Grant allows NCTD to replace older buses
The Federal Transit Administration has awarded more than $4.6 million to the North County Transit District to help it replace some of the buses in its BREEZE system with vehicles that reduce the district's carbon footprint.
The money comes from the FTA's State of Good Repair, a competitive grant program.
It requires a 20 percent local match, or $1.15 million, in TRANSNET money. The combined $5.78 million will allow the transit district to buy up to 12 buses that run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), replacing older models that run on diesel fuel.
According to NCTD, the new buses will lessen the district's carbon footprint considerably. Diesel buses emit a mixture of visible air pollutants known as particulate matter. Another pollutant, nitrogen oxide (NOx), is a highly reactive gas which forms quickly from emissions from cars, trucks and buses, power plants and off-road equipment. NOx contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone and fine particle pollution. NOx is linked with a number of adverse effects on the respiratory system.
"The impact of this grant goes far beyond our own customers who will actually ride these buses," said Thomas Lichterman, NCTD's Chief Operations Officer. "These new vehicles and the ensuing reduction in harmful pollutants will benefit every single person living and breathing in North County."
In replacing the diesel buses, NCTD estimates the 12 CNG buses will reduce up to a quarter ton of NOx and 11.4 pounds of PM in their first year of service.
Currrently, NCTD has an active fleet of 144 buses comprised of 90 CNG, 24 unleaded and 30 diesel fuel buses. The fleet's average age is 7.2 years old with an average of 350,000 miles.
Beth and Brad Thorp, founders of the Mitchell Thorp Foundation, named after their son, who battled an undiagnosed illness and died at age 15. The foundation's third annual 5K Walk/Run will take place Jan. 21.
Mitchell Thorp Foundation's 5K Walk/Run set for Jan. 21
The third annual Mitchell Thorp Foundation (MTF) 5K Walk/Run to support families with children suffering with life-threatening diseases, illnesses or disorders will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012 at Thorp Field in Carlsbad's Poinsettia Park.
Since it started, the event has raised $120,000, making it possible for the Mitchell Thorp Foundation (MTF) to assist more 16 challenged families in the region.
Funds generated from the annual event will again go to the Foundation; a nonprofit, public benefit 501(c)(3) organization founded by the Thorp family, whose son, Mitchell, battled an undiagnosed illness and lost his fight at the age of 18. His family started the foundation in their son's name to give back to the community and to support the many other families in need of assistance.
"The specific purpose of the Mitchell Thorp Foundation is to help as many children and families in the community as possible," said Brad Thorp, president, and father of Mitchell. "Proceeds generated from our next event will provide emotional and financial support to help reduce the stresses faced by those courageously battling the myriad of cancers and other diseases and disorders."
In addition to participation by individual walkers and runners, businesses can support the event in two ways, through sponsorship levels with appropriate company logo, signage, web site and publicity acknowledgement throughout the event and raffle items.
To register for the MTF 5K Walk/Run, for information, or to make a donation, visit www.mitchellthorp.org. Walkers and runners can also sign up at the event.
In other news, the Hitachi Data Systems Corp. recently awarded the foundation with a $6,000 matching grant to help support the organization's ongoing mission.
La Costa resort gets workplace excellence award
On the heels of its recently unveiled $50 million renovation, the La Costa Resort and Spa has been selected as the Medallion Winner of the San Diego Society for Human Resource Management's 2011 Workplace Excellence Awards.
"We are truly honored that the San Diego Society for Human Resource Management has bestowed us with this prestigious distinction," said General Manager Paul McCormick in a statement. "La Costa employs nearly 1,000 individuals and we are committed to creating a positive and enjoyable experience not only for our guests but also for our employees and the members of our community."
The San Diego SHRM's signature event, the Workplace Excellence Awards, recognizes the "best of the best" companies and their Human Resources leaders through nominations by local businesses' employees.
Now in its 12th year, the Workplace Excellence Awards shed light on contributions that exceptional Human Resources practices make to the success and profitability of the entire San Diego business community.
Pictured from left, are Justen and Alena Katz with their mother, Sara, founder of Katz & Associates, with Michel Anderson and Bill Harris of the City of San Diego.
Katz & Associates celebrates its 25th year
Katz & Associates, a nationally-recognized public affairs consulting firm, marked its 25th anniversary of doing business with a Halloween-themed open house at its headquarters in La Jolla.
All the staff dressed up in costumes to celebrate this festive affair.
Founded in 1986, Katz & Associates is a nationally recognized public affairs consulting firm specializing in issues-based communication programs for public and private sector clients. Their diverse team of communication professionals offers specialized experience in public outreach, community relations, media relations, environmental communication and public participation.
