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  • Tuesday, February 21, 2012 - When a utility makes a filing with the Public Utilities Commission, the commission assigns a commissioner to handle the case. That commissioner acts as a judge over all related proceedings. In almost any other court situation, private meetings with the judge are prohibited. But when you're talking public utility issues, my investigation shows almost anything goes!
  • Monday, February 20, 2012 - SDG&E is asking the Public Utilities Commission for authority to charge customers ninety percent of their uninsured damages from the 2007 wildfires, and from all future fires.
  • Wednesday, February 15, 2012 - A lot of mobile home communities are trying to spruce up their act, and that's often a good thing. But here's a case where a homeowner says they're going too far, and it's almost hard to believe. She says they want her to paint her car! It ain't right!
  • Tuesday, February 14, 2012 - People ask me why I don't like HOA's. It's because they're often petty, domineering, and determined to interfere in homeowners lives for no good reason. This case illustrates that perfectly, a mother trying to keep her one year old baby from falling down the stairs, but her HOA says her baby gate is against the rules!
  • Monday, February 13, 2011 - An east county man called KUSI's Michael Turko after a contractor tore up his yard. Turko says he's been trying to get them to repair the damage since last fall. Here's a
  • Thursday, February 9, 2012 - A Lakeside man says one of the biggest high schools in the east county is wasting money and electricity on a daily basis. He says they leave huge high powered lights blazing away on a vacant athletic field night after night.  AND... an Alpine family is trying to recover a few thousand bucks from a car repair outfit. When I opened this file last November, they told me a horror story about repairs gone wrong.
  • Wednesday, February 8, 2012 - The park department says the problem here is not maintenance it's outright theft. They say thieves have stolen more than half a mile of copper wire from several city parks in outlying northern suburbs. That's left a big chunk of one park blacked out for five months now the city says they're working on it but neighbors say they've waited long enough!
  • Tuesday, February 8, 2012 - In my last report I showed you how SDG&E's trying to get the Public Utility Commission to approve a hidden rate increase to cover their wildfire damages. Now I've learned that businesses all over California are getting hit with a hidden payroll tax, because the state borrowed money from the feds and never bothered to pay it back. It ain't right!
  • Tuesday, February 7, 2012 - Turko's investigation of SDG&E continues with a live interview with Mike Aguirre.
  • Monday, January 6, 2012 - My investigation shows that right now SDG&E is asking for a rate increase to cover their damages from the 2007 wildfires, and a blank check for future fires. Experts say they tried to keep that a secret, and get the whole deal approved under the radar! AND...  A great conclusion to a story that was hard to believe. An elderly woman who says she tried to get her bank to stop charging her an annual fee for almost two decades...
  • Thursday, February 2, 2012 - What we have here is a little known Public Utility Commission case that could end up costing every SDG&E customer three to four hundred bucks. The power company wants to charge all of us for more wildfire damages, but they don't want to talk about it. And former city attorney Mike Aguirre says they'd like to keep this whole deal under wraps!
  • Wednesday, February 1, 2012 - Parking is a huge issue at a lot of condo complexes there's not enough of it, and who gets to park where is almost always a big issue. Now here's a case where the homeowners association decided to re-assign all the parking spaces... and just happened to put one of their biggest critics at the very back of the lot. It Ain't Right!
  • Monday, January 30, 2012 - Water from city storm drains runs through a fifty year old pipe underneath their yard. But when that pipe ruptured, the city of Vista refused to fix it. I opened this file last September and apparently the city got tired of seeing their dirty laundry over and over on KUSI's Turko Files. They finally found a solution that won't cost the homeowners a dime, a high tech solution that works from the inside out!
  • Thursday, January 26, 2011 - This case started with a single complaint about a popular RV outfit that sells vehicles on consignment. But after my first report I heard from more than half a dozen other customers, and they all tell the same sad story.
  • Tuesday, January 24, 2012 - What we have here is an eighty year old woman who says her bank is ignoring her, and has for almost two decades. Now she may not have done everything right, but she says she made it perfectly clear what she wanted. She wanted to quit paying for something she says she never used, and now she wants something bankers really hate she wants a refund!
  • Monday, January 23, 2012 - Critics say it's a big fat waste of money, but neighborhood organizers say it's money well spent.  Designed to improve the neighborhood and build local pride.  AND... Some young school kids went out of their way to get some action from north county school officials.  Those officials ignored their pleas to fix their playground.  So instead of a letter to Santa, they wrote to me.  And I got school officials to get real!
  • Thursday, January 19, 2011 - Dangerous abandoned properties become havens for bums and riff-raff and destroy local communities from the inside out. The foreclosure crisis has the whole situation spiraling out of control. That's what caused the problem here, an abandoned home in foreclosure went downhill for three years. It got so bad that someone even stole the front door right of the hinges.
