 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.
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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.
 Updated 7/27 - As we all know, in an effort to hinder the spread of the COVID-19 virus, San Diego County restaurants are now required to move their dining services outdoors. The Chamber has put together a list of restaurant members offering outside dining services. If outdoor seating is not available, community members can still support their favorite local businesses by taking advantage of takeout and delivery options including Grubhub, Postmates, Door Dash and Uber Eats! See out list of restaurants open for takeout!
*This list was compiled based on social media and phone calls. Call ahead to confirm.  By Maria Mingalone
In the first weeks of the governor’s stay-at-home order, decisions at Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) were made rapidly in an environment that was changing hourly. No one gave us an instruction manual to operate through a pandemic—it was like flying a plane while building it.  In appreciation of the those facing the front lines to keep us safe, Integral Communities partnered with Oceanside flower grower Mellano & Company to deliver 1,500 bouquets to more than a dozen essential service providers, local businesses and community groups including Oceanside Police and Fire departments, Scripps Encinitas, Palomar Health Hospital and the USO at Camp Pendleton. The cheerful gifts were a way to thank first responders and essential businesses, brighten the days of those keeping our communities going, and support the farming community who has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
 By District Attorney Summer Stephan
The coronavirus and U.S. Census are making answering your phone fashionable again. But just because you know you might be receiving a call from a Census worker or a COVID-19 contract tracer, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t vet your calls. There are always scammers looking to take financial advantage of people under any circumstances and today’s uncertain climate is no different.  Karissa Keith, Frontwave Loan Servicing Manager, has been working diligently behind the scenes to ensure Paycheck Protection Program loans are funded as quickly as possible, enabling local businesses to fight though these challenging times. By Kristi Hawthorne
Small businesses across the country are experiencing a devastating economic disruption due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. When Frontwave Credit Union, headquartered in Oceanside, heard from its members as well as the business community that there was a great need for Small Business Administration (SBA) loans they went into action. By Kristi Hawthorne
The staff at the Boys and Girls Club of Oceanside had to scramble and plan quickly to find alternative ways to reach their kids and families amidst the shutdown due to the Coronavirus. The management team started working remotely to provide virtual programming, and within just one week BGCO began offering virtual programs via Youtube featuring the following:  By Kristi Hawthorne
Amanda Gerard’s adaptability and creativity are attributes that she has put to good use. As an avid sewer and designer, she founded a custom clothing boutique in 2018 featuring unique designs with colorful fabrics.  By District Attorney Summer Stephan
As your District Attorney, I’m committed to increasing communication and accessibility between the DA’s Office and you, the community. One way I have been doing that is through this monthly column, where I provide consumer tips on public safety matters. Although most people have come together during the COVID-19 pandemic by staying home, social distancing and wearing face coverings to limit the spread of the coronavirus, not everyone has been playing by the same rules. Scammers have come-up with new ways to prey on fear and insecurity by offering fake in-home testing kits and even phony testing sites to trick people out of their personal information and hard-earned money.  June 5, 2020
Dear Oceanside, As the leading voice for the Oceanside business community, we would be remiss if we did not use our platform to address an issue affecting our neighborhoods and businesses across the nation. We believe this is an opportunity for us to share the feedback we have received from residents and businesses in our community and to help set an example of what we can do in order to see positive changes in our region.  As San Diego County beings a transition farther into Stage 2, restaurants are adjusting their dine-in operations to fit health regulations. While many are still preparing for their grand re-opening, some of Oceanside's restaurants are already open. Below is a list of Oceanside Chamber member restaurants open for dine-in and ready to safely serve you! Please keep in mind that many restaurants are still open for carryout or delivery. Call ahead to confirm.
 By: District Attorney Summer Stephan
As your District Attorney, I’m committed to increasing communication and accessibility between the DA’s Office and you, the community. One way I have been doing that is through this monthly column, where I provide consumer tips on public safety matters. For the most part, difficult times bring people together. But for dishonest actors, uncertain times equals dollar signs and the COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. With Americans receiving up to $1,200 in stimulus funds, scammers have already began devising ways to swindle folks from their money.  Want to create content? Create from the heart.
As a creative entrepreneur I get asked all the time: How do you create content? It’s a simple yet complex answer. I can give you step by step on how I consistently create content and learning how to create at a large capacity. |
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