City spotlight: Fairfield, California

City spotlight: Fairfield, California
East Bay Business Times



Harry T. Price was elected to the Fairfield City Council in 1997 and elected mayor in 2005. He is a retired high school English teacher and was Solano County�s 1986 Teacher of the Year. He is past president of the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District and serves on the board of the California Association of Sanitation Agencies.

What excites you the most about Fairfield's future? Fairfield is poised to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves. Our community has the intellectual capacity, the business acumen and the tools to make things happen quickly.

What troubles you the most about Fairfield's future? The state budget crisis worries me. We've done our best to be fiscally responsible during this economic downturn, and we're concerned about how much the state is going to have to take from cities to balance its budget.

What is the biggest opportunity in Fairfield? We have approved business parks with shovel-ready sites for office and manufacturing. Fairfield's land/property values are about 30 percent below the Bay Area average, making us perfect for expanding companies.

What is Fairfield's biggest asset? Our biggest asset is Travis Air Force Base. The base is Solano County's largest employer, employing over 15,000 active duty and civilian personnel, and has an economic impact of over $1 billion each year.

What is its biggest liability? The I-80/I-680 interchange and the traffic impacts it causes. However, a new interchange and carpool lanes are being planned, along with a new frontage road that is designed to provide relief to local drivers.

What is the most important development project going or to come soon? We have a major new transit-oriented development around a new train station in the planning stages. This project will have new residential and commercial development on a Capitol Corridor stop. Also, the Garaventa retail project, located near the I-80/I-680 interchange, will provide over 45 acres of prime freeway commercial land.

What is something people don't know about Fairfield? We have an ideal balance of jobs and housing, with 15,000 more jobs than housing units. Forward-thinking companies are moving to Fairfield and bringing quality jobs. Major manufacturers, corporate headquarters and tech companies are choosing Fairfield for our value-priced real estate, executive housing and our strategic location between the Bay Area and Sacramento metropolitan area.



History: The area where Fairfield is located was originally inhabited by Suisun Indians 6,000 years ago. The Mexican government sent Gen. Mariano Vallejo to colonize the region in 1835, and two years later gave Chief Solano the Suisun Ranch land grant. In 1842, Solano sold it to Vallejo for $1,000. Robert Waterman, a clipper ship captain, mapped out the site for Fairfield, named after his Connecticut hometown, in 1856 and organized efforts to move the county seat from Benicia to Fairfield. In 1903, Fairfield was incorporated as a city. Travis Air Force Base was established in 1942. It later became a major departure point for troops during the Vietnam War. Today the base is home to the 60th Air Mobility Wing, which is the largest air-mobility organization in the Air Force. Above, downtown Fairfield.

Population: 106,753
Biggest private employer: NorthBay Medical Center
No. of hospital employees: 1,301
No. 2 private employer: Anheuser-Busch
No. of brewery employees: 465
Number of business licenses: 5,370
Number of jobs in Fairfield: 49,940
Median household income: $75,400
Median home price, March '08: $350,000
On the Web: www.ci.fairfield.ca.us

General Plan could add to Suisun Valley's potential

General Plan could add to Suisun Valley's potential
By Barry Eberling | DAILY REPUBLIC | May 08, 2008

FAIRFIELD - Ron Lanza of Wooden Valley Winery looks at Mankas Corner and envisions even more there to help attract visitors to rural Suisun Valley.

Mankas Corner has a scattering of businesses, among them the Vintage Caffe restaurant. Lanza would like to see more attractions there, such as a gathering spot for farmers markets and festivals.

'Mankas Corner should be a hub for people to visit,' said Lanza, whose family has operated the Wooden Valley Winery about a mile away since 1955.

A Mankas Corner hub is part of the proposed Solano County General Plan special section on Suisun Valley. The stated goal is to keep the valley's rural charm but draw more visitors there to buy products from farmers and wineries.

Think Apple Hill in El Dorado County. Think Napa Valley a few decades ago, before corporations took over wineries and traffic jammed Highway 29. Those are the examples advocates of the plan use.

Seven business centers

A key proposal in the draft General Plan is to have seven so-called 'neighborhood agricultural centers' in the valley. These would be places with small hotels or bed-and-breakfasts, stores where people could buy sandwiches for picnics and other businesses related to agritourism.

Sites would be at Mankas Corner, Rockville Corner, the Iwama market, near historic Gomer School, Abernathy Road at the beginning of the proposed North Connector, Cordelia Road at Thomasson Lane and Morrison Lane.

The proposed General Plan doesn't state how big these business centers might be, but the total for all seven could not exceed 75 acres.

'Some could be 10 acres, some could be 15, depending on the situation,' county Program Manager Mike Yankovich said.

See the complete story at the Daily Republic Online.

