Daily Business Report: Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022
A call for space safety for all
FCC clears way for SpaceX to launch thousands more satellites,
potentially fueling significant environmental and space issues
Viasat post
In a single decision, the Federal Communications Commission authorized SpaceX to operate more satellites in 15 years than have been launched, total, in all of human history—and it did so without assessing the environmental impacts of that dramatic authorization.
By design, these satellites will be deployed into low-earth orbit (LEO), function for a few years, and then burn up in the earth’s atmosphere. The results could be startling: millions of pounds of harmful pollutants dumped into the atmosphere, where they will potentially affect climate change and harm the ozone layer, while the satellites may collide with each other and other objects in space, creating more space debris—and exponentially more collisions—that could ultimately make LEO unusable for a lifetime or more.
The Commission itself conceded that under The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) it must conduct at least an environmental assessment before issuing operating authority if SpaceX’s contemplated operations “may have a significant environmental impact.” We believe that legal standard was easily satisfied here. However, the Commission wrongly concluded that an EA was unnecessary here because it wasn’t certain exactly how bad this deployment might be for the environment.
Viasat and others thus sought legal clarity, explaining through hundreds of pages of briefing and more than 1,500 pages of academic studies and other exhibits, why SpaceX’s unprecedentedly large deployment of LEO satellites at the very least “may” significantly impact the environment from polluting the atmosphere to littering both space and Earth’s surface with dangerous debris.
Top Image: Courtesy of Viasat
Otay Mesa industrial development
financed with $35.35 million loan
JLL Capital Markets arranged $35.35 million in construction financing for the development of Phase II of Brown Field Technology Park, two to-be-built Class A industrial buildings totaling 203,244 square feet in Otay Mesa. JLL worked on behalf of the developer, San Diego-based Murphy Development Company (MDC), to place the non-recourse construction loan with a regional bank.
Phase II of Brown Field Technology Park will feature two modern state-of-the-art industrial buildings with clear heights ranging from 32 to 34 feet, up to 41 dock-high doors, up to eight grade-level doors, ESFR fire protection and low office finish. The buildings, which are anticipated to be delivered in the second quarter of 2023, are part of MDC’s Brown Field Technology Park, a 50-acre master-planned corporate industrial development in Otay Mesa that is entitled for more than 3.2 million square feet of state-of-the-art designed buildings.
The JLL Capital Markets Debt Advisory team that represented the borrower was led by Senior Managing Director Aldon Cole, Managing Director Bryan Clark and Associate Bradley Vansant.
Bill to expand abortion services in California passes Legislature
Legislation to allow qualified nurse practitioners to provide abortions without the supervision of a physician has been approved by the California Legislature. SB 1375 was authored by Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins’ (D-San Diego).
SB 1375, which now awaits Gov. Gavin Newsom’s action, is a critical component of a comprehensive package of reproductive health bills introduced this year by the California Legislative Women’s Caucus. Two of those bills, SB 245, authored by Sen. Lena Gonzalez (D-Long Beach) and AB 1666, authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda), have already been signed into law.
Atkins also led efforts to author a constitutional amendment to explicitly protect the right to abortion and contraception in the California State Constitution. SCA 10 was passed by the Legislature on June 27 and will go before voters in November as Proposition 1.
Walter J. and Betty C. Zable Foundation
gifts $2.5 million to Stadium Excellence Fund
Among the familiar names to be found throughout San Diego State University’s new Snapdragon Stadium are those of a San Diego couple remembered locally and nationally for their generosity. The Walter J. and Betty C. Zable Foundation SDSU President’s Suite is a grateful tribute by the university honoring the pair whose namesake foundation recently made a $2.5 million grant to the Stadium Excellence Fund.
The Stadium Excellence Fund was created to help pay for Snapdragon Stadium’s construction. The grant, however, will reach well beyond the football stadium according to Walter J. and Betty C. Zable Foundation Board President Warren Magill (’78).
“It was something good for the community,” said Magill, who holds a degree in accounting from SDSU and was the late Walter Zable’s longtime accountant. “With everything else that’s going on with SDSU Mission Valley, I think Walt would have liked not only the sports part of it, but the general impact as well.”
Formed in 1997, the foundation’s mission is to continue its founders’ legacy by encouraging and promoting health, science research, assisting with programs that benefit youth, underprivileged individuals, and sports-related activities primarily in San Diego County.
CaseyGerry’s Jay Paulino awarded ‘Investigator of the Year’
Jay Paulino, an in-house private investigator for San Diego-based law firm CaseyGerry, has been awarded “Investigator of the Year” by the California Association of Licensed Investigators (CALI), the largest private investigator association in the world.
Presented to the individual who has demonstrated outstanding professional service during the past year, the “Investigator of the Year” award is given to an investigator who has continually demonstrated: outstanding professional achievement;special contribution to the profession; exceptional service to the public.
According to the CALI criteria, Paulino demonstrated “outstanding professional achievement” by working on numerous cases with CaseyGerry attorneys, leading to successful outcomes for clients.
In the category of the “special contribution to the profession,” he has served in positions within CALI that allowed him to invite and bring into the profession outside sources that benefit the association.
Lauded for “exceptional service to the public,” Paulino has given back to the community as a volunteer foster youth mentor for the County of San Diego as well as coordinated efforts to help active military during the holiday season and consistently served his church as a mentor for teenagers.
USD sees record diversity in its newest class
The University of San Diego’s Class of 2026 has more students of color than white students, a first in the history of the university founded in 1949.
The incoming class of first-years is composed of roughly 1,245 students; 49 percent of whom identify as students of color as opposed to 42 percent white students. It is the seventh consecutive year that enrollment of students of color has grown from the previous year.
