Biotech Giant's First Big Buy
South San Francisco-based Genentech, Inc. recently announced plans to acquire Houston-based biotechnology company Tanox for $919 million. It is the biotech giant's first-ever acquisition.
The two companies, along with Swiss drug maker Novartis AG, have been collaborating on the asthma drug Xolair, which is licensed for manufacture at Genentech's Vacaville plant.
Following the acquisition, expected to be completed early next year, Genentech will improve its financial results for Xolair by eliminating the royalty it currently pays to Tanox and by obtaining Novartis' profit share and royalty payments to Tanox. Genentech will also acquire Tanox's product pipeline, including potential treatments for diseases like HIV.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Suisun City Considers Reservations For a New Hotel
Suisun City Considers Reservations For a New Hotel
By Ian Thompson
SUISUN CITY - Suisun City may finally get a 102-room hotel next to Driftwood Drive if a proposal shown tonight to the Suisun City Council checks out.
"It is very exciting," Suisun City Manager Suzanne Bragdon said. "It is a critical asset for the community. It is a great fit for Suisun City."
The proposed limited-service hotel targets business travelers and executive teams that are looking for a place to hold small meetings.
Bragdon declined to say who the hotel's developer is, but said the developer has a good track record with building and running hotels.
If approved by the planning commission and the City Council next year, the hotel will be built on a 2-acre site just east of One Harbor Center, according to Bragdon.
"We hope to be able to go to the council and the planning commission by May and get approvals," Bragdon said.
Getting a hotel here was a critical part of the city's agreement with Main Street West Partners, its master developer for the Old Town.
"It was one of the things in the agreement," Bragdon said. "Before they could develop one of the (other) parcels for high-end housing, they needed to get a hotel here."
Today's meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. in the Suisun City Council chambers, will include a presentation about what is being proposed, what it could bring to Suisun City and the challenges ahead.
If built, the hotel would likely mean a big infusion of money for city general fund coffers.
Once established, it is expected to generate $320,000 a year in transient occupancy taxes and $10,000 in property taxes, according to Redevelopment Agency Al da Silva.
The hotel would also create 25 full-time jobs and generate more customers for the downtown area's restaurants, since it won't have a restaurant of its own.
"It is a project that will diversify the local tax base," da Silva said. "That's something that we don't have in Suisun City."
This is the second hotel proposal for that area that has landed in front of the City Council.
In 2000, a group called Suisun Hotel Partners Ltd. under hotel developer Chet Patel of Livermore proposed building a $7 million, three-story, 100-room Quality Inn & Suites hotel on the vacant lot off Driftwood Drive and Civic Center Boulevard.
An increase in construction costs and troubles with construction unions doomed that project which finally fell apart in 2002.
The Redevelopment Agency appropriated $1 million of its own money to that project for water, sewer and off-site improvements as an inducement to get the hotel built. The agency also reimbursed Patel for the cost of filling and grading the site.
Suisun City was once home to half a dozen hotels at the turn of the century. One by one, they succumbed to fire, with the last one, the Mayfield Hotel, burning up in the mid-1950s.
Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or at ithompson@dailyrepublic.net.
At a glance
Who: Suisun City Council
What: Presentation on proposed hotel
When: 7 p.m. today
Where: Suisun City Council chamber, 701 Civic Center Blvd.
Info: 421-7300
By Ian Thompson
SUISUN CITY - Suisun City may finally get a 102-room hotel next to Driftwood Drive if a proposal shown tonight to the Suisun City Council checks out.
"It is very exciting," Suisun City Manager Suzanne Bragdon said. "It is a critical asset for the community. It is a great fit for Suisun City."
The proposed limited-service hotel targets business travelers and executive teams that are looking for a place to hold small meetings.
Bragdon declined to say who the hotel's developer is, but said the developer has a good track record with building and running hotels.
If approved by the planning commission and the City Council next year, the hotel will be built on a 2-acre site just east of One Harbor Center, according to Bragdon.
"We hope to be able to go to the council and the planning commission by May and get approvals," Bragdon said.
Getting a hotel here was a critical part of the city's agreement with Main Street West Partners, its master developer for the Old Town.
"It was one of the things in the agreement," Bragdon said. "Before they could develop one of the (other) parcels for high-end housing, they needed to get a hotel here."
Today's meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. in the Suisun City Council chambers, will include a presentation about what is being proposed, what it could bring to Suisun City and the challenges ahead.
If built, the hotel would likely mean a big infusion of money for city general fund coffers.
Once established, it is expected to generate $320,000 a year in transient occupancy taxes and $10,000 in property taxes, according to Redevelopment Agency Al da Silva.
The hotel would also create 25 full-time jobs and generate more customers for the downtown area's restaurants, since it won't have a restaurant of its own.
"It is a project that will diversify the local tax base," da Silva said. "That's something that we don't have in Suisun City."
This is the second hotel proposal for that area that has landed in front of the City Council.
In 2000, a group called Suisun Hotel Partners Ltd. under hotel developer Chet Patel of Livermore proposed building a $7 million, three-story, 100-room Quality Inn & Suites hotel on the vacant lot off Driftwood Drive and Civic Center Boulevard.
An increase in construction costs and troubles with construction unions doomed that project which finally fell apart in 2002.
The Redevelopment Agency appropriated $1 million of its own money to that project for water, sewer and off-site improvements as an inducement to get the hotel built. The agency also reimbursed Patel for the cost of filling and grading the site.
Suisun City was once home to half a dozen hotels at the turn of the century. One by one, they succumbed to fire, with the last one, the Mayfield Hotel, burning up in the mid-1950s.
Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or at ithompson@dailyrepublic.net.
At a glance
Who: Suisun City Council
What: Presentation on proposed hotel
When: 7 p.m. today
Where: Suisun City Council chamber, 701 Civic Center Blvd.
Info: 421-7300
Monday, November 13, 2006
'Critical Link' to Relieve Congestion
'Critical Link' to Relieve Congestion -- $89 Million, Five-Mile Project Up for Discussion
By Barry Eberling
East bound traffic moves along on I-80 near Abernathy Road. A north connector has been proposed linking Jameson Canyon and Abernathy on the north side of the highway.(Mike McCoy/Daily Republic)
FAIRFIELD - People on Dec. 14 can comment on the latest plans and environmental study for a proposed $89 million, 5-mile North Connector road linking Green Valley with central Fairfield.
They can attend an open house and public hearing from 6 to 8 p.m. at Nelda Mundy Elementary School, 580 Vintage Valley Drive.
Fairfield Mayor Harry Price urged residents to come and offer opinions before road plans are made final. He also stressed the importance of the proposed road.
"It's a critical link," Price said.
The North Connector is to extend from Abernathy Road in Suisun Valley westward alongside Interstate 80, incorporate Business Center Drive in Green Valley and end at Highway 12 and Red Top Road in Jameson Canyon. Construction for an initial phase could begin in 2007, a project study said.
This new road is to carry local traffic that now travels on congested Interstate 80. It is also to take traffic off Rockville Road and other
rural routes used by motorists seeking alternatives to the jammed freeway during rush hour.
A environmental study released Thursday describes some challenges to building the road. For example, construction could disturb wetlands and habitat for the California red-legged frog.
The study also suggests possible solutions, such as constructing ponds and replacement wetlands.
Solano Transportation Authority Executive Director Daryl Halls sees no insurmountable obstacles described in the study.
"It's not as environmentally challenging as other projects we have, such as the Jepson Parkway," Halls said.
Yet the North Connector has caused some concern among Green Valley area residents. For example, residents have said linking the new road with Highway 12 could bring regional traffic through their neighborhoods.
Four buildings must be demolished to make way for the North Connector, including a concrete installation company, warehouse and barn on Russell Road, the study said. One business must relocate. No homes will be affected, the study said.
The project requires buying 26 acres of prime farmland. The new road could make some of these properties too small to be farmed, the study said. The STA and county could solve this problem by buying and combining these properties, it said.
Also, the STA should be required to preserve farmland of equal quality at another location, to compensate for the prime farmland that is lost, the study said.
A traffic signal would be installed where the North Connector would meet Highway 12 in Jameson Canyon, at Red Top Road. If not properly designed, the new intersection could cause substantial traffic delays on the highway, the study said. It describes how the intersection should look.
The ultimate solution to the new intersection traffic would be the proposed widening of Highway 12 to four lanes. This project includes building an interchange at Red Top Road, the study said.
Reach Barry Eberling at 425-4646 Ext. 232 or beberling@dailyrepublic.net.
By Barry Eberling
East bound traffic moves along on I-80 near Abernathy Road. A north connector has been proposed linking Jameson Canyon and Abernathy on the north side of the highway.(Mike McCoy/Daily Republic)
FAIRFIELD - People on Dec. 14 can comment on the latest plans and environmental study for a proposed $89 million, 5-mile North Connector road linking Green Valley with central Fairfield.
They can attend an open house and public hearing from 6 to 8 p.m. at Nelda Mundy Elementary School, 580 Vintage Valley Drive.
Fairfield Mayor Harry Price urged residents to come and offer opinions before road plans are made final. He also stressed the importance of the proposed road.
"It's a critical link," Price said.
The North Connector is to extend from Abernathy Road in Suisun Valley westward alongside Interstate 80, incorporate Business Center Drive in Green Valley and end at Highway 12 and Red Top Road in Jameson Canyon. Construction for an initial phase could begin in 2007, a project study said.
This new road is to carry local traffic that now travels on congested Interstate 80. It is also to take traffic off Rockville Road and other
rural routes used by motorists seeking alternatives to the jammed freeway during rush hour.
A environmental study released Thursday describes some challenges to building the road. For example, construction could disturb wetlands and habitat for the California red-legged frog.
The study also suggests possible solutions, such as constructing ponds and replacement wetlands.
Solano Transportation Authority Executive Director Daryl Halls sees no insurmountable obstacles described in the study.
"It's not as environmentally challenging as other projects we have, such as the Jepson Parkway," Halls said.
Yet the North Connector has caused some concern among Green Valley area residents. For example, residents have said linking the new road with Highway 12 could bring regional traffic through their neighborhoods.
Four buildings must be demolished to make way for the North Connector, including a concrete installation company, warehouse and barn on Russell Road, the study said. One business must relocate. No homes will be affected, the study said.
The project requires buying 26 acres of prime farmland. The new road could make some of these properties too small to be farmed, the study said. The STA and county could solve this problem by buying and combining these properties, it said.
Also, the STA should be required to preserve farmland of equal quality at another location, to compensate for the prime farmland that is lost, the study said.
A traffic signal would be installed where the North Connector would meet Highway 12 in Jameson Canyon, at Red Top Road. If not properly designed, the new intersection could cause substantial traffic delays on the highway, the study said. It describes how the intersection should look.
The ultimate solution to the new intersection traffic would be the proposed widening of Highway 12 to four lanes. This project includes building an interchange at Red Top Road, the study said.
