Encinitas First, September 2009

www.encinitaschamber.com

Volume 5, Issue 9

Review held as scope expands

Routing slip Share Encinitas First with others in your organization:

INSIDE The chamber’s monthly Sundowner was a “Picnic by the Pool” at Belmont Village Senior Living in August PAGE 6

Just when people were getting used to bad news in the real estate market, home sales jumped more than 7 percent PAGE 7

Small businesses in the U.S. broke records by netting almost $100 billion in contracts from the federal government in 2008 PAGE 5

The chamber wants ideas from local business owners on how everybody can help each other succeed PAGE 10

Congressman Brian Bilbray visited local health professionals to get their take on what needs to be done with the country’s health care system PAGE 3

Get all the information about this year’s Oktoberfest celebration, including a list of vendors and a preview of the food and entertainment SEE INSERT

September 2009

ENCINITAS — After five months of waiting to receive the results of an audit from the city’s Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, the City Council and city manager’s office were told that the document was not yet available.

In fact, according to an e-mail sent to the board of directors and at least one reporter by new chamber CEO Marshall Weinreb, the review will be expanded.

“After very carefully reviewing the documents, I feel that this review will not satisfy the city nor does it satisfy me,” Weinreb said in the e-mail. “We were too restrictive in choosing only 2008 for review, while I now see that the most revealing information can be found end 2007 and early 2009.”

The city has a long history of funding the Visitors Encinitas resident Alain Dussaud offers his daughter Raya a Center. Since 1990, the city meatball. See story and more photos on 11. Photo by Daniel Knighton has provided financial support in varying amounts to the center.

In 2005, the city entered into a three-year agreement worth it according to Mark Ford for the past 21 years. program. “It’s been a little with the chamber to operate Wheeler, owner and gener- He said his dealership sold problematic but it’s worth the Visitors Center with the amount of $91,500 per year. al manager, of Encinitas 76 vehicles through the ❚ see Dealers on 13 A month-to-month extension was granted in June 2008.

Performance measures are monitored by the city manager’s office.

Richard Phillips, assistant city manager, suggested to council during the April 16, 2009, meeting that the chamber be required to hire a qualified person to audit the chamber’s financial records for the previous year as a condition of renewing the contract.

A 3-2 vote — with Mayor Maggie Houlihan and Councilwoman Teresa Barth opposing the one-year contract renewal — came after

TASTES GOOD!

Dealers score with stimulus program

ENCINITAS — The highly publicized Cash for Clunkers, or CARS program, benefited at least two of the three car dealerships in Encinitas.

According to Herman Cook Volkswagen and Encinitas Ford representatives, the government rebate offer to trade in gas guzzlers for more fuelefficient vehicles j o l t e d monthly s a l e s Mark Wheeler upward in July and August. Encinitas BMW didn’t participate.

Although the process was not without a few One of the 70 vehicles traded in during the Cash for Clunkers program at participating dealhiccups, the result was er Encinitas Ford. All of the so-called “clunkers” will eventually end up at a salvage yard.

859 Second St., Encinitas, California 92024

❚

see Review on 13

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92024 PERMIT NO. 94

LOCATON: El Camino Real & Mountain Vista Rd., Encinitas

The Encinitas Chamber of Commerce, it just works!

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ENCINITAS FIRST • SEPTEMBER 2009

Calendar The next Encinitas Chamber of Commerce

Sundowner will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Holiday Inn Express North Coastal, 1661 Villa Cardiff Drive in Cardiff on

Sept. 15 Sept. 10 A modern square dance party sponsored by the Encinitas Parks & Recreation Departments & The Sandpipers Square Dance Club will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 10, Encinitas Community Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Drive. No experience needed. If you can walk, you can square dance. Call Chuck at (760) 753-6822 for details.

Call Cottonwood Creek park info at (760) 633-2740 for more information.

Sept. 17 The streets of Downtown Encinitas will be rockin’ and rollin’ when the Encinitas Classic Car Cruise Nights come to Downtown Encinitas from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Hot rods, classic cars and Woodies will line South Coast Highway 101 and there will Sept. 11 be live music in front of A T’ai Chi Chih session Encinitas Smog at 682 S. will be held from noon to 1 Coast Highway 101 p.m. Sept. 11, Encinitas Senior Center,1140 Oakcrest Sept. 19 Park Drive. T’ai Chi Chih is a DEMA will present the moving meditation that second annual Encinitas promotes health, energy Lifestyles Fashion show feaand serenity. The class is turing local talent, local taught over a three-month models and the local fashperiod. Call (760) 943-2250 ions unique to downtown to learn more.

Encinitas in the Community Room of the Encinitas Sept. 12 Library. Tickets are available A history walk will take at the DEMA office at 818 S. place from 10:30 a.m. to Coast Highway 101 or at noon beginning at the participating retail shops in 1883 Schoolhouse at F and downtown Encinitas. There Fourth streets. Call (760) will be a show from noon to 53-5726 for more informa- 1 p.m. and a show from 3 to tion.

4 p.m.

Sept. 12 Sept. 25 to Sept. 27 Stars in the Park Movie The San Dieguito Nights /Encinitas Parks Heritage Museum presents and Recreation will take ❚ see Calendar on 12 place beginning at 7 p.m.

It pays to explore the wonderful world of niches One of the things that have entrepreneurial Sears Roebuck is famous opportunities, resulting in for is its Craftsmen tools, the most dramatic expanespecially its mechanical sion of the small business socket wrenches. sector in history.

Once, while buying It’s difficult to say one of these, I was which one is the confronted with egg and which is the options of the chicken: Have “Good,” “Better,” entrepreneurs and “Best,” a strattaken advantage of egy for which Sears niche opportuniis also famous. I ties presented to was told that the them, or have they Best model had carved out niches

by JIM more notches, or BLASINGAME while pushing the teeth, inside the envelope of an mechanism, allowing for industry? The answer is not finer adjustments when either/or, it’s both/and. tightening a bolt or nut.

Webster defines niche as “a For the past 30 years, place or position perfectly the marketplace has suited for the person or increasingly become like thing in it.” If ever a conthat “Best” socket wrench; cept was “perfectly suited” every year, it acquires more for something, it is the notches. Except in the mar- niche and a small business. ketplace, notches are called Indeed, as one small businiches (I prefer “nitch,” but ness owner creates a new some say “neesh” — toma- niche, another is creating a to, tomahto). And just as niche within a niche. It’s a more notches in a mechan- beautiful thing. ical wrench allow for finer Rebecca Boenigk is the adjustments, niches create president of Neutral finer and more elegant Posture, Inc., a Texas small ways to serve customers, business she founded with which they like — a lot. her mother 20 years ago.

As niches have ❚ see Niches on 15 increased in number, so

Violet Salon & Boutique’s ribbon cutting was held in August.

Pictured from left are Kathy Zacharias, ambassador; Julia Fahlstrom, Violet Salon; Jeri Robinson, Violet Salon; April Britton, Violet Salon; Sarah Fahlstrom, Violet Salon; Pat Reinhardt, Visitors Center; David Lam, ambassador; and Alli Heller, Visitors Center. Violet Salon is located at 520 Second Street. Call (760) 634-6634 for more information. Courtesy photo

Research may yield alternatives to traditional annual mammogram SAN DIEGO — A new research study could potentially pave the way for a more individualized approach to women’s breast cancer screenings, making each person’s genetic makeup a key factor in guiding how often they get tested.

The study by Scripps Health will initially assess whether a woman’s likelihood of developing breast cancer can be more accurately predicted by the presence of recently discovered common DNA variants that are associated with the disease. If these low-risk variants prove predictive, healthy women could be divided into three different categories for breast cancer screening, instead of just one.

“During the past two years alone we’ve seen the discovery of about a dozen common DNA variants strongly associated with increased risk for breast cancer, but there hasn’t been a study yet to see just

how specific and sensitive these markers are to predict breast cancer,” said Sarah S. Murray, Ph.D., one of the study’s investigators and director of genetics with Scripps Genomic Medicine. ”If we can quantify people’s risk better, we can be smarter about the way we go about screening.”

Current breast cancer screening protocols are based largely on age, family history and ethnicity, with annual mammograms recommended for healthy women starting at age 40, according to the American Cancer Society.

The initiative, dubbed the PINK study, is now enrolling participants and aims to attract 3,500 women, regardless of whether they have had a breast cancer diagnosis.

Scripps researchers will test all participants’ DNA for each of the known common variants and will correlate the relationships between the presence of common

variants and breast cancer diagnoses.

The study is sponsored by Scripps Genomic Medicine (a program of Scripps Health), in association with the Scripps Polster Breast Care Center at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. To enroll, women must be 30 or older; have at least five years of breast imaging records available for confidential review; undergo a one-time blood sample for confidential DNA analysis; and currently receive screenings or care at Scripps Polster Breast Care Center.

The PINK study will focus on common variants since they affect a broad segment of the community — in some cases between 20 and 30 percent of the total population — and can have a significant impact on public health. Women could potentially carry these common variants but still may have no family history of breast cancer. Common

DNA variants are “mistakes,” or alternative letters in the human DNA code.

