Daily Business Report: July 12, 2023
Frontwave Arena selects Level 10
Construction to finish Oceanside’s
new sports and entertainment arena
Frontwave Arena, the new multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue in Oceanside, has selected Level 10 Construction to complete the construction of its 170,000-square-foot building with a capacity for 7,500 fans.
With an expected opening in the summer of 2024, the arena is located adjacent to the SoCal Sports Complex in Oceanside’s El Corazon district. The arena has been planned with excellent sightlines from every seat and an intimate bowl design to bring fans closer to the action.
Frontwave Arena will showcase the best and brightest names in music of all genres, headline comedy, family shows, and community events. In addition to the 16-time pro indoor soccer champion San Diego Sockers, the venue will host a growing roster of sports teams, league tournaments, combat sports, and special events for thrilling year-round athletic competitions.
Frontwave Arena will feature 16 luxury suites, eight bars, three VIP viewing decks, two exclusive lounges and an open-air patio. The concourse level will offer a variety of craft food and beverage options. An outdoor plaza with its own performance stage and concessions will host community events, branded activities, and more.
The arena’s naming rights agreement, a 10-year partnership with Frontwave Credit Union, reflects the member-owned not-for-profit financial institution’s commitment to the community.
Photo: Artist’s rendering of Frontwave Arena. (Courtesy of Frontwave Arena)
CalMatters Guest Commentary
Unsafe Skittles? Why California should
ban chemicals found in popular candy
By Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports
Food companies shouldn’t be allowed to sell products in the U.S. made with toxic chemicals while they sell the same products in other countries without them.
Yet that’s exactly what happens with certain candies, baked goods and beverages. Manufacturers ship products with safer ingredients to other countries while the inferior versions containing harmful chemicals and additives are sold every day in America.
A bill by Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, a Woodland Hills Democrat, would prohibit the use of five toxic chemicals found in candies such as Skittles and Sour Parch Kids. Recent scientific evidence has linked certain food additives to serious health problems, including higher risk of cancer, nervous system damage, hyperactivity and other neurological problems.
City launches electric vehicle
shuttle service in Pacific Beach
The City of San Diego and the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) have teamed up to offer neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) service in Pacific Beach, which officially launches today as a quick and easy way to get around the community. The Beach Bug shuttle — which was named through a public vote — will reduce demand for parking near coastal attractions, make it more convenient to take public transit to the beach and support the city’s Climate Action Plan goals.
NEVs are all-electric, low-speed shuttles that travel up to 25 mph. Operated by Circuit, The Beach Bug service will be free for the first three months. More information can be found at sandiego.gov/pbshuttle.
NEVs are all-electric, low-speed shuttles that travel up to 25 mph. Operated by Circuit, The Beach Bug service will be free for the first three months. More information can be found at sandiego.gov/pbshuttle.
San Diego Foundation awards record $4 million
in scholarships to local college students
These awards are ever more vital in light of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down affirmative action in higher education enrollment decisions. The SDF Community Scholarship Program enables a diverse cohort of largely local students to attend college. In fact, Black/African American and Latino/a students represented 16 percent and 40 percent of 2023 – 2024 scholarship recipients, respectively.
Northrop receives $42.8 million
U.S. Space Force contract
Northrop Grumman will boost risk reduction efforts and increase materials provided for the first phase of the U.S. Space Force’s Next-Generation Overhead Persistant Infrared program under a $42.8 million contract modification.
The Department of Defense said the award brings the contract’s total amount to $1.98 billion and has a performance period through July 31, 2016. In May, Northrop received a potential $2.4 billion contract modification from the Space Force to produce the first two polar space vehicles under the OPIR program.
The company was also able to demonstrate a technical approach to integrate Next-Gen OPIR payloads into its Eagle-3 spacecraft as part of a preliminary design review, which concluded in May. Northrop’s space system division will conduct work for the new award in Redondo Beach.
The Michelin Guide honors North Park restaurant
Mabel’s Gone Fishing, a 10-month-old North Park Iberian restaurant that specializes in gin cocktails, was awarded a prestigious Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand honor on Tuesday morning.
Mabel’s is the only San Diego County restaurant to earn this honor for 2023. Mabel’s was previously recognized in March with a Michelin recommendation, which is the first entry point to the Michelin restaurants awards program. On June 18, Michelin will announce its California 2023 Michelin Star winners at an evening celebration in Oakland.
Until 2019, San Diego County restaurants weren’t eligible for consideration by the elite and secretive ratings organization’s awards. Since then, 54 San Diego County restaurants have joined the California Guide, including four Michelin Star honorees: three-star Addison, and one-star Jeune et Jolie, Soichi Sushi and Sushi Tadokoro.
Teresa T.G. Wilkinson joins
RICK Engineering Company
RICK Engineering Company, a multidisciplinary planning, design and engineering firm serving the western United States, has appointed Teresa T.G. Wilkinson as director of environmental planning services.
Wilkinson has more than 30 years of experience in environmental planning and expertise with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Wilkinson has been the principal at TTG Environmental since 2013, specializing in transportation planning studies, environmental permitting, compliance oversight, environmental impact statements/reports, and environmental assessments.
