Daily Business Report-Oct. 18, 2018
‘Ask the Experts’ is the most popular event every year at the Technology Fair.
Tech Fair to get older adults current
on the latest digital technology
Hundreds expected at ‘Get Connected’ event at Grossmont Center
San Diego Oasis, a nonprofit lifelong learning organization for adults 50 and over, hosts the sixth annual “Technology Fair” on Monday, Nov. 12, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at its Grossmont Center-based Lifelong Learning and Wellness Center.
Each year since its inception, the Tech Fair addresses the needs of older adults in a rapidly changing digital world through introductions, demonstrations, and hands-on instruction in the latest tech tools.
Highlights of this year’s fair include:
Speak Up: Using Voice Activated Tools
How popular voice-directed devices work and their potential benefits for staying informed, active, and healthy.
Cyber Fraud: Outsmarting the Crooks
A briefing with representatives of law enforcement on methods to prevent fraud and identity theft.
“Ask the Experts”
Among the fair’s most popular events every year. Digital native volunteers from San Diego area Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops and other youth groups provide tech support and demos for older adults with questions about their personal tech tools such as smartphones, tablets, or other devices.
The Tech Fair is free, but registration is required. Visit www.sandiegooasis.org to register, or call (619) 881-6262.
Grossmont Center is at 5500 Grossmont Center Drive, La Mesa 91942.
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U.S. Census Bureau among new tenants
signing leases in East Village offices
The U.S. Census Bureau is one of three new tenants signing leases at The Ratner, the 134,000-square-foot office project occupying a full city block in Downtown’s East Village. Paragon Real Estate Investments is the landlord, represented by CBRE in the lease transactions.
The Census Bureau will occupy 10,000 square feet of newly constructed space on the ground floor of the building. The space, at the corner of F and 13th streets and adjacent from the future East Village Green Park, will feature new storefront glass and will be a home base for local Census employees during the 2020 Census. The office is expected to open in mid-2019 and operate for roughly 18 months. Applications are now being accepted to fill jobs for the 2020 Census (apply online at www.2020census.gov/jobs/)
Architects Local, a San Diego-based firm, has leased 3,800 square feet of office space on the third floor. The company offers architectural services for multifamily, restaurants and bars, having worked on notable local projects including Craft & Commerce and tiki bar False Idol. They also specialize in working with land owners and potential buyers to evaluate a property for its development potential. Strom Commercial represented the tenant.
Hale Productions Studios is a local, full-service photography, videography and brand management company and has recently leased and expanded into 1,724 square feet on the fifth floor.
The Ratner, formerly known as The Art Center, was purchased by Paragon Real Estate Investments in July 2017 from Carleton Management. Paragon rebranded the building to pay homage to the Ratner family of Ratner Clothing Corporation, who manufactured naval uniforms and officer’s caps in the buildings during World War II, and in the decades that followed (through to the 1990’s) grew into the largest manufacturer of men’s clothing west of the Mississippi.
Bob Glaser of the Committee Against Newland Sierra and Bad Development with boxes of petitions delivered to the Registrar of Voters.
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Newland Sierra development opponents
turn in 110,000-plus signatures to halt it
The Committee Against Newland Sierra and Bad Development on Wednesday turned in more than 110,000 voter signatures on a petition to put the Newland Sierra development in front of voters in March 2020.
The Committee kicked off signature gathering for the referendum effort less than three weeks ago, after the Board of Supervisors voted to approve the Newland Sierra development on Sept. 26. Boxes of signed petitions were delivered to the San Diego County Registrar of Voters to begin the process of certifying the measure for the ballot.
The 2,100-home Newland Sierra project in the rural Twin Oaks Valley would generate 28,000 vehicle trips per day and provides no transit and no freeway improvements to Interstate 15, which already is at failing levels of service, according to the committee.
“Voters want to be heard, and the Board of Supervisors didn’t listen to the communities that unanimously opposed this project, so we had no choice but to go to a ballot to be heard,” said Tony Eason, a longtime resident of the rural Twin Oaks Valley.
When the Registrar of Voters validates the signatures, the Board of Supervisors will have the option of either rescinding the project approval or placing the referendum on the ballot.
