Member of the Month Archive

Masimo Launches Patient Charting, Alerts Platform

Tuesday, August 04, 2020

(Orange County Business Journal) Irvine-based device maker Masimo Corp. recently unveiled its UniView: 60 platform, which provides clinicians with important patient reminders and advisories in a clean, concise display outside of each patient’s room. UCI Medical Center said it deployed the product in its new acute care unit, “as part of its vision of the hospital of the future” as well as its “longstanding commitment to patient safety” at the time of the product announcement. Masimo Chief Executive Joe Kiani said he was pleased to see the product launch “at one of our excellent local institutions.” The product’s name has to do with it’...

City of Irvine to Launch Mask Giveaway to Fight COVID-19

Friday, July 31, 2020

The City of Irvine will distribute face masks received through the recent generous donation from FivePoint Holdings, LLC to community members in an effort to stem the tide of COVID-19 and safeguard Irvine residents and workers including first responders. The disposable face masks will be provided to the community as part of the City’s overall COVID-19 response efforts, beginning with the Mayor’s Mask Giveaway. This drive-up distribution event on Saturday, August 8 from 9 to 12 p.m. at the Irvine Civic Center, will provide each car with one free box of 50 disposable masks. “Since this crisis began, the health and safet...

California’s Higher Education Leaders See an Opportunity In Crisis

Thursday, July 30, 2020

(EdSource) Colleges, students, and faculty members may be unsure of what lies ahead as they brace for another mostly virtual academic term amid a pandemic, but the crisis could force California’s higher education systems to improve. The state’s colleges and universities could use the current crisis to build better partnerships across the University of California, California State University, California Community Colleges, and private institutions to increase access and improve graduation rates. That was the message from Lande Ajose, a senior policy advisor for higher education to Gov. Gavin Newsom, and ECMC Foundation President Peter Taylor during a webinar hosted by California Competes...

Center for Accelerating Clinical Trials Gave UCI Health an Investigative Edge When Pandemic Hit

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Back in mid-March, when COVID-19 became a worldwide crisis, UCI Health clinicians were poised to quickly begin working on possible treatments to tame the deadly virus. The prior summer, after three years of planning, the UCI Center for Clinical Research had opened. It heralded a new era in UCI Health’s efforts to expand access to breakthrough therapies by accelerating clinical trials – research studies seeking ways to prevent, detect and treat diseases. “This [launch] was extremely timely,” says Dr. Daniela Bota, vice dean of clinical research and medical director of the center, which now has 75 principal investigators and 120 clinical researchers on staff. “Whe...

Cox Communications Offers Two Months of Free Internet Service to New Qualifying Families in Time for Back-to-School

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

As back-to-school fast approaches, Cox has announced new customers that qualify will receive Connect2Compete, the company’s low-cost internet, for two months at no cost. New customers must sign up between July 21 and Sept. 30 for free service, which also includes free technical support. “Distance learning has become the new normal for local schools during this pandemic, and we can help bridge the digital divide and level the educational playing field through our Connect2Compete program,” said Sam Attisha, senior vice president and region manager for Cox Communications in California. “We want students to be able to start off the new schoo...

Summer Drive-in Movies Under the Stars at the Irvine Spectrum Center

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

This summer enjoy drive-in movies, comedy, and live entertainment under the stars right from the comfort of your own car at the Irvine Spectrum Center, on the 5th level of the Regal Parking Deck (5 Freeway side). The movie night series runs July 30 to Aug. 20, with the venue opening at 6 p.m., followed by live entertainment at 6:45 and the movie beginning at dusk, approximately 8:00 p.m. Admission is $50 per car and includes a $20 Irvine Spectrum Center gift card to use toward dinner or snacks purchased before the movie from one of the restaurants located at the Irvine Spectrum Center. For movi...

California Releases Employer Playbook for a Safe Reopening

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

(CalChamber) On July 24, 2020, when the reported number of COVID-19 cases in California surpassed 425,000, Governor Gavin Newsom announced a new playbook — called the Employer Playbook for a Safe Reopening — to guide employers on how to provide a safe and clean environment for workers and customers to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. “We want to continue to work in the spirit of collaboration and partnership with our employer community to educate,” Newsom said during the press conference, “not only employers large and small, but to help them educate employees as well.” The 32-page Employer Playbook for a Safe Reopening includes a compilation o...

FivePoint Donates 1 Million Face Masks to City of Irvine to Fight COVID-19

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

To help stem the tide of COVID-19 and safeguard Irvine first responders, residents, and workers, FivePoint Holdings, LLC has donated 1 million face masks to the City of Irvine in its continuing effort to provide critical resources where needed most in the region. In the initial days of the statewide lockdown in March when personal protective equipment was in high demand, FivePoint was among the first companies locally to pivot and acquire more than 100,000 face masks for healthcare workers, law enforcement personnel, and others. Today’s announcement of an additional donation of one million masks to the City of Irvine furthers FivePoint’...

US Durable Goods Orders Advanced More Than Forecast in June

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

(Bloomberg News) U.S. orders for durable goods rose more than expected in June, led by a spike in demand for motor vehicles and a pickup in business activity more broadly as states reopened their economies. Bookings for durable goods -- or goods meant to last at least three years -- increased 7.3% in June, after a downwardly revised 15.1% surge in May, Commerce Department data showed Monday. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for a 6.9% gain in June. Core capital goods orders, a category that excludes aircraft and military hardware, climbed 3.3%, also more than forecast. The second-straigh...

California Workplace Safety Rules are Likely to Change Due to Coronavirus Fears

Monday, July 27, 2020

(Los Angeles Times) With many of California’s workplaces facing significant changes fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic, state lawmakers are considering whether labor laws need to evolve too. Legislators have proposed expanding workers’ compensation eligibility so that more employees will be covered if they are diagnosed with COVID-19, increasing the number of sick days for food service workers and requiring employers to pay a portion of utility and internet bills for teleworkers. Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday that he plans to work “hand in glove” with the Legislature to expand workplace protections, including guaranteeing COVID-19-related sick leave, easing workers’ compensation claim requirements, enforcing labo...

GO-Biz Now Accepting Applications for California Competes Tax Credits

Monday, July 27, 2020

The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) is now accepting applications for the California Competes Tax Credit (CCTC). There are $80 million in tax credits available during this application period for businesses that are expanding and adding full-time jobs in the state. The deadline to submit applications is Monday, August 17, at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific Time). The online application website will automatically close once this deadline has passed. The online application can be accessed at calcompetes.ca.gov. Members of the CCTC team are available to provide technical application assistance. In addition, an updated application guide, FAQs, and program regulations are availabl...

Potential Expansion of Leave Law Would Hurt Businesses Facing Slashed Profits, Income Amid COVID-19

Monday, July 27, 2020

(Northern California Record) A new bill that would make small businesses subject to the same family leave law as large companies would adversely impact the California business community at a time it is already struggling under the COVID-19 economic decline and new shut down orders, a trade group coalition says. SB 1383, which passed the Senate earlier this month, would require businesses with five or more workers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid family leave; the current law applies to businesses with 50 or more employees. “It’s happening when businesses can least afford it and presents a particular burden to smal...

From Internet Rights to Streeteries, How the Pandemic Is Changing Working From Home

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

(CalMatters) Coronavirus has reshaped how Californians live, learn, and work in uneven ways. The pandemic has exposed the state’s long-standing digital divide with a significant share of low-income and rural households lacking reliable internet access. And even though employers have quickly adapted to remote work, the opportunity to work from home has not spread evenly across the workforce. Many Latino and Black workers who work in essential fields find themselves taking more risks to stay employed, leading to higher rates of infection and death in those communities of color. On the other hand, there appear to be bright spots that coul...

U.S. Home Sales Rack Up Record Gain; Tight Supply, COVID-19 Seen Slowing Momentum

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

(Reuters) U.S. home sales increased by the most on record in June, boosted by historically low mortgage rates, but the outlook for the housing market is being clouded by low inventory and high unemployment amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The report from the National Association of Realtors on Wednesday, which also showed house prices rising to an all-time high last month, confirmed a shift toward bigger homes and properties away from urban centers as companies allow employees flexibility to work from home because of the coronavirus. The upbeat housing market news was overshadowed by a relentless surge in new COVID-19 infections, which has prompte...

Irvine Restaurants with Outdoor Dining Service Remain Open Amid Shutdown Restrictions

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Irvine offers ample opportunities for diners to practice social distancing while enjoying a meal and taking in Southern California's beautiful year-round, picture-perfect weather. A list of Irvine area restaurants serving meals and drinks at their outdoor spaces and patios can be found at DestinationIrvine.com/restaurants/outdoor-dining. Updates are made regularly, so bookmark the page and check back often! Irvine area restaurants open for outdoor dining as of July 20, include: 90 Pacifica 90 Pacifica, Irvine Andrei's Conscious Cuisine & Cocktails 2607 Main St., Irvine Angelina's Pizzeria Napoletana 8573 Irvine Center Dr., Irvine Bacchus Bar & Bistro 6735 Quail Hill Pkwy., Irvine Bistango 19100 Von Karman Ave., Irvine BJ's Brewhouse 1313...

U.S. Homebuilding Surges as Coronavirus Crisis Sparks Flight to Suburbs, Rural Areas

Friday, July 17, 2020

(Reuters) U.S. homebuilding increased in June by the most in nearly four years amid reports of rising demand for housing in suburbs and rural areas as companies allow employees to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. But a resurgence in new coronavirus infections across the country eroded consumer sentiment in mid-July, other data showed on Friday, threatening the nascent housing and economic recovery. Some areas in virus hot spots in the populous South and West regions have either shut down businesses again or paused reopenings. The economy slipped into recession in February. “Homebuilding is coming back at a steady, if unspectacular pace,” sai...

More Time to Apply for Paycheck Protection Program Loans

Thursday, July 16, 2020

(CalChamber) Legislation signed by the President last weekend extends the deadline to apply for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to August 8, 2020. An estimated $130 billion in funding remains for the program, which offers loans to help small businesses with fewer than 500 employees stay in business and keep workers employed. Employers in need of assistance and who have not yet obtained a loan are encouraged to speak with a lender as soon as possible. The PPP Extension Act signed on July 4 extends only the loan application deadline and does not expand the program. Legislation signed on June 5 amended the original PP...

BBB Serving the Pacific Southwest Launches Main St. Matters

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Life has taken a drastic turn in the wake of the current crisis, forcing small businesses to shift nearly every aspect of their daily functions. Behind each small business is a team, giving it their all, but still caught amidst compounding negative impact. Start-ups, hometown offerings, and Main Street shops comprise a significant economic footprint, so now is the time to extend a helping hand. Better Business Bureau Serving the Pacific Southwest is proud to launch the BBB Main St. Matters Grant Program, designed to provide essential funding during this unprecedented time. “Main Street businesses are the lifeblood of our economy,&rdquo...

