Cal Chamber's list of 'job killer' bills
The California Chamber of Commerce released its annual list of 'job killer' bills, calling attention to the negative impact the proposed measures would have on California's competitiveness and job climate if they were to become law.
“This year's CalChamber 'job killer' list includes 37 proposals that would make it even more difficult for California companies to remain viable in this difficult economy,” said Allan Zaremberg, President and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce. “Our businesses need to have certainty that they can be competitive before they will begin to reinvest in our economy. Not only do these bills send the wrong signal and create an uncertain environment for investment but, if passed, they would create new costs that would harm our ability to recover and add new jobs,” he said.
“The only way out of these economic hard times is a rebound of the private sector. Our policy makers must focus on job creation, reducing regulatory burdens and holding the line on new costs. If enacted, these 'job killer' bills would make it even more difficult for us to solve the huge, gaping budget hole that Governor Schwarzenegger announced recently,” Zaremberg said.
CalChamber annually releases its list of 'job killer' bills to identify legislation that will harm economic and job growth in California. CalChamber will track the bills throughout the rest of the legislative session and work to educate legislators about the serious consequences these bills will have on the state.
The 2010 'job killer' bill list is available at: www.calchamber.com/jobkillers.
Important SDG&E bill changes for summer
Regional demand for electricity usually peaks in the summer, so summer electric rates are designed to encourage power conservation. Summer electric rates are therefore higher than winter electric rates and are in effect through September 30 of each year. To prepare for the summer season, SDG&E has several programs and services available to help manage energy use. Contact SDG&E to find out more about:
Free energy consultations — available to help you find ways to reduce your overall energy usage that may lead to cash incentives for implementing recommended measures.
Rebate and incentive programs — these help offset the expense of upgrading to more energy-efficient equipment in your building or facility. These upgrades can help you save on operating costs in the long run as well.
Call SDG&E's business contact center at 1-800-336-7343 for details of the seasonal rate change.
Carlsbad business pro Ernie Bray named finalist in Stevie Awards
Highlighting his excellence in leadership and innovation, AutoClaims Direct CEO Ernie Bray was named a finalist for the American Business Awards' 2010 Executive of the Year. Nicknamed 'Stevie Awards,' taken from the name Stephen, which is from the Greek word for 'crowned,' the awards honor excellence in all areas of business and commerce.
This year's Stevie Award winners will be announced during the annual gala in June in New York City. More than 600 executives from across the United States are expected to attend. The ceremonies will be broadcast on radio nationwide by the Business TalkRadio Network.
More than 2,700 entries from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted for consideration in more than 40 categories.
The Stevie Awards were created to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and business people worldwide. The Stevie Award mission is to raise the profile of exemplary organizations and individuals among the press, the business community, and the general public.
Jefferson Elementary School's 5th-grade guitar students perform as part of Celebrate Carlsbad Day.
Carlsbad Educational Foundation garners funds for local schools
The annual Celebrate Carlsbad Day held at LEGOLAND? California in support of the Carlsbad Educational Foundation (CEF) and nearly 11,000 local students was a tremendous success, garnering a record-breaking $137,000 in support for local education. LEGOLAND California donated $115,000 of the total funds raised to help fund weekly music instruction for every elementary school student in the Carlsbad Unified School District (CUSD) throughout the upcoming school year.
“This year's 'Celebrate Carlsbad Day' was a major success, enabling us to raise enough funds to support our elementary school music program across nine schools for the entire first semester of the upcoming school year,” said Valin Brown, chief executive officer of the Carlsbad Educational Foundation. “This means that more than 5,000 local students will receive weekly music instruction as a regular part of their public education. We couldn't have done this without the tremendous generosity of LEGOLAND California as a phenomenal corporate partner that cares deeply about public education.”
According to Peter Ronchetti general manager of LEGOLAND California Resort, Celebrate Carlsbad Day offers an annual opportunity to appreciate what it means to live and work in and around Carlsbad, while highlighting the importance of a strong, local educational system that thoroughly prepares students for the future. “At LEGOLAND California, we believe strongly in the value of education,” he said. “We are thrilled to have hosted Celebrate Carlsbad Day again this year and to demonstrate our continuing commitment to our local schools.”
Carlsbad City Council Members Keith Blackburn, Matt Hall, and Mark Packard attended along with State Assemblyman Martin Garrick, Police Chief Tom Zoll, Fire Chief Kevin Crawford, Superintendent Dr. John Roach, and members of the local school board and foundation board. Representatives from local businesses also attended and made major contributions to the Carlsbad Educational Foundation during the festivities.
