Daily Business Report: Thursday, April 13, 2023
Following California’s lead, EPA proposes
national standards to ramp up electric cars
By Nadia Lopez
Closely mirroring California’s landmark mandate, the Biden administration on Wednesday proposed new greenhouse gas emission standards that will scale up sales of electric cars and trucks nationwide. If enacted, the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed standards would be among the most stringent and aggressive measures the federal agency has ever taken to slash planet-warming tailpipe pollution, clean up dirty air and tackle climate change.
“We have reestablished the United States as a leader in the clean transportation future,” Ali Zaidi, deputy national climate advisor to President Joe Biden, said Tuesday. “This is a moment of transformation.”
The proposed regulation comes almost eight months after California set its own, more aggressive standards mandating sales of electric cars.
Unlike California’s mandate, the EPA standards would not require that zero-emission vehicles make up a percentage of sales. Rather, the total fleet that an automaker sells each year would have to comply with an overall emissions standard, forcing them to produce enough electric vehicles to avoid surpassing it.
An electric vehicle charging station in Burlingame. (Photo by Martin do Nascimento, CalMatters)
Star of India operators propose $28 million
maritime museum to be built over San Diego Bay
The Maritime Museum of San Diego, operators of the Star of India sailing ship, presented a proposal to the Port of San Diego commissioners on Tuesday for a two-story maritime museum to be built over San Diego Bay. The 14,000-square-foot facility would include galleries, a theater, public terraces and a signature café — all built over the water on an extended pier off the Embarcadero.
In addition to erecting a new two-story museum space, the $28 million project would require moving the Maritime Museum’s nine historic vessels about 150 feet further out into the bay.
Oceanside Planning Commission OKs
323-unit Modera Melrose project
The Oceanside Planning Commission has unanimously approved a plan for the Modera Melrose mixed-use development. The 323-unit complex will cover 7.4 acres of land and be divided into six buildings containing one, two and three-bedroom homes. Approximately 2,336 square feet of ground-level commercial space will also be available.
The developers, Mill Creek Residential, are set to build a recreational area with a club and fitness center, pool and spa with shaded, private lounge areas, a barbecue area and a television wall for residents. The project will also reserve 15 percent or 33 units as affordable housing.
Special water rate program reduces costs for growers
San Diego County Water Authority and 13 other member agencies offer a special agricultural water rate program that provides lower-cost water to growers in return for lower reliability. The program helps support commercial farms by driving the economic engine of rural San Diego County, which accounts for $2 billion yearly in regional economic activity.
The Permanent Special Agricultural Water Rate Program gives farmers a choice of what level of water service works best for their operations. In exchange for lower priced water, participants agree to have reduced water service when the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California cuts supplies to San Diego County.
California announces emergency
stockpile of abortion drug
Gov. Gavin Newsom said California has secured an emergency stockpile of up to 2 million pills of Misoprostol, a medication abortion drug, in the wake of a judge seeking to block its sale. California shared the negotiated terms of its Misoprostol purchase agreement to assist other states in securing the drug at low cost.
Biopharmas take abortion pill fight to the courts
The biopharmas that objected to a Texas judge’s ruling suspending the approval of the abortion drug mifepristone are not content with just a letter. The companies have now banded together to support the U.S. government’s appeal in an amicus brief.
La Jolla Concours d’Elegance returns April 21
Returning to the shores of La Jolla, the La Jolla Concours d’Elegance celebrates its 17thyear of automotive excellence Friday April 21, Saturday April 22, and Sunday April 23. Earning a reputation as one of the finest internationally renowned classic automobile showcases in the US, the La Jolla Concours continues to attract discerning car enthusiasts from around the globe for a weekend of prestigious events. Online registration is now open for participants to submit their automobile for consideration to contend across thirteen categories for prestigious titles and automotive infamy in 2023. In 2023, the LJCDE Committee is pleased to announce that the infamous Friday Evening VIP Party returns to The Lawn at Ellen Browning Scripps Park.
