Currents - Russian River Chamber of Commerce

Russian River Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center
Up Coming
Meetings:
 March 4th —
Community
Dinner/Mixer @
Applewood Inn
 March 11th — Up
With Downtown,
2:30pm @
Ferngrove Cottages
 March 18th —
Chamber Board
Meeting, 4:30pm @
Fern Grove
 March 19th —
RRROC Meeting
6:00pm @
Guerneville Vet’s
Hall
 Every Tuesday — RR
Rotary, 6:30pm @
Highland Dell
Inside this issue:
Membership
2
Merchant Exchange
Program
3
President’s Message
4
Quinn’s Corner
5
Italy on the River
6
Korbel’s Special
Award
7
Calendar of Events
10
Currents
V o l u m e
2 :
I s s u e
2
M a r c h
2 0 0 9
Russian River Festivals Merge Blues
and Jazz Into One Weekend
GUERNEVILLE, CA (Feb. 15, 2009) – It was
announced today that Russian River’s two major
music festivals will be combined into one weekend
to provide music fans an exciting weekend of both
jazz and blues music. The Russian River Jazz &
Blues Festival will be held Sept. 12-13, 2009, at
Johnson’s Beach Resort in Guerneville, a popular
resort town nestled in the scenic Russian River
Valley.
This is the first year the two events will be combined
into the same weekend. Previously, the Russian
River Blues Festival was held in June, while the
Russian River Jazz Festival took place in September.
Organizers cited the economy and the desire to
create something special for attendees as the
reasons for change. “This allows us to keep the
Russian River festival tradition alive for its 33rd year,
while enabling music fans to still enjoy their love of
jazz and blues, outdoors in this picturesque setting,”
said Rich Sherman, president of Omega Events. “We
look forward to welcoming fans back for another
year of live music on the river.”
The Russian River music festivals have a rich history
dating back to the 1970s. Music legends have traveled
to Guerneville, including blues artists such as Etta James
and Al Green, to jazz musicians Stan Getz and Pat
Metheny. Hundreds of thousands of fans have attended
the events over the years.-more"
Congrats to Omega Events for coming up with a creative solution to bring quality music to the river for another year,” said Clare Harris, proprietor of Johnson’s
Beach since 1967. “This will be a wonderful event that
brings two unique styles of music together. We can’t
wait for September to come.” For the event, jazz music
will be featured on Sat., Sept. 12, and blues on Sun.,
Sept. 13. The line-up will be announced in early April
and the website will be re-launched at that time with all
of the event information. Tickets will be available
through local outlets, including the Russian River Chamber of Commerce.
Cont. on Page 5, “Omega Events”...
Community Night @ Applewood Inn
You are invited to a wonderful evening of good food, good wine and good company.
On Wednesday, March 4th. This Community Dinner/March Mixer, hosted by the
Russian River Chamber of Commerce, is a benefit for the Guerneville Fireworks Fund.
The event is located at Applewood Inn, 13555 Hwy 116 just south of the Guerneville
Bridge.
No-Host Bar Cocktail hour from 6:00pm to 6:45pm. Three-course dinner begins at
7:00pm. Tickets are $49 per person.
We hope to see you there! For more information, please call 707-869-9000.
Page
2
New Members
We Green You
Angel Rodriguez, owner.
7612 Huntley St.
Sebastopol, Ca 95472
707-477-4564
Www.wegreenyou.com
We serve the 5 P’s of Green:
People, Places, Pests, Pools and
Permaculture, through sustainable
health and living practices. Services
include nutritional education,
healthy pools, and sustainable pest
control, to name a few.
Rejoined Member
Caprio Enterprises
15857 Sunshine Court
Guerneville, Ca 95446
707-604-0025
D.caprio@comcast.net
Commercial printing and graphic
design, providing the following
services: stationary, business cards,
brochures, postcards, posters and
mailings.
2009 will be Divine!
