By: Stanley Popovich

February 28, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) -- Layoffs in today’s business world are common--and with a lay-off comes the fear and anxiety of finding another job. With this in mind, here are some ways for you to manage those stresses involved in finding a new job.

UPDATE FEB. 23:  The Board has voted unanimously to outlaw project labor agreements through an ordinanance, instead of putting a similar measure on the ballot. 

February 20, 2010 (San Diego) – San Diego's Board of Supervisors will vote Tuesday on whether to place a ballot initiative before voters that would ban project labor agreements (PLAs). PLAs, adopted in other jurisdictions but not by the Supervisors, mandate that government contracts for public construction projects go to contracts that hire union workers.  

Supporters of PLAs say they are needed to assure that jobs will go to local workers paid decent wages, not cheap labor imported from elsewhere.  Opponents contend that outlawing PLAs will cut costs and save money for cash-strapped jurisdictions.

DeMaio pushes to ban living wage, local hiring requirements and more;

Hueso counters with local jobs ordinance

February 20, 2010 (San Diego) On Wednesday, San Diego Councilman Carl DeMaio and the Associated General Contractors are trying to put an initiative on the ballot that would eliminate gains made by labor in recent years. On Wednesday, Councilman Ben Hueso will seek to counter those efforts by introducing a Local Jobs Ordinance that would make local job creation a priority on public works projects.

February 18, 2010 (El Cajon ) – The U.S. Census Bureau will hold employment testing in the Grossmont College Career Center on Monday, February 22 at 10 a.m. Full and part-time jobs are available for the 2010 census, including supervisory and non-supervisory positions.  

February 14, 2010 (Rancho San Diego) – If your company has a “help wanted” ad, you can now place your job listing free in the Rancho San Diego-Jamul Chamber of Commerce monthly newsletter, The Bridge.

“We will also list job fairs as a free community service,” said RSDJ Chamber President Valerie Harrison.

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS AND GROWTH

By Rama Beerfas

February 10, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – If you’ve ever taken a sales training class, you have probably heard the features vs. benefits marketing approach. I call this technique the WIIFM Factor – What’s in It for Me. When it comes right down to it, when you are stressing the benefits, rather than the features of a particular product or service, you are telling your prospects what is in it for them when they purchase from you.

“This is a major initiative about the future of East County,” -- G. Cole Davis, El Cajon Community Development Corporation

By Miriam Raftery

February 4, 2010 (El Cajon) – On Saturday, community leaders from throughout East County convened in El Cajon for “The Challenges and Opportunities of Imaging the Future of the Greater San Diego Region.” The event was the seventh such function held around the County by San Diego Foundation’s Civil Society. The goal?

To create a Regional Vision Initiative with a 50-to-100 year strategic plan that will encompass the shared values and priorities of residents.

February 3, 2010 (Lakeside) – Gunshots rang out on Saturday at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds, where historical re-enactors from the Hole in the Wall Gang staged a mock Western-style shootout.  Members of the Victorian Roses Ladies Riding Society looked on, clad in elegant period attire.

It was all part of the Lakeside Community Expo sponsored by the Lakeside Chamber of Commerce.

January 31, 2010 (Alpine) -- Want to get fit and healthy in the New Year? Certified raw culinary chefs Diane Haworth and Michael Varbaek will be guest speakers for the Alpine Business Networking Association (ABNA) on Thursday, February 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Vines Bistro & Wine Bar, 2502 Alpine Boulevard in Alpine. Guests are invited for a raw food presentation and information on healthy eating.
 

HIGHLIGHTS, NATIONAL & LOCAL REACTIONS TO SPEECH

View video of speech: http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2010-state-union-address
 

Read full text of speech: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-state-union...
 

January 17, 2010 – Sempra Energy Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Sempra Energy (parent company of San Diego Gas & Electric Co.) has pledged $50,000 in disaster-relief assistance funds to victims of the devastating Haitian earthquake. Sempra Energy Foundation will direct the funds through the San Diego—Imperial County Chapter of the American Red Cross International Relief Fund.

January 1, 2010 (San Diego) -- San Diego County Credit Union®, with three local East County branch offices in El Cajon, La Mesa and Santee, has been recognized for ethical business conduct with a 2009 Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics from the San Diego Better Business Bureau (BBB). SDCCU received its Torch Award in the over-500-employee category.

SDCCU was one of 20 companies honored by the BBB for ethical business practices either as a 2009 Torch Award winner or finalists; however, SDCCU was the only financial institution that was recognized.

By Frank V.V. Boss, Jr.

January 1, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) –As the holiday season ends, retailers and business are hoping that 2010 will bring better prospects and spending by consumers in San Diego and East County. So as the rest of the nation still feels the affects of a rough winter and slow-moving economy, consumers are predicted to rebound slowly over the next several months.

Even though there is some predicted economic improvement, will the public bounce back and start to spend again? Or have consumers experienced such a shock to their wallets that they have transformed into a whole new thriftier shopper which will continue for a long time?

December 31, 2009 (San Diego) – On Wednesday, January 6th at 10:30 a.m. Richard Trumka, national president of the American Federation for Labor-Congress of Industrial Occupations (AFL-CIO) will speak about putting San Diegans back to work.

“The first priority of 2010 for San Diego must be to build on those efforts and find new ways to put people back to work," states a press release issued by Center for Policy Initiatives (CPI), a local research and advocacy group focused on the needs of workers.   "Let's start the new year with strong action for good jobs!”