​Chair: Tracy Perez, ManpowerGroup
Tracy Perez is a lifelong resident of Ventura County, born and raised in Oxnard. She brings more than 15 years of business development and staffing industry experience to ManpowerGroup, a world leader in innovative workforce solutions. In her role as Market Manager serving Ventura County, she has demonstrated success in retaining valuable business relationships across various industry sectors and has a vast knowledge of the county job market.

Tracy is passionate about workforce development and the economic vitality of Ventura County, and works tirelessly to remain actively involved in the community. In addition to her role as 2021 Chair of the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce, she is 2021 Chair of the Ventura County Economic Development Association, Chair of the Workforce Development Board of Ventura County, and an active Board Member and Immediate Past Chair of the Ventura County Civic Alliance.

Tracy is committed to community leadership and civic engagement and also enjoys volunteering with various nonprofit community-based organizations in Ventura County. When she is not working or volunteering, Tracy enjoys spending time with friends and family, and resides in Ventura with her husband, Henry.

Immediate Past Chair: Celina Zacarias, CSUCI
Celina Zacarias is the Senior Director of Community and Government Relations for California State University Channel Islands, the 23rd campus in the California State University System, where she is responsible for advancing California State University Channel Islands’ positive presence and goodwill at all levels throughout the culturally diverse service region, the state, the nation and internationally by planning, directing, and implementing a comprehensive proactive program of community and government relations. Celina serves on numerous boards in the community and she was 2020 Chair of the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce. ​

Oxnard restaurant The Raven Tavern is following California health orders to shut down all dining except takeout, but they want restaurant employees throughout the area to know how much they are appreciated and to thank them for keeping the restaurant industry going during the past nine months.

Beginning Monday, January 11, The Raven Tavern will offer a free “Thank You” meal to any restaurant employee. Restaurant workers can stop by between 2:00-4:00 pm on Mondays and receive their “Thank You” meal.

Owners Andy Lowe and Ronan Corbett had to shut down outdoor dining at The Raven Tavern just five months after opening and lay off most employees, but they knew their employees were not the only ones affected. 

Lowe says, “We want to thank all restaurant workers for the hard work they do and for putting themselves on the front lines in order to keep local restaurants open.”

They plan to keep offering the “Thank You” meals until outdoor dining is restored in Ventura County. 

Restaurant workers need only show proof of recent employment at a Ventura County restaurant in order to receive a meal.

“This past year has taken a toll on independent, locally owned restaurants. Restaurants help create a vibrant community. We need to ensure that restaurant workers are not forgotten during this unprecedented time,” says Corbett.

Lowe and Corbett opened the Raven Tavern on July 1, 2020.  The restaurant remains open for takeout. 

Restaurant workers can contact The Raven Tavern at 805-686-7683 or email info@theraventavern.org for more information about the “Thank You” meals. 

The Raven Tavern is located at 1651 Victoria Avenue in Oxnard, and open Sunday-Thursday from 11:30 am to 8:00 pm, and Friday-Saturday from 11:30 am to 9:00 pm. 

​We recently welcomed Cottage Health as a member of the Oxnard Chamber community! Cottage Urgent Care is now open from Camarillo to San Luis Obispo – including in the Oxnard Esplanade Shopping Center. Open every day, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Walk-ins welcome, or make your appointment online. Their goal is to offer complete care in just 45 minutes. Cottage quality. Urgent Care.

1. What products or services does Cottage Health provide? Cottage Urgent Care Centers are filling an important healthcare need to provide communities access to rapid convenient care of minor injuries and illnesses during extended hours.
2. How and when did Cottage Health get started?  Cottage Health has made it a strategic priority to meet the care needs of patients, where they live and work.  We opened our first Urgent Care Facility in June 2020 and currently have eight centers open and operating between Camarillo and San Luis Obispo.
3. What is the company’s mission or motto?  To provide superior health care and improve the health of our communities through a commitment to our core values of excellence, integrity, and compassion.
4. What’s one thing Cottage Health is known for?  Through our commitment to our core values, Cottage Urgent Care Centers provide compassionate care in an efficient manner.  On average, we offer complete care in 45 minutes; Cottage Urgent Care offers extended care 8 a.m.-8 p.m., 365 days a week.
5. Why did the business choose Oxnard as its location? Cottage Health made it a priority to treat patients where they live and work.  Relying on our strong healthcare brand, we saw an unmet need in the Urgent Care market to welcome so many of our patients who traditionally came into Santa Barbara for healthcare at our hospital locations.
6. Are there any new services being offered?  We offer free flu vaccines for Adult and Pediatrics at all of our Urgent Care locations (while supplies last).  Student athletes can also obtain their Sports Physicals for athletic clearance at any Cottage Urgent Care Clinic via walk-in or by scheduling an appointment.
7. How can the Oxnard community help?  Come in and see us for your care needs, and please share with colleagues, friends and families that we are here in your community to treat non-emergency illnesses and injuries quickly and safely.

