By Ian Thompson DAILY REPUBLIC April 28, 2010 19:44
Nick Shields, captain of the Lady of Suisun, stands on one of the decks of the entertainment boat docked in Suisun City. Shields, a graduate of the California Maritime Academy, will pilot the boat on public cruises starting this Mother's Day. Photo by Brad Zweerink
SUISUN CITY - Nick Shields, captain of the Lady of Suisun, grew up around boats in Vallejo and now he gets to run one.
The 2009 California Maritime Academy graduate is behind the helm of Suisun City's latest entertainment boat both overseeing its cruises and sharpening people skills on endless questions from passengers.
Running a riverine entertainment boat was definitely not the first vessel he expected to be working on, but Shields said it's giving him the experience he needs 'in dealing with the people aspect.'
For the complete story visit www.dailyrepublic.com
Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or at ithompson@dailyrepublic.net
Thursday, April 29, 2010
UC DAVIS TO TAKE HELM OF UC CENTER SACRAMENTO
University of California, Davis
April 29, 2010
UC DAVIS TO TAKE HELM OF UC CENTER SACRAMENTO
SACRAMENTO -- The University of California's satellite teaching, research and public service center near the state Capitol, suspended last year, will be restored and operated for the entire 10-campus system by UC Davis, university officials announced today.
The move will preserve the popular public policy and public affairs journalism programs that offered UC students from throughout the system an opportunity to learn through internships in and around the Capitol. The center also will provide a forum for public policy researchers from all UC campuses to address key issues facing the state.
Many students who went through the programs are now employed by state lawmakers, the Legislature's policy committees and numerous state agencies.
"We are excited by the opportunity to lead the UC Center Sacramento on behalf of the University of California," said UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi, who made the center a top priority shortly after arriving in Davis last summer.
"UC Davis is in a wonderful position due to location and the strength of our programs to lead this center," Katehi said. "Our mission is to provide the best possible internship opportunities and an environment where scholars from all UC campuses can come together to provide important analyses on critical state issues."
UC Provost Lawrence Pitts also welcomed the resumption of classes at the center, which he said serves state government as well as students from all the UC campuses.
"Our students look forward to expanded access to a broad academic experience both in Sacramento and on the UC Davis campus, and to hands-on experience in the executive and legislative work of the state," Pitts said. "UC is committed as the state's research university to supporting the government in its complex activities, and involving our students in these fascinating tasks."
The center has operated since 2004 as a unit funded by the UC Office of the President. It is located and will remain in a UC-owned office building at 12th and K streets, one block north of the state Capitol.
More than 600 UC students -- an average of 120 a year -- have enrolled in UC Center classes here. But, in the face of a sharp reduction in state funding, the president's office concluded last August that the university could no longer afford the center's nearly
$1 million annual budget.
Under an agreement between UC President Mark Yudof and UC Davis, the president's office will continue to provide transitional funding as the Davis campus attempts to make the center self-supporting with restructuring and a portion of existing student fees.
"We're not just trying to do the same thing on a smaller budget. We'd like to do more," said Ron Mangun, dean of the Division of Social Sciences, which assumes responsibility for the center. "It's not just saving money; it's advancing the mission of the UC system on behalf of the people of California."
The center will resume summer journalism classes and internships in June. Public policy classes will follow in September. UC faculty also plan to launch a variety of research projects, including studies of climate change, water issues and economic challenges facing the state.
A much leaner $400,000 budget will be financed in part by redirecting a portion of the fees associated with students who enroll in classes to the center. In the past, the students' home campuses received all of their fees.
"It creates this opportunity to not only have an important organization for our own campus, but to get involved in an organization that's going to pull all of the campuses together," said Robert Huckfeldt, a UC Davis political science professor and director of the Institute of Governmental Affairs who will be the new director of the UC Center Sacramento.
Under the agreement with the UC Office of the President, UC Davis will take responsibility for the continued operation of a reconfigured center that pursues three primary goals:
* Connecting UC research scholars, including collaborative efforts among all the campuses, with state policymakers in the Governor's Office, the Legislature and state agencies.
* Creating a public policy research center focused on significant state and national issues.
* Maintaining an academic public policy program, which includes internships, as well as continuing a collaborative relationship with UC Berkeley to sponsor the summer journalism program.
In addition to Huckfeldt's role as the center's director, the Institute of Governmental Affairs will provide administrative support for the operation. UC Davis faculty members also will teach a seminar for the public policy students and oversee the academic internships.
The center's leadership will work with faculty and administrators on all of the campuses to create an ongoing series of lectures, seminars, workshops and conferences that address pressing public policy issues as well as aid in the development of collaborative research.
Over the years, the center has drawn strong reviews from students, such as UC Davis Spanish and communications major Ignacio Torres, who interned in the Sacramento bureau of the Spanish-language newspaper La Opinion last summer. Torres said he was assigned important stories that had to be reported and written quickly for the Los Angeles-based newspaper.
"I think it's rare to find that in an internship," he said, "where you're given that much responsibility, where you have to go to the governor's press conference, where you have to talk to the speaker.
"That's what made it different from any other internship that I had, in the sense that it was valuable work that I was doing for them and for myself as well."
About UC Davis
For more than 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world.
Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has 32,000 students, an annual research budget that exceeds $600 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges -- Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science. It also houses six professional schools -- Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.
Media contact(s):
* Robert Huckfeldt, UC Center Sacramento, (530) 752-2042, rhuckfeldt@ucdavis.edu
* Steve Montiel, UC Office of the President, (510) 987-9200, steve.montiel@ucop.edu
* Jim Sweeney, UC Davis News Service, (530) 752-6101, jpsweeney@ucdavis.edu
------------------------------------------------
Our full UC Davis directory of media services and 24-hour contact information is available at.
------------------------------------------------
Need information from campus news archives? The UC Davis News Service database contains past (and current) UC Davis news stories dating to 1991. Go to
-------------------------------------------------
More university news and an experts directory:
-------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, please send an e-mail message to newsservice@ucdavis.edu.
-------------------------------------------------
UC Davis News Service
One Shields Avenue
Davis, California 95616-8687
newsservice@ucdavis.edu
Phone: (530) 752-1930; Fax: (530) 752-4068
April 29, 2010
UC DAVIS TO TAKE HELM OF UC CENTER SACRAMENTO
SACRAMENTO -- The University of California's satellite teaching, research and public service center near the state Capitol, suspended last year, will be restored and operated for the entire 10-campus system by UC Davis, university officials announced today.
The move will preserve the popular public policy and public affairs journalism programs that offered UC students from throughout the system an opportunity to learn through internships in and around the Capitol. The center also will provide a forum for public policy researchers from all UC campuses to address key issues facing the state.
Many students who went through the programs are now employed by state lawmakers, the Legislature's policy committees and numerous state agencies.
"We are excited by the opportunity to lead the UC Center Sacramento on behalf of the University of California," said UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi, who made the center a top priority shortly after arriving in Davis last summer.
"UC Davis is in a wonderful position due to location and the strength of our programs to lead this center," Katehi said. "Our mission is to provide the best possible internship opportunities and an environment where scholars from all UC campuses can come together to provide important analyses on critical state issues."
UC Provost Lawrence Pitts also welcomed the resumption of classes at the center, which he said serves state government as well as students from all the UC campuses.
"Our students look forward to expanded access to a broad academic experience both in Sacramento and on the UC Davis campus, and to hands-on experience in the executive and legislative work of the state," Pitts said. "UC is committed as the state's research university to supporting the government in its complex activities, and involving our students in these fascinating tasks."
The center has operated since 2004 as a unit funded by the UC Office of the President. It is located and will remain in a UC-owned office building at 12th and K streets, one block north of the state Capitol.
More than 600 UC students -- an average of 120 a year -- have enrolled in UC Center classes here. But, in the face of a sharp reduction in state funding, the president's office concluded last August that the university could no longer afford the center's nearly
$1 million annual budget.
Under an agreement between UC President Mark Yudof and UC Davis, the president's office will continue to provide transitional funding as the Davis campus attempts to make the center self-supporting with restructuring and a portion of existing student fees.
"We're not just trying to do the same thing on a smaller budget. We'd like to do more," said Ron Mangun, dean of the Division of Social Sciences, which assumes responsibility for the center. "It's not just saving money; it's advancing the mission of the UC system on behalf of the people of California."
The center will resume summer journalism classes and internships in June. Public policy classes will follow in September. UC faculty also plan to launch a variety of research projects, including studies of climate change, water issues and economic challenges facing the state.
A much leaner $400,000 budget will be financed in part by redirecting a portion of the fees associated with students who enroll in classes to the center. In the past, the students' home campuses received all of their fees.
"It creates this opportunity to not only have an important organization for our own campus, but to get involved in an organization that's going to pull all of the campuses together," said Robert Huckfeldt, a UC Davis political science professor and director of the Institute of Governmental Affairs who will be the new director of the UC Center Sacramento.
Under the agreement with the UC Office of the President, UC Davis will take responsibility for the continued operation of a reconfigured center that pursues three primary goals:
* Connecting UC research scholars, including collaborative efforts among all the campuses, with state policymakers in the Governor's Office, the Legislature and state agencies.
* Creating a public policy research center focused on significant state and national issues.
* Maintaining an academic public policy program, which includes internships, as well as continuing a collaborative relationship with UC Berkeley to sponsor the summer journalism program.
In addition to Huckfeldt's role as the center's director, the Institute of Governmental Affairs will provide administrative support for the operation. UC Davis faculty members also will teach a seminar for the public policy students and oversee the academic internships.
The center's leadership will work with faculty and administrators on all of the campuses to create an ongoing series of lectures, seminars, workshops and conferences that address pressing public policy issues as well as aid in the development of collaborative research.
Over the years, the center has drawn strong reviews from students, such as UC Davis Spanish and communications major Ignacio Torres, who interned in the Sacramento bureau of the Spanish-language newspaper La Opinion last summer. Torres said he was assigned important stories that had to be reported and written quickly for the Los Angeles-based newspaper.
"I think it's rare to find that in an internship," he said, "where you're given that much responsibility, where you have to go to the governor's press conference, where you have to talk to the speaker.
"That's what made it different from any other internship that I had, in the sense that it was valuable work that I was doing for them and for myself as well."
About UC Davis
For more than 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world.
Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has 32,000 students, an annual research budget that exceeds $600 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges -- Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science. It also houses six professional schools -- Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.
Media contact(s):
* Robert Huckfeldt, UC Center Sacramento, (530) 752-2042, rhuckfeldt@ucdavis.edu
* Steve Montiel, UC Office of the President, (510) 987-9200, steve.montiel@ucop.edu
* Jim Sweeney, UC Davis News Service, (530) 752-6101, jpsweeney@ucdavis.edu
------------------------------------------------
Our full UC Davis directory of media services and 24-hour contact information is available at
------------------------------------------------
Need information from campus news archives? The UC Davis News Service database contains past (and current) UC Davis news stories dating to 1991. Go to
-------------------------------------------------
More university news and an experts directory:
-------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, please send an e-mail message to newsservice@ucdavis.edu.
