State of Vandenberg Trees For Troops Home Base on G Celebrates

MIXER
January 7
Sunset Auto Center
LUNCHEON
January 13
VAFB
The official publication of the Lompoc Valley
Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau
State of Vandenberg
The Lompoc Valley and Santa Maria
Valley Chambers of Commerce will
hold their annual joint luncheon meeting at Vandenberg Air Force Base on
January 13. The luncheon will begin
at 11:30 a.m. at the Pacific Coast Club.
Cost is $15 per person. Menu choice
is Chicken Caesar Salad or Tri-Tip
Sandwich.
The guest speaker will be Colonel
Steven W. Winters, Vice Commander
of the 30th Space Wing and Western
Range at VAFB, who will review the
past year at Vandenberg, including budget, launches, achievements and community relations. He will also provide a projection of upcoming
projects.
This annual joint luncheon provides a unique opportunity to learn
more about operations at the base and to interact with many of the
dedicated men and women who defend our country.
In order to gain access to the base, your reservation must be made
no later than January 4 by calling the Chamber office at 736-4567.
If you do not have base access, you must provide your name, date
of birth and drivers license when you call to make your reservation.
Names will be included on an access list at the main gate.
Home Base on G Celebrates
Home Base on G
celebrated their
grand opening in
November with a
Chamber Ribbion
Cutting. Nineteen
of the units in the
three-story building will be set
aside for mentally
ill/homeless residents. Seven units
are for other menphoto by Larry Matulis, Oakhill Photography
tal-health clients. Eleven units will be rented to low-income
workers and two units will be for live-in residential managers.
Vol. 22, No. 7
January, 2010
January 31
HAY BALES &
COCKTAILS
Trees For Troops
Seventy-five active military families stationed at Vandenberg Air
Force Base received a special holiday gift – a free Christmas tree,
compliments of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust. This is the third year
that the bank has partnered with Anthony’s Christmas Trees &
Wreaths in Santa Barbara for the national Trees for Troops program.
The VAFB families had their “pick of the lot” at a special reception held in their honor the Bank’s Lompoc Branch.
“It’s a token of our appreciation for their incredible sacrifice and
patriotic service throughout the year in defending our country and
the many freedoms we enjoy today,” said Randy Weiss, SBBT’s
Community Relations Officer.
The national Trees for Troops program provides Christmas trees
to military personnel around the world. SBBT provides the local
support with providing 125 trees to military families from VAFB,
Naval Air Station Point Mugu, and Santa Barbara.
“It’s a ‘Noble Fir for a noble cause,” said Anthony Dal Bello,
proprietor of Anthony’s Christmas Trees & Wreaths. “It was patriotic to watch the kids pick out their family’s tree, with Mom & Dad
nearby in their military fatigues.”
Other sponsors and contributors included Aceco Equipment Rentals, Lompoc Hospital Foundation, Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce, Palmina Wines, and Santa Barbara Winery
CAC Opens New Center
On November 17th CAC
Staff, Lompoc Chamber of
Commerce, Lompoc Housing
& Development Corporation
and many other community
leaders from Lompoc participated in the grand opening
and ribbon cutting of the College Street Head Start Center
at 648 North G St.
photo by Larry Matulis, Oakhill Photography
MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR
by John Free
LOMPOC VALLEY CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE AND
VISITORS BUREAU
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
John Free, Chair
Kipp Thonack, Immediate Past Chair
Jason Reynolds, Chair-Elect
John Keth, First Vice-Chair
Dena Lara, Second Vice-Chair
Bill Reardon, CFO
Bill Hughen, Jr., At Large
Gary Williams, At Large
On behalf of the
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Fred Bittle, Santa Fe Mortgage
Pat Brady, Good Samaritan
Angela Brooks, Century 21 Realty
Lori Cordova, Catering by Lori Cordova
Robin Dunaetz, Surf Connection
John Free, Chair, Civic Member
Marno Goetsch, Village Oaks Investments
Tim Harrington, Terralink Consulting
Richard Harrison, R. Lompoc Ace Hardware
John Keth, The Party Shop, First Vice-Chair
Dena Lara, Boys & Girls Club of Lompoc,
Second Vice-Chair
Bob Manning, Sue’s Place
Jaime Marks, CoastHills Federal Credit Union
Ana Maya, Servicios Maya
Bill Reardon, CFO, LOVARC
Jason Reynolds, State Farm Insurance
Kipp Thonack, Edward Jones
Sachi Yenokida, Union Bank of California
EX-OFFICIO BOARD MEMBERS
Frank Hain, Lompoc Planning Commission
Susan Warnstrom, 4th District County
Supervisor’s Office
Michael Madriaga,
Assemblyman Blakeslee’s Office
STAFF
Board of Directors,
Staff and Volunteers of the
Lompoc Valley Chamber of
Commerce & Visitors Bureau,
I wish all our members and
friends a happy, safe
and prosperous new year.
