Daily Business Report — March 7, 2011

Employment: Down by 17,900 Jobs Over the Month;

Up by 16,700 Jobs Over the Year

The unemployment rate in the San Diego County was 10.3 percent in January, up from a revised 10.1 percent in December 2010, and below the year-ago estimate of 10.9 percent, the state Employment Development Department reported. This compares with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 12.7 percent for California and 9.8 percent for the nation during the same period.

Between December 2010 and January 2011:

Total nonfarm employment decreased from1,234,100 to 1,216,500, a decline of 17,600 jobs. Agricultural employment declined by 300 jobs, or 3.3 percent.

• Trade, transportation, and utilities reported the greatest month-over decrease, down 6,600 jobs. A seasonal decline in retail trade (down 5,000) accounted for more than 75 percent of the job losses in this sector. Transportation, warehousing, and utilities contracted by 1,000 jobs, while wholesale trade receded by 600 jobs.

• Eight other nonfarm industries also reported month-over job declines, including other services (down 3,000) and leisure and hospitality (down 2,900). Government and educational and health services decreased by 1,600 jobs each.

• Manufacturing (up 500) was the only sector to report month-over job growth. Mining and logging recorded no change in employment levels over the month.

Between January 2010 and January 2011:

Total nonfarm employment increased by 16,500 jobs, or 1.4 percent. Agricultural employment gained 200 jobs, or 2.4 percent.

• Professional and business services posted the greatest year-over gain, adding 10,800 jobs. Administrative and support and waste services (up 5,500) contributed to most of the gain, primarily from employment services (up 3,500). Professional, scientific, and technical services increased by 4,700 jobs, followed by a gain of 600 jobs in management of companies and enterprises.

• Four other nonfarm sectors added jobs over the year, including educational and health services (up 4,000), leisure and hospitality (up 3,700), and government (up 2,100) to name a few.

• Five other sectors reported year-over job declines, but the most notable came from construction (down 2,400 jobs).

Melding Glass Art With Sea Creatures

Artists who have paired glass art with tropical fish and colorful sea creatures are displaying their work at an exhibit at the Chula Vista Nature Center, 1000 Gunpowder Point Drive, in Chula Vista. The exhibition is titled “Art Acquatic: Sea Life + Glassworks” and features 15 vivid “living art” waterscapes of colorful sea life with hand-crafted, original glassworks by 12 local artists. The collaborative project is the result of the Nature Center’s challenge to the local artistic community to create unique visions for pairing glass art with tropical fish and colorful sea creatures. Live animal subjects include lionfish, clown fish, Pacific sea horses, porcupine pufferfish, red octopus and chocolate chip sea stars, among many others. Participating artists include James Stone (Stone and Glass, Bernardo Winery); Kris Egerstrom; Rina Fehrensen and Michael Maddy (Mad Art Studios); Kathleen Mitchell (Arthell); Carol Korfin (Glass Giraffe); Michael Laird; Sandy Levin (Peaceful Heart Glass); Steve Maddy (Art Glass & Pattern Bank); Marty & Jean Marshall (Marshall Arts Blown Glass); Keikicki Honna; William Staybaugh; and Mikey Maddy and Duncan Pruyne. The exibit runs through Labor Day, Sept. 5. For more, call (619) 409-5900.

Luxury Townhomes Planned for La Jolla

Presidio Residential Capital said it has closed a $10.5 million construction loan to Zephyr La Jolla Investors LLC to finance a 24-unit luxury townhome development in La Jolla Village. The loan will fund the purchase, site demolition and construction of the project, to be called La Jolla Townhomes.

The units will include up to three bedrooms, three bathrooms and 1,643 square feet. Construction is set to begin in July with a projected completion in April of next year. Pricing is expected to begin in the mid-$700,000s.

Paseo Carlsbad Signs Up New Tenants

Road Runner Sports will open its newest store in the spring in Paseo Carlsbad, having signed a 10-year lease for a 5,243-square-foot space. It will be the company’s second location in San Diego County and its 11th in California. Also signing leases in the shopping and dining center are Nutrition Zone and T Mobile. They join existing tenants Corner Bakery, East of Bali, Pretty Please, Color Nails, Elephant Walk Outdoor Footwear and Menchies Frozen Yogurt. East of Bali Day Spa is scheduled to open this month. The center is anchored by BJ’s Restaurant Brewhouse and P.F. Chang’s China Bistro. Paseo Carlsbad is a development of PacTen Partners for CPT/SC Title Holding Corp. The 75,000-square-foot center is in its final phases of construction at the intersection of Palomar Airport Road and Interstate 5. Gene Fong Associates is the architect.

In each of the recent transactions, Bill Shrader David Strauss, and J.P. Sutro of Cushman & Wakefield represented the landlord. All 
tenants are scheduled to open for business upon completion of construction, in spring of 2011. Thomas Gotfredson of Thomas Gotfredson Esq. represented Road Runner Sports in its lease transaction. Nutrition Zone signed a 972-square foot lease. Corey McHenrey of Colliers International represented Nutrition Zone. T-Mobile signed a 1,645-square-foot lease. JP Holland of Del Sol Realty represented T Mobile.

