These past months have been difficult for our businesses. The San Diego Union Tribune wants to help! They have created a FREE opportunity for businesses to let the public know through their marketing campaign - “Yes, We’re Open.” This campaign lists your business name, address, phone number and web site in ads they print in the newspaper and their online directory.

It’s simple, visit SanDiegoUnionTribune.com/OpenForBusiness to view more and to fill out the form to list your business in print and online – FREE of charge!

If you need help or questions - call Mary England 619-251-7730 and we will be glad to assist you!

With new figures released Saturday, county’s toll is 1,857 deaths since the pandemic began. More than 190,000 people in the county have tested positive for coronavirus infection. San Diego County hospitals reported an increase in hospitalized patients Saturday, bringing the current total to 1,755 people, including 412 in intensive care units. 

Driven by demands from medical professionals, San Diego County will partner with UC San Diego and the Padres to launch its biggest coronavirus vaccination effort to date starting on Monday January 11th. The aim is to put 5,000 shots into arms daily, drawing down a supply of more than 100,000 doses received by the county health department and kept in cold storage for weeks. Dubbed a “Vaccination Super Station,” the operation will occupy the tailgate parking lot across the street from Petco Park. The plan is to work on a drive-thru basis. The county announced that all those in the “1A” tier of its multilevel vaccination schedule will now be eligible for vaccination. That includes about 500,000 heath care workers and employees and residents of long-term care facilities. The county is partnering with UC San Diego to pull together enough volunteers to make the event possible. This new partnership will require hundreds of UC San Diego Health team members to help out. The San Diego County Medical Society will also be looking for volunteers to help out. Source: The San Diego Union Tribune – Gary Robbins.

NOTE: The full list of people eligible is provided on the county’s website, covering a broad swath of health care professionals, paramedics, pharmacists, and nursing home residents and staff. Those who fall into these categories should contact their health care provider or visit www.VaccinationSuperStationSD.com and those without a provider should call 2-1-1 or visit 211sandiego.org.

We have over 70 positions open right now! Anyone who is interested should send in their resume. Many of the positions are long-term, contract-to-hire with an opportunity to be converted to a permanent employee.

The deadline for these funds was extended to January 13th 11:59 p.m. This opportunity for funding is for small businesses and nonprofits harmed by the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent shutdowns can apply for additional funding through a new California grant program, that was announced last week. The Governor announced earlier this month that $500 million in grant funds would be available for California businesses. The aid is meant to supplement additional aid offered through the federal stimulus bill President Donald Trump signed last Sunday. Businesses can apply to receive funding through the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program: www.californiasbdc.org/covid-19-relief-grant

Governor Newsom sent a budget to the California Legislation on Friday, January 8th that calls for swift and expansive boost in the state government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, earmarking much of an unallocated tax revenue windfall for efforts to help workers and businesses, boost public health and speed up the reopening of public school classrooms. The proposal dedicates more than $14 billion to an array of coronavirus relief initiatives, while setting aside money in support of virus vaccination efforts and almost $3 billion in short-term cash reserves if additional needs arise. Newsom urged lawmakers to take action on the most pressing issues – including an extension of the state’s moratorium on evictions and funding for California’s COVID-19 vaccination push-by the end of the month. The centerpiece of the governor’s economic stimulus plan – a $4.5 billion blueprint announced last week, would provide cash infusions to existing state programs that offer tax credits to businesses and apprenticeship programs affiliated with community colleges. Money would also go to expediting housing construction in urban and neighborhood settings, and subsidies for low-income Californians to purchase zero emissions cars and trucks. An additional $500 million would be available for tax credits to encourage the creation of additional housing for low-income Californians. Newsom also proposed cash payments of $600 to the state’s lowest-wageworkers, funds to hopefully be distributed in February or March and estimated to cost $2.4 billion. He also asked lawmakers to fast-track the use of $2.6 billion in federal funds for struggling tenants and new assistance for property owners whose mortgage payments are in jeopardy as a result of unpaid rent. Source: The San Diego Union Tribune – John Myers. 

Have you recovered from COVID-19? If so, the San Diego Blood Bank needs your help. As coronavirus cases continue to climb, the Blood Bank’s stores of convalescent plasma are approaching critically low levels. Convalescent plasma is taken from people who have recovered from COVID-19. When infused into patients still battling the disease, it can help bolster their immune response. Floating in blood plasma are antibodies, a type of protein the body uses to hunt down invaders like viruses and then mark them for destruction. The need for plasma across the country has increased from 10,000 plasma does a day to 25,000 does a day. For more information about donating, visit sandiegobloodbank.org. Source: The San Diego Union Tribune – Lyndsay Winkley.

