Daily Business Report: Monday, Aug. 22, 2022
Snapdragon Stadium ribbon-cutting ceremony
ushers in new era at San Diego State University
Standing a stone’s throw from where San Diego State University and City of San Diego leaders first broke ground just two years earlier, community members gathered once again, this time as part of a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday to celebrate the completion of construction on Snapdragon Stadium – the new home of SDSU Aztec Football, the San Diego Wave Fútbol Club, and a year-round, cutting-edge entertainment venue for the greater San Diego region.
Aztec football has been without a true home stadium since 1967, when the team played in the historic Aztec Bowl. Now, with the vision of SDSU Mission Valley quickly taking shape, the 35,000 seat Snapdragon Stadium is in place to serve the region for decades to come.
On Sept. 3, when the SDSU Aztec football team plays the University of Arizona Wildcats in the season home opener, the stadium’s deliberate, thoughtful design will be on full display.
Premium, centralized seating can be found close to the bottom level to bring fans closer to the action, while the Sycuan Piers, inspired by San Diego’s coastlines, provides spectators with a unique view as a portion of the piers juts out toward the field.
University of San Diego named ‘Most Beautiful Campus’
The University of San Diego has the most beautiful campus in the nation, according to The Princeton Review. The education services company ranked USD #1 on its list of Top 25 Most Beautiful Campuses in the country. The annual ranking is one of many featured in the publication’s 2023 edition of “The Best 388 Colleges.”
Traditionally, USD ranks high in the category and was last awarded the top honor in 2017. In 2021, The Princeton Review named USD its sixth most beautiful campus, along with eighth in Best Quality of Life, 14th in Most Popular Study Abroad Program and 18th in Green Colleges.
The rankings are based on survey results from more than 160,000 students across the nation and include categories including financial aid, career services, sustainability and quality of life. In February, Travel+Leisure named USD one of the most beautful college campuses and Best Choice Schools ranked Alcalá Park its most beautiful urban campus in the United States.
— USD News Center
Using stem cells to study the biochemistry of learning
Researchers from the Conrad Prebys Center for Chemical Genomics have developed a procedure to use neurons derived from human stem cells to study the biological processes that control learning and memory.
The method, described in Stem Cell Reports, uses electrodes to measure the activity of neuronal networks grown from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The procedure tracks how synapses—the connections between neurons—strengthen over time, a process called long-term potentiation (LTP).
“Impaired long-term potentiation is thought to be central to many neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s, addiction and schizophrenia,” says senior author Anne Bang, Ph.D., director of Cell Biology at the Prebys Center. “We’ve developed an approach to study this process in human cells much more efficiently than current methods, which could help trigger future breakthroughs for researchers working on these diseases.”
LTP helps our brain encode information, which is what makes it so critical for learning and memory. Impairment of LTP is thought to contribute to neurological diseases, but it has proven difficult to verify this hypothesis in human cells.
UC San Diego receives $1.3 million
to study origins of dementia
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have received a $1.3 million grant from the W. M. Keck Foundation for a project that could help scientists better understand the role misfolded tau proteins play in causing neurodegenerative diseases like dementia, which may lead to more effective drug therapies.
The grant will go to three principal investigators on the project: Fleur Ferguson, Johannes Schöneberg and Gal Mishne. Ferguson and Schöneberg are both assistant professors in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; Mishe is an assistant professor in the Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute.
The lifetime risk of developing dementia is one in three, and it is currently estimated that nearly 6 million people suffer from some form of dementia in the United States alone. According to the World Health Organization, dementia is currently the seventh leading cause of death among all diseases and one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people globally. With no approved disease-modifying drug therapies currently available, there is an urgent, unmet clinical need for the growing population of patients.
Airshare selects Viasat in-flight
Connectivity for new aircraft deliveries
Viasat Inc. announced that it will install its high-performance, Ka-band in-flight connectivity (IFC) system on Airshare’s new Bombardier Challenger 350 deliveries and future Challenger 3500 deliveries that begin next year. The first installation on an Airshare Challenger 350 was completed in July 2022, with additional installations occurring over the second half of this year.
By selecting Viasat, Airshare will provide fractional owners traveling on these aircraft a high-speed connectivity solution during all phases of flight, including taxi, takeoff and landing. Viasat’s high speed connectivity will enable Airshare passengers to enjoy the same connected services in the air as they do on the ground, including high-quality video streaming, video conferencing, access to corporate VPN, and more. Viasat’s satellite capacity will enable all devices onboard to stream simultaneously, even in dense geographical areas with heavy aviation traffic.
“Excellent connectivity is no longer simply a nice-to-have amenity while in-flight,” said John Owen, president and CEO of Airshare. “Airshare’s best-in-class service demands a reliable connectivity solution that provides fast speeds and a consistent connection from takeoff to touchdown. Our owners want to stay productive, stream video, and otherwise stay in touch with what’s happening on the ground.”
