Daily Business Report: Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023
San Diego already has plans to get rid of gas stoves
By MacKenzie Elmer | Voice of San Diego
Congress feuded over a mere suggestion last week that gas-powered stovetops could be banned in the United States, but the city of San Diego has already committed itself to gutting almost all buildings of gas-powered everything — stoves included.
The dispute in the capital erupted after a new study linked the methane-powered devices to 13 percent of childhood asthma cases nationwide. The Biden Administration isn’t actually proposing a ban, as Politico reported, but the mention of a hypothetical one by a member of the Consumer Product Safety Commission sparked swift backlash from Republicans and a wave of media coverage over whether it was time to retire the natural gas-powered stovetops of America.
San Diego, by way of Mayor Todd Gloria’s update to the city’s Climate Action Plan, passed in 2022, is already committed to retiring them. That plan’s goal is to eliminate almost all natural gas use from buildings in the city by 2035. It includes not only buildings that have yet to be built, but calls for retrofitting apartments, restaurants and skyscrapers to run solely on electricity.
Last Call: California Competes Tax Credit
Applications close Jan. 23 for companies looking to expand or retain jobs in California. If your business is looking to grow over the next five years or is considering leaving California, you may be eligible for up to $85 million in tax credits from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz).
Awards are primarily based on the following factors:
• Number of jobs created or retained
• Anticipated amount of new capital investments
• Overall economic benefit to the state
• Opportunities for future growth and expansion
Singing Hills Golf Resort completes hotel room remodel
Singing Hills Golf Resort at Sycuan announced that it has completed its hotel room remodel including all guestrooms, suites and hospitality suites. Each of the hotel’s 82 guestrooms, 14 suites and four hospitality suites have been completely updated to include new paint, flooring and window treatments. The furniture and headboards have been reupholstered with mid-century-inspired fabrics and vinyl, including faux alligator and ostrich. Custom-made white burlap lampshades were created to add to the 1950s vibe and existing art frames were repurposed with new eye-catching lithograph prints.
In addition to the room remodel, Singing Hills has recently made several upgrades to the golf courses, driving range and bar area at Red Tail Bar & Grill.
SDCCU celebrates 2023 Lunar New Year
by offering red envelopes to members
San Diego County Credit Union is celebrating the 2023 Lunar New Year and encourages customers to celebrate by picking up red envelopes at any of its more than 40 branch locations. To find the nearest branch, please visit sdccu.com/locations. The Lunar New Year is Jan. 22, 2023, and it is the Year of the Rabbit.
Based on the lunar calendar, Lunar New Year takes place on a different date each year. Traditionally, red envelopes are given to children by their parents or elder family members wishing them health and good studies in the coming year. The red envelopes (traditionally known as hong baoorlai see) always have money enclosed and are believed to bring good luck.
Each year of the 12-year cycle is represented by a Chinese zodiac animal and characteristics are associated with each zodiac birth year. The rabbit is a symbol of elegance, and people born in the Year of the Rabbit are seen as compassionate and amiable.
Downtown San Diego Lions Club announces
open submissions for scholarship application
The Downtown San Diego Lions Club is accepting applications for $1,200 scholarships to eligible students graduating from Hoover, Garfield, Kearny, Lincoln, Monarch, Twain, Gompers, and San Diego high schools.
The scholarships assist high school graduates in pursuing education at a community college, college, or vocational school of their choice. Scholarships of $1,200 are awarded to each student selected. Past recipients have attended Harvard, Stanford, Yale, and many colleges in the University of California and California State (CalState) system as well as local community colleges.
The Lions Club identifies selects students who have demonstrated, and will continue to demonstrate, service to their communities. Scholarships are also awarded based on financial need, and academics (2.0 GPA or higher).
For full details on the scholarship and for more information on the Downtown San Diego Lions Club, visit https://www.sandiegolions.org/
San Diego Foundation, Dr. Seuss
Foundation offering $1 millions in grants
San Diego Foundation and the Dr. Seuss Foundation announce the availability of $1 million in grant funding for local nonprofits to increase access to quality, affordable early childhood education and development care. The foundations are committing $1 million in total funding for the 2023 Early Childhood Initiative Equitable Opportunities Grant, including $500,000 in funding from the SDF Early Childhood Initiative and $500,000 of funding from the Dr. Seuss Foundation. Deadline to apply is 2 pm on Feb. 10. SDF will host an optional virtual Q&A webinar for prospective nonprofit applicants at Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 11 am.
Holland America Line highlights San Diego
cruise season with two solar eclipse cruises
San Diego has been a West Coast homeport for Holland America Line since the 1990s, and for the 2023-2024 season the cruise line is featuring a robust schedule from the Golden State. Highlighting the San Diego cruise season are two solar eclipse cruises that place Koningsdam and Zaandam in Mexicofor total viewing during the April 8, 2024, eclipse. Also, a special Mexico departure in December 2023 explores unique ports in the Sea of Cortez.
