
Roger Showley
Roger Showley retired after 44 years from The San Diego Union-Tribune in March 2018. He most recently covered growth and development, encoming commercial development; redevelopment; major public projects; planning; architecture; urban design; and historic preservation. A third-generation San Diegan and graduate of UC San Diego, he has written three books on San Diego history.
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Her civic contributions were many, having served on or chaired the boards of the Economic Development Corp., San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau, the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce,...

San Diego’s Maritime Museum director, who brought the sea and ships to life, retires after 30 years
Ray Ashley tripled the fleet on display, launched a "living history" program for children, mounted scores of exhibitions and promoted research into Pacific seafaring.

Frank L. Hope, lead architect of San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium, dies at 93
Frank L. Hope, one of San Diego's postwar architects who helped reshape the city and is best known for his role in developing the San Diego Stadium in Mission Valley,...

Their best practices made these San Diego companies stand out with special awards
San Diego company execs, if they're smart, keep their employees up to speed on industry trends, encourage new ideas and make sure senior managers are "in the know.""All three of...

El historico reloj de la calle Jessop’s tendra un hogar permanente en Balboa Park
El reloj de Jessop, un elemento fijo del centro de la ciudad desde hace más de un siglo, se traslada a un nuevo hogar permanente en Balboa Park, en virtud...

Historic Jessop’s street clock getting a permanent home in Balboa Park
Jessop's clock, a downtown fixture for more than a century, is moving to a new permanent home in Balboa Park, under an agreement between the Jessop family and the San...

Gerald M. Trimble, 1935-2023: Downtown San Diego’s redevelopment leader
Jerry Trimble, who arrived in San Diego in 1977 to take charge of downtown's faltering redevelopment, got the Horton Plaza retail center back on track, introduced the first new housing...

Estos establecimientos de San Diego se esfuerzan por hacer que la contratacion sea mas equitativa e inclusiva
Un año después de que se suavizaran las restricciones del COVID y de que los empleados empezaran a regresar a la oficina, las empresas están ajustando su enfoque para diversificar...

These San Diego workplaces strive to make the workforce more equitable and inclusive
A year after the COVID restrictions loosened and employees began going back to the office, employers are fine-tuning their approach to diversifying their employee makeup. But results remain somewhat disappointing,...

Gene Trepte, 97, San Diego builder, yachtsman, civic leader
Gene Trepte, builder of the Pechanga Arena San Diego, a San Diego Zoo trustee and ionate sailor, died Sept. 13 of respiratory failure. He was 97."He was the finest trustee...

Bobby DePhilippis, 72, owner of Filippi’s and lifelong promoter of boxing matches
Robert D. "Bobby" DePhilippis, long-time owner of Filippi's Italian restaurants and lifelong promoter of boxing matches, died Sept. 11 in Coronado after going into a diabetic coma. He was 72."As...

James Samuel Milch, San Diego land-use attorney, 84
James Samuel Milch, a legendary land-use attorney for more than 50 years, devoted board member of several Balboa Park institutions and lover of plays and musicals, died of congestive heart...

Richard J. Lareau, ‘Mr. Point Loma,’ 1927-2022
Architect Richard J. Lareau lightened bank board meetings with jokes. He maintained high school interests in photography, tennis, coin and stamp collecting and later took up sailing and golfing.His decades-long...

Bob Nelson, former San Diego port commissioner, dies at 70
Bob Nelson, a former port commissioner and political consultant, lighted up a room when he entered, cajoled clients who questioned his way of doing things, and became active in the...

Hal Sadler, the Mr. San Diego of modernist architecture, 91
Hal Sadler roamed the world's cities and landscapes, hunted in Idaho and rooted for the Chargers.When he died Jan. 21 at age 91 after suffering a stroke, the Mr. San...

