Jul 23, 5-7 pm, TBD

To Schedule a mixer, contact KK at 510-795-2244, ext. 103

If you would like to schedule a ribbon cutting, call KK Kaneshiro at 510-795-2244, ext. 103

Fremont Chamber’s Annual Food Drive: June 23 – July 25, all donated non-perishable food stays in our community to help all families who are dependent on school breakfasts and lunches and who do not have access to those programs during summer vacation. Please help us fight hunger and donate!

Jul 25, Fremont Day at the A’s: 7:05 pm, A’s vs. Texas Rangers. $5 of every ticket sold goes to the Fremont Education Foundation and other local charities. Download the flyer

25th Annual Festival of the Arts: August 2-3, 10 am–6 pm, Paseo Padre Pkwy. @ Walnut Ave. What started in 1983 at the Hub has grown into the largest free street festival on the West Coast; jam-packed with nearly 700 quality artisans, two stages, 3 musical stages, Kid City and Gourmet Marketplace. Fun is guaranteed for every family member! www.fremontfestival.net

Free Small Business Workshops
Co-sponsored by the City of Fremont, the East Bay Small Business Development Center, and the Fremont Chamber of Commerce. All classes are held at the City Council Chambers, 3300 Capitol Ave., Bldg. A, Fremont, CA. There is no cost to attend these workshops. Advance registration is required. To pre-register go to www.eastbaysbdc.org or call (510) 208-0410.
Sep 17, 9-noon, Expansion & Growth Capital
Oct 9, 9-noon, International Business
Nov 5, 9-noon, Business Planning
Dec 4, 9-noon, eCommerce & On-Line Marketing

The East Bay Small Business Development Classes & Workshops
The East Bay Small Business Development Center (SBDC), offers classes, consulting services and business planning resources for entrepreneurs and small business owners. The East Bay SBDC is focused on developing and implementing programs and services that support small business growth and sustainable economic development. All classes are held at SBDC Training Center, 1000 Broadway, Suite 109, Oakland, CA 94607 unless otherwise indicated. Visit http://www.eastbaysbdc.org/ calendar/index.html to register.

Jul 22, 2-5pm, Successful Advertising & Marketing Plans
Jul 29, 2-5pm, Starting a Business
Jul 31, 2-5pm, Successful Business Plans
Aug 5, 2-5pm, Accessing Capital for Small Businesses & Start Up Companies
Aug 17, 2-5pm, Legal & Business Issues

777 B. St., Hayward, CA 94541
Jul 24, 9-noon, eCommerce & Web Marketing

12501 Alcosta Blvd., San Ramon, CA 94583
Jul 15, 9-noon, Starting a Business

2090 Kittredge St., Berkeley, CA 94703
Jul 17, 2-5pm, Retailing 101

Free Government Contracting Course and Seminars  In these free training seminars you will learn techniques to tap into the profitable federal, state, and local government markets. The instructors have extensive experience in government contracting and are familiar with the latest contracting laws and regulations. Register online at www.TheFTC.org or call (866) 382-7822 toll free.

951 Turner Ct., Hayward, CA 94545
Aug 14, 9-noon, e-Commerce for Government Contracting

1666 N. Main St., Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Jul 8, 3-5pm, 2008 Congresswoman Tauscher’s Small Business Government Contracting Seminars

1000 Broadway, Ste. 109, Oakland, CA 94612
Aug 5, 1-4pm, Getting Started with Government Contracting

455 Market St., 6th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105
Aug 26, 9-noon, Doing Business with General Services Administration

2425 Bisso Ln, Ste. 200, Concord, CA 94527
Sep 4, 9-noon, Federal Contract Administration

ON THE HORIZON

Employers Fight Tough Measures on Immigration Under pressure from the toughest crackdown on illegal immigration in two decades, employers across the country are fighting back in state legislatures, the federal courts and city halls. Business groups have resisted measures that would revoke the licenses of employers of illegal immigrants. They are proposing alternatives that would revise federal rules for verifying the identity documents of new hires and would expand programs to bring legal immigrant laborers.

How to recession-proof your life Gerri Willis of CNN has five tips to protect yourself during an economic downturn, including ways to tighten your belt, talk to the family, protect your job, set aside a just-in-case fund, and tweak your retirement.

Pay gap between men, women varies strikingly by occupation A new Bizjournals study on gender equity shows that the balance between the sexes varies dramatically by occupation. Men and women are essentially equal in many fields, especially food services, education and transportation. But they're far apart in heavy industry, skilled trades and child care. The study ranked 112 major occupational groups.