  • Tuesday, January 17, 2011 - This case actually started before Thanksgiving when a homeowners association tried to repair a sewer leak under this guys floor. They dug a big hole in his living room but never finished the work. And believe it or not, two months later it's still not fixed. We had to get professional help from a big hearted Turko Files fan because no matter how you slice it, this whole deal just plain stinks!
  • Monday, January 16, 2011 - Late last summer I went to bat for a special group home for those wounded warriors on a street project out front. And just a few days ago city workers finally got the job finished!  AND...She's eighty four years old and going strong... at least she was until an elevator malfunction left her stranded in her own home. But now that problem is history too!
  • Thursday, January 12, 2012 - We've all heard crazy stories about big banks denying mortgage modifications, but here's a strange case where Chase Bank is doing a complete turnaround. They're now offering to help a local couple keep their home. There's just one problem with that, they lost that home last Spring! And the bank didn't even notice! It ain't right!
  • Tuesday, January 10, 2012 - He says he feels like his travel trailer was stolen, hooked up and hauled away. That's not exactly the case, at least not legally. According to the law it's a contract dispute with a local RV dealer. But look at it from the customer's perspective, he says the dealer got the money, someone he never met got the trailer, and he got nothing!
  • Monday, January 9, 2012 - They've been dealing with power company disasters for four years now, and they're tired of it. But this time SDG&E simply stepped up to the plate and cut a check, so we can mark this file case closed!  AND...A Santee man says the city of Oceanside and a homeowners association should think "outside the box!"
  • Thursday, January 5, 2012 - Under the law property owners are responsible for maintaining what they own and keeping it safe. That's to protect the neighbors and the community in general. But that's not happening here. You might not notice it right off, but this ordinary looking home has become a shelter for nasty no-good-nicks, and a hideout for riff-raf, vandals and homeless bums.
  • Wednesday, January 4, 2011 - What we're supposed to have here is a huge city park with something for everyone. The people voted for it, the city of Encinitas bought the land. But the project has been slogging along in limbo ever since my first report eleven years ago! Now local residents say enough is enough, it's time to get the job done.
  • Thursday, December 29, 2011 - We had a lot of successes in two thousand eleven, and it goes to show how great this city can be when we work together to get problems solved. That's what the Turko Files are all about. And the bottom line is pretty clear... we get things done!
  • Wednesday, December 28, 2011 - KUSI's Michael Turko was a busy man in two thousand eleven. In this report, Turko takes at look back at some of the high AND low points of the past fifty two weeks.
  • Monday, December 26, 2011 - All they wanted to do was add a bit of color to their home, and let in a little bit of light in their front entryway. So they commissioned a local artist to design a stained glass masterpiece. Now it's not something outrageous that stands out, in fact, if you didn't know it was there you'd probably never notice it.  And they say they only got one compliant, from their own HOA. It ain't right!
  • Thursday, December 22, 2011 - KUSI viewers and Turko Files fans have done it again! When a special family found themselves on the brink of disaster, I opened a file on the case, and that was all it took.  And in just two weeks, they proved that the spirit of giving is alive and well no matter what. Even in tough economic times, they sent a message loud and clear: We Care!
  • Wednesday, December 21, 2011 - What we have here is three nine year old girls determined to make a difference in their school community. The best part of their school playground has been shut down since early last spring, and they say they got nothing but excuses from school officials. But they're not backing down, they're Turko Files fans, so they knew what to do when they wanted action!
  • Tuesday, December 20, 2011 - We all know how broke the city of San Diego is, we've heard it over and over again. So how come they keep spending outrageous amounts of money on questionable projects. Sure enough, they're at it again!  And speaking of money... seventy five percent of American taxpayers get a tax refund each year.  So if you're missing a refund check, the IRS says come and take it. It's your money!
  • Monday, December 19, 2011 - How'd you like to tell your kids they might not have a Christmas tree this year? All because some dirty no-good-nik destroyed your only car, and put your whole family on the brink of disaster. KUSI viewers and Turko Files fans wouldn't stand for that. They're determined to set things right, and it starts with a free Christmas tree to kick off the real holiday spirit! The spirit of giving!
  • Thursday, December 14, 2011 - The holiday spirit is alive and well at this north county apartment complex, dozens of tenants went all out on lights and decorations. But suddenly the management swept in like "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas," and told them to take everything down.  It Ain't Right!
  • Wednesday, December 14, 2011 - Like so many people these days, the Deans family is barely hanging on, living on the edge. They lost their home when they couldn't refinance an adjustable rate mortgage. Medical bills and the rising cost of living wiped out their savings. They made do, and depended on a beat up eight year old van to get around. Now they've lost that... and that just could be the last straw.
