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Thursday, September 16, 2021 | View as Webpage
OC COMMUNITY INDICATORS TODAY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RECAP, SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF GRANTS, A NOD TO TWO OC WATER AGENCIES AND MORE!
HOT OFF THE PRESS
THIS MORNING! 2021-22 ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY INDICATORS REPORT ROLLOUT:
  • Don't miss OCBC's virtual release of the 2021-22 OC Community Indicators, which tracks the region’s health and prosperity and shows where the county is performing well and making progress. Join us at 11 a.m. to hear Dr. Wallace Walrod, OCBC's Chief Economic Advisor, and a panel of experts present and discuss highlights from this year's report! A special thank you to report and event partners, CalOptima, First 5 Orange County, Orange County Community Foundation and Orange County United Way. Thanks to our partner and sponsor support, attendance is complimentary. Registration is required. Register now!

ICYMI! ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING RECAP:
  • Yesterday, Jim Mayfield, Director, U.S. Export Assistance Center – Orange County, and Trelynd Bradley, Senior Business Development Specialist – Los Angeles Region, Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, joined OCBC for a discussion on how to support OC businesses. Highlights of their presentation include how to identify lucrative markets for exports, why OC is attractive to companies that want to gain direct access to the U.S. market or reshore their operations, an overview of CA programs that support the business community and major incentives for expansion and retention of CA businesses. For more information or to be connected to the presenters, contact Jesse Ben-Ron, OCBC Vice President, Workforce and Economic Development.

REGIONAL BROADBAND WORKSHOP: CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE:
  • Join OCBC and members of the Los Angeles / Orange County Regional Broadband Consortia for a virtual workshop on Oct. 8, highlighting examples of successful public-private partnerships and regional leadership that bring high quality internet service to residents, students, and businesses across SoCal. Register here.

TODAY! RELIEF GRANT APPLICATION WEBINAR:
  • Economic Resources Corporation is hosting an informational webinar on Gov. Newsom's comprehensive package providing urgent relief for CA small businesses today at 10 a.m. The Relief Grant application process is based on annual gross revenues for the 2019 tax year. Register here. 
ADVOCACY
LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDS WITH KEY VICTORIES FOR OCBC AND BIZ COMMUNITY:
  • On Friday, the Legislature made final decisions on key bills. Numerous bills supported by OCBC, including telecommunications priorities AB 537 and SB 556 and housing bills SB 9 and SB 10, await the Governor’s signature. Several opposed bills did not make it past the Legislature, thanks to OCBC and business advocacy statewide, such as AB 1395, an ambitious emissions reduction bill with undefined policies, and AB 1041, which would have broadly extended family leave and exposed employers to litigation. Some opposed bills were sent to the Governor, including AB 701, which targets warehouse employers with onerous regulations. See OCBC’s tracked bills here.
COVID-19 FACTS
VACCINES PROVIDE HOPE FOR COVID-19 VARIANTS:
  • In a press release, Pfizer-BioNTech announced that it is currently developing a COVID vaccine that “targets the full spike protein of the Delta variant." Clinical trials are underway. Philip Felgner, PhD, the director of the UCI'S Vaccine Research and Development Center, believes COVID-19 vaccines capable of tackling variants could soon be a reality thanks to agile technology. Learn more.

OCHCA'S LATEST UPDATES:
The County is waiting for authorization by the FDA and recommendation by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) before offering booster shots. Currently, only additional doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are being offered to individuals ages 12+ with moderate to severe immune compromise conditions.

