In case you missed last week's e-blast: October 23 Eblast

Whatever you do, wherever you go – Enjoy Halloween and be safe!

The thirteenth annual Salute to Local Heroes held on October 13th at Sycuan Casino Resort was a night of celebration. This evening was our opportunity to gather and honor those that are dedicated to the citizens of La Mesa and our community. The Wachena Ballroom was artfully decorated by Joanie Ham and her team from La Mesa Floral Design Shoppe and looked very patriotic that blended with our red, white, and blue theme.

This year’s heroes that were honored were: American Medical Response – Paramedic Keith Martin and EMT Eric Wood, Heartland Fire & Rescue –Firefighter Paramedic, Neil Carter, Firefighter Paramedic, John Oslovar, La Mesa Police Department – Police Services Specialist, Jennifer Buckel, and Detective Daniel Garcia, La Mesa Police Department Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol – Joe Wright, Sharp Grossmont Hospital – Nurse Manager, Tania Jones and Manager, Emergency Department, Paul R. Larimore.

The Chamber is grateful to the sponsors who make this evening possible. To date we thank our Title Sponsor - Sycuan Casino Resort, Presenting Sponsors – EDCO and AMR. They are joined by the following sponsors: Diamond Sponsor – SDG&E, Sapphire Sponsor – McGee Mechanical, Ruby Sponsors – Kirk Paving, Inc. and The Kitzman Family, Emerald Sponsors – Amanda Hammett Insurance & Financial Services – State Farm, AT&T, Carl Burger Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM World, San Diego Eye Professionals, USA Properties Fund, and Westmont of La Mesa, Garnet Sponsors – A.I.C., Inc., California Coast Credit Union – La Mesa, Fully Promoted EmbroidMe La Mesa, Kappa Surveying & Engineering and Oakwood Escrow La Mesa.

The Artistic Designer for the evening is La Mesa Floral Design Shoppe, joined by Print Sponsor AAA Imaging and Graphic Designer – Kostedt Design & Marketing. The evening was captured by Directors of Photography Sandra Small/ Photography and Photographer, Yvette Zehner of Eviezphotography.com.

Photos courtesy of Sandra Small/ Photographer and Eviezphotography.com.

The group that gathered at West Coast Smoke & Tap House on October 21st were greeted by friendly staff and happy hour beer prices and happy hour food specials. Kristina, one of the owners, was a warm and gracious hostess and we were happy to meet her, her son and Husband. All the food was fabulous, and those who had the tri-tip platter were raving about that menu item.

It was great to meet members, potential members, and friends at this neighborhood pub. This neighborhood pub serves great food, with specials each day in addition to items on the regular menu. They pride themselves on having a rotating draft beer selection featuring some of the finest brews around. Assembly Member, 79th District, Akilah Weber M.D. sent her representative Moana Cabiles to present a certificate of recognition to the team, joined by Supervisor Joel Anderson’s representative, Alicia Corona who also resented a certificate of appreciation. The La Mesa Chamber President & CEO, Mary England presented a certificate from La Mesa Mayor Mark Arapostathis, another from the La Mesa Chamber and the Chamber Membership Plaque to complete the evening.

When you want to have a great selection of beers, a great sandwich, BBQ, pulled port, chicken, or more, visit the West Coast Smoke & Tap House at 6126 Lake Murry Blvd., in La Mesa, you’ll be glad you did!

Photos courtesy of Sandra Small/ Photographer.

Join us at the Evening Mixer at Hooleys Public House at Grossmont Center!

5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Location: Hooleys Public House

5500 Grossmont Center Dr. #277, La Mesa

FREE to ALL Chamber Members

Guests - $15 per person

At Door Guests - $25 per person

It is hard to believe that the end of October is here and the holiday season is right around the corner. During this fall‚ my team and I will continue to work on your behalf and prepare for what I know will be a busy legislative session next year. As always‚ if there is anything I can do to assist you‚ you would like to share your opinion with me or if you need assistance with a state agency‚ please feel free to call my office at 619-596-3136 or email me here or if you would like additional updates on my legislative priorities and how I am working for you in Sacramento‚ you can follow me on Facebook‚ Instagram‚ and Twitter. 

Six of my bills made it to Gov. Newsom’s desk to be signed! Watch my interview to learn more.

I am proud to let you know that my bill SB 584 has been signed. This bill helps protect foster kids from child labor trafficking. Let’s get these kids back to being kids. Learn more.

In addition to SB 584‚ my bill SB 400 has been signed into law and I believe this is a huge win for providing assistance to homeless students! Learn more.

