Daily Business Report: Monday, July 19, 2021
San Vicente Energy Storage Facility
moves forward with $18 million boost
The San Vicente energy project is one of the most promising pumped energy storage solutions in California and it would be a major asset to help avoid rolling blackouts through on-demand energy production while helping to meet state climate goals.
Upon completion, the San Vicente energy project would provide up to 500 megawatts of long-duration stored energy, which will assist in meeting peak electrical demand periods throughout Southern California.
PHOTO: San Vicente Dam and Reservoir (San Diego County Water Authority)
Navy christens first John Lewis-class oiler
in ceremonies at General Dynamics NASSCO yard
General Dynamics NASSCO on Friday christened the future USNS John Lewis, the first ship for the U.S. Navy’s John Lewis-class fleet oiler program. The oilers are designed to transfer fuel to U.S. Navy carrier strike group ships operating at sea.
The 2016 contract awarded to NASSCO by the Navy called for the design and construction of six 742-foot-long oilers with a full load displacement of 49,850 tons. The oilers have the capacity to carry 157,000 barrels of oil, a significant dry cargo capacity, aviation capability and up to a speed of 20 knots.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), served as the principal speaker at the ceremony, in addition to remarks from NASSCO and U.S. Navy representatives. Following her remarks, the ship’s sponsor, Alfre Woodard Spencer, christened the ship with the traditional champagne bottle break alongside the hull.
The christening marked the one-year anniversary, to the day, of John Lewis’ passing.
Former Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, declared the John Lewis-class of oilers be named after leaders who fought for civil and human rights. The class and the first ship honors Congressman and American civil rights leader John Lewis.
Why Jason Hughes made so much money
on city lease deals is still largely a mystery
By Lisa Halverstadt | Voice of San Diego
The revelation that a downtown real estate broker who volunteered to help the city was in reality paid millions of dollars by a developer that negotiated two lease deals with the city has left San Diego’s commercial real estate industry reeling over the steep payouts he received.
The disclosures have left many wondering just how broker Jason Hughes managed to make $9.4 million on the deals – a sum far higher than typical broker fees. His lawyer says he was paid based on other more substantial services and even risks Hughes took but declined to elaborate, further stoking the intrigue.
Metropolitan Transit System launches
free Wi-Fi pilot program on 10 buses
The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) has launched a free Wi-Fi pilot program on 10 buses to test Internet access for its transit riders. If successful, the pilot program could be expanded to more buses and trolleys.
Throughout the pilot program, staff will monitor and evaluate the Wi-Fi’s performance by gathering customer feedback. MTS is encouraging users to submit a survey to share their experience. Riders will be able to provide feedback on connectivity, internet speed, and overall experience.
To access the Internet, riders will have to be on board one of the 10 buses equipped with Wi-Fi and enable Wi-Fi connection on their personal device. An MTS splash page will then pop-up, and they will need to accept terms and conditions in order to connect. Riders will be able to browse the Internet, stream music, and/or video on any device for free.
Local artist Kaori Fukuyama selected for
airport Under the Wing Mentorship Program
Kaori Fukuyama, a San Diego-based multi-disciplinary artist, has been selected to participate in the new Under the Wing Mentorship Program at San Diego International Airport. Fukuyama will support selected mentor artist Nova Jiang, who has been commissioned to create a permanent public artwork at the airport as part of the planned New T1 program.
The Under the Wing mentorship program is a professional development opportunity for emerging and mid-career artists to gain knowledge of the public art process from concept through installation. Noted as the first of its kind in an airport arts program, the Under the Wing mentorship program will conclude when the large-scale public art project is commissioned for the planned New Terminal 1 ticketing lobby.
Fukuyama will assist Jiang by providing support services to advance the project’s development. One of the program’s central goals is to support an aspiring public artist in launching a successful career in this challenging field.
Originally from Kumamoto, Japan, Ms. Fukuyama currently lives and works in San Diego. Her practice spans paintings, drawings, sculptures, and site-specific installations. She was an Artist-In-Residence at Bread & Salt, San Diego in 2018, recently completed a large-scale public art installation in North Park and is a recipient of San Diego Art Prize 2020.
Michelle Candland named president
of San Diego Women’s Foundation board
The San Diego Women’s Foundation (SDWF) has named Michelle Candland as president of the board of directors. Candland has been an SDWF member since 2016 and has served on the board since 2018. she also is a founding board member and president of the board of the Monarch Project, the nonprofit established to support the students at Monarch School.