Renewed Members
Susan Packer of Frank Howard Allen
Guerneville Regional Library
Wine & Cheese Tasting of Sonoma County
River Reader
John Genovese of Herth Realty
Currents
Volume
2:
Issue
2
Page
3
Merchant Exchange Program
Your Chamber has been in the process of developing ideas to improve our local economy and to
support one another. We are asking that all lodgings help to spotlight local stores by providing a
display area to showcase a few items from participating stores. In return, we suggest that stores
carry rack cards of lodgings.
Here is how the Advertising program would work. A Lodging can provide a shelf pace, preferably
an area where items can be safeguarded but very visible. Just a few items would be enough, but a
card indicating where the items can be purchased and the hours of the store must be provided
along with a phone number. No merchandise will be sold at the lodging unless an agreement is
reached between the parties. The idea is to get people into the stores. It is quite possible for a
lodging to provide space for more than one merchant. Obviously, stores will be selective of items
placed away from their store and a good record should be kept of items ‘on display’.
This Program already has two lodgings ready to take display merchandise. We look forward to
hearing from our member stores and lodgings from Forestville to Jenner.
Please consider helping other businesses in your community and contact the Chamber office as
soon as possible.
The second part of the program refers to restaurants. We are suggesting that restaurants
consider allowing the Chamber to compile a list of stores and insert the list onto the back page of
the menu or on the back cover of the menu. For restaurants without menu folders, we would
suggest that a display space as mentioned above might be considered. Of course, stores will be
expected to offer some space for menus.
In order for this program to produce results, it needs YOUR help. For further information please
contact the Chamber office. 707-869-9000 or news@russianriver.com.
Thank you.
Russian River Chamber of Commerce.
Volume
2:
Issue
2
News From the Board
Page
4
Up with Downtown Guerneville Report
The meeting day and time change
seems to be successful! Many more
people are attending and there have
been some lively discussions about
concerns and issues in the downtown
area.
doing great! But there are those who
seem to never clean up their own
patch and it makes us all look bad. So
please take a moment and check
your surroundings. You might be
surprised!
Our goal is to improve the ambiance
and appearance of town. One of the
easiest ways to make this happen is for
every business to make sure their sidewalk and gutter areas are litter free.
This is a daily job and many of you are
Still on the plans is the Mini Spring
Clean Up on Saturday morning, April
25. Volunteers are needed to spruce
up the downtown area. Sign up at
the Chamber Office. Coffee, donuts
and pickers are provided.
Next meeting is Wednesday, March
11, 2:30 pm at Fern Grove Cottages.
Any questions or comments, please
call Laura Wilson at 869-2022 or email
jbeach@sonic.net.
President’s Message
By the time this edition of the
newsletter is published, the
Fundraiser Community Dinner/
March Mixer will be just a few days
away. Tickets are limited, so please
do not miss this very special evening
on March 4th at Applewood. Tickets
available at the Chamber Office.
See you there !
During March, your Chamber will be
preparing for the San Francisco
Concierge Show, the show is early
April. For this event, we will be
assembling packets of information to
hand out to the many concierge
attending this very intense show
( Three hour event). We have
obtained a booth in a Prime location
and yes, we will be working with a
winery to serve wine- always an
attraction! We ask that rack
cards be brought to the Chamber
office by April 2nd.
We have received questions
regarding Chamber expenses at
Travel or Trade Shows. For the
Concierge Show, there is no
charge by the Chamber to
members . The Chamber has
paid the cost of the booth.
Larger events, yes, we charge
members a minimal amount to
help cover the cost of the more
expensive booths. The Chamber
does NOT pay the expenses of
the volunteers who go to the
Shows and work at our booth.
Gas, lodging, meals are paid by
the volunteers. We sincerely
thank those who volunteer to
promote our area and continue
to do it again and again!
Your Chamber will also have a
booth at a Chamber-Rama in
June. This will be an evening
function and we will give you full
details at a later date.
