Sewer Plant Grows With The Flow

Sewer Plant Grows With The Flow
By Barry Eberling



Laborers Tim Gomez, left, and Dale Hurd install sprinklers inside aeration basins at the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District plant. The basins were originally constructed in 1976 to treat sludge, but are now being reconfigured to handle waste water. (Zachary Kaufman/Daily Republic)

FAIRFIELD - As Fairfield and Suisun City grow, so does the unceasing flow of sewage from every house, business and factory day after day.

The Fairfield-Suisun sewer district plant along Chadbourne Road on the edge of Suisun Marsh is growing, too. It's got to keep turning the increasing amounts of raw sewage into water clean enough to be poured into the environmentally sensitive marsh and used to irrigate a nearby turf farm.

"In the end, our job is to meet the cities' needs," said Larry Bahr of the district as he watched workers use a hose attached to a crane to pump cement into a wooden form as wind whipped across the marsh flatlands.

Workers have started a $35 million expansion project that will continue into 2009. They are driving piles 65 feet deep into soft marsh soils and pouring cement to create huge settling basins.

The existing sewage plant, opened in 1976 and expanded at various points during the 1980s, is handling about 85 percent of its capacity. The latest expansion is designed to keep pace with the growth plans of the two cities through 2020.

The Fairfield-Suisun plant is located on 160 acres behind fences. It is a world of concrete basins and concrete buildings scattered amid open spaces decorated with ice plant, small evergreens and other landscaping.

Some 70 miles of district sewer pipes bring almost 15.5 million gallons of sewage to the plant each day. The plant takes this soiled, smelly water and makes it clean enough under state laws to be piped to Boynton Slough in the heart of the marsh.

The plant does this by pumping the water through a series of structures. Filters, aeration basins and settling basins make it progressively cleaner. The removed solids are treated and trucked off to Potrero Hills Landfill.

Workers are readying more of these structures. They are repairing concrete on an old aeration basin, which was built in 1976 but seldom is used. In the basin, air will bubble through the water, promoting the growth of microorganisms that will eat some of the waste in the water.

They have also started work on the foundations for two clarifiers - circular, concrete structures that will be about 15 feet high and 120 feet in diameter. Water will simply sit in the clarifiers, allowing the heavier solids to sink to the bottom and removing the microorganisms left over from the aeration basin.

But building in the Suisun Marsh area isn't easy, given that the 115,000-acre marsh contains 10 percent of the state's wetlands and a number of rare creatures. Environmental laws have tightened since the original plant was built three decades ago.

Orange, plastic fences surround a quarter-acre that is a stone's throw from where workers dug up the ground for the new clarifiers. These fences put off-limits a low-lying spot that could contain vernal pools, a rare type of wetlands that are home to threatened flowers and shrimp.

Bahr isn't convinced the wetlands at the sewer plant are vernal pools. But doing the necessary testing for indicator species during multiple dry and wet seasons could take at least 18 months, which would add another $3 million to the project because of swiftly rising construction costs, he said.

Instead, the district agreed to treat the wetlands as vernal pools. It's cheaper to preserve the wetlands on site and preserve almost two acres of vernal pool land in eastern Solano County at a cost of about $300,000.

"It's just part of building projects these days," Bahr said. "You have to do it."

After sewage water is cleaned up and treated with chlorine, much of it takes a mile-long journey in a concrete pipe to Boynton Slough. But this pipe sits amid soft, unstable marsh soils that shake like jelly during earthquakes.

"If we were to get a large earthquake, we're not certain that pipe would be in pristine condition anymore," district Assistant General Manager Talyon Sortor said.

So, the district is building a new pipe to the marsh, this one made of a plastic and leading to Ledgewood Creek about 1.5 miles away. That will give the district another option should earthquakes, repairs or other problems ever close down the Boynton Slough pipe. Also, it will allow the district to drain more treated water from the plant.

After all, the demands put on the plant from the two cities are relentless. The sewage plant can't take a day off.

The area in pioneer days had no sewage treatment plant. For example, Suisun City in 1906, with a population of about 625, had a pipe spilling raw waste at the edge of town near several homes. Some citizens saw it as a health threat.

"The sewer should be extended further into the tules so that the refuse would be carried away by the water," the Solano Republican newspaper said.

By 1951, Fairfield and Suisun City had a combined population of 4,000. The state approved forming the sewer district so the two cities could build a treatment plant and stop raw sewage spilling into Suisun Slough.

The district built its first treatment plant in 1957 in Suisun City, near today's City Hall along Suisun Slough, at a cost of about $500,000. That's about $3.5 million in today's dollars, only a tenth the cost of the expansion project. The cities used the plant until 1976, with Suisun City tearing it down about a decade ago.

Reach Barry Eberling at 425-4646 Ext. 232 or at beberling@dailyrepublic.net.

Survey: Local Job Growth Outlook Good

Survey: Local Job Growth Outlook Good
By RACHEL RASKIN-ZRIHEN/Times-Herald staff writer
Vallejo Times Herald

Local job growth in the next quarter is predicted to be better than that of either the region or the state, a newly released industry study shows.

