SCV Business Journal October 2020

Contact: Perry Smith Business Editor Phone: 661-287-5599

S A N TA C L A R I TA VA L L E Y

BUSINESS JOURNAL BJ INSIDE SPOTLIGHTS B4 A message from the SCV

Email: psmith@signalscv.com Mail: 26330 Diamond Place Suite 100 Santa Clarita, CA 91350 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2020 · WWW.SIGNALSCV.COM · B1

USING TRIED, TRUE TECH TO FIGHT THE PANDEMIC

Chamber B5 SCV Chamber advocacy B9 The List: Santa Clarita’s

biotech sector

NEWS & FEATURES B1 The SCV supports UV

innovation B2 Public Health discusses

compliance B3 Filming looks to help jobs

picture B8 Breweries, wineries can

reopen

SCV BUSINESS VOICES B1 Mission Valley Bank B3 M & M Fasteners Supply B6 Audiology Associates B6 SCVEDC

A look at the UVDI-360 Room Sanitizer used to disinfect an operating room at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. PHOTO COURTESY ULTRAVIOLET DEVICES INC.

BY EMILY ALVARENGA Signal Staff Writer

B10 Henry Mayo

FROM THE EXPERTS B2 Paul Butler: Pandemic rules,

philosophy B3 Ken Keller: Planning for

uncertainty B10 From the Assessor: The

senior discount

C

ompanies in every industry rely on innovation, especially those working in the medical field.

However when the pandemic hit, it was ironically a technology that’s been around for ages that’s been a significant tool in the fight against COVID-19.

UltraViolet Devices Inc. in Valencia is a global leader in UV-C, which uses disinfecting robots sent to hospitals across the nation and worldwide, including right here to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, to

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

curb the spread of coronavirus and other infectious diseases.

Each and every day, hospitals take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of infection from patient to patient, and it’s common practice to deepclean rooms where there was an infection — but cleaning chemicals can only remove so much of the bacteria.

That’s where the UVDI-360 UV-C robot comes in, proven to reduce human coronavirus by 99.99% in only 5 minutes, along with at least 35 other pathogens, according to third-party laboratory testing.

UVDI has been working on the

technology for a decade, with a decade’s worth of work going into proving its effectiveness.

“In 2010, when we developed the first mobile unit, it was challenging because there was no evidence about it, there were no studies,” CEO Peter Veloz said.

“I’m not going to recommend someone uses our equipment for an identified mass disinfection(without) science behind it.”

It was when these studies found that UVDI’s robot was not only able to kill 99.99% of pathogens, but also reduce a hospital’s infection rate.

See BIOMED, page B9

IS THE MAIN STREET LENDING PROGRAM RIGHT FOR YOUR BUSINESS? TAMARA GURNEY President and CEO of Mission Valley Bank

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Part 1 of a 2-part series

n the early days of the pandemic, emergency financing options, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), were made available to help businesses manage day-to-day expenses. But not all lending available from the federal government is rescue financing.

The Federal Reserve Main Street Lending Program is designed to help credit flow to small and medium-sized for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations that were in sound financial condition before the onset of the crisis, but now need loans to help maintain their operations until they have recovered from, or adapted to, the impacts of the pandemic. (Nonprofit organizations will be discussed in our next series.)

The program offers five-year loans, with floating rates, and principal and interest payments deferred to assist those experiencing temporary cash flow interruptions. Loan size starts at $250,000 and ranges up to $300 million for some loan types. Principal payments are deferred for two years with payment percentages of 15%, 15%, and 70% commencing in years 3-5 respectively.

Interest payments are deferred for one year. Loans may be secured or unsecured but may not be contractually subordinated in terms of priority to the borrower’s other loans or debt instruments.

It is important to note that Main Street loans are not grants and cannot be forgiven. However, borrowers that received a PPP Loan can also receive a Main Street Loan provided they are an eligible borrower.

How it works: Interested borrowers work with an eligible lender to determine if they meet the program requirements, as well as the lender’s own underwriting standards. The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston has set up a $600 billion special purpose vehicle to purchase 95% interest in eligible loans with the lender retaining the 5% balance.

To get started, borrowers should review the program and contact their financial institution to inquire about participation. There’s tremendous value in working with a client-focused, relationship-driven banker who’ll invest the time necessary to get to know a business and understand its unique needs. The path to long-term success is for businesses to develop long-term relationships with bankers who demonstrate expertise, experience and dedication to their success.

Mission Valley Bank is a locally owned, full service, independent community business bank headquartered in Sun Valley, California with a business banking office in Santa Clarita. They have SBA Preferred Lender status and are participating as an eligible lender accepting new customers in the Main Street Lending Program. For more information visit www.MissionValleyBank.com or call (818) 394-2300. 

B2 · SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

PUBLIC HEALTH REPORTS IMPROVED COMPLIANCE, COVID-19 NUMBERS

BY TAMMY MURGA Signal Staff Writer

A

fter pressing residents to do their part over the holiday weekends recently due to the pandemic, L.A. County Public Health officials said recently businesses mostly complied with safety protocols — but the improvement needs to continue.

Los Angeles County officials have expressed continued optimism during recent news conferences regarding the number of COVID-19 diagnoses, but reiterated that the transition to less-restrictive health orders requires the trends to continue for two weeks.

For example, businesses mostly complied with safety protocols, according to county officials, but there’s still room for improvement.

“Worksite compliance, as we’ve mentioned before, is a cornerstone of our efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus in our county,” county Public Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said during a media briefing. “Reasonably good compliance was found with many aspects of the county protocols, but as you can see, not everyone is at 100%.”

From Sept. 5-7, Public Health visited 331 locations across the county, including 126 restaurants, 113 hair salons and barbershops, 53 markets, 23 hotels and 10 gyms.

Inspectors’ findings revealed that 96% of all markets and hotels complied with disinfecting protocols, followed by 90% of hair salons/barbershops, 83% of restaurants and 80% of gyms.

Gyms and hotels were the least to comply among the rest of the sectors inspected with regards to ensuring patrons wore face coverings, scoring 10% and 65%, respectively. Restaurants were the least (76%) to comply with physical distancing protocols, according to Public Health data.

The county has issued 30 citations, with fines totaling $23,000 since Aug. 28, when the county began the process of citing businesses for violating health protocols, said Davis.

COVID-19 outbreaks at residential and non-residential settings are beginning to decline, data showed. From March 15 through Sept. 8, residential outbreaks peaked at the start of the pandemic, while non-residential locations hit their largest peak in early July. Both have since been trending downward, according to Public Health.

Data also revealed that, of 10,000 individuals interviewed for COVID-19 case investigations from Aug. 17-31, 56% said they had come in close contact with at least one person during their infectious period. These figures revealed, of those interviewed, the most common types of contact each individual had been mostly household (90%) contacts.

Social situations (4%), intimate partners (2.5%) and workplaces (1.4%) followed behind.

As more businesses comply with county protocols, Davis announced the

Ann Do, owner of Terrific Nails, left, paints the nails of client Carrol Stewart in her salon’s outdoor service area Monday afternoon. While Los Angeles County hasn’t yet moved out of the most restrictive tier, health officials have been encouraged by steady improvement. PHOTO BY BOBBY BLOCK / THE SIGNAL COVID-19 Safety Compliance Certificate Program that offers free, online training for businesses to ensure that their practices align with infection control requirements.