During the past few weeks, the
Chamber Board of Directors have
been hard at work on short term and
long term plans for improving member
services and also to improve the
appearance of our area. We have
heard from various members of the
Chamber and non members too,
regarding their concerns affecting
locals, businesses and visitors. We will
be working with various entities in the
area to achieve some positive results.
One project will involve the
beautification of Main St Guerneville.
Your Chamber Board sees this project
as a benefit for the entire Lower
Russian River. We will keep you
posted!
-Margaret kennett
Chamber President
Volume
2:
Issue
News Bits
2
Page
Omega Events, cont...
Beneficiaries of the event include the R.R.
Chamber, as well as Food For Thought, a
For more information on the Russian
River Jazz & Blues Festival, visit the official
Sonoma County AIDS food bank. "The
Russian River Festivals have been loved and
website www.russianriverfestivals.com or
call (707) 869-1595.
supported by the community, bringing in
thousands of new visitors to the river every
summer,” said Margaret Kennett, President
of the Russian River Chamber of Commerce. “The events create a tremendous
amount of exposure to the area and are a
great boon to the local economy. We look
forward to another great year of music on
the beach!”
Events Update
Hello Members, it's Valerie
Hausmann, here, letting you know
we are working hard to keep our
wonderful events and even adding
some more for our beautiful
Russian River Area.
available at the Chamber office for
$49.00(includes tax and gratuity). If
you missed last year's event it was
wonderful. We will have special
entertainment, a fabulous meal
which will be 3-courses.
think as a community we can do
this. Thank you for your support
and see you at AppleWood Inn on
March 4th!
Our first "fun" raiser is for the
fireworks fund, at Applewood Inn,
Wednesday March 4th at
6:00pm. Tickets for this event are
This year's fourth of July will be on
the Fourth! It takes a little more
money to have it the fourth but I
Valerie Hausamann
Director of Events
Quinn’s Corner
In these tough times we are all looking
for ways to save money and one place
we may think of cutting costs is our
insurance bills. This is actually a good
place to look if you keep a few facts in
mind while doing so. The first thing to
think about is how much coverage you
have. Does it fit your needs or do you
have the wrong amount of coverage?
In the case having to much coverage it
can be good news because it means
there is room to save some money. If
you do have the right amount of
coverage, there are other places to
look for savings. The best way to do
this is look for discounts that you may
not be getting now. The worst thing
you can do in trying to save money is
cutting the coverage you need. For
example, it is inadvisable to cut your
liability coverage on your auto policy
because it does not save you that
much money and it increases the
personal risk in the event of an
accident. So if you need to save
money, take out your insurance polices
and look them over to see what you
are paying for and if it fits your
needs. As always if you have any
questions you can email me at
qconklin@gmail.com.
(Quinn Conklin is owner of Conklin
Insurance Services with Farmer’s Insurance
in Santa Rosa. 707-332-0435)
5
Volume
2:
Issue
2
Page
16467 River Rd. Guerneville, CA 95446—reservations@dawnranch.com—(707) 869-0656
Community Night
$20.00 Three - Course Dinner
Groups of friends, families, couples and singles come together to give everyone a chance to
get to know more faces and eat great food at our historic lodge
Every Monday Night at 6:30—Cocktail Happy Hour 5:30 to 6:30
Applewood Inn Brings Italy to the
Russian River
Jimmy & Darryl are pleased to present an
exciting series of culinary events at
Applewood Inn during the month of
April. Acclaimed Chef Francesco Paldera
of the Villa Romanazzi Carducci Hotel in
Bari, Italy ( he’s cooked for the Belgian
Royal Family, Michael Gorbachev,
Luciano Pavarotti and a discreetly unnamed American Vice-President) will be
creating lunches, dinners, cooking classes
and one special event at Harvest Moon
Winery featuring La Cucina Povera (the
traditional peasant cuisine) of his beloved
Puglia – heel of Italy’s boot.