Varsity Grill owner to open second Vacaville restaurant

Varsity Grill owner to open second Vacaville restaurant
By Ian Thompson | DAILY REPUBLIC | May 10, 2008



Mike Fortunato owns the Varsity Grill in Vacaville with his wife, Michelle. Photo by Brad Zweerink

VACAVILLE - Two years ago, Mike Fortunato opened his first youth-oriented sports grill to give young athletes and their families a place to gather for an after-game meal.

'It's been real good,' Fortunato said of Varsity Grill, which is located at 1005 Alamo Drive. 'This has ended up being a real popular team sports hangout and that's what has kept us in real good standing.

The business has been good enough that Fortunato plans to open a second Varsity Grill on the north side of the city near Vacaville High School, his alma mater.

The site at 126 North Orchard Ave. was the previous home of Cafe Carmel and Scott's Bulldog Cafe.

'I am real nervous, but customers from that part of town have been real supportive, asking when I will open up,' Fortunato said.

'It is a good north Vacaville place, and I plan to be more breakfast-oriented there, offering breakfasts ranging from the Big Man Breakfast to breakfasts for seniors,' he added.

The north Vacaville Varsity Grill will be open by June 1. Its hours will be from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

'Some of the (Fortunato) family breakfasts will be coming to the table,' Fortunato said of the menu.

Fortunato had considered the North Orchard location for his first Varsity Grill before deciding to go into a former Mexican restaurant on Alamo Drive near Marshall Road.

Keeping much of his menu affordable and listening to what his customers like are two reasons for Varsity Grill's success, Fortunato said.

See the complete story at the Daily Republic Online.

Local leader to attend forum

Local leader to attend forum

Sandy Person, vice president of the Solano Economic Development Corporation has received and accepted a personal invitation from the Secretary of the Air Force to attend the 55th Annual National Security Forum at the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.

The purpose of NSF is to expose influential citizens to senior U.S. and international officers and civilian equivalents in order to engage each other's ideas and perspectives on Air Force, national and international security issues.

This week, approximately 130 civilian leaders in business, education and government from all over the U.S. will meet with senior military leaders to explore current and future national security issues facing the nation. The NSF provides an opportunity for an open and candid exchange of ideas among these guests, senior military and civilian leaders, and Air War College students. Person will attend lectures, meet in seminars for in-depth discussions and participate in several social events.

Fueling speculation

Fueling speculation
Regional biofuel proposals scruitinized
From MediaNews Group reports
Article Launched: 05/11/2008



A rendering of the new Go Green Biofuels plant proposed to open later this year on Lemon Street in Vallejo. (Courtesy photo)

The debate over biofuel production and its impact on world food prices may be raging elsewhere but apparently isn't chilling enthusiasm for it regionally.


Two separate projects aimed at developing biofuels and exploring the markets for their use are grabbing attention from Vallejo to Woodland.

In Vallejo, American Canyon resident Rodney Pitts said this week he plans to catch the biofuel "wave" with a planned manufacturing plant on Vallejo's Lemon Street near the water.

Meanwhile, plans to build a "Biomass Research Center" on County Road 100 in Woodland are moving forward. The project would house a two-year, $3 million biofuel project conducted by researchers from around the state.

Pitts said his Vallejo plant would produce fuel from waste materials from the nearby treatment plant and other sources, and produce no toxic waste of its own. Not even dirty water.

"Every city has waste materials it doesn't use, like brown oil, that can be used to make biodiesel," said Pitts, 42, a married father of a 4-year-old son. "Material from the waste treatment plant is now broken down into methane, brown oil and other elements and mostly winds up in landfills or the ocean, but we can make fuel out of it."

Pitts, a former Navy man and self-described "computer science guy," said he hopes his firm, Go Green Biofuels, will be able to build a 40,000-square-foot facility on 25 acres. The plant will eventually produce 30 million gallons of clean-burning fuel annually, he said. And not only will the plant be self-powered, it will generate energy to "feed into the grid," Pitts said.

The idea is to use special, self-re-generating algae oil to create fuel, which doesn't impact food supplies the way ethanol does, Pitts said. And unlike traditional fuel refineries, Go Green's process produces no toxic by-products or smell, he said.

"The only byproduct is glycerin, for which there is a growing demand for use in making plastics and from chemical companies, like Dow Chemical, who already want it," he said. "It's used in soaps, pet feed stock, all sorts of things."

In the past, some have questioned whether algae oil can be efficiently produced in enough quantity at a low enough cost to be a viable fuel option. That was before gas prices soared, Pitts said, adding that the fourth generation technology his firm will use, would address those issues.

Vallejo's chief building official said what he's heard of Pitts' concept sounds good, but it's only a concept so far.

"He's met with some city staff members, including myself and presented his ideas, but no plans have been submitted to us," West said.

Plans for a biomass research center in Woodland are much further along.

In fact, the innovative could enter the public comment phase as early as this week, according to the project's chief engineer.

If approved by the Yolo County Planning Commission, the Woodland Biomass Research will bring together leading researchers from across California, said the engineer, Donald Taylor.

Taylor works for West Biofuels LLC, a San Rafael-based energy technology start-up that will manage the center.

