North Bay Business Journal

Amy’s Kitchen in early stages of exploring restaurant concept

SANTA ROSA – Amy’s Kitchen, producer of packaged all-natural frozen foods, is considering a restaurant concept in the North Bay.

‘Tiny house’ builder Tumbleweed locates in Sebastopol

SEBASTOPOL – Tumbleweed Tiny House Company recently leased a small warehouse at 400 Morris St. in Sebastopol.

Adventist Health explores Palm Drive affiliation

SEBASTOPOL and ST. HELENA — Palm Drive Hospital is in talks with the St. Helena Region of Adventist Health about possible affiliation as it seeks long-term financial stability after years of uncertainty. The 37-bed Sebastopol hospital, which just last year emerged from Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection, has identified the Roseville-based health group as a possible parent that could help chart a return to solvency and possibly increased services, according to Palm Drive Healthcare District board officials.

Innovative Molding plans RP plant

ROHNERT PARK — Innovative Molding Inc., maker of plastic container lids and measuring spoons, plans to expand its headquarters plant this fall in a move from Sebastopol to a major portion of a mixed-use development in southeast Rohnert Park.

Eight North Bay small businesses recognized as ‘climate-smart’

Eight North Bay companies were among 23 small businesses the California Air Resources Board recognized Tuesday at its second CoolCalifornia.org Small Business Award ceremony for “climate-smart actions.”

Memorial, Healdsburg physicians join Marin-Sonoma IPA

NORTH BAY — The Marin-Sonoma IPA today said physicians from the Annadel Medical Group and several associated with Palm Drive and Healdsburg District hospitals have officially joined the physician network, boosting the ranks of the Novato-based independent practice association to more than 400 doctors in Marin and Sonoma counties.

Wine: Lede acquires Anderson Valley vineyard; Q&A with Bill Foley

Cliff Lede’s Breggo Cellars purchased Savoy Vineyard, a 52-acre pinot noir and chardonnay property in Mendocino County’s Anderson Valley. Fruit for the single-vineyard Breggo brand comes from the property. … Pinot noir producer Kosta Browne is expanding in Sebastopol, moving from one former apple processing plant to another. … In the April 11 issue, the Business Journal asked panelists of the April 28 Wine Industry Conference about trends in mergers and acquisitions and in direct sales and social media. Panelist Bill Foley, founder of Foley Family Wines, now provides his insights. … The Hess Collection in Napa gave a $10,000 grant each to The Land Trust of Napa County and the Napa County Student & Landowner Education and Watershed Stewardship program (SLEWS). … The Napa Valley Vintners trade group is set to arrive in mainland China with 40 vintners from the county on a weeklong trade mission, including stops in Shanghai and Beijing to meet wine trade representatives, media, targeted consumers and political leaders. … Wine People notes

Banking & Finance: Redwood Credit Union to open in Sebastopol; also: Circle Bank makes Women’s Initiative loans

Redwood Credit Union is going to open a new full-service branch and ATM in Sebastopol at 7840 Covert Lane near Pacific Market in early fall 2011.

West County Health plans Forestville wellness facility

FORESTVILLE — West County Health Centers will open a wellness center in Forestville, likely sometime in April, where it will provide preventative health services not readily available for much of its patient base in western Sonoma County.

Sonoma County Economic Development board releases data for nine cities

SONOMA COUNTY — The Sonoma County Economic Development Board, in partnership with city councils and chambers of commerce, has released a new series of City Economic Reports for each of the nine incorporated areas in Sonoma County. Areas covered by the reports include employment, demographics, residential and commercial real estate, consumer spending, and education.

Wine: Cecchetti wine sales rise 39%; top North Coast pruners; what is an intern?