What's the difference between an additional dose versus a booster dose?
  • An additional dose is intended to improve immunocompromised people’s response to their initial vaccine series. Whereas a booster dose refers to another dose of vaccine given to someone who built enough protection after vaccination, but that protection has decreased over time (known as waning immunity).
TURNING RED TAPE INTO RED CARPET NOMINEE SPOTLIGHT
OCVSO’S EXPANDING DISABILITY RESOURCES FOR VETERANS:
Orange County Veterans Service Office (OCVSO)’s partnership with the Dayle McIntosh Center is nominated for the Public-Private Partnership Award! OCVSO serves nearly 108,000 veterans in OC, nearly a third of whom report having a disability. The partnership broadens OCVSO’s programs and services for clients with disabilities, including offering independent living skills, budgeting and cooking classes, demonstrations on how to use assistive technology, housing assistance and more. From June 2021 to August 2021, 29 veterans and their dependents have been successfully connected with programs and services that meet their needs.
IPD’S UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEM COMMAND VEHICLE:
Irvine Police Department (IPD)'s Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Command Vehicle is nominated for the Incorporating Innovative Technology Award! IPD developed a unique UAS Command Vehicle for its drone team to significantly reduce the time needed to complete critical tasks and reduce first responders’ exposure to hazardous situations. Its mobility and ease of deployment sets IPD apart from the standard application of this technology in police and fire services. The UAS Command Vehicle is also used regularly by OC Fire Authority to map the perimeters of wildfires.
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
OC'S EXCELLENCE IN WATER ACKNOWLEDGED:
  • California Municipal Utilities Association recognized two OC water agencies for their achievements. Mesa Water received a customer service award for its Good Neighbor Initiative that connects water officials with community members, and Orange County Water District was honored for launching the nation's largest program to remove PFAS pollutants from groundwater supplies. Businesses rely on clean and consistent sources of water to thrive in OC's robust economy, and OCBC appreciates the leadership from all our public agencies!
UPCOMING EVENTS AND MEETINGS
EVENTS
2021 Workforce Development Conference
October 7 | 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Join OCBC virtually for the 2021 Workforce Development Conference to hear how Orange County leaders are strengthening diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, how childcare impacts employees, some of the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and much more!
Thank you, Title Sponsor, Union Bank; Gold Sponsors, Amazon and California State University, Fullerton; Goodwill of Orange County, and LAOCRC; and Silver Sponsor, Wells Fargo. Register today!

CSUF/OCBC 27th Annual Economic Forecast Conference
October 20 | 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Join OCBC and California State University, Fullerton virtually for the 27th Annual Economic Forecast Conference: A Brave New World – Resiliency, Recovery and Reflation on October 20! You won’t want to miss critical economic insight presented by Dr. Anil Puri and Dr. Mira Farka, CSUF. Thank you Title Sponsor, U.S. Bank, Presenting Sponsor, Experian, Platinum Sponsor, Commercial Bank of California, Gold Sponsors, Infinity Bank and Wells Fargo, and Corporate Sponsor, Coast Community College District. Thanks to our incredible sponsors, this event is complimentary to attend. Register today!

For more information about OCBC Events contact Lauren Martin, OCBC Events Manager.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS*
October 1 | 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Join OCBC virtually to hear from Rob Moutrie, Policy Advocate with CalChamber, for an update on current and future vaccination requirements and their impact on the business community.
OCBC members, contact Connor Medina, OCBC Government Affairs Manager, to register.

October 12 | 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Join OCBC virtually to receive an update on the federal infrastructure bill from Ed Mortimer, Vice President of Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. Chamber.
OCBC members, contact Connor Medina, OCBC Government Affairs Manager, to register.

October 19 | 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Join OCBC virtually for the next installment of employer conversations around DE&I topics
OCBC members, register here.

*OCBC Committee meetings are an exclusive benefit offered to OCBC members.
NOT AN OCBC MEMBER? JOIN TODAY!
Join OCBC and connect with the most influential companies and top executives actively engaged in creating a pro-business environment and prosperous economy. Hundreds of Orange County's leading businesses, cities and non-profit organizations represent an elite group from every industry cluster. But we need YOUR VOICE! For more info, contact Natalie Rubalcava, OCBC Chief Operating Officer.