C. Dennis Anderson, President/CEO
Dennis Headrick, Executive Assistant
Risha Sanderson, Receptionist/Secretary
Trisa Judt, Bookkeeper/Secretary
Gene Stevens, Marketing/Advertising
AND
Matilda, the Chamber's ghost
THE CHAMBER, the official publication of the
Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce, is published
monthly for a $15 yearly membership subscription.
Postage paid at Lompoc, CA, Postmaster. Send
address changes to P.O. Box 626, Lompoc, CA
93438-0626.
Chamber email addresses:
Denny Anderson: cda@lompoc.com
Dennis Headrick: deh@lompoc.com
Trisa Judt: accounting @lompoc.com
Risha Sanderson: chamber@lompoc.com
Gene Stevens: gene@lompoc.com
~ John
Help With Dues Payments
For those members who are renewing their memberships, the Chamber has
initiated an automatic payment program.
You can now have your dues automatically withdrawn from your bank account
in monthly or semi-annual installments, or in a lump sum, so that your payments
are easier and less painful for you to make. We can provide the forms for you to
authorize payments from your bank.
If you are interested in signing up for this program, or have any questions
please call the Chamber office at 736-4567.
Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
2
Green Business Program of Santa
Barbara County
Breakfast Event for 2009
GeoDigital Celebrates Move to
New Location
The Green Business Program of Santa Barbara County (GBPSBC) invites you to attend a breakfast event to honor those businesses in the County
that have achieved certification as “green” businesses during 2009. The
event will be held on Friday, February 5 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the
Santa Maria Inn, at 801 South Broadway in Santa Maria. The cost is $15
per person if payment is received in advance and $20 per person on the
day of the event.
The GBPSBC is a multi-jurisdictional program to certify businesses as
“green” businesses if they have complied with all applicable regulations
and have taken additional actions to protect, preserve, and improve the
environment in such areas as solid waste reduction and recycling, energy
and water conservation, environmentally preferable purchasing, and pollution prevention e.g. air quality, alternative forms of transportation, and
storm water runoff. The GBPSBC is designed to educate businesses on
ways to incorporate resource conservation into their practices, make the
public aware of businesses that are environmental stewards, and foster a
positive relationship among governmental agencies, the business community, and the public. It is a voluntary incentive program for environmentally conscientious businesses. The program allows environmental
regulators and advocates to provide support and to recognize participating businesses that implement good environmental management practices.
A business that wants to become certified must complete an application
and checklist. Serving as a one-stop shop, the Green Business Program
Director (Program Director) offers guidance and various resources to assist the business throughout the certification process. The Program Director also serves as a liaison between a business and the applicable regulatory agencies by having these agencies conduct a file review of the
business’s compliance with their regulations. The Program Director also
evaluates the steps a business has already taken toward being a green
business. Upon completing the checklist, the business notifies the Program Director, who will provide follow-up evaluation, suggestions, and
guidance, if needed. The Program Director will then present the completed checklist to a Steering Committee for final approval of the business’s
certification.
A business that achieves certification will increase profitability due to
lower costs and increased productivity. It will also receive a certificate
and a window decal with the GBPSBC logo that it can display and can use
in its outreach materials and on its website. Certified green businesses
will be recognized through a Green Business Directory, media, advertising, and the GBPSBC website. GBPSBC Partners may publicize certified green businesses in their promotional materials, events, advertising,
on their websites, and in their own public recognition ceremonies.
Currently, businesses in the following sectors are eligible to apply for
certification: general office/retail stores, restaurants, lodging establishments, and automotive shops. In 2010, wineries and dental offices will
become eligible to apply. Other sectors will be added in the future based
on available resources, demand, and community interest. For more information about the GBPSBC, please call (805) 705-1686, send an e-mail
messageto coordinator@greenbizsbc.org or visit www.greenbizsbc.org.
