North Bay Business Journal

Unemployment rates across the North Coast continued to fall, with every county improving its jobless rate over both the last month and over the year, according to figures released by the Economic Development Department.

UKIAH — Adventist Health plans to chip in another $21 million for the planned expansion of Ukiah Valley Medical Center to add improvements to the emergency department and intensive care unit, bringing the total project cost to $41 million.

Unemployment rates for North Bay counties were largely unchanged in October from the month before, but Sonoma County continued to lead all of California in job growth, helping the entire North Bay grow by 2.5 percent from the previous October, according to state figures released this morning.

ST. HELENA — Adventist Health’s St. Helena Hospital Napa Valley campus is in the midst of a $20 million upgrade that will both add capacity and bring much-needed enhancements to patient care, hospital officials said.

FORT BRAGG — Mendocino Coast District Hospital, a 25-bed nonprofit facility, is seeking bankruptcy court protection from creditors as it seeks to reorganize its debts while keeping the doors open.

NORTH BAY — Unemployment rates across the North Bay either dropped slightly or remained the same in July from the month before, as most counties saw yearly job growth in a number of industries, according to figures from the state Economic Development Department.

Following are profiles of the top day-to-day leaders from the Business Journal’s lists of the largest independently owned wineries under 100,000 cases, published in March, and the largest wine companies, published in May.

UKIAH — Pamela’s Products has completed a $1 million building makeover at the firm’s new consolidated bakery located at 1 Carousel Lane.

Unemployment rates across the North Bay had the seasonal drop in April from March but were markedly improved from figures for the previous April, as private-sector hiring increased in some counties while it remained flat in others, according to state figures released today.

NORTH BAY — A recent state Supreme Court decision has greatly clarified the long contentious issue of when and how employers must provide meal and rest breaks — or at least the opportunity for meal and rest breaks — but employers still need to think carefully about the matter, employment law experts said.

SANTA ROSA — The North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board announced the appointment of Matthew St. John, an 11-year staff member and head of logging and erosion regulation, as executive officer.

SANTA ROSA — Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, the only level II trauma center in the region, said it will soon begin site preparation work on a $15 million renovation to its emergency department, a project that was delayed with the financial collapse of 2008.

Unemployment rates across the North Bay increased slightly in March, but the still-high rates were well below rates a year ago, according to state figures released this morning.

ST. HELENA — After strong sales growth last year, U.S. makers of fine wine could see somewhat moderated growth this year as an improving domestic economy and shrinking supply of grapes and wine may allow planned luxury bottle price increases stick in the marketplace, while global economic problems together with an increasing supply shortage may boost imported wine sales for the next few years, according to a highly watched annual wine industry forecast released today.

The proportions of homes in foreclosure in the North Bay last month was below the state average in four of the six counties, and the number of properties at risk of going back to lenders fell in all but Lake County over the past six months, according to data released today from foreclosure data compiler RealtyTrac.

The State Public Works Board in Sacramento today approved acquisition of three Santa Rosa properties needed to build a $178.7 million new Sonoma County criminal courthouse. It’s one of an estimated $380 million in projects for two new courthouses and one major renovation in North Bay counties in the next few years.

Wine consumption is growing worldwide and particularly in the world’s new largest wine market, the U.S. Trouble is, shocks to the global economy and to the wine business in particular over the past several years along with tough growing seasons have dramatically limited the supply of grapes and wine sold in bulk to supply the thirst.

The Business Journal asked members of the 2012 Wine Industry Conference panel on grape and wine supply panel at the about some of the hotly discussed topics in the wine business in California.

After nearly 10 years of oversupply and low prices, California winegrapes and bulk wines are suddenly in a position of scarcity. Wineries are scurrying to find grapes and secure vineyard assets, while négociant wineries see their wine sources dwindling. How did we come to be in this situation, and what lies ahead for growers, wineries and consumers?

NAPA — Not enough winegrapes have been planted in California, leading to a shortage of fruit for wine in the next several years, so growers and wineries should be actively working together to boost that supply, according to two major industry experts.

SANTA ROSA — Thanks to the “March miracle” rainfall, Russian River water supply conditions on April 1 will change from “critical” to “normal” under the Sonoma County Water Agency’s water rights permits and State Water Resource Control Board Decision 1610.