  • Tuesday, December 13, 2011 - When this guy first called me and said he had a hole in his living room floor I was unimpressed, until I got a look at it. That hole was more like a moat, a three foot deep trench that was filled with raw sewage. He lives in a condo and the HOA admits the problem is their responsibility. But one month later, he's still living in a toxic wasteland!
  • Monday, December 12, 2011 - Everyone agrees the light poles need to be replaced. But the city wants the HOA to pay for that, and the HOA says it's a city problem. The dispute has been going on so long that the city says it's become a public safety issue. They don't want poles falling down in the street... so they had the streetlights taken out!
  • Thursday, December 8, 2011 - The power company says all of us are paying extra because homeowners with solar panels are using their system for free. So they want to start charging those solar customers an extra fee of about twenty two dollars a month. But that won't reduce anyone else's rates, oh no! They don't want to charge us less, they just want to charge them more!
  • Wednesday, November 23, 2011 - Here's a case where we had a lot to do and not much time to do it in. Two weeks ago I showed you how one woman got stuck with a remodeling job that ran off the rails... and left her kitchen stripped to the bare bones. But Turko Files fans came to the rescue once again, and got it done just in time for the big day of marathon cooking, eating, and giving thanks.
  • Tuesday, November 22, 2011 - It took four years to re-design, rebuild and refurnish their dream home on a mountain ridge east of Ramona. But three weeks ago on Halloween day, they were finally ready to move back in. Everything looked great and passed county inspection. But when they turned on the power, they got zapped!
  • Monday, November 21, 2011 - It's against the law for landlords to discriminate against parents with kids, unless they're running an over fifty-five senior citizens complex. That's definitely not the case here, they rented to lots of young families, and have dozens of kids on the premises. But now they're trying to keep those kids on a tight leash with all kinds of rules... telling them you can play all you want, but you can't play here.
  • Thursday, November 17, 2011 - This is one of those stories that restores you faith in humanity, a boost we all need from time to time. After my first report about a woman who lived without a kitchen for four months, half a dozen local contractors volunteered to make things right at their own expense. I want to thank each and every one of them and introduce you to a new local company that prides itself on making a difference!
  • Wednesday, November 16, 2011 - It's called a hotel but it's home to a lot of low income elderly residents with nowhere else to go. Some of them pay their rent every week, some every month. But they all pay it. And part of what they're supposed to get for that is an elevator, an elevator that actually works!  That's something they haven't had for over three weeks now. It ain't right!
  • Tuesday, November 15, 2011 - When you do a story questioning the accuracy of SDG&E's Smart Meters, you generally have to take their word for it. They control the meters and the testing, and they're the only power company in town. But here's a case that shows how risky that can be, a case that backs up a customer's claim that they're just not telling the truth!
  • Monday, November 14, 2011 - I showed you how a ruptured city storm drain in Vista is causing big problems for a homeowner there.  And she's worried about losing her back yard when the winter rains hit. She's had enough and now she's giving the city an ultimatum!  AND... An unfortunate development on a home restoration project that went sideways months ago.  The homeowner made a mistake and blamed the wrong contractor. Now she's offering them a big apology!
  • Wednesday, November 9, 2011 - When she called KUSI's Turko Files she mumbled on the phone. And there was a good reason for that, she had no teeth! She was a victim of state budget cuts and incredibly bad timing. But now she has a full set of chompers! And a smile as big as San Diego Bay.  So we can mark this file: Case Closed!
  • Tuesday, November 8, 2011 - In my last report I showed you how SDG&E buys excess power from solar systems for way, way less than what they can charge other customers for that same electricity. Now the power company wants even more, they want to tack on a monthly fee for distributing that power. Critics say that's crazy, and it puts future of solar power in San Diego under a cloud!
  • Monday, November 7, 2011 - Two years ago the legislature required power companies to pay homeowners who produce extra electricity with solar panels. But customers say SDG&E started the payment program almost a year late, and they're paying far less than expected. Solar power may be the wave of the future, but SDG&E is still doing business the old fashioned way: buy low, sell high!
  • Thursday, November 4, 2011 - He recently retired from the Marine Corps, now he's trying to make a new life for his family.  But he tells me they ran into a huge roadblock when his wife took the family car in for repairs, he says the work dragged on for over a month. The mechanics kept making mistakes that damaged the car even more, and the work had to be re-done over and over.
  • Wednesday, November 2, 2011 - Five weeks ago I exposed an ugly drainage dispute in Vista. City officials admit water from their storm drain system caused the problem, but they refuse to fix it. After my first report a city council member went out to see for himself... AND... Here's a case that goes way, way back, one I've been working on for two and a half years now. And here's a nice turn of events, SDG&E is stepping up to help solve it.
