Daily Business Report: June 27, 2023
A campaign begins to ban
underage marriages in California
By Rya Jetha
They stood on the steps of the state Capitol, in white bridal gowns and veils, their wrists chained together and their mouths taped shut.
They are survivors of forced and child marriages — and they want California to finally outlaw child brides.
“When I was 14 years old, my parents coerced me into marrying the 27-year-old pedophile who had been abusing me for two years because I became pregnant and it brought “shame” to the family,” said Pat Abatemarco, who said she eventually escaped the marriage, with her daughter, with the help of a social worker.
Thursday, she and others shared their stories of enduring gender-based violence, being forced to abandon their education, and becoming estranged from their families during the “chain-in” protest organized by Unchained At Last, a national advocacy nonprofit, to launch a campaign for the law.
“We are here in gowns and chains to demand an end to a human rights abuse and nightmarish legal trap that gives get-out-of-jail-free cards to child rapists,” said Fraidy Reiss, a forced marriage survivor who founded Unchained At Last. “What better way to urge legislators to take action than to show them what life looks like for those who are forced into marriage?”
Photo: Forced and child marriage survivors arrive at a protest, organized to support a ban on child marriage, at the state Capitol in Sacramento on June 22, 2023. (Photo by Rahul Lal, CalMatters)
Parental leave benefits package
signed by Mayor Todd Gloria
Mayor Todd Gloria has signed a package of resolutions, championed by City Councilmember Raul Campillo, that dramatically expand parental leave benefits for city employees.
Updates to parental benefits that the City Council approved include:
• Doubling the amount of parental leave provided to employees from 160 hours (four weeks) to 320 hours (eight weeks)
• Eliminating the 30-day waiting period for disability benefits for pregnant employees and employees disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition to ensure employees can access benefits immediately upon need
• Changing the eligibility requirement to access these benefits from a one-year minimum employment requirement to 30 days of employment, ensuring the city is not discriminating against employees who become pregnant or are disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition.
Appeals court rules against San Diego
in battle over Midway District height limit
In the ongoing legal battle over building heights in San Diego’s Midway District, environmental activists have scored another point against the city of San Diego, although the final outcome has yet to be decided.
Friday, California’s Fourth District Court of Appeal upheld a San Diego Superior Court judge’s earlier decision to invalidate the 2020 ballot measure that sought to lift the 30-foot height limit in the Midway District. The lower court ruled that the city did not properly analyze the environmental impacts of buildings taller than 30 feet, in violation of the California Environmental Quality Act.
SDSU president appointed to Homeland
Security Academic Partnership Council
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas has appointed San Diego State University President Adela de la Torre to serve as a member of a national membership-based council that facilitates engagement and cooperation in various areas related to homeland security.
Mayorkas announced the appointment of 19 others to serve on the 30-person council, broadly representing colleges, universities, the K-12 sector, national education associations and other organizations and entities.
The Homeland Security Academic Partnership Council is the only advisory committee that exists within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responsible for providing both advice and recommendations regarding the intersection of education and academia, and the DHS mission.
MiraCosta College launches game-changing
supply chain management program
The COVID-19 pandemic brought home the importance of the supply chain in bringing products to the consumer. When workers got sick at a meat processing plant, bacon was in short supply at grocery stores. When semiconductors from Asia became difficult to source, auto dealerships had only a few cars to sell on their lots.
Recognizing the importance of the supply chain, MiraCosta College created a new supply chain management program. At just $46 per unit, the new program is the most cost-effective option available anywhere. With the tuition-free MiraCosta Promise and various zero-cost textbooks and educational resources, students can pay less for their degree. Students can earn a certificate that leads directly to a career or a local university.
Supply chain management means getting the right goods to the right place at the right time. It involves many industries, including manufacturing, transportation, warehousing, and retail.
Scripps Research awarded $46.8 million
to promote human health innovations
Scripps Research Translational Institute has received $46.8 million in renewed funding over a seven-year period from the NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS).
As part of the nationwide Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program, the funds will support the institute’s continued progress in transforming human health research through technology-focused innovations.
The institute, led by founder and director Eric Topol, M.D., is a leader in individualized medicine, combining genomic and digital technologies with cutting-edge artificial intelligence to transform personal health data into clinically useful knowledge.
North County Transit District awarded
$29.3 million for zero-emission buses
The North County Transit District (NCTD) announced the award of $29,330,243 from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Low or No Emission Vehicle grant program to purchase 23 zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell electric buses. The award includes funding to train the existing NCTD workforce and develop an innovative apprenticeship program in collaboration with Palomar College.
The award from the FTA will complement funding NCTD has already received to purchase six battery electric buses and 12 additional hydrogen fuel cell electric buses. Following the procurement, NCTD will have 41 zero-emission buses in operation by 2025. This represents over a quarter of NCTD’s 152-bus fleet.