Reach Barry Eberling at 425-4646 Ext. 232 or beberling@dailyrepublic.net.
Ready to Take Off
Ready to Take Off
Renovation of Mall Complete
By Reporter Staff
A refurbished entrance to Westfield Solano mall in Fairfield features images of Travis Air Force Base. (Brad Zweerink/The Reporter)
Fairfield will celebrate the grand opening of a renovated Westfield Solano mall today.
The celebration begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Flight Entrance on the west side of the center. Westfield's more than $20 million revitalization was designed to bring elements of the Solano landscape and environment inside the mall, said Westfield officials. It includes updates and improvements to the center's architecture and amenities for shoppers.
"When planning the renovation of our Solano center, we knew the importance of incorporating the heritage and culture of the area," said Larry Green, Westfield's senior vice president of development. "To spotlight culture and area traditions, we've created four new themed entrance areas: 'Flight,' 'County Fair,' 'Vineyard' and 'Farmers Market' to reflect the rich heritage and contribution of the Travis Air Force Base, Solano County Fair, the region's lush vineyards and agriculture."
Westfield has made other notable enhancements to the Solano center including 2,000 feet of skylights, new carpeting and stone floors, cherry wood and glass handrails and 14 new seating lounges throughout to offer comfortable and peaceful places to relax when shopping.
In celebration, Westfield will host a variety of family entertainment and special activities throughout the weekend ranging from roaming musicians to children's activities such as face painting, caricature drawings, character meet and greets and henna tattoos. Shoppers can also expect several retailers to offer special promotions this weekend.
The mall is located at 135 Travis Boulevard in Fairfield. For more information, call 425-1164 or visit www.westfield.com.
Renovation of Mall Complete
By Reporter Staff
A refurbished entrance to Westfield Solano mall in Fairfield features images of Travis Air Force Base. (Brad Zweerink/The Reporter)
Fairfield will celebrate the grand opening of a renovated Westfield Solano mall today.
The celebration begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Flight Entrance on the west side of the center. Westfield's more than $20 million revitalization was designed to bring elements of the Solano landscape and environment inside the mall, said Westfield officials. It includes updates and improvements to the center's architecture and amenities for shoppers.
"When planning the renovation of our Solano center, we knew the importance of incorporating the heritage and culture of the area," said Larry Green, Westfield's senior vice president of development. "To spotlight culture and area traditions, we've created four new themed entrance areas: 'Flight,' 'County Fair,' 'Vineyard' and 'Farmers Market' to reflect the rich heritage and contribution of the Travis Air Force Base, Solano County Fair, the region's lush vineyards and agriculture."
Westfield has made other notable enhancements to the Solano center including 2,000 feet of skylights, new carpeting and stone floors, cherry wood and glass handrails and 14 new seating lounges throughout to offer comfortable and peaceful places to relax when shopping.
In celebration, Westfield will host a variety of family entertainment and special activities throughout the weekend ranging from roaming musicians to children's activities such as face painting, caricature drawings, character meet and greets and henna tattoos. Shoppers can also expect several retailers to offer special promotions this weekend.
The mall is located at 135 Travis Boulevard in Fairfield. For more information, call 425-1164 or visit www.westfield.com.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Welcome Results for Business
Welcome Results for Business
Passage of bonds should make it easier for firms to thrive in California
Tom Abate, Chronicle Staff Writer
California's business climate just warmed up a few degrees, and the rest of the nation should pay attention to how it happened.
That was the sense of state business leaders who awoke Wednesday to learn that Californians had authorized $40.1 billion worth of bonds to bolster roads, schools, waterways and affordable housing.
"For California employers and the economy, this election was like Christmas,'' said Carl Guardino, president of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. "Almost every package we hoped for was under the tree."
What made the passage of those bonds all the more remarkable, said Jim Wunderman, president of the Bay Area Council, was the bipartisan way that Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger worked with state Democratic leaders.
"I think the country will watch what happened in California,'' said Wunderman. "This may well have been the most important election for business in California in a generation."
Business leaders expect the bonds to ease congestion and improve mass transit, expand educational facilities, help alleviate potentially catastrophic floods and create more affordable housing -- all measures that should boost the economy and benefit the Californians who work it.
Meanwhile, in Washington, ground zero for the historic power shift in Congress, American Electronics Association President Bill Archey said high-tech leaders should take heart that Democrats are now in a position to raise their voices on issues of industrial policy -- even if no one expects them and their Republican colleagues to start singing "Kumbaya."
"We are optimistic when it comes to Democrats and high tech because, to use a Silicon Valley term, they tend to get it,'' said Archey.
Small businesses in San Francisco, however, found coal in their stockings Wednesday, according to Scott Hauge of San Francisco Small Business Advocates, who took exception to the passage of Proposition F, which will require all employers to give workers an hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked.
"There was no discussion with the business community,'' Hauge complained. "It was just rammed through."
The discordant note in San Francisco stands in contrast to the virtual euphoria among business leaders at the state level. They are pleased that voters not only embraced the bipartisan bond package but turned back some of the other populist measures on the ballot, such as Prop. 87, which would have raised $4 billion for alternative energy research by taxing crude oil production.
Voters rejected that measure by a 55-to-45 percent ratio, handing a victory to Chevron Corp., which poured $43 million into the measure. San Ramon's Chevron pumps more crude from California's oil fields than any other company, about 212,000 barrels per day. Chevron executives estimated that the new tax, if approved by voters, could have cost the company $200 million per year.
Prop. 87 also represented a divide among businesses. Wunderman's Bay Area Council opposed the measure, saying it pitted one business sector against another. But Guardino's Leadership Group, populated by high-tech firms eager to get into clean-energy technologies, had supported the tax.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co., meanwhile, dodged a very different threat -- the potential defection of 77,000 customers in Yolo County.
Part of that county -- including Davis, West Sacramento and Woodland -- voted to stay plugged into PG&E rather than getting electrical service from the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. Backers of the switch, as well as SMUD officials, had said Yolo residents could have saved money by switching because SMUD's rates average 29 percent less than PG&E's.
PG&E spent $10 million to convince Yolo residents that their rates would actually increase. The company had a distinct edge in advertising, as SMUD rules prohibit the district from spending ratepayer money on political advocacy.
Allan Zaremberg, president of the California Chamber of Commerce, said the overall state election results -- from the passage of the bond measures to the re-election of Schwarzenegger -- were a plus for the economy and business climate.
Zaremberg, whose group has been closely aligned with Schwarzenegger since he took office, also took a stab at explaining why the governor's popularity didn't have more of a coattail effect for other Republicans -- despite the voters' embrace of so many business-backed initiatives.
The national tide in favor of the Democrats appears to have been so strong, Zaremberg said, that some fraction of Republican voters may have sat out the election, making it tougher for GOP office seekers at the state level. Nevertheless, Zaremberg said the overall results made this "a very successful election for the economy and citizens of California."
But as the after-election glow fades and lawmakers of both parties return to Sacramento to divvy up the gift voters put under the tree, Jean Ross of the liberal California Budget Project said the state will eventually face the challenge of handling these new debt-service payments at a time when its budget is already heading into the red.
"At some point in the future it means less spending somewhere else or higher taxes,'' she said.
Chronicle staff writer David Baker contributed to this report. E-mail Tom Abate at tabate@sfchronicle.com.
Passage of bonds should make it easier for firms to thrive in California
Tom Abate, Chronicle Staff Writer
California's business climate just warmed up a few degrees, and the rest of the nation should pay attention to how it happened.
That was the sense of state business leaders who awoke Wednesday to learn that Californians had authorized $40.1 billion worth of bonds to bolster roads, schools, waterways and affordable housing.
"For California employers and the economy, this election was like Christmas,'' said Carl Guardino, president of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. "Almost every package we hoped for was under the tree."
What made the passage of those bonds all the more remarkable, said Jim Wunderman, president of the Bay Area Council, was the bipartisan way that Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger worked with state Democratic leaders.
"I think the country will watch what happened in California,'' said Wunderman. "This may well have been the most important election for business in California in a generation."
Business leaders expect the bonds to ease congestion and improve mass transit, expand educational facilities, help alleviate potentially catastrophic floods and create more affordable housing -- all measures that should boost the economy and benefit the Californians who work it.
Meanwhile, in Washington, ground zero for the historic power shift in Congress, American Electronics Association President Bill Archey said high-tech leaders should take heart that Democrats are now in a position to raise their voices on issues of industrial policy -- even if no one expects them and their Republican colleagues to start singing "Kumbaya."
"We are optimistic when it comes to Democrats and high tech because, to use a Silicon Valley term, they tend to get it,'' said Archey.
Small businesses in San Francisco, however, found coal in their stockings Wednesday, according to Scott Hauge of San Francisco Small Business Advocates, who took exception to the passage of Proposition F, which will require all employers to give workers an hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked.
"There was no discussion with the business community,'' Hauge complained. "It was just rammed through."
The discordant note in San Francisco stands in contrast to the virtual euphoria among business leaders at the state level. They are pleased that voters not only embraced the bipartisan bond package but turned back some of the other populist measures on the ballot, such as Prop. 87, which would have raised $4 billion for alternative energy research by taxing crude oil production.
Voters rejected that measure by a 55-to-45 percent ratio, handing a victory to Chevron Corp., which poured $43 million into the measure. San Ramon's Chevron pumps more crude from California's oil fields than any other company, about 212,000 barrels per day. Chevron executives estimated that the new tax, if approved by voters, could have cost the company $200 million per year.
Prop. 87 also represented a divide among businesses. Wunderman's Bay Area Council opposed the measure, saying it pitted one business sector against another. But Guardino's Leadership Group, populated by high-tech firms eager to get into clean-energy technologies, had supported the tax.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co., meanwhile, dodged a very different threat -- the potential defection of 77,000 customers in Yolo County.
Part of that county -- including Davis, West Sacramento and Woodland -- voted to stay plugged into PG&E rather than getting electrical service from the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. Backers of the switch, as well as SMUD officials, had said Yolo residents could have saved money by switching because SMUD's rates average 29 percent less than PG&E's.
PG&E spent $10 million to convince Yolo residents that their rates would actually increase. The company had a distinct edge in advertising, as SMUD rules prohibit the district from spending ratepayer money on political advocacy.
Allan Zaremberg, president of the California Chamber of Commerce, said the overall state election results -- from the passage of the bond measures to the re-election of Schwarzenegger -- were a plus for the economy and business climate.
Zaremberg, whose group has been closely aligned with Schwarzenegger since he took office, also took a stab at explaining why the governor's popularity didn't have more of a coattail effect for other Republicans -- despite the voters' embrace of so many business-backed initiatives.
The national tide in favor of the Democrats appears to have been so strong, Zaremberg said, that some fraction of Republican voters may have sat out the election, making it tougher for GOP office seekers at the state level. Nevertheless, Zaremberg said the overall results made this "a very successful election for the economy and citizens of California."