-------------------------------------------------
UC Davis News Service
One Shields Avenue
Davis, California 95616-8687
newsservice@ucdavis.edu
Phone: (530) 752-1930; Fax: (530) 752-4068
Friday, April 23, 2010
Expert touts biofuels to spur Solano economic growth
By Barry Eberling
April 22nd, 2010
DAILY REPUBLIC
FAIRFIELD — Be ready for job growth in such emerging energy fields as biofuels, but expect oil and gas to play a role in daily life for decades to come, an energy economist advised local business leaders today.
Economist Sara Banaszak delivered that message at the Solano Economic Development Corp. breakfast in the Hilton Garden Inn. She works for the American Petroleum Institute.
Oil companies are financing biofuels research and clearly see that as a good bet, Banaszak said.
“There are opportunities here to build on the sort of incubator that exists in this area and piggyback on that opportunity,” she said.
Biofuels range from ethanol to algae-based fuels to biomass fuels made from such materials as rice straw and tomato residues. Scientists at UC Davis, UC Berkeley and the national laboratories in the Bay Area are doing research.
Solano EDC President Michael Ammann said after the breakfast that Solano County has a good location to take advantage of biofuel developments. It has underutilized, non-prime farmland that can be used to grow biofuel crops and is near to the research centers. It could be the site for processing plants, he said.
The Solano County energy cluster report issued by Solano EDC in November 2009 mentions biofuels. Among other things, it said a research center could be built in Vallejo to look at algae-based, clean-burning fuel.
For the rest of the article visit http://www.dailyrepublic.com/
April 22nd, 2010
DAILY REPUBLIC
FAIRFIELD — Be ready for job growth in such emerging energy fields as biofuels, but expect oil and gas to play a role in daily life for decades to come, an energy economist advised local business leaders today.
Economist Sara Banaszak delivered that message at the Solano Economic Development Corp. breakfast in the Hilton Garden Inn. She works for the American Petroleum Institute.
Oil companies are financing biofuels research and clearly see that as a good bet, Banaszak said.
“There are opportunities here to build on the sort of incubator that exists in this area and piggyback on that opportunity,” she said.
Biofuels range from ethanol to algae-based fuels to biomass fuels made from such materials as rice straw and tomato residues. Scientists at UC Davis, UC Berkeley and the national laboratories in the Bay Area are doing research.
Solano EDC President Michael Ammann said after the breakfast that Solano County has a good location to take advantage of biofuel developments. It has underutilized, non-prime farmland that can be used to grow biofuel crops and is near to the research centers. It could be the site for processing plants, he said.
The Solano County energy cluster report issued by Solano EDC in November 2009 mentions biofuels. Among other things, it said a research center could be built in Vallejo to look at algae-based, clean-burning fuel.
For the rest of the article visit http://www.dailyrepublic.com/
First 5 success tied to county success
By Michael Ammann
April 22nd, 2010
One of Solano Economic Development Corporation's most important long-term partnerships exists with First 5 Solano -- a countywide organization that devotes its efforts to early childhood development.
In today's convoluted economic world, it may be difficult to fully appreciate the importance of EDC's support in this long-term approach toward making Solano future's bright. Some may argue that the pressures of today's economic challenges need to be the sole focus of EDC's efforts. While it is indeed true that the pressures of today's financial world require most of EDC's attention, we cannot overlook the importance of planning for the future.
Simply stated, the current economic situation will improve in the coming months and years -- and we in Solano County must be ready to pounce on the opportunities to bring new industry, business and jobs into our communities. In the changing industrial world we must have a workforce ready to fulfill the demands of business that is projected for the future.
The EDC Economic Index research study said that in 2006 more than 1,100 people with bachelor's degrees moved into Solano County. This is good news, since they bring with them higher paying salaries. And, those with college educations are more inclined to want their kids attending great schools, realizing that knowledge leads to success through higher-skilled jobs that pay well. We need to encourage these “new” residents to become active voices for better education in our schools.
Our high school dropout rates are rising at a time when the Bay Area economy demands higher skills from the local workforce. The best way to turn this trend around is to devote more energy and resources toward our young people -- particularly those in early childhood.
Thus, the importance of First 5 Solano becomes evident.
Research and statistics have demonstrated just how important the first five years of a child's life are. Research has demonstrated that investments in early childhood development, child care and education help determine which communities attract and retain businesses.
Solano County is below the norm in many early childhood benchmarks. For example, 13 percent of Solano children below the age of 5 live below the poverty line. Only 38 percent of 3- and 4-year-olds are enrolled in preschool, compared to the state average of 48 percent.
A lack of preschool education is a major factor that contributes to lower high school graduation rates.
Clearly, Solano County's economic success depends in part on early childhood investments.
Solano EDC and its members recognize this simple truth and are therefore forging partnerships and collaborations with First 5 Solano, which will prepare children for formal education.
Children in kindergarten think pretty much in magical terms. Their world is open to new ideas and learning. They have tremendous capabilities to use their energies. And, it has been demonstrated that those youngsters who enter kindergarten with a sound foundation -- physical health, social skills and cognitive skills -- enjoy a more successful education experience. This translates into a more successful work skills and opportunities in their adult life.
First 5 Solano is our first line of offense to assure our young people enter schools prepared.
A child, by the age of 4 is already asking himself (or herself) “why?” and “how?” Parents, family, friends and communities can all play a role in helping the child develop these born-given traits to seek learn and discover.
The task of serving children and their families during these first five years of life is one that requires the resources, funding and support of government, private and community organizations.
Solano EDC and First 5 have conducted numerous focus groups with business leaders to help prioritize the basic needs for workers with small children.
Here's a short list:
That being said, it is easy to see why Solano EDC supports and invites others to join First 5 Solano.
Michael Ammann is president of the Solano Economic Development Corporation. He can be reached at mike@solanoedc.org.
April 22nd, 2010
One of Solano Economic Development Corporation's most important long-term partnerships exists with First 5 Solano -- a countywide organization that devotes its efforts to early childhood development.
In today's convoluted economic world, it may be difficult to fully appreciate the importance of EDC's support in this long-term approach toward making Solano future's bright. Some may argue that the pressures of today's economic challenges need to be the sole focus of EDC's efforts. While it is indeed true that the pressures of today's financial world require most of EDC's attention, we cannot overlook the importance of planning for the future.
Simply stated, the current economic situation will improve in the coming months and years -- and we in Solano County must be ready to pounce on the opportunities to bring new industry, business and jobs into our communities. In the changing industrial world we must have a workforce ready to fulfill the demands of business that is projected for the future.
The EDC Economic Index research study said that in 2006 more than 1,100 people with bachelor's degrees moved into Solano County. This is good news, since they bring with them higher paying salaries. And, those with college educations are more inclined to want their kids attending great schools, realizing that knowledge leads to success through higher-skilled jobs that pay well. We need to encourage these “new” residents to become active voices for better education in our schools.
Our high school dropout rates are rising at a time when the Bay Area economy demands higher skills from the local workforce. The best way to turn this trend around is to devote more energy and resources toward our young people -- particularly those in early childhood.
Thus, the importance of First 5 Solano becomes evident.
Research and statistics have demonstrated just how important the first five years of a child's life are. Research has demonstrated that investments in early childhood development, child care and education help determine which communities attract and retain businesses.
Solano County is below the norm in many early childhood benchmarks. For example, 13 percent of Solano children below the age of 5 live below the poverty line. Only 38 percent of 3- and 4-year-olds are enrolled in preschool, compared to the state average of 48 percent.
A lack of preschool education is a major factor that contributes to lower high school graduation rates.
Clearly, Solano County's economic success depends in part on early childhood investments.
Solano EDC and its members recognize this simple truth and are therefore forging partnerships and collaborations with First 5 Solano, which will prepare children for formal education.
Children in kindergarten think pretty much in magical terms. Their world is open to new ideas and learning. They have tremendous capabilities to use their energies. And, it has been demonstrated that those youngsters who enter kindergarten with a sound foundation -- physical health, social skills and cognitive skills -- enjoy a more successful education experience. This translates into a more successful work skills and opportunities in their adult life.
First 5 Solano is our first line of offense to assure our young people enter schools prepared.
A child, by the age of 4 is already asking himself (or herself) “why?” and “how?” Parents, family, friends and communities can all play a role in helping the child develop these born-given traits to seek learn and discover.
The task of serving children and their families during these first five years of life is one that requires the resources, funding and support of government, private and community organizations.
Solano EDC and First 5 have conducted numerous focus groups with business leaders to help prioritize the basic needs for workers with small children.
Here's a short list:
- Affordable and convenient health care
- Quality child care
- Flexibility for a family's needs
- Effective education (beginning with preschool)
- Ongoing training opportunities
- Reliable transportation
That being said, it is easy to see why Solano EDC supports and invites others to join First 5 Solano.
Michael Ammann is president of the Solano Economic Development Corporation. He can be reached at mike@solanoedc.org.
Solano Economic Development Corporation hears presentation by economist about oil industry
By Richard Bammer / The Reporter
Posted: 04/23/2010 05:32:34 AM PDT
The biggest challenges facing U.S. oil and natural gas industries are continued dealings with oil-rich Middle Eastern countries and developing more petroleum supplies within American borders, an economist said Thursday in Fairfield.
Sara Banaszak, a senior economist with the American Petroleum Institute in Washington, D.C., said America's long-term energy interests are better served by seeking oil and natural gas reserves in politically stable North American environments rather than to continue to import vast amounts of crude oil from Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, among them Saudi Arabia and Iran.
During a Solano Economic Development Corporation breakfast meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn, she also touched upon a variety of API concerns, specifically the need for the industry to be more efficient.
Speaking to some 150 area business and political leaders, Banaszak said that, despite some lingering "myths," American petroleum corporations support energy efficiency and seek to develop and sell "all kinds of energy."
U.S. energy corporations "are big investors" in renewable energy, she said, noting that Thursday was Earth Day.
Banaszak added, "Oil and gas are the building blocks of the chemical industry and petrochemical industry." She asserted that the widespread use of plastics, in many ways a problem-solving technology, has made the world more energy efficient. She did not, however, comment on the negative impact of plastic waste in the environment.
Using a laser pointer to discuss graphics and charts projected on a screen behind her, Banaszak said harmful emissions, such as acid rain, from coal-powered electrical plants are declining while "our air is getting cleaner at the same time." She pointed to the Midwest and the so-called Rust Belt on a map, but did not note the significant decline in manufacturing there in the past 40 years.
(In an interview after her presentation, Banaszak agreed that fewer pollutant-spewing, heavy industries are operating in the Midwest but also noted that coal-powered plants there today "scrub" and clean their emissions using the latest technology. It has made a difference in air quality, she said.)
From a global perspective, she sees a direct link "between energy and economic growth."
Then, narrowing her focus to California, she noted that the state's universities are a leader, through industry and taxpayer funding, of research into biofuels. Still, California relies on oil and natural gas to meet 80 percent of its energy needs, with the remainder coming largely from geothermal and hydroelectric sources.