Five Charts Illustrating U.S. Economic Trends Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

(CNBC) As states take differing approaches to re-opening and closing, some parts of the economy continue to see improvement from the start of the pandemic while others continue to struggle. Some states have instituted mask mandates and other measures, such as closing indoor bar service, amid rising coronavirus cases. These five charts illustrate trends in important industries that help track reopening progress in the U.S. Direction requests Data from Apple’s navigation tool, Maps, shows a new dip for walking and driving. Compared to last week, walking and driving have decreased in lockstep from the summer high, both still have requests higher than pre-pandemic levels. Transit directions ha...

Gov. Newsom Orders Statewide Reclosure of Many Businesses

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

(Los Angeles Times) California is largely closing again amid a spike in COVID-19 cases across the state, as Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on July 13 statewide restrictions to again halt all indoor dining and close bars, zoos, and museums. At the same time, most counties, including Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, and Riverside, will be forced to shutter gyms, houses of worship, hair salons, malls, and other businesses under the new order, which is effective immediately and remains in effect indefinitely. In addition, offices with nonessential workers in those counties must close. The move further pushes Californians back into their homes during a tim...

Enforcing Mask Rules at Work

Monday, July 13, 2020

In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Executive Vice President and General Counsel Erika Frank and employment law expert Jennifer Shaw discuss ways employers can ensure employees comply with state guidelines on masks and social distancing, and continue fostering a healthy workplace. Ask Why While wearing a mask in the workplace is not law, it is recommended by local and state authorities, such as the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), that employees wear masks at work and maintain a distance of six feet from one another. This guidance not only protects customers from the spread of COVID-19 but also help...

City of Irvine to Begin Offering Drive-Up COVID-19 Testing

Friday, July 10, 2020

The City of Irvine, in partnership with Curogram and multiple laboratories, including local Pangea Laboratory, will begin providing drive-up COVID-19 testing for individuals that live or work in Irvine beginning Monday, July 13 at the Orange County Great Park. Tests will be available to those who are symptomatic and asymptomatic. The City will have multiple lanes dedicated to testing, and can accommodate approximately 200-260 tests per day. Only PCR testing, which determines if someone currently has the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is available. “The City Council has put in place appropriate and forward-thinking safety measures every step of the way since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic,&rdquo...

Local Initiatives Support Corporation Offers Relief Grants for Small Business

Thursday, July 09, 2020

The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is providing grants in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 to businesses facing immediate financial pressure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The money raised through the Rapid Relief & Resiliency Fund: Provides grants to women- and minority-owned small businesses that are the backbone of local economies, Supports thousands of community-based organizations that serve clients in need, and Delivers tech support and infrastructure to help residents and enterprises access work, school, commerce, and social connection. Applications will be accepted on July 27, 2020. Register today and you will be notified when the grant opens on July 27. For questions, please review grant information and FAQ. Awards ar...

Calling All Californians: #ShopSafeShopLocal

Wednesday, July 08, 2020

The Governor’s Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery today announced a new campaign, Calling All Californians: #ShopSafeShopLocal, to encourage Californians to support small businesses in their communities as they make modifications to protect public health and help our state’s diverse neighborhoods thrive. The July campaign is a call to action to help all California small businesses operate safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic and grow their digital footprints. As part of this campaign, the State of California has partnered with industry-leading companies, such as Nextdoor, Google, and UPS, and launched a website that connects California’s small business owners to critical tools and resources. These resource...

City of Irvine to Start Rental Assistance Program

Tuesday, July 07, 2020

At a special meeting on June 23, the Irvine City Council reaffirmed a previously approved Rental Assistance Program to provide financial support to Irvine residents impacted by COVID-19. The City of Irvine has committed $2,000,000 in one-time federal CARES Act funding to create the Rental Assistance Program. This program is only available to residential renters, and will exclude commercial, industrial, or other types of business-related tenants. Residents can apply for one of two grants: A maximum one-time $1,000 grant to provide 1,000 households with assistance to pay lease termination fees. A maximum one-time $1,000 grant to provide 1,000 households with rental payment assistance. To qualif...

California Gov. Gavin Newsom Signs $202 Billion Pandemic Budget

Wednesday, July 01, 2020

(Sacramento Bee) California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a $202 billion budget June 29 with emergency pandemic funding, expanded unemployment aid and billions of dollars in cuts forced by the coronavirus-caused recession. The budget that takes effect July 1 assumed a $54 billion deficit brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and Newsom’s March stay-at-home order, which halted much of the state’s economy. “In the face of a global pandemic that has also caused a recession across the world and here in California, our state has passed a budget that is balanced, responsible and protects public safety and health, education, and services to Californians facin...

Gov. Newsom Orders Indoor Restaurants, Wineries, Movie Theaters to Close in Most of CA

Wednesday, July 01, 2020

(ABC7) Editor's note: Irvine's Al Fresco campaign lists restaurant and retail centers in the city that offer outdoor dining. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the return of some stricter restrictions amid a concerning surge of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. Effective immediately, California is instructing certain sectors to close indoor operations for all counties that have been on the state's watch list for three consecutive days. The affected sectors are: restaurants, wineries, movie theaters, family entertainment centers, zoos, museums and cardrooms. Those businesses can still operate outdoors. That applies to 19 counties which represent more than 70% of the state's population and include several counties in Southern California. Los Angeles, Orange...

Business Expectations in Orange County Show Major Improvement

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

(Orange County Business Journal) Almost a quarter of Orange County businesses expect to be at pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year, while the hiring and profit outlook has also improved, according to a survey conducted by economists at California State University, Fullerton. The survey of expectations for the three-month period starting July 1, is one of the strongest indications so far Orange County may have turned the corner on the recession and is heading back to growth. The overall outlook index, known as the OCBX, improved appreciably to 62.9 for the third quarter from 22.7 in the current three-month period. “This is th...

Vacation Policy Factors to Consider During COVID-19 Pandemic

Monday, June 29, 2020

(CalChamber) A consequence of the prolonged shelter-in-place and stay-at-home orders issued as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic is dramatically reduced travel. As a result, during this time many employees are not taking earned vacation time and may not do so for months resulting in the following question from employers: Can we change our vacation policies as a result of the employees not using their time? This is a tricky question. Generally, however, employers do have control over their vacation policies subject to certain rules. Below are some common ways in which an employer may address its vacation policies while staying withi...

OC Depart. of Education Releases Guidelines to Safely Reopen Schools in the Fall

Thursday, June 25, 2020

With support from public health experts, including our local Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA), the Orange County Department of Education (OCDE) and school districts across the county have developed a comprehensive guide with recommendations and best practices for reopening more than 600 schools in a safe and responsible manner. This resource has been developed using guidance from the California Department of Public Health (Links to an external site.) and will be updated as new information is presented. It was approved by the Orange County Health Officer on June 12, 2020. While locally elected school boards will work with their superintendents, staff, and families t...

Bryan Starr Touts Irvine’s Resilience in Irvine Standard

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

(As published in the Irvine Standard) Strong communities are made up of resilient and innovative individuals and businesses – those that courageously continue to work to find solutions, especially during times of crisis. Irvine is perhaps better positioned to weather disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic than any other city. The visionary Irvine Master Plan, established 60 years ago, and responsible city management throughout our city’s history has laid the groundwork for the best possible outcome of these unprecedented circumstances. World-Class Health Care Irvine is further bolstered by world-class health care institutions and medical personnel – all that are addressing COVID-19 and coming u...

Employers Can’t Require COVID-19 Antibody Testing

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

(CalChamber) As California’s economy continues to reopen, and workplaces start allowing employees to re-enter, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently updated its COVID-19 guidance, stating that employers may not require employees to take COVID-19 antibody testing to return to the workplace. The COVID-19 antibody test (also known as a serology test) screens a person’s blood for antibodies, which the body would have made if it fought the COVID-19 infection. The antibody test doesn’t check for the virus itself — it’s only looking to see if a person’s immune system has responded to the infection. In a newly-added question, the EEOC explain...

Small Business Administration Updates: Disaster Loan Portal, Paycheck Protection Form

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

(CalChamber) The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that it has reopened the portal for eligible applicants hurt by COVID-19 to apply for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and the EIDL Advance program. The SBA, in consultation with the U.S. Treasury Department, also posted what it described as a revised, borrower-friendly Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness application and an EZ version. Disaster Loan/Advance The SBA said it has improved the EIDL application and loan closing process, including new technology and automated tools. The EIDL loans of up to $2 million are available to small businesses, private nonprofit organizations, and small agricultural and aquacultura...

Tips for Creating a Return to Work Plan

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

(CalChamber) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Executive Vice President and General Counsel Erika Frank is joined by employment law experts Bianca Saad and Matthew Roberts to discuss what employers should consider when drafting return to work guidelines. A free CalChamber checklist designed to help employers develop a COVID-19 return-to-work plan is available at https://hrcalifornia.calchamber.com/forms-tools/forms/return-to-work-checklist. Reliable Sources Crafting a return to work checklist can be hard because there is a lot of information and guidance out there, Frank tells listeners. That is why the first sources a business turns to for information should be government websites, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control an...

California Rent Relief Plan Would Give Tenants Until 2034 to Make Up Late Payments

Monday, June 22, 2020

(Sacramento Bee) A Democratic plan to give struggling California tenants 10 years to make up rent gone unpaid during the coronavirus is taking shape in the state Senate. The proposal, backed by Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, and Senate Majority Leader Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, would send immediate relief, once it’s passed, to renters who’ve faced job loss or wage cuts amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Senate Bill 1410 would encourage landlords and tenants to make a deal under a “rent stabilization agreement” before a homeowner could throw someone out for failing to make rent. Through a process called “gut and amend,&rdquo...

Tourism Industry Preparing Itself for Recovery

Monday, June 22, 2020

(CalChamber) The COVID-19 crisis has snuffed out 10 years of economic growth in California’s travel and tourism industry. The fallout from this crisis is not only unprecedented but is estimated to cost the state $72.1 billion in visitor spending this year and 613,000 tourism jobs last month alone. However, the tourism economy also offers a path to recovery. In 2019, visitors spent $144.9 billion in California, according to Visit California’s latest economic impact report. That spending supported 1.2 million jobs throughout the state and $12.2 billion in tax revenues for state and local jurisdictions and was among the top three sources of fundin...