But as the after-election glow fades and lawmakers of both parties return to Sacramento to divvy up the gift voters put under the tree, Jean Ross of the liberal California Budget Project said the state will eventually face the challenge of handling these new debt-service payments at a time when its budget is already heading into the red.
"At some point in the future it means less spending somewhere else or higher taxes,'' she said.
Chronicle staff writer David Baker contributed to this report. E-mail Tom Abate at tabate@sfchronicle.com.
OK of Prop 1A Will Aid Solano
OK of Prop 1A Will Aid Solano
By Erin Pursell//Staff Writer
TheReporter.Com
Transportation officials estimate that Solano County will receive more than $75 million in state funding during the next 10 years thanks to voter approval of transportation propositions 1A and 1B in Tuesday's election.
"It was a good night for transportation," said Solano Transportation Authority Executive Director Daryl Halls.
STA projects that Proposition 1A - which helps protect the transportation improvements funded by the 2002 voter-approved Proposition 42 - will secure about $28 million of the total.
"It just protects Prop 42 funds, so it's not really new money," Halls said. "It just stabilizes the money that's coming and better protects that revenue stream."
"All the cities (of Solano) are going to benefit from that and we'll now have a reliable annual funding source for local streets and roads," said Suisun City mayor and county supervisor-elect Jim Spering.
Proposition 1B - a $19.9 billion state bond measure - will provide Solano and its seven cities with $47 million to help fund transportation projects and improve local streets and roads.
"The good news is we're going to get more funds," Halls said, noting the portion that will be applied to the county's State Transportation Improvement Program fund. "In 2007 STA will be programming an additional $16 million that we wouldn't have normally."
While there is additional money available through the proposition, Halls said Solano likely will have a difficult time competing for any more dollars since it has no local sales tax measure that could help supply matching funds.
"Getting this extra money is very competitive," Halls said. "Counties that have local dollars compete better."
But, he added, STA is not giving up and plans to push hard to fund its priority projects and hopes to gain support from other transportation agencies including CalTrans and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
"It's big for Solano County because the Interstate 80 and I-680 interchange is a big priority," Spering said. "MTC and CalTrans have designated it as a high priority already."
Additionally, Halls said, rejection of Proposition 90 on election day was also a plus.
"It would have added cost and time to a lot of transportation projects," he said, noting the additional requirements that would have been placed on eminent domain and property rights, had it passed.
If anything, Halls said, the additional funds that are on the horizon are a huge step forward in terms of funding the county's recently-approved regional transportation priority projects.
It will help the agency meet its matching fund requirements for projects for which local cities are expected to pay half the cost.
This includes improvements to the Vanden Road segment of the Jepson Parkway, from near Peabody Road to Leisure Town Road between Vacaville and Fairfield.
"We don't want to lose our focus on the big stuff, but we want to deliver some of the smaller stuff," Halls said.
Erin Pursell can be reached at county@thereporter.com.
By Erin Pursell//Staff Writer
TheReporter.Com
Transportation officials estimate that Solano County will receive more than $75 million in state funding during the next 10 years thanks to voter approval of transportation propositions 1A and 1B in Tuesday's election.
"It was a good night for transportation," said Solano Transportation Authority Executive Director Daryl Halls.
STA projects that Proposition 1A - which helps protect the transportation improvements funded by the 2002 voter-approved Proposition 42 - will secure about $28 million of the total.
"It just protects Prop 42 funds, so it's not really new money," Halls said. "It just stabilizes the money that's coming and better protects that revenue stream."
"All the cities (of Solano) are going to benefit from that and we'll now have a reliable annual funding source for local streets and roads," said Suisun City mayor and county supervisor-elect Jim Spering.
Proposition 1B - a $19.9 billion state bond measure - will provide Solano and its seven cities with $47 million to help fund transportation projects and improve local streets and roads.
"The good news is we're going to get more funds," Halls said, noting the portion that will be applied to the county's State Transportation Improvement Program fund. "In 2007 STA will be programming an additional $16 million that we wouldn't have normally."
While there is additional money available through the proposition, Halls said Solano likely will have a difficult time competing for any more dollars since it has no local sales tax measure that could help supply matching funds.
"Getting this extra money is very competitive," Halls said. "Counties that have local dollars compete better."
But, he added, STA is not giving up and plans to push hard to fund its priority projects and hopes to gain support from other transportation agencies including CalTrans and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
"It's big for Solano County because the Interstate 80 and I-680 interchange is a big priority," Spering said. "MTC and CalTrans have designated it as a high priority already."
Additionally, Halls said, rejection of Proposition 90 on election day was also a plus.
"It would have added cost and time to a lot of transportation projects," he said, noting the additional requirements that would have been placed on eminent domain and property rights, had it passed.
If anything, Halls said, the additional funds that are on the horizon are a huge step forward in terms of funding the county's recently-approved regional transportation priority projects.
It will help the agency meet its matching fund requirements for projects for which local cities are expected to pay half the cost.
This includes improvements to the Vanden Road segment of the Jepson Parkway, from near Peabody Road to Leisure Town Road between Vacaville and Fairfield.
"We don't want to lose our focus on the big stuff, but we want to deliver some of the smaller stuff," Halls said.
Erin Pursell can be reached at county@thereporter.com.
Water Agency Unveils Guide to Regulations
Water Agency Unveils Guide to Regulations
By Barry Eberling
FAIRFIELD - Local business leaders on Wednesday learned about a "cookbook" with the recipe for success in navigating environmental regulations.
Solano County Water Agency General Manager David Okita used the term "cookbook" to describe the area's evolving habitat conservation plan. The plan's goal is to help protect the environment while also cutting red tape for developers.
"Solano County is a hotbed for endangered species," Okita told the Solano Economic Development Corp. breakfast gathering at the Hilton Garden Inn.
Vernal pools - clay-lined depressions that fill with water during the winter - are home to such rare species as the Contra Costa goldfield flower and vernal pool fairy shrimp. The California red-legged frog is found in local hills. And on and on.
The habitat conservation plan could be completed in 2008 and cover more than 70 species, Okita said. Spearheaded by the water agency in consultation with state and federal agencies, it is to tell developers upfront what steps they must take to make up for the habitat they build on.
Fairfield planner Erin Beavers described the existing method. Developers often must do environmental impact reports and negotiate separately with such agencies as the state Department of Fish and Game and federal Fish and Wildlife Service. Various agencies are understaffed and impose different requirements.
The result is time and money lost, Beavers said. For example, he said, the site for the proposed Mission Solano homeless shelter has wetlands and is in a designated critical habitat area for vernal pools. These factors could drag the project on for another year, he said.
In some cases, developers end up doing such things as preserving wetlands on their property instead of elsewhere, something Beavers said has questionable habitat value.
"We have a small, natural wetland surrounded by parking lot," Beavers said.
The habitat conservation plan is to streamline the way developers get their permits. It would also encourage the preservation of large tracts of land.
One preservation method is allowing developers to use habitat mitigation banks run by private industry. Developers can buy credits in a mitigation bank, with costs ranging from $5,000 an acre to $100,000 an acre or more. The bank preserves the habitat for them.
Wildlands Inc. owns a mitigation bank for Swainson's hawk habitat near Dixon. It is opening a vernal pool habitat mitigation bank a few miles east of Suisun City, near Highway 12. Mitigation banks can both preserve existing habitat and create new habitat.
"We're developers," said Steve Morgan, CEO of Wildlands Inc. "We develop wildlife habitat."
Some developers have balked at the mitigation ratios being proposed in the habitat conservation plan for some rare species. For example, the ratio for Contra Costa goldfields habitat could be 9-1. But developers not using the plan face a 19-1 habitat replacement ratio from agencies.
"We bargained them down a little bit," Okita said.
Such issues could be resolved next year.
Reach Barry Eberling at
425-4646 Ext. 232 or beberling@dailyrepublic.net.
By Barry Eberling
FAIRFIELD - Local business leaders on Wednesday learned about a "cookbook" with the recipe for success in navigating environmental regulations.
Solano County Water Agency General Manager David Okita used the term "cookbook" to describe the area's evolving habitat conservation plan. The plan's goal is to help protect the environment while also cutting red tape for developers.
"Solano County is a hotbed for endangered species," Okita told the Solano Economic Development Corp. breakfast gathering at the Hilton Garden Inn.
Vernal pools - clay-lined depressions that fill with water during the winter - are home to such rare species as the Contra Costa goldfield flower and vernal pool fairy shrimp. The California red-legged frog is found in local hills. And on and on.
The habitat conservation plan could be completed in 2008 and cover more than 70 species, Okita said. Spearheaded by the water agency in consultation with state and federal agencies, it is to tell developers upfront what steps they must take to make up for the habitat they build on.
Fairfield planner Erin Beavers described the existing method. Developers often must do environmental impact reports and negotiate separately with such agencies as the state Department of Fish and Game and federal Fish and Wildlife Service. Various agencies are understaffed and impose different requirements.
The result is time and money lost, Beavers said. For example, he said, the site for the proposed Mission Solano homeless shelter has wetlands and is in a designated critical habitat area for vernal pools. These factors could drag the project on for another year, he said.
In some cases, developers end up doing such things as preserving wetlands on their property instead of elsewhere, something Beavers said has questionable habitat value.
"We have a small, natural wetland surrounded by parking lot," Beavers said.
The habitat conservation plan is to streamline the way developers get their permits. It would also encourage the preservation of large tracts of land.
One preservation method is allowing developers to use habitat mitigation banks run by private industry. Developers can buy credits in a mitigation bank, with costs ranging from $5,000 an acre to $100,000 an acre or more. The bank preserves the habitat for them.
Wildlands Inc. owns a mitigation bank for Swainson's hawk habitat near Dixon. It is opening a vernal pool habitat mitigation bank a few miles east of Suisun City, near Highway 12. Mitigation banks can both preserve existing habitat and create new habitat.
"We're developers," said Steve Morgan, CEO of Wildlands Inc. "We develop wildlife habitat."
Some developers have balked at the mitigation ratios being proposed in the habitat conservation plan for some rare species. For example, the ratio for Contra Costa goldfields habitat could be 9-1. But developers not using the plan face a 19-1 habitat replacement ratio from agencies.
"We bargained them down a little bit," Okita said.
Such issues could be resolved next year.
Reach Barry Eberling at
425-4646 Ext. 232 or beberling@dailyrepublic.net.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Solano County, 90 modern wind turbines churn out 162 megawatts of electricity for utilities in Sacramento and central California.
California looks to alternative power in greenhouse gas battle
SHAWN MCCARTHY
BIRD'S LANDING, CALIF. -- On the parched crop and ranch land of the Montezuma Hills in Solano County, 90 modern wind turbines churn out 162 megawatts of electricity for utilities in Sacramento and central California.