Replicate Bioscience appoints
Rachel Lester as chief business officer
SAN DIEGO — Replicate Bioscience, a company pioneering novel self-replicating RNA (srRNA) technology for use in infectious disease, oncology, autoimmune disease, and more, announced that it has appointed Rachael Lester as its chief business officer.
Lester, who has more than 20 years of experience as a senior executive in the biopharmaceutical industry, will be responsible for leading corporate strategy, business development, portfolio strategy, and new product planning.
Lester joins Replicate from Harpoon Therapeutics a clinical-stage immunotherapy company, where she most recently served as senior vice president, business development and corporate strategy.
Lincoln Avenue Capital hosts
Family Resource Day events
SAN DIEGO Lincoln Avenue Capital, a mission-driven acquirer and developer of affordable housing, hosted a Family Resource Day event for residents of Sea Breeze Apartments, which provide high-quality homes for lower-income families in San Diego. The Family Resource Day featured representatives from local nonprofit organizations sharing information with residents about youth programs, community development, affordable health care and other social services. Residents also received a complimentary meal from a local food truck.
Del Mar Highlands Town Center
honored with Gold Nugget Grand Award
SAN DIEGO — RDC, an award-winning architecture and interior design firm, is celebrating the success of the reimagined shopping and lifestyle center, Del Mar Highlands Town Center, which was honored with a 2023 Gold Nugget Grand Award for Best Commercial project at the recent Pacific Coast Builder’s Conference (PCBC) in Anaheim. The prestigious award recognizes those who improve communities through exceptional concepts in design, planning, and development. The repositioning was undertaken by Donahue Schriber Realty Group (DSRG), beginning in 2012, and completed in 2021.
Elsie Biotechnologies in collaboration with GSK
SAN DIEGO — Elsie Biotechnologies Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, announced a research collaboration agreement with GSK plc to advance the discovery and development of Elsie’s innovative oligonucleotide discovery platform with the aim of finding novel oligonucleotides optimized for safety, efficacy, and delivery. The collaboration combines GSK’s extensive expertise in DNA encoded library technologies with Elsie’s drug discovery platform. The companies will begin an initial research period where GSK and Elsie will explore the platform capabilities.
Cox Communications upgraded
its broadband packages
SAN DIEGO — Cox Communications recently updated its broadband packages, providing
faster speeds at no extra cost to the majority of its residential customers. Everyone on Cox’s most popular tier went from 250 Mbps(megabits per second) to 500 Mbps. Now, more than 75 percent of all Cox customers receive download speeds of a half-gigabit or more. Cox’s upgraded speeds will help internet users stay ahead of their home network’s demands.
New guide provides comprehensive
information for small businesses
SAN DIEGO — The 2023 Small Business Resource Guide is a comprehensive document providing valuable information, tools, and support to help entrepreneurs and small business owners navigate various aspects of running a business effectively, including financial management, marketing strategies, legal requirements, and other essential resources. The foundational research work for the SBRG was done as part of the 2022 Cal State San Marcos Senior Experience project. Take a look at the guide
Small businesses may now apply for
COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave program
SAN DIEGO — Eligible California small businesses may apply now for a state program that awards funds for costs incurred from the COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave program. Businesses may be awarded between $5,000 and $50,000. Funds are limited and will be awarded based on eligibility and availability of funds. Lendistry is hosting a series of webinar sessions where representatives will walk applicants through the program guidelines and do a live demo of the application process. To view available dates and sign up for a webinar, visit caspsl.com/webinars.
Healthy Workplace Accelerator
Program offered free of charge
SAN DIEGO —The Healthy Workplace Accelerator Program is a free online platform hosted by Live Well San Diego that helps organizations create a healthy workplace through online resources and peer connections. Participants can assess their organization’s wellness support, create a personalized action plan, receive recognition badges, access tools and resources, collaborate with other organizations, and continuously improve year after year.
Alliance Healthcare Foundation
accepting grant applications
SAN DIEGO — The Alliance Healthcare Foundation is accepting grant applications for Mission Support funding. San Diego nonprofits serving underserved and marginalized communities can receive unrestricted funding ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 annually for up to three years. Organizations that address social and health inequities are prioritized. The application period is open from July 5 to September 15, 2023, with decisions and disbursements in January 2024.
Pre-register for Founders First veteran grant
SAN DIEGO — Applications for $1,000 grants for veteran-owned small businesses are now available. This grant is inspired by Stephen L. Tadlock, the veteran brother of San Diego-based Founders First CEO, Kim Folsom. The $25,000 fund will make investments of $1,000 each to 25 veterans who are running employer-based small businesses across the country. The full application opens on Sept.19, 2023. The deadline to complete the grant application is Oct. 16, 2023.
Grants available for neighborhood
landscape improvement projects
SAN DIEGO — Nonprofits are invited to apply for the San Diego ASLA Community Grant by Aug. 17. The grant aims to fund neighborhood landscape improvements. Funds are distributed as a reimbursement quarterly over a year’s time. The final reimbursement is provided after the recipient submits an overview and photos showcasing the completed work.