Now open for booking, travelers can set out to explore Mexico, Hawaii, the Pacific Coast and Panama Canal on six ships across 39 departures. Voyages are roundtrip from San Diego or begin or end in the popular California port. San Diegosailings are part of Holland America Line’s homeport initiative that allows guests to see the world from their doorstep, without international air or by taking an easy flight from Canada.
American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery
to present Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego
SAN DIEGO — The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS), the world’s largest multi-specialty home for physicians dedicated to cosmetic surgery and aesthetic medicine, will present its Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) on Feb. 9-11, 2023, with an optional Body Cosmetic Surgery Cadaver Workshop offered on Feb. 8. Themed “Focus on Mastery,” this hallmark AACS continuing medical education program will take place live and in-person at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Diego. The pre-meeting Cadaver workshop will be conducted at the University of California San Diego Center for the Future of Surgery.
Maritime Museum’s schooner Californian
to race in SGYC America’s Schooner Cup
SAN DIEGO — Maritime Museum of San Diego will race the 142-foot schooner Californian in the 34th annual America’s Schooner Cup Saturday, April 1, 2023, hosted by Silver Gate Yacht Club. Californian,official tall ship of the State of California, and a signature historic vessel among the collection found at Maritime Museum of San Diego, won her first America’s Schooner Cup March 30, 2019. Tickets to sail aboard Californian for the 2023 America’s Schooner Cup provide participants with a unique race experience that puts visitors right in the middle of the schooner action on-the-water.
Kneron receives Corporate
Innovation and Leadership Award
SAN DIEGO — On Friday Jan. 6, Kneron received the Corporate Innovation and Leadership Award from the Consumer Technology Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) at its 41st International Conference on Consumer Electronics (ICCE), held annually in Las Vegas. Concurrently, Frank Chang, Kneron’s co-founder and UCLA professor, is also set to receive the IEEE James Clerk Maxwell Medal at an award ceremony that will take place this May in Atlanta, Georgia.
Yembo.ai completes SOC 2 Type II certification
SAN DIEGO — Yembo.ai, a pioneer of AI-powered virtual inspections for the property insurance and home services verticals, announced that it has successfully completed its Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 Type II certification. The SOC 2 is an auditing standard developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts (AICPA). Successful completion of the SOC 2 Type II audit further validates Yembo.ai’s focus on security and compliance, demonstrating a major milestone for the company.
Health care staffing industry veteran announces
launch of ConTemporary Locums LLC
SAN DIEGO — Healthcare staffing industry veteran Sigrid Boring announced the launch of ConTemporary Locums LLC, offering contemporary solutions to the ever-changing landscape of staffing challenges facing physicians, and the hospitals and communities who need them. ConTemporary Locums was formed to improve the physician staffing experience and offer the most diverse physician expertise and candidate pool to its clients. ConTemporary Locums is a majority women-owned and operated business and the third health care staffing start-up venture by Boring, ConTemporary Locums founder and CEO.
TuSimple adds independent directors
to Government Security Committee
SAN DIEGO — TuSimple, a global autonomous driving technology company, announced that independent board members James Lu and Wendy Hayes were appointed to serve on TuSimple’s Government Security Committee after receiving a non-objection from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). With this news, all three independent members of TuSimple’s board now sit on its Government Security Committee, having cleared extensive background checks and vetting by the federal government.
Workhuman announces keynote
speakers for Workhuman Live
SAN DIEGO – Workhuman Live is back for its eighth year, taking place in San Diego from April 17-20. Esther Perel and Luvvie Ajayi Jones will be keynote speakers. Last year’s event, which was recognized as one of the year’s 10 Most Innovative Meetings
by BizBash, brought together 1,500 industry leaders and HR champions and tackled work’s most important topics head-on with three days of inspiring sessions, keynotes, special events, and networking, and 2023 will be no different. For more information about Workhuman Live 2023, visit www.workhumanlive.com. To register, visit www.workhumanlive.com/americas/register.
FutureProof hires serial entrepreneur
as its new chief technology officer
SAN DIEGO– Climate-focused MGA FutureProof has hired Dr. Ram Keralapura as its new chief technology officer. Keralapura brings nearly two decades of engineering, data science, and leadership experience to FutureProof. He was previously chief technology officer at The Public Health Company, and before that was head of data science and machine learning at Chronicle (Google Cloud Enterprise Security). He has also played vital roles in several very early stage startups, helping them build scalable technology and businesses. Keralapura received a Ph.D. in computer engineering from the University of California at Davis.
