June 14, 2011 (Sacramento)  –With the rise in gasoline prices, San Diego area and California motorists left the highways, and are riding the rails in record numbers over the past 12 months to ride two of California’s highly successful intercity passenger rail corridors, Caltrans has announced.

Led by the San Joaquin corridor, which serves the Central Valley, linking Los Angeles and Bakersfield with Sacramento and the Bay Area, California’s state supported intercity passenger rail corridors had banner years.  Compared to May 2010, ridership on the San Joaquin, the nation’s fifth busiest rail corridor, shot up over 12 percent with a 19 percent increase in revenue.

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 6, 2011 (San Diego's East County)--Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District’s (GCCCD) Continuing Education and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Southwestern College will host a free class on “How to put your business on the Internet” from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 14 and 21, at Cuyamaca College, Building “L,” Room 103, 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway, in El Cajon.

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 26, 2011 (La Mesa) –La Mesa Chamber of Commerce will host an evening mixer June 1st at San Pasqual Winery’s La Mesa tasting room, 8364 La Mesa Blvd., from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Hors d'oeuvres, wine, and raffles are all part of the fun.

Cost for nonmembers who RSVP by today is $15 ($20 at the door) and includes 1 free glass of wine. Member cost is $10.

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.

By Miriam Raftery

May 21, 2011 (La Mesa) – How do you outdo a sold-out crowd of 400 at a Taste of La Mesa event featuring foods and wines from 28 local vendors?

“Next year we’re expanding to host the Taste of the Century,” promised La Mesa Chamber of Commerce president Mary England. Held at the La Mesa Community Center, the savory event will expand across the hall --with room to double the size during La Mesa's centennial celebration in 2012.

This year’s Taste of La Mesa featured some new vendors as well as familiar favorites.

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.

 
May 10, 2011 (Santee) --East County Economic Development Council (ECEDC), responding to clearly stated needs of the East County business community, has joined with regional banks, financial service intermediaries, and other business resource providers to hold a Small Business Access to Credit Workshop on Saturday, May 14, 2011 from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm at the Santee City Hall, 10601 North Magnolia Avenue, Santee, CA.

Congressman Duncan D. Hunter has been invited to welcome the attendees and set the tone for the workshop.

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.”

La Mesa financial advisory firm will present resolution at annual stockholders meeting in Carlsbad

May 9, 2011 (San Diego's East County) – Blue Summit Wealth Management ih La Mesa, a national leader in socially responsible and sustainable financial services, has been asked to represent shareholders with over $30 billion in assets under management at Eastman Kodak’s annual shareholder meeting in Carlsbad on May 11th. 

Judy Seid, founder of Blue Summit and author of the "Good Money" column in ECM, will present a resolution to address what shareholders believe is a misalignment between Eastman Kodak’s leadership on issues such as the environment and climate change and the company's role as a member of the Board of Directors for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has fought against climate change legislation and emissions regulations.

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.

April 28, 2011 (La Mesa) – At All Things Bright and British, a La Mesa shop specializing in British goods from scones to fine china, new owner Bill Jaynes invites the public to a week-long “Changing of the Guard” celebration. Festivities begin on Friday, April 29—just in time for the royal wedding of Prince William of Wales and his bride, Catherine Middleton.

“Watch the royal wedding with us—and bring a chair,” said Jaynes, who has taken command of the business from his parents, making this a double celebration. A piper band will perform Friday morning, followed by an Elton John tribute band from 2-6 p.m. Traditional English food, prizes and free gifts are all part of the fanfare.

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.

Jan McAdams, national grantwriting expert with over $125 million in funded grants and sponsorships, will speak at event sponsored by Heartland Coalition/UnitedGREEN

April 22, 2011 (San Diego) -- In accordance with its extensive community outreach services, The Heartland Coalition/UnitedGREEN (publisher of East County Magazine) will host a workshop titled “Grantwriting for Success: Sources and Strategies" on Friday, May 6, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The featured speaker is Jan McAdams, a nationally-recognized grantwriting expert and creator of the book Grantwriting for Success.

All nonprofit and for-profit firms that are currently seeking grant support for their services are encouraged to attend this exciting program.

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.

April 18, 2011 (San Diego) – The Rancho San Diego-Jamul Chamber is brewing up a big event – presenting America’s Finest Beer Festival. The festival will feature more than 120 California breweries as well as live music and food. The festival is on tap for July 22-24 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego.

For full details, including sponsorship opportunities, visit www.americasfinestbeerfestival.com or e-mail chamber@rsdjchamber.com.  Scroll down for more info.

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 14, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Participants in the Women’s Higher Education Entrepreneurial Leadership Program (WHEEL) gave rave reviews to a “Media Day” program hosted April 1 by KGTV 10 News and sponsored by the Rancho San Diego-Jamul Chamber of Commerce.
 

Veteran newshound J.W. August, winner of 24 Emmy Awards and head of the 10 News I-Team of investigative journalists , spoke on media ethics and also offered an intriguing behind-the-scenes tour of the news station. Students got to watch a live news broadcast and sit in the anchors’ seats. They learned how technology has replaced many staffers, and while news stations are hungry for legitimate news, there are definite dos and don’ts when it comes to how to get a busy news editor’s attention.

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.

April 5, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – The ninth annual Grip it and Rip it Golf Tournament is set for Thursday, May 19. The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce will host the annual event at Sycuan Resort.