University of California researchers will operate the center, focusing initially on developing energy applications for so-called "biomass residues," including corn stalks, rice straw and tomato residues, Taylor said.

Biomass refers to living and recently dead biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial production. The most common biofuels, such as ethanol, are made from corn and other feed grains - a process that some say is contributing to rising food costs.

By making use of agricultural cast-offs, the Woodland-based center would be staying away from energy sources that compete with food production, Taylor said.

"We're coming at it from an economic perspective," he said this week. "We'll be working with all the things we tend to throw away that can be used - residues that have zero value or very low value otherwise."

The center's main focus will be the production of clean-burning transportation fuels, Taylor said. He estimated the project's demonstration phase would be complete by mid-2010.

• Rachel Raskin-Zrihen of the Vallejo Times-Herald and Robin Hindery of the Woodland Daily Democrat contributed to this report.

Napa-Solano Public Health Lab is the only one of its kind in the state that is operated by more than one county

Napa-Solano lab plays critical health role

http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2008/05/09/news/local/doc4823f0195b21e115713695.txt

Following al-Qaida’s attack on New York’s World Trade Center Towers on Sept. 11, 2001, evidence of America’s collective fear turned up in a little-known place - Vallejo’s Napa-Solano Public Health Laboratory. Throughout the fall and winter of 2001, then-lab director John Bunter and his employees went into overdrive — testing envelopes and other materials deemed suspect by a shaken public….

Seven years later, the lab’s staff of 14 continues its crucial mission; furnishing lab results to the communicable disease sections of Napa and Solano County’s public health divisions, helping to stave off and control infectious disease. The lab also serves area nursing homes, blood banks, hospitals and prisons and is instrumental in preventing the spread of tuberculosis, Lyme disease, norovirus and sexually transmitted diseases.

The facility even has a hand in the animal realm — regularly testing dogs, bats and skunks suspected of carrying rabies as well as screening Six Flags Discovery Kingdom’s resident creatures for parasites….

The Napa-Solano Public Health Lab is the only one of its kind in the state that is operated by more than one county, according to Dr. Karen Smith, the public health officer for Napa County. “Eight or nine years ago, Napa County had a small lab — but due to budget shortages and because it was difficult to recruit microbiologists, they decided to join forces with Solano County and started contracting with them,” Shabandi said. Although public health labs are invaluable to the public’s safety, Shabandi said keeping the facility properly staffed with microbiologists and technicians can be challenging….

Campbell expands in Dixon

Campbell expands in Dixon
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_9197247?source=rss

Those in the Bay Area sipping a V8, eating chips and salsa or pouring a jar of spaghetti sauce may be getting a little closer to their food when Campbell Soup Co. expands its tomato processing facility here and uses more locally-grown produce, the company reported Thursday.

The $23 million expansion will increase the plant only 2,400 square feet but boost production by 15 percent with new infrastructure and equipment used to process nine other vegetables for its beverages, soups and sauces..

Campbell's beverages include V8 vegetable juice, V8 V-Fusion and V8 Splash drinks. The Campbell Soup Co. was founded in 1869, and includes the brands Campbell's, Pepperidge Farm, Arnott's, and V8. Campbell reportedly plans to increase agriculture production in neighboring Colusa, Contra Costa, Monterey, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Sutter and Yolo counties. Built in 1975, the Dixon plant is Campbell's largest tomato processing facility and employs approximately 180 people.

Corporate spokesman Anthony Sanzio said that there may be more positions open in the expansion, but that it's more likely to benefit current employees by extending their seasonal employment for two months..

The plant will also handle more organic vegetables for its brands, including Campbell's Organic Tomato juice and V8 vegetable juice, Prego pasta sauce and Pace salsa. Pierce said that the plant will be potentially using beets, carrots and organic produce at the facility.

According to Solano County, tomato processing is the fourth-largest crop by value at $20.8 million, just below alfalfa and above walnuts. "Agriculture is still a major industry in Solano County and the processing means that it will provide long-term contracts for local farmers,"..

Vacaville may OK lease for proposed $500M power plant

Vacaville may OK lease for proposed $500M power plant
East Bay Business Times - by Jessica Saunders
May 9, 2008



The Vacaville City Council is set to decide May 13 whether to lease 25 acres near its wastewater treatment plant to a private developer seeking approval to build a 500-megawatt power plant that could cost $500 million.

Competitive Power Ventures Inc. wants the land southeast of the Easterly Wastewater Treatment Plant because it is in a less-populated area and has access to recycled water for cooling, pipelines to supply natural gas for the plant and power transmission lines to export electricity to the state grid, said Andy Welch, vice president of development for CPV. The plant is expected to produce about 500 megawatts of electricity, but he said the final output numbers could change. Using industry averages, a 500-megawatt plant would produce enough energy to power 325,000 homes.

"It will be a large power plant," Welch said.