If you would like to attend the GBPSBC Breakfast event and/or have
any questions, please RSVP by January 25, 2010 to the Santa Maria
Valley Chamber of Commerce, at (805) 925-2403, extension 824 or send
an e-mail message to Barbara@santamaria.com. Checks should be made
payable to the “County of Santa Barbara” and sent to: Green Business
Program, P.O. Box 92005, Santa Barbara, CA 93190-2005.
photo by Larry Matulis, Oakhill Photography
GeoDigital officially celebrated the move to their new location at
137 W. Central Ave. in November. Chamber Ambassadors joined
City officials, GeoDigital employees and officers at the official Chamber ribbon cutting and reception.
Geodigital is a world leader in airborne mapping for the Utility
industry, and were instrumental in developing video mapping, LiDAR
(Light Detection and Ranging), and associated services for the electric and gas pipeline industries. GeoDigital has an experienced and
proven team that provides leading-edge solutions for mapping, vegetation inspection and line rating & clearance analysis services to
customers throughout North America.
The Lompoc facility serves as Geodigital’s U.S. Operations Center.
January MIXER
January 7,
Sunset Auto Center, 6-8 p.m.
Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
3
Multi-Billion Dollar Deficit
Projected for CA
The Return of
Hay Bales & Cocktails
Reforms Are Needed to Fix Government,
but Not at the Expense of Taxpayer Protections
By Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee
After a brief respite and recuperation from their national America
in Bloom win, Lompoc Valley in Bloom volunteers are energized
and ready to continue their efforts to retain the title in ensuing
years. To raise funds for the continued beautification program,
the second annual “Hay Bales and Cocktails” event will be held
on January 31 at the Campbell Ranch, 4500 Hapgood Rd., from
1-4 p.m. The event will feature cocktails, a Chuck Wagon buffet
provided by Catering by Lori Cordova, music, wine tasting and a
lively silent and live auction. Also featured will be western fashions and jewelry. Lompoc Valley in Bloom chair, Lori Cordova
stated, “last year’s event was such a great success and so much
fun, many people asked that we do it again. We have decided to
do it, but, because of current economic times, we have lowered
the presale ticket price from $50 to $40 per person, although tickets at the door will still be $50. We’re soliciting sponsors for the
event as well,” she added. “Sponsorship opportunities range from
$250 to $5,000. Individuals may be co-hosts at $100, which includes two tickets, recognition in marketing materials and one
quarter of a Chamber civic membership.” Cordova stated, “The
event sponsors and participants will help us to continue building
a sense of pride that Lompocans, wine visitors, potential new businesses, residents and tourists can see in our beautiful and clean
valley.” “Donations to the Lompoc Valley in Bloom program are
tax deductible, so donors get three benefits for the price of one: A
tax-deductible donation, a day of fun in the country and continued beautification efforts in the Lompoc Valley,” she added.
The majority of the event’s proceeds will be devoted to: Maintenance of the nearly 400 barrels of flowers in the Lompoc Valley
and at the entrance to each school in the Lompoc Unified School
District, partnering with the Four Square Church on the renovation of the southeast entrance Lompoc sign, funding and designing Suspended attached baskets with plants and flowers throughout the Lompoc Valley, continued monetary and volunteer support for the community gardens projects, planting public tree wells
with flowers and plant materials and supporting the city with flowering plantings at the entrance to Ryon Park.
Presale tickets are available from Lompoc Valley in Bloom volunteers or at the Chamber office.
For more information about Lompoc Valley In Bloom, Hay Bales
and Cocktails or sponsorship opportunities, contact Lori Cordova
at 733-3141, or the Chamber of Commerce at 736-4567.
The Legislative Analysts Office (LAO) recently released its annual Fiscal Outlook
for the 2010-2011 budget year that starts
in July. As you may have heard, the report
did not paint a pretty picture about
California’s finances. The LAO projects
that there is a $20.7 billion deficit between
now and the end of the 2010-2011 budget
year. The LAO’s forecast makes it clear that
California’s budget remains structurally imbalanced.
California is lagging behind most states on the road to economic
recovery. The Legislature must correct the punitive regulatory and
tax climate that is driving jobs away and hurting state revenue.
California’s state government is ripe for reforms to fix the dysfunction and the Legislature needs to improve efficiency and accountability in government, and cut down on the layers of bureaucracy.
The Senate and Assembly’s Select Committees on Improving
State Government are holding hearings throughout the state on how
to reform California’s lawmaking process. The Committees are
comprised of both Republicans and Democrats, and are evaluating major proposals to reform the Legislature and its broken budget system.
Some of the ideas that were discussed in the committee include:
 Incorporating longer-term planning in budget decisions to reduce the boom and bust nature of economic cycles;
 Exploring performance-based budgeting to encourage efficiency
and reward programs that are working;
 Reducing the number of bills that lawmakers can introduce each
year so that the Legislature focuses on the most important of state
priorities;
 Elevating the importance of sub-committees, rather than having
major decisions made by the “Big 5”; and
 Combining legislative panels that have similar duties to reduce
duplication and inefficiency.
