|
The Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce our Spring Swing Annual Golf Tournament will take place on April 18, 2022, at Sierra Lakes Golf Course. This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow businesses and community leaders. This Thursday, we are proud to welcome County Supervisor Janice Rutherford as our guest speaker at our BCN luncheon. Supervisor Rutherford has been a great advocate for our community, and we look forward to hearing from her about recent developments in the County. Registration is now open for both events.
This past weekend the Chamber participated in Baldy View ROP’s Community Open House and Career Fair. ROP stands for Regional Occupational Program and helps young people become career ready in a variety of trades. Baldy View provides education opportunities that train and prepare our workforce, which is essential for our economy to function. The Chamber is proud to support Baldy View.
There is a new scourge creeping up on California’s businesses that I want to forewarn you about. Lawsuits are being filed against small businesses alleging that their websites violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. §12181) and California Civil Rights Act (Civil Code §51). Unscrupulous lawyers are taking advantage of vaguely written laws regarding disability access intended for buildings and applying it to websites. This means if your company’s website does not have screen-reading software or enhancements to assist visually impaired persons, you could be liable for monetary damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs. Fortunately, fixing your website is relatively easy and far less expensive than defending a lawsuit. Accessibility functions can be added to almost any website. Check with your local tech professional if you need assistance.
On the other side of the globe, war has started and the repercussions are many. The loss of innocent civilians and the havoc on society is inexcusable. While we cannot control what happens a world away, we can remind ourselves how precious freedom really is and ensure that we protect it here at home. Because when leaders of democracies do not respect freedom and liberty in their own countries, then authoritarians do not respect it anywhere. Freedom starts with us.
We should also remind ourselves about the importance of domestic energy production so as not to enrich those that are willing to destabilize the world. We are on the precipice of paying extraordinarily high energy prices that will further escalate inflation and undermine our local manufacturing which depends on reliable, affordable energy. Higher energy prices also mean higher costs, less production, fewer jobs, and ultimately a stagnant economy.
Oil production in California has steadily and significantly declined the past three decades. By comparison, Colorado and North Dakota each produce significantly more oil and gas than California despite our superior size and potential. The demise of California’s oil and gas industry has been intentional and certain politicians continuously threaten to end all such production in California entirely. We should be asking whether we want to buy oil and gas from Moscow or Bakersfield?
While politicians may have benevolent intentions for the sake of the environment, the reality is that we cannot afford to end oil and gas production in California if we want to keep the lights on. What Sacramento often overlooks is that California can produce energy while still protecting the environment. The two are not mutually exclusive. This means allowing production and setting realistic standards with incremental moves toward alternative energy sources as they become more feasible. And yes, the climate is changing, but we have the means to handle that with innovation and common sense. What we do not have the means to handle is the loss of free societies one country at a time.
In closing, our business community mourns the loss of a local restauranter, Sartaj Singh, owner of Cara Mia Restaurant – who recently passed away. We are saddened by his passing and send our sincere condolences to his family and friends. We all enjoyed his restaurant, his positive impact on the community, and his support for the Chamber. He will be greatly missed.
If the Chamber can be of any assistance, please contact me at Chairman@ranchochamber.org. Sincerely, your Chamber President, Robert A. Hufnagel.
Robert A. Hufnagel
President-Chair
Rancho Chamber
| 
