Daily Business Report — July 19, 2010

Residents Invited to Hear Community Plan Updates

The city of San Diego invites residents from Golden Hill, North Park and Uptown areas to attend the third of five “Open Mic” presentations tonight on topics that are being considered in the community plan update process for those areas. The presentations will be from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Santa Fe Room of the Balboa Park Club. Organizations scheduled to make presentations are the California Reinvestment Coalition, Move San Diego, North Park Main Street, Sustainable Neighborhoods, U.S. Green Building Council/San Diego and UCSD Health System.

Two additional “Open Mic” presentations will be held on Aug. 2 and Aug. 23. For information, call Matt Norton, consultant to the city Planning & Community Investment Department, at (619) 232-2112, Ext. 102.

Wage and Salary Employment Down by 1,500 Jobs Over the Month; 13,300 Over the Year

The unemployment rate in San Diego County in June was 10.5 percent, up from 10.1 percent in May and above the year-ago estimate of 10 percent, the California Employment Development Department reported. California’s jobless rate for the same period was 12.2 percent and the nation’s jobless rate was 9.6 percent.

Between May and June, total nonfarm employment declined by 1,200 and settled at 1,224,500 jobs. Agricultural employment decreased by 300 jobs, 3.0 percent.

• Government reported the greatest month-over decline, down 3,500 jobs. Federal government (down 3,000) accounted for roughly 86 percent of the job losses in this sector. Local government contracted by 300, while state government receded by 200 jobs.

• Educational and health services decreased by 1,500 jobs. Educational services (down 1,200) contributed to most job losses in this industry. Health care and social assistance declined by 300 jobs.

• Four industries posted month-over job gains, including leisure and hospitality (up 2,000), trade, transportation, and utilities (up 1,200), professional and business services (up 1,100), and other services (up 100). Information and mining and logging recorded no change in employment levels over the month.

Between June 2009 and June 2010, total nonfarm employment declined by 12,500 jobs, or 1.0 percent. Agricultural employment decreased by 800 jobs, or 7.6 percent.

• Manufacturing reported the greatest year-over decline, down 4,100 jobs. Durable goods (down 3,500) accounted for roughly 85 percent of the job losses in this sector. Nondurable goods contracted by 600 jobs.

• Eight of 10 other nonfarm industries posted job declines over the year, including trade, transportation, and utilities (down 3,500), construction (down 3,000), and financial activities (down 2,600) to name a few.

• Two sectors recorded year-over job growth, including professional and business services (up 2,400) and educational and health services (up 2,000).

City Receives Money to Deal With Terrorist Attacks and Disasters

The city of San Diego will receive a $16.2 million federal grant to help the region respond to a terrorist attack or other disaster. Mayor Jerry Sanders said the city will use the money for a variety of projects such as strengthening the region’s emergency communications network and improving the area’s ability to respond to a chemical or biological attack. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that dozens of cities around the country will receive funding under the federal Urban Areas Security Initiative Program. Including the $16.2 million, San Diego will have received nearly $108 million in UASI grants since 2003. That money has been spent on everything from creating a regional back-up emergency communication system to equipping emergency and law-enforcement personnel with the latest in protective gear and surveillance technology.

Chambers Group Moves to Larger Headquarters

The Chambers Group, a disabled veteran-owned environmental firm, has relocated its San Diego office to 9909 Huenekens St., Suite 206 (92121). The phone is (858) 541-2800 and fax is (858) 565-8950. “We are very happy to be expanding our San Diego office into new, larger quarters to meet the needs of our clients,” said Sherman Smith, president and CEO. Chambers Group’s clients include energy and utility companies, water districts, transportation agencies, cities and counties, federal and state agencies, developers, and other private corporations. Clients receive professional services including environmental planning, preparation of Environmental Impact Reports (EIRs) and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), regulatory permitting, technical studies that evaluate impacts to biological resources and cultural resources, restoration, air quality and noise, and construction mitigation monitoring.

Scripps Institution Leads Climate and Coastal Partnership

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has selected Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD to lead a new federal/academic research partnership to study climate change and coastal ecosystems. The partnership is called the Cooperative Institute on Marine Ecosystems and Climate. The new cooperative institute will replace the Joint Institute for Marine Observations. It will provide scientists at member universities with support for research projects that may involve NOAA scientists. The membership will expand to include six other universities: Cal State Los Angeles; UC Davis; UC Santa Barbara;  Humboldt State University, Arcata; UCLA; and UC Santa Cruz.

Illumina Appoints VP of Quality & Regulatory Affairs

Illumina Inc. has appointed B. Melina Cimler as vice president of quality and regulatory affairs. She will lead Illumina’s quality and regulatory organizations to support the development, manufacture and distribution of products serving the research, consumer and molecular diagnostic markets. Prior to joining Illumina, Cimler was president of PandiaDx Consulting, where she provided regulatory and compliance guidance for the development of in vitro diagnostics products and medical devices. She has also held positions at Beckman Coulter Inc., Abbott Molecular and Gen-Probe Inc. She holds a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of Washington.

La Maestra Receives $1 Million Grant from Kaiser Permanente

La Maestra Community Health Center in City Heights has officially opened its new, larger facility — made possible by a $1 million grant from Kaiser Permanente. It is the largest grant the nonprofit agency has ever received and the largest grant Kaiser Permanente has ever given to a San Diego nonprofit. The expansion increases the center capacity three-fold. It will be able to accommodate 180,000 patients and client visits per year. “Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to improving the health of people living and working in the communities we serve and one way we accomplish this is through our partnerships with community clinics such as La Maestra,” said Mary Ann Barnes, senior vice president and executive director with Kaiser Permanente San Diego. The center’s family medicine and OB/GYN department has been given the Kaiser Permanente name.

Small Business Workshops-July

Upcoming SCORE San Diego workshops for small business owners and those who want to launch small businesses:

• July 20 – Marketing & Contracting with the Federal Government – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• July 21 – Legal Issues for Small Businesses: Contracts and Leases – 9 a.m. to noon at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• July 22 – Internet Marketing 201: Build Your Business through Search Engine Optimization – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

•  July 23 – Insurance: What You Need to Know – 9 a.m. to noon at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $49, $59 at the door).

• July 24 – Professional Selling: Increase Your Business Sales Now – 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• July 27 – How to Start and Manage Your Own Business – 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $69, $79 at the door).

• July 29 – Intellectual Property: Promise and Practicalities – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at SCORE Entrepreneur Center (550 West C St., #550, San Diego 92101; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).

• July 30 – Financial Statements: What They Mean, How to Use Them – Carlsbad – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at National University (705 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad 92011; pre-paid registration $29, $39 at the door).

• July 31 – Business Plan 201: How to Write a Winning Business Plan – 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Point Loma Nazarene University in Mission Valley (4007 Camino del Rio South, San Diego 92108; pre-paid registration $99, $109 at the door).

For more information, call (619) 557-7272 or visit score-sandiego.org.

The Daily Business Report is produced by REP Publishing Inc., publisher of San Diego Metropolitan Magazine, the North Park News, Kensington News and the West Coast Craftsman. (619) 906-4104.