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- Written by: Lakeport Tire and Auto Service
Originally started in 1967, it was later purchased by Bill Wolfe in the early 1970s.
Toni Funderburg and her husband Bob purchased it in 1993 from her cousin Bill Wolfe and expanded it to a full-service automotive repair shop.
Like most small business owners, their business was their second home. In fact, their son Derek has many of his childhood portraits taken there with tools and tires.
Great customer service and innovation were tools that allowed the business to thrive. Toni Funderburg identified and implemented cutting edge software that allowed the shop’s skilled technicians to take photos of the cars during the inspection and email the inspection report, including the photos, to the customers so they can see what is good and what needs to be serviced on their vehicle.
When the forest fires triggered rolling outages, Bob Funderburg purchased a shop-wide generator so the customers could get their cars back when promised regardless of outages.
Wreaths Across America, Toys for Tots, Boy Scouts, and Delta Iota Tau are a few of the charities that benefited from Toni Funderburg’s energy and Lakeport Tire and Auto Service resources.
While not strictly business related, it fulfilled Bob and Toni’s belief that businesses are part of a community and should find ways to give back.
In 2019 Bob and Toni started thinking about retiring. However, rather than just selling the business and moving on, they wanted “the right buyer,” one that would maintain the features that were most important to them in running the business.
That meant they would need to find a buyer who would provide quality customer service and be part of the community. They were fortunate to find a broker who was willing to work with them to find “the right buyer.” Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Fortunately, the innovations implemented in the shop allowed business to continue but the pandemic really slowed the sale of the business.
Although several parties were interested in Lakeport Tire and Auto Service, none of them were “the right buyer.”
In March of 2021 Bob and Toni went to visit their sons in Tucson. During that getaway, their broker called to let them know some people were interested in their business and they lived in Mesa, Arizona. After several emails back and forth, Bob and Toni let the broker know they were in Arizona and would be near Mesa the next day. The broker was able to arrange for everyone to meet for lunch. Everyone clicked and the quick lunch lasted three hours.
The next weekend Steve and Kathleen Short came to Lakeport to check out the business and the area. They were impressed by both the business and the community. They sent pictures and told their kids about Library Park, Park Restaurant and Marcel's Bakery.
Kathleen Short loved the small town feel like her own rural hometown in Oregon. Steve loved the lake as being on the water is “his happy place.”
After looking at other options, Steve and Kathleen Short decided Lakeport Tire and Auto Service would be a good fit. The Funderburgs agreed and the legal aspects of selling the business began.
On Sept. 10, 2021, after a few hurdles, Steve and Kathleen Short became the new owners of Lakeport Tire and Auto Service. They retained all the employees and worked to continue the business.
The Funderburgs stayed on for another three months to help with the transition.
Steve and Kathleen Short bring a wealth of business experience to Lakeport Tire and Auto Service.
Steve Short is a 14-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran, with a master’s degree in marketing. He has owned successful businesses before, was the founder of a boating equipment company in 1995 and is a former champion powerboat racer.
His automotive service experience comes from being the executive director for sales and dealer training for a large automotive manufacturer. In that role, he was responsible for training hundreds of automotive service dealers like Lakeport Tire and Auto Service.
Lakeport and Clear Lake are a perfect place for an avid boater, and Steve is excited to spend free time on the water.
Kathleen Short is an accountant and owns her own full-cycle accounting firm, Vista Accounting Solutions. Many of the clients are remote giving tremendous flexibility. She has also taken an active role in the future of Lakeport Tire and Auto Service. Kathleen loves her Rhodesian Ridgebacks, taking them to both shows and lure coursing.
Bob and Toni Funderburg are excited for the Short family and wish them well with the business that has meant so much to them.
They will miss working with their customers and thank them for their patronage over many years but they are feeling overwhelmingly comfortable that the customers and their vehicles will be taken care of in the trustworthy way they deserve.
The Shorts are excited about business and the community and ways to help both.
- Details
- Written by: California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Each solicitation will offer up to $10 million for qualified projects.