In 2004, Candland was the recipient of the Art of Giving Award as Community Volunteer of the Year by the San Diego Magazine Charitable Events Registry as well as the Director of the Year, Corporate Governance Not-For-Profit, by the Corporate Directors Association.
She has been an active member of the Rotary Club of San Diego since 1999, the fourth largest club in the world with 500 members. Rotary International has 1.2 million members in 33,000 clubs around the world and the San Diego club was the 33rd club to be formed. Candland served on the board and was club president 2014-2015 as well as the chair of the club Foundation in 2015-2016.
Candland currently serves on the board for the National Conflict Resolution Center.
Sara Noonan joins Noonan Lance
Boyer & Banach as associate attorney
Sara Noonan has joined the legal team of Noonan Lance Boyer & Banach LLP as its newest associate attorney. She will handle general civil litigation, complex business disputes professional liability litigation and employment cases.
Noonan previously worked as an attorney for a community association firm in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. While there, she represented clients in all aspects of association operation and corporate governance, with a focus on covenant enforcement, bankruptcy and general litigation matters in court and before numerous governing boards and administrative agencies.
Since then, she has worked at Noonan Lance Boyer & Banach LLP as a law clerk primarily responsible for reviewing trial records, researching applicable law, drafting legal memoranda and assisting with discovery.
A member of the American Bar Association, Noonan earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Miami, with a double major in public relations and psychology. She received her J.D. from Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad College Law, where she received numerous high-grade honors.
Stockdale Capital Partners receives WiredScore
Platinum Certification for Campus at Horton
Campus at Horton in Downtown San Diego, one of the largest adaptive reuse and urban mixed-use tech and life sciences campuses in the West, has received a WiredScore Platinum Certification, joining an elite group of best-in-class buildings around the world to achieve the prestigious rating. Campus at Horton, developed by Stockdale Capital Partners, is also the only real estate development in San Diego to be recognized with the coveted Platinum certification.
Wired Certification, developed by WiredScore, is the global standard for digital connectivity, measuring five key components of a building including master planning, infrastructure, services, monitoring and innovation. Campus at Horton achieved Platinum certification—the highest-awarded recognition—indicating the million square-foot development spanning 10-acres in the heart of Downtown San Diego meets exceptional standards for wired infrastructure, resilience and wireless networks
County supervisors adopts first
Environmental Justice Element for general plan
The County Board of Supervisors has voted to adopt a first-ever Environmental Justice Element for the county’s general plan, which guides community development in San Diego County’s unincorporated communities, setting the long-term vision for housing, jobs, infrastructure and public services.
The board’s unanimous vote will help ensure the county’s general plan promotes fair treatment for people of all races, cultures and incomes when it comes to having access to safe and livable communities, and opportunities for civic engagement.
The Environmental Justice Element will also help to improve underserved communities that are more prone than others to have environmental disadvantages, like more exposure to air and chemical pollution because of traffic or industry, fewer public facilities, infrastructure and services, and less access to healthy food and recreation.
The new Element currently identifies 17 census tracts in four unincorporated communities as environmental justice communities: north El Cajon, north Lemon Grove, Spring Valley and Sweetwater.
BlueNalu named semi-finalist
in XPRIZE’s Feed the Next Billion
San Diego startup BlueNalu, which develops cell-cultured seafood, was named one of 28 semi-finalists in XPRIZE’s Feed the Next Billion. The competition aims to reinvent how humanity will feed future generations, and will collectively award semi-finalists up to $500,000 to support their development of globally accessible chicken and fish alternatives.
The Parent Company launches new delivery hub in
Chula Vista via Caliva’s direct-to-consumer platform
Cannabis company TPCO Holding Corp. (The Parent Company) announced the launch of its newest delivery hub in Chula Vista to provide improved access to The parent company’s cannabis products through Caliva’s on-demand direct-to-consumer platform.
The new hub will service an additional 3.3 million residents of the greater San Diego area, expanding the reach of the company to directly service approximately 60 percent of California’s population.
As a direct result of The parent company’s expansion plans throughout the state, its Caliva brand has seen an over 20 percent increase year-over-year in the number of customers they are able to service through its direct-to-consumer platform.
The new Chula Vista delivery hub offers a promising market for the brand, with the city of San Diego itself representing a population that has spent over $200 million on cannabis over the past 12 months. The delivery hub will also provide 20 – 30 new job opportunities for the local Chula Vista community.