This month I had the opportunity to recognize numerous community organizations and their volunteers for the good work they do in our community such as Goodwill of San Diego‚ Fallbrook Students of the Month‚ La Mesa Chamber of Commerce Heroes‚ the Salvation Army of Escondido Community Champions and most recently the San Diego County Farm Bureau “Farmer of the Year” for 2020, Ken!

In addition to honoring Ken‚ my team and I had the privilege to attend a groundbreaking ceremony to recognize the non-profit Homes for Our Troops for their fantastic donation of two complete custom designed homes for two Marine Corps veterans and their families in Escondido. These homes were custom made for the vets who both lost legs serving on deployment in the Middle East. You can click here to learn more about these men and their service to our country. Thank you CPL Kionte Storey and 1st SGT Ben Homes! 

Every year I look forward to participating in the annual Veterans Stand Down event. This annual event named after the military term “Stand Down” has a tremendous impact on our community and is nothing short of amazing.

This year my office provided nearly 300 Certificates of Appreciation for the hundreds of volunteers who gave of their time and talent to assist our veterans. Together these volunteers‚ organizations and businesses helped: 

If you would like to learn more about the North County Veterans Stand Down and their events‚ you can click here.

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month‚ I recognized five Latino Americans of Senate District 38. Through hard work and a deep love of family‚ Latino Americans have pursued their dreams and contributed to the strength and vitality of California as well as our nation. They have enriched the American experience and excelled in business‚ law‚ politics‚ education‚ community service‚ the arts‚ science‚ and many other fields. We continue to benefit from a rich Latino culture and we are stronger because of the talent and creativity of the many Latino Americans who have shaped our state and nation‚ and certainly San Diego.

We have reopened our student internship program and are encouraging college and high school students to apply today. The fastest way to apply is by visiting my website here and sending me an email indicating your interest. Please have a resume or biography completed and ready to share when we contact you.

This is your opportunity to let your voice be heard! Vote for your favorite people, places, and businesses to help us determine who is the very best in East County. All our winners will be announced in the Best of East County special section publishing on February 11, 2022. Pick up a ballot in The East County Californian or vote online at eccalifornian.com/boec2021

Deadline to vote is November 29, 5pm.

SAVE THE DATE! Join the Business Sector on November 19th from 9AM - 3PM for a FREE training session. The session will be held virtually and instruction will be provided by a County of San Diego medical professional and Public Health Nurse Educator. (Flyer) Click Here to Join Us!

All available COVID-19 vaccines, which includes Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, have been authorized for a booster dose in the United States. Booster dose appointments can be made through MYTURN.CA.GOV. For eligibility questions, click here. 

California is working with partners of all levels to find innovative solutions to tackle global supply chain problems and modernize the processes. 

Learn about programs and services to help Women in Business across America access capital, tap into government contracting, get free counseling, and more! Visit sba.gov/women

The influenza vaccine is now available at doctors’ offices and pharmacies throughout the County and is covered by medical insurance. People who do not have healthcare coverage can get vaccinated at one of the County’s six Public Health Centers or a local community clinic. You may find flu vaccination sites here. (English and Spanish flyer) 

Before you elected me as your County Supervisor, I made a promise to you all that I would address the issue of homelessness in East County.

I am proud to share that the Board of Supervisors approved my homelessness initiative at this week's board meeting. My measure was written to help find suitable locations for shelters and safe parking lots for those who are experiencing homelessness or living in their vehicles.

These sites will include wrap-around services, so homeless families or individuals receive the support they need to get off the streets. The goal is to put these individuals on a path towards stability, independence, and employment.

Our East County community has the second highest number of homeless individuals in the region, but unfortunately, only one homeless shelter in the entire 2,000 square miles of District 2. I am grateful to my Board of Supervisors colleagues for supporting this transformative homelessness initiative for East County.

I know that this is going to help many but wont help everyone. But this is the beginning of my efforts and we will continue to work hard until there's help for everyone in my district.

It's my job to make government work for you, and for the first time the County will be bringing its deep resources to address the homeless crisis in East County. If you are having an issue with County government and require assistance, please call my office at (619) 441-4327 or email me at Joel.Anderson@sdcounty.ca.gov, and we'd be happy to assist you.

Make a difference in the lives of La Mesa homebound seniors. Each year the Chamber has assisted homebound seniors and this year we shall assist 24. The Chamber is now beginning to gather items for these seniors. It is the goal of the Chamber to collect, purchase and assemble items and place them in large gift baskets and gift bags. All these gift bags are delivered to the selected seniors by the La Mesa Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol. Due to delivery schedule, the deadline to receive the gifts for our seniors is Wednesday, December 1st. This will allow time to wrap all of the items, prepare all of the gift baskets and purchase the items needed. The Chamber plans to make this holiday special for these wonderful members of our community!