Shirley Paolini, a chatty tavern owner at the Bird's Landing crossroads, admires the quiet efficiency of the turbines, which tower over her on a hill just beyond her back door. She even knows which of the 60-metre-tall beasts utters a low moan as it turns to face the prevailing wind.
For Ms. Paolini, the High Winds energy project is not an unwanted intrusion but a welcome sign of progress. For its utility customers, the wind farm that produces enough electricity for 75,000 homes is part of a portfolio of renewable energy supplies that must rapidly expand to meet California's climate change targets.
The state's electric power utilities -- both investor-owned and municipal systems -- have long been on the front line of California's battle to clean up its smog problem.
Print Edition - Section Front
Section B Front Enlarge Image
More Business Stories
* Brace for economic slowdown, economist warns
* The car culture gets a tune up
* Four Seasons strikes deal to go private
* Kinross bid for Bema set to put miner over the top
* Meet the man who runs Bill Gates's money
* FOREIGN EXCHANGE - Cross rates
* Go to the Business section
The Globe and Mail
As a result of aggressive energy efficiency targets, per capita use of electricity has remained flat for the past 30 years in the state, while it grew by 50 per cent across the United States.
Now, the utilities face a new challenge with the passage of legislation that requires California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.
To help accomplish that, the power companies -- which produce 20 per cent of the state's greenhouse gas emissions -- will have to find new ways to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels.
Nuclear energy is not an option -- the state long ago banned the construction of new nuclear plants until permanent storage is found for radioactive waste. Instead, the power companies will crank up spending on energy efficiency programs, the cost of which they are permitted to recoup through rate schedules. Higher rates, goes the mantra, does not equate fatter bills if consumption is reduced.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co., which serves northern California, will spend $2-billion (U.S.) to install "smart meters," digital devices that record minute-by-minute usage. PG&E has recently won permission from the state regulator to implement "time of use" billing, with higher rates for peak hours in order to encourage consumers to turn off their air conditioners at peak hours, or do their laundry at night.
Lower peak-hour consumption would reduce PG&E's costs and its emission of greenhouse gases because the utility relies on expensive natural gas-fired plants for peak power.
The utilities must also ensure that 20 per cent of their power supply comes from renewable sources by 2010 -- a requirement that dwarfs any Canadian utility's commitment.
PG&E chief executive officer Thomas King said his utility is already at 13 per cent, and has contracts that will boost the renewable portfolio to 18 per cent by the end of 2007. Mr. King said wind, solar and geothermal are all increasingly competitive with fossil fuels -- especially given the government-imposed costs associated with carbon dioxide emissions. PG&E is even looking at harnessing the tides that sweep into San Francisco Bay under the Golden Gate Bridge.
SHAWN MCCARTHY
BIRD'S LANDING, CALIF. -- On the parched crop and ranch land of the Montezuma Hills in Solano County, 90 modern wind turbines churn out 162 megawatts of electricity for utilities in Sacramento and central California.
Shirley Paolini, a chatty tavern owner at the Bird's Landing crossroads, admires the quiet efficiency of the turbines, which tower over her on a hill just beyond her back door. She even knows which of the 60-metre-tall beasts utters a low moan as it turns to face the prevailing wind.
For Ms. Paolini, the High Winds energy project is not an unwanted intrusion but a welcome sign of progress. For its utility customers, the wind farm that produces enough electricity for 75,000 homes is part of a portfolio of renewable energy supplies that must rapidly expand to meet California's climate change targets.
The state's electric power utilities -- both investor-owned and municipal systems -- have long been on the front line of California's battle to clean up its smog problem.
Print Edition - Section Front
Section B Front Enlarge Image
More Business Stories
* Brace for economic slowdown, economist warns
* The car culture gets a tune up
* Four Seasons strikes deal to go private
* Kinross bid for Bema set to put miner over the top
* Meet the man who runs Bill Gates's money
* FOREIGN EXCHANGE - Cross rates
* Go to the Business section
The Globe and Mail
As a result of aggressive energy efficiency targets, per capita use of electricity has remained flat for the past 30 years in the state, while it grew by 50 per cent across the United States.
Now, the utilities face a new challenge with the passage of legislation that requires California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.
To help accomplish that, the power companies -- which produce 20 per cent of the state's greenhouse gas emissions -- will have to find new ways to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels.
Nuclear energy is not an option -- the state long ago banned the construction of new nuclear plants until permanent storage is found for radioactive waste. Instead, the power companies will crank up spending on energy efficiency programs, the cost of which they are permitted to recoup through rate schedules. Higher rates, goes the mantra, does not equate fatter bills if consumption is reduced.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co., which serves northern California, will spend $2-billion (U.S.) to install "smart meters," digital devices that record minute-by-minute usage. PG&E has recently won permission from the state regulator to implement "time of use" billing, with higher rates for peak hours in order to encourage consumers to turn off their air conditioners at peak hours, or do their laundry at night.
Lower peak-hour consumption would reduce PG&E's costs and its emission of greenhouse gases because the utility relies on expensive natural gas-fired plants for peak power.
The utilities must also ensure that 20 per cent of their power supply comes from renewable sources by 2010 -- a requirement that dwarfs any Canadian utility's commitment.
PG&E chief executive officer Thomas King said his utility is already at 13 per cent, and has contracts that will boost the renewable portfolio to 18 per cent by the end of 2007. Mr. King said wind, solar and geothermal are all increasingly competitive with fossil fuels -- especially given the government-imposed costs associated with carbon dioxide emissions. PG&E is even looking at harnessing the tides that sweep into San Francisco Bay under the Golden Gate Bridge.
Oakland ice creamery Fentons to open second shop in Vacaville - San Francisco Business Times:
Oakland ice creamery Fentons to open second shop in Vacaville - San Francisco Business Times:: "San Francisco Business Times - November 7, 2006
http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2006/11/06/daily13.html
Business News - Local News
Business Pulse Survey:
Should have-nots have?
Oakland ice creamery Fentons to open second shop in Vacaville
San Francisco Business Times - 9:41 AM PST Tuesday
One could say Fentons Creamery expands in a very deliberate manner. After operating an ice cream shop in Oakland for the past 112 years, Fentons will open a second location at Vacaville's Nut Tree Village in March.
Fentons has signed a 20-year lease to run a 7,400-square-foot shop at Nut Tree Village, a new development on the site of the old Nut Tree restaurant.
The roadside restaurant, which closed years ago, is being replaced with a big-box retail center with anchor stores like Best Buy, Sport Chalet, Borders Books and Old Navy; a 2-acre park; a market pavilion with local and artisan tenants; and office space.
Fentons was originally opened in 1894 by Elbridge Fenton, with the original shop at 41st Avenue and Howe in Oakland. A full dairy operated on the site until the mid-1950s, when it was purchased by Foremost and moved to Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, where it has remained until this day. Fentons has"
http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2006/11/06/daily13.html
Business News - Local News
Business Pulse Survey:
Should have-nots have?
Oakland ice creamery Fentons to open second shop in Vacaville
San Francisco Business Times - 9:41 AM PST Tuesday
One could say Fentons Creamery expands in a very deliberate manner. After operating an ice cream shop in Oakland for the past 112 years, Fentons will open a second location at Vacaville's Nut Tree Village in March.
Fentons has signed a 20-year lease to run a 7,400-square-foot shop at Nut Tree Village, a new development on the site of the old Nut Tree restaurant.
The roadside restaurant, which closed years ago, is being replaced with a big-box retail center with anchor stores like Best Buy, Sport Chalet, Borders Books and Old Navy; a 2-acre park; a market pavilion with local and artisan tenants; and office space.
Fentons was originally opened in 1894 by Elbridge Fenton, with the original shop at 41st Avenue and Howe in Oakland. A full dairy operated on the site until the mid-1950s, when it was purchased by Foremost and moved to Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, where it has remained until this day. Fentons has"
Monday, November 06, 2006
Vallejo Council to consider university village concept for M.I.
Vallejo a college town?
Council to consider university village concept for M.I.
By CHRIS G. DENINA/Times-Herald staff writer
Article Launched:11/04/2006 07:33:19 AM PST
Bookstores and coffee shops full of sleep-deprived medical students cramming for exams could someday be the first sight to greet visitors to Mare Island's north end.
Touro University is a step closer to getting its shot at convincing Vallejo officials that a university village idea is the right approach for renewing Mare Island's north end. And that's not sitting right with the former military base's main developer.
The Vallejo City Council on Tuesday plans to consider giving the university, which already has a campus farther south on the old shipyard, an exclusive shot at negotiating to revamp 191 acres known as Area 1A. The council is expected to vote Nov. 28, on the agreement's business terms.
Lennar Mare Island LLC, which is developing about 650 acres on the base's east side, was in exclusive talks with the city over developing Area 1A, but time ran out earlier this year, opening the way for the city to entertain Touro's proposal.
"Lennar wants what's best for the Mare Island reuse and we continue to believe we're in the best position to expedite the reuse of the north (end) of Mare Island," spokesman Jason Keadjian said.
Touro's university village proposal also includes a research-and-development park with biotechnology firms. When the Navy ran the base, the north end included an old supermarket, department store and gas station.
The idea was enough to convince the council to at least hear Touro's proposal.
Mare Island's north end has sat vacant for too long, said Richard Hassel, Touro vice president of administration.
"It's a great opportunity to capitalize on the biotech corridor and use the resources that are here, which is the health care field and education," Hassel said.
The concept is exciting but raises some concerns, Mayor Tony Intintoli, Jr. said. For instance, the city wouldn't collect property taxes from educational or nonprofit groups, Intintoli said. That would leave the city with money to fund such needs as police and fire services on Mare Island.
"There'd have to be some agreement in lieu of property tax, some kind of income that would provide for the infrastructure," Intintoli said.
Touro this summer submitted its proposal to develop the north end. That put a wrinkle in Lennar's plans. The developer is in talks with the Navy to take control of the remaining Navy-owned land on Mare Island that's contaminated with such pollutants as lead and PCBs left by the Navy.
Intintoli said the city, Touro and Lennar should work together to make sure the Navy still transfers the rest of its Mare Island property so the land can be reused. Lennar has been working on the land issue, he said.
"I think to change leadership at this point with respect to carrying out that effort would be a mistake because I think it would involve delay," Intintoli said.
The city has sought a developer to renew the north end for years, but two previous firms backed out over financial issues. Lennar had to prove it had the capability, experience and finances to get the job done when it negotiated to develop the north end, Lennar's Keadjian said.
"We don't believe a departure from that process is in the best (interest) for Mare Island," Keadjian said.
If given the job, Touro can get buildings up within two years, the university's Hassel said. Mare Island's north end is the front door to Vallejo from Marin County and is the first thing visitors see, he said.
"It really makes a statement and sends a signal coming to those from outside coming to Vallejo," Hassel said. "We want to make sure that statement is a positive statement that this is a university town and thriving financially stable town."
A year after the base close din 1996, Touro opened its doors on Mare Island with 60 students and today has nearly 900 enrolled, university officials said.