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NASSCO gets $137 million
Navy Sea Base support contract
Govcon Wire
General Dynamics subsidiary NASSCO has received a potential $136.8 million contract to obtain long lead-time materials and provide pre-production and engineering support for the U.S. Navy’s Expeditionary Sea Base 6.
NASSCO would use the funds to acquire components for the base’s propeller and shafting, centrifugal pumps, fuel and lube oil purifiers, integrated bridge electronics, integrated propulsion, main diesel generator and steering gear components, the Defense Department said.
The Navy will obligate $65.9 million in fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion funds at the time of award.
Work will take place in San Diego, with the rest of the work to take place in various U.S. locations and Busan, South Korea through May 2019.
The Expeditionary Sea Base can accommodate up to 250 personnel and is designed for operations such as Air Mine Counter Measures, counter-piracy, maritime security, humanitarian aid, disaster relief and U.S. Marine Corps crisis response.
The ship contains a 52,000-square-foot flight deck as well as spaces for equipment and mission planning.
The Naval Sea Systems Command awarded the sole-source contract.
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Scripps scientists test new
smoking cessation treatment
Scientists at Scripps Research have successfully tested a potential new smoking-cessation treatment in rodents. In a study published online in Science Advances on Oct. 17, 2018, the scientists gave nicotine-dependent rats an engineered enzyme that breaks down nicotine in the bloodstream before it can reach the brain. Treatment quickly reduced the animals’ motivation to take nicotine, reversed their signs of nicotine dependence, and kept them from relapsing when they were given access to nicotine again.
“This is a very exciting approach because it can reduce nicotine dependence without inducing cravings and other severe withdrawal symptoms, and it works in the bloodstream, not the brain, so its side effects should be minimal,” says principal investigator Olivier George, associate professor at Scripps Research.
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Report: Insurance reform measure
saved California drivers $154 billion
The Consumer Federation of America reports that Proposition 103, the insurance reform law passed by California voters in November 1988, has saved drivers $154 billion on their auto insurance. The report also found that the law has lowered auto liability premiums in Californiaby 5.7 percent since 1989, even as liability premiums increased 58.5 percent across the rest of the country.
The Consumer Federation of America credited the savings and stability of rates to the provisions in Proposition 103 that require insurance companies to justify and get approval for rate increases, allow the public to challenge unfair insurance company practices and excessive rates, and that made the insurance commissioner an elected post. Californians will elect a new insurance commissioner next month.
Insurance companies filed over 100 lawsuits to block Proposition 103 from taking effect. In May 1989, the California Supreme Court unanimously upheld all major provisions of the law. 103 forced insurance companies to pay over $2 billion in refunds for overcharges between 1987 and 1988.
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Joint ventures formed to deliver
expanded health care in region
Select Medical Corporation, UC San Diego Health and Vibra Healthcare, LLC announced the formation of two joint ventures to serve San Diego and its surrounding communities. Under the agreements, one joint venture will operate a critical illness recovery hospital, also known as long-term acute care, and the other will operate an inpatient rehabilitation hospital.
“These partnerships represent best-in-class health systems coming together under a common mission to deliver superior post-acute care,” said Select Medical President and Chief Executive Officer David Chernow. “Our collective commitment to clinical excellence, an exceptional patient experience and best outcomes will provide unmatched health care services for the growing patient population throughout Southern California.”
As part of the joint ventures, Vibra Healthcare contributed its existing Vibra Hospital of San Diego, maintaining majority ownership. Select Medical will serve as the new operating manager of the hospital, renaming it Select Specialty Hospital – San Diego. It will mark the 99th critical illness recovery hospital within Select Medical’s nationwide network.
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Personnel Announcements
Dori Abel joins Bridgepoint Education
Bridgepoint Education Inc. announced the appointment of Dori Abel to the position of vice president of corporate communications. Abel will oversee and provide strategic direction to investor relations, internal and external communications, public and media relations, and corporate social media for Bridgepoint and its universities.
Prior to joining Bridgepoint, Abel served as the senior vice president of communications at Synchrony Financial, where she led the communications for the organization’s initial public offering (IPO) and separation from GE, and supported its new brand creation and launch.
Abel has also been the chief marketing officer at Archstone Consulting and has held several marketing and communication roles at Pitney Bowes, Madison Square Garden Network, UPS, Thomson McKinnon Securities and IBM. She has been awarded a Public Relations Society of America Bronze Anvil award for her communication work.
