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4A Daily News – Wednesday, February 22, 2012 Commerce business A little more than a year ago, the Red Bluff-Tehama County Cham- ber of Commerce and the Daily News teamed up to launch the Busi- ness of the Month program. It has been well received in the communi- ty and I have really enjoyed being a part of it. The goal was to give our local consumers an opportunity to show- case local businesses for their attributes to Tehama County. The business that is chosen is show- cased in the chamber's newsletter and the Daily News. It serves as a positive reminder to Tehama Coun- ty that there are great reasons to shop locally. Each month, the Business of the Month committee reviews all nomi- nations received and chooses one on the merit of the nomination itself, not the quantity received for one business. It could be that the & business nominated always sup- ports local charities or fundraisers, or the shop goes above and beyond when helping its customers. Service oriented business- es can be nominated too, not just retail. Do have a dentist that has a wonderful staff and always makes your visits enjoyable? Is there a company in town that always sup- ports your charity or organization? They can be nominated for this award. There are many different reasons businesses have been nominated for this recognition and chosen, but it all comes down to one underlying theme, we have amazing businesses in Tehama County. I encourage everyone to take a moment to nom- inate a business they think needs to Nestled in the foothills of Lassen Volcanic National Park lies the historic town of Manton and Tehama Coun- ty's scenic wine country. The estate vineyards of the Manton area rival those of the Napa and Sonoma val- leys, yet are still relatively undiscovered by both locals and tourists. That will soon change if efforts by commu- nity and business leaders to promote tourism in Tehama County are successful. "Wine tasting isn't the only reason to visit Man- ton," said Nelse Weare, a resident of Tehama who had heard a great deal about the wineries and decided to check them out. While it was Weare's first wine tast- ing tour of the area, he has spent a great deal of time exploring the countryside while staying at a cabin he owns in Mineral. Those working to promote the Manton wine country agree with Weare, and prelimi- nary marketing concepts developed by Roger Brooks and his company Destina- tion Development Interna- tional incorporate the attrib- utes inherent to the cascade mountain region. Manton is a popular des- tination for those who enjoy outdoor activities with year round beauty, fishing and hiking opportunities, and events such as the Annual Apple Festival. Streams fed by melting snow provide inspiration for fly fishing. Several area ranches pro- vide lodging as well as opportunities for outdoor exploration. "Manton is rich in ranching history, including some wonderful love sto- ries," said Weare, who has a penchant for local folklore. The Bailey Creek Lodge on Twin Creek Ranch, Bar Z Ranch Bed and Breakfast, Digger Creek Ranch Lodge certainly provide the ambiance for a romantic getaway on acres of pristine ranch land with an abun- dance of wildlife, lakes full enterprise Business of the Month program be recognized for what it has to offer our community. Show your support and nominate it for the Business of the Month. If your nomination is chosen, you will receive a $25 gift certificate from a Tehama County business of your choice courtesy of the Daily News. Nomination forms can be down- loaded at www.redbluffchamber.com and www.redbluffdailynews.com, or can be picked up at the Chamber of Commerce office at 100 Main St. Nomination forms can be returned by mail, fax or brought into the Chamber of Commerce office. Kristen Gray is chairwoman of the Red Bluff-Tehama County Chamber of Commerce's communications committee. Manton wineries provide altitude adjustment Emergency responders to be honored • The Corning Exchange Club Annual Firemen and Police Officers Award Banquet will be at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Corning Veterans Memorial Hall, 1620 Solano Street. The New York steak dinner will be prepared by the club and served buffet style at a ticket price of $12.50 per person. Tickets are available from Exchange Club members or at the door that night. Opening remarks will be given by Bucky Bowen, Exchange Club member. Following the opening remarks Linda Watkins-Bennett from KHSL TV will be the Mistress of Ceremonies. Award will be given to emergency agency personnel from throughout Tehama County. There will be a raffle /auction with items donated by businesses in Tehama and Glenn County. Proceeds from the dinner and raffle are used to benefit many youth activities and child abuse prevention pro- grams throughout the county. The public is welcome to attend and help thank our emergency personnel for their dedication and service. • The Wine, Food & Art Festival is coming up this of rainbow trout, and hiking trails. "The lodges provide wonderful accommodations for wine-tasting excur- sions," said Donna Delga- do, who operates u2vine, a popular wine tour service specializing in the Manton area. Delgado, who is a local resident and co-propri- etor of Ringtail Vineyards, has extensive knowledge of local estate wineries and the history of the area. Passion- ate about wine, she offers intimate and informative wine-tasting tours for up to six people. "Each winery in Manton has its own charac- ter and ambiance," she noted. Indian Peak, Ring- tail, Shasta Daisy, Cedar Crest, Mount Tehama, and Alger Vineyards all pro- duce award-winning vin- tages that are helping to establish the area's reputa- tion as a must-visit, wine- tasting destination. Delgado's partner at Ringtail Vineyard, Robert Carrillo is a fourth genera- tion wine maker. Carrillo planted his Manton Valley vineyard in the late 90's after realizing that the region contained a unique soil for producing superior wine grapes. Indian Peak Vineyard owner, Fred Boots also praises Manton Valley's red volcanic soil and optimal growing weather conditions for producing high quality wine grapes. "When we started our winery we knew we needed three things to be successful: Exceptional grapes, superior wines, and people to buy our wine, said Boots, "We have the grapes and the wine, and we are hoping the Tehama County Branding Project will help us attract more buyers through tourism." Funded by individuals and businesses, the Tehama County Branding Project is an ambitious effort to pro- mote