The L.A. County Public Health Department has released data regarding non-residential meeting areas that have three or more confirmed cases of COVID-19. These include workplaces, food and retail stores, and educational settings.

There are four locations in the Santa Clarita Valley that reported having three or more coronavirus cases as of Sept. 25.

Contractor Wardrobe, located on Avenue Hall in Valencia, has 26 confirmed staff members with COVID-19. Light Industries, Mega Goods, and Leonard’s Molding Products, also all located in Valencia, have seven, 10, and 9 cases, respectively.

A cluster of businesses affected by COVID-19 are located in Downtown Los Angeles, as well as in San Gabriel Valley.

Lancaster and Palmdale have five businesses with three or more confirmed cases.

In L.A. County, grocery stores, lowerrisk retail stores, and hardware and appliance stores are allowed to be open, while shopping centers and malls remain closed. 

The latest COVID-19 news on The Signal website For all the latest local stories and data regarding COVID-19, visit Signalscv.com/ coronavirus.

PHOTO COURTESY GOOGLE MAPS

WHAT’S WITH ALL THESE RULES? PAUL BUTLER Signal Contributing Writer

I

’m noticing three categories of people in their response to the directives we’ve all been given during this pandemic — those who follow the rules, those who partially follow the rules and those who blatantly ignore the rules.

In the county in which I live, we’ve been told we must wear face masks and socially distance when in public. By my calculation, I see about a third of people faithfully following the directives — I call these the Rule Followers. We then see about another third who seem to make a superficial and partial effort to comply with the county’s request. This second category of people sometimes wear a mask but most times don’t. They’ll socially distance with complete strangers but see no problem having friends over for drinks or to break bread with those they know. I call these the Selectors — they select what works for them.

The third category completely disregards the directives. These are the people who believe first principles include the freedom to ignore any reasonable request of anyone in authority. To them, the face mask is a joke and they’ll give anyone they want a hug or handshake, whether the other person wants it or not. I call these the Rebels.

The workplace magnifies the heart of human behavior, so it comes as no surprise to see these three types of people at work — be it on-site or online.

The Rule Followers come in two varieties — those who are an asset to the organization and those who are a liability. On the asset side of the equation are those employees who are a pleasure to have on board — they listen

The pandemic, argues business expert Paul Butler, has separated employees into one of three categories: Rule Followers, Selectors and Rebels.

“

Sadly, there are some who follow the rules so literally they become a liability to the organization. In their obedience they become obtrusive.”

to instructions, they follow the guidelines and honor all the human resource requirements. They work hard within the parameters provided. Their focus is on what can be done.

Sadly, there are some who follow the rules so literally they become a liability to the organization. In their obedience they become obtrusive. Such people resist effort by relying on the restriction. Their focus is on what cannot be done.

It’s easy to spot the Selectors in the workplace as they’re the selfish people. Yes, they’ve heard of protocols,

procedures and processes but they believe there’s always an exception for them and that absolutes do not always absolutely apply. Selectors understand the need for rules and are quite pleased they exist but believe rules should be malleable. They don’t see everything so black and white. At the heart of the issue is not an aching for creativity or innovation — but rather a self-centered way of seeing the world.

Selectors see deadlines as arbitrary. Selectors are often past due on their work.

They’re always late to meetings and want

to jump ahead and bounce around any agenda.

Rebels in the workplace come in two styles — the good and the bad. Good Rebels are those individuals or teams who kick against the status quo because they see stagnation and a need for change. Netflix did not rebel against Blockbuster — ridiculous late fees did.

Uber did not rebel against the taxi business — limited access, poor attitudes and fare control did. Airbnb isn’t rebelling against the hotel industry — limited availability and price-fixing did. Amazon didn’t rebel against main street retailers — poor customer service and experience did.

Bad Rebels in the workplace can bring an organization down — their flagrant disregard of the rules can be devastating. Think back to the colorful characters who led companies such as Enron, WorldCom, Global Crossing and Tyco International, to name just a few. Just as these Bad Rebels saw no need to follow generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), I couldn’t see them happily donning a facemask and abiding by 6 feet of separation.

I pray we wake up one day and this whole COVID situation was a one-off nightmare, but as sure as day follows night, I am convinced we will see the Rule Followers, the Selectors and the Rebels back at the benches, within the cubes and across the boardroom when we arise from this lockdown.

Paul Butler is a Santa Clarita resident and a client partner with Newleaf Training and Development of Valencia (newleaftd.com). The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Signal newspaper. For questions or comments, email Butler at paul.butler@newleaftd. com. 

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2020 · B3

PLANNING FOR AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE KEN KELLER

SCVBJ Contributor

S

ince 2020 has been such a challenging year, I want to share my thoughts about how as CEO, you might want to conduct your strategic and operational planning process.

No one can predict with any certainty what will happen in the next 6 to 24 months. Ignore both noise and distractions; rely on your own leading trip wire indicators for your company.

First, I recommend planning for the worst. Meaning, your first scenario should be a worst case scenario. What does that look like?

Assume that any loans you have from your bank will be called in; your biggest customers drop you as an approved supplier; your customers drag out payments well beyond acceptable payment terms; your key suppliers / vendors slow down shipments and require payment in advance before delivering; and, key employees depart.

I do not want to spread doom and gloom but here are some interesting observations you should consider: • Airlines are down 80% to pre-pandemic levels; that industry is a leading indicator of many business facing industries (dining, car rentals, lodging, conventions, trade shows, events) • Various industries have seen dramatic changes and swings in demand, both up and down • Government funding has dried up; it is uncertain if additional support will come and if it does, how much and it what form • Companies are finding that, mostly, “stay at home” workers are more productive • Nearly 70% of our economy is consumer based spending; some companies (hotels, motels, bars, restaurants, retail, clothing, and entertainment) will likely go out of business as weddings, religious ceremonies, anniversary and birthday parties, and even corporate events become virtual if they are held at all In short, uncertainty and volatility are at extremely high levels, and will remain that way for at least another 18 to 24 months.

A worst-case scenario paints a picture for the CEO of what the bottom looks like. You may not be there now and you many never get there but you need to understand what it looks like and what you will need to do if you ever find yourself on the way there.

Second, I recommend creating a two-year, go-forward revenue forecast. Start with the worst case, then create the best case, then develop the most-likely case scenario.

How do you do this? You first identify the key assumptions for each scenario. As an example, for my

While it’s been a challenging year, creating a forecast for different scenarios can help a business owner get a handle on the uncertainty. (MC)

“

Second, I recommend creating a two-year, go-forward revenue forecast. Start with the worst case, then create the best case, then develop the most-likely case scenario.”

manufacturing companies, I have recommended creating different plans based on the possible time frames that Boeing and Airbus will turn on the growth spigot again.

Following crafting the assumptions, create building blocks of your different revenue streams. As you go through this process you need to set “trigger points” that will require additional actions if things happen, or don’t. To make it easy, the trigger points can be laid out in a “If this, then that …” format.