E-mail Chris G. Denina at cdenina@thnews-net.com or call 553-6835.
Council to consider university village concept for M.I.
By CHRIS G. DENINA/Times-Herald staff writer
Article Launched:11/04/2006 07:33:19 AM PST
Bookstores and coffee shops full of sleep-deprived medical students cramming for exams could someday be the first sight to greet visitors to Mare Island's north end.
Touro University is a step closer to getting its shot at convincing Vallejo officials that a university village idea is the right approach for renewing Mare Island's north end. And that's not sitting right with the former military base's main developer.
The Vallejo City Council on Tuesday plans to consider giving the university, which already has a campus farther south on the old shipyard, an exclusive shot at negotiating to revamp 191 acres known as Area 1A. The council is expected to vote Nov. 28, on the agreement's business terms.
Lennar Mare Island LLC, which is developing about 650 acres on the base's east side, was in exclusive talks with the city over developing Area 1A, but time ran out earlier this year, opening the way for the city to entertain Touro's proposal.
"Lennar wants what's best for the Mare Island reuse and we continue to believe we're in the best position to expedite the reuse of the north (end) of Mare Island," spokesman Jason Keadjian said.
Touro's university village proposal also includes a research-and-development park with biotechnology firms. When the Navy ran the base, the north end included an old supermarket, department store and gas station.
The idea was enough to convince the council to at least hear Touro's proposal.
Mare Island's north end has sat vacant for too long, said Richard Hassel, Touro vice president of administration.
"It's a great opportunity to capitalize on the biotech corridor and use the resources that are here, which is the health care field and education," Hassel said.
The concept is exciting but raises some concerns, Mayor Tony Intintoli, Jr. said. For instance, the city wouldn't collect property taxes from educational or nonprofit groups, Intintoli said. That would leave the city with money to fund such needs as police and fire services on Mare Island.
"There'd have to be some agreement in lieu of property tax, some kind of income that would provide for the infrastructure," Intintoli said.
Touro this summer submitted its proposal to develop the north end. That put a wrinkle in Lennar's plans. The developer is in talks with the Navy to take control of the remaining Navy-owned land on Mare Island that's contaminated with such pollutants as lead and PCBs left by the Navy.
Intintoli said the city, Touro and Lennar should work together to make sure the Navy still transfers the rest of its Mare Island property so the land can be reused. Lennar has been working on the land issue, he said.
"I think to change leadership at this point with respect to carrying out that effort would be a mistake because I think it would involve delay," Intintoli said.
The city has sought a developer to renew the north end for years, but two previous firms backed out over financial issues. Lennar had to prove it had the capability, experience and finances to get the job done when it negotiated to develop the north end, Lennar's Keadjian said.
"We don't believe a departure from that process is in the best (interest) for Mare Island," Keadjian said.
If given the job, Touro can get buildings up within two years, the university's Hassel said. Mare Island's north end is the front door to Vallejo from Marin County and is the first thing visitors see, he said.
"It really makes a statement and sends a signal coming to those from outside coming to Vallejo," Hassel said. "We want to make sure that statement is a positive statement that this is a university town and thriving financially stable town."
A year after the base close din 1996, Touro opened its doors on Mare Island with 60 students and today has nearly 900 enrolled, university officials said.
E-mail Chris G. Denina at cdenina@thnews-net.com or call 553-6835.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Travis way station offers care, nurturing
Travis way station offers care, nurturing: "
Posted on Sun, Nov. 05, 2006
Travis way station offers care, nurturing
Troops returning from Iraq, Afghanistan find haven for healing at base in Fairfield
By Dogen Hannah
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
FAIRFIELD - As gusts buffeted Travis Air Force Base one evening, Andrew Lowe rested securely on a litter in a cargo van, waiting to be carried aboard a nearby jet on the tarmac.
About a week earlier, the 22-year old Marine corporal had been chasing insurgents through a palm grove near Iraq's Euphrates River. As he pursued them, a makeshift bomb blasted metal shards into his legs.
'The shrapnel wounds were so severe they had cut through my arteries,' Lowe said. 'The doctors actually managed to save my legs, which was a miracle.'
More than 22,200 U.S. military members have been wounded in almost five years of fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. At least 2,500 of those have passed through Travis, a major hub for military aircraft and home to the Air Force's David Grant Medical Center.
For Lowe, who was flying to a Marine base in Hawaii, and others returning injured from war, Travis is a way station.
For the lance corporal who was bound for a Navy hospital in San Diego, the sergeant who was headed for an Army base"
Posted on Sun, Nov. 05, 2006
Travis way station offers care, nurturing
Troops returning from Iraq, Afghanistan find haven for healing at base in Fairfield
By Dogen Hannah
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
FAIRFIELD - As gusts buffeted Travis Air Force Base one evening, Andrew Lowe rested securely on a litter in a cargo van, waiting to be carried aboard a nearby jet on the tarmac.
About a week earlier, the 22-year old Marine corporal had been chasing insurgents through a palm grove near Iraq's Euphrates River. As he pursued them, a makeshift bomb blasted metal shards into his legs.
'The shrapnel wounds were so severe they had cut through my arteries,' Lowe said. 'The doctors actually managed to save my legs, which was a miracle.'
More than 22,200 U.S. military members have been wounded in almost five years of fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. At least 2,500 of those have passed through Travis, a major hub for military aircraft and home to the Air Force's David Grant Medical Center.
For Lowe, who was flying to a Marine base in Hawaii, and others returning injured from war, Travis is a way station.
For the lance corporal who was bound for a Navy hospital in San Diego, the sergeant who was headed for an Army base"
Vacaville Overpasses are Link to Economic Development
: "
Overpasses are link to economic development
By Jennifer Gentile/Staff Writer
TheReporter.Com
Article Launched:11/04/2006 06:40:39 AM PST
Completion of new overcrossings for Leisure Town and Nut Tree roads, widening the thoroughfares as they pass over Interstate 80 in Vacaville, was celebrated Friday.
The projects represent more than $50 million in infrastructure improvements, and dozens attended the dedication as flags flew and Vacaville and region officials spoke of the overcrossings' importance in the local economy and development.
'It's not often that you say this about an overpass, but they are attractive,' said City Manager David Van Kirk.
More than being aesthetically pleasing, Van Kirk and Public Works Director Dale Pfieffer emphasized their contribution to the city's vitality.
'One of the things past city councils and this City Council have realized is that you can't have economic development without the infrastructure to support it,' Van Kirk said.
The Nut Tree overpass project alone encompasses 1.5 miles of new roadway and made us of 8,670 tons of concrete, 490,000 pounds of reinforcing steel and 50 decorative street lights.
The Leisure Town overcrossings comprises 11,250 tons of concrete, 1.4 million pounds of reinforcing steel and 6,900 feet of new water line.
Vacaville Mayor Le"
Overpasses are link to economic development
By Jennifer Gentile/Staff Writer
TheReporter.Com
Article Launched:11/04/2006 06:40:39 AM PST
Completion of new overcrossings for Leisure Town and Nut Tree roads, widening the thoroughfares as they pass over Interstate 80 in Vacaville, was celebrated Friday.
The projects represent more than $50 million in infrastructure improvements, and dozens attended the dedication as flags flew and Vacaville and region officials spoke of the overcrossings' importance in the local economy and development.
'It's not often that you say this about an overpass, but they are attractive,' said City Manager David Van Kirk.
More than being aesthetically pleasing, Van Kirk and Public Works Director Dale Pfieffer emphasized their contribution to the city's vitality.
'One of the things past city councils and this City Council have realized is that you can't have economic development without the infrastructure to support it,' Van Kirk said.
The Nut Tree overpass project alone encompasses 1.5 miles of new roadway and made us of 8,670 tons of concrete, 490,000 pounds of reinforcing steel and 50 decorative street lights.
The Leisure Town overcrossings comprises 11,250 tons of concrete, 1.4 million pounds of reinforcing steel and 6,900 feet of new water line.
Vacaville Mayor Le"
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Freshman enrollment up 25 percent at UC Davis - sacbee.com
Freshman enrollment up 25 percent at UC Davis - sacbee.com: "sacbee.com - The online division of The Sacramento Bee
This story is taken from Sacbee / News.
Freshman enrollment up 25 percent at UC Davis
-
Published 12:00 am PST Friday, November 3, 2006
The University of California, Davis, enrolled 5,511 freshmen this fall, a 25.8 percent increase from last year, according to a final count announced Thursday.
Total enrollment of 30,475 students also set a campus record.
Transfers numbered 1,827, a 6.1 percent increase.
UC Davis officials have been trying to reverse slumping enrollment figures in recent years. They attribute more admitted freshmen deciding to attend the school this year to ramped-up recruitment efforts. The 26.9 percent yield, however, is tied for fourth worst in the past 10 years at UC Davis, according to UC systemwide data.
The key may have been the university admitting 4,000 more students than it did last year. Consequently, the average SAT scores (598 in math, 555 in reading) were both down about 10 points, and the average GPA of 3.70 was down from 3.73 last fall.
To make room for the new students, 1,200 of the 4,800 freshmen living in dorms tripled up, and the university hired more instructors and added more classroom space.
'The next challenge is ensuring the large freshman class can be accommodated a"
This story is taken from Sacbee / News.
Freshman enrollment up 25 percent at UC Davis
-
Published 12:00 am PST Friday, November 3, 2006
The University of California, Davis, enrolled 5,511 freshmen this fall, a 25.8 percent increase from last year, according to a final count announced Thursday.
Total enrollment of 30,475 students also set a campus record.
Transfers numbered 1,827, a 6.1 percent increase.
UC Davis officials have been trying to reverse slumping enrollment figures in recent years. They attribute more admitted freshmen deciding to attend the school this year to ramped-up recruitment efforts. The 26.9 percent yield, however, is tied for fourth worst in the past 10 years at UC Davis, according to UC systemwide data.
The key may have been the university admitting 4,000 more students than it did last year. Consequently, the average SAT scores (598 in math, 555 in reading) were both down about 10 points, and the average GPA of 3.70 was down from 3.73 last fall.
To make room for the new students, 1,200 of the 4,800 freshmen living in dorms tripled up, and the university hired more instructors and added more classroom space.
'The next challenge is ensuring the large freshman class can be accommodated a"
Friday, November 03, 2006
The California Aggie - UCDMC plans to open stem cell research center
The California Aggie - UCDMC plans to open stem cell research center: "< Back | Home
UCDMC plans to open stem cell research center
Outcome of Prop. 71 lawsuit to determine center's funding
Allie Shilin
Posted: 11/3/06
The UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento is in the pre-planning stages for its new $75 million stem cell research facility. The 1,000-square foot renovation of a vacant building on Stockton Boulevard near UCDMC is one of three UC Davis-sponsored facilities investing in stem cell regeneration.
