• Governor’s Newsom unwillingness to issue theme park guidelines was met with strong opposition from both the California Attractions and Park Association and Disneyland Resort’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pamela Hymel.

• The League of California Cities, California State Association of Counties, California Contract Cities Association and the California School Boards Association are among a number of organizations that have voted to remain neutral on Proposition 15, the largest property tax hike in California history, despite being potential beneficiaries of the initiative. Continue reading!

• Join OCBC on October 13 at 8:00 a.m. for the 2020 Workforce Development Conference. Hear how OC leaders embrace diversity to create an equitable future! Learn about educational advancements to improve outcomes across diverse communities, and how diversity and inclusion initiatives will positively impact the workplace! A special thank you to title sponsor, Union Bank! Register here.

• SafeDineOC grants no longer requires receipts uploaded and the application takes less than 5 minutes! Help your favorite restaurant get a $5,000 grant!

• IrvineREADY! is a web-based system for customer submittal of building and zoning plans, permit issuance and fee payment. Through IrvineREADY!, the City is 100 percent digital, processing over $1.1 billion in total permit value electronically over the past 12 months. The business attraction tool became an economic lifeline during the pandemic. Nearly 8,000 projects and 3,000 businesses have been affected since the program began, including the new City of Hope cancer center, hundreds of new homes and the Edwards Life Sciences expansion. Irvine is the only city in the greater Southern California region to transition to an entirely digital permitting and entitlement process.

• OCBC is disappointed that the President announced an end to COVID-19 relief package negotiations and strongly urges both the President and Congress to resume discussions immediately and reach a deal to support businesses and families. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has made clear the urgent need for federal aid: airlines could furlough tens of thousands of workers, restaurants and retailers both large and small could be forced to close, and schools and local governments will have to make difficult cuts in the near future. Contact the White House and the Speaker’s office to ask them to reach a deal and deliver support to struggling businesses.

• Virtual Career Development Master Class, Saturday, October 10, 9:00 – 11:00 am. The Master Class will feature a presentation on virtual interviewing and provide two opportunities for Orange County job-seekers to participate in mock interviews and resume/LinkedIn review with professionals from different industries. Register here.

• Join Sanjay Reddy from Unlock Venture Partners on October 16 to learn about the Southern California tech ecosystem, investment criteria, and the firm’s philosophy to pre seed and seed. Register here.

• On Thursday, October 22, join basketball Hall of Famer and small business owner, Tamika Catchings and marketing expert, Dave Charest in discussion on conquering adversity in business and professional sports. Register here.

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

• Esri CovidPulse illustrates and tracks new cases, deaths, and cumulative COVID-19 cases across the U.S. based on data collected from John Hopkins University.

• The Coastal Commission unanimously voted to build a new fishing dock and platform at Peter’s Landing in Huntington Beach. This vote provides ecological growth and community enrichment with the installation of salter water marsh and eelgrass to enhance fish habitat, two skimmers that removes up to 500 pounds of trash per month, and a multilingual public outreach campaign to spread awareness to lower-income areas. Read more.

• Get your fair food fix at Angel Stadium! Each weekend in the month of October, Angel Stadium will host the Fair Food Fest Drive-Thru filled with sweets, burgers, and BBQ. 

• Join SeaLegs at the Beach for a beachfront Halloween bash. Enjoy the Craft Beer Garden, seaside pumpkin patch, candy apple bar, live music, and photo opportunities. 

• Over the next five years, JPMorgan Chase commits $30 Billion to further bolster racial equity in the workplace, homeownership, and financial health for Black and Latinx communities. This commitment will foster lower mortgage payments, access to banking, affordable housing opportunities, improve policy and philanthropy for housing and work stability, and develop minority-owned small businesses. 

• Join Anaheim Transportation Network on October 13 for a virtual ground breaking celebration. The new solar charging facility will support the all-electric ART & FRAN fleets. Watch here.

• The Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support program offers school districts resources to teach positive social and cognitive behaviors through remote learning. This multi-structured program is created by OCDE in partnership with school districts, staff, students and families to build a community framework for student engagement. School districts and students may utilize free webinars hosted by the California PBIS Coalition and participate in “Boutique Training” for campuses interested in the Tier 1 PBIS program. 

• 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.