Daily Business Report: Monday, August 2, 2021
Visual Capitalist
Disposable face masks: A new pollution threat
In response to government mandates, the world’s factories produced 52 billion disposal face masks in 2020. It’s estimated that 1.6 billion of them ended up in our oceans. This equates to roughly 5,500 tons of plastic pollution.
It will take them 450 years to biodegrade.
Despite their single-use nature, disposable masks are expected to take more than four centuries to decompose while in the ocean.
These masks are commonly made of polypropylene, which easily breaks up into microplastics. While the effects of microplastics on human health are not yet determined, these fragments are incredibly common in our water supply— for example, 94 percent of U.S. tap water is deemed to be contaminated.
PHOTO: Disposable face mask in the ocean (Credit: The Conversation)
Northwest Pipe Company supplyint pipe for
landmark water reclamation project in San Diego
Northwest Pipe Company has been selected to supply pipe for the Pure Water San Diego project. This sustainable and environmentally-conscious project is a phased, multi-year program that will provide more than 40 percent of San Diego’s water supply by the end of 2035.
The City of San Diego is utilizing proven water purification technology to clean recycled water and produce safe, high-quality drinking water while reducing the amount of treated water discharged into the ocean. This cost-effective treatment will provide a reliable, sustainable water supply and reduce the City’s dependence on imported water.
Northwest Pipe Company will be manufacturing steel pipe for the North City Pure Water Pipeline, which is a critical component of Phase 1. When complete, the 7.54-mile pipeline will transport 30 million gallons per day of recycled water from Morena Pump Station to the Miramar Reservoir, where it will mix with imported and local water. The city will treat the water again before use.
The company is using over 3,220 tons of steel to manufacture the 48-inch diameter engineered steel pipeline. The pipe features cement mortar lining and cement mortar coating with a polyethylene tape wrap. Long Beach-based W.A. Rasic Construction is the installation contractor for this segment.
Dylan, 208-unit apartment complex
in Oceanside, sells for $74.1 million
The Dylan, a 208-unit apartment complex in Oceanside, has been sold for $74.1 million to 550 Los Arbolitos Owner LLC. The seller was 29th Street Capital.
Built in 1973, The Dylan’s unit mix is one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. The complex’s amenity package includes two swimming pools, two spas, a gym, and a business center. Previous ownership renovated approximately 50 percent of the interiors.
Christopher Zorbas, Alexander Garcia Jr., and Tyler J. Martin of Institutional Property Advisors, a division of Marcus & Millichap, represented the seller in the transaction.
Ballast Point Brewing Co. awards inaugural
‘Brewing for Diversity’ scholarships
When it came time to choose the recipient of UC San Diego Extension’s inaugural Brewing for Diversity Scholarship, the selection committee couldn’t decide between the two top candidates — Elia Gómez Smith and Skylar Holewinski — so they kicked the decision over to Ballast Point Brewing, the scholarship’s sponsor.
“The owners agreed that both were awesome and deserving, so they offered to award two scholarships instead of one,” said Misha Collins, Ballast Point’s community engagement manager.
Elia Gómez Smith currently works for UCSD Medical Center in a health care job made all the more difficult by the pandemic. Taking courses in brewing allows her to pursue a more creative and scientific endeavor. Based on her experience caring for others, she came up with a plan to focus on the elements of remembrance, tradition, and community in the beer industry.
Skylar Holewinski has a 15-year professional background in formal research with a focus in biopharma clinical trials. She finalized her degree in biology from UC San Diego later in life, at age 36. It became personally important to Skylar to find a viable path to utilize and strengthen her degree in a hands-on format. When she saw an announcement for the scholarship and the time flexibility of the program in brewing, it felt like a natural next step — and a different way to think about science.
Heidi Knuff named executive director
of San Diego Diplomacy Council
The San Diego Diplomacy Council has named Heidi Knuff as executive director to lead the nonprofit’s mission to deliver programs and services that promote trust, understanding and collaboration between San Diego and the world.
Knuff brings her expertise to a world-class team building the organization’s partnerships and programs within government, academia and the public and private sectors.
