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Pott will be responsible for Langtry’s proposed private championship 18-hole golf course and clubhouse in Lake County.
The proposed Langtry Golf Course project will enhance and preserve the estate’s agricultural tradition and outdoor pursuits which already include world-class bass fishing, mountain biking and hiking trails and equestrian activities.
Pott, a native of Mississippi, brings more than 50 years of experience in the world of golf to Langtry’s efforts.
As a three-time member of winning Ryder Cup teams, a five-time Professional Golf Association Tour winner, including the Bing Crosby National Pro Am (now the AT&T Classic), and a lifetime member of the PGA Tour, Johnny Pott is a golf industry expert.
Since 1972, Pott has been intimately involved in golf course design, construction and operations, and will bring that experience to Langtry.
“We are excited to have such a legendary member of the golf community as part of the Langtry team to construct and operate a golf course that will improve our estate’s outdoor amenities,” said Chuck Doty, President of Langtry Farms.
“Our success as an agricultural enterprise hinges on our ability to improve and expand our vineyard’s production,” Doty said. “The golf course will help us in our effort to make Langtry a wine country and outdoor pursuit destination that will attract industry buyers that can impact substantially our sales and marketing efforts for Lake County agricultural products. Plans for the golf course will employ sustainable development practices to protect and preserve our most valuable asset – our land.”
The addition of golf as another outdoor pursuit is based on Langtry’s aspirations to develop a sustainable business model centered on its existing and expanded agricultural activities. By diversifying operations and enhancing its existing outdoor amenities on the 21,000-acre estate, Langtry will be able to increase production of Lake County agricultural products.
The course is being designed by former PGA player and British Open Champion Tom Weiskopf.
“This project is a unique opportunity to create a core-golf experience without interference from residential development,” said Pott. “I am thrilled to be a part of the project and to be working again with world-class designer Tom Weiskopf to execute a true golf experience in a remarkable setting.”
The golf course, a practice range and a club house will be located on an irrigated pasture area across Butts Canyon Road from the winery. As part of the permitting plans, Langtry is asking to rezone the parcel to rural lands which will ensure land-use consistency across the site. The project will not require any additional water consumption. There is no housing component in the proposal.
“The project is a win-win for Langtry and the community,” said Linda Diehl-Darms, a Middletown business owner. “The golf course project will help provide Langtry with a new amenity to improve its wine sales and in turn, will preserve the agricultural history and character of its land that provides Lake County its charm.”
Following County approvals, the new golf course is expected to open in July 2009.
Langtry Farms LLC is an agricultural estate comprised of approximately 21,000 acres of land in southeastern Lake County and northeastern Napa County, which is used primarily for grape growing and cattle grazing. Langtry Farms is currently developing additional productive uses for the land that complement and enhance the wine making operations, and sales and distribution of Lake County agricultural products.
Visit the farm online at www.langtryfarms.com.
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As a result, SB 780 now heads to the Assembly for consideration.
The Wiggins bill would maintain service and affordable rates by extending the California High-Cost Fund A and High-Cost Fund B programs, currently set to expire next January, through Jan. 1, 2013.
Current state law requires the California Public Utilities Commission to develop programs to ensure that Universal Telephone Service is provided in high-cost areas at affordable rates. These programs are referred to as the High-Cost Fund A and High-Cost Fund B.
The two programs reduce the cost of telephone service to rural and high cost-to-serve customers by subsidizing those costs with surcharges levied on all telephone service. Four years ago, when the Legislature last considered extending the sunset for these programs, the telephone companies estimated that the elimination of these programs would increase basic telephone service rates by $17 a month to $149 a month for the smaller telephone companies.
Fund A provides a source of supplemental revenues to 17 small, rural local telephone companies: Calaveras Telephone Company; California-Oregon Telephone Co.; Citizens Telecommunications Co. of the Golden State; Citizens Telecommunications Co. of Tuolumne; Ducor Telephone Co.; Evans Telephone Co.; Foresthill Telephone Co.; Happy Valley Telephone Co.; Hornitos Telephone Co.; Kerman Telephone Co.; Pinnacles Telephone Co.; the Ponderosa Telephone Co.; Sierra Telephone Co.; Siskiyou Telephone Co.; Verizon West Coast Inc.; the Volcano Telephone Co.; and Winterhaven Telephone Co..
“I am committed to maintaining universal and affordable high-quality service in high-cost areas of the state, particularly where telecommunications competition is limited like it is in my rural district,” Wiggins said. “I am thankful that the overwhelming majority of my colleagues, from both sides of the aisle, supported this bill today.”
Wiggins represents California’s large 2nd Senate District, which includes portions or all of six counties: Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Sonoma. Visit her Web site at http://dist02.casen.govoffice.com.
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The Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications voted 8-0 in favor of the Wiggins bill, which would maintain service and affordable rates by extending the California High-Cost Fund A and High-Cost Fund B programs, currently set to expire next January, through Jan. 1, 2013.