Cottage Urgent Care is located at 360 W. Esplanade Drive in the Oxnard Esplanade Shopping Center. Learn more at www.cottagehealth.org/urgent-care.

Follow them on social:
www.facebook.com/cottagehealth
www.twitter.com/cottagehealth

On Sunday, December 27, 2020, the President signed a massive emergency economic relief package, government funding, and tax cuts designed to counter the effects of the pandemic and stimulate economic growth. 

Efforts to pass economic relief measures in the weeks leading to the presidential election had failed despite numerous attempts. But after the election, a bipartisan group of lawmakers teamed up and successfully negotiated for action to spur economic activity by helping businesses and consumers.

Why was the 5,593-page bill passed?
The spike in COVID cases across the country and strong concern that the economy is weakening informed the need for the federal government to intervene -- cushioning households and jump-starting the economy. Nearly a year after the first case of Coronavirus was reported, government-mandated restrictions are still in place across the country. Congress is upbeat that the stimulus bill will protect jobs, businesses, households, and livelihoods.

What is inside the $900 billion stimulus package?
The $900 billion economic relief stimulus includes:

• $600 direct payments for qualifying adults and children
• Economic assistance for struggling small businesses, including more than $284 billion for forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans and $15 billion for theaters, cultural institutions, and other venues
• $300 per week for enhanced Unemployment Insurance benefits
• $25 billion for rental assistance and an eviction moratorium extension
• $82 billion for schools and colleges
• $10 billion to help with childcare assistance
• $13 billion in increased food assistance and child nutrition benefits
• $7 billion to bolster broadband access across the country
• Support for coronavirus vaccine distribution, testing and contract tracing efforts
• A tax credit "to support employers offering paid sick leave"

The bill extends aid to millions of households and businesses hammered by COVID. The aid is given through stimulus checks, enhanced federal unemployment benefits, and money for small businesses, childcare, and schools. It also covers the funding for free vaccination that will be distributed across states. Additionally, the package will repurpose $429 billion in unused funding provided by the Cares Act for Emergency lending programs run by the Federal Reserve.

Let's look at the key details of the bill:

Stimulus check

• The legislation provides a $600 stimulus check for each qualifying American, including children and adults.
• The size of payment reduces for persons who earned above $75,000 in the 2019 tax year. Anybody who earned above $99,000 in the 2019 tax year will not receive a stimulus check.

Jobless benefits
The legislation extends unemployment benefits of up to $300 per week.

• The benefits could begin from December 27 and run until March 14.
• The bill also extends the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance targeting part-time and gig workers who were left out of the state unemployment insurance benefits. However, applicants are now required to provide documentation that proves employment or self-employment within 21 days of applying for the benefits. Anybody extending their benefits before January 31 have 90 days to provide the documentation.

Relief for business

• The bill provides over 284 billion for the first and second forgivable paycheck protection program loans. It also expands the PPP eligibility for non-profit organizations and news outlets
• The bill provides $15 billion for the entertainment industry, including music clubs, cultural institutions, movie theatres, and entertainment venues
• The package includes $20 billion targeted grants through the Economic Injury Disaster programs
• The legislation provides a tax break for corporate meal expense

School funding

• The bill extends aid to colleges and schools, which will receive $82 billion. A $22.7 billion will go to colleges and universities and $54.3 billion for elementary and secondary education.
• The deal also provides a $10 billion package for childcare assistance.

Transportation

• The bill provides $45 billion for transportation, including $16 billion for an extra round of airline employee and contractor payroll support.
• Others are $14 billion for transit, $10 billion for highways, $2 billion for airports, and $1 billion for Amtrak.

​At the virtual Tri-County Chamber Alliance’s Annual Meeting held on December 10, 2020, Neil Bradley, Executive Vice President & Chief Policy Officer of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Fred Main, Alliance Lobbyist/Partner of Clear Advocacy, shared key insights about how our national and state elections will impact business in 2021. The Tri-County Alliance includes chambers from Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.

​Watch the full video below.