Murray says if the study concludes that these common DNA variants can provide a more accurate prediction of a breast cancer diagnosis than the current model, then women could potentially be classified into three groups for more effective screening purposes: — Women who have a lifetime risk of greater than 20 percent would be placed on a track of being more carefully screened, such as annual MRI and mammography (in accordance with National Cancer Institute guidelines); — Women who have a lifetime risk of between 10 percent and 20 percent would receive the existing standard of care of annual mammography (the average lifetime risk in the general populations is approximately 12 percent); and ❚

see Research on 15

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see Wing on 12

ENCINITAS FIRST • SEPTEMBER 2009

3

Bilbray talks health care with local medical professionals

By Jason Land ENCINITAS — Gathered in a shady spot behind the North Coast Health Center on Aug. 6, dozens of doctors, nurses and other health care support staff waited for a darkly tinted SUV to pull up.

Congressman Brian Bilbray, who represents the 50th District consisting of Solana Beach, Encinitas, Carlsbad, San Marcos and Escondido, was set to appear and talk about health care reform and answer attendees’ questions.

The forum was informal, with attendees sitting on benches and concrete steps around an improvised stage with a podium.

Bilbray launched straight into his talk with enthusiasm, expressing his desire to discuss these issues with physicians directly.

“There’s an instant response (with physicians),” he said. “One of the frustrations I’ve always had with Washington is that it’s more of a debating club than actually a government’s body.”

Citing his time on the oversight board for county health care services as a source of his empathy with the plight of affordable health care and insight into the overhead costs that can cripple patients, Bilbray sought to establish common ground amongst those in attendance.

“When Washington talks about this, we’re talking abut a program not for Canada, which is about the size of the California population; not France or England, which is about 50 to 60 million people,” Bilbray said. “We’re talking about a program that will govern over 300 million people. This is a huge leap for the federal government.”

Bilbray also said that

Congressman Brian Bilbray addressed a group of physicians gathered for a question and answer forum about health care at the North Coast Health Center in Encinitas on Aug. 6. Photo by Jason Land

there is discord amongst the Democratic Party as it tries to figure out which direction to move in for

reform. He said the health care for all citizens.

Republican Party agrees Deviating from the that something needs to be question and answer fordone, but that it’s not free mat was Patrick Padilla, an orthopedic surgeon, who used his time to make a statement rather than to get an answer from the congressman. He said it would be easier for him as a consumer and as a health care provider to have a mode of health care that can follow a person around despite their location and job.

“One of the big prob-

From left, Americare President David Petree, administrator for the Center for Surgery Chris Clinton and Encinitas Chamber of Commerce CEO Marshall Weinreb were in attendance. Photo by Jason Land

Fair readied at Army-Navy Academy CARLSBAD — The Army and Navy Academy Patrons Association is getting ready for the annual Cadet Olympics and Community Fair set for Oct. 3.

Vendors and merchants interested in a booth at the event may contact Jeanne Weaver, ANAPA president, at (619) 300-7824 or by email at SOCALLPGA@ aol.com.

Along with the Olympics where cadets and patrons can compete in games of agility, skill and speed, the Community Fair will offer an opportunity for local businesses to promote goods and services to the cadets, their families, staff and faculty, as well as local visitors to the beach front campus. It is also an opportunity for merchants to offer gift cards for sale for cadet’s use throughout the year.

lems we have is tying the health care to the employer,” Padilla said. “Create portability for the individual. People don’t want to stay with a job because they have insurance. They want to stay because they enjoy working for that company.

Offer tax incentives to the individual and tax credits to the insurers to create a graduated tax benefit based on income.”

As the forum continued, the crowd began to more

candidly address Bilbray.

Many shouted out comments, slogans, statistics or questions in between pauses in speech by either Bilbray or someone addressing him. The crowd pressed him for answers, calling him out on what they said they perceived as weak rhetoric or sidestepping issues.

Regardless of whether the forum swayed anyone’s thinking, after the closing remarks, many stayed behind to speak with Bilbray, either to hear more of his ideas for a direction to head in, or to argue finer points about reform.

Greg Petree, who works for the North Coast Health Center, credits the Center for Surgery of Encinitas for bringing Bilbray to the campus. “The discussions we’ve had is that basically the health care discussion is happening at the national level and we wanted to bring it down to the local level,” Petree said. “Often times the physician isn’t well-represented on the impact of what the changes may have on the health care industry. The North Coast Health Center is the largest outpatient care in North County— we represent 150 doctors and 45 practices. We have this large confluence of physicians in one location, many of which are leaders in their fields in San Diego. We ❚

see Health care on 15

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ENCINITAS FIRST • SEPTEMBER 2009

FROM THE DESK OF THE CEO

859 Second Street Encinitas, CA 92024 Phone: (760) 753-6041 Fax: (760) 753-6270 E-mail: info@encinitaschamber.com

Executive Board CEO Marshall Weinreb (858) 692-2325 ceo@encinitaschamber.com President G. Kenneth Gross Wealth Management Associates (760) 487-1582 kengross@wmacompany.com Vice President Angel Haag Primeco Education (760) 436-6076 angel@primecoeducation.com Vice President / Treasurer Melaini Peet Union Bank of CA (760) 942-4890 melaini.peet@uboc.com

Board of Directors Claudia Carillo San Diego Gas & Electric (858) 654-6301 ccarrillo@semprautilities.com David DaCosta Jamroc 101 Caribbean Grill (760) 274-3762 eat@jamroc101.com Denise Hardman Liberty Mutual Insurance (760) 635-1472 denise.hardman@ libertymutual.com David E. Lam Financial Advisor - Edward Jones (760) 753-1025 www.edwardjones.com Greg Petree North Coast Health Center (858) 792-0696 gapetree@americarehr.com Katherine Wichmann Zacharias Insurance & Financial Services (619) 208-7717 thewic@sbcglobal.net Genevieve Wing Wing Insurance & Financial Svcs.

(760) 944-1159 wing.insurance@gmail.com Vanessa Keller Comerica Bank (760) 942-2301 vkeller@comerica.com Coleen Walsh CFO to-Go CPA (760) 230-1965 cfotogo@hotmail.com Jeremy E. Douglas VP Business Banking Wells Fargo (760) 432-5345 Jeremy.e.douglas@wellsfargo.com Maryam Rad Positive Place Montessori School (760) 230-6590 mrad@positiveplacesd.org

Visitors Center Director Pat Reinhardt Visitors Center Staff Debbie Caligiuri Alli Heller Jake Shapiro

Advertising/Production COAST NEWS GROUP 828 North Coast Hwy. 101, Suite C 760-436-9737 E-mail: encinitasfirst@ coastnewsgroup.com SUBMISSIONS To submit articles, photos and press releases for consideration for an upcoming issue, please e-mail: encinitasfirst@yahoo.com ©2009 ENCINITAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Things are going quite well after just five weeks on the job. I have been having weekly “coffee chats” with local business owners and managers and they have been very successful.

During these informal gatherings, I meet with five current and prospective chamber members to help them better understand what the chamber has to offer and listen to their needs and implement changes. In the next Encinitas First I will share what I learned.

Also new for the chamber are a number of committees being formed to MARSHALL help represent various WEINREB business segments. I am reaching out to relevant people and experts in specific industries to join these groups. The committees will meet once a month to share information about their respective fields, including new developments, interesting news and ideas. The chair of each committee will gather and review the data and include it in upcoming publications, on the chamber’s Web site and in a monthly report.

The Health Care, Education and Visitors

Center committees are already full. The Communications committee is nearly full, the Sole Proprietors committee is just forming and the Retail committee will soon be looking for members. Contact me if you have suggestions for another committee category.

I went to a California Chamber meeting this week, along with the CEOs of all the other county chambers, and it was very informative. We are going to be part of an online project with the California Chamber to provide all businesses with vital and mandatory Labor Law and Sexual Harassment posters and manuals at discounted prices. The 2010 publications will be available in October and we will keep our members advised.

In other news, I will be attending meetings and workshops to learn more about the controversial Leucadia 101 Streetscape project.

Soon I will conduct a survey of all our members to get their input about this project and will report on those results. Once I am thoroughly educated about the project, I will know how to protect the best interests of our business community. I will report only the facts of this issue.

In other news, I was recently invited by Julian Duval for a personal tour of Quail

Botanical Gardens. We shook hands and agreed to continue to support each other. We also decided that the December Sundowner will be held on Dec. 8 this year at the gardens in conjunction with the opening of its holiday lights event. Julian will address the crowd and open the Garden of Lights ceremony.

The State of the City address will be held in December. I intend to make it a quality, honorable and exciting event. My vision for the event is based on my experience with the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce’s recent State of the City address.

Ted Owen, president and CEO of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, invited me to attend the sold-out event that had 508 attendees and 25 people unable to be seated because it was too full. It was a first-class event held at the Four Seasons Resort Aviara, and the bar has been set high. Even though Encinitas doesn’t have the Four Seasons, I feel we can hold our own high-class event because we have our own great places and our own quality people.