  • Tuesday, October 1, 2011 - What we have here is an outfit that claims to be a credit reporting and consulting service, one that specializes in helping people find places to rent.  But after fifty-one complaints, the Better Business Bureau gives them a grade of D, one step from the bottom. And customers tell me they paid big fees to Pacific Coast Credit, and they got nothing!
  • Tuesday, October 31, 2011 - We hear a lot these days about traffic calming devices. That's what the city says we're dealing with here, a brand new approach to slowing down cars on a busy residential street.  But the people who live on that street are outraged, and they tell me this city project is just plain nuts.
  • Monday, October 31, 2011 - What we've got is just one more example of how state agencies just can't seem to keep their act together on issues large and small. If this was a private business, we'd probably just laugh off the whole thing. But we're talking tax dollars here, down the drain! AND... Here's a case where local officials did what lots of KUSI viewers do when they have a problem, they picked up the phone, and made the call!
  • Wednesday, October 26, 2011 - Wedding photos are family treasures you share with friends and relatives, and if all goes well they supply a lifetime of good memories. Here's a couple who tried make sure of that, they hired a guy named Brad Hodge who's done good work in the past. But months later their photos are still missing in action!
  • Thursday, October 20, 2011 - They'd never rented an RV before, but decided to take the plunge last July. They were gone for three days, and when they got back they admit the RV was missing one of its parts. Somehow, a hubcap came loose and got away on the road. They agreed to pay for that... but when they got the bill, they say they got whacked!
  • Tuesday, October 18, 2011 - The product is called Tex-Cote and it's supposed to be a revolutionary new coating that replaces house paint and lasts a lifetime. But I've received several complaints about Tex-Cote not living up to homeowners expectations. The company insists it works and they say they can prove it. And here's a case that should settle that coating controversy.
  • Thursday, September 29, 2011 - When I opened this file an abandoned home had become the scourge of a good neighborhood. Huge tree limbs littered the front yard, and the place became a hideout for dope-heads and creeps. Now I'm happy to report that things are on the mend, but it wasn't the owners who got the job done, it was the city of Santee.
  • Wednesday, September 28, 2011 - Here's another case where an aging storm drain system is causing major problems for an innocent homeowner, this time it's in vista. But the response from city officials there is the same old tired song we've heard over and over in these situations. It's a storm drain all right, and the water comes right off a city street. But when something goes wrong, that's your problem!
  • Tuesday, September 27, 2011 - Someone's ripping off iron storm drain covers, literally, and presumably selling the metal to scrap dealers to make a few bucks. San Diego city officials want you to help them make it stop! AND... Across town suspicion fell on a big parking project at Mesa College. Some neighbors say their concrete block walls started cracking during the construction.
  • Tuesday, September 27, 2011 -
  • Wednesday, September 21, 2011 - Here's a story that shows what can happen when two huge government agencies get their wires crossed, and an ordinary taxpayer gets caught in the middle. There was never a huge amount of money at stake and in the end the system worked, sort of. But the paperwork and bureaucratic hoops and hurdles are simply mind boggling!
  • Monday, September 19, 2011 - This is a scam that preys on the elderly and unsophisticated computer novices. They call you on the phone and claim they've discovered a major problem with your home computer, a problem they can fix online... for a fee. Don't get taken, Heads Up!
  • Wednesday, September 14, 2011 - A major construction job got underway right behind his property, and now he says his block walls are breaking apart.  AND... We solve problems here on the Turko Files one case at a time, one step at a time, and in this case one block at a time! When I opened this file some North Park residents were living on a city street that was literally going to pieces!
  • Tuesday, September 13, 2011 - How would you feel if your boss told you that you were overpaid fifty bucks on your paycheck, and wanted you to pay it back? What if it was a boss you no longer worked for, and the paycheck was over twenty years old? That's what this former city employee is dealing with, and she says the whole thing is just plain ludicrous!
  • Monday, September 12, 2011 - Neighbors tell me this place is more than just an eyesore, it's a disaster waiting to happen and it's getting worse day by day. This dump was once a quiet suburban home, but it's been neglected for years and the residents recently gave up and moved on. Now it's a festering firetrap and a hideout for low-life no-good-nicks.
  • Wednesday, September 7, 2011 - Here's a guy in the twilight of his life who's a huge San Diego Chargers fan. And he'd like nothing more than the opportunity to wear a Chargers uniform. But there's a problem, he's so big no normal uniform will fit, not even the ones the pros wear. So with the season opener just days away, I got together with the team to do something fun for a guy you just have to call their biggest fan!
  • Tuesday, September 6, 2011 - A Carlsbad couple called KUSI's Michael Turko when the California Department of Motor Vehicles refused to take their money. Turko says they got their license plate renewal
