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Reports on a surge of support for a proposal to build a high-speed rail system from San Diego to Sacramento, California. Issue of the $20 billion cost; California High Speed Rail Authority's selection of three sources for funding; Informal decision on a preferred route for the rail's development; Alternatives to high speed rail; Consideration of rail designs.

Reports of Pacific Bell Corp.'s opening of a residential call service office in Sorrenta Mesa, San Diego, California. Expected number of jobs that will be created; Economic benefits of the call center; Available positions; Reasons for locating the facility in San Diego; Significance of the call center to Pacific Bell's goal to continue providing superior customer service and sales assistance to its customers.

Features Del Mar, California-based candle company Knorr Candel Shop. Company background; Company owner Steve Knorr's purchase of the business from his father; Expansion of the company's product lines and services.

Reports on the issue of what United States employees want from their employers. Results of an employee opinion survey conducted by Barron Stark & Associates Inc.; Employees' rating of work environment, morale and motivation, strategic direction and others. INSET: San Diego's 'best of the best'.

Reports that North Island Naval Air Station in San Diego, California, is the United States Navy's choice to become home to its three nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Release of US Navy's final environmental impact statement; Arrival of the Nimitz-class nuclear carriers; Economic impact of homeporting the nuclear carriers.

Discusses the business growth at San Diego, California-based Aquatic Equipment & Services Inc. Business activity; Founding in 1993 as support to engineering firm Enartec; Factors behind the company's success; Growth spurt owed to president Patrick Case.

Reports on Sempra Energy's selection to supply natural gas to Baja California, Mexico. Expected revenues from the contract; Construction of a natural gas pipeline.

Reports on the San Diego City Council's inaction to approve an ordinance forcing the sale of oil company-owned and -operated retail service stations in California. Position of the Western States Petroleum Association about the ordinance; Legal constraints challenging the proposed ordinance.

Reports on the revelation of the design of the proposed baseball stadium in San Diego, California. Cost of development; Spectator capacity at the sports facility; Overview on the design of the proposed ballpark; Anticipated effects of the ballpark's design and cost on underdeveloped downtown areas.

Focuses on the trends in commercial banking in San Diego, California. Bank mergers; Rankings of local and nonlocal banks by assets and local deposit figures as of December 31, 1997; Cost concerns among customers; Effect of bank mergers on small businesses.

Provides information on the stock market performances of several largest public companies in San Diego, California. Background information on ITLA Capital Corporation; Background information on ALARIS Medical Systems Incorporated; Information on Mycogen company.

Reports on the allegations of the California Public Interest Research Group against four pest extermination companies in San Diego claiming false and misleading advertising. Defense of Dave Arnold, owner of Pest Free; Advice for D and S Termite Control to change the wording of its advertisement; Toxicity of the chemicals used by the exterminators.

Features Geocon Inc., a geotechnical engineering firm in San Diego, California. Strategy for survival in the industry; Advantage of decision to expand into environmental engineering; Accomplishments of the company since its founding in 1972.

Details findings of the Ninth Annual Deloitte & Touche/San Diego Business Journal Economic Outlook Survey of the retail industry in San Diego, California. Factors attributed to the projected growth of the industry; Increase in Wal-Mart's profits in 1998; Changes in industry operations in response to `anchor stores.'

Details findings of the Ninth Annual Deloitte & Touche/San Diego Business Journal Economic Outlook Survey of the employment market in San Diego, California. Unemployment rate; Number of jobs created in the retail trade sector between October 1998 and 1999; Local companies' optimism about increasing its staff size.

Focuses on the advantages of mergers and consolidation for some business enterprises. Overview on the mergers and consolidation activities of various American business enterprises; Importance of retaining a full staff after a merger for companies; Reasons behind companies' decision to merge with other businesses.

Focuses on the South Bay Ocean Outfall, an initiative intended to keep untreated sewage from reaching the shores of San Diego, California and Mexican beaches and contaminating groundwater. Details and information about the initiative; Estimated value of the project; Adverse impact on contamination on the quality of groundwater.