Noting the decrease in refineries but the rise in capacity, Banaszak said the role of biofuels will increase in the future because federal mandates call for increased use of ethanol in gasoline.
In introductory remarks, Mike Ammann, EDC president, noted that Solano County is home to 1,200 oil and gas industry-related jobs, with the future a mix of traditional and "green" businesses.
Posted: 04/23/2010 05:32:34 AM PDT
The biggest challenges facing U.S. oil and natural gas industries are continued dealings with oil-rich Middle Eastern countries and developing more petroleum supplies within American borders, an economist said Thursday in Fairfield.
Sara Banaszak, a senior economist with the American Petroleum Institute in Washington, D.C., said America's long-term energy interests are better served by seeking oil and natural gas reserves in politically stable North American environments rather than to continue to import vast amounts of crude oil from Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, among them Saudi Arabia and Iran.
During a Solano Economic Development Corporation breakfast meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn, she also touched upon a variety of API concerns, specifically the need for the industry to be more efficient.
Speaking to some 150 area business and political leaders, Banaszak said that, despite some lingering "myths," American petroleum corporations support energy efficiency and seek to develop and sell "all kinds of energy."
U.S. energy corporations "are big investors" in renewable energy, she said, noting that Thursday was Earth Day.
Banaszak added, "Oil and gas are the building blocks of the chemical industry and petrochemical industry." She asserted that the widespread use of plastics, in many ways a problem-solving technology, has made the world more energy efficient. She did not, however, comment on the negative impact of plastic waste in the environment.
Using a laser pointer to discuss graphics and charts projected on a screen behind her, Banaszak said harmful emissions, such as acid rain, from coal-powered electrical plants are declining while "our air is getting cleaner at the same time." She pointed to the Midwest and the so-called Rust Belt on a map, but did not note the significant decline in manufacturing there in the past 40 years.
(In an interview after her presentation, Banaszak agreed that fewer pollutant-spewing, heavy industries are operating in the Midwest but also noted that coal-powered plants there today "scrub" and clean their emissions using the latest technology. It has made a difference in air quality, she said.)
From a global perspective, she sees a direct link "between energy and economic growth."
Then, narrowing her focus to California, she noted that the state's universities are a leader, through industry and taxpayer funding, of research into biofuels. Still, California relies on oil and natural gas to meet 80 percent of its energy needs, with the remainder coming largely from geothermal and hydroelectric sources.
Noting the decrease in refineries but the rise in capacity, Banaszak said the role of biofuels will increase in the future because federal mandates call for increased use of ethanol in gasoline.
In introductory remarks, Mike Ammann, EDC president, noted that Solano County is home to 1,200 oil and gas industry-related jobs, with the future a mix of traditional and "green" businesses.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Weather blocks I-80 roadway completion
By Barry Eberling | DAILY REPUBLIC | April 21, 2010 16:44
Road crews work on a section of I-80 near Abernathy Road in Fairfield in 2009.
FAIRFIELD - Workers have a few finishing touches to add to the Interstate 80 pavement renovation effort in Fairfield, though they'll wait for better weather to get started.
They still must add another layer of pavement to the five-mile section from near the Anheuser Busch brewery to east of Air Base Parkway. Work is to begin in mid-May.
The temperature has to be at least 55 degrees to have the asphalt pavement stick well, Ruth said. And this temperature will have to come after nightfall.
For the complete article visit http://www.dailyrepublic.com/
Reach Barry Eberling at 425-4646, ext. 232, or beberling@dailyrepublic.net
Road crews work on a section of I-80 near Abernathy Road in Fairfield in 2009.
FAIRFIELD - Workers have a few finishing touches to add to the Interstate 80 pavement renovation effort in Fairfield, though they'll wait for better weather to get started.
They still must add another layer of pavement to the five-mile section from near the Anheuser Busch brewery to east of Air Base Parkway. Work is to begin in mid-May.
The temperature has to be at least 55 degrees to have the asphalt pavement stick well, Ruth said. And this temperature will have to come after nightfall.
For the complete article visit http://www.dailyrepublic.com/
Reach Barry Eberling at 425-4646, ext. 232, or beberling@dailyrepublic.net
Novartis lends hand to senior citizens in Vacaville
Novartis lends hand to senior citizens in Vacaville
BY KIMBERLY K. FU / THE REPORTER
Posted: 04/22/2010 01:03:18 AM PDT
Working in the rain, Novartis employees Antonio Banes (left), Pam Rood and Thomas Schwarz (right) shovel new gravel into the front garden area of a home in the 100 block of Olympic Circle in Vacaville on Wednesday. (RICK ROACH / THE REPORTER)
Chilly temperatures and driving rains failed to dissuade dozens of Good Samaritans early Wednesday from descending on Vacaville and offering their own brand of sunshine to a clutch of senior citizens.
"It's a chance to give back," said Rob Carter, site head at Novartis, a Switzerland-based biopharmaceutical company with a branch in Vacaville. "It's in our community, it's where we live, where we work."
From around 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., about half the company's 150 employees fanned out in teams across Leisure Town and on La Cresta Drive to do home improvement work on the houses of 14 elderly and disabled homeowners. The event was part of the company's 14th annual international Community Partnership Day, in which staff across the
Novartis employee Mark Feaster cleans sludge from the rain gutter of a home in the 100 block of Olympic Circle in Vacaville. (RICK ROACH / THE REPORTER)
globe performed volunteer projects in their communities. This was the fourth annual local event, in partnership with the city, since the Vacaville branch opened in 2006.
Everyone involved, Carter said, benefits as much as those being helped. As well, a sense of teamwork is not only fostered, but strengthened.
"When I first heard about it, I was impressed," said Deb Curtis, who works in document control at Novartis. "I was excited to be a part of this."
As fat droplets of rain splattered on the flats of multicolored blooms that sat on a La Cresta Drive sidewalk, waiting to be planted, Curtis and fellow staffers raked, yanked old growth, mended fences and more.
Toiling along with the staff were Mayor Len Augustine and City Councilwoman Dilenna Harris.
"For team-building, you can't beat this. It brings people from all departments together," Augustine said, briefly seeking shelter from the inclement weather. "They really want to be involved in the community, in a physical way."
Homeowner Jonathan Hensley, 73, said he appreciated the help.
"I didn't expect them to buy plants and buy me a bench," the retired military man enthused, explaining his panic when volunteers dumped his old one only to see them replace it with a newer model. "I like to sit out here. I people-watch."
Hensley has had a quadruple bypass and walks with a cane. In February, his beloved wife, Mary, died and he found that life had become a bit more difficult. But he makes time to volunteer at the McBride Senior Center and with Meals on Wheels. The landscaping, meanwhile, got away from him, he admitted, calling the volunteers a godsend.
"The people at Novartis, they're just a great crew to take time out of their schedule to help guys like me," he said.
On Lassen Circle, another team worked feverishly against the clock -- and ever-darkening skies -- to get Mary Robertson's landscaping in order.
"We did all the weeds, all the planters, all (of) the backyard," said Eric Hice, an engineering senior designer at Novartis. "We're all out here doing this and we're happy to do it."
"It's fun to do, to help somebody else out," chimed in Todd Johnson, a facility engineer. "It's community partnership."
Juan and Mary Lou Rico, owners of an Olympic Circle residence, bid a sad farewell to their helpers. Mary Lou had already awarded them with fresh-baked peanut butter cookies and lemonade.
"It was a perfect break, right when it was raining down the hardest," said Mark Feaster, a project manager.
"We told them if they stayed all day we'd have happy hour," joked Mary Lou.
All joking aside, the couple said they were grateful.
"It's just harder for us to get down there," she said of the garden beds. "I give them a lot of credit."
Vacaville in familiar place: Among top 100 cities in U.S.
Vacaville in familiar place: Among top 100 cities in U.S.
BY KIMBERLY K. FU / THE REPORTER
Posted: 04/22/2010 01:03:28 AM PDT
It's official -- Vacaville again has been ranked among the top 100 residential cities nationwide.
For the third year in a row, and the seventh time since 2002, Vacaville has been recognized in Michigan-based RelocateAmerica.com annual list of "America's Top 100 Places to Live."
Only three other California cities scored a similar designation this year -- San Diego, Santa Cruz and Temecula.
Vacaville Mayor Len Augustine expressed extreme pride in his city.
"We're always happy to be recognized. We're certainly pleased," he said Wednesday. "It is a safe city and a very united city. There's so many activities going on. ... It's an unbelievable place to live and very family-oriented. There's always something to do."
City Manager Laura Kuhn agreed.
"It's a true reflection that Vacaville is a great place to live," she said. "I moved here five years ago, and I love it."
The community is as diverse as the businesses based here, Augustine added, with something for everyone.
"If you can't find your niche here, you can't find it anywhere," Augustine said.
There's a lot of history to Vacaville, emphasized Gary Tatum, Chamber of Commerce president. Landmarks date back to the 1850s, a museum is dedicated to telling Vacaville's story and, more importantly, Vacaville is a genial place, he said.
"Our city personifies its people," Tatum pointed out. "And our people are friendly."
Public safety, he said, is also top notch. "People come here because it's top notch," Tatum explained. "Lots of cops from all over the Bay Area live here because it's safe."
Add to that great shopping and restaurants, he said, and Vacaville is quite an attractive destination.
"The Chamber of Commerce has always known that Vacaville is a great place to live and is thrilled that now everyone knows that," Tatum said, inviting visitors to come take a look at all the city has to offer.
To be considered for RelocateAmerica.com's list, a community is nominated and the business' editorial team selects the Top 100 Places to Live, as well as the Top 10 for smaller categories, based on interviews with local leaders; feedback from residents; and economic, environmental, education, crime, employment and housing data for the past year.
"Given the tough economic times our nation is facing, homebuyers have re-evaluated their priorities and are looking to relocate to communities that offer plenty of perks, but minimal hassle and cost," said Peter Meyers, vice president of research and content development at RelocateAmerica.com in a prepared statement. "While some cities are facing a road to recovery that could take years, others are poised for a quick rebound and already have seen growth. We wanted to highlight those cities that are on the road back to economic health."
BY KIMBERLY K. FU / THE REPORTER
Posted: 04/22/2010 01:03:28 AM PDT
It's official -- Vacaville again has been ranked among the top 100 residential cities nationwide.
For the third year in a row, and the seventh time since 2002, Vacaville has been recognized in Michigan-based RelocateAmerica.com annual list of "America's Top 100 Places to Live."
Only three other California cities scored a similar designation this year -- San Diego, Santa Cruz and Temecula.
Vacaville Mayor Len Augustine expressed extreme pride in his city.
"We're always happy to be recognized. We're certainly pleased," he said Wednesday. "It is a safe city and a very united city. There's so many activities going on. ... It's an unbelievable place to live and very family-oriented. There's always something to do."
City Manager Laura Kuhn agreed.
