Increased Contributions will Support San Diego Foundation’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund, Civic Engagement and Social Justice

East County News Service

June 18, 2020 (San Diego) -- San Diego Gas & Electric has announced “Energy for Others,” a new multi-year giving campaign to support communities in need, civic engagement and social justice.

In March, SDG&E shareholders seeded The San Diego Foundation’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund with its first $1 million contribution. With an additional $1 million contribution in 2020 and a $1 million commitment for 2021, SDG&E’s support of the fund now totals $3 million. The donations will help economic recovery, address food insecurity, assist with utility bills and more. SDG&E is also committing $500,000 to civic engagement and social justice causes, including an immediate $50,000 contribution to RISE San Diego, whose mission includes elevating and advancing urban leadership through dialogue-based civic engagement.  All contributions are funded by SDG&E shareholders.

“All of us at SDG&E care deeply about our communities and we’re honored to do our part in helping address the economic and social issues we face,” said Scott Drury, president of San Diego Gas & Electric.  “The senseless killing of George Floyd and other recent events serve as a sobering reminder that our country has more work to do before everyone is treated equally and with the same level of respect. RISE San Diego shares our values and commitment to respect, dignity and inclusiveness of all people, making them a strong partner to help advance progress.” 

Source:  Sempra Energy

July 10, 2018  (San Diego) – Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE) today announced that it is commencing concurrent offerings (the equity offerings) of $1.1 billion of shares of its common stock in connection with the forward sale agreements described below (from Sempra’s press release) and $500 million of shares of its Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock, Series B, each in a separate registered public offering, subject to market and other conditions.

East County News Service

February 2, 2016 (Sacramento) – Special interests spent a bundle on lobbying efforts in California last year—and in many cases, they got their money’s worth.

"Reprinted with permission, originally published September 30, 2014 at Reporting San Diego."

By Nadine Abbott

October 10, 2014 (San Diego) Mexican media is reporting that the Department of Homeland Security has reopened an investigation against Sempra Energy based in San Diego. The reporting from La Jornada states:

“A DHS source informed this diary that the investigation includes several federal officials including the Federal District Attorney, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents, and DHS Personnel implicated in a series of crimes in complicity with Sempra.”

They also write that these activities implicate the Office of the Federal Attorney, Laura Duffey in San Diego.

May 2, 2014 (San Diego's East County) - Ratepayers are feeling the pinch from higher utility bills due to rate hikes recently approved by the California Utilities Commission.

By Miriam Raftery

December 30, 2013 (Ramona)--After 20 years, Hawk Watch, a popular wildlife educational program in Ramona featuring  hawks, owls and eagles, has been cancelled for 2014 .  Visitors can still go birdwatching on their own at the Ramona Grasslands  Preserve, but there will be no organized presentations or up-close looks at captive birds of prey.

 Wildlife Research Institute, which ran the program, announced the cancellation on its website with no explanation.  But the decision likely stems from trouble raising funds for the nonprofit after news broke that its founder, David Bittner, was sentenced in federal court  in August after pleading guilty to unlawful taking  a Golden Eagle without a permit and failing to file any data reports for a four-year period on birds that he had banded.

March 2, 2013 – Sempra Energy, parent company of SDG&E, this week reported 2012 earnings of $859 million, or $3.48 per diluted share, compared with $1.3 billion, or $5.51 per diluted share, in 2011.

Earnings for Sempra Renewables division took a huge leap in 2012, increasing to $61 million from $7 million in 2011. Fourth-quarter earnings for Sempra Renewables were $14 million in 2012, compared with a loss of $2 million in 2011, due primarily to the addition of solar and wind assets in 2012.

Earnings for SDG&E increased to $484 million in 2012 from $431 million in 2011.

For details, see the company’s announcement.

Alpine residents lodge new complaints; Lakeside residents plan community meeting Wed. Nov. 2 over noise concerns

By Miriam Raftery

November 1, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Last week, the County revoked a variance granted to SDG&E for helicopter work along Sunrise Powerlink on Sundays in areas where residents had complained. So on Sunday, October 30, residents were looking forward to some much-anticipated peace and quiet –only to find the silence broken once again by the loud roar of helicopters.
 

At least some of the flights appear to be violating the County’s ban on Sunday flights, according to LeAnn Carmichael with the County Department of Planning and Land Use.

Dec. 16, 2010 (San Diego) – For the second consecutive year, Sempra Energy Foundation today announced $1 million in charitable donations to non-profit organizations in California and the U.S. Gulf region to help people in need. The contributions also include a grant-incentive program to support the Sempra Energy family of companies’ employee volunteer efforts.