Public Health Officials Require Californians to Wear Face Coverings in Most Settings Outside the Home

Friday, June 19, 2020

The California Department of Public Health today released updated guidance that requires Californians to wear a face-covering in high-risk settings. A growing body of scientific research has shown that people with no or few symptoms of COVID-19 can still spread the disease and that the use of face coverings, combined with physical distancing and frequent hand washing, will reduce the spread of COVID-19. “Science shows that face coverings and masks work,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “They are critical to keeping those who are around you safe, keeping businesses open and restarting our economy.” Governor Newsom also addressed why he took this action now...

California Budget Approved by Assembly and Senate, Awaiting Gov. Newsom's Green Light

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

(KCRA) It's been nearly 24 hours since the California Assembly and Senate passed next year's budget. The budget is now on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk. However, there are many hurdles ahead before Newsom will approve the budget. California is still waiting to find out how much money there will be to spend. The proposed budget relies heavily on federal assistance to help overcome California’s more than $54 billion deficit. The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a recession not only in the state, but across the country. The recession is now forcing lawmakers to make cuts in order to balance the state budget. While the proposed budge...

Orange County Officials Called Upon to Reinstate Mask Mandate

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

(Orange County Register) Days after Orange County’s health officer announced he was nixing the requirement that everyone wear face coverings in public, supporters of the rule gathered to urge county officials to reconsider to help curb the spread of the Coronavirus. A coalition of 10 labor groups, as well as faith leaders and residents, held a press conference Tuesday, June 15, in front of the building where the Orange County Board of Supervisors meet – and where, in recent weeks, the county leaders have been listening to a parade of residents lambasting them over the mask mandate. “We felt it was important to sho...

Kaiser Begins Reopening Closed Clinics in Orange County, Starting With La Palma

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

(Orange County Register) Kaiser Permanente is starting to re-open medical offices in Orange County that it shuttered in March, when the coronavirus pandemic was expected to swamp local hospitals. The company said this week that it reopened its medical office in La Palma to staff, and is preparing to let patients back to other temporarily shuttered local clinics. A few specialty departments at the La Palma clinic — ophthalmology, optometry, pediatrics, and podiatry — opened Monday, June 8, and family medicine opened Wednesday, said Kaiser spokesman John Stratman. “La Palma staff are slowly returning back to work as we gradually reopen to full capacity,&rdquo...

OC No Longer Requires Face Coverings for All, But Workers at Essential Businesses Must Still Mask Up

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

(Orange County Register) When Orange County’s health officer last week dropped the requirement for wearing masks in public when people can’t keep a distance from others, that didn’t mean everyone can go bare-faced everywhere. While the latest countywide health order says wearing a face covering is now a “strong recommendation” for people when they’re in public, a rule county supervisors passed in April still mandates masks for workers at grocery stores, restaurants, and other public-serving businesses. Also, some cities have their own stricter rules, including Irvine and Costa Mesa, and businesses may ask customers to wear a mask to be served, just a...

Retail Sales Bounce Up 17.7% After Record Drop As States Reopen

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

(CapRadio) As more states and cities allowed restaurants and shopping centers to reopen, U.S. retail spending swung big in May, climbing 17.7%, the U.S. Commerce Department said. Major stock indexes rose after the report was released. Spending is still down 6.1% from a year earlier because of the Coronavirus pandemic. And economists warn of a long and uncertain recovery. But May's upswing follows a record historic collapse in March and April, when retail spending nose-dived as people avoided outings for food or shopping, especially for clothes and furniture. Retail sales — a measure that includes spending on gasoline, cars, food, and drink &mdash...

SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Advance Program Reopened to All Eligible Small Businesses and Nonprofits Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

To further meet the needs of U.S. small businesses and nonprofits, the U.S. Small Business Administration reopened the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and EIDL Advance program portal to all eligible applicants experiencing economic impacts due to COVID-19 today. “The SBA is strongly committed to working around the clock, providing dedicated emergency assistance to the small businesses and nonprofits that are facing economic disruption due to the COVID-19 impact. With the reopening of the EIDL assistance and EIDL Advance application portal to all new applicants, additional small businesses and non-profits will be able to receive these long-term, low-interest loans and emergenc...

California Coronavirus Surge Tied to Increase In Testing, Not Reopening Businesses, Official Says

Monday, June 15, 2020

(LA Times) California continues to see big increases in Coronavirus cases as its death toll approaches 5,000, causing alarm from some as the state continues to reopen its economy. But are caseloads the best measure of how well California is controlling COVID-19? Not necessarily, one of California’s top health officials said as he announced a new round of businesses that are eligible for reopening, including nail salons. The move came as the state reported two consecutive record single-day increases in coronavirus cases, logging 3,620 new cases June 11 and 3,644 June 12. Los Angeles County, which remains California’s leading virus hot spot, recorded 1,84...

California to Allow Nail Salons to Reopen Starting June 19

Monday, June 15, 2020

(AP News) Some Californians will again be able to get a manicure, a new tattoo, or enjoy a massage starting late next week under new state guidance issued June 12. But studios and salons won’t look the same when they do open. Workers and customers must wear face masks, adopt far more intense cleaning practices for shared reusable items like tweezers, and the services will be limited — no mouth or nose tattoos or piercings for now. The guidance on nail salons has been highly anticipated. The Professional Beauty Federation of California sued the state in May to reopen hair and nail salons...

California’s Gas Tax Going Up Again—Amid Coronavirus, Some Say Now Is Not the Time

Monday, June 15, 2020

(LA Times) California’s gas tax is set to increase July 1, but some lawmakers are calling for a freeze on the higher levy, citing the financial burden of the coronavirus-spawned recession on millions of the state’s residents. The automatic increase pegged to inflation — the third increase in the last four years — comes as a long-simmering dispute over the gas tax law enacted three years ago has again flared up at the state Capitol. The tax is set to increase by 3.2 cents, to 50.5 cents per gallon, and state officials estimate it will bring in an additional $440 million to stat...

OCTA, TCA are Confident of Survival Past COVID-19

Monday, June 15, 2020

(Orange County Register) Orange County’s transportation agencies are in good shape, officials said, to manage the financial fallout of the coronavirus, despite expecting to receive hundreds of millions less in revenue than planned for before the pandemic hit. With money from the CARES Act, a federal coronavirus relief bill, the Orange County Transportation Authority has enough funding to run buses at pre-coronavirus levels when it is time. Still, a $66 million drop in revenue that is generated from a half-cent sales tax means the agency may have to slow the progress of some freeway widening and other transportation projects. Also, cities will ge...

City of Irvine to Modify and Re-open Recreation Services and Programs

Sunday, June 14, 2020

The City of Irvine, in keeping with evolving state and county guidance, will modify or re-open many recreation services and programs. Following recently released guidance from the California Department of Public Health, the City has scheduled modified summer camps, will open aquatic centers for limited programs, and will open museum and gallery spaces at the Orange County Great Park. “Our community has worked together to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, in support of countywide efforts,” said Mayor Christina Shea. “This has allowed us to safely re-open some recreational activities in time for our residents to enjoy during the summer.” The Orange Count...

California Public Health Officials Provide COVID-19 Update

Tuesday, June 09, 2020

The California Department of Public Health announced the most recent statistics on COVID-19. California has 122,901 confirmed cases and 4,485 deaths. To date 2,238,463 tests conducted in California, with an increase of 55,792 tests over the prior 24-hour reporting period. As testing capacity continues to increase across the state, an increase in the number of positive cases has been expected. However California remains in the range of stability for case positivity rate and COVID-19 related hospitalizations. Despite increased testing and the reopening of certain sectors of the economy, California’s case positivity rate is at 4.5% and the number of hospitalizations has decrease...

Coronavirus Rebound: Irvine’s Great Park Home Sales Back to ‘Normal Velocity’

Tuesday, June 09, 2020

(Source: Orange County Register) Homebuying at Irvine’s high-profile Great Park Neighborhoods has rebounded to “normal velocity,” says the project’s chief executive, Emile Haddad, CEO of FivePoint Holdings. In mid-March, Coronavirus had forced “stay-at-home” orders that throttled the economy and pushed home sales at the Irvine project to zero. The company’s project on the long-shuttered airbase had 553 sales last year — that’s almost 11 a week — ranking it among the nation’s Top 20 best-selling master-planned communities. And in 2020’s first 11 weeks, builders on FivePoint land had made sales contracts at a nearly 14-a-week pace. A strong economy, cheap mortgages — and the debut o...

O.C. Chief Health Officer Dr. Nichole Quick Leaves Post

Tuesday, June 09, 2020

(Orange County Register) Orange County’s chief health officer, Dr. Nichole Quick, resigned Monday night. She has faced push back from some members of the Orange County Board of Supervisors and criticism from residents for her order last month to require face coverings for the public as the county allowed some businesses to reopen. Quick was receiving heightened security due to threats stemming from her mask order. The county provided a copy of an agreement releasing Quick from the job she was appointed to in June 2019. The agreement says the county will pay Quick $75,000 in severance and CEO Frank Kim won’t disparage Quick’s work; i...

California Posts Guidelines for Gyms, Bars, Hotels, Camps to Reopen As Soon As June 12

Monday, June 08, 2020

(CalMatters) After months spent in various stages of lockdown, California’s economy cracked open a little bit further today with the state announcing a series of new check-lists for counties hoping to get bars, sit-down restaurants, gyms, hotels, summer camps, and bowling alleys up and rolling again as early as June 12. The new “Phase 3” guidelines serve as rough how-to guides for areas of the state that are deemed ready to reopen by state health authorities, based on levels of COVID-19 transmission, testing capacity and other metrics. Though the new “guidances” recommend that counties open “no sooner” than June 12, Sonia Angell, directo...

The New Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act Signed Into Law

Monday, June 08, 2020

(Forbes) As of June 5, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (PPPFA) is now law. Among other things, the Act makes it easier for recipients of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to qualify for forgiveness. That’s important to the millions of small businesses that received PPP loans. Here are some of the changes. The new law in its entirety can be viewed here. Covered Period Extended First, and probably the most important news is that borrowers now have more time to spend the loan proceeds. Before the PPPFA, spending had to occur within the “covered period” (eight weeks) of the receipt of the loan proceeds. That put a lot of pressure on businesses to make sure th...

City of Irvine Launches Small Business Support Program

Wednesday, June 03, 2020

The City of Irvine today launched the Small Business Support Program to mitigate the financial impact of COVID-19 on local small businesses. Businesses located in Irvine with 25 or fewer employees are eligible to apply. Funding for the program comes from a $5 million grant from the County of Orange, through the federally approved CARES Act. The Irvine City Council voted to implement the program at a special meeting on May 29, just days after the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved funding for districts. Businesses that meet the program’s criteria can apply for one-time grants in the amount of $10,000. The grant applicatio...