"It's a true reflection that Vacaville is a great place to live," she said. "I moved here five years ago, and I love it."
The community is as diverse as the businesses based here, Augustine added, with something for everyone.
"If you can't find your niche here, you can't find it anywhere," Augustine said.
There's a lot of history to Vacaville, emphasized Gary Tatum, Chamber of Commerce president. Landmarks date back to the 1850s, a museum is dedicated to telling Vacaville's story and, more importantly, Vacaville is a genial place, he said.
"Our city personifies its people," Tatum pointed out. "And our people are friendly."
Public safety, he said, is also top notch. "People come here because it's top notch," Tatum explained. "Lots of cops from all over the Bay Area live here because it's safe."
Add to that great shopping and restaurants, he said, and Vacaville is quite an attractive destination.
"The Chamber of Commerce has always known that Vacaville is a great place to live and is thrilled that now everyone knows that," Tatum said, inviting visitors to come take a look at all the city has to offer.
To be considered for RelocateAmerica.com's list, a community is nominated and the business' editorial team selects the Top 100 Places to Live, as well as the Top 10 for smaller categories, based on interviews with local leaders; feedback from residents; and economic, environmental, education, crime, employment and housing data for the past year.
"Given the tough economic times our nation is facing, homebuyers have re-evaluated their priorities and are looking to relocate to communities that offer plenty of perks, but minimal hassle and cost," said Peter Meyers, vice president of research and content development at RelocateAmerica.com in a prepared statement. "While some cities are facing a road to recovery that could take years, others are poised for a quick rebound and already have seen growth. We wanted to highlight those cities that are on the road back to economic health."
Solano Community College class offers welders chance to advance career
Solano Community College class offers welders chance to advance career
BY RYAN CHALK / THE REPORTER
Posted: 04/15/2010 01:47:03 AM PDT
Raul DeLaCruz uses a stick-welding method on a piece of steel pipe during a welding class at Solano Community College in Fairfield on Saturday. (RYAN CHALK / THE REPORTER)
Their futures are so bright, they have to wear shades -- indoors, that is.
Take a step inside the welding shop at Solano Community College and you see a mix of students from those barely removed from high school to adult professionals looking to advance their careers. With sparks flying and flashes of light emanating from the individual welding booths, everyone has their glasses or welding masks on for safety.
"We do every type of welding imaginable ... MIG (metal inert gas), TIG (tungsten inert gas), aluminum, stainless, mild steel," said Thomas Via, welding instructor. "A lot of people here are already in the field and trying to get certified in a specific area."
According to the American Welding Society, there is a shortage
A view of the welding shop at Solano Community College in Fairfield. (RYAN CHALK / THE REPORTER)
of welders in the United States. The average age of a welder in the United States is in the mid-50s and the baby boomer generation is causing a spike in the number retiring and fewer welding students are entering the field to replace them.
The prediction is that there could be a shortage of 200,000 skilled welders by the end of this decade.
Fortunately for those in Solano County, Solano Community College is positioned to help train the next generation of welders and help offer skills to those who are looking to start a new career or further an existing one.
"Welding is the only certified program at Solano, along with aeronautics, to meet national standards," Via said.
The welding program is the only one in the state to
ADVERTISEMENT
be designated as an affiliate institution of the National Center for Welding Education and Training (Weld-Ed).
"The more I can do to benefit myself, the more I can do for the company," said Dale Mitchell of Benicia.
Mitchell, 48, works for United Airlines as a mechanic in the engine shop.
"I'm here learning how to TIG weld and learn how to work with aluminum and steel. If I can learn how to do these repairs in our shop, we don't have to outsource them," Mitchell said.
He said he's learned how to weld from "scratch" and has been enrolled in the program for a year.
"I'm doing it to advance my career and my opportunities with United Airlines," Mitchell said.
"You can learn how to put these skills to work with any type of equipment. It's going to benefit you whether you want to work on a bridge or the aerospace field. I think it's a great skill for somebody right out of high school," he added.
Raul DeLaCruz worked as a meat packer for 20 years. But working in the freezer affected his knee to the point where he had to quit. Two-and-a-half years ago, the 45-year-old Suisun resident enrolled in the welding program and has his certification in plate welding.
It landed him a job at a refinery as a welder, but due to the recession, he was laid off.
He's back working toward a certification in pipe welding.
"There's a lot of things I've learned here. It's close to home and it's a a great place to change a career," DeLaCruz said.
For more information about the welding program at Solano Community College, contact Via at tvia@solano.edu or call 864-7140 Ext. 7279 or 5218. You can also visit the school's Web site at www.solano.edu.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
UC Davis Cancer Center forms human tumor library as part of consortium
Monday, April 19, 2010, 1:27pm PDT | Modified: Monday, April 19, 2010, 1:54pm
SACRAMENTO BUSINESS JOURNAL - BY Kathy Robertson STAFF WRITER
The UC Davis Cancer Center has teamed up with a mutant mouse company to form a new consortium aimed at building a publicly available library of human tumors to promote research of new therapies against cancer.
UC Davis will supply The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) facility in Sacramento with solid human tumors that can be expanded in mice and made available for research. The consortium hopes to partner with other cancer centers, too — and the shared resources will benefit all the members.
Every cancer is as unique as the patient who has to live with it. That’s why most cancer treatments, developed to address the “average” patient, can be ineffective or even toxic.
“The standard way of trying to discover new therapies for cancer relies on use of tumor cell lines that may be many years old, grown in tissue culture and then put into mice,” UC Davis Cancer Center director Ralph DeVere White said in a news release. “While this has proven fairly successful in telling us what does not work, it does not predictably prove when therapies do work. “
The standard drug development process is costly in terms of money spent — and time, which many patients don’t have.
One problem with the tumor cell-line approach is that when those cells divide and reproduce, genetic mutations naturally occur. Thus the cells may drift into a different genetic profile, and any treatments designed to target the original tumors won’t work.
JAX has engineered an new mouse that had no immune system and has been shown to be especially receptive to human tumors. Researchers can take the tumor directly from a patient, implant it into a mouse, and use it to test new cancer therapies.
“The biomedical research community needs a common, readily accessible recourse to support this vital effort,” JAX vice president and chief operating officer Chuck Hewett said. “Jackson has all the necessary skills and infrastructure need to create and distribute such a resource. No single cancer has a sufficiently broad patient population to meet this need, so we must work together if we hope to compress the drug discover timeline and ultimately save lives.”
UC Davis is the first member of the research consortium. The partnership expands on an initial agreement last year between the university and JAX, but the partners have collaborated on research since July 1999.
Read more: UC Davis Cancer Center forms human tumor library as part of consortium - Sacramento Business Journal:
SACRAMENTO BUSINESS JOURNAL - BY Kathy Robertson STAFF WRITER
The UC Davis Cancer Center has teamed up with a mutant mouse company to form a new consortium aimed at building a publicly available library of human tumors to promote research of new therapies against cancer.
UC Davis will supply The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) facility in Sacramento with solid human tumors that can be expanded in mice and made available for research. The consortium hopes to partner with other cancer centers, too — and the shared resources will benefit all the members.
Every cancer is as unique as the patient who has to live with it. That’s why most cancer treatments, developed to address the “average” patient, can be ineffective or even toxic.
“The standard way of trying to discover new therapies for cancer relies on use of tumor cell lines that may be many years old, grown in tissue culture and then put into mice,” UC Davis Cancer Center director Ralph DeVere White said in a news release. “While this has proven fairly successful in telling us what does not work, it does not predictably prove when therapies do work. “
The standard drug development process is costly in terms of money spent — and time, which many patients don’t have.
One problem with the tumor cell-line approach is that when those cells divide and reproduce, genetic mutations naturally occur. Thus the cells may drift into a different genetic profile, and any treatments designed to target the original tumors won’t work.
JAX has engineered an new mouse that had no immune system and has been shown to be especially receptive to human tumors. Researchers can take the tumor directly from a patient, implant it into a mouse, and use it to test new cancer therapies.
“The biomedical research community needs a common, readily accessible recourse to support this vital effort,” JAX vice president and chief operating officer Chuck Hewett said. “Jackson has all the necessary skills and infrastructure need to create and distribute such a resource. No single cancer has a sufficiently broad patient population to meet this need, so we must work together if we hope to compress the drug discover timeline and ultimately save lives.”
UC Davis is the first member of the research consortium. The partnership expands on an initial agreement last year between the university and JAX, but the partners have collaborated on research since July 1999.
Read more: UC Davis Cancer Center forms human tumor library as part of consortium - Sacramento Business Journal:
7 Flags Car Wash in Vallejo Earns 3rd Green Certification from Solano County
For Immediate Release Contact: Katie Eyerly or Linda Clark
January 22, 2009 925-935-5610 / 925-274-989
Vallejo, CA ----- 7 Flags Car Wash announced today that their full service location in Vallejo has been certified as a green business by the County of Solano, making it the third such designation for the Vallejo-based car wash chain. The certification was complete on January 14, 2010.
On August 28, 2009, the company’s Vacaville location was certified green, and on June 10 2009, 7 Flags Car Wash and Express Lube in Fairfield became the first certified green business in Fairfield, and the fourth business to be certified under the county’s green business certification program.
Said President and CEO of 7 Flags Car Wash, Jack Anthony, “This is a proud day for the entire company as we achieve our goal of becoming green certified company-wide. Moving forward, we will continue our stewardship of green business practices, staying current with standards and adopting new ways to conserve resources and prevent pollution in the communities we serve.”
To be eligible for certification, businesses must demonstrate conservation of energy and water as well as document steps taken to recycle and reduce waste. A team of county inspectors works with the businesses to meet specific standards and earn the “green business certification”
January 22, 2009 925-935-5610 / 925-274-989
Vallejo, CA ----- 7 Flags Car Wash announced today that their full service location in Vallejo has been certified as a green business by the County of Solano, making it the third such designation for the Vallejo-based car wash chain. The certification was complete on January 14, 2010.
On August 28, 2009, the company’s Vacaville location was certified green, and on June 10 2009, 7 Flags Car Wash and Express Lube in Fairfield became the first certified green business in Fairfield, and the fourth business to be certified under the county’s green business certification program.
Said President and CEO of 7 Flags Car Wash, Jack Anthony, “This is a proud day for the entire company as we achieve our goal of becoming green certified company-wide. Moving forward, we will continue our stewardship of green business practices, staying current with standards and adopting new ways to conserve resources and prevent pollution in the communities we serve.”
To be eligible for certification, businesses must demonstrate conservation of energy and water as well as document steps taken to recycle and reduce waste. A team of county inspectors works with the businesses to meet specific standards and earn the “green business certification”
City of Fairfield's Train Station Plan
Massive growth project back before City Council
By Ben Antonius | Daily Republic | April 19, 2010 17:35
FAIRFIELD - One of the biggest development undertakings since the decision to annex Cordelia Villages continues to roll along and will return to the Fairfield City Council on Tuesday.
