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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Lake County Winegrape Commission (LCWC) is preparing for the third seminar in its series titled “Momentum!”
The final presentation in the three-seminar series is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 20, 1 to 4:30 p.m. at the Soper-Reese Community Theatre, 275 S. Main St., Lakeport.
With keynote presenters Andy Beckstoffer, owner/chair of Beckstoffer Vineyards, and Carol Kingery Ritter of Dickenson, Peatman & Fogarty, the seminar is designed to provide information about cultivating business relationships and successful grower-buyer relations, sales and contracts.
The seminar series has provided valuable information about the Lake County and North Coast wine industry, says Debra Sommerfield, president of the commission.
The second seminar, in January, focused on the market demand for Lake County winegrapes and wine.
Dan Aguilar, managing director of Silicon Valley Bank’s Wine Division, and Christian Miller, proprietor of Full Glass Research and research director of Wine Opinions, gave insightful presentations, Sommerfield said.
“We anticipate excellent talks from Andy Beckstoffer and Carol Kingery Ritter that will lead to important discussions among our winegrape growers, buyers, winemakers and interested individuals,” Sommerfield added.
The seminar also will include an insightful panel discussion with buyers from around the North Coast winemakers, followed by a social mixer with light hors d’oeuvres and Lake County wines, said Sommerfield.
Space is limited and advance registration is strongly encouraged. Seminar cost is $20. To register, go online to www.lakecountywinegrape.org/momentum .
Individuals who register with a colleague may do so for half-price; to take advantage of the discount, individuals must register together and enter the promotion code BringaColleague.
Presented by the Lake County Winegrape Commission with funding from a United States Department of Agriculture specialty crop grant and support from the Lake County Winery Association, the three-part seminar series is designed for Lake County’s grape growers, winery owners, winemakers, tasting room managers, and marketing/hospitality directors.
In November, the Commission welcomed approximately 60 Lake County winegrape growers, winemakers, winery personnel and wine industry representatives to the first of its “Momentum!” seminar series.
For questions about the Momentum! series, contact the Lake County Winegrape Commission at 707-279-2633.
The Lake County Winegrape Commission is a marketing order established in 1991 to promote the region’s premium winegrapes and to assist winegrape growers through marketing, research, and educational programs.
For further information about the Lake County Winegrape Commission, call 707-279-2633, or visit www.lakecountywinegrape.org .
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Board of Equalization Member George Runner will host a telephone town hall for small business owners on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at 2 p.m.
The free event, co-hosted by the National Federation of Independent Business, will provide specific information to small business owners on how best to avoid common tax errors.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, but everyday owners face challenges with California’s complicated tax laws,” said Runner. “As their elected taxpayer advocate, I want to make sure small business owners can be successful and avoid the pitfalls of California’s tax traps.”
Those wishing to participate may register online at www.boe.ca.gov/townhall or by calling 916-445-3032.
Individuals who preregister will receive a telephone call at the start of the event inviting them to connect to the town hall.
The telephone town hall will inform small business owners about how to protect themselves from common tax traps such as missing records, successor liability, underreporting of tax, and invalid resale certificates. Information about these issues will help small business owners avoid making potentially costly mistakes.
Runner held a similar telephone town hall earlier this month. An audio recording is available at www.boe.ca.gov/smallbiz .
Elected in November 2010, George Runner represents more than nine million Californians as a member of the State Board of Equalization.
For more information, visit www.boe.ca.gov/Runner .
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Mediacom Communications announced it is upgrading network technology to provide area customers with a major expansion of its high-definition (HD) lineup, while also eliminating analog reception for Family Cable video channels.
Mediacom’s upgrade will affect the Family Cable channel series local subscribers find on their lineup between 23 and 70. Those channels will transition to a digital-only frequency in April and continued reception will require the use of either a digital converter or a digital adapter. Current customers can receive up to three digital adapters at no cost through April 30, 2015.
Company officials describe the digital upgrade as an investment to give customers improved picture and audio quality and larger channel lineups. The upgrade will include adding dozens of channels in the popular high definition format to deliver a lineup with nearly 100 HD-channel choices.
“With digital technology, consumers gain more value and a bigger channel selection than ever before, as well as the superior viewing experience of HDTV,” said Shawn Swatosh, Mediacom’s senior manager for area operations. “With this digital conversion, our customers can be confident we’ll keep pace with their demand for more HD and ever-faster Internet speeds.”
Swatosh explained that analog television technology has been eclipsed by the higher-quality and more efficient technology of digital.
Currently, he said, most customers use at least one television connected to a digital converter, often referred to as a cable set-top box. The converter box enables customers to receive channels beyond a Family Cable subscription and digital features such as OnDemand viewing and digital video recorders (DVR).
