Daily Business Report: Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024
Visual Capitalist
Ranked: The Most Endangered Animals in the World
By Pallavi Rao
In the last decade alone, more than 460 species have been declared extinct. Expanding human activity is largely to blame for this rapid biodiversity loss.
This graphic shows the most endangered animals by numbers found in the wild, per estimates from the World Wildlife Fund UK.
There are only about 75 Javan Rhinos left in the wild. Once found between the eastern edge of the Indian subcontinent all the way to Indonesia, their numbers have been steadily reduced by hunting and encoraching human settlements. Now they can be found only at the Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia.
In fact, Indonesia’s rainforests, home to 17% of all birds, 12% of the world’s mammals, and 10% of all plants, have steadily decreased as the country’s population has surged.
As a result, the country has already seen many species go extinct. It also currently has four animals on the WWF’s 10 most endangered animals list.
Aside from the Javan Rhino, this includes: the Sunda Island Tiger, and the Tapanuli and Sumatran Orangutans.
The Sunda Island Tiger is the smallest of all tiger species. Its Javan and Balinese counterparts have already been driven to extinction by hunting and habitat loss.
The Tapanuli and Sumatran Orangutans are two of the three great ape species found in Asia.
South Bay residents file lawsuit against
water treatment plant over sewage
By City News Service
A lawsuit was announced Monday on behalf of a group of South Bay residents affected by raw sewage allegedly discharged from the South Bay International Water Treatment Plant and flowing into the waters of southern San Diego County.
The complaint filed Friday in San Diego Superior Court alleges Veolia, which was contracted by the International Boundary and Water Commission to operate, manage and maintain the plant, has failed to prevent hundreds of such sewage discharges over the years.
The California Coastal Commission reported last year that more than 100 billion gallons of transboundary flows have been discharged from Mexico into Southern California over the past five years, and the complaint alleges, “Much of this contamination is directly attributable to the defendants’ failures.”
Veolia issued a statement in response, saying it has properly maintained the plant and that the U.S. and Mexican governments have failed to fund or implement solutions, such as additional infrastructure to help manage a surge in “unprecedented” sewage flows.
In a separate statement issued last month, Veolia said a population boom in Tijuana has also played a large role in contributing to a volume of transboundary flows the plant wasn’t originally designed to handle.
“San Diego’s environmental crisis is caused by unprecedented, uncontrolled flows of sewage and debris from Tijuana, and a critical lack of government funding and resources on both sides of the border to repair equipment and build additional capacity,” Veolia’s statement issued Monday read. “No amount of dishonest rhetoric from opportunistic lawyers can change these facts, and we will defend ourselves against their baseless accusations. Veolia has done an excellent job helping to operate the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant despite these challenges, and we look forward to working with our government partners to help bring about a long-term solution.”
Record-Breaking pledge to USD
will transform university’s STEM programs
The University of San Diego (USD) received a record-breaking pledge from Darlene Marcos Shiley, philanthropist and Chair Emerita of USD’s Board of Trustees, totaling $75 million. It’s the largest gift in university history and among the largest ever given to any Catholic university in the country.
The gift will touch several different areas of USD’s campus, with a primary emphasis on creating what will be known as the ‘Shiley STEM Initiative’, expanding innovative STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs, and funding new, state-of-the-art STEM facilities on USD’s campus.
The Shiley-Mcos School of Engineering and College of Arts and Sciences embody USD’s mission to shape well-rounded leaders with a liberal arts education. Both schools boast impressive alumni in STEM, including two NASA astronauts. This gift will build upon USD’s commitment to STEM, meet the needs of growing biotechnology and scientific sectors in San Diego, and help train future STEM leaders and researchers.
Beyond its STEM focus, the pledge will also be directed to other causes close to Shiley’s heart – scholarships and programs benefiting veterans and military connected students, as well as additional funding for the arts through the university’s top ranked MFA in acting, The Old Globe and USD Shiley Graduate Theatre Program.
Trump’s deportation plan brings fear and sadness at California’s border
By Wendy Fry | CalMatters
California immigrant advocates and state officials are bracing for what they describe as the likely massive impact of a second Trump presidency on border policies — vowing to fight his plans in court even as they remain uncertain which will make it from the campaign trail to reality.
Trump has pledged to conduct the largest mass deportation campaign in U.S. history on Jan. 20 when he takes office; threatened to impose tariffs on Mexico if it doesn’t stop the northbound flow of migrants and fentanyl; and described plans to use the military as part of his crackdown, contemplating deploying the National Guard to aid in deportations if necessary.
“We’re going to have to seal up those borders, and we’re going to have to let people come into our country,” said the president-elect during his acceptance remarks Tuesday. “We want people to come back in, but we have to, we have to let them come back in, but they have to come in legally.”
Lee Gelernt, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union who argued challenges to immigration restrictions during Trump’s first term, said “Many of the policies Trump is advocating and promising, like use of the military, are illegal and we are prepared to challenge them.”
President-elect Donald Trump has promised to start a mass deportation campaign early next year. (Photo by Gregory Bull, AP Images)
Airport anticipates busy Thanksgiving holiday travel week
San Diego International Airport (SAN) anticipates a busy Thanksgiving holiday travel week with as many as 460,000 people traveling through the airport from Tuesday, November 26 to Sunday, December 1. During the six-day holiday travel week, as many as 76,000 passengers are expected to arrive and depart each day.
