The Leading Voice of Business in Orange County
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
CHOC RAISES CONCERNS, ED FORUM, MORE $ FOR BIZ, MANDATES
HOT OFF THE PRESSES:
CHOC CHILDREN'S CALLS FOR GREATER MASK USAGE IN ORANGE COUNTY
  • CHOC Children’s urges Orange County Board of Supervisors to reinstate the mandatory order for wearing cloth face coverings in public. CEO Kim Cripe asks our leaders to advocate: “I wear a mask to protect you, and you wear a mask to protect me,” … We encourage you … to accept minor personal sacrifice to serve the greater good. Read CHOC’s Letter Here.

OC MANDATES : FOLLOW THESE THREE STEPS TO SAFELY REOPEN YOUR BUSINESS :
  1. Find your industry-specific guidance here.
  2. Complete and PUBLICLY POST the checklist e.g., for Restaurants.
  3. Complete and PUBLICLY POST an Attestation.

FEDS MAKE MORE MONEY AVAILABLE FOR SMALL & MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES
  • The Main Street Lending Program is now lending to struggling small and medium sized businesses and nonprofits as a result of the pandemic. Find additional information about the program here.

PRESIDENT TRUMP ISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDER ON POLICE REFORM:
  • President Donald Trump has signed an executive order on policing to encourage better practices and establish a database to keep track of officers with a history of excessive use-of-force complaints. Click here to learn more.

CHILDCARE GUIDELINES HERE:
  • The state provides guidelines for child care providers, families and employers, read more.
GOOD BUSINESS IS GOOD HEALTH: 
WHERE TO GET FREE COVID-19 TESTING IN OC:

STEROID DEXAMETHASONE 'MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH' COVID-19 TREATMENT

UCI URGES CAUTION IN REOPENING SCHOOLS TO PREVENT ONGOING COVID-19 SPREAD:
  • Dr. Dan Cooper, UCI professor of pediatrics and team advocate for large-scale viral testing for children is calling for caution when opening schools. Read more.

ADVOCACY UPDATES:
HELP HOUSING IN OC – LEND YOUR SUPPORT FOR VMT PLAN DELAY:
  • There is still time for you to help OCBC, BIA and other housing advocates delay the implementation of new Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) regulations. Starting July 1, VMT will drive up the cost of workforce housing by tens of thousands of dollars. CLICK HERE to send a quick email to your elected officials!

GOV'S BUSINESS TASK FORCE ASKS FOR EQUITY
  • Governor Newsom's Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery released a letter detailing the need for equity in the business community as the country rebuilds the economy. The Task Force called on business and civic leaders to acknowledge racism and injustice and proposed actions to address these inequalities. Find the full letter here. Thank you to FivePoint's Emile Haddad and Disney's Bob Iger for their leadership on this Task Force.  

BUSINESS RESOURCES :
IRS EXTENDS OPPORTUNITY ZONE DEADLINES:

JOIN OCBC's VIRTUAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FORUM SERIES: PART 1 - REOPEN OC SAFELY ON THURSDAY, JUNE 18, FROM 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M.:
  • Get the latest. Moderated by Steve Churm, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs, FivePoint Holdings, LLC, OCBC’s Forum features, Paulette Fischer, General Manager, The Waterfront Beach Resort; Aaruni Thakur, Workers Compensation Defense Attorney, Hanna Brophy; Lori Ann Farrell Harrison, City of Costa Mesa; and Ken Wink, CEO, Ware Malcomb. Thank you AT&T, SoCalGas, and Southern California Edison for your generous sponsorship. Learn more & register here.

ARE YOU HIRING?
  • OCBC supports the Orange County Development Board by helping job seekers land jobs. OCBC will create a custom job flyer for your open positions that is then circulated across the county. To view a previous flyer, click here. If your business is hiring, contact Jesse Ben-Ron, OCBC VP of Workforce and Economic Development.

