Weekly Headlines------------------------------------ -Week of December 7, 2020
TO: Walnut Creek Businesses
FROM: Teri Killgore, Assistant City Manager
DATE: December 4, 2020
RE: NEW COUNTY HEALTH ORDERS
AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Dear Business Owner/Operator:
As you have likely heard, five of the Bay Area counties – including Contra Costa County – have issued new orders for business operations due to the increase in COVID-19 cases. Effective Sunday, December 6, 2020 at the start of the 10:00 pm curfew, the following changes will be in place: Restaurants – Take-out and delivery only; no indoor or outdoor dining Retail – Maximum 20% capacity indoors Hair/Massage/Nail Salons – No indoor or outdoor service Fitness/Gyms - Outdoor service only (no indoor service) See the complete list of allowed and restricted services identified on the Openings At A Glance. The above changes are in effect until January 4, 2021, or until any additional notification from the County. To read the entire letter with important compliance information, click here.

NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION
Tuesday December 15
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM 
Virtual Zoom Event
(Zoom link will be emailed)

To register, click here.

Join us at our orientation for new members, existing members and prospective members. This Zoom meeting offers an overview of the Chamber, programs and events, public policy initiatives and activities, sponsorship opportunities, networking, and ways to get involved.
HOLIDAY
CELEBRATION
Wednesday, December 16
4:00 – 5:30 PM | Virtual Event
To register, click here.

Let's Make Spirit's Bright!
Special Guest: Chef Lamont
Montperi Catering & Events

The theme for the Holiday BASH is Making Spirit's Bright with friends, fun, and laughter...and a few good spirits.
Chef Lamont, Montperi Catering & Events will get the party started with demonstrations for simple holiday appetizers and drinks you can recreate at home. Come as you are, wear your ugliest sweater, or don your Santa hat or reindeer antlers. Please join us for the opportunity to wish each other a happy holiday season and make a toast to 2021. Chamber and community members are all welcomed. Don't miss the fun!

To register, click here.
Zoom link sent by email the day of BASH
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
Left to right: Sunny Singh, Urooj Kazmi, Malcolm Sproul
Diablo magazine’s 2020 Threads of Hope
Recognizing community heroes who are changing our world
Live Virtual Event
December 10, 2020
Register here for details and Zoom link
Each year, Diablo magazine recognizes a handful of exceptional individuals who provide vital services in a variety of fields to be featured in the December issue of Diablo magazine and honored at the Threads of Hope live event. This year, three Walnut Creek Chamber members have been chosen to receive the Threads of Hope Award: Sunny Singh, founder, Yours Humanly; Urooj Kazmi, volunteer, Contra Costa Crisis Center; and Malcolm Sproul, board member, Save Mount Diablo. Please help us celebrate and honor these local heroes whose selfless dedication to volunteerism is strengthening the fabric of our community. Register for the December 10 Zoom event, and read about all five 2020 Threads of Hope honorees in Diablo magazine online here.

Chamber Seeking to Fill Position Opened with President /CEO Jay Hoyer's Retirement


WALNUT CREEK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & VISITORS BUREAU
One of the premier chambers of commerce in Northern California seeks an exceptional leader. Located in a regional shopping and dining destination at the hub of a sub-region of more than 2 million residents, drawing from a dynamic metropolitan area of 7 million, the WCCC is a complex organization highly respected and deeply embedded in the community it serves so well. WCCC manages partnerships with the hospitality industry and the large business, professional, and healthcare communities, serves more than 500 members, and has an aggregate budget of $2.7 million. The ideal candidate for this position will understand and relish the challenges of leading this organization through the recovery from the Covid pandemic and perpetuating the exceptional 30-year legacy of his/her retiring predecessor. See www.walnut-creek.com. For information about qualifications for this position, and in strict confidence, request a detailed career prospectus from RUSHER LOSCAVIO FISHER Nonprofit Executive Search, mloscavio@rll.com (See www.rll.com).
SHOP. EAT. ENJOY. LOCAL
Small Saturday may be over, but now more than ever, our Chamber member and Walnut Creek businesses need our support. Remember to shop, order take-out, and enjoy local this holiday season.

