San Diego Business Journal articles from February 2003

San Diego Business Journal archives from February 2003

Super Bowl tally: good, not great; numbers are likely to fall short of 1998's big game.(Super Bowl creates revenue for San Diego area)
February 3, 2003... While estimates of the financial windfall San Diego will net from last month's Super Bowl vary widely, most experts agree it fell short of the game held here in 1998. The bottom line, some contend, is the city will see a return far and...

New ConVis plan: increase visitors by cutting the Hassle.(San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau )
February 3, 2003... If all goes as planned, the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau could soon become known as the Domino's Pizza of meeting planning. ConVis and a group of area hoteliers have launched a $200,000 ad campaign targeting time-starved...

Students scramble as colleges cut back on services. (Budget Crunch).(Gray Davis proposes funding cuts to community colleges)
February 3, 2003... Jolie Houghton wants to own a hair salon someday. The 19-year-old, who works as an assistant at Tasai Hair Salon in Scripps Ranch, thought a business degree would provide the background and confidence to strike out on her own. Houghton...

Brokerage builds relationships by focusing on bottom line. (Enterprise: Insurance).(Cavignac & Associates profile)
February 3, 2003... San Diego-based insurance brokerage Cavignac & Associates does its best to prepare its clients for the worst. Three months ago, Rob Bilbro, president of San Diego-based Bilbro Construction Co., received an e-mail warning him of a 40 to 50...

Believe it or not, aquarium plan touted for downtown: firm owning ripley's facing off with local company for prime site near Seaport Village. (Development).(Ripley Entertainment proposes possible complex development project)
February 3, 2003... Requests for proposals hadn't been formally made to develop 12.5 acres adjacent to Seaport Village before a multibillion-dollar, international entertainment company and a local realty company announced their preliminary intentions for the...

Some leaders eye ordinance as way to patch budget: trash collection has been free in city limits. (Government).
February 3, 2003... At a time when the city faces a $20 million dip in revenue from taxes and the loss of more than $75 million over two years from Gov. Gray Davis' proposed budget cuts, the 1919 People's Ordinance has surfaced again. The ordinance provides...

Agencies take a new stab at water deal.
February 3, 2003... Southern California officials continue to squabble over a deal to restore an important source of water to the state. Officials from the San Diego County Water Authority met Jan. 30 with representatives of three other water agencies and the...

Del Mar lights up Fairgrounds with $4.8m solar project. (Energy).
February 3, 2003... Kudos to the board of directors at Del Mar Fairgrounds, which approved a 1 megawatt photovoltaic system to meet part of the complex's needs. It will rank among the largest solar systems in the state. The Alameda County Jail relies on a 1.1...

Sempra unit wins patent approval for fiber-in-gas technology. (Energy).(Sempra Fiber Links)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Patent Earned: Sempra Fiber Links, a unit of Sempra Energy, has earned patent approval for its fiber-in-gas technology, which allows installation of fiber-optic cable in active natural gas pipelines. The new method avoids the expensive...

New contract. (Energy).(San Diego Association of Governments announces San Diego Regional Energy Office agreement)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) recently hired the San Diego Regional Energy Office to develop a plan to help safeguard the area's energy reliability. Irene Stillings, executive director of the Regional Energy Office,...

Interesting notes. (Energy).(California Independent System Operator may be on the way out)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... If one state senator gets his way, the California Independent System Operator, created by the deregulation law, would lose control of the state's power grid. SB 72, written by Sen. Joe Dunn, D-Santa Ana, may end up being part of a bigger...

Local designers honored with ASID awards.(American Society of Interior Designers )(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... The San Diego chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers has recognized local designers for their work. First place winners and their categories are: Robert Wright of Bast/Wright Interiors of San Diego, residential design of more...

Developing leadership a goal at CSU San Marcos. (Small Business & Retail).(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... SAN MARCOS -- Although most people associate leadership with senior management, anyone can be a leader. In some of the most successful organizations, leaders are found at all employee levels; from the front-line supervisor, to the shop...

Main Street program faces shutdown under new budget. (Small Business & Retail).(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Aid Program May Close: A program with a history of helping small business in the state could be closing down this year. The California Main Street program, which has helped assist job creation, downtown revitalization, and small business...

