Daily Business Report: Friday, May 12, 2023
Migrant shelter officials unsure how to handle
flood of asylum seekers at the southern border
By Lynn La | CalMatters
A pandemic-era public health policy known as Title 42, used to turn away asylum seekers at the U.S. southern border, came to an end last night, prompting concerns about unprecedented migration flows.
Meanwhile, hundreds of migrants have been waiting outside between border walls in San Ysidro for days, sometimes with nothing more to eat all day than a single granola bar handed out by Border Patrol officers.
Federal, state and local officials have had more than two years to prepare for this moment. But officials running migrant shelters on both sides of the border say they have very little information about how to handle the anticipated increase in asylum seekers trying to cross from Mexico into California and other states.
“Really, it is very much a touch-and-go situation, where we’re responding to needs in our community as they happen,” said Patrick Giuliani, policy analyst with Hope Border Institute, a Texas-based nonprofit that provides humanitarian aid. “A lot of this work of reception is falling on nonprofits and church communities locally, without the information on how many numbers of people are we seeing? What are the plans? What type of financial support is there?”
Texas and Arizona have been readying their state’s National Guard troops to go to the border, but California officials have taken less of a hard-line approach.
The state supports three migrant shelters, two in San Diego and one in Imperial County; two travel staging sites, one in Imperial and one in San Diego; and six temporary sheltering sites in Riverside County. California also has invested $1 billion since 2019 and supported 350,000 migrants since April 2021 with temporary services and onward travel coordination.
Photo: Migrants gather between primary and secondary border fences before the U.S. lifts COVID-19-era restrictions known as Title 42, near San Diego on May 8, 2023. (Photo by Mike Blake, Reuters, via CalMatters)
Viasat’s proposed acquisition of Inmarsat
gets conditional OK from UK government
Carlsbad-based Viasat has been given permission to proceed with its proposed acquisition of British satellite telecommunications company Inmarsat by the UK’s Competition & Markets Authority. The CMA ruling came at the conclusion of its Phase II review, which confirmed provisional findings that the acquisition does not raise competition concerns.
The decision is an important milestone towards completion of the deal. The proposed transaction has now received clearance from the UK government under the National Security and Investment Act and the CMA, as well as the Australian government’s Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.
“The decision validates our position that the combination of our two companies will strengthen competition in a dynamic market that continues to attract substantial levels of investment and enables us to offer better services to our customers,” said Viasat Chairman and CEO Mark Dankberg. “This deal will also create new high-skill technology jobs, deepen Viasat’s capabilities in the UK, and ultimately help to deliver the goals of the UK’s National Space Strategy.”
Pedicabs escape expulsion from
Downtown San Diego’s waterfront
A proposed law outlawing pedicabs, e-bikes, scooters and other motorized forms of transportation from pedestrian areas within the Port of San Diego’s jurisdiction was supposed to put an end to activities along the waterfront that some have denounced as a threat to their personal safety. Instead, the motorized vehicles will live to drive another day on the walkways near San Diego Bay.
On Tuesday, Port of San Diego Commissioners, swayed by public testimony from pedicab drivers, rejected staff’s recommendation to amend the agency’s code and prohibit all motorized mobility devices from port sidewalks, promenades, multiuse pathways, nature trails, plazas, parking garages, parks and piers.
Engineers shake tallest full-scale building
Ever constructed on earthquake simulator
A 10-story mass timber building was put to the test on the only outdoor shake table in the world on Tuesday, when a group of engineers measured its ability to withstand simulated earthquakes registering up to 7.7 magnitude. The building is the tallest full-scale building ever to be constructed and tested on an earthquake simulator. Known as the Tallwood project, the series of tests is funded by the National Science Foundation.
Reviving exhausted T cells to tackle
immunotherapy-resistant cancers
When the cells of our immune system are under constant stress due to cancer or other chronic diseases, the T cells of the immune system shut down in a process called T cell exhaustion. Without active T cells, which kill tumor cells, it’s impossible for our bodies to fight back against cancer. One of the biggest goals of immunotherapy is to reverse T cell exhaustion to boost the immune system’s ability to destroy cancerous cells.
Researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys studying melanoma have found a new way to make this happen. Their approach, described in Cell Reports, can reduce T cell exhaustion even in tumors that are resistant to clinically approved immunotherapies. It can also help T cells from becoming exhausted.
Jack in the Box hires full-time head
Twitch creater known as Gamer Jack
SAN DIEGO — Jack in the Box says its search for a permanent Gamer Jack has officially come to a close. The brand hired 22-year-old Twitch streamer Kodie Turner after an especially unique job posting was shared by Jack in the Box last fall. Kodie, an up-and-coming Gen-Z gamer, will serve as the fast food chain’s first-ever full-time Twitch Creator and will look to foster a Jack in the Box community online. In honor of the Gamer Jack announcement, Gamer Jack himself will be making appearances in upcoming Twitch streams and creator channels to give away free Jack in the Box Mystery Boxes..
