Daily Business Report: April 17, 2024
Why tortillas sold in California may be
forced to add a new ingredient
By Ana B. Ibarra | CalMatters
Corn chips, tortillas, tamales and pupusas — while all delicious may be missing a key vitamin for women of reproductive age.
Folic acid has long been used to prevent serious birth defects and help babies develop. Medical and public health experts advise daily consumption during pregnancy, but also in the months before becoming pregnant. This B vitamin is so important the federal government requires folic acid in certain foods such as enriched breads and cereals.
Now a California lawmaker is carrying a bill that would require manufacturers of corn masa flour — used to make many classic Latino foods — to also add folic acid to their products. Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, a Fresno Democrat and physician, is carrying Assembly Bill 1830. The legislation would require that producers add 0.7 milligrams of folic acid to every pound of masa, and that this addition be reflected in the nutrition label.
Arambula wants to address clear disparities in who gets the necessary amount of folic acid.
State public health data show that Latinas are less likely to take folic acid in the early weeks of pregnancy or before becoming pregnant when compared to other racial or ethnic groups. This puts them at higher risk of having children born with birth defects of the brain and spinal cord, most commonly spina bifida and anencephaly.
Photo: Tortilla packages are stacked at a supermarket in Fresno on April 9, 2024. (Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local)
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HONG KONG: CONQUERED WITHOUT A SHOT
Will this former British colony remain an Asian financial business center? Is Hong Kong tracking down those who immigrate or flee the place? These questions and more are answered by Mark Clifford, a former reporter and editor with nearly 30 years in Asia and Hong Kong.
SD METRO Associate Editor Douglas Page interviewed Mark Clifford, president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation. Clifford spent nearly 30 years in Hong Kong as a reporter and editor, becoming the top editor of The Standard and, later, the South China Morning Post, Hong Kong’s English-language daily newspapers. After leaving journalism, he was the executive director of the Asia Business Council in Hong Kong, which promotes economic growth in the region.
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Paris Hilton is the latest celebrity with a bill
The media personality and socialite is crusading against abuse of teens at treatment facilities
By Lynn La | CalMatters
It was a somber, and at times tearful, gathering Monday as legislators and advocates promoted a bill to hold behavioral treatment centers for teens more accountable.
Most of the attention was focused on one (some might say, unexpected) speaker: The hotel heiress, socialite and media personality Paris Hilton.
Hilton is the latest celebrity to utilize their fame (or as she said “shine my spotlight”) to persuade the Legislature to change state policy. In Hilton’s case, the physical and emotional abuse she says she experienced at youth treatment centers in California, Utah and Montana has led her on a personal crusade against institutional abuse in the “troubled teen industry.”
“I was subjected to abuse disguised as therapy, isolated from the outside world, and denied even the most basic rights,” Hilton told about two dozen reporters and others in the audience. “…. The sounds of my peers screaming as they were restrained and injected sedatives will never leave me…. If these facilities are scared of a simple transparency measure, then I think we should ask them: ‘What do they have to hide?’”
Senate Bill 1043 won unanimous approval from the Senate human services committee later in the afternoon. It would require the California Department of Social Services to detail a center’s use of “seclusion rooms” and restraints through a publicly accessible online dashboard by Jan. 1, 2026.
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Mayor Gloria’s team postpones key mega shelter hearing
Mayor Todd Gloria’s office late last week called off a crucial Thursday hearing on a proposed plan to transform a warehouse near downtown into a 1,000-bed shelter following questions about the proposed lease deal.
Lisa Halverstadt of Voice of San Diego broke the news Friday that Gloria’s office decided not to brief the City Council’s Land Use and Housing Committee on a proposed 35-year lease for the Middletown warehouse after the Independent Budget Analyst’s Office raised “an issue that merits additional analysis and possibly negotiation.”
Independent Budget Analyst Charles Modica told Halverstadt his office has significant questions about the lease, including whether the proposed lease payments match market rates. City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, meanwhile, said he wants to ensure the City Council gets a closed-door briefing on the proposed lease before it votes on the deal.
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Home sales trend upwards again in March
Home sales in San Diego County improved in March, evidence of a warming spring selling season despite a dearth of inventory of homes on the market. Data on the current resale market is compiled by the Greater San Diego Association of Realtors.
Single-family home sales in March were more than 13 percent higher than February, and sales of attached properties (condominiums and townhomes) were up more than 5 percent. Year over year, however, sales of existing homes were down 11 percent for single-family and 7 percent for condos and townhomes.
The median price of resale homes still shows no sign of leveling off. March single-family prices were up 3 percent in one month, and attached properties were up more than 2 percent. Year over year, prices have risen 8 percent. Today, the median price of a single-family home stands at $1,050,000, while the price of condos and townhomes is $670,000. Homes are closing escrow, on average, in about four weeks.
The most expensive single-family property sold last month in San Diego County was a 5-bedroom, 5-bath home directly across from Coronado Beach on Ocean Boulevard. The 5,000-square-foot Nantucket-style home includes a front yard set up for oceanfront gatherings, and the indoor basement is an entertainment haven with a wine cellar. It sold on March 11 for $13,515,000.
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April 19 VIP Party sets stage for April 21
La Jolla Concourse d’Elegance automotive showcase
Set atop the seaside cliffs at Ellen Browning Scripps Park, the La Jolla Concourse d’Elegance VIP Party will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. on April 19, marking the beginning of a weekend dedicated to world-class automotive excellence.
The Friday VIP Party leads into a weekend packed with exciting events and displays, all culminating in the prestigious showcase of timeless automotive artistry, the La Jolla Concours d’Elegance 2024 on Sunday, April 21.