The so-called 'Train Station Plan' project encompasses about 4.1 square miles or 2,970 acres. Homes, parks, businesses and industry are being studied for the project going before the council. After 160 years of growth, the entirety of Suisun City is also about 4.1 square miles.
Much of the land in the project along Vanden Road is envisioned to be permanent open space or residential parks, but that still leaves space for nearly 7,000 homes. The council will decide tonight whether to launch an intensive study of the project's possible impacts, a step that must come before final approval.
For the rest of the article visit http://www.dailyrepublic.com/
Reach Ben Antonius at 427-6977 or bantonius@dailyrepublic.net.
By Ben Antonius | Daily Republic | April 19, 2010 17:35
FAIRFIELD - One of the biggest development undertakings since the decision to annex Cordelia Villages continues to roll along and will return to the Fairfield City Council on Tuesday.
The so-called 'Train Station Plan' project encompasses about 4.1 square miles or 2,970 acres. Homes, parks, businesses and industry are being studied for the project going before the council. After 160 years of growth, the entirety of Suisun City is also about 4.1 square miles.
Much of the land in the project along Vanden Road is envisioned to be permanent open space or residential parks, but that still leaves space for nearly 7,000 homes. The council will decide tonight whether to launch an intensive study of the project's possible impacts, a step that must come before final approval.
For the rest of the article visit http://www.dailyrepublic.com/
Reach Ben Antonius at 427-6977 or bantonius@dailyrepublic.net.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Fairfield Rides the Wave of New Technology to Market Tourism
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Fred Sater
April 19, 2010 (916) 972-1650
fred@fredsatercommunications.com
Fairfield Rides the Wave of New Technology to Market Tourism
FAIRFIELD, CA – In an increasingly more competitive tourism marketplace it is critical for destination marketing organizations to become an active participant in an ever changing world of technology. Posting, texting and tweeting are now the tools of the trade for attracting visitors. The Fairfield Tourism Association is keeping pace in this wave of new technology, making it more convenient for consumers and travel professionals alike to receive the latest information about attractions, wineries, lodging, dining, activities, and events in the area.
“We are committed to engaging people to visit Fairfield and the Suisun Valley through social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube and expanding accessibility to our Web site,” said Beth Javens, Executive Director, Fairfield Tourism Association.
Here’s a run down of what the tourism association is involved with
• Web Site – http://www.fairfield4fun.com/. The Fairfield Tourism Association Web site now features an interactive visitor guide on the home page, which allows visitors to flip through the pages for the latest information about Fairfield. The site also includes an online tracking mechanism that pinpoints referrals made to area hotels, attractions and restaurants from the Fairfield Tourism Association Web site. Google Analytics is being used to track visitation to the Web site, show how visitors found and explored the site, and note how their visitor experience can be enhanced.
• Mobile Web Site – http://www.fairfield4fun.mobi/. A mobile platform has been designed to reach tech savvy visitors who use their mobile devices (Blackberry, iPod, iPad, cellular phones) to access travel information. The same useful travel information found on the Web site is available to mobile device users.
• SMS (Short Message Service) Text Response. The Fairfield Tourism Association Text Message Response Program allows visitors to access information immediately via short text messages from their mobile devices. The latest campaign – “Text keyword STAY to 95495” – connects SMS users to the Web site, where they will find specials and deals at hotels and attractions and can participate in surveys and more. The campaign is included in Fairfield Tourism Association advertising and can also be found on the giant readerboard adjacent to I-80 in Fairfield. Messaging charges apply based on specific cell phone plans.
• Facebook – www.Facebook.com/Fairfield4Fun. Join the growing fan base of nearly 250 fans of the Fairfield Tourism Association and learn about what’s happening in Fairfield and special offers from local businesses. Fans can also post comments about their favorite visitor experiences in Fairfield.
• Twitter – http://Twitter.com/Fairfield4Fun. The Fairfield Tourism Association Twitter page is a great source for instant updates on upcoming events and activities in Fairfield and the Suisun Valley.
The Fairfield Tourism Association, a destination marketing organization, was created by a Business Improvement District consisting of 18 Fairfield hotels to market and promote tourism to the area, including overnight stays. For more information about the Fairfield Tourism Association, call (707) 761-9668 or visit http://www.fairfield4fun.com/.
# # #
1111 Webster Street ▪ Fairfield, CA 94533 ▪ (707) 761-9668 ▪ www.Fairfield4Fun.com
April 19, 2010 (916) 972-1650
fred@fredsatercommunications.com
Fairfield Rides the Wave of New Technology to Market Tourism
FAIRFIELD, CA – In an increasingly more competitive tourism marketplace it is critical for destination marketing organizations to become an active participant in an ever changing world of technology. Posting, texting and tweeting are now the tools of the trade for attracting visitors. The Fairfield Tourism Association is keeping pace in this wave of new technology, making it more convenient for consumers and travel professionals alike to receive the latest information about attractions, wineries, lodging, dining, activities, and events in the area.
“We are committed to engaging people to visit Fairfield and the Suisun Valley through social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube and expanding accessibility to our Web site,” said Beth Javens, Executive Director, Fairfield Tourism Association.
Here’s a run down of what the tourism association is involved with
• Web Site – http://www.fairfield4fun.com/. The Fairfield Tourism Association Web site now features an interactive visitor guide on the home page, which allows visitors to flip through the pages for the latest information about Fairfield. The site also includes an online tracking mechanism that pinpoints referrals made to area hotels, attractions and restaurants from the Fairfield Tourism Association Web site. Google Analytics is being used to track visitation to the Web site, show how visitors found and explored the site, and note how their visitor experience can be enhanced.
• Mobile Web Site – http://www.fairfield4fun.mobi/. A mobile platform has been designed to reach tech savvy visitors who use their mobile devices (Blackberry, iPod, iPad, cellular phones) to access travel information. The same useful travel information found on the Web site is available to mobile device users.
• SMS (Short Message Service) Text Response. The Fairfield Tourism Association Text Message Response Program allows visitors to access information immediately via short text messages from their mobile devices. The latest campaign – “Text keyword STAY to 95495” – connects SMS users to the Web site, where they will find specials and deals at hotels and attractions and can participate in surveys and more. The campaign is included in Fairfield Tourism Association advertising and can also be found on the giant readerboard adjacent to I-80 in Fairfield. Messaging charges apply based on specific cell phone plans.
• Facebook – www.Facebook.com/Fairfield4Fun. Join the growing fan base of nearly 250 fans of the Fairfield Tourism Association and learn about what’s happening in Fairfield and special offers from local businesses. Fans can also post comments about their favorite visitor experiences in Fairfield.
• Twitter – http://Twitter.com/Fairfield4Fun. The Fairfield Tourism Association Twitter page is a great source for instant updates on upcoming events and activities in Fairfield and the Suisun Valley.
The Fairfield Tourism Association, a destination marketing organization, was created by a Business Improvement District consisting of 18 Fairfield hotels to market and promote tourism to the area, including overnight stays. For more information about the Fairfield Tourism Association, call (707) 761-9668 or visit http://www.fairfield4fun.com/.
# # #
1111 Webster Street ▪ Fairfield, CA 94533 ▪ (707) 761-9668 ▪ www.Fairfield4Fun.com
Five Solano Schools recognized as California Distinguished Schools
FAIRFIELD - The California Department of Education (CDE) has selected five Solano County schools to be recognized as 2010 California Distinguished Schools.
The schools are: Robert Semple Elementary School in the Benicia Unified School District; Rolling Hills Elementary School in the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District; Cooper Elementary School in the Vacaville Unified School District; and Annie Pennycook Elementary School and Joseph H. Wardlaw Elementary School in the Vallejo City Unified School District.
The California Distinguished Schools award serves to identify and honor some of the state’s most exemplary and inspiring public schools. Participation in the program is voluntary, but the award is highly regarded by schools around the state. Elementary and secondary schools are recognized during alternate years.
Nominees for the California Distinguished Schools award must provide detailed descriptions of two signature practices that are replicable and have greatly improved student achievement. A Site Validation Team, made up of local educators, recently spent one day at each school to gather evidence and analyze the signature practices. Information about these signature practices is shared with other schools around the state on CDE’s web site.
Robert Semple Elementary School’s signature practices are Response to Intervention (RtI) and Professional Learning Communities. Semple’s RtI strategy serves students in preschool through fifth grade and helps eliminate achievement gaps through a school-wide process that provides assistance to every student, both high achieving and struggling learners. The school’s Professional Learning Community consists of trained teachers and RtI specialists who have helped Semple’s student subgroups narrow the school’s achievement gap. Semple was recognized as a California Distinguished School in 1998 and 2004.
Rolling Hills Elementary School features Professional Learning Communities (PLC) and Goal Setting as its signature practices. The school’s PLC is a collaborative team whose members work interdependently to achieve common goals linked to the purpose of learning for which they are mutually accountable. Goal setting is a practice that is used by staff, students, and parents to increase student achievement and close the achievement gap. The school's goals are linked to its vision, focused on desired outcomes, and continuously monitored. Rolling Hills believes there is a need to sustain continual improvement and focus on student learning, which means that they consistently reflect on where they want to be, where they are now, how to close the gap between the two, and then set goals that focus on desired outcomes.
Cooper Elementary School credits two signature practices: Cycle of Inquiry: Collaboration; and Engagement and Accountability. For the past five years, the staff at Cooper has focused on a cycle of inquiry which allows them to look at the success and needs of specific students in order to bridge the school’s achievement gap. The teachers efficiently use technology to engage learners which has shown to improve student achievement, teaching new concepts along with analyzing test data.
Annie Pennycook Elementary School believes in its signature practices: Peacebuilders and Support Block Intervention. For the past eight years, Pennycook has had great success with Peacebuilders, a school-wide positive behavioral program that creates a peaceful school climate and allows students to focus on learning. Support Block Intervention helps students performing below grade level with 30-90 minutes of reading intervention support during the school day.
Joseph H. Wardlaw Elementary School has made great strides with its signature practices: Intervention, and Ongoing Assessment and Analysis of Data. Wardlaw’s systematic team approach to student interventions has made a tremendous impact on student achievement. Teachers are constantly analyzing assessments and test data to guide instructional focus. The result has been a narrowing of the school’s achievement gap.
In order to be invited to apply for Distinguished Schools honors, schools must meet a variety of eligibility criteria including designated federal and state accountability measures based on No Child Left Behind’s Adequate Yearly Progress and the Academic Performance Index.
All applicants underwent a rigorous selection process conducted by the California Department of Education, with the help of many local educators from across the state, and in partnership with the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association.
Please join the Solano County Office of Education in saluting the hard work of the students, teachers, classified staff, administrators and parents at Robert Semple Elementary School, Rolling Hills Elementary School, Cooper Elementary School, Annie Pennycook Elementary School and Joseph H. Wardlaw Elementary School.