We ask that if you wish to donate items from your pantry, please double check the expiration date on those items and make sure they have not expired. Here are items that we suggest you can purchase to donate to this year’s gift baskets: Canned soups, canned vegetables, canned fruits, packets of crackers, packets of pasta or macaroni & cheese, bars of soap, tubes of toothpaste, packs of tissues, bottles of hand soaps, bottles of hand sanitizer, pens and pads of paper. Gift cards in any denomination from the following locations: Walmart, Target, or any grocery store. If you have another items you believe will put a smile on their faces, by all means drop them off! We want to make this a memorable holiday for our home bound seniors again this year.

Remember, all donated items must be received by Wednesday, December 1st to be included in the senior gift baskets and bags. They may be delivered to the La Mesa Chamber office: 8080 La Mesa Blvd., Suite 214, La Mesa to Fran Smith, Monday - Friday between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Mary England is also available 7 days a week to meet donors and pick up those items directly from you. Contact Mary England on her cell at 619-251-7730.

We are reaching out to you today to inform you of an upcoming virtual public workshop on Native Plant Landscaping Policy Options on November 3.

In May, the Board of Supervisors provided direction to consider how the County can encourage the use of native plants in landscaped areas to support biodiversity, foster a market for local expertise and locally-produced nursery stock, provide support for training landscaping professionals and residents, and provide other co-benefits.

The County invites you to participate in our online Native Plant Landscaping Policy Options Virtual Public Workshop. At this meeting, staff will present an overview of the project, describe the process for developing options for Board consideration, and solicit important input from attendees.

The virtual workshop will take place on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, at 6:00 PM. Please use this link to register for the workshop and add the event to your calendar. You will receive a confirmation e-mail and a numeric passcode to participate in the meeting.

You can stay involved in the Native Plant Landscaping Policy Options project by visiting our project website to follow project updates, workshop recordings, and upcoming outreach and meeting dates. Make sure to subscribe to email notifications at the link on the webpage to receive important project notices and information.

For additional information, or to submit comments, email Meghan.Kelly@sdcounty.ca.gov in your preferred language or call (619) 323-6462.

Did you know that SDG&E provides webinars for business owners and trade professionals, and most are at no cost? You or your employees can learn about the latest in green building practices, technology and energy-saving solutions from industry experts. Some of October’s topics include:

Certifications and continuing education units are available for many of the classes. Check out the class listing at sdge.com/EIC.

Small Business Stimulus Grant Funding is Available NOW From the County of San Diego – We Are District 2

The County of San Diego has received funds from the federal government’s American Recovery Plan Act. This grant is to provide economic assistance to help businesses and non-profit entities impacted by COVID-19. This financial assistance will be allocated to eligible, qualified small businesses and nonprofit entities based on the availability of funds, program guideline, and the submission of all required information and supporting documentation.

Supervisor Joel Anderson District 2 Supervisor has asked chambers to assist with the paperwork for small businesses to complete the submission application. The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce is happy to help. The La Mesa Chamber has decided to take an extra step in this grant funding process and the recovery of our businesses in La Mesa and announce immediately:

The La Mesa Chamber of Commerce believes that assisting ALL businesses in their recovery from the pandemic and ability to obtain funds from the American Recovery Plan Act should be a priority. We are ALL in this together! Chamber Members and Non-Chamber members, effective immediately, may receive help from Mary England, President & CEO of the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce in filling out all paperwork and answering any questions you may have. Mary may be reached 7 days a week –Maryengland@lamesachamber.com or 619-251-7730 to assist you.

Here is the Small Business Stimulus Grant package and the link: tinyurl.com/smallbizstimulusgrant

If you are NOT sure of how to answer questions on the application or need assistance on clarifying what documents you need to submit – contact Mary England at Maryengland@lamesachamber.com or (619) 251-7730, we are happy to help!

NOTE: If you applied for and received county funds under the other Small Business Stimulus Grant, allocated from the CARES Act funding – YES you may apply for these funds, you just need to list the amount you received from the county on the application.

November 10 - Evening Mixer at Hooleys Public House : 5:30-7pm at Hooleys Public House | 5500 Grossmont Center Dr., La Mesa | Details/RSVP

December 3 - Deadline to donate to the La Mesa Homebound Seniors Holiday Project 2021 | Details

December 7 - Toy Drive for La Mesa Military Families & Party at BJ's : 5:30-7pm at BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse | 5500 Grossmont Center Dr., La Mesa | Details/RSVP