Cites the reaction of California officials to a report released by the Surface Transportation Policy Project which lists San Diego's freeways as some of the worst in the country for potholes and cracks. Rankings of the city and the state in the `pothole index'; Government officials' disagreement with the report's findings; Defense of the state's highway system; Sources of the group's information.

Lists the largest hotels in San Diego County, California, ranked by number of guest rooms. Hotel; Address; Contact numbers; Suites; Number of local full-time employees as of February 1, 1998; Maximum square feet of meeting space/exhibit area; Maximum seating capacity; Room rates; Corporate rates; Amenities; General manager; Hotel owner; Year opened.

Announces export restrictions made by the Australian, New Zealand, Japanese and Taiwanese governments on fresh fruit from California's San Diego County, due to a continuous local infestation of Mexican and Mediterranean fruit flies in the area. Impact of the quarantine on the county's agricultural business; Details concerning the fruit fly infestation; Concerns over the possible spread of the infestations.

Explains San Diego, California's Proposition D, which would exempt the Sea World amusement park from the height limit restriction of 30 feet. Failure of Sea World to present details of its three previous projects; Sea World's intention to build an aviary, restaurant, walrus stadium and marine exhibit; Proposal to replace structures that have worn out or ended their use that are over 30 feet high.

Reports that small businesses in the United States are doing better now than ever before and the coming century promises to bring about greater success, according to Fred P. Hochberg, deputy director for the US Small Business Administration. Factors that businesses should first address before it can take off; Challenges that the SBA faces in the coming millennium.

Reports on branding and entertainment as the center of the retail sector in San Diego, California since 1997. Branding concept utilized by Westfield America; Properties owned by Westfield America; Provision of an outdoor shopping arena by the Viejas Outlet Center, an economic base for the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians.

Reports on the increase in the price of milk in California. Factors behind the price hike; Average price for a gallon of milk; Determination of the increase using economic pricing formulas; Law banning milk processing companies from purchasing out-of-state milk for sale in California.

Features Bridal Bazaar Inc., a bridal trade show in San Diego, California. Information given by company president Heather Somers; Number of vendors that attend the trade show; Preparations; Establishment of a web site.

Reports on the construction of a bridge over the Loma Alta Creek in Oceanside, California. Problems encountered in building a bridge through a business district; Need for a bridge; Public participation in the project.

Reports that retailers in San Diego, California expect a sales growth when school opens in 1999. Survey by Deloitte & Touche LLP showing that parents plan to spend for clothing and supplies for their children; Telephone survey of families with school-aged children from June to July 1999; Optimism a reflection of the economy growth in the state.

Focuses on Discovery Isle Child Development Center Inc., a small business enterprise that runs education-based child care facilities in California. Range of service offerings; Financial performance; Locations in California; Profile of owner and founder Cindy Bornemann.

Reports on a tentative water allocation agreement allowing San Diego, California to receive reclaimed agricultural water from the Colorado River. Resolution of decades of fighting between water agencies in Southern California; Security of future water supply for the region.

Reports that a California Superior Court judge has given preliminary approval to a settlement of an antitrust lawsuit against Unocal Corp. by law firm Cohelan and Khoury. Ruling seen as a major step in the case of `Aguilar, et al. vs. Atlantic Richfield Corp., et al' which named eight California refineries as defendants; Background on the 1999 class action which lists gas purchasers as plaintiffs.

Reports on the United States Navy's search of a real estate developer to renovate and build homes for military personnel and their families. Worth of the contract; Internal housing crisis facing the Navy; Number of homes planned in San Diego, California; Plans of the navy in developing a partnership with the selected developer.

Reports on moves to keep the planned October 1999 world championship finals of the International Jet Sports Boating Association from taking place at Mission Bay, California. Complaints against the emissions of the personal watercrafts' two-stroke engines; Comments by the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Reports that transportation and trade will be the topics of a binational conference hosted by the San Diego Association of Governments and the Consul of Mexico. Focus of the challenges and opportunities facing officials and residents of the region; Discussion on local energy issues in the context of emerging government frameworks.

