Business News
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- Written by: Blue Zones Project Lake County
The recent celebration included a team walk through the scenic trails of Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, followed by healthy snacks and a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Jonas Energy Solutions worksite.
A fourth-generation business rooted in Lake County, Jonas Energy Solutions has long demonstrated a commitment to employee well-being and community involvement.
From supporting local charities and community improvement measures to creating a workplace culture that prioritizes health and connection, Jonas is setting the standard for businesses that care.
One of the standout additions in their Blue Zones journey is the implementation of an on-site vegetable garden.
Designed to provide fresh produce for employees and their families, the garden also serves as a peaceful place to downshift during the workday — encouraging mindfulness, movement and connection with nature.
“Becoming a BZP-approved worksite was a natural fit for Jonas,” said Tonya Jones of Jonas Energy Solutions. “We're committed to our employees' well-being, and this program perfectly aligns with that goal. We love our Blue Zones/Jonas garden and can't wait to share the fruits of our labor!”
Through their continued efforts, Jonas Energy Solutions exemplifies how business leadership and community well-being go hand-in-hand.
Their workplace improvements reflect several of the Blue Zones Power 9 principles, including moving naturally, cultivating a strong Positive Pack, and creating an environment where employees feel supported and valued.
“Jonas Energy Solutions has taken meaningful, practical steps to support employee wellness,” said Jamey Gill, executive director of Blue Zones Project Lake County. “Their efforts are a great example of how local businesses are creating an even healthier and more connected workplace Culture.”
For more information on how your organization can become a Blue Zones Project Approved Worksite, visit https://lakecounty.bluezonesproject.com/.
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- Written by: Redwood Credit Union
RCU’s board of directors sets the credit union’s strategic direction and policies. Because credit unions are not-for-profit cooperatives, RCU’s board is composed of RCU members who serve voluntarily and are elected by the membership.
Re-elected for three-year terms (2025–2028) are the following.
Judy Herrerias-James has served as an RCU volunteer official since 2013. She is the owner of Stony Point Vineyard, and serves as a board member for the Sonoma County Workforce Investment Board, the Sonoma County Farm Bureau and the Redwood Credit Union Services Group. Herrerias-James graduated from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Business Management.
Lisa Wittke Schaffner has been an RCU volunteer official since 2012 and is the incoming RCU Board chair. She is CEO of the North Coast Builders Exchange, sits on the Board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Sonoma-Marin and she is vice president of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation. She also sits on the boards of the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber and Sonoma County Fair. Wittke Schaffner has degrees in government and journalism from California State University at Sacramento.
Rod Dole has been an RCU volunteer official since 1978. He is the retired auditor/controller/treasurer/tax collector for Sonoma County. He formerly served as co-chair for Ygrene, trustee for CALTrust, and on the president’s advisory board at Sonoma State University.
The board has also named its officer roles for the year as follows: Lisa Wittke Schaffner, board chair; Debbie Watts, board vice chair; David Gouin, board secretary; and Rod Dole, board treasurer.
To learn about the credit union’s performance, community impact, technology enhancements, and more for last year, view RCU’s interactive online 2024 Annual Report.
Founded in 1950, Redwood Credit Union is a full-service, not-for-profit financial institution providing personal and business banking to consumers and businesses in the North Bay and San Francisco.
RCU has more than $9.1 billion in assets and serves more than 489,000 members with full-service branches from San Francisco to Ukiah. For more information, call 800-479-7928, visit redwoodcu.org, or follow RCU on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn for news and updates.
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- Written by: DOLLAR GENERAL
Exemplifying its commitment to helping address food insecurity across the country, the company’s 2024 total donations of over 28 million pounds of food from DG stores and distribution centers surpassed an exciting milestone of providing more than 50 million meals since the partnership launched.
