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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The high-profile event will include a “20 percent off” sale on everything in the store and yard, many free prizes, vendor demonstrations and hot dogs and sodas for just $1. The 20 percent off sale also will apply at the other Mendo Mill stores in Ukiah, Fort Bragg and Willits.
The new facility will have 25,000 square feet of enclosed retail area, a large lumber yard under cover and state-of-the-art customer conveniences.
Mike Mayfield, the president and chief executive officer of Mendo Mill, called the project a major step forward for his home improvement company and a significant addition to Clearlake and Lake County.
“We have achieved our goal of designing and building a “right size” home improvement store that blends product selection and customer service in ways that the big box chain stores cannot match”, Mayfield said. “It was a vision advanced by my father, Joe, many years ago while he was still actively managing the company. We worked closely together on the concept and it has been my privilege to guide it to completion. We are particularly gratified by the extent to which the project has utilized the recycling of materials and incorporated the extensive installation of energy-efficient components”, he added.
“From the beginning we worked closely with the community officials and civic leaders to build a store that will serve the people of Lake County effectively and add to the commercial profile of the city and county for many years to come,” Mayfield continued. “On behalf of my family and the Mendo Mill staff, I want to express appreciation for the co-operation we have received from local officials and for the patience of our customers during this huge renovation and expansion.”
Mayfield also praised the Mendo Mill staff for their work during the renovation. “Our department heads, cashiers and yard employees did a superb job of accommodating our customers while the construction was underway,” Mayfield said.
He cited the leadership of Jay Reed, merchandise manager, and Gail Strong, vice president, both residents of Lake County, saying, “It has been a great team effort by the entire Mendo Mill organization and I am very proud of their work.”
Steve Bricker, who joined Mendo Mill Aug. 1, will manage the new store. Bricker, who has extensive experience in management and retail in Lake and Mendocino counties, said he is “thrilled to have the opportunity to manage a premier home improvement store in one of the fastest growing areas of the state.”
Mendo Mill and Lumber was founded in 1944 and has expanded to include stores in Ukiah, Fort Bragg and Willits as well as Clearlake. It is one of the top 50 Ace Hardware dealers and one of the top 25 Ace Paint dealers in America.
In addition to the Clearlake project, Mendo Mill has recently completed major improvements, expansions and renovations at its stores in Ukiah, Willits and Fort Bragg.
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Pryor will be heading up the winery’s culinary program where he will create innovative wine country cuisine to pair with the Langtry and Guenoc wines.
Before joining Langtry Estate & Vineyards, Pryor worked at the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant located at the Culinary Institute of America in the Napa Valley for the past eight years.
A graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and the Culinary Institute of America, Pryor brings a strong knowledge of culinary techniques to his position at Langtry Estate & Vineyards.
Pryor has worked in the food and wine industry for the past 15 years. His love of fine wine and the foods that go with it leads him to specialize in matching California’s seasonal, local ingredients with its fine wines. Chef Pryor calls on the techniques and cuisines of Europe, Asia and Latin America to inspire his menus.
“Bringing Michael on as executive chef at Langtry Estate & Vineyards allows us to create our own special food matches to pair with our exceptional wines. His unique recipes and creative pairings will be a welcomed treat for our wine club members,” said JoAnn Schwartz, Langtry’s tasting room and wine club manager.
At Langtry Estate & Vineyards, Pryor will be responsible for planning and preparing food and wine pairing menus for VIP guests of the winery. Chef Pryor will also prepare and test wine-paired recipes for the winery’s club members. Additionally, he will hold wine tastings for the winery staff to increase their general knowledge of the food and wine industry.
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.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Dynamic digital signage is a marketing tool the Middletown Area Town Hall's Economic Development Committee has been discussing for months. Could the introduction of digital signage outside the local post office and on Highway 29 as you approach Middletown really encourage more travelers to shop and shop?
Kevin Comora, president of Vizicast Multimedia, has been in the digital signage business for 19 years and is convinced it can. He is the driving force behind San Francisco's 15-year success with digital signage at Pier 39 on Firsherman's Wharf. He has digital signage working its marketing magic in hotels, casinos, retail stores – and even battleships like the USS Ronald Reagan.
In approximately an hour's time, Comora put together a dynamic digital presentation using information from just three Web sites of well-known Middletown companies – Langtry Farms, Sylvie's and Fergusson Cutlery. Comora promised to place the dynamic digital signage presentation up on the Web temporarily so folks who were unable to attend the mixer can see it.