Established under the title Center for Regenerative Science and Therapies, the sterile laboratory will partner with a second on-campus lab and the California National Primate Research Center, also located on campus. The purpose of the facility is to research the replacement of damaged tissues or body parts with new ones derived from stem cells to attempt to cure a broad range of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, Parkinson's disease and AIDS.
In an effort to avoid federal funding restrictions, the newly designed testing and manufacturing laboratory will be funded by the university. The UC Board of Regents has yet to approve the initial construction fee of $22 million. The planning commission will present designs to the regents this month.
Once construction begins,"
UCDMC plans to open stem cell research center
Outcome of Prop. 71 lawsuit to determine center's funding
Allie Shilin
Posted: 11/3/06
The UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento is in the pre-planning stages for its new $75 million stem cell research facility. The 1,000-square foot renovation of a vacant building on Stockton Boulevard near UCDMC is one of three UC Davis-sponsored facilities investing in stem cell regeneration.
Established under the title Center for Regenerative Science and Therapies, the sterile laboratory will partner with a second on-campus lab and the California National Primate Research Center, also located on campus. The purpose of the facility is to research the replacement of damaged tissues or body parts with new ones derived from stem cells to attempt to cure a broad range of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, Parkinson's disease and AIDS.
In an effort to avoid federal funding restrictions, the newly designed testing and manufacturing laboratory will be funded by the university. The UC Board of Regents has yet to approve the initial construction fee of $22 million. The planning commission will present designs to the regents this month.
Once construction begins,"
Thursday, November 02, 2006
On the Road to Transit
On the Road to Transit
New Plaza Ahead for Rider Transfers
By Jennifer Gentile /Staff Writer
TheReporter.Com
Dan McCalmon uses sandbags to secure a tarp at the Vacaville Transit Plaza construction site along E. Monte Vista Avenue. (Rick Roach/The Reporter)
Work is under way on the earliest stages of Vacaville's $3 million transit plaza project, which city staff said will be a beautiful addition to the downtown area.
On Sept. 12, the Vacaville City Council awarded the construction contract for the project to Cal Inc. of Vacaville. The local contractor was one of four bidders and accepted the project at a cost of $1.82 million.
According to the city, the expense is fully funded with grant money from the Federal Transit Administration and Transportation Development Act. Cal Inc.'s bid, which includes construction alone, was about 2 percent below the engineer's estimate.
The plaza, which is being built on .63 acres, will occupy the site where a Chevron Gas Station once stood at East Monte Vista Avenue and Cernon Street. The contractor is now in the process of excavation, said Project Engineer Jim Loomis. The work will be followed by installation of a new storm drain system, curb, gutter, sidewalk, electrical facilities and eventually a 30-foot clocktower.
Construction began on the plaza in early October, and the scheduled completion date is February 2007. The finished product will provide mass transit users with five pedestrian shelters, information kiosks, and several benches.
Transit manager Brian McLean said the plaza would be built in an "architecturally interesting fashion" with significant landscaping and styling to coordinate with other downtown improvement projects.
"This will bring a much-needed splash of green to downtown," McLean said. "It is really going to look like a small park."
According to Loomis, the project site has been vacant for about nine years. He said the gas tanks and related piping were removed in 1997 in compliance with county standards, and that no special environmental requirements have been attached to the project.
The engineer added that the project is categorically exempt, a label applied to projects that the Secretary of Resources has determined will not have significant environmental effects to the surrounding area.
In a prepared statement, Project Manager Andrew Mittleman of Cal Inc. said, "During excavation, we found very minimal debris and no contamination to the soil. We have storm water pollution controls in place, and as a company that has done both tank and environmental work are aware of any potential issues which would need to be addressed immediately. As of now, none exist."
Prior to being the site of a gas station, Loomis said houses apparently stood on the property, which is why the contractor has unearthed a large quantity of excess concrete. This has not impacted the project timeline, he said.
"The project is moving along quite well," he said.
The finished plaza will be able to handle all four of City Coach's downtown routes, McLean said, and if necessary, accommodate four to five vehicles at any one time. He said only minor route adjustments will be required when the plaza is finished.
In light of continued vandalism to the existing Kendal Street transfer station, which the plaza will replace, McLean said it should help that the new station will have increased illumination and be in a more prominent location.
"This is going to put us out front," McLean said, adding, "It will be a downtown anchor point for the future growth of our transit system."
A City Coach bus arrives Wednesday morning at the Kendal Street bus stop, located a block south of the new Vacaville Transit Plaza now under construction. (Rick Roach/The Reporter)
Jennifer Gentile can be reached at vacaville@thereporter.com.
New Plaza Ahead for Rider Transfers
By Jennifer Gentile /Staff Writer
TheReporter.Com
Dan McCalmon uses sandbags to secure a tarp at the Vacaville Transit Plaza construction site along E. Monte Vista Avenue. (Rick Roach/The Reporter)
Work is under way on the earliest stages of Vacaville's $3 million transit plaza project, which city staff said will be a beautiful addition to the downtown area.
On Sept. 12, the Vacaville City Council awarded the construction contract for the project to Cal Inc. of Vacaville. The local contractor was one of four bidders and accepted the project at a cost of $1.82 million.
According to the city, the expense is fully funded with grant money from the Federal Transit Administration and Transportation Development Act. Cal Inc.'s bid, which includes construction alone, was about 2 percent below the engineer's estimate.
The plaza, which is being built on .63 acres, will occupy the site where a Chevron Gas Station once stood at East Monte Vista Avenue and Cernon Street. The contractor is now in the process of excavation, said Project Engineer Jim Loomis. The work will be followed by installation of a new storm drain system, curb, gutter, sidewalk, electrical facilities and eventually a 30-foot clocktower.
Construction began on the plaza in early October, and the scheduled completion date is February 2007. The finished product will provide mass transit users with five pedestrian shelters, information kiosks, and several benches.
Transit manager Brian McLean said the plaza would be built in an "architecturally interesting fashion" with significant landscaping and styling to coordinate with other downtown improvement projects.
"This will bring a much-needed splash of green to downtown," McLean said. "It is really going to look like a small park."
According to Loomis, the project site has been vacant for about nine years. He said the gas tanks and related piping were removed in 1997 in compliance with county standards, and that no special environmental requirements have been attached to the project.
The engineer added that the project is categorically exempt, a label applied to projects that the Secretary of Resources has determined will not have significant environmental effects to the surrounding area.
In a prepared statement, Project Manager Andrew Mittleman of Cal Inc. said, "During excavation, we found very minimal debris and no contamination to the soil. We have storm water pollution controls in place, and as a company that has done both tank and environmental work are aware of any potential issues which would need to be addressed immediately. As of now, none exist."
Prior to being the site of a gas station, Loomis said houses apparently stood on the property, which is why the contractor has unearthed a large quantity of excess concrete. This has not impacted the project timeline, he said.
"The project is moving along quite well," he said.
The finished plaza will be able to handle all four of City Coach's downtown routes, McLean said, and if necessary, accommodate four to five vehicles at any one time. He said only minor route adjustments will be required when the plaza is finished.
In light of continued vandalism to the existing Kendal Street transfer station, which the plaza will replace, McLean said it should help that the new station will have increased illumination and be in a more prominent location.
"This is going to put us out front," McLean said, adding, "It will be a downtown anchor point for the future growth of our transit system."
A City Coach bus arrives Wednesday morning at the Kendal Street bus stop, located a block south of the new Vacaville Transit Plaza now under construction. (Rick Roach/The Reporter)
Jennifer Gentile can be reached at vacaville@thereporter.com.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Nut Tree Sprouting More Firms
Nut Tree Sprouting More Firms
Several more stores in both the retail Nut Tree Village and the Nut Tree Market Pavilion are set to open later this year and in early 2007.
By Amanda Janis/Business Editor
TheReporter.Com
Numerous new leases have been inked for both retail portions of the 76-acre Nut Tree project, according to San Francisco-based developer Westrust.
At the Nut Tree Village, which is anchored by big box retailers like Borders and Old Navy, a 3,782-square-foot Citibank branch is slated to open in early 2007, as is a 7,000-square-foot Famous Footwear store, and a 1,725-square-foot nail salon, Top Coat Nails & Spa.
The Nut Tree Market Pavilion - an open-air artisan marketplace similar in spirit to San Francisco's ferry building - is scheduled to open at the end of January. Its tenants will include Vacaville resident Janece Long's Made in California store, and Potter Family Farms, whose founder, Travis Potter, describes its operations on its Web site as a "true ma and pa meat shop" offering specialty meats from its Willamette Valley, Ore., ranch.
Also leasing space at the Market Pavilion is The Fruit Tree, which operates a roadside location in Winters; regional Mexican chain Villa Corona; Stonehouse California Olive Oil Company; and Vacaville-based Mariani Dried Fruits.
Though most of the new lessees won't open their doors until next year, "now open" signs should start slowly appearing within the complex.
Previously confirmed tenants that noted they would likely open in "late 2006" include Amici's East Coast Pizzeria, Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill, Jamba Juice, Panera Bread, Fentons Creamery, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Jelly Belly Candy Co., and girls clothing retailer Justice for Girls.
Negotiations continue for skate/surf apparel chain Tilly's, though Westrust noted there is not yet a fully executed lease.
Because the developer's policy is not to comment on tenants with which it has not signed a contract, it couldn't provide information as to whether or not Elephant Bar & Grill or P.F. Chang's China Bistro were considering Nut Tree locations.
Vacaville City Manager David Van Kirk previously noted P.F. Chang's was negotiating a deal, though company officials have told The Reporter that Vacaville is not on its development schedule, and Elephant Bar & Grill has been one of several widely rumored possible tenants.
Westrust did, however, note several other possible tenants which had been confirmed as interested in leasing space are no longer prospects. These include Marin French Cheese Co., Famous Dave's Legendary Barbecue, Shari's Berries and Suisun City's Athenian Grill.
Amanda Janis can be reached atbusiness@thereporter.com.
Several more stores in both the retail Nut Tree Village and the Nut Tree Market Pavilion are set to open later this year and in early 2007.
By Amanda Janis/Business Editor
TheReporter.Com
Numerous new leases have been inked for both retail portions of the 76-acre Nut Tree project, according to San Francisco-based developer Westrust.
At the Nut Tree Village, which is anchored by big box retailers like Borders and Old Navy, a 3,782-square-foot Citibank branch is slated to open in early 2007, as is a 7,000-square-foot Famous Footwear store, and a 1,725-square-foot nail salon, Top Coat Nails & Spa.
The Nut Tree Market Pavilion - an open-air artisan marketplace similar in spirit to San Francisco's ferry building - is scheduled to open at the end of January. Its tenants will include Vacaville resident Janece Long's Made in California store, and Potter Family Farms, whose founder, Travis Potter, describes its operations on its Web site as a "true ma and pa meat shop" offering specialty meats from its Willamette Valley, Ore., ranch.
