Daniel Butler, Municipal Relations San Diego County
Waste Management of North County The recycling industry is currently going through a serious downturn due to import policies being enforced by China to reduce trash in recyclables put into effect in early 2018. Their action stems from something that has become all too common in recycling programs across North America: recycling contamination, or the percentage of trash mixed with recyclables. Chamber CEO, Scott Ashton and incoming Board Chair, Bill Birnie were included in a group of business and civic leaders invited to partipate in a forum with Congressman-Elect Mike Levin earlier this week. Levin is set to take over the 49th Congressional District seat, currently held by Darrell Issa, in January.
Representatives from the Manufacturing, Health Care, Transportation and Biotech sectors (including Oceanside's Genentech), were given the opportunity to share concerns related to their specific industries. Levin expressed an interest in following up with tours of many of the businesses in attendance. The Chamber’s annual Holiday Mixer was held last week at the QLN Conference Center. They arranged for a wide variety food from a number of great places including:
Pickup Stix, The Etouffee Café & Catering, Knockout Pizza, Buffalo Wild Wings, Starbucks, One Perfect Pear Catering and Panda Express Three members of the Oceanside Chamber Staff: Kristi, Vannie and Quinton, decided on an impromptu sight-seeing trip for unique views of Oceanside and one-of-a-kind photo opportunities. Waverider Helicopter Tours made it happen and exceeded our expectations.
Oceanside Chamber, Farmers and city Council Candidates Instrumental in defeat of measure y11/7/2018
Oceanside's Measure Y, also known as the SOAR Initiative, has been defeated. With 100% of precincts reporting, 54% of Oceanside voters have rejected this initiative that would have "required voter approval of proposals to change land use designation or zoning in agricultural or open space land to any other use."
The Oceanside Chamber, along with local farmers, and City Council candidates, led the effort over several months to spread the word about the negative impact this measure would have on economic development and property rights. This past spring, the Chamber's Business and Community Political Action Committee commissioned an economic impact study on SOAR to highlight its threat to farming as well as a wide variety of opportunity costs this measure could pose. The report is still available at www.OceansideSOARStudy.com. San Diego Beer Week
Beer Week is here! Starting November 2nd through the 11th, enjoy events with over 130 independent craft breweries in San Diego County. Events are held throughout San Diego County at participating breweries, bars, restaurants, and more. For more information and a full events schedule, please visit sdbeer.com. The celebration kicks off Friday, November 22nd. Below you'll find a list of our members inviting you to grab a glass, and CHEERS TO BEERS! On Saturday October 27th, Breakwater Community Church celebrated the grand opening of their location at 506 S Nevada St. in Oceanside. Many of the church’s members were in attendance along with Chamber staff, ambassadors and Council member Jack Feller. The celebration included a bounce house, barbeque, and many raffle prizes for all ages.
The Health Benefits of Autumn's Most Popular Ingredients
by 3natural Bionutrition It’s that time of year where pumpkin-flavored food and beverages are popping up everywhere. In 2015 American’s spent $500 million on pumpkin-flavored products, so I think it’s safe to say that pumpkin truly is the ingredient and flavor of the season. Pumpkin spice is likely the most common type of pumpkin flavoring you will see. Although pumpkin spice lattes and baked goods may be tasty, be aware that just because pumpkin is in the name, it doesn’t mean that it has the same health benefits as pumpkin. In fact, most pumpkin spice flavored foods and drinks don’t even contain real pumpkin. Instead, the pumpkin spice flavor often comes from flavor compounds that mimic the taste of pumpkin and spices. On Thursday, October 11th, the Oceanside Chamber held its Annual Oceanside Senior Expo at the City’s Civic Center Plaza. Over 60 exhibitors were in attendance to provide information about a wide variety of services geared toward enhancing the health and well-being of Oceanside’s Senior Community.
On November 6th, Oceanside voters will have the opportunity to vote on a ballot measure that will impact our local economy for decades to come. Measure Y, more commonly referred to as the SOAR initiative, not only could have lasting economic impacts, but also would eliminate local farmland, encourage sprawling estate lot development in Oceanside’s backcountry, and make “ballot-box planning” land-use restrictions a reality in Oceanside.
