Another Merger for Sprouts Famers Market

Sprouts merges with Sunflower

The largest chain of produce stores in San Diego County, now known as Sprouts Farmers Markets, announced it will merge with Phoenix-based Sunflower Farmers Markets.

, which merged last year with its old spin-off chain, Henry’s, has 21 stores in San Diego County and more across the southwest. The combined chain will operate about 150 stores in eight states under the Sprouts Farmers Markets name when the deal is completed.

New job for former union boss

The former head of the San Diego firefighters union, who fought off state and federal prosecutions for his role in San Diego’s pension debacle, landed a six-figure job at the union’s international headquarters, it was reported Friday.

Ron Saathoff is also earning a new pension. In November 2010, the one-time City Hall power broker started work as the director of a newly formed Pensions Department at the International Association of Firefighters at a salary of $121,500 per year, U-T San Diego reported.

The union represents about 300,000 firefighters in the U.S. and Canada. Saathoff’s job is defending their pensions.

Hantavirus warning

Eight mice infected with the deadly hantavirus have been found recently in Escondido, Santee and the San Diego neighborhood of Tierrasanta, the county Department of Environmental Health reported Friday.

Hantavirus caught by humans causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which begins with flu-like symptoms but can escalate into severe breathing difficulties and even death in about 36 percent of the cases.

-City News Service