San Diego Business Journal articles from July 2003

San Diego Business Journal archives from July 2003

55,000 spaces and nowhere to park: businesses struggle with the cost of Downtown parking.(San Diego redevelopment planning)
July 7, 2003... As Downtown San Diego continues to grow -- Petco Park, new hotels, apartments and condominiums -- parking problems also pop up. Not just availability, but price. Downtown's redevelopment is going great guns, so more people live and...

Housing not the only hot property: out-of-town investors compete for commercial.(San Diego County office and industrial properties)
July 7, 2003... Despite increasing vacancy rates, investors of all kinds are coming out of the woodwork to invest in San Diego County office and industrial properties. Regional investors from firms in Portland, Ore., all the way to national real estate...

S.D.'s sister city courts local biotechs: timing may aid push for global recognition.(San Diego County has about 400 biotech firms)
July 7, 2003... With only 26 biotech companies, Yokohama lags far behind San Diego County's total of about 400. Still, the city wants to be known as Japan's biotech capital. To achieve that goal, Yokohama is wooing San Diego firms -- with the blessing of...

Luce looks forward to their next 130 years.(Luce, Forward, Hamilton and Scripps L.L.P. changes name)
July 7, 2003... As local law firms go, Luce Forward stands as the bearded old grandpa around town. The firm's name is actually Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps LLP. But the firm has gained enough celebrity status to go by just Luce Forward nowadays. ...

JetBlue Airways stirring the pot for long-haul carriers: with second flight set for San Diego, other airlines cut rates. (Tourism).(America West, Frontier Airlines cut round-trip rates by 20% )
July 7, 2003... JetBlue Airways, which made its maiden flight from New York to San Diego late last month, not only brought lower fares to the market, it could bring a significant increase in the tourism rate as well. To compete with JetBlue's standard fare...

Water main break draws attention to an old issue: rate hikes are funding replacement program. (Infrastructure).(major water main broken at Pacific Highway)
July 7, 2003... Some Downtown San Diego businesses got hit with a double whammy last month, when a major water main burst along Pacific Highway. Area businesses lost water June 23, although the flow was restored within a few hours. However, some firms are...

Week in review.(rise in San Diego's Leading Index of Economic Indicators)
July 7, 2003... TOP BUSINESS NEWS: JUNE 27 - JULY 3, 2003. Local Indicators Rise: Reversing a 13-month slide, San Diego's Leading Index of Economic Indicators rose by a tenth of a percent in May. Gains from a rise in local firms' stock prices and the...

Callaway's Top-Flite deal a boost for ball business.(Callaway Golf Co. may buy Top-Flite Golf Co.)
July 7, 2003... Already the leading maker of golf clubs in the country, Carlsbad's Callaway Golf Co. could grab the No. 2 spot in golf balls following its proposed acquisition of Top-Flite Golf Co. The distressed sale announced last week of...

Slumming it in Mission Valley may provide new stadium: baseball night in San Diego just got a little cheaper. (Sports Biz).(San Diego Chargers seeks new football-only stadium)
July 7, 2003... When you think of a blighted area, Mission Valley isn't the neighborhood that immediately jumps to mind. But if the city is serious about helping the Chargers build a new football-only stadium, that's what officials will likely be calling...

Discounted team discounts prices. (Sports Biz).(San Diego Padres having worst season)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... The Padres, in the midst of one of their worst seasons ever and with attendance plummeting, decided to cut prices on tickets for 21,428 seats for the remainder of the season. "We thought we had to make a statement that there's still a lot...

More chargers. (Sports Biz).(San Diego Chargers marketing plan)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... The Chargers begin selling single-game tickets for their upcoming season on July 26. The team has changed its policy from last season when it required that tickets sold for the game against the Oakland Raiders include tickets to two other...

SDSU names Bartow. (Sports Biz).(new interim athletic director for San Diego State)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Gene Bartow, who took the University of Alabama, Birmingham from a non-entity to a contender in several sports during his tenure there, was selected as the interim athletic director for San Diego State. Bartow, 72, began working last week and...

