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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
CFBF President Jamie Johansson responded to Tuesday’s announcement of a tariff-assistance package by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“Because our state leads the nation in agricultural exports, California has a lot at stake in assuring fair trade of farm products,” Johansson said. “We appreciate how USDA has worked to assemble this package quickly at a time of market uncertainty for farmers and ranchers.”
According to USDA officials, the aid will include bonus purchases of fruits, vegetables, nuts, meats and other food products, to benefit food banks and other food-aid programs.
“We hope these food purchases will provide some immediate relief to farmers and ranchers affected by trade disputes,” Johansson said. “Investing these purchases back into communities through food banks will be helpful in more ways than one.”
He said the package promises short-term relief, but that long-term resolution to the trade disputes remains urgent.
“Ultimately, farmers and ranchers want what we have always wanted: to trade on a fair basis with customers around the world who want to buy our products,” Johansson said. “We will continue to urge the administration and our congressional delegation to resolve the trade disputes as quickly as possible.”
The California Farm Bureau Federation works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 40,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of more than 5.5 million Farm Bureau members.
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- Written by: Tallman Hotel
UPPER LAKE, Calif. – After six and a half years as manager of the Tallman Hotel in Upper Lake, one of Lake County’s premier lodging facilities, Susan Mesick has decided to retire as of Aug. 15.
She will be succeeded by the current assistant manager, James Butler.
Susan Mesick has had a full career in marketing and public relations.
After moving to Lake County, she served as the first executive director of the Lake County Winery Association.
Before joining the Tallman in February of 2012, she was part of the team at the Six Sigma Ranch and Winery in Lower Lake.
“I was planning to help out my friends and Tallman owners Lynne and Bernie Butcher for just a couple of years,” she said. “But I fell in love with the property and the wonderful people here. It’s a challenge to build a great business while maintaining a high level of service, and I’ve loved every minute of it.”
Butler joined the company about a month after Mesick, in March of 2012, as systems administrator and front desk host.
Has has an AA degree in computer networking from College of the Redwoods. His roles have expanded over time to front desk manager and hotel assistant manager.
Butler “has a great attitude and he’s been an invaluable resource to both the hotel and Blue Wing Restaurant in upgrading our systems and keeping them humming,” said Tallman owner Bernie Butcher.
“I come from a computer background,” said Butler, “but over time I’ve become fascinated with the broader customer service aspects of the hospitality industry. Susan will be a hard act to follow, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
“Susan Mesick is a longtime friend who’s given her all to build a great team and help us achieve our five-star reputation,” said Tallman owner Lynne Butcher. “She will be greatly missed, but she fully deserves a change of pace. We’re lucky that James is ready and willing to assume greater management responsibility and take us on to the next level.”
The Tallman Hotel is located at 9550 Main St. in historic downtown Upper Lake.
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- Written by: Lake County Economic Development Corp.
On Monday, July 23, the Lake County EDC will launch www.lakecountycaedc.org, an economic development Web site devoted to supporting the business community of Lake County through information, research and training.
The website will provide data including, but not limited to, economic indicators, business resources, commercial site availability, new business startup guide, demographics and key industries. Links to local resources and business associations are included.
The Web site will serve as an online nexus for business opportunities and workforce development within Lake County.
Whether a new business is looking to relocate to the area or an existing business is ready to grow and expand, www.lakecountycaedc.org provides the necessary information to propel each business to success.
The Lake County EDC may be contacted at 707-279-1540, Extension 101.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
Counter to the national trend, 26 of the 219 metropolitan statistical areas analyzed in the report (12 percent) posted a year-over-year increase in foreclosure activity in the first six months of 2018, including Houston, Texas (up 10 percent); Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas (up 11 percent); Cleveland, Ohio (up 4 percent); Phoenix, Arizona (up 5 percent); and Indianapolis (up 2 percent).
“Localized foreclosure flare-ups in the first half of 2018 can no longer be blamed on legacy distress left over from the last housing bubble given that nearly half of all active foreclosures are now tied to loans originated in 2009 or later and given that the average time to foreclose plummeted in the first two quarters of the year,” said Daren Blomquist, senior vice president with ATTOM Data Solutions. “Instead these local foreclosure increases are typically the result of more recent distress triggers in those markets.
