Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/15091
8A – Daily News – Saturday, August 21, 2010 Tehama County through visitors’eyes Agriculture & farm Jean Barton Many times I go to a meeting and when I leave, I wonder why I wasted my time and money. That was not the case on Aug. 12 when I joined about 200 others to hear “A look at Tehama County, CA through the eyes of our visitors,” sponsored by Rolling Hills Casino, Job Training Center, Tehama EDC, Red Bluff — Tehama County Chamber of Commerce, the Daily News, Downtown Red Bluff Busi- ness Association, North Valley Ser- vices and Tehama County Farm Bureau. Roger Brooks, president of Desti- nation Development International, presented many ideas and impres- sions in a short time. I just hope that they will be implemented, instead of going to committees for further study. “Something for everyone will result in mediocrity and failure.” We need to avoid words like explore, discover, historic downtown, but rather give the vis- itors things to do, and not things to look at. There are three things that kill a branding effort, and they are local politics, lack of champions to implement the ideas, and lack of money. But, many things are doable. Our bill- boards need to have 12 words or less, and 8 is better. They need to tell the tourist why they should get off the freeway and stop. The bill boards need to be simple, with contrasting background. Don’t have a chain link fence around a Wel- come to Tehama County sign, and repaint if sign is faded. “Real men don’t ask for directions, so tell them where things are, on a sign.” Brooks said that 27 million people drive through Tehama County each year. Many people stop at the rest stops because restrooms are needed. We have four within the county, and we should have tourist information with brochures available 24 hours a day. Have displays at the rest stops of what to do in Tehama County along with the brochures.Then when we get the tourist to stop, we need good directions as to where they can find the boat ramps on the Sacramento River, where they can find the hiking trails in Red Bluff, the Sacramento Discovery Center, the BLM lands along Highway 36E, etc. Brooks spent several days in the county, and he said we have a gem just an hour from Red Bluff with incredible scenery. We don’t brag about Mt. Lassen and the Lassen Volcanic National Park. It is a great place to escape the heat. There are thermal areas at the Sulfur Works and Bumpass Hell like you see in Yellowstone National Park and lakes. The Visitor Center has beautiful displays, but no brochures about Red Bluff or Corning to entice the visitors to stop on their way home. He suggested that Lassen Park needs to be the central point of our brand marketing of the county. It is a gem that is undersold and underrated. Hiking in the summer and snow shoe trips in the winter. Mineral did more to sell the area than Red Bluff or Corning. Another gem he discovered was Manton, and said that signs on I-5 are needed saying “Explorers Wine Trail.” The country store had brochures for the variousm winer- ies — all that was needed was a wine tasting place since not all the wineries were open for tasting that day. Julia’s Café was a gem. The signs to Shasta Daisy Vineyards were great, and it was a little gem. He would have turned back if they hadn’t kept telling how many more miles, and then a deck overlooking a vineyard, with a cottage to rent. He never found the Manton Museum. Brooks also drove on 36 West, and noted what a won- derful ride on a motorcycle that road would be. He was told it was a highlight of the Redwoods Experience. We should promote the route, because from April to October 70 percent of the business at Platina comes from motorcyclists. It is a business opportunity for shops in Red Bluff to rent motor- cycles, boats, bicycles to tourists and they would spend the night or nights in Red Bluff. All areas of the county need to work on weed abatement, cleaning up trash, removing the old cars. His first impressions were poor in the smaller towns. Ger- ber is in a challenged state, but has the potential to become Courtesy photo Tehama County CattleWoman Paula Holden, left, and Irene Fuller, Downtown Red Bluff Business Association, visit with Roger Brooks, president of Destination Development International. an artisan village with locally crafted arts. When is the muse- um open in Tehama? He didn’t notice the hours, but they are looking for volunteers. The store across from the park has potential if it had tables and chairs outside for people to sit and eat, instead of a parked car. As for Los Molinos, he never found the recreation area on the river. We need to create a “Best of Tehama County” brochure and promote the anchors such as Red Barn, Pumpkin Land, the Manton area, Vina and the Monastery, etc. Then send the brochure to every household in the county. When they have company, they will have a suggestion where things are happening. Many of the brochures he found were dull. They were all about joining, but not what to do. Update the brochures and get everyone on the same page instead of being different. Red Bluff has a trail, but how long is it? Is it an easy trail or is it hard? The time needed to walk it. Add “Welcome” to list of rules and regulations and never more than five items on a sign. Suggestions were signage from Main Street to Kelly- Griggs Museum, and have signs perpendicular to traffic, not parallel. Is there a Victorian Home Tour guide printed, or just the little date on the house? Brooks suggested a radio trans- mitter to tell the history of the house when you are in front of house to make it interactive. Cone Kimball Tower needs an informative plaque; why it is important? Turn downtown parks to plaza areas, where people can gather. Add water, the biggest draw of all. Gath- ering places to hang out are important to an area. The businesses in Red Bluff and Corning need tables and chairs outside for dining. Curb appeal can account for 70 percent of sales at restaurants, and get your garden clubs involved. Extend the window displays to the exterior, and have benches with greenery and flowers outside the stores for the visitors. He was very complimentary about the benches and plants outside Dr. Clarke’s office. “If a dentist can do it, so can the merchants.” The shops need small perpendicular signs seven feet above the street, to tell what they sell. They should be con- sistent in design and not use script. What they sell is more Ewings join membership of American Angus Association Mark and Renee Ewing, Gerber, are new members of the Ameri- can Angus Associa- tion®, reports Bryce Schumann, CEO of the national breed registry organization in Saint Joseph, Missouri. The American Angus Association, with near- ly 31,000 active adult and junior members, is the largest beef cattle registry Association in the world. LIC #808524 Call For Free Information Toll-Free (800) 464-1403 or (530) 365-1403 6183 MEISTER WAY ANDERSON, CA 96007 (530) 365-1403 (800) 464-1403 Its computerized records include detailed information on more than 16 million regis- tered Angus. The Association records ancestral infor- mation and keeps pro- duction records on indi- vidual animals for its members. These permanent records help members select and mate the best animals in their herds to produce high quality, efficient breeding cattle which are then recorded with the American Angus Association. Most of these registered Angus are used by the U.S. farmers and ranch- ers who raise high qual- ity beef for U.S. con- sumption. important than name of store. Visitors to Red Bluff want things to do in the evening, and the retail shops are closed. He suggested that stores stay open until 6 or 7 p.m. Another suggestion was to create a dining district because the more you have to offer, the more people will come. I was pleased to hear Brooks suggest that signs be placed on the crops growing along I-5, 99E and 99W like Farm Bureau had placed in previous years. People want to learn what the different trees produce. The potential is in Tehama County if everyone will work together. It was an exciting meeting. ranch