News & Events from the Lafayette Chamber |
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Jay Lifson, Executive Director
251 Lafayette Circle, Ste 150, Lafayette, CA
Office Hours
Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm, Friday 9am-1pm
CLOSED for week of July 4-8
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Honoring John McCormick, 2022 Business Person of the Year
We thank all the politicos, speakers, past Marquis recipients, Chamber Board Members, Premier Members, Chamber Ambassadors, friends, and family for joining us for a spectacular evening at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa to honor John McCormick.
Special thanks to:
Supervisor Candace Andersen, CCC Supervisor, District 2; Marilyn Cachola Lucey, M.A., Deputy District Director, California State Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (AD-16); City of Lafayette Mayor Teresa Gerringer for presenting resolutions. Reception musicians Jen Carne and Julia McLeod. Fred Steingraf, Mike Zampa, Myrna Kimmelman, Kathy Merchant along with Gary Peare and The Park Theater Trust, Jay Lifson, Colleen McCormick, Emily McCormick, Scotty McCormick and of course John McCormick for the lively and entertaining speeches and music! Congrats [BIG BAD] John!
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Citywide Sidewalk Sale
The Lafayette Chamber and the City of Lafayette are promoting a Citywide Sidewalk Sale on Saturday, July 30, 2022. Downtown businesses are participating either online, in store or on the sidewalk! Shop for gifts, back to school, fall attire, Lafayette merch or just shop local! Our businesses would appreciate it! Start the day in Lafayette Plaza Park with coffee and breakfast treats, 9am-10am. Learn more at https://lafayettechamber.org/sidewalk-sale.
Participating businesses: (to date)
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Congratulations to Diablo magazine's Best of the East Bay Winners!
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We welcome a NEW Lafayette Chamber Member!
The following business recently joined the Lafayette Chamber! We encourage you to visit their website to learn more.
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2500 Bates Avenue, Concord, CA 94520
Sean Namanny, 707-326-7096
Provider of Cable TV, Internet, Phone, Home Security
Categories: Cable TV, Internet, Phone, Home Security, Utilities
1100 Moraga Way, Moraga, CA 94556
Kristin Kurth, 925-247-1400
EquiBrand Consulting helps companies create brand-driven growth. We find strategic insights through research, create relevant brand identities (naming, logos, etc.), and position brands for market success.
Categories: Branding, Consultants
4033 Terra Granada, Suite 6C, Walnut Creek, CA 94595
Al Webster, 925-285-1143
Specializing in Residential Real Estate in Lamorinda, Rossmoor and Carmel, CA. REALTOR®(DRE#02101056)
Category: Real Estate Services
1950 Olivera Road, Suite C, Concord, CA 94520
Alexis Henley-Bush, 925-687-7791
J.D. Henley Const. est. in 1983 now includes a full custom cabinet shop. We build & finish everything in house. Recently we started Henley Home. A division dedicated to decor sourced from top quality vendors and items made in house.
Categories: Cabinetry - Custom, Contractor / Construction
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Lafayette Chamber RENEWING Members
A huge thank you to the following members for renewing their membership for 2022 between June 21-26.
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California’s Mandatory Retirement Savings Program Deadlines Reminder
CalSavers Retirement Savings Program (CalSavers) is a state-run retirement savings program for private-sector employees whose employers do not offer a retirement program. The program was slowly introduced to employers over the last two years, providing a deadline based on employer size. We are now at the final deadline for employers with at least five employees that don’t already offer a qualified workplace retirement savings plan. Employers will be required by California law to offer and facilitate employee access to CalSavers, by June 30, 2022.
CalSavers will auto-enroll employees in a standard savings and investment election after an employer provides them with their payroll list. Employees can customize their savings amount and their investment preferences. Employees may also choose to opt-out of the program. CalSavers is administered by a private-sector financial services firm and overseen by a public board chaired by the State Treasurer.
Exempt Employers
- If you have less than five employees as determined by an average of the previous year’s report of W2 employees provided by the EDD.
- If you already offer a qualified retirement savings plan, your employees cannot participate and you are not required to register.
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Independent Contractors or employees who work for a company with less than 5 employees may opt to enroll on their own accord by visiting calsavers.com to enroll independently.
Eligible Employers
- Registering for CalSavers
- Creating a payroll list to add employees to CalSavers (you will have 30 days to complete registration)
- Calculating the appropriate deduction for each employee (shown on the employer’s account page)
- Submitting employee contributions to the CalSavers program, and
- Keeping the payroll list up-to-date.
