Business
U.S. Economic Growth Will Slow in 2019, But Will Not Stop; Predictions For a Recession This Year Have ‘Little Basis in Reality’, Says New Forecast
March 14, 2019—LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA—Following solid growth in 2018, public sentiment about the U.S. economy has turned remarkably – and unnecessarily – grim, according to a new forecast released today by Beacon Economics. Driving the pessimism could be anything from the recent stock market slump to slowing home sales to the fear of an expanding trade war, but according to the new forecast, nothing on near-term horizon has the capacity to cause a downturn, much less a recession.
“Growth in the U.S. economy will certainly slow this year from 2018 levels,” Christopher Thornberg Founding Partner of Beacon Economics and one of the forecast authors. “But this is because the sugar rush and short-term stimulative boost created by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is wearing off – as expected.” Thornberg notes that while there have been weaker-than-normal numbers in some economic data, they are in line with the normal ebb and flow of growth. Moreover, fundamental indicators of economic health such as the consumer savings rate, wage growth, and debt levels all look good.
The new forecast has U.S. economic growth falling to the low 2% range this year from 2.9% in 2018, and expects labor markets to continue adding jobs, although at a slower rate. “The current economic expansion has been historic and it will come to an end, but that end has to be driven by a large, rapid, and negative shock to the economy – we simply don’t see any imbalance right now that has the capacity to knock economic growth off its rails this year.”
One of the main sources of the current angst revolves around the flattening of the U.S. housing market. While the new forecast acknowledges a slowdown, it argues that housing has shifted to neutral but has not moved towards anything resembling a decline. Home prices, in particular, are still rising. According to the forecast, as 2019 progresses, housing market activity will likely pick up.
At the state level, California’s economy is increasingly hampered by the state’s housing shortage and a greater sense of urgency has developed around the issue as reflected by more aggressive action from Governor Gavin Newsom and the State Legislature. Still, current housing market conditions are in flux. “Because of a spike in mortgage rates in late 2018, home sales got off to a slow start this year,” said Robert Kleinhenz, Beacon Economics’ Executive Director of Research and one of the forecast authors “Rates have retreated since then. Assuming they hold steady in the next few months, the peak season of 2019 could be better than many expect.”
Longer term, however, Kleinhenz says the chronic lack of home supply, and the high housing costs that deficit contributes to, is only growing in magnitude. “California needs to build far more homes than it has been building and the state’s economic future will be tied to our ability to do that,” said Kleinhenz. “But this is a stubborn, complicated problem and it’s taken a long time to get to where we are – it won’t be solved overnight.” Part of the complexity, he notes, lies in the fact that efforts at the state level to increase housing venture into land use policymaking, which has historically been the purview of local jurisdictions, making it challenging to craft a comprehensive solution.
Overall, the new forecast has California’s economy on a steady growth track for the first part of 2019. The unemployment rate in the state as a whole, and in many of its metro regions, continues to be at or near record lows, and job gains persist across nearly all of California’s industries.
View the full forecast report, Beaconomics, for additional insights.
Beacon Economics is an independent economic research and consulting firm based in Los Angeles. This analysis was authored by Christopher Thornberg and Robert Kleinhenz. Learn more at www.beaconecon.com.
Business
Unisource Solutions Grows Its Inland Empire Presence with the Addition of TOTALPLAN Business Interiors
Southern California’s leading workplace design and furnishings resource deepens its regional presence by uniting with a 57-year Inland Empire institution.
Unisource Solutions, California’s Haworth Best in Class dealership and a comprehensive workplace design resource, has announced the acquisition of TOTALPLAN a fixture of the Inland Empire business community since 1969. The strategic partnership brings together two organizations with a combined heritage of more than 80 years of expertise, unifying their complementary strengths to better serve businesses, architects, and interior designers across the Inland Empire.