California can’t afford to miss an opportunity to overhaul state
government because the process is dominated by opportunists
wanting to eliminate or weaken hard-fought taxpayer protections;
there are special interests and others out there who view any reform movement as an opportunity to make it easier to defy the will
of the people and increase taxes and spending.
Specifically, if they are to be effective, true reform proposals
must: preserve taxpayer protections, including the two-thirds majority vote needed to raise taxes and pass a budget; protect the
right of the people to take back their government at the ballot box
through the initiative and referendum process if and when lawmakers fail to act; and ensure that elected officials remain true
representatives of the people and that effective term limits placed
on lawmakers are not repealed or weakened.
I hope that my fellow legislators will work with me to solve this
problem quickly, because the sooner we can implement the necessary reforms, the sooner we can realize the benefits.
Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
Free Business Counseling . . .
Is available for start-up and established businesses. Get
assistance with marketing, product mix planning, financial
sources, business plans, licenses and permit information and
requirements, etc.
Tim Harrington, a consultant with the Small Business Development Center, will help you get your business on track.
Call the Chamber at 736-4567 to arrange an appointment
with Tim.
4
Chamber
Luncheon
Attention Chamber Members!
Do you have something to brag about, or a sale or
special offers or events you would like other
Chamber members to know about? Submit your
inform ation to Friday Focus, the Chamber’s
weekly e-newsletter. It's sent to over 400 of your
fellow Chamber members. Your item will run for
3 consecutive weeks. The best part? It’s FREE!
Email your submission to deh@lompoc.com
Wednesday, January 13
11:30 a.m.
Joint luncheon with the
Santa Maria Valley
Chamber of Commerce at the
Pacific Coast Club
Vandenberg Air Force Base
$15 per person
Choice of Chicken Caesar Salad
or Tri-Tip Sandwich
Program:
Colonel David Buck
“State of Vandenberg”
Call the Chamber at 736-4567
for reservations.
Advance reservations and payments are
required by January 4
If you do not have base access, please
provide your date of birth and
drivers license number
when you make your reservation
January
January Mixer
Mixer
Be sure to join Sunset Auto Center, 1300 North H St., for their annual
JANUARY CHAMBER MIXER
on January 7, from 6-8 p.m.
Plenty of food and friendship and the perfect opportunity to network with other Chamber members!
Wilkerson
Chiropractic
. . . the clinic of choice
“The longest established chiropractic clinic serving Lompoc”
DR. MARC WILKERSON, D.C.
DISCOVERY PLAZA
415 E. Ocean Avenue
Lompoc, CA 93436
(805) 736-4537
www.wilkersonchiro.com
DR@wilkersonchiro.com
Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
5
Renters Insurance: Why You Need It
By Jason Reynolds
State Farm® agent
There are two big myths about renters insurance. One is that it’s
too expensive and the other is that it’s not needed.
Not having renters insurance is a pretty big gamble, considering
that without it you face the cost of replacing your personal belongings after an event such as fire or theft. What’s more, you could face
the prospect of defending yourself in a lawsuit because of some
accident for which you might be held legally responsible, whether it
happened where you live or elsewhere.
In many cases, for less than a couple hundred dollars a year you can
protect your valuables, like your furniture and clothes, from loss by
fire, theft, wind and water damage or other covered hazards.
But many renters still don’t believe they need such insurance. A
survey conducted by Cambridge Reports, Inc. for the Insurance Information Institute found that fewer than three out of every 10 renters purchase renters insurance.
Many renters mistakenly believe their landlord’s insurance will cover
their own belongings. In fact, it would be extremely rare for a
landlord’s policy to extend to tenants’ property.
To determine how much insurance coverage you’ll need, take a
complete inventory of your personal items. An insurance agent can
help with this by estimating the total value of your property.
You’ll also need to decide whether to opt for depreciated or limited
replacement cost coverage.
Depreciated coverage is the cost to repair or replace your belongings minus depreciation. Let’s say you bought a quality sofa with an
expected useful life of 10 years. If it’s now five years old and would
cost about $1,000 to replace, you could expect to receive about
$500 (less deductible) if your sofa was destroyed by fire. You would
pay slightly more for limited replacement cost coverage, but you
could expect to receive $1,000 for your sofa minus your deductible.