# # #
Sheldon J. Reber
Public Information Officer
Solano County Office of Education
5100 Business Center Drive
Fairfield, CA 94534
707-399-4407
Cell 707-499-4733
FAX 707-863-4175
sreber@solanocoe.net
www.solanocoe.net
__________________________
The schools are: Robert Semple Elementary School in the Benicia Unified School District; Rolling Hills Elementary School in the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District; Cooper Elementary School in the Vacaville Unified School District; and Annie Pennycook Elementary School and Joseph H. Wardlaw Elementary School in the Vallejo City Unified School District.
The California Distinguished Schools award serves to identify and honor some of the state’s most exemplary and inspiring public schools. Participation in the program is voluntary, but the award is highly regarded by schools around the state. Elementary and secondary schools are recognized during alternate years.
Nominees for the California Distinguished Schools award must provide detailed descriptions of two signature practices that are replicable and have greatly improved student achievement. A Site Validation Team, made up of local educators, recently spent one day at each school to gather evidence and analyze the signature practices. Information about these signature practices is shared with other schools around the state on CDE’s web site.
Robert Semple Elementary School’s signature practices are Response to Intervention (RtI) and Professional Learning Communities. Semple’s RtI strategy serves students in preschool through fifth grade and helps eliminate achievement gaps through a school-wide process that provides assistance to every student, both high achieving and struggling learners. The school’s Professional Learning Community consists of trained teachers and RtI specialists who have helped Semple’s student subgroups narrow the school’s achievement gap. Semple was recognized as a California Distinguished School in 1998 and 2004.
Rolling Hills Elementary School features Professional Learning Communities (PLC) and Goal Setting as its signature practices. The school’s PLC is a collaborative team whose members work interdependently to achieve common goals linked to the purpose of learning for which they are mutually accountable. Goal setting is a practice that is used by staff, students, and parents to increase student achievement and close the achievement gap. The school's goals are linked to its vision, focused on desired outcomes, and continuously monitored. Rolling Hills believes there is a need to sustain continual improvement and focus on student learning, which means that they consistently reflect on where they want to be, where they are now, how to close the gap between the two, and then set goals that focus on desired outcomes.
Cooper Elementary School credits two signature practices: Cycle of Inquiry: Collaboration; and Engagement and Accountability. For the past five years, the staff at Cooper has focused on a cycle of inquiry which allows them to look at the success and needs of specific students in order to bridge the school’s achievement gap. The teachers efficiently use technology to engage learners which has shown to improve student achievement, teaching new concepts along with analyzing test data.
Annie Pennycook Elementary School believes in its signature practices: Peacebuilders and Support Block Intervention. For the past eight years, Pennycook has had great success with Peacebuilders, a school-wide positive behavioral program that creates a peaceful school climate and allows students to focus on learning. Support Block Intervention helps students performing below grade level with 30-90 minutes of reading intervention support during the school day.
Joseph H. Wardlaw Elementary School has made great strides with its signature practices: Intervention, and Ongoing Assessment and Analysis of Data. Wardlaw’s systematic team approach to student interventions has made a tremendous impact on student achievement. Teachers are constantly analyzing assessments and test data to guide instructional focus. The result has been a narrowing of the school’s achievement gap.
In order to be invited to apply for Distinguished Schools honors, schools must meet a variety of eligibility criteria including designated federal and state accountability measures based on No Child Left Behind’s Adequate Yearly Progress and the Academic Performance Index.
All applicants underwent a rigorous selection process conducted by the California Department of Education, with the help of many local educators from across the state, and in partnership with the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association.
Please join the Solano County Office of Education in saluting the hard work of the students, teachers, classified staff, administrators and parents at Robert Semple Elementary School, Rolling Hills Elementary School, Cooper Elementary School, Annie Pennycook Elementary School and Joseph H. Wardlaw Elementary School.
# # #
Sheldon J. Reber
Public Information Officer
Solano County Office of Education
5100 Business Center Drive
Fairfield, CA 94534
707-399-4407
Cell 707-499-4733
FAX 707-863-4175
sreber@solanocoe.net
www.solanocoe.net
__________________________
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Attention Local Business Leaders!
You can have a free Internet promotional page designed for your business or event!
Solano Community College and local high school teachers invite you to participate in the 8th Annual SCC Tech Prep Web Design Contest.
Students will collect information from each business representative and develop a custom web page.
Web page entries will be judged on Friday, May 7 at Solano Community College.
Participating businesses will be recognized during the Award Ceremony.
Each business will be provided with a color print and an electronic version of the web page.
Send an E-mail by April 30 to TechPrep@me.com expressing your interest to participate.
This is a wonderful opportunity for your business to support education, and a great experience for our students!
Solano Community College and local high school teachers invite you to participate in the 8th Annual SCC Tech Prep Web Design Contest.
Students will collect information from each business representative and develop a custom web page.
Web page entries will be judged on Friday, May 7 at Solano Community College.
Participating businesses will be recognized during the Award Ceremony.
Each business will be provided with a color print and an electronic version of the web page.
Send an E-mail by April 30 to TechPrep@me.com expressing your interest to participate.
This is a wonderful opportunity for your business to support education, and a great experience for our students!
Solano Community College class offers welders chance to advance career
BY RYAN CHALK / THE REPORTER
Posted: 04/15/2010 01:47:03 AM PDT
Raul DeLaCruz uses a stick-welding method on a piece of steel pipe during a welding class at Solano Community College in Fairfield on Saturday. (RYAN CHALK / THE REPORTER)
Their futures are so bright, they have to wear shades -- indoors, that is.
Take a step inside the welding shop at Solano Community College and you see a mix of students from those barely removed from high school to adult professionals looking to advance their careers. With sparks flying and flashes of light emanating from the individual welding booths, everyone has their glasses or welding masks on for safety.
"We do every type of welding imaginable ... MIG (metal inert gas), TIG (tungsten inert gas), aluminum, stainless, mild steel," said Thomas Via, welding instructor. "A lot of people here are already in the field and trying to get certified in a specific area."
According to the American Welding Society, there is a shortage of welders in the United States. The average age of a welder in the United States is in the mid-50s and the baby boomer generation is causing a spike in the number retiring and fewer welding students are entering the field to replace them.
The prediction is that there could be a shortage of 200,000 skilled welders by the end of this decade.
Fortunately for those in Solano County, Solano Community College is positioned to help train the next generation of welders and help offer skills to those who are looking to start a new career or further an existing one.
"Welding is the only certified program at Solano, along with aeronautics, to meet national standards," Via said.
The welding program is the only one in the state to be designated as an affiliate institution of the National Center for Welding Education and Training (Weld-Ed).
"The more I can do to benefit myself, the more I can do for the company," said Dale Mitchell of Benicia.
Mitchell, 48, works for United Airlines as a mechanic in the engine shop.
"I'm here learning how to TIG weld and learn how to work with aluminum and steel. If I can learn how to do these repairs in our shop, we don't have to outsource them," Mitchell said.
He said he's learned how to weld from "scratch" and has been enrolled in the program for a year.
"I'm doing it to advance my career and my opportunities with United Airlines," Mitchell said.
"You can learn how to put these skills to work with any type of equipment. It's going to benefit you whether you want to work on a bridge or the aerospace field. I think it's a great skill for somebody right out of high school," he added.
Raul DeLaCruz worked as a meat packer for 20 years. But working in the freezer affected his knee to the point where he had to quit. Two-and-a-half years ago, the 45-year-old Suisun resident enrolled in the welding program and has his certification in plate welding.
It landed him a job at a refinery as a welder, but due to the recession, he was laid off.
He's back working toward a certification in pipe welding.
"There's a lot of things I've learned here. It's close to home and it's a a great place to change a career," DeLaCruz said.
For more information about the welding program at Solano Community College, contact Via at tvia@solano.edu or call 864-7140 Ext. 7279 or 5218. You can also visit the school's Web site at http://www.solano.edu/.
Posted: 04/15/2010 01:47:03 AM PDT
Raul DeLaCruz uses a stick-welding method on a piece of steel pipe during a welding class at Solano Community College in Fairfield on Saturday. (RYAN CHALK / THE REPORTER)
Their futures are so bright, they have to wear shades -- indoors, that is.
Take a step inside the welding shop at Solano Community College and you see a mix of students from those barely removed from high school to adult professionals looking to advance their careers. With sparks flying and flashes of light emanating from the individual welding booths, everyone has their glasses or welding masks on for safety.
"We do every type of welding imaginable ... MIG (metal inert gas), TIG (tungsten inert gas), aluminum, stainless, mild steel," said Thomas Via, welding instructor. "A lot of people here are already in the field and trying to get certified in a specific area."
According to the American Welding Society, there is a shortage of welders in the United States. The average age of a welder in the United States is in the mid-50s and the baby boomer generation is causing a spike in the number retiring and fewer welding students are entering the field to replace them.
The prediction is that there could be a shortage of 200,000 skilled welders by the end of this decade.
Fortunately for those in Solano County, Solano Community College is positioned to help train the next generation of welders and help offer skills to those who are looking to start a new career or further an existing one.
"Welding is the only certified program at Solano, along with aeronautics, to meet national standards," Via said.
The welding program is the only one in the state to be designated as an affiliate institution of the National Center for Welding Education and Training (Weld-Ed).
"The more I can do to benefit myself, the more I can do for the company," said Dale Mitchell of Benicia.
Mitchell, 48, works for United Airlines as a mechanic in the engine shop.
"I'm here learning how to TIG weld and learn how to work with aluminum and steel. If I can learn how to do these repairs in our shop, we don't have to outsource them," Mitchell said.
He said he's learned how to weld from "scratch" and has been enrolled in the program for a year.
"I'm doing it to advance my career and my opportunities with United Airlines," Mitchell said.
"You can learn how to put these skills to work with any type of equipment. It's going to benefit you whether you want to work on a bridge or the aerospace field. I think it's a great skill for somebody right out of high school," he added.
Raul DeLaCruz worked as a meat packer for 20 years. But working in the freezer affected his knee to the point where he had to quit. Two-and-a-half years ago, the 45-year-old Suisun resident enrolled in the welding program and has his certification in plate welding.
It landed him a job at a refinery as a welder, but due to the recession, he was laid off.
He's back working toward a certification in pipe welding.
"There's a lot of things I've learned here. It's close to home and it's a a great place to change a career," DeLaCruz said.
For more information about the welding program at Solano Community College, contact Via at tvia@solano.edu or call 864-7140 Ext. 7279 or 5218. You can also visit the school's Web site at http://www.solano.edu/.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Lowe's begins building store across from Auto Mall Parkway in Vallejo
Lowe's begins building store across from Auto Mall Parkway in Vallejo
By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen / Times-Herald
Posted: 04/07/2010 01:01:37 AM PDT
Construction equipment lines the site Tuesday of the new Lowe's on Columbus Parkway in Vallejo. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Monday with construction set to 'start in earnest' this week. (Chris Riley/Times-Herald)
Workers broke ground Monday on a new Lowe's store in northeast Vallejo, company officials said Tuesday.
Construction of the much-anticipated home improvement emporium should take less than a year to complete, a Lowe's spokeswoman said.
