Prices for industrial properties in the greater San Fernando Valley area continued to skyrocket in the third quarter, according to a report released by Colliers International. Sale prices were up 29 percent to an average of $135 per square foot, versus the year ago period, the report found. The West San Fernando Valley garnered the highest selling prices in the period, an average $143 per square foot, followed by Santa Clarita Valley were prices averaged $138 per square foot.

Lydia Kennard will step down at the end of the month as the executive director of Los Angeles World Airports, the agency that runs the city’s regional airports including those in Van Nuys and Palmdale. Kennard will serve as a special adviser to the Board of Airport Commissioners to find a successor, on the master plan for Los Angeles International Airport and other issues. This was Kennard’s second go around as LAWA airport director. She served in that position previously from 1999 to 2003. She returned in 2005. In a statement, Kennard said she achieved all of the goals the agency set upon her return and it was a natural time to depart. Kennard will take on executive duties with a new aviation-related real estate company. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa praised Kennard for her leadership. “With her capable hand and clear-sighted vision, she piloted LA World Airports to new heights, keeping operations running safely and smoothly while bringing us closer to our ultimate destination creating a truly regional approach to air travel,” Villaraigosa said in a statement.

The popularity of kitchen reality shows and cooking programs is causing increased enrollment at chef schools. But how many are finding work? Read about it the Dallas Morning News.

The United Chambers of Commerce of the San Fernando Valley is planning two major events in January. On Wednesday, Jan. 10, the group will host an information session on the planned Los Angeles River revitalization project. Changes include returning the riverbed to its wild state including the addition of a bike path and new public parks. L.A. City Planner Tom Rothmann and other members of the L.A. River Unit/Citywide Division will discuss what impact the changes will have on residential and commercial properties in the area. The noon lunch meeting at the Porter Valley Country Club in Northridge will also include the introduction of new Daily News Publisher John McKeon who will be attending along with Editor Ron Kaye. On Friday, Jan. 26, UCC will hold its 31st Annual Installation and Recognition Dinner beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Hilton Woodland Hills Hotel. The board of directors of 2006 and 2007 will be recognized as will businesses and individuals for their commitment and service to the San Fernando Valley. Special guest at the event will be LAUSD Superintendent David Brewer. For more information on both events, contact UCC President and CEO Debi Schultze at (818) 981-4491 or at [email protected].

Electronic Sensor Technology received an order from the University of Georgia for using its detection equipment to test for storage and spoilage of salmon, the company announced. The Newbury Park-based firm’s zNose instruments have been shown to detect ethanol which reflects the degree of bacterial decomposition in salmon. “We are very excited with this order, for its opens up a new market for EST’s zNose in the research laboratories of the universities,” said Electronic Sensor President and CEO Teong Lim. Electronic Sensor Technology develops and markets instruments for security and environmental applications.

Valley Presbyterian Hospital has been designated as a medical facility best equipped to care for heart attack patients brought in by ambulance by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services’ Emergency Medical Services Agency. As a STEMI Receiving Center, hospital staff receives information on a patient from paramedics in the field and can more quickly prepare the cardiac catheterization lab for the arrival of the patient. “This is a big improvement in cardiovascular care,” said Marco Hernandez, associate director of emergency services. “The sooner you can re-establish blood flow to a blocked coronary artery, the better chance you have to increase survival and quality of life to a patient having a heart attack. STEMI stands for ST-elevation myocardial infarction, a specific type of heart attack measured by the upward stroke of the electrocardiogram tracing. Valley Presbyterian, located in Van Nuys, is expanding its cardiology services. Construction of another catheterization lab is scheduled for this summer in an unoccupied area of the hospital.

United Online Inc. will expand its broadband Internet service through the network of Covad Communications Group Inc., the company announced Thursday. The expansion of the NetZero DSL broadband Internet service will take place toward the end of the first quarter of 2007. Woodland Hills-based United Online launched its NetZero DSL service in November to provide its customers with an opportunity to upgrade to broadband from dial-up. San Jose-based Covad operates the nation’s largest facilities-based network. “Through this agreement, United Online has the opportunity to benefit form access to Covad’s network and their expertise in broadband,” company Chairman and CEO Mark R. Goldston said. “We believe it will enable us to expand our NetZero DSL broadband offering and give more of our NetZero customers who want a broadband experience the ability to easily upgrade from dial-up while keeping their NetZero e-mail address.” With the addition of the Covad network, NetZero offers broadband service to 30 percent to 35 percent of United Online’s current ISP customers.

PS Business Parks, Inc. purchased two facilities in Florida for a total purchase price of $46.5 million, the company announced. Glendale-based PS owns office and industrial space in eight states. The two new properties in Florida have a total size of 398,000 square feet. Wellington Commerce Park in Wellington consists of 18 single-story buildings with 146 tenants and was 98 percent occupied at the time of acquisition. The park includes 46,100 square feet of mini-warehouse space. Boca Commerce Park in Boca Raton consists of five single-story buildings with 86 tenants and was 95 percent occupied at the time of acquisition. The park includes 24,000 square feet of mini-warehouse space. In connection with the acquisition, PS Business Parks assumed three mortgages with an aggregate principal balance of $23.8 million.

SAGE Publications will begin publishing the journal Gifted Child Quarterly beginning Jan. 1, the company announced. The Thousand Oaks-based publisher of scholarly journals was chosen by the National Association of Gifted Children to put out the publication. The association sees the move as an investment in the future of the journal, said NAGC Executive Director Nancy Green. “This partnership will contribute extensively to GCQ’s position as the pre-eminent journal in the field of gifted education,” Green said. Gifted Children Quarterly publishes manuscripts offering new or creative insights about giftedness and talent development in the context of the school, home and the wider society. SAGE is a leading international publisher of journals, books and electronic media for academic, educational and professional markets.

Interlink Electronics, Inc. reported a third straight quarter of net loss for the fiscal year in filings made with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Camarillo-based manufacturer had a net loss of $1.9 million, or a $0.14 loss per diluted share, on revenues of $9 million for the quarter ending Sept. 30. The loss is a decrease from the net loss of $2.7 million, or a $0.20 loss per diluted share, on revenues of $10.2 million the company reported for the same quarter in 2005. Interlink reported a net loss of $2.6 million for the first quarter ending March 30 and a net loss of $3.6 million for the quarter ending June 30. The company’s financial performance reflected a restructuring of its original equipment manufacturer remote business and that revenues for that business will drop again in the fourth quarter, said Chairman, CEO and President E. Michael Thoben. “However, we expect revenues from our higher margin business segments to become a larger percentage of our overall revenues and offset this decline,” Thoben said. Interlink designs and manufactures products in three business segments business communications including remote controls used for PowerPoint presentations and other projectors; home entertainment including remote control technology used in interactive television applications; and e-transactions, technology that allows companies to capture signatures and other data electronically. The company also has a specialty products division which designs technology for cell phones, PDAs and other applications. In October, Interlink was recognized by Deloitte & Touche USA as one of the fastest growing technology companies in Southern California, based on the percentage of revenue growth from 2001 to 2005.