CORONA BUSINESS NEWS
VOL 8 | #2 MARCH/APRIL 2022
Honoring Corona’s Standout CORONA Chamber Businesses and the Helps Employers Notch Professionals Leading the Way Major Win in Sacramento A STATE ASSEMBLY DECIDES TO NOT CONSIDER $400 By Jeff Miller, Legislative Action Committee Chairman
A
t the end of January, with the legislative year barely three full weeks old, the Corona Chamber and a statewide coalition of employers led by the California Chamber of Commerce declared a major victory against a
plan that would have nearly tripled the size of state government and involved it permanently in every health care decision every California resident makes. AB 1400 written by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (Democrat - San Jose)
would have forced every California resident to enroll in an expansion of the MediCal system for health care. Under the nonpartisan legislative analysis of the proposal, the program would have expanded the ... Continued on page 2
Fentanyl Awareness Campaign Being Brought to Corona Community
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he Executive Leadership Roundtable (ELR) is a yearly program organized by the Corona Chamber of Commerce to bring together a cohort of leaders to learn about Corona, understand the challenges the area faces and participate in a class project to enhance the Corona community. This year, the ELR class of 2022 is focusing their efforts to raise awareness for the prevalence and impact the drug fentanyl is
having on our society. It can be found in what some may believe to be “safe” pills, a painkiller or other legal medication, but laced with this deadly poison. Just 2mg of fentanyl is lethal; for context, there are 5,000mg in a single teaspoon. The class decided to take on the project after the first day of the program, when one of the participants, Darren Hagen, received a phone call that his brother, Jimmy McMinn, had
passed away from an accidental overdose due to fentanyl. Darren Hagen is a retired 7-time National Champion race car driver and the owner of multiple businesses including The Healing Tree, Full Spectrum Bottling, Reliable and others. Riverside County and ... Continued on page 15
bit.ly/CoronaRocksInnovation
Find out inside how you can pitch your innovation!
... Continued on page 8
Huge Economic Engine Coming MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE (MARB) KC-46 PEGASUS BASING EFFORT
O
ne of the most significant recent successes that western Riverside County has had is the recent announcement of the USAF’s decision to base a squadron of KC-46 air refueling aircraft at March Air Reserve Base (MARB) to replace the aging KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft that are currently based there. The decision was at least partially a result of a great deal of work and advocacy on the part of a variety of organizations and people throughout the region. MARB is our local base, where multiple
Innovation Month: Pitch to Judges in Shark Tank-Style Competition! R iverside County is a hot bed for innovation, and there seems to be no slowing down—which is why Riverside County Innovation Month is returning in 2022! The entire month of April will be dedicated to many innovative and entrepreneurial activities and events that are occurring throughout the county. These events have been coordinated between the County of Riverside Economic Development Agency, local Chambers of Commerce, University of
2022 Board Chair Palbinder Badesha
CURTIS BLOOM
BILLION ANNUAL EXPANSION OF PUBLIC HEALTH CARE COVERAGE
s the Banquet Room at Eagle Glen Golf Club began to fill up with smiling, familiar faces on Thursday, January 20th, it felt like the closest thing we’ve had to “back to normal” for a couple of years. This was the Corona Chamber’s first in-person Board Installation & Awards Gala since 2020, and if the jovial atmosphere and abundance of positive post-event
California, Riverside, Small Business Development Centers, and many other related organizations to bring awareness to the wide variety of innovation and entrepreneurship that is occurring throughout the region. The countywide Fast Pitch competition will also return to headline Innovation Month. This competition is a chance for Riverside County entrepreneurs to pitch their business ideas in front ... Continued on page 6
branches of service personnel use as ‘their home’. “MARB is already a economic engine for our region, and this announcement will be a huge factor for expanding the workforce and providing jobs to the local area,” states Palbinder Badesha, 2022 CORONA Chamber Board Chair. “A lot of hard work, often behind the scenes was done in order for this amazing news to be shared.” The basing decision is expected to ensure the MARB continues to be an important part of national ... Continued on page 12
In This Issue New Members – page 4 Anniversary Milestones - page 6 Board Installation Recap – page 8 Small Business Spotlight – page 12 NAVSEA Change of Command – page 15