"At Dollar General, we understand the challenges our neighbors may face in accessing affordable, nutritious food to provide themselves and their families,” said Denine Torr, Dollar General's vice president of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. "With more than 47 million people in the U.S. currently facing hunger, we are committed to being a part of the solution through our partnership with the Feeding America network of partner food banks. Dollar General is also thrilled to celebrate this milestone of providing more than 50 million meals in our hometown communities, and we look forwarding to furthering our impact.”
Dollar General partnered with the following California food banks and their affiliated partners through the company’s in-kind food donation program in 2024:
• Redwood Empire Food Bank, which serves areas including Lake County.
• Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County.
• Feeding America Riverside San Bernardino Counties.
• FIND Food Bank Inc.
• Feeding the Foothills.
• Second Harvest of the Greater Valley.
• Central California Food Bank.
• St. Mary's Food Bank.
“As the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States, Feeding America is committed to providing solutions to end hunger,” said Erika Thiem, Feeding America’s chief supply chain officer. “We are delighted to partner with Dollar General, whose commitment through generous product donations and financial support fuels our mission to ensure everyone has access to the food and resources they need to thrive.”
Since piloting the program in 2019 and formally announcing it in 2021, Dollar General has donated more than $4 million and more than 50 million meals through in-kind food donations to Feeding America partner food banks, equivalent to over 66 million pounds of food. Through its partnership with Feeding America, the company serves more than one-third of the nation’s counties, supporting more than 5,200 food banks in more than 1,100 counties.
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- Written by: AAA
The average price of gasoline in California is currently $4.82, an increase of five cents from last week. Despite this, gas prices remain lower than the $5.32 average Californians paid a year ago. Meanwhile, the national average is nearly 49 cents less than it was this time last year.
“The biggest difference for gas prices this year has been the cost of crude oil,” said Doug Johnson, spokesperson, AAA Mountain West Group. “OPEC+ (the group of oil-producing countries) announced Saturday that it will increase output again in June, widening the supply surplus, which could cause crude prices to continue to fall.”
Fuel prices around the state:
Lake County: $4.81
San Francisco: $5.13
Oakland: $5.00
San Jose: $5.01
Sacramento: $4.93
Fresno: $4.84
Stockton: $4.84
According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand decreased from 9.09 million b/d last week to 8.71. Total domestic gasoline supply slightly increased from 225.5 million barrels to 225.7. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 9.7 million barrels per day.
Oil market dynamics
At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI fell $1.02 to settle at $58.07 a barrel. The EIA reports that crude oil inventories decreased by 2 million barrels from the previous week. At 438.4 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 7% below the five-year average for this time of year.
EV charging
The national average per kilowatt hour of electricity at a public EV charging station increased two cents over last week to 36 cents.
State stats
Gas
The nation’s top 10 most expensive gasoline markets are California ($4.82), Hawaii ($4.49), Washington ($4.26), Oregon ($3.90), Nevada ($3.89), Alaska ($3.60), Illinois ($3.43), Pennsylvania ($3.30), Idaho ($3.30), and Utah ($3.30).
The nation’s top 10 least expensive gasoline markets are Mississippi ($2.64), Louisiana ($2.70), Oklahoma ($2.73), Arkansas ($2.74), Alabama ($2.75), Tennessee ($2.75), Texas ($2.76), South Carolina ($2.77), Missouri ($2.82), and Kansas ($2.83).
Electric
The nation’s top 10 most expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are Hawaii (54 cents), Alaska (47 cents), West Virginia (47 cents), Montana (44 cents), Louisiana (43 cents), Kentucky (42 cents), Tennessee (42 cents), Idaho (42 cents), South Carolina (41 cents), and New Hampshire (40 cents).
The nation’s top 10 least expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are Kansas (22 cents), Missouri (25 cents), Delaware (26 cents), Iowa (27 cents), Nebraska (29 cents), Utah (29 cents), Texas (30 cents), Maryland (30 cents), Vermont (30 cents), and North Carolina (31 cents).
Find current fuel prices at https://gasprices.aaa.com/.
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