Avocado growers happy as region's quarantine lifted: farmers still worry about increased pest risk. (Agriculture).(avocados, second largest agricultural crop in San Diego County)
July 7, 2003... For Jerome Stehley, last week was one of those good news-bad news weeks. Stehley, a Valley Center avocado grower and chairman of the California Avocado Commission, learned June 23 that he would finally be able to harvest and ship his Hass...

Corrections & Clarifications.(crossword puzzle incorrect)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... The crossword puzzle answer in the June 30 issue of the San Diego Business Journal was incorrect. The correct crossword answer is printed below. The Business Journal regrets the error.

Ballpark likely to squeeze tight parking Downtown.(Irish pub and restaurant in right spot)
July 7, 2003... Enda Drayne is eager for April 2004, when Petco Park opens near the Gaslamp Quarter. She owns The Field, an Irish pub and restaurant at 544 Fifth Ave. The ballpark will draw thousands -- and Drayne hopes to cash in on the crowds...

Idec-Biogen merger still faces big hurdles: new product acquisitions key to long-term success. (Biotech).(Idec Pharmaceuticals Corp., Biogen Inc. merger)
July 7, 2003... Two weeks after the surprise merger between San Diego's most prominent biotechnology firm, Idec Pharmaceuticals Corp., and Biogen Inc., analysts are raising concerns whether the combined entity will overcome some major structural hurdles. ...

No monetary penalties for Peregrine--yet. (Cyberbucks).(Peregrine Systems reaches settlement with Securities and Exchange Commission)
July 7, 2003... The anticipated civil settlement between San Diego-based software maker Peregrine Systems and the Securities and Exchange Commission was reached last week, with the company agreeing to take a number of steps to improve its financial reporting...

Lockheed acquisition of Orincon likely means expansion of its operations. (Cyberbucks).(Orincon Corp. changes name to Lockheed Martin Orincon Corp.)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... For The Defense: Orincon Corp. is now called Lockheed Martin Orincon Corp. following the official closure of its sale to the Bethesda, Md.-based defense contractor. While terms of the agreement weren't disclosed, Orincon views the...

In control. (Cyberbucks).(StratEdge will be sold)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... The management team of StratEdge, a San Diego-based maker of packages for high-speed semiconductors, said it has struck an agreement to buy the company for an undisclosed price. "The new structure will result in a more stable and...

Stock deal done. (Cyberbucks).(5.27 mn of common stock sold)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... SVI Solutions, a Carlsbad-based maker of software for the retail industry, said it completed the sale of 5.27 million newly issued shares of common stock in a private placement that generated a net of about $7.2 million to the company. SVI said...

A miracle product? It's a fair question. (High-Tech).(hardware-based data backup company)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Bob Bermingham is doing some pretty nasty things to his personal computer. He's erasing key parts of his Microsoft operating system. He trashes one file after another. Then he shuts the system down. But on rebooting the computer, everything...

Navy's top officer sounds off on network security. (High-Tech).(Navy's sophisticated computer networks)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Quotable: "I also think that if you are a parent today raising a youngster, that one of the areas that you ought to push him toward is network security. This is going to be a job market that is going to be crying for people for the next 200...

Cracking the code. (High-Tech).(advanced CDMA mobile phone model)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... India's Reliance Infocomm Ltd. is distributing Nokia's model 2280 mobile phone. It's an advanced CDMA model -- CDMA stands for Code Division Multiple Access -- designed in Nokia's facility here.... Sony Ericsson is quitting research and...

Readable and statistical. (High-Tech).(analytic software maker)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Stone Analytics, a San Diego-based producer of analytic software, has revamped its Web publication, "Second Moment" (www.secondmoment.org). Among other things, it features a whole section about the dumb things journalists do with statistics....

Mission Valley's bookend restaurants cover all bases from A.M. to P.M. (What's on the Menu).(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... It is very easy to bypass Adam's Steak 'n Eggs and Albie's Beef Inn tucked away on either side of the Travelodge hostelry on Mission Valley's Hotel Circle South. Breakfast lovers go to Adam's for the variety of "eye openers" such as the...