Shoe company takes a walk. (Small Business & Retail).(Phoenix Footwear Group Inc. moves headquarters to San Diego)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... An East Coast shoe company is moving its headquarters to San Diego. Old Town, Maine-based Phoenix Footwear Group, Inc., which trades on the American Stock Exchange as PXG, announced Jan. 27 that the move follows the appointment of Ken Wolf...

Local apparel firm wins award. (Small Business Retail).(Jedidiah Industries)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... A San Diego-based company won the "BrandNew Award" for its innovative line of surf and skate clothing. Jedidiah Industries won in the style category. The competition is open to sports companies less than 4 years old and recognizes companies...

Partnership buys La Jolla properties for $14 million.(Pogopana L.P. purchases Girard Plaza, G.E. Capital provides loan)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... A locally based partnership purchased Girard Plaza in La Jolla and the Polo Building across the street for $14 million. The buyer was Pogopana LP of San Diego. G.E. Capital provided the buyer with a $10.5 million loan. Girard Plaza...

When writing software, India is somewhere near La Mesa: local companies outsource code writing to Asia. (High-Tech).
February 3, 2003... Bangalore, Hyderabad and Nagpur might as well be La Mesa, La Jolla and Encinitas. That is, when you're sending software code back and forth on the Internet. San Diego companies find it pays to ship software-writing tasks to India....

Cymer's quarterly loss matches predictions. (Tech Talk).(Cymer, Inc.)
February 3, 2003... Cymer, Inc., which makes $700,000 lasers for microchip foundries, reported a $3.9 million net loss in its fourth quarter, following up on its executives' predictions of weakness during the period. The quarter also saw Cymer continue its in...

Peregrine execs well-paid despite bankruptcy. (Cyberbucks).(Peregrine Systems Inc.)
February 3, 2003... To those wondering what distressed public companies in the throes of bankruptcy pay their top executives, a look at what's going on at Peregrine Systems Inc. will illuminate. According to the company's disclosure statement filed last month...

Gateway stores report positive figures as other divisions struggle. (Cyberbucks).(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Gateway Takes Another Hit: Give Gateway Inc. points for trying. For its most recent quarterly results, the Poway-based PC retailer touted its comparative growth in sales at its retail stores, up 4 percent from the fourth quarter of 2001. ...

Better numbers. (Cyberbucks).(Cohu Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Cohu Inc., the San Diego-based maker of semiconductor test-handling equipment, last week reported a net loss for both its fourth quarter and for the full year. For the fourth quarter, Cohu lost $566,000 on revenues of $28 million compared to a...

SAIC buys virginia IT firm. (Cyberbucks).(Science Applications International Corp. has purchased VGS Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... San Diegobased Science Applications International Corp. said it purchased VGS, Inc., an employee-owned information technology systems integrator, for an undisclosed price. The Fairfax, Va.-based VGS had sales last year of $17 million and about...

Sony deal. (High-Tech).(BakBone Software Inc.)(Sony Electronics Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... San Diego's BakBone Software Inc. announced it has an original-equipment manufacturer agreement to provide its data storage software to Sony Electronics Inc. BakBone's NetVault management software will be part of Sony's StorStation bundled...

Axesstel addition. (High-Tech).(company hires Yang Seung-Taik to its board)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Yang Seung-Taik has been named to the board of Axesstel, Inc. Yang is South Korea's former minister of information and communication and a former science and technology adviser to South Korea's president. Axesstel, which splits its work...

Commission unveils employer-assisted housing plan: high cost of homes impedes business recruiting. (Real Estate).
February 3, 2003... The San Diego Housing Commission, along with secondary mortgage lender Fannie Mae, will help San Diego companies develop employer-assisted housing programs. The housing commission has committed $1 million and San Diego City Councilman...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
February 3, 2003... In the Jan. 27 edition of the San Diego Business Journal, a newsmaker story titled "Fund-Raiser to Highlight Issues of Affordable Housing" incorrectly stated that San Diego-based software company Kintera Inc. will get 10 percent of the $500,000...

San Diego woman earns high-flying degree: online programs make college dreams a reality for working adults. (Special Report: Education).
February 3, 2003... Morgan Hezlep didn't nap, watch movies, or read celebrity magazines as she flew roundtrip from San Diego to Boston for work each week. Instead, Hezlep used the commute between coasts to study. In two years, she earned a degree (with...