The park recognized major donors Life Technologies and Tri-City Medical Center, as well as significant donations made recently by ViaSat and Beckman Coulter Foundation. Additional donations were received from Keith Blackburn, AutoClaims Direct, the Carlsbad Police Officers Association, Carlsbad Hi Noon Rotary, the Carlsbad Firefighter Association, and The Lund Team.
Construction is under way on a steel structure that will cover The Swim Club parking lot. The structure will hold 2,500 square feet of solar panels for heating the pools and spa.
The Swim Club construction incorporates energy efficiency
Construction and landscaping continue at The Swim Club, a residents-only recreation center at The Foothills, a new master-planned community in Carlsbad. With completion expected upon move-in of the first Foothills homeowners in June, The Swim Club incorporates notable sustainable features, including solar panels for heating the pools and spa.
“The Swim Club will be a true asset for the community, not just in the many amenities it provides residents, but also because it is estimated it will save homeowners thousands of dollars each year in energy costs,” said Lora Heramb, vice president of sales and marketing for Brookfield Homes.
A solar trellis now under construction over the club's parking lot is projected to save the homeowners' association an estimated $11,000 per year in heating costs for the pools and spa, Heramb explained. Also as part of its energy-efficient approach at The Foothills, Brookfield Homes plans to install LED lighting in the pools and spa.
Water conservation at The Swim Club has been addressed by the builder with the use of a selection of drought-tolerant landscaping.
The Foothills is the first master-planned community of new homes in Carlsbad since 2006. When completed, the community will have 404 homes on 157 acres.
In addition to The Swim Club, Brookfield Homes will build several neighborhood pocket parks and a trail system at The Foothills. Across the street from the community, Carlsbad Unified School District plans to break ground in 2010 on a new high school campus planned to open in fall 2013. Future phases at The Foothills are expected to include a fourth single-family new home neighborhood, a commercial office building and an RV storage facility. Another future amenity planned for the community is a 13.5-acre City of Carlsbad community park, which is expected to be a lighted, multi-field soccer complex.
Nearly half of the property at The Foothills master planned community in Carlsbad will be preserved as permanent open space, providing a key connection to the habitat management program for the City.
Carlsbad among top 10 destinations
TripAdvisor has ranked Carlsbad as number three on its annual list of the top 10 family destinations in the United States. The Web site, billed as the 'world's most trusted travel advice,' cited Carlsbad for its beaches, spas, and family attractions in its Travelers' Choice 2010 compilation of best places to go in a variety of categories. TripAdvisor boasts more than 35 million trusted travel reviews and opinions.
The California Chamber of Commerce released its annual list of 'job killer' bills, calling attention to the negative impact the proposed measures would have on California's competitiveness and job climate if they were to become law.
“This year's CalChamber 'job killer' list includes 37 proposals that would make it even more difficult for California companies to remain viable in this difficult economy,” said Allan Zaremberg, President and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce. “Our businesses need to have certainty that they can be competitive before they will begin to reinvest in our economy. Not only do these bills send the wrong signal and create an uncertain environment for investment but, if passed, they would create new costs that would harm our ability to recover and add new jobs,” he said.
“The only way out of these economic hard times is a rebound of the private sector. Our policy makers must focus on job creation, reducing regulatory burdens and holding the line on new costs. If enacted, these 'job killer' bills would make it even more difficult for us to solve the huge, gaping budget hole that Governor Schwarzenegger announced recently,” Zaremberg said.
CalChamber annually releases its list of 'job killer' bills to identify legislation that will harm economic and job growth in California. CalChamber will track the bills throughout the rest of the legislative session and work to educate legislators about the serious consequences these bills will have on the state.
The 2010 'job killer' bill list is available at: www.calchamber.com/jobkillers.
Important SDG&E bill changes for summer
Regional demand for electricity usually peaks in the summer, so summer electric rates are designed to encourage power conservation. Summer electric rates are therefore higher than winter electric rates and are in effect through September 30 of each year. To prepare for the summer season, SDG&E has several programs and services available to help manage energy use. Contact SDG&E to find out more about:
Free energy consultations — available to help you find ways to reduce your overall energy usage that may lead to cash incentives for implementing recommended measures.
Rebate and incentive programs — these help offset the expense of upgrading to more energy-efficient equipment in your building or facility. These upgrades can help you save on operating costs in the long run as well.
Call SDG&E's business contact center at 1-800-336-7343 for details of the seasonal rate change.
Carlsbad business pro Ernie Bray named finalist in Stevie Awards
Highlighting his excellence in leadership and innovation, AutoClaims Direct CEO Ernie Bray was named a finalist for the American Business Awards' 2010 Executive of the Year. Nicknamed 'Stevie Awards,' taken from the name Stephen, which is from the Greek word for 'crowned,' the awards honor excellence in all areas of business and commerce.