New Miramar development could ease military housing. (Defense).(proposed 1,600-unit housing development)
July 7, 2003... The Defense Department has proposed a 1,600-unit housing development at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, near Tierrasanta and Mission Trails Regional Park. If built, the complex will provide at least some relief for San Diego's notorious...

Base food court adds Quiznos, La Salsa Mexican Grill, Asian Express. (Defense).($2.7 million renovation)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Sawdust And Hammering: The Exchange food court at Miramar opened June 13 after a $2.7 million renovation. Sodexho USA, a publicly traded Maryland company, manages it. New offerings at the food court are Sodexho's Sky Ranch Grill, Quiznos, La...

Caution urged with biodefense plan: execs maintain 'Bioshield' plan needs liability limits, financial incentives. (Special Report: Bioscience).(annual biotechnology conference)
July 7, 2003... When President George W. Bush urged the 16,000 attendees at the largest annual biotechnology conference to lobby Congress to approve Project Bioshield, people crammed themselves up the staircase to listen to his speech. Bioshield, an...

Biosite, Beckman Coulter team up to market blood test. (Biotech).(Biosite gets control of promotion, pricing, sales of test)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... San Diego-based medical device maker Biosite Inc. said it signed an agreement with Beckman Coulter Inc. to market a blood test made by and used for testing by the instrument maker. BNP, short for B-type natriuretic peptide, is an enzyme the...

Vical gets grant to further develop an Anthrax vaccine. (Biotech).(3-year $5.7 mn government grant)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Anthrax vaccine: Vical Inc., a San Diego-based vaccine maker, recently said it was awarded a three-year $5.7 million government grant to further develop its anthrax vaccine. Vical said the new funding won't change its net loss forecast for...

Bead technology. (Biotech).(genotyping laboratory sold)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... San Diego-based biotechnology firm Illumina Inc. said it signed an agreement with the National Center for Biochip Technology in Shanghai, China, to buy Illumina's BeadLab, a production-scale SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) genotyping...

New Metabolife chief announces plans.(new chief executive, Russell Schreck )(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... New products and new markets are two focuses for Metabolife International's new chief executive. The San Diego herbal supplement company made the announcement in a brief statement late last month. Russell Schreck "has been hired by the...

Port receives $1.43m in Homeland Security funds.(San Diego Unified Port District gets security funds)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... The Department of Homeland Security has set aside $l.43 million for the San Diego Unified Port District. U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge made the announcement last month. Some $30 million worth of Port...

What's happening with venture capital, biotech funding: firms turn to 'piggybacking,' joint ventures, partnerships.(venture capital market cautious about biotech companies)
July 7, 2003... Although venture capitalists are a lot more conservative on where to place their fund in the aftermath of the easy funding and exuberant burn rates era of the 1990s, there are substantial amounts of venture capital funding still available for...

Biotechnology Companies.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... BIOTECHNOLOGY COMPANIES Ranked by total local employees as of March 31, 2003 Local employees: ...

Survey finds majority of biotechs in hiring upswing: development shifts to late stage clinical programs. (The List).(Invitrogen Corp. tops list of biotech firms)
July 7, 2003... This year's Biotechnology Companies List is ranked on the number of local employees as of March 31. Of the 25 companies profiled on The List, 14 had an increase in employees and 11 had a decrease from last year. With 7,201 local...

Trade organization strives to aid, advance life sciences development. (About the List: Biotechnology Companies).(San Diego is major center for biotechnology)
July 7, 2003... Now home to the third-largest life science cluster in the world, San Diego has increasingly become a center for biotechnology research, development, and innovation. In this ever-changing field, local businesses and research institutions strive...

Workplace diversity equals smart business. (Advertising Supplement).(Wells Fargo promotes inclusive work culture)
July 7, 2003... For every business, diversification is smart business when it comes to managing valuable assets. A diversified portfolio creates a stable investment mix that can ride dips in the market and yield a more consistent return over time. Since not...

Health care plan commits to San Diego's diverse population. (Advertising Supplement).(oldest nonprofit health plan from San Diego County)
July 7, 2003... Community Health Group is the oldest nonprofit health plan founded in San Diego County. The company provides quality, affordable health coverage to businesses of all sizes and proudly participates in California's Healthy Families Program. Its...

