Daily Business Report: Nov. 22, 2023
California Republicans buy into ‘ballot harvesting’
By Sameea Kamal | CalMatters
For years, Republicans have railed against “ballot harvesting” as an underhanded tactic by Democrats to win elections.
But for the 2024 election, the California GOP is going big on collecting ballots from voters and dropping them off at election offices or polling places, which is legal in California, with some conditions.
In part, it’s a reflection of political reality: With a few exceptions, the Republican Party has been struggling. On top of Democratic majorities in the Legislature since 1996, no Republican has been elected statewide office since 2006. And since the COVID-19 pandemic, California has sent mail ballots to every registered voter, making it easier for people to cast their ballots earlier and not just at polling places on Election Day.
“These are the rules that we have been given. And we have to play by those rules,” said Jessica Millan Patterson, chairperson of the California Republican Party. “It doesn’t make any sense to only be Election Day voters. That is like only playing three quarters of a football game.”
Photo: Election workers collect ballots from voters turning them in at the Alameda County Ballot Drop Stop in Oakland on Nov. 8, 2022. (Photo by Martin do Nascimento, CalMatters)
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Australia’s first Northrop Grumman-made
MQ-4C Triton uncrewed aircraft takes flight
Northrop Grumman Corporation successfully completed the first flight of Australia’s multi-intelligence MQ-4C Triton uncrewed aircraft on Thursday, Nov. 9, at its Palmdale Aircraft Integration Center in California. The flight marks a major production milestone as Northrop Grumman progresses toward delivery of Australia’s first Triton in 2024.
Built for the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force, the multi-intelligence MQ-4C Triton is the only uncrewed, high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft performing persistent maritime intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting.
In September, the Australian government announced the addition of a fourth aircraft that will enhance the resilience of their fleet and provide superior surveillance capability to monitor and protect Australia’s maritime interests 24/7.
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Peter Torrellas begins new role as
president of Cubic Transportation Systems
Peter Torrellas has officially begun his role as senior vice president of Cubic Corporation and president of Cubic Transportation Systems following former President Jeff Lowinger’s retirement in October.
As CTS’ new president, Torrellas is responsible for leading CTS’ strategic vision, growing its customer base, enhancing partnerships with existing customers and building on the long history of technology innovation around the world.
Prior to joining Cubic, Peter was the global business unit president of Connected Communities at Parsons Corporation (PSN), leading a team of 2,500 innovators and engineers in Rail Systems, Traffic Management, Aviation, Utilites, and Environmental Remediation – in addition to founding Parsons X, the digital transformation arm of Parsons Corporation.
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Viasat honored as a 2023 Innovator of the Year
Arizona Technology Council, in partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority, awarded Carlsbad-based Viasat as a 2023 Innovator of the Year during the Governor’s Celebration of Innovation Awards. This award honors business leaders and innovators across Arizona who have demonstrated unique technological capabilities.
Viasat’s fixed broadband terminals were recognized as a unique technology. Designed for quick and reliable professional installation, our terminals are part of a complete system that also includes an innovative Satellite Access Node (SAN) and Network Management Systems (NMS) that facilitate subscriber management with features such as automated service provisioning, diagnostics, and customer support.
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Sanford Burnham Prebys’ Shadow Day supports
diversity and inclusion in STEM education
This month, Sanford Burnham Prebys’ DEI Education & Training Committee hosted more than 20 high school and college students from historically underrepresented backgrounds for a day of lab tours and workshops. The event was sponsored by the San Diego MESA alliance, and faculty, staff and current trainees came together to help make the event possible.
“The sponsorship by the San Diego MESA Alliance demonstrates the collaborative efforts between organizations to support diversity and inclusion in STEM education,” said Paula Checchi, administrator in the Institute’s Office of Education, Training and International Students and leader for our DEI Committee.
STEM Shadow Day at Sanford Burnham Prebys serves as a model for other institutions seeking to enhance diversity in STEM fields.
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Rady Children’s researcher awarded $4 million to increase
Hispanic children participation in cancer clinical trials
The National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute have awarded a $4 million Research Project Grant to Paul Aristizabal, M.D., pediatric oncologist at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego, and associate professor of pediatrics at UC San Diego and Moores Cancer Center, to expand a pilot program aimed at improving diverse participation in pediatric cancer clinical trials.
The original program, established in 2018, focused on reaching Hispanic families who had historically demonstrated extremely low participation in clinical trials and inferior clinical outcomes when compared to non-Hispanic Whites.