Also leasing space at the Market Pavilion is The Fruit Tree, which operates a roadside location in Winters; regional Mexican chain Villa Corona; Stonehouse California Olive Oil Company; and Vacaville-based Mariani Dried Fruits.
Though most of the new lessees won't open their doors until next year, "now open" signs should start slowly appearing within the complex.
Previously confirmed tenants that noted they would likely open in "late 2006" include Amici's East Coast Pizzeria, Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill, Jamba Juice, Panera Bread, Fentons Creamery, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Jelly Belly Candy Co., and girls clothing retailer Justice for Girls.
Negotiations continue for skate/surf apparel chain Tilly's, though Westrust noted there is not yet a fully executed lease.
Because the developer's policy is not to comment on tenants with which it has not signed a contract, it couldn't provide information as to whether or not Elephant Bar & Grill or P.F. Chang's China Bistro were considering Nut Tree locations.
Vacaville City Manager David Van Kirk previously noted P.F. Chang's was negotiating a deal, though company officials have told The Reporter that Vacaville is not on its development schedule, and Elephant Bar & Grill has been one of several widely rumored possible tenants.
Westrust did, however, note several other possible tenants which had been confirmed as interested in leasing space are no longer prospects. These include Marin French Cheese Co., Famous Dave's Legendary Barbecue, Shari's Berries and Suisun City's Athenian Grill.
Amanda Janis can be reached atbusiness@thereporter.com.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Vallejo Representatives Make Connections in Philippines
Vallejo Representatives Make Connections in Philippines
By CHRIS G. DENINA, Times-Herald staff writer
Vallejo Times Herald
It might be the jet lag or it could be the packed itinerary that has Vallejo business and city officials still reeling Monday from a week-long trade mission to the Philippines.
Nearly two dozen Vallejo representatives toured the island nation last week seeking business opportunities, and meeting with Philippine officials up and down the political food chain - from the mayor of Baguio City to the president herself.
The Vallejo Business Alliance and the Vallejo mayor's office made stops including the former Subic Bay Naval Shipyard and the former Clark Air Base. Along the way, their trip was documented in several Philippine newspapers.
Nearly half the group returned to Vallejo on Sunday night with souvenirs, including the key to a Baguio City. The rest of the group was still touring the island nation Monday.
Getting an audience with the leader of a country was unusual and impressive, Vallejo Mayor Tony Intintoli Jr. said Monday, noting he was still tired from the trip. He chatted with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the nation's palace the second day of the visit.
"I was very delighted to have that opportunity to speak directly to her," Intintoli said. "We talked about Vallejo and the Filipino presence in the Bay Area and the desire for Filipino investment."
Intintoli, who was joined by Councilmember Hermie Sunga, said they plan to brief the council on their trip at a future meeting.
The goal was to encourage more investment in Vallejo, Intintoli said, citing Sonoma Boulevard's Seafood City shopping center as an example.
Many contacts were made by the Vallejo group, but those exchanges may take time to result in new business, Intintoli said. The immediate effects of the trip may be tourism because of all the publicity, he said.
The Philippine STAR in Manila and the Sun Star in Baguio both ran stories about the delegation, which may bring more tourism to Vallejo, Intintoli said.
"It lauds Vallejo as a travel destination," Intintoli said.
Many people they met, including the president, knew of Vallejo probably because the city has a large population of Filipino Americans, said Rick Wells, president of the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce. The chamber was one group represented on the trip.
"I think it's the first step towards building better relationships between businesses and organizations and officials within the city for long term," Wells said.
Some of the sights the group saw reminded them of Vallejo. For instance, the reuse of the former Subic and Clark military bases are similar to the Mare Island Naval Shipyard renewal, Wells said.
But unlike Mare Island, Subic is much larger and has a shipping port and commercial airport, he said.
"They also have an infrastructure that's existing and they have the ability to use the infrastructure immediately," Wells said. "We don't have that many options here."
The group exchanged many gifts with government officials there, members said.
In Baguio, the delegation gave city leaders a U.S. flag flown over the Capitol by U.S. Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez.
Vallejo Mayor Intintoli said he received a key to the city, which he plans to put on display in the Sister City room at JFK Library.
Intintoli said he also was given a painting with an agricultural theme from Philippine Speaker of the House José ClaverÃa de Venecia Jr.
The group made many stops and was welcomed by many communities, Intintoli said. On one stop, the group was greeted by school children performing songs and dance, he said.
"They were spectacular," Intintoli said. "No word is enough to describe how well choreographed and how well the music was."
Intintoli, however, said it was harder for him to be prepared for the meetings because of a cold.
"I'm thoroughly exhausted," Intintoli said Monday. "But it was OK. I did OK, I hope."
Groups that sent representatives on the trip also included the Solano County Black Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Solano/Napa counties, the Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce of Solano County and the Sister City Commission.
E-mail Chris G. Denina at cdenina@thnewsnet.com or call 553-6835.
By CHRIS G. DENINA, Times-Herald staff writer
Vallejo Times Herald
It might be the jet lag or it could be the packed itinerary that has Vallejo business and city officials still reeling Monday from a week-long trade mission to the Philippines.
Nearly two dozen Vallejo representatives toured the island nation last week seeking business opportunities, and meeting with Philippine officials up and down the political food chain - from the mayor of Baguio City to the president herself.
The Vallejo Business Alliance and the Vallejo mayor's office made stops including the former Subic Bay Naval Shipyard and the former Clark Air Base. Along the way, their trip was documented in several Philippine newspapers.
Nearly half the group returned to Vallejo on Sunday night with souvenirs, including the key to a Baguio City. The rest of the group was still touring the island nation Monday.
Getting an audience with the leader of a country was unusual and impressive, Vallejo Mayor Tony Intintoli Jr. said Monday, noting he was still tired from the trip. He chatted with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the nation's palace the second day of the visit.
"I was very delighted to have that opportunity to speak directly to her," Intintoli said. "We talked about Vallejo and the Filipino presence in the Bay Area and the desire for Filipino investment."
Intintoli, who was joined by Councilmember Hermie Sunga, said they plan to brief the council on their trip at a future meeting.
The goal was to encourage more investment in Vallejo, Intintoli said, citing Sonoma Boulevard's Seafood City shopping center as an example.
Many contacts were made by the Vallejo group, but those exchanges may take time to result in new business, Intintoli said. The immediate effects of the trip may be tourism because of all the publicity, he said.
The Philippine STAR in Manila and the Sun Star in Baguio both ran stories about the delegation, which may bring more tourism to Vallejo, Intintoli said.
"It lauds Vallejo as a travel destination," Intintoli said.
Many people they met, including the president, knew of Vallejo probably because the city has a large population of Filipino Americans, said Rick Wells, president of the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce. The chamber was one group represented on the trip.
"I think it's the first step towards building better relationships between businesses and organizations and officials within the city for long term," Wells said.
Some of the sights the group saw reminded them of Vallejo. For instance, the reuse of the former Subic and Clark military bases are similar to the Mare Island Naval Shipyard renewal, Wells said.
But unlike Mare Island, Subic is much larger and has a shipping port and commercial airport, he said.
"They also have an infrastructure that's existing and they have the ability to use the infrastructure immediately," Wells said. "We don't have that many options here."
The group exchanged many gifts with government officials there, members said.
In Baguio, the delegation gave city leaders a U.S. flag flown over the Capitol by U.S. Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez.
Vallejo Mayor Intintoli said he received a key to the city, which he plans to put on display in the Sister City room at JFK Library.
Intintoli said he also was given a painting with an agricultural theme from Philippine Speaker of the House José ClaverÃa de Venecia Jr.
The group made many stops and was welcomed by many communities, Intintoli said. On one stop, the group was greeted by school children performing songs and dance, he said.
"They were spectacular," Intintoli said. "No word is enough to describe how well choreographed and how well the music was."
Intintoli, however, said it was harder for him to be prepared for the meetings because of a cold.
"I'm thoroughly exhausted," Intintoli said Monday. "But it was OK. I did OK, I hope."
Groups that sent representatives on the trip also included the Solano County Black Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Solano/Napa counties, the Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce of Solano County and the Sister City Commission.
E-mail Chris G. Denina at cdenina@thnewsnet.com or call 553-6835.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Postcards Showcase Vacaville
Postcards Showcase Vacaville
Local agency for tourism launches six new cards it plans to use in marketing the city's attributes.
By Jennifer Gentile /Staff Writer
TheReporter.Com
A collage shows the six new postcards promoting Vacaville. (Rick Roach/The Reporter)
If a picture is worth 1,000 words, the director of the Vacaville Conference and Visitors Bureau said this week, then the city's latest strategy for boosting tourism speaks volumes.
The Vacaville Chamber of Commerce hosted an unveiling of six new Vacaville postcards, featuring photos taken by Eric Shaw, the bureau's sales and marketing director. The images will be familiar to most Vacaville residents and include Lagoon Valley Park, Andrews Park, the Vacaville Art Gallery, Town Square and the Vacaville Museum.
"We wanted to try to capture the essence of Vacaville," Shaw said. In an effort to increase visibility and exposure for the city, Shaw said, "We took photos of everything we're trying to highlight."
Visitors Bureau Executive Director Antonette Eckert said 10,000 copies have been made of each postcard, which retail for 30 cents each. So far, three businesses, including Bowman's Stationers, Yellow Brick Road and the Vacaville Art Gallery, have them available, Eckert said, with a push under way to bring them to additional businesses.
"The postcard idea has been brewing since I started," Eckert said. "I really want to build a brand for Vacaville."
Andrea McPeak, director of sales and marketing for Courtyard by Marriott and chairman of the VCVB board, said she is including the cards in sales packets that are sent to clients and those who inquire about the hotel. There are also plans to sell them in the hotel's gift shop.
"We are really promoting Vacaville as a sleepover destination," McPeak said. "People are very visual, so I think it will have an effect when they see what a beautiful place Vacaville is."
Mayor Len Augustine, who attended the unveiling, said he is impressed with the postcards and all of the latest efforts to bring people to the city.
"Tourism is a key part of what we strive to attain," Augustine said, "and the Conference and Visitors Bureau is well ahead of the curve in promoting our city." Aside from the postcards, Vacaville events have been featured in a number of publications recently, including the RV Journal; Via, the AAA magazine; and the American Bus Association's Annual Top 100 Events in North America.
Eckert also took the opportunity to announce that the VCVB would be holding a photo contest next month, adding that the winners would be featured on the Web site and in literature.
"We encourage people to capture the essence of Vacaville," Eckert said.
Jennifer Gentile can be reached at vacaville@thereporter.com.
Local agency for tourism launches six new cards it plans to use in marketing the city's attributes.
By Jennifer Gentile /Staff Writer
TheReporter.Com
A collage shows the six new postcards promoting Vacaville. (Rick Roach/The Reporter)
If a picture is worth 1,000 words, the director of the Vacaville Conference and Visitors Bureau said this week, then the city's latest strategy for boosting tourism speaks volumes.
