 Outdoor 'staycation'
 BRUCE K. HUFF / Union-Tribune
Trent Gibson of La Mesa helps his son Colton, 5, adjust his helmet while Cooper, 4, mounts his bike at the Burnt Rancheria campgrounds in Mount Laguna. The local mountains can't match the scenic wonder of Yosemite or Yellowstone, but they are being rediscovered by campers looking to save tankfuls of money.
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Bid to seal Foley deal scrapped
Settlement in shooting to be made public soon
CORONADO, July 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Attorneys for Coronado and former Chargers linebacker Steve Foley have dropped a request to seal a settlement agreement in a lawsuit over the football player's shooting by an off-duty police officer.
Both sides met yesterday afternoon with Superior Court Judge Richard Strauss and agreed to cancel the hearing about keeping the agreement confidential. It will now be made public, possibly as early as Monday, when the Coronado City Council will meet in closed session to consider approving the settlement.
More Metro News
12:27 p.m. July 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Holiday crowds, festivities in full swing: Silver Strand State Beach has been mentioned a lot lately as one of the last spots in San Diego County where people can legally drink on the beach. SAN DIEGO, 11:33 a.m. July 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Suspect in custody-exchange shooting, kidnap may be in S.D.: An Orange County man who shot his estranged wife and kidnapped his 9-year-old son Wednesday may be in the San Diego County area driving a large motor home, authorities said.
CHULA VISTA, July 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
For Fourth, he shows his colors: Most people like fireworks and barbecues on July 4. Steve Pfeiffer is into flags – lots of flags. Pfeiffer of Eastlake in Chula Vista spent about 18 hours this year decorating his lawn, mailbox, front door, garage and anything else on his property with about 1,000 American flags.
July 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
The big day for Mr. Fourth of July: For many families, the Fourth of July means barbecues, cannonballs and watching fireworks from lawn chairs.
July 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Increase seen in Coaster ridership:With gas prices rising and commuters trying to find ways to dodge that cost, the Coaster commuter train between Oceanside and San Diego is seeing a bump in ridership.
DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO, July 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Place for needy drops weekends: Downtown's Neil Good Day Center, where homeless people go to collect mail and get a shower, won't be open weekends anymore. The center has a new operator, Father Joe Carroll, whose homeless services charity won a city contract to run the day center for up to five years.
SAN DIEGO, July 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Mayor's spokesman leaves; replacement named: Darren Pudgil said he knows he's in for rough going when he becomes spokesman for San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders next month. “It's certainly more of a hot seat,” said Pudgil, 41, who is currently communications director for U.S. Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Carlsbad.
OTAY MESA, July 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
City files appeal on Blackwater permits: The city of San Diego is trying to regain the power to tell Blackwater Worldwide whether it meets city rules to operate its military training facility in Otay Mesa. City Attorney Michael Aguirre filed an appeal yesterday against a federal court ruling last month that allowed Blackwater to operate the training facility – even though the city had not completed its permit process.
DEL MAR, July 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
County fair ending on a high note: Heading into its final weekend, the San Diego County Fair is on target to meet or exceed last year's record attendance. Fair officials speculated that high gasoline prices hovering near $4.50 per gallon may have provided an incentive for summer vacationers to stay closer to home.
July 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Wounded man found outside business dies:HILLCREST: A man was found wounded outside a Hillcrest strip-mall business early yesterday and later died, police said.
July 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Transit system service is beefed up for holiday :San Diego-area transit officials will step up bus and trolley service on the coast today to help Fourth of July celebrants get around.
July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Foley settles his lawsuit vs. cop, Coronado: On the day former Chargers linebacker Steve Foley was to testify about his career-ending encounter with an off-duty police officer in 2006, he was summoned to the judge's chambers instead.
6:55 p.m. July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Sanders names new communications director: Darren Pudgil said he knows he's in for rough going when he becomes spokesman for San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders next month. SAN DIEGO, 3:46 p.m. July 3 (SIGNONSANDIEGO)
Bail reduced for man accused of fatal punch in P.B. fight: A judge Thursday reduced bail from $500,000 to $300,000 for an ex-Navy sailor accused of punching two men – one of whom later died of brain swelling – when the men got out of a taxicab after a near-collision with the defendant's vehicle in Pacific Beach. NORTH COUNTY, 6:05 p.m. July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Coaster seeing bump in ridership: With gas prices rising and commuters trying to find ways to dodge that cost, the Coaster commuter train between Oceanside and San Diego is seeing a bump in ridership. SAN DIEGO, 5:04 p.m. July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
South Park man pleads guilty in shooting: A South Park man pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter Thursday for shooting his girlfriend's sister inside a duplex they shared. SAN DIEGO, 4:48 p.m. July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Port approves site to moor megayachts: There will soon be a spot for megayachts – lavish boats that can stretch from 100 feet to 400 feet – to dock on San Diego Bay along a high-profile stretch of the Embarcadero near the Star of India. 4:07 p.m. July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
San Diego appeals court ruling allowing Blackwater to operate in Otay: The city of San Diego filed an appeal Thursday of a federal court ruling last month that allowed Blackwater Worldwide to operate a military training facility in Otay Mesa. SAN DIEGO COUNTY, 2:55 p.m. July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Yankee fire spreading slowed in San Mateo wilderness: A blaze dubbed the Yankee fire is stalled along ridge tops in the San Mateo wilderness area of the Cleveland National Forest and is not spreading, according to information from Cal Fire. LAKE FOREST, 2:58 p.m. July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Amber alert issued for father who allegedly nabbed son after shooting estranged wife: A man who allegedly shot his estranged wife in the face and fled with his 9-year-old son may be in the San Diego area and could be heading to Mexico, authorities said Thursday.