Curebound, a San Diego-based philanthropic organization that raises and invests strategic funding in translational cancer research projects, funded the program with a $125,000 medical grant.
Little Italy Association hold dedication
to introduce the new Piazza Costanza
The Little Italy Association of San Diego will unveil a new 2,000-square-foot public piazza, Piazza Constanza, on Nov. 28 ast 10 a.m. at Columbia and W. Ash streets. Piazza Costanza honors Margaret “Midge” Costanza, daughter of Sicilian immigrants who served as a top adviser and the first female assistant to President Jimmy Carter. Major contributors to the project include the Lennar Corportion, Joan & Irwin Jacobs, State of California, and more.
+Box program launches pilot program
that expands access to healthy food
+BOX, a nonprofit program that partners with local farms, food rescue organizations and neighborhood schools to provide food insecure children and their families with fresh healthy food, launches a pilot program for a new app, called +BOX Connect, which received support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture last year. The app will increase food insecure families’ access to, and availability of, locally grown produce in low-income/low-access communities.
Airport anticipates busy Thanksgiving holiday travel week
San Diego International Airport reached a post-pandemic milestone in October when 6,000 more people traveled through the airport’s TSA checkpoints compared to the same month in 2019. Overall, the airport is seeing a 3 percent increase in passenger volume this year compared to last year. The Airport Authority estimates as many as 84,000 passengers will arrive and depart each day during the busy Thanksgiving holiday travel week.
Calidi Biotherapeutics announces issuance of new U.S. patent
Calidi Biotherapeutics Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a new generation of targeted immunotherapies, announced the issuance of a new patent for the company’s SuperNova technology, strengthening its intellectual property portfolio and positioning Calidi to advance its CLD-201 program into the clinic. In addition, the company also provided an update on the timing of its anticipated clinical milestones.
National City partners with Sports San Diego
for inaugural Rady Children’s invitational
National University announced it will be a sponsor of the inaugural Rady Children’s Invitational college basketball tournament to be held later this month at UC San Diego.
The invitational tips off on Thanksgiving with two games, followed by two more games the next day. The Iowa Hawkeyes, USC Trojans, Seton Hall Pirates and Oklahoma Sooners will compete. Tournament is produced bby Sports San Diego.
City of San Diego launches search for next police chief
The City of San Diego is kicking off a process to recruit and hire a new chief of police for the San Diego Police Department, which will include a thorough outreach and community engagement effort to give San Diegans a voice in the hiring process along with a national search for a diverse pool of applicants who reflect the city’s priorities. Chie David Nisleit
announced his retirement on Nov. 13 and will complete his service in June 2024.
Cushman & Wakefield to embed AI across
commercial real estate transaction lifecycle
Cushman & Wakefield announced it intends to embed Artificial Intelligence (AI) across its commercial real estate transaction lifecycle, to enhance client and employee outcomes. As part of AI+ – the firm’s new, exclusive digital transformation strategy, powered by AI and underpinned by proprietary data and partnerships – Cushman & Wakefield is digitally advancing operations, client delivery and data stewardship to create a new industry standard for CRE while enhancing the firm’s own productivity.
First phase of new Terminal 1 construction
celebrated at San Diego International Airport
The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority celebrated 100 percent completion of the structural steel construction for the first phase of the New Terminal 1 with a special beam signing ceremony on Nov. 15. The first phase of the New T1 is scheduled to open in late summer 2025 and will offer 19 new gates. Representatives from Turner-Flatiron Joint Venture, Southwest Airlines, and Delta Air Lines joined the Airport Authority’s employees to commemorate this milestone.
Shop Local Saturday in North Park
North Park Main Street will present Shop Local Saturday in the North Park community on Nov. 25, honoring the annual Small Business Saturday with a 5k turkey trot, art exhibition, live music, complimentary food samples, and sales from area businesses. An opening ceremony will be held a 11 a.m. at Mila Vintage +Modern, 2879 University Ave. The turkey trot starts at 10 a.m.
City Attorney Mara Elliott announces fund
increase for specialized prosecution team
City Attorney Mara W. Elliott announced a 50 percent increase in funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety for a specialized team of drugged and alcohol impaired-driving prosecutors within her office. The City Attorney’s Office will receive a $410,000 grant to manage an expected large increase in drugged and alcohol impaired-driving testing by the Sheriff’s Crime Lab. Funding runs through September 2024.