This is a 4 to 6 percent increase in the number of passengers that will be at the airport when compared to last year at the same time. Tuesday and Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving Day and Sunday following are anticipated to be the busiest travel days.
With the increased number of travelers and the new Terminal 1 (New T1) construction in full swing, the Airport Authority encourages passengers and those picking up/dropping off to plan ahead.
Below are tips for travelers coming through SAN during the holidays:
The roadways around SAN are changing. The first phase of the New T1 opens in 2025! In addition to a new airport experience, the roads around the airport are changing. Please pay attention to roadway signage and drive safely.
Expect delays. Travelers should expect delays on N. Harbor Drive near W. Laurel St./Anchor Island through November 22. On eastbound N. Harbor Drive (going toward Downtown), the left turn lanes to W. Laurel St. will be shortened to allow workers to install an overhead sign in the median.
Check your flight status. Before coming to the airport, be sure to check with your airline to confirm your flight time.
Arrive early. Expect traffic congestion due to construction. Plan to arrive at the airport early enough to allow time to travel through security checkpoints and to your gate. Busiest times curbside are 4 a.m. to 6:15 a.m., 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and 8 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Make parking reservations in advance. The Terminal 1 Parking Plaza is now open, which means no matter which airline you are flying on, you can park right in front of your terminal. Nearly 5,000 covered parking spaces are available at the airport’s Terminal 1 and 2 Parking Plazas. Parking and curbside valet reservations can be made on the airport’s website at https://www.san.org/parking. Reserve today and save 20% with the promo code HOLIDAYS.
California launches new rebates to help cut home energy costs
Eligible Californians can apply to save thousands of dollars on home energy costs through rebates now available to homeowners as part of a federal rebate program. This is the first of two federal programs rolling out in California to make efficient, comfortable, and climate-resilient homes more affordable, and to cut pollution.
Qualified homeowners can save money on energy bills and make their homes more energy efficient through new heat pump rebates. n addition to saving money on energy bills and increasing energy efficiency, the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEEHRA) aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve indoor air quality.
California homeowners with household incomes between 80% and 150% area median income (AMI) will be eligible for up to $4,000. Those with incomes less than 80% AMI will be eligible for up to $8,000. Applicants can find their AMI hereand begin their application here.
Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve wins national awards
Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve recently received “Large Park of the Year” for Park and Campgrounds and “Plan It Green Park of the Year” awards from the Outdoor Hospitality Industry (formerly ARVC) at its annual Outdoor Hospitality Conference in Oklahoma City.
This marks the fifth year Santee Lakes has received Park of the Year and the ninth year for Plan-It Green Park of the Year national awards.
“Santee Lakes is honored to be named the National 2024 Large Park of the Year and Plan-it Green Park of the Year award at the Outdoor Hospitality Industry (OHI) Annual Conference and Awards of Excellence ceremony. This national recognition highlights our team’s commitment to enhancing the lives of our guests through exceptional camping and recreation experiences”, said Cory Kading, Park & Recreation director at Santee Lakes.
The OHI Awards of Excellence serve as a platform to acknowledge and appreciate the exemplary efforts of individuals, businesses, and parks within the outdoor hospitality community. These awards encompass various categories, recognizing excellence in areas such as campground operations, customer service, marketing, innovation, environmental stewardship, and community involvement. By honoring exceptional achievements, the OHI Awards of Excellence inspire the community to strive for greatness and continuously raise the bar in the industry.
The Tourmaliners hosts dual album release and fundraiser
Surf combo The Tourmaliners host a dual album release show and fundraiser at Tio Leo’s on Dec. 3. The band is celebrating their new Pacific Records album, “Live & Alive,” while at the same time raising funds for the Pacheo Mission in Mazatlan, Mexico. For this show, The Tourmaliners will play the entire new album and will feature a guest spot from singer Laurie Beebe Lewis, while there will also be numerous items raffled off at the event, ranging from dinner packages to surfboards. Between the great music and the opportunity to help out others less fortunate than ourselves, this concert is the perfect way to start the Christmas holiday season. Admission includes a free copy of the album for the first 100 people through the door.
The Tourmaliners: Tuesday, Dec. 3 at Tio Leo’s, 6333 Mission Gorge Road. 7 p.m. $15. tioleos.com.
Illumina announces expansion of TruSight Oncology portfolio
Illumina Inc., a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, announced that it will release TruSight Oncology 500 v2 (TSO 500 v2), a new version of its flagship cancer research assay to enable comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP). The assay is currently under development, with global release planned for mid-2025. Detailed plans for the product will be shared Nov 21 in a spotlight presentation at the annual meeting of the Association of Molecular Pathology (AMP) in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Cash Flow CFO launches new Financial Management Dashboard
The Cash Flow CFO, a leader in Fractional CFO & Accounting Services, announces the launch of its Financial Management Dashboard. This new service empowers business owners by providing an easy-to-understand format to view key performance indicators (KPIs) in real-time, facilitating quicker and more accurate business decisions.