“We’re also seeing early evidence of gradually loosening lending standards starting in 2014, specifically for FHA-backed loans,” Blomquist added. “The foreclosure rate on FHA loans originated in 2014 and 2015 has now jumped above the average FHA foreclosure rate for all loan vintages — the only two post-recession vintages with foreclosure rates above that overall average.”
Nationwide 0.27 percent of all housing units (one in every 370) had a foreclosure filing in the first six months of 2018.
States with the highest foreclosure rates in the first half of 2018 were New Jersey (0.80 percent); Delaware (0.57 percent); Maryland (0.50 percent); Illinois (0.44 percent); and Connecticut (0.40 percent).
Other states with first-half 2018 foreclosure rates among the 10 highest nationwide were South Carolina (0.39 percent); Ohio (0.37 percent); Nevada (0.37 percent); Florida (0.37 percent); and New Mexico (0.35 percent).
Among 219 metropolitan statistical areas analyzed in the report, those with the highest foreclosure rates in the first half of 2018 were Atlantic City, New Jersey (1.48 percent of all housing units with a foreclosure filing); Trenton, New Jersey (0.96 percent); Flint, Michigan (0.95 percent); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (0.64 percent); and Columbia, South Carolina (0.58 percent).
Other metro areas with foreclosure rates ranking among the top 10 highest in the first half of 2018 were Cleveland, Ohio (0.58 percent); Albuquerque, New Mexico (0.55 percent); Rockford, Illinois (0.53 percent); Peoria, Illinois (0.52 percent); and Baltimore, Maryland (0.52 percent).
A total of 191,914 U.S. properties started the foreclosure process in the first six months of 2018, down 8 percent from the first half of 2017 and down 82 percent from a peak of 1,074,471 in the first half of 2009.
Counter to the national trend, 22 states posted a year-over-year increase in foreclosure starts in the first half of 2018, including Texas (up 11 percent); Michigan (up 5 percent); Arizona (up 1 percent); Indiana (up 51 percent); and Tennessee (up 13 percent).
Also counter to the national trend, 88 of the 219 metro areas analyzed in the report (40 percent) posted year-over-year increases in foreclosure starts in the first half of 2018, including Houston, Texas (up 25 percent); Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas (up 17 percent); Las Vegas, Nevada (up 7 percent); Detroit, Michigan (up 23 percent); and Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota (up 50 percent).
A total of 133,290 U.S. properties were repossessed by lenders through foreclosure (REO) in the first half of 2018, down 21 percent from the first half of 2017 and down 75 percent from a peak of 529,633 in the first half of 2010.
All but one state (New Mexico) posted a year-over-year decrease in REOs in the first half of 2018.
Q2 2018 foreclosure activity below pre-recession levels in 55 percent of markets
A total of 188,843 U.S. properties had a foreclosure filing in Q2 2018, down 1 percent from the previous quarter and down 14 percent from a year ago.
The second quarter of 2018 was the seventh consecutive quarter in which U.S. foreclosure activity was below the pre-recession average of 278,912 properties with foreclosure filings per quarter in 2006 and 2007.
Foreclosure activity in the second quarter of 2018 was below pre-recession averages in 121 of the 219 metropolitan statistical areas analyzed in the report (55 percent), including Los Angeles, California (56 percent below); Chicago, Illinois (25 percent below); Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas (75 percent below); Houston, Texas (37 percent below); and Miami, Florida (55 percent below).
Counter to the national trend, 98 of the 219 metropolitan statistical areas analyzed in the report (45 percent) posted Q2 2018 foreclosure activity totals above their pre-recession averages, including New York-Newark-Jersey City (50 percent above); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (42 percent above); Washington, D.C. (51 percent above); Boston, Massachusetts (19 percent above); and Baltimore, Maryland (235 percent above);
Average foreclosure timeline decreases for second straight quarter
Properties foreclosed in the second quarter of 2018 took an average of 720 days from the first public foreclosure notice to complete the foreclosure process, down from 791 days in the previous quarter and down from 883 days in the second quarter of 2017 — the second consecutive quarter with a year-over-year decrease and the shortest average foreclosure timeline since Q3 2016.
States with the longest average foreclosure timelines for foreclosures completed in Q2 2018 were Hawaii (1,553 days), Florida (1,166 days), New Jersey (1,161 days), Utah (1,108 days) and Indiana (1,054 days).
States with the shortest average foreclosure timelines for foreclosures completed in Q2 2018 were Arkansas (152 days), Virginia (169 days), New Hampshire (177 days), Mississippi (188 days) and Minnesota (222 days).