Recognized globally as one of the finest classic automobile showcases in the United States, the La Jolla Concours consistently draws discerning car enthusiasts from around the world. This year’s La Jolla Concours theme, celebrating the Roaring 20s and the Glamorous 30s, promises to infuse the event with a sense of yesteryear nostalgia and timeless elegance.
Whether seasoned car enthusiasts or those seeking an evening of indulgence, the Friday VIP Party promises to be an immersive experience not to be missed. Tickets are now available to purchase on the La Jolla Concours d’Elegance website for $300 per person.
For more information about the La Jolla Concours d’Elegance, visit www.lajollaconcours.com
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Pacific Beach Hideaway expected to open in early summer
Los Angeles-based Baja Sharkeez Restaurant Group is gearing up for a summer opening of Pacific Beach Hideaway, a California beach bungalow-inspired bar and restaurant at the former Fat Fish Cantina Grill space at 4474 Mission Blvd. In 2022, the hospitality company took over the oceanfront space last occupied by Fat Fish Cantina Grill. Expected to open in early summer, Pacific Beach Hideaway will be a 5,500-square-foot, California lifestyle-inspired restaurant with both an interior and outside, open-air bar, as well as several classic arcade games.
More pizza and burgers coming to PB
New York City-based Prince Street Pizza and Los Angeles’ 78-year-old Irv’s Burgers are both opening locations in Mission + Garnet Food Hall at 4505 Mission Blvd., which closed all but one of its six onsite eateries. The food hall is transitioning from operating all the onsite restaurant stalls to subleasing most of the space to another operator. Only Early Bird Breakfast Burritos is staying. The building will be taken over by Lawrence Longo. Irv’s Burgers serves a simple menu of burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, fries, and shakes. Early Bird Breakfast Burritos will move to the Spitfire Tacos space.
San Diego Master Chorale performance on April 28
On Sunday, April 28, San Diego Master Chorale will perform Duruflé Requiem as part of the St. James Music Series in La Jolla. The series aims to provide a unique opportunity for audiences to enjoy diverse and impactful programs of the highest musical quality and has featured such artists as the Vienna Boys Choir, The Australian Chamber Orchestra, Anonymous 4, The Tallis Scholars, The Choir of Westminster Abbey, The Hereford Cathedral Choir, and a mainstay of the series, the Grammy Award-winning Chanticleer.
Voltaire property in Ocean Beach sold for $1.7 million
The commercial property at 4883-87 Voltaire St. in Ocean Beach has been sold for $1,675,000 all cash. The buyer was Micks Holdings LC and the seller was the Ngo Family Trust. The 5,000-square-foot building was formerly used as an auto shop for decades and is now being converted into a prominent surf lifestyle brand led by Michael Lynch called Imperfects Inc. The property’s features include two roll-up garage doors, high ceilings, and a rare curb cut, making it suitable for a range of potential uses.
Gabe P. Wright named to 2024 San Diego Super Lawyers list
For the second straight year, Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP announced that Gabe P. Wright has been named to the 2024 San Diego Super Lawyers list. Each year, no more than 5 percent of lawyers in a state are selected for the Super Lawyers distinction by the organization’s research team. Wright focuses his litigation and trial practice on complex business and commercial issues, professional liability, real estate, and class action litigation. He represents clients in state and federal court throughout California and the United States.
Bike Anywhere Day set for May 16
SANDAG invites the San Diego region to celebrate National Bike Month by participating in SANDAG Bike Anywhere Day on Thursday, May 16. The annual event, formerly known as Bike to Work Day, encourages everyone to ride to work, school, the beach, or anywhere. Bike Anywhere Day is a free event open to everyone. Participants can pedal to one of the 100 pit stops from 7-10 a.m. across the region for refreshments, bike maps, and a free commemorative 2024 Bike Anywhere Day T-shirt while supplies last.
Feeding San Diego receives grant from Vertex Foundation
the county’s leading hunger-relief and food rescue organization, has been awarded a grant from Vertex Foundation to support the School Pantry Program. The Foundation has been a Feeding San Diego supporter since 2020 and has donated consistently to support the critical hunger-relief programs operated by Feeding San Diego, the only Feeding America partner food bank in the region. The School Pantry Program is the nonprofit’s largest hunger-relief program addressing childhood food insecurity.
East Village to get new parking meters
The City of San Diego announced that parking meters will be added to the East Village soon. The post said “this will help manage the parking supply and increase turnover for the benefit of nearby residents and businesses.” The post received negative comments immediately, many concerned for workers who may need to move their vehicles during shifts. Others complained about the cost and funds being used to build bike ways. Funds raised from the meters will go to the city and the Downtown Community Parking District.
‘The Arte Building’ downtown sells for $7.85 million
Marcus & Millichap, a leading commercial real estate brokerage firm specializing in investment sales, financing, research and advisory services, announced the sale of “The Arte Building”, a 70,602-square-foot mixed-use property located in San Diego. The asset sold for $7,850,000. The iconic downtown building is located at 1111 Sixth Ave. on the corner of Sixth and C Street. Built in 1913, and extensively renovated in 2017, the property features several impressive features.
Supervisors advance $1.64 million proposed land purchase
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 to advance a proposal to increase the size of a nature preserve near the Pala-Pauma and Rainbow communities. Supervisors set a public hearing for May 22 to formally consider spending $1.64 million to purchase 222 acres for the Mount Olympus County Preserve and other related costs. If supervisors approve a deal with land owner Moritzky Trust, the purchase will increase the preserve to over 1,400 acres. The additional 222 acres would “reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 282 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year,” according to the county.
