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.

March 3, 2011 (San Diego's East County) — Over 150 local educators join the San Diego East County Regional Chamber of Commerce’s annual Summer Educational Tour each year. This year, the Chamber is inviting chamber members, school district colleagues and friends on an exclusive trip to Peru July 11-19 as part of the Chamber Travel Program for 2011.

February 29, 2011 (Poway)-- The Poway Chamber of Commerce and the City of Poway will be hosting a State of the Community Breakfast on Thursday, March 3rd from 7:30am to 9:30am, at Maderas Golf Club- 17750 Old Coach Rd. Featured speakers include Mayor Don Higginson and Mickey Morera, Senior Director at Cushman & Wakefield. Morera will speak on the crisis in commercial real estate.

February 4, 2011 (El Cajon) --Want to upgrade your commercial storefront or interior in Downtown El Cajon? Want to open a new retail or restaurant business in Downtown?
 

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS AND GROWTH

By Rama Beerfas

February 1, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – We’ve identified the three components of a successful trade show marketing plan:

• Have a system in place for attracting potential customers to the exhibit.
• Qualify those people who visited the booth.
• Follow up with those visitors who left contact information.

Last month, we looked at some methods to qualify the people who visit your booth as legitimate prospects. This month, we’ll explore the most critical part of the trade show process: the post-show follow-up.

Gala planned Feb. 25 at Crystal Ballroom

January 29, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) -- The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce will mark its 100th year, commemorating this milestone with an inaugural Gala and Awards Dinner billed as “East County's most elegant evening.”

Egyptian proprietor also serves up coffee, snacks, and free classes to help Arabic-speaking residents

By Miriam Raftery
 

January 17, 2011 (El Cajon) --

On Saturday, throngs of well-wishers  stopped by on Saturday to bid welcome (ahlan wa sahaln, أهلا وسهلا) to Zohny Hanna at his new business, Serenity House in downtown El Cajon. The store/coffee shop offers Christian books, art, and music in Arabic. Located on Main Street just east of Magnolia, Serenity House also offers free classes in English and community orientations for East County’s growing population of Arabic-speaking immigrants, asylees, and refugees.

“This is my land now. America is my new home,” says Hanna, who came here on a tourist vista back in 1997 with his wife and children, then received asylum status due to persecution of Coptic Christians in his native Egypt.

January 13, 2011 (San Diego's East County) -- Local educators are invited to join the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce on a trip to Peru July 11-19.  

Tour highlights will include:

December 26, 2010 (El Cajon) – San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce has named veteran business leader Scott Alevy as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1st.

Alevy, Principal at Trilogy PR Group in La Mesa, brings over 30 years of business, non-profit and Chamber of Commerce leadership experience to the largest business organization in East County. His professional experience includes public relations, government relations, public affairs, community outreach and broadcast media.

December 16, 2010 (Santee) – “We’ve got at least 600 people here,” Santee Chamber of Commerce Warren Savage estimated, smiling broadly while sandwiched between teen beauty queens in the jam-packed lobby of Union Bank in Santee on December 2nd.

Major new “Green Homebuilder” Survey ; Impact of Recession Gauged in Terms of Progress (and Lack of Progress) Among Major U.S. Homebuilders.

Tips and Tricks for Business Success and Growth

By Rama Beerfas

November 1, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – It’s a sad, sad story and one that I have heard many times: A company spends anywhere from a few hundred dollars for a local tabletop show to tens of thousands of dollars for a national trade show and ends up with little or nothing to show for it – not even a breakeven on expenses.

November 19, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Women leaders in six categories were honored at the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce 2010 Women in Leadership luncheon. More than 350 guests attended the event on October 29th at the Doubletree Hotel in Mission Valley. Each year the Chamber sifts through and considers a host of qualified candidates to honor in six different categories – Business, Non-Profit, Education, Government, Healthcare and Arts/Culture/Media - at its annual luncheon. The following were this year’s winners: