Tonight's City Council Meeting
 Weekly News Update Presented by the Oakland Metro Chamber 

January 31, 2012 

The Chamber's annual Day with the A's comes with a special treat in 2012. Besides gathering Chamber members and guests for an Oakland A's-San Francisco Giants game at O.co Coliseum (Oakland Coliseum) on Friday evening, June 22, the Chamber will also host members for an A's-New York Yankees game and fireworks display on Friday evening, May 25. Tickets for both games, with seat locations close to home plate in the stadium's second level, are $40 per person, with Giants tickets being sold at a substantial discount. Those same seats for the Giants game normally sell for more than $50 per person at the box office. Should you wish to purchase tickets for both games (the fireworks show will immediately follow the Yankee game), your rate drops to $75, a $5 savings per ticket. For more information on the A's games against the Giants and Yankees, contact Amanda Medina at the Chamber at (510) 874-4800, ext. 319 or at amedina@oaklandchamber.com

The Oakland Metropolitan Chamber is now selling 2012 California and Federal Employment Posters. If you get one thing to protect your company in 2012 from liability and government fines, it should be the labor law poster (regular or laminated), which is required for all businesses. Whether you have one employee or 1,000 employees, you're required to post 16 state and federal notices as well as the new National Labor Relations Board requirements. You can avoid fines in the thousands of dollars by purchasing a poster from the Chamber.

For more information or to order your 2012 posters, contact Hank Masler at (510) 874-4808 or at hmasler@oaklandchamber.com. Quantity discounts available.

The Chamber's Oakland and East Bay Business and Procurement Fair will be held on Friday, March 2 from 2-5 p.m. at the Oakland Marriott City Center. This annual event brings together vendors, business organizations, public agencies and members of the local community to facilitate business-to-business partnerships and create new customer leads. Showcase your business with a display table, but make your reservations on or before Feb. 10 to receive these discount prices - $199 for Chamber members ($159 for returning participants) and $299 for non-members ($239 for returnees). Public agencies can request a table at no charge. Individual attendance is free.

For information and reservations, contact Amanda Medina at the Chamber at (510) 874-4800, ext. 319 or at amedina@oaklandchamber.com

Friday, Feb. 3 - East Bay Women in Business Roundtable luncheon, featuring guest speaker Nicole Taylor, president and chief executive officer of the East Bay Community Foundation speaking on "How Economically Empowered Women Make the East Bay a Better Place." Waterfront Hotel, Jack London Square, $35 for Chamber members, $45 for non-members.

Oakland Business Review, the Chamber's monthly newspaper, with a readership of some 12,000 businesspeople in and around the city, will contain a special section on Health Care in its March 2012 issue. Would you like to get involved and give you and your company some much needed marketing and publicity? For more information and to help market your company with an informational article concerning health care, contact Hank Masler at the Chamber at (510) 874-4808 or at hmasler@oaklandchamber.com

Mayor's Economic Forecast - The annual Mayors' Economic Forecast sponsored by the San Francisco Business Times and Grubb & Ellis will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 14 from 7:45 to 10 a.m. in the West Hall of the Oakland Convention Center within the Oakland Marriott. Register at www.sanfranciscobusinesstimes.com/event/57601. Info: Jacquie Bischoff at (415) 288-4972 or at jbischoff@bizjournals.com

Community safety advisory - The Oakland Police Department advises the public of an increasing amount of armed robberies where cell phones and electronics are stolen. With newer and more expensive cell phones becoming popular, they are noticeable and lucrative targets for thieves. Victims often share the characteristic of being distracted by cell phones or other devices while walking on city streets.

Alameda County Fair - The Alameda County Agricultural Fair has food concession locations available at the 2012 Fair, which will be held from June 20-July 8 in Pleasanton. All proposals are due to the Fair by Monday, Feb. 6. Info: (925) 426-7506.

Call for artists - The Koreatown Northgate District Association is putting out a "Call for Artists." All Oakland artists are invited to submit their ideas to be part of a community public art project to paint 12 utility boxes on Telegraph Avenue between 20th and 35th streets. Info: (510) 343-5439.

Congratulations - Derreck Johnson, the co-owner of Home of Chicken & Waffles across the street from Jack London Square, has been presented with the city's Humanitarian Award for his outstanding work in the community, which includes hiring locally.