Route Chosen for San Diego Trolley Extension The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) board has selected a route for the future expansion of the San Diego Trolley from the Old Town Transit Center to UCSD and University Towne Centre. The route chosen would extend trolley service north from Old Town along the existing rail corridor just east of Interstate 5, cross over I-5 south of Nobel Drive, continuing to serve UCSD, then cross to the east side of I-5 at or near Voight Drive and head south along Genessee Avenue to a transit center at UTC. The agency now will begin detailed environmental studies on the route. The $1.2 billion, 11-mile extension is expected to increase transit ridership by 20,000 boardings a day. The voter-approved project has half of the funds dedicated from the TransNet half-cent sales tax. SANDAG will seek matching funds for the project from the Federal Transit Administration. Construction could begin in 2013 and the line could be in operation in 2015. New Jobs: “We are doing what we promised voters by extending the trolley into the North City and serving the vital UCSD campus and its students,” said county Supervisor Ron Roberts, SANDAG transportation committee member and chair of the Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project Working Group. “Construction will quickly create many jobs, and its completion in a few years will greatly expand access to employment centers for thousands of San Diegans.” National Design Forum Set for Aug. 18-20 Artisan Design Group will present the eighth annual national Design Forum for design center professionals, interior designers and managers involved with new construction and remodeling Aug. 18-20, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, One Market Place, in San Diego. DESIGN FORUM 2010 will explore “Navigating the New World,” and focus on best practices, innovative resources, trends and networking. The event, sponsored by Kohler, Armstrong Flooring, DuPont Corian, Teragren and Whirlpool, will also include keynotes by industry innovators and a presentation of the 2010 DECA Awards, honoring “design excellence in centers and ambassadors.” The registration fee of $1,150 includes selected meals and receptions. Information and registration is available at designcenterforum.com. Disability Management Employer Coalition Conference Employers such as Pacific Gas & Electric, Wells Fargo Bank, Time Warner, Costco Wholesale and Safeway will share their insights and strategies at the 15th annual International Conference of the Disability Management Employer Coalition Aug. 1-4 at the Sheraton Hotel & Marina. Key sessions will include managing intermittent leaves, the interactive process, understanding reasonable accommodation and internal return-to-work programs. Additional information is available online at dmec.org. Southwestern College Business Centers Receive $35,000 The Small Business Development Center and Center for International Trade Development at Southwestern College have been given $35,000 from the city of National City’s Community Development Block Grant program. The centers will use the money to provide area businesses with more technical assistance, including start-up, management, operations, marketing, financial analysis and sourcing of local loan products. Ken Clark, small business services coordinator and senior business adviser, said the centers helped 675 clients obtain 26 loans totaling $2.6 million during 2009. He said clients reported 72 jobs created, 34 jobs retained and an increase in sales of $1.6 million. NAWBO Funds College Scholarships The San Diego chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners has donated $1,500 to San Diego City College to fund three $500 scholarships for women pursuing business degrees. The money was presented to Carmen Ruffo, scholarship coordinator at City College. The scholarship money was raised during the silent auction held as part of NAWBO San Diego’s BRAVO! Awards. Padres Owner Re-Elected to MDA National Board Padres Vice Chairman and CEO Jeff Moorad has been re-elected to a one-year term as vice president of the national Muscular Dystrophy Association. MDA national vice presidents provide volunteer assistance and counsel in their areas of expertise to support the association’s research and services programs. Moorad is active in helping raise funds in the search for a cure for ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease through MDA’s Augie’s Quest, a research initiative that in five years has raised $23 million to help MDA stop ALS. Moorad is a close friend of Augie Nieto, one of the most successful innovators in the U.S. fitness industry. The founder, former chairman and CEO of Life Fitness, Nieto was diagnosed with ALS in 2005. Moorad helped his friend link Augie’s Quest to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Southwest Strategies Hires Senior Account Executive Elaine Camuso has joined Southwest Strategies as senior account executive after more than a decade as a professional news reporter, freelance writer and editor. Camuso started her journalism career at National Public Radio in Washington, D.C., and spent most of her career at a boutique news agency which distributes original feature news to national and international media outlets. Besides news writing, Camuso’s work experience has included assignments in copywriting, Website content development and the coordination of media campaigns for clients including a Northern California-based museum and a nationally-prominent law school consultant. Adult Reentry Program Hosts Information Meeting The Grossmont College Adult Reentry Program will host “Your Tomorrow Starts Here,” an Aug. 3 informational meeting for adults interested in returning to school to reenter the workforce, learn a new career, earn a college diploma or upgrade their skills for a job promotion. It will be from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Room 220 on the college campus. Admission and parking are free. Speakers will include former students who successfully returned to the classroom, along with information on admission procedures, transfer programs and financial aid. Grossmont College is located at 8800 Grossmont College Drive in El Cajon. For more information, phone Nancy Davis at (619) 644-7615 or Susan Esparza at (619) 644-7697, or visit grossmont.edu/adultreentry. MGP Property Purchases Building MGP Property LLC has purchased a 3,034-square-foot free-standing drive-through pad building on .85 acres at 6424 Mission Gorge Road in San Diego for $1,350,000. The seller, Sandra Konar, as trustee of the Dale A. Worm Family Trust, was represented by Rob Ippolito of the Cushman & The buyer represented itself. The building, once a Burger King, is located at the intersection of Mission Gorge Road and Friars Road and offers more than 300 feet of street frontage. Palms Hotel Building Sold for $3.6 Million The historic Palms Hotel building at 509 Park Blvd. in Downtown San Diego has been sold for $3.6 million. The buyer is 12th & A Hotel Partners LP. The seller was Mission Federal Credit Union. Tim Mills of Cushman & Wakefield represented the seller. The buyer represented itself. The building wsas built in 1869 and offers a historic architectural design. It will undergo renovations to allow for future uses such as office and retail spaces available for lease.