How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
Business News
- Details
- Written by: Editor
SACRAMENTO – On Thursday, Sept. 12, the California State Senate voted to approve SB 254, authored by Senator Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley) and Senator Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) by a 31-8 bipartisan vote. SB 254 now moves to the Governor’s desk for review and signature.
SB 254 (Hancock/Correa), which has enjoyed bipartisan support throughout the legislative process, creates a used mattress recycling program that will have a dedicated funding mechanism, reduce the impact of illegally dumped mattresses, harness existing infrastructure for transporting used mattresses to recyclers, create jobs, and minimize costs to both government and consumers.
International Sleep Products Association President, Ryan Trainer commented, “We are very pleased SB 254 has been approved by both legislative chambers in California and is now headed to the governor’s desk for his consideration. This is an effective and efficient piece of legislation and ISPA is proud to be a part of the solution in dealing with recycling used mattresses. We appeal to the governor for his signature on this very important piece of legislation that will make a positive impact on keeping used mattresses out of our landfills, off highways and roads, and out of vacant lots.”
SB 254 enjoys a broad range of support from industry, retailers, cities and counties, local elected officials, and waste management organizations.
Per the legislation, SB 254 creates a nonprofit mattress recycling organization whose duty would be to plan, implement and administer a state system to collect discarded used mattresses, dismantle them and recycle their materials for use in new products.
The program will be sustained by collecting a nominal fee at retail on the sale of new mattresses and box springs.
During his comments on the Senate Floor, co-author of SB 254, Sen. Lou Correa stated, “Californians buy about 4 million new mattresses and box springs each year, and discard roughly two million units. Dealing with discarded mattresses is a big job for this state. The goals set forth in SB 254 establish a sound foundation to move California forward in further preserving and protecting our communities from blight.”
SB 254 provides Californians with a comprehensive mattress recycling solution that is consumer friendly, cost-effective and efficient. The program authorized by SB 254 is very similar to existing recycling systems in California and other states for other consumer products.
Shelly Sullivan representing Californians for Mattress Recycling stated, “We would like to thank all stakeholders who participated in the process and remained so committed to SB 254. We know Californians take pride in their recycling practices. SB 254 simply gives Californians another avenue to broaden the scope of the state’s recycling portfolio.”
- Details
- Written by: Editor
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – As gas prices across the nation drop or hold steady, it’s a mixed bag for California motorists as half the major metro areas show a slight increase in prices and half show a slight decrease.
State gas prices are up $0.08 in one week, at $3.91 per gallon of unleaded regular gasoline, according to the AAA Northern California monthly gas survey.
Northern California’s average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.88, that’s $0.03 cents cheaper than the state average, and an increase of $0.02 since last month’s AAA report on August 13, 2013.
For perspective, gas prices today are $0.26 less expensive than California’s average price on this date last year. Among all 50 states, California has the third highest state average price for regular unleaded gasoline. Hawaii is the highest at $4.33 per gallon.
“Plentiful supplies, weaker demand, the anticipated change to cheaper winter-blend gasoline in mid-September and a relatively mild hurricane season are likely to lower gas prices through the fall, ” said Cynthia Harris, AAA Northern California spokesperson. “However, the possibility always remains that escalating violence in the Middle East, hurricanes or unexpected disruptions to supplies or distribution could send prices higher.”
The national average price per gallon of regular gasoline is $3.56, the same price as last month’s report. This price is $0.03 lower than a week ago and $0.26 lower than a year ago.
The only states with prices over the $4 mark are Alaska and Hawaii. Gasoline prices have held at a consistent mark of $3 and over per gallon. The last day the national average price was below the $3 mark was on Dec. 21, 2010.
Nationally, retail gasoline prices have stayed within a narrow $0.20 range since March. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil, however, has surged more than 25 percent from a 2013 low of $86.68 on April 17 to a multi-year high of $110.53 last Friday.
At the close of formal trading on the NYMEX yesterday, WTI settled $1.01 lower at $109.52. This is the 47th consecutive settlement above $100 per barrel.
The least expensive average price in Northern California can be found in Stockton where regular unleaded gasoline is $3.76 per gallon.
Of all the metro areas in Northern California, where gas prices are tracked by AAA, Eureka has the highest average price at $4.06.
The highest average price of gas tracked by AAA in the nation is in Hawaii. The price there is $4.33 per gallon. The lowest price, at $3.33 per gallon, can be found in Mississippi and South Carolina.
- Details
- Written by: Editor
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Best-selling author and money expert Loral Langemeier will visit Lake County as part of her “Millionaire Makeover Tour' on Thursday, Sept. 12.
She'll appear at the Soper-Reese Community Theatre, 275 S. Main St. in Lakeport.
Registration will begin at 6 p.m., with the seminar beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Langemeier has appeared on Dr. Phil as “America's money expert” and is a five-time New York Times best-selling author.
She will share her knowledge about creating wealth, starting a business and shifting your business model to adjust to the economic recovery.
Proceeds from this event will go to Dr. Dhanda's Worldwide Healing Hands project, http://worldwidehealinghands.org/contact.html .
Tickets are $10 and are available at the Soper-Reese box office on Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. or online at http://liveoutloud.com/lakecounty/ .
- Details
- Written by: Editor
Governor's Office of Business & Economic Development director Kish Rajan on Wednesday unveiled a revamped version of CalGOLD, the popular business permitting resource.
In addition to updating its ability to respond to new business sectors, GO-Biz also debuted a new mobile Web interface.
The new feature allows users to more easily find all the necessary local, state and federal permits from both iOS and Android devices.
“CalGOLD already provides thousands of businesses with a quick and easy tool to help them start a new enterprise, expand an existing one, and create new jobs,” said GO-Biz Director Rajan. “But today’s improvements give CalGOLD the ability to do so at the ever increasing pace of California business. The Golden State’s businesses are innovating new models every day and it’s up to GO-Biz to match that by finding ways for state government to make doing business easier.”
Director Rajan encouraged local cities, counties and economic development organizations to feature the CalGOLD link on their Web site as a valuable resource for their constituents and members.
The permitting site, which already receives over 20,000 hits a month can be found at: http://www.calgold.ca.gov/ . The CalGOLD mobile feature can be found at: http://ca.gov/mobile/ .
Speaking to 300 business owners and economic development professionals at the LA Division of the League of California Cities annual convention, Director Rajan outlined the new permitting tools and also discussed the new Governor’s Economic Development Initiative (GEDI).
The new economic development initiative includes a Manufacturing Sales and Use Tax Exemption, a New Employment Credit and the California Competes Tax Credit for business attraction, expansion and retention. The complete GO-Biz briefing on the Governor’s Economic Development Initiative is available here.
GO-Biz serves as California’s office for economic development and offers a range of services to business owners.
Those services include attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit streamlining, clearing of regulatory hurdles, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, important informational briefings and much more.
For more information visit www.business.ca.gov.