Third, your future is totally dependent on your clients.

Make certain that you have a clear and concise plan for staying in touch with those buying from you. Ideally, you want to understand what their strategies are and

what their forecasts look like. Focus on building stronger relationships.

Finally, don’t forget about “new cheese.” In times of uncertainty there are opportunities to land new clients.

Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and call prospective clients.

Ken Keller is an executive coach who works with small and midsize B2B company owners, CEOs and entrepreneurs. He facilitates formal top executive peer groups for business expansion, including revenue growth, improved internal efficiencies and greater profitability. Email:Ken.Keller@strategicadvisoryboards.com.

Keller’s column reflects his own views and not necessarily those of the SCVBJ. 

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

M & M FASTENERS SUPPLY OFFERS SUPPORT FOR RETURN OF FILMING, CONSTRUCTION GROWTH FOR THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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or years, the Santa Clarita Valley has been a home to feature films, TV shows, commercials and now streaming productions, as the SCV sits in the northern half of the Thirty-Mile Zone, or TMZ, an area created to encourage filming through tax breaks.

But what a lot of people might not realize is how many local companies, businesses like M & M Fasteners Supply Inc., play a vital role, so to speak, in making sure productions have the right parts.

While M & M has been known as a reliable name in commercial, aerospace and construction for four decades, after relocating to the SCV in January 2019, M & M CEO Eunice Hajek quickly realized that while she might be moving away from Hollywood, she was moving her company to a place where its ability to provide quality, reliable tools and fasteners would be hugely important for the filming industry.

Known as “Hollywood’s backlot” and “Hollywood North,” the SCV relies on countless local businesses like M & M to keep things running smoothly on the sound stages, on scene and anywhere else that complex, expensive film equipment or set building needs support tools and technology.

Another growth area for M & M has been in the support of essential construction. This progression was also a natural growth area for a company that’s long prided itself on supplying parts to keep us safe in the sky for the aerospace industry. Moving to a hotbed of growth has allowed M & M to become an authorized distributor for other trusted names, such as DeWalt, Senco, Elco, and Grabber Construction Products for hardware, tools, adhesives and more . Whether the need is a concrete anchor, an eyebolt, tek screws or nails, M & M prides itself on the motto, “Where quality meets customer service.”

“We have the tools and the hardware available not only to support the filming industry but also the construction industry,” Hajek said. “We’ve always provided quality customer care and the best parts available, but these recent economic conditions have really allowed us to demonstrate the ability and value of working with a local business as our economy begins to open up again.”

M & M Fasteners Supply is a stocking supplier of quality fastener products and accessories specializing in OEM, MRO, electrical and aerospace markets. M & M can also supply parts from a blueprint or technical specification. For more information, visit mmfastsupply.com or call 818-767-8833. 

B4 · SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

HISPANIC HERITAGE CELEBRATION The Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce and Latino Business Alliance kicked off Hispanic Heritage Month on September 16th with a Virtual Celebration.

The event allowed for the first of its kind virtual networking for the Santa Clarita Valley.

CHAIR OF THE BOARD NANCY STARCZYK

Realty Executives

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE HUNT BRALY

Poole, Shaffery & Koegle, LLP

MARISOL ESPINOZA

Southern California Gas Company

KEVIN HOLMES

Martini Akpovi Partners, LLP

TROY HOOPER

Kiwi Hospitality Partners

DR. CHRIS RAIGOSA

Kaiser Permanente

CHRIS SCHRAGE

LBW Insurance Financial Services

JOHN VANCE

Vance Wealth

The SCV Chamber’s Latino Business Alliance honored Lief Labs as Business of the Year and Paul De La Cerda as Community Leader.

We would like to thank our Title Sponsor, Sand Canyon Country Club, and all the other sponsors for their support of the Chamber and the Latino business community. The Chamber prides itself in working with our Latino community to ensure their voices are heard and are recognized for their many accomplishments around the Santa Clarita Valley.

You can view the program on the SCV Chambers YouTube channel.

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15 and is a great time to learn more about the diversity of experiences and cultures that comprise the Hispanic and Latino heritage.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ANDREA CARPENTER

Logix

STEVE COLE

SCV Water Agency

JASON CRAWFORD

City of Santa Clarita

JEFFREY FORREST

College of the Canyons

MONICA HARRISON

LA Film Locations

BRIAN HIGGINS

AAA Companies

PAM INGRAM

Re/Max of Valencia

ALEEN MANCHESTER

California Resources Corporation

PATRICK MOODY

Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

BRIAN O’CONNOR

Princess Cruises

DAN REVETTO AT&T HENRY RODRIGUEZ

State Farm Insurance

SANDY SANCHEZ FivePoint LIZ SEELMAN

Southern California Edison

G. JESSE SMITH

California Institute of the Arts

DR. DIANNE VAN HOOK

College of the Canyons

Lief Labs CEO & Founder Adel Villalobos accepting the Business of the Year Award.

WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS

Please join us in welcoming our newest members. Our membership is the live blood of the community.

Allstate - Harsolia Insurance Agency

www.agents.allstate.com/mona-harsolia-santa-clarita-ca.html

Jacks Angels

DENNIS VERNER Burrtec

www.jacksangels.org

KARINA WINKLER

LNK Tax Group

Holiday Inn Express

www.lnktax.com

BUSINESS COUNCILS The Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce has the following Business Councils:

Government Affairs The Government Affairs council meets to discuss policy decisions on a local, county, state and federal level. As a member, you are encouraged to attend a meeting and have your voice heard throughout the SCV and take a stance on pertinent issues relative to the business community or your industry in particular.

Neighbarista

www.neighbarista.com

Oaks Tax & Accounting www.oakstax.com

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

Industry & Technology The Industry and Technology council works to improve and enhance a strong business climate for Santa Clarita Valley based industry, manufacturing, processing and technology companies through pro-business advocacy to develop balanced laws, effective regulations and sound public policies to stimulate economic growth and create new jobs while safeguarding environmental resources.

Small Business Small Businesses are at the core of our Chamber’s membership and are the backbone of our economy. The Chamber offers a variety of educational and networking programming to help your small business thrive. The council focuses on three main objectives: Advises the SCV Chamber on small business related issues, programming and networking opportunities; Supports the Chambe’s “Retail Walks” with elected officials; and helps promote the nationwide “Small Business Saturday” program which highlights small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Non-Profit The SCV has a strong philanthropic community with more than 100 locally-based non-profit organizations that help our community thrive. Our non-profits are a key reason why Santa Clarita is a great community and always looking towards a better future. The council provides business resources for our local non-profit leaders to help them connect, grow and learn about valuable information so they can successfully meet their organizations mission and goals.

Latino Business Alliance

October 2 at 10am COVID Resource Webinar: LA Regional COVID Fund & Voting During a Pandemic October 15 at 11am LA County Assessor Update October 20 at 2pm Election Watch 2020 - Virtual Congressional Candidate Forum

Our LBA council works to promote Latino-owned business as well as relevant issues facing our Latino business community. In addition the LBA helps to educate businesses on how to enhance a company’s business efforts with Latino customers and other Latino-owned businesses.

