Today's top stories from sunny San Diego:

SANDAG joins list aiming to sue SDSU -- SDUT
City Council planning action over expansion.

More outside legal fees are OK'd -- SDUT
San Diego continues to run up a higher tab for outside legal fees, mostly related to the long-term investigations of financial failures that date back more than a decade -- $2.5 million-plus will be paid out.

Local workers favored for bayfront project, polls say -- SDUT
Two recent surveys of Chula Vista voters offer differing opinions on Gaylord Entertainment's plan to transform the city's bayfront with a $1 billion hotel-convention center.

Judge divvies up San Diego clergy abuse settlement -- NCT and SDUT
A judge on Friday divvied up a nearly $200 million settlement won by scores of abuse victims of Catholic priests from the Diocese of San Diego.

MiraCosta board president apologizes to colleagues -- SDUT
He had accused some of vandalism.

Money-saving changes at Tri-City get mixed reaction -- NCT
While Tri-City Medical Center administrators said this week that new cost-control measures have staunched the flow of red ink from the hospital's budget, some nurses say they're worried the changes could hurt patient safety.

Vote set on '08 budget for city's new course -- SDUT
Carlsbad's new 18-hole golf course will make more money this year than anticipated, but it will spend more, too. And its proposed 2008 budget shows that it's expected to lose $890,000 next year.

Local merchants set to open own chamber of commerce Jan. 2 -- SDUT
A La Mesa merchant says he and others are forming their own chamber of commerce because they are dissatisfied with the regional organization.

Program fills transportation gap for infirm -- SDUT
A new program in La Mesa will offer free rides to elderly or disabled residents who need help getting to places like a doctor's office, pharmacy or grocery store.