Anyone interested in volunteering to help make this State of the City address the best yet, ❚ see Letter on 13

Feel better during tough times Laurel Delaney FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT GLOBETRADE.COM FROM WWW.USCHAMBERMAGAZINE.COM

I asked 20 presidents of small businesses in marketing, interior design, insurance, and a variety of other industries what allows them to get a good night’s rest in these difficult economic times. Here are the highlights of what they shared.

Put in a good day’s work by getting to work early and staying an extra hour or two at the end of a normal day if needed. Stay focused and committed to growing your business. Of all the pointers, this was the most commonly shared.

Connect with upbeat, enthusiastic, and high-energy people who share similar business concerns and who offer a host of action-oriented solutions to extraordinary day-to-day problems. One of the things I heard time and time again is that it costs nothing to smile.

Communicate with employees often to convey the steps being taken to keep the company ❚ see FEEL BETTER on 15

Unions assault econonomic and retirement security

By Tom Donohue PRESIDENT AND CEO, U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FROM WWW.USCHAMBERMAGAZINE.COM

Investors reeling from losses in their stock portfolios and 401(k) retirement plans have a potential new threat to be concerned about — powerful special interests that have goals other than maximizing shareholder value.

Some labor unions are trying to leverage the financial clout of their pension funds to promote a political agenda in companies in which they have an ownership stake. They want to take control of corporate boardrooms and govern companies based on their narrow interests—not the interests of all shareholders.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) recently introduced legislation—the misnamed Shareholder Bill of Rights — that would facilitate such a takeover. This bill would force companies to allow, and essentially pay for, unions and other activist shareholders with as little as 1 percent ownership to run competing slates of board candidates in corporate elections. This may sound harmless, but it could undermine the profitability of our best companies and weaken the retirement security of millions of Americans. It would also cause companies to think twice before going public.

Unions already employ shareholder activism to advance a special interest agenda that has little, if any, connection to the financial performance of the companies in which they have a stake. Their actions include repeated motions by the AFL-CIO to require pharmaceutical companies to disclose their drug ❚ see UNIONS on 15

Want to make some easy money?

By John Tschohl FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT SERVICE QUALITY INSTITUTE WWW.CUSTOMER-SERVICE.COM/

What would you say if I handed you a check for $25,000? $250,000?

Before you get too excited, I’m not going to do that. But I am going to tell you how you can find that kind of money and add it to your bottom line. No, it’s not by terminating employees or by instituting pay cuts. If you want to cut costs, the most effective method — and one that will have long-term benefits — is eliminating waste, not people. How do you do that?

Simple: Ask your employees.

There is waste in every organization. The challenge is to identify that waste and then eliminate it. Your employees are the experts.

They see where the waste is — in time, procedures, and materials. Ask them to identify that waste and to suggest ways to eliminate it. You will build morale by making employees feel like you value their ideas — and you will improve your bottom line.

Many employee suggestion programs fail because executives are only interested in ideas that will save the company $100,000 to $1 million. They fail to identify the

small savings that quickly add up to big money. My company offers a program called BAD — Buck a Day — that asks each employee to identify a way to save just $1 a day. With 250 working days in a year, a 100-employee business would achieve a respectable $25,000 in annual savings.

Here are some tips for instituting an employee suggestion program: Keep it short. A short campaign keeps enthusiasm high. Our BAD program runs for just 30 days.

Make it fun. Dry, dull campaigns get little attention, which means they get few results. Incorporate fun and humor, and employees become more involved.

Recognize employees. You don’t have to offer monetary rewards or a trip to Las Vegas to get employees to participate. Recognition is a much stronger motivator than money. Recognize employees

in a timely manner through public praise, including an article and photograph in the company magazine or a pizza party.

Involve everyone. The backbone of a successful employee suggestion program is to engage all employees — from frontline employees to executives.

Implement ideas quickly.

Nothing kills a suggestion program faster than a long lag time in implementing employees’ ideas. If you don’t implement ideas quickly, employees will lose interest.

An effective cost-reduction campaign is based on the assumption that employees have worthwhile ideas.

And those ideas can mean the difference between your company’s failure or survival.

In today’s dismal economy, you must look for ways to dramatically eliminate waste and reduce costs. Ask your employees to help. You’ll be amazed at the results.

Got a business news tip?

E-mail info to: EncinitasFirst@yahoo.com

ENCINITAS FIRST • SEPTEMBER 2009

5

Realtor’s secret trick for success: extreme service ENCINITAS — When you think Encinitas real estate, Margaret Hokkanen probably comes to mind. You know her from the home brochures in your mailbox.

When asked about her most recent mailing, she said, “We just mailed an eightpage brochure of a super-cute beach cottage in Encinitas Highlands to almost 15,000 homes.”

In addition to marketing listings, Hokkanen is known for her skill in helping buyers find the right home. For someone relocating to the area, the needs may be Margaret very different than someone downsizing Hokkanen after kids have left home. By being accessible, providing exactly the information that is needed, and accommodating the client’s needs, Hokkanen has a long list of clients willing to act as a reference.

Hokkanen just rejoined the chamber after a few years of absence. Her husband (and broker) John met with Marshall Weinreb, the Encinitas Chamber CEO, about their past concerns. “Marshall was happy to meet and he listened to our reasons for not renewing in the past,” John Hokkanen said. “By the end of the meeting, I was convinced that the Encinitas Chamber was back on the right track. We rejoined the chamber because we thought it was important for local businesses like ours to show our confidence in and support of the new leadership. Not only is the chamber uniquely positioned to help, they are committed to adding value and helping Encinitas businesses grow.”

As the owners and sales managers of SurfTheTurf.com Realty, Margaret and John Hokkanen know a lot about listening to client needs and providing over-the-top value. “Most home buyers and sellers want a local expert,” Margaret Hokkanen said. “And that’s why each of our agents focuses on an area and helps both sellers and buyers.” For Encinitas and Carlsbad — Margaret; San Marcos and Escondido — Karen; Poway and RB — Chris; La Jolla and UTC — Kathy; Fallbrook and Bonsall — Heather, and so on for the rest of the agents.

The services they provide to home sellers are indeed ❚ see Service on 15

Local life coach helps people ‘Blast Off’ ENCINITAS — Allison Maslan has been an entrepreneur for the past 25 years and has a vibrant and powerful array of successful businesses to her credit. She is an author, an international speaker, the originator and president of the Blast Off Life Coaching Program, and the president of the Homeopathic Wellness Center in Leucadia, where she practices as a nationally certified homeopath and licensed holistic health practitioner. She is also the founder of the Homeopathic Academy of Southern California, the largest and most comprehensive homeopathic certification academy in the United States.

When she was in her 20s, Maslan Allison Maslan became co-founder and co-director of the Barali Group, a full-service advertising and public relations firm. Her client list included Supercuts, Allstate Insurance, Merrill Lynch, Charlotte Russe and MCI. She also co-developed, co-owned and sold a scuba-diving certification program, Dive Pro San Diego, as well as a hair salon. And, as a successful real estate investor, Maslan manages several properties and coaches others to do the same. She is the author of many well-received articles in local, national and international publications.

“Blast Off” (Rees House Publishing, May 2009) is her first book. It focuses on why human beings create their own personal limits in different aspects of their lives, including their relationships, personal joys, careers, health, prosperity and spirituality. She developed the Blast Off! Program to help people learn to identify and release selfimposed roadblocks. Her Blast Off Program offers a stepby-step, solution-oriented roadmap to living abundant, richer and freer lives.

In addition to her Blast Off Life Coaching Program, Maslan has launched an online interactive coaching program called Blastation. You can find more information at www.MyBlastOff.com.

Maslan lives in Cardiff with her husband, Mike, three dogs, Daisy, Madison and Samson, and her cat, Miko. Her daughter, whom she raised primarily as a single mom after her own life changes, is currently attending college.

From left, the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting for the Holiday Inn Express Cardiff took place Aug. 26. From left, Pat Reinhardt; Kathy Wichman Zacharias; Suzanne Swanson; Joe Park, general manager of Holiday Inn Express, Cardiff by the Sea; Andy Mansour, owner of Holiday Inn Express, Cardiff by the Sea; Marilyn Kovach; David Lam; Merio Valdes; and Vince Reyes, sales manager of Holiday Inn Express, Cardiff by the Sea. The Holiday Inn Express Cardiff is located at 1661 Villa Cardiff Drive, in Cardiff-by-the-Sea. Call (866) 5386194 for information.Courtesy photo

Indie businesses go into survival mode From www. uschamber magazine.com Web developer and videographer Milan Shah uses social networking services for marketing. “My clients take care of the distribution, “ he says.

It took his own nuptials for wedding videographer Milan Shah of Chicago to recognize the business benefits of social networking.

“After I got married in August, my wife put our wedding video on her Facebook page, and it just went from there.” Now, instead of using DVDs, Shah creates two-hour, password-protected wedding videos that can be shared over the Web, including on social networking sites like

Facebook.

Before moving to social networks, Shah’s main marketing effort was going to bridal shows. He and his three business partners would collect the names of between 200 and 300 brides who were planning to get married in the next 12 to 18 months. To obtain their business, Shah would have to stay in touch with them for that extended time period. In contrast, marketing himself through social media produces more immediate jobs. “The rampup process involved with bridal shows takes a long time, but online, things move much faster,” Shah says. And attending bridal shows is expensive, costing

about $1,000 per show. Shah expects to go to 30 bridal shows this year, but with his growing online exposure, he figures he probably won’t need to go to any next year.