Chamber member restaurants, caterers, and grocery/specialty stores offer great options to help get you through the busy holiday season. Click here.

 A chamber of commerce’s primary objective is to strengthen local businesses of all sizes. The best way is to use the services of chamber member businesses and organizations. Click here.

Getting Stronger Every Day
Thank you for strengthing our Chamber during the pandemic. We send a special thank you to our newest Walnut Creek Chamber members.
To learn more about these member businesses, visit their websites.

Keith Block

Trish Karlinski

Jon Daco


Solomon de los Reyes

Joseph Brody

Andriana Mendez

Sheena Kawakami

A chamber of commerce’s primary objective is to strengthen local businesses of all sizes. The best way is to use the services of chamber member businesses and organizations.

What's Happening?


Think there's nothing to do? You just might be surprised what's happening; click here.

Chamber member benefit: List your upcoming events, webinars, workshops to the calendar. If you need assistance, contact Tani at tdhana@walnut-creek.com or Linda at lvesneski@walnut-creek.com.
Help Wanted
Meals on Wheels Diablo Region is looking for a Finance Director. East Bay Disc Centers is looking for a Chiropractic Assistant. Perfect Star Heating and Air Conditioning have openings for a sales professional and all levels of HVAC service technicians. Click here


Chamber member benefit: List your job opportunities on the Chamber website. If you need assistance, contact Tani at tdhana@walnut-creek.com or Linda at lvesneski@walnut-creek.com.
Supporting California’s Small Businesses
to Promote Equity and Resiliency in Recovery
The California Rebuilding Fund is a loan program to support California’s small businesses—especially those located in economically disadvantaged and historically under-banked areas of the state. Businesses who employed 50 or less full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) and had gross revenues of less than $2.5 million or below in 2019 are eligible to apply. Full eligibility requirements are included in the Business Requirements tab. The loans are flexible, transparent and are designed to help businesses access the capital and advisory services they need to get through these challenging economic times. To fill out a pre-application and match with a participating community lender, please click here.

New tax relief and grants will support California’s small businesses impacted by COVID-19
December 03, 2020  

Quick Summary:
Applications for the hiring tax credit, called the Main Street Small Business Tax Credit, opened Dec. 1, while the grant program will open in early 2021. Dental practices may be eligible for other state relief, including the three-month tax deferral and flexible-term loans of up to $100,000. For more information, click here.
Governor Newsom Announces Immediate Assistance for Businesses Impacted by COVID-19 Including Temporary Tax Relief and $500 Million in Grants
Nov 30, 2020

Billions in immediate, temporary tax relief will support businesses impacted by COVID-19, including an automatic three-month extension for taxpayers filing less than $1 million in sales tax and interest-free payment agreements to larger companies with up to $5 million in sales tax and expanded interest-free payment options for larger businesses particularly affected by significant restrictions on operations based on COVID-19 transmissions. In partnership with the Legislature, California will provide $500 million in new COVID-19 Relief Grant funding for small businesses. Additional $12.5 million added to the California Rebuilding Fund launched last week. Click here.
As of Dec. 4 - Contra Costa | Purple Tier
Latest County information, click here


As of 12-4 | At-A-Glance | What's Open Now, click here
Understand status in Contra Costa, click here
City of Walnut Creek Rebound Program website
GET TESTED, Click here
When an Employee Tests Positive, click here
Official California State
Roadmap to all Four Phases - click here

What's Not to Like?
Chamber Ambassadors and staff help celebrate the Grand Opening of Viamonte retirement living with a ribbon cutting. Check out the live action video.
Follow Us 
In accordance with City and State directives, the Chamber office is operating virtually. While the Chamber office location is closed, all phone calls and emails will be returned promptly. We will continue to serve our members and community.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or if we can assist you or your business in any way. We will continue to keep you updated.
Stay well.
Jay Hoyer, President/CEO
Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
1280 Civic Drive | Suite 100 | Walnut Creek | CA | 94596
t.925.934.2007 f.925.934.2404
Follow us on Facebook | www.walnut-creek.com