This year's Stevie Award winners will be announced during the annual gala in June in New York City. More than 600 executives from across the United States are expected to attend. The ceremonies will be broadcast on radio nationwide by the Business TalkRadio Network.
More than 2,700 entries from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted for consideration in more than 40 categories.
The Stevie Awards were created to honor and generate public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and business people worldwide. The Stevie Award mission is to raise the profile of exemplary organizations and individuals among the press, the business community, and the general public.
Jefferson Elementary School's 5th-grade guitar students perform as part of Celebrate Carlsbad Day.
Carlsbad Educational Foundation garners funds for local schools
The annual Celebrate Carlsbad Day held at LEGOLAND? California in support of the Carlsbad Educational Foundation (CEF) and nearly 11,000 local students was a tremendous success, garnering a record-breaking $137,000 in support for local education. LEGOLAND California donated $115,000 of the total funds raised to help fund weekly music instruction for every elementary school student in the Carlsbad Unified School District (CUSD) throughout the upcoming school year.
“This year's 'Celebrate Carlsbad Day' was a major success, enabling us to raise enough funds to support our elementary school music program across nine schools for the entire first semester of the upcoming school year,” said Valin Brown, chief executive officer of the Carlsbad Educational Foundation. “This means that more than 5,000 local students will receive weekly music instruction as a regular part of their public education. We couldn't have done this without the tremendous generosity of LEGOLAND California as a phenomenal corporate partner that cares deeply about public education.”
According to Peter Ronchetti general manager of LEGOLAND California Resort, Celebrate Carlsbad Day offers an annual opportunity to appreciate what it means to live and work in and around Carlsbad, while highlighting the importance of a strong, local educational system that thoroughly prepares students for the future. “At LEGOLAND California, we believe strongly in the value of education,” he said. “We are thrilled to have hosted Celebrate Carlsbad Day again this year and to demonstrate our continuing commitment to our local schools.”
Carlsbad City Council Members Keith Blackburn, Matt Hall, and Mark Packard attended along with State Assemblyman Martin Garrick, Police Chief Tom Zoll, Fire Chief Kevin Crawford, Superintendent Dr. John Roach, and members of the local school board and foundation board. Representatives from local businesses also attended and made major contributions to the Carlsbad Educational Foundation during the festivities.
The park recognized major donors Life Technologies and Tri-City Medical Center, as well as significant donations made recently by ViaSat and Beckman Coulter Foundation. Additional donations were received from Keith Blackburn, AutoClaims Direct, the Carlsbad Police Officers Association, Carlsbad Hi Noon Rotary, the Carlsbad Firefighter Association, and The Lund Team.
Construction is under way on a steel structure that will cover The Swim Club parking lot. The structure will hold 2,500 square feet of solar panels for heating the pools and spa.
The Swim Club construction incorporates energy efficiency
Construction and landscaping continue at The Swim Club, a residents-only recreation center at The Foothills, a new master-planned community in Carlsbad. With completion expected upon move-in of the first Foothills homeowners in June, The Swim Club incorporates notable sustainable features, including solar panels for heating the pools and spa.
“The Swim Club will be a true asset for the community, not just in the many amenities it provides residents, but also because it is estimated it will save homeowners thousands of dollars each year in energy costs,” said Lora Heramb, vice president of sales and marketing for Brookfield Homes.
A solar trellis now under construction over the club's parking lot is projected to save the homeowners' association an estimated $11,000 per year in heating costs for the pools and spa, Heramb explained. Also as part of its energy-efficient approach at The Foothills, Brookfield Homes plans to install LED lighting in the pools and spa.
Water conservation at The Swim Club has been addressed by the builder with the use of a selection of drought-tolerant landscaping.
The Foothills is the first master-planned community of new homes in Carlsbad since 2006. When completed, the community will have 404 homes on 157 acres.
In addition to The Swim Club, Brookfield Homes will build several neighborhood pocket parks and a trail system at The Foothills. Across the street from the community, Carlsbad Unified School District plans to break ground in 2010 on a new high school campus planned to open in fall 2013. Future phases at The Foothills are expected to include a fourth single-family new home neighborhood, a commercial office building and an RV storage facility. Another future amenity planned for the community is a 13.5-acre City of Carlsbad community park, which is expected to be a lighted, multi-field soccer complex.
Nearly half of the property at The Foothills master planned community in Carlsbad will be preserved as permanent open space, providing a key connection to the habitat management program for the City.
Carlsbad among top 10 destinations
TripAdvisor has ranked Carlsbad as number three on its annual list of the top 10 family destinations in the United States. The Web site, billed as the 'world's most trusted travel advice,' cited Carlsbad for its beaches, spas, and family attractions in its Travelers' Choice 2010 compilation of best places to go in a variety of categories. TripAdvisor boasts more than 35 million trusted travel reviews and opinions.