Joel Moss, supervisory special agent for the FBI, came and spoke about InfraGard – a program that links the citizenry with important information that helps guard our national infrastructure. The public is invited to join this program absolutely free. The only requirement is that all those participating pass a basic background check. No felons are allowed to be in this program. For more information about InfraGard, visit www.infragard.net.
John Schuman, senior worldwide evangelist for the Creative Business Unit of Adobe Systems, flew in to Sacramento, rented a car and made the two-hour trek over to Middletown to be able to attend this mixer. He spoke about the wonders of Dreamweaver, the amazing Web design software that is used by more professional Web designers than any other software in the world. For more information about Dreamweaver, visit www.adobe.com.
Voris Brumfield, with the office of Lake County Code Enforcement, brought the paperwork regarding the rules and regulations for digital signage in the county. The good news is digital signage is allowed here. The big question at this point is how should it be initially introduced and financed?
Lake County has three Visitor Center locations – the Calpine Visitor Center in Midddletown, the Lake County Visitor Center in Lucerne and the Lakeport Regional Chamber of Commerce/Lake County Visitor Center in Lakeport. Each location lacks a kiosk. Dynamic digital signage could easily solve that problem.
Comora actually has high school and college students helping to implement dynamic digital signage for communities. Last year just 30 Middletown High School students engaged in a letter-writing campaign which resulted in Adam Housley, an international correspondent for Fox News, coming and addressing the parade crowd at "Middletown Days." Because nothing succeeds like success, a letter-writing campaign was pursued again this year. This time, not 30, but 110 letters went out. Even middle school students wanted to be involved this time around. This time teachers gave every student participating community service credit toward graduation.
Doug McConnell, host of KRON 4's "Bay Area Backroads," responded by giving Middletown the opportunity to be among the first communities to post pictures of this annual parade and festival on its newly-created Web site venture, www.openroad.tv. Photograhper Craig Eve has provided pictures, but the Middletown Central Park Association has yet to grant permission to upload them to the Web.
Meanwhile, Dr. Korby Olson, superintendent of Middletown High School, is eager to get another letter-writing campaign underway in January of 2008. Perhaps by that time the letter-writing campaign will have morphed into a dynamic digital signage opportunity granting high school students community service credit toward graduation.
However, one thing is for sure. Whatever the campaign turns out to be, one thing is for certain. Unlike the two previous years, the student effort will not be promoting "Middletown Days" as the Middletown Central Park Association does not wish to promote its parade and festival outside the local community. Why? Because there is actually a fear too many people may actually show up and the small town will not be able to accommodate them.
However, the Middletown Senior Center, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is in need of a new location or building. The Foundation Center of San Francisco is scheduled to open a satellite resource center within the Clearlake Public Library in a few months to provide valuable information which can result in grant funding of 501-c3 nonprofit organizations.
Between tools like the Foundation Center, dynamic digital signage, InfraGard, Dreamweaver and the enthusiasm of local students, amazing things could happen in Middletown. Stay tuned.
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WASHINGTON – On Thursday the House of Representatives voted to pass HR 2881, the House Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization.
The bill requires airlines and airports to have emergency contingency plans to take care of passengers who are involved in long flight and tarmac delays, including plans on deplaning after a lengthy delay.
These plans must account for the provision of food, water, clean restrooms and medical care for passengers. The Department of Transportation can fine those who fail to develop or comply with these plans.
“Today, the House sent a clear message to the flying public: everyone has a right to be treated decently and fairly while on a plane or in an airport, especially during excessive delays,” Congressman Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena), who authored the bill, said in a written statement.
“For too long, we’ve heard story after story of paying customers being subjected to uncomfortable and sometimes unsafe conditions when flights are delayed or canceled,” Thompson said. “Right now, airline passengers aren’t guaranteed access to clean drinking water, food, bathrooms or medical care. They can also be held on a plane for hours on end against their will.”
Thompson said he found those conditions unacceptable, which is why he introduced the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights (HR 1303) in March. That bill requires airlines to provide passengers with the basic necessities during delays and allows passengers to get off the plane when delays became excessive.
Thursday's House vote on those key provisions in the FAA Reauthorization bill is a big step toward securing passenger rights, Thompson reported.
“The inclusion of passenger rights in the FAA Reauthorization bill is a big win,” Thompson stated. “However, we must make sure this legislation not only becomes law, but also does the job. We’ll be keeping a close watch on whether the airlines use this as opportunity to improve the way they treat passengers.”
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