Daily Business Report: Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022
Will California’s desert be transformed into Lithium Valley?
On the edge of the Salton Sea, state officials and investors are seeking to turn brine into “white gold” that can power electric cars. But will this help solve the Imperial Valley’s troubles — or add to them?
By Julie Cart | CalMatters
California’s desert is littered with remnants of broken dreams — hidden ghost towns, abandoned mines and rusty remains of someone’s Big Idea. But nothing looms larger on an abandoned landscape than the Salton Sea, which languishes in an overlooked corner of the state.
The water shimmers and broils in the desert like a rebuke: born of human error, made worse by 100 years of neglect and pollution. California’s largest lake is also one of its worst environmental blights, presenting a problem so inverted that its toxic legacy intensifies as its foul water disappears.
For generations, Imperial Valley residents have been breathing in a Periodic Table of minerals and metals, as well as agricultural chemicals. But for all the misery that these receding waters have unleashed — asthma and other respiratory ailments triggered by dust clouds — the Salton Sea now offers a potential way out: A bounty of lithium, called “white gold,” one of the planet’s most prized elements, used to manufacture batteries that power electric cars and drive a fossil-fuel-free future.
And the state of California wants to be in on it.
Top Photo: A swing set stands alone in the Salton Sea. State officials are helping fund experimental projects to extract valuable lithium from the region’s brine. (Photo by Shae Hammond for CalMatters)
California to get $250 million to clean and restore Salton Sea
California is set to receive $250 million in federal funding to help clean up and restore the Salton Sea, the state’s largest lake and one of its worst environmental blights, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced. Most of the money is contingent on several water districts following through on their plans to pull less water from the parched Colorado River, according to the Associated Press.
Marcos Seville named executive chef
for Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina
Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina has appointed Marcos Seville as its new executive chef. Seville most recently served as resort executive chef at Naples Grande Beach Resort in Naples, Fla., where he helmed a team of 10 chefs, 45 cooks and 20 stewards.
In his new position, Seville will oversee all operational duties at the resort’s dining venues in the San Diego harbor, including Harbor’s Edge, Shoreline Cantina, Marina Market, Quinn’s Ale House, Bay Tower Lounge, and for food and beverage menus for the resort’s collaboration with Brewery X Harbor Island slated to open in 2023.
Dawn Seymour promoted to partner at Katalyst
Katalyst, a San Diego-based public relations and social media agency, has promoted Dawn Seymour to partner.
Seymour has been with Katalyst for nearly 10 years, starting as a contractor with the company in 2013 then joining full time in 2018 as managing director.
She was promoted to vice president in 2021.
Throughout her time at Katalyst, Dawn has helped President and Founder Katherine Randall grow the agency, adding new and diverse clients, expanding the services and developing a growing team.
Since joining full time in 2018, she has helped double the size of the team, taking Katalyst from five employees to10.
Seymour has also played a big role in retaining clients as well as consistently bringing in new ones.
Most recently, she expanded the company into a new Southern California market, Santa Barbara.
Tyler Garcia and Shae Geary join Visit Oceanside leadership
Visit Oceanside has named Tyler Garcia as vice president of business and brand development, and Shae Geary as director of communications. Garcia will lead the sales and marketing departments while focusing on product development and strategic partnership opportunities that align with the four pillars of the City of Oceanside master plan: environmental quality, resident quality of life, quality of economy and visitor quality experience. Garcia joins Visit Oceanside from Oceanside’s new beach resorts, Mission Pacific Hotel and The Seabird Resort, where he served as director of sales.
Geary brings over 25 years of experience in strategic hospitality communications to Visit Oceanside. She has a strong familiarity with Oceanside having served as the external public relations liaison for Visit Oceanside since 2012. Geary has honed her professional skills primarily working on behalf of hotels, resorts and destinations most recently from her position as director of hospitality communications at San Diego’s public relations agency (W)right On Communications.