The city had no other plans for the 25 acres, and the deal with CPV could eventually generate $2.5 million to $3 million in revenue annually, said Mike Palombo, the city's economic development manager.

Campbell Soup to up veggie processing at Dixon plant

Campbell Soup to up veggie processing at Dixon plant
Times-Herald staff report
Article Launched: 05/09/2008

The Campbell Soup Company will increase vegetable processing at its Dixon tomato processing facility, and that's good news for Solano County, said Michael Ammann, president of Solano Economic Development Corporation.

The food manufacturing giant's decision demonstrates the economic strength of Solano County, Ammann said.

Campbell's V8 and V8 V-Fusion juice brands will be produced at the Dixon facility, a fact that Ammann says shows the company's faith in the county's economic future.

The plant's processing capacity will increase 15 percent and 60 production days will initially be added, Ammann said. This will expand the processing season from July through October to May through October, he said.

Ammann said there also will be increased agriculture production for farmers in Solano and several other California counties, including Contra Costa, Yolo, Fresno, Kings, Monterey, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Sutter, Tulare, and Ventura.

"Agriculture is still a major industry in Solano County," Ammann said. "Unfortunately, many look at it as strictly farming, but it also provides many opportunities for business growth and Solano EDC is committed to keeping this segment of the economy strong in the County."

Grocery chain to open two Fresh & Easy stores

Grocery chain to open two Fresh & Easy stores
By Ian Thompson | DAILY REPUBLIC | May 08, 2008

VACAVILLE - The British-owned Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market chain on Thursday announced plans to open two markets in Vacaville next year.

'They will be smaller than a traditional grocery store,' said Brendan Wonnacott, a spokesman for the chain. 'They will be a quick and easy shopping experience, designed to be a neighborhood market offering everything you need. We will also emphasize fresh, wholesome food.

The Fresh & Easy chain is less than a year old, having opened the first of its 61 stores in Southern California in November 2007. Work has already begun on the chain's Fairfield store at Beck Avenue and West Texas Street.

The Vacaville stores are part of a 19-store network planned for the Sacramento area. One will be located at Alamo Drive and Marshall Road, and the other will be at Elmira and Nut Tree roads.

Both locations are older shopping centers that suffered from vacancies and have had problems attracting tenants. Fresh & Easy's expected openings are good news to Vacaville City Hall, which has been trying to fill those centers.

Vacaville Economic Development Director Mike Palumbo said the stores 'fit in perfectly with what we are trying to accomplish to restore and reestablish these shopping centers as viable economic centers.'

See the complete story in the Daily Republic Online.

Groundbreaking set for new county health building

Groundbreaking set for new county health building
By Barry Eberling | Daily Republic | May 08, 2008

VALLEJO - Solano County will break ground today on a $35 million, 130,000-square-foot health and social services building.

The county's stated goal is to better provide health and social services for Benicia and Vallejo residents. The building is to put such services as primary care, mental health, substance abuse, child welfare and food stamps at one location.

A ceremony will take place at 10:30 a.m. at 355 Tuolumne St.

Campbell expands in Dixon

Campbell expands in Dixon
By Barbara E. Hernandez STAFF WRITER
Article Launched: 05/08/2008

DIXON —Those in the Bay Area sipping a V8, eating chips and salsa or pouring a jar of spaghetti sauce may be getting a little closer to their food when Campbell Soup Co. expands its tomato processing facility here and uses more locally-grown produce, the company reported Thursday.

The $23 million expansion will increase the plant only 2,400 square feet but boost production by 15 percent with new infrastructure and equipment used to process nine other vegetables for its beverages, soups and sauces, said Stephen Pierce, Solano County spokesman.

Campbell's beverages include V8 vegetable juice, V8 V-Fusion and V8 Splash drinks. The Campbell Soup Co. was founded in 1869, and includes the brands Campbell's, Pepperidge Farm, Arnott's, and V8. Campbell reportedly plans to increase agriculture production in neighboring Colusa, Contra Costa, Monterey, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Sutter and Yolo counties.

Built in 1975, the Dixon plant is Campbell's largest tomato processing facility and employs approximately 180 people. Corporate spokesman Anthony Sanzio said that there may be more positions open in the expansion, but that it's more likely to benefit current employees by extending their seasonal employment for two months, from May to October versus July through October.

The plant will also handle more organic vegetables for its brands, including Campbell's Organic Tomato juice and V8 vegetable juice, Prego pasta sauce and Pace salsa. Pierce said that the plant will be potentially using beets, carrots and organic produce at the facility.

According to Solano County, tomato processing is the fourth-largest crop by value at $20.8 million, just below alfalfa and above walnuts.

"Agriculture is still a major industry in Solano County and the processing means that it will provide long-term contracts for local farmers," said Michael Amman, president of the Solano County Economic Development Corp. "We knew that in order to sustain agriculture in Solano County we needed further processing and packaging plants."

The relationship between Campbell and its neighbors was not always so good.