Founded in 1987, Unisource Solutions has built its reputation as far more than a furniture dealer. The company operates as a full-service design resource — offering space planning, workplace strategy and analytics, installation services, project management, and custom furnishings through its in-house brand, Platform by Unisource Solutions. With access to more than 300 manufacturers, Unisource serves clients across corporate, healthcare, higher education, and financial sectors.

TOTALPLAN has spent more than five decades cultivating trusted relationships with businesses of all sizes throughout the Inland. Under the leadership of owner Denny Fosdick, TOTALPLAN earned a reputation for quality service, community investment, and a deep understanding of the regional market.
“For over 57 years, TOTALPLAN has been dedicated to providing exceptional workspace solutions throughout the Inland Empire and beyond. Now, we’re excited to join forces with Unisource Solutions. This partnership brings together our deep community roots with Unisource’s extensive resources and capabilities. I’m proud to pass the torch to a fellow Inland Empire resident who understands this community and will carry on the legacy we’ve built here.” —Denny Fosdick, Owner, TOTALPLAN Business Interiors
Jamal Nasserdeen, President of Unisource Solutions, who grew up in the Inland Empire, expressed the personal significance of the acquisition and its implications for Unisource’s long-term growth strategy in the region.
“Growing up and living in the Inland Empire, it’s a true honor to build on the tremendous 57-year legacy that Denny and his team have established. This partnership marks a pivotal moment in our growth journey, significantly expanding our capabilities throughout the region and strengthening our position as Southern California’s premier workplace solutions provider. It’s a privilege to bring TOTALPLAN into the Unisource Solutions family.” — Jamal Nasserdeen, President, Unisource Solutions
The partnership also carries the endorsement of Haworth, the globally recognized furniture manufacturer for which Unisource holds its Best-in-Class dealer designation. Tom Peyton, Haworth’s Regional Vice President for the West Region, noted that the partnership reinforces the strength of Unisource’s regional coverage and honors the trusted relationships TOTALPLAN has spent decades building.
The combined organization now brings a unified offering across workplace design, multi brand furniture sourcing, custom fabrication through Platform by Unisource Solutions, and comprehensive facilities services including delivery, installation, reconfiguration, and relocation support. Clients across architecture, interior design, and corporate facilities teams will benefit from a single, deeply resourced partner capable of supporting projects from initial concept through move-in.
For businesses in the Inland Empire seeking to transform their workspaces, the new partnership signals expanded local access to a nationally capable team, one that is deeply invested in the communities it serves.
Business
Ontario Set to Open Newest Play Street Museum Location
A children’s museum and indoor play area that lets imaginations wander open soon to local community
Play Street Museum, an interactive children’s museum and indoor play area purposefully designed to encourage a young child’s sense of independence, exploration, and creativity, will be opening its newest franchise location in the coming weeks in Ontario, California. Locally owned by Teresa and Sergio Carreras, the coming location marks a key milestone in an expanding franchise program, with its first location in California.
“We’re thrilled to bring the newest Play Street Museum to Ontario for our local community to enjoy,” shared Teresa and Sergio Carreras. “After visiting Play Street Museum with our grandchildren, we knew we had to bring a location to California, and we’re excited to share it with the community and hope it serves Inland Empire families in big ways.”
“We’re proud empty nesters and even prouder grandparents of five wonderful grandchildren. Becoming grandparents has been one of the greatest joys of our lives. This season of life has given us the opportunity to slow down and truly savor the wonder of childhood again,” continued Carreras. “We look forward to welcoming local families, schools, and community groups to experience everything the new Play Street Museum has to offer.”
Teresa and Sergio Carreras believe children learn best when they’re having fun and can touch, build, pretend, and explore. Every exhibit at Play Street Museum Ontario is designed to spark curiosity, creativity and confidence. Whether children are running a pretend grocery store, experimenting with simple science, creating art, or climbing into imaginative worlds, children are learning skills that will stay with them for a lifetime. “This space is not just for kids. It’s for grandparents who cherish story time in a cozy corner. For parents who light up watching their child try something new. For caregivers who treasure the laughter and togetherness of play,” shared Carreras.