tourism and put more cash into the local econo- my. Money rose through contributions and fundrais- ers made it possible to retain Destination Develop- ment International to devel- op a marketing focus that distinguishes Manton from other wine producing regions. "Very, very few winer- ies are set among forests, particularly in a mountain setting. This makes this wine area truly unique from others," said Brooks, whose company has helped thou- sands of places around the world over the past 30 years become more desirable for investment, tourism, and living. EVERYTHING MUST GO including furniture & fixtures 25% OFF All Gift Certificates must be used by February 29th Sale starts February 8th Preliminary branding concepts promote the experience of wine tasting in the mountains. The pro- posed marketing campaign centered on the "Adjust Your Altitude" brand, appeals to those who love outdoor activities, and evokes emotion by enabling potential visitors to envision tasting superb wines made from grapes grown in rich volcanic soil in a mountainous setting. Both Fred and Delgado applaud the preliminary brand concepts and love the advertising mockups. "The campaign captures the attitude and culture of the tourists we hope to attract," said Fred. "The entire region will benefit from the branding project," agrees Delgado. Manton is only a 30- minute drive from Red Bluff, which makes it a convenient destination for both tourists and Tehama County residents. "It was well worth the drive," said Weare, who purchased vin- tages from each of the wineries he visited. The Tehama County Branding Project is a movement in response to an opportunity and desire to improve the economic prosperity of Tehama County and its anchor communities of Red Bluff, Manton and Corning. Branding: economic prosperity is a community investment in a journey of discovery and the development of activities, enhancements and new business opportunities that reinforce our community lend to the greater community prosperity and create loyalty beyond reason. GRAND OPENING Your tax experts 32 Years Plus Experience "Enrolled to practice before the IRS" Open Year-Round New Clients Welcome 707 Walnut St., Red Bluff, CA 96080 We are looking for a location for our Tuxedo Rental www.lassentax.com Enrolled Agents: Rose Hablitzel, EA Rex Cerro, EA (530) 527-8225 208 Elm St., Red Bluff All major Credit Cards accepted 60 minute with massage $25~$55 per hour Elite Skin Care & Spa Facials~ Waxing~and more Eyebrows $5 Gift Certificates Available Owners, Mike & Trisa Waelty 741 Main St., Suite #14 526-8713 weekend; Friday from 4-10 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. at Rolling Hills Casino Carlino Enter- tainment Center. Tickets are $10 per day and include a wine glass, one tasting drink ticket and $5 free slot play. There will be art on display from the Red Bluff Art Association, the Tehama County Photography Club and the best Art and art craft form Corning High and Centennial High students. There will be a clam chow- der cook-off, casino chef's cooking demonstrations, wine tasting experts on hand to answer questions and of course the wine and beer tasting. The income from this event goes to local Rotary charitable efforts. • Hiring Veterans Makes Good Sense - Carolyn Bal- lou from the California Department of Veterans Affairs Communication & Legislation would like to get the word out to business owners that there are significant state and federal tax credits and other benefits that may be available to business owners that hire veterans. Busi- ness owners may be entitled to thousands of dollars in state and federal tax benefits and other incentives for hiring qualified veterans. The federal Work Opportuni- ty Tax Credit, for example, is based on a percentage, ranging form 25 percent to 40 percent of qualified first- year wages. Maximum eligible credits may be as high as $2,400 for hiring a qualified veteran and up to $9,600 for hiring a veteran with service-connected dis- abilities. Other state and federal benefits for hiring vet- erans may include: State-level hiring credits --$37,00 (over 5 years) California Enterprise Zone tax credit for employers hiring certain economically challenged employees, including veterans; Training funds, tuition reductions, and military pay exemptions. As Carolyn Ballou says, „Employers that support veterans, especially by offering them employ- ment, stand to strengthen their talent pool, get substan- tial tax breaks and other savings, and gain a competitive edge. Equally, or perhaps even more important is that hiring our nation's heroes is the right thing to do. It improves their lives, the lives of their families, and the communities in which they live. Isn't that the least we can do for them? For more information visit the website: www.calvet.ca.gov. • Student Art Contest - Don‚t forget that the deadline for the Tehama County Arts Council Student Art Con- test is March 6th. The contest is open to all Tehama County students grades K-12. For more information call 200-2661 or email contact@tehamaarts.org. The Corning Chamber of Commerce, 1110 Solano St., has entry forms if you would like to pick one up. ——— This column is prepared and submitted by the Corning Chamber of Commerce. Medical center Frontier Village Family Health Center, Inc., is now open at 645 Antelope Blvd., #24. The new health care provider offers family medical care under Amber Freeman, PA. The center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is now accepting new patients. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information, call 528-7650. Facebook marketing The Small Business Development Center at Butte College is presenting a workshop on "Advanced Facebook Marketing for Business" on Wednesday, March 28 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Small Business Development Center at Butte Col- lege, 19 Williamsburg Lane in Chico. The cost is $25 per person prepaid or $35 at the door. Learn, how to use Facebook in your marketing plan. You must currently be using Facebook per- sonally or professionally, and need to use it for increase marketing effectiveness. Topics will include best practices for creating a page for your business & finding "fans," using pho- tos, posts, tagging, check-ins and other engagement tools to connect with current customers and reach out to new ones; and advertising opportunities including pay-per-click-ads and sponsored stories. Pre-registration is requited. Please call the Small Business Development Center at Butte College at 895-9017 to register and for more information.