"We plan to open the store by Lowe's fiscal fourth quarter 2010," company spokeswoman Maureen Rich said.
Rich said in an earlier interview that the company plans to build a 103,000 square-foot store on the Vallejo site. The firm's $12 million investment in the new Vallejo Lowe's should create about 120 jobs, she said.
The Vallejo store will be of the type the firm uses for smaller markets, Rich said.
"There have been lots of meetings. Lots of give and take, but I think Lowe's is happy with how the process has gone," Community Development Analyst Annette Taylor said. "It's good news. It means another shopping option for our citizens."
"I'm just thrilled," Ross said. "I'm very excited about what this means for the city's future."
Contact staff writer Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at (707) 553-6824 or rzrihen@timesheraldonline.com.
By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen / Times-Herald
Posted: 04/07/2010 01:01:37 AM PDT
Construction equipment lines the site Tuesday of the new Lowe's on Columbus Parkway in Vallejo. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Monday with construction set to 'start in earnest' this week. (Chris Riley/Times-Herald)
Workers broke ground Monday on a new Lowe's store in northeast Vallejo, company officials said Tuesday.
Construction of the much-anticipated home improvement emporium should take less than a year to complete, a Lowe's spokeswoman said.
"We plan to open the store by Lowe's fiscal fourth quarter 2010," company spokeswoman Maureen Rich said.
Rich said in an earlier interview that the company plans to build a 103,000 square-foot store on the Vallejo site. The firm's $12 million investment in the new Vallejo Lowe's should create about 120 jobs, she said.
The Vallejo store will be of the type the firm uses for smaller markets, Rich said.
"There have been lots of meetings. Lots of give and take, but I think Lowe's is happy with how the process has gone," Community Development Analyst Annette Taylor said. "It's good news. It means another shopping option for our citizens."
"I'm just thrilled," Ross said. "I'm very excited about what this means for the city's future."
Contact staff writer Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at (707) 553-6824 or rzrihen@timesheraldonline.com.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Leadership group finding ways to improve Vallejo
Leadership group finding ways to improve Vallejo
By Sarah Rohrs
Posted: 04/04/2010 12:30:51 AM PDT
Melissa Brosas of Windsor Valley Care Center and Greg Peterson of Solano County land trust at the Omega Boys and Girls Club during a Class 3 exploration of human services operations. (Courtesy Photo)
At first the best part of Leadership Vallejo for Sandy Stowes was learning about her city's secret treasures, its history, rich naval past and its schools, government and arts.
Over the past three years Stowes has helped steer Leadership Vallejo into the future, and is convinced the organization can play a role in Vallejo's rejuvenation.
"We see so many strong leaders coming out of Leadership Vallejo," said Stowes, a current board member. "We can help to enhance our city and bring it back."
Leadership Vallejo is based on a nationwide program designed to educate and train leaders to make lasting changes.
Since its first class in 2007, nearly 45 Vallejoans have taken part in the nine-month program, while others have served as board members. The ripple effect has led graduates joining civic, school, business, art and theater organizations.
Current board president Linda Kane said Leadership Vallejo's greatest accomplishment has been to become more visible in the community.
Stowes said her Leadership Vallejo experience led to her chairing the Vallejo school district's committee that last year examined school closures and property sales.
In the last three years, other class members have secured Planning Commission appointments, and joined service clubs.
They have also participated in efforts to revitalize downtown, stage the annual Relay for Life cancer fundraiser, joined church and school groups, and helped with July 4 and Juneteenth celebrations
Advertisement
Quantcast
as well as the City Park playground construction project.
"It is hard to go to any significant event around Vallejo these days and not find (Leadership Vallejo) folks involved as volunteers, organizers, helpers, and idea people," board member Doug Webster said.
At a time when Vallejo has received negative publicity over bankruptcy, crime and other issues, class and board members say they focus on positive activities and attitudes about the city.
The program attracts people who love Vallejo and want to take on tangible projects that promise results, said current class member Paula Strickland, who helped launch an ongoing effort to clean and beautify the waterfront.
"I think that you're seeing all over Vallejo, and in the last couple of years, a groundswell of people who are interested in volunteering for the community and interested in solving the problems that we have," Strickland said.
Creating change
The program has led to such projects as new crosswalks on Tennessee Street, graffiti-abatement, economic development efforts and volunteer database for organizations to tap into. There also is student tutoring and academies in high schools, among others.
The program, founding member Ian Kaiser said, gives class members access to a large network of people and groups, and offers training in working effectively with others.
"Leadership Vallejo gives you a foundation and a bird's eye view of Vallejo," Kaiser said. "It gives you an overview rather than considering things from your own silo; and it helps determine your passion."
Kaiser helped spearhead a business-school partnership and stage an Education Summit at Touro University with support from the Ford Foundation.
With economic development a key issue, an entrepreneurial assistance program aims to help struggling small businesses, current class member Greg Peterson said. Class members will analyze several businesses, plus consider available marketing, sales, customer service, operations, finance and other resources, he said.
A separate co-marketing strategy will involve the Empress Theatre, and fostering business alliances to strengthen the downtown, Peterson said.
A resource
As Leadership Vallejo completes its third year, the goal is to double class sizes and get at least 100 community leaders trained, Webster said.
The fourth year, Kane said, will involve a greater focus on leadership skills, plus economic development efforts and school programs.
Founding board member Russ Barnes recalls Leadership Vallejo began with a handful of determined business and civic leaders who secured a $5,000 seed grant from the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce to get started. Some 22 people took part in the first class.
"We had nothing but we worked hard and said this is what we want," Barnes said. Initial steering class members spent a year drafting by-laws, securing a nonprofit status, setting up committees and finally staging the first classes, he said.
Fundraising also will be a key issue in the program's future. Each participant's training cost is $1,150, but they need pay only $150, Webster said, the remainder coming from service club and business donations.
Those wishing to join the program can apply online at www.leadershipvallejo.com. Board members interview prospective candidates and make their selection, aiming to create a class with a broad representation of Vallejo's ethnic and economic make-up, Webster said.
Day-long classes over the nine-month program give class members a base of knowledge of Vallejo, including its labor issues, how city and county government works, and a look at schools and arts and entertainment elements.
Participants strive to set political differences aside and, instead, focus on a common goal of fostering Vallejo's strengths and opportunities, Barnes said.
For Stowes, the class opened her eyes to Vallejo. She learned about its founding fathers and its economic development efforts, and even got her into the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum for the first time.
As an original member of a group focused on Tennessee Street, Stowes met with business owners and surrounding residents, and helped with safety measures and getting flags and banners put up. Work continues as the group focuses on planting new trees, and putting up lights and art work.
"We wanted to do something that showed and had visible results very quickly," Stowes said.
"That's important to Vallejo to show we can really make a difference and really make something visible," she added.
Contact staff writer Sarah Rohrs at srohrs@timesheraldonline.com or (707) 553-6832.
By Sarah Rohrs
Posted: 04/04/2010 12:30:51 AM PDT
Melissa Brosas of Windsor Valley Care Center and Greg Peterson of Solano County land trust at the Omega Boys and Girls Club during a Class 3 exploration of human services operations. (Courtesy Photo)
At first the best part of Leadership Vallejo for Sandy Stowes was learning about her city's secret treasures, its history, rich naval past and its schools, government and arts.
Over the past three years Stowes has helped steer Leadership Vallejo into the future, and is convinced the organization can play a role in Vallejo's rejuvenation.
"We see so many strong leaders coming out of Leadership Vallejo," said Stowes, a current board member. "We can help to enhance our city and bring it back."
Leadership Vallejo is based on a nationwide program designed to educate and train leaders to make lasting changes.
Since its first class in 2007, nearly 45 Vallejoans have taken part in the nine-month program, while others have served as board members. The ripple effect has led graduates joining civic, school, business, art and theater organizations.
Current board president Linda Kane said Leadership Vallejo's greatest accomplishment has been to become more visible in the community.
Stowes said her Leadership Vallejo experience led to her chairing the Vallejo school district's committee that last year examined school closures and property sales.
In the last three years, other class members have secured Planning Commission appointments, and joined service clubs.
They have also participated in efforts to revitalize downtown, stage the annual Relay for Life cancer fundraiser, joined church and school groups, and helped with July 4 and Juneteenth celebrations
Advertisement
Quantcast
as well as the City Park playground construction project.
"It is hard to go to any significant event around Vallejo these days and not find (Leadership Vallejo) folks involved as volunteers, organizers, helpers, and idea people," board member Doug Webster said.
At a time when Vallejo has received negative publicity over bankruptcy, crime and other issues, class and board members say they focus on positive activities and attitudes about the city.
The program attracts people who love Vallejo and want to take on tangible projects that promise results, said current class member Paula Strickland, who helped launch an ongoing effort to clean and beautify the waterfront.
"I think that you're seeing all over Vallejo, and in the last couple of years, a groundswell of people who are interested in volunteering for the community and interested in solving the problems that we have," Strickland said.
Creating change
The program has led to such projects as new crosswalks on Tennessee Street, graffiti-abatement, economic development efforts and volunteer database for organizations to tap into. There also is student tutoring and academies in high schools, among others.
The program, founding member Ian Kaiser said, gives class members access to a large network of people and groups, and offers training in working effectively with others.
"Leadership Vallejo gives you a foundation and a bird's eye view of Vallejo," Kaiser said. "It gives you an overview rather than considering things from your own silo; and it helps determine your passion."
Kaiser helped spearhead a business-school partnership and stage an Education Summit at Touro University with support from the Ford Foundation.
With economic development a key issue, an entrepreneurial assistance program aims to help struggling small businesses, current class member Greg Peterson said. Class members will analyze several businesses, plus consider available marketing, sales, customer service, operations, finance and other resources, he said.
A separate co-marketing strategy will involve the Empress Theatre, and fostering business alliances to strengthen the downtown, Peterson said.
A resource
As Leadership Vallejo completes its third year, the goal is to double class sizes and get at least 100 community leaders trained, Webster said.
The fourth year, Kane said, will involve a greater focus on leadership skills, plus economic development efforts and school programs.
Founding board member Russ Barnes recalls Leadership Vallejo began with a handful of determined business and civic leaders who secured a $5,000 seed grant from the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce to get started. Some 22 people took part in the first class.
"We had nothing but we worked hard and said this is what we want," Barnes said. Initial steering class members spent a year drafting by-laws, securing a nonprofit status, setting up committees and finally staging the first classes, he said.
Fundraising also will be a key issue in the program's future. Each participant's training cost is $1,150, but they need pay only $150, Webster said, the remainder coming from service club and business donations.
Those wishing to join the program can apply online at www.leadershipvallejo.com. Board members interview prospective candidates and make their selection, aiming to create a class with a broad representation of Vallejo's ethnic and economic make-up, Webster said.
Day-long classes over the nine-month program give class members a base of knowledge of Vallejo, including its labor issues, how city and county government works, and a look at schools and arts and entertainment elements.
Participants strive to set political differences aside and, instead, focus on a common goal of fostering Vallejo's strengths and opportunities, Barnes said.