Blu-Ray Disc Lasers Could Help Kill the Coronavirus, According to UC Irvine Researchers

Tuesday, June 02, 2020

(LA Times) UC Irvine researchers are investigating whether the lasers inside Blu-ray players can be used as a disinfectant to fight the spread of the Coronavirus. UCI professor Chris Barty, who is leading the research team, envisions lasers in ventilation systems disinfecting the air, lasers as small as a key fob that could be used to sanitize hands and lasers built into face masks that clean the air as it filters through. “You can imagine many many ways you could deploy the technology if it’s cheap enough,” Barty said. When combined with special crystals, the Blu-ray lasers can convert to UVC light, which ha...

Can’t Stay 6 Feet Away? Masks or Face Coverings Now a Must, OC Health Order Says

Monday, June 01, 2020

(Orange County Register) To mask or not to mask? Orange County has made it simpler to answer that question with a public health order that requires masks or cloth face coverings for everyone when they’re in public, in a store, restaurant or office, or anywhere else that they can’t keep a distance from people outside their family or household. The order, issued recently by County Health Officer Dr. Nichole Quick, is the latest directive intended to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, which can cause respiratory illness and complications ranging from mild to severe. County supervisors faced blow back from angry residents at their meetin...

Irvine City Council Does Not Reach Agreement for COVID-19 Testing

Monday, June 01, 2020

At its meeting on May 26, the Irvine City Council unanimously voted to not approve a contract with US Health Fairs for drive-up COVID-19 testing after it could not reach an agreement with the nonprofit organization. The Council also directed city staff to continue with vigorous efforts to find and implement a universal COVID-19 testing program for Irvine which will provide quality testing that protects the health and well-being of Irvine residents. COVID-19 testing is currently provided for many, but not all, residents through the County of Orange and the state at multiple locations. No-cost testing is available for symptomatic and asymptomatic healt...

House Passes Bill To Ease Small Business Emergency Loan Rules

Friday, May 29, 2020

(Politico) The House passed legislation in a nearly unanimous vote that would relax restrictions on emergency government-backed loans designed to avoid mass layoffs at small businesses, a major restructuring of the popular aid program. The bill the House approved in a 417-1 vote would give borrowers under the $670 billion Paycheck Protection Program more leeway in how they can use the funds and still have the loans forgiven in exchange for maintaining their payrolls. The forgiveness element was a key incentive Congress created for small businesses to take on the debt and keep paying workers during the pandemic. In the weeks since th...

Irvine City Council Establishes Program to Support Small Businesses

Friday, May 29, 2020

At a special meeting on May 29, the Irvine City Council voted to establish a program to provide financial support to small businesses impacted by COVID-19. Funding for the Local Business Support Program comes from a $5 million grant from the County of Orange, through the federally approved CARES Act. Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner presented the $5 million check to the Council at Friday’s meeting – only a couple of days after the County approved the funding. The program will allow Irvine-based businesses that meet the following criteria to apply for one-time grants of $10,000. To qualify, businesses must: Have 25 o...

Patients Use Imagination to Control Pain with Virtual Reality Program at Hoag Hospital

Friday, May 29, 2020

As doctors work to decrease opioid prescriptions for pain, they may start following the lead of a California hospital that is effectively using virtual reality to help its patients feel better. Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach is one of the first hospitals in the country to use virtual reality (VR) technology treatment outside of clinical trial settings. Dr. Robert Louis, neurosurgeon and Director of the Skull Base and Pituitary Tumor Program at the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute at Hoag Hospital, is at the forefront of finding VR applications for the healthcare setting. He began using Surgical Theatre about five years ago to map out and rehears...

Rules for Reopening California Fitness Centers to be Announced Soon

Friday, May 29, 2020

(LA Times) Gov. Gavin Newsom on May 27 said his administration will release guidelines “in a week or so” for allowing gyms, yoga studios, and other fitness facilities to reopen, though stringent safeguards will need to be adopted to protect customers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Newsom cautioned that the state directives will be tailored to the unique characteristics of each business, from large fitness chains to small studios, and will rely heavily on the advice of public health officials in each county. The governor made the comments during an online roundtable with fitness professionals and business owners, saying he hopes to allow the...

California Bars, Restaurants Could Renegotiate Rent or Quit Leases in Coronavirus Relief Bill

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

(Sacramento Bee) California restaurants and nonprofits financially devastated by the Coronavirus outbreak could gain a safeguard from eviction and rent relief in a proposal approved by state senators. Senate Bill 939 would prevent commercial landlords from evicting certain small businesses and nonprofits during the pandemic. The proposal would also allow bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues to renegotiate rent prices with their landlords if they’ve experienced a 40% drop in revenue or have limited their capacity by at least 25% to safely reopen their doors. Tenants and landlords would have the flexibility to cut their own rent deal, and should negotiations turn sour, ...

CA Hair Salons, Barbershops Can Open With Modifications, Gov Says

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

(Patch) Though the state remains in stage 2 of California's reopening plan, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that hair salons and barbershops may now open back up in those counties already approved for "accelerated reopening." Those facilities had previously been classified as a stage 3 step. Accelerated reopening refers to those counties that have provided attestations that they are ready to move beyond stage 2 by meeting specific criteria previously laid out by the state. As of May 26, 47 of 58 counties had met that criteria to receive a regional variance, Newsom said at a media briefing. After mentioning that there have been more tha...

Orange County is Built for Resilience

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

By Bryan Starr, President & CEO, Greater Irvine Chamber | Published in the May 25 issue of the Orange County Business Journal By many estimates, California is better positioned for economic recovery as we emerge from the Coronavirus crisis than any other state in the nation. While the state isn’t quite yet out of the woods, Orange County itself is ready to open. Monitoring trend lines of the disease to determine when and how to reopen business is a smart strategy. How we will fare is not purely a numbers game, however. Where the Golden State really shines—always, but particularly in times of crisis—i...

You Can Shop Anywhere in California, State Officials Relax Coronavirus Restrictions

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

(Sacramento Bee) The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced that retail stores statewide can now open for in-store shopping as long as they follow state guidelines to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection for workers and customers. State health officials also announced guidelines for in-person protests and events designed for political expression. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office has faced protests regarding the stay-at-home order, which has been in place since March 19. The vast majority of large gatherings remain prohibited under the state’s stay-at-home order. The guidance for protests limits attendance to 25% of an area’s maximum occupancy, or up to 100 attendees, accordin...

Energy Bill Assistance Programs

Saturday, May 23, 2020

If your income has recently changed due to hardships caused by COVID-19, you may qualify for a reduced energy rate. If you have recently lost your job, even if you are receiving unemployment benefits, you may qualify for a reduced energy rate through our CARE or FERA programs. Southern California Edison will not disconnect power for those having trouble making payments during the Coronavirus crisis. Service disconnections for nonpayment are temporarily suspended and late fees are being waived, by request. SCE also has money-saving programs for income-qualified customers, aligned with customer protections from the California Public Utilities Commission. Details on these programs are available at sce.com/billhelp...

Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Application Available

Saturday, May 23, 2020

(CalChamber) The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, released on May 15 the application for seeking forgiveness of loans granted under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Download the application form here. The PPP was part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) enacted at the end of March to help small businesses weather the economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The news release announcing availability of the loan forgiveness application stated that the SBA would soon issue regulations and guidance to provide further help to borrowers in completing their applications an...

City of Irvine Roadmap to Recovery

Friday, May 22, 2020

Hospitals Reopening for Non-COVID-19 Work

Friday, May 22, 2020

(OC Business Journal) Orange County’s hospitals are returning to normal, in phases, as a feared surge of Coronavirus patients has not occurred. “UCI Health is fully operational and providing all levels of care in a safe environment for patients and staff,” Chad Lefteris, CEO, UCI Health, told the Business Journal. OC hospitals are a huge industry unto themselves. According to the Business Journal’s annual list, 31 facilities reported $9.1 billion in net patient revenue for the 12 months ended Sept. 30. That amounted to about $758 million a month. Last year, they handled 1.37 million patient days and 3.7 million outpatient visits. The hospitals, which hav...

The New Office Layout, For New Office Reality

Friday, May 22, 2020

(OC Business Journal) As companies in Orange County prepare to go back to the office, employers are rethinking their space. Short-term changes made as a result of the coronavirus pandemic will incorporate new county requirements that factor in increased cleaning and social distancing efforts. Expect to see more touchless faucets, automatic door openers, sanitizer stations, taller desk partitions, and dedicated package drop-off areas, for a start. Lasting impacts on office space could turn out to be much more pervasive. The good news is that many forward-thinking companies were already heading in that direction pre-pandemic, say some of the area’s top architecture and design firms. “Thes...

COVID-19: What Employers Ask Part 2

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

(CalChamber) In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Executive Vice President and General Counsel Erika Frank and Labor Law Adviser Ellen Savage discuss the most common coronavirus-related questions employers and human resources professionals have been asking the CalChamber’s Labor Law Helpline as they prepare to reopen their workplaces. Below is a condensed summary of today’s podcast. Reducing Hours One of the most common questions Savage hears on the Labor Law Helpline is whether employees can be “furloughed” for only a day or two a week in order to cut payroll costs. She explains that such a scenario should be referred to as ...

ReOpen OC Safely

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Requirements and Best Practices for Reopening Your Business Safely and Within Current Guidelines GENERAL GUIDELINES ReOpen OC Safely was developed by the Greater Irvine Chamber in collaboration with Orange County Business Council, North Orange County Chamber of Commerce, Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce, and Visit Anaheim as a resource to prepare to safely reopen for business as the county continues to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. The State of California has issued stay-at-home orders to combat the spread of the Coronavirus, but is slowly reopening business segments, subject to restrictions, with modified operations. Learn more here. Regardless of your industry sector...

California, Western State Allies Forging Their Own Paths in Coronavirus Crisis

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

(San Francisco Chronicle) When Gov. Gavin Newsom laid out ground rules that would allow counties with few coronavirus cases to move faster than the state to reopen their economies, he credited Colorado and Oregon with the idea. “They quite literally — that’s a proof point of the work they were doing in this space — helped guide and advance our work that we are putting out,” Newsom said during a May 4 news conference. The plan was the product of conversations between five Western states’ governors who formed one of several interstate pacts that are coordinating regional responses to the coronavirus pandemic. Bu...

More Important Than Ever: Maintaining and Improving Free Trade, Investment

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

(CalChamber) The world has quickly changed over the last few months and during these strange and uncertain times, the importance of international trade has been on display across the world. Supply chains have been put to the test and global connectivity has proven vital in quickly securing much-needed supplies to fight the COVID-19 pandemic around the world. The World Trade Organization (WTO) stated in an April 2020 report that it expects world trade to fall drastically by between 13% and 32% in 2020 as normal economic activity and everyday life has been disrupted by the pandemic. The WTO expects a recovery i...