  • Tuesday, August 30, 2011 - They live in a government subsidized building operated by a big out of state corporation. They're senior citizens on fixed incomes, but they pay rent on their tiny apartments every month. That's supposed to include the basics, like heat and air conditioning. But during the hottest weather of the summer they had no AC at all... and say they got nothing from the management but more hot air!
  • Monday, August 29, 2011 - When you buy an insurance policy and don't use all of it, you're supposed to get a refund. After all, once you cancel, the insurance company's no longer on the hook if you have a new claim. But here's a guy who canceled his policy early and didn't get a dime back. Instead, he got hit with a cancellation fee! It ain't right!
  • Thursday, August 25, 2011 - Here's a guy who says he was just trying to help out a cop in a jam in El Cajon. When it was over, paramedics checked him out and turned him loose to go home on his own. Then the El Cajon fire department sent him a big bill for medical aid! It ain't right!  AND... We take you to Pacific Beach where a problem I exposed four years ago is finally getting taken care of. It should help kids and their parents get to school safe and sound!
  • Wednesday, August 24, 2011 - Freedom Station is a place for severely wounded sailors and marines to readjust to civilian life, after their military careers are cut short by tragedy. The Warrior Foundation and lots of local companies all did their part to make it possible. All they need now is two disabled parking spaces out front, but they say the City of San Diego is dragging their heels!
  • Tuesday, August 23, 2011 - The huge towers of the Sunrise Powerlink are now marching toward San Diego, but thirty miles to the east in the small town of Alpine, SDG&E agreed to put the Powerlink underground. That's supposed to help preserve this historic community, but now some local businesses say it just may do them in... they say they're suffering from an overdose of construction blues and broken promises.
  • Wednesday, August 17, 2011 - Here's a case that shows just how bad things can get when crumbling infrastructure and a bad rainy season combine. The problem began last summer, got worse last fall, and then became an emergency in January. Luckily the rains finally stopped, because it took the city another six months to do the planning, hire a contractor, and start laying pipe!
  • Tuesday, August 16, 2011 - Water is a precious commodity in the back country, and the Sunrise Powerlink uses lots of it. So when a huge well sprouted up on a piece of isolated ranch land, neighbors got suspicious. My investigation shows they had every right to be concerned, and what we found got the attention of county code enforcement officials, and got the operation shut down!
  • Monday, August 17, 2011 - When SDG&E proposed the Sunrise Powerlink, they promised they'd support local businesses, and that the one-hundred-seventeen mile power line would be an environmentally friendly "green" project. But when it comes to water use, my investigation shows they've dropped the ball on both of those promises after one of the wettest seasons on record. Now Powerlink supporters and opponents are both crying foul!
  • Tuesday, August 9, 2011 - You'd think the decision to drop the case would be met with anger dismay and hard feelings. And it probably would in most places. But we're talking Ocean Beach here... one of the last bastions of peace, love and good vibrations. Now that the benches are back, the people closest to the case are determined to move on. No hard feelings, no bad days!
  • Monday, August 8, 2011 - Last Thursday the owner of Gamma Towing pleaded guilty to six misdemeanor criminal counts of illegally towing vehicles from store parking lots. She got a fine of twenty-five thousand bucks, community service, and three years probation. The case proves what her victims were saying all along, that Gamma Towing was run by Crooks, Creeps, and Criminals!
  • Wednesday, July 27, 2011 - This is a huge victory for the people of Ocean Beach and the people of San Diego. It's also a victory for the rule of law. These are public benches on public land. Whether they stay or go is a decision for the local community to make. But for now at least, I'm happy to report the benches are back!
  • Tuesday, July 26, 2011 - City work crews cut a deep trench across a homeowners driveway to do utility work. The homeowner wanted it rebuilt the way it was, but the city said no.  When you see what she was up against it's really no surprise that she folded! AND... Across town another homeowner is still fighting her battle with the city. She says the city's storm drain system is outdated and out of whack, and dumps tons of water in her yard.
  • Monday, July 25, 2011 - It was supposed to be way better than paint, so this guy spent twenty-three grand having his house re-surfaced with something called "Tex Cote." That was five years ago... and he says he's had nothing but trouble ever since. In fact until I took his case, he was ready to scrape it all off and start over!
  • Thursday, July 21, 2011 - Police say there may have been good reasons to remove those benches from a public right of way in Ocean Beach, and the benches themselves may have gone in without city permits. But that's no excuse for what happened here. An irate OB resident took the law into his own hands, convinced a local contractor he had the approval of city officials, and left police detectives and city officials in a real quandary.
