La Jolla Homes

San Diego Mayoral candidates Donna Frye and Jerry Sanders are scheduled to square off at UC San Diego Friday night in the first debate leading up to the Nov. 8 runoff election.

Ameriprise Financial Inc. will close its San Diego investment office by the end of the year, the Pioneer Press reports.

The semi-finals of the 16-nation tournament are scheduled for March 18 and the championship game will take place on March 20 at San Diego’s new ballpark, MLB said.

Finals of the World Baseball Classic, the first international tournament to include Major League players, will be held in San Diego next March, Major League Baseball announced.

The San Diego Padres’ Petco Park will host the semi-finals and final of the inaugural World Baseball Classic next March, Major League Baseball and the players’ association said.

Guard comes home. After three weeks of helping out in the storm-ravaged states affected by Hurricane Katrina, 300 National Guard soldiers returned to San Diego on Thursday. One hundred more National Guard members will arrive today at Naval Air Station North Island.

A fast-moving brush fire blackened dozens of acres in a rural northern San County County enclave Thursday.

A fast-moving brush fire blackened dozens of acres in a rural northern San County County enclave Thursday.

As part of an unusual fire-hazard abatement program, a small herd of goats began chomping away Thursday on brush overgrowth choking the Chula Vista Elks Lodge.

As part of an unusual fire-hazard abatement program, a small herd of goats began chomping away Thursday on brush overgrowth choking the Chula Vista Elks Lodge.