Daily Business Report: June 6, 2024
What Biden’s border order
means for California
By Wendy Fry | CalMatters
President Biden’s long-predicted executive actions restricting asylum claims at the U.S.-Mexico border could take effect in remote parts of California where some migrants gather in open-air camps to await federal processing.
White House officials argue the new measures announced Tuesday will bring much-needed order to the border, while advocates for migrants argue the changes could cause the California border to become more chaotic and deadly as migrants seek increasingly remote areas to cross undetected and illegally.
Border crossings are already exceeding the average of 2,500 daily over a seven-day period that triggers the new rules. That means the order and accompanying Department of Homeland Security interim rule could immediately allow border agents to instantly return migrants across the border into Mexico or deport them to their home countries within hours or days — without considering their asylum claims.
The new measures are meant to discourage migrants from crossing the border irregularly or illegally. “It’s going to change the calculus of those intending to cross,” a senior White House official told reporters this morning.
If migrants know they’re likely to be returned to Mexico or deported rather than allowed into the United States while their asylum claim is processed, they’re less likely to pay a coyote thousands of dollars to make the dangerous trek, the official argued.
Top photo: Migrants form a line to enter the U.S. and seek asylum through El Chaparral port of entry in San Diego at the Mexico border on Dec. 22, 2022. (Photo by Carlos A. Moreno for CalMatters)
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San Diego-based women-owned PR firm takes top
award for coordinated response to overturning of Roe v. Wade
Scatena Daniels, a women-owned PR and integrated communications firm serving organizations in Southern California, is racking up awards for their earned media relations work on behalf of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties (PPOSBC). The team received a Bronze Anvil at the Public Relations Society of America’s 80th Annual Anvil Awards for their coordinated public response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
The PRSA Annual Anvil Awards set the industry standard for excellence and have long been considered the benchmark for outstanding performance in public relations. The Bronze Anvil Award for Media Relations for Nonprofit Organizations earned by Scatena Daniels–their first national PRSA award win–recognizes the extraordinary contribution a specific public relations tactic made to the success of an overall campaign.
When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Scatena Daniels developed a comprehensive media relations plan that allowed PPOSBC to participate in a record number of media opportunities–including a Good Morning America segment. Through an elevated national profile and consistent regional media coverage through high-profile thought leadership pieces, Scatena Daniels’ work not only positioned PPOSBC as leaders in the fight for reproductive rights but earned the nonprofit healthcare organization two anonymous $1 million donations.
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Number of shelter beds could plunge as Golden Hall closing date is set
By Lisa Halverstadt | Voice of San Diego
The city’s fire permit for its City Hall complex shelter where more than 250 homeless men sleep each night is set to expire in October.
On the eve of Memorial Day weekend, the city abruptly announced the Golden Hall shelter would need to close by the end of the year and the facility would stop welcoming newcomers.
Keeping the shelter open beyond Oct. 6 – and closer to the end of 2024 – will require another fire permit the city’s fire marshal isn’t eager to issue.
The city’s homelessness point person says her team is working to find a new site for the men’s shelter operated by Father Joe’s Villages as soon as possible. She expects to secure a new site and an updated contract with the nonprofit.
“We do have options available,” said Sarah Jarman, director of the city’s Homelessness Strategies and Solutions Department.
Jarman declined to elaborate.
A pledge earlier this year by Mayor Todd Gloria to deliver at least 1,000 new shelter beds by early 2025 only increases the pressure to find options because it’s only going in the opposite direction right now.
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County supervisors unanimously select Ebony Shelton as new CAO
By Debbie Sklar | Times of San Diego
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Ebony Shelton, a longtime county employee, to be the new chief administrative officer Tuesday.
Shelton — who will begin the new role as the county’s top executive leader on June 14 –will replace Helen Robbins-Meyer, who retired in January.
Sarah Aghassi, another county veteran, has served as interim CAO since Robbins-Meyer’s departure. Last Wednesday night, board Chairwoman Nora Vargas announced that she and her colleagues had decided in closed session to select Shelton, the deputy chief administrative officer/chief financial officer, to fill the position.
A county employee for nearly 30 years, Shelton has served as the deputy chief administrative officer/chief financial officer, overseeing fiscal and financial operations, managing the annual budget, and helping the CAO with leadership and supervision of county business, along with matters assigned by the Board of Supervisors.
Shelton previously served as director for the county’s financial policy and planning, and group finance.
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Study reveals billion-dollar toll of domestic violence in California
By Christine Clark | UC San Diego
A comprehensive new study by Tulane University’s Newcomb Institute and the University of California San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy has quantified the staggering economic impact of intimate partner violence in California, revealing billions in costs that deeply affect survivors, communities and taxpayers across the state.
The report, “The Costs of Intimate Partner Violence in California,” reveals a cost of $73.7 billion to the state in health care, lost productivity and income and criminal justice and response program spending for domestic violence cases in 2022 alone. This is about 2 percent of the gross domestic product for California.
