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Coverage on the nation's most reliable wireless high-speed broadband network now extends to:
Lake County including Clearlake, Lakeport and Middletown.
Mendocino County including Ukiah, Willits, Laytonville, Fort Bragg and Hopland.
Sonoma County North of Healdsburg including Geyserville, Cloverdale and Sea Ranch.
In addition to these areas, BroadbandAccess coverage in Northern California includes the following counties: Alameda, Butte, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Kern, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Madera, Marin, Merced, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Tulare, Yolo and Yuba.
Based on CDMA 1x Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO) Revision A (Rev. A) technology, the expanded wireless broadband network provides Verizon Wireless customers with data uplink speeds significantly faster than the company's award-winning national EV-DO network, which the company first launched in Northern California in June 2006.
"Our broadband network expansion has something for everyone on-the-go," said Rich Garwood, regional president of Verizon Wireless. "BroadbandAccess lets our business customers experience a truly untethered mobile office experience with remote access to corporate data on their laptops and e-mail on their PDAs. With V CAST, consumers can enjoy a comprehensive selection of downloadable music, high-quality videos and exciting 3D games."
BroadbandAccess: The wireless data solution
The company's flagship business data service, BroadbandAccess, provides average download speeds of 600 kilobits per second (kbps) to 1.4 megabits and average upload speeds of 500-800 kbps. This means customers with Rev. A-compatible devices can download a 1 Megabyte e-mail attachment – the equivalent of a small PowerPoint presentation or a large PDF file – in about eight seconds and upload the same-sized file in less than 13 seconds.
Verizon Wireless offers several BroadbandAccess devices for the company's wireless broadband network. These devices are fully compatible with the company's NationalAccess network (based on CDMA 1xRTT technology), giving customers the ability to remain connected if they travel outside of the wireless broadband coverage area.
V CAST: Video, Music, 3D games
The company's high-speed network also enables its V CAST multimedia services, offering customers the ability to download full-song tracks, play cutting-edge 3D games and stream video clips on breaking news, sports and entertainment straight to their phones. Content is updated daily.
Coverage
Verizon Wireless was the first national wireless provider to commercially launch a high-speed wireless broadband network in the United States. Today, its entire nationwide wireless broadband network has been enhanced to Rev. A technology.
For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.
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Two bills seek to expand the use of solar power in California, while the third would protect residents of rural areas from dramatic increases in their telephone rates. All three measures were approved by votes of 9-0.
SB 1149 continues funding for a grant program that provides residential telephone services and cellular coverage to people who are considered to be low-income and/or live in rural areas where no telephone services are currently offered.
SB 1460 requires the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to create a program to provide incentives/rebates to apartment building owners and their tenants to participate in energy efficiency improvements and the California Solar Initiative (CSI).
Wiggins said that the purpose of SB 1460 is to “encourage the use of solar power in apartment buildings where solar power opportunities have been largely excluded, in spite of the fact that all ratepayers – including landlords and tenants – pay to fund the state’s solar incentive programs.”
According to Wiggins, 43 percent of the state’s housing units are rentals, which means that many Californians are unable to benefit from programs supporting energy efficiency and solar energy. Owners of apartments currently have little financial incentive to implement cost-effective energy efficiency improvements and solar energy projects because of the expensive upfront costs, and because it primarily serves to benefit tenants.
“This has been a longstanding problem that predates the state’s solar energy programs and began when the state began implementing energy efficiency programs,” Wiggins said. “If all ratepayers fund these types of programs, they should be allowed to benefit from these programs.”
SB 1512 allows wineries and other business owners to have their solar PV systems installed to offset all the electrical use on their property rather than just the electrical load of one meter. Many wineries and farms have more than one meter on their property; unfortunately, the CSI program prohibits the solar rebate from being utilized on more than one meter unless the property owner applies for a rebate on each meter which is expensive.
Wiggins said that “SB 1512 seeks to provide solutions to the many hoops that solar customers are forced to jump through unnecessarily, simply because the rules for solar rebates require it.” According to Wiggins, “wineries in my district were restricted from selecting a meter on their property which would have given them better solar access, with less barriers, and for a lot less money.” She added that “the current CSI and net metering statutes need to be revisited and adjusted to encourage more businesses to install solar systems.”
SB 1512 would allow a business owner to choose which meter on his or her property is the most centrally-located and cost-effective to route all the lines to in order to participate in the CSI and net energy metering programs.
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The property includes approximately 240 acres of vineyards, two small cottages and an old walnut dehydrator structure, which will be converted into a tasting room, wine shop and gourmet deli.
Clay Shannon of Shannon Ridge acquired the Rolling Knolls vineyard from the Greer family of Fremont, who owned the property since 1992. The vineyard is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Zinfandel, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Petite Sirah and Sauvignon Blanc, which Shannon will farm and plans to sell to selected wineries.
The Shannon Ridge wine brand is quickly expanding and increasing its production and fruit from the Rolling Knolls vineyard will be sourced for future vintages of the Shannon Ridge wines. The property backs up to the Anderson Marsh wetlands and park, which is public land owned by the state of California and accessible to visitors.
Additionally, Shannon Ridge has plans to develop the property into a mixed use facility for visitors to Lake County. The winery is working with St. Helena-based architect Carlo Di Fede with Triad Design Studio on plans for an old-world style community to include a rustic tasting room, picnic facilities and dining patios, private guest cottages, a stone chapel, recreational grounds, hiking tails, and public restrooms.
The area will be a destination location that will offer wine tasting, relaxation, beautiful views, and public services. Also, Shannon is working with the planning commission to develop plans for a new winery on the property.
Clay Shannon’s vision for the development project is based on the European communal vineyard concept, similar to those found in Burgundy and Piedmont. Once the development project is complete, the vineyards will be separated by unique rock walls and meandering paths throughout the property.
“I want to create an old-world experience in wine country, just two and a half hours north of the San Francisco Bay Area,” said Shannon. “This will be a destination location for wine aficionados, outdoor recreation enthusiasts, and nature lovers. My goal is to preserve that land while offering visitors a unique experience in Lake County.”
In June 2007, Shannon Ridge Winery opened its renovated tasting room facility in a historic one room school house in on Highway 20 in Clearlake Oaks. Adjacent to the tasting room, the winery also completed the construction of a demonstration “vinegarden” and picnic table, which allows visitors to relax in a park-like setting while enjoying the Shannon Ridge wines.
For more information, please visit www.shannonridge.com or call 998-9656.
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