  • Wednesday, July 20, 2011 - When I opened this file on Monday details were sketchy, but outlandish. Someone used a huge crane to remove two huge concrete benches from a public right of way in Ocean Beach. The benches were memorials to cancer victims, and local residents were outraged.  But after my first report tips from Turko Files fans started flooding in, and police now say KUSI News gave them their big break!
  • Tuesday, July 19, 2011 - The water came gushing out of the city storm drain system, and carried away a big chunk of her recently landscaped backyard. But she says the city won't pay for the damages, and won't even fix the drains so it doesn't happen again. City officials admit the drainage system just doesn't work, but they say its not their problem!
  • Monday, July 18, 2011 - When their son died two years ago they wanted a special tribute. So they got approval to place a memorial bench on an Ocean Beach bluff overlooking one of his favorite surfing spots. But now that one ton bench is gone... someone stole it in broad daylight with a crane! It ain't right!
  • Thursday, July 14, 2011 - People all over town are up against a familiar target, the California Department of Motor Vehicles. Last month I showed you how they quit sending out license plate renewal notices, blaming the budget mess. Well now they're sending them out again, but the deadline, dates, and penalties on the new bills are a mess! To put it frankly, they're all screwed up!
  • Wednesday, July 13, 2011 - Here's a deal where the city says they did what they could, but it's not enough for the neighbors. They say a storm drain issue has been a thorn in their side all year, and left one woman with no way to get to her own garage. The city says at this point, that's her problem.
  • Tuesday, July 12, 2011 - I showed you how Jammie Standke was supposed to get new teeth from the state's Dental-Cal program. But after her old teeth were pulled, the legislature pulled the plug and took back the money. In my last report we met the dentist who volunteered to help out, now we get to meet a craftsman who's donating his services, too. He's in the business of making teeth.
  • Monday, July 11, 2011 - An awful lot of people are facing tough times from the state budget cuts, from school kids to the elderly to just plain folk all over. But here's a case that really hits you in the gut. A woman living on bananas and protein drinks because she has no teeth. Until I opened a file on the case, no one was willing to help!
  • Thursday, July 7, 2011 - Here's a case where a neighborhood nuisance stuck around far too long.  Until I opened a file on the case, nothing got done.  But once I did, things started changing the very next day!  AND...  A case where Turko Files fans who pay attention can help make a difference.  The district attorney's office is now involved in a recent heads up report.  County officials say they need your help tracking down a crook!
  • Wednesday, July 6, 2011 - They ride for fun, they ride for exercise, and they ride to work. They ride all over and they're used to the perils of sharing the road with cars. But they tell me the bike path along a local freeway is far more dangerous than anyone thought... and they have proof!
  • Tuesday, July 5, 2011 - This is a story I never thought I'd have to do. A key player on KUSI's Turko files passed away last Friday after a desperate battle with cancer. If you're a Turko files fan you'll surely remember Anton Botter. A man who was always willing to help out, and always there when we needed him, for over a decade.
  • Thursday, June 30, 2011 - The city of San Diego is battling big storm drain problems in Del Cerro. Old corrugated pipes are rusting out, and creating sinkholes. They admit they're having trouble keeping up and here's a case where neighbors say they're taking so long to do the work that they're making a bad situation even worse!
  • Wednesday, June 29, 2011 - If you or I left a mess like this on a city street we'd be cited, fined, and forced to clean it up right away. But not if we're working for the city, and in this case the city says it was all planned out to save tax dollars. But neighbors say they want it gone!
  • Monday, June 27, 2011 - Smog check centers say their business fell of a cliff when the DMV recently quit sending out renewal notices. The DMV says they're not sure how much to charge after July first, until the legislature passes a new budget.  AND... On another front we have more bad news for a local labor union. More medical providers are coming forward with complaints about the way the Union of Operating Engineers operates their health care plans.
  • Wednesday, June 22, 2011 - We've all heard dire warnings about nasty fallout from state budget cuts. And here's a case where warning became reality overnight. A state grant was supposed to cover this woman's brand new dentures. But she was a victim of fiscal austerity and incredibly bad timing... and it left her toothless!
  • Tuesday, June 21, 2011 - Unions are supposed to protect the rights of working men and women, and provide union benefits to keep them happy, healthy and productive. But now a local dentist says one big union needs a pointed reminder of that. He says the way they're treating medical professionals and their own members really bites!
  • Monday, June 20, 2011 - Here's a young, hard working family who paid over a quarter of a million bucks for their first home. Now they're making a big mortgage payment every month on a home they may not legally own. The people responsible were busted by the FBI as part of operation stolen dreams.
  • Wednesday, June 15, 2011 - Most of us have had issues with credit reporting agencies at one time or another. Things that needed to be cleared up, cleaned up, or explained. That's just life in the modern world.  But here's a guy who's been fighting one of the big three credit gods for years, and he's still trying to prove one simple fact... he's not dead!
