SD METRO Daily Business Report: Sept. 1, 2023
College students with Hollywood dreams
see industry strikes as key to livable careers
By Ryan Loyola | CalMatters
When the Writers Guild of America strike started May 2, midway through Teddy Alvarez-Nissen’s internship for a production company in Burbank, fewer scripts started coming in and his work as a reader slowed considerably. As the strike went on, the third-year film student at the University of Southern California became curious about the specific terms that were being negotiated. When he looked at the fine print, he discovered the union was fighting for what was, in his mind, the bare minimum — standards he thought were already in place.
“That does scare me as somebody going into the industry,” said Alvarez-Nissen, who’s graduating in 2025. “I think we’ve all known about the stereotype of the studio that takes advantage of people or the producers that just want to get as much money as possible. It’s an illustration of how much worse the problem is than we thought it was and why it is important to be striking.”
Fighting for increased compensation and regulation over the use of artificial intelligence, both unions representing writers and actors are on strike for the first time in 63 years, effectively shutting down much of the entertainment industry.
Caught in the historic moment are college students. Internships and fellowships at major production companies are on pause and current negotiations are exposing wide pay disparities in the cutthroat world of entertainment. But there’s a silver lining for some students, who hope the strikes will lay the foundation for better work conditions in the future.
Photo: Screen Actors Guild members and Writers Guild of America members picket at the Amazon Culver Studios in Culver City on June 17, 2023. (Photo by Julie A Hotz for CalMatters)
Former Ritz-Carlton site eyed for 400-unit affordable housing
The downtown San Diego site once destined to become a luxury five-star hotel could be transformed into more than 400 units of affordable housing under a proposal favored by city officials for the publicly owned parcel.
In an internal memo released Wednesday by Mayor Todd Gloria’s office, the city said it will begin negotiating over the next 90 days with Carlsbad-based Chelsea Investment Corp., which has proposed developing 405 units of housing — all affordable to lower-income households — on the downtown site at Seventh Avenue and Market Street. The proposal by the longtime affordable housing developer was one of four the city received in response to a solicitation in May for redeveloping the downtown site.
Escondido is pulling funding from city’s only homeless shelter
Interfaith Community Services’ 49-bed Haven House, the only homeless shelter in Escondido, has received between $40,000 and $70,000 from the city since 2013. But after providing financial support for 10 years, the City Council voted this month to pull funding from the coed, low-barrier shelter.
Interfaith expected to receive $50,000 from the city this year. Despite being a small portion of the shelter’s $1 million operating budget, Interfaith’s CEO said the loss of those funds will have an impact. Haven House is one of only four homeless shelters in North County.
Interfaith was told by city officials that Escondido made the decision because only 60 percent of the shelter’s residents became homeless in Escondido. The about-face is the latest example of cities saying the quiet part out loud – that they want to look out for their own local homeless population.
After Oct. 7 commissioning, USS Jack H. Lucas will head to homeport San Diego
The future guided missile destroyer USS Jack H. Lucas will be commissioned on Oct. 7 in Tampa Fla., after which it will transit to its homeport of San Diego. The ship will be the Navy’s first Flight III destroyer with notable technological upgrades. The Flight III upgrades are centered on the AN/SPY-6(V)1 Air and Missile Defense Radar and incorporates upgrades to the electrical power and cooling capacity.
The ship is named for Pfc. Jack Lucas, who served in the U.S. Marines during World War II, earning the Medal of Honor for his heroism at Iwo Jima, when he was just 17 years old. He is the youngest Marine, and the youngest serviceman in World War II, to be awarded the United States’ highest military decoration for valor. In 1961, he returned to military service as a captain in the U.S. Army and trained younger troops headed for Vietnam. Lucas passed away on June 5, 2008 in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Ruby Lucas, widow of the ship’s namesake, and philanthropist Cathy Reynolds are the ship’s sponsors.
USS Canberra returns to homeport San Diego
The Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Canberra returned to its homeport in San Diego, Aug. 29. Canberra departed its homeport of Naval Base San Diego to conduct the first U.S. Navy ceremonial commissioning in Australia on June 13, visiting American Samoa and the Pacific Island Nation of Fiji prior to its arrival in Sydney for commissioning. Canberra commissioned at the Royal Australian Navy’s Fleet Base East in Sydney, July 22.Canberra was the first U.S. warship commissioned in an allied country, as well as the first foreign military entity granted Freedom of Entry to a foreign city in Australia. Granting Freedom of Entry is an honor bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary.
White House offers students of former
Ashford University $72 million in loan relief
Times of San Diego
Those who enrolled in the San Diego-based online school Ashford University will not have to make student loan payments following the approval of $72 million in federal debt relief.
President Joe Biden’s administration on Wednesday announced the plan, which will benefit more than 2,000 people.
The action follows a California Department of Justice lawsuit against Ashford and its parent company Zovio Inc., which alleged that in order to entice people to enroll, the school provided misleading statements to prospective students regarding career outcomes, costs, financial aid, the pace of degree programs and transfer credits.