On Sweetwater Road in Bonita, a getaway for a presidential son lands on the market. Asking price? $1.76M
Tucked away in the 19-unit Carriage Hill subdivision at 5771 Sweetwater Road is a two-story cottage, out of character with its three-car-garage, red-tile-roofed stucco neighbors.The 2,296-square-foot Dutch Colonial Revival home...

How San Diego companies are creating diverse and inclusive workforces
Companies scrambling for workers are raising wages, offering bonuses and reaching out to recruit the best and brightest.But one area that proves as challenging as ever is assembling a diverse,...

26 phenomenal San Diego women in business you should know about
KIMBERLY BECKERKimberly Becker, president and CEO of the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, has spent her entire career in airport management and aviation. She graduated in 1985 in business...

New book explores our long love affair with the beach: From Nero to nudity
Just in time for a beach read in pandemic-weary America, former UC San Diego history professor Robert C. Ritchie has the perfect tome to tote along with coolers, flippers and...

San Diego outranks most places for embracing an inclusive workforce and promoting collaboration
Brady SoCal contracting promotes collaboration by holding daily "stretch-flex" limbering up sessions at its construction sites, COVID-19 masks firmly in place.Scout Distributing is redoubling its efforts toward inclusion and racial...

Lessons learned during the pandemic
Energage conducted this year's Top Workplace survey just as the pandemic was ramping up in the spring and summer and companies were racing to adjust to social distancing, mask wearing...

Norm Applebaum, architect as friend and artist, 80
Some architects design monuments, even entire cities. Others build custom homes for private clients. One requires assistants, political acumen, lots of money. The other can require an extra dose of...

Estas son las companias que preparan la economia de San Diego para reabrir
Los trabajadores de San Diego que aún se refugian en casa podrían sorprenderse al ver que su lugar de trabajo luce diferente cuando regresen.Se están realizando esfuerzos en toda la...

These are the companies getting the San Diego economy prepared to reopen
San Diego workers still sheltering at home might be surprised to find their workplace looking different when they return. Efforts are underway across the region to transform offices, restaurants and...

What shape will San Diego’s recovery take after the coronavirus pandemic eases?
When the coronavirus crisis eases, the economy will recover — but what sort of recovery will it be?Something of a parlor game is afoot, as economists, pundits, and business and...

Balboa parking spat – Improvements to city’s jewel should be applauded
Balboa Park has entered the 2020s with renewed vigor and clearer vision for the future. Already this year:• The California Tower is open again after a seismic retrofit;• Construction is...

At 102, he’s a witness to San Diego’s housing evolution
When Theo Logan retired after 20 years in the Army in 1962, he got his real estate license and opened Logan Realty three years later — where else but in...

Top-ranked midsize company: Dr. Bronner’s marches to its own drummer
There’s a murmur that runs through business audiences when Mike Bronner describes employee benefits and corporate philosophy at his family’s Vista-based Dr. Bronner’s, the nation’s leading natural soap brand: “I...

Hiring in San Diego down in 2020, survey finds
San Diego County employers anticipate a 30.7 percent job-hiring slowdown next year, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune’s latest Top Workplaces survey.The 33 companies and institutions that provided 2019 and...

San Diego 250: Landmark dates, 1769-2019
1769 Spanish colonization begins.1821 Mexico gains independence from Spain, Old Town development begins.1835 San Diego gains pueblo status as mission lands are secularized.1846 U.S. Navy seizes San Diego at outset...

San Marcos: With roots in rancho days, town expanded from farming to planned subdivisions
History: The San Marcos Land Co. founded the town in the 1880s as railroad service extended into San Diego County. Dairy, poultry and farming dominated for decades. Lake San Marcos,...

East Village: Downtown’s future being built here, a fine place to take in a game at Petco Park
East Village is where downtown’s future lies, but homeless problems persist among all the new housing projects and startup companies.History: San Diego’s historic warehouse and industrial zone lies east of...