Multicultural heritage awards host two industry leaders. (Advertising Supplement).(focus on Hispanic and African American communities)
July 7, 2003... Wells Fargo and the San Diego Business Journal were proud to host two prominent figures in the Hispanic and African American communities at the 2003 Multicultural Awards. Lilliana Garcia, one of the most recognized and respected Hispanic...

A tradition in executive education ventures West. (Advertising Supplement).(San Diego Business Journal's Multicultural Heritage Awards)
July 7, 2003... Wharton West was proud to sponsor this year's San Diego Business Journal Multicultural Heritage Awards. We recognize the critical role diverse leadership plays in an increasingly turbulent global business environment. To stand behind our...

Multicultural Heritage Award Winners 2003. (Advertising Supplement).(Bank of America honored)
July 7, 2003... The Wells Fargo 8th Annual Multicultural Heritage Awards were held on June 30, 2003 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego. This program was created to recognize and honor or the San Diego-area companies that go above and beyond to foster and...

The insights of women make for a pricey market survey. (Media & Marketing).("Women Explored," new two-volume report)
July 7, 2003... To maximize the potential of producing goods the public will buy, major manufacturers typically spare little expense hiring independent firms to perform market research and in-depth surveys. But Cindy Silbert, a brand strategist with...

KFMB taps veteran voice for charger game broadcasts. (Media & Marketing).(NFL announcer Dan Rowe is new play-by-play radio voice)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Calling The Plays: The Chargers and KFMB-AM 760 have announced that veteran NFL announcer Dan Rowe will be the team's new play-by-play radio voice. He signed a two-year deal with KFMB that puts him in partnership with former Chargers...

Awarding work well done. (Media & Marketing).(American Marketer of the Year award)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Townsend Inc., a Sorrento Valley public relations, advertising, and marketing firm, won an American Marketer of the Year award for "Best New Product Launch." The AMY award, presented in late May by the San Diego chapter of the American...

Promotion. (Media & Marketing).(new director of client services)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Scott Curry of La Jolla was promoted to director of client services for Cassle Communications, a public relations, advertising, and branding agency based in Point Loma. Curry, previously an account coordinator, who joined the agency in...

ConVis shuffles ad buys to align with budget cuts.(hotel room tax revenues diverted)
July 7, 2003... To shore up a budget deficit, San Diego took a bigger bite out of hotel room tax revenue it channels to tourism promotion. That affected the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau, which saw its annual city allotment cut 10 percent. ...

Proxy: Sola International Inc.(plastic and glass eyeglass lenses maker)
July 7, 2003... NYSE -- SOL Sola International Inc. is a global designer, manufacturer, and distributor of a broad range of plastic and glass eyeglass lenses. The company holds a significant manufacturing and technology position in the growing plastic...

San Diego Technology 15.
July 7, 2003... San Diego Technology 15 As of June 27, 2003 52 week Company Ticker Close High Low Qualcomm, Inc. QCOM $36.01 $42.89 $23.21 Gateway, Inc. ...

Marketplace: San Diego Public Stocks.
July 7, 2003... Marketplace SAN DIEGO PUBLIC STOCKS Data as of 06/27/03 STOCK PRICE Price Performance % Chg....

Ocean Ranch business park opens second phase. (News Trends).(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... With construction well under way in its first phase, Laguna Hills-based Stirling Enterprises has started selling land in Phase 2 of the 400-acre Ocean Ranch Corporate Centre in Oceanside. Stirling will spend $60 million on infrastructure --...

County's total property values rise by 10 percent. (News Trends).(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Values Are Up, Way Up: The assessed value of taxable property in San Diego County increased 9.84 percent from 2001 to 2002, to $22.8 billion, according to Gregory J. Smith, the county assessor, recorder, and clerk. Taxes are assessed' on...

Frustrated with your property taxes? (News Trends).(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... People and businesses wanting to appeal their tax bill have between July 2 and Dec. Ito do so. Information and applications are available at the county's Clerk of the Board Office in the County Administration Center at 1600 Pacific...