“I don’t have to do any marketing. I sell the video to the bride and groom, who then post it on their Facebook account and share it with friends. It creates an echo for what you create … uncles, aunts, grandmothers, grandfathers, they’re all on Facebook,” Shah adds. “It’s not uncommon to get thousands of views of a wedding online, while a DVD only gets viewed a handful of times.” That has led to a deluge of referrals and requests.

Recently, Shah began using Twitter to reach even more people. When a new video is completed, Shah sends out a “tweet,” giving everyone who searches for “wedding videographer” a three-minute video sample.

“For a long time, businesses didn’t want to share their products. They had a fear of it, especially videographers.

But with more people going online, you have to do it. Just give a little bit away for free,” says Shah. The important thing, he adds, is to know your market. Twitter may not be for everyone, but the target client he’s going for, in their 20s and 30s, embraces social networking and is comfortable with technology.

Small biz had record year with gov’t WASHINGTON, D.C. — Small businesses won a record $93.3 billion in federal prime contracts in Fiscal Year 2008 (Oct. 1, 2007 to Sept. 30, 2008), an increase of almost $10 billion from 2007, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s third annual small business procurement scorecard, released recently.

In addition, small disadvantaged businesses, women-owned businesses and service-disabled veteranowned businesses increased their share of federal contracting dollars by at least $1 billion to $3 billion.

“This record $93.3 billion in contracts to small businesses is significant, however, across the federal government we are committed to ensuring that the 23 percent goal is met and even exceeded going forward,” SBA Administrator Karen Mills said.

“Especially during these tough economic times, federal contracts for small businesses can be just the

opportunity they need to continue to grow and create jobs. At the same time, the federal government gets access to some of the most innovative and best products and services.”

Recently, the Obama Administration reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that minority-owned businesses, small businesses, including women and veteran-owned businesses

have greater access to federal government contracting opportunities. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and SBA Administrator Karen ❚ see Record on 15

Downtown Encinitas Mainstreet Association Presents

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ENCINITAS FIRST • SEPTEMBER 2009

Expect positive growth FROM WWW.USCHAMBERMAGAZINE.COM

Economic indicators were mixed in August, but the general trend suggests that the pace of economic decline continues to slow and that positive economic growth should return in the third quarter.

Employment The economy lost another 247,000 jobs in July. This was a considerable improvement from previous months.

The economy lost an average of 691,000 jobs per month in the first quarter and 422,000 jobs in the second quarter. The July unemployment rate dropped to 9.4 percent from 9.5 percent in June. Weekly hours worked increased to 33.1 hours from 30 hours in June. Average hourly earnings increased 0.2 percent after remaining flat in June.

The pace of job loss has slowed by more than expected, but the labor market will continue to deteriorate into next year.

Business confidence The Institute for Supply Management’s Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) remains below 50, its threshold for ❚ see Growth on 15

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Sundowner brings new and familiar faces together at Belmont Village CARDIFF-BY-THE-SEA — The monthly Sundowner in August was a huge success by any measure. The “Picnic by the Pool” theme was appropriate as chamber members and soon-to-be members mingled poolside at the Belmont Village Senior Living facility. The crowning jewel of senior living facilities in the area is barely nine months old but has already made an impact in the community.

The Sundowner events are one of the many benefits of membership in the Chamber of Commerce.

Held on the third Thursday of each month, the gatherings offer opportunities to make contacts, meet potential clients and business strategy partners and win great raffle prizes.

The events also give potential members a sense of the organization. The chamber is committed to economic and community development through active participation in government advocacy and local outreach to residents.

From left, Ken Gross, president of Wealth Management Associates and president of the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce board of directors, Belinda Hunter, manager of Belmont Senior Living, and Marshall Weinreb, CEO of the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce.

Membership has its privileges with the chamber, especially in the way of costeffective advertising.

Chamber members are given special advertising rates in the monthly newslet-

ter, as well as exclusive promotional sponsorship rights at the chamber’s special events such as Oktoberfest.

Tyson Eckel, a potential member attending his first Sundowner event on Aug. 18,

took in all of the benefits of membership information from other members and chamber ambassadors. “In a tight economy, it’s a good idea to pool your resources,” he said.

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Lance Roll, The Flavor Chef, is joined by Robert Sherman of Robert’s Healing Massage and Chamber Ambassador Dennis Smith of SanDiegoHomes.com.

Board members Genevieve Wing of Wing Insurance Services and Katherine Wichmann Zacharias of Evolve Digital join potential chamber member Tyson Eckel of First Investors.

Adam Rowe of ERowe Design and Patricia and Don Hagar of Where to Next enjoy a relaxing poolside Sundowner on Aug. 18.

Don Enck of Pay-Net, Zack Spencer of Comerica Bank and Kady Cravens of Alphagraphics enjoy meeting new people at the Aug. 18 Sundowner hosted by Belmont Village.

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Alison Cavanaugh and Angie Binns of Cyd-Dynnu Massage Clinic in Cardiff –by-the-Sea make their inaugural appearance at a Sundowner.

Sundowner Jim Benedetti of JPB Landscape Architecture and Rich Kilpatrick of RK Computer Services talk math and design at the Sundowner.

will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 15 at Holiday Inn Express North Coastal 1661 Villa Cardiff Drive in Cardiff on

Joan Faust of San Diego Trust Bank and Liliana Zuniga-Avila of Comerica Bank have lots to discuss at the Aug. 18 Sundowner at Belmont Village.

ENCINITAS FIRST • SEPTEMBER 2009

7

Existing home sales surge From www.uschamber magazine.com COAST CITIES — The National Association of Realtors reported that existing home sales increased 7.2 percent in July to 5.24 million homes at an annual rate. In June, existing home sales increased 3.6 percent, with 4.89 million homes sold. Compared to a year ago, existing home sales are down only 1.9 percent. At the current sales rate, there is 9.4 months’ supply on the market, consistent with June’s level of available supply. The median sales price for an existing home dropped to $178,400 in July, down from $182,000 in June. It appears as though the housing market may have bottomed out, though even a slight shock to the economy could change that picture. Potential buyers remain cautious because of the uncertain labor market and tightened credit restrictions.

New residential construction Housing starts in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 581,000. This is 1.0 percent below the revised June estimate of 587,000 and 37.7 percent below the July 2008 figure. Housing starts reached a cyclical low in April at 479,000 but have been more or less flat since December ❚ see Home on 15

Date nights offered ENCINITAS — Every Tuesday night in downtown Encinitas, multiple restaurants offer special prix fixe menus with discounted prices ranging from $30 a couple to $50 a couple.

Participating restaurants are: D Street Bar & Grill for $40/couple El Callejon for $48/couple Encinitas Café for $30/couple Jamroc 101 for $40/couple Giovanni’s for $40/couple Leucadia Pizzeria for $45/couple Roxy Restaurant for $40/couple St. Tropez Bistro for $40/couple When In Rome Restaurant for $50/couple For more information go to encinitas101.com

A recent ribbon cutting was held for Wing Insurance and Financial Services. Pictured from left are Jeff Bibler, ambassador; Dr. Kim D. Kelly; Zack Spencer, ambassador; Suzanne Perez, ambassador; David Lam, ambassador; Genevieve Wing, ambassador; Jim Rose; Kathy Zacharias, ambassador; Debbie Caligiuri; and Claudia Yates, ambassador. Call (760) 944-1159 or visit www.wingins.com for more information about Wing Insurance and Financial Services.

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San Dieguito Heritage Museum set to host 3 day lima bean celebration ENCINITAS — Is the lima bean truly the most hated of all vegetables? Lima beans play a big part in Encinitas history and the San Dieguito Heritage Museum is out to change the bean’s bad rep by sponsoring a weekend event to raise the lowly lima bean to star status.

The lima bean will be celebrated starting at 7 p.m.

Sept. 25, with a talent show where all the acts must incorporate a lima bean in some way.

To help get the show rolling, there will be tequila tastings, presented by El Duende Tequila.

The Lima Bean committee is looking for local talent willing to perform for … well … beans. Send an e-mail to limabeanevent@hotmail.com if you are interested.

An actual Lima Bean Cook-off will be held Sept. 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Museum site, 450 Quail Gardens Drive. The Lima Bean committee is looking for amateur creative cooks, professional chefs, restaurants — anyone interesting in cooking up a winning entry. Be creative, think outside the bean pod.

The four categories are: Classic Comfort, Savory Soup, Creative Ethnic and Anything Else.

There will People’s Choice Awards and the best of the best as judged by a panel of three celebrity judges. Lima Bean trophies and other prizes will be awarded.

“Before North Coastal county had flowers, lima beans were grown here, thousands of acres,” Evelyn Weidner, Lima Bean chairwoman said. “Lima beans did not need much water to grow, they provide a great source of protein and they were easy to ship to other parts of the U.S. Lima beans can be easily grown in your own garden.”

Celebrate the Lima Bean at the San Dieguito Heritage Museum Lima Bean Cook-Off weekend, Sept.