October 26 Oak Tree Classic Day of Golf

NextSCV

To find out more about the Chamber, the benefits of membership, its business councils and all its resources please email hello@scvchamber.com or visit

NextSCV is our next generation of leaders and the group aims to develop the next leaders of the Santa Clarita Valley through personal and professional development, civic engagement, and network building opportunities that ultimately stimulate local businesses and support the mission of the SCV Chamber.

SCVChamber.com

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2020 · B5

ADVOCACY NEWS As the largest business membership organization in the santa clarita valley, the scv chamber of commerce is the voice of business. the chamber actively advocates on behalf of our business community on important local, regional and statewide issues that have direct impacts on our local businesses

OUR ADVOCACY HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT. JOIN THE CHAMBER TODAY TO STRENGTHEN THE VOICE OF BUSINESS IN THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY SCV CHAMBER TO HOST CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE FORUM We are pleased to host Congressmember Mike Garcia and Assemblywoman Christy Smith for a Congressional Candidate Forum for the 25th District.

SCV CHAMBER ENDORSEMENTS The Chamber’s Board of Directors has endorsed 16 candidates. Below, and on the Election Watch 2020 web page, which can be found on our website, www.scvchamber.com under the Advocacy tab, you will be able to find which candidates have officially been endorsed.

California’s 21st State Senate District Hon. Scott Wilk California’s 38th Assembly District Suzette Martinez Valladares Santa Clarita City Council Hon. Cameron Smyth Jason Gibbs College of the Canyon Board of Trustees Tony Watson - Area 2 Fred Arnold - Area 3 Hon. Michele Jenkins - Area 4 Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency Hon. Gary Martin - District 1 Karla Waymire - District 1 Hon. Ed Colley - District 2 Piotr Orzechowski - District 2 Hon. BJ Atkins - District 3 Hon. Maria Gutzeit - District 3 William S. Hart Union High School District Hon. Linda Storli - Area 1 Hon. Steve Sturgeon - Area 4 Saugus Union School District Matthew Watson - Area 4

For those who were able to join us, we virtually held a forum between the two candidates in April before the Special Election, and now they are headed for the November Ballot.

Friday, October 20 | 2:00 PM Join us virtually to hear what each candidate’s vision is for the 25th Congressional District, what their goals are for to continuously better our business community and what their plans are as soon as they get into office.

Register at www.SCVChamber.com/Events We request everyone to submit their questions by Friday, October 16 at 5:00 PM by emailing, hello@scvchamber.com.

ELECTION WATCH 2020 Check out the SCV Chamber’s Election Watch 2020 page, under the Advocacy tab, for all the latest information on this year’s election.

Currently, you can find resources on how to register to vote, verifying your voter registration, how to track your ballot once you submit, and request a non-English ballot.

The Chamber hosted a City Council Forum earlier this month. If you missed the Forum, you are able to watch the recording on the page as well. More info and registration can be by visiting the Election Watch 2020 page.

GET READY TO VOTE - NOVEMBER 3 If you have not yet registered to vote, we encourage you to do so by visiting our Election Watch 2020 page, and clicking on the Register to Vote button. Make sure your voice is heard!

With the November 3 General Election rapidly approaching, we wanted to inform you about some important changes and updates.

• Due to COVID-19 there may be fewer in-person voting locations than normal, however voting locations will be opened earlier.

• All registered California voters will be sent a vote-by-mail ballot with a prepaid postage return envelope.

• All voters can now get critical updates on their ballots through California’s official “Where’s My Ballot?” tracking tool by visiting www.california.ballottrax.net. You will be able to track when your ballot was mailed, received and counted.

VOTE BY MAIL Every registered voter will receive a vote-by-mail ballot for the November 3, 2020, General Election. County elections officials will begin mailing ballots to voters by October 5, 2020.

After marking your choices on your vote-by-mail ballot, place it in the official envelope provided by your county

elections office and seal it. Sign the envelope where directed. You have multiple options for returning your ballot. To ensure your ballot arrives by the deadline, return it either:

in person at your polling place on Election Day. Bring your vote-by-mail ballot to the polling place and give it to a poll worker to exchange for a polling place ballot.

• By mail: Must be postmarked on or before November 3 and received by your county elections office no later than November 20. No postage is required.

• In person: Drop off at your county elections office or any vote center, polling place, or ballot drop-off location in California before the polls close at 8:00 p.m. on November 3.

Even if you receive your vote-by-mail ballot and envelope, you can still vote

IN-PERSON VOTE CENTERS Polling locations will be open from Saturday, October 31 through November 2 for at least eight hours each day and from 7am to 8pm on Election Day. To find a polling location, visit www. vote.ca.gov or text “Vote” to GOVOTE (468683).

Los Angeles County also allows you to vote at any vote center.

SHARE YOUR VOICE ON REOPENING SANTA CLARITA The LA County Board of Supervisors has officially set a permanent agenda item, Set Item 1 or Item S1, which will be a weekly update from Dr. Ferrer in regard to the current health orders.

This is your opportunity to to address the five-member Board of Supervisor to voice your thoughts reopening businesses in Santa Clarita and throughout LA County.

Please note: Public comment is only limited to one hour so calling in early is highly recommended. Public comment begins at 9:00 AM. You are asked to dial in by at least 8:30 AM to ensure you will be called on.

Individuals who wish to call: Dial (877) 226-8163 and enter Participant Code: 1336503.

B6 · SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

HARNESSING TECHNOLOGY TO FIGHT COVID-19 HOLLY SCHROEDER President & CEO of SCVEDC

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y now, you are well aware that we are in the midst of a global pandemic that isn’t going away anytime soon. Over the past six months, we have learned much about how COVID-19 is transmitted, and steps we can take to slow the spread such as maintaining physical distance, staying home when sick, wearing a mask, and sanitizing our hands and space. Vaccine trials are underway at a breakneck pace, and a greater understanding of effective therapeutics is helping more patients recover.

While much of the public discourse about the virus has been limited to “open/closed” and vaccines and medical treatments, we should also be encouraged by the number of companies working to address the disease with innovation and technology, including several right here in the Santa Clarita Valley.

While tech companies are scrambling to make flashy apps for our phones or wearable tracking devices for contract tracing purposes, other innovative companies are more focused on traditional engineering, material science and design technologies and turning their expertise to finding technology-based COVID-19 solutions.

Scientists have long known that ultraviolet light mitigates the spread of viruses. It has been used in hospitals and medical facilities for years. Recent studies evaluating the use of overhead, low-level far-ultraviolet-C (UVC) light in public locations discovered it to be a safe and efficient method for limiting the transmission and spread of airborne diseases including the flu, H1N1 virus and MRSA. Unlike broad-spectrum UVC lights which can cause skin cancer and cataracts, this type of lighting is safe for humans. In addition, there are also sophisticated filtration technologies that allow the military to enter areas with unknown contaminants and keep astronauts alive in space. Both UV light and filtration are now being studied to determine if they are also effective against COVID-19.