Looking for bids. (News Trends).(Centre City Development Corp.)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... With Petco Park less than a year from opening Downtown, the Centre City Development Corp. is looking for firms to build a parking garage nearby. Officially known as the R-7 Parking Garage, the 400,000-square-foot, 1,230-space structure is...

Speaking of the CCDC. (News Trends).(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Walter Rask, manager of architecture and planning at the redevelopment and planning agency for Downtown, is moving on. Rask will be a principal with San Francisco-based Roma Design Group, where he'll work on urban design, client services,...

Construction completed. (News Trends).(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... San Diego-based Roel Construction Co. has officially completed the Renaissance condominium development in Downtown San Diego. Lambert Development Co., headquartered in New York, developed the project. San Diego-based Carrier Johnson is the...

Hillcrest biz, council agree on parking hike. (Tips & Trends).
July 7, 2003... Hillcrest small-business owners are bracing for an increase in parking meter rates. But they're thankful that a compromise took out some of the worst aspects of the increase. Bob Grinchuk, a board member of the Hillcrest Business...

Vista Coffee firm cuts deal for Wolfgang Puck Gourmet Lattes. (Tips & Trends).(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Mo' Joe Rising: This Vista-based coffee company may be small, with only 20 employees. But it's secured a contract potentially worth millions, with the Wolfgang Puck restaurant chain. Javo Beverage Co., announced June 24 it signed a deal...

Know it or lose it. (Tips & Trends).(tax-preferred status on their retirement accounts)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Many small businesses across America could lose their tax-preferred status on their retirement accounts if they fail to act by Sept. 30. Since tax laws are always changing, many "off-the-shelf" retirement plans may fall out of compliance...

Small business: spotlight.(Riders House Inc.)
July 7, 2003... Chris Larkin turned near tragedy into opportunity. While working at Honeywell in 1991, he was diagnosed with cancer and had to have a tumor removed. The experience forced him to re-evaluate his life. Deciding he'd rather earn his living...

What are the options when business partners divorce? (Small Business Help Line).
July 7, 2003... Question: My wife and I run a business together, but now we are divorcing. What do we do? Answer: You have three choices: * You can sell your business to someone else, split the proceeds and start over. * One of you buys the other...

Calendar.(business meetings)
July 7, 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 ...

Executive Profile: Geoffrey Mountain.
July 7, 2003... Rather than suffer through another summer of high humidity, or another winter of snow and ice, Geoffrey Mountain moved to a drier, more temperate climate. Mountain, CEO of RE/MAX Associates, moved from Ohio to San Diego in the summer of...

Awards & recognition. (People: Key Hires and Promotions).(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Omero Suarez, chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, has been awarded a Special Achievement distinction from San Diego DEFCOMM, a non-profit defense and space technology consortium. Suarez is also DEFCOMM's chairman...

Executive spotlight: Blair T. Blum.(hospice)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Blair T. Blum has been promoted to CEO of the San Diego Hospice Foundation. Blum has been with the foundation for 10 years and was previously vice president of development. In her position, Blum will oversee all fund-raising activities,...

Woodwork Institute honors local projects, firms.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Various local firms and projects received awards from the Woodwork Institute. The Sacramento-based nonprofit institute provides standards and quality assurance for architectural millwork in the Western United States. San Diego-based...

Banking and finance. (People: Key Hires and Promotions).(appointment)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Michael J. Perdue has been named president and COO of Community Bancorp Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary Community National Bank. Perdue was also elected a director of the bank and replaces Thomas E. Swanson, who has retired. Perdue has...

Construction and design. (People: Key Hires and Promotions).(appointment)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Mark O'Brien has been hired as job captain at Dominy + Associates Architects. Previously, O'Brien was job captain and construction administrator at Manuel Oncina Architects. Melissa Hodges has been hired as safety administrative coordinator at...

Education. (People: Key Hires and Promotions).(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Paul Wong has been appointed dean for the College of Arts & Letters at San Diego State University. Previously, Wong served as dean of the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters at the University of MichiganDearborn, where he was also a...

Government and nonprofit. (People: Key Hires and Promotions).(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Otto E. Sorensen, a partner and member of Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps, LLP's Business Practice Group, has been elected president of the board of directors of the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus. Sorensen will lead the 16-member board for the...