April 9
Dinner to Welcome Chef
Francesco $60
April 12
Easter Lunch with a
“Puglian Blessing” $90
April 14
Olive Oil & Wine Tastings,
Wood Oven Cooking,
Demo & Lunch @ Harvest
Moon Winery, $100
April 15
Dinner $75
April 16
Evening Cooking Class $75
April 17
Morning
&
Evening
Cooking Classes $50/$75
April 18
Morning Cooking Class $50
April 19
Lunch paired with Puglian
Wines $75
To make your reservations,
please call Applewood Inn &
Restaurant at 707-869-9093
or www.applewoodinn.com
6
Volume
2:
Issue
2
Page
Korbel Champagne Cellars Receives Special Award
(From the Press Democrat, Published Sunday, February 8, 2009, written by Kevin
McCallum).
2009 in New York.
Korbel Champagne Cellars has
been named American Winery of
the Year by Wine Enthusiast
magazine. Korbel president and
owner Gary Heck accepted the
award at the 2008 Wine Star
Awards, held on January 26th,
The Magazine stated that
“Korbel has achieved something few American wineries
have — not just longevity, but
something even more elusive:
supreme brand recognition.”
The awards recognize leaders in
the crafting, marketing, and
distribution of wine and spirits
worldwide. Also nominated
were Rodney Strong Vineyards
of Windsor, Shafer Vineyards of
Napa, J. Lohr Vineyards of San
Jose and Sineann of Newberg,
Oregon.
Dinner With a Winemaker Series @
The Village Inn, Monte Rio
Sunday, March 8th, 2009 – Robert
and Lori Mueller of Mueller Winery
The Muellers make small quantities of
wine focused on the Russian River Valley
and Sonoma Coast. The Wine Spectator
has declared that Mueller Winery is one
of the top 30 Pinot Noir producers in
California. Come taste for yourself!
Sunday, March 22nd, 2009 – Oded
Shakked of Longboard Vineyards
Longboard was born from the passion of
Oded Shakked, surfer first, winemaker
later, who brings a unique perspective to
winegrowing. Both
surfers and
winemakers reach
the summit of their
respective crafts
when they attain an
understanding of,
and a respect for,
the environment in
which they work
(and play). Adapting
to their surroundings, they achieve peak
performance, on the waves and in the
vineyards.
*
*
*
Dinners Sell
Out Fast!!!
Make Your
Reservations
Now!
The dinner price is $45 for a two course
707-865-2304
meal, including tip, tax and of course great
wine!
And, as always, wines will be available for
purchase by the bottle or by the case at
special, Wine Maker Dinner prices.
Dinners sell out fast, so please make your
reservations as soon as possible by calling
707-865-0565, by e-mail wtoscty@sonic.net
or, of course, by stopping by the shop.
Refunds for cancellations or changes will
only be given if we can rebook your
reservation - so please select your dates
carefully.
The Village Inn is offering a special overnight
rate of $75 to guests of the Wine Maker
Dinners! Advance reservations are
recommended.
For reservations contact The Village Inn at
707-865-2304.
7
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Currents
8
Page
Currents
9
Page
10
Does your property need
• Rezoning to improve its value?
• Relief from code enforcement violations?
• Planning department permits?
• Start-to-finish project management?
John Knott
Planning Consultant
I’ve obtained planning
and building approvals
For a free initial consultation call
707-538-1282
“ I can cut through the Government Red Tape
for projects in all these
cities.
As an experienced and skilled planning consultant, I can offer you the aggressive
I can do the same for
you.
You can benefit from my thirty years of experience! Every project receives my immediate attention, and strict confidentiality. Gaining approval for your project becomes my
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Castro Valley * Redding *
Clear Lake * Redding *
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Currents
representation and follow-through necessary to obtain all of the permits and approvals
from each of the City and County government agencies.
first priority. I will speak on your behalf at all public hearings. You need not be present at
the meetings or hearings the agencies hold while reviewing your project. I can help you
increase the value and marketability of your property by enhancing its zoning and uses so
that it will sell quickly.
“ John’s knowledge of government processes is extensive. He’s a seasoned pro, and I can’t
think of a better person to handle difficult problems with government bureaucracies.”