CHAMBER
Chamber board takes positions on several issues At its board meeting on July 11th, the Chamber’s board of directors voted to support Fremont’s proposed hotel tax increase and California’s Proposition 11, the statewide redistricting measure, both on the November ballot. Additionally, the board formally opposed AB 2716, the mandatory paid sick leave legislation currently in the Senate, and voted to take a more proactive approach in supporting the Oakland A’s move to Fremont.

Deadline extended: Order your tickets for Fremont Day at the A’s on July 25th Watch the A’s beat the Texas Rangers while supporting your local community. $5 from every ticket will benefit local charities.

Don’t miss your chance to participate in Business Alley at the Festival of the Arts Time is running out to reserve your space in Business Alley at the Fremont Festival of the Arts and gain access to 400,000 attendees!

Reward your clients and employees with Wine Garden tickets Become a Connoisseurs’ Circle sponsor of the Wine Garden! You’ll receive 10 tickets to this relaxing and shady oasis within the Festival, serving fine wines, a catered buffet lunch, and featuring live music to fit the mood. A great thank-you for employees and customers! Chamber members: order by Tuesday July 15th to qualify for a discount.

LOCAL
City Council to discuss inclusionary ordinance and transportation issues – July 15 On Tuesday July 15th, starting at 5pm, the City Council will hold a work session to discuss: (1) possible revisions to Fremont’s inclusionary ordinance and the use of in-lieu fees, and (2) transportation policy issues related to the General Plan. The Council will also receive an update on the status of the East/West Connector (Rte 84 Option 2) project.

Fremont Council puts hotel tax on ballot The City Council agreed Tuesday to put a measure on the November ballot increasing the transient occupancy tax rate (aka hotel tax) from 8% to 10%, comparable to that of our neighboring communities. If a majority of voters approves the tax hike, Fremont would expect to net an extra $800,000 next year, officials said. (7/10/2008)

South County Transportation Forum to highlight local transportation projects – July 17th The Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority (ACTIA) will present a forum on major transportation projects in the Tri-City area. Projects include BART to Warm Springs, I-680 Smart lanes, I-880/Mission Blvd interchange, City of Fremont Paratransit program, East-West Connector, Dumbarton Corridor improvements, and the Union City Intermodal Station. Forum is on July 17, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Fremont Main Library.

Golden Gate Bridge toll to increase by $1 The toll for crossing the Golden Gate Bridge is going up by $1, effective Sept. 1. Drivers using cash will pay $6, and those using the electronic payment system FasTrak pay $5. (7/11/2008)

Foreclosure pace slows in East Bay during June The number of foreclosed residences decreased in Alameda County by 25% and in Contra Costa County by 4% in June compared with May, according to a new report from RealtyTrac. Overall, foreclosures decreased by 9% in the Bay Area, by 5% in California, and 3% nationwide. However the numbers are still way up from this same time last year, and analysts cautioned that it’s too soon to hail the results as a rebound for the housing market. (7/10/2008)

STATE
Democrats Propose Higher Taxes on Business The Democratic majority on the Legislature’s joint budget conference committee issued a proposal that includes: increasing the corporate tax rate from 8.8% to 9.3%; eliminating for three years the ability to deduct net operating losses; boosting the tax rate for annual incomes above $321,000 (an increase affecting all business owners and professionals who file personal rather than corporate taxes); and no longer indexing state income tax brackets to inflation. (7/11/2008)

Governor signs California mortgage bill Lenders must now call California homeowners or visit them in person and explore restructuring options before foreclosing on their homes under legislation signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. (7/9/2008)

NATIONAL
Fed Sees Turmoil Persisting Deep Into Next Year Ben S. Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, publicly indicated on Tuesday that he believes the problems plaguing the housing and financial markets will persist into next year. He outlined a series of steps the Fed is considering in the coming months. (7/9/2008)

Discount chains register sales gains in June Tax rebate checks boosted spending last month at wholesale clubs and other stores where shoppers go looking for bargains, but many retailers continued to struggle as gasoline prices and layoffs worried consumers. (7/11/2008)

June foreclosure filings up 53% nationally One in every 501 U.S. households received a foreclosure filing in June, according to a report released Thursday, a 53% increase above the same month last year. (7/11/2008)

Study: Falling airline capacity could hurt U.S. hotels as badly as 9/11 A sharp decline in airline capacity could hurt hotels in the United States and potentially rival the deep lull the hotel industry faced after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, according to a new report. (7/10/2008)

COMPANIES IN THE NEWS
Lilly pays Fremont-based Entelos for perpetual license
Toyota chooses Mississippi site for Prius, not NUMMI plant
Ross Stores reported a 15% increase in sales year over year for June
Digital Power names director CEO
Mattson Technology lowers Q2 forecast
Avanex shareholders OK reverse stock split
Ortho Biotech and Amgen resolve anti-trust litigation

Fremont Day at the Oakland A's: July 25, A's vs. Texas link to pdf