The latest Manpower, Inc. Employment Outlook Survey shows Solano/Napa county area employers expect a net jobs gain of 36 percent, said spokeswoman Sherrie Phillipi. That beats Northern California's 32 percent and the statewide 27 percent, the study shows.

The survey's results are a significant improvement over the last quarter's survey, Phillipi said.

"We weren't robust in quarters one or two, so we will have a more robust job market in the third quarter," she said. "We're holding our own and doing good."

About 43 percent of Solano and Napa county employers surveyed said they expect to hire new workers in the upcoming quarter, while 7 percent expect to reduce their workforces and half predict no change, the survey showed.

The best job prospects for the coming quarter appear to be in construction, manufacturing, transportation-public utilities, wholesale-retail trade, finance-insurance-real estate and public administration.

The Manpower employment outlook survey is conducted quarterly to measure employers' intentions to increase or decrease the number of employers in their workforce during the next quarter. Locally, Phillipi said she polled 24 large companies.

E-mail Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at RachelZ@thnewsnet.com or call 553-6824.

Vallejo Transit Funds OK'd

Vallejo Transit Funds OK'd
MTC Approves Nearly $3 Million For Proposed Waterfront Facility
By DAN JUDGE/Times-Herald staff writer
Vallejo Times Herald

A Metropolitan Transportation Commission committee has recommended a nearly $3 million contribution to a new transit hub in Vallejo but nixed $600,000 for an opening day celebration for the new Benicia-Martinez Bridge.

MTC's Programming and Allocations Committee decided Wednesday that $2.8 million of regional bridge toll money should be funneled to the proposed Vallejo Station Intermodal Facility on the city's downtown waterfront.

The funds would help finance right-of-way appraisal and design for the station, which would combine a bus transfer center, a new parking garage for ferry passengers and improved pedestrian connections to the ferry terminal and downtown Vallejo.

Solano County Supervisor Jim Spering, who represents the county on MTC, called himself "a big champion" of the intermodal facility on Thursday.

"Over time, you can see Vallejo is going to develop as Solano County's transportation hub and our link into the Bay Area," he said. "I think we need to invest in that."

The project, he said, will not only improve mobility, but also will enhance the quality of life in the waterfront area.

The ultimate plan is for private developers to build new housing and commercial projects on adjoining sites, he said.

The funding approved by the committee includes $2.4 million for the final design of a 1,200-space parking structure, York Street Paseo Park and various other street improvements.

The full commission will vote on the committee recommendation at its June 27 meeting.

The committee was not as pleased with adding a $600,000 public celebration bill to the $1.2 billion already spent on the construction of the Benicia-Martina Bridge.

The proposed celebration plan included $210,000 in transportation costs to bring Benicia and Martinez residents to and from the bridge. About $75,000 was reserved for consultants to put on the event, another $75,000 was earmarked for security, first aid and labor while $50,000 was set aside for goody bags that were to be handed out.

MTC officials say they want a new, cheaper plan in place by mid-July and Spering agreed.

"I did not support spending that much money on a bridge party," he said. "That much money could go toward a lot of very desperately needed projects in Solano County."

MTC spokesman Randy Rentschler said the term "party" that many are using is misleading. He said the goal of the celebration proposal was to simply give the public access to the bridge and provide a safe environment, which is an expensive undertaking.

"If we can find a way to do that in the cost-effective way the commissioners are asking us to do, we're going to do that," he said.

The new span is scheduled to open in August.

E-mail Dan Judge at UBDJudge@thnewsnet.com or call 553-6831.

Genentech Vice President Retiring

Genentech Vice President Retiring
By Shelly Meron/Business Writer

Frank Jackson, vice president of Genentech's Vacaville product operations, will retire next month, a company spokeswoman said. He has been working for Genentech for 26 years, 13 of those at the Vacaville facility.

Jackson's retirement is effective July 9. He will be staying with Genentech for the next several weeks to help with the transition and to assist with various projects. Jackson was not available for comment Thursday.

Vacaville Mayor Len Augustine said Jackson had been "very community minded" and worked with city officials to attract new businesses to the area.

"I'm personally going to miss him and I know the city will as well," Augustine said.

Mike Ammann, president of the Solano Economic Development Corporation, said his organization had benefited from Jackson's involvement through the years.

"He's always been concerned about the organization," Ammann said. "He wasn't afraid to speak up. You knew Frank was in the room and that was always good."

Mike Palombo, Vacaville's economic development manager, said Jackson had been "a great help in lots of ways" to the city, and described him as "a very effective leader."

Jackson was named vice president of Vacaville product operations in 2001, and was responsible for overseeing manufacturing, facilities services, production services and technology. He first joined Genentech in 1981 as manager of fermentation operations and technical services.