You should also keep in mind that insurance coverage for some
types of personal property is limited in terms of dollars. Renters
insurance also gives you personal legal liability coverage and medical payments to others who are accidentally injured while in your
home, apartment or elsewhere if the injuries are caused by your
actions. And, if you are forced to live elsewhere because of damage
to your residence due to a covered loss, renters insurance covers
additional living expenses.
Remember, you may not own the building in which you live, but
you still need to have insurance to protect your property in the case
of fire, theft or other hazards. Talk with your insurance agent for
more information.
Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
6
January Community Events
January 30, Lompoc Concert Assn. presents Daniel Rodriguez, tenor, 7:30 p.m.,
Methodist Church, 925 N. F St. Call 735-1408 for info.
January 25, Mission Classic Golf Tournament, Village Country Club
January 31, Hay Bales & Cocktails, Chamber of Commerce fundraiser. Info:
805-736-4567
All meetings are held at the Chamber
unless noted otherwise,
JOIN THE
7 MIXER, Sunset Auto Center, 6-8 p.m.
8 Farmers Market, Ocean Ave. and I St., 1:30-5:30 p.m.
11 VIPs, 11:30 a.m.
13 Joint Chamber luncheon at VAFB, 11:30 a.m.
12 Military Affairs Committee, 4 p.m.
14 New Member Orientation, 5:30 p.m.
15 LLV Topic Day, Public Safety
15 Farmers Market, Ocean Ave. and I St., 1:30-5:30 p.m.
18 CHAMBER CLOSED - Martin Luther King Day
18 YLLV Topic Day, Quality of Life
19 Ambassadors, 4 p.m.
21 Executive/Finance Committee, 4 p.m.
22 Farmers Market, Ocean Ave. and I St., 1:30-5:30 p.m.
22 LLV Midyear Retreat
27 Board of Directors, 7:30 a.m.
29 Farmers Market, Ocean Ave. and I St., 1:30-5:30 p.m.
31 Hay Bales and Cocktails, Campbell Ranch
27 Farmers Market, Ocean Ave. and I St., 1:30-5:30 p.m.
110%
CLUB!
Your Chamber has taken on many projects and encourages
you to join our 110% Club. The VOLUNTARY 110% contribution is used to support ongoing Chamber programs, such
as, Olde Towne Market, Lompoc Valley in Bloom, etc. When
you receive your membership investment renewal notice, consider becoming a 110% Club member. You will be recognized
in the Chamber newsletter. Following are the 110%ers for
the month of November:
Bea Merwin
Alpha Literary & Improvement Club
Community Action Commission
Dana Manchester, DMD
Welcome New Chamber Members
as of November
Mint Properties
Renewing Members
Office Spaces for Rent
As of November
There are currently two office spaces available for rent downstairs in the historic Spanne Chalkrock building (Chamber building, 111 South I St.)
One office is 175 square feet.
Rent is $330 per month.
The second space has 360 square
feet and rents for $475 per month.
Tenants also have access to two
conference rooms as well as a
kitchenette. No deposits required. All utilities, except telephone are included.
Locate your office in a City Historic Landmark!
For more info, or to see the spaces, contact Denny Anderson
at 736-4567, or email him at cda@lompoc.com
Lompoc Valley Women in Chambers
Sansum Clinic
Golden State Phone & Wireless
Walnut Pier
DCR Litigation Services
Animal Care Hospital & River’s Edge Pet Lodge
Email Addresses for Your City Officials
Tony Durham, Councilmember
t_durham@ci.lompoc.ca.us
Bob Lingl, Councilmember
boblingl@aol.com
Cecilia Martner, Councilmember
cecilia_martner@cmartner.org
Ann Ruhge, Councilmember
jaruhge@hotmail.com
Mike Siminski, Mayor
lompocski@gmail.com
Laurel Barcelona, City Administrator l_barcelona@ci.lompoc.ca.us
Arleen Pelster, Community Dev. Director apelster@ci.lompoc.ca.us
Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
7
Coldwell Banker - Select Realty
Mc Donald’s Restaurants
Zona Seca
Advanced Performance P.T.
Jalama Vineyard
Boys & Girls Club of Lompoc
Goodwill Industries
Lompoc Unified School District
La Purisima Golf Course
Jiffy Lube
Excel Personnel Services
Hall Chiropractic
Vincent K. Siefe DDS
KCOY TV 12
Community Partners in Caring
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Lompoc, CA
Permit No. 23
LOMPOC VALLEY CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE & VISITORS BUREAU
P.O.Box626
Lompoc,CA 93438-0626
(805) 736-4567
Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
8