Limited Employer Role
CalSavers does not have any employer fees. It also does not require any employer contributions; employers only send in the employee contribution. Employers are not fiduciaries of the program.
Employers are to remain neutral about the program and should not encourage or discourage participation or provide any investment advice. Employers are not involved in managing investment options or processing distributions. CalSavers provides information on the program to the employee and will answer questions that employees have.
Employee Decision Period
1. Do Nothing.
If an eligible employee takes no action within 30 days, they will be automatically enrolled with the standard savings and investment elections:
- 5% of the employee’s gross income earned with the facilitating employer.
- Effective April 2021, instead of the first $1,000 of contributions being invested into the CalSavers Money Market Fund, initial contributions will be invested in the CalSavers Money Market Fund for 30 days, after which all subsequent contributions, along with any earnings in the Money Market Fund, will be re-allocated to a CalSavers Target Retirement Fund based on saver age and the year closest to when a person that age is expected to retire.
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Detailed information about the contribution amounts, automatic increases and investment options can be found in the CalSavers Program Disclosure Booklet.
2. Customize the Account. The employee can choose to customize the account, for instance by changing the contribution rate and investment choices.
3. Opt Out. An employee can opt out of participating in CalSavers at any time online, by phone, or mailing in a form. An employee can rejoin the program and begin contributing at any time through the same methods.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
An eligible employer that, without good cause, fails to allow its eligible employees to participate in CalSavers, will be required to pay a fine of up to $250 per eligible employee. Further non-compliance will result in an additional penalty of $500 per eligible employee.
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Attention Business Owners/Mangers: New Mandatory Alcohol Server Training
The deadline for alcohol servers and their managers at over 56,000 businesses to meet mandatory training under a new law is rapidly approaching. The new law goes into effect on July 1, 2022, and by August 31, 2022, every alcohol server and their managers must be trained under Assembly Bill 1221 and Assembly Bill 82. AB 1221 defines an alcohol server as anyone that is employed at an ABC on-premises licensed establishment who is responsible for checking identifications, taking customer orders, and pouring or delivering alcoholic beverages.
Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) Training and Certification is a Three-Step process:
- Register with ABC as a Server on the RBS Portal
- Take RBS training from an approved RBS Training Provider
- Return to the RBS Portal to take ABC’s alcohol server certification exam
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Lafayette Res Run for Education Early Bird Registration
Open Only through June 30!
All races, $25 registration fee. This is the best deal you will get! Prices increase July 1.
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Chamber Connectors
Join us for a unique take on networking. This group discusses current challenges members are having with their business, big or small. Share your ideas and fresh perspectives with other members. Participation is encouraged and appreciated.
Feel free to invite a guest!
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"Coffee" with the City of Lafayette Mayor Teresa Gerringer
The Lafayette Chamber will host, via Zoom, "Coffee" with the City of Lafayette Mayor Teresa Gerringer on Friday, July 29, 2022 at 8am.
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Thank you SWELL Lunch Hosts!
The SWELL Center is open in the Library Cafe for teens aged 12-18 Monday to Friday, 11-2pm through the summer. SWELL will offer a variety of active and self-guided activities such as board games, cards, journaling, and crafts, as well as community engagement opportunities and access to support groups. Thank you to the Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation and the City of Lafayette or organizing the program.
Thank you to our June lunch hosts!
June 13-17:
June 20-24:
Interested in being a lunch host in July? Reach out to Sara.
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Our Festival Wine & Beer Booth Hosts
The Lafayette Art, Wine and Music Festival is the biggest downtown party in the county. We have 160 local businesses and organizations participating at all different levels plus another 200 art and craft vendors. Cheers to the best 2022 event season ahead!
This week's member shoutout goes to our Wine & Beer Booth hosts!
Wine Booth Sponsors
Special featured wines from St. Francis Winery, local wine growers and more.
Wine Hosts:
Beer Booth Sponsors
Beer glasses sponsored by Zenops
Showcasing Sierra Nevada, our local breweries, hard seltzer and more.
Beer Booth hosts:
Festival beer and wine booths are sold out! If interested in adding to our waitlist or looking to get involved in other areas, please contact Sara@lafayettechamber.org.
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Thank you Boys Team Charity!
The Lafayette Chamber would like to extend our sincere thanks to our local Boys Team Charity group for helping with setup, take down and cleanup at our Rock the Plaza Concert series this June! We so appreciate your help!