For Stowes, the class opened her eyes to Vallejo. She learned about its founding fathers and its economic development efforts, and even got her into the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum for the first time.
As an original member of a group focused on Tennessee Street, Stowes met with business owners and surrounding residents, and helped with safety measures and getting flags and banners put up. Work continues as the group focuses on planting new trees, and putting up lights and art work.
"We wanted to do something that showed and had visible results very quickly," Stowes said.
"That's important to Vallejo to show we can really make a difference and really make something visible," she added.
Contact staff writer Sarah Rohrs at srohrs@timesheraldonline.com or (707) 553-6832.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Suisun summer's Main Street rehabilitation project will start in July
City eyes summer start, end for Main Street project
By Ian Thompson | DAILY REPUBLIC | April 04, 2010 22:50
SUISUN CITY - The Suisun City Council will be laying the groundwork Tuesday night for funding part of this summer's Main Street rehabilitation project.
If things go as planned, the project will go out to bid within two weeks and work will probably start in July, with completion of all the work by the end of summer.
It involves repairing and reconstructing the street's pavement, most of the sidewalk on the east side of the street and sections of the sidewalk on the western side.
Pedestrian ramps on both sides would also be reconstructed, city Management Analyst Alysa Majer's report to the city council states.
For the complete story visit http://www.dailyrepublic.com/
Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or at ithompson@dailyrepublic.net.
By Ian Thompson | DAILY REPUBLIC | April 04, 2010 22:50
SUISUN CITY - The Suisun City Council will be laying the groundwork Tuesday night for funding part of this summer's Main Street rehabilitation project.
If things go as planned, the project will go out to bid within two weeks and work will probably start in July, with completion of all the work by the end of summer.
It involves repairing and reconstructing the street's pavement, most of the sidewalk on the east side of the street and sections of the sidewalk on the western side.
Pedestrian ramps on both sides would also be reconstructed, city Management Analyst Alysa Majer's report to the city council states.
For the complete story visit http://www.dailyrepublic.com/
Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or at ithompson@dailyrepublic.net.
ACI Cork USA, Inc introduces novel cork technology
Local company introduces novel cork technology
By Ben Antonius | Daily Republic | April 04, 2010 22:51
Armando Andrade, general manager of ACI Cork USA, Inc., sits in front of a stack of the company's new "nanocork" product. Photo by Chris Jordan
FAIRFIELD - A Fairfield-based company is hoping its futuristically named new product can make a dent in the ancient market known as 'wine closures.'
The term mainly represents traditional wood corks, but also has come to include synthetic plastic corks, screw tops and other technologies.
From Fairfield's ACI Cork USA, 'Nanocork' sits somewhere amid these categories. It is a natural cork that has a specially developed coating that adhered to the cork's top and bottom.
For the complete story visit http://www.dailyrepublic.com/
By Ben Antonius | Daily Republic | April 04, 2010 22:51
Armando Andrade, general manager of ACI Cork USA, Inc., sits in front of a stack of the company's new "nanocork" product. Photo by Chris Jordan
FAIRFIELD - A Fairfield-based company is hoping its futuristically named new product can make a dent in the ancient market known as 'wine closures.'
The term mainly represents traditional wood corks, but also has come to include synthetic plastic corks, screw tops and other technologies.
From Fairfield's ACI Cork USA, 'Nanocork' sits somewhere amid these categories. It is a natural cork that has a specially developed coating that adhered to the cork's top and bottom.
For the complete story visit http://www.dailyrepublic.com/
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Child-care advocates link early care to business success
By Barry Eberling
DAILY REPUBLIC
March 31, 2010 16:15
FAIRFIELD - First 5 Solano and various regional business leaders had a message today for the local business community: Invest in children.
Work to ensure Solano County has good child-care opportunities and preschools, they said at the Solano Economic Development Corp. breakfast at the Hilton Garden Inn. Lobby elected officials to make decisions benefiting children ages 0 to 5.
'Early education doesn't immediately spring to mind as an issue that's relevant to how Genentech or Sutter Health go about their day-to-day business,' Matt Regan of the Bay Area Council told the dozens of local business and community leaders who attended the event.
But the Bay Area economy is knowledge-based, he said. Jobs that people might take and earn a good living from without graduating from high school are disappearing, he said. He mentioned the closure of the NUMMI auto plant in Fremont as an example.
For the rest of this article please visit http://www.dailyrepublic.com/
DAILY REPUBLIC
March 31, 2010 16:15
FAIRFIELD - First 5 Solano and various regional business leaders had a message today for the local business community: Invest in children.
Work to ensure Solano County has good child-care opportunities and preschools, they said at the Solano Economic Development Corp. breakfast at the Hilton Garden Inn. Lobby elected officials to make decisions benefiting children ages 0 to 5.
'Early education doesn't immediately spring to mind as an issue that's relevant to how Genentech or Sutter Health go about their day-to-day business,' Matt Regan of the Bay Area Council told the dozens of local business and community leaders who attended the event.
But the Bay Area economy is knowledge-based, he said. Jobs that people might take and earn a good living from without graduating from high school are disappearing, he said. He mentioned the closure of the NUMMI auto plant in Fremont as an example.
For the rest of this article please visit http://www.dailyrepublic.com/
Solano County officials told: Preschool education extremely important
By Richard Bammer/ RBammer@TheReporter.com
Posted: 04/01/2010 01:01:45 AM PDT
Matt Regan worries about two things: high school dropout rates of 25 percent in California and the need to make preschool education a priority. He sees them as inextricably linked, asserting, as many educators do, that a child's enrollment in early education programs significantly increases the likelihood of graduation from high school, success in college and, ultimately, a better life. He believes the U.S. business community is better served with an educated workforce that will make it a competitive global player in the coming decades.
"There are countries that are cleaning our clocks when it comes to early education," said Regan, vice president of governmental relations for the Bay Area Council, a business-sponsored, public-policy advocacy group in San Francisco. He cited Europe and Japan as leaders in early childhood education.
Speaking to some 150 Solano business leaders, educators and elected county and city officials on Wednesday, he said the issue of increasing opportunities for preschool education "is a business imperative."
"We forget about human capital investment," he said during the Solano Economic Development Corporation's Fairfield breakfast meeting, themed "Business & Children -- They Are More Connected Than You Think!"
As one of several speakers, Regan cited a lengthy Chicago study that tracked a sample population to age 40, some of which enrolled in preschool classes and others that did not. Those that passed through preschool programs tended to be better educated, well-adjusted and successful. Additionally, he said the California dropout rate "is climbing."
"How do we fix these problems with limited funds?" Regan asked rhetorically.
Through public-private partnerships, community support and "advocacy efforts" targeted at county, state and federal leaders, he said.
Having a more educated workforce is essential in a knowledge-based economy, such as the Bay Area's, he said.
"We are not a Rust Belt economy," said Regan, noting that the NUMMI automotive plant in Fremont closed Tuesday. "Those kinds of jobs are no longer here."
Keynote speaker Ken McNeely, president of AT&T California, said creating a workforce of the future is necessary "to compete in the global economy," and specifically called for the creation of "a cadre" of mathematicians and scientists to fill private-sector ranks.
Encouraging middle school and high schools students to enter scientific fields is helpful but, in the long run, he added, such efforts prove to have less effect than those "encouraging and supporting kids who are starting in elementary school."
Coupling public-private partnerships with philosophical agreement among policymakers is necessary for the success of the U.S. economy and its future, said McNeely, the father of two young children.
"It impacts our ability to compete as a state and a nation," he added.
Dee Alarcon, superintendent of the Solano County Office of Education, noted the county's graduation rate (75 percent) lagged behind the state average (80 percent) in 2007-08.
"Today decides tomorrow," she said, alluding to several vertical banners posted near the speaker's lectern, one noting that 90 percent of a child's development occurs before age 5.
District 2 Supervisor Linda Seifert noted that some 49,000 children are eligible for child care in Solano County but there are only 12,800 spaces available.
Early childhood education has "direct benefits to taxpayers," she said, adding that those children who complete such programs tend to stay out of the criminal justice system.
"What can we do right now?" Seifert asked. "Tell political leaders that early childhood education pays off."
Posted: 04/01/2010 01:01:45 AM PDT
Matt Regan worries about two things: high school dropout rates of 25 percent in California and the need to make preschool education a priority. He sees them as inextricably linked, asserting, as many educators do, that a child's enrollment in early education programs significantly increases the likelihood of graduation from high school, success in college and, ultimately, a better life. He believes the U.S. business community is better served with an educated workforce that will make it a competitive global player in the coming decades.
"There are countries that are cleaning our clocks when it comes to early education," said Regan, vice president of governmental relations for the Bay Area Council, a business-sponsored, public-policy advocacy group in San Francisco. He cited Europe and Japan as leaders in early childhood education.
Speaking to some 150 Solano business leaders, educators and elected county and city officials on Wednesday, he said the issue of increasing opportunities for preschool education "is a business imperative."
"We forget about human capital investment," he said during the Solano Economic Development Corporation's Fairfield breakfast meeting, themed "Business & Children -- They Are More Connected Than You Think!"
As one of several speakers, Regan cited a lengthy Chicago study that tracked a sample population to age 40, some of which enrolled in preschool classes and others that did not. Those that passed through preschool programs tended to be better educated, well-adjusted and successful. Additionally, he said the California dropout rate "is climbing."
"How do we fix these problems with limited funds?" Regan asked rhetorically.
Through public-private partnerships, community support and "advocacy efforts" targeted at county, state and federal leaders, he said.
Having a more educated workforce is essential in a knowledge-based economy, such as the Bay Area's, he said.
"We are not a Rust Belt economy," said Regan, noting that the NUMMI automotive plant in Fremont closed Tuesday. "Those kinds of jobs are no longer here."
Keynote speaker Ken McNeely, president of AT&T California, said creating a workforce of the future is necessary "to compete in the global economy," and specifically called for the creation of "a cadre" of mathematicians and scientists to fill private-sector ranks.
Encouraging middle school and high schools students to enter scientific fields is helpful but, in the long run, he added, such efforts prove to have less effect than those "encouraging and supporting kids who are starting in elementary school."
Coupling public-private partnerships with philosophical agreement among policymakers is necessary for the success of the U.S. economy and its future, said McNeely, the father of two young children.
"It impacts our ability to compete as a state and a nation," he added.
Dee Alarcon, superintendent of the Solano County Office of Education, noted the county's graduation rate (75 percent) lagged behind the state average (80 percent) in 2007-08.
"Today decides tomorrow," she said, alluding to several vertical banners posted near the speaker's lectern, one noting that 90 percent of a child's development occurs before age 5.
District 2 Supervisor Linda Seifert noted that some 49,000 children are eligible for child care in Solano County but there are only 12,800 spaces available.
Early childhood education has "direct benefits to taxpayers," she said, adding that those children who complete such programs tend to stay out of the criminal justice system.
"What can we do right now?" Seifert asked. "Tell political leaders that early childhood education pays off."