25 through Sept. 27.

The San Dieguito Heritage Museum collects, preserves and interprets local history.

The museum’s major intent is to tell the story of the communities of the San Dieguito region to children and adults.

For additional information, contact Evelyn Weidner at (760) 809-0789 or e-mail at limabeanevent@hotmail.com.

Community Resource Center celebrates 30 years ENCINITAS — Community Resource Center will be “Celebrating 30 Years” of service to the community at its annual gala from 6 to 10 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. This year’s milestone event will include an auction, dinner, live music, program and dancing.

Organizers hope to raise more than $150,000 in vital funding for CRC programs that provide safety, stability, and a path to self-sufficiency to more than 7,500 people in our community every year.

Abused women and children come to Carol’s House for emergency shelter and start new lives through our Comprehensive Domestic Violence Services. Local households in crisis are connected to critical resources through our Hunger and Homelessness Prevention Services.

As the primary provider of social services in the North County Coastal region, CRC has had a 150 percent increase in demand for services in the past year, amid dramatic state and federal budget cuts.

“Now, more than ever, we need your support,” Laurin Pause, executive director of CRC, said.

Special guests confirmed so far for this event include past CRC Gala Honorees, Paul Ecke III, Julie Hampton, Lizbeth Ecke, David Meyer, and Peder and Julie Norby.

Also confirmed to attend is Mayor Maggie Houlihan of Encinitas, among others.

Vice Chairwoman Pam Slater-Price of the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors, is the honorary chair of this year’s CRC Gala.

More than 200 groups, businesses and organizations support this charity through community service, and thousands of individual volunteers are a core part of its programs. The CRC Gala will include tributes to those supporters, who have been crucial to the success of CRC over the years.

For event information or to RSVP, please contact Suzie Colby at scolby@crcncc.org or (760) 230-6305. Tickets available online at www.crcncc.org.

Start social networking your business ENCINITAS — Are your kids on Facebook? Have you been hearing about Twitter on the news and wondering what it’s all about and how it can help your business? If so, this hands-on workshop is for you! Offered through MiraCosta College, this two-day class will familiarize you with Facebook, Linked In, Twitter and Flickr. Your instructor will help you start accounts and show you many of their basic functions.

How to Set Up and Use Social Networking will meet two Saturdays, Sept. 12 and Sept. 19, from 10 a.m. to noon in Room 112 at MiraCosta College’s San Elijo Campus, 3333 Manchester Ave. in Cardiff.

The fee for the course is $50.

A $5 materials fee will be collected in class. Students must have an e-mail account set up.

For more information or to register, call (760) 7956820. Registration is also available online at miracosta.edu/commsvcs.

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Introducing ECC Business 4 Business ENCINITAS — Are you curious about how you can add value to your Encinitas Chamber of Commerce membership? Do you have some suggestions or ideas you would like to share with other interested business owners in Encinitas? Interested in brainstorming on how we can all make the connections necessary to help each other through tough times? Willing to be a link to improve and keep business in Encinitas?

A new ECC Business 4 Business committee is being formed. This lunch group will meet the last Thursday of the month at 11:30 a.m., for just more than an hour.

The location will change each month in an effort to help support local Encinitas Chamber restaurants.

Communicate your interest at ECC4business@ gmail.com.

A ribbon cutting was held for Luedde & Associates Insurance in August. Pictured from left are Kathy Zacharias, ambassador; Mario Valdez, ambassador; Jeff Bibler, ambassador; Brett Luedde, Luedde & Associates; Michelle Clark, Luedde & Associates; Zack Spencer, ambassador; and Suzanne Perez, ambassador. Luedde & Associates is located at 332 Encinitas Blvd., Suite 200 in Encinitas. Call (760) 634-7634 for more information. Courtesy photo

Encinitas doctor offers advanced cosmetic procedures in a safe setting ENCINITAS — Dr. Ali Lashgari and his staff at Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery strive to deliver the most advanced cosmetic procedures in the safest, most caring setting. Spending time with patients is at the heart of Dr. Lashgari’s mission. We don’t overbook patients, he says, so each patient gets my full attention. Dr. Lashgari and his staff ensure a pleasing experience by providing a warm atmosphere, impeccable service and minimal wait times; this is why patients not only remain with the practice long term but also refer friends and family.

Dr. Lashgari offers comprehensive care from dermatology to cosmetic procedures, including microcannula tumescent liposculpture; Fraxel and C02 laser resurfacing; IPL Photofacials and Photodynamic therapy for

sun damage; fillers such as Restylane, Sculptra, and Radiesse. All procedures are done under local anesthesia and light sedation in the office, reducing risk and minimizing downtime.

Patient Coordinator Lisa Padilla is always available, assists you every step of the way and provides close follow up after the procedure. Patients routinely comment on their delight with not only their excellent surgical results but with their experience as a whole.

Dr. Lashgari’s credentials are exceptional. He received his B.S. with honors from Caltech and his M.D. from the UCSD; he performed his internship at Yale New Haven Hospital, and then returned to UCSD for his residency. Dr. Lashgari is board certified in dermatology and has received extensive training in cos-

DR. AI LASHGARI

metic surgery. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, and is past president of the San Diego Dermatology Surgery Society. He was chosen as one of the best physicians and surgeons by Bestof.com.

“We provide an environment where we get to know our patients and they get to know us,” says Dr. Lashgari. He adds that they treat their patients like family and they come

to them because they get the type of care that we all hope to get.

Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery practice is passionate about educating the people of North County and its surrounding cities on sun protection, proper skin care and the importance of annual skin cancer screenings. They are delighted to offer these services and are contracted with numerous insurance companies and also accept Medicare assignment. As a practice, they are excited to be new members of the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce which allows them to be more connected and proactive in the community.

The staff invites the public to stop by their office or visit www.doctorlashgari.com. Se habla Espanol.

The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located at 477 N. El Camino Real, Suite A300 in Encinitas. Call (760) 436-8700 for more information.

Solana Center to host free enviornmental events in the fall California Coastal Cleanup Day 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 1 at Swamis Beach in Encinitas.

Co-sponsored by the City of Encinitas.

Register at www.cleanupday.org Electronic Waste Collections — 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 26 at Solana Center, 137 N. El Camino Real, Encinitas. Just past the Sheriff’s station at Via Molena. We’ll take just about anything with a cord. Co-sponsored by the city of Encinitas.

— 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 15 Celebrating America Recycles Day (same info as above) Compost Workshops — 8 to 10 a.m. Sept. 26, San Diego Zoo Otto Entrance (one block south of main entrance) registration limited to 25 — 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 24 at Quail Botanical Gardens, 230 Quail Gardens Drive Encinitas Call (760) 436-7986, ext. 211, e-mail carlie@solanacenter.org or visit www.solanacenter.org for more information.

New radio program aims to help small business owners COAST CITIES — SBA Radio is hosted by Caz Taylor and guest expert Ruben Garcia. Garcia is the district director of the Small Business Association for San Diego and Imperial counties.

Listen live from 11 a.m. on Thursdays or anytime at www.SBARadio.US. Program topics and tips include starting and growing a business, success stories, contracting opportunities, resources, disaster recovery, and being a small business voice to government.

Yes the government does want to help small businesses and has some new resources from the Recovery Act you need to know about.

The wsRadio Network produces more than 125 talk shows with more than 3 million online listeners each month. SBA Radio launched recently and is looking for sponsors interested in getting in front of growing small businesses.

Also check out 12 other new shows recently launched on the wsRadio Networks.

Local author and business coach releases book Have a fit family fun day at local festival ENCINITAS — Local author, business and personal coach, speaker, trainer and Encinitas Chamber Member Benham Bakhshandeh has released his very first book, “Conspiracy for Greatness …

Mastery of Love Within!”

Bakhshandeh is a passionate, visionary leader who has helped tens of thousands of

clients grow beyond their expectations in the areas of accountability, productivity and fulfillment.

This step-by-step coaching book is intended to guide people through processes to access a peaceful, effective and fulfilling lifestyle. He challenges the deeply-ingrained internal images and beliefs people

have about themselves, others and how the world works, so that they can dissolve the limiting thoughts and barriers.

Those interested in empowering those essential qualities that allow fulfillment, self-expression and success to emerge can preorder a book today at www.PrimecoEducation.com

or calling (877) 942-6076. All pre-ordered books will be personally signed by Behnam.

Also check out the trailer for the book on YouTube by using the keywords “Conspiracy for Greatness” and allow yourself to take the journey through this book so you can access a truly extraordinary life!

Off Track Gallery in Encinitas seeking artists ENCINITAS — Artists who work in ceramics, glass, jewelry or other handmade, one-of-a-kind art/craft are invited to join the San Dieguito Art Guild and display their work in the Off

Track 1 Gallery on the corner of Second and D streets or at the Off Track 2 Gallery located in the Lumberyard Shopping Center. Artists are required to join the guild for an annual fee of $65. They

must also pay small space rental fee and staff the gallery for two three-hour shifts per month. They also must be willing to serve on a committee or perform a designated monthly task since

the gallery is run entirely by the members who donate their time to the guild. Go to www.OffTrackGallery.com to learn more about the guild and the two Off Track Galleries.

