Daily Business Report-March 31, 2020
California State Senate President Toni Atkins working from home, with dog Joey. (Photo via Instagram)
State Senate President Toni Atkins:
A day in the sheltering-in-place life
by Emily Hoeven | CalMatters
What’s it like for the president of the state Senate to shelter in place at home in San Diego?
“Can I tell you, I love being home. I have to be honest,” Sen. Toni Atkins told me over the phone Friday, from a makeshift office in her 1,400-square-foot craftsman house in San Diego’s South Park neighborhood.
In a routine different from her normal schedule, Atkins said she and her spouse, Jennifer LeSar, wake up around 6 a.m. and take a three- to four-mile walk with their beloved dog, Joey, before eating breakfast (a piece of high-fiber toast and juice). Then she moves to her workspace: a couch, laptop, iPad and coffee, with Joey nearby.
Atkins said she’s busy with constituent questions, Senate work, her office staff and two calls a week with the governor. Because she calls herself “technologically challenged,” work is done mostly over the phone, not Zoom or Google video chats.
The workflow is different from Sacramento. “That pressure to schedule everything and meet with everyone … if it’s not a priority, it’s being deferred,” she said. Questions of going back into session and the COVID-19 crisis have replaced conversations about bills and other issues.
Midday is another walk around the neighborhood with Joey and lunch — usually a protein drink — with LeSar. Then it’s back to phone calls before an evening walk with the dog and dinner (usually salmon or chicken with vegetables and a beer or two).
To wind down, Atkins and LeSar play three games of backgammon, read and catch up on Oscar-nominated movies like “The Two Popes” and “The Irishman.” Atkins has been going to bed at 10 p.m. — for the first time in 25 years of public service, there aren’t any community meetings to attend.
“Maybe the universe is telling us it’s OK to take a break,” she said.
The Legislature is scheduled to return to session April 13. But … “it is a week by week” determination, Atkins said.
____________________________
BAE unit to modernize USS Boxer
under potential $207 million contract
Govcon Wire
BAE Systems’ San Diego Ship Repair business has won a potential $207.5 million contract to modernize, repair and maintain a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship for the U.S. Navy.
The company will perform these services as part of USS Boxer docking and selected restricted availability efforts, the Department of Defense said Friday.
Naval Sea Systems Command received two offers for the firm-fixed-price contract and will obligate $200.3 million at the time of award.
DoD expects the project to conclude by December of next year.
____________________________
One upside of the coronavirus
shutdown, maybe? Fewer voter initiatives
By Laurel Rosenhall, CalMatters
California voters may experience a small silver lining amid the coronavirus pandemic: a shorter November ballot, featuring fewer of the statewide propositions that often put voters in the middle ofconfusing industry fights.
nitiative proponents have until the end of April to collect the signatures they need to put their ideas on the ballot —and with millions of Californians staying home, and practicing social distancing when they go out, it may be impossible for some campaigns to collect enough signatures in time.
“People aren’t out in public, and those who are out in public aren’t inclined to approach a stranger, take a pen, and stand within 6 feet to put something on the ballot,” said Brian Brokaw, a Democratic political consultant who has beeninvolved in several potential ballot measures.
Normally presidential election years attract a slew of initiatives, as campaigns —particularly those pushing liberal ideas —seek approval from a larger and more diverse electorate. Though we won’t know until July exactly how many propositions will be on the ballot, it appears likely that it will be a lot less than in 2016, when Californians voted on17 statewide ballot measures. Political insiders estimate the final number for 2020 will be in the range of six to 10.
____________________________
Qualcomm names Heather Ace as
executive vice president of human resources
Qualcomm Incorporated announced the appointment of Heather Ace as executive vice president of human resources. She will join Qualcomm’s executive committee and report to Qualcomm CEO, Steven Mollenkopf.
Michelle Sterling, executive vice president of human resources who has worked at Qualcomm for 25 years, is retiring.
Ace brings nearly 20 years of human resources experience to Qualcomm, having served most recently as the chief human resources officer at Dexcom, a San Diego-based medical device company.
At Dexcom, she was a member of the executive leadership team and led all aspects of HR. She also worked closely with the board of directors and compensation committee, and played a key role in aligning the executive leadership team on companywide strategic priorities and operational planning and execution.
Throughout her career, Ace has held a variety of leadership positions overseeing HR, communications, mergers and acquisitions and transformational change initiatives. Prior to Dexcom, Ace served as the EVP of global HR at Orexigen Therapeutics, the business integration leader for Royal Philips’ HealthTech acquisition of Volcano Corporation, the EVP of global HR at Volcano Corporation, and held various HR executive roles at Life Technologies.
____________________________
Barona Resort & Casino extends closure to April 19
In response to the ongoing concerns about COVID-19, the Barona Band of Mission Indians is extending the closure of the Barona Resort & Casino through Sunday, April 19.
All Barona staff members will continue to receive pay and benefits during this time.
“Barona’s Tribal leaders will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation on a daily basis as the health and safety of our staff, players and community is our top priority,” the tribe said in a statement. “We anxiously await the day we can welcome our staff and players back home to Barona. For now, we hope to be able to re-open on Monday, April 20.
Leaders of the Jamul Indian Village have extended the closure of Jamul Casino from March 31 to April 12.
____________________________
2020 election: over 1 million ineligible
persons registered to vote in California
A review of California’s statewide voter database shows that 13 counties have more registered voters than eligible citizens — totaling over 1 million ineligible registrants — says Election Integrity Project, California. The overage was calculated by adding together each county’s active and inactive-status registrants and comparing the total to the estimated number of eligible citizens from the California Secretary of State’s website. Both sources are dated Feb. 18, 2020.
Six counties have the most ineligible registrants and contribute most to the one million+ ineligibles count. The full list includes Imperial, Lassen, Marin, Nevada, Plumas, Santa Clara and Siskiyou counties.
____________________________
Universe Holdings acquires Serena Vista
apartments in La Mesa for $34.45 million
Universe Holdings has acquired Serena Vista, a 110-unit apartment community in La Mesa for $34.45 million. With the acquisition of Serena Vista, located at 5810 Amaya Drive, Universe increases its footprint in La Mesa to 300 units, which are spread out among four properties.
Serena Vista, built in 1971, features one- and two-bedroom apartment homes in 17 low-rise residential buildings on a 5.17 acres site. Property amenities include a swimming pool, spa, two laundry facilities, fitness center, a clubhouse with kitchen area, garages and covered parking with storage. The property has undergone significant interior and exterior upgrades, with Universe planning to institute a light capital improvement plan aimed at upgrading the property’s common areas.
____________________________
ColRich purchases Airway Gardens
development site for $14.4 million
San Diego-based residential real estate firm ColRich has purchased Airway Gardens, a 13.1-acre multifamily development site in Otay Mesa, for $14.4 million.
The property is located at the intersection of Britannia Boulevard and Airway Road in the South San Diego submarket. The site is zoned for 15 to 44 units per acre and could be developed as either for-sale or rental housing.
CBRE’s Kevin Mulhern and Rob Hixson represented the seller, Airway Gardens Corporation, an entity managed by San Diego-based real estate development firm Murphy Development Company, in the transaction. ColRich represented itself.
