The City of Oceanside is committed to waste diversion and recycling. Through this commitment, the City of Oceanside passed a Zero Waste Strategic Resource Management Plan in June of 2012. The Zero Waste Plan has allowed the City to implement programs and provide resources to the community that has increased the City’s diversion rate from 58%-71% in less than 3 years.  The Zero Waste Plan also outlines the implementation of policies that will minimize the use of single-use shopping bags. In line with this zero waste goal, the City of Oceanside is currently considering a Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance in Oceanside, and will be hosting a series of educational presentations for the public and business community during the month of January.  

by Marva Bledsoe, Business and Community Political Action Committee

In partnership with a Senior Experience Team from California State University San Marcos, the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce has recently explored the relationship between educational institutions and the needs of the local business community.
 
The Chamber commissioned the three month project in order to gain new perspectives and insights on how to bridge the communication gap between educational institutions and businesses in Oceanside.  The goal of this project was to find out what local businesses have experienced with past and current employees and to analyze the traits these employees are lacking and that the business is looking for, and then to compare these needs to the type of education and training that educational institutions have provided to students or future employees.   
 
As a part of their research, the Senior Experience Team conducted a series of interviews and surveys with local businesses and educational institutions.  Based on their conclusions and recommendations, the Chamber will expand its programs to help solve the problems businesses are currently facing regarding new employees.

by Lori Lawson
 
We’re in to the third week of December and Christmas is fast approaching.  We’re all getting into the holiday spirit and checking our lists.  Well, others are checking their lists, too, and surprise, surprise they also want a great Christmas.  The difference between them and the rest of us is that they steal their Christmas. 
 
Last week I was at a local public library at 4:30 in the afternoon.  In the space of 15 minutes an elderly woman had her purse stolen and a young man had his backpack stolen.  Both had their wallets in those belongings and in the case of the woman’s purse, she had her Medicare card in her wallet.  Do you know what’s on Medicare cards?  Social Security numbers…either the Social Security number of the beneficiary or their spouse.  It’s believed that there was only one thief in this instance and now that thief has two wallets with cash, credit cards, driver’s licenses, loyalty cards and in one case a Medicare card with the beneficiary’s Social Security number on it.  In that fifteen minutes those two lives were turned upside down and the thief hit the jackpot.  

by Amber Ter-Vrugt
 
Interesting findings from the CSUSM Senior Experience Project for the Oceanside Chamber…
CSUSM students surveyed Oceanside businesses and found out interesting information; including but not limited to, employers in Oceanside feel that in many cases new employees are lacking soft skills and trainability, Oceanside employers typically search from within and take recommendations from current employees when looking to fill positions, and employers look for employees at job fairs and on job websites.  So, what does that mean? Why is there such a deficit in soft skills? The research findings give us a great basis to create programs to support our business community.
 
Concerned with vagrant and homeless issues in downtown?
The homeless shelter has opened downtown and there’s a great deal of work being done to create long-term solutions for the city. 

by Carrie Chacon
 
Here it comes, Holiday Deliciousness! I love everything about the holidays, the food, the weather, the friends and family, everything that makes this time of year special. Running around, eating on the go and hugging everyone I see fills me with joy… and taxes my immune system. I say “Humbug” to colds, sniffles and fatigue! I don’t want to forgo hugs and hot chocolate to stay healthy, so I take a few precautionary steps during the holidays to keep myself and my family healthy (well as healthy as possible, colds can be sneaky bugs!)

by Marva Bledsoe, Business and Community Political Action Committee
 
The Oceanside Chamber of Commerce has joined the growing list of businesses and healthcare providers supporting the Medi-Cal Funding and Accountability Act initiative.  Californians United is a coalition sponsoring this amendment to the existing Medi-Cal laws and focuses on closing loopholes and eliminating the Act’s current “sunset clause” scheduled for January 1, 2017.
 
In an impartial review by the Legislative Analyst’s Office supports the initiative.  That Office summarizes the fiscal effects of the measure as follows:  1)  State savings from increased revenues that offset state costs for children’s health coverage of around $500 million beginning in 2016-17 (half year savings) to over $1 billion annually by 2019-20, likely growing between 5 percent to 10 percent annually thereafter; and, 2)  Increased revenues to support state and local public hospitals of around $90 million beginning in 2016-17 (half-year) to $250 million annually by 2019-20, likely growing between 5 percent to 10 percent annually thereafter.

by Marva Bledsoe, Business and Community Political Action Committee
 
Our voices need to be heard!
 
The City of Oceanside’s General Plan Land Use Element is the primary source of long-range planning and policy direction used to guide growth and preserve the quality of life in the City.  This section of the Plan is critical as Oceanside looks to the future of development in our city.  However, the Land Use Element has not been amended since 1988.
 
These 28 year old Land Use planning guidelines are antiquated, cumbersome, ineffective and they do not reflect our present day needs.  In order to update this segment of the City’s General Plan, the City Council must allocate funding from the City budget to accomplish this important task.  While it may not be as appealing as other aspects of the budget, it is critical to the future development of our community.