Correction The caption for Zenergy Yoga was incorrect in the last issue. The correct caption is to below. Celebrating the Ribbon Cutting of Zenergy Yoga, at the Adobe Creek Center, clockwise: Caitlyn Slater (front left), MaryEllen Whitton, owner, Mayor Pamela Torliatt, Morgan Lewis, manager; and Alex Slater.
Celebrating the Douglass Enterprises Ribbon Cutting, on April 17, L-R: Doug Mullins, Principal, Carla Mullins, Vice Mayor David Rabbitt, Frank Garcia, Sales.
	Park Avenue Catering was voted “Best of the North Bay” in the 2008 Bohemian Readers Poll. The team, pictured above, are (Back, LtoR) Steven Taub - Kitchen Manager; Victor Rolden - Head Chef; Chaz Crosier - Event Captain; (Front) Dianne Martin - Event Planner; Janine Baines - Event Planner; Leslie Fravel - Event Planner; Sharon Van Giesen - Event Planner; Danica Cullen - Pastry Chef; and Josue Villalobos - Operations Manager.

A Big Chamber Thanks To These Community Awards Supporters

The Chamber wants to give a big heart-felt thanks to the 43 businesses that supported our annual Community Awards celebration. In addition to the Argus Courier, that shares administration of the program with the Chamber, we had 17 sponsors whose logos are displayed above. The sponsors were:

In addition, the following 15 businesses were contributors:

The following restaurants and caterers provided food:

Desserts, coffee & tea was served during the program courtesy of:

Costco         Petaluma Coffee & Tea Company

Board Opposes Prop. 98; Supports Prop. 99

The Chamber Board has voted to oppose one ballot measure that claims to reform eminent domain procedures in California while supporting one measure that has the same intent.

Following a recommendation of the Government Affairs/Economic Develop­ment Committee, the Board agreed that Prop. 98 would pose a threat to the area economy and voted to oppose it.

At the same time, the Board found that Prop. 99, which will prohibit gov­ernment from using eminent domain to take a home to transfer to a private developer, a reasonable reform, and voted to support it.

The GA/ED Committee heard a presentation from Amy O’Gorman of the League of California Cities, who said that Prop. 98, which purports to reform eminent domain, includes other provisions that, among other things, threatens California’s water quality and supply.

That provision, and others, could halt a substantial amount of construction in California, she said.

Prop. 98 is opposed by the California Chamber of Commerce, the Consumer Federation of California, the Western Growers Association, the California Housing Consortium, California Police Chiefs Association, Association of California Water Agencies, AARP, California Teachers Association, and the League of Women Voters.

The measure is being sponsored by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, the California Farm Bureau, and the Alliance to Protect Private Property Rights.

Other controversial inclusions in Prop. 98 are provisions to abolish rental protections and rent control in mobile home parks.

(For more on this issue, see Commentary on Editorial and Commentary page.)

Business Briefs

Wells Fargo donated more than $22,000 to local non-profits in 2007. The bank donated to local schools and non-profits including Boys and Girls Clubs of Petaluma, Cinnabar Theatre, and PEP Properties.

On May 3, more than 30,000 Comcast employees and family members will kick off the annual Comcast Cares Day, partnering with projects from San Francisco to New Hampshire. The Comcast focus in the Bay Area is local schools. This year, Valley Vista School in Petaluma has been chosen as the 2008 Comcast Milestone School for the Bay Area. Comcast will work with the school to identify a project that will have a significant long term impact. In the case of Valley Vista, students have been playing on hay bales because the school lacked the resources to replace rotten play structures. Once completed, students can play in a safe and comfortable environment.

Starting May 1, North Bridge Orthodontics will give complimentary dental exams to Petaluma children age 5-7. California state law requires that children have a dental exam by May 31 of their first school year.

Redwood Credit Union (RCU) and California Preferred Credit Union (CPCU) plan to merge on June 1, 2008. RCU will be the surviving Credit Union upon the joining of the two organizations. The Department of Financial Institutions has given initial approval to move forward, and the merger received a positive vote and approval by the Members of CPCU last week.

The joining of the two credit unions will result in Redwood Credit Union’s second San Francisco branch location, with the Credit Union serving nearly 143,000 Members and total assets of nearly $1.8 billion.

Also, Redwood Credit Union (RCU) recently named Cynthia Negri as Senior Vice President of Administration and Strategic Planning, and Andy Ramos as Senior Vice President of Member Services. RCU also announced that Michael Wylie has joined the firm’s Information Technology Department as e-Commerce manager.

Meals on Wheels Gets Big Assist From veriHealth, Inc.
By Elece Hempel, Petaluma People Services Center

Can you imagine how it feels to wait and wait for a friend….any friend. Luckily, Petaluma People Services Center (PPSC) has a group of devoted volunteer drivers who say “you’ve got a friend” every day of the year. With their greeting of “Hello, Meals On Wheels”, they touch the lives of some of the most lonely and isolated members of our community.

This winter, veriHealth, Inc., a Sonoma County based, patient-focused ambu­lance company, also became part of the story for these seniors…they too are “a friend”. veriHealth employees enthu­siastically rolled up their sleeves to volunteer at PPSC Meals On Wheels program, delivering meals and a friendly smile, one Saturday a month, for the next year. This is supporting an effort to get more people and companies in Petaluma to get involved in PPSC Meals On Wheels program. veriHealth has helped to raise awareness by delivering meals in its ambulances.