In 2006, Campbell filed a lawsuit against the city of Dixon for the ill-fated Dixon Downs racetrack which was planned near the plant. A year later, the company dropped the lawsuit after negotiations. The project was rejected by voters.

Barbara E. Hernandez covers real estate. Reach her at 925-952-5063 or bhernandez@bayareanewsgroup.com.

FAST-GROWING MBA PROGRAM MOVES TO NEW BAY AREA HOME

FAST-GROWING MBA PROGRAM MOVES TO NEW BAY AREA HOME
May 6, 2008

Following three years of rapid enrollment growth in one of the nation's most competitive MBA markets, the UC Davis Graduate School of Management is moving its Bay Area MBA Program for Working Professionals to a new location at Bishop Ranch Business Park in San Ramon, home to such Global 2000 companies as Chevron, Wells Fargo and Verizon.

UC Davis officials have signed a 64-month lease on an 8,978-square-foot suite at Bishop Ranch that includes state-of-the-art classrooms, meeting rooms and a student commons area for dining and studying. Bishop Ranch, located about 30 miles east of San Francisco, also offers a conference center and shuttles to BART stations. The lease begins Aug. 1. The program is currently located in the San Ramon Valley Conference Center in San Ramon.

"Having a permanent campus at Bishop Ranch will allow the Graduate School of Management to make even stronger connections with the Bay Area business community and potential students," said Nicole Woolsey Biggart, dean of the Graduate School of Management. "UC Davis already has a significant presence in the Bay Area, with more than 60,000 UC Davis alumni in the region, and we hope to strengthen relations with those interested in management education and practice."

Enrollment in UC Davis' Bay Area MBA Program for Working Professionals has more than tripled since the program opened its doors to its first class of 45 students in September 2005. Last fall, the program added 77 new students for a total enrollment of 165.

The enrollment gains take place in a fiercely competitive market:
Nearly a dozen other part-time or "executive" MBA programs operate in the Bay Area, including those offered by the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, UC Berkeley, Santa Clara University and St. Mary's College of California, located in Moraga.

According to the latest survey of recent executive MBA graduates by the Orange, Calif.-based Executive MBA Council, the degree is associated with a 21-percent jump in pay. The 2005-2006 survey found that students entered training with an average $107,000 annual salary and earned $130,000 after obtaining their MBAs. In addition, 43 percent received a promotion.

Students in the UC Davis Bay Area MBA program typically take two classes per quarter and graduate in three years, but can accelerate their studies by taking additional courses. Most classes are taught by members of the UC Davis Graduate School of Management's regular full-time faculty, a fact that distinguishes the program from many of its competitors. Classes meet Friday evenings and Saturdays.

The UC Davis Graduate School of Management also offers a Working Professional MBA program in Sacramento, which has graduated 844 MBAs over the past 14 years. On the Davis campus, it offers a daytime MBA program that enrolls 120 full-time students, an undergraduate minor in technology management and a four-day Wine Executive Program.

The UC Davis Graduate School of Management is one of the nation's most highly rated small MBA programs. U.S. News & World Report has ranked it among the country's top 50 business schools for 13 consecutive years. Other recent ratings: The Financial Times' Global MBA 2008 survey ranked the school second in the field of organizational behavior; the Wall Street Journal's 2007 survey of corporate recruiters rated the school sixth worldwide in its preparation of graduates for the technology, Internet and telecom industries; and Forbes' 2005 "Best Business Schools" ranked the UC Davis Working Professional MBA program 16th among part-time MBA programs nationwide, based on graduates' five-year return on investment.

For more information and floor plans of the new space at Bishop Ranch, visit: <http://students.gsm.ucdavis.edu/bamba/bishopranch.htm>.

Media contact(s):
* Tim Akin, Graduate School of Management, (530) 752-7362, tmakin@ucdavis.edu
* Claudia Morain, UC Davis News Service, (530) 752-9841, cmmorain@ucdavis.edu

Valero operates a refinery in Benicia.

Valero operates a refinery in Benicia.
Article Launched: 05/07/2008

Valero, once again, is No. 1 on Fortune's list of the Best Big Companies to Work For, the company announced Tuesday.

"There are 33 companies on both the Best Companies to Work For (we were 67) and the Fortune 1000 (we were 16)," said Valero spokesman Bill Day. "Fortune puts together a hybrid of those lists into the Best Big Companies to Work For, and for the second year in a row, Valero is No. 1 on that list. That is a true testament to our employees' continued hard work, commitment and dedication to making Valero a success and a great place to work."

Fortune describes Valero as having 17,488 United States employees, with the most common salaried job being that of retail store manager with an average salary of $97,730.

AmCan man plans biofuel plant in city

AmCan man plans biofuel plant in city
Company would manufacture biodiesel from waste materials from sources throughout Vallejo
By RACHEL RASKIN-ZRIHEN/Times-Herald staff writer
Article Launched: 05/07/2008



Parked in front of the future bio diesel manufacturing plant located at the West end of Lemon Street, the rear window of Jacque Barsotti's VW Passat reads 'Biodiesel Yum.' (Stacey J. Miller/Times-Herald)

If biodiesel is the wave of the future, Rodney Pitts said he plans to catch it and take Vallejo along for the ride.

