In case you missed last week's email blast: May 11 Eblast

We have NOT been together in the same room at an event since March 12th, 2020. That is why we are SO EXCITED to invite you to attend these evening ribbon cuttings and mixers for new members in person! Join us and meet these new members (safely) at their businesses and get acquainted. We plan to follow all safety precautions at these events and have limited the number of people that may attend due to the current County of San Diego health restrictions. Our new members are anxious to meet you and showcase their business and what they offer – be sure and bring your business cards! Here is the lineup of upcoming in-person events that have been scheduled to date:

May 19 - La Mesa Wine Works Evening Mixer and Ribbon Cutting : 5:30-7pm at 8167 Center Street, La Mesa | Details/RSVP

May 26 - Next Door Craft Beer & Wine Bar Ribbon Cutting : 5:30-7pm at 7235 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA 92115 | Details/RSVP

June 3 - I-Que BBQ Evening Mixer and Ribbon Cutting : 5:30-7pm at 8733 Broadway, La Mesa | Details/RSVP

On Wednesday, May 6th the lines were “out the door” as people continued to arrive and visit one of the newest businesses in La Mesa, the Pink Rose Café. You can’t miss this new business. Look for the pink painted building, with the pink flower cart in front at 8209 La Mesa Boulevard. 

When you enter this beautifully decorated café, you are immediately greeted by the “wall” of roses while you stand in line to place your order. If all of those roses are not enough to “wow you, ” the huge bouquet of pink roses over the bakery case, or the other wall of roses will certainly make an impression! 

The community came out to join in the ribbon cutting and share their “good wishes” to Nadia Zamora and her Husband Jose Guzman. Mayor Arapostathis arrived to help with a ribbon cutting, as well as Vice Mayor Jack Shu and Councilmember Colin Parent. Members of the Union Bank management team, Carlton Hill and Rana Sampson were also on hand to wish Nadia and Jose their best wishes. Supervisor Joel Anderson sent his staff to present a Certificate of Recognition, Council Member Colin Parent presented a Certificate on behalf of the City of La Mesa and the La Mesa Chamber made several presentations.  

We encourage you to take a stroll down La Mesa Boulevard and stop in this tastefully decorated new café, that serves freshly brewed coffee, locally sourced bakery items and more! The service is terrific, and you will feel welcome the minute you step in the door!

Special thank you to our photographer, Sandra Small/ Photographer.

Employees from the La Mesa Police Department – officers, detectives, management staff and communications staff will be out and about and available to have casual conversations with members of the community. They can be seen at the following locations on the dates listed below:

Along University Avenue – Between 70th & Massachusetts

9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Along La Mesa Boulevard -Between Spring Street to Acacia

2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

La Mesa Springs Shopping Center (Vons Shopping Center)

8011 University Avenue

10:00 a.m. -12 noon

After days of mixed messaging from the state and federal government, San Diegans are struggling to determine if and when they need to mask up. Public officials have been eager to ease mask mandates as the COVID-19 vaccine rollout reaches more people. But they are trying to do so gradually and without creating potential for fresh surges in cases and hospitalizations.

That has led to some confusion, starting on last Tuesday, when the Governor said that California’s mask mandate would essentially end by June 15. He then clarified on Wednesday that indoor masking would likely continue beyond that date. But on Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that fully vaccinated people don’t need to wear masks in most situations – indoors or outdoors. The CDC noted that states, local governments and businesses could apply stricter standards, and the Governor’s Office tweeted on Thursday that it was reviewing this guidance. There is much confusion among businesses on this subject. The county spokesman, Michael Workman said, “San Diego awaits further guidance from CDPH on any change or loosening of mask requirements." Source – The San Diego Union Tribune – Jonathan Wosen & Lauren J. Mapp.

The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sunday defended the decision to ease mask wearing guidance for fully vaccinated people, stressing that increasing political pressure had nothing to do with the abrupt shift in guidelines. “I’m delivering the science as the science is delivered to the medical journals. And it evolved,” CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said on “Fox News Sunday.” “I deliver it as soon as I can when we have that information available.”

Under the new guidelines released last week, fully vaccinated people - those who are two weeks past their final doses of COVID-19 vaccine – can quit wearing masks outdoors in crowds and in most indoor settings and give up social distancing. However, partially vaccinated or unvaccinated people should continue wearing masks, the agency said. The guidance also still calls for masks in crowded indoor settings, including buses, airplanes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters. Printed May 17th – Source - The San Diego Union Tribune – Associated Press.

