Daily Business Report — Oct. 7, 2009
Former Chula Vista mayor seated on Port Commission
Steve Padilla, the former mayor of Chula Vista, was sworn in Tuesday as that city’s representative on the Board of Port Commissioners. He replaces Mike Najera, who resigned in May. The term expires in 2011. Padilla was appointed to the post by the Chula Vista City Council.
Padilla was mayor from 2002 to 2006. He was on the Chula Vista City Council from 1994 to 2002 and was a member of the California Coastal Commission from 2005 to 2007. He is president and CEO of Aquarius Group Inc., a consulting firm he began in 2007.
North County tribes to add more slot machines
Valley View Casino and Harrah’s Rincon Casino in North County are among a group of tribal gaming casinos in California who will be adding more slot machines to their gaming floors as the result of a federal lawsuit that has gone in their favor. Valley View Casino will add 428 machines — by Thanksgiving, it says — while Harrah’s Rincon Casino will add 400 machines. Each will then have 2,000 slot machines. “We have been forced to fight this legal battle for over five years. Today we have prevailed and have finally won the rights to our full complement of licenses under our 1999 compact with the state,” said Chairman Allen Lawson of the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians, which owns Valley View Casino. “This decision will benefit all aspects of our tribal community, further promoting tribal economic development, self-sufficiency and strong sovereign tribal governments as well as providing economic benefit to the North San Diego County region.”
A Northern California Indian tribe, the Colusa Indian Band, filed a lawsuit against Gov. Schwarzenegger claiming the state wrongly interpreted gaming contracts awarded in 1999 that effectively kept the tribes from adding more slot machines. A judge’s ruling that favored the tribe was made in August and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denied the state’s request for a stay. The governor’s office plans to appeal.
ResMed acquires Laboratoires Narval
ResMed Inc., a developer and distributor of sleep and respiratory medical equipment, has acquired Laboratoires Narval, a French company that makes the Narval O.R.M., a mandibular repositioning device that offers help to patients for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. ResMed plans to commercialize the device in selected European markets.
“Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious disease that, left untreated, can have significant long-term impacts on the cardiovascular system, as well as impacts on other serious and chronic health issues,” said Michael Farrell, senior vice president of the sleep business unit of ResMed. “The gold-standard therapy for obstructive sleep apnea is continuous positive airway pressure therapy. ResMed will now be able to provide an alternative solution
Grossmont College offers free career workshops
The Grossmont College Career Center will present four free career workshops on campus during its 2009 Career Week Oct. 19-22. The public is invited to attend the workshops, which will be held at the Career Center office, Room 627. The workshops are “Job Search Tips” from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 19; “Career Pathways in Health Care” from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 20; “Green Careers and Renewable Energy” from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 21; and “Meeting the Needs of Veterans” from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 22. For more information, phone (619) 644-7614, or visit www.grossmont.edu/careercenter. Grossmont College is located at 8800 Grossmont College Drive in El Cajon.
Casa Cornelia Law Center hosts La Mancha Awards
The Casa Cornelia Law Center in San Diego, a law firm that provides pro bono legal services to indigent immigrant victims of human and civil rights violations, will host its second annual La Mancha Awards from 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 21 at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice at USD. Cost to attend the fundraiser is $75 per person. The public is invited to attend. “Quest for Justice” is this year’s theme for the reception and awards program. Sponsorship opportunities, starting at $1,500, also are available. For more information and to reserve a spot, contact Jan McKeel, Casa Cornelia development coordinator, at (619) 231-7788, or JMCKeel@casacornelia.org.
Humanitarian award honorees at the event will include Fary Moini, a registered nurse who oversaw the construction of a school in Afghanistan that educates 2,000 boys and girls, and the late Roberto Luis Martinez, a Chicano activist who died earlier this year. Other awards presented will include the pro bono attorney of the year and pro bono law firm of the year.
Casa Cornelia has served more than 5,000 indigent immigrants since its founding by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus in 1993. In 2008, the Law Center benefited from 87 volunteer attorneys and 45 law students who contributed thousands of pro bono hours to serve the highest number of clients in its history, including 186 political asylum seekers, 242 victims of domestic violence and 142 unaccompanied detained minor children, mostly residing in Southern California communities.