Colleen Wilson, director of community and patient programs at Genentech, said in an e-mail message Thursday that Jackson would be replaced by Charles Calderaro, who is currently the vice president of corporate engineering at Genentech's South San Francisco facility. Calderaro joined Genentech in 2002 and previously worked for Aventis Behring, Alcon Laboratories and Johnson & Johnson's Ethicon division.

Shelly Meron can be reached at business@thereporter.com.

Research, Industry Campus Plan Dominates Collinsville Growth Debate

Research, Industry Campus Plan Dominates Collinsville Growth Debate
By Ben Antonius

RIO VISTA - The agenda said the meeting was to talk about all the different ways Collinsville could grow but the audience was clearly most interested in one of them.

That was the One Vision Park plan, a sprawling, 2,700-acre research and industry campus that would develop environmentally-friendly technology - as well as dramatically transform the area.

The Thursday night meeting was the second in a series of four that will determine if and how Collinsville grows over the next few decades.

The One Vision Park plan is the latest and grandest idea to be floated, but it is only one of the possibilities for the area. "Some visionary thinking needs to happen here," said Collinsville resident Robert Hall. One Vision Park CEO David Papera talked about his company's ideas for the area and took questions from a wary audience. "We understand the idea of change and the feelings toward change," Papera said after audience members voiced concern about his plan and seemed to prefer an approach that would preserve the entire area as agricultural space.

"We're hopeful this doesn't get rezoned. It's such a special piece of property to develop alternative energies on."

The Collinsville area, in remote southern Solano County near the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, has been the target of a number of ambitious development plans over the years, none of which have materialized.

Resident Jonathon Wisnom complained that the nearby Montezuma Wetlands project had not turned out as anticipated and wondered why One Vision's plan would be different.

"It appears to me that the first project that the county approved with all their scientists . . . did not work and here you are again with another one," he said.

Collinsville's proximity to the deep water of the Sacramento River ship channel has been behind many of the plans, including a petrochemical plant proposed by Dow Chemical Co. and an atomic power plant proposed by PG&E.

Papera said the One Vision Park plan would be dramatically greener and cleaner than the chemical and power plant proposals of old, but it does still require some of the same infrastructure.

The Collinsville area has high-voltage power lines, large natural gas lines and the river access, which would be difficult to duplicate anywhere else.

"It's perfect," he said.

Reach Ben Antonius at 427-6977 or bantonius@dailyrepublic.net.

Sacramento to Vancouver flights take off Friday

Sacramento to Vancouver flights take off Friday
Sacramento Business Journal - 4:19 PM PDT Thursday, June 14, 2007
by Melanie Turner
Staff writer

Air Canada Jazz is set to launch nonstop service to Vancouver, B.C., from Sacramento International Airport on Friday following a ceremonial presentation by the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department Honor Guard and the singing of both countries' national anthems by a member of the Canadian Royal Police.

Air Canada Jazz is the second foreign carrier to offer flights from Sacramento International Airport. The airline will offer twice-daily nonstop service from Sacramento to Vancouver, B.C.

The Halifax, Nova Scotia-based airline, Air Canada's regional carrier, will depart Sacramento at 7:40 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Flights from Vancouver will arrive in the capital at 3:52 p.m. and 9:47 p.m. Flights have been timed to coincide with connections in Vancouver to and from Air Canada's flights to Asia and points across Canada.

People traveling from Sacramento to Europe or Asia often fly out of San Francisco or Los Angeles. Danna Siverts, sales and marketing associate for Vancouver Airport Authority, said it makes more sense to fly north.

"It's all about ease and convenience," she said. "You shouldn't have to fly south to go north."

There are 117 flights a week to Asia out of Vancouver International Airport, Siverts said.

Mexicana Airlines is the airport's only other international carrier. That airline began service from Sacramento International on July 1, 2002. Domestic carrier Frontier Airlines also launched international nonstop service to Mexico earlier this year.

New Official Eyes Local Roads

New Official Eyes Local Roads
By Danny Bernardini/Staff Writer
TheReporter.Com



California Transportation Commissioner Jim Earp (left) talks Wednesday in Fairfield with Solano County supervisors John Silva (middle) and Jim Spering. (Joel Rosenbaum/The Reporter)

Jim Earp knows firsthand the frustrations of the traffic situation in Solano County, having commuted frequently between two offices on opposite ends of the Interstate 80 corridor.

That's why his recent appointment as Commissioner of the California Transportation Commission might bring good news to the county - state funds to help cure troublesome bottlenecks.

Earp has worked alongside many of those currently pushing for funding for local projects.

On Wednesday evening, the Solano Economic Development Corporation welcomed Earp to its new offices near Solano College Wednesday evening and Earp told the group he appreciates the funding challenges of such projects as the Interstate 80/I-680 interchange.

Because of Solano's stretch from Rio Vista and Dixon toward the Bay Area, there are many different types of people to please, Earp said.

"We've worked in the trenches, but we haven't won the war," Earp told the group in a short speech. "I think it's a challenging county to get things done. Measures must appeal to the whole county."