A growing number of major retailers are lifting mask requirements for those who are fully inoculated after new federal guidance, largely moving to an honor system in which they trust that only vaccinated people will bare their faces.

The guidance lists the masking requirement for fully vaccinated people in most settings – though not on transit, in health care facilities or in congregate settings – while affirming that state and local regulations should still be respected. Fully vaccinated, according to the guidance, means two weeks after receiving a second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech’s or Moderna’s vaccine, or the singular dose of Johnson & Johnson’s.

Walmart announced Friday that fully vaccinated customers would no longer need to wear masks, and that fully vaccinated employees would no longer need to - as of Tuesday. Costco and Publix are also lifting mask requirements for vaccinated people. Starbucks will also, make masks optional for vaccinated customers starting Monday, unless local regulations require them. Many retailers said they would not require proof of vaccination. Costco, for instance, said it would instead “ask for members’ responsible and respectful cooperation with this revised policy.”

Trader Joe’s will no longer make vaccinated customer wear masks, although face coverings are still required for employees, stated their spokesperson. Some retailers like Target and CVS, though, plan to continue mandating face coverings for shoppers for now.

The new guidance, released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, came as a surprise to many Americans. For months, federal officials warned that wearing masks and social distancing were necessary to control the spread of the virus. Printed May 16th - Source– The San Diego Union Tribune – Madeleine Ngo. 

Cases & Variant Update (as of 5/11/21):

The County of San Diego is increasing access to COVID-19 vaccines by working with partners and stakeholders to host vaccination events. They encourage organization that have the space to host a vaccination event to submit a request form: app.smartsheet.com/b/form/7c0cb63db1994b54b5960ae0a9c313e1.

The County staff or a partner organization will review the information submitted and respond within 5 business days. For questions please reach out to CovidVaxInquiry.HHSA@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Note: The County will do their best to accommodate preferences but cannot guarantee that all preferences will be met, or all requested events can be confirmed.

San Diego County residents financially impacted by COVID-19 who need help paying their rent and utilities may qualify for assistance.

Applications for the County of San Diego’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) 2021 serves all area of San Diego region except for the cites of San Diego and Chua Vista. The application will be open until all available funding has been used.

If you are a resident of the cities of San Diego and Chua Vista, or if you are not sure which program serves your area, you can visit www.ERAPsandiego.org.

La Mesa will hold a special election to fill the seat vacated by Dr. Akilah Weber. Weber won a special election in April to represent the 79th Assembly District. The question is: When will the vote take place? By law, the La Mesa City Council must make a decision by the middle of June on when to hold the election. An election has to be called 60 days from Weber’s resigned her seat. So, to get the largest number of voters and possibly save on costs, the City Council is looking to its election planned with the recall election of California Governor Gavin Newsom. The Registrar of Voters estimated the cost of a special election to be $550,000 to $850,000, based on prior elections similar in size. However, the number could go up or down if the date of La Mesa’s special election is the same date as the governor’s recall vote. The City Council will have to make a resolution to call a special election. June 8 is the last regularly scheduled council meeting before the city’s 60-day deadline to call for one. If Newsom’s recall election is not called by that date, the city’s plan is to hold a special meeting. Otherwise, the council will wait to hold a special meeting June 18 to call for a special election. Source – The San Diego Union Tribune – Karen Pearlman.

Sacramento – California would embark on the most ambitious era of government spending since the boom times of the mid-20th century under the budget proposed on May 14th by the Governor, an effort aimed at tackling some of the state’s most vexing problems with a bonanza of tax dollars surpassing even the most optimistic predictions. The Governor’s list of spending priorities, which rely on a surprise cash infusion spread over several years that is projected to ultimately top $100 billion, includes money to house those who are homeless, support entrepreneurs, train workers, educate students and connect them to the Internet, fix roadways, prevent wildfires and strengthen California’s power grid. This multiyear investment seeks to make fixes as population growth has stalled and race and income inequities have risen. His budget proposes to scoop up an excess of tax dollars – expected to surpass $75 billion – largely paid by those at the top of the socioeconomic ladder and redistribute them to those struggling to climb from the bottom. The plan is buttressed by $27 billion the state will receive from the American Rescue Plan, the federal relief law signed by the President in March and available for a variety of expenses through the end of 2024.  About half of the money would be used to lessen the economic impacts of the pandemic, including $2 billion for residents’ unpaid utility bills and smaller amounts for things such as paying off traffic fines for low-income Californians and college stipends for students who perform volunteer work. The budget proposed Friday, May14th would spend $267.8 billion in the 2021-2022 fiscal year, an increase of more than $40 billion from his budget unveiled in January. Source - The San Diego Union Tribune – John Myers.

