• Disneyland has been forced to cancel its annual Candlelight Ceremony that takes place each December. In the meantime, the Governor’s office continues to delay release of Disneyland’s reopening guidelines. This is wrong. 100,000 jobs are at risk! Come on, Governor. NO GLOBAL COMPANY HAS MORE EXPERIENCE IN SAFE PROTOCOLS AND REOPENINGS. If Florida, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Paris and Tokyo can do it, so can Anaheim.

• Prop 22 has received support from over 100K app-based drivers in efforts to ensure drivers can choose independent work and additional protection and benefits. Help spread awareness with the use of social media post, shareable graphics, fact sheet and customer stories. 

• NO on Prop 15. “Businesses struggle to make ends meet and keep their staff employed with little to no relief from ever-expanding regulations, and now proposed tax increases,” said Lucy Dunn, President and CEO, Orange County Business Council. Continue reading the press release!

• This week the U.S. Chamber of Commerce supported former OC Assemblywoman Young Kim in her bid for Congress, acknowledging her continuous dedication to good business policies. Earlier this summer the U.S. Chamber also recognized OC Representative Harley Rouda with a 2020 Abraham Lincoln Leadership for America Award, which honors members of Congress who demonstrate leadership needed to advance policies that support American business.

• An accomplished tolling executive, Johnson is the first person of color to helm TCA and Orange County’s first Black transportation leader. Continue reading.

• Online holiday shopping is around the corner and UPS is ready with the hire of more than 100,000 seasonal employees. Season drivers may earn up to $21 an hour and part-time package handlers will earn $14.50 an hour. 

• OCBC supports AB 1457, establishing a pilot project to train unemployed and underemployed workers to fill vacancies of in-demand jobs in essential industry sectors.  The pilot would leverage existing community college contract education centers to prepare the nearly 200,000 unemployed residents of Orange County to quickly fill job openings. OCBC has encouraged Governor Newsom to sign AB 1457 into law. To read OCBC’s letter to the Governor, click HERE.

• The California Office of the Small Business Advocate is launching a Grow with Google initiative, which includes a series of free webinars designed to build resilience with online tools to help small businesses adapt to the new marketplace. The four-part small business workshop takes place September 22 - October 7, 2020. Registration and more information is available here.

• Applied Medical, an Orange County company that designs, develops and manufactures medical devices, is now offering face shields direct to non-medical professionals in need of protection during the pandemic. At the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, Applied Medical utilized its local manufacturing capabilities to design and develop face shields for healthcare professionals on the front lines. The medical-grade face shields are now available to not only medical but also non-medical professionals in Orange County to help serve the community’s PPE needs. To learn more, visit www.appliedmedical.com/covid.

• Are you hiring in the areas of accounting, economics, finance, information systems, marketing or management? Employer registration is now open for the CSUF Fall 2020 Virtual Business Career Fair. The Business Career Fair provides a great opportunity for you to meet CSUF students, connect with potential candidates for internships or full-time employment, and brand your organization at Cal State Fullerton. The event is Wednesday, September 30, 2020. Contact Jesse Ben-Ron at [email protected] for more information.

• Small Business Development Center
• SBDC Resources for Small Businesses
• Go-BIZ FAQ for Small Businesses
• UCI Free Small Business Toolkit

• Six months after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, the world has learned difficult lessons on how to respond - and not respond - to such circumstances.

• The City of Irvine’s Drive-Up Testing Program will continue through October 16 from Monday-Thursday for appointment only tests. Book your appointment here.

• L.A. County officials are urging residents to avoid 2020 trick-or-treating, but the annual ritual can proceed safely, an economics professor contends. We simply need to “adopt the right precautions and the right attitude.”

• All 23 California State University campuses will maintain virtual instruction through January 2021 and limit on-campus housing. Commencement plans are still in development.

• On Thursday, September 17 at 9:00 a.m., join Neal Kelly, Registrar of Voters for Orange County for a discussion on the latest facts and procedures on the upcoming election and how to vote. Register here.

• On September 21, applications for Irvine’s Rental Assistance Program will reopen to assist an additional 150 residents with rental payment assistance or lease termination fees. 

• Orange County Coastkeepers is calling on the community to help preserve beaches, creeks, parks and trails on September 19 and 26. Volunteers may participate in a virtual scavenger hunt to showcase their finds on social media platforms for the chance to win prizes. Volunteer today!

• Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian launches NutureVR, the first-ever virtual reality program that allows expectant mothers to access prenatal education, pain management related to pregnancy, mindfulness and assistance through postpartum care. The program creates a personalized experience throughout the mother’s journey from 27 weeks to postpartum.

• AT&T’s commitment to safeguard the community through emergency responses is showcased in a three-part video series. The series highlights AT&T’s latest technology, service restoration procedures, and the in’s and out’s of its emergency response in order preserve network infrastructure. 

• Anaheim Convention Center Test Site: Appointments Required.
• Testing Basics: COVID-19 Test Options.
• Free testing in OC: How to access.
• DO IT! Where to get tested in OC: Find a testing site near you. 
• OC Testing Sites: Appointment & walk-in resources.
• Public & private sector testing: Contact your provider today.
• COVID-19 Hotline: For general questions & information call: (714)-834-2000.
• OC Health Care Agency: Data Dashboard featuring confirmed COVID-19 cases.