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Welcome to Our New Members! |
We'd like to welcome some new members, and encourage you to take advantage of what they have to offer. Some memberships are pending Board approval.
Belle's Nest
Body Shop
Private Fitness Studio
90 N. Baldwin Ave., Ste. 7,
Sierra Madre (626) 355-6101
Dry Weather Gardens and Recreation
81 West Grand View Ave
Sierra Madre
(914) 299-8359
Matt Denny's Alehouse
145 E. Huntington Drive,
Arcadia
(626) 462-0250
St. Rita School
322 N. Baldwin Ave
Sierra Madre, CA 91024
(626) 355-6114
www.st-ritaschool.org
The Shabby Dog
31 E. Montecito Avenue Sierra Madre
(626) 355-0200
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Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce Weekly E-Newsletter |
Greetings!
We're back, after a couple weeks hiatus...Please enjoy this week's newsletter. |
Wistaria Festival Goes Smoothly, Our Sincere Thanks to All Who Contributed
The weather couldn't have been more ideal, and the crowds reflected that. As one vendor told me, 'there was a happy vibe.'
We nearly sold out the vendor booths, just a few booth short of the maximum.
Although the vine wasn't at peak bloomage, nearly 2500 people passed through the properties to view the vine. Thanks to the Dorrances and the Solts for being kind enough to allow the curious to view this horticultural wonder.
Thanks to Rosemary Burnett for chairing the Wistaria Docents, Sue Levoe for chairing the Bus Docents, Susan Henderson for chairing the Park, and Tim Tutwiler for chairing the entertainment.
Thanks to all the volunteers that helped educate/entertain the visitors at the vine and on the buses, direct traffic, staff the event (including the Chamber booths), maintain order, and tear down when it was all over, in particular Key Club and Troop 110.
Thanks to SMPD and SMFD for ensuring public safety.
Thanks to the City for waiving 50% of the City's associated cost for the event, saving the Chamber a few thousand dollars, and for accepting slightly reduced insurance from previous years, saving us another good chunk of change. And thanks to Duncan MacGillivray and Ellen Burry for assisting the Chamber in making sure the Chamber's and City's insurance needs were met.
Thanks to our sponsors, the Arcadia Association of REALTORS, the Foothill Workforce Investment Board, Southern California Edison, Grand Pacific Resorts, Arcadia Gardens Retirement Hotel and Host Hotel Doubletree Hotel, Monrovia, for their financial assistance in putting on the event.
Thanks to City Staff for coordinating with the Chamber to prepare and process the TUP, and especially Susan Clifton for her hard work preparing work orders, etc.
Thanks to Public Works for their assistance with the banner, placement of barricades, cleaning and maintainance, before, after and on the day of the event.
Thanks to Mark van Cleave, for posting and removing the no parking signs, and for manning a barricade most of the day just because it needed to be done, even though he hadn't signed up to do it.
Thanks to all the vendors who provided goods for the shoppers, and all the downtown merchants for their extra efforts to make this a special day for all those who are new to Sierra Madre, and encouraging their return.
Thanks to Sue and Mark Levoe, Cheree Coakes and Augie Eck, and Katie Baumann for their hours spent on a Friday night helping to chalk out the booth spaces.
Thanks to all the musicians that performed with only the promise of a free lunch, and to Sue Behrens for emceeing the park stage all day long.
Thanks to Tiffany Bailey, not only for coordinating with all the vendors, but for handling all the hundreds of little details that make a day like this a success.
There's probably someone or (some group) that I've overlooked, and if so, I apologize for having done so, and thank you for your efforts, even if as I'm writing this your name escaped me. THANK YOU!!
Next year, it looks like we'll probably be doing it a little later in the month (I drove by yesterday and the vine is GORGEOUS now), and many of you will receive calls next year asking you to come back and assist with the 2011 Festival. This is our town's signature event, and we hope that you enjoyed yourselves enough this year to want to do it all again next year. The Chamber is grateful to all of you, and proud of your efforts. |
SGVEP Update
Legislative Committee
The Sierra Madre Chamber of Commerce is a member of the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership, and is a participant in the Partnership's Legislative Committee and its Marketing Committee. At today's Legislative Committee, the Partnership voted to support AB1224 (Eng), which authorizes a change in the beginning and end dates for the Express Lanes project. The MTA has an MOU with the US Dept. of Transportation which grants Metro $210 million dollars to test congestion pricing for one year. The change in dates will have the effect of allowing Metro sufficient time to complete a full EIR on the project, construct traffic flow improvements, and have a full year in which to collect data on the project, which will increase the number of High Occupancy lanes on the 10 and 110 freeways, without decreasing the number of regular lanes. A buffer lane would be converted to an HOV toll lane. Funding from DOT would be jeopardized if Metro was not able to collect data for the full year.
The Committee also voted to support efforts to ensure State law is in conformance with Federal law regarding the taxing of short sale properties. The state law sunsetted at the end of 2008, while the Federal law runs through 2012.
Lastly, the Committee voted to support an Open Primary system in California.
