Daily Business Report-Sept. 24, 2018
San Diego Mesa College Health Information Management graduates celebrate at their commencement ceremony May 19, 2018. They were among the first to earn a bachelor’s degree from a California community college as part of the state’s baccalaureate pilot program.
Governor signs bill extending
4-year degree pilot program
A pilot program allowing 15 California community colleges – including San Diego Mesa College – to offer bachelor’s degrees in critical workforce areas has been extended through July of 2026, thanks to legislation signed into law September 20 by Governor Jerry Brown.
Had the Governor vetoed SB 1406 authored by Senator Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo), students participating in the California Baccalaureate Pilot Program would have to earn their diplomas by the end of the 2022-23 academic year. Instead, students can now begin their bachelor’s degree program as late as the 2022-23 academic year.
The pilot program evolved through years of collaboration with business, industry, and labor. It was authorized through legislation by former state Senator Marty Block, who also once served as president of the San Diego Community College District’s Board of Trustees. Block’s bill was signed into law September 28, 2014, and the first of 15 community colleges launched their baccalaureate programs the following year.
The Baccalaureate Pilot Program gained support after the Public Policy Institute of California projected the state would face a shortage of 1.1 million workers with a bachelor’s degree unless it ramps up college access and completion. A Legislative Analyst’s Office report released in December concluded the baccalaureate program is addressing the state’s workforce needs, but concluded more data is needed for a comprehensive evaluation of its impact.
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Design workshop Sept. 27
for 2 Chula Vista parks
The Port of San Diego and City of Chula Vista invite the public to attend a Design Workshop for Harbor Park and Sweetwater Park, two future projects that will account for more than half of the new park space planned for the Chula Vista Bayfront project, on Thursday, Sept. 27.
The workshop will provide an opportunity for the public and stakeholders to provide their input on how to best balance recreational wants and needs for these spaces with equally important efforts to preserve Chula Vista’s natural resources for future generations. Attendees will learn about the differences between these two future parks and be able to speak one-on-one with members of the design team about their priorities for each park.
The workshop will be at 6 p.m. at the Chula Vista Public Library, Civic Center Branch, 365 F St., Chula Vista.
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Regional unemployment drops to 3.4 percent
At 3.4 percent, August’s unemployment rate was down slightly from a revised 3.5 percent in July, and below last year’s estimate of 4.3 percent. Total nonfarm employment increased by 5,200 jobs with education and health services recording the largest month-over-month job gain, adding 2,900 jobs. Year-over-year, professional and business services saw the largest growth, adding 13,000 jobs, of which professional, scientific, and technical services accounted for more than 58 percent of total growth.
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New airline to take flight in Carlsbad
California Pacific Airlines will begin flights from McLellan-Palomar Airport to San Jose and Reno on November 1 with service to Las Vegas and Phoenix beginning November 15th.
According to the airline’s website, future destinations include Denver, Colorado as well as Watertown and Pierre, South Dakota. President and CEO Paul Hook said they are looking at other locations as well.
“We’ve been approached by a number of places such as Oxnard in California, here. We’ve been approached by Chico. They want service. We’ve been approached by Eugene, Oregon, Oklahoma, the state of Oklahoma,” Hood said.
California Pacific was founded in 2010, but only recently received permission to begin flying at McLellan-Palomar Airport after acquiring Georgia-based airline “Aerodynamics.”
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Applied Membranes receives
national export award
Vista-based Applied Membranes, a former MetroConnect company, was one of 43 companies honored by Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross with the President’s Export Award. Despite contentious rhetoric around trade, Applied Membranes has successfully exported to Japan, the Middle East, and Europe.
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SDSU awarded grant for
climate change research
A San Diego State University team received one of the first grants from California’s Climate Change Research Program, created by the state legislature in 2017 to support research on reducing carbon emissions. The nearly $1.8 million award was the second largest of 10 awarded by the California Strategic Growth Council from among nearly 70 proposals submitted. The funding comes from the state cap-and-trade program, which limits and “auctions” rights to greenhouse gas emissions in California. SDSU biologist Rebecca Lewisonand senior research scientist Megan Jennings lead the grant-funded project, which will focus on integrating ecosystem and local community planning to build resilience to climate change.
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Cubic gets contract to deliver
next-gen air combat system for the F-35
Cubic Corp. announced its Cubic Global Defense business division was awarded a contract from Lockheed Martin to deliver its latest-generation Air Combat Training System (ACTS) for the F-35 Lightning II. Cubic is scheduled to deliver more than 500 F-35 Training Subsystems over the next four years as part of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 production Lots 12-14.
The ACTS for the F-35 includes the P5 Combat Training System Internal Subsystem configuration and the P5 ground software. P5CTS is a pod solution that relays Time, Space and Position in Information between participating aircraft during training sorties.
Engineering work for the ground systems will be performed in San Diego while the airborne systems will be performed in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
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Annette Bening event raises
more than $200,000 for San Diego Promise
San Diego Mesa College alumna Annette Bening provided plenty of star power at the San Diego Community College District’s (SDCCD) first-ever fundraising gala. “An Evening with Annette Bening to Benefit the San Diego Promise,” held September 20 at the San Diego Natural History Museum, raised over $200,000 to support the district’s free community college program
Approximately 2,200 local students are currently enrolled in the San Diego Promise for the 2018-19 school year, up from 661 students during 2017-18.
Speaking at the sold-out event, Bening shared with the audience how the education she received at Mesa College helped prepare her for a highly successful acting career
A four-time Academy Award nominee, Bening has won numerous awards and played critically acclaimed roles in films such as “Being Julia,” “The American President,” “American Beauty,” and “The Kids Are All Right.” Her newest film, “Life Itself,” opened in theaters this week.
A San Diego native, Bening has stayed connected with Mesa College over the years including serving as the commencement speaker in 2002. She is currently honorary co-chair of the San Diego Promise fundraising campaign along with San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer.
“When I went to San Diego Mesa College, it was basically free and now it costs a lot of money and there are a lot of people who want to go to college who can’t afford it,” said Bening. “So the San Diego Promise program is trying to rectify that. That’s why I’m here, because I care and I want to give back and I want to say thank you and pass it on to other people who want the same opportunity that I had to go to a good community college.”
In recognition for her many contributions, SDCCD Chancellor Constance M. Carroll made a surprise announcement that the district will establish the Annette Bening Promise Scholarship to be awarded to a district student who demonstrates academic excellence and a commitment to service.
“All of our students have the capability of becoming distinguished alumni like Annette Bening,” said Carroll. “When they succeed, I hope that they will emulate her by providing opportunities for future students to excel. The San Diego Promise is an excellent gift to our community and we are grateful to Annette Bening and to all of our donors who have made this possible.”