With help from volunteers, PPSC has been providing Meals On Wheels in Petaluma since 1984. Last year PPSC served more than 30,000 meals to our frail elders in Petaluma. Without this program, for many seniors, it would not be possible for them to remain independent in their homes. One meal a day may not seem like much, but to an older person clinging to independence, that meal can be a lifeline to health, vitality and dignity.

“With veriHealth support once a month, PPSC is able to give the regular volunteers, many who have been driving for over 10 years, a much needed day-off, and also help us remind the business community about the importance of encouraging employees to get involved in their community” said Craig Mason, PPSC Nutrition Site Manager. Sean Sullivan, veriHealth Vice President said, “veriHealth’s focus on community encourages all our employees to get involved. Driving Meals On Wheels through our Adopt-A-Saturday volunteer program, is just a start in our growing commitment to the community”.

Nominations For Best Place to Work

Nominations for the North Bay Business Journal’s Best Places to Work competition are now being accepted. To nominate your company, go to www.NorthBayBusinessJournal.com and nominate online or print out the PDF and mail to 5464 Skylane Blvd. , Ste. B, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 or fax to 707-579-8475.

Nominations will be accepted until May 9. Following the nomination period, companies that are nominated will be contacted with information on how to participate in the application and survey process, the results of which will determine the winning companies. Winners will be selected on the basis of qualifications, not the number of nominations received.

Winning companies will be featured in a special section devoted to the best companies to work for and will be recognized at an awards celebration in September 2008. Last year, more than 130 companies were nominated with 43 winners.

Companies must have a location in Sonoma, Napa or Marin counties and have at least 20 employees to qualify. Supporting information may accompany the form but will not replace the nomination form.

Alert for Spring Scam Artists

Many people have heard that oh-so-familiar saying when someone plays a joke on them in celebration of the comical holiday. Mr. Handyman of Sonoma County, serving Sonoma County, warns local homeowners not to get “fooled” by handyman scam artists when hiring professionals to do home improvements.

“The spring is a peak time when home improvement scam artists take ad­vantage of homeowners. We want to show Petaluma-area residents how they can identify a scam when they see one!” said Joseph Debnar, owner. “Doing background checks and making sure you trust a person before you sign a contract or hire them to do work in your home is imperative. And, we want to relay that message to individuals looking to get work done around their home this year.”

According to a recent article on MSN.com, the following phrases are some things to look out for when hiring a professional to do a job in your home:

• “I just happen to be working in your neighborhood”

• “I have materials left over”

• “I need cash upfront”

• “I have a special offer that’s good for you today, only”

• “I can help you finance the project”

• “I want to use your home as a model”

According to Debnar, these could all be signs of dishonesty. Scam artists know that during the winter season, many homeowners do a walk-through in­spection of their home and began a list of special projects that they need done. And, those projects that have been put off for months are usually executed in the spring, Debnar said.

News From The Sonoma County Tourism Bureau Writer Looking for Guidebook Information

Writer Michele Bigley is writing a chapter about Sonoma County in the “Explorers Guide to Northern California.” She’s looking for information about attractions in Sonoma County, including spas, museums, wineries and outdoor adventure. The book has sold almost 500,000 copies. Please contact Michele directly at mishmell@sbcglobal.net.

Heritage and Cultural Travel on the Rise
According to the Travel Industry Association of America, more travelers are seeking the authentic American experience offered through cultural and heritage tourism. The organization said 81 percent of the 146.4 million U.S. adults who took a trip of 50 miles or more away from home in the past year included historical or cultural activities on at least one of their trips.

Does your property or business offer cultural or heritage experiences? If so, we’d like to know about it. Please e-mail publicrelations@sonomacounty.com with detailed information.

New 2008 Visitors Guide and Map
The new visitors guide is distributed to hospitality partners along with distribution from phone and website requests. It has some new sections: Whine Country with Kids, Wine Country Canines, and Carneros: the Quiet Coast.

Sales Activities
As the operations of the SCTB continue to move forward, the staff has been engaging with key industry organizations and events in January: • ACOM, Seattle • PCMA, Seattle • UC Davis Destination Showcase tradeshow • Go West Summit, Colorado Springs • Southwest Showcase, Texas • Smith Bucklin Retreat and Sponsorship • Sonoma Country Client FAM • Welcome mats distributed to visitor centers • Direct mailing CALSAE, Luxury Travel Expo & PCMA • Sales calls in: Dallas, Houston, San Francisco

SCTB Info
Staff continues to take site tours of county partner properties Paradise Ridge, Chalk Hill, Seghesio, Trentadue , Rosso & Bianco, Landmark, Simi, Infineon, Safari West.

Staff engaged with the following local organizations/events: • Seghesio Annual Appreciation Dinner • Russian River WineRoad • Landmark Oscar Party • Eco Ring meeting • State of the County: 2008 Annual Report to the Community forum • Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers State of the Alliance • Economic Development Board

Advertising Placement
In January, the SCTB had an advertising presence in the following publications: • San Francisco Magazine • Horizon Air/Alaska Air • TXSAE - Assoc. Leadership • MPI - Washington State • NTA Courier • and more.

Savoring flavors at Slow Food Nation
The inaugural Slow Food Nation event will be held in San Francisco on Labor Day Weekend. Sonoma County’s restaurateurs have been a driving force behind the movement. The event will include all sorts of styles of foods: best cheese, bread, chocolates, jams, beers, spirits, wines, pickles, cured meats and more.

Please e-mail info@slowfoodnation.org for a nomination form if you know of a product that should be part of Slow Food Nation ‘08. More details are available on www.slowfoodnation.org.