Daily Business Report
Thursday, August 19, 2021
Who is John Cox and what would
he do as California governor?
By Ben Christopher | CalMatters
Imagine a California governor who rolls back today’s mask and vaccine mandates, actively campaigns against Democrats in the Legislature who block his policies, and makes the expansion of oil and gas exploration the cornerstone of California’s climate change policy.
Things would certainly be different under a Gov. John Cox.
That is, if voters decide Sept. 14 to remove Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and if Cox wins the most votes among 46 replacement candidates.
In a 90-minute interview with CalMatters reporters and editors, the Republican businessperson drew sharp contrasts with Newsom; spoke about his plans to upend state policy on taxes, homelessness, healthcare and education; and explained — he hopes for the last time — why he took to the campaign trail with a Kodiak bear.
PHOTO: Recall candidate John Cox speaks during a campaign event at Miller Regional Park in Sacramento on May 4, 2021. (Photo by Anne Wernikoff, CalMatters)
Indian gaming revenues drop by almost
20 percent in 2020 due to COVID-19
The voluntary closures of Indian gaming casinos during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic contributed to a severe hit in gaming revenues last year. Figures released Tuesday by the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) revealed gross gaming revenue (GGR) for fiscal 2020 of $27.8 billion — a steep decline from fiscal 2019.
The reduction in gaming revenue was revealed by the NIGC’s Indian Gaming Commission’s Chairman E. Sequoyah Simermeyer and Vice Chair Jeannie Hovland during the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association Conference in Oklahoma City, Okla. Last year was the first year since 2006 there was a decrease in GGR for Indian gaming casinos, according to the report.
During FY 2019, gross gaming revenue was $34.6 billion. The figures released Tuesday reflect a decline of gross gaming revenue of $6.7 billion, a decrease of 19.5 percent.
San Diego County has the largest concentration ofIndian casinos in the nation with 10 locations.
San Diego County median home price
up by 19.6 percent from July 2020
The median sales price of an existing single-family home in San Diego County declined 0.6 percent from June to July — from $865,000 to $860,000 — but is up 19.6 percent from July 2020, when it was $719,000, according to the California Association of Realtors.
Total sales of existing single-family homes in the county were down 7.4 percent from June, but up 1.4 percent from July 2020.
After setting record highs for the past four consecutive months, California’s median home price slipped 1 percenton a month-to-month basis to $811,170 in July, down from June’s $819,630 and up 21.7 percent from the $666,320 recorded last July. The median price in California remained above the $800,000 benchmark for the fourth consecutive month.
Conrad Prebys Foundation gifts $25,000 to
college district for Promise program
The San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) has received $25,000 from The Conrad Prebys Foundation for the San Diego Promise program, which allows students at San Diego City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges to attend tuition-free.
More than 4,000 students are anticipated to enroll in the San Diego Promise program for the fall 2021 semester at the SDCCD. The $25,000 donation is part of the district’s larger fundraising efforts for the tuition-free promise program, which is recognized as one of the largest and most successful promise programs in the U.S.
“The Conrad Prebys Foundation is among the leading philanthropic institutions in San Diego,” said SDCCD Chancellor Carlos O. Turner Cortez. “Thanks to the Foundation’s generosity, the San Diego Promise program will be able to support students not eligible to receive federal financial aid, and who otherwise may not have an opportunity to pursue higher education.”
County supervisors adopt resolution favoring
removal of spent nuclear fuel from coastline
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution in support of Action for Spent Fuel Solutions Now, a coalition formed to advocate for the relocation of spent nuclear fuel from the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) to an offsite federally licensed storage or disposal facility. Supervisors voted 5-0 in favor of the resolution, joining Orange County, the Capistrano Unified School District, and the City of San Clemente in lending support to the coalition.
Southern California Edison (SCE) retired SONGS in 2013 and has since moved the spent fuel into dry storage, where it sits today with nowhere to send it. Under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, the federal government was required by law to take possession and begin disposing of spent nuclear fuel in 1998. However, they have yet to deliver an offsite solution. This must occur in order for SONGS to be fully decommissioned and for the land to be restored and returned to the U.S. Navy to support its national defense mission of training Marines.
SVA Architects relocates San Diego office
to The Bungalows in Del Mar
SVA Architects has relocated its San Diego operations to The Bungalows in Del Mar at 2010 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Suite 105.
Renovated in 2020, SVA’s new office at The Bungalows features high ceilings, electric car charging, onsite food and coffee, surfboard and bike storage, and shower facilities.
“As a firm, we believe that culture and place are critical for design inspiration. The Bungalows in Del Mar offers a forward-thinking, creative atmosphere that will allow our staff to thrive and continue delivering extraordinary architecture to our diverse clients,” said Robert Simons, president of SVA Architects.
Shari Finney named new regional clinic
director at San Diego mental health center
The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Veterans Village of San Diego, a mental health clinic for post-9/11 veterans, service members and their families, announced the promotion of Shari Finney from clinic director to regional clinic director. Finney will oversee operations for the existing Cohen Clinic in San Diego, as well as two additional clinics opening soon in Southern California.
A California native whose father served in the U.S. Air Force, Finney is a licensed marriage and family therapist with more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit management and clinical experience. Prior to this recent appointment, she was the Clinic Director for the Cohen Clinic at VVSD for three years. She also served on the Board of Directors of the Regional Task Force for the Homeless and the Social Action Collaborative for eight years and the Council to End Homelessness during its inception.
