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What's eating my tomatoes?

Hi everyone,
I've got a serious tomatoe problem.  Somethings eating them before I can.
And worst of all, whatever is doing it, is also spreading disease.  I had 6
really great plants until a couple of weeks ago.  I went on vacation and
when I came back I found that something was attacking my poor plants.  As
soon as the fruits started to turn red, something started taking bites out
of them.  In two days a tomatoe thats 5" across is nothing but a few pieces
of skin on the ground.  I thought it was slugs but after today I'm not sure.
I found some tomatoes with what looked like teeth marks.  Do slugs have
teeth?  <grin>
I've spread so much diatomaes (sorry for the spelling) earth, that it looks
like snow (I spread a thin layer over the ground, wall, and bottom sections
of stalks and leaves), and nothing is working.  I finally got frustrated and
pulled all 6 plants. I refuse to feed what ever is eating them.  Nothing can
rippen without being attacked.  The stalks were also looking infected with a
white fungus and starting to look bad. At first I figured it had to be
slugs.  The plants were getting lots of air circulation so I figured the
fungus was caused (or made worse) by slime trails.  I had also the same
problem last year and found slugs last year (horrible 5"-6" long scary
looking things). I thought I had cleaned up all the possible hiding places.
But now teeth marks?
We also have these big emerald green beetles flying around.  I've been
fighting the grubs of these things in my compost pile and back yard.  I've
never noticed them eating my plants but they must eat something.
Which might be the culprit?  Or should I worry about someother garden
monster?  This years a bust but I want to be prepared for next year.  I'm in
So. Calif.  Can I do a fall and winter crop?  Should I start the seeds now?
Shawn W. and John Orick (and all the other SO. Calif. gardeners) your advice
would be appreciated.
Dawn S.
Super Sad in CA
Long Beach (zone 10)

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