On a beautiful but hot May day in 2001, I rode up to Peter Chu’s restaurant on my newly assembled “townie” and met Steve Kay for the first time. Three hours later, Steve and I had shared personal stories, professional experiences and scribbled out the initial business plan for what would become The ChicoProject, on a dinner napkin. Thus, literally, our company was forged on the very green concept of riding a bike to work.
For shoppers who like to buy local it can be difficult to find a one-stop shopping spot where you can get everything you need, but Made in Chico makes it easy.
In almost any area of activity there’s a time when someone says, “We’ve got to get back to the basics if we’re going to make it.” This is said with a knowing, authoritative voice, and everyone else says, “Yes, that’s right!” as though some particularly intelligent thing had just been said.
24