Daily Business Report: Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022
Rebecca Church appointed judge on
the San Diego County Superior Court
Rebecca Church, 42, of San Diego County, has been appointed to serve as a judge in the San Diego County Superior Court by Gov.Gavin Newsom.
Church has served as an assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California since 2015.
She was an associate at Duane Morris LLP from 2012 to 2014 and served as a law clerk for the Honorable Ruben B. Brooks at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California from 2008 to 2010.
Church earned a juris doctor degree from the California Western School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Lorna A. Alksne.
Church is registered without party preference.
North County Transit District awarded
$7 million for Sprinter improvements
The North County Transit District (NCTD) announced the appropriation of $7 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Community Project Funding for its Sprinter Corridor Service Improvement Project. The funding, which was requested by Congressman Mike Levin will allow NCTD to further the modernization of signals on the Sprinter corridor, an initial phase of the multi-year Corridor Service Improvement Project. The project seeks to increase the speed and frequency of Sprinter service with an ultimate objective of reducing the time between departures from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes.
J. Walcher Communications named ‘Employer of the Year’
J. Walcher Communications, a San Diego public relations and marketing agency headed by President Jean Walcher, has been named “Employer of the Year” by Business For Good San Diego, a nonprofit association of values-driven local business owners. The award is given to a business owner who consistently works to find every possible way to put people over profits and demonstrates an unwavering commitment to all their employees.
“Jean understands what it is to be an intentional business owner, evidenced by the fact that most of her team has remained with the company for years,” said Business for Good San Diego Managing Director Danea Ramos. “Because of her dedication to her employees, she has been able to create an impactful and successful business.”
Additional award winners include Environmental Hero: Erika Rodriguez, founder of Nadi Marketing; Housing & Homelessness Hero: Mitchelle Woodson of Think Dignity; Immigration Advocate: Invest in San Diego Families Coalition from Center on Policy Initiatives; and Business Resource Champion: Jason Roberts of Frontline Careers; Community Partner of the Year: City Heights Community Development Corporation.
La Jolla Institute for Immunology instructor wins
acceptance into Rising Star Mentorship Program
As an infectious disease researcher at La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) Instructor Annie Elong Ngono has spearheaded important studies into the human body’s response to deadly pathogens such as dengue virus.
Now, this dedication to global health and virology has earned her acceptance to the Global Virus Network’s (GVN) highly selecytive Rising Star Mentorship Program.
GVN is a coalition of human and animal virologists from 68 Centers of Excellence and 11 Affiliates in 39 countries.
Elong Ngono is the first LJI scientist to be accepted into the GVN Rising Star Mentorship Program, which offers early-career virologists unique opportunities for close collaboration with senior GVN scientists and clinicians.
Through the program, Elong Ngono will also get to participate in exclusive GVN meetings and other professional development opportunities in virology.
San Diego leaders thank federal representatives
for delivering $221 million in community funding
A bipartisan coalition of leaders from across San Diego County have expressed its sincere appreciation for the efforts of San Diego’s congressional delegation, who secured more than $221 million across 49 local community projects as part of the Fiscal Year 2023 federal appropriations bill. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla and Congressmembers Scott Peters, Juan Vargas, Mike Levin, Sara Jacobs, and Darrell Issa continue to deliver for the region, as they did in 2021 when they delivered over $107 million across 28 community projects.
The delegation also delivered a key regional victory by securing language that will unlock the $300 million in previously appropriated USMCA funds to help clean up the Tijuana River Valley. These funds will help deliver the proposed slate of U.S Environmental Protection Agency projects proposed late last year
Vice President Kamala Harris honors
CSE student Naba Rizvi
Vice President Kamala Harris sent a personal note of congratulations to Naba Rizvi, a PhD student in UC San Diego’s Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) department, or her recent recognition by CSEdWeek as a Computer Science Hero. The vice president honored Rizvi for her endeavors to make computer science accessible for all learners and noted the barriers and stereotypes Rizvi, and others from underrepresented groups, have faced in computing.