Newsom Eases California Reopening Rules, Allowing More Counties to Restart Their Economies

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

(Los Angeles Times) Acknowledging that more California communities are in a position to slowly reopen businesses, Gov. Gavin Newsom loosened rules linking coronavirus infection rates to allowed activities — a change that could release most parts of the state from the tightest restrictions of his stay-at-home order. “We recognize the conditions across the state are unique and distinctive depending where you are,” Newsom said. “The bottom line is people can go at their own pace and we are empowering our local health directors and county officials that understand their local communities and conditions better than any of us.” The decision by Newsom come...

Developed at UCI, New Tool Helps Predict Patients’ Risk of Coronavirus Complications

Monday, May 18, 2020

(Orange County Register) While most people who develop complications or require intensive care due to COVID-19 tend to be older or have other conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, that’s not the case for every patient. Now UC Irvine scientists have created a tool that uses artificial intelligence to help predict which patients may need that higher level of care. Already in use at UCI Medical Center and soon to be launched at five other UC campuses with affiliated hospitals, the risk prediction tool was created by a collaboration of 10 doctors and researchers at the Irvine campus. A single patient can generat...

SBA and Treasury Release Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Application

Monday, May 18, 2020

The Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, has released the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan Forgiveness Application and detailed instructions for the application. The form and instructions inform borrowers how to apply for forgiveness of their PPP loans, consistent with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). SBA will also soon issue regulations and guidance to further assist borrowers as they complete their applications, and to provide lenders with guidance on their responsibilities. The form and instructions include several measures to reduce compliance burdens and simplify the process for borrowers, including: Options for borrower...

Irvine Valley College Student Provides Musical Respite During Social Distancing

Saturday, May 16, 2020

Music comforts the soul, and it has the power to bring people together. Nicholas Mao, a civil engineering student at Irvine Valley College, is doing his best to provide the opportunity for both. For the past several weeks, Mao has been giving 30-60 minutes-long Friday evening piano concerts from the driveway of his family’s home in Irvine. He says it’s a way to do some social outreach during the COVID-19 shutdown. “I thought it’d be fun to play for the neighborhood. Everyone is cooped up,” Mao said. “I had just been practicing from my bedroom with the window open. A few week...

UCI to Launch Fuller Testing for Antibodies to Coronavirus

Saturday, May 16, 2020

(Orange County Register) The County of Orange has tapped UC Irvine to answer the burning question: How many people here have been infected with COVID-19? In perhaps the most comprehensive effort to date in California, researchers will examine the blood of 5,000 people for antibodies to the virus to better understand how widespread the disease has become in Orange County. Starting this month, researchers will examine a representative sample of the county’s population, set up eight to 10 drive-through sites, administer pin-prick tests to collect blood, then send the samples to UCI for analysis. Similar efforts in Los Angeles and Santa Clara counties foun...

City of Hope Researchers Mine Database for COVID Clues

Friday, May 15, 2020

Researchers looking to control the spread of COVID-19 are working with City of Hope scientists who manage a 25-year-old landmark study originally developed to track breast cancer. “With a new and rapidly evolving situation like COVID-19, there’s an urgent need for more data on all aspects of this pandemic. This information could be used to develop treatments and create good policy,” said James Lacey Jr., Ph.D., M.P.H., director of the Division of Health Analytics at City of Hope and one of the principal investigators of the ongoing California Teachers Study that began in 1995. Since then, scientists have expanded the study to examine a wide rang...

Two Groundbreaking Drugs Tested to Combat COVID-19 and its Deadliest Symptoms

Friday, May 15, 2020

Two existing drugs, created by a City of Hope scientist using advanced genomic technology, are being tested for their potential to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. One could be used to prevent the novel coronavirus infection, the other to stop the “cytokine storm,” an immune system overreaction that causes most COVID deaths. Both drugs were developed by John J. Rossi, Ph. D., Lidow Family Research Chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at City of Hope, and his longtime collaborator Nagy A. Habib, M.D., of Imperial College, London. These drugs are at the forefront of an exciting new class of medications called small activating RNAs, which transmi...

UCI Professor Launches 6-Month Study of Rapidly Testing for COVID-19 Antibodies

Friday, May 15, 2020

The UC Irvine Vaccine R&D Center at UCI’s School of Medicine’s Institute for Immunology developed a way to test COVID-19 immunity against 34 coronavirus antigens, or 33 antigens from six other harmful viruses that cause respiratory infections, from a finger stick blood test using the COVID-19 Coronavirus Antigen Microarray technology developed by Dr. Felgner, director of the UCI Vaccine Research and Development Center and the Protein Microarray Laboratory and Training Facility. All within 10 minutes. The center will be conducting the six-month study using this method on UCI healthcare workers. This test provides more accurate information about anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunity than most tests currently available...

Burnt Crumbs and Burntzilla In Irvine Have Reopened for Takeout

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

(Orange County Register) Soufflé pancakes and the Spaghetti Grilled Cheese Sandwich are back. Chef-owner Paul Cao has decided to reopen Burnt Crumbs and its sister restaurant Burntzilla for takeout after a temporary closure which began in April. Last weekend, Burnt Crumbs Irvine began serving weekend brunch, and on May 11, the restaurant began serving an all-day menu including Spaghetti Grilled Cheese, Southern Fried Chicken Sandwich, Nashville Hot Chicken, Smashed Onion Burger, Carne Asada Salad, fries and chips. Soufflé pancakes will only be served on the weekends. The restaurant will also offer “Grab & Go Frozen Meal Toppers” such as Chicken Pot Pie Chowda...

Gov. Newsom Releases Guidelines to Reopen Dine-In Restaurants, Malls, Offices And More In California

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

(ABC News) Gov. Gavin Newsom announced modifications to the statewide stay-at-home order to allow more businesses in California to reopen, including dine-in restaurants, shopping malls, and offices. In order to open for sit-down or dine-in service, restaurants must: Have disposable menus or post menus online so diners can view them on their own devices Cutlery, napkins, and cups should not be "pre-set" on the table before diners sit down Avoid use of shared condiments (salt shakers, ketchup, etc.) Pre-roll utensils in napkins before giving them to customers Takeout containers for leftovers must be filled by customers (not kitchen or wait staff) Thoroughly clean tables, chairs, etc. after eac...

Irvine City Council Approves Four-Phase Reopening Plan and Drive-Through Testing Program

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

At its meeting on May 12, the Irvine City Council approved a four-phase plan for reopening city facilities, services, and programs that is guided by the State’s Resilience Roadmap. The plan allows for tennis and pickleball courts to reopen now as the state moves into Stage 2 of its roadmap. Courts will be open for singles play and one-on-one city-led instruction with safety guidelines in place. When the state moves into Stage 3, city playgrounds can reopen. City athletic fields, basketball and volleyball courts, and stadiums can also reopen for practices and games in Stage 3. Facilities, including Senior Centers will open wit...

Orange County Meets Some State Criteria for Reopening Faster, Falls Short On Others, Officials Say

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

(Orange County Register) As Orange County prepares for a partial return to public life and activities, county officials say they’re already meeting some state benchmarks that would allow them to accelerate the reopening of businesses and resuming public gatherings. But the county falls short in other areas, and officials said some criteria that may work for smaller, rural counties are unrealistic for denser, more urban ones like theirs as the coronavirus outbreak continues. County supervisors got a full rundown on Tuesday, May 12, on where they stand with respect to the markers Gov. Gavin Newsom announced recently, and they talked about seeking change...

California Becomes First State to Switch November Election to All-Mail Balloting

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

(POLITICO) California Gov. Gavin Newsom on May 8 made California the first state to switch its November election to all-mail balloting due to concerns over physical participation during the coronavirus pandemic. Most Californians already live in counties that have opted into a new universal vote-by-mail law. But state leaders and elections officials have increasingly sounded the alarm about what happened in Wisconsin’s primary, where polling places saw long lines and crowds and many voters were fearful of the health risks of having to vote in person. Citing that “concern and anxiety around this November's election,” Newsom signed an executive order requiring counties t...

California Department of Health, OSHA Issue Guidelines for Reopening Dine-In Restaurants, Shopping Centers

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

As stay-at-home orders across the state, put in place to slow the spread of Coronavirus, are being modified, the California Department of Public Health and the California Devision of Occupational Safety and Health recently issued new guidlines for the reopening of dine-in restaurants and shopping centers. The documents provide guidance for dine-in restaurants, brewpubs, craft distilleries, breweries, bars, pubs, wineries, shopping malls, destination shopping centers, strip and outlet malls, and swap meets to support a safe, clean environment for workers, customers, and the public. View the Dine-In Restaurant Guidance document here. View the Shopping Center Guidance document here.

County of Orange Receives $900,000 for Dislocated Workers

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

The County of Orange has received a $900,000 grant from the California Employment Development Department (EDD) to provide economic support for dislocated workers. Orange County residents whose employment recently ended as a result of COVID-19 are eligible for the Orange County Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) program. The program is designed to meet employer needs by helping job seekers upgrade skills, obtain employment, gain credential, and improve job retention and increase earnings. The grant will support approximately 1,500 Orange County residents who have been financially impacted by COVID-19 and need assistance. Orange County WIOA Adult & Dislocated Worker program participants are eligible t...

Newsom Joins Four Governors In Seeking $1 Trillion In Federal Relief For All States

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

(LA Times) California Gov. Gavin Newsom and his counterparts in four Western states asked Congress for $1 trillion in COVID-19 pandemic relief for all states and local governments. Newsom joined with the governors of Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and Colorado, as well as legislative leaders from the five states, in asking the House and Senate for the aid. The governors said the funds would be critical for public health programs, law enforcement and schools. “Without federal support, states and cities will be forced to make impossible decisions — like whether to fund critical public healthcare that will help us recover, or prevent layoffs o...

For Malls and Others, Reopenings in Limbo

Monday, May 11, 2020

(Orange County Register) Macy’s, Kohls, and Nordstrom are sanitizing their stores and getting ready for customers as some of the nation’s businesses start to thaw after two months in a coronavirus deep freeze. And new rules Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled May 7 outline parameters for how California businesses like restaurants, tanning salons, and stores may soon be joining them. But don’t make plans to visit Southern California’s shopping malls anytime soon. There’s a long laundry list of benchmarks California counties must meet to reopen ahead of a yet-to-be-announced statewide schedule. And, so far, Southern California counties fail to meet the two biggest criteria righ...