Sacramento – The Governor wants to use a sliver of the state’s massive budget surplus to give poor people money each month with no rules on how they spend it. Newsom’s budget proposal, announced Friday, May 14th, includes $35 million over five years to pay for “universal basic income pilot programs.” The idea is to give poor people money each month to help ease the stresses of poverty that can make it harder to find fulltime jobs and stay healthy.

It’s believed to be the first statewide funding for such programs which are gaining traction in cities across the country. Newsom’s goal is to support these local programs so they can produce data to help policymakers decide if the idea will work at a larger scale. Mayors across the country have started their own programs, including one in Oakland earlier this year, Los Angeles announced they would spend $24 million to provide $1,000 per month to 2,000 households a year “with no questions asked.” Newsom’s proposal would not create a statewide guaranteed income program. Instead, it would help pay for local governments to start their own programs. Local governments would have to help pay for it – either using local taxpayer money or finding private donors – and the programs must target low-income families. Source – The San Diego Union Tribune – Adam Beam. 

Evan Siter, CEO of XpertVR will be presenting information of the possibilities of VR and Research. Technology is being used in business to research shopper behavior and employee training processes. This FREE virtual program is available to the first 100 people that reserve their space for this presentation. RSVP to: rsvp@lamesachamber.com. RSVP by May 17th, 5 p.m. to be included.

On Wednesday, May 19th we are ready to celebrate our valued Chamber Member, La Mesa Wine Works, located at 8167 Center Street in La Mesa with an evening mixer and ribbon cutting. The fun begins at 5:30 p.m. and the mixer will continue until 7 p.m. We will have the “official” ribbon cutting at 6 p.m. This evening get-together is long overdue, and we are ready to meet and visit with Linda and Mike McWilliams, who are part of the ownership team of La Mesa Wine Works and are also owners of San Pasqual Winery. Join us and meet the team at La Mesa Wine Works, a cooperative Tasting Room that features premium wines from San Diego County wineries. This special occasion will offer happy hour pricing of wines by the glass at $5.00 a piece and bottles of wine "to go" at $10 per bottle. Enjoy appetizers from local restaurants and raffles are back!

Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. - Ribbon cutting at 6pm

Where: La Mesa Wine Works - 8167 Center Street, La Mesa

Cost: FREE for Chamber members and $5 per guest.

Due to public health and safety, this event is limited to the first 50 people who register. RSVP’s required. RSVP to: rsvp@lamesachamber.com or here.

We look forward to seeing you in person for great wine, good conversation and fun!

La Mesa Wine Works is offering half price wine specials to all nurses & health care workers in May.

Also discounts from our weekend food vendors through May.

May 22nd, 5-9: Motor-Bites

May 28th, 5-9: God Save The Cuisine

We are happy to welcome Next Door Craft Beer & Wine Bar to our business community. This cozy bar has a living room setting, outdoor patio, relaxing atmosphere, and serves a top-notch selection of craft beer and wine, as well as delicious specialty plates - cheese plates and meat & cheese plates, sandwiches - Californian Sandwich, Ham Sandwich, Turkey sandwich, Prosciutto Caprese & Fresh Mozzarella sandwich, salads and more!

Come meet the owners and join us as we welcome them at an evening mixer from 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. with the "official" ribbon cutting happening at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 26th. Hors d’oeuvres will be served and happy hour pricing will be offered throughout the night. Visit nextdoorsandiego.com or call 619-303-0988.

Date & Time: Wednesday, May 26th between 5:30 - 7 p.m.

Location: 7235 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA 92115

Hors d’oeuvres will be served, and enoy happy hour pricing!

Cost: FREE for Chamber members and $5 per guest.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions RSVP's are required and limited to the first 30 people: rsvp@lamesachamber.com or register online.

