The US Grant hotel, a grande dame of local hostelries, turns 103 years old this month, with a series of tours scheduled Oct. 15 to celebrate the anniversary. The property opened in October 1910 at a cost of $1.9 million after five years of construction. You can get more details and links for tours on the hotel’s Facebook page. … San Diego-based BodyFly Fitness has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $150,000 by Nov. 7 — joining the growing number of businesses that have turned to the crowd-funding website to get fledgling products and businesses off the ground. The money sought would go to fund sales and marketing of the new business’s workout machine. The device, described as the Swiss army knife of exercise machines, was developed by local business Leardon Solutions. Several former collegiate and pro football players, including Ryan Mathews and Seyi Ajirotutu of the San Diego Chargers, are involved in the new business. See details at bodyflyfitness.com. … The World Trade Centers Association, including the very active office in San Diego, has a new website, local Executive Vice President Bella Huele said. Navigate to wtca.org for a peek. … Worth noting: Alex DeNoble, executive director of the Lavin Entrepreneurship Center at San Diego State University, won a prestigious national award for his work in educating the next generation about starting new businesses. DeNoble was given the Karl Vesper Entrepreneurship Pioneer Award at a recent gathering of educators in Florida by Karl Vesper himself, a University of Washington business professor. … General Motors Co. and ACDelco service centers team up with Cuyamaca College to relaunch a program that features classroom instruction with on-the-job training in auto repair. The campus suspended the program in 2009 as the economic crash put scores of auto dealers out of business. The recent uptick enabled resumption of the program, which provides two-year paid internships at the local service centers. … Just in time for the holidays! The 41st annual Harvest Festival Original Art & Craft Show gets underway Oct. 18-20 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds featuring 300 vendors with hand-made items for sale. Home Depot will host the Kidzone again this year, an activity that will benefit Mama’s Kitchen. Check out details at harvestfestival.com. … And speaking of Mama’s Kitchen. The nonprofit has launched its annual Mama’s Pie in the Sky fundraiser, which runs through Nov. 24. Proceeds from the sale, which features pies donated by local chefs, caterers and restaurants, help underwrite delivery of free meals to residents affected by the AIDS or cancer. Till next week.
Contributing Editor Tom York writes the SDBJ Insider. You can reach him via email at tyork@sdbj.com.