Notably, several companies in the Santa Clarita Valley make these technologies and install various UV and filtration devices globally. Now, these types of engineering companies in the SCV and beyond are working furiously to adapt their products to combat the COVID-19 virus in a wide variety of settings, from classrooms and workplaces to theaters and airplanes. These efforts could let us resume indoor activities, get kids back in classrooms, and workers back in offices.

Holly Schroeder is president and CEO of the SCV Economic Development Corp., a unique private / public partnership representing the united effort of regional industry and government leaders. For more information about the SCVEDC, visit SCVEDC.org, or call (661) 288-4400. 

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SCV BUSINESS VOICES

CONTROL YOUR HEARING WITH THE OTICON ON APP DR. KEVIN BOLDER AuD, Audiology Associates

T

he Oticon ON App is an internet-connected hearing aid app that gives you total control of your hearing aids. Using TwinkLink technology, the ON app enables advanced connections to multiple wireless devices. You can discreetly adjust the volume of your hearing aids straight from the app, as well as set personal listening goals and track your hearing aid use through HearingFitness.

The Oticon ON app gives you hearing at your

fingertips, creating a seamless user experience. With the ON app you can set your hearing aids to notify you when your battery is low, so you always know exactly how much charge you have left. The ON app is designed for you to customize your listening experience.

With the Oticon ON app you can have powerful hearing that you control. Never miss another moment with the ones you love. With the ON app you can adjust your listening environments straight from your smartphone, so you can enjoy even more freedom. Take control over your hearing and hear the difference with Oticon.

• With the Oticon ON App you can: • Discreetly adjust your volume • Track your hearing health

• Monitor your battery life • Locate your hearing aids The best thing you can do to make sure you are maintaining your overall health and well-being is receive regular hearing screenings in addition to your other doctor visits.

To schedule a hearing aid consultation today, please call Audiology Associates at (661) 284-1900. Kevin Bolder, Au.D, Patrice Rifkind, Au.D. and John Davis, Au.D. are three of the best in Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valley. Visit our website at AudiologyAssociates.net or stop by our office located at 23838 Valencia Blvd, Suite 100, Valencia. We are hearing healthcare excellence! 

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2020 · B7

FILMING, PERMITS HELPS HELP IMPROVE JOBS PICTURE

BY PERRY SMITH SCV Business Journal Editor

W

hile countywide and in Santa Clarita, the unemployment numbers are still at historic highs, city officials are already seeing signs of improvement, encouraged by the return of filming, among other areas.

For Los Angeles County, the unemployment rate remains at nearly 17% (16.6), while the rate dropped another point locally to 15.3% in Santa Clarita, still about 3% better than neighboring Lancaster and Palmdale.

For comparison, in Los Angeles County, it was a little below 5% at the same time last year. The California seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 11.4% in August 2020, 13.5% in July 2020, and 3.9% a year ago in August 2019. The comparable estimates for the nation were 8.4% in August 2020, 10.2% in July 2020, and 3.7% a year ago.

“Each month, we’re getting a little better than the bottom in April,” said Jason Crawford, economic development manager for the city of Santa Clarita, referring to the worst rates during the crisis, when unemployment was at its historic high above 20%. “It’s obviously still much higher unemployment than we’re used to seeing in our community due to the COVID-19 crisis. But it is slowly and steadily improving, and we’re seeing more residents going back to work.”

Traditionally, filming has played a large role in the city’s local economy, as it does for the region, so it’s no surprise that the return of filming in Los Angeles County was immediately felt in Santa Clarita.

Just last week for example, episodic television, which is the city’s most lucrative draw in terms of revenue for local businesses because of the multiple days of shooting that required — saw a few familiar names get the cameras rolling again at the first opportunity, such as long-running locally filmed programs as “SWAT,” “Goliath” and “NCIS,” according to the city’s Film Office.

Due to a nearly six-month hiatus, it’s unlikely that 2020 will come close to the previous record-setting year for Santa Clarita, when the city recorded 576 film permits and 1,490 location film days, generating an estimated $35.9 million impact — which was another big gain over the previous year.

“We’ve got several of our TV shows

The return of episodic television will be a big help for Santa Clarita’s economy as it continues to recover from the impacts of COVID-19. PHOTO COURTESY CITY OF SANTA CLARITA back,” said Crawford. “As far as filming, there has been a lot of positive momentum from the film industry here. We’re seeing multiple productions filming around town daily, movies, TV, commercials ... .”

Crawford also pointed out the city has been working hard to help businesses work to stay open under Public Health’s restrictions, where it can. He said the city’s permit program has been working as fast as a 24-hour turnaround, and that the goal is to work with the business owners to accommodate as much as Public Health deems allowable in using outdoor space.

“We just need to see a site plan that shows where the activity is going to take place, and that it’s going to be done in a safe way and won’t infringe upon traffic, for example,” Crawford added. “But

AREA NAME

LABOR FORCE

EMPLOYMENT

UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBER

RATE

Los Angeles County

4,929,600

4,111,400

818,300

16.6%

Lancaster city

62,900

51,300

11,600

18.5%

Palmdale city

62,700

51,000

11,700

18.6%

Burbank city

57,900

47,400

10,500

18.1%

Santa Clarita city

107,900

91,400

16,600

15.3%

Val Verde CDP

1,700

1,300

500

26.3%

by far, most of (the permits sought) are issued.”

Countywide, the leisure and hospitality sector reported the largest month-over job decline, down 11,800, according to the Economic Development Division.

Arts, entertainment and recreation accounted for the majority of the job loss,

THE LIST: L argest B ioscience C ompanies R anked

by

dropping 8,400 jobs that were mostly in amusement, gambling and recreation.

Accommodation and food services reported a reduction of 3,400 jobs, all of which were in food services and drinking places (down 4,200), but offset by a slight gain of 800 jobs in accommodation. 