EL CAJON, July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Iraqi diplomat talks policy: Iraq's government is considering San Diego as a possible site for a consulate that would serve thousands of Iraqi-Americans in California, Iraq's top diplomat to the United States said yesterday in El Cajon.
July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Recording of jail calls resumes, with fixes:The Sheriff's Department resumed recording phone calls from jail inmates yesterday, after officials said they have enacted more safeguards that prevent conversations between defense attorneys and their clients from being taped. Sheriff's officials hope the new system will reassure defense attorneys that their phone calls from inmates will remain confidential, as is dictated by law, said Stanford Toyen, a legal adviser and special assistant to the sheriff.
July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Exploration makes jaunt to Roberts Ranch exciting:There's no shortage of interesting places to explore in the backcountry of East County, and the Roberts Ranch – a brief but memorable jaunt through a small patch of woods and hills in Descanso – is a testament to that.
July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Emerald, Boling mark out their differences:Marti Emerald of Tierrasanta and April Boling of San Carlos are the two candidates who won a June 3 election and will face off in a Nov. 4 runoff for the San Diego City Council's District 7 seat. The district covers Allied Gardens, the College Area, Del Cerro, El Cerrito, Grantville, Rolando, San Carlos and Tierrasanta.
July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Fireworks, parades highlight Fourth of July festivities:Independence Day arrives tomorrow with more than 20 fireworks shows planned around the county. Here's a list of fireworks shows and activities taking place tomorrow (unless otherwise noted) in and near San Diego.
July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Students to help rid bay of copper:Copper may be fine when it's used to make pennies, but it's hazardous when it leaches from boats into San Diego Bay.
CHULA VISTA, July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Drinking and driving over Fourth could end in court, officials say: District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis was among several of the region's top cops who warned motorists yesterday that if they drink and drive during the Fourth of July weekend, they'll be caught and prosecuted.
July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Cloudy coastal mornings, hot inland days expected for July Fourth weekend:The Fourth of July weekend should have something for everybody: relatively cool, cloudy mornings at the coast, warm days bordering on hot in the inland valleys and mountains, and sizzling temperatures in the deserts.
SAN DIEGO, July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Lake Murray festival still $3,000 short: The Lake Murray Fourth of July Music Fest & Fireworks show will go on despite a money shortage, event organizers said yesterday. “We're contractually obligated,” said John Pilch, chairman of the event.
July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Fruit sustained Lemon Grove's Tooker family in tough times:Earl and Esther Tooker and their 2-year-old daughter, Ione, had $50 when they arrived in San Diego by train from Sioux City, Iowa, in January 1923. The family was just looking for a good climate and were able to make a go of it because of the thriving lemon groves in Lemon Grove.
12:28 p.m. July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)Transit options increased for the Fourth: San Diego-area transit officials on Friday will step up bus and trolley service on the coast to help Fourth of July celebrants get around. In separate incidents, man fatally stabbed and teen critically wounded: A 25-year-old man was stabbed and later died and a teenage boy was critically injured in separate assaults being investigated by San Diego homicide detectives Thursday morning. CHULA VISTA, 4:12 a.m. July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Bystanders come to mother's aid in drug-crazed attack: A mother, accompanied by her two young children, was attacked by a drug-crazed man in the foyer of their gated apartment complex Wednesday and later rescued after several bystanders fought off the assailant, police said. July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Woman killed when SUV rolls over, ejecting her: EAST COUNTY: A 54-year-old Campo woman was killed yesterday morning after the sport utility vehicle she was driving overturned near Buckman Springs and she was thrown out. July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Elderly woman burned in blaze at mobile home: LAKESIDE: An elderly woman suffered second-degree burns on her shoulder and arm when a fire raced through her mobile home Tuesday night, authorities said. July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
County takes appeals on property tax assessments: Appeals go before the county's Assessment Appeals Boards, which are quasi-judicial panels made up of three members appointed by county supervisors. July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Port Commission OKs $141.5 million budget: NATIONAL CITY: The San Diego Unified Port District expects to spend $141.5 million on operations this fiscal year – an increase in expenses of more than $10 million from last year.