Measure Y would require voter approval for any change in the zoning of land currently designated for agricultural or open space. This takes away property rights from farms by making it cost prohibitive for farmers to mount a political campaign, not to mention the cost to the city taxpayers to hold an election. This past Spring, upon recognition of the potential detrimental effects of the measure, the Chamber commissioned Dr. Lynn Reaser of Point Loma Nazarene University to complete a study on the economic impact of Measure Y. The complete study is available for download at www.OceansideSoarStudy.com. According to Reaser’s report, Measure Y will fail on its core promise of protecting public recreational lands and open space “because most open space used for parks and recreational activities is City-owned and already requires a vote of the people for any zoning change.” Similarly, the claim that Measure Y will safeguard Oceanside farmland is false. In fact, Dr. Reaser’s study came to the opposite conclusion: “The Initiative will likely lead to the demise of active farms in Oceanside, with land either being left to go fallow or sold into large estates for the wealthy.” According to Chamber CEO, Scott Ashton, “This measure is not about saving open space or farms. Measure Y is simply an affront to property rights. It benefits a small group of estate owners at the expense of our farmers and the rest of our community.” Oceanside Farmers have deep concerns about the consequences of this measure. Neil Nagata, owner of Nagata Brothers Farms, Inc. in South Morro Hills, President of the San Diego Farm Bureau sees the initiative for what it truly is. “Measure Y doesn’t help agriculture, it hurts agriculture. Farmers must depend on land values as a significant part of how we borrow money to fund our farm. By stripping our property rights from us, [Measure] Y will actually hurt our ability to stay in business. Every burden that we add just makes it easier for foreign competition to move in and replace us. If farmers go bankrupt, we’d have to lay off employees, and the land won’t stay green. The decision would be to sell off 2 ½ acre lots or have the land be left as a blight to the area.” Leaders in the agritourism arena also see the unintended consequences. Agritourism has proved a successful approach to tying tourism, dining and craft-driven business to local agriculture as a way to stimulate economic activity while sustaining farming. According to Eric Larson, Executive Director of the San Diego County Farm Bureau, “Agritourism can only succeed with large numbers of visitors. To accommodate the crowds there will need to be infrastructure improvements. If the SOAR initiative prevents infrastructure improvements, there should be no expectation that agritourism will succeed.” He added, “If you look at the two most successful examples of agritourism in San Diego County, Bates Nut Farm and the Flower Fields, neither would be allowed in Oceanside under the SOAR initiative.” Reaser’s report goes into depth on a wide array of economic consequences that could result from this initiative. Some of the key takeaways from the report include… Family Farms Potentially Becoming Exclusive Estates for the Wealthy
According to Ashton, a no vote on Measure Y will preserve a wide variety of economic opportunities for Oceanside over the coming decades. “If Measure Y is defeated, it gives Oceanside flexibility in addressing issues such as workforce housing and the implementation of a thriving agritourism sector, while ensuring agriculture remains a vital part of Oceanside – as it has been for generations.” Being a young woman in today's workforce comes with numerous challenges, as many have to combat sexism and work harder than their male counterparts in order to advance into leadership roles. What are some of the ways that women entering today's workforce can overcome these challenges?
On Thursday, September 20th, the Oceanside Chamber’s young professional group, OYPN visited Pro Kids The First Tee of San Diego at their Oceanside campus located at 821 Douglas Drive. Pro Kids is a nonprofit organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of local children through golf. CEO, Andrew Holets led the tour starting with the 4,400 square foot Ely Callaway Golf & Learning Center and the history of the program that started with a small group of volunteers and served as a model for the PGA’s The First Tee Program before becoming a charter member. We met with an educator to learn more about structure of her classroom and how she keeps her students on task before moving onto another room to discuss the scholarships Pro Kids has to offer.
On September 21, credit bureaus will provide credit freezes at no cost. This is a good thing--to a point. Although in the past, these bureaus took days to freeze and then a few days to unfreeze accounts, now they are required to freeze accounts by the next business day and unfreeze within an hour. Will they be able to execute such a dramatic shift in procedure without hiccups? We’ll see. We have been getting regular articles about this new free service and having been in this area of specialty for over a decade, I kept waiting for an article that told the whole story in one piece. So far it hasn’t happened, so I want to bridge the gap between the typical articles that have addressed the crime of identity theft and the credit freeze.
This past weekend, the Chamber’s Annual Harbor Days Festival drew tens of thousands of locals and visitors to the Oceanside Harbor. Oceanside’s “Street Fair at the Beach”, featured over 200 vendors in our Arts, Crafts and Food booth areas, a Pirate Village, Nail 'n' Sail Competition, Military displays, Public Safety displays, music, a beer garden and more.
The event was presented by Tri-City Medical Center and Genentech. If you find yourself less-than satisfied with your 9 – 5 life, maybe it’s time to break the chains of cubicle confinement.
Prior to the dawn of the internet age, most young men and women aspired for a trade job, which often meant high wages and union protection. However, the millennial generation has shifted toward technology as the industry-of-choice. This has left plenty of open opportunities in high-paying, hands-on jobs, many of which don’t require a degree, opting instead to rely on more quantifiable determiners of proficiency, specifically on-the-job training, apprenticeship programs, certifications, and licensure. Examples of these types of jobs include welding, electrical work, and CNC milling among others. When local residents, businesses, consumers, tourists, military audiences (active duty, dependents, retirees, veterans) look for:
Will your business be found? Make sure diners, shoppers and travelers seeking fabulous food, fun, finds, and friendly establishments will find your business listed in the Best of OCEANSIDE Dining, Entertainment & Retail Guide. Published and distributed in both print and online, the Chamber's guide showcases Oceanside’s exploding culinary, cocktail and craft beer venues, live entertainment, shopping and retail centers, community events, eclectic neighborhood venues and things to do. It’s the ultimate North County San Diego one-of-a-kind pocket-size authority on fabulous food and fun for all ages in Oceanside. Get listed. Get visible! Leverage the power of Oceanside Chamber multi-media print and digital audiences to heighten awareness, visibility, and ROI for your business. The Oceanside Chamber of Commerce powerful print and digital publications enjoy wide distribution to extended audiences via the Chamber’s expansive distribution agreements, programs, partnerships, highly ranked website, widely followed and engaged social media profiles and the Chamber’s international digital publishing channels. Please schedule your appointment for painless information by contacting me and congratulations in advance for helping to ensure your business will be found in print and online when Chamber audiences are searching for “where to” do most anything in Oceanside, CA. Finally, thank you in advance for your time, the opportunity to meet you, learn about your business and build advertising that works for audiences seeking information about our local business community including you and your business. On Thursday, August 30th, the Oceanside Chamber’s Business and Community Political Action Committee hosted a forum for the District 1 City Council Candidates. All 4 candidates participated in the forum and answered questions on key issues of concern to Oceanside. District 1 candidates include: Susan Custer, Chuck Lowery, Michael Odegaard, Esther Sanchez. (The Chamber also held a District 2 forum, but due to technical difficulties we are not able to publish a video of that event). Click the "Read More" link to access the video.