As Executive Director of the California Alliance for Jobs, which has offices in Emeryville and Sacramento, Earp is no stranger to the I-80/680 bottleneck. He's familiar with the dangers of Highway 12 and said these and other issues need to be resolved, but it will take a large financial contribution from the county as well as the state. He said a combination of developer fees and a sales tax likely would be needed.

"It's really critical to get local funding for Solano County," he said.

"There's not enough money coming from the state for the big daddy (I-80/680 interchange)."

He said as the problems with transportation continue to grow, those using the roadways are starting to realize something needs to be done.

"People get it. They're fed up with it and want a change," he said. "In California, that's the name of the game. More than half the money comes locally."

Harry Price, mayor of Fairfield, said I-80 serves as a main thoroughfare for goods, services and people going to work and needs to better accommodate them. He said having someone from the state level personally know the issues is a positive.

"It's very important to have a commissioner spend some time taking a close look at our traffic concerns," Price said.

Danny Bernardini can be reached at county@thereporter.com.

New Digs For Solano EDC

New Digs For Solano EDC
By Reporter Staff
TheReporter.Com



Mike Ammann, president of Solano Economic Development Corp., and Sandy Person, the vice president, are shown in the organization's new office space on Campus Lane in Fairfield. (Joel Rosenbaum/The Reporter)

After 10 years at an older, smaller office, the Solano Economic Development Corporation staff has moved into its new location in Fairfield. An open house for the new building will be held today from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

Solano EDC vice president Sandy Person said her organization got an attractive lease offer from the property owner, and that the new building allows her organization to better represent the "growing and vibrant community" in Solano County.

"It's a more modern facility," she said. "It's much more conducive to a corporate atmosphere than our older building."

The new office is about 800 square feet bigger, and features two private conference rooms.

Tonight, the Solano EDC will also be honoring Jim Earp, who was recently appointed to the California Transportation Commission. Person said it was important for local business owners to acquaint themselves with government officials like Earp.

"The business community wants to meet these folks," Person said. "We provide the opportunity to do that."

The Solano EDC is now located at 360 Campus Lane, Suite 102, in Fairfield. Staff can still be reached at 864-1855.

New Web Site For Vallejo Vistors Center

New Web Site For Vallejo Vistors Center

VALLEJO - During its 16th annual tourism luncheon, the Vallejo Convention & Visitors Bureau unveiled its new Web site. The Web site,
www.VisitVallejo.com, was more than three years in the making and offers four times the content of the previous site.

The new site has a larger listing of hotels and motels, as well as a booking engine in which users can make room reservations online. The site also features travel and promotional offers, a trip planner, special events calendar, a traveler's toolbox with traffic and weather conditions, maps, e-postcards and desktop images.

Transportation Head Is Guest Of Honor At EDC's Open House

Transportation Head Is Guest Of Honor At EDC's Open House
By Ines Bebea

FAIRFIELD - James Earp, a newly appointed commissioner to the California Transportation Commission, will be the guest of honor at a reception Wednesday hosted by the Solano Economic Development Corporation.

"We want to welcome Jim to his new appointment," said Sandy Person, vice president of Solano EDC. "We want to demonstrate Solano County's commitment to being a part of the solution in the partnership to our transportation challenges."

The reception will also serve as an open house for Solano EDC's new office on 360 Campus Lane, Suite 102, in Fairfield.

Earp has served as executive director of the California Alliance for Jobs since 1998. Prior to that, he was public relations director for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 3, a heavy construction union. Earp's appointment to the commission by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a four-year term.

"As a member of the commission, one of my primary aims is to be an instrument to help secure funds for transportation," Earp said. "Voters have voted on tax revenue legislation to help revive an outdated system. For instance, Solano County has benefited from funds put into Jameson Canyon and Highway 12."

Earp, who has previously worked with Solano County representatives, said although there are still some unresolved transportation issues, the county can follow the lead of other counties that have been able to secure financing.

The commission is responsible for programs and allocation of funds for the construction of highways, passenger rail and transit improvements across the state. The nine-member commission also advises the state secretary of business, the Transportation and Housing Agency and the Legislature.

Reach Ines Bebea at 427-6934 or ibebea@dailyrepublic.net.

At a glance
What: Solano EDC open house
When: 4:30 to 6 p.m. Wednesday
Where: 360 Campus Lane, Suite 102, Fairfield
Info: 864-1855 to RSVP

Mare Island Business Strong As Steel

Mare Island Business Strong As Steel
Family-Owned Firm Will Eventually Employ 100 People, Many Local
By RACHEL RASKIN-ZRIHEN/Times-Herald staff writer



Roberto Velazquez, shop foreman at Alamillo Rebar on Mare Island, uses an 18 bender machine to bend stock Friday afternoon. (J.L. Sousa/Times-Herald)

The sounds of heavy industry carried on the Mare Island breeze have increased since Alamillo Rebar, Inc. set up shop in April.

The firm, a start-up owned by a family with more than 40 years experience in the steel industry, eventually will employ about 100 people, many of them local, said Larry Alamillo, the younger portion of the father-and-sons business.