Nikki Watkins, who had previously been the Cohen Clinic at VVSD’s associate clinic director and lead clinician, was promoted to clinic director for the San Diego Cohen Clinic, as well as the Cohen Clinic coming soon to Oceanside.
QDOBA Mexican eats promotes
Eric Williams to chief operating officer
QDOBA, the Mexican restaurant chain, announced the promotion of Eric Williams, a seasoned food service industry executive with more than 30 years of experience, to chief operating officer.
Previously, Williams served as vice president of franchise and license operations, and in his new role will oversee more than 740 QDOBA locations across the U.S. and Canada and support QDOBA franchise owners.
Williams joined QDOBA in October 2019 as director of operations with over 30 years of experience in the food service industry, including restaurant, franchise and corporate operations, as well as multi-unit franchise ownership. Prior to QDOBA, he served as the chief operating officer for CKE Restaurant Holdings Inc., parent company to Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s.
UC San Diego breaks record with
$1.54 billion in research funding
During a year when much work around the world ground to a halt, researchers at the University of California San Diego were busier than ever working on ways to better understand the movement of SARS-CoV-2; using data science to help predict wildfire behavior; and assessing the risks of weather extremes such as flooding and sea level rise. This work was supported by a record-breaking year of research funding.
In fiscal year 2021 (July 1-June 30), UC San Diego earned $1.54 billion in sponsored research funding, a 6 percent increase over the previous year. This is the largest number ever for the university and marks the 12th consecutive year the campus has earned more than $1 billion in funding to support its extensive research enterprise.
Funding from federal agencies reached $891 million, an increase of 7.1% from last year’s number. The largest portion of federal funding came from the National Institutes of Health at $549 million.
$1.54 billion in research funding supports work across campus, including Assistant Professor of Chemistry Julia Stauber’s lab.
Salk receives INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine’s
2021 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award
The Salk Institute’s Education Outreach program has received the 2021 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education.
The Inspiring Programs in STEM Award honors colleges and universities that encourage and assist students from underrepresented groups to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Salk will be featured, along with 78 other recipients, in the September 2021 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.
INSIGHT Into Diversity selected Salk’s Education Outreach program for its continued efforts in delivering innovative, engaging STEM learning experiences to thousands of San Diego students, many of whom come from underrepresented and underserved communities.
DivX renews licensing agreement
with Samsung Electronics Co.
San Diego-based DivX, LLC, a pioneer in digital video technology, announced that it has renewed its licensing agreement with Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. to support DivX video playback on Samsung’s consumer electronics devices.
Samsung Electronics, a DivX licensee since 2003, will continue to offer consumers the ability to enjoy DivX video files on select devices. Consumers can find out whether DivX is supported on these Samsung devices by viewing the product manual available on Samsung.com or the retailer’s product description page.
Airport Authority accepting applications for
Airport Authority Advisory Committee
The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority is accepting applications from members of the public to serve on the Airport Authority’s Advisory Committee. There are two vacancies, the term of office for each vacancy is two years beginning October 2021. The Authority Advisory Committee was established to assist the Airport Authority Board in its responsibilities related to airport planning and development activities.
To apply, individuals must fill out an application form and send it via email to clerk@san.org by 5 p.m. on Aug. 20.
California Gubernatorial Recall Election:
Sept. 14, 2021
Every active registered voter will receive a ballot in the mail for the upcoming gubernatorial recall election. Voters will have the option to return their ballot by mail or at one of many convenient mail ballot drop-off locations around the county.
Why are we having an election?
California is one of 19 states that allows any elected official to be “recalled”. For the first time in nearly 20 years, California will hold an election that asks voters if they want to remove the governor from office.
The ballot will ask two questions:
1) Do you want to recall the governor?
2) If recalled, who do you want to replace him?
Will there be In-person Voting Locations?
Yes. In-person Voting Locations will be open across the county for four days, Saturday, September 11 – Tuesday, September 14.
Avoid lines and vote early:
At the Registrar’s office beginning August 16, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
At a voting location near you or the Registrar’s office Saturday, September 11 through Monday, September 13, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
All will again be open on Election Day when the voting hours will change to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
SANDAG opens registration for
Rideshare Week Oct. 4-8
As San Diego region commuters prepare to return to the office, the SANDAG iCommute program is preparing for Rideshare Week, Monday, Oct. 4 through Friday, Oct. 8. Rideshare Week 2021 is presented in partnership with Commute with Enterprise, one of SANDAG’s approved vanpool vendors.
Rideshare Week is a nationally recognized event hosted across the country to celebrate alternate modes of transportation. This year, residents are encouraged to share the ride as they return to their commutes.
“Rideshare Week is about changing people’s habits and reducing emissions for a faster, fairer, and cleaner transportation system,” said SANDAG Chair and Encinitas Mayor Catherine Blakespear. “Carpooling is a great way for people to interact, rest, read, or catch up on work while someone else is driving.“
Employers can now register to participate and encourage employees who are returning to their commute to share the ride by choosing to carpool, vanpool, or take transit during Rideshare Week. Registration is now open at iCommuteSD.com/Rideshare.