Private schools experience surge in popularity: education budget cuts, class size spurs enrollment shift. (About the List).
February 3, 2003... A weakened budget for California public schools, solid academic reputations, and other factors put San Diego private schools in high demand this past year. Private schools on the San Diego Business Journal's 2003 List of Private Schools,...

Lemon Grove connects homes and school via Intranet. (Special Report: Education).
February 3, 2003... The Lemon Grove School District has benefited from technology as it takes its mission to educate students into the 21st century. In 1997, the district partnered with Cox Communications to create LemonLINK, which delivers high-speed Intranet...

Public school districts: ranked by fall 2002 enrollment. (Special Report: Education).(Directory)(Illustration)
February 3, 2003... PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS Ranked by fall 2002 enrollment Fall enrollment: ...

Author lectures from 'Inside the Executive's Chair'. (Special Report: Education).
February 3, 2003... Business author and entrepreneur, Kevin Freiberg, is scheduled to lecture at Cal State San Marcos' College of Business Administration. Freiberg will be a guest speaker April 25 for the university's popular course, "Inside the Executive's...

Private schools: ranked by fall 2002 enrollment. (Special Report: Education).(Directory)(Illustration)
February 3, 2003... PRIVATE SCHOOLS Ranked by fall 2002 enrollment Name Rank Address Telephone (last year) Web address Fax 1 University of San Diego ...

High Tech High providing new take on education: charter school's goal to meld public, private partnership. (Special Report: Education).
February 3, 2003... Students at the Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High do much of their learning outside the traditional school environment. Launched in a renovated building at the former Naval Training Center in September 2000, the San Diego Unified...

Romance is in the air during restaurants' holiday of the heart. (What's on the Menu).
February 3, 2003... Valentine's Day is almost here, a time when we celebrate romance with that someone special in our lives. But how do you come up with a place for a romantic dinner? Fortunately, I have been checking around and found some good deals for this...

El Cajon, Escondido still looking for large hotels. (Tourism & Hospitality).
February 3, 2003... Attracted by studies that show El Cajon has pent-up demand for a large-scale hotel, some developers have been looking at suitable sites. Nothing is final, so Claire Carpenter, chief executive of the El Cajon Community Development Corp.,...

Colonial Mexico is focus of new museum of art display. (Tourism & Hospitality).(San Diego Museum of Art )(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Mexican Treasures: On March 8, the San Diego Museum of Art opens the first major exhibition in the country to focus exclusively on the artistic heritage of colonial Mexico during the Spanish Viceregal period between 1521-1821. Titled the...

Critics line up on both sides of new Stadium issue. (Sports Biz).
February 3, 2003... While elected officials expressed shock over NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue's criticism of Qualcomm Stadium before the Super Bowl, most insiders had been hearing this line for a long time. Pressed about San Diego's chances for future Super...

Season ticket sales at Padres' new Petco Park said to be moving fast. (Sports Biz).(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Premier Offer: Season ticket sales at the Padres' Petco Park are moving fast, based on the latest report from the team. Last week, the club opened up sales of its premium seats to the public. The best seats at the Downtown ballpark, which...

Party with a purpose. (Sports Biz).(A Taste of the NFL)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... It wasn't the hottest ticket of the week leading up to the Super Bowl (that might be Hef's wing-ding at Balboa Park), but this year's A Taste of the NFL, held the night before the game, was among the best for food. The concept entails each of...

New champions. (Sports Biz).
February 3, 2003... San Diego's Hall of Champions in Balboa Park will induct three new members into the Breitbard Hall of Fame on Feb. 5 at the San Diego Sports Arena. They are Elvin Hayes, of San Diego and Houston Rocket fame, and a member of the NBA Hall of...

Sponsoring the Ducks. (Sports Biz).(LG Mobile Phones to sponsor Anaheim Mighty Ducks)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... LG Mobile Phones, which is based in San Diego and a subsidiary firm of giant conglomerate LG Electronics of South Korea, is a sponsor of the NHL's Anaheim Mighty Ducks. The 115-person company, which makes cell phones, wouldn't reveal the amount...