“Those televisions already connected to a Mediacom converter will not be affected by our digital upgrade, they are ready to go,” Swatosh said.
However, he added, other televisions in the home, regardless of age, will each need a digital device to receive channels 23 through 70.
“Mediacom’s digital adapter is a small, simple device we are widely distributing at no cost to our customers for approximately a year,” Swatosh said. “The adapter connects to the TV and functions as a receiver to recognize the secure digital video signals as they arrive from our network to be displayed on the TV screen.”
The upgrade of Mediacom’s fiber-optic network gives the company the ability to deliver more advanced services that today’s digital consumers want in their homes and businesses, Swatosh explained.
With the elimination of each analog channel, network space will be available to potentially carry three high-definition channels or 10 standard-definition digital channels (SD). Dozens of new HD channels and others will be added to Mediacom’s local lineup in May.
Special assistance during customer event at Lake County Fairgrounds
The phase-out of analog television transmission for channels 23-70 will begin April 15, but Mediacom is encouraging its customers to get “digital-ready” now.
A customer service event will be held Saturday, March 15, in the Theater Building at the Lake County Fairgrounds. Local service representatives will be on hand to answer customer questions and demonstrate how to connect a digital adapter to a TV.
Customers can acquire digital adapters during the March 15 event or by visiting Mediacom’s local office in Clearlake Oaks. They also may choose to order by phone or online and receive free shipping. Order online at www.MediacomCable.com/getdigital or call toll-free, 800-479-2095
Customers who choose a subscription to Local TV only – channels 2-22 – will not be affected by this upgrade. Mediacom will continue to carry channels 2-22 in both analog and digital formats (including HD channels from local television stations).
Current customers may receive up to three digital adapters at no additional cost through April 30, 2015. When the lease-free offer expires on April 30, 2015, an equipment fee of $1.99 will be applied to each digital adapter. This equipment lease ($1.99) applies to additional adapters beyond 3 per household and adapters ordered after June 30, 2014.
Digital adapters are not needed on televisions connected to Mediacom digital converters (larger cable set-top boxes).
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EMERYVILLE, Calif. – The Golden State’s gas prices have remained relatively steady since the beginning of 2014, give or take a few cents in all metro areas, over the past two weeks.
State gas prices are now $0.01 cents more than a month ago, according to the AAA Northern California monthly gas survey.
Northern California’s average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.58, that’s $0.02 cents cheaper than last month’s AAA report on January 14, 2014.
For perspective, gas prices today are $0.40 cheaper than California’s average price on this date last year.
“In a departure from recent years, national gas prices have been largely flat at the start of 2014. This can be attributed in part to cold temperatures keeping drivers off of roads but also to the absence of the looming production concerns overseas or regional refinery issues that have propelled retail gasoline prices higher out of the gate the last several years.” said Cynthia Harris, AAA Northern California spokesperson.
The national average price is $3.31 per gallon of regular gasoline. This is $0.02 higher than yesterday, $0.04 higher than a week ago, the same as last month’s AAA report and $0.28 lower than a year ago.
Hawaii’s average price, $4.03, is the only state reporting an average price over $4.00. The second highest price in the contiguous states is found in California at $3.65. Montana has the lowest average price in the country at $3.03.
In 2011 escalating violence in Egypt and then Libya spurred pump prices higher. In 2012 the catalyst was growing tensions with Iran. In both of these instances global production concerns linked to geopolitical issues sent crude oil prices and ultimately gas prices higher.
In 2013 the early-year gas price increase was not a product of surging crude prices globally but of production issues domestically. Regional refinery issues leading up to the seasonal switchover to summer-blend gasoline production raised domestic supply concerns and sent retail prices sharply higher.
Crude oil prices had been relatively stable to begin the year; however prices moved higher to end last week, settling on Friday just short of the $100 per barrel threshold. This trend is continuing and, despite increasing just $0.18 on the day, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) settled at $100.06 per barrel. This marks the first time since Oct. 18 that WTI has settled above the $100 threshold.
The least expensive average price in Northern California can be found in Marysville where regular unleaded gasoline is $3.41 per gallon.
Of all the metro areas in Northern California, where gas prices are tracked by AAA, Eureka has the highest price at $3.77 per gallon of unleaded regular.
To get the best mileage possible, AAA recommends keeping tires at the proper pressure suggested by the vehicle manufacturer, performing routine maintenance and making sure fluids are clean and belts and hoses are in good repair.
The way you drive can also impact fuel economy. Smooth driving to avoid sudden stops and starts, combining trips and lightening your load also helps conserve gasoline.
AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report is the most comprehensive retail gasoline survey available, with over 100,000 self-serve stations surveyed every day, nationwide. Data is provided in cooperation with OPIS Energy Group and Wright Express LLC.
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