The County of San Diego is seeking proposals to prevent, prepare for, and respond to Coronavirus among individuals and families experiencing homelessness and at-risk of homelessness. The intent is to mitigate the impacts created by Coronavirus within the ESG jurisdiction of San Diego County, with an emphasis on serving those areas within the Urban County (the emergency shelter may be located in any region within the County but must serve those experiencing homelessness in the Urban County).

Eligible activities include:

San Diego County Credit Union® (SDCCU®), one of Southern California’s largest locally-owned financial institutions, has partnered with the San Diego County Library System in support of the Live Well San Diego initiative to host Financial Wellness Wednesdays. From January through March, SDCCU will host Financial Wellness Wednesdays webinars on a variety of topics aimed at improving financial health. The closures of non-essential businesses due to the stay-at-home orders because of the COVID-19 pandemic has put so many families in difficult financial situations, which is why financial education is even more important this year. The entire community is encouraged to attend a webinar as part of this year’s Financial Wellness Wednesdays program.

SDCCU offers more than a dozen different FWW webinar topics that include something for every stage of life including, but not limited to; Building a Better Budget, The Psychology of Spending, 30 Ways to Trim Your Budget, Teens and Money, The Keys to Homeownership, Rebuilding after a Financial Crisis, Current Scams and How to Protect Your Finances, Millennial’s Guide to Savings, Elder Financial Fraud Awareness and SDCCU’s Biz Kid$ to help teach kids about money and business.

Financial Wellness Wednesdays webinar topics rotate weekly. The current schedule is located at sdccu.com/fww.

​As one of California’s largest locally-owned financial institution and a Live Well San Diego partner, SDCCU is dedicated to improving overall economic well-being by engaging in several financial wellness efforts. Research shows that poor financial health can often lead to diminished physical health. Also, evidence suggests that the average high-school graduate lacks basic skills to manage personal finances, many young people experience difficulty balancing a checkbook and half of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. Since the onset of the pandemic, the need and demand for financial counseling and education has only increased. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 71 percent of households face difficulty saving because of expenses they didn’t plan for and 50 percent of Americans struggle to make ends meet after a financial shock. Unfortunately, this pandemic, could be the cause of a financial shock for some due to the closures of non-essential businesses. Additionally, 61 percent of Americans do not have a budget according to Experian. SDCCU is committed to helping change these statistics through the financial education of our communities.

For access to financial wellness resources, visit sdccu.com/knowledge.

The County Board of Supervisors launched Live Well San Diego in 2010 with the goal of achieving healthy, safe and thriving communities across the region by partnering with community and city leaders, schools, businesses, non-profit organizations and residents.

Starting today, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) announced they are now accepting applications for the California Competes Tax Credit (CCTC). The CCTC is an income tax credit available to businesses that want to locate in California or stay and grow in California. Businesses of any industry, size, or location compete for over $180 million available in tax credits by applying in one of the three application periods each year. Applicants will be analyzed based on twelve different factors of evaluation, including number of full-time jobs being created, amount of investment, and strategic importance to the state or region.

For fiscal year 2019-2020, GO-Biz will accept applications for the California Competes Tax Credit during the following periods:

 

Learn more at https://business.ca.gov/california-competes-tax-credit/

As of January 4, Dentists acting within the scope of this Order may independently initiate and administer to persons 16 years of age or older any COVID-19 vaccines that are approved or authorized by the FDA, as specified, and may also initiate and administer epinephrine or diphenhydramine by injection for the treatment of a severe allergic reaction.

To promote access to capital, initially only community financial institutions will be able to make First Draw PPP Loans on Monday, January 11, and Second Draw PPP Loans on Wednesday, January 13. The PPP will open to all participating lenders shortly thereafter. This round of the PPP continues to prioritize millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing up to $284B toward job retention and certain other expenses through March 31, 2021, and by allowing certain existing PPP borrowers to apply for a Second Draw PPP Loan.

Key updates include:

For more information on SBA’s assistance to small businesses, visit http://sba.gov/ppp or http://treasury.gov/cares

Lower temperatures and spending more time at home this winter may increase your energy costs. With the arrival of the new year, we remain committed to helping you find more ways to save.

You are able to order food for “take out” and you may “pick up” meals at these restaurants. You may check the websites of these restaurants to see what food delivery services they use to make your dining experience easy and convenient.