ENCINITAS — Come take a guided trail hike in a fun recreation demo or climb a 30-foot rock wall for free. The Feeling Fit Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Leo Mullen Sports Park, 951Via Cantebria.

Staff and volunteers will get you started on a guided trail hike or you may choose to participate in one of the many fun fit activities going on at the event.

There will be drop-in activities such as soccer, basketball, super movers, pilates and many more fitness demos for you to participate in.

Be sure to visit the exhibitors offering the best in healthy living style and take advantage of free giveaways and information.

Parking is available across the street from the event in the Encinitas Ranch Shopping Center.

For more information, visit ww.Encinitas RecReg.com or call the Parks and Recreation Department at (760) 943-2260.

ENCINITAS FIRST • SEPTEMBER 2009

11

Making healthier food choices by reading package labels

By Dr. Pia Martin DC CC ENCINITAS — Learning how to read food labels is like looking at a prescription for your health and your life. We recommend looking for red-flag ingredients — if a Hall of Shame ingredient is listed among the top five ingredients overall, steer clear!

Just about every packaged food made in the U.S. has a food label indicating serving ❚ see LABELS on 15 Hall of Shame Above, Oceanside resident Melissa Graaff, Vista resident Jared Calvert, and Vista resident Jet Turner. Right, Encinitas resident Nicholas Bowman prepares samples for the Venezuelan restaurant Q’ero. Below, Encinitas resident Lily Jasper dances to the music.

Photos by Daniel Knighton

Annual local event delights taste buds ENCINITAS — The Downtown Encinitas MainStreet Association held its 20th annual restaurant crawl Aug. 27. The sold-out event offered ticket-buyers a chance to sample menu items from approximately 36 downtown Encinitas restaurants, bars and businesses along Highway 101.

“We’re completely sold out,” Tess Radmill told several disappointed latecomers on the night of the event.

Restaurants began serving at 6 p.m. and were scheduled to continue until 9 p.m. but many ran out of food offerings early.

“It’s been a quick rush all night,” said volunteer Danny Salzhandler, who was stationed at the D Street Bar & Grill.

Those who didn’t score one of the coveted 1,000 tickets at a bargain price of

$25 mingled in downtown listening to live music in six locations including Semisi & FulaBula, Backwater Blues Band, Tropical Breeze, Peter Hall, Creede Johnson, Russell Castiglione and Earl Flores.

This year's Taste of MainStreet was expanded with several new features, according to Dody Tucker, executive director of the association.

Bridget Bueche, executive chef for Sub-Zero and Wolf, presented a live cooking demonstration just outside 3rd Corner Wine Shop & Bistro.

A contest for the best Amuse Bouche Award — from the French to literally “amuse the mouth.” Pitted top restaraunts against each other. A three-judge panel of chefs and food critics selected the top chef. Among the submissions ❚

PIA MARTIN

Hall of Fame

1. Sugar 2. High Fructose Corn Syrup 3. Enriched Wheat Flour (White Flour) 4. Saturated Fat 5. Hydrogenated Oil

1. Olive Oil 2. Garlic 3. Tomato Sauce 4. Spinach 5. Raw Nuts 6. Pomegranates

MARY PURVIANCE Senior Vice President/Manager welcomes to the Encinitas Banking Center

JOAN FAUST Vice President/Assistant Manager

see Taste on 13

Visit them both today at our

ENCINITAS

Oceanside resident Semisi Ma’u performs with his band, Semisi & FulaBula. Semisi moved to the San Diego area in 1978 from the South Pacific island of Tonga.

Regional Banking Center

Leucadia resident Ashley LaFond and Encinitas resident Sarah Donovan.

Encinitas Regional Banking Center 781 Garden View Court, Ste. 100 Encinitas, CA 92024 Phone 760-479-4340 Fax: 760-479-4341 San Diego Regional Banking Center 2550 Fifth Avenue, Suite 120 San Diego, CA 92103 Phone: 619-525-1700 Fax: 619-525-1705

Corporate Headquarters 2550 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1010 San Diego, CA 92103 Phone 619-230-6521 Fax: 619-230-6520 MEMBER

Chef/Owner of Q’ero restaurant, Encinitas resident Monica Svetezy and her son Niko Ortega pass out samples of her Venezuelan cuisine.

San Diego resident David Smith, playing with the band Semisi & FulaBula at The Lumberyard.

www.SanDiegoTrust.com

12

ENCINITAS FIRST • SEPTEMBER 2009

Wing continued from 2

From left, Jeff Bibler, ambassador; Dr. Kim D. Kelly; Zack Spencer, ambassador; Suzanne Perez, ambassador; Matt Lason; Kathy Zacharias, ambassador; Jim Rose; Genevieve Wing, ambassador; Debbie Caligiuri; and Claudia Yates, ambassador, at the recent ribbon cutting for KSWZ Insurance Services. Zacharias is a licensed insurance agent who assists clients with small group, large group, workers' compensation, mortgage, life, health, dental, cancer, travel, shortterm, pet, Medicare supplement and long-term care insurance. For more information, visit www.kswz.biz. Courtesy photo

Lux Institute sets up some summer fun ENCINITAS — Lux Art Institute’s Summer Art Camp culminated in an open house and artists’ reception to showcase the work of camp participants in Lux’s Artist Pavilion on Aug. 6.

Participants invited parents and friends to see their finished work in a museum setting.

At Lux’s Summer Art Camp, kids made art, talked to real artists and learned about how they create their work. Located on Lux’s five-acre site overlooking the San Elijo Lagoon, the summer art program was led by Lux’s education staff and included guest speakers and nature walks.

The camp allowed kids to experiment with painting, sculpture, and photography, as well as collaborate on group art activities, explore the Lux landscape and installations, and view art in the Lux studio.

The focus of Summer Art Camp is not technical instruction, but creative experimentation and

family moved here to live, first in Oceanside as her husband Geoff works for Genentech, but found Encinitas to be a better fit for the family and the business. Genevieve is very active in the community and has been a member of the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce since 2008, currently serving on the Board of Directors. She is also is a member with many other associations locally and nationally.

For more information about Wing Insurance and Financial Services, call (760) 944-1159 or visit WingIns.com.

Calendar continued from 2 2009 Lima Bean Cook-Off and Talent Show at 450 Quail Gardens Drive in Encinitas. The talent show will take place at 7 p.m.

Sept. 25. The cook-off will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 26. The Lima Bean Follies will be held at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 27. Visit www.sdheritage.org for details.

Sept. 26 The Community Resource Center will be “Celebrating 30 Years” of service to the community at its annual gala on Sept.

26 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The event will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. and will include an auction, dinner, live music, program and dancing. For event information or to RSVP, please contact Suzie Colby at scolby@crcncc.org or (760) 230-6305.

Tickets available online at www.crcncc.org.

From left, Scott Overland, Lux camper Janie Overland, Tina Overland and Josie Overland. Courtesy photo

exposure to a variety of based outreach program, which brings students to site, the camp provides an materials and processes. the Valise Project, and the tour the artist’s studio and artistic outlet to youngBuilding on Lux’s school- Luxcursion program, do a related art project on sters on summer vacation.

Sept. 26 and Sept. 27 The Cardiff Chamber — Rob Machado Surf Experience and Cardiff Green Expo will be held at Cardiff State Beach Seaside. To learn about vendor opportunities, call (760) 753-0144.

Local physicians host healthcare forum with congressman ENCINITAS — The Center for Surgery of Encinitas hosted a Physician’s Healthcare Forum on Aug. 6 to discuss directly with Congressman Brian Bilbray the pending healthcare legislation and the import role that outpatient medicine plays in the delivery of quality healthcare. The discussion was held at North Coast Health Center, the largest outpatient medical center in coastal North County. More than 25 physicians participated in the conversation with Congressman Bilbray in an effort to voice perspectives from the “front line” of healthcare delivery.

“North Coast Health Center is a good example of the kind of facility that we

need more of because it is able to provide the services at the most cost-effective level,” Bilbray said. “It’s not only a convenient, but an essential component in the future of healthcare.”

Richard Lavacot, M.D., with the Center for Surgery of Encinitas, explained, “We’re very pleased that the congressman has cooperated with the physicians that are interested in the chance to speak with him.

This is my view of democracy at its finest because there is pending legislation of health care reform… and we’re going to see the constituents of the 50th congressional district get to talk to their representative in Congress. From a doctor’s perspective, we bring a lot to the table, so we ought to get some

influence during the time when the laws are being written. We feel like the outpatient industry itself and outpatient loci like North Coast Health Center are not just the beginning, but they’re the middle and will continue on to the end.”

Greg Petree, president of AmeriCare Medical Properties, Inc., added, “North Coast Health Center was an ideal venue for this type of forum, as the outpatient campus was developed in partnership with local physicians and has been part of the coastal North County community for more than 20 years. Outpatient health centers like North Coast Health Center aggregate multiple healthcare specialties in one location creating enormous patient convenience

while, at the same time, enabling cutting-edge technology to be extended deeper into the community. We’re pleased to have the opportunity to provide our physicians, community leaders and local residents with the venue for education and discussion on such an important issue.”