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PROFESSIONAL OFFICE SPACE
2 offices available in a 4 office suite. This office suite is completely separate from our main office suite for our business. Our firm uses 2 of the offices in the suite (one for storage and one for occasional meeting room). The 2 offices closest to the window are available for lease. We rarely go into this office suite, so the space will feel like its private to you.
SPACES AVAILABLE:
• 1 larger office (14'4" x 11'6"), with window overlooking Mt. Diablo Blvd. $1,100/mo.
• 1 smaller office (9'10" x 11'6"), with window to inside hallway (no exterior window). $700/mo.
Offices can be leased together or individually. Utilities and kitchenette included. 1-year term. Class B Building, two levels of office space, shared restrooms, regular cleaning and trash maintenance. Elevator, two blocks from BART, excellent Highway 24 access, 63 covered parking spaces.
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Sustainability Award Nominations Now Open!
Do you know an individual, nonprofit, government program, school, or business that deserves to be recognized for their good work? The Leadership in Sustainability & Green Building Award nominations are open now and will close on July 1st. Nominating is fast and easy, but don’t miss the deadline!
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Support Local Youth ... buy an ad in the 10th Annual Lafayette Swim conference program!!!
The 10th Annual Lafayette Swim conference is back on for Summer 2022! Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24 at Acalanes High School in Lafayette.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT **** There will be an estimated 800+ swimmers attending LSC this year and we really need our amazing communities backing in terms of our printed programs/advertising space that hundreds of families will be relying on and referring to for the 48 hours of non-stop conference action!
GREAT MARKETING and AD SPACE for your wonderful local business …. Thousands of families buy these programs!
PLEASE refer to the attached flyer for prices and all ad space details! Thanks so much in advance for the consideration and support, we are all parent run and supported volunteering our time to keep youth sports alive.
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Calling All Restaurants and Catering Companies!
Local restaurants and catering companies are invited to donate their surplus food to White Pony Express. WPE will distribute it upon receipt – free of charge – to dozens of nonprofit partners and school pantries that serve our hungry neighbors.
When you donate food to WPE, you help end food insecurity in our county and reduce the production of methane gas caused by rotting food in landfills.
Click here for more information.
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City of Lafayette Weekly Roundup, June 24, 2022
➡ Monday Night’s Lafayette City Council Meeting
➡ Expect Road Closures During Slurry Seal Work
➡ Plan Ahead on Fridays - Lafayette Main City Offices Switching to Appointment-only on Fridays
➡ Community Meeting on Planned New Median Multi-Use Pathway on Pleasant Hill Road
➡ Summer Safe Streets Reminder
➡ Are You Prepared to Evacuate in an Emergency?
➡ Children Under Age 5 Can Now Receive Covid Vaccines
➡ Monkeypox Preventions Tips
➡ Get Real! Do You Have Your REAL ID Yet?
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Contra Costa Board of Supervisors, Candace Andersen, District 2, Weekly Update - June 24, 2022
➡ COVID-19 Vaccines Approved for Kids Under the Age of 5
➡ Free Covid-19 Home Test Kits Available for Pickup at our Danville Office
➡ COVID-19 Treatments
➡ ALL Fireworks are Illegal in Contra Costa County; They Pose a Significant Fire Danger: County and City Ordinances Hold Fireworks Users Accountable for Damages Caused.
➡ 4th of July Activities Around District 2 including Moraga and Orinda
➡ Contra Costa Animal Services Offering FREE Adoptions During The Month Of June
➡ Contra Costa Public Works "Mobile Citizen"
➡ A Safer Electric System for Our Community
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Shop Local Lafayette eCard Program – Use Your Bonus Cards First!
If you have already purchased a Shop Local Lafayette eCard, remember that the Bonus eCard must be used within 90 days of purchase. (This is different than the eCard, which has a one year expiration date, after which, the eCard’s value will begin to decrease by $3 each month.)
You can check the balance on your Yiftee e-cards on their website. Then, use your eCards at the following businesses:
You can still buy a Shop Local Lafayette eCard, and receive double the value to spend at participating businesses in Lafayette! Limit two bonus cards per purchaser. For full details, including the link to purchase eCards, visit www.lovelafayette.com/eCard.
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Member News & Announcements |
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Volunteers Needed for Orinda July 4 Parade
If you plan to be in town, please consider volunteering for brief timeframes (it’s always fun!). Biggest need right now is for ADULTS on the Parade Staging and Route Monitor crews.