  • Tuesday, June 14, 2011 - People often ask me why I detest homeowners associations, and here we have one more perfect example. Here's a case where a petty decision by the board of directors of the "Villas At New Salem" flies in the face of common sense and good judgment. It's not only overreaching and probably illegal, but it puts the safety of young children at risk.  It Ain't Right!
  • Monday, June 13, 2011 - When you buy a home it's a public record and you get swamped with all sorts of bogus offers in the mail. Most of them are just annoying, but here's one that crosses the line, and county officials say it's flat out illegal. Heads up!
  • Thursday, June 10, 2011 - What we've got here is a three and a half mile trail that climbs a thousand feet to the top of a mountain. It's a serious half day hike up and back, seven miles round trip. But long time trail users say recent improvements have made the trial far too easy, and turned a wilderness workout into an easy walk in the wild.
  • Thursday, June 2, 2011 - Everyone knows funeral services don't come cheap. But here's a case where a veterans family is making a very simple request. All they want is to take back their dad's ashes so he can get the military honors he deserves for serving his country in World War II. But the funeral home says they have to pay a big fee up front! It ain't right!
  • Wednesday, June 1, 2011 - A lot of people get pretty attached to the gym where they work out. They bond with the trainers, coaches and other members. After a while it feels like family, but when things go wrong, they don't get treated like family members. Here's another case where they got the bum's rush!  AND...
  • Tuesday, May 31, 2011 - I opened a file on this project two weeks ago when some of the neighbors called it a boondoggle. They said the money should be spent fixing streets and sidewalks instead of building a decorative median. But after that report I heard from several other neighbors who claim that median is an important neighborhood improvement project, and one that's long overdue!
  • Wednesday, May 25, 2011 - Rich guys who collect old cars usually have multi-car garages and home shops for repairs.  But here's a car collector who's not rich, and has to rent out space for his hobby. He has no employees, no payroll, and doesn't sell anything to anyone. But city inspectors told him to get a city business license, to quit arguing, and toe the line!
  • Tuesday, May 24, 2011 - Arriving in style is a big part of going to the prom nowadays. Competition is fierce and limo and bus companies are booked months in advance. Here's a case where a limo outfit in Ocean Beach took thousands of bucks from high school kids for party buses, then stiffed everyone and never showed up!
  • Monday, May 23, 2011 - For well over a decade kids and their parents played dodgeball with cars, trucks, and SUV's in front of Chesteron Elementary in Linda Vista. Four principals in a row tried to get one put in, but it didn't happen until I opened a file on the case just over two months ago.  We got results! AND... out on Point Loma a really nice neighborhood is getting a little bit nicer every day.
  • Thursday, May 19, 2011 - The way the city does business on construction projects often makes no sense to the average taxpayer. City officials say its because we don't understand the process. So lets take a look at three recent jobs and their explanations. Now all these jobs have one thing in common... no matter how you slice it, we get the bill!
  • Tuesday, May 17, 2011 - We're constantly hearing about how broke the city of San Diego is, and how we're gonna have to give up more city services each year just to make ends meet. Then you run across a project like this, almost half a million bucks being spent to create a neighborhood shrine to a place most of us never even heard of. A shrine surrounded by crumbling streets and broken down sidewalks. It ain't right!
  • Monday, May 16, 2011- Here's a guy who had a run in with a towing outfit back in December of 2009. He took 'em to court as suggested right here on the Turk files and he won. But he says instead of money he got one excuse after another, and for almost a year, they simply refused to pay up!
  • Thursday, May 12, 2011 - Last fall metro transit officials told me their elevator at the Fashion Valley transit station was as good as new, so good in fact that it had to be upgraded to meet new safety standards. Now MTS is telling a different story, claiming the fifteen year old elevator has serious problems that could force them to replace it. People with disabilities say the whole thing is a bad joke! AND...
  • Wednesday, May 11, 2011 - Last month county officials revoked the license of a local crematorium after Michael Turko exposed major pollution problems. Now Turko's getting lots of calls from people who pre-paid for cremation services before the operation was shut down.
  • Thursday, May 5, 2011 - KUSI's Michael Turko traveled a hundred and fifty miles east of San Diego to bring us this report. Turko says he got a call from a long time "desert dweller" trying to carry on  the legacy of her departed husband.
  • Wednesday, May 4, 2011 - Fireworks fans called KUSI's Michael Turko about new pollution rules scheduled to take effect this summer. Turko says the new rules allow the same fireworks shows we've seen for years, but the cost of those shows will skyrocket!
  • Tuesday, May 3, 2011 - A woman who almost got scammed on Craigslist agreed to talk to KUSI's Michael Turko about it. Turko says the scammers had her convinced they wanted to rent a room in her home.
  • Thursday, April 29, 2011 - Almost two months ago KUSI's Michael Turko opened an investigation of the Neptune Society Crematorium. Turko says today county officials scored a big victory in protecting neighbors who live near that crematorium in Lakeside.

