• Youth sports leagues must ensure that they meet the proper safety protocols as outlined in official state guidance documents, including cleaning and social distancing.

• To aid businesses looking to ReOpen Safely, CalChamber has compiled an extensive list of Q&As to answer your questions.

• It will take two months to implement the backlog of claims for the unemployed. The Governor’s action plan establishes an Employment Development Department strike team to streamline the backlog of unpaid claims, modernize information technology programs, improve communication with claimants, hire 5,300 temporary workers, and create a multilingual call center.  

• Great American Outdoors Act will allocate $3 billion yearly to conservation projects, outdoor recreation and the improvement of national parks and wildlife refuges. The newly instated law will address the backlog of maintenance for national parks and create over 100,000 jobs for park improvements and beautifications projects. 

• The House, Senate and President are negotiating “phase four” of coronavirus relief bill negotiations. Two of OCBC’s highest priorities are ensuring businesses have a coronavirus liability shield as they reopen and extending federal relief to 501(c)6 nonprofits. The Senate bill proposes to protect businesses, except those that have shown “gross negligence”, from liability if they prove they have made “reasonable efforts” to comply with government guidelines. The House and Senate relief bills would allow many 501(c)6 organizations to be eligible for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, but liability protection is missing from the House bill. Help us and contact your House Representative and Senators HERE to let them know how imperative these policies are. 

• Now in its tenth year, OCBC’s renowned Turning Red Tape Into Red Carpet Awards honor excellence in local government. COVID-19 has required cities, counties, water districts, transportation agencies, schools and universities, special districts and other public agencies to act more nimbly and creatively. Who is cutting red tape? The Awards recognize business retention and expansion, public-private partnerships, leadership and more. For more information, please see the nomination document HERE. Please submit your nomination online HERE to be honored at a virtual award ceremony on November 19! 

• Join Chapman’s Joel Kotkin and tech entrepreneur Marshall Toplansky for a conversation with businesses, government, and citizen leaders to discuss trends for a prosperous future and the process to liberate the global middle class. View podcast library and research brief.

• The City of Garden Grove has debuted a robust playbook for businesses to safely reopen and stay open.

• The City of Anaheim has prepared its 2020-21 fiscal year proposed budget and proposed capital improvement programs. The proposed budget book showcases Anaheim’s workforce, economy, tourism and entertainment, community centers, and public safety services. 

• Grants up to $10,000 will be available to eligible small businesses and non-profits. Applications will be accepted on a first come, first funded basis. The program will permanently close on Saturday, August 22nd at 5:00 p.m. or when each city allocation is exhausted, whichever occurs first.

• Small businesses, especially, that are struggling to remain open amid a severe economic downtown and unprecedented closures, will be faced with significant increases in operating costs beginning January 2021. Read the full press release here.

• The podcast, Futures In Focus features Anne Chow, CEO of AT&T Business in the break down of the four steps that implement systematic change in the workplace to provide diversity and inclusion for future generations of leadership.

• The California State Library aids business sectors with a portal to find all state grant and loan opportunities. California Grants Portal houses first come, first serve grants for businesses, individuals, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and tribal governments in all sectors of the economy. Find your grant today!

• In this hands-on virtual workshop, businesses will be taken step by step through the application process to apply for PPP loan forgiveness on Wednesday, August 26th at 12 p.m. Register today!

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

• The UCI Blood Donor Center provides free COVID-19 antibody testing for all qualified donors who donate blood or platelets. Testing is available in Pavilion 3 next to UCI’s Occupational Health on Mon., Tues., Thurs., and Fri. from 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Schedule an appointment here!

• Irvine residents and workers are eligible for free drive-up COVID-19 tests at Great Park in lot 6. Tests are available from Mondays - Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Schedule an appointment today!

• OC law enforcement, firefighters, and EMT first responders may receive free COVID-19 testing at the Anaheim Convention Center in a quick designated line. Make an appointment here.

• City of Huntington Beach is dedicated to keep the community’s soil and water clean with the implementation of free home oil collections and collection centers. Residents can schedule an appointment to have their motor oil collected at home, receive complimentary recycling kits or direct access to drop off collection centers and retail stores. Learn more.

• FivePoint Holdings, LLC’s generous mask donation to the City of Irvine will be available to the public on Saturday, August 8th from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Irvine Civic Center. Each car will be gifted a box of 50 disposable masks. Learn more.

• OC Supervisors have agreed to move forward with the purchase of multiple local motels for conversion to homeless housing. Read more.

• UCI unveils plans to expand Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences with a first-of-its-kind School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. This integrated medical program reimagines the future healthcare with a primary focus on whole patient care. This vision includes treating ailments, prevention plans, drug revelations, and clinical trials.  

• The community development portion of U.S. Bank will receive $65 million of tax credit allocations to help bridge the economic gap in lower-income communities. “With this allocation, we’ve maintained our commitment to investing in projects that erode the racial wealth divide, while also focusing on building relationships and a pipeline of projects in rural communities of color,” said Terra Neilson, U.S. Bancorp Community Development Entity program manager.

• Defend your industry with Verizon! Verizon provides online resources to help organizations be aware of potential cyberthreats. Organizations may use the online tool to receive a data breach investigation report based on its specific industry sector. View the 2020 Data Breach Investigations Report to unpack the year’s comprehensive data overview. 

• TCA Board of Directors unanimously voted to amend Debt Management Policies that will preserve practices, enhance transparency, and bolster TCA’s creditworthiness. The updated policy followed guidelines from the Government Finance Officers Association and California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission.

• 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.