The American Canyon resident said if all goes according to plan, he and his partners and investors will build a biofuel manufacturing plant on Vallejo's Lemon Street near the water. Pitts said the plant will produce fuel from waste materials from the nearby treatment plant and other sources, and produce no toxic waste of its own. Not even dirty water.

"Every city has waste materials it doesn't use, like brown oil, that can be used to make biodiesel," said Pitts, 42, a married father of a 4-year-old son. "Material from the waste treatment plant is now broken down into methane, brown oil and other elements and mostly winds up in landfills or the ocean, but we can make fuel out of it."

Pitts, a former Navy man and self-described "computer science guy," said he hopes his firm, Go Green Biofuels, will be able to build a 40,000-square-foot facility on 25 acres. The plant will eventually produce 30 million gallons of clean-burning fuel annually, he said. And not only will the plant be self-powered, it will generate energy to "feed into the grid," Pitts said.

The idea is to use special, self-re-generating algae oil to create fuel, which doesn't impact food supplies the way ethanol does, Pitts said. And unlike traditional fuel refineries, Go Green's process produces no toxic by-products or smell, he said.

"The only byproduct is glycerin, for which there is a growing demand for use in making plastics and from chemical companies, like Dow Chemical, who already want it," he said. "It's used in soaps, pet feed stock, all sorts of things."

In the past, some have questioned whether algae oil can be efficiently produced in enough quantity at a low enough cost to be a viable fuel option. That was before gas prices soared, Pitts said, adding that the fourth generation technology his firm uses, addresses those issues.

The facility Pitts hopes to create would take some 150 workers about a year to build and will employ at least 50 employees when it opens, he said. The plan is to hire only Vallejo workers for all phases of the operation. Company officials hope to break ground next month, he said.

"Vallejo has the perfect infrastructure for this, and we want to create jobs here, and educate people about biofuels," Pitts said.

To that end, Pitts will have a biofuel-powered recreational vehicle available for school presentations, he added.

"This will also attract other 'green' business to Vallejo. It could be huge," Pitts said.

Creating and building a market for biofuels will lower the cost of diesel, thereby lowering shipping costs, which, in turn, will lower the costs of everything else, Pitts said.

And as people see the benefits, more passenger cars will be built and sold that can run on this fuel, which will cost less than gasoline. Go Green already has contracts with several companies to supply biodiesel to their truck fleets, Pitts said.

"Biodiesel hybrids are already being built, and other countries are already using them," he said.

Vallejo's chief building official said what he's heard of Pitts' concept sounds good, but it's only a concept so far.

"He's met with some city staff members, including myself and presented his ideas, but no plans have been submitted to us," West said. "But the zoning is right for the site, and the concept is interesting. The city is interested and will help him with it if we can."



A rendering of the new Go Green Biofuels plant planned to open later this year at the west end of Lemon Street in Vallejo. (Courtesy photo)

• E-mail Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at RachelZ@thnewsnet.com or call 553-6824.

Courting new energy

Courting new energy
Nut Tree seeking increased activity
By Jennifer Gentile/Staff Writer
Article Launched: 05/03/2008



Sean Whiskeman talks about a renovation project at the Nut Tree Village Marketplace, including reducing the number of bocce courts. (Joel Rosenbaum/JRosenbaum@TheReporter.com)

Like some other tenants at the Nut Tree Village Marketplace, Vintage Sweet Shoppe owner Debbie Dever will be closing her doors temporarily in the coming weeks.

The store should be shutting down shortly after Mother's Day and returning four to six weeks later. When that happens, Dever will have gained about 100 square feet and be a stone's throw from her current location in the Nut Tree Village Marketplace.

She also will be selling some edible nostalgia - honey cookies made using the authentic Nut Tree recipe. The treats date back to the 1950s during the site's heyday as a roadside landmark.

"I'm excited about it," she said. "I think we'll have a little bigger space. I also have one of the original cookie decorators coming to work with me at the store."

Vintage is one of a few stores that will close, pack up and relocate during a renovation at the Nut Tree Village. The project will be well under way as early as Monday, according to Sean Whiskeman of developer Westrust.

The operation will cost an estimated $1.5 million, Westrust said in a February statement, and is meant to increase exposure for tenants and accessibility for patrons. Within the last six months, some businesses have left the complex on Monte Vista Avenue amid a lack of activity, and in at least one case, a landlord-tenant dispute.

The makeover will begin in the bocce grove, Whiskeman said, which will be renamed the Village Grove. Four of the eight bocce courts will be removed - making way for a children's play area with an oversized chess set, benches, and distinct outdoor fire places reminiscent of the old Nut Tree. The remaining courts will be resurfaced.

