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HIGH-SPEED RAIL. The Chamber applauds President Barack Obama and congratulates Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on the $2.25 billion in grants being awarded to California for high-speed rail. The investment in the State's infrastructure will create 600,000 construction-related and 450,000 permanent jobs. Part of the $8 billion package aimed at developing 13 large-scale high-speed rail corridors, California's funds will be used to connect L.A. and San Francisco by trains traveling at more than 200 mph.
The Chamber has been a strong supporter of the high-speed rail initiative, recognizing not only the new opportunities it brings for economic growth and environmental improvements, but also the benefit of the improved movement of goods and people throughout the state. Read more.
Chamber strengthens trade relations with delegation from China
 Ren Xiangdong, vice chairman of the China Foreign Trade Center, provided an overview of China's largest import and export fair at the Chamber on Thursday. The fair, which will be held April-May 2010, received 188,170 overseas merchants from more than 200 countries and regions, and turned out import and export contracts worth more than $30 billion in 2009. From left, Xiangdong with Chamber President & CEO Gary Toebben. Contact Jasmin Sakai-Gonzalez, 213.580.7569 or jgonzalez@lachamber.com.
Leadership Southern California exposed to economy and trends in Orange County
 The Fellows of the Class of 2010 met in Westminster on Friday, Jan. 22 to discuss the people, places and trends currently shaping Orange County. The session began with an economic overview in the region from Brad Kemp, Beacon Economics, who said the commercial real estate market will be the biggest economic issue for Orange County in the coming months. "Office vacancy rates are jumping exponentially here," Kemp said. The class later embarked on excursions focused on science and technology at the University of California, Irvine, above; global connections in Little Saigon; and land use and public works at the Orange County Great Park to learn more about how leadership is affecting each of these areas. Read more about the seminars by following @SCLN on Twitter. Contact Kevin Cottrell, 213.580.7577 or kcottrell@lachamber.com.
Chamber discusses 12-2 program with new building and safety general manager
 Newly appointed L.A. Department of Building and Safety General Manager Bud Ovrom discussed his plans Wednesday for implementing development reform in Los Angeles at the Land Use, Construction & Housing Committee. "I’m going to stick around awhile longer to get this done, because this is an opportunity to make the kind of structural changes that are needed in this time of crisis," said Ovrom, who had planned to retire after serving as Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's deputy mayor for economic development. Ovrom will focus his energy on the "12-2" program, which will streamline the entitlement and permitting process and cut the number of departments a developer has to go through from a dozen to two. Contact Beverly Kenworthy, 213.580.7531 or bkenworthy@lachamber.com.
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L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa recently joined PVJOBS (Playa Vista Job Opportunities & Business Services) to celebrate the grand opening of the job program’s new headquarters and job resource center in South Los Angeles. "Maximizing job creation is goal number one over the next four years," said Mayor Villaraigosa. "We have to rethink how the City of Los Angeles practices economic development and aggressively target emerging sectors of growth to attract new businesses to our city." 
The Chamber applauds our members who have contributed significantly to the disaster including 
