Business News: Week of July 7, 2014

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Magid Accountancy Corp. of Novato and Scott Stroud, CPA, of Petaluma have merged. The new firm is called Magid Stroud Accountancy Corporation. The combined firm will operate offices in Novato and Petaluma and will employ a staff of eight, including four CPAs. Sandy Magid and Mr. Stroud will jointly manage the firm. Clients include individuals and businesses in a wide range of industries including health care, construction, entertainment, retail and wine.Banking

Redwood Credit Union moved its Sonoma branch to a larger space in the shopping center. The branch is now located at the east corner of Sonoma Valley Center at 500 W. Napa St., Ste. 500. The credit union said its new branch, which opened June 23, better accommodates its growing membership and features modern conveniences such as a "technology bar," where members can use online and mobile banking.Consumer Products

Sonoma County Harvest Fair announced the first winners of its 2014 Professional Food & Wine Competition. The top honor in the Olive Oil category is The Olive Press of Sonoma. The winning oil, a Sevillano, received a Double Gold medal in the California Grown category and was named Best of Show. Out of the 47 olive oils entered, nine received Double Gold, nine Gold and 22 Silver. Double Gold winners for 2014 were Sonoma County-Grown Olive Oil: Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery, Medlock Ames and RobiSonoma RRV; California-Grown Olive Oil: Dry Creek Olive Company and The Olive Press; California-Grown Flavored Olive Oil: Dry Creek Olive and Ferrari-Carano. Award-winning oils can be sampled at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, Oct. 3--5.Energy

In May, President Barack Obama recognized EAH Housing of San Rafael, along with more than 300 private and public organizations, for creating jobs and cutting carbon pollution by advancing solar deployment and energy-efficiency. EAH Housing was noted for committing to installing 10 megawatts of solar power across its portfolio in the coming years. Currently, 37 EAH Housing communities generate 2.3 megawatts of solar energy, and two more solar projects in California and Hawaii are expected to be completed this year totaling 125 kilowatts. The White House Climate Action Plan calls for a target of 100 megawatts of installed renewable-energy production of at federally subsidized housing by 2020.Entertainment

Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), Marin Community Foundation, city of Novato, and California State Coastal Conservancy celebrating the opening of a new 2.7-mile Bay Trail segment during an event on June 26 at 5 Hamilton Landing in Novato. During the celebration, elected officials and partner agency representatives officially opened 2.7 new miles of Bay Trail adjacent to one of the largest restoration projects on the West Coast. The public walking/biking trail is located along a scenic, restored wetland built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and its state partner the Coastal Conservancy as part of the conversion of 650 acres of the former military airfield. The new segment of trail sits along the edge of the Hamilton Wetlands Restoration Project adjacent to oak woodland, habitat and provides views of four state parks.Wine

Napa-based CellarPass, maker of arguably the first online reservations system designed for winery, brewery and distillery tasting rooms and special events, formed a strategic partnership with Yelp. Under the agreement, visitors searching for wineries, distilleries and breweries can -- with a few clicks on a desktop, tablet or mobile device -- book tasting experiences and tours around the clock using the CellarPass proprietary reservation and ticketing solution newly linked on Yelp.com, an online business review service.

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