SD METRO Daily Business Report: Sept. 6, 2023
USS Lake Champlain decommissions
after 35 years of distinguished service
Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), the 11th ship of its class, was recognized for more than 35 years of naval service during a decommissioning ceremony at Naval Base San Diego, Sept. 1.
During the ceremony guest speaker Vice Adm. Thomas H. Copeman III (Ret.) wished the current crew fair winds and following seas as they bid farewell to their ship. Copeman was a former Lake Champlain executive officer and the 17th Commander, Naval Surface Forces.
Lake Champlain maintained a crew of 40 officers, 31 chiefs and 300 enlisted Sailors, and never changed homeports from San Diego. The ship was built in Pascagoula, Mississippi, by Ingalls Shipyard Company and commissioned Aug. 12, 1988, in Manhattan, New York City, New York.
Through the course of its distinguished service, Lake Champlain supported Operations Enduring Freedom and Southern Watch, Global War on Terrorism, Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the North Arabian Gulf (NAG), and counter piracy operations and was awarded 11 Battle Effectiveness (Battle “E”) Awards, three Navy Unit Commendations, and two Meritorious Unit Commendations.
Top photo: The crew of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), disembark the ship during a decommissioning ceremony. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stevin C. Atkins)
As more Californians allege on-the-job
violations, labor groups say bosses retaliate
By Jeanne Kuang and Alejandra Reyes-Velarde
In June 2020, as California was deep in the throes of the COVID pandemic, Lizzet Aguilar raised the alarm about working conditions at the Los Angeles McDonald’s where she worked.
Joined at times by her coworkers, Aguilar filed three safety complaints with the state and the county alleging that workers were forced to work without masks and that managers failed to notify them when they were exposed to the virus. The workers staged strikes over the summer outside the Boyle Heights restaurant, demanding improvements.
That September Aguilar and three coworkers were fired.
A citation from the state Labor Commissioner’s office against the business followed, along with two years of appeals. This past February the case finally came to a close: A state hearing officer ruled the workers were owed back wages and should be rehired.
The case, whose resolution the Labor Commissioner announced in April, was one of the state’s rare public crackdowns against retaliation — the act of employers firing workers, changing their schedules, cutting their hours or otherwise disciplining them for making legitimate complaints about working conditions.
Retaliation is banned by dozens of California labor laws, but workers’ rights advocates say it’s a common barrier to low-income laborers organizing or demanding more from their jobs.
Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina
unveils concept for new restaurant
By sdnews.com
Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina announced the start of construction on Rumorosa, a Cali-Baja-inspired restaurant at the newly reimagined property located on Harbor Island Drive. Designed to captivate the essence of both sides of the border, Rumorosa will showcase a fresh take on all-day drinking and dining infused with vibrant flavors and a touch of irreverence.
Rumorosa is the first of four food and beverage outlets planned as part of the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina’s multi-million-dollar transformation. Details about the forthcoming Brewery X craft beer pub, Sunglow harborside bar and cabana club, and Strada, a casual grab-and-go eatery will be announced soon.
“We are located at the epicenter of two flourishing cultural regions and look forward to bringing them together and introducing Rumorosa to San Diego’s vibrant culinary landscape,” said Sean Clancy, vice president and general manager, of Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina.
Adams Avenue Street Fair grows again
The 2023 Adams Avenue Street Fair, presented by U.S. Bank, is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23, from 1- a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Adams Avenue Street Fair, now celebrating its 41st year, is Southern California’s largest free two-day music festival.
This year, the Adams Avenue Street Fair has expanded two additional blocks, making the venue 10 blocks-long for the event’s 75 musical acts set to perform on seven stages. The Street Fair also features carnival rides, beer gardens, beer tastings, festival food and 300 exhibitors with unique offerings. Adams Avenue businesses are packed with customers over the weekend and are proud sponsors of the event.
South 8 Technologies draws investment
from Lockheed Martin Ventures
South 8 Technologies Inc., the San Diego cleantech company innovating safer and higher performance electrolytes for the next generation of lithium-ion batteries, has closed a strategic investment with Lockheed Martin Ventures, the venture arm of Lockheed Martin, a global leader in defense and aerospace technology, with participation from current South 8 investors LG Technology Ventures, Foothill Ventures and Anzu Partners. South 8 is the first company to develop a novel liquefied gas electrolyte technology as a safer, higher performance alternative to standard liquid electrolytes.
SDCCD eyes next step in ambitious student housing project
San Diego Community College District is preparing to break ground this fall on a $142 million, 800-bed development at City College. It planned to offer rents between $450 and $840 per bed — far below what the market is charging. But recent changes to California’s budget will have a direct bearing on how close it can get to that.
Facing its own financial squeeze, the state shifted away from promising it would provide community colleges with grants to pay for housing construction costs.
Colleges and advocacy groups urged state budget leaders to reconsider, and last week they announced a deal that takes some of the pressure off colleges. Rather than paying for housing with bonds issued by the colleges, the burden would shift to state-issued lease revenue bonds.