So, what exactly is team building and what benefits does it bring? Team building is the creation of cohesive working groups to achieve organizational goals. Its benefits include:
• Develops a sense of purpose among employees who feel devoted towards the direction and results attained by the team. • Team building also fosters a sense of trust among the group’s members. Mutual trust built by team building exercises allows staff members to depend more on each other hence becoming more productive and efficient as a unit. • Team building also acts as a tool for easing conflicts among workers. Due to the diverse number of personalities found in any business, unnecessary disputes and conflicts may arise. Team building plays a crucial role in easing these disputes by letting staff bond with each other and get accustomed to each other’s traits. On Saturday August 25th, Sea Hive Marketplace celebrated their One Year Anniversary and their official ribbon cutting with the Oceanside Chamber. Guests were treated to tacos, wine tastings, and live music and of course, cake. Owners Rob, Brandon & Todd and manager, Jen used this opportunity to host a fundraiser in conjunction with their event for fellow Chamber member, Interfaith Community Services. Raffle items were donated from numerous Sea Hive Dealers & friends.
On Tuesday August 21st, the Oceanside Chamber’s Oceanside Young Professional Network (OYPN) did a tour of Solutions for Change led by their Development Associate, Forrest Folen. The tour started at their main campus at 722 W. California Ave in Vista where their resident housing is located. CEO Chris Megison, a former marine, was available for a Q & A session after telling members the story of how deeply he and his wife were moved by a young girl living at a homeless shelter they were helping at in 1999 that they decided to form Solutions for Change that same year. Since then, Chris and his organization have changed the lives of over 2,200 children and their families through their organization.
The Oceanside Chamber held a reception Monday, August 13, 2018 to unveil its newest publication: Celebrating 75 Years, Women Marines on Camp Pendleton. The release of the magazine came exactly 75 years ago when the first woman Marine arrived at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
The reception was attended by Col. Philip G. Antekeier, Col. Jeffrey Holt and Oceanside Mayor Peter Weiss. Women Marines, both retired and active duty, who were featured in the magazine, were also in attendance, along with dozens of others, including Sgt. Maj. Grace A. Carle (Ret). She was the last to serve as Sergeant Major of Women Marines from 1974-1976. At the age of 95, she proudly stood to be acknowledged with the other Women Marines. On August 9th, the Oceanside Chamber, along with Tri-City Medical Center and LarKing, Inc. presented the 13th Annual North County Health Fair at Oceanside Civic Center Plaza. Dozens of health care related businesses were on hand to display their products and services and share information with the community. Despite the heat, hundreds of attendees participated and were able to learn about valuable health care resources, take advantage of health screenings and enjoy the weekly Oceanside Farmer’s Market that took place on the adjacent street.
On July 17th, the Oceanside Young Professional Network did a tour of the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank led by their CEO, Jim Floros. The San Diego Food Bank is located at 9850 Distribution Ave, San Diego with a local North County Food Bank located at 680 Rancheros Dr #100 in San Marcos. Together, they comprise the largest hunger-relief organization in San Diego North County. Jim walked our group through their solar powered, 90,000 sq. ft. warehouse giving an overview of their programs ranging from the Senior Food Program to the Food 4 Kids Backpack Program.
On July 11th, the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce held its annual Awards and Recognition Luncheon. The event was attended by more than 100 business and civic leaders, as the Chamber honored dozens of businesses for their longtime support of the Chamber and recognized awardees in six different categories of achievement.
The following businesses and individuals received annual awards… Christopher Rodriguez from Maximum Real Estate Services recently became the first Oceanside Chamber member to graduate from the Public Leadership Institute (PLI) training program chartered by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The course met once a month for five months starting this past February in San Diego and on June 21, 25 members from various local Chambers received their letter of achievement for completing the program. “Even though it was pretty intense and right to the point from the very beginning, I thought it was great and just what I needed as my foundation to get involved in local government,” Rodriguez said. |
Categories
All
Archives
December 2023
|
|
|
|