By Miriam Raftery
 

April 3, 2011 (San Diego’s East County)--Many might find it daunting to head up a major business association during the worst recession in 80 years. But Scott Alevy, new President and Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce, has been in far tougher spots. 

Those include combat zones in Southeast Asia and the crash site of PSA flight 182 in San Diego, where Alevy headed up public relations for the airline after the tragedy that claimed the lives of friends and colleagues.

In an exclusive interview with East County Magazine, Alevy shared insights gained from his experiences, as well as his leadership goals and vision for the Chamber’s future.
 

Channel 10 News to host Rancho San Diego-Jamul Chamber of Commerce WHEEL program, offers special one-day program pass at ABC’S KGTV Channel 10 News

March 30, 2011 (Rancho San Diego) – Want to get media coverage for your business or organization? Find out how at “Media Day” on April 1st. Get tips from editors on print, online and broadcast media on how to maximize your exposure in the press. Hear from marketing and public relations experts on how to write effective press releases and develop winning strategies for “earned media coverage” – in other words, free press!

March 29, 2011 (Rancho San Diego) – Cuyamaca College will again provide free classes and hands-on work experience in green building and sustainable energy to eligible students through a training program funded by San Diego Workforce Partnership. The $1.6 million in funding comes from federal stimulus money along with grants from the State Energy Program, Workforce Investment Act, State Energy Sector Partnership and others.

Robert Garber, interim president of Cuyamaca College, said the green building program is part of the college’s commitment to train workers for the expanding green economy.

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS AND GROWTH

By Rama Beerfas

March 1, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – This is a QR code:
 

You’ve probably seen them on postal packages, in print ads and catalogs, even on an iPad commercial; but do you know what a QR code is and how it can benefit your business?

A QR (Quick Response) code is a two-dimensional matrix barcode that can be decoded (“read”) by smartphones that have a QR decoder app installed. Created in Japan by a subsidiary of Toyota in 1994, these codes have been commonly used there and in Europe for over ten years for a variety of purposes. In 2010, they started appearing in the US in marketing applications.

Rancho San Diego-Jamul Chamber of Commerce WHEEL program offers special program at KGTV 10 News

March 25, 2011 (Rancho San Diego) – Want to get media coverage for your business or organization? Find out how at “Media Day” on April 1st.  This special, all-day event at KGTV 10 News is sponsored by the Rancho San Diego-Jamul Chamber of Commerce as part of its Women’s Higher Education Entrepreneurial Leadership (WHEEL) program, but is open to everyone. 

Get tips from editors of local print, online and broadcast media on how to maximize your exposure in the press. Hear from marketing and public relations experts on ways to write effective press releases and develop winning strategies for “earned media coverage” – in other words, free press! The program also includes an image consultant from Marinello School of Beauty, who will advise how to present your best image. 
 

March 20, 2011 (San Diego)--The San Diego County Department of Environmental Health (DEH) is warning local businesses of a fraud targeting restaurants and other small businesses in California, including San Diego County.

How the scam works:  An individual claiming to be a “health inspector” has been calling restaurants in California claiming there is a new procedure to arrange a health inspection. Scamsters use info obtained from the business to set up online accounts, which can then be used in other fraud schemes.

By Jeremy Los

March 15, 2011 (San Diego) -- San Diego will be the scene for one of many national rallies being held Tuesday night in reaction to deep budget cuts in California, Wisconsin, Washington and across the nation. Inspired by protests in Wisconsin, America's heartland, over gutting collective bargaining rights for workers, organizers say such cuts are destroying the American dream.

Entitled “Defending the Dream,” the rally will take place at County Administration Building,1600 Pacific Highway in San Diego at 6 p.m.

March 9, 2011 (Rancho San Diego) – How do you start a small business? What are the secrets to landing government contracts? Where can you get free advice on building your business? How do you land lucrative consulting jobs? Those topics and more were addressed at the Rancho San Diego-Jamul Chamber of Commerce’s most recent session of its Women’s High Education Entrepreneurial Leadership program.

The event included a tour of Deering Banjo Company in Spring Valley, where Carolina Bridges, public relations director, gave tips on marketing—plus free banjo lessons to all students.  Bridges encouraged the aspiring entrepreneurs, noting that Greg and Janet Deering started their banjo-making business at their home 35 years ago.  “The company expanded out of passion and dreams,” she said.

Conservatives say eliminating most collective bargaining rights needed to contain costs; opponents accuse Governor of union-busting motives

By Miriam Raftery
March 3, 2011 (San Diego) – A crowd of 1,000 demonstrators turned out in downtown San Diego Saturday as part of a nationwide movement in support of Wisconsin public workers.  Wisconsin’s Governor Scott Walker seeks to eliminate nearly all collective bargaining rights for state workers including teachers, police, firefighters, janitors, highway workers and others. The state’s Republican-controlled House passed the proposal--and Senate Democrats promptly fled the state to prevent passage.  Today, the Governor ordered their arrest.

A crowd of over 100,000 braved a snowstorm in Madison, Wisconsin following the house vote, occupying the capitol building overnight. Now recall campaigns have been announced against eight GOP Senators in Wisconsin who back the bill.
 

Much misinformation has been spread in the media and on Internet blogs. What would the Governor’s proposal do—and is it necessary? Could California be next to face a similar proposal? ECM has researched the issues and obtained views from all sides of the aisle.