Michael Kelly, past President
Sonoma County Association of Realtors
“ I have worked with John for many years, and he is the best at handling government opposition, and getting approvals for all kinds of real estate projects. He never lets up.
Clint Wilson, President
Sonoma Investments, Santa Rosa
“ Thanks to John, our condominium project received the only approval granted by the City
of Novato for the whole year. He saved us a tremendous amount of time and money.”
Frank Fonseca
Real Estate Developer, Marin County
“John got our most difficult projects approved, often under fierce opposition. No one can
match his public speaking skills, or his exceptional negotiating abilities.”
Bozidar Rajkovski, Architect
Public Storage Corporation
On the Radio, 95.1 Fm, KGGV:
Call In At (707) 869-1131
Tuesdays — Community Calendar with Valerie
Hausmann, 7:00-7:45pm.
Advertising Rates:
Sonoma West Times
Page 9
Your
John Knott Planning Consultant
Ad
Page 10
Here
Calendar of Events
March 2009
March 1st to 15th — Tapas @ Pegasus Theater, 707-522-9043, www.pegasustheater.com
March 1st — A Coffee Concert @ Guerneville Vet’s Hall, 707-869-0516
March 4th — Community Dinner/Mixer @ Applewood Inn, 707-869-9000
March 7th — Russian River Valley Winegrower’s Crab and Fennel Festival, 707-521-2535
March 7th — Winter Salads Class @ MRPRD, 707-865-9956
March 7th & 8th, 14th & 15th — Wine Road’s Barrel Tasting, 800-723-6336, www.wineroad.com
March 8th & 22nd — Dinner w. a Winemaker @ Village Inn, 707-865-2304
March 11th — Up With Downtown Meeting, 2:30pm at Ferngrove Cottages. 707-869-9000
March 10th — Give Back Tuesday @ Rainbow Cattle Co., benefit Riverkeeper Park. 707-869-0206
March 12th — Two Guys Spinnin, craft and yard spinning @ MRPRD, 707-865-9956
March 14th — 55th Annual Corn Beef Cabbage Feed @ Oddfellows Hall. 707-869-1210
March 18th — Chamber Board Meeting @ Fern Grove Cottages, 4:30pm, 707-869-8105
March 21st & 22nd — Climb Aboard @ Pacific Coast Air Museum, 707-575-7900
March 23rd — 7th Annual Park Advocacy Day, http://calparks.org/takeaction/pad.html
Advertising Rates:
Full Page:
$50/edition
Half-Page:
$25/edition
Business Card Size: $15/edition.
For More information, please contact Valerie Munthe at
707-869-9000 or news@russianriver.com
16209 First St.—P.O. Box 331
Guerneville, Ca 95446
Phone: 707-869-9000—Fax: 707-869-9009
E-mail: news@russianriver.com
We got it all, All the time!
Photo By Valerie Munthe, 2006
Chamber Board & Staff
Opal Pullaro — Chamber Office Manager * Valerie Munthe — Greeter *
Susie Markell — Korbel Visitor Center * Julie Thompson — Korbel Visitor Center
* Shirley Degerlund — Greeter *
Margaret Kennett (Fern Grove Cottages) — President
Richard Lester (Coffee Bazaar) — Vice President, Membership
Jimmy Caron (Applewood Inn & Restaurant) — Treasurer
Laura Wilson (Johnson’s Beach & Cabins) — Secretary, Up With Downtown
Valerie Hausmann (Airport Health Club) — Director of Events
Dana Murphy (Sonoma Orchid Inn) — Board Member
Dax Berg (Sonoma Nesting Company) — Board Member
Stacy Jardine (Guerneville Cottage) — Board Member, Membership, Up With Downtown
Art Severe (101 Things To Do) — Board Member
Scott Zeigler (Zeigler Mechanical) — Board Member
16209 First St.—P.O. Box 331
Guerneville, Ca 95446
Phone: 707-869-9000—Fax: 707-869-9009