Rizvi is a first-generation college student who was one of only two women in her undergraduate information technology program at the University of Toledo. “This recognition means a lot to me as I am a trailblazer in my family and community in a lot of ways,” said Rizvi. “When my mama heard the vice president sent me a letter, she cried because she knows how far I’ve come and all the obstacles I’ve had to overcome to get here.”
Childhood cancer trailblazer Lukas Chavez joins
Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
Lukas Chavez has joined Sanford Burnham Prebys as an assistant professor in the Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program to continue his research on chromatin and gene regulation in childhood brain cancers.
Chavez’ research focuses on circular DNA fragments called ecDNA that are detached from normal chromosomes. These DNA circles allow cancer cells to produce and transcribe many copies of cancer-causing genes.
“EcDNA has very unique properties that we are only starting to understand,” says Chavez. “My hope is to identify improved therapeutic strategies that block the formation and replication of these DNA circles. This could lead to a revolution in the way we treat some highly aggressive childhood cancers, and also other tumor types driven by ecDNA.”
San Diego County hires its inaugural chief
geriatric officer to oversee care for aging population
Three years ago, the county of San Diego adopted an Aging Roadmap, a comprehensive plan to support the region’s growing aging population. Last month, it hired its first chief geriatric officer to advance that vision.
Dr. Lindsey Yourman will be responsible for building strong ties with social service agencies, the local medical community and continuing education providers.
The goal is to provide services supporting healthy aging, safety and independence for the older adult population, which is expected to reach nearly 1 million over the next decade.
Northrop Grumman awarded contract for drone work
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. has been awarded a $16,220,882 contract for engineering investigations, fleet operations and other in support of the MQ-8 Fire Scout System. Work will be performed in San Diego and is expected to be completed in December 2023. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting agency.
Free SeaWorld tickets for some Holiday Bowl fans
SDCCU Holiday Bowl officials announced that longtime bowl partner, SeaWorld San Diego is providing one-day park admission tickets to the first 10,000 fans through the Petco Park gates for the 2022 SDCCU Holiday Bowl. It’s one park admission ticket per person, while supplies last. Kickoff for the 43rd annual Holiday Bowl is set for 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28 and features two of the nation’s highest scoring teams – Oregon (9-3) and North Carolina (9-4). The return of the KGB Sky Show follows immediately after the game. Gates open at 2 p.m.
Cue Health to provide telehealth to treatment
program to Minnesota residents at no cost
San Diego-based Cue Health, the health care technology company known for diagnostic enabled care, announced that it has been selected by Minnesota Department of Health to provide a statewide COVID-19 telehealth to treatment program, powered by Cue Care, at no cost to Minnesota residents. With Cue, Minnesotans who test positive on any COVID-19 self test can consult virtually and on-demand with a health care professional to obtain a prescription for COVID-19 treatment at no cost, if they are medically indicated.
FDA accepts supplemental new drug
application from Neurocrine Biosciences
Neurocrine Biosciences Inc., a leading neuroscience-focused biopharmaceutical company, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted its supplemental New Drug Application for valbenazine as a treatment for chorea associated with Huntington disease. The agency set a Prescription Drug User Fee Act target action date of Aug. 20, 2023.
Enrollment continues in the KINECT-HD2 open-label study to evaluate the long-term safety and tolerability of valbenazine for the treatment of chorea in Huntington disease.
Sony develops firs live distribution technology
with full object-based spatial sound
For the first time in the world, Sony Electronics Inc. has created real-time live distribution technology with full object-based spatial sound. Additionally, Sony has expanded the range of support for its “360 Reality Audio,” a musical experience that allows users to immerse themselves in a three-dimensional sound field. The first live event that will be distributed in real time with 360 Reality Audio is an online event by the artist Hikaru Utada, scheduled to be held around the world on Jan. 19, 20232. This event will be free for the first 10,000 attendees.