Marketing Committee
The next meeting of the SGVEP Marketing Committee will be a half day session featuring Bill Carney, principal of Carney and Associates. The meeting is scheduled for April 16th from 9am to noon.
Export How-To Workshop
Members of the Sierra Madre Chamber are invited to attend any (or all) of three upcoming workshops hosted by the Partnership titled "Exporting How-Tos." Among the topics covered at the workshops will be finding overseas markets, how to finance and insure, how to ship and document, and how to educate your staff. Whether you are looking to make a one-time effort at exporting, expand your business to include exporting, or become a full-time export operation, you stand to benefit from being a part of this workshop. There are three dates at three locations. Click here for more information. Chamber ED Bill Coburn will be attending the May 12th workshop in Arcadia, so if you are interested but unable to attend any of the workshops, he will have the handouts and notes from that meeting, and will be happy to share what he learns with you. The workshops are free, and a box lunch will be provided.
Young Entrepreneur's Reception
SGVEP announces the Inaugural Reception of the Young Entrepreneur's Association of San Gabriel Valley. The reception is an opportunity for "rising stars" to establish new relationships and resources, leverage their status in the community, and become engaged and learn more about the San Gabriel Valley and all of its assets. The reception will take place on Thursday, May6th from 5:30 to 7:30pm at the Doubletree Hotel in Claremeont. This is an SGVEP member only benefit for young entrepreneurs in SGVEP's member companies and cities. No cost to attend, just an RSVP. Click here for more info. |
Federal Grants and Resources Workshop Held - Learn More at the Chamber
Senator Barbara Boxer hosted a workshop today that featured representatives from more than a dozen Federal government agencies, providing information on the types of grants available through their organizations, many of which have significantly more money available thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and much of the funding is distributed through state agencies.
In attendance were representatives from the Small Business Administration, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Justice, HUD, Department of Commerce (Minority Business Development Agency), the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security (FEMA), the Dept. of Energy and the Dept. of Education.
Were you aware that if you hire a vet, you may be eligible to be reimbursed for half that employee's salary for six months? That the Dept. of Veteran's Affairs has an On the Job Training Program that could make you eligible for Federal money? That the Dept. of Health and Human Services has more than 1000 listings of available grants on its website, and that 14% of its $860 billion budget is discretionary funding, much of it available through grants? That funding is available through FEMA for a "Pre-Distaster Mitigation Program?"
At the workshop, the Chamber received contact names and phone numbers, web addresses and informational handouts for/about these and other programs, and as a Chamber member, you have access to all this information. Call Bill at the Chamber, (626) 355-5111. |
CalChamber Offers Voters New Tool
The California Chamber of Commerce has unveiled CalChamber2010.com, a comprehensive,first-of-its-kind website offering voters videos and side-by-side comparisons of the gubernatorial candidates' stance and history on issues most important to the state's economy and job climate.
"Perhaps never before has the economic health of our state been so important to voters as in this election season," said Allan Zaremberg, CalChamber president and CEO.
"CalChamber2010.com is designed to educate voters about the candidates' stance on issues critical to job growth and renewed prosperity in our state. Now, more than ever, voters understand the role that a vibrant economy plays in enhancing quality of life for California's working families. CalChamber2010.com will be the go-to site for the California Governor's race this year."
Non-Partisan
CalChamber2010.com combines non-partisan, factual, independently sourced research with cutting-edge online tools.
By visiting the site, voters can examine each candidate's track record and viewpoints using videos and other material.
Throughout the campaign season, CalChamber2010.com will continually be updated with breaking developments.
Features
At CalChamber2010.com voters can:
- Get full in-depth information on each of the candidates;
- Find out where candidates stand in nine major issue areas:
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- Budget and Spending;
- Jobs and Economy;
- Taxes;
- Education;
- Health Care;
- Environment and Energy;
- Water;
- Public Safety;
- Housing and Transportation.
Share customized comparisons on Facebook, Twitter and e-mail;
E-mail questions and comments directly to the various campaigns;
Explore the "Video Vault" and search by issue archived clips of each candidate; and
ce an "IssueTracker" widget on blogs, websites or Facebook profiles and more. Easy-to-follow directions appear upon clicking the "Share This Tool" link. |
Upper SGV Municipal Water District & Three Valley Municipal Water Districts Invite You to the California's Comprehensive Water Package Informational Forum
Thursday, April 15, 2010, 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon, at the Courtyard Los Angeles Baldwin Park - 14635 Baldwin Park Towne Center, Baldwin Park, CA 91706
Please join them for an informational forum that will discuss the comprehensive water package passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor last year. The package contains four policy bills along with an $11.14 billion general obligation bond proposal that voters will consider on the November 2010 ballot.
What: A special statewide series of water forums seeking to help build understanding for the many legislative aspects of the recently enacted California Comprehensive Water Package.
Who: Water experts, state and local representatives, local opinion leaders and general public.
Where: Various locations throughout California.
This event is open to the general public and there is no charge for attending. Please register online by clicking here or for more information, please call (916) 503-1411 or email bquintana@latinowater.com. | |
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