Knuff returns to the San Diego Diplomacy Council after an earlier five-year stint as director of custom programs and services and further experience serving as program manager at American Councils for International Education.
The nonprofit will maintain a hybrid model of in-person and virtual events and programs with a return to in-person programming this fall to welcome the return of international visitors to San Diego.
Jacobs Center appoints Carlette Lewis as
director of community relations, partnerships
The Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation has appointed Carlette Lewis as director of community relations and partnerships. Lewis will focus on working in partnership with local leaders and organizations to provide social services, resources and arts and culture opportunities for community needs, growth and well-being.
Lewis will concentrate on creating program partnerships and disseminating information regarding the nonprofit’s efforts to a wide range of community members, including neighborhood councils, planning groups, faith-based institutions, local leaders and regional partners.
Lewis’s career background in employer relations will support her efforts to work with partners to implement community connections and economic development work aligned with the Jacobs Center’s strategic plan. Longtime involvement in the Organizational Effectiveness Committee and her role as the chair of the Western Area Conference of the San Diego Chapter of The Links, Inc., one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer services committed to enriching culture and economic survival of African Americans, lends to her community advocacy and devotion.
Sentek Global acquired by Deloitte, expands
engineering and cyber systems to support Navy
Deloitte has acquired local cybersecurity and systems engineering firm Sentek Global to expand its presence in San Diego and boost its cybersecurity wor with branches of the military. The acquisition will help strengthen Deloitte’s ability to help government clients solve comple systems engineering and cybersecurity challenges, while also accelerating the scaling of its services for defense, security, and justice sector organization.s
In a record year, more San Diego startups secure VC
In a record year for VC in San Diego, two San Diego startups join in the celebration. Aristea Therapeutics, a clinical-stage immunology-focused drug, announced the closing of a $63 million Series B financing round. And in the same week, San Diego startup Wiliot, which has developed low-cost Bluetooth sensors to better manage inventory and reduce waste, raised a $200 million Series C from the Softbank Vision Fund.
Navy Region Southwest gets new commander
The San Diego-based Navy command in charge of the service’s bases across California and Nevada is changing hands, as one Navy admiral heads into retirement and another takes the reins in a role sometimes described as the “Navy Mayor” of San Diego.
Rear Adm. Stephen Barnett will assume command of Navy Region Southwest at a ceremony Friday at Naval Air Station North Island, the Navy said in a statement. He most recently served as the commander of Navy Region Northwest in Kitsap, Wash. and was the commanding officer of Naval Base Coronado from 2015 to 2016.
Barnett is taking over for Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar, who is retiring after more than 40 years of service.
Ocean Motion Technologies receives
$1.5 million from U.S. Department of Energy
Ocean Motion Technologies has been awarded $1.5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to fabricate a cost-effective, adaptive ocean wave energy device that can optimize its power output based on ambient environments for scientific and defense applications. This will enable the development of renewable energy powered systems that operate in the ocean for long periods of time without power constraints.
Spin showcases cutting-edge scooter
to San Diego city officials, local leaders
Spin, an industry leader in electric scooters and a micromobility unit of Ford Motor Company, provided a live demo at San Diego Civic Center Plaza on July 29 to show how its innovative e-scooters use artificial intelligence to combat sidewalk riding and unacceptable parking habits.
The cutting-edge scooters are equipped with on-vehicle artificial intelligence platforms to help riders make safer riding decisions. Spin Insight uses artificial intelligence to detect when a rider is on a sidewalk and warn them to move to a bike lane. Future versions of the technology will also allow the scooter to automatically reduce speed when a rider is riding on a sidewalk.
The technology can also be used to detect improper parking and share information with San Diego officials to help them make data-led decisions about where to install bike lanes and other micromobility infrastructure.
“This technology is unlike any solution currently available and directly addresses these concerns,” said Spin’s Head of Government Partnerships—West, Alex April. “Spin Insight can mitigate problems San Diegans have experienced with irresponsible scooter ridership and parking habits.”
Spin plans to submit qualifications for its Spin Insight fleet to the City of San Diego when the city issues a request for proposals later this year. If selected, Spin would work with the city to determine the number and location of Spin Insight scooters deployed.
