3 Coronado Island Dolphins Die Thursday; Navy Exercises Linked

1. The unemployment rate in San Diego County fell to 10.1 percent in February, down from 10.4 percent in January, according to labor statistics released Friday.

Non-farm employment increased by 4,700 jobs between January and February, increasing the total employment to 1.2 million jobs, according to the state Economic Development Department. Agricultural employment also saw a gain of 500 jobs over the month.

2. Three dolphins died March 4 when the Navy set off some underwater charges off Coronado Island, military officials said.

"They saw the dolphins before the explosives went off, but it came so late it would have put humans at risk to stop the process," Cmdr. Greg Hicks, a spokesman for the Third Fleet told the Los Angeles Times. "After the detonation, despite all required protective actions taken to avoid marine mammal impacts, three dolphins were found dead in the area."

Common dolphins, like the ones killed, are protected under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, but species, numbering about about 15,000 along the California coast, is not considered threatened or endangered. The Navy has been criticized for using sonar so powerful in training exercises that it can deafen and even kill whales and other marine life.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the military in 2008. The Navy has been working with the National Marine Fisheries Service on permits and protocols for exercises at the Silver Strand training facility.

3. The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in San Diego County Friday rose to its highest level since Aug. 16, 2008, increasing 1.1 cents to $3.993. The average price is 1.7 cents higher than a week ago, 31.4 cents more than one month ago and 88.4 cents above what it was one year ago, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.