Health care and biotech. (People: Key Hires and Promotions).(Quorex Pharmaceuticals Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Alan J. Lewis has been appointed to the board of directors of Quorex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Lewis has more than 25 years of experience in the biotech and pharmaceutical drug discovery and development field, Alison Flynn has joined the staff of...

High-tech and manufacturing. (People: Key Hires and Promotions).(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Rand Schulman has been appointed chief marketing officer of WebSideStory, Inc. Schulman has more than 20 years of software marketing experience. Jeffrey J. Lenches has been elected to the board of directors for Captiva Software Corp. Lenches...

Law. (People: Key Hires and Promotions).(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Dessi P. Niatcheva has been added as an associate at Wilson Petty Kosmo & Turner LLP. Nintcheva's practice focuses on general business litigation, employment law, and products liability. Jan S. Driscoll and Allen B. Walburn have been elected...

Media and marketing. (People: Key Hires and Promotions).(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Randy Frisch has joined The San Diego Union-Tribune as finance director. Frisch previously was COO at The Salt Lake Tribune. Angie Pietrolungo has been hired as account coordinator at Nuffer, Smith, Tucker. Previously, Pietrolungo was an intern...

Miscellaneous. (People: Key Hires and Promotions).(McDermott & Bull)
July 7, 2003... Patricia Romboletti, a principal consultant with McDermott & Bull since 2001, has been appointed to lead the firm's efforts in building a San Diego business. The business will open at 4445 East- gate Mall. Tom Durwood has been appointed...

Real estate. (People: Key Hires and Promotions).(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... Pamela Dow has been hired as a management representative, Tony Timmons has been hired as an administrator coordinator, and Nancy Olsen has been promoted from architectural coordinator to senior architectural coordinator at N.N. Jaeschke, Inc.

Budget impasse comes as no surprise. (Our View).
July 7, 2003... Had state lawmakers found a way to plug a gaping $38 billion hole while approving the new state budget by the June 30 deadline, that would have been a real news story. As it turned out, legislators in Sacramento did one of the few things...

Legacy.(San Diego Housing Commission)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2003... A look back at one of the issues being discussed on the Opinion pages of the San Diego Business Journal 12 years ago this week: "The San Diego Housing Commission has proposed an ordinance called 'Realizing the American Dream' that would...

June gloom clouds city Ethics panel. (Editor's Notebook).
July 7, 2003... Has there ever been a bigger waste of time and energy than the Ethics Commission getting involved nitpicking over the cost of Super Bowl party tickets for the mayor and some members of the San Diego City Council? I can't think of one,...

It doesn't pay to look the other way. (Opinion).
July 7, 2003... "I was just following orders." It's the reflexive, ready-made excuse. Over time, it's been used to rationalize everything from the killing of women and children in wartime to the refusal to open up an extra line at the post office. In...

Political trickery in the raising of the car tax: It was increased in an underhanded way. (Opinion).(new auto tax hike)
July 7, 2003... There has been much discussion, wailing, and gnashing of teeth in California in recent months as taxpayers learn about the decision to triple our car tax. Every bit as maddening as the increase itself (a $20,000 vehicle's tax will roughly...

Making a new business plan: Dennis Guseman takes over beleaguered CSU San Marcos program.(new dean, College of Business Administration at California State University(San Marcos))
July 14, 2003... Dennis Guseman is busy building bridges in North County these days. Not the brick-and-mortar kind. Instead, Guseman wants to span the reach between higher education and business in North County. On July 1, Guseman took over as the new...

Firms adding an accent to Web pages: Spanish sites part of a broader outreach to growing Hispanic Market.
July 14, 2003... Loan info. Computer hard drive specifications. Ballplayer Trevor Hoffman's thoughts about pitching at Petco Park. San Diego County companies provide it all on the Web -- in Spanish. More and more, businesses find it worthwhile...

Privacy law puts business on notice: hackers stealing data may force mass notifications.(identity theft law)
July 14, 2003... A state law that went into effect July 1 requires companies that maintain computer databases on clients to notify them "immediately following discovery" if hackers break in and steal clients' personal data that could be used in identity theft....