SDSU offers writing skills class for professionals
San Diego State University’s College of Extended Studies offers a series of three half-day workshops designed for professionals who would like to hone their writing skills. The “Business Writing for Success” program takes place Oct. 12, 14 and 16, 8:30-11:30 a.m. in the SDSU Extended Studies/Gateway Centers. Instructor Anne Bromley is a published writer and award-winning educator who has taught professional writing classes for more than 20 years. She has a master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts and a master’s degree and bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. For more information, call (619) 594-0787 or visit the Website at www.ces.sdsu.edu/business_writing.html.
Federal contracts awarded to San Diego County companies
• Barnhart Inc., San Diego, was awarded a $29,489,692 federal contract by the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, for the design and construction of the Wounded Warrior Headquarters and Wounded Warrior Hope and Care Center at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. Place of performance will be in Oceanside.
• AMEC Earth & Environmental Inc., San Diego, was awarded a $24,871,947 federal contract by the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, for full-scale remediation at the Stuart Mesa East agricultural fields.
• I.E. Pacific Inc. in San Diego, was awarded an $8,870,500 federal contract by the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, for the renovation of the Emergency Department and the restoration of the interior spaces of the Mental Health Clinic and Deployment Health Center at the Naval Medical Center.
• T.B. Penick & Sons Inc., San Diego, was awarded an $8,345,848 federal contract by the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, for the design and construction of a Child Development Center at Naval Base Point Loma.
• Soltek Pacific Construction Co., San Diego, was awarded a $6,898,000 federal contract by the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, for the design and construction of a Bachelor Enlisted Quarters (BEQ) at the Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow. Place of performance will be in Barstow.
• Solpac Construction Inc., San Diego, was awarded a $6,286,000 federal contract by the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, for the design and renovation constructions of the Bachelor Enlisted Quarters in Building 26 of the Naval Medical Center San Diego.
• Halbert Construction Co., El Cajon, was awarded a $5,956,686 federal contract by the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, for the design and construction of the replacements for the training pool and automatic pool covers at the Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado.
(Source: Targeted News Service: www.targetednews.com)
Planned Parenthood executive earns national credential
Angela Reed, senior vice president of patient services for Planned Parenthood of San Diego and Riverside Counties, has become a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the national professional society for health care leaders. Fellow status represents achievement of the highest standard of professional development. To obtain Fellow status, candidates must fulfill multiple requirements, including passing a comprehensive examination, meeting academic and experiential criteria, earning continuing education credits, and demonstrating professional and community development.
99 Cents Only Stores to locate in Poway
99 Cents Only Stores subleased 20,100 square feet of retail space at 12369 Poway Road in Poway. The 144-month sublease is valued at $3.5 million. Reg Kobzi of CB Richard Ellis represented the sublessor, Rite Aid Corp. Kevin Cassidy of Epsteen & Associates represented 99 Cents Only Stores. The new 99 Cents Only Stores location is scheduled to open in fourth quarter 2009. It will be the first 99 Cents Only Store to open in Poway. Prior to Rite Aid subleasing the building, the space was occupied by Millers Outpost.
Century Club launches Support Our Schools Program
The Century Club of San Diego, the nonprofit organization that manages the annual PGA Tour golf tournament at Torrey Pines and other charity events, has launched its Support Our Schools Program (SOS) for the 2010 Invitational scheduled Jan. 25-31 at Torrey Pines. Schools sell tickets for $17 each to the annual golf tournament and keep $15 of the proceeds, with $2 going to the Century Club for administrative costs. Since its inception, the program has raised nearly $6.1 million for local schools. The 2009 program raised $530,000.
The top school in the county in 2009 was Cathedral Catholic High School, which raised $93,165 through the Century Club program. Other schools rounding in the top five were Rancho Bernardo High School, $28,605; Mt. Carmel High School, $27,630; Poway High School, $27,210; and Torrey Pines High School Foundation, $21,390.
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