Relates that the decision of Sempra Energy to back out from a deal to merge with Colorado-based KN Energy has helped the company achieve a positive credit rating from Standard & Poor's Rating Group &S&P). Explanation of S&P for the stronger rating of Sempra Energy.

Reports on San Diego, Calif.-based West Coast Aquarium Industries' purchasing of an acrylic manufacturing factory. Inclusion in company's cost containment plan; Expansion of operations; Specialization in the designing, manufacturing and global distribution of custom aquarium systems.

Reports on the scheduled opening of the Market Creek Plaza, a shopping center in the Diamond Business Improvement District of Southeast San Diego, California. Biggest and most ambitious development project in the neighborhood; Residents' elation with the shopping center, which they helped plan.

Presents a roundup of small business and retail news in San Diego, California for the week of June 14-20, 1999. Includes Postal Annex+ Inc.'s franchise licenses; Award for Whetstone Group; Hawthorne Machinery Co.

Features San Diego, California-based coffee brewery and retailer Ryan Bros. Coffee. Business history; Influence of growing in an international community on Ryan Bros. owners Harry, Tom and Carmine; Microroasting process used in the business; Business operations.

Focuses on the role of special librarians in business enterprises in the United States. Saving of time and money as a way of life for businesses; Management of accumulated research; Retrieval and evaluation of information; Change in the role of special librarians; Duties and responsibilities; Organizing of research information.

Reports that the sale of Dow Stereo/Video Inc. to Tweeter Home Entertainment Group Inc. will result in loss of jobs which should be balanced by the opening of two stores. Retention of the Dow name in nine local stores; Tweeter's habit of acquiring other electronic retailers; Dow stores' changing of inventory to meet the demands of a different purchasing audience.

Presents news items related to small business and retail trade in California as of May 17, 1999. Includes efforts of the United States Small Business Administration and the International Franchise Association in encouraging small business franchises in inner cities and rural areas; First Class Packaging Inc. president Sandra Brock as the recipient of the Evan Kemp Entrepreneurship Award.

Reports that the Greater San Diego Chamber of Commerce has celebrated the 1999 National Small Business Week by honoring 12 local companies. Criteria for giving the awards; Use of United States Small Business Administration loans.

Reports on the expansion of IKEA, a Swedish-based furnishing company, and Lowe's, a department store company based in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, into the Fenton Marketplace, a $60-million shopping center development project, at Mission Valley in San Diego, California. Ground-breaking expansion of IKEA and Lowe's on the West Coast of the United States; Development specifications at Fenton Marketplace.

Discusses the importance of financial planning in businesses. Case of Cardiff Software; Need for insurance coverage; Diversification of personal balance sheets.

Focuses on the California Trucking Association's call for Governor Gray Davis to suspend the Clean Fuel Rule which allows truckers to buy diesel fuel from other states. Association's concern over the impact of rising fuel costs on the trucking industry; Features of the group's letter to Davis; Response from the California Energy Commission.

Features San Diego, California-based company, Environmental Business Solutions Inc. Environmental study and land assessment work for a ballpark district property in San Diego, California; Growth strategies of co-principal Dan Johnson.

Features the Ridgehaven Green Office Building of the California-based San Diego Environmental Services Department. Background on the renovation of the office building into an environment-friendly structure; Renovation designs made by Platt/Whitelaw Architects Inc. for the office building.

Presents news updates one year after energy deregulation took effect in California. Decline of prices; Reliability of systems; New energy providers' efforts to make a name for themselves; Problems facing independent providers; Estimated number of independents still in operation.

Reports on the increase in gasoline prices in San Diego, California. Increased demand and lack of supply of gasoline in the city; Accidents and shutdowns at three of the state's six refineries; Price of crude oil; Other factors contributing to the increase in gasoline prices; Phaseout of the gasoline additive butyl methyl ether (MTBE) in California. INSET: MTBE phaseout should not add to fuel prices.

Discloses that a misinterpretation of California Governor Gray Davis' preference to patronize only unionized hotels when traveling has caused some state officials to cancel hotel reservations and meetings and concern for hotel officials throughout the state. Clarification from the governor's office that no directive was issued to officials that they only patronize unionize hotels and restaurants when traveling.