Orange County Great Plates Delivered Program Provides Economic Stimulus to Local Restaurants

Monday, May 11, 2020

In response to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s April 24 announcement of the California Emergency Feeding Program, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalEOS) and City of Irvine staff have participated in a number of conference calls with representatives from the County of Orange regarding the logistics of a new program branded Great Plates Delivered. Great Plates Delivered is designed to provide meals to adults 65 and older and adults 60-64 who are at high-risk and are unable to access meals while staying at home and are ineligible for other nutrition programs, and to support local restaurants and other food providers and t...

Reopen your Building Safely: Refresh the Water First

Monday, May 11, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has left many businesses, schools, homes, and other buildings unused for weeks. Before people return to these structures, the water needs to be refreshed. Under normal use, water pipes maintain a chlorine residual that protects public health and aesthetic water quality. Water that sits for a few weeks becomes stagnant. If you are reopening a closed building, Irvine Ranch Water District recommends you take the following steps: Identify all water taps, toilets, shower and bathtub fixtures, refrigerator/freezers with an ice maker or water supply, drinking fountains, and any other source of potable water. Turn on all the water taps with drains simultaneousl...

UCI Researchers Create Tech That Could Help with COVID-19 Contact Tracing

Monday, May 11, 2020

(Spectrum News 1) California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said one of the parameters of getting back to some sort of normal is having a system that can help track where people who’ve been infected with COVID-19 have been. One tool is in the works in Southern California that is using the power of technology to help with contact tracing, while protecting privacy. A software engineer at UC Irvine has helped develop the foundation for something that could eventually help with that contact tracing. And all it takes is using the camera to scan a QR code. And it will take you to sit...

Dr. Robinson is a Leading Authority on Infection Prevention and a Calming Force for Frontline Health Care Providers at Hoag

Saturday, May 09, 2020

As Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology at Hoag, Philip Robinson, MD, FIDSA, has led the COVID-19 efforts for Hoag. In January, the Orange County Health Care Agency selected Hoag to care for California’s first COVID-19 patient, who has since fully recovered. In March, he provided advice on COVID-19 to the community during the City of Irvine’s COVID-19 Virtual Town Hall in March. Dr. Robinson is the principal investigator at Hoag for the Gilead COVID-19 Remdesivir Clinical Trial and sub-investigator for Expanded Access to Convalescent Plasma for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Dr. Robinson has played a crucial rol...

Governor Newsom Releases Updated Industry Guidance

Saturday, May 09, 2020

Following up on the state’s announcement that it will begin modifying the stay at home order on Friday, May 8, Governor Gavin Newsom today released updated industry guidance – including for retail, manufacturing, and logistics – to begin reopening with modifications that reduce risk and establish a safer environment for workers and customers. Click here to see the new guidance. “Californians, working together, have flattened the curve. Because of that work, our health data tells us that California can enter the next stage of this pandemic and gradually begin to restart portions of our economy,” said Governor Newsom. “It’s critical that businesses an...

Families Forward Serves Exponentially More Families in Need Amid Coronavirus Crisis

Friday, May 08, 2020

Families Forward has seen an exponential increase in requests for service since social distancing measures went into place. Families the organization serves are those that are most likely to be negatively impacted by the economic downturn due to the COVID-19 outbreak. From March 16 to May 1, Families Forward provided food assistance to 3,865 families—more than 18,000 individuals. To put this number into perspective, for the entire month of February, Families Forward provided food assistance to a total of 241 families. Additionally, Families Forward has received nearly 200 requests for emergency housing and employment assistance due to either job loss or decreas...

West Coast Organizations Promote Trade to Fuel Economic Recovery

Tuesday, May 05, 2020

(CalChamber) The California Chamber of Commerce, the Pacific Northwest International Trade Association, and the Washington Council on International Trade shared their support and principles for trade rebound this week in Pacific Northwest International Trade Associationa joint letter to President Donald J. Trump with copies to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, and the congressional delegations of California, Oregon, and Washington. As the U.S. economy slows, it is critical that international trade and investment opportunities are expanded, market access for domestic products abroad are promoted, and disincentives that impede the global competitiveness of U.S businesses and farmers are eliminated. California, Oregon, and Washington ar...

Irvine Named a Best City to Stay-in-Place in the United States

Monday, May 04, 2020

With every major U.S. city under stay-in-place orders, a popular radio station issued a list of American cities from best to worst when it comes to living under social distancing mandates. Irvine made the #2 spot on the list. (Although, we strongly argue it should be #1!) The criteria used for the ranking include average apartment size, the amount of parkland per person, percentage of residents with broadband internet, and the number of restaurant takeout options. Master-planned features of Irvine make complying to stay-at-home orders more comfortable. An extensive network of beautifully-appointed villages that have always connected us, now helps us adhere to social distancing. Irvine resident...

Linda DiMario, Lucy Dunn, Others on UCI Forum Panelists Discussing COVID-19, Where Business is Now, What to Expect Next

Monday, May 04, 2020

What are the ramifications of this new reality brought on by the Coronavirus crisis for the business community? Technology and innovation have been important factors for some businesses to continue operating, but Orange County is a dynamic ecosystem also comprising of biotech, healthcare, tourism, higher education, and manufacturing; how will they factor into the region’s recovery? Orange County business leaders shared their insights during a May 1 webinar on reopening the economy and what’s being done to combat the challenges facing the OC business community as a result of business closures, stay-in-place orders, and precautions taken to stave off a spike in COVID-19 cases. Following ...

UCI and Local Businesses Team Up to Produce New Type of Mask

Monday, May 04, 2020

(Los Angeles Times) UC Irvine physicians, Dr. Melissa Chang and Dr. Aditi Sharma, have teamed up with OC Cutworks, a local fabric cutting business, to produce thousands of face masks for hospital workers. The new type of protective masks are made from recycled material once used to sterilize surgical equipment. Dr. Aditi Sharma, a resident physician in the UC Irvine Health dermatology department, said the sterilization wraps can be used in masks that filter up to 87% of particles, which is almost as effective as N95 masks, which have a filtration efficiency of 95%. Sharma believes the masks can be produced in abundance, helping solve th...

City of Hope Receives $750,000 in Funding from California’s Stem Cell Agency for Clinical Trial

Sunday, May 03, 2020

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) awarded $750,000 to City of Hope’s John Zaia, M.D., on for his first clinical study on COVID-19 after approving emergency funding last month. Zaia, program director of City of Hope’s CIRM-funded Alpha Stem Cell Clinic, will be conducting a study to administer blood plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients to treat those with the virus. (The mission of the City of Hope Alpha Stem Cell Clinic, part of the CIRM Alpha Stem Cell Clinic Network, is to accelerate stem cell-based clinical therapies in regenerative medicine.) Plasma is a component of blood that carries proteins called antibodies tha...

Dean of UCI’s School of Population Health, Bernadette Boden-Albala Provides Expert Council on COVID-19

Sunday, May 03, 2020

The Dean of UCI’s School of Population Health, Bernadette Boden-Albala, Dr.P.H.—a renowned researcher and administrator whose efforts to reduce health disparities for America’s disadvantaged became a blueprint for community-based stroke and heart disease prevention—is at the forefront of the region’s response to COVID-19 on several fronts, drawing upon her experience of working to provide solutions in response to other major diseases. She is a member of a statewide panel of experts that inform California’s public health response on the pandemic. At the university level, Dean Boden-Albala provides counsel to UCI leadership on best practices to help ensure the health and safety of th...

Edwards Lifesciences Repurposes Kitchen to Prepare Meals for the Needy Amid COVID-19 Stay-in-Place Orders

Sunday, May 03, 2020

(Orange County Register) Scott Ullem was trying to come up with ways to raise money for an Orange County Coronavirus fund when a novel idea struck him. Rather than just raising cash, how about using his company’s underutilized kitchen to turn out meals for the homeless, the Edwards Lifesciences chief financial officer thought. After all, the Irvine-based medical device manufacturer — on partial lockdown since the COVID-19 outbreak shuttered a major portion of the U.S. economy — has a 7,000-square-foot commercial kitchen at its LINC Café. The cafe is working at just 60% of its capacity with a portion of its 50-member catering staf...

Does the California Consumer Privacy Act Prevent Me from Checking Employees’ Temperatures?

Saturday, May 02, 2020

(CalChamber) As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect our economy, business owners are trying their best to ensure that employees returning to the workplace are safe to resume their duties, particularly when those duties involve interactions with other people. For this reason, many businesses are implementing safety procedures that often include temperature checks for employees resuming their work. One issue that may not be top of mind for an employer with regard to temperature checks is California’s Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). How does a law that was supposed to be targeted at big tech companies who collected a consumer’s data online apply t...

Irvine Offers Coronavirus Testing to Residents

Saturday, May 02, 2020

(Orange County Register) [Editor's note: Reservations for testing have reached capacity as of July 15, 2020. Reservations are no longer being accepted.] In the next few weeks, Irvine officials will offer residents testing for infection with the coronavirus by making an online appointment and showing up at a drive-through test site. At the request of Councilman Michael Carroll, the Irvine City Council voted on April 28, to create a testing program for city employees and residents. Carroll said officials are talking to labs to find a partner to process the tests and he would like to launch the program in a few weeks. The impetus t...

UCI Medical Center’s Dr. Sebastian Schubl Volunteers at New York Hospital

Friday, May 01, 2020

(Orange County Register) The man had already spent two weeks on a ventilator at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, critically ill from COVID-19 and in a medically induced coma when he and Dr. Sebastian Schubl met. Schubl, 43, a trauma and critical care surgeon at UCI Medical Center, saw a lot of patients during his recent week-long stint volunteering at the New York hospital — the same hospital where he started his career 15 years ago. But that one man on the ventilator made an impression. Maybe it was because Schubl and the man were about the same age. Maybe it was because they both hav...

Colorado, Nevada Join California, Oregon, Washington in Western States Pact

Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Colorado Governor Jared Polis and Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak today announced their respective states are joining California, Oregon, and Washington in the Western States Pact – a working group of Western state governors with a shared vision for modifying stay at home orders and fighting COVID-19. “I want to thank Colorado and Nevada for joining the Western States Pact,” said Governor Newsom. “COVID-19 doesn’t follow state or national boundaries, and it will take every level of government, working together to get the upper hand on this virus.” “Coloradans are working together to slow the spread of COVID-19 and have important information t...

Orange County Names New Health Care Agency Head

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

(Orange County Register) Dr. Clayton Chau, who previously spent more than a decade in the Orange County Health Care Agency’s behavioral health division, has been named the agency’s new director. The county announced the selection of Chau on Monday, April 27 – about a month after the position opened up when Richard Sanchez left it to head CalOptima, which provides health insurance to the county’s low-income residents. “Dr. Chau brings a wealth of experience to HCA, particularly within the realm of behavioral health. I look forward to working with him on tackling our greatest healthcare issues,” county CEO Frank Kim said in ...