Bonita: Known for horses, citrus and some famous residents
History: Bonita in the Sweetwater River Valley was carved out of the Rancho de la Nación, part of which was incorporated as National City in 1887. Scotsman Hiram Murray Higgins...

Black Mountain Ranch: New master-planned communities garner environmental awards, bring ‘sacred light’
History: Originally part of Rancho San Bernardo, it was acquired by Englishman Joseph Snook. Later owners included the Ralphs family of the Ralphs grocery chain; William Bright, founder of Campus...

Allied Gardens-Grantville: John Wayne memorabilia and buttermilk pancakes are just two special features
History: These two neighboring communities, part of the Navajo community planning area north of Interstate 8 and east of I-15, began with the relocation in 1774 of the San Diego...

Jamul & Rancho San Diego: Historic rancho served as seashell trading post, hosts new casino
History: The 9,000-acre Mexican Rancho Jamul land grant of 1829, like many others, was bogged down in disputed land claims that weren’t resolved until 1891. Homesteaders included workers for a...

Southeastern San Diego: Diversity, progress apparent in area rich with history
History: The area was first developed in 1866, shortly after the Civil War. Most of the homes were built in the first half of the 20th century. By the 1920s,...

Sorrento Mesa and Valley: From railroad roots to a superconductor future
Tucked along the merge of Interstates 5 and 805, Sorrento Mesa and the valley below are San Diego’s ground zero in high tech. Not only is it the home of...

250 years of San Diego
This year, San Diego commemorates the arrival 250 years ago of Spanish soldiers, priests and other colonists sent to occupy and develop Alta California.On previous anniversaries, the emphasis has been...

San Diego at 250: A birthday like no other
San Diego kicked off its 250th anniversary Thursday at the downtown waterfront with the usual speeches, entertainment and light refreshments.But the year-long birthday party is proving to be like no...

This engineering company has helped build San Diego – from freeways to shopping centers
San Diegans may take pride in how their skyline has blossomed in recent decades, but the untold story is what made possible those pretty buildings.Or as Roger Ball, president of...

Should San Diego host more events for Christmas and New Year’s?
After all the shopping and wrapping, egg nog and fudge, Christmas day will bring a welcome relief to many a harried holiday household.But San Diego and many other American cities...

These companies got high marks for running good meetings
Company meetings can be the dreariest part of the workday, but some corporate executives have found the elixir needed to keep attendees awake and on point, not off on a...

Top-ranked midsize company: Listening to resort employees is key to success at Loews
Loews Coronado Bay Resort lies five miles down the Silver Strand from its better-known rival, the Hotel del Coronado. Opened in 1991, it’s one of 24 owned or managed hotels...

Secretive shop in Poway designs the latest Halloween costumes
A nondescript, tan and white industrial park building in Poway is where Halloween revelers are transformed into an Incredible, a Disney princess, Mario or Donald Trump.But this is not a...

El Museo Internacional Mingei cerrara sus puertas el lunes para una renovacion que durara un ano
El Museo Internacional Mingei de Balboa Park, dedicado al "arte del pueblo", cerrará al final del fin de semana del Día del Trabajo para someterse a lo que podría equivaler...

Mingei International Museum set to close Monday for yearlong renovation
Balboa Park’s Mingei International Museum, dedicated to the “art of the people,” is closing at the end of the Labor Day weekend to undergo what could amount to a yearlong...

Mingei International Museum set to close Monday for yearlong renovation
Balboa Park’s Mingei International Museum, dedicated to the “art of the people,” is closing at the end of the Labor Day weekend to undergo what could amount to a yearlong...

Scanning history: Pre-1940 San Diego photos sought for new book
The San Diego History Center owns an estimated 2.5 million photos and film negatives of local people, places and events dating to 1869.But that's not enough for the first of...

Preview tour offers glimpses of San Diego’s best – and worst – architecture in this year’s Orchids & Onions contest
For would-be winners in the annual Orchids & Onions architectural contest for San Diego's best and worst in recent urban design, it paid to be present when the nine jurors...