"The lighting in this area will be doubled," Whiskeman said. "It will be much more visible, brighter. This whole area is just going to be opened up."

The developer is also aiming to open up the marketplace, Whiskeman said, and give the tenants more visibility. The rock facade will be removed from the buildings, and while the large metal roofs will stay in place, some areas that are enclosed by walls will be brought outdoors.

"The goal of this whole thing is to give everyone an external presence," Whiskeman said.

A space that is now inside the building that houses Villa Corona Mexican Restaurant and other shops will become an outdoor dining area. Like Vintage Sweet Shoppe, Made in California and Winters Fruit Tree will be closing for a matter of weeks and moving to "more prominent suites," according to Westrust, while Fenton's Creamery and Villa Corona will stay open during the renovation.

This summer, two more tenants are looking to join the newly dubbed "Eats and Sweets Court." What's Up Dog!, a gourmet hot dog store based in San Francisco, is going through the process to move in along with The Cheese Steak Shop, which sells authentic cheese steak sandwiches and specialty items.

Janece Long, general manager of Made in California, said she will probably be closed as well by the end of next week and reopen about a month later.

"I'm very excited, personally," she said. "My store is going to be about three times bigger than it is now."

The expansion will allow Long to provide a "Nut Tree General Store" that sells everything from cameras to Kleenex.

Meanwhile, Winter's Fruit Tree will add fresh fruits and vegetables to its offerings when it reopens. The Jelly Belly store will stay put, but it will be getting an expanded storefront and will have access from both the front and the breezeway.

The developer will be picking up the tab for the work and compensating the businesses for losses, Whiskeman said, adding, "Our goal is certainly to have everyone back open in June."

"We've been working closely with the tenants to coordinate the move," he explained. "We're trying to make the process as smooth as possible. ... A lot of the tenants are really excited about this opportunity."

One of those tenants is Dever, who said, "It's going to be good for the complex, good for the community."

"I think overall," she added, "It's going to be really good for everyone."



Debbie Dever, owner of the Vintage Sweet Shoppe, is excited about work at the Nut Tree Village that will give her store more space and higher visibility. (Joel Rosenbaum/JRosenbaum@TheReporter.com)

Nut Tree continues to grow and change

Nut Tree continues to grow and change
By Ian Thompson | DAILY REPUBLIC | May 02, 2008

VACAVILLE - Work to renovate Nut Tree Village's Market Pavilion and Bocce Grove into the Eats & Sweets Court and the Village Grove will begin this weekend.

The goal is to make both areas customer-friendly and generate more activity around Nut Tree's cluster of casual dining restaurants, said Sean Whiskeman of Westrust, the leasing and marketing group for Nut Tree Village.

Work to remove four of the Nut Tree's eight bocce courts to make way for a family-oriented park will begin Monday and is expected to take three weeks, Whiskeman said.

'We want to open out that beautiful grove of trees to be a more inviting place for families,' Whiskeman said. 'It will create a place where people can enjoy the shade.'

The fireplaces to be built in the park will be patterned after ones at the original Nut Tree. A playground will be constructed in June, and the lighting will be improved.

'It will be a great way to open this park to the public,' said Whiskeman, who added that the work will not affect parking for customers.

The work on what will be renamed the Village Grove coincides with the openings of new stores and restaurants in the nearby buildings.

See the complete story at the Daily Republic Online.

Sowing the seeds of opportunity

Sowing the seeds of opportunity
Solano and Yolo growers, civic leaders discuss teamwork to ensure future of farming
By Ann Schmidt-Fogarty/Reporter Correspondent
Article Launched: 05/04/2008



Mark Wilson grows grapes in the Clarksburg area of Yolo County and believes that more dollars need to stay in local counties to promote agriculture. (Deo Ferrer/Woodland Daily Democrat)

It's only spring, but farmer Raj Sharma is already getting phone calls. "Everyone wants to know when my stand is opening-they can hardly wait to eat a fresh peach," he said.

Sharma grows approximately 2,000 acres of peaches and walnuts in Solano, Sutter and Yuba counties. He is focusing this year on upgrading his currently closed Sunrise Farms stand in the Vacaville-Dixon Greenbelt. And he's hoping that his efforts to grow his business right along with his crops will be supported by those who regulate him.

Others are hopeful as well. Recently working with counterparts from Yolo County, Solano economic officials helped organize the first ever Yolo/Solano Economic Development Summit, designed to discuss ways that both counties can work together to ensure a bright future for agriculture.

"People are starting to care more about where their food comes from, and how we can keep the rural elements in our counties," explained Michael Ammann, president of the Solano Economic Development Corporation. "This first-ever meeting gives both our counties the opportunity to work on some common issues that will help sustain agriculture."

Ammann pointed out that the opportunities could range from added value to crops by processors to renewable energy and ag tourism.