Over the years, Katz & Associates has been involved in numerous community outreach and public participation projects and planning efforts in Carlsbad. In recent years, they supported the Envision Carlsbad process and facilitated community workshops on Proposition D lands. In the past, they were involved in community relations efforts for the Batiquitos Lagoon Enhancement Program and the Carlsbad Premium Outlets. In between, they supported community relations for the City of Carlsbad on several water and waste water infrastructure projects.
Sara Katz founded the firm in 1986 after serving on the staffs of former California Governor Pete Wilson and former San Diego Mayor Susan Golding. Katz & Associates was incorporated in 1992 and is a certified Woman Owned Business Enterprise and Small Business Concern. The firm has grown to more than 40 staff members strategically located across the nation.
Carlsbad and Oceanside lauded for recycling efforts
In honor of America Recycles Day on Nov. 15, Waste Management of North County and Coast Waste Management are celebrating Carlsbad and Oceanside residents and businesses for their recycling and diversion efforts.
Above and beyond curbside collection, items collected through Waste Management's Carlsbad and Oceanside Buyback and Recycling Centers include cans, plastic, glass, aluminum, paper, cardboard, electronic waste and household batteries.
Recovering this material saves both energy and resources; for example, making products from recycled steel and tin, uses just one quarter of the energy needed to produce goods from virgin materials.
The Carlsbad Buyback and Recycling Center has processed 273 tons of recyclable items in 2011 to date. Recycling these items has assisted the City of Carlsbad in achieving their current overall diversion rate of over 65 percent.
Since January 1, 2011, The Oceanside Buyback and Recycling Center has collected and recycled 407 tons of recycling, which has helped the City of Oceanside achieve their overall diversion rate of over 65 percent. Oceanside has adopted a zero-waste goal of 75 percent diversion by the year 2020.
"As the nation's largest recycling services provider, we're always focused on how to improve recycling rates in our communities," said Lori Somers, community and municipal relations representative for Waste Management of North County and Coast Waste Management. "Recycling is easy and good for the environment and for our local economy, so we encourage residents throughout North County to continue to recycle on America Recycles Day and every day."
Waste Management operates some 100 recycling facilities and processes approximately 10 million tons of recyclables per year. The company is now halfway to its goal of managing more than 20 million tons each year. In 2010, Waste Management recycled, reused, or managed enough material to fill a football field 2.11 miles high.
The Federal Transit Administration has awarded more than $4.6 million to the North County Transit District to help it replace some of the buses in its BREEZE system with vehicles that reduce the district's carbon footprint.
The money comes from the FTA's State of Good Repair, a competitive grant program.
It requires a 20 percent local match, or $1.15 million, in TRANSNET money. The combined $5.78 million will allow the transit district to buy up to 12 buses that run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), replacing older models that run on diesel fuel.
According to NCTD, the new buses will lessen the district's carbon footprint considerably. Diesel buses emit a mixture of visible air pollutants known as particulate matter. Another pollutant, nitrogen oxide (NOx), is a highly reactive gas which forms quickly from emissions from cars, trucks and buses, power plants and off-road equipment. NOx contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone and fine particle pollution. NOx is linked with a number of adverse effects on the respiratory system.
"The impact of this grant goes far beyond our own customers who will actually ride these buses," said Thomas Lichterman, NCTD's Chief Operations Officer. "These new vehicles and the ensuing reduction in harmful pollutants will benefit every single person living and breathing in North County."
In replacing the diesel buses, NCTD estimates the 12 CNG buses will reduce up to a quarter ton of NOx and 11.4 pounds of PM in their first year of service.
Currrently, NCTD has an active fleet of 144 buses comprised of 90 CNG, 24 unleaded and 30 diesel fuel buses. The fleet's average age is 7.2 years old with an average of 350,000 miles.
Beth and Brad Thorp, founders of the Mitchell Thorp Foundation, named after their son, who battled an undiagnosed illness and died at age 15. The foundation's third annual 5K Walk/Run will take place Jan. 21.
Mitchell Thorp Foundation's 5K Walk/Run set for Jan. 21
The third annual Mitchell Thorp Foundation (MTF) 5K Walk/Run to support families with children suffering with life-threatening diseases, illnesses or disorders will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012 at Thorp Field in Carlsbad's Poinsettia Park.
Since it started, the event has raised $120,000, making it possible for the Mitchell Thorp Foundation (MTF) to assist more 16 challenged families in the region.
Funds generated from the annual event will again go to the Foundation; a nonprofit, public benefit 501(c)(3) organization founded by the Thorp family, whose son, Mitchell, battled an undiagnosed illness and lost his fight at the age of 18. His family started the foundation in their son's name to give back to the community and to support the many other families in need of assistance.
