Image with Placer County Logo and a woman riding a bicycle through the woods

IN PROGRESS ONLINE

Office of Economic Development, Placer County, California

Vol. 8, No. 7

July 2007

 

        

Ÿ         Roseville-based Public Relations Firm Wins Top Honors

Ÿ         Placer County Attracts Cookie Bakery

Ÿ         North Tahoe Artist Featured in Sierra Magazine

Ÿ         New Lincoln Business Teaches Sport of the Skies

Ÿ         Mercedes-Benz of Rocklin Breaks Ground on Expansion

Ÿ         Auburn’s Carpe Vino Tenders Fine Wine, Fine Dining, Fine Art

Ÿ         Denio’s Celebrates 60th Anniversary

Ÿ         Lake Tahoe Stages Shakespeare with a View

Ÿ         Foothill Farmers’ Markets Open Six Days a Week

Ÿ         Union Pacific Foundation Offers Community-based Grants

Ÿ         No. CA World Trade Center Plans China Trade Mission, Seeks Executive Director

Ÿ         What’s in Your E-Mail Newsletter?

 

Roseville-Based Public Relations Firm Wins Top Honors
Drisha Leggitt & Company Communications (DLCC) was awarded top honors by the Sacramento Public Relations Association and the International Association of Business Communicators during recent regional, professional communications competitions. The DLCC team -- based in Roseville -- received five awards from the Sacramento association including those for work on the Placer County Strawberry Festival and for Ceronix, Inc., based in Auburn. DLCC also received two awards called Crystal Merit Awards of Excellence from the international association. DLCC is a public relations, marketing, advertising, and community relations firm with clients in both the public and private sectors. The company’s Web site will be available in late July. For more, call Drisha Leggitt at (916) 206-2553.

 Go to top

  

 

 

Placer County Attracts Cookie Bakery

Kelli’s Gourmet Cookies is relocating to Roseville from Sacramento, rolling out new products and anticipating new distribution channels. Owner Kelli Ridenour, who started the business in 1998, has been acting as her own contractor to build out and equip a 2,000-square-foot space at 605 Douglas Blvd. There, she looks forward to more walk-in business and increasing her Roseville following, which already includes several Roseville Automall dealers and patrons of the downtown Roseville Farmers’ Market. Annual revenue has increased about 25 percent each of the past four years, Ridenour says, and she expects a boost when the local Whole Foods Market begins carrying her line. Kelli’s preservative-free cookies are made from fresh egg whites, butter instead of margarine, and real vanilla.  For more, visit Kelli’s Gourmet Cookies at http://www.kelliscookies.com/ , the Sacramento Business Journal at

http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2007/05/14/newscolumn1.html?b=1179115200^1460344&surround=etf

or the  Roseville Press Tribune at http://www.rosevillept.com/articles/2007/04/28/news/business/01cookies.txt

 

 Go to top

 

 

 

 

North Tahoe Artist Featured in Sierra Magazine

The work of Elizabeth Carmel, a North Tahoe-based photographer specializing in fine art landscape images, is featured in the May/June 2007 issue of Sierra magazine. The article, “Brilliant Waters,” includes a profile of Carmel and a photo spread of some of her most striking images. Her prints combine dramatic photography, vivid colors, and artistic touches to create what Carmel describes as “new visions of the natural world.” Her award-winning images are placed in numerous galleries and private collections throughout the U.S., and were recently chosen for display at the Nevada Museum of Art. She is one of 12 photographers worldwide honored with the Hasselblad Master Photographer award this year. For more, visit Sierra magazine at http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200705/sierra.asp

Elizabeth Carmel at http://www.elizabethcarmel.com or Carmel Gallery at http://www.thecarmelgallery.com/

 

 Go to top

 

 

 

 

New Lincoln Business Teaches Sport of the Skies

Andy Massagli, who formerly piloted Hawker jets for corporate clients, has launched a business in Lincoln for people who want to fly for fun. AeroSport West, located at the Lincoln Regional Airport, offers instruction for all levels of pilots, plane rides, rentals, organized flying tours and vacations, and aircraft management. The business also provides aerobatic instruction aboard its advanced Pitts S2B. Air Force pilot Tim Decker teaches advanced skills to would-be daredevils via dual instruction. The company’s instruction fleet includes a N6280F Cessna 172, a N3895Q Cessna 172, and an N412EV SporStar, Light Sport Aircraft. Andy’s right hand man at the new business is his son, 12-year-old Camillo Massagli. For more, call AeroSport West at (916) 543-0915 or visit the Lincoln News Messenger at http://www.lincolnnewsmessenger.com/articles/2007/06/28/news/business/01sport_pilots.txt

 

 Go to top

 

 

 

 

Mercedes-Benz of Rocklin Breaks Ground on Expansion

Last month, Mercedes-Benz of Rocklin held a ceremonial groundbreaking of the expansion of its auto sales and service operation. The new building, designed by Marcatects in Escondido, CA, will include a two-story glass showfront and decorative water fountain. The expansion will be built in two phases on the property site, about 4.08 acres located on Granite Drive at Granite Court. Members of the Rocklin City Council and Planning Commission attended the ground-breaking ceremony. For more, visit Mercedes-Benz Service Center Rocklin at

http://www2.vonhousen.com/mercedes_rocklin/index.html or the City of Rocklin at http://www.rocklin.ca.gov/

 

 Go to top

 

 

 

 