"We'll have about 20 people here in the shop, and about 75 iron workers in the field," Alamillo said. The workers are provided by Ironworkers Local 378 in Benicia, he added.

Alamillo, at 1101 Nimitz Ave., fabricates and installs rebar in a wide range of construction projects, from buildings to bridges and from public works to private jobs, said president Larry Alamillo.

"We bring in 60-foot lengths of rebar or reinforcing steel, via rail or truck from steel mills in the western United States," Larry Alamillo said.

When the steel arrives, workers use a special machine to cut them to specific lengths, he said. Those bars are then moved by crane to bending machines, which shape them according to job specifications, Alamillo said.

"The bars have an identification tag attached, they're bundled and loaded onto a trailer for shipment to a project," he added. "There, our iron workers unload and install the steel according to the design engineer's instructions."

The Alamillo family has been in the steel business for four decades, in three businesses in Napa, Benicia and now Vallejo, said Larry Alamillo, who grew up in Moraga.

This latest venture promises to be at least as big as the ones the family sold before, Larry and his father Joe Alamillo said. When the family needed a space to start the new venture, Mare Island's former submarine pipe shop fit the bill, the younger man said.

"We found this facility suits our purposes. We needed a big building, plus Vallejo is centrally located for our projects throughout Northern California," he said. "We like the business climate on the island. And the availability of rail lines on the island is a plus."

Lennar Mare Island spokesman Jason Keadjian said about half the island's 90 businesses are industrial and account for more than half the leased space there.

Alamillo Rebar signed a five-year lease with a five-year renewal option on 33 square feet of space, he said.

The family's been involved in some of the region's biggest projects, including the new Carquinez Bridge suspension, the retrofit of the existing Benicia Bridge and the BART extension to San Francisco International Airport, the men said.

Originally from Mexico and now living in Lafayette, the senior Alamillo said his two sons are the third generation in the steel business.

"I like the challenge. You're always doing something different," Joe Alamillo said. "We've been involved with many projects throughout the area, and it's satisfying to accomplish it and you can drive by it later and see the fruits of your work."

E-mail Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at RachelZ@thnewsnet.com or call 553-6824.

Going Green

Going Green
Local Firms Launch Environmentally Friendly Projects
By Shelly Meron/Business Writer
TheReporter.Com



SPG Solar Project Superintendent Tim Cain aligns rows of solar energy panels being installed at Alza Corporation. The solar farm is scheduled to go online in September and will supply one third of the drug makers energy needs. (Rick Roach/The Reporter)

With energy costs on the rise and no relief in sight, local businesses are going green in the hopes of saving money and keeping the environment healthy.

Alza Corporation's 8.5-acre solar farm, one of several local green projects, is due to be completed by the end of August. The multi-million dollar project will include 5,740 solar panels, expected to produce about 970 kilowatts of energy per hour on sunny days that will power Alza's local manufacturing facility.

Bill Haish, senior director of engineering at Alza, said the solar farm will offset 25 percent of the company's daytime power usage during the summer. But, he said, the environmental benefits are the real reasons Alza went ahead with the project.

"These things aren't really about saving money," Haish said. "They're about doing the right thing. We're really happy about being able to do that and showing our commitment toward the environment."

Alza also recycles between 75 and 80 percent of its solid waste. The money they get from the recycling plant adds up to about $15,000 a year - all of which is donated to local organizations.

The company also installed a wastewater treatment facility to clean up the water it uses to produce pharmaceutical products. The water is treated to near drinking water quality before it is sent to a local treatment facility.

Thanks to the new plant, Alza no longer pays an outside company to dispose of the water.

Mariani Packing Company is also going green with a wastewater treatment plant installed six months ago, and plans to break ground on a 6000-panel solar farm in June.

"Even though in today's dollars, (a solar farm is) a very low return, we think long-term it will be beneficial to us as a company and to the environment," said CEO Mark Mariani, who worries about rising natural gas prices.

Mariani said the solar farm is expected to produce one megawatt of energy per year. He said it would cost $250,000 a year to buy that much energy from PG&E.

The company's wastewater treatment plant also captures methane gas from the water it processes, which is then sent back to the facility's boilers and used as energy.

Others in Vacaville who are going green include Millenium Sports Club, which just completed a covered parking structure complete with solar panels, and Kohl's Department Store, which is one of 24 Kohl's locations in California scheduled to convert to solar power.

The $1.5 million solar project at Millenium Sports Club has been running since May, and is generating about 150 kilowatts of energy an hour, saving the Club between $4,500 and $6,000 during the summer.

Millenium Sports Club president Galen Miler has also installed solar panels at his club in El Dorado, and hopes to do the same for all five of his clubs. Even though he is years away from recouping his money, Miler said this was a good investment.

"I think given the instability and the cost of energy, if you're an energy-intensive business, solar energy is really worthwhile to look at," he said.

The City of Vacaville is also trying to be more green. It offers incentive programs for locals who buy electric and compressed natural gas vehicles, and has been using solar panels installed on the roof of City Hall since 2003. It also offers electric vehicle charging stations at the Bella Vista Road Park and Ride lot.