Preview tour offers glimpses of San Diego’s best – and worst – architecture in this year’s Orchids & Onions contest
For would-be winners in the annual Orchids & Onions architectural contest for San Diego's best and worst in recent urban design, it paid to be present when the nine jurors...

San Diego unemployment rate up to 3.7% as employers struggle to find workers
San Diego — San Diego County’s unemployment rose to 3.7 percent last month, the highest since September, the state Employment Development Department said Friday.The rate was up from May’s revised 2.9 in...

Little Italy Food Hall abre el jueves
Con una inversión de 2.3 millones de dólares el Little Italy Food Hall, con seis restaurantes y un bar, abrirá sus puertas este jueves en la Piazza della Famiglia en...

Little Italy Food Hall opening Thursday
The $2.3 million Little Italy Food Hall, featuring six restaurants and a bar, will open Thursday at the Piazza della Famiglia, 550 W. Date St., as the latest addition to...

Little Italy Food Hall opening Thursday
The $2.3 million Little Italy Food Hall, featuring six restaurants and a bar, will open Thursday at the Piazza della Famiglia, 550 W. Date St., as the latest addition to...

Steve Karo, who led the effort to save Balboa Theatre, dies at 75
Steve Karo majored in music at San Diego State University, played in countless bands and musicals in San Diego and on the road. But his ion was the theaters he...

Expect some pain before gain in trade war, says Trump’s SBA chief
The growing trade war between the U.S. and China, along with other countries, will produce “a little pain along the way.”But Linda McMahon, head of the Small Business istration, said...

Who has the best workplace in San Diego County?
With near-record low unemployment rates, San Diego County employers have to work extra hard to recruit and retain employees.Whether it’s weekly catered lunches, end-of-year bonuses or training and promotions, the...

Curry Up Now chain bringing Indian fare to San Diego
San Diego — “Naughty Nan,” “Sexy Fries” and Tikka Masala burritos don’t sound like traditional Indian food dishes.But those and many other dishes, based on recipes from the northern region of India,...

Amateur inventors right the world with solutions for back pain, broken windows, wobbly tables and inaccessible toilets
More than 20 amateur inventors lined up in a corner of the Media Technology Commerce Expo Thursday at the Hilton Bayfront hotel, to pitch a modern version of the chamber...

A JULES VERNE S.D. ADVENTURE
In celebration of World Book Day, a literary mystery from the Union-Tribune December 22, 1999:Obscure 1891 novel portrays city, which author never visitedJules Verne, the 19th-century French novelist, is known...

“A Faithful Mirror”: The San Diego Union-Tribune’s first 150 years
Editor’s note: Alfred JaCoby, a city and Sunday editor of The San Diego Union, wrote a history of the paper and the Union-Tribune company after he retired in 1992. His...

After watching San Diego ‘progress’ for 44 years, Union-Tribune reporter Roger Showley retires
Dateline, Chula Vista, May 15, 1974: “Chula Vista OKs Bayfront Project.”That was one of the first stories I wrote when I ed The San Diego Union on March 11, 1974.And...

San Diego – a ‘temporary’ paradise?
For all its sun, sand and craft beer, San Diego has pined to be great.About 150 years ago, city father Alonzo Horton called it “Heaven on Earth.” Around 1910, merchant...

A trade war a good thing for U.S.?
Q: Will a trade war (with China and other countries) benefit the U.S.?Phil Blair, ManpowerNO: Knee-jerk tariff implementations are never a good idea. Only a naïve fool would think that...

Jobless rate slips to 3.4%, construction jobs highest since 2007
San Diego County’s unemployment dropped to a seasonally adjusted 3.4 percent n February with construction a standout sector. The numbers signal frustrating times for employers looking to fill skilled-job positions...

Trump’s new economist: Good choice?
Q: Is Larry Kudlow a good choice as White House economic adviser?Phil Blair, ManpowerNO: Economic adviser to the president is a very important job and not one that should be...

