July 18, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – The California Redevelopment Association and the League of California Cities today filed suit in California's Supreme Court. They seek to block implementation of state budget measures that would force redevelopment agencies to either dissolve or fork over hefty sums to the state coffers.

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders held a press conference to support the law suit today, joined by La Mesa Mayor Art Madrid, National City Mayor Ron Morrison, and other local leaders.

 Tips and tricks for business success

by Rama Beerfas

July 11, 2011 (East County) --The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District’s (GCCCD) Continuing Education and Southwestern College’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will host a free workshop on “Checklist for Business Success” from 7 to 9 a.m. on Friday, July 15, at the East County Chamber of Commerce office, 201 S. Magnolia Ave., El Cajon. 

 
Apprentices and journeymen employed at businesses throughout San Diego County

June 16, 2001 (San Diego) -- Years of dedication and hard work have paid off for apprentices and craft trainees who graduated with their apprenticeship and journeyman certificates on Friday, June 10 from the Associated Builders and Contractors Apprenticeship Training program. 

Eighty students in the Class of 2011 from the San Diego region have completed a skilled trades apprenticeship and craft training program in crafts such as plumbing and pipefitting, electrical, electronic systems technician and sheet metal. Their course of study included up to four years of classroom training and thousands of hours of practical field experience.

Top casino designers tapped to make over  East County casino

June 9, 2011 (El Cajon)- Renovations are under way at Sycuan Casino http://www.sycuan.com/ . With a full design overhaul in process, the casino is scheduled to have every inch of the interior revamped by fall. The casino remains open to the public as Sycuan's design and architecture teams work in phases to renovate the casino gaming areas, create an all new non-smoking buffet, open a new sports bar & grill restaurant and install a one-of-a-kind specialty lighting fixture in the main lobby.

June 3, 2011 (La Mesa)-- Each June the East County Chamber takes great pride in organizing and hosting East County's largest Health Fair. Summer Healthcare Saturday. now in it's 9th year, the fair has grown to become a fixture in East County. It also provides a whole host of crucial health related screenings and testings for free to East County residents. Mark your calendars for Saturday June 11th and consider participating in this informative and important East County event.

May 25, 2011 (Poway) – Poway Chamber of Commerce is planning the inaugural San Diego Inland Business Expo. The Expo will showcase a variety of businesses, giving attendees an opportunity to find business services and products appropriate for their needs.  The event will be held at Barona Resort & Casino’s Golf Center,1932 Wildcat Canyon Rd. in Lakeside on June 2 from 3-7 p.m.

May 12, 2011 (El Cajon) -- A free workshop titled "Merchandising to Sell" will be offered on Wednesday, May 18, 2011, at First Baptist Church, 190 E. Douglas Avenue, in El Cajon. Presented by the El Cajon Center City Development Corporation and,  California Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the workshop will provide local business owners with tips and personalized assistance in effective merchandising. Presented by Bruce Baker, Author of Dynamic Sales & Customer Service Techniques, Booth Design & Merchandising and Sell It.  The workshop will help business owners and merchants create better display spaces and draw more sales.

Register no later than Thursday, May 12, 2011 (information at end of article). 

May 10, 2011 (San Diego) -- Congressman Bob Filner wants to make sure all of the small businesses in San Diego and surrounding areas have the opportunity to take advantage of the Small Business Administration (SBA) Jobs Act Tour, which is making a stop in San Diego on Friday, June 3, 2011.

“This will give small businesses access to all of the tools and experts the SBA now offers under the Jobs Act,” said Congressman Filner.  “This event is about bringing government resources to the small businesses so they don’t have to go to several different places to find out how we can help them grow their businesses.”

May 8, 2011 (Rancho San Diego) – Looking to start a green business—or find a job in a green industry?

Learn the keys to success at the Green Business Symposium hosted by Cuyamaca College on May 26th.  For program details and information on registration, scroll down.

The Green Potential

By Caleb Trainer
 

ESCONDIDO -- Jason Kiesel shares a creative, hands-on ingenuity with his late grandfather, Lowell Kiesel. The younger is the founder and chief architect of Freedom Speaks Inc., the company that created the advanced software application program, CitySourced. (See related story on CitySourced “Escondido, Report It.”) Last century, the elder Kiesel was the founder and “chief architect” of the company that is now known as Carvin Inc., manufacturers of trail-blazing electronics for the music industry.

April 21, 2011 (El Cajon)– GET Engineering Corporation, an El Cajon firm, was recognized for its quality and performance by Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. GET received a Supplier Excellence Award at a recognition ceremony held at the Wyndham hotel in Andover, Massachusetts on April 13, 2011.

a column written for the East County Magazine

“Your guide to financial planning & socially responsible investing”

By Judith L. Seid, CFP ®
President, Blue Summit Wealth Management

April 16, 2011 (San Diego’s East County)--The market has not reacted much to the budget agreement that finally came late Friday night. This void of impact is due largely to the fact that the “budget fight is not over” but also because several other factors threaten to have an even greater impact on the overall market. We’ll brief you on them in chronological order…

By Miriam Raftery

April 9, 2011 (San Diego)—Inside the Safari Market bazaar, a Somali woman sells bright-colored beaded head scarves,  jewelry and rugs. Two dozen vendors offer other wares and services. Nearby, African Spice restaurant serves up savory sambussas (pastry shells filled with meats, vegetables and African spices), succulent fish, lamb, goat, and an aromatic tea seasoned with cloves. Safari Market also sells groceries, such as large bags of cinnamon and rice, some labeled in Arabic.

No, this isn’t a street scene out of Africa. It’s a new business incubator in the East San Diego neighborhood known as “Little Mogadishu” – a hub where refugees from war-torn East African nations such as Somalia, the Sudan, Eritria and Ethiopia are starting new lives in America, aided by the nonprofit organizations Horn of Africa Community and Somali Family Services. The Safari center has created 125 jobs for East African refugees, mostly women.  Now it's become a model that is being replicated in other U.S. cities.