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Dept. of Health – Abu Dhabi and Opus Genetics collaborate on IRDs
During the BIO 2024 International Convention, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi,
the regulator of the health care sector in the Emirate, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Opus Genetics, a patient-first, clinical-stage gene therapy company. Through this collaboration, both entities will work together to accelerate the development of novel gene therapies for patients with rare inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) in the UAE. IRDs are a major cause of vision loss worldwide, and affect approximately 5 percent of the Arabian Gulf population.
GC Genome highlights promising approach for colorectal cancer detection
GC Genome Corporation, a leading diagnostics company, presented new data from its AI-based liquid biopsy platform for non-invasive colorectal cancer (CRC) detection at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. Conducted in collaboration with Genece Health Inc., a strategic partner based in San Diego, the study demonstrated significant promise for accurate non-invasive CRC and advanced adenoma (AA) detection by analyzing cell-free DNA (cfDNA) whole genome sequencing data.
Syngene launches platform for rapid enhanced protein production
Syngene International Ltd., a leading global contract research, development and manufacturing organization (CRDMO), announces the launch of its new protein production platform. The platform, using a cell line and transposon-based technology in-licensed from Swiss biotech services company, ExcellGene, coupled with Syngene’s clone selection and development processes, promises significant improvement in efficiency and precision. The new platform accelerates enhanced protein production, enabling quicker preclinical and clinical development as well as product launches, thereby reducing time to market.
Halozyme to participate in Goldman Sachs Annual Global Healthcare Conference
San Diego-based Halozyme Therapeutics Inc. announced that Dr. Helen Torley, president and chief executive officer, will present and host investor meetings at the Goldman Sachs 45th Annual Global Healthcare conference. The presentation is scheduled for Tuesday, June 11 at 6:20 a.m. PT / 9:20 a.m. ET. A live audio webcast will be available on the Investor Relations section of the company’s website. Replays of the audio webcasts will be available for 90 days following the conference.
MedISAO to analyze medical device vulnerabilities
MedISAO, an organization composed of members of the medical device manufacturer community dedicated to improving medical device security through education, awareness, and advocacy, announced a Large Language Model (LLM)-approach to analyze medical device vulnerabilities. Microsoft OpenAI Azure Service is being used as mitigation for the recent disruptions in the National Institute of Standards’ (NIST) National Vulnerability Database (NVD) updates, which have raised significant concerns in the cybersecurity community.
AMSURG and Palomar Health form strategic surgery center partnership
AMSURG, an independent leader in ambulatory surgery center (ASC) services, and Palomar Health, the most comprehensive healthcare provider in North San Diego County, have established a new joint venture with the health system’s Poway Surgery Center. The strategic partnership will enable the organizations and its affiliated physicians to increase access and quality outpatient care in Poway and the greater San Diego community. Poway Surgery Center is a freestanding outpatient facility
Inaugural LGBTQ+ Luminaries Lunch set for June 27
The San Diego LGBT Community Center (The Center) announced the inaugural LGBTQ+ Luminaries Lunch, an event that will honor remarkable individuals who use their voices to light a path of safety, wellness, togetherness, and joy. On Thursday, June 27, 2024, The Center will gather at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront to celebrate these Luminaries for their resilience, advocacy, and vision in creating a better world for our LGBTQ+ community.
San Diego’s managed service provider ITCM acquires Value Logic Inc.
ITCM, a San Diego-based leading technology solution provider, announced the acquisition of Value Logic, Inc., an IT managed service provider (MSP), to further strengthen its diverse service offerings. This is the fourth MSP that ITCM has acquired, and one poised to solidify the company as a trusted outsourced partner for network, cloud, infrastructure management, software development and security expertise. For 25 years, Carlsbad-based Value Logic, has optimized IT infrastructures by providing efficient, secure and affordable IT services.
NanoImaging Services and Cube Biotech collaborate
NanoImaging Services, the leading provider of cryo-electron microscopy services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology communities, and Cube Biotech, a pioneer in membrane protein production and purification technologies, have announced a partnership agreement to develop a streamlined, cryo-EM enabled gene-to-structure workflow, to ultimately accelerate medicinal chemistry analysis and revolutionize the field of membrane protein research.
Intelligent Blends achieves two new facility certifications
Intelligent Blends, a leading name in the coffee and functional beverage industry, proudly announces its two most recent certification additions as a Gluten-Free facility by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), as well as Rainforest Alliance Certification (RFA). This significant milestone underscores the company’s unwavering dedication to maintaining the highest standards of quality, safety, and inclusivity in its manufacturing processes. With this latest certification, Intelligent Blends adds another accolade to its impressive repertoire.
Illumina completes integration of its latest chemistry, XLEAP-SBS
Illumina Inc., a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies, announced that it has completed integration of its latest chemistry, XLEAP-SBS, into all reagents for its NextSeq 1000 and NextSeq 2000 next-generation sequencing (NGS) instruments. The NextSeq 1000 and NextSeq 2000 Systems are flexible and scalable mid-throughout sequencers that enable a range of applications, including single-cell, whole-exome, and RNA sequencing.