Participants at the summit included members of the Solano and Yolo County boards of supervisors, farm bureaus and other agriculture, business and government officials. While no official decisions were made at the meeting, avenues of future opportunities were discussed, including a team approach to attracting more agribusiness dollars. Processing, distribution and other ag-related businesses that could serve both counties were on the agenda, and participants also learned more about the possibility of Solano and Yolo counties becoming destination areas for those who want to learn more about how their food is grown.

"There's no reason why we couldn't get another $500 million a year in agribusiness activity," said Solano County Dist. 5 Supervisor Mike Reagan. "We need to get out of our 'time warp' when farming issues were dealt with a 'one-wrench-fits-all' approach. That has stifled our growers. The summit underlined the need for us to work collaboratively and creatively if we want agriculture to survive."

Yolo County wine grape grower Mark Wilson pointed to Napa Valley as an area that is successful as a result of support for all the elements involved in agriculture.

"Some people think that Napa has the best grapes in the world, but if they had to truck their grapes to Fresno for processing, who would know how special Napa is?" he asked. "Napa has great winemakers but without the infrastructure, it wouldn't be anywhere."

Wilson said he and other farmers are holding off on major investments until they learn how much support will be given for infrastructure in their county in the next General Plan. "Agriculture isn't just farming," he emphasized. "We need to keep more dollars in our counties. Right now, my nursery stock comes from someplace else, my tractors come from someplace else and my grapes are sent someplace else. We need our dollars to stay where we farm."

While Raj Sharma continues to grow his business in Solano County, he is convinced he could do it faster with more support from regulatory officials. "I would like them to tell me how I can do something instead of why I can't do it," he said. Sharma is also certain that if farmers find new ways to market their products, the public will continue to come and support the needs of those who want to stay in agriculture.

"The constant thing I hear from people is 'Oh, man, I've never tasted a peach like this in my whole life.' They bite into the fruit before they get back in their car," he said. "Last year I spent three hours just talking with a couple who came to my stand and asked about what we do."

Reagan said if officials do not offer that support, prospects could be grim in the future.

"If we don't do something to help our farmers remain in business, the land either becomes fallow or it becomes houses," he said. "If we want that beautiful view of crops as we drive past them on our freeways, we have to make sure the farmers who own that land remain profitable."

Vallejo praised for park makeover

Vallejo praised for park makeover
Times-Herald staff report
Article Launched: 05/01/2008

The $2.2 million Children's Wonderland park renovation has earned Vallejo high praise on the state level.

The Greater Vallejo Recreation and Park District work was recognized with an award for the best large district park renovation from the California Association of Recreation and Park Districts.

The association incorporates 65 recreation and park districts, and was established in 1958.

The organization commended the district's work to bring the 3-acre children's park, built in 1962, out of closure and up to modern standards.

In addition to updating the park's equipment, the enclosed fairy tale-themed attraction promotes maintenance efficiencies and water conservation, according to the association.

The district gathered funds from local, state and federal sources to enhance the park.

Visit www.gvrd.org/childrenswonderland.html for more information.

A taste of India, in Benicia

A taste of India, in Benicia
By SARA STROUD/Times-Herald staff writer
Article Launched: 05/01/2008



Jeet Singh's Aroma restaurant has become the only venue serving Indian cuisine on First Street, let alone in the city of Benicia. (Mike Jory/Times-Herald)

BENICIA - When Jeet Singh dreams, he dreams of cooking.

Even after putting in a 14-hour day at his new restaurant, Aroma, he still goes home and contemplates new dishes.

"That's what I think about all the time," he said.

Singh opened the only Indian restaurant in Benicia about a month ago. He said he didn't plan on it, but he drove by and saw a "for rent" sign where Mi Casita Mexican restaurant used to be and decided to give it a shot.

Now instead of tacos, diners can get their fill of curry, chutney and naan.

The First Street restaurant is already doing a brisk trade, for both lunch and dinner, Singh said. Part of that may be people's excitement about a new place to eat. New restaurants on First Street don't crop up too often, and when they do they tend to stay for a long time, city staff said.

The other part may have to do with Singh's passion for cooking.

A native of Punjab who moved here about 11 years ago, Singh said cooking in his blood.

"Punjabi people are all about eating," they love to cook and feed people, he said.

But he truly learned to appreciate good food from his mother, whom he called "the best cook in the world."

She taught me that there are three ways to eat: with the eyes, the mouth and the stomach, Singh said, and that food must be pleasurable on all three levels. On a recent trip to India, he finally got to cook for his mother, who paid him the ultimate compliment, telling him his cooking had surpassed her own.

Having lived in Benicia for about two years, Singh said the town is a perfect place for his new venture, with friendly clientele and a small-town feel.

He and his wife also own a Subway franchise on East Second Street. But that doesn't fulfill his passion for culinary artistry, he said.

He wants the personal challenge of creating something and keeping people coming back for more.

"I want to do something good. I want to be satisfied and make people happy," he said.

• E-mail Sara Stroud at sstroud@thnewsnet.com or call 553-6833.