E mployees

COMPANY

EMPLOYEES

CONTACT

TITLE

ADDRESS

Boston Scientific

900

Maulik Nanavaty

Senior Vice President

25155 Rye Canyon Loop, Valencia, 91355

Quest Diagnostics

660

Cristen Farrell

Sr. Human Resources Business Partner

27027 Tourney Rd, Valencia, 91355

Advanced Bionics

581

Victoria Carr-Brendel

Group Vice President

28515 Westinghouse Place, Valencia, 91355

Q2 Solutions

405

Brian O'Dwyer

CEO

27027 Tourney Rd, Valencia , 91355

Pharmavite

371

Doug MacLean

CEO

28104 Witherspoon Pkwy, Valencia, 91355

Shield Healthcare

272

Jim Snell

President

27911 Franklin Parkway, Valencia, 91355

Cardinal Health

200

Marsha Aragon

Director of Operations

27680 Ave Mentry, Valencia, 91355

Stratasys Direct

195

Kent Firestone

CEO

28309 Ave Crocker, Valencia , 91355

Bioness

190

Todd Cushman

CEO

25103 Rye Canyon Loop, Valencia, 91355

PDC - A Brady Business

170

Robert Case

President

27770 N. Entertainment Drive, Valencia , 91355

Classic Wire Cut Company

150

Brett Bannerman

President

28210 ConstellationRd, Valencia, 91355

Cicoil, LLC

75

Howard Lind

Managing Member

24960 Avenue Tibbits, Valencia, 91355

United Consortium

78

Harold Lehon

CEO

29000 Hancock Pkwy, Santa Clarita, 91355

Eckert Ziegler Isotope Prod

70

Frank Yeager

CEO

24937 Avenue Tibbitts, Valencia, 91355

KLM Laboratories

65

Kirk Marshall

President

28280 Alta Vista Ave, Valencia, 91355

TriMed Inc

64

David Medoff

CEO

27533 Avenue Hopkins, Santa Clarita, 91355

Technical Manufacturing West

85

Brad Topper

General Manager

24820 Avenue Tibbitts, Valencia, 91355

Neotech Products

49

Craig McCrary

President

28430 Witherspoon Pkwy, Valencia, 91355

Implant Direct

75

Ginger Page

Director Technical Sales

27220 Turnberry Lane, Ste. 200 Valencia, 91355

Avita Medical

45

Mike Perry

CEO

28159 Avenue Stanford, Valencia, 91355

Ultraviolet Devices

45

Richard Hayes

President

26145 Technology Dr, Valencia, 91355

AM-Touch

44

Harry Khetarpal

CEO

28703 Industry Drive, Valencia, 91355

Talladium Inc.

41

Edward Harms

President

27360 Muirfield Ln, Valencia, 91355

Alfred Mann Foundation

35

John Petrovich

CEO

25134 Rye Canyon Loop, Valencia, 91355

SetPoint Medical

26

Murthy Simhambhatla

President & CEO

25101 Rye Canyon Loop, Valencia, 91355

Telic

20

Matthew Kennedy

Director of Operations

24832 Avenue Rockefeller, Valencia, 91355

UTAK Laboratories

20

James Plutchak

CEO

25020 Avenue Tibbits, Valencia, 91355

Valencia Technologies

20

Jeff Greiner

CEO

28464-28466 Westinghouse Pl, Valencia, 91355

Hayden Medical

5

Scott Clelland

President

19425 Soledad Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, 91351

Western Scientific Company

18

Jeff Jenson

President

25061 Ave Stanford Suite 110, Valencia, 91355

ROCS

4

Shanley Curran

President/CEO

27240 Turnberry Lane, Suite #200, Valencia, 91355

Elytone Medical Electronics

Robert Holmes

Division Director

27201 Tourney Road, Suite # 225, Valencia, 91355

Percusense

Brian Kannard

CEO

25134 Rye Canyon Loop #370, Valencia, 91355

CREDIT: SANTA CLARITA VALLEY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP. * EMPLOYEE COUNTS MAY NOT BE CURRENT

B8 · SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

COUNTY: BREWERIES, WINERIES CAN REOPEN OUTDOORS NEXT WEEK

BY EMILY ALVARENGA Signal Staff Writer

T

he Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to allow breweries and wineries to resume outdoor operations in one week.

Under the state’s guidelines, counties in the state’s most restrictive tier, like L.A. County, can operate wineries outdoors only with modifications, while bars, breweries and distilleries remain closed.

Other counties in Tier 1 had permitted breweries to open if they serve food, as that instead allows them to fall under the restaurant category, according to Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.

“Breweries, bars and distilleries are all closed by the state, not a permitted activity in Tier 1 — unless they look more like a restaurant, and the way to look more like a restaurant would be to make sure you’ve had a meal program,” Ferrer said.

Previously, the county had interpreted these guidelines to mean that these establishments were those that are permitted by the Health Department to prepare and serve meals, meaning only those with restaurant licenses could resume service. However, those businesses without licenses and small kitchens have been struggling to survive.

Public Health is expected to modify the health officer order, allowing these establishments to reopen for outdoor service if they partner with a third-party permitted food vendor.

“This is an important step forward for businesses and employees throughout the county,” county Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose 5th District includes the Santa Clarita Valley, said in a prepared

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Todd Tisdell, left, and Geoff Pocock in the Pocock Brewery in Valencia in 2018. The popular local brewery has been eagerly anticipating the lifting of restrictions that have banned their operations. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL statement. “As our case numbers have decreased, I have championed for breweries and wineries to reopen safely with necessary health protocols and guidance in place. I am pleased to have the opportunity to collaborate to seek solutions that will help support our communities.”

As with other businesses, these establishments are expected to abide by strict safety guidelines, including but not limited to: • Outside operations.

• Limited hours of operation.

• Required reservations.

• Appropriate social distancing.

• All appropriate safety measures.

Public Health officials have yet to release specific guidelines and protocols as of the publication of this story.

VALLEY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION 28368 Constellation Road | Suite 360 | Valencia | CA 91355 | 661.294.8088 | www.via.org content provided by Josh Premako and VIA

A D V O C A T E . E D U C A T E . I N N O VA T E .

VIA VIRTUAL SERIES VA L L EY I N D U ST RY ASS O CI AT I O N

CEO ADVOCATE.EDUCATE.INNOVATE.

The Valley Industry Association will welcome Cameron Smyth, Mayor, City of Santa Clarita on Tuesday, October 13 as the Keynote Speaker for the October VIA Virtual Series.

In addition to other topics, Mayor Smyth will discuss the City Council’s consideration to separate from the L.A. County Department of Public Health to create the City’s own Health Department. $15 for VIA members, $20 for non-members.

Visit www.via.org/calendar to make reservations.

FORUM

Last Chance to RSVP! VIA 2020 CEO Forum

Questions? Please submit them in advance to kathy@via. org Please contact the VIA Office for additional information. kathy@via.org or (661) 294-8088.

Calling all Business Leaders We want to hear from you.

Please join us on September 29. www.via.org/calendar

Tw st

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WITH A

C E L E B R AT I N G O U R M E M B E R S

AN EVENING OF HOPE & INSPIRATION What’s better than an evening started with great friends, a bottle of wine and a assortment of charcuterie choices. We’ve twisted things up this year for BASH. Start your evening with us as we celebrate special individuals in our community and businesses who have and are still going above and beyond in making a difference during the COVID-19 crisis.

LEMON DROP SPONSOR

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DESIGNGROUP

They’ve inspired us, encouraged us and helped keep us all going!

SATURDAY, November 14, 2020 | VIRTUAL Event Begins at 6:00 PM

EVENTS CALENDAR CEO Forum Tuesday, September 29 8:30-10:00 a.m. Virtual/Zoom To Register: www.via.org/calendar

VIA Virtual Series with Mayor Cameron Smyth Tuesday, October 13 11:00 a.m. Virtual/Zoom To Register: www.via.org/calendar

2020 VIA BASH – With a Twist!

Saturday, November 14 6:00 p.m. Virtual/Zoom www.via.org/calendar for tickets

Reservations and payment can be made at www.VIA.org/Calendar or call (661) 294-8088

THE SIGNAL · SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2020 · B9

REALTORS DISCUSS UNIQUE MARKET CONDITIONS “Interest rates on home loans that dipped below 3% combined with pent-up demand from the economic shutdown from Coronavirus pandemic brought buyers out in numbers.”

­ Louisa Henry — Chair of the SCV division of the Southland Regional Association of Realtors

BY PERRY SMITH BUSINESS EDITOR

W

hile the overall economic picture might still be in recession, or at least, in recovery, the Santa Clarita Valley’s real estate market is creating unique opportunities for buyers and sellers, according to local Realtors.

