Daily Business Report – March 9, 2021
Petco and San Diego Padres announce park naming rights extension
Petco and the San Diego Padres announced an agreement to extend the naming rights for Petco Park through the 2027 Major League Baseball season. The two-year extension on this now 17-year relationship is emblematic of the continued strength and recognition of the iconic Petco brand and the company’s strong roots in San Diego, according to the announcement.
In line with its health and wellness focus, Petco is also entering into a unique strategic partnership with Padres players and pet parents Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., finding ways to improve the well-being of both pets and their parents.
Under the new agreement, Petco will continue to be featured prominently throughout the ballpark with dynamic signage featuring its new logo, and will continue to partner with the Padres on exciting activations and promotions during each season. As part of the partnership with Machado and Tatis Jr., Petco will collaborate with the players on social and digital content, as well as other activations centered around Petco’s health and wellness focus so fans can take their pet parenthood to the next level.
California to get another massive infusion of cash
CalMatters
California’s coffers — already overflowing with a $25.3 billion surplus — could soon see another massive infusion of cash.
California’s state and local governments are set to reap $40 billion of the $1.9 trillion federal stimulus package that narrowly passed the Senate on Saturdayand which President Joe Biden is expected to sign this week after a final vote in the House of Representatives.
The massive measure, which represents nearly one-tenth of the U.S. economy, closely follows a $7.6 billion state stimulus package Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law late last month. It also fulfills one of Newsom’s major requests of the federal government: The governor in January asked Biden to provide emergency funding for state and local governments after it wasn’t included in the December stimulus package.
The American Rescue Plan also includes $1,400 stimulus payments for millions of Americans and supplemental unemployment benefits of $300 per week through Sept. 6. This could spell trouble for California’s beleaguered unemployment department, which just began certifying on Sunday claimants’ benefits from the December stimulus package.
Big venues are reopening — will schools?
CalMatters
Amusement parks, outdoor sports and live performance venues can reopen April 1 with restrictions, Newsom administration officials said Friday in the latest announcement propelling California into its fastest reopening yet. The news came the same day Newsom signed a $6.6 billion package aimed at getting kids back into the classroom, though it appears Disneyland may reopen before many of the state’s largest urban districts. Oakland Unified has yet to reach an agreement with its teachers union. Although San Francisco school officials announced a tentative deal with the district’s union to bring some elementary students back to campus on April 12, the agreement has yet to be finalized. And around 91% of teachers in the union representing Los Angeles Unified voted Friday to not return to in-person learning until all of its demands are met.
SDSU’s Fowler College of Business hosts Women in Leadership Conference
Timed with Women’s History Month, this week, San Diego State University’s Fowler College of Business will host the fifth Annual Women in Leadership Conference. The virtual event will be held Wednesday, March 10 – Thursday, March 11, 2021.
The virtual conference will feature female trailblazers in the areas of digital technology, entrepreneurship, professional sports, media, and entertainment. The Women in Leadership guest speakers will share their stories while offering insights and feedback through keynote presentations, panel discussions, and interactive workshops designed to discuss how they navigated a path to success in their chosen fields.
This year’s conference is free and open to all students, faculty, staff, and community members. Those interested in attending can register any time before March 10.
Carlsbad industrial property sold for $5.24 million
A private buyer has acquired an industrial property in Carlsbad for $5.24 million, or $237 per square foot. Located at 5816 Dryden Place, the 22,156-square-foot property was 100 percent leased at the time of the sale and anchored by San Diego Legion Rugby (SDLR). SDLR uses the building for its corporate headquarters and state-of-the-art training facility. The building is less than three miles from I-5, connecting the area to the rest of San Diego County.
CBRE’s Matt Pourcho, Matt Harris, Anthony DeLorenzo and Gary Stache, along with leasing expert Hank Jenkins of Colliers International, represented the seller, Encinitas-based real estate investment firm Stos Partners, in the transaction.
UC San Diego alumni tapped to serve in the Biden administration
Five University of California San Diego alumni have been nominated or appointed to positions within President Joe Biden’s administration, adding to a long list of university alumni and faculty leaders who have served the nation in high-level roles. In addition, one alum was tapped to serve as part of an agency review team for the Biden-Harris transition.
These UC San Diego-connected individuals will be involved in the new President’s administration in a variety of ways, implementing Biden’s agenda and driving groundbreaking impact in sectors ranging from education to finance. Some of these critical positions include newly created roles on the National Security Council and at the Office of Science and Technology Policy, as well as the No. 2 position in the Department of Education. Through their work, each alum will play a crucial part in efforts ranging from managing the nation’s relationship with Asian countries to protecting the rights of individuals and entities from unlawful discrimination.
Click here for the names and backgrounds of the alumni.
Cal State San Marcos earns Gold rating for sustainability achievements
Cal State San Marcos has earned a STARS Gold Rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
STARS is the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System that measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education. CSUSM’s report is available on the STARS website.
“This is a true testament to our whole community working together to integrate sustainability into the fabric of our campus,” said Juliana Goodlaw-Morris, CSUSM’s sustainability manager. “Obviously, COVID has thrown us for a loop, but now more than ever, it is important for us to become a more sustainable and resilient campus and utilize new ways of thinking and doing to ensure CSUSM continues to lead for many years to come.”
Three-layered masks most effective against large respitatory droplets
Researchers have shown that three-layered surgical masks are more effective than single or double-layered masks at stopping large droplets from a cough or sneeze from penetrating through the mask.
Fine particulate matter from wildfire smoke more harmful than pollution from other sources
Researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography examining 14 years of hospital admissions data conclude that the fine particles in wildfire smoke can be several times more harmful to human respiratory health than particulate matter from other sources such as car exhaust. While this distinction has been previously identified in laboratory experiments, the new study confirms it at the population level.
Qualcomm redefining wireless audio with launch of Qualcomm Snapdragon sound
Qualcomm Technologies International Ltd. announced Qualcomm Snapdragon Sound technology, an optimized chain of audio innovations and software designed to provide seamless, immersive audio in, and across, devices including smartphones, wireless earbuds and headsets.
Snapdragon Sound is designed to provide a superior sound experience for consumers while listening to streaming music, communicating on the phone, or wirelessly gaming, the company said. To coincide with this launch, Amazon Music and Qualcomm Technologies also announced a curated Snapdragon Sound Playlist.
General Atomics’ Avenger ER receives FAA Experimental Certificate
General Atomics announced that its company-owned Avenger ER achieved a company milestone as it received an FAA-issued Experimental Certificate (EC) enabling the “Extended Range” Avenger to perform expanded operations in the U.S. National Airspace System.
In related news, GA-ASI also announced that its fleet of Avenger aircraft, which are engaged in a number of advanced test or research projects, surpassed the 30,000 flight hour milestone in February 2021. One project in which the Avengers are engaged is supporting the U.S. Air Force’s Skyborg Vanguard Program, which is pushing the boundaries in teaming autonomous systems with human-crewed platforms.
