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On Wednesday, the Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization voted 13-0 to approve Senate Bill (SB) 157, new legislation by Senator Patricia Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) designed to make all of those previously-enacted laws consistent.
Existing law allows winegrowers to conduct tastings of their products away from their places of business, including at fundraising events held by non-profit organizations. They may also accept orders for their wines at such events, but they are limited to filling those orders back at their businesses.
In 2007, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed SB 108, legislation by Senator Wiggins that expanded the number of non-profit organizations that can hold wine tasting events where wineries can take orders to be filled afterwards.
SB 108 created more opportunities for small wineries in California to introduce or build awareness of their brand while also allowing more non-profits to utilize wine tastings for fund raising purposes. In addition, it offered consumers other venues to discover difficult-to-find wines.
Wiggins, who chairs the Senate Select Committee on California’s Wine Industry, said her bill, SB 157, would ensure that all non-profits currently recognized under the existing laws are treated according to the same standards.
“This bill will make it easier for wineries and non-profits organizations to understand what events can be held and what activities may occur at those events,” Wiggins said.
“Logic suggests that if a winery can take orders at events held by 11 nonprofit types, they should also be able to donate and pour wine at those events, but as the laws now stand, it’s not clear whether they can,” she added. “This bill will clarify that winegrowers can donate and pour at the same set of non-profit organizations that elect to hold these kinds of events, while also being able to take orders for wine that they can fill back at their wineries or businesses.”
SB 157’s sponsor, the Family Winemakers of California (FWC), said the bill would allow more non-profit organizational types to collaborate with wine producers to provide attractive events for consumers.
According to FWC President Paul Kronenberg, “Under this bill, consumers win, the non-profits derive more income for important activities benefiting local groups and wine producers win because they have another brand-building opportunity and the potential to sell some wine in collaboration with a worthwhile cause.”
The Assembly Committee on Governmental Organization approved SB 157 as part of its consent calendar. The bill next heads to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for consideration.
Wiggins represents California’s Second Senate District, which includes the premium wine-growing regions of Lake, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties.
For more information on SB 157 or other bills that Wiggins has authored, please visit her Web site: http://dist02.casen.govoffice.com/.
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Completing Langtry’s new executive sales team, Hamchek will manage all sales for the Langtry Estate and Guenoc wine brands in the Eastern United States.
Hamchek is based in Florida and will be responsible for sales in Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Delaware.
Prior to joining Langtry, Hamchek held the position of Florida region manager for Foster’s Wine Estates (formerly Beringer Blass). While he held that position Florida was the largest market in the U.S. for the Limestone Estate portfolio of wines, and Hamchek was responsible for the sales and distribution of over a half million cases of wine.
Before working for Foster’s, Hamchek held various positions at Southcorp Wines NTA including Eastern Zone Manager and Vice President of Southeast Sales. Over a 12-year period Hamchek worked his way through the ranks at Southcorp, honing his sales and management skills as the company grew and diversified. Hamchek was also previously a sales manager for Seagram in the Midwest.
Hamchek holds a degree in business with an emphasis in marketing from the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh.
“Gary’s sales prowess and trade relationships throughout the East make him the perfect completion of our executive sales team,” said Langtry president Tim Matz.
Langtry Estate and Vineyards is located at 21000 Butts Canyon Road, Middletown. Visit them online at www.langtryestate.com.
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Californians have purchased, on average, about 16 billion gallons of gasoline per year. As of May 2008, the average price of a gallon of gasoline had topped $4 per gallon in the state – an increase of more than 69 percent over the last 12 months.
Some gasoline stations are offering different prices for gasoline based on the method of purchase, with some station owners discounting the price per gallon for cash transactions.
Credit cards can add about 2 to 3 percent to the cost of the transaction – a higher cost paid for the “convenience” using a credit card at the pump.
In many, if not most, instances, the cost differentials are not adequately disclosed to the public.
Wiggins describes SB 623 – which will be heard in the Assembly Business and Professions Committee on June 24 – as a “consumer information disclosure” measure.
“Drivers should be clearly shown what they’re paying, particularly with prices at the pump rising meteorically,” Wiggins said. “And gas station owners must do a better job of telling consumers that they will pay a lower price for gas if they fill up using cash instead of plastic.”
Wiggins represents California’s large Second Senate District, which is made up of 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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By declaring a disaster, Deputy Administrator Carranza’s action makes low interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) available immediately to help meet financial needs caused by the closure of the 2008 salmon fishing season that began April 10. Carranza’s action responded to a May 28, 2008 request from Henry Renteria, Director of California’s Office of Emergency Services on behalf of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The declaration covers the California counties of Alameda, Del Norte, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Kings, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Merced, Modoc, Monterey, Napa, Plumas, San Benito, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tehama and Trinity; and the neighboring Oregon counties of Curry and Josephine.
SBA is offering working capital loans of up to $1.5 million at an interest rate of 4 percent with terms up to 30 years.
“SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. These loans can provide vital economic assistance to the fishing and fishing-dependent businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing,” said Alfred E. Judd, director of SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West.
“SBA customer service representatives will be in the affected communities along the California coast to meet with business owners and answer questions about SBA’s EIDL assistance, issue loan applications, explain the application process, and help them complete their applications,” Judd said.
Some eligible business owners include: small businesses engaged in salmon fishing in the waters affected by the closure (employees or crew members are not small businesses and are not eligible), and small businesses dependent on the catching or sale of salmon, including suppliers of fishing gear and fuel, docks, boatyards, processors, wholesalers, shippers, and retailers, and other small businesses dependent on revenue from the above.
“We recognize that some affected businesses may be reluctant to seek a loan to meet their immediate financial needs, but we encourage each business to learn how an SBA disaster loan may help them recover from the closure of the fishing season,” Judd emphasized. Business owners may also obtain loan information by calling SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955. Hearing impaired individuals may call toll-free, 800-877-8339.
The deadline to apply for these loans is March 3, 2009.
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