In terms of volume, 266 single-family homes were reported as sold in August, which is actually up 11% from the same time period last year, surprising some.

However, Realtors are attributing that to a “pent-up demand” from a slower summer, due to the market being paused by quarantine.

“Interest rates on home loans that dipped below 3% combined with pent-up demand from the economic shutdown from Coronavirus pandemic brought buyers out in numbers,” said Louisa Henry, chair of the Santa Clarita Valley Division of the Southland Regional Association of Realtors.

However, there were some market aspects that helped sellers, too, such as the inventory and the rising prices caused by demand.

The combination of factors at play are both unique and without much precedent, according to Erika Kauzlarich-Bird, who runs Compass Realty.

Demand has stayed strong in the Santa Clarita Valley despite a pandemic because the area has a high desirability factor, according to local Realtor Craig Martin of Realty One. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL “A lot of this, we’re all just kind of continuing to watch because we’ve never had a trend of a pandemic, low interest rates and an election year all at once,” she said, noting it’s a bit of both a buyers’ and a sellers’ market.

“For buyers, you have an incredibly low interest rate,” Kauzlarich-Bird said,

which really increases their buying power.

On the flip side, however, she noted: “With the sellers, there’s more demand than there is supply, in which case you’re seeing multiple offers on every property, and have buyers competing with each other.”

The fact that buyers on the market

now are motivated, some of who have been waiting months for a chance to shop, is helping the price for sellers.

Giving a for-instance, she mentioned a listing off Copper Hill Drive closing Tuesday, which received 40 showings, 13 offers and ultimately sold for about $20,000 over its listing price.

The condo market wasn’t quite as strong, according to the Southland Regional Association of Realtors data for July, escrow closing on 96 condominiums — a total that was down 5% from the same time a year ago.

The median price of condominiums sold during August was 1.9% higher than a year ago, well below the record-high $440,000 set in June — while the low national average interest rate of 2.94% brought the income needed to qualify for a loan down 4.2% to $80,555.

Another reason why the market could very well stay strong for the short term?

Santa Clarita remains a desirable real estate market, according to Realtors.

“Locally, we’re thriving because people want to live here and it’s affordable in the sense of everything that’s around us,” said Craig Martin, Realtor with Realty 1 Group, in a recent interview. “So I feel like our market is always going to be solid, because I feel like you get a lot for your value out here.” 

BIOMED

Continued from page B1 “That was the big game-changer,” Veloz added. “We saw a greater increase in adoption after that (study).”

Since then, UVDI has continued to figure out how to make their product durable, yet affordable, while continuing to test each component for efficacy.

“It has to be like a tank,” Veloz added.

“They’re called a robot, but they’re used daily, slammed into walls, shoved into closets at the end of the day. … We are selling this stuff to a hospital under a premise and a promise that the clinical evidence that we produced will be reproducible in your hospital.”

In the hopes of allowing hospitals to continue to produce those results when the robot reaches their hands, UVDI came up with Dose Verify, which works via a UV-C-sensitive coupon that colors when exposed to UV-C energy.

“The dose card is used in a hospital to set the protocol for how long we should run the device, so there’s no guesswork,” Veloz said. “It can signal to you when you’ve gotten to that C. diff high-level kill, and that’s really the benefit.”

When the pandemic hit, the UVDI360 was in high-demand, with hospitals everywhere in dire need of something to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

“Everyone wants UV, and these lamps are all built on a historical baseline of demand, then all of a sudden global demand spikes,” Veloz said. “They still have to be manufactured, and those places are dealing with COVID, then times that by 20 over all of our components, not just lamps.”

Even so, the UVDI-360 UV-C robot has been the same, recently being recognized by global health care leader 3M as a coronavirus decontamination method that will not damage its respirators.

“It was the right equipment before, and it just became all the more so during (the pandemic),” Veloz added, “so all we had to do is just do make more of them, not change anything.”

OTHER USES FOR UV IN COMBATING COVID-19 Among other ventures, UVDI has also worked on putting UV-C into air filtration systems, which can reduce the transmission of airborne illnesses, with its technology in 10,000 buildings around the world, including all seven terminals at Los Angeles International Airport.

“We’ve been doing it for over 20 years, and now it’s just hitting,” Veloz said.

“Now we’re even learning in the popular current media that (COVID-19) can transfer through the HVAC system.”

COVID-19 created the perfect storm, making demand for UV disinfecting products skyrocket.

That’s why UVDI, along with UV Resources and Applied Companies, are among local companies working with the SCV Economic Development Corp. and Santa Clarita City Council to figure out how to adapt their technologies into other settings in their local community.

“We have a special moment, time to get off the normal map and try and take care of our own community in a way that might take some creativity and maybe some coordination with other companies to work together,” Veloz said.

At UV Resources in Valencia, President Daniel Jones agrees that it’s a crazy

Peter Veloz, CEO of UltraViolet Devices, Inc. examines a row of UVDI-360 Room Sanitizer, disinfecting robots that are ready to be shipped from UVDI in Valencia. PHOTO BY DAN WATSON / THE SIGNAL time relative to the application of UV. “The pandemic has affected the whole industry by increasing interest and increasing sales and applications of UV around the world, actually to the point that there’s a shortage of glass for UV lamps,” Jones said. “UV has been around for well over 100 years in fighting infections and infection control, so it’s definitely a technology that’s well equipped to deal with the epidemic that we’re currently facing.”

As with UVDI, the technology UVR uses has been around for decades, with it specifically being the company’s niche for 15 years now, yet it had not garnered a lot of interest other than in health care settings until recently.

“Now we’re seeing more and more interest and demand for products in the commercial settings and in schools,” Jones added.

In fact, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation products have been used as early as the 1930s to prevent the spread of measles in schools.

“I think that there’s always been a number of people who are concerned about indoor air quality,” Jones said.

“Health care facilities are definitely concerned about that because infection control is a big deal in there, but in commercial buildings it’s been a ‘nice idea.’”

Pre-pandmeic, Jones believes UV was considered a luxury or afterthought, not a necessity.

“It’s gone from, ‘That’d be a nice thing to have,’ to ‘We absolutely need it because of the pandemic,’” Jones added.

“We have to provide a safe environment for our employees to come back to.”

In the first months of the pandemic,

UVR’s inventory was quickly snatched up, as interest in UV quickly grew.

“What we would consider an annual amount of a certain product was scooped up within the first 30 to 60 days,” Jones said.

As with UVDI, Jones felt the constraints of the global supply chain, as the UV market grew from what Jones considered “niche” to one of the top technologies fighting COVID-19 worldwide, according to Jones.

“There’s just such a knowledge of UV in the general public that … our industry and the world view, so to speak, of UV has changed forever,” Jones added. “Because UV has this 100-plus-year history, which includes multiple scientific studies about how it works, it’s been something that has really been the stalwarts in the industry.”

Similarly, Applied Companies, a national leader in the manufacturing of environmental control units that primarily works with the aerospace and defense industry, are adapting its technologies developed to create mobile clean rooms for satellite transportation for other applications.