Fisher & Phillips Presents Employment Law Seminar

Fisher & Phillips LLP will present a one-day seminar called “One Day, Many Solutions – Employment Law Coast to Coast,” on April 28 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines, 10950 North Torrey Pines Road La Jolla. The seminar will provide employers and supervisors practical, up-to-date solutions for common workplace problems. Fisher & Phillips Managing Partner Chris Hoffman said the seminar is designed for anyone who manages employees and makes decisions impacting the workforce. The cost of the seminar is $165 per person and includes continental breakfast and lunch. To register or for more information, visit laborlawyers.com/2011seminars, or call (866) 644-5610.

Padres Announce 2011 Broadcast Schedule

The San Diego Padres will bring back their entire television and radio broadcast teams from last year for its 2011 Major League Baseball season. The complete broadcast schedule can be found online at padres.com. All 162 regular season Padres games will be broadcast on radio.  English broadcasts with Jerry Coleman, Ted Leitner and Andy Masur will run on the team’s flagship station, XPRS-AM XX 1090. Spanish broadcasts with Eduardo Ortega and Juan Angel Avila can be found on the Padres’ Spanish flagship, XEMO-AM La Poderosa 860.

The club’s long-time television broadcast partner, Channel 4 San Diego, is set to broadcast 142 regular-season games, including 24 games in March/April, 25 games in May, 23 games in each of June and July, 24 games in August and 23 games in September. Calling the action will be Dick Enberg and Mark Grant, with regular appearances by Tony Gwynn and Mark Neely. John Weisbarth, Jenny Cavnar and Bob Scanlan will also return.

FOX has selected two Padres games for regional broadcast: Saturday, April 2 at St. Louis and Saturday, July 23 at Philadelphia. ESPN is set to broadcast Opening Day, Thursday, March 31 at St. Louis, but the game will be shown locally in San Diego on Channel 4.

Upcoming SCORE San Diego Workshops:

•  March 8 – Managing Grants and Contracts for Nonprofits – 9 to 11 a.m. at The San Diego Foundation – Liberty Station (2508 Historic Decatur Road, #200, San Diego 92106; pre-paid registration $39, $49 at the door).

• March 9 – Internet Marketing 301: Increase Sales through Pay-Per-Click – 9 a.m. to noon at National University – Carlsbad (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92011; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• March 10 – Financing Your Business – 9:30 a.m. to noon at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).

• March 11 – Financial Statements: What They Mean, How to Use Them – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).

• March 12 – QuickBooks Basic – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• March 12 – Internet Marketing 101: Use the Internet to Successfully Market Your Business – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• March 14 – Business Basics 101 – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; No charge – please preregister).

• March 15 – Hiring and Managing Employees – 9 a.m. to noon at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• March 17 – California Sales and Use Tax Basics – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).

• March 18 – Women’s Networking Breakfast & Exhibits – 8 to 11 a.m. at Morgan Run Resort & Club (5690 Cancha de Golf, Rancho Santa Fe 92091; Attendees: $30 by March 15, $40 thereafter; Exhibitors: $80 by March 15, $90 thereafter).

• March 19 – Introduction to Starting Your Own Business – 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• March 19 – Business Plan 201: How to Write a Winning Business Plan – 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $99, $109 at the door).

• March 22 – Marketing & Contracting with Federal Government – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• March 24 – Internet Marketing 302: Develop a Winning E-mail Marketing Success Strategy – 9 a.m. to noon at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• March 25 – Professional Selling: Increase Your Business Sales Now! – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at National University – Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Ave., San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• March 30 – Business Basics 101 – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; No charge, please preregister).

• March 30 – How to Start a Nonprofit – 9 to 11:30 a.m. at The San Diego Foundation – Liberty Station (2508 Historic Decatur Road, #200, San Diego 92106; pre-paid registration $39, $49 at the door).

For more information, call (619) 557-7272 or visit score-sandiego.org.

North County:

The Business & Entrepreneur Center and the Small Business Development Center at MiraCosta College will offer free upcoming workshops to help businesses succeed. The workshops will be held at Vista City Hall, 200 Civic Center Drive, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the following dates:

April 5:  Financing Options for Businesses: Direct lenders and the SBA will discuss financing options for a business.

May 3: Ways to Market A Business: Learn to identify the “right” customer for a business and easy ways to market your business to them.

June 7: Marketing A Business Using Google Tools: Learn how to use Google tools such as ad words, ad sense, Google trends and more.

Bring a lunch to the workshops. Drinks will be provided.

The Daily Business Report is produced by REP Publishing Inc., publisher of SD METRO, the North Park News, Kensington News and the West Coast Craftsman. (619) 906-4104.