Calendar.(Calendar)
February 3, 2003... If you would like your business event that costs less than $75 to attend included in the calendar section, make sure your press release arrives at our offices at least 15 working days before the event. Send requests to: Calendar ...

Athena survey finds women in tech industry go 'above and beyond'. (Newsmakers).(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Athena, a San Diego-based organization for women in technology, has announced the results of its annual survey tracking local women in executive management positions within the industry. San Diego women in executive positions from companies...

Gallery sponsors art seminar, show for at-risk teens. (Newsmakers).(Fingerhut Gallery of La Jolla)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... A local art gallery is helping an international artist reach troubled teens in San Diego. The Fingerhut Gallery of La Jolla will sponsor a visit by Mackenzie Thorpe to San Diego. Thorpe will conduct a two-hour seminar Feb. 3 for children...

High-power search engine a 'hit' with government clients and researchers. (Newsmakers).(RetrievalWare from Convera Corp.)
February 3, 2003... CARLSBAD -- When NASA wants to look over video of its space shuttle missions, it leans on San Diego County technology to scour its voluminous files. Video analysis is one capability of a sophisticated, high-power search engine called...

County fair salutes students with $5,000 Don Diego scholarships. (Newsmakers).
February 3, 2003... For four San Diego high school students, their extracurricular activities may earn them more than just some summer fun. The Don Diego Fund is awarding four $5,000 scholarships to qualified high school seniors who participated in the 2002...

San Diego public stocks. (Marketplace).(stock prices, various local companies)(Illustration)
February 3, 2003... San Diego MARKETPLACE SAN DIEGO PUBLIC STOCKS Data as of 01/24/03 STOCK PRICE Price Performance ...

Proxy. (San Diego Marketplace).(Cubic Corp. stock, director information)(Illustration)
February 3, 2003... Cubic Corp. makes combat-simulation training products and automatic fare-collection (AFC) systems. Cubic's defense segment produces simulated-combat training systems, communications and surveillance equipment, and the air/ground data link for...

Progress Report. (Real Estate).(real estate sales, leases)
February 3, 2003... REAL ESTATE SALES Property: 10547 Viper Way, San Diego Seller: N&E Devco, LLC Selling agents: Jerry Sarazin of Colliers International represented the seller. Bill Dolan of CB Richard Ellis represented the buyer. Buyer/square...

Construction Journal. (Real Estate).(contract awards, construction commencements)
February 3, 2003... Bilbro Construction Co. completed tenant improvements in five executive suites totaling 8,894 square feet at Melrose Law Center, 380 Melrose in Vista. Owner: Harmatz Investment Corp. Subcontractors: Martin Corp., Status Electric,...

More homes sold in S.D., but fewer built in 2002. (Real Estate).(San Diego County)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... U.S. builders produced a record number of homes in 2002, but last year was less monumental in San Diego County. According to the National Association of Home Builders, 1.7 million homes were built across the United States last year. It was...

AMCC sells Sorrento building to credit union for $17m. (Real Estate).(Applied Micro Circuits Corp., San Diego County Credit Union)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... AMCC Sells: San Diego-based Applied Micro Circuits Corp. has sold a 103,000-square-foot building in Sorrento Mesa to San Diego County Credit Union for $17 million. The three-story flexible office building was completed for AMCC in January...

Downtown sale. (Real Estate).(Broadway JDS Inc. sells office building to Interstate Oil Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Ben Tashakorian of Marcus & Millichap represented both the buyer and seller in the $20.5 million sale of the building at 625 Broadway in Downtown. The 76-year-old office building was purchased by Interstate Oil Inc. of California and sold...

NYC architect chosen. (Real Estate).(Michael Palladino will design new federal courthouse in San Diego)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... The U.S. General Services Administration, the federal government's facilities manager, has selected Michael Palladino, the principal in charge of Richard Meier & Partners' West Coast office, to design the new federal courthouse Downtown. ...

USD development. (Real Estate).(Douglas E. Barnhart Inc., Wheeler Wimer Blackman and Associates Corp. to develop alumni center for University of San Diego)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... General contractor Douglas E. Barnhart Inc. and architecture firm Wheeler Wimer Blackman & Associates, both of San Diego, will develop the University of San Diego's $6.3 million Degheri Alumni Center. The three-story, 30,425-square-foot...