“What we’re doing is we built a filtration unit that brings our clean room air conditioning systems for satellites to the classroom,” Applied Companies Vice President Joseph Klinger said. “The idea is that we do the same filtering, the same air changes we would do, only in the classroom.”

By the time a child graduates from high school, they will have spent 15,600 hours indoors inside of a school, according to a book published by Harvard University Press, with various studies over the years

showing inadequate ventilation was a cause for concern in students success.

One particular study cited found that more than 3,000 fifth-grade students had higher math, reading and science scores in classrooms with higher ventilation rates.

“Nobody’s ever cared about indoor air quality until recently,” Klinger added.

“Everything has always been about power consumption. How cheap, how little energy can we make this air conditioner run on? And as a result, indoor air quality has taken a backseat, and now we’re paying for it. … We do very little in the way to take care of our indoor spaces.”

As with UVDI and UVR, Klinger’s technology has been tried and tested, yet only came into the limelight recently.

“The technology has existed for 15 years to take care of this,” Klinger said.

“What we’re doing is not anything new, other than the way that we’re doing it is new.”

Applied Companies’ prototypes have adapted that technology, with products set to begin being shipping in a matter of weeks.

“The goal is to get the schools open,” Klinger said, “but if this is a product that finds legs and people like, then we’re happy to support it and happy to build it. … We’ve funded this R&D effort partly on our own dime … and we’ve yet to sell one, so we’ve definitely made a commitment.

“It’s easy to put clean filtered air above our heads,” Klinger added, “and that’s what we’re trying to do.” 

B10 · SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2020 · THE SIGNAL

UNDERSTANDING THE SENIOR DISCOUNT FOR PROPERTY TAXES

BY JEFF PRANG Los Angeles County Assessor

A

s we all grow older and begin to contemplate retirement, something many of us dream of doing someday, we may look at downsizing our home for a more comfortable lifestyle.

Perhaps a home that maintains the quality of life we’ve become accustomed but is not so challenging to maintain. Maybe, something smaller, less expensive.

Perhaps, we’re already retired and have our eye on that special home. Or maybe we are still working and simply want to move.

Well, there is a way to do any and all of the above if you’re 55 or older and save a significant amount of money on your property taxes. That’s what I’m here to visit with you about today.

There is a constitutional tax initiative that allows senior citizens to transfer their property tax from their current home to a replacement property, if certain requirements are met. This may result in substantial tax savings. Substantial, especially if you’ve been in the home for some time.

Here’s how it works: If you or your spouse that lives with you are 55 or older, you may buy or construct a new home of equal or lesser value than your existing home and transfer the former value to your new home. To reiterate, the replacement property must be of equal or lesser current market value than the original property. This is a one-time only benefit.

Now, it’s important to also remember that you must buy or complete construction of your replacement home within two years of the sale of the original home. Both the original home and the new home must be your principal place of residence.

A claim must be filed within three years of purchasing or completing new construction of the replacement home.

If a claim is filed after the three-year period, relief will be granted beginning with the calendar year in which the claim was filed. Also, the home must be eligible

There is a constitutional tax initiative that allows senior citizens to transfer their property tax from their current home to a replacement property, if certain requirements are met. This may result in substantial tax savings. for the Homeowners’ Exemption or Disabled Veterans’ Exemption. Again, the new home has to be your primary residence.

Interestingly enough, even if the original home is located outside Los Angeles County, if the other criteria is met, you will be eligible for this property tax relief.

If you want to relocate and purchase the home in another county, that’s OK, too.

But check with the county you’re going to go, so you can be sure of any variables that may exist.

Moreover, if you meet all eligibility requirements, this tax savings is granted for any type of home, whether it be a singlefamily residence, condominium, unit in a planned development, cooperative housing, community apartment, manufactured home, which is subject to property taxes, and even a living area within a larger structure consisting of both residential and non-residential accommodations. All are eligible.

If you or a spouse qualify, you can buy or construct a new home of equal or lesser value than your existing home and transfer the former value to your new home. (MC) And finally, if you decide to make improvements to the replacement home within two years of purchase, you are eligible for additional tax relief covering the new construction. As with everything in life, there is a caveat to this last detail and that is the total amount of purchase and new construction must not exceed the market value of the original property at the time of the sale.I know it’s a lot of information to digest all at once. But here’s the deal, if you’re 55 or older, you can save significant money on your property taxes. That’s a good thing for all as we move along in life.

Feel free to visit my website at assessor.lacounty.gov for more information on this tax-savings program and retrieve the required applications.

Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff

Prang has been in office since 2014.

Upon taking office, Prang implemented sweeping reforms to ensure that the strictest ethical guidelines rooted in fairness, accuracy and integrity would be adhered to in his office, which is the largest office of its kind in the nation with 1,400 employees and provides the foundation for a property tax system that generates $17 billion annually.

Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang has been in office since 2014. Upon taking office, Prang implemented sweeping reforms to ensure that the strictest ethical guidelines rooted in fairness, accuracy and integrity would be adhered to in his office, which is the largest office of its kind in the nation with 1,400 employees and provides the foundation for a property tax system that generates $17 billion annually. . 

SCV BUSINESS VOICES

MANAGING YOUR WEIGHT AS YOU AGE PATRICK MOODY Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

P

lanning for the future is just as important when you’re 50 as it was when you were 18. To stay physically fit and in good health as you get older, it’s smart to manage your weight now.

People’s weight often creeps up on them as they grow older. One reason is that you may be burning fewer calories at an older age, especially if you are not very physically active. If you want to prevent weight gain, you’ll need to eat fewer calories and continue — or start — a regular exercise routine.

FIND OUT YOUR HEALTHY WEIGHT The first step toward maintaining a healthy weight in older age is to find out what a healthy weight is for you.

There are two good ways to do this: Ask your doctor about your body mass index (BMI).

BMI uses your height and weight to calculate your body fat. Your doctor can measure your BMI to find out where your weight falls on a scale of normal, overweight or obese.

Measure your waist. A waist measurement of more than 35 inches for women or 40 inches for men is unhealthy and puts you at risk for a number of health problems, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

WHY DOES WEIGHT MATTER? Being overweight can have a variety of harmful health effects.

For example, being overweight or obese may increase your risk for: • Heart disease • High blood pressure • Type 2 diabetes • Bone and joint problems MANAGING YOUR WEIGHT THROUGH THE YEARS Keeping a healthy weight isn’t a short-term project.

To ensure that your weight stays in a healthy range in the years to come, you’ll need to make the following healthy lifestyle choices a permanent part of your life: Eat well. Although you may need fewer calories as you age, you still need to eat a well-balanced, nutritious diet. Focus on foods that are rich in nutrients, such as: • A wide range of fruits and vegetables • Whole grains • Fat-free or low-fat milk and dairy products • Fish, lean meats, poultry and eggs • Beans, nuts and seeds Your goal is to get 150 minutes of physical activity every week, or 30 minutes on most days of the week. If that still sounds daunting, you can reach your goal by exercising in 10-minute bursts.

Patrick Moody is the director of marketing and public relations at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. For more information about local community health programs, visit HenryMayo.com. 