KUSI SUPERCAST FORECAST FOR SAN DIEGO

6-Day Forecast: San Diego

Wednesday
Wednesday's Forecast Image
  • 71°
  • °

Clear

Thursday
Thursday's Forecast Image
  • 67°
  • 53°

Clear

Friday
Friday's Forecast Image
  • 67°
  • 54°

Partly Cloudy

Saturday
Saturday's Forecast Image
  • 63°
  • 55°

Partly Cloudy

Sunday
Sunday's Forecast Image
  • 64°
  • 51°

Clear

Monday
Monday's Forecast Image
  • 67°
  • 50°

Partly Cloudy

Currently in San Diego as of

  • 72°(Feels like 72°)
  • Partly Cloudy
  • Wind: NW @ 8 mph
  • Barometer: 30.10 in.
  • Sunrise: 06:25
  • Sunset: 17:40
  • Humidity: 28%
  • UV Index: 10.00

6-Day Forecast: San Diego

Wednesday
Wednesday's Forecast Image
  • 75°
  • °

Clear

Thursday
Thursday's Forecast Image
  • 70°
  • 48°

Clear

Friday
Friday's Forecast Image
  • 70°
  • 49°

Partly Cloudy

Saturday
Saturday's Forecast Image
  • 65°
  • 51°

Clear

Sunday
Sunday's Forecast Image
  • 67°
  • 47°

Clear

Monday
Monday's Forecast Image
  • 71°
  • 45°

Partly Cloudy

Currently in San Diego as of

  • 77°(Feels like 75°)
  • Clear
  • Wind: VRB @ 5 mph
  • Barometer: 30.09 in.
  • Sunrise: 06:24
  • Sunset: 17:39
  • Humidity: 21%
  • UV Index: 10.00

6-Day Forecast: San Diego

Currently in San Diego as of

  • °(Feels like °)
  • Clear
  • Wind: CM @ 0 mph
  • Barometer: 30.13 in.
  • Sunrise: 06:24
  • Sunset: 17:39
  • UV Index: 25.00

6-Day Forecast: San Diego

Wednesday
Wednesday's Forecast Image
  • 75°
  • °

Partly Cloudy

Thursday
Thursday's Forecast Image
  • 71°
  • 49°

Clear

Friday
Friday's Forecast Image
  • 71°
  • 49°

Partly Cloudy

Saturday
Saturday's Forecast Image
  • 68°
  • 51°

Partly Cloudy

Sunday
Sunday's Forecast Image
  • 66°
  • 47°

Clear

Monday
Monday's Forecast Image
  • 69°
  • 46°

Partly Cloudy

Currently in San Diego as of

  • 76°(Feels like 74°)
  • Partly Cloudy
  • Wind: WNW @ 6 mph
  • Barometer: 30.09 in.
  • Sunrise: 06:45
  • Sunset: 18:00
  • Humidity: 18%
  • UV Index: 10.00

Regional Conditions

San Diego
72°
San Diego
77°
San Diego
°
San Diego
76°

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