Play Street Museum offers an expansive, rotating curriculum at each location specifically designed for children under nine years of age. Everyday and every week is different at Play Street Museum, providing motivation and justification
for a scheduled time in families’ busy calendars. Play Street Museum Ontario also offers one-of-a-kind birthday parties, complete with comprehensive themes and options for parents from “Do-It-Yourself” to “Sit Back & Relax”, in addition to special events and activities during evenings and weekends.
In Scientific American’s article, “The Need for Pretend Play in Child Development”, Yale professor Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman summarized the last 75 years of research by declaring imaginative play as a “vital component to the normal development of a child.” By narrowing the focus of Play Street Museum and its indoor play areas to the interests and imaginations of children eight and under, young explorers discover educational exhibits and activities in a world specifically crafted just for them. The deliberate and manageable scale enables children to self-navigate throughout the children’s museum and indoor play area to engage deeply in activities about which they are most interested and passionate. This freedom reinforces independence in the child and also has the benefit of creating a more relaxed and accommodating museum experience for the caregiver.
“Play Street Museum is thrilled to welcome and open the Ontario location soon with our incredible partners, Teresa and Sergio Carreras. As parents and grandparents, they understand the powerful impact of play and intentionally sought to bring its benefits to this part of the Ontario area. They’ve taken their passion for children, education, and play and applied it to building a dynamic, local business that will support the health and well-being of their own community,” commented Play Street Museum Founder and CEO, Courtney Muccio.
Located at 910 North Haven Avenue, Suite 150, the new Ontario location makes the extensive, and well researched benefits of play easily accessible to the local community. The museum’s team of highly knowledgeable associates can provide guidance on additional opportunities to expand the play and learning, either on site or at home, from corresponding activity kits, to pottery, to slime kits, to sensory kits. Customers can also book their play time in advance in addition to schedule birthday parties or private events.
Families and customers can visit
https://www.ontario.playstreetmuseum.com/ to book playtime, birthday parties, field trips, and to check out special events.
Business
Sweet Success: The Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce Teams with The Freaky Cookie to Elevate Local WBENC-Certified Business
How The Freaky Cookie Grew with Chamber Support: A WBENC Success Story in the Inland Empire
At the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce (IERCC), we pride ourselves on championing business growth and recognizing the powerful stories of our members. One standout example is Sheila Cavalier, founder of The Freaky Cookie—a fun and rebellious cookie catering company she launched in 2018 alongside her son, Marcus.

What began as a direct-to-consumer venture has grown into a business-to-business powerhouse, fueled by innovation, strategy, and strong community ties. The Freaky Cookie specializes in custom-labeled, individually wrapped cookies for corporate gifts, bulk orders, and special events. Their nostalgic family recipe, dating back over 90 years, delivers both flavor and flair. As Cavalier puts it, “There’s never not a need for a large amount of cookies.”
Recognizing a unique market opportunity during the pandemic, Sheila pivoted the business model to focus on custom-branded cookies—meeting the surge in demand for individually packaged baked goods that also serve as creative marketing tools. “Corporations were tired of traditional marketing,” she recalls. “Our custom-labeled cookies became a fun, fresh alternative.”
In 2022, Sheila connected with IERCC President Edward Ornelas Jr. during the Multi-Chamber Mixer at Ontario International Airport. That meeting led to The Freaky Cookie joining IERCC, which soon opened doors to strategic partnerships and increased visibility. Through the chamber’s vast network and advocacy, Sheila has built relationships with organizations such as Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, Top Golf, and Southwest Airlines, which featured The Freaky Cookie in their 50th Anniversary celebration at ONT.
“The IERCC has been a warm and welcoming space,” Cavalier said. “Having the chamber validate our business really means something. It’s helped us get our foot in the door with so many great companies.”
The impact has been tangible. With increased revenue and expanded operations, The Freaky Cookie is no longer just a clever name—it’s a growing force in regional commerce. As Sheila puts it, her goal now is simple but powerful: “Deliver smiles.”
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