Daily Business Report-May 28, 2013
The Colorado River Aqueduct transports water from the Colorado River to Southern California. Photo by Ethan Miller/KPBS
Top Water Officials Meet in San Diego Over Drought-Stricken Colorado River
As the Colorado River drought continues to worsen, federal officials are meeting in San Diego today to address water conservation among the 40 top water officials in the seven western states that rely on the waterway for survival, KPBS reports.
The meeting comes after dire warnings were made by the U. S. Interior Secretary in December that demand for water from the Colorado River exceeds the dwindling supply.
Scientists also predict climate change will exacerbate the problem by drying up the river 10 percent by 2050.
The river’s two biggest reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, are projected to be at 45 percent capacity by the end of the year — their lowest level since 1968.
Nearly 40 million people drink Colorado River water, including the cities of San Diego, Los Angeles, Denver, Las Vegas and Phoenix. The river also irrigates nearly four million acres of cropland.
Three committees are expected to be announced today, including one for municipal water agencies, a second for agriculture and a third for environmental groups, according to the LA Times.
UC San Diego Study Shows Promise for Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries
A UC San Diego study showed that rats transplanted with human neural stem cells three days after a spinal cord injury showed improvement in motor function and a reduction in spasticity. The study demonstrated that intraspinal grafting of stem cells during the acute phase of a spinal cord injury could represent a safe and effective treatment that ameliorates post-injury motor and sensory deficits. The results were reported by Neuralstem Inc. of Maryland, developer of spinal cord-derived human neural stem cells. The study was led by Martin Marsala of the UC San Diego School of Medicine.
Filner Promises to Keep Fiesta Island Dog Park Intact
Mayor Bob Filner’s promise to shut down Balboa Park’s Plaza de Panama to cars hasn’t yet come true. He’d originally said he would keep traffic off Cabrillo Bridge on weekends starting with Memorial Day Weekend. But Filner said last week that his Balboa Park plans were delayed after protests from the Old Globe Theater. So, cars continued to roll through the park this past weekend. In another part of the city, the mayor waded in to a long-standing controversy over another park: the dog park on Fiesta Island in Mission Bay, KPBS reports. A plan for the island includes more space for boaters and a road that would reduce the size of the large dog park.
A group called Fiesta Island Dog Owners organized to oppose the plan. The mayor told the group on Sunday that he supports their side and will stop the plans from going through. “We have this incredible space, the biggest in the state, where dogs and their families can exercise and play together,” he said. “And there were some plans apparently that want to put a road through this area. I don’t think that makes any sense. This is so rare in our state and in our nation that we ought to preserve it. And I’m going to make sure we do.”
El Cajon Woman Named to California FAIR Plan Board
Donna Bacarti, 47, of El Cajon, has been appointed to the California FAIR Plan Governing Committee by Gov. Brown. The FAIR Plan is a private association based in Los Angeles comprised of all insurers licensed to write property insurance in California. It issues property insurance as a last resort. Bacarti has been a personal lines underwriting manager at Burns and Wilcox Insurance Services since 2005. She was a personal lines account representative at Teague Insurance Agency from 2002 to 2005 and a personal lines manager at the Robert F. Driver Company from 1987 to 2002. The position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Bacarti is a Libertarian.
Credit Union Opens 2 New Branch Offices
San Diego County Credit Union has opened its 30th and 31st branches, both in North County. The new branches are located in Rancho Bernardo at 11965 Bernardo Plaza Drive, and in Rancho Penasquitos at 13179 Black Mountain Road. The new branches are open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Both offer loan and new account stations, teller windows, safe deposit boxes and an exterior ATM.
Rosarito Beach Resort Up for Sale
Las Rocas Resort and Spa in Rosarito Beach, a two-building development along the Mexico Highway 1 roll road, has been put up for sale. CBRE San Diego is the listing agent. The resort, designed by architect Francisco Orozco, has 40 single rooms, 34 suites, a 9,600-square-foot conference area, spa, gym, two restaurants and a bar. The three-acre property has a volleyball court, two swimming pools, three hot tubs and 1,080 feet of coastline with access to a public beach.