Auburn’s Carpe Vino Tenders Fine Wine, Fine Dining, Fine Art

Established in August 2002 in the historical Union Saloon Building in Old Town Auburn, Carpe Vino has grown from a simple wine shop and tasting bar to include a fine dining restaurant and fine art gallery. Five nights a week, Culinary Institute of America graduates Courtney McDonald and Eric Alexander turn out five or six adventurous entrée options such as lamb tenderloin spiced with Moroccan seasonings and Mediterranean mussels in fruity saffron broth. Cherry-picked California boutique wines and interesting imports fill the racks on wall after wall. Owner Gary Moffat has appointed the place with works by artists such as Santa Fe photographer Alan Ross, Las Vegas artist Michael Godard, and Auburn photographer Keith Sutter. A different local artist is featured at Carpe Vino at each bi-monthly Auburn Art Walk. The restaurant holds frequent fixed-price wine dinners. For details, visit Carpe Vino at

http://www.carpevinoauburn.com/dinning.htm

or the Sacramento Bee at http://www.sacbee.com/156/v-print/story/27301.html

 

 Go to top

 

 

 

 

Denio’s Celebrates 60th Anniversary

This month Denio’s Roseville Farmers Market and Swap Meet celebrates its 60th year in the same location and under the same family ownership. In 1947, Jim Denio began selling produce on Saturdays at the corner of Church and Atkinson streets near the bustling Southern Pacific Railroad Yard. Soon, other vendors joined him, and, recognizing the potential of the business, Denio and his wife Marilee began purchasing adjacent acreage to accommodate the growing number of vendors and visitors. Today, Denio’s hosts Northern California’s oldest and largest farmers’ market and swap meet, featuring hundreds of vendors and thousands of shoppers every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. For more, visit Denio’s at http://www.denios.org/ or the Roseville Press Tribune at

http://www.thepresstribune.com/articles/2007/06/13/news/business/03denio.txt

 

 Go to top

 

 

 

 

Lake Tahoe Stages Shakespeare with a View

Romeo and Juliet and The Taming of the Shrew will be presented in an open-air, lakeside venue on Tahoe’s east shore in July and August. A non-Shakespearian production, a comedy called Greater Tuna, is also part of the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival playbill. Known for its casual atmosphere, the festival invites audience members to set up blankets, beach chairs, and picnics on the sand before the show. Food is also available on site. “When a summer sunset paints the sky rose and gold, it can momentarily upstage the players,” says the California for Visitors Web site, “but that’s another one of the festival’s charms.” All festival performances are held in the evening at Sand Harbor State Park. For details and tickets, visit Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival at http://www.laketahoeshakespeare.com/ or call (800) 747-4697.

 

 Go to top

 

 

 

 

Foothill Farmers’ Markets Open Six Days a Week

As of the end of June, all 15 certified Foothill Farmers’ Markets are open and buzzing with shoppers. Patrons can visit one each day of the week, except Monday, which is the farmers’ day of rest. The County’s agricultural marketing director, Nancyjo Riekse, advises customers to make sure the farmers’ markets they visit are certified. “Certified farmers’ markets (CFM’s) are the real thing, places where genuine farmers sell their crops directly to the public, where agrarian and urban communities come together,” Riekse says. “But more specifically, a CFM is a location approved by the County agricultural commissioner where certified farmers offer for sale only those agricultural products they grow themselves.” For details, visit Foothill Farmers’ Market at http://www.foothillfarmersmarket.com/Home.html.

 

 Go to top

 

 

 

 

Union Pacific Foundation Offers Community-based Grants

Nonprofit 501 (c )(3) organizations located in Union Pacific communities may apply for grants from the Union Pacific Foundation. Deadline for 2008 applications is midnight CDT August 15, 2007. The foundation will dedicate the majority of these grants to help nonprofits build their capacity, increase their impact, and operate more efficiently and effectively. The foundation will be particularly receptive to proposals that fall within the categories of Community and Civic, Fine Arts, and Health and Human Services. Applications must be submitted online only. For complete details and to apply for a grant, visit Union Pacific Foundation at http://www.up.com/found/grants.shtml

 

 Go to top

 

 

 

 

No. California World Trade Center Plans China Trade Mission, Seeks Executive Director

Northern California World Trade Center (NCWTC), which provides programs and services for companies doing business internationally, is presenting the 2007 Environmental Technology Trade & Business Development Mission to China October 8 – 18, 2007. The mission aims to provide California environmental technology firms with the knowledge and contacts to expand into China. Companies participating will receive executive-level training and trade show experiences. Deadline to register for the mission is August 1, 2007. For details and to register, visit NCWTC at http://www.norcalwtc.org/

NCWTC is seeking a new executive director. Top priorities in the position are fund-raising and developing community partnerships. Other duties include supervising the NCWTC staff, managing marketing, and promoting international trade. Send resumes to Gail Klaman at gklaman@metrochamber.org. The NCWTC, a non-profit corporation, is an affiliate of the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. For more about Sacramento Metro Chamber, visit http://www.metrochamber.org/CWT/Index.aspx

 

 Go to top

 

 

 

 

What’s in Your E-Mail Newsletter?

In Progress Online (IPOL), our monthly economic development e-mail newsletter, covers the latest news on Placer County business and industry, agriculture, tourism, and the arts. It reports on new projects in our cities and towns and keeps readers up to date on the state of the region’s economy. IPOL posts news of state and local training, incentives, and loan programs that benefit business. It provides links to more information on each item. News about your business is always welcome. Please send items, questions, comments, or suggestions to the Office of Economic Development at econdev@placer.ca.gov or visit the OED Web site at http://www.placer.ca.gov/CEO/EconDev.aspx For past In Progress Online newsletters, go to Placer County Biz News at http://www.placer.ca.gov/CEO/Econdev/business%20news.aspx