STATE RELEASES GUIDANCE ON BEST PRACTICES TO MAKE YOUR BUSINESS FAMILY FRIENDLY:
  • Flexible work from home policies
  • Access to affordable child care
  • Work-sponsored on-site child care
  • Flexible hours, and more.

NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT:
  • OCBC is excited to welcome new member Clean Energy. Clean Energy is changing the way the world fuels its vehicles and recently announced new fuel agreements for its Redeem renewable natural gas (RNG). For more information on membership at OCBC, contact Natalie Rubalcava, OCBC Chief Operating Officer.

DATA SPECIALIST PROGRAMS:
  • Golden West College is looking for employers to help refine data specialists' credentialing programs. If interested, please contact Jesse Ben-Ron, OCBC VP of Workforce and Economic Development. 

SMALL BIZ RESOURCES:

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS:
OCTA APPROVES $1.4 BILLION BALANCED BUDGET FOR FY 2020-21:
  • OCTA Board of Directors has approved a balanced budget, amid the financial effects of COVID-19, while still moving forward with important transportation initiatives. Click here to learn more.

OC BLACK CHAMBER TO CELEBRATE US ARMY'S BIRTHDAY HONORING BUFFALO SOLDIERS' DEBUT ON BLACK PAST WEBSITE:
  • The Orange County Black Chamber Education Fund celebrates the lives of all African American soldiers who served in our nation's major conflicts. In 1866, the Native Americans gave the six all Black Army units the name Buffalo Soldiers in honor of the unit's bravery and valor, read more.

AT&T EXPANDS PUBLIC NOTIFICATION EFFORTS AHEAD OF FIRE SEASON:
  • In an effort to educate customers at heightened risk during power-outages on ways to stay in communication during outages, AT&T has developed a list of ways to be prepared, click here to learn more.

BANK OF AMERICA PROVIDES EMERGENCY DEBT RELIEF DEBIT CARDS FOR UNITED WAY:
  • Orange County United Way's ‘OC Family to Family’ Campaign goal of $1M has been met. Dedicated solely to homelessness prevention efforts, one hundred percent of the $1M raised will help 2,000 Orange County families on the brink of homelessness due to COVID-19 job loss or reduced income. Each family will receive a $500 emergency relief Bank of America debit card to help with rent, utilities, food, and other basic needs. For more information, click here.

MISSED OCBC'S PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS? View them by clicking here. PLEASE SHARE THESE UPDATES WITH COLLEAGUES, FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
NOT AN OCBC MEMBER? JOIN TODAY!
Join OCBC and connect with the most influential companies and top executives actively engaged in creating a pro-business environment and prosperous economy. Hundreds of Orange County's leading businesses, cities and non-profit organizations represent an elite group from every industry cluster, collectively employing over 250,000 people in the county and two million globally. Learn More. For more info, contact Natalie Rubalcava, OCBC Chief Operating Officer.
RESOURCES
OCBC Member Resources 
Giving Back
American Red Cross & Blood Donations - Donate blood today!
Caterina's Club Feeds Kids in Need - Donate today to help
Chrysalis COVID-19 Relief Fund - Matching donations up to $25K!
Donate, Volunteer or Host a Virtual Food Bank 
HCA Accepting Medical Donations - Masks, Gloves, Gowns Needed
Basic supplies needed
OC Food Bank - Donations needed. 
Help students with laptops & other financial assistance
Second Harvest Food Bank - Match My Gift - Every $1 DOUBLES to provide SIX nutritious meals!
Help support Vital Link's STEM and career pathways for students
StandUp For Kids Orange County  -  COVID-19 Emergency Response 
If you have questions on how to get connected with OCBC online, contact Catherine Harper, OCBC Communications Manager, at 949.794.7245, or  [email protected] .
OCBC works to get you the best information in these difficult times fighting COVID-19, its health and economic impacts. Check your email often for important updates AND follow us on Facebook , Twitter  and Linkedin . In addition, check out our COVID-19 Resources page  on OCBC.org.