs. Government payrolls increased by 2,000 over the ..read more

Google Street View image of the Mission Valley Local 135 building in January 2023. Motorists on Interstate 8 in Mission Valley are well familiar with the baby blue building that once boasted a large mural of a meat cutter — home of UFCW Local 135. Wednesday night, officials with the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union said they had acquired a new home in Scripps Ranch. “Previously owned by the Cabrillo Federal Credit Union, the new building offers a welcome change from the challenges faced at the Mission Valley location,” said officials of the local with 12,800 members. The ..read more

Snapdragon Stadium opened in 2022. Photo by Chris Stone Alaska Airlines will become the official airline of San Diego State Athletics and Snapdragon Stadium, while also being added as a name sponsor for the Mission Valley venue’s southeast gate. As part of the three-year deal negotiated by JMI Sports, the gate entrance will feature a giant plane replica –and perks for particular fans. The Snapdragon partnership will benefit fans who hold Alaska Airlines Visa cards and/or Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan memberships. Those using the airline’s mobile app will enjoy expedited entry through a ded ..read more

Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at Disneyland in Anaheim. Photo via Wikimedia Commons After an hours-long meeting, the Anaheim City Council early Wednesday gave preliminary approval to a major Disneyland expansion project. The Disneyland Forward project is meant to expand development and add hotel rooms to the theme park by utilizing about 57 acres of parking and unused land. The plan is essentially a shuffling around of previously approved zoning to allow for more attractions, hotel rooms and other entertainment and attractions without expanding the theme park. Part of the plan involves using land s ..read more