Daily Business Report — June 30, 2011
Navy’s New Destroyer Arrives Friday to its Home Port
The Navy’s newest destroyer, the USS William P. Lawrence, is scheduled to arrive at its home port at Naval Base San Diego on Friday. The guided-missile destroyer, the 60th Arleigh Burke class destroyer, was built in Pascagoula, Miss. ,and commissioned during a ceremony at the Alabama State Docks in Mobile, Ala. June 4. Cmdr. Thomas R. Williams II is the first commanding officer of the 9,200-ton warship’s 280-person crew. “It is wonderful to celebrate our homecoming on the 4th of July weekend with our families,” said Williams. “Our goal as a command for the past year was to make it home by the 4th, and I’m very proud of the Lawrence warriors who worked so hard to make it possible.”
The new destroyer honors the late Vice Adm. William P. Lawrence, the first naval aviator to fly twice the speed of sound. During the Vietnam War, as commanding officer of Fighter Squadron 143, Lawrence was awarded the Silver Star for a strike against a heavily defended target in North Vietnam. He completed his mission, but was captured after his aircraft went down in June 1967 and remained a prisoner of war (POW) until March 1973. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his leadership to fellow POWs.
While a POW, Lawrence composed a poem entitled “Oh Tennessee, My Tennessee,” which was subsequently designated as the official poem of the state of Tennessee by the state legislature.
The ship is capable of carrying Tomahawk missiles, anti-submarine torpedoes, surface-to-air missiles, as well as a five-inch gun and two SH-60 helicopters.
SANDAG Gets Money for I-805 HOV Lanes
The California Transportation Commission has awarded $100 million to SANDAG to build two high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes — one in each direction — on Interstate 805 between Palomar Street and State Route 94. “These lanes will provide choices for drivers in South County – allowing carpoolers and transit riders to access the HOV lanes and quickly travel back and forth to Downtown San Diego,” said SANDAG Executive Director Gary Gallegos. SANDAG competed with a dozen other projects in Southern California for funding and managed to secure nearly 60 percent of the $168 million available for Southern California, said Gallegos. The funds will be from Proposition 1B approved by California voters in November 2006. The measure authorized $4.5 billion in general obligation bond proceeds to improve high-congestion travel corridors.
The California Department of Transportation will build the HOV lanes in two phases. The first phase — I-805 between SR 54 and SR 94 — is expected to be awarded to a contractor in March 2012. The second phase — I-805 between Palomar Street and SR 54 — is expected to be awarded in April 2012. SANDAG will provide local matching funds to build sound walls and direct access ramps.
BRAVO! Award Winners on Panel
The San Diego chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners will feature a panel discussion with its 2011 BRAVO! Award winner at a July 20 luncheon meeting 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Sheraton La Jolla, 3299 Holiday Court, La Jolla. Guests will be able to question the award winners about their businesses. The meeting also will feature the installation of the 2011-2012 NAWBO board of directors and presentation of a $1,500 check to San Diego City College to fund three scholarships for women business students. More information and online registration is available at nawbo-sd.org.
Public Meetings to Gather Input on Convention Center Expansion
The Convention Center Corp. and Port of San Diego will hold public meetings on July 14 and July 16 to gather citizen opinions on elements of the proposed expansion of the convention center. At the forefront at the meetings will be discussions on public access, view corridors and design and programming of the rooftop public space. The July 14 meeting will be from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel at 1 Park Blvd. The July 16 meeting will be from 10 a.m. to noon at the San Diego Convention Center, Room 32 AB, at 111 West Harbor Drive. Expansion would add 225,000 square feet of exhibit space, 80,000 square feet of multi-use ballroom space, 16,000 square feet of kitchen space and 101,500 square feet of meeting rooms. Other features would be an outdoor promenade, retail shops, pedestrial walkways, a rooftop open space and a water transportation center. Fentress Architects of Denver has been selected to prepare a design for the expansion. A 250-500-room hotel is also proposed. It would be located on either the Plaza Park on the southwest corner of Harbor Drive and Park Boulevard or on a site next to the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel.
The Environmental Impact Report for the project is scheduled for completion in February 2012. Construction is anticipated to begin in January 2013 and will take about two and a half years. The expanded Convention Center should be open for business in 2015.
Brown Law Group Appoints Senior Associate
Suzanne K. Roten has joined the Brown Law Group as a senior associate working in the areas of federal and state employment law compliance. Roten has 21 years of legal experience, including work in disability discrimination and reasonable accommodation, and in public accommodation compliance under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Before joining the firm, Roten worked as a senior associate with the law firm of Wimberly Lawson Wright Daves & Jones in Knoxville, Tenn. She had also worked with the law firm of Heller Ehrman White & McAuliffe in Palo Alto and Menlo Park. She received her law degree from the UCLA School of Law.
Small Business Workshops
SCORE San Diego continues its series of low-cost workshops. Fees range from $29 to $109, depending on the program. To register online, visit score-sandiego.org. For more information, call (619) 557-7272.
• July 6 – Business Plan 101: How to Develop Your Best Competitive Advantage – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at National University in Carlsbad (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92011; pre-paid registration $79, $89 at the door)
• July 7 – Financing Your Business – 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Avenue, San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).
• July 8 – Professional Selling: Increase Your Business Sales Now! – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Avenue, San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).
• July 8 – Financial Statements: What They Mean, How to Use Them – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Avenue, San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).
• July 11 – Business Basics 101 – 9 a.m. to noon at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Avenue, San Diego 92123; no charge – please pre-register).
• July 12 – Legal Issues for Small Business: Contracts and Leases – 9 a.m. to noon at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Avenue, San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).
• July 13 – QuickBooks Basic – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at National University in Kearny Mesa (9388 Lightwave Avenue, San Diego 92123; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).
• July 15 – Women’s Networking Breakfast and Exhibits – 8 to 11 a.m. at Morgan Run Resort & Club in Rancho Santa Fe (5690 Cancha de Golf, Rancho Santa Fe 92091; attendees: $30 by July 12, $40 after; exhibitors: $80 by July 12, $90 after).
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. Contact: Manny Cruz (619) 287-1865.