Sonoma-based Cecchetti Wine Co. reported that it had its third year of volume sales growth. Roy Cecchetti’s goal of making lower-priced wines has resulted in 200,000 cases sold in 2010, a 39 percent increase from 2009. The winery is projecting sales of 250,000 cases total this year. … Winners from vineyard pruning contests in Mendocino, Sonoma and Napa counties. … A California Department of Industrial Relations Division of Labor Standards Enforcement opinion letter has added new wrinkles to the quandary over whether student interns have to be paid at least minimum wage as employees, according to Jennifer Phillips, an employment and real estate attorney with Dickenson Peatman & Fogarty in Santa Rosa. … Graton-based custom winemaker Sonoma Wine Co., which now produces more than 5 million cases of wine from six facilities in Sonoma and Napa counties, inked a deal with Sebastopol-based Winesecrets to provide services to Sonoma Wine’s 30 clients. … Golden State Overnight and FedEx expand direct-shipping services. … Bill Hambrecht teams with Paul and Heath Dolan and Phil Hurst in the H.D.D. wine group venture. … Dry Creek Vineyard entered a sales and marketing agreement with Sonoma-based V2 Wine Group, which will manage Dry Creek’s distribution nationwide.

The Wine Country Group merges with Better Homes and Gardens

SONOMA and NAPA COUNTIES — Bay Area real estate industry veterans Ed Krafchow, Earl Shuttleworth and Gerrett Snedaker announced today the formation of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wine Country Group Realtors with nine offices and over 180 agents concentrated in northern California’s Wine Country.

Genesis Renewable Energy locates office in Sebastopol

SEBASTOPOL – Two years after establishing a corporate headquarters in Laguna Beach in 2008, Genesis Renewable Energy selected Sebastopol as home for its Northern California operations division. The firm opened an office at 101 Morris St. in August staffed with 12 employees.

Looming tax deadline provokes scramble for solar

NORTH BAY – Solar installers are reeling under an avalanche of orders for commercial solar systems as the year draws to a close.

Facilities around North Bay expanding to serve thousands more

SANTA ROSA — The Vista Family Health Center, the newest member of the Santa Rosa Community Health Centers family of health centers, opened on Nov. 8 and started seeing patients two days later. … NAPA COUNTY — Community Health Clinic Ole is putting finishing touches on a trio of new clinics that will open in 2011 between January and March. … SEBASTOPOL — Starting with a relatively small suite with only 2,500 square feet of space at 6800 Palm Ave. in a local medical office complex, the Sebastopol Community Health Center has quadrupled in size as demand for its services has grown. … PETALUMA — The new Petaluma Health Center located at 1179 North McDowell Blvd. is scheduled to open in May with facilities to serve about 30,000 patients. … MARIN COUNTY — Responding to a tidal wave of unserved county residents who need medical and dental services in the wake of the down economy over the past two and a half years, Marin Community Health Centers has expanded its ability to serve patients by opening three new facilities in the past two years.

Commercial real estate sees some key leases, but vacancies remain elevated

Sonoma County office vacancy rates decreased in the third quarter to 22.7 percent 13.7 million square feet from a peak of 24.8 percent at the end of last year and was about the same as it was in the fall of 2009, according to Keegan & Coppin.

Candidates for Palm Drive board sue for release of audit

SEBASTOPOL — A candidate for Palm Drive Healthcare District’s board of directors is seeking a court order to disclose a “closely held audit report” from the 37-bed hospital and its management company.

Jim Maresca, a candidate for the five-member board, filed a writ of petition in Sonoma County Superior Court with Jared Dreyfus, an attorney and also a candidate for the board, that says “voters will be denied crucial information unless this court acts at the ‘earliest possible time’” in requiring the hospital to release an audit by HealthTech Management Services, which recently changed its name from Brim Healthcare Inc.

Palm Drive names new CEO

SEBASTOPOL — Palm Drive Hospital announced today that it has hired a new chief executive. Richard Polheber, a former CEO of Carondelet Holy Cross Hospital in Nogales, Ariz., was unanimously selected by the Palm Drive Health Care District.

As Palm Drive finds some stability, six vying for district board seats

SEBASTOPOL – With Palm Drive Hospital emerging from years of struggle, bankruptcy and a series of CEOs and with a new sense of optimism about its future, interest has intensified in the race for board seats on the health care district that oversees operations of the 37-bed facility.

Barlow apple plant renovation planned

SEBASTOPOL – A west Sonoma County city with a heritage of apple processing, natural living and artistry could have a dilapidated former apple plant near downtown transformed into a center for artisans and farmers to sell the fruits of their labor.