Financing provided. (Real Estate).(First Regional Bank provides loan to 2303 Ocean Apartments I L.L.C.)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Eric Sohovich, senior vice president in the Irvine office of Los Angeles-based First Regional Bank, provided a $6.55 million bridge loan to 2303 Ocean Apartments I, LLC for the acquisition and renovation of a 50-unit apartment complex at...

Verrazzano sales. (Real Estate).(Shea Homes Div. sold 80% of homes Verrazzano housing development)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... After seven months of sales, Walnut-based Shea Homes has sold 80 percent of the 215 houses in Verrazzano in the Black Mountain Ranch community of San Diego. Verrazzano is divided into three neighborhoods called Patria, Palazzo, and...

Executive profile: David Altomare.
February 3, 2003... Like a lot of people, David Altomare was introduced to the world's most popular sport after doing some coaching for his then 7-year-old son's soccer team. Hooked on the sport, he began attending Sockers games. In 1982, his fast-growing Auto...

Biotech program feels pain of state cuts.(MiraCosta College and Idec Pharmaceuticals developing biotech manufacturing program)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... OCEANSIDE -- A future biotech manufacturing program at MiraCosta College -- which would be one of only five in the nation -- is feeling the pinch of state budget woes. For a year, officials with San Diego-based biotech firm Idec...

Banking and Finance. (People).(executive appointments)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... James Hyldahl, has joined Morgan Stanley's Wealth Advisor program. Mr. Hyldahl is a senior vice president in the firm's Rancho Bernardo office and has been with the firm since 1997. Rick Shaughnessy has joined Stolper & Co. as a consultant. Mr....

Construction and Design. (People).(executive appointments)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Scott Kelly has been appointed director of construction at Greystone Home's San Diego division. Mr. Kelly has more than 20 years of experience in the home building industry. The San Diego Chapter of the Associated General Contractors has named...

Government and Nonprofit. (People).(executive appointments at government, nonprofit agencies)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Benjamin Martinez has been promoted to assistant director at the Community Development Commission of National City. In his position, Mr. Martinez is responsible for overseeing many of the CDC's redevelopment, community housing, and economic...

Health Care and Biotech. (People).(Richard J. Liekweg named chief executive officer of UCSD Medical Center)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Richard J. Liekweg has been named CEO of the UCSD Medical Center. Previously, Mr. Liekweg was CEO of Durham Regional Hospital in North Carolina.

High-Tech and manufacturing. (People).(executive appointments)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Tony Aquila, executive vice president of sales, marketing, and product management for Mitchell International, Inc., has been appointed to president and chief operating officer. Mr. Aquila has been with the company since 2001 and has more than...

Hotels, Resorts and Restaurants. (People).(Jim Hollister named general manager of Wyndham San Diego at Emerald Plaza Hotel, US Grant)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Jim Hollister has been appointed general manager of the Wyndham San Diego at Emerald Plaza Hotel and the US Grant. Mr. Hollister has more than 12 years of experience in the hospitality industry.

Law. (People).(Lance Kurata named principal of Fish & Richardson's San Diego office)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Lance Kurata has joined the San Diego office of Fish & Richardson as a principal. Previously, Mr. Kurata was head of the Technology Group in the San Diego office of Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison.

Media and Marketing. (People).(Allison Gentry named marketing manager at Business to Business Marketing)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Allison Gentry has joined Business to Business Marketing as marketing manager. In her position, Ms. Gentry will be responsible for marketing communications, lead generation, vertical campaign design, and management and brand building.

Miscellaneous. (People).(appointments in the food, travel, and hospitality industries in California)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Cynthia Smith has been promoted to resident manager of Pacific Breeze Apartments. Reiner D. Sommer has been appointed food and beverage director for La Costa Glen Carlsbad. Mr. Sommer has more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality...

Awards. (People).(given to executives in California banking and legal industries)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Thomas Penfield, a partner with Casey, Gerry, Reed & Schenk, has received a President's Star Award from the Consumer Attorneys of San Diego. The Corporate Directors Forum has honored six of San Diego's top executives with the Director of the...