Current state law requires the California Public Utilities Commission to develop programs to ensure that Universal Telephone Service is provided in high-cost areas at affordable rates. These programs are referred to as the High-Cost Fund A and High-Cost Fund B.
The two programs reduce the cost of telephone service to rural and high cost-to-serve customers by subsidizing those costs with surcharges levied on all telephone service.
Four years ago, when the Legislature last considered extending the sunset for these programs, the telephone companies estimated that the elimination of these programs would increase basic telephone service rates by $17 a month to $149 a month for the smaller telephone companies.
Fund A provides a source of supplemental revenues to 17 small, rural local telephone companies: Calaveras Telephone Co.; California-Oregon Telephone Co.; Citizens Telecommunications Co. of the Golden State; Citizens Telecommunications Co. of Tuolumne; Ducor Telephone Co.; Evans Telephone Co.; Foresthill Telephone Co.; Happy Valley Telephone Co.; Hornitos Telephone Co.; Kerman Telephone Co.; Pinnacles Telephone Co.; the Ponderosa Telephone Co.; Sierra Telephone Co.; Siskiyou Telephone Co.; Verizon West Coast Inc.; the Volcano Telephone Co.; and Winterhaven Telephone Co.
“This bill is necessary to maintain universal and affordable high-quality service in high-cost areas of the state, particularly where telecommunications competition is limited like it is in my rural district,” Wiggins said in her testimony before the committee this morning.
SB 780 will next be heard by the Senate Appropriations Committee (date to be announced).
Wiggins represents California’s large 2nd Senate District, which includes portions or all of six counties: Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Sonoma.
Visit Wiggins' Web site at http://dist02.casen.govoffice.com/.
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“We must act in the best interests of Californians and our state’s economy,” Perata said in a written statement. “The mortgage crisis has hit like a tornado, and it’s imperative we do everything we can to prevent this cyclone from devastating more families and their communities.”
North Coast Sen. Patricia Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) co-authored the bill.
“California is facing a serious threat to our state and local economies as a result of skyrocketing home foreclosure rates,” Wiggins, who represents Lake County in the state Legislature, said in a statement issued by her office. “I am glad to help lead legislative efforts by co-authoring Sen. Perata’s bill. Solving the mortgage crisis is critical not only for affected homeowners but for the well-being of our communities as a whole."
Seven of the nation’s 16 metropolitan areas with the highest rates of foreclosure are in California. Foreclosures are not only painful for the families who are forced from their homes but for the neighborhoods surrounding them that can see vacancies increase, properties fall into disrepair and housing values decline.
Lake County hasn't been untouched by the spike in foreclosures. Foreclosure rates in 2007 nearly doubled over 2006, as Lake County News has reported.
Perata's and Wiggins' measure, Senate Bill 926, requires lenders to meet in person with borrowers to discuss restructuring options. Borrowers must also be provided a list of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-certified financial counselors to help them sort through their options.
The legislation steps up notice requirements, giving homeowners more advanced warning that a change in their mortgage payments is coming. To help limit the impact of a foreclosure on the surrounding neighborhood, the bill mandates that lenders maintain foreclosed properties or face a $1,000 per day fine.
SB 926 passed the Banking, Finance and Insurance Committee Wednesday and the Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. The bill moves next to the Senate Appropriations Committee for consideration.
Key provisions of the bill include:
– Notice to consumers regarding resets: Loan agents must provide borrowers a notice 120, 90 and 45 days prior to a change in mortgage payments due; notices must meet certain criteria; including being in the language the loan was originally negotiated.
– Lender requirements to help borrowers avoid foreclosure: Lender must contact the borrower to provide restructuring options at an in-person meeting before a notice of default can be filed. The lender must also provide the borrower a list of HUD-certified credit counselors available to assist the borrower. The notice of default must include a sworn statement that the lender met with the borrower or tried with due diligence to contact the borrower for an in-person meeting. The notice must also include the terms of the existing loan, including the reset amount and the restructuring options that were offered.
– Notice to property residents that the foreclosure process has begun: Require a party filing a notice of foreclosure sale to also mail a notice to tenants in order to alert them that the property owner is facing foreclosure and that the tenant may lose their ability to live in the house.
– Give tenants additional time to move from a foreclosed property: Increase the current notice required to be given to residential tenants of foreclosed properties to 60 days prior to eviction.
– Require maintenance of foreclosed properties to diminish the impact on the value of the neighboring homes: Failure to maintain a foreclosed property is a nuisance and violators shall be subject to civil fines and penalties of up to $1,000 per day. “Failure to maintain” includes failure to adequately care for the property including but not limited to, permitting excessive foliage growth that diminishes the value of surrounding properties, allowing trespassers or squatters, or permitting mosquito larva to grow in standing water. Fines and penalties collected pursuant to this section shall be directed to local nuisance abatement programs. These provisions shall not preempt stronger local ordinances.
– This is an urgency measure.
– All provisions will sunset on December 31, 2012.
For more information on the crisis and the bill, go to Senator Perata’s Web site, at www.senate.ca.gov/perata. Visit Wiggins' Web site at http://dist02.casen.govoffice.com/.
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