"The specific purpose of the Mitchell Thorp Foundation is to help as many children and families in the community as possible," said Brad Thorp, president, and father of Mitchell. "Proceeds generated from our next event will provide emotional and financial support to help reduce the stresses faced by those courageously battling the myriad of cancers and other diseases and disorders."
In addition to participation by individual walkers and runners, businesses can support the event in two ways, through sponsorship levels with appropriate company logo, signage, web site and publicity acknowledgement throughout the event and raffle items.
To register for the MTF 5K Walk/Run, for information, or to make a donation, visit www.mitchellthorp.org. Walkers and runners can also sign up at the event.
In other news, the Hitachi Data Systems Corp. recently awarded the foundation with a $6,000 matching grant to help support the organization's ongoing mission.
La Costa resort gets workplace excellence award
On the heels of its recently unveiled $50 million renovation, the La Costa Resort and Spa has been selected as the Medallion Winner of the San Diego Society for Human Resource Management's 2011 Workplace Excellence Awards.
"We are truly honored that the San Diego Society for Human Resource Management has bestowed us with this prestigious distinction," said General Manager Paul McCormick in a statement. "La Costa employs nearly 1,000 individuals and we are committed to creating a positive and enjoyable experience not only for our guests but also for our employees and the members of our community."
The San Diego SHRM's signature event, the Workplace Excellence Awards, recognizes the "best of the best" companies and their Human Resources leaders through nominations by local businesses' employees.
Now in its 12th year, the Workplace Excellence Awards shed light on contributions that exceptional Human Resources practices make to the success and profitability of the entire San Diego business community.
Pictured from left, are Justen and Alena Katz with their mother, Sara, founder of Katz & Associates, with Michel Anderson and Bill Harris of the City of San Diego.
Katz & Associates celebrates its 25th year
Katz & Associates, a nationally-recognized public affairs consulting firm, marked its 25th anniversary of doing business with a Halloween-themed open house at its headquarters in La Jolla.
All the staff dressed up in costumes to celebrate this festive affair.
Founded in 1986, Katz & Associates is a nationally recognized public affairs consulting firm specializing in issues-based communication programs for public and private sector clients. Their diverse team of communication professionals offers specialized experience in public outreach, community relations, media relations, environmental communication and public participation.
Over the years, Katz & Associates has been involved in numerous community outreach and public participation projects and planning efforts in Carlsbad. In recent years, they supported the Envision Carlsbad process and facilitated community workshops on Proposition D lands. In the past, they were involved in community relations efforts for the Batiquitos Lagoon Enhancement Program and the Carlsbad Premium Outlets. In between, they supported community relations for the City of Carlsbad on several water and waste water infrastructure projects.
Sara Katz founded the firm in 1986 after serving on the staffs of former California Governor Pete Wilson and former San Diego Mayor Susan Golding. Katz & Associates was incorporated in 1992 and is a certified Woman Owned Business Enterprise and Small Business Concern. The firm has grown to more than 40 staff members strategically located across the nation.
Carlsbad and Oceanside lauded for recycling efforts
In honor of America Recycles Day on Nov. 15, Waste Management of North County and Coast Waste Management are celebrating Carlsbad and Oceanside residents and businesses for their recycling and diversion efforts.
Above and beyond curbside collection, items collected through Waste Management's Carlsbad and Oceanside Buyback and Recycling Centers include cans, plastic, glass, aluminum, paper, cardboard, electronic waste and household batteries.
Recovering this material saves both energy and resources; for example, making products from recycled steel and tin, uses just one quarter of the energy needed to produce goods from virgin materials.
The Carlsbad Buyback and Recycling Center has processed 273 tons of recyclable items in 2011 to date. Recycling these items has assisted the City of Carlsbad in achieving their current overall diversion rate of over 65 percent.
Since January 1, 2011, The Oceanside Buyback and Recycling Center has collected and recycled 407 tons of recycling, which has helped the City of Oceanside achieve their overall diversion rate of over 65 percent. Oceanside has adopted a zero-waste goal of 75 percent diversion by the year 2020.
"As the nation's largest recycling services provider, we're always focused on how to improve recycling rates in our communities," said Lori Somers, community and municipal relations representative for Waste Management of North County and Coast Waste Management. "Recycling is easy and good for the environment and for our local economy, so we encourage residents throughout North County to continue to recycle on America Recycles Day and every day."
Waste Management operates some 100 recycling facilities and processes approximately 10 million tons of recyclables per year. The company is now halfway to its goal of managing more than 20 million tons each year. In 2010, Waste Management recycled, reused, or managed enough material to fill a football field 2.11 miles high.