Water Authority to get $2.4 million
in state funds to build water pipeline
The San Diego County Water Authority will receive $2.4 million from the California Department of Water Resources to construct a pipeline from the San Vicente Water Reclamation Plant to an existing non-potable pipeline on the Barona Reservation. This project will provide up to 250 acre-feet of water per year of recycled water for non-potable needs to the Barona Tribe. The project will also allow the Barona Tribe to reserve groundwater for its critical drinking water needs, increase groundwater levels and storage, and help to protect groundwater quality from the effects of over pumping.
‘The Art of Dr. Seuss Collection’ return
Exclusive Collections Gallery will share a selection or artwork from The Art of Dr. Seuss Collection Nov. 26 through Dec. 24 at 212 Cedros Ave., No. 104, in Solana Beach. Visitors may explore and acquire works from Dr. Seuss’s best-known children’s books, as well as The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss, a mind-expanding collection based on decades of artwork, which Dr. Seuss created at night for his own personal pleasure..
City Ballet’s ‘Nutcracker’ set for Dec. 21-23
Pacific Beach-based City Ballet of San Diego’s award-winning production of the classic holiday ballet “The Nutcracker” returns to the stage at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido, 340 N Escondido Blvd., with five performances Dec. 21-23.
Airport Authority named 2022
Deal of the Year award winner
San Diego County Regional Airport Authority has been awarded The Bond Buyer’s 2022 Deal of the Year award in the Far West Region category and named a finalist for the national Deal of the Year award. The award is for the December 2021 completion of a major bond financing totaling $1.94 billion.
Ethos Asset Management announces long-term financing
La Jolla-based Ethos Management Inc. USA announced a new long-term financing partnership with Beyond Limits Inc., Glendale, Calif. Beyond Limits is a technology leader in developing real-world, industrial-grade hybrid AI solutions for smart energy, renewables, smart cities and transportation, carbon capture and other intelligent infrastructure related markets. Ethos has committed to provide Beyond Limits with access to significant “infrastructure-project like” capital that will continue for several years under terms that are simply not available in today’s markets.
Nostalgia Coffee Roasters
expands NuZee partnership
NuZee Inc., a leading U.S. producer and co-packer of single serve coffee formats, announced its expanded partnership with award-winning Nostalgia Coffee Roasters of San Diego to bring 2.5oz portion packs to wholesale customers nationwide for the first time. Building upon their long history working together to make single serve brew bags, the two companies’ newest venture is available now online, offering a delicious, eco-friendly java option to cafes, restaurants, corporate offices, and more.
Regulus Therapeutics announces appointments
Regulus Therapeutics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company in San Diego focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines targeting microRNAs, announced the appointments of Rekha Garg, M.D., to senior vice president, clinical development and regulatory, and Claire Padgett to senior vice president, clinical operations. The company also announced the promotion of Morgan Carlson to vice president, biology and Edmund Lee to vice president, translational medicine. The company also announced that Denis Drygin has stepped down from his role as chief scientific officer to pursue other opportunities.
Sempra Foundation wins U.S. Chamber’s
top honor for corporate citizenship
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has recognized the charitable achievements of Sempra Foundation, a charitable organization founded and endowed by Sempra, for Best Community Improvement Program as part of its 23rdannual Citizen Awards. The Citizens Awards recognize purpose-driven businesses for taking a leadership role in helping solve the world’s biggest challenges and recognize innovative and impactful corporate citizenship initiatives that are raising the bar on social responsibility and accelerating momentum for a more equitable and sustainable future.
CLEAResult launches Golden State Rebates program
California residents can now save money instantly on energy-efficient home upgrades with the new Golden State Rebates program implemented by CLEAResult, the largest energy efficiency solutions provider in North America, under a contract awarded by San Diego Gas & Electric Company. The program’s easy-to-use retail coupon portal includes rebates of up to $500 and is available to customers of SDG&E, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Gas Company and Southern California Edison Company.
Visit goldenstaterebates.com for full details on everything the program has to offer.
