 By District Attorney Summer Stephan
The figure is astounding – more than $11 billion in unemployment funds bilked from the state’s Employment Development Department. Greedy cheaters and prisoners lied about who they were to receive benefits as claims soared amid the pandemic. At the same time, we saw deserving recipients of EDD struggle to get their much-needed payments. My office is working hard to bring accountability to prisoners who stole money through fraud. In the meantime, we want to provide you with information to keep you safe from becoming a victim of fraud.
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For over 10 years VANC has been committed to serving Active Duty and Military Veterans and for their service to our military men and women the Oceanside Chamber recognizes them as our Member of the Quarter.
The Oceanside Chamber of Commerce celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2021. Established in 1896, it is the oldest business in Oceanside. Over its long history, its role as a business and community advocate continues to be an important one.
It can be easy to walk past the homeless person on the corner, the woman lying on the street, or the man at the intersection holding a handwritten sign. They become almost invisible to many. But families are among the most invisible -- you don’t often see them on the street, but chances are they are living in a parked car somewhere.
 February 1, 2021
by Jim Pruitt, Project Manager Military Appreciation Resource Magazine Camp Pendleton is a quarterly publication and publishes in January, April, July, and October. The magazine’s purpose is to put businesses and their products in front of Marines on Camp Pendleton.
Oceanside Police Officer Charles Dabney patrols the City in which he grew up in. He is familiar with the streets, neighborhoods and the people. Like many of his fellow officers, he has a vested interest in the community in which he serves and is called to protect. Officer Dabney is one of several success stories of the Oceanside Police Department’s Explorer Program, one he joined as a teenager that fostered his interest in law enforcement.
 Provided By Dr. Gene Ma, Chief Medical Officer, Tri-City Medical Cente  “My dad had a stroke and he can’t speak but there’s nothing more that can be done.” These were the helpless words of a friend who called to share with me that his dad had lost valuable time wandering around his wholesale membership warehouse store because he had suddenly been unable to communicate. By the time he was taken to his local hospital, it was too late to treat him with a clot-busting medication often used in severe stroke cases. “Ask the doctor if there’s a thrombectomy capable stroke center in the region and if there is, request an immediate transfer,” I responded. Stroke care has evolved dramatically since I started practicing emergency medicine almost 25 years ago. What remains a constant, however, is that time is critical. Delays in seeking care can be catastrophic, as would have been the case here. I’ve witnessed time and again the miraculous recovery after a stroke victim arrives paralyzed on one side of the body and is treated with tissue plasminogen activator(tPA). For patients who seek care within 3 hours of a stroke, this life-altering, clot-busting medication helps open up a clogged artery in the brain responsible for loss of function.
My friend’s experience impressed upon me how important it is for patients to recognize that stroke care no longer stops at 3 hours. Fortunately, for his dad, a regional Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Center was nearby. As the human brain is exquisitely intolerant of diminished oxygen flow from a stroke, he was expeditiously transferred to the regional facility where specialized doctors called neuro-interventional radiologists used a small artery to tunnel a catheter into the arteries in his brain and retrieved the blood clot. Thanks to the skill of those specialists at that advanced stroke center, he recovered almost immediately and today, you would never know he was almost left with what would have been a disastrous, life-altering deficit. The data is irrefutable. People are waiting too long at home to seek emergency care when needed, for fear of COVID. We as emergency physicians are witnessing devastating strokes, heart attacks, infections, diabetic complications and many other preventable illnesses because of delays in seeking medical help during this pandemic. The reality is that COVID isn’t contracted in hospitals, but out in the community when we let down our guard(and our masks). Yet heart attacks and strokes lack the courtesy to wait out the pandemic. Here’s what you can do to ensure the best possible outcomes for yourself and your family during these trying times:
About The Author Dr. Gene Ma has served as an emergency department physician at Tri-City Medical Center for over 19 years and is Tri-City’s Chief Medical Officer.  By District Attorney Summer Stephan
The pandemic has shifted life for everyone over the last year, but perhaps one of the most vulnerable groups include children, who are spending more time than ever online. Through everyday scrolling, online gaming and Zoom learning, predators have unprecedented access to kids. With the so much dependence on technology and the web, children are increasingly at risk of befriending strangers online.  The Bread of Life has served the Community for over 20 years by fulfilling their simple mission: Meeting the needs of those who are hurting, hungry, and poor with the love and grace of Jesus Christ.
While the challenges of 2020 still linger, our focus for 2021 is economic recovery. Our business community is characterized by resiliency, determination and optimism. Here’s a quick look at why some of our business leaders are optimistic about the coming year.
The New Year is a chance for “New Strategies”, “New Resolutions”, and “New Ideas”.
