How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
Business News
- Details
- Written by: Editor
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/.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Editor
“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/.
{mos_sb_discuss:3}
- Details
- Written by: Editor
PG&E is the first utility in the nation to put the Kenworth T800 LNG-powered trucks into service. The effort is part of the company’s commitment to reduce its environmental footprint and improve California’s air quality.
“Natural gas is one of the cleanest alternative fuels available today,” said David Meisel, director of transportation services at PG&E. “The Kenworth LNG-powered trucks will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15 to 20 percent over equivalent diesel engines. We’re thrilled to be adding these LNG trucks to our fleet and for the environmental benefits it will provide to the communities in which we live and work.”
PG&E purchased the Class 8 heavy-duty trucks from Bay Area Kenworth as diesel units and collaborated on the upgrade to liquid natural gas operation with Kenworth and Westport Innovations Inc., a leader in the development of natural gas engines and fuel systems.
The unique fuel system developed and manufactured by Westport and called High Pressure Direct Injection (HPDI), uses a small amount of diesel to ignite the natural gas in the engine and provides diesel-equivalent torque, horsepower and a range of 400-450 miles. The result is reduced NOx, Particulate Matter and greenhouse gas emissions and less reliance on diesel fuel by running the cleaner LNG fuel.
The LNG-powered trucks are based at PG&E’s Fremont service warehouse from where all the utility’s supplies are shipped and are being put into service for routes to Fresno, Marysville, Ukiah and Templeton.
Four of the Class 8 LNG trucks will be used for two shifts per day, representing approximately 800 miles per day per truck. Using LNG will cut the fuel costs for these trucks by approximately 50 percent. The fifth LNG truck serves as a customer demonstration truck to educate PG&E’s large trucking customers about the economic and environmental benefits of LNG-powered heavy-duty trucks.
PG&E operates 36 natural gas fueling stations throughout its northern and central California service territory, 27 of which are open to the public. The new LNG-powered trucks fuel up at PG&E’s Fremont Service Center from a proven above-ground LNG fueling system produced by Chart Industries, a leader in the development of safe LNG fueling systems.
In addition, PG&E utilizes a mobile trailer mounted system for LNG vehicle fueling which is also manufactured by Chart Industries. A significant benefit of LNG fuel stations is that LNG is non-toxic, non-corrosive and poses no risk of ground contamination unlike conventional liquid fuels.
For nearly two decades, PG&E has been advocating alternative transportation technologies including electric, fuel cell and natural gas vehicles. With more than 1,300 vehicles, PG&E maintains one of the largest utility natural gas fleet in the nation and has helped more than three hundred fleet customers adopt alternative transportation methods.
Over the last 15 years, PG&E’s clean fuel fleet has displaced more than 3.4 million gallons of gasoline and diesel, and helped to avoid 6,000 tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
For more information about PG&E, visit the company’s Web site at www.pge.com.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Editor
Langtry divided the gift between Spirit of the Season, an organization that provides holiday baskets for the needy; Totes for Teens, a charity similar to Toys for Tots that offers holiday gifts to underprivileged teenagers, and Operation Tango Mike, a community effort that sends care packages and support to United States troops.
During the holiday season Langtry employees collected toys for the Spirit of the Season, and food items to donate to the Rural Food Project. This effort culminated in the first annual Langtry Victorian Christmas charity drive, which generated more than $1,400.
Guests who attended the event were encouraged to donate toys or food items. The day’s activities included Victorian games, a guest appearance by Santa, PACK carolers and a silent auction. All of the proceeds from the events were presented to the three charities.
“Langtry Estate & Vineyards would like to thank its employees and the community for their contributions to the success of the inaugural Victorian Christmas Charity event,” said JoAnn Schwartz, Langtry’s tasting room manager. “Our hope is that the donations helped bring some joy to the holidays for people who are less fortunate and people serving our country.”
Additional information on the winery is available at www.langtryestate.com or by calling 707-987-2385.
Langtry Estate & Vineyards is located at 21000 Butts Canyon Road, Middletown.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}