Luxury apartments at glut level?
Q: Is the San Diego County market saturated with luxury new apartment projects?Phil Blair, ManpowerNO: Developers are well positioned to make those decisions. Currently it seems if you build them...

SDSU West measure sent to Nov. 6 ballot
The San Diego City Council on Monday sent the SDSU West voter initiative to the Nov. 6 ballot, setting up a contest between San Diego State University and rival SoccerCity...

Federal review of Broadcom-Qualcomm deal: A good thing?
Q: Is it right for the U.S. government to conduct a security review of Broadcom’s proposal to buy Qualcomm?Phil Blair, ManpowerYES: Technology has become a vital weapon in cybersecurity, aggression...

Port could regain control of airport under Gonzalez Fletcher bill
Control of Lindbergh Field would return to the port district under a bill to be introduced next week by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, D-San Diego,The San Diego Unified Port District...

SDSU stadium ballot measure poses questions of city control
The proposed ballot initiative from San Diego State University ers to take over the former Qualcomm Stadium site poses major concerns of continuing city control, according to a 15-page opinion...

Anthony’s demolished, Portside Pier construction next
Anthony’s Fish Grotto building, a landmark restaurant on the downtown waterfront for five decades, is gone and its replacement Portside Pier is on its way.R.E. Staite Engineering completed demolition on...

San Diego tiene deficit de parques para lograr el objetivo nacional
SAN DIEGO — Casi 150 alcaldes firmaron un compromiso para facilitar el de cada residente de su ciudad a un parque.Pero en el condado de San Diego, solo Encinitas aceptó la...

More companies invest in training to prevent sexual harassment – but it might not be doing much good
The recent high-profile reports of sexual harassment in the workplace have prompted a surge in training courses, which experts are updating to reflect the latest examples making front-page news.Inquiries about...

Office creativity: Hammocks, slides, operable windows, rooftop bars – but ‘clean desks’ and private offices are returning
mpany San Diego’s flipflop culture is invading the corporate office scene, where “casual Friday” is yesterday’s company amenity.To attract and retain those tech-savvy millennials (and sometimes their dogs), companies are...

Commercial real estate recovery extending 3 years but retail retrenching, survey shows
The San Diego County office market outlook has turned decidedly positive, according to the recently released Allen Matkins UCLA Anderson Forecast.The industrial building outlook has dropped slightly since the June...

Defense contracting: A $9.2B power surge to local economy
The military’s presence in San Diego County isn’t just sailors, Marines, ships and planes. It’s a $9.2 billion contracting network of 5,600 businesses and 62,000 workers that serve the bases...

Trillion-dollar deficits: A wise economic strategy?
Q: Will Congress’ approval of trillion-dollar federal budget deficits this year and next and perhaps into the future be good for the economy?Phil Blair, ManpowerNO: What seems like a good...

Walmart’s ‘academy’ opens with first 60 grads, – caps, gowns and high-fives included
Walmart opened its first local training academy at its Poway store Thursday, where the 60-person charter class celebrated the giant chain’s “one best way” to ensure customer satisfaction and consistency...

A short walk to a park? San Diego hasn’t yet committed to national goal
Nearly 150 mayors have signed on to a pledge to make parks within easy access of every city resident.But in San Diego County, only Encinitas has accepted the goal set...

Jessop’s jewelry inventory down to 25% with closing set for Saturday
The last day is nearing for San Diego’s legendary jewelry store.Jessop’s is closing Saturday, but not after a final clearance sale at the 401 W. C St. store where prices...

Sexual harassment training expanding – but effectiveness questioned
Requests for sexual harassment awareness training are skyrocketing in response to recent scandals in Hollywood, Silicon Valley and the White House.California has expanded training requirements and new laws have been...