For Entrepreneurs it is a time to review and update plans, projections, procedures, budgets, goals, marketing calendars and more. It is exciting and yet daunting-especially when you are in the midst of the day-to-day operations. Or maybe you have decided this is the year for you to follow your dream and be you own boss.  By District Attorney Summer Stephan
The end of the pandemic is in sight. The Pfizer vaccine has been approved by the FDA and the first phase of distribution to states has begun. In addition, the Moderna vaccine is on the verge of FDA approval. Even though the vaccine will eventually be available to all Americans free of charge, we are months away from that prospect and the demand will greatly outpace the initial supply. Pfizer and eventually Moderna will distribute 100 million doses each in the U.S. The distribution of these 200 million doses will be divided among the states based on populations.  By District Attorney Summer Stephan
With roughly 1.2 million San Diegans out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic and seasonal fluctuations, many people are looking for work-from-home opportunities. Scammers are eagerly victimizing would-be employees on two fronts: through bogus work-at-home offers that require substantial upfront investment and through online resume harvesting that results in identity theft.
In August, the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce announced its endorsements for the 2020 City of Oceanside elections. The Chamber Board of Directors voted to support Ryan Keim for District 3 and Peter Weiss for District 4. Both candidates won their respective district races within crowded candidate fields.
 Alphagraphics Oceanside - The holiday season is fast approaching. Customers are beginning to think about holiday preparations and gifts, and companies are starting to ramp up their marketing efforts to attract shoppers. Throughout November and December, the competition for attention will be fierce.
 Businesses all over our country have enough on their plate just trying to get their business up and going again. Businesses in California haven't noticed the extra item on their plate. It is California Secure Choice Retirement Savings Program. CSCRSP, also known as Calsavers, was passed in 2016 to help millions of Californian's save for retirement. The program was delayed for three months because of pandemic. Participation is required and there are two choices. Participate in the state IRA program or acquire a 401k plan. Depending on the number of employees, the important dates are listed below. However, the June 30th deadline for 5 - 49 employees is fast approaching!
 By District Attorney Summer Stephan
Paying bills online is very common, but unfortunately even something as mundane as paying a utility bill can become a rollercoaster ride now that scammers frequently pose as utility companies. The scam involves a bad actor calling the victim and pretending to be the representative of a utility company and claiming to have encountered a problem with address information or payment method. Using this excuse, the scammer asks the victim for sensitive information that allows the scammer to open a fraudulent bank or credit account using the victim’s information. Additionally, the scammer will often ask the victim to buy gift cards or to wire money directly to them in order to pay a “late fee” or “overdue balance.” Recent months have been a painful time for much of our business community. But with that pain, has come the opportunity for leaders to emerge and for businesses to learn flexibility and adaptation.
 By Ted Gaines
California property owners have benefitted from Proposition 13 for so long, it’s hard to remember the time before it when property taxes shot up unpredictably year after year, forcing seniors from their homes, blowing up family budgets and crushing businesses. That ugly past could be in California’s future if the Proposition 15 “split roll” initiative passes this November. Defeating it must be the highest priority for the agriculture industry and everyone who cares about farming and ranching in California.  The Oceanside Chamber recommends a vote of YES on Proposition 20 as an important first step in addressing the criminal behavior associated with homelessness on our streets… behaviors including violence and repeated acts of theft. These behaviors have been a tremendous burden on our small businesses, a distraction they can ill afford as they focus on recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
 For the month of September, AlphaGraphics Oceanside is dedicating this month to provide resources, tools, and services to nonprofit organizations. We understand that this is a difficult time for everyone and for nonprofits, both revenue-generating activities and fundraising have been hit hard. We are dedicating this month to our nonprofit community and hope these resources bring value to your organization.
 By District Attorney Summer Stephan With COVID-19 keeping many families at home, streaming services have become a popular way to pass the time. Services such Netflix, Hulu, and Disney-plus allow folks to quarantine at home without breaking the bank. Unfortunately, scammers have taken note of the rise in streaming service users and have sought to exploit the growing market.
 By District Attorney Summer Stephan
If you are one of the many Americans who has filed for unemployment benefits or is considering doing so, you should know of a scam targeting those seeking benefits. Scammers are always looking for new ways to swindle money and with a large increase in people requesting unemployment benefits, bad actors see a situation ripe for exploitation. For nearly 60 years, Tri-City Medical Center has provided high quality healthcare services for the sick and injured of our region. Located adjacent to Highway 78 at the intersection of the cities of Oceanside, Carlsbad and Vista—the “Tri” in Tri-City—the medical center is renowned for its heart attack, stroke care and orthopedics programs, a testament to the incredibly talented and dedicated individuals who choose to work there and serve patients 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The San Diego Food Bank has been feeding hungry people and families for years. It’s what they do and they do it well. They distribute food to senior programs, food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, students and school programs. When the COVID19 crisis hit and food demands grew overnight, their staff and volunteers didn’t panic. As the need grew, they simply rose to a whole new level of readiness.
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