Once popular Santee Drive-In will close in January
Starting January, the Santee Drive-In will likely be no more.
“Like movie theatres across the country, we can’t afford to stay open,” Susan Boyd, part of the Forte family and an owner of the East County venue, said in a statement.
Discussions around a possible sale have been public for months, although this is the first time the owners and a Los Angeles-based developer have spoken jointly about a proposal to build an industrial building on the site. As long as the Santee City Council signs off, the two sides have agreed to keep the theater and swap meet open through December.
“We have worked diligently to sustain the business over many years,” Boyd added, “but the drive-in theatre is no longer economically viable.”
Agencies conduct new workforce study on tourism
A study of tourism jobs in San Diego’s economy found that many provide “good pay and versatility of employment opportunities,” despite what the study’s authors say is an assumption that these jobs are low-wage. The report, penned by the San Diego Tourism Authority and the San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center, found the range of jobs provide significant social and economic mobility, as more than 70 percent of jobs in the industry do not require a college degree. The authors interviewed more than 500 people in the region.
Aleut Remediation awarded $55 million
for radioactive waste remediation
ARS Aleut Remediation LLC, a recognized leader in environmental services, announced the award of a $5.5 million task order to undertake a vital project for the safe management and disposal of low-level radioactive waste and low-level radioactive objects. This significant task order, granted under Aleut’s contract with the U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command, Safety and Risk Management Directorate, reinforces Aleut’s commitment to environmental excellence and responsible waste management.
The Third Option unearths democracy’s true roots
The Third Option announced a groundbreaking achievement that reveals the connection between the biology of multicellular economics and democracy’s foundational principles. By examining the parallels between biological economics and human-fashioned economic systems, The Third Option has unearthed areas of conflict driving various forms of violence and suffering prevalent today. The ambitious endeavor of The Third Option includes a series of objectives aimed at revolutionizing how we perceive economics, democracy, and societal challenges.
Rady Children’s Hospital expansion to finish in 2027
Rady Children’s Hospital has broken ground on a billion-dollar, seven-story Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Services Pavilion. Scheduled to open in 2027, the 500,000-square-foot pavilion will have a new emergency department, advanced pediatric, neonatal and cardiac intensive care units and operating rooms. The facility will feature welcoming, child-friendly areas and contain large, single-patient rooms with space for caregivers to stay.
Father Joe’s Villages to upgrade one of its largest programs
On Sept. 15, Father Joe’s Villages will unveil updates to one of its largest programs, which focuses on helping people experiencing homelessness to get and keep jobs. The Employment & Education Services program will move to a new location at Saint Teresa of Calcutta Villa, and will be renamed Gene Burkard Employment and Education Services. The homeless services provider will host a ribbon cutting ceremony to inaugurate the program’s new home on Sept. 15 at 10 a.m. The program is named after philanthropist Gene Burkard.
KGB Sky Show to be presented again at Holiday Bowl
Sports San Diego and iHeart Media officials announced a renewed partnership that means the KGB Sky Show will again be presented over Petco Park immediately after the 2023 Holiday Bowl, which kicks off at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 27 and matches top teams from the Pac-12 and ACC. Last year the Oregon Ducks beat the North Carolina Tar Heels in the final minute 28-27 in yet another Holiday Bowl thriller. Tickets for the game and Sky Show go on sale to the public Thursday, Sept. 14, at HolidayBowl.com.
County has nearly 13,000 tourism job openings
According to Tourism Economics, San Diego County has nearly 13,000 Leisure and Hospitality job openings today. The San Diego Tourism Authority and the San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center sponsored the study in the hopes of highlighting the many opportunities for well-paid full-time and part-time work in the region. Many of these jobs have low barriers to entry, no degree required and pay an average of $28 an hour. A career in tourism can be a launchpad for diverse, successful, and unexpected professional trajectories.
$3 million awarded for City Heights’ Manzanita Canyon
San Diego Canyonlands and Ocean Discovery Institute announced a $3 million, three-year initiative to complete the Manzanita Greening and Canyon Health Project, lessening wildfire and flood risks, helping wildlife thrive, and enhancing community access to nature-based learning and recreation. Funds were awarded by the California Natural Resources Agency Urban Greening Program and build upon a history of support for Manzanita Canyon by City Heights community volunteers.
Automotive Museum opens newest exhibit ‘Bootleggers’
The San Diego Automotive Museum opened its newest exhibit, “Bootleggers: A Trip Down the Whiskey Road.” Through this exhibit, visitors will explore the relationship between moonshine running and the origins of NASCAR. It will include vehicles that were most commonly modified for “whiskey running” that served as the inspiration for modern muscle cars, as well as authentic bootlegging equipment. On display until Feb. 11, 2024. Tickets
Adams Avenue Business Association
may launch discount card program
The Adams Avenue Business Association is polling its members about the possibility of launching a discount card program with the goal of bringing consumers to their businesses. The association said it was gauging interest to find out if its members would participate and how. Each business would decide what type of markdown or special to offer consumers. Proceeds from the sale of the cards would be used for community projects.