For business owners considering going green - particularly with solar panels - Miler has some advice.

"I would encourage people to do it, but they need to do their homework and work with people who understand alternative energy," he said. "There are obstacles, but like anything else, when you get some experience in it and work with the right people, the results are great."



Crews from SPG Solar install energy panels at the new solar farm at Alza Corporation in Vacaville. (Rick Roach/The Reporter)

Shelly Meron can be reached at business@thereporter.com.

Vacaville Firm Launches Facility

Vacaville Firm Launches Facility
By Shelly Meron/Business Writer
TheReporter.Com



Jeanette Devries (left) and Pablo Alvarez of Solano Construction watch the production line that makes insulated roofing an construction material at All Weather Insulated Panel's new fabrication plant in Vacaville. (Joel Rosenbaum/The Reporter)

Summer is almost here and many business owners are concerned about what their energy bills will look like in the coming months.

Those planning on constructing new commercial buildings can now turn to All Weather Insulated Panels, a new manufacturing facility in Vacaville that is helping change the way construction is done in the age of rising energy costs.

All Weather Insulated Panels, which kicked off production at its new facility on Wednesday, produces wall and roof components with insulation already integrated. That not only eliminates a couple of time-consuming construction steps - extra framing and separate insulation - but ends up being more efficient in keeping a building warm or cool.

Such building panels have been used for several years by companies with cold-storage facilities and even wineries. But recently, more and more traditional businesses are interested in better insulation for their buildings.

"In the last two or three years, because energy costs started to soar, that's when people said, 'OK, we really need to insulate this,' " said Bill Lowery, co-owner of All Weather Insulated Panels. "Fifteen years ago, if you wanted to build a building or you're a contractor, you'd say 'where can we save money?' Nobody cared because energy was cheap.

"We want to do it right," he added. "We don't just want to put a piece of tin on the roof and have it be 115 degrees in summer."

Companies concerned with being environmentally-friendly can also use the panels Lowery's company makes, since the materials used in the panels are recyclable.

The new manufacturing facility, located on Aldridge Road in Vacaville, is 100,000 square feet and filled with expensive equipment shipped from Italy. Lowery expects the new facility to start with 27 employees, and grow to about 60 employees once business gets going. Those workers will be paid an average of $10 to $15 an hour.

The facility is one of only eight of its kind in the country, and one of three in California. All Weather Insulated Panels will ship its products throughout the Western U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii, and is expected to earn about $20 million annually, after two or three years.

The process of getting the company up and running took about a year, according to Lowery. He and his brother, Michael Lowery, owned a similar facility in Modesto a few years ago and later sold it to a European company.

While shopping around for a building to house their new company and large equipment, they met Lance Porter, owner of All Weather Architectural Aluminum. The three discussed the business venture, and got Porter interested in becoming an investor.

"Making things that are energy-efficient is what we need today," Porter said of the panels, and his decision to invest in the company. "It certainly is a product whose time has come."

Eventually, the Lowery brothers decided to adopt the All Weather name for their company.

Lowery foresees these insulated panels becoming more widely used as builders begin looking for ways to create more energy-efficient buildings. The problem now, he says, is that there aren't enough facilities manufacturing these panels.

"The only thing that keeps these products from being 60 or 70 percent of buildings is that there's not enough production in the U.S.," he said. "If there was (enough production), the product would immediately become far more popular."

Shelly Meron can be reached at business@thereporter.com.

Sacramento Region expects tech hiring gains

Region expects tech hiring gains
Sacramento Business Journal - 12:43 PM PDT Wednesday, June 6, 2007

A net 15 percent of Greater Sacramento information technology chiefs plan to add IT staff in the third quarter, a survey by Robert Half Technology reported.

The company's IT Hiring Index and Skills report found that 18 percent of executives plan to hire IT staff in the quarter and 3 percent plan to reduce personnel. The net 15 percent increase -- up 3 point from second quarter forecasts -- lines up with the national average.

"In the course of expanding operations, many companies in the Sacramento area are investing in technology initiatives that require IT professionals with a range of development and support skills," said Katherine Spencer LEE, executive director of Robert Half. "This has intensified competition for top talent, prompting firms to expedite their hiring processes and devote greater resources to attracting and retaining employees."

Robert Half surveyed 200 local and 1,400 national chief technology officers.

Housing slump isn't hurting local developments

Still selling
Housing slump isn't hurting local developments
By Shelly Meron/Business Writer
Article Launched: 06/09/2007 11:20:41 AM PDT

New homes are under construction in Seeno Homes' North Village development in Vacaville. Sales at such developments remain brisk. (Ryan Chalk/The Reporter)
Despite reports that Bay Area homes sold at the slowest pace in 12 years this past April, local new home developments aren't feeling the effects of the housing slump.

Sales agents at local developments said they weren't having much trouble attracting buyers and unloading inventory.

