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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – U.S. Cellular, in conjunction with its partner, King Street Wireless, announced that Lake County area residents now have access to high-speed 4G LTE services.
Customers in Lake County, including cities such as Clearlake, Lakeport, Kelseyville, Lower Lake, Middletown and Soda Bay can enjoy 4G LTE speeds that are up to 10 times faster than 3G and similar to a cable Internet connection.
The 4G LTE speeds provide an enhanced wireless experience with fast web browsing, smooth video streaming, video chatting and speedy app downloads.
U.S. Cellular currently offers many 4G LTE devices, including smartphones, such as the Samsung Galaxy S® 4 and Samsung Galaxy Note 3, in addition to a tablet, a hotspot and a wireless modem.
“We’re continuously improving our customer experience, so we’re excited to offer 4G LTE speeds to customers in Lake County,” said Erryn Andersen, director of sales for U.S. Cellular in the Northwest market. “4G LTE speeds, along with our growing line-up of 4G LTE devices, will make customers’ lives simpler and easier with quick access to important information and entertainment on their devices.”
By the end of 2013, U.S. Cellular customers in more than 3,800 additional cities and towns will have access to 4G LTE speeds. Currently, 81 percent of U.S. Cellular customers have access to 4G LTE speeds and nearly 90 percent are expected to be covered by the end of the year.
U.S. Cellular has the highest call quality and network satisfaction of any national carrier, along with a valuable rewards program that recognizes customer loyalty. For more information about the 4G LTE experience, visit www.uscellular.com/4G .
4G LTE not available in all areas. See www.uscellular.com/4G for detailed coverage info. 4G LTE service is provided in partnership with King Street Wireless. LTE is a trademark of ETSI.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Kevin Brady (R-TX), senior members of the House Committee on Ways and Means, have introduced bipartisan legislation that will help reduce burdens faced by small businesses and ensure better compliance with complex federal employment tax responsibilities.
H.R. 3581, the Small Business Efficiency Act of 2013, would provide clear rules for Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) that are voluntarily certified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to collect and pay federal employment taxes for their small business clients.
The legislation will provide certainty for small businesses that use certified PEO services and allow employers to focus on their business operations, not government paperwork.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and they shouldn’t be held back because of Washington regulations and piles of government paperwork,” said Thompson. “By passing this bill and removing bureaucratic burdens, we can let small businesses focus on what they do best – growing their business, producing quality products and creating good-paying jobs.”
PEOs provide human resources services to small business clients. One of the most important tasks that PEOs perform for small businesses is the collection and payment of employment taxes, reducing the amount of burdensome paperwork for small businesses.
Currently there is ambiguity about a certified PEO’s (CPEO) ability to assume employment tax responsibility. The Small Business Efficiency Act eliminates this ambiguity by implementing safeguards for the CPEO’s small business clients.
To become a certified PEO (CPEO) Thompson and Brady’s legislation requires a PEO to meet certain basic financial conditions, satisfy reporting obligations, and maintain ongoing certification with the IRS.
After meeting certification requirements, the CPEO would assume full and sole responsibility and liability for employment taxes due as long as they are certified.
The Small Business Efficiency Act creates a voluntary IRS certification process to help PEOs become certified so they can take on small business clients and accept liability for filing payroll taxes for their clients’ employees.
Not only will small businesses benefit from the legislation, the federal government directly benefits as well.
The IRS has stated that CPEOs would improve compliance with employment tax requirements, reduce the number of returns the IRS has to process, and reduce errors in calculating and paying employment taxes. Presidents Bush and Obama have included very similar proposals in their budget submissions.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
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WASHINGTON, DC – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the availability of nearly $10.5 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development grants to help agricultural producers enter into value-added activities designed to give them a competitive business edge.
“U.S. agriculture is responsible for millions of American jobs – both directly and indirectly,” Vilsack said. “Supporting farmers and related businesses strengthens rural economies and helps fuel innovation and product development. It's also an important part of USDA programs that link farmers to their communities, and it underscores the many benefits of local and regional food systems.”
The funding is being made available through USDA's Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. Grants are available to help agricultural producers create new products, expand marketing opportunities, support further processing of existing products or goods, or to develop specialty and niche products. They may be used for working capital and planning activities. The maximum working capital grant is $200,000; the maximum planning grant is $75,000.
“This program is just one of many that USDA Rural Development offers to support rural communities and help develop strong local and regional food systems,” said USDA Rural Development California State Director Glenda Humiston. “We look forward to assisting agriculture producers create new value-added business opportunities with their California-grown foods.”
Eligible applicants include independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives, and agricultural producer groups. Funding priority is given to socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers or ranchers, and to small- to medium-size family farms, or farmer/rancher cooperatives.
Rural Development is encouraging applications from Tribal organizations as well as applications that support regional food hubs. Applications supporting value-added activities related to bio-based products are also encouraged.
Last year, seven successful applicants in California received grants through the program. Recipients ranged from dairy cooperative Challenge Dairy Products in Dublin, Calif., who used funds to help market a new light, spreadable butter, to Pacific Farms and Orchards in Tehama, Calif. who studied ways to utilize byproducts from olive oil production.
Additional examples of how VAPGs assist local and regional food producers are available on the USDA Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass, which is searchable by zip code and key word.
Grant applications are due by Feb. 24, 2014. More information about how to apply is available on page 70260 of the Nov. 25 Federal Register, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-11-25/pdf/2013-28175.pdf .
Questions can be directed to Karen Firestein at 530-792-5829 or
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Northern California Dungeness crab season will open on Sunday, Dec. 1,
north of the Mendocino County line.
The director of the California Department of Fish and Game has established a 64-hour gear setting period for the season when crab trap gear can be set no earlier than 8 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 28.
Quality tests conducted in the Northern California region in October and November indicate that California Dungeness crabs are ready for harvest.
Despite incomplete testing data from the Eureka port area, data collected on Nov. 9 from this area indicated a high degree of probability that the crab would be ready for harvest by Dec. 1 and no data suggests low quality or soft-shell conditions.
Fish and Game Code Section 8276.2 requires the director to open the season on Dec. 1 unless the crab are soft-shelled or of low quality.
Oregon and Washington Dungeness crab seasons are delayed pending future testing results.
In addition, FGC Section 8279.1 prohibits anyone who fishes for crab in California, prior to the delayed openings in Oregon and Washington, from participating in those crab fisheries for 30 days following the opening of the crab fisheries in those states.
For the results from the preseason quality tests, visit www.psmfc.org/crab/ .