Parade staging:
6 adults needed to help “set the stage” (mark the East BART parking lot with parade entrant numbers in the correct order) the night before the parade, and 6 adults to “line ‘em up and move ‘em out” (again at the East BART parking lot staging area) on the start time of the parade. Reporting to Andy Radlow, chair of Staging/ Operations.
NEED 6 adults for each of 2 shifts. If volunteers could swing both shifts, that is extra ideal (but not necessary)!
July 3, 6PM-8:30PM
July 4, 9AM-10:30AM
Route Monitoring:
NEED 20 adults to assemble (singly or in pairs) at various “bunch points,” eg corners and show stops, along the parade route to ensure that the parade participants run smoothly and without gaps. There will also be an element of crowd control— just so kids don’t run into the oncoming parade(!) and in case the candy-throwing gets out of control. :-) These folks will have walkie-talkies and will be in contact with Andy Radlow and Anil Comelo (chairs of Operations and Safety).
When: July 4, 9AM-11:30AM (or when parade finishes)
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Summer Bike Challenge
Looking for FREE summertime fun? Explore your hometown on two wheels with 511 Contra Costa’s Summer Bike Challenge. Simply bike to each destination on your city’s gameboard, and cross off the squares as you go. Pick up free prizes on select dates, take weekly Bonus Challenges, and enter the iPad Grand Prize drawing just by signing up. All ages are welcome to play! Ready to roll? Visit 511cc.org/sbc to get started.
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Summer Youth Pass
The Summer Youth Pass is a three-month bus pass that gives kids a great way to get around town, all summer long. For just $30, passholders ages 6-18 can take unlimited bus rides on County Connection, Tri Delta Transit, and WestCAT from June through August. On sale now at 511cc.org/youthpass
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Outdoor Movie Night at LOPC
Join us this summer to watch Sing 2! The Golden Ice Cream Truck will be handing out free ice cream and there will be popcorn, candy, and all kinds of treats! Relax outdoors and enjoy this fun, summer flick! Invite your friends and neighbors…all are welcome!
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Click links below for more details:
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From the Lafayette Library and Learning Center |
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Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation and the City of Lafayette Pilot Program: The SWELL Center
Monday - Friday, June 6 - July 29, 2022, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM Daily
The SWELL Center is a casual, drop-in "wellness" space where teens and tweens can find community this summer, modeled after high school wellness centers. Stop by during the week to relax, hang out, eat lunch, and engage in whatever activities interest you. Programming may include active and self-guided activities (board games, books, cards), new friends, community improvement projects, and peer support. Food and drink allowed.
Drop-in for middle and high school students.
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Sweet Thursday presents Lee Kravetz: The Last Confessions of Sylvia P.
Thursday, June 30, 2022, 7:00 PM | Don Tatzin Community Hall
A seductive literary mystery and multigenerational story inspired by true events, The Last Confessions of Sylvia P. imaginatively brings into focus the period of promise and tragedy that marked the writing of Sylvia Plath's modern classic The Bell Jar. Lee Kravetz uses a prismatic narrative formed from three distinct fictional perspectives to bring Plath to life--that of her psychiatrist, a rival poet, and years later, a curator of antiquities.
This is an in-person live event. We will notify you if it becomes an online Zoom program due to the changing COVID circumstances.
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American Red Cross Blood Drive
Tuesday, June 28, 2021
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Don Tatzin Community Hall
The Lafayette Library Foundation is a Premier Partner of the Red Cross, which has received hundreds of live-saving donations at the Library thanks to donors like you! Donating is a safe process and eligible individuals are strongly urged to give blood or platelets.
The American Red Cross will test all blood, platelet and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies as an additional health service to our donors.
To schedule an appointment go to: redcrossblood.org/give or call 1-800-733-2767 and use Sponsor Code: lafayettelibrary.
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Do you have an event or announcement to share with our membership and/or the community? You can add your event to our online calendar, no login required (we simply need to approve it before it will display.) Add your event HERE. Questions? Contact holly@lafayettechamber.org.
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Show Your Membership!
Would you like to include a Lafayette Chamber membership emblem on your website or other marketing materials?
The Lafayette Chamber would be happy to provide you with the appropriate logos. Simply email your request to holly@lafayettechamber.org.
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Sign up for Text Notifications!
Please note: to signup via text you will be asked for your birthdate. This information is not stored, it is only used for verify you are over 21 years of age.
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