"I don't feel like we've been affected at all," said Serina Carlos, community sales manager for the Portico at North Village development in Vacaville. "We have waiting lists."

Carlos said Portico's first phase of sales ended in just a month and a half.

Still, sales agents admit that buyers are hesitant about the current market and worry about being able to sell their homes in the future. Those concerns are evident in April's home sales figures for Solano County, which show a 37.2 percent drop in the number of homes sold from April of last year.

That means developers are now offering to cover closing costs, and often throw in extra design features to sweeten the deal.

"We have to work harder," said Lisa Lipps, community sales manager for Atrium at North Village in Vacaville. "We have to project our product as being superior during this time. People are cautious, so we just have to overcome their concerns."

Carlos said they are also reassuring buyers by offering a program, which she declined to elaborate on, that will help buyers sell their properties later on.

Lipps said buyers are also hesitant because they feel a better deal may be around the corner. She and others in the real estate business cautioned against waiting much longer.

"They're just sitting in the wings thinking that home prices are going to go down more and more," said local Realtor Steven Kappel. "But there comes a point that if they wait, interest rates will go up and then it's a wash."

Kappel said hesitant buyers have also led to more pressure on existing-home sellers.

"There's a lot of competition," he said. "Your house has to stand out. It has to be in the best shape for the price."

Despite cautious buyers, Lipps was optimistic about sales this summer, and beyond. She said she only had 10 more homes left, and expected to sell them all in the next month.

"We're not afraid of the market," she said. "We still think that people want to live here and it's a good value. To me, it's more of a challenge than that it's come to a stop. People are still purchasing homes every week."

Shelly Meron can be reached at

business@thereporter.com

.

UC Davis Gets $2.8M Stem Cell Grant

UC Davis Gets $2.8M Stem Cell Grant
Sacramento Business Journal - 1:39 PM PDT Thursday, June 7, 2007
by Celia Lamb
Staff writer

The University of California Davis has won a three-year, $2.8 million grant to build an embryonic stem cell research laboratory adjacent to its primate research center in Davis.

The grant is part of $50 million awarded Tuesday by the governing board of the state's stem cell agency to 17 academic and nonprofit institutions in the state.

The university's 2,500-square-foot Translational Human Embryonic Stem Cell Shared Research Facility will support studies on how stem cells become blood cells, whether they could be used to treat diseases such as sickle cell anemia and heart disease and the potential for regenerating damaged organs.

Other studies at the facility will focus on using biomedical imaging methods to monitor the movement of stem cells injected into non-human primates and eventually humans.

"The connection with our primate research center is what makes this facility so distinctive," said Alice Tarantal, a professor of pediatrics who will direct programs at the new facility, in a press release. "Studies with non-human primates are essential for addressing key questions that cannot be answered in other species. The safety data in such studies is vastly superior to other animal models, which is why this type of facility is absolutely needed for human embryonic stem cell research before any attempts are made in clinical trials for humans."

Embryonic stem cells can multiply indefinitely and differentiate into cells that build specific tissues such as blood, nerves and muscles. UC Davis has more than 20 scientists in Davis and Sacramento working on a variety of stem cell investigations.

The new facility will include studies for researchers at other institutions in the state, including UC Merced, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Stanford University.

UC Davis is also building a 100,000-square-foot stem cell research center in Sacramento for the National Institutes of Health-funded Clinical and Translational Research Center, which focuses on stem cell treatments for childhood diseases.

County Gets Good Return On Its Crops

County Gets Good Return On Its Crops
By Reporter Staff

Despite what county officials termed a "triple whammy" of floods, late spring rains and record summer heat, agriculture in Solano County managed to show gains in the number of million-dollar crops in 2006.

The Solano County Annual Crop and Livestock Report, announced Thursday, showed the extended rainy season, flooding and heat led to an overall 2.2 percent drop in the county's ag production.

Total gross agricultural production of the 80-plus crops and commodities in 2006 was $233.5 million, a decrease of $5.2 million from the all-time record set in 2005. Total ag production in 2006 ranks as the county's second-highest and $22.3 million or 11 percent increase over 2004.

Sunflower seeds and bees for pollination joined the ranks of million- dollar crops, with $2.43 million and $1.03 million, respectively. Solano County now has 23 crops valued at more than $1 million each.

Nursery stock retained its No. 1 ranking in 2006 with a value of $47.9 million, followed by cattle and calves at $25.1 million and alfalfa at $23.3 million. Processing tomatoes, walnuts, milk, wine grapes, almonds, prunes, sheep and lambs rounded out the top 10 crops for 2006.

"While the weather wasn't cooperative and impacted crop production in 2006, the year should still be considered an overall success for agriculture," said Jerry Howard, Solano County Agricultural Commissioner in a press release issued Thursday. The Board of Supervisors will receive the report at its meeting Tuesday.

"The contribution agriculture makes to our community and our way of life in Solano County far exceeds a single year's crop value total," said Supervisor John Vasquez, in the county's press release. "I am very proud to come from a family of farmers, and our farmers and ranchers consistently make such an incredible impact on our economy."