Orange County United Way Helps Families During COVID-19 Crisis

Monday, April 27, 2020

The Orange County United Way is helping to mitigate the impact of Coronavirus on employment and income for many families across Orange County. OC United Way reported that requests for help with food and housing keep climbing, week by week. In March, there were 57,800 claims for unemployment insurance filed in Orange County, according to a report from the California Employment Development Department. Meanwhile, data from 211 Orange County shows there have been 11,124 requests for assistance with Food/Meals and 8,640 for help with housing. These two categories remain as the most significant categories for caller needs. Through its Homelessness Prevention Pilot Program, in a single week, OC Unite...

Coronavirus Trackers

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Tracking by County State’s Daily Actions Everything You Need to Know About California’s Response to Coronavirus Daily Coronavirus Tracker Coronavirus State by State

Legalities of Rehiring Employees After COVID-19 Layoffs

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Since the Coronavirus pandemic has taken hold, many employers have been in the unfortunate position of having to either reduce their employees’ hours or lay off their employees. Although the $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) — which offers loans designed to help small businesses with fewer than 500 employees stay afloat and keep workers employed during these trying times — ran out of money 13 days after its launch, the Senate on April 21 passed another bill that allocates $310 billion more into the program and an additional $60 billion to a separate small business emergency grant and loan program. The House expects t...

White House, US Customs and Border Protection Allow 90-Day Normal Trade Relation Duty Deferral for Certain Importers

Monday, April 20, 2020

The White House on April 19 released the text of an Executive Order allowing the temporary extension of deadlines for importers suffering significant financial hardship because of COVID-19 to pay certain types of duties. On the same day, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released a temporary final rule to implement the Executive Order and to create a new section to 19 CFR 24.1 (the new section will be designated as 19 CFR 24.1a). CBP also released two CSMS messages: 42421561 and 42423171. Under the Temporary Final Rule, CBP is amending the CBP regulations to temporarily postpone the deadline for importers o...

$350B in COVID-19 Relief Funds for Small Business Depleted

Saturday, April 18, 2020

Funding for the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans have been exhausted. While Congress is working on a second round of small-business funding, the SBA is not accepting new EIDL applications, and banks are not accepting new PPP applications. If you have an EIDL application in the SBA queue already, it will be reviewed. If you have a PPP application pending with a bank, check with your bank regarding how they are managing their queue. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, signed into law last month, rolled out the SBA’...

Six Criteria Will Determine When Gov. Newsom Lifts State's Lockdown

Saturday, April 18, 2020

The California Governor Gavin Newsom in April announced six requirements his administration will need to meet before he begins easing statewide shelter-in-place restrictions. Questions loom. 1.) Testing and tracking The state will need to develop the ability to test and track those who are sick. Are there enough tests to test everyone with symptoms? Are there enough public health workers to investigate every last possible case? 2.) Containment strategies The state will need to be able to isolate those who are sick. Is the state ready to contain fresh outbreaks, particularly in high-risk locations like prisons or senior housing facilities? 3.) Health care capacity The state will nee...

MemorialCare's Dr. Taub Finds Creative Way to Inspire Frontline Caregivers

Friday, April 17, 2020

As Medical Director of Emergency Services at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center, Dr. Marc Taub was instrumental in ensuring MemorialCare’s readiness for addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Under his leadership, the Medical Center’s Emergency Department created specialized procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the continued safety, exceptional care, and well-being of patients, physicians, and staff—the kind of work he leads his team to do every day. “What makes Dr. Taub stand out during this challenging time is the way he leads his team with love and compassion,” said Marcia Manker, CEO, MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center. “He never stops his pursuit of finding way...

Reopen California? That’s the Toughest Phase Yet, Newsom Says

Thursday, April 16, 2020

When will Californians emerge from house confinement? What will life look like? In a roadmap unveiled on April 14 with top public health officials, Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would not lift his shelter-in-place order until adequate suppression and mitigation measures are in place to prevent future flare-ups. That means tracking down the sick and isolating clusters of new infections, arming hospitals with adequate equipment, and setting new guidelines for schools and businesses to reopen. In short, it might be a while. The governor told reporters not to even ask him about the timeline until hospitalizations and intensive care caseloads begin t...

US Chamber unveils Save Small Business Initiative Aimed at Economic Recovery from COVID-19 Crisis

Thursday, April 16, 2020

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce on April 15 unveiled its Save Small Business Initiative to address the immediate needs of the small business community, mitigate closures and job losses, and mobilize support for long-term recovery in the wake of the economic destruction of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to a call to action for the broader business community and government to help small businesses, the four-part campaign includes supplemental financial assistance, advocacy, resources, webinars and guides, and research. The U.S. Chamber Foundation is supporting the supplemental financial assistance by launching its Save Small Business Fund. Funded by contributions from corporate and philanthropic partners, the U.S. Chamber Foundatio...

Six Factors Will Determine When California’s Economy Can Begin to Reopen

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Governor Gavin Newsom outlined the six key indicators that will guide California’s decision on when to modify stay-at-home orders and slowly begin reopening the state’s economy. The Governor noted that the progress in flattening the curve, increased preparedness of the state’s health care delivery system and the effects of other COVID-19 interventions have yielded positive results. These actions, however, have also affected the economy and poverty in California, with 2.3 million unemployment claims filed in the last four weeks alone. Any consideration of modifying the stay-at-home order must be done using a gradual, science-based and data-driven framework, Newsom said. California Chamber of Commerc...

This Is Where All 50 States Stand on Reopening

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Editor's note: Due to an error in another story, here is information on digital export documentation of Certificates of Origin, Free Sale, and Good Manufacturing Practices, that are now available through the Greater Irvine Chamber’s online processing service. Create an account here. Full story here. This Is Where All 50 States Stand on Reopening the Shelter-in-Place Order: More than 90% of the U.S. population is currently under a stay-at-home or shelter-in-place order as the coronavirus pandemic continues to upend life as we know it. But worries for the economy -- and people's mental health -- are raising the question: When will things go back t...

Wage and Hour Considerations for Remote Workers

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

How do an employer’s pay obligations differ when an hourly/nonexempt employee is working remotely from home? It’s important for employers to keep in mind that when having a nonexempt employee work remotely, obligations under California’s wage and hour laws remain the same, and employers need to ensure measures are in place to maintain accurate records of the employees’ hours worked. In addition to accurately tracking all hours worked by nonexempt remote employees, it’s critical for employers to ensure their employees take required meal and rest breaks, get paid for any overtime hours, and are not engaging in “off-the-clock” work (there is n...

California Colleges and Universities Share In $1.7 Billion In Emergency Stimulus Funds

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

California’s colleges and universities will see more than $1.7 billion from the new federal stimulus law to help stave off the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, but they say more is needed. At least half of that money will go directly to students, many of whom have watched their campuses close, their jobs disappear, and their schools shift in-person classes online in the past few weeks. Three California State University campuses are in the top 10 nationally in stimulus dollars awarded, which is mostly based on a campus’s number of low-income students receiving federal Pell Grants. The current maximum Pell Grant i...

What California Is Doing to Prepare for Elections During the Pandemic

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

It’s not enough to declare a trend, Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a daily news briefing. Don’t make it your headline, he cautioned. The number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units across the state had decreased to 1,132 from 1,154 the day before, he said — a 1.9% decline. Slight, to be sure. “Nonetheless,” he said, “it is encouraging.” After sharing that news, the governor sought to allay concerns from officials in some counties, including Riverside, that the state’s move to loan ventilators to other states left California’s own hospitals in a precarious spot. “It was the right thing to do and i...

Irvine Restaurants Show Support for Community Among COVID-19 Crisis

Monday, April 13, 2020

With many struggling to make ends meet amid the health crisis, Irvine restaurants are showing their support through free meals, fundraiser campaigns, and donations. Panini Kabob Grill, a Greater Irvine Chamber restaurant member, recently donated meals to the doctors, nurses, techs, and support staff on the front lines at CHOC Children's Hospital. The Melt is offering a free to-go meal to all hospital and medical staff that show their hospital badge/ID. Each week, Greater Irvine Chamber restaurant member Twenty Eight is donating 200 meals to hospitals and first responders as part of “Thankful Thursday.” To see what some other Irvine restaurants are doing to support th...

Irvine Teen Creates COVID-19 Donation Clearinghouse Website

Monday, April 13, 2020

Like a lot of seniors in Irvine high schools, Jackie Ni should be looking forward to prom and graduation right now, but because of stay-in-place orders, that's not happening. Instead, he's using his time for homeschooling and combating COVID-19, “one crate at a time.” In just a few short weeks, the Sage Hill High School senior has developed a website, supplycrate.org, that offers a transparent and efficient way for individuals and organizations to make medical supply donations. So far, through his website, more than 136,000 masks, from medical-grade N95's to fabric face coverings, have been collected. While there are websites that match donor...

IVC Foundation Establishes Emergency Fund for Students, Staff Impacted by COVID-19

Monday, April 13, 2020

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Irvine Valley College Foundation has established an Emergency Fund to provide immediate emergency bridge funding to impacted students and employees of the college. Click here for more information or to donate to the fund. The Irvine Valley College Foundation provides support to enhance teaching and learning at Irvine Valley College, cultivating resources for students including access to an exceptional education and a caring campus community.

Concordia University Biology Majors at Epicenter of Coronavirus Testing Lab

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Two biology majors from Concordia University in Irvine are now at the epicenter of coronavirus testing, working inside one of the first labs in the nation to develop the test. They are using their skills as scientists but with compassion. Hannah Hopkins and Anna Chao were roommates at Concordia when their campus closed. They realized they wanted to finish out the school year together. Now they are working side by side in a lab at the University of Washington. It's where they spend their nights, 40 hours a week consolidating COVID-19 specimens. Lab officials say they arrive in so many different types o...

World Trade Organization Annual Report: Trade Numbers Fall

Friday, April 10, 2020

From the April 8 release of the annual World Trade Organization (WTO) report from Geneva, the key message is: “This crisis is first and foremost a health crisis which has forced governments to take unprecedented measures to protect people’s lives,” WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo said. “The unavoidable declines in trade and output will have painful consequences for households and businesses, on top of the human suffering caused by the disease itself. “The immediate goal is to bring the pandemic under control and mitigate the economic damage to people, companies and countries. But policymakers must start planning for the aftermath of the pandemic,&rdquo...

SBA Special Edition Interactive Webinar for Irvine Businesses, April 10

Wednesday, April 08, 2020

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) District Office and CSUF Small Business Development Center, in partnership with the City of Irvine and the Greater Irvine Chamber, will host a Special Edition Interactive Webinar exclusively for the Irvine businesses community, on Friday, April 10, 9 a.m. REGISTER to join the Zoom webinar. The webinar will include a discussion and Q&A session with SBA experts on the organization’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), specifically designed to help small businesses keep their workforce employed, Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), designed to provide working capital to California small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of COVID-19, as well as the Disaster Bridg...