The Vacaville Chamber of Commerce hosted an unveiling of six new Vacaville postcards, featuring photos taken by Eric Shaw, the bureau's sales and marketing director. The images will be familiar to most Vacaville residents and include Lagoon Valley Park, Andrews Park, the Vacaville Art Gallery, Town Square and the Vacaville Museum.
"We wanted to try to capture the essence of Vacaville," Shaw said. In an effort to increase visibility and exposure for the city, Shaw said, "We took photos of everything we're trying to highlight."
Visitors Bureau Executive Director Antonette Eckert said 10,000 copies have been made of each postcard, which retail for 30 cents each. So far, three businesses, including Bowman's Stationers, Yellow Brick Road and the Vacaville Art Gallery, have them available, Eckert said, with a push under way to bring them to additional businesses.
"The postcard idea has been brewing since I started," Eckert said. "I really want to build a brand for Vacaville."
Andrea McPeak, director of sales and marketing for Courtyard by Marriott and chairman of the VCVB board, said she is including the cards in sales packets that are sent to clients and those who inquire about the hotel. There are also plans to sell them in the hotel's gift shop.
"We are really promoting Vacaville as a sleepover destination," McPeak said. "People are very visual, so I think it will have an effect when they see what a beautiful place Vacaville is."
Mayor Len Augustine, who attended the unveiling, said he is impressed with the postcards and all of the latest efforts to bring people to the city.
"Tourism is a key part of what we strive to attain," Augustine said, "and the Conference and Visitors Bureau is well ahead of the curve in promoting our city." Aside from the postcards, Vacaville events have been featured in a number of publications recently, including the RV Journal; Via, the AAA magazine; and the American Bus Association's Annual Top 100 Events in North America.
Eckert also took the opportunity to announce that the VCVB would be holding a photo contest next month, adding that the winners would be featured on the Web site and in literature.
"We encourage people to capture the essence of Vacaville," Eckert said.
Jennifer Gentile can be reached at vacaville@thereporter.com.
'Pirates' Anchor in Rio Vista
'Pirates' Anchor in Rio Vista
Historical Vessels Pause to Educate
By Jennifer Gentile/Staff Writer
TheReporter.Com
It is not every day that a bona fide celebrity comes to Solano County, but a star of Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" arrived at the Rio Vista waterfront Wednesday and will remain there through Tuesday.
While the celebrity in question was not Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, or Keira Knightley, this star was integral to the film and was their home on the high seas. Named the Lady Washington, "Pirates" fans know it better as the Interceptor and the boat where much of the first film's action took place.
With a displacement weight of 178 tons and a length of 112 feet when fully outfitted, the Lady Washington is a faithful reproduction of a merchant vessel that sailed from 1750 to 1798 before foundering in the Philippines. The Lady Washington is accompanied to Rio Vista by the Hawaiian Chieftain, which is not a replica, but modeled after trading vessels of the same period. The slightly smaller Chieftain, classified as a square topsail ketch, has 10 sails to her counterpart's 11 and is 106 feet long at full extension.
Both the Lady Washington and the Chieftain are owned by the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, which has plans to sail them down the California coast throughout the rest of the year. The more maneuverable Chieftain will remain behind in the Sacramento area briefly before making the voyage.
Crew members explained that education is the ships' primary purpose. Michael Jacobson, the captain of the Lady Washington, estimated that 15,000 schoolchildren had walked across the deck in the past year. The education program encompasses seafaring history, the life of a sailor, as well as the operation of the vessel itself.
"We try to make it as interactive and hands-on as possible," said Lady Washington mate Tyson Trudel. "Our take is that if they wanted to stay in the classroom, they would have stayed in the classroom."
Jacobson added, "It is really gratifying to see young people get excited about history, and this boat really lends itself to letting history come alive."
The public can participate in dockside tours, by donation only, while the boats are in port, as well as mock battle sails and three-hour adventure tours for prices ranging from $25 to $50.
While the Chieftain joined the Grays Harbor fleet only recently, the Lady Washington was built in Aberdeen, Wash., in time for the state's centennial in 1989. In 2002, she went to Los Angeles and on to St. Vincent Island in the Caribbean to begin filming a blockbuster.
According to Trudel, the process began with "making her look how Disney wanted her to look," which meant striking all modern gear on board and giving the ship a new paint scheme, among other modifications. Several of the Lady's crew members served as extras, Trudel said, and also spent a day teaching the actors the basics of sailing.
"Being that this is an educational vessel, teaching actors was not that far of a stretch," Trudel said. He added, "They were nice folks, and Johnny Depp, particularly, was a really nice, personable guy."
After traversing the Panama Canal, Trudel said the Lady Washington faced strong winds commonly known as the "Christmas trades," which caused roaring 20-to-25-foot seas and as much as 40 knots of breeze. A broken jib boom forced a stop in Colombia, where repairs were made and the Lady Washington went on to become famous.
"It was a good experience," Trudel said, "and it was a lot of work."
The Lady Washington has since returned to her day job, and groups of students waited excitedly Thursday for their chance to board her and the Chieftain. Margaret Campbell, who teaches sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at Lewis Carroll school in Oregon House, found out about the Rio Vista visit on the Internet and traveled more than three hours with her students for the unique field trip.
"They couldn't believe it when we were driving up the road," Campbell said. The teacher said prior to making the trip, she had been talking to her students about trade and the role seafaring played in commerce and the spread of civilization.
The public can board the Lady Washington and the Hawaiian Chieftain through Tuesday. For further details about them and their schedules, visit www.historicalseaport.org.
Jennifer Gentile can be reached at vacaville@thereporter.com.
Historical Vessels Pause to Educate
By Jennifer Gentile/Staff Writer
TheReporter.Com
It is not every day that a bona fide celebrity comes to Solano County, but a star of Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" arrived at the Rio Vista waterfront Wednesday and will remain there through Tuesday.
While the celebrity in question was not Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, or Keira Knightley, this star was integral to the film and was their home on the high seas. Named the Lady Washington, "Pirates" fans know it better as the Interceptor and the boat where much of the first film's action took place.
With a displacement weight of 178 tons and a length of 112 feet when fully outfitted, the Lady Washington is a faithful reproduction of a merchant vessel that sailed from 1750 to 1798 before foundering in the Philippines. The Lady Washington is accompanied to Rio Vista by the Hawaiian Chieftain, which is not a replica, but modeled after trading vessels of the same period. The slightly smaller Chieftain, classified as a square topsail ketch, has 10 sails to her counterpart's 11 and is 106 feet long at full extension.
Both the Lady Washington and the Chieftain are owned by the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, which has plans to sail them down the California coast throughout the rest of the year. The more maneuverable Chieftain will remain behind in the Sacramento area briefly before making the voyage.
Crew members explained that education is the ships' primary purpose. Michael Jacobson, the captain of the Lady Washington, estimated that 15,000 schoolchildren had walked across the deck in the past year. The education program encompasses seafaring history, the life of a sailor, as well as the operation of the vessel itself.
"We try to make it as interactive and hands-on as possible," said Lady Washington mate Tyson Trudel. "Our take is that if they wanted to stay in the classroom, they would have stayed in the classroom."
Jacobson added, "It is really gratifying to see young people get excited about history, and this boat really lends itself to letting history come alive."
The public can participate in dockside tours, by donation only, while the boats are in port, as well as mock battle sails and three-hour adventure tours for prices ranging from $25 to $50.
While the Chieftain joined the Grays Harbor fleet only recently, the Lady Washington was built in Aberdeen, Wash., in time for the state's centennial in 1989. In 2002, she went to Los Angeles and on to St. Vincent Island in the Caribbean to begin filming a blockbuster.
According to Trudel, the process began with "making her look how Disney wanted her to look," which meant striking all modern gear on board and giving the ship a new paint scheme, among other modifications. Several of the Lady's crew members served as extras, Trudel said, and also spent a day teaching the actors the basics of sailing.
"Being that this is an educational vessel, teaching actors was not that far of a stretch," Trudel said. He added, "They were nice folks, and Johnny Depp, particularly, was a really nice, personable guy."
After traversing the Panama Canal, Trudel said the Lady Washington faced strong winds commonly known as the "Christmas trades," which caused roaring 20-to-25-foot seas and as much as 40 knots of breeze. A broken jib boom forced a stop in Colombia, where repairs were made and the Lady Washington went on to become famous.
"It was a good experience," Trudel said, "and it was a lot of work."
The Lady Washington has since returned to her day job, and groups of students waited excitedly Thursday for their chance to board her and the Chieftain. Margaret Campbell, who teaches sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at Lewis Carroll school in Oregon House, found out about the Rio Vista visit on the Internet and traveled more than three hours with her students for the unique field trip.
"They couldn't believe it when we were driving up the road," Campbell said. The teacher said prior to making the trip, she had been talking to her students about trade and the role seafaring played in commerce and the spread of civilization.
The public can board the Lady Washington and the Hawaiian Chieftain through Tuesday. For further details about them and their schedules, visit www.historicalseaport.org.
Jennifer Gentile can be reached at vacaville@thereporter.com.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Bay Area's universities rank high in commercialization of research - San Francisco Business Times:
Bay Area's universities rank high in commercialization of research - San Francisco Business Times:: "San Francisco Business Times - October 2, 2006
http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2006/10/02/newscolumn6.html
Business News - Local News
Business Pulse Survey:
Who should control Congress?
Biotech
Bay Area's universities rank high in commercialization of research
San Francisco Business Times - September 29, 2006
by Daniel S. Levine
In the film 'Max Dugan Returns,' the title character encourages his grandson to study philosophy. His grandson asks, 'Can you make money from philosophy?' and Max replies, 'Yeah, if you have the right one.'
That, it turns out, may be the secret to being successful at technology transfer -- the movement of university-created technology into the private sector where it can fuel company formation, jobs and benefits to its users.
A new report from the Milken Institute 'Mind to Market: A Global Analysis of University Biotechnology Transfer and Commercialization' explores the question of what makes a university successful at transferring its research to industry.
The question is by no means an academic one as the governments have seized on the important role universities play as drivers of a region's economy.
'Some of the academics we talk to don't think it"
http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2006/10/02/newscolumn6.html
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Bay Area's universities rank high in commercialization of research
San Francisco Business Times - September 29, 2006
by Daniel S. Levine
In the film 'Max Dugan Returns,' the title character encourages his grandson to study philosophy. His grandson asks, 'Can you make money from philosophy?' and Max replies, 'Yeah, if you have the right one.'
That, it turns out, may be the secret to being successful at technology transfer -- the movement of university-created technology into the private sector where it can fuel company formation, jobs and benefits to its users.
A new report from the Milken Institute 'Mind to Market: A Global Analysis of University Biotechnology Transfer and Commercialization' explores the question of what makes a university successful at transferring its research to industry.
The question is by no means an academic one as the governments have seized on the important role universities play as drivers of a region's economy.
'Some of the academics we talk to don't think it"
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