In addition to Bilbray and the doctors, other local constituents in attendance for the Healthcare Forum included Encinitas Mayor Maggie Houlihan, Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas CEO Carl Etter, Encinitas Chamber of Commerce CEO Marshall Weinreb, and more than 20 North County residents.

The discussion with Bilbray was videotaped and segments are available at

www.NorthCoastHealth Center.com. The new Web site was recently launched by North Coast Health Center to help aggregate information about its more than 150 physicians into one easily searchable online portal for the community. The online directory enables patients to search by doctor, group or specialty.

About North Coast Health Center Opened in 1986 and located in the heart of Encinitas at 477 N. El Camino Real, North Coast Health Center is the largest outpatient health center in coastal North County.

For more than 20 years, physicians at North Coast Health Center have been providing highly personalized

care to the greater Community. With more than 150 physicians to choose from, patients have access to primary care, a surgery center, pharmacy, lab, X-ray, and over 45 medical and dental specialties all in one convenient location.

The 10-acre campus consists of four medical office buildings, abundant parking, and an open tranquil environment consistent with our healing mission. North Coast Health Center is owned by AmeriCare Health & Retirement, Inc. and is managed by AmeriCare Medical Properties, Inc. — a wholly owned subsidiary specializing in the management and operation of medical office buildings.

ENCINITAS FIRST • SEPTEMBER 2009

Letter continued from 4 please contact me.

Also on deck for the chamber are two art competitions it is sponsoring. The first is a children’s competition in conjunction with Comerica Bank in Encinitas.

The competition is open to any child in any school in the district through sixth grade. The results of 20 artists will be displayed in the bank, as well as having the first-, second-, thirdand fourth-place winners honored at a City Council meeting on live television.

The second project is in partnership with the Visitors Center, which will be open to all artists in this city.

Three finalists will be honored at City Hall as well, and those winners will be

Review continued from 1 intense debate.

According to city officials, the chamber violated the contract in several ways without giving notice to the council. The chamber closed the Visitors Center at 859 Second Street on weekends without prior authorization, failed to maintain an updated Web site, did not reveal staff turnover and distributed outdated promotional materials, officials said. Operating hours during the week were also diminished.

Chamber board of

announced at one of the chamber’s Sundowner affairs. The three finalists will win cash prizes and their work will be displayed on the walls of the city’s Visitors Center.

I am extremely glad to announce that the Chamber and Visitors Center Web sites will be upgraded, starting immediately. The chamber marketing materials will also be undergoing changes, so that today’s Encinitas will be marketed.

For me and for most everyone I speak with, the notion that there are two or three, or old and new Encinitases, is not really the case.

As for most serious business-minded people who work for the betterment of this great town, we are all one. We should work together as one and we should

think together about what we can all do to improve our business climate and our city, to make it a wonderful and friendly environment to work in. Thinking separate and working for singleminded agendas is not what this city is or should be about.

There is so much more, but it will need to wait until next time.

Remember, Sept. 20 is your 15th annual Oktoberfest. Be there to enjoy the family fun or be there to get the message out about your business.

Call me or come by anytime.

Marshall Weinreb CEO Encinitas Chamber of Commerce 859 Second Street Encinitas, CA 92024 (760) 753-6041

directors’ President Ken Gross laid blame for the financial crisis and inadequate operations of the Visitors Center on the previous CEO, Gary Tucker, and his supporters on the board.

The city manager’s office and City Council declined to comment until the review is complete. Several current board members did not return calls as of press time for this story.

“I will be working with the CPA to quickly add vital data, which I know exists, to present a report that will clearly speak to the issues that we were expected to

clarify,” Weinreb said in the e-mail. “It would have been easy to accept what I was given, but it just wasn’t enough.”

Weinreb, who has been on the job less than three months, apologized for the delay but said he wanted to ensure that the financial review was complete. “Sorry that I jumped the gun, but I am trying to put the past behind us and that can only happen when the doors can be shut completely and all the facts become crystal clear,” he said.

He did not give an estimated date for completion of the financial review.

Dealers continued from 1 going through the exercise, we can live with it,” he said.

A usual month of sales in the current economy amounts to 40 vehicles leaving the lot Wheeler said.

“This program virtually doubled our sales.”

While Herman Cook Sales Manager Phil Walls said his dealership did less volume than Encinitas Ford, around 15 vehicles, he agreed that it was worth the effort. “I think it was a successful program all the way around,” he said. “It helped a lot of people get out of their gas-hog cars.”

The program was designed to stimulate the staggering economy, in particular the battered automotive industry. The federal government offered rebates

Taste continued from 11 were When in Rome's tidbit "Arancini," a hand-formed risotto ball cooked with a Bolognese sauce, lightly breaded and fried, and served with pesto sauce; Whole Foods' roasted Brussels sprout-portabello mushroom skewers with Gorgonzola dipping sauce; Jamroc101's jerk chicken jambalaya; 3rd Corner's short rib sliders; and D Street Bar & Grill's seared ahi with mango salsa. But it was Q’uero, specializing in South American cuisine

13

between $3,500 and $4,500 on trade-ins that got less than 18 miles per gallon for more fuel efficient cars and trucks.

The Department of Transportation said the rebate system resulted in approximately 700,000 trade-ins before the program ran out of the $3 billion provided by Congress to fund the transactions. It ran between July 24 and Aug. 24.

“I wish there had been a slower build-up and the incentive a little less instead of the frenzy,” Wheeler said.

Most customers were not in the market for a newer vehicle until the incentive program enticed them to make an auto purchase. “We saw buyers who decided they were going to drive their old car until it died,” Wheeler said. “The average car was 12 years old with around

150,000 miles on it,” he said adding that while the gas mileage wasn’t very good most of the cars were serviceable. Walls said the majority of trade-ins at Herman Cook were sport utility vehicles that were traded in for Jettas and other Volkswagens that get double the miles per gallon.

Despite the mountain of paperwork involved with each rebate transaction, Walls said things have gone smoothly for the most part.

“I’m not anticipating any long-term problems,” he said.

Wheeler reported that the government had already paid his dealership some of the rebates. “I think the majority certainly will go through. Some of the intricacies of the program were unclear but I think we’ll be paid.”

that came in the ultimate winner.

The People's Choice Award went to D Street Bar & Grill. “I liked it the best, although it was a tough decision,” said Matt Simpson, an Encinitas resident.

Also new this year, 3rd Corner hosted a benefit wine tasting in its Lumberyard shopping center parking lot. Tickets were popular at the low price of $5 for two wine samples. Proceeds from this event will go toward funding the installation of a sculpture on Coast

Highway 101 at Encinitas Boulevard.

World-renowned local sculptor Manuelita Brown’s bronze statue "Encinitas Child" was commissioned but another $8,000 is needed by the association to create a permanent foundation for the statue and install it.

By all accounts, the night was successful at bringing residents and visitors together. “I was especially pleased,” Tucker said after the event, “especially since we didn’t have our car show at the same time this year.”

14

ENCINITAS FIRST • SEPTEMBER 2009

Tasting Mainstreet Continued from Page 11

Encinitas resident Emily Moldenhauer plays for the visitors walking by hoping to earn some tips. Photo by Daniel Knighton

Executive Chef Bridget Bueche prepares a dish containing King Trumpet mushrooms. Photo by Daniel Knighton

Encinitas resident Elliana Haines dances at The Lumberyard. Photo by Daniel Knighton

Cardiff residents Katherine and Samantha Bueche helped their mother prepare and serve sample foods. Photo by Daniel Knighton

Del Mar resident Jennifer Darkazalli and her dog, Little.

Encinitas residents Claudia and Austin Yates, volunteering for the Encinitas Rotary, assisted in marking cards as participants sample different foods from the restaurants along Highway 101. Photo by Daniel Knighton

Photo by Daniel Knighton

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Service continued from 5 impressive. Every homeowner is entitled to the best presentation of their home, and the benefits are huge: architectural, magazine-quality photo shoot, including aerial photos; custom layout of a four-page, full-color brochure; minimum printing of 5,000 brochures; distribution of brochures into the community by mail; fullmotion video DVD home tour; video streaming on their YouTube® channel; and Internet advertising via their Web sites like EncinitasCarlsbad.com.

The extra service does not come at a higher price. “We

Health care continued from 3 thought it was a perfect forum to host Congressman Bilbray so he could have access to local physicians opinions so he could carry that back to Washington.”

Marshal Weinreb, the CEO of the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce, was also in attendance.

When asked about the chamber’s role in the forum he said, “I was there as a representative of the chamber. The reason I was invited is because the Greg and David Petree are aware of

Research continued from 2 — Women who have a substantially lower-thanaverage lifetime risk could potentially undergo mammography less frequently than once per year.

San Diegan Tamara Knabb recently enrolled in the study as a way to contribute to future advances in the fight against breast cancer. “It’s an opportunity to do something that might help down the line, and it takes away from the feeling of helplessness,” she said.

Knabb has two daughters who will begin getting their annual mammograms in the next decade or so, and hopes this research will help lead to improvements in the way they get their screenings.