Community college district to host Black Professionals Day
The San Diego Community College District will host Black Professionals Day on Sept. 29 at San Diego Mesa College to encourage district students to pursue rewarding careers by having them meet Black professionals who are working in a variety of fields.
The free event will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Mesa Commons building, MC-211. Lunch will be provided. Interested students should register online by Sept. 21 in advance of the event.
Those attending the Black Professionals Day event will be able to meet with professionals, hear about their path to success, and get advice about pursuing that career.
Viasat recognized as one of 2023’s ‘Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion’
Viasat is being recognized by the Disability Equality Index (DEI) as one of 2023’s “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion.” The company has also won the award in 2019, 2020, and 2022. The DEI is a benchmarking tool to help companies take measurable steps toward disability inclusion and equality.
The company earned 100 out of a possible 100 points on the DEI, scoring strongly for its culture, leadership, recruitment, community engagement, and supplier diversity. It also earned high marks for its education, retention, and advancement of disabled employees.
Howard Kurtz joins Realtors organization as director of sales and membership
The Greater San Diego Association of Realtors announce the addition of Howard Kurtz as the director of sales and membership. Kurtz has been appointed to lead, manage, and train thesales and membership team. His primary responsibility will be to provide exceptional service and support to members. Kurtz has over 27 years of experience serving the San Diego Union-Tribune and the Los Angeles Times.
Groundbreaking held for 88 apartments in Cortez Hill
California-based Community HousingWorks broke ground on Cortez Hill Apartments on Aug. 18. The new development will feature 88 apartment homes in a five-story building, with a courtyard and ground-floor resident community space.Located at 901 Beech St. in Downtown San Diego’s Cortez Hill neighborhood, the site had previously been used for transitional housing for families experiencing homelessness but the location had fallen into disrepair and was part of a public disposition by the city.
Construction begins on Coronado’s new luxury hotel
San Diego-based J Street Space held groundbreaking ceremonies for Coronado Island’s newest luxury lifestyle hotel, formerly the longstanding motel, Villa Capri by the Sea. The new boutique hotel, The Bower, will debut in fall 2024. J Street and Delawie Architecture worked to ensure the design and experience honors Villa Capri’s storied past while creating a bespoke oasis that will offer an upscale and relaxed atmosphere for both guests and locals.
The project is a complete new build at the heart of Coronado, will feature guest rooms, a rooftop restaurant and bar, and lobby lounge and café.
Erik Fowler joins San Diego Brewers Guild as executive director
San Diego Brewers Guild has named 15-year beer industry veteran Erik Fowler as its new executive director. He replaces Paige McWey Acers, who departed for Brewers Supply Group after more than five years in the role and 10 years overall with the Guild. Fowler, 35, spent the last nine years as head of education and craft hospitality at White Labs Brewing o. and its sister company White Labs, a yeast wholesaler with a team of biochemists that explore new ways to advance brewing. The Ramona native also served as a director on the Brewers Guild Board of Directors for the last year and a half.
Santee launches new online permitting and licensing portal
The City of Santee has launched its new online Permitting & Licensing Portal, which will modernize its permit application and licensing processes. Applicants will have the convenience of applying for permits, submitting plans, tracking the status of projects, scheduling inspections, and applying for or renewing Santee business licenses all in one user-friendly online platform. The portal also has a feature to allow users to report a problem, submit a service request or notify code compliance.
Coastal Commission approves Spaces as Places in Coastal Zone
The California Coastal Commission approved the Spaces as Places regulations, allowing the City of San Diego to start issuing Spaces as Places permits in the Coastal Zone. Spaces as Places is the city’s program to replace the Temporary Outdoor Dining program that was established during COVID-19. The program allows businesses to permit more permanent outdoor dining installations and other community gathering spaces within areas of the public right-of-way and on private property.
Casino industry data scientists announce new book
Dr. Ralph Thomas and Andrew Cardno, revered casino industry data scientists, announce the imminent release of their eighth book, “The Math That Gaming Made, 5th Edition.” This groundbreaking edition is unique in that it will incorporate their previously celebrated work, “QCI Beginner’s Guide to Database Marketing.” The synergy of these two masterpieces promises readers an unparalleled dive into both the mathematical intricacies of gaming and the nuances of database marketing.
TSIA welcomes Martin Dove as chief revenue officer
The Technology & Services Industry Association, the leading research and advisory firm for technology service organizations, announce the appointment of Martin Dove as its new chief revenue officer. With an impressive track record of driving revenue growth, customer success, and account management, Dove will play a crucial role in advancing TSIA’s mission to help technology companies optimize and drive exceptional business outcomes.
Cymbiotika earns Great Place to Work certification
Cymbiotika has been certified by Great Place To Work for the third year in a row. The prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at the company. This year, 98 percent of employees said it’s a great place To Work – 41 points higher than the average U.S. company. Great Place To Work is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and the leadership behaviors.
TeachMe.To launches online marketplace
TeachMe.To, the lesson hub for beginners, announced its launch for athletes and enthusiasts looking to learn new skills — and for passionate players looking to share their sport with local beginners. TeachMe.To is the easy way to learn to play, making skill acquisition effortless and accessible for all types of learners, while also opening opportunities for talented athletes to monetize their skill set.