Darwin birthday celebrated at museum with cake, a tortoise and coloring books
Fun fact: Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, and Abraham Lincoln were both born on the same day, Feb. 12, 1809.But at the Natural History Museum Sunday, it was all...

Man suffers life-threatening injuries in Escondido stabbing
A man suffered life-threatening injuries in a stabbing in Escondido early Sunday, police said.The incident occurred inside an apartment on East Washington Avenue near Fern Street about 3:30 a.m., Lt....

Man slashed in Gaslamp Quarter bar fight
An early morning fight at a Gaslamp Quarter bar left one man with slashes across his neck and and stomach and a suspect at large.The altercation broke out at McFadden’s...

Pedestrian killed by Amtrak train in Sorrento Valley
An Amtrak train struck and killed a pedestrian at about 6:30 a.m. Sunday a half-mile north of the Sorrento Valley transit station, the county sheriff’s department reported.The northbound train was...

Trump’s $1.5T infrastructure plan: An effective approach?
Q: Is the $1.5 trillion Trump infrastructure plan the right way to tackle the nation’s backlog?Phil Blair, ManpowerNO: The Trump plan is simply smoke and mirrors. If he is reversing...

Billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong reaches deal to buy San Diego Union-Tribune, L.A. Times
Biotech billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong has agreed to purchase The San Diego Union-Tribune and the Los Angeles Times from its parent company. (The purchase of The San Diego Union-Tribune includes this...

Locals to buyer of Union-Tribune: San Diego isn’t L.A.
San Diego County civic and business leaders offered advice Wednesday to billionaire doctor and biotech innovator Patrick Soon-Shiong, who has agreed to purchase The San Diego Union-Tribune and the Los...

El multimillonario Patrick Soon-Shiong llega a un acuerdo para comprar San Diego Union-Tribune, LA Times
El multimillonario de biotecnología Patrick Soon-Shiong acordó comprar el San Diego Union-Tribune y el Los Angeles Times a su empresa matriz, Tronc.Tronc, con sede en Chicago, anunció el miércoles la...

Billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong close to deal to buy The San Diego Union-Tribune and L.A. Times
Los Angeles biotech billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong is nearing a deal to buy The San Diego Union-Tribune and Los Angeles Times from their Chicago-based parent company, Tronc, according to two people...

A U.S. strong dollar: An economic boost or handicap?
Q: Is a strong dollar good for the U.S. economy?Phil Blair, ManpowerNO: The United States is working to redevelop its industrial manufacturing base and a lower dollar rate makes our...

San Diego’s infrastructure: How much will the Trump plan deliver locally?
With President Donald Trump proposing a $1.5 trillion infrastructure program in his State of the Union address, San Diego agencies and institutions have billions of dollars on their wish lists...

Billions in the works for area colleges – plus rethinking priorities
San Diego County’s higher education institutions are in a building mode:UC San Diego has $2 billion worth of projects under way and in planning.San Diego State University is planning a...

Stopgap budgeting: An economic downside?
Q: Is there an economic price to pay for ing short-lived federal budget resolutions?Phil Blair, ManpowerNO: Especially compared to the financial and moral costs of shutting down the federal government,...

What will trigger the next recession?
The next recession will most likely be triggered by a stock market correction, not a Chinese economic setback or a U.S. trade war or higher interest rates, says CBRE brokerage’s...

San Diego slips to 32nd in builder interest: Planning groups at fault?
San Diego County slipped from 23rd to 32nd in a national ranking of developer and builder interest among 78 metro areas covered in the Urban Land Institute’s annual “Emerging Trends”...

Kearny Mesa: The next Little Italy?
Kearny Mesa enters a new phase of its development history with a new community plan in the works.More office and industrial space would be allowed.More housing in mixed-use developments could...

Kearny Mesa: The next Little Italy?
Kearny Mesa enters a new phase of its development history with a new community plan in the works.More office and industrial space would be allowed.More housing in mixed-use developments could...