“More genetic discoveries with respect to the role of common variation and breast cancer have been made in the last two years alone than in all of previous medical research history,”

Niches continued from 2 Rebecca and 75 employees manufacture really comfortable and ergonomically correct office chairs. She told me that her business is doing “just fine in 2009” because it fills a niche, instead of trying to be all things to all people.

In the future, there won’t be more mass marketing, mass media, or mass distribution. But there will be more niches — lots of new niches.

Don’t worry, “mass”

charge only a 5 percent listing commission, split 50-50 with the buyer’s agent,” Margaret Hokkanen said. She says that they started in real estate with big companies, but then formed SurfTheTurf.com to offer better results and charge less. Instead of paying franchise fees, that money could be invested in marketing sellers’ homes. “With better service at lower cost, it’s a big winwin for everyone,” she said.

“For anyone with doubts, I always say, ‘Call me!’ I answer my phone and I will answer your questions.”

Margaret Hokkanen can be reached at (760) 942-4242 or online at EncinitasCarlsbad.com.

the fact that the chamber is trying to rebuild a quality organization that will deliver on its charter’s promise to be assisting business in the Encinitas community.”

Weinreb went on to say that he needed to be there to get a feeling for the type of businesses Petree represents, from independent doctors to radiology centers. “I feel that we have a world-class center here and it’s growing rapidly,” Weinreb said.

To see video footage from the event, visit north coasthealthcenter.com.

Murray said. “We want to see if we can take these advances and translate them into better health outcomes for patients.”

Breast cancer is the second-most common form of cancer among women in the United States (after skin cancer), with 192,370 new cases estimated for 2009 by the American Cancer Society. It is also the second-leading cause of cancer death in women (after lung cancer), with 40,170 deaths expected in 2009.

Rare, high-risk variants such as BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 are not targeted in the PINK study. “We’ve known for many years that family history is a very strong predictor,” Murray said. “This is the first breast cancer study to explore how predictive these lower-risk common variants are for breast cancer, either by themselves or in combination.”

Those interested in learning more about the PINK study can call (858) 554-5753.

business models aren’t going away anytime soon.

But they won’t grow like niches. And that’s good news for small business and the future of 21st century entrepreneurship.

More niches mean a healthier small business sector, which I happen to believe is also good for the world.

Write this on a rock — Most small businesses will find success in the future by creating and serving niches.

Jim Blasingame is creator and host of The Small Business Advocate Show.

Labels continued from 11 size and other nutritional information. The “Nutrition Facts” food labels are intended to give you information about the specific packaged food in question.

Measurements of fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, protein, vitamins and minerals are calculated for a “typical portion.” But, reading these labels can be confusing. Below are some explanations of its components.

Serving size Serving sizes are based on the amount of food people typically eat, which makes them realistic and easy to compare to similar foods. This may or may not be the serving amount you normally eat. It is important that you pay attention to the serving size, including the number of servings in the package and compare it to how much you actually eat.

The size of the serving on the food package influences all the nutrient amounts listed on the top part of the label.

For example, if a package has four servings and you eat the entire package, you quadru-

Growth continued from 6 growth, but has increased to 48.9 percent from 35.6 percent in January. This is the 18th consecutive monthly decline in the manufacturing sector but several components rose above 50, indicating that the economy should grow in the third quarter.

Personal income Personal income fell 1.3

Feel Better continued from 4 strong. Actively seek input from every employee on how to improve the company’s performance while maintaining profit margins.

Obsess over listening to customers, employees, vendors, colleagues, and friends and take action on what is said. The presidents I talked to report the actions they take to the people who provide feedback.

Emphasize a back-tobasics approach on everything, from how to buy office products to choosing cleaning services (do-ityourself mentality) to who gets wooed over lunch or dinner for new business ini-

Unions continued from 4 re-importation policies and to pressure oil companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Some union leaders have even advocated using pension funds to force employers to negotiate union contracts or agree to specific demands. One national labor leader even suggested using the “clout of union pension funds as major corporate stockholders to influence contract talks and

ple the calories, fat, etc. that try to reach your goal for you have eaten. each nutrient.

Calories/calories from fat The number of calories and grams of nutrients are provided for the stated serving size. This is the part of the food label where you will find the amount of fat per serving.

Nutrients This section lists the daily amount of each nutrient in the food package. These daily values are the reference numbers that are set by the government and are based on current nutrition recommendations. Some labels list daily values for both 2,000 and 2,500 calorie diets. “% Daily Value” shows how a food fits into a 2,000 calorie/day diet. For diets other than 2,000 calories, divide by 2,000 to determine the % Daily Value for nutrients. For example, if you are following a 1,500 calorie diet, your % Daily Value goal will be based on 75% for each nutrient, not 100%.

For fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, choose foods with a low % Daily Value. For total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals,

Ingredients Each product should list the ingredients on the label.

They are listed from largest to smallest amount (by weight). This means a food contains the largest amount of the first ingredient and the smallest amount of the last ingredient.

Label claim Another aspect of food labeling is label claims. Some food labels make claims such as “low cholesterol” or “low fat.” These claims can only be used if a food meets strict government definitions.

I hope you found this information helpful, however being the purist that I am; my best suggestion is that you eat foods close to nature.

By that I mean foods that have not been processed, like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein and nuts and seeds.

Dr. Pia Martin DC. CCN is located at 535 Encinitas Blvd, #120. Encinitas. CA 92024.Visit www.cre8wellness.com for more information.

percent in June after rising 1.3 percent in May. Disposable personal income (personal income less taxes) also fell by 1.3 percent after rising 1.6 percent in May. One reason for the decline was the end to some stimulus transfer payments, but the decline in income was broad and likely reflected the weak labor market. Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased 0.4

percent in June after rising at a slower 0.1 percent pace in May. The increase largely reflects increases in gasoline prices.

Consumers continue to work to rebuild their balance sheets, as the savings rate continues to increase.

In June, the savings rate increased 4.6 percent, slower than May’s 6.2 percent increase but among the highest monthly rates in the past 10 years.

tiatives. The key question to ask before spending money is: Do we really, truly need this?

Enhance everything you do, from response time to quality improvement to flexibility in managing projects. If you do something in 14 days, do it in four with half the number of people. If a client says, “We’re not sure if this will be a marketing, advertising, or PR push,” respond with, “We can be flexible until you decide, because we have the expertise to handle all or any one of those areas.”

Eliminate unnecessary expenses on everything from telephone bills (e.g., call waiting, call forwarding) to credit card balances to

daily doughnut runs.

Squeeze out every last little penny to make your organization as lean as possible.

Learn to love uncertainty, not just live with it, because a certain strength comes over you when you acknowledge that these tough times may not pass and could be forever. Look at it this way: It’s not your last dance; it’s your first, so get in step.

Reconfigure to become a more nimble, value-added, innovative product, service, or market creator because you can’t get ahead in an environment like this unless you disrupt industries, trends, or markets. Get out there and fire away with untried and untested ideas.

organizing drives.”

Allowing unions to rig the proxy rules for their own advantage is not only bad corporate governance, it’s against the law. ERISA (the Employee Retirement Income Security Act) requires pension assets — including voting rights — to be used for the “sole purpose” of benefiting plan participants and not to pursue unrelated objectives.

Politically and socially motivated proxy activity may violate the fiduciary duties of union pension trustees.

Further, a study conducted by Navigant Consulting for the U.S. Chamber found that shareholder activism by union pension funds provides no benefit to union pensioners and may actually reduce shareholder value.

Congress should act on behalf of millions of individual investors, union and nonunion alike, and defeat the falsely labeled Shareholder Bill of Rights. We must work to ensure that the retirement security of the many is not cast aside for the political gain of a few.

15

Home continued from 7 flat since December 2008.

Single-family housing starts in July were 1.7 percent higher than in May. Permits for new housing decreased, down 1.8 percent from June. With low mortgage rates, an $8,000 tax credit available to firsttime home buyers, and new, lower-priced homes offered by builders, buyers will slowly begin to reenter the market. While the worst is behind us, we are unlikely to see any significant upturn until at least the early part of next year, when the general economy picks up some momentum.

Index of leading indicators In July, the Conference Board reported that its index of leading indicators posted a 0.6 percent gain, reaching a level of 101.6. It’s the fourth consecutive month of gains, a streak not seen since November 2003.

Seven of the 10 components measured in the index reported a gain or remained neutral. A positive interest rate yield spread and a decrease in initial unemployment claims were the largest contributors to the overall increase. However, a decline in capital goods orders and the real money supply subtracted 0.3 percent from growth. The index is 0.2 percent higher than it was in July 2008; this is the first positive change year-over-year since August 2007.

Record continued from 5 Mills announced a government-wide plan that includes federal agency procurement officials holding or participating in more than 200 events over the next 90 days to share information on government contracting opportunities, including those available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. “President Obama has made a commitment to ensuring that small businesses have greater access to federal contracting opportunities and it is a commitment shared across this Administration,” Mills said. “We have already begun taking aggressive steps to connect small businesses with contracting opportunities, as well as increase our outreach to federal agency procurement officers to make sure they get the information and tools they need to help them connect with these good, innovative small companies.”

16

ENCINITAS FIRST • SEPTEMBER 2009

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