The first opportunity is the draft Public Lands Cleanup and Remediation Solicitation for the cleanup and remediation of illicit cannabis cultivation impacts on qualified public land.
The second opportunity is the draft Watershed Enhancement Solicitation for enhancing watershed and communities through road improvements, cleanup and remediation on private lands, wildlife and habitat enhancements, and/or water conservation projects.
CDFW will host an online workshop on April 22, 2022, at 10 a.m. to provide an overview of the two draft solicitations, application requirements and to answer questions about these two different funding opportunities. Please see CDFW’s CRGP page for additional details about the workshop.
“We are excited to continue to engage with organizations of all sizes to learn about projects that benefit the environment,” said Jeremy Valverde, CDFW’s Cannabis Program Director. “Working together with entities that may apply for these funds, we can make huge strides in protecting our native plants, fish and wildlife, which is a benefit to all in our great state.”
In 2021, through this grant program, CDFW paid out nearly one million in funds and expects to do even more this year.
Grants through the CRGP are funded through California’s Environmental Restoration and Protection Account pursuant to Revenue and Taxation Code section 34019(f)(2), and may be used to fund the cleanup, remediation, and restoration of environmental damage in watersheds affected by cannabis cultivation and related activities, and to support local partnerships for this purpose.
For questions on CDFW’s CRGP, please email
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- Written by: OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN MIKE THOMPSON
Thompson voted for the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021 which established the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, or RRF, and provided funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted restaurants across the country, and one of my top priorities was delivering financial relief to keep doors open and employees on payroll,” said Thompson. “The Restaurant Revitalization Fund provided aid directly to restaurants but quickly ran out because the need was so great. I am proud to be pushing for replenishing this vital fund, and I implore my Senate colleagues to expeditiously take up this legislation to send this relief directly to our hardest-hit businesses.”
This bill provides $42 billion to replenish the Restaurant Revitalization Fund — allowing the Small Business Administration to process the remaining requests and award much needed grants to establishments still struggling as a result of the pandemic.
H.R. 3807 also provides $13 billion to establish the Hard Hit Industries Award Program — an SBA initiative to assist small businesses from across industries that were hardest hit by the pandemic and lost revenue but were not eligible for other grants or awards.
Businesses eligible for these grants would have 200 or fewer employees and have experienced 40% or more in lost revenue as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Details
- Written by: California State Board of Food and Agriculture
The meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the University of California, Merced, Administration Building, Room No. 306, 5200 North Lake Road.
The public can attend the meeting via Zoom; the password is Cdfa!220
Public comment on the drought will begin at approximately 2 p.m.
With the driest first three months of a year on record and reservoir conditions below historic averages, California is experiencing significant drought impacts.
The board will hear from federal officials, local irrigation and water districts, as well as community and farmer stakeholders on drought planning and preparedness.
“This will be a difficult summer for many rural communities in California,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “Drought endangers safe drinking water supplies in many communities, jobs for farm workers and livelihoods of farm families. All of us are in this together. We must conserve this precious resource to protect communities, support the environment and assist farmers and ranchers in growing healthy and sustainable food.”
Invited speakers include: Regional Director Ernest Conant, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, California-Great Basin; Josue Medellin-Azuara and Joshua Viers, University of California Merced; Jarrett Martin, Central California Irrigation District; Michelle Reimers, Turlock Irrigation District; Eric Swenson, Merquin County Water District; Supervisor Scott Silveira, Merced County Board of Supervisors and other invited speakers.
“Droughts have become harder to manage for California’s farmers and ranchers,” said President Don Cameron, California State Board of Food and Agriculture. “Less water is available than in years past and flexibilities within the system are constrained. The result is that farmers have fewer options. This cycle must be fixed and California agriculture is willing to help lead the way.”
The California State Board of Food and Agriculture advises the governor and CDFA secretary on agricultural issues and consumer needs. The board conducts forums that bring together local, state and federal government officials; agricultural representatives; and citizens to discuss current issues and concerns to California agriculture.
Follow the board on twitter at www.twitter.com/Cafood_agboard.