USD President James T. Harris, referenced the university’s continuous growing diversity during his welcome speech to first-year and transfer students last Saturday inside the Jenny Craig Pavilion.
“Studies have shown that the more diverse an institution is, the better the overall learning environment,” Harris said. “Learning takes place both inside and outside the classroom. If you interact with people from across the globe and from different religious backgrounds and belief systems, you are preparing yourself for the future.”
Twenty-seven percent of the class identify as Hispanic and 5.4 percent identify as Black — both record highs. Twenty-four percent are first generation college students.
Among the roughly 310 students that make up the entering transfer class, 39 percent identify as students of color.
Girl Scouts San Diego launches Power Her Promise Campaign
This week Girl Scouts San Diego will kick off the 2022 Power Her Promise fundraising campaign and call on local community members to invest in the next generation of female leadership in San Diego. The multifaceted campaign, presented by SOLV Energy, will help ensure that all girls can join Girl Scouts, realize their potential, and fulfill their Girl Scouts Promise to make the world a better place.
Power Her Promise seeks to raise $450,000 to make Girl Scouts San Diego’s life-changing programs accessible to all, with 100 percent of proceeds used to deliver the Girl Scout Leadership Experience in San Diego and Imperial counties and build strong leaders for the future. The campaign will run from Sept. 1 through 30, 2022.
Girl Scouts San Diego serves nearly 15,000 girls throughout San Diego and Imperial counties with an experience that creates a strong support system; empowers them with business and life skills; boosts self-confidence and understanding; and supports their psychosocial development.
Scripps Health named one of America’s top employers
Scripps Health was named one of America’s top employers by People magazine and Great Place to Work, earning the No. 8 ranking in the People Companies that Care list for 2022.
Scripps is the first and only San Diego company to be included in this annual listing of the country’s top 100 workplaces, now in its sixth year.
Collectively, the 2022 Companies that Care awards are based on more than 1 million employee survey responses and data from companies that represent more than 6.1 million employees in the United States. In that survey, 83 percent of Scripps’ employees said it is a great place to work. Recognition is also based on an organization’s charitable giving, employee benefits and programs that go above and beyond to take care of employees and the community.
San Diego Junior Theatre artistic director to depart
San Diego Junior Theatre’s Artistic Director Desha Crownover will be departing her long-time position in the coming months to pursue new artistic endeavors. Crownover’s time with SDJT began over 25 years ago, first as a teaching artist and stage director. In 2007, she moved into the position of artistic director, which she has held intermittently ever since.
Crownover’s contributions during her tenure have had a major impact on the SDJT community and been critical to the growth and health of the organization. She established fruitful partnerships with Halau O Na Ali’i and Coronado Playhouse as well as the extremely successful and rewarding collaboration with Disney Theatricals that allowed JT to produce pilot productions of popular titles, such as “Newsies Jr” and “Moana Jr,”prior to those shows being available for licensing to other schools and youth theaters.
Crownover spearheaded and codified the establishment of SDJT’s core values of empathy, identity, resilience, community and responsibility – an integral part of Junior Theatre’s approach to education in both the classroom and the rehearsal room – and has been one of JT’s strongest advocates for equity, diversity and inclusion in season selection, hiring practices, casting decisions and project development.
Selena tribute band to perform at MiraCosta College Sept. 30
A band that performs the music of Selena, the queen of Tejano music, will be appearing at MiraCosta College on Sept. 30, with proceeds from the concert benefitting the college’s Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS). The 90-minute concert starts at 7 p.m. and will be held in the Concert Hall, OC2406. Tickets are $20 and are available at miracosta.edu/selenatix. Doors open at 6 p.m.
The tribute band Dreaming of You plays the English and Spanish-language hits of Selena, one of the most celebrated Mexican American entertainers in the late 20th century who sold more than 18 million records. Selena was murdered on March 31, 1995, but she continues to have a strong fan following and was recently featured in a series about her life on Netflix.
Jose Mota, EOPS coordinator at MiraCosta, said the concert is a way to connect with Latino/a/x Heritage Month and to bring the community together following the pandemic.
New county department reports homelessness solutions
A new county department reported Tuesday that in its first year it secured $30 million to address homelessness; provided housing options for over 4,400 people; held or took part in hundreds of community events to create equitable communities; and worked to support immigrants and refugees.
Officials from the County’s Department of Homeless Solutions and Equitable Communities updated county supervisors on the department’s progress at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. The department, created in July 2021 as part of the County Health and Human Services Agency, is comprised of three separate offices, homeless solutions, equitable communities and immigrant and refugee affairs.
Officials said Tuesday that the department continues collaborative efforts to secure additional funding to support vulnerable populations including people experiencing homelessness, underserved communities, immigrants, migrants and refugees in the region.
San Diego awarded $4.75 million
to increase awareness of local issues
The City of San Diego, through the Commission for Arts and Culture, was awarded $4.75 million to administer a new pilot California Creative Corps arts program. Through the city’s “Far South/Border North: Artists and Cultural Practitioners in Community” initiative, grant funds will financially support artists and cultural practitioners to develop artistic content that increases local awareness of public health, civic engagement, climate and conservation, and social justice within Imperial and San Diego counties.
Funds will be allocated following San Diego City Council approval. The grant funding is part of $60 million in grants recently awarded to 14 statewide administrating organizations by the California Arts Council (CAC).
The city and its partners are developing guidelines, requirements and the process for awarding CAC Creative Corps funds to qualified applicants. The city plans to release the first round of grant applications for individual artists and cultural practitioners by early next year.
