Bay Area

San Diego: Controller Malia Cohen Attends Launch of First All-Electric Harbor Crane in U.S.

The Port of San Diego is transitioning its industrial activities to advance the state’s clean energy goals, have a great economic impact, and improve the air quality to nearby neighborhoods. The port installed two Generation 6 Mobile Harbor Cranes at the port’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal (TAMT), the first-ever in the nation’s history. State and local leaders, partners stakeholders, and community members attending the celebration witnessed a demonstration of the crane’s system capabilities.

Published

1 year ago

September 29, 2024

Oakland Post

California State Controller Malia Cohen (left) attended the launch of the new all-electric mobile harbor crane system at the Port of San Diego. Cohen is pictured here with Assemblymember Tasha Boerner (D-Encinitas).

By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

State Controller Malia Cohen attended the launch of the new all-electric mobile harbor crane system at the Port of San Diego, the only dockside lifting machine of its kind in the United States.

Cohen participated in the event along with Assemblymember Tasha Boerner (D-Encinitas) and Randa Coniglio the Acting Port Chief Executive Officer.

Cohen, who is also chair of the State Lands Commission, was optimistic about the health and environmental impact of the new development.

“These new cranes will advance the state’s clean energy goals while amplifying the Port’s tremendous economic impact on the San Diego County region,” said Cohen.

“I believe that with continued investments in innovative clean energy infrastructure, workforce development, and job training, paired with ongoing meaningful community engagement and inclusion, and collaborative leadership, we can build a better tomorrow with thriving communities, a sustainable economy, and a vibrant port industry,” she added.

Frank Urtasun, chairman of the Port of San Diego and board of Port Commissioners, said that the new all-electric cranes meet the agency’s dual-focused maritime missions to have cleaner air and deliver goods for communities in the region.

“We’re improving air quality, driving commerce, and supporting good jobs. Everybody wins,” said Urtasun.

The newly installed cranes are replacing the Port’s former diesel-powered crane. This transition is a step toward achieving one of the Port’s goals as part of the Maritime Clean Air Strategy (MCAS). The Port is working to replace all cargo handling equipment to zero emissions by 2030.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

1 week ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.