California Among the States Least Economically Vulnerable to Coronavirus

Tuesday, April 07, 2020

California is more prepared to weather an economic storm than nearly any other state in the nation. According to a new report from Wallet Hub, California is the second least exposed state in the U.S. to the economic impacts of coronavirus. “California’s increase in the number of unemployment insurance initial claims is among the lowest in the country,” Jill Gonzalez of Wallet Hub, tells GlobeSt.com. “The state also has the fifth largest share of workers with access to paid sick leave, 91%. Another factor that contributed to California’s economy being the second least exposed to the coronavirus is the state’s rainy-da...

Make the Most of Home Tech Time, IT CEO Says

Tuesday, April 07, 2020

You and your home computer are going to be spending plenty of time together these next few weeks or months. Tech-wise, put those long hours to good use. Here is a game plan very kindly put together for the Business Journal by Sebastian Igreti, chief executive of IT services, consulting and cybersecurity company TechMD. IoT: Take inventory of your in-home IT and IoT devices and check whether they are still operating on default passwords and settings. Investigate if your Alexa is snooping in your conversations—change the privacy and permissions settings and be happy about that. If your internet router still has the defaul...

Passage of $2 Trillion Stimulus Package Will Help Wide Variety of Businesses and Workers

Tuesday, April 07, 2020

Small businesses are a bedrock of American life, employing friends, neighbors, and nearly half of California’s workforce. They aren’t just companies, they are cornerstones of our communities. And with the significant public health and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic, California’s four million small businesses are being forced to make difficult decisions about how to keep their businesses afloat, their staff employed, and their rents or mortgages covered. As communities work to combat this public health threat together, it’s more evident than ever that the viability of small businesses is critical to America’s families. Last week, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief...

Required FFCRA Documentation, Recordkeeping for New Federal Paid Leave (COVID-19)

Tuesday, April 07, 2020

The new Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) has dominated employers’ attention with its provisions for emergency paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for reasons related to COVID-19, also known as coronavirus. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has been trying to answer employers’ questions leading up to April 1, but one issue that remained unclear was the documentation employers should obtain from employees taking leave under the new law. On April 1, 2020, the same day the FFCRA took effect, the DOL issued regulations that specifically addressed the issue. The new FFCRA regulations require employees to provid...

SoCalGas Launches Assistance Program for Customers Facing Financial Hardship due to COVID-19

Tuesday, April 07, 2020

Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has launched a campaign, SoCalGas CAREs, for customers whose income may have recently changed due to COVID-19 or other reasons. The campaign aims to let customers know of their eligibility to qualify for SoCalGas' assistance program, California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE), saving them 20 percent on their monthly natural gas bills. "SoCalGas is committed to assisting the communities we serve during this challenging period," said Jeff Walker, vice president of Customer Solutions at SoCalGas. "We recognize that many families are facing unexpected hardships such as job and income loss right now and we want to remind them that SoCalGas' assistance program...

Irvine Co. Provides Rent Flexibility

Monday, April 06, 2020

Orange County’s largest real estate owner adjusted its business model for residential and commercial properties in response to coronavirus concerns. In addition to upping cleaning efforts like other local landlords, Irvine Co. has offered rent payment flexibility for retail and apartment tenants. “We understand these are unprecedented times for our country and the world,” Butch Knerr, president of Irvine Company Retail Properties, said in a letter to retail tenants. “Working together, we will move forward and emerge stronger than ever.” It counts a commercial portfolio of nearly 35 million square feet in Orange County and nearly 60 million square feet companywide; and ha...

Larger Businesses Share in CARES Provisions

Monday, April 06, 2020

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act signed by President Donald Trump has provisions to help larger businesses navigate the COVID-19 crisis. Under the CARES Act, the Coronavirus Economic Stabilization Act of 2020 Fund is created for larger businesses, nonprofit companies, states, and municipalities. The $500 billion package includes the following loan and loan guarantee provisions: $25 billion for passenger planes; $4 billion for cargo planes; $17 billion for businesses critical to maintaining national security; and $454 billion for distressed businesses meeting specified criteria, determined by the Secretary of the Treasury. Terms and Conditions No stock or equity buybacks or dividends and other capital distribution...

Tough Times: Real Help Right Now Episode 1 - HR

Monday, April 06, 2020

The Greater Irvine Chamber's new video series, Tough Times: Real Help Right Now, features industry experts in the greater Irvine business community providing a deep dive into real-time, relevant, and essential information for businesses as they respond to the current global health crisis. This episode features human resources expert Brian Montes of Scaleocity Works as he provides tips and tools to navigate daily business changes. Stay tuned for future episodes of the Crisis Management & Recovery Strategies for Small Business series. Resources provided by speaker: Company Property Policy Template Forgiveable Small Business Loan Information Sheet Sample Furlough Letter Content provided by volunteer presenters for this video series doe...

UCI Beall Applied Innovation Invites Community to Share COVID-19 Response Ideas

Monday, April 06, 2020

UCI Beall Applied Innovation has issued an invitation to the UCI community to share their ideas for the fight against COVID-19. “We are in the midst of a pandemic and we know that there is an entrepreneur, industry collaborator, faculty researcher, student innovator, or funding partner that has developed an idea or prototype or concept that might play a role in slowing the spread of COVID-19 or curing those ailing because of it,” said Executive Officer Richard Sudek. Contact one of UCI Beall Applied Innovation’s experts below with your startup, product idea, or resource need related to COVID-19. Whether you’re an individual...

UCI Health Names Chad Lefteris as New CEO

Monday, April 06, 2020

The UC Irvine health system has named Chad Lefteris as its new chief executive. Lefteris will oversee the overall UCI Health operation, which includes UCI Medical Center in Orange and more than a dozen outpatient research and specialty care centers throughout Orange County and parts of Riverside County. He has been UCI Health’s chief operating officer since December 2018. His appointment as CEO comes amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. UCI announced that it is participating in a clinical trial to test the antiviral drug remdesivir as a potential treatment for COVID-19. “After a nationwide search, the search committee identified the ideal candidate within ou...

New California Health Corps Enlists Health Professionals

Sunday, April 05, 2020

Gov. Gavin Newsom has called on recently retired doctors and soon-to-be-graduated medical and nursing students to join the California Health Corps to help care for COVID-19 patients. Over recent four days, the number of Californians being treated for the virus in ICUs tripled and the number of hospitalizations doubled. Not only will the state need an extra 50,000 hospital beds by mid-May, it will also need a “human capital surge,” the governor said. “If you’re a nursing school student or medical school student, we need you. If you just retired in the last few years, we need you. If you are looking to expan...

Big Picture Changes to Unemployment Insurance, Related Benefits under CARES Act

Friday, April 03, 2020

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and, Economic Security Act (CARES Act) made sweeping changes and added new benefits to the program, so during the near-term the state Employment Development Department (EDD) will interpret these changes and implement them to provide the new benefits. New Benefit Amount In addition to the normal unemployment insurance (UI) payments (up to $450/week, depending on salary), applicants may receive up to an additional $600/week until July 31, 2020—meaning that workers may receive up to 100% wage replacement. However, EDD’s outdated internal data processing system may hinder its ability to timely change the benefits calculations. As a result, i...

Haddad’s Pivot: From Land Sales to Face Mask Donations

Friday, April 03, 2020

Emile Haddad runs California’s largest land development company. Last week, the chief executive of Irvine’s FivePoint and one of Orange County’s most prominent business leaders had another line of work: doing business deals out of the trunk of his car. The product? High-quality and hard-to-find face masks. The 5,000 masks he was buying—one of the smaller deals he was to eventually make over the course of the week—typically run $2 apiece. It’s not typical times, though. Haddad said the negotiated fee was a marked-up price of $6.50 a mask. In the end, the “price doesn’t matter,” he told the Orange County Business Journal, whic...

Federal COVID-19 Leaves: Key Points

Wednesday, April 01, 2020

In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Executive Vice President and General Counsel Erika Frank and employment law expert James Ward discuss key points and guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FCCRA), which takes effect today, April 1. Frank points out that the guidelines and requirements surrounding the FCCRA have been changed recently and can be changed at any moment by the DOL. She recommends that listeners regularly visit the DOL website to ensure they have the most up-to-date information. Listeners also can visit calchamber.com/Coronavirus for updates on federal an...

Join the SBA for a Live Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Paycheck Protection Q&A

Wednesday, April 01, 2020

With the Economic Injury Disaster Loan and Paycheck Protection programs available, many businesses have unanswered questions surrounding applications and eligibility. To provide clarity on these new programs, the U.S. Small Business Administration Orange County/Inland Empire is hosting a live, daily Q&A session at 10 a.m. Click here to join the Skype Meeting. Click here for more information.

With $349 Billion in Emergency Small Business Capital Cleared, SBA and Treasury Begin Unprecedented Public-Private Mobilization Effort to Distribute Funds

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Following President Trump’s signing of the historic Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Jovita Carranza and Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin announced that the SBA and Treasury Department have initiated a robust mobilization effort of banks and other lending institutions to provide small businesses with the capital they need. The CARES Act establishes a new $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program. The Program will provide much-needed relief to millions of small businesses so they can sustain their businesses and keep their workers employed. Banks will likely be ready to receive and process applications by Friday, April 3, but anyone interested in applyin...

California’s Strong Pre COVID-19 Job Growth Better Positions State for Recovery

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Pre Coronavirus: CA Unemployment Rate Maintains its Record Low The latest employment figures released by the California EDD reiterate one piece of good news: California entered the COVID-19 crisis from a strong position. Together with the federal stimulus, and a return to some degree of normalcy within a couple of months, the economic hardship could be somewhat temporary, with consumption deferred to a later period, according to an analysis released jointly by Beacon Economics and the UCR School of Business Center for Economic Forecasting and Development. However, there could be longer-term hardship if this unprecedented drawdown in consumption endures into the summer. “W...

Westamerica Communications Creates First Biodegradable and Recyclable Disposable Face Mask

Wednesday, June 03, 2020

HR Expert Shares Tools for Navigating Coronavirus Impact on Businesses

Monday, March 30, 2020

Tough Times: Real Help Right Now Episode 1 - HR In this series, industry experts in the greater Irvine business community deep dive into real-time, relevant, and essential information for businesses as they react to, respond to, and recover from the current global health crisis. The first episode in the series features human resources expert Brian Montes of Scaleocity Works. Resources: Company Property Policy Template Forgiveable Small Business Loan Information Sheet Sample Furlough Letter Surviving COVID-19 Crisis Presentation

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