On Thursday, June 3rd we invite you to meet the owners of the newest barbecue restaurant in La Mesa, I-Que BBQ. We are celebrating an evening mixer, where you can sample bites of their famous BBQ. Mix and mingle and be a part of the ribbon cutting that will happen at 6 p.m. Opening a business during this pandemic is a challenge, so we encourage you to come on out and meet these new business owners and show our support of their desire to open their BBQ business and share their BBQ recipes with us.

Time: 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

“Official" Ribbon cutting at 6:00 p.m.

Location: I-Que BBQ at 8733 Broadway -La Mesa

Cost: FREE for Chamber Members and $5 per person for guests

Due to COVID-19 restrictions RSVP’s are required and limited to the first 30 people: rsvp@lamesachamber.com or register online.

State Senator Brian W. Jones (R-Santee) recently called on Governor Gavin Newsom to order the Department of State Hospitals (DSH) to stop trying to release sexually violent predators (SVPs) in unsuspecting residential neighborhoods throughout California. Jones was specifically reacting to recent attempts by DSH to place two SVPs in East San Diego County.

In the last several weeks‚ the DSH plan to place Douglas Badger and Merle Wakefield‚ both dangerous SVPs‚ into a home in Mt. Helix was exposed and community protests ensued. This week‚ San Diego County Superior Court Judge Albert Harutunian disallowed Wakefield’s placement in the home but Badger’s approval to live in the same location on Mt. Helix is still pending.

In 1994‚ state officials tried to parole convicted serial rapist Melvin Carter into several Bay Area communities. Wilson overruled his own staff and ordered that Carter be sent to spend his parole in a trailer at the Devil’s Garden Fire Conservation Camp in Modoc County.

In 1987‚ the state tried to parole sadistic torturer-rapist Lawrence Singleton to several Bay Area communities. Deukmejian ordered that Singleton instead serve out his parole in a trailer on the grounds of San Quentin Prison.

If you would like to watch the full interview on KUSI News‚ you can click here to view the video.

In the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, SDG&E put emergency customer protections in place to help ease the financial burden many Southern Californians were suddenly feeling. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has extended the emergency customer protections to June 30, 2021. Normal business operations will resume on July 1, 2021.

To see how SDG&E can help, visit sdge.com/covid and answer a few easy questions.

If you are an SDG&E business customer, normal credit and collection practices are scheduled to resume July 1, 2021. Avoid disconnection and set up a payment plan and rest easy knowing you’re covered. Visit sdge.com/recovery to learn more.

Online Services: You may complete your DMV business by ways other than visiting DMV offices. The DMV has revamped their website to be more user friendly and now offers both self-service tasks and assisted tasks, among other improvements. They have also expanded eligibility to conduct business online (to seniors for example), even if their mail notice states they need to visit in person.

REAL ID: A REAL ID is a federally accepted form of ID that can replace your current California ID. A REAL ID or passport will be required to board domestic flights, visit secure federal facilities such as military bases or courthouses. The enforcement date was extended to May 3, 2023 but consumers still should get a REAL ID sooner rather than later.

The American Red Cross is offering to educate our community virtually on safety and how to reduce home fire deaths and injuries. Did you know that home fires are the most common emergency across the country? Each year the Red Cross responds to an average of more than 60,000 disasters, the vast majority are home fires. Home fires claim SEVEN lives every day!

The Red Cross is now scheduling virtual home fire safety education sessions in our community. You will learn how to create a safety plan, and how to stop home fires before they start. The campaign to reduce home fire-related deaths and injuries looks different this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When it’s safe, they will be partnering with fire departments to install smoke alarms in homes.

These personalized sessions can be requested by calling 619-354-9609 or by signing up on their website at SoundTheAlarm.org/SoCal. The flyer below provides all the information you need.

The Chamber encourages you to sign up and schedule your personalized Free Home Fire Education session NOW. Together, we can stop home fire deaths and injuries!

May 19 - La Mesa Wine Works Evening Mixer and Ribbon Cutting : 5:30-7pm at 8167 Center Street, La Mesa | Details/RSVP

May 26 - Next Door Craft Beer & Wine Bar Ribbon Cutting : 5:30-7pm at 7235 El Cajon Blvd., San Diego, CA 92115 | Details/RSVP

June 3 - I-Que BBQ Evening Mixer and Ribbon Cutting : 5:30-7pm at 8733 Broadway, La Mesa | Details/RSVP

July 21 - "Summer Bash" Business Expo : 5-8pm at Courtyard by Marriott San Diego El Cajon | Details/RSVP