Illumina’s cloud-based informatics
programs get certification
Illumina Inc., a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, has received the international privacy certification of six of its cloud-based informatics programs. The certification, ISO/IEC 27701, recognizes that Illumina implements, and complies with, robust, international data privacy requirements. The certification was developed in 2019 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) to provide a global standard for privacy protection. Illumina received an , ISO/IEC 27701 certification for the following programs:
• Clarity LIMS
• Correlation Engine
• Illumina Connected Analytics
JPI moves forward on 295-unit Oceanside project
OCEANSIDE — JPI has fully entitled and will soon begin construction on its Jefferson Ocean Creek project. The 295-unit development is the first in San Diego County entitled under the Sustainable Communities Environmental Assessment, which afforded a path to execute on a complicated site that stymied many other developers.
National University launches virtual reality campus
National University is partneing with immersive experience developer Axon Park to create a new virtual campus that uses virtual and augmented reality to enhance teaching, learning, and student engagement, allowing online learners to participate in campus activities, attend classes, and interact with their peers and instructors. Read more
Poseida Therapeutics appoints
Kristin Yarema as president, cell therapy
SAN DIEGO — Poseida Therapeutics Inc., a clinical-stage cell and gene therapy company advancing a new class of treatments for patients with cancer and rare diseases, announced that Kristin Yarema has joined the company as president, cell therapy. Throughout her career in the biopharmaceutical industry, Yarema has led product strategy and commercialization for therapies at all stages of their life cycle. She joins Poseida after most recently serving as chief commercial officer at Atara Biotherapeutics. Yarema also held a series of U.S. and global commercial leadership roles at Amgen.
MG Properties named one of the
country’s largest multifamily firms
SAN DIEGO — MG Properties, a private San Diego-based real estate investor, owner, and operator, earned national recognition by making the National Multifamily Housing Council’s 2023 NMHC 50, the annual ranking of the nation’s largest apartment owners, managers, developers, builders, and syndicators. MG has steadily expanded its market focus during 30 years of growth while performing through four major downturns, including nearly $4.5 billion of multifamily acquisitions since the pandemic shutdowns — totaling almost 12,000 units across 42 properties.
Andrew Cardno, Ralph Thomas and
A.K. Singh publish 4th edition of casino guide
SAN DIEGO —Casino gaming data experts Andrew Cardno and Ralph Thomas of San Diego-based Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI), and A.K. Singh have released the 4th edition of their legendary book, “The Math that Gaming Made.”Available on Amazon, the highly influential book is updated with a further expanded glossary as well as new articles about data and its potential for the gaming industry. Richly informative, “The Math that Gaming Made” is the go-to resource for the gaming industry about data and math and how to use them correctly to make money.
Travelers can explore four different regions
with Holland America Lines’ West Coast cruises
SAN DIEGO — Holland America Line has opened cruise bookings for its 2024-2025 West Coast season from San Diego and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Sailings from these two North American homeports allow guests to see the world from their doorstep, without international air or by taking an easy flight from Canada. Travelers can set out from the West Coast to explore the vibrant cultures of Mexico, Hawaii’s aloha spirit, the charming seaside escapes of the Pacific Coast and the famed Panama Canal on five ships across 42 cruises. Sailings are roundtrip from San Diego, roundtrip from Vancouver, or begin or end in either of the two ports.
Greg Murphy joins Intesa Communications Group
SAN DIEGO — Greg Murphy has joined Intesa Communications Group as senior manager of strategic partnerships. Murphy brings 15 years of policy, government, and consulting experience to the job. His hiring expands the firm’s government affairs services to include Coastal Commission advocacy, work within the burgeoning blue economy, and increase the firm’s local and statewide relationships for existing clients. Prior to Intesa, Murphy founded and managed Blue Economy Strategies.
10th annual North County Economic Summit
The 10th annual North County Economic Summit will be held Thursday, May 11, in the California State University, San Marcos ballroom. The event lasts from 7 to 10 a.m. Keynote speaker is Charlie Dougherty, Wells Fargo vice president and economist. Also speaking will be Josh Williams, founder and president of BW Research. Those attending will receive a copy of the North County Indicators Report, with over 60 data points indicating the health of the North County economy in 2023.