Konover South heads west with property
acquisition for a multifamily project
Konover South and partner Greython Construction announced the acquisition of a .40 acre of land in the Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego. An approximate 8-story, 180-unit multi-family project is planned for the site. Design and permitting will begin shortly and is expected to take 12-18 months.
The property sits on two hard corners of Fifth Avenue just north of Downtown San Diego and two blocks from Balboa Park. This historic 1,200-acre park is home to an array of performing arts venues, recreational facilities, over 15 museums, and the world-famous San Diego Zoo. The area offers an array of bars, restaurants, coffee houses, and unique shops within a pedestrian-friendly environment.
“We are pleased to announce our first acquisition into the California market and to be part of this exciting project which will bring more units to an area in need of housing.” Said David Coppa, CEO of Konover South. “The City of San Diego has done a great job of assisting in the process to help these needed developments come to market as quickly as possible.”
Living Coast Discovery Center breaks
Fundraising and sustainability records
The Living Coast Discovery Center, a nonprofit zoo/aquarium located on San Diego Bay in Chula Vista, raised $137,000 in net proceeds at its 13th annual Farm to Bay event on Saturday, August 6. The sold out fundraiser broke the event’s previous record set at $114,000 in 2019.
The funds, raised through a combination of sponsorships, ticket sales, auction proceeds, and Raise the Paddle donations, will be used to support coastal wildlife conservation, education and sustainability programs throughout the year.
Additionally, the Living Coast Sustainability Team reported that 96 percent of event waste was diverted from the landfill, the highest waste diversion rate in the event’s 13-year history. The 300+ person event only generated 14.3 pounds of trash, equating to 1.5 kitchen garbage bags. The City of Chula Vista’s commercial composting facility and the use of many reusable and/or compostable items during the event contributed to this success.
In keeping with the organization’s environmental mission, the Living Coast takes steps each year towards producing a Zero-Waste event by working closely with its partners to reduce overall waste and offer earth-friendly materials. Event waste is hand-sorted and composted on-site by a team of volunteer master composters.
Junior Achievement of San Diego receives
$1.1 million gift from world’s richest woman
Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, considered the world’s richest woman, has recognized the local impact of Junior Achievement of San Diego County by making a gift of $1.1 million. JA San Diego is one of 26 local JA’s that received a direct investment from Ms. Scott, who invested more than $38.8 million combined in the national organization and local offices.
“We’re so grateful to Ms. Scott and her team for this investment in San Diego youth,” said JA San Diego Board Co-Chair and CEO of Mission Fed Credit Union, Debra Schwartz. “This gift will allow JA San Diego to expand our services to serve more youth, in more ways, across more of San Diego County.”
JA San Diego has been synonymous with unique opportunities like The McGrath Family JA BizTown, Mission Fed JA Finance Park, and the JA Fellows at Lincoln High School. Through multiple programs, they are empowering more than 20,000 students annually through tangible skill development, access to social capital, and direct connections to careers.
Carbon dioxide shortage forces temporary
Closure of four San Diego city pools
As a result of a nationwide shortage of carbon dioxide (CO2), due in large part to supply chain issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of San Diego announced it will be temporarily closing four of its municipal pools beginning today.
CO2 is used to help balance and maintain the pH levels in the pool water.
The closures will allow pool maintenance staff to properly service and monitor the nine open pools to remain in compliance with County of San Diego environmental health guidelines for municipal pools. Programming currently scheduled at temporarily closed pools will be moved to neighboring municipal pool facilities.
The four pools that will temporarily close are:
- Carmel Valley, 3777 Townsgate Drive (residents are encouraged to visit any open pools).
- Colina Del Sol 4150 54th Place (programming will be absorbed into City Heights Swim Center, 4380 Landis St.).
- Kearny Mesa, 3170 Armstrong St. (programming will be relocated to Swanson Pool, 3585 Governor Drive).
- Martin Luther King, Jr., 6401 Skyline Drive (programming will be absorbed into City Heights Swim Center, 4380 Landis St.).
Baton Rouge Capital Area Transit System launches
contactless transit payments by Cubic
The Capital Area Transit System (CATS) is introducing contactless payment across 25 bus lines in the Baton Rouge area, delivering payment convenience and improving safety for riders and operators. CATS selected Umo, an account-based fare collection platform by Cubic Transportation Systems, using funding from a federal grant under The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. With Umo, CATS riders can plan multi-modal journeys, make contactless payments, receive real-time travel information and earn rewards through fare capping.
CATS riders can manage their user account through the Umo platform, offering online or mobile transit account management and fare product purchases. Whether riders use a credit or debit card, pay with cash or do not have access to a smartphone, all riders will have the same experience with the power of Umo, which is structured to equitably serve communities with diverse needs.