Point Predictive launches BorrowerCheck 3.0
SAN DIEGO — Point Predictive Inc., the San Diego-based company that provides artificial intelligence solutions powered by more than 22 billion proprietary risk attributes, launched its newest solution, BorrowerCheck 3.0. Available via API or web browser, BorrowerCheck 3.0 addresses the problem of fraud and identity theft in a more comprehensive way than existing identity solutions to help stop the billions in fraud losses that slip through controls today.
Jimbo’s Naturally! to open in Mission Valley in 2026
SAN DIEGO — Sudberry Properties, the master developer of the urban village of Civita, has announced that Jimbo’s Naturally! has leased 25,000 square feet of space in The Row at Civita, the 20-acre mixed-use civic and retail heart of the 230-acre master-planned community. Sudberry Properties will develop the grocery building located at the intersection of Civita Boulevard and Qualcomm Way with construction starting in early 2025. Jimbo’s is anticipated to open in Civita during the second half of 2026. Jim “Jimbo” Someck is founder and owner of Jimbo’s Naturally!
Matt Morrow leaving Diversionary Theatre
to be artistic director in Walnut Creek
SAN DIEGO —Matt M. Morrow is stepping down as executive artistic director of Diversionary Theatre after an eight-year tenure leading the third-oldest LGTBQIA+ theatre in the United States, increasing its operating budget by nearly 150 percent, and advancing its artistic legacy.
He will become artistic director of Center Repertory Company, the resident professional theater company of the city of Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts.
Sony Electronics launches new Xperia 1 V smartphone
SAN DIEGO — Sony Electronics Inc. introduces the Xperia 1 V, its first flagship smartphone equipped with a newly developed stacked CMOS image sensor with 2-layer Transistor Pixel. The Xperia 1 V is packed with Sony’s cutting-edge technology, meeting the high-level needs of creators, while at the same time supporting future creators who want to shoot or deliver their content with pride. The Xperia 1 V is raising the bar with its newly developed image sensor which depicts rich colors and textures of people, landscapes, and scenes in even dark locations.
SDG&E donates lifesaving multi-gas
detectors to San Diego Fire-Rescue
SAN DIEGO —The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department has one more tool in its arsenal to keep local residents and communities safe: 80 new multi-gas detectors which will be distributed to its fleet of emergency response vehicles this year. The devices, which can detect natural gas, carbon monoxide, and other toxic gases, were donated by San Diego Gas & Electric and will be distributed to all 52 fire stations in the City of San Diego. More than 1,000 SD Fire-Rescue personnel will be trained on how to use the detectors in the upcoming months, which will then be distributed to emergency response vehicles throughout the city.
Linewize named ‘Cool Tool’ winner in
EdTech Awards product or service category
SAN DIEGO — Linewize, a division of Family Zone, a rapidly growing education technology company, has been named the winner of the “Cool Tool – Product or Service” category in The EdTech Awards conducted by EdTech Digest. Celebrating its 13th year, The EdTech Awards is the world’s largest recognition program for education technology that shines a spotlight on cool tools, inspiring leaders and innovative trendsetters across the K-12, higher education, and skills and workforce sectors.
Wrike wins 2023 Top Rated Award from TrustRadius
SAN DIEGO — Wrike, a powerful work management platform, has been recognized with a TrustRadius 2023 Top Rated Award. TrustRadius, a leading technology decisioning platform, named Wrike a Top Rated software solution across ten categories: Collaboration; Project Management; Task Management; Workflow; Enterprise Marketing Management; Project Portfolio Management; Product Management; Professional Services Automation; Creative Management; and Online Proofing.
SkySafe launches drone forensics certification course
SAN DIEGO — SkySafe, an airspace security and drone defense technology company, has launched a new certification course for drone forensics. The course will provide in-depth training on Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) forensic analysis. SkySafe is the sole provider of all UAS capabilities for SCG Canada’s Covert Forensic Imaging Device. As such, SkySafe is uniquely positioned to offer critical insight and training on every aspect of UAS forensics. The course will focus on topics such as best practices for seizure and recovery of UAS devices including storage, handling, and transportation of recovered drones, as well as detailed information for performing UAS teardowns.
Scientist.com acquires Lab Explorer, extends
expansion into European research market
SAN DIEGO — Scientist.com, the leading preclinical research marketplace for the biopharma sector, announced its recent acquisition of Labs Explorer, a prominent French network connecting European research labs, scientific professionals and innovative start-ups. This strategic move empowers Labs Explorer users with unparalleled access to Scientist.com’s extensive network of over 5,000 global research suppliers, boasting a comprehensive array of custom services, and an impressive inventory of 15 million research products, consumables and essential laboratory supplies.