California Tribal technical assistance grant program
California tribes interested in technical assistance to improve communications (for example, voice and broadband) to serve Tribal communities can apply for these grants to develop market studies, feasibility studies and business plans. Tribal technical assistance grants shall not exceed $150,000 per tribe, per fiscal year. The California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) has funds available to support Tribal broadband needs and increase access.Questions may be sent to Tribal_Tech_Assist@cpuc.ca.gov.
Ira Duarta appointed chief financial
officer for Heron Therapeutics
SAN DIEGO — Heron Therapeutics Inc. announced the appointment of Ira Duarte as chief financial officer. Duarte has more than 25 years of experience in a variety of finance and accounting positions, including over a decade in the pharma industry. Prior to joining Heron, Duarte served in financial leadership roles from 2016 – 2023, most recently as chief financial officer at Veloxis Pharmaceuticals Inc., a fully integrated specialty pharmaceutical company. Prior to that, Duarte served as the corporate controller at BioDelivery Sciences, Inc. from 2014 – 2016, and from 2009 – 2014 she was senior director of corporate finance for Chiesi USA Inc.
Dr. Carol Gallagher appointed independent
director for Mirati Therapeutics
SAN DIEGO — Dr. Carol Gallagher has been appointed a new independent director for Mirati Therapeutics Inc., a commercial stage biotechnology company. r. Gallagher has over 30 years of strategic, commercial, business development and drug development leadership experience in the life sciences industry.Gallagher serves as a venture adviser at New Enterprise Associates (NEA), a global venture capital firm. She has also served as a partner with Frazier Healthcare. Previously, Gallagher was CEO of Calistoga Pharmaceuticals, where she led the company through its acquisition by Gilead Sciences in 2011.
Dexcom reveals new plans to bring
sensing technology to millions more
SAN DIEGO — Dexcom Inc., a global leader in real-time continuous glucose monitoring for people living with diabetes, announced its strategy to bring Dexcom glucose sensing technology to millions more people around the globe and new Dexcom CGM research featured at the 83rd Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association held in San Diego. During Dexcom’s Investor Day event held, the company revealed plans to bring a new product to market in the U.S. in 2024, designed specifically for people who don’t use insulin.
La Mesa seeking applicants to
city boards and commissions
LA MESA — The City of La Mesa is seeking residents who are interested in serving their community by becoming a member of a city board or commission. Applicants are appointed after a standard interview and appointment process. To apply for a board, commission or committee, submit a completed application to the City Clerk’s office. Applications are kept on file for one year from the date of submittal. Among the boards and commissions that resident have an opportunity to serve on include: Arts and Culture Commission, Community Parking Commission, Community Police Oversight Board, and more. Application deadline is Monday, July 3.
Doorstep by ClearBalance improves
cash flow and patient engagement
SAN DIEGO — ClearBalance HealthCare unveiled its new patient financial engagement platform, Doorstep by Clearbalance, at the annual Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) conference in San Diego. Doorstep by ClearBalance unites disparate patient billing, payment options and payment methods into a single, digital environment that gives patients a consolidated bill and appropriate payment options. Doorstep leverages over 31 years of ClearBalance patient payment and communication analytics.
EVOTEK acquires AVTECH Integrations
SOLANA BEACH — EVOTEK – the premier enabler of digital business, announced the acquisition of AVTECH Integrations. With this move, EVOTEK expands its communications services portfolio. AVTECH Integrations specializes in technology that will simplify EVOTEK’s clients’ operations and allow them to maximize potential by implementing the right audio and video solutions., EVOTEK will be able to support driving communications initiatives while producing cost-saving results.
Trinity Capital expands life sciences
team and opens San Diego area office
SAN DIEGO — Trinity Capital Inc., a leading provider of diversified financial solutions to growth-stage companies, announced the continued expansion of its life sciences team with the appointment of Igor DaCruz as managing director, life sciences, and the opening of a new office in the San Diego area. DaCruz brings to Trinity over 12 years of experience in the life sciences industry, having established himself as a trusted investment professional with previous experience at Runway Growth Capital and Silicon Valley Bank.
Shionogi acquires San Diego’s Qpex Biopharma
SAN DIEGO — Shionogi Inc., a New Jersey-based subsidiary of Japan’s Shionogi, has signed an agreement to acquire Qpex Biopharma Inc., a privately held clinical stage pharmaceutical company with expertise in antimicrobial research and development Following the completion of the acquisition, which is subject to customary closing conditions, Qpex will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Shionogi Inc. Michael Dudley is president and CEO of Qpex Biopharma.
Finout launches AI-powered cost
savings for Amazon Web Services bills
SAN DIEGO — Finout, an end-to-end FinOps platform for understanding and optimizing cloud costs, announces the Finout Cost Optimizer, which is powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and can reduce a customer’s Amazon Web Services bill by up to 60 percent. In today’s economic climate, where companies are tightening budgets and evaluating tech spend across the organization, this ability will empower teams to scale rapidly while maintaining a cost-effective cloud environment with minimum waste.
