• Part Two of OCBC’s “Health Experts Talk Vaccines” webinar series featured the latest vaccine updates from leaders from County of Orange, Hoag, Kaiser Permanente, KPC Health, MemorialCare, Providence and UCI. Health care experts stressed the following -
• Patience—The supply of vaccines will increase very soon. You WILL get an appointment. Register here www.Othena.com.
• Take the first vaccine offered to you as soon as it’s offered!
• Every vaccine is 100% effective against hospitalization and death.
• Make it easy for others to get vaccinated—and tell a friend to get hers.
• OC Covid Independence is ON TRACK for July 4, 2021!
• The County is hard at work distributing vaccines while collaborating with health care providers and other partners to meet vaccine demand. Each organization is dedicated to distributing vaccines equitably so that all communities have access. Important takeaway: take the first vaccine you can get. The more people that get any vaccine, the less likely we will have issues with variants. Missed the event? Watch the recap!

• And established a vaccine equity metric to increase vaccinations in those communities. The goal is to deliver at least 2 million doses to the hardest-hit quarter of the state within the next two weeks, after which counties will be able to loosen health restrictions at a somewhat accelerated, but responsible, pace. Case rates, test positivity, transmission rate, hospitalizations and ICU admissions are all on a steady decline, with OC ready to enter the less restrictive red tier soon. Read more. 

• OCBC will convene its virtual Washington, D.C. advocacy summit on April 27 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Last year, attendees had the opportunity to connect with numerous Representatives, Senator Dianne Feinstein and Cabinet-level officials. Stay tuned for details about speakers, sponsorships and registration! Contact Jennifer Ward, OCBC Sr. V.P. for questions.

• OCBC joins CalTax, CA Trucking Association, CalChamber and others flagging issues with a proposed rule on warehouses by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. These new alarming rules would require warehouses with more than 100,000 square feet of indoor space in a single building to reduce emissions or pay a “mitigation fee” that actually is a tax, and is an attempt to do so without voter approval. It's also duplicative of CA Air Resources Board regulations already in place. Read more in this op ed by CalTax. 

• Current and future students pursuing teaching careers at Cal State Fullerton can find academic advisement, counseling, study resources and support services online and at the university’s Center for Careers in Teaching, now under a new name. The Center for Careers in Teaching in the College of Education has been named the SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Center for Careers in Teaching, thanks to an $800,000 gift from SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union. Continue reading. 

• AT&T is looking to fill more than 450 new jobs across California. AT&T is one of the largest employers of union-represented employees in America and offers competitive wages and benefits while supporting professional development and educational growth. To learn more about opportunities in CA, click here.

• CA FWD has launched the Equitable Economies webinar series to dig into critical issues relevant to reimagining a state that is more equitable and resilient. Composed of 11 webinars each Thursday through April, the series features topics from learning more about California Forward’s movement to make the government and economy work for everyone to criminal justice, housing, climate resiliency, broadband, youth engagement and energy. Learn more and register. 

• You won’t want to miss OCBC’s virtual Sacramento Advocacy Summit on April 6 and 7 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Confirmed speakers include Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis; Controller Betty Yee; Secretary of Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot; Senate Housing Chair Scott Wiener, and more! For sponsorship and registration information, contact Jennifer Ward, OCBC Sr. VP.

• Small business owners with fewer than 20 employees can join a series of webinars hosted by U.S. Small Business Administration. Learn what steps you can take now to take advantage of exclusive access to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The webinar series includes sessions focused on minority businessowners. Register here.   

• The next California Competes Tax Credit (CCTC) application period starts March 8, 2021, with $71.1 million in available tax credits. Businesses interested in applying can register to view a live webinar explaining the application process. Learn more.

• Your employees can benefit from state and federal cash-back tax credits that can put several hundred to several thousand dollars back in their pockets. The credits are available through the CA Earned Income Tax Credit. Direct your employees to this website so they can take advantage of free tax prep thanks to the partnership between OC United Way and IRS.

• Join Selvi Stanislaus, the Franchise Tax Board’s Executive Officer, on March 9 for an update on what’s new in 2021, filing statistics, litigation, regulatory development, conformity, and much more. Register here for this webinar and other CalTax Foundation webinars. 

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

• Orange County United Way is asking for your support. They are helping 100 South Orange County families to get on the path to financial security. The program will provide them a financial specialist, a financial literacy workshop and a laptop for loan. Learn more and get involved. 

• 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.

• March 9 marks the one-year anniversary of CSU Fullerton's “It Takes a Titan”, a $200 million fundraising initiative supporting academic innovation, campus transformation, community enrichment and student empowerment. The campaign gives donors the ability to direct the use of their gift. To learn more, visit titansgive.fullerton.edu. 

• More than 70 chalk and other artists will unveil street art expressing themes of hope at Disneyland Resort, Anaheim Convention Center and Soka University Vaccine Super Point of Dispensing (POD) sites, City of Hope locations, John Wayne Airport, Anaheim Packing District, Marina Park in Newport Beach, Orange County Great Park, and other iconic places in Orange County. Learn more and see the art! 

• Goodwill of Orange County’s auction website shopgoodwill.com reached a huge milestone: $1 billion in sales. More than 90% of sale prices go back to Goodwill communities to support the needs of local job seekers. Congratulations Goodwill of Orange County for this outstanding accomplishment! Read more. 

• MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center is one of only two hospitals in Orange County, California recognized on Newsweek’s Best Maternity Hospitals 2021 list. This high honor highlights hospitals that provide exceptional care to mothers, newborns and their families.