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.

Three North Bay hospitals received “A” grades for patient safety from the Leapfrog Group, considered the industry standard for hospital surveys. Kaiser Permanente hospitals in San Rafael and Santa Rosa and St. Joseph Health-operated Petaluma Valley Hospital each received the ranking from the Leapfrog Group, an independent national nonprofit run by employers and other large purchasers of health benefits. …

Sound Physicians, a Tacoma-based hospitalist organization, announced an agreement to provide comprehensive hospitalist services at Sonoma Valley Hospital. …

Operation Access, a nonprofit whose mission is to mobilize a network of medical volunteers, hospitals and community health centers to provide access to surgeons for low-income and uninsured people, recently held its celebration of volunteers at Lagunitas Brewery in Petaluma. …

Partnership Health Plan of California recently honored the Petaluma Health Center for achieving 100 percent of the nonprofit, managed Medi-Cal health plans’ goals. …

Sutter Health announced the appointment of Stephen Nolte as chief executive officer of Sutter’s recently announced health plan, which is currently in development in Sacramento. …

St. Helena Hospital recently raised $1.5 million at its annual foundation gala held at Silver Oak Cellars in Oakville. …

State Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina, plans to introduce legislation that would expand the powers of nurse practitioners, pharmacists and other health care workers as a means to address a shortage of primary care physicians, a problem that experts have long warned will be exacerbated by health care reform. …

Western Health Advantage formally filed plans with the state to be a part of Covered California, the state’s online health exchange that will go live in 2014 as part of the federal health care reform bill, the Affordable Care Act. …

On the federal level, the Obama Administration last week issued a host of new rules and details on how insurers can structure benefits and premiums beginning in 2014. …

Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company announced the appointment of Travis Bethune to the position of vice president, distribution management and services leader. …

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.

VALLEJO — Blu Homes, a manufacturer of prefabricated and sustainability-focused homes and structures from its plant in Vallejo, today announced that it acquired the intellectual assets of San Francisco-based Modern Cabana.

The Business Journal presents Impact Solano Conference, Wednesday, September 26 from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, Fairfield. Registration deadline is Sept. 21, 2012.

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.

To explore the issues affecting the various industries in Solano County, the North Bay Business Journal will hold its annual conference, Impact Solano, on Sept. 26.

Commercial real estate leases and sales in the north San Francisco Bay Area

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.

The Santa Rosa Community Health Centers has selected a new location for its Roseland Children’s Health Center, which is currently housed at an elementary school, that will accommodate the growing services by nearly quadrupling the size of the current site. …

Kaiser Permanente is joining a nationwide effort to combat what health officials say is a growing epidemic — obesity. …

Marin General Hospital’s Cancer Institute received the “Outstanding Achievement Award” from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. Only 106 out of roughly 3,000 cancer centers in the U.S. have recieved the award, according to Marin General, and it has not been given to any other hospital in Marin, Sonoma, San Francisco or San Mateo counties. …

Marin General Hospital’s Cancer Institute received the “Outstanding Achievement Award” from the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons. …

Kaiser Permanente’s Napa-Solano region recently awarded $800,000 in grants to local nonprofits in both counties, focusing on five key areas: access to prevention and primary care services; reducing obesity and overweight rates in adults and children; decreasing risky teen behaviors; prevention of community violence; and reducing health disparities. …

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.

Commercial real estate leases in the north San Francisco Bay Area

Cost Plus Inc. (Nasdaq: CPWM) stores in Santa Rosa, Napa and Greenbrae are part of a $495 million cash deal announced today by the Oakland-based home accessories retailer to sell the operation to New Jersey-based Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBY), which has stores in Santa Rosa, Larkspur and Vallejo.

DIXON – Altec Industries Inc. plans to officially open its newly constructed $5.5 million Green Fleet utility vehicle final assembly plant this month, pending receipt of an occupancy permit.

Sutter Lakeside Hospital announced recently it would close two clinics in Lake County. … The Northern California Center for Well Being, which focuses on employee wellness throughout Sonoma County, recently entered into a contract with Fairfield-based Partnership Health Plan. … Dr. Bo Greaves of the Santa Rosa Community Health Centers was presented with the 2012 Family Physician of the Year award by the California Academy of Family Physicians. … The board of directors of TriVascular, Inc. appointed Christopher G. Chavez as chairman, CEO and president. … Palm Drive Hospital is expected to make a final decision within the next month on an electronic medical records system that could bring the 37-bed facility in line with its strategic partners while improving care. … The Petaluma Health Care District will host a community forum on health care reform on Thursday, May 3, from 6–8 p.m. … On Saturday, May 5, West County Health Centers will participate in the Sonoma County Human Race.

The “Top Deals and the People who Made them Happen” represent the top leases and sales for each Marin, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties. They are based on submissions from the largest brokerages and Business Journal research.

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.

FAIRFIELD — Westfield Solano is part of an eight-property, $1.154 billion pending sale of “non-core” shopping centers across the country announced today.

Commercial real estate leases and sales in the north San Francisco Bay area