This year's report "does not reflect the total contribution agriculture makes to the economy of Solano County," Howard said. "Transportation, processing, marketing and other farm-related services significantly multiply these values to the benefit of the local economy."

In addition to be a historic record of agriculture in the county, the crop report will be used as a resource for an Agriculture Futures Study being prepared for the Board of Supervisors by the University of California Agricultural Issues Center.

The Board of Supervisors meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the board chamber, 675 Texas St. Fairfield.

Foy McNaughton Earns Citizen Of The Year Honors

Foy McNaughton Earns Citizen Of The Year Honors
By Ines Bebea



Gary Falati speaks about the contributions of McNaughton President Foy S. McNaughton, second from left, that made him the Fairfield Chamber of CommerceÕs Citizen of the Year as his wife, Barbara, and son, T. Burt McNaughton look on. The Daily Republic was named business of the year by the chamber. (Photo by Mike McCoy)

FAIRFIELD - Foy S. McNaughton, president and CEO of McNaughton Newspapers, was recognized as Citizen of the Year, and the Daily Republic was honored as the Business of the Year by the Fairfield Suisun Chamber of Commerce during its 60th anniversary celebration on Thursday.

The annual installment luncheon drew more than 200 guests from the business community and elected officials from Fairfield, Suisun City and Solano County to the Courtyard by Marriott.

"We've survived in this business because we believe in having a connection with he community," McNaughton said. "If the owner of a paper doesn't live or interact with the community, there is no connection. We are committed to community journalism, and it's a great honor to be recognized for that."

After Bill James, publisher of the Daily Republic, accepted the Business of the Year award, he spoke of the newspaper's commitment to the community. He added that in an industry driven by companies with stockholders, the Daily Republic has remained independent.

"I want to thank the McNaughton family for their commitment to community journalism," James said. "We are an independently owned company whose staff is very involved in the community that we cover."

During the luncheon, T. Burt McNaughton of the Daily Republic, Sue Vaccaro of Solano Garbage Co. and Ralph Berumen of Fairfield Collision Center were installed as officers to the board of directors.

"It has been a challenging 18 months, but the Chamber has made strides in helping your business be more profitable," said Leslie Fay, who became president and CEO of the Fairfield Suisun Chamber of Commerce last January. "Our 60th anniversary exemplifies our mark of excellence, growth and continued support from the community."

Keynote speaker Wil Cason challenged those in attendance to take part in making Fairfield the most desirable city in the United States.

"It takes leadership and dedication from the Chamber and the mayor to create a city where lives, businesses, families and youth can thrive," said Cason, a motivational speaker and founder of Positive Steps Consulting. "We all need to create a vision beyond today. We need to think about what difference we can provide to make that vision a reality."

Cason referred to companies such as Copart Inc., Travis Credit Union, and Bryan-Braker Funeral Home that have thrived in Fairfield. This week, Copart Inc. was named one of the top 100 Small Businesses by Business Week magazine.

"The Chamber's celebration is significant because if you look at the economy, it is not created by government or housing," said Mike Reagan chairman of the Solano County Board of Supervisors. "The economy is created by employers who begin their community involvement through the Chamber. The Chamber is the gateway to other involvement. It is through their leadership and mentoring efforts that new visionaries are made and make the community viable."

Reach Ines Bebea at 427-6934 or ibebea@dailyrepublic.net.

Economic Corp. Finds New Home, Commissioner

Economic Corp. Finds New Home, Commissioner
By Daily Republic Staff

FAIRFIELD - The Solano Economic Development Corporation has moved into its new home on Campus Lane in Cordelia.

The organization, which works to boost the county economy by attracting and retaining businesses, will move into its new digs at 360 Campus Lane, Suite 102, on Wednesday.

At the same time, Solano EDC will host a reception for Jim Earp, the new commissioner of the California Transportation Commission.

The reception and open house is scheduled for 4:30-6 p.m. Wednesday, to RSVP call Pat at (707) 864-1855.

County Recognized For Fiscal Excellence

County Recognized For Fiscal Excellence

For the fifth consecutive year, Solano County has earned a Certificate of Achievement in Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2006.

"For the last five years, the Government Finance Officers Association has awarded the Auditor-Controller's Office, as well as the entire County fiscal staff, a tremendous accolade with their esteem vote of confidence," said Auditor-Controller Simona Padilla-Scholtens. "The certificate of excellence has become our standard, and I know the County will continue to produce high quality work in the future."

The County's financial report was judged on its ability to meet the high GFOA standards, including demonstrating a constructive spirit of full disclosure to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users to read the document.

The financial report also satisfied generally accepted accounting principles and all applicable legal requirements.

"As a taxpayer and a member of the Board of Supervisors, I see this recognition not only as an affirmation the County is keeping track of the public's money properly, but we are communicating back to the public with this document in a way that has been recognized as a best practice," said Supervisor Mike Reagan, Chairman of the Solano County Board of Supervisors.

The GFOA describes the award as the "highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its fiscal management."