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Genentech looking to sell Vacaville facility Daily Republic Staff DRNEWS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET
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Vacaville mayor John Carli and students enter the new location for The Academy for 21st Century Learning, Thursday.
Academy of 21st Century Learning debuts new location in Vacaville’s biotech hub
Amy Maginnis-Honey AMAGINNIS@DAILYREPUBLIC.NET
VACAVILLE — This is the time of year students cheer when the classroom door closes for the school year. The students, parents and staff cheered when the doors opened Thursday morning at the new home of The Academy of 21st Century Learning. For the last seven years, the private Science, Technology, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Art and Math school sought a larger space to accommodate its growing student body teaching kindergarten through eighth grade. Home has been the Nut Tree Plaza, in about 4,000 square feet of space. “We tried for six years and
we could not make it happen,” said Barbara Dwyer, CEO and founder. Enter Vacaville Mayor John Carli and Vacaville’s Director of Economic Development Services Don Burrus. Carli’s first visit to the school an eye-opener, he said. “You walk down the sidewalk, and you are deceived that it’s another store,” he said. “Then, what you see is going to change the world. You are creating a future workforce for Vacaville.” The Academy of 21st Century Learning has now almost tripled its space, taking over about 11,000 square feet formerly occupied by The Father’s House. It’s now situated in the hub of Vacaville’s biotech business and near Solano Community College Vacaville
where students can earn a bachelor’s degree in biomanufacturing. Councilman Mike Silva, a Professor of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, who teaches at SCC, also spoke. “All of you have endless opportunities,” he said, reminding the students failure happens, but to continue the fight. “When is it OK to give up?” he asked. In unison, the students replied “never.” He cited the 1985 movie “Goonies,” and a quote from the film “Never say die.” It was a perfect segue for Giselle Refael, who shared her story of not finding her niche in public school. “The Academy loved my love of questions,” Giselle said. The See Debuts, Page A10
Solano’s Philippine, AAPI cultures acknowledged and celebrated tech fields and the cultural arts.” While Filipinos are FAIRFIELD — As one part of the Asian Americelebration of the councan and Pacific Islanders ty’s diversity comes to population, the Board of a close, another gears Supervisors also adopted up for its 34th annual a resolution acknowl“Pista Sa Nayon.” edging and celebrating June as Philippine CulMay was Asian Amertural Month. ican Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The Philippine Culture Committee, on Saturday, The Solano County hosts the annual “Pista Board of Supervisors on Sa Nayon,” marking the May 23 adopted a resoRobinson Kuntz/Daily Republic file (2018) 125th anniversary of lution acknowledging the “significant contri- A man sells parasols at Pista sa Nayon, a celebration of Philippine independence butions” of the culture in Philippine Independence Day, at the Vallejo waterfront from Spain. the county and across the on June 2, 2018. Jen Mojica, the comUnited States. mittee chairwoman, “The Asian Ameri- U.S., and their ongoing continue to contribute to noted the emphasis on the agriculture economy keeping the youth of the can and Pacific Islander contributions. in Solano County and culture involved. “The Chinese came community is inherently businessowners, “I’m really proud that diverse in Solano County; to the Bay Area in the are according to the Census 1800s during the Gold educators, healthcare See Cultures, Page A10 Bureau (2023 release), Rush, working to build workers, are employed in over 75,000 Asian Ameri- the Bay Area transconcans and Pacific Islanders tinental line and the currently reside in Solano Alameda Terminal in County with Filipi- 1869. In 1871 Chinese nos being the largest at agricultural workers in — N A PA VA L L E Y — 16.7 percent of the total Suisun Valley built “Big Asian population,” the Camp,” the first permaDr. David P. Simon, MD, FACS. nent Chinese settlement resolution states. Eye y Physician y & Surgeon, g , Col. ((Ret.), USAF The proclamation in Solano County,” the Services include: acknowledges the long resolution states. • Routine Eye Exams It adds, “Asian Amerihistory of Asian peoples • Comprehensive Ophthalmology in California and the can and Pacific Islanders • Glaucoma and Macular Degeneration Care • Diabetic Eye Exams INDEX Arts B4 | Classifieds B6 | Columns A6 • Dry Eye Treatment Comics A9, B5 | Crossword A6, B4 • Cataract Surgery Opinion A7 | Sports B1 | TV Daily A9, B5 • LASIK Surgery
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VACAVILLE — Roche is looking for a buyer for its Genentech facility in Vacaville and possibly other holdings. F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, commonly referred to as Roche or by its holding company name, Roche Holding AG, is a Swiss multinational healthcare company and parent company of Genentech. “Roche announced (Wednesday) that it plans to divest its legacy Genentech manufacturing facility in Vacaville ... as part of a broader strategy to evolve its manufacturing capabilities in line with future pipeline requirements. The company will initiate a process of finding a suitable buyer for the site and a decision will be announced in due course,” the company stated in its announcement. “The Vacaville site has a 25-year legacy of producing innovative medicines for millions of patients around the
world,” said Susanne Hundsbaek-Pedersen, global head of Pharma Technical Operations, Roche. “We aim to find a buyer who shares our values and respects the contributions and expertise of our colleagues at the facility. At this time, there is no impact to operations, or to our employees, and we are committed to treating our colleagues in Vacaville with care and compassion throughout this process.” Roche added in the statement that the Vacaville site is one of the oldest in the Roche network and specializes in large-scale production of biologics medicines. “Large scale production remains important in the delivery of Roche’s marketed medicines and will be supported out of one of our newer facilities. In addition, our pipeline continues to diversify across a range of modalities, from monoclonal and biospecific antibodies to cell therapies and See Sell, Page A10
Daily Republic file
Genentech in Vacaville.
Senators strike deal to move debt agreement Tribune Content Agency WASHINGTON — Senators reached a deal to expedite passage late Thursday of a debt-ceiling agreement forged by President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as a June 5 deadline for a destabilizing US default approaches. The agreement allows senators to offer 11 amendments to the bill, all of which are expected to fail but nonetheless force brief debate and a vote. It also includes a statement from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell committing to an emergency defense spending bill demanded
by GOP hawks. Several senators, including Republicans Mike Lee of Utah and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, had threatened to use the chamber’s arcane rules to delay a vote past the June 5 deadline unless they were given time to debate their amendments. The legislation would impose restraints on government spending through the 2024 election and suspend the legal debt limit until January 2025. Investors have largely judged the risk of a U.S. default as resolved and are shifting attention to other uncertainties, such as Federal Reserve policy. The S&P 500 rose See Debt, Page A10
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