Nathaniel Oubre. (Executive Spotlight).(named area manager and senior vice president for Kaiser Permanente's San Diego, California area)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... Nathaniel Oubre has been named senior vice president and area manager for Kaiser Permanente's San Diego Service Area. In his position, Mr. Oubre will be responsible for 21 outpatient medical facilities and more than 7,000 employees and...

TurboTax releases Spanish program. (People).(developed in collaboration with Universal Dialog Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 3, 2003... A San Diego-based small business unveiled its work with another local company to create a service to assist small businesses nationwide. TurboTax, the San Diego-based subsidiary of Intuit based in the Bay Area, released the Spanish-language...

Super Bowl week -- the good, bad, and ugly.
February 3, 2003... It was the best of times: "I would certainly like to come back to San Diego. I think it's one of the nicest places we have Super Bowls, and I'm on the Super Bowl Committee" -- Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson. It was the worst of...

Mourning the loss of a community leader. (Publisher's Notebook).
February 3, 2003... Just when I thought 2003 was going to be the dawn of a new era of promise and prosperity, one of the region's most valuable assets passed away. We lost Jamie Tucker on Jan. 20 after a 6 1/2-year battle with breast cancer. Jamie was...

The big game brought lasting benefits to area. (Opinion).
February 3, 2003... The party's over, and what a party it was for our community! Super Bowl XXXVII was a tremendous success for San Diego in so many ways, but the fact remains that we could never have created this dazzling experience for our visitors without...

Who are the real criminals in California? (Letters to the Editor).
February 3, 2003... Editor: One of the largest marijuana-growing operations ever discovered in California was found recently within the state park system by BLM rangers in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This amounted to over 2,400 large plants with a...

Shopping for a new concept: UTC expansion plan pits future of malls against online shopping.(Westfield Shoppingtown UTC)
February 10, 2003... Libby Weber lives less than a mile away from Westfield Shoppingtown UTC, but she rarely shops there. Instead, the tech-savvy 24-year-old is more likely to go online to find what she wants. When she does visit a retail store, it's more...

Failing law firm's partners vow to stick together: Brobeck's money problems had roots in dot-com era.(Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP)
February 10, 2003... It takes dedication to work for three months without pay. To cut expenses, Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison LLP's 171 partners knew they would forgo salaries during January. February, and March this year. And they reportedly put up an average of...

Roel pinch hits after Nielsen files for bankruptcy.(Roel Construction Co. acquires most of Nielsen Dillingham Builders Inc.)
February 10, 2003... In a deal between two old friends, projects and employees changed hands recently when Roel Construction Co. acquired most of Nielsen Dillingham Builders Inc.'s unfinished business in San Diego County. Both companies are based in San Diego....

DriveCam focuses its eye on the road ahead. (Enterprise: High-Tech).(DriveCam Video Systems)(Company Profile)
February 10, 2003... Sit in front of a laptop computer with Ed Andrew and your placid software demo quickly turns into a white-knuckle ride. Andrew shows video shot out the windshield of a vehicle traveling through Balboa Park on state Route 163. Suddenly the...

Local theme parks weathered a rough ride in 2002: attendance was flat locally, while Disney parks saw more severe drops. (Tourism).
February 10, 2003... While attendance was essentially flat for San Diego's major theme parks and attractions in 2002 vs. 2001, it was slightly better than the nation as a whole. And revenue was up for some. "Across the country total attendance is down a little...

New Bayfront hotel a step closer to its 2006 opening: Port district OKs design of Hilton at Campbell Shipyard site. (Tourism).
February 10, 2003... If financing is secured for a proposed 1,200room Hilton hotel near the San Diego Convention Center, it could be one of the largest privately financed hotels built in the U.S. in the last 15 years. "We just got the conceptual design approved...

Demographic shift. (Week in Review).(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... A study by UCLA researchers found that Latinos now account for the majority of births in California. An analysis of birth certificates supplied by the state Department of Health Services, beginning in the third quarter of 2001, shows Latino...

Stadium suit dismissed. (Week in Review).(Brief Article)
February 10, 2003... The city of San Diego overcame what its attorneys called was "the final frivolous lawsuit" when the 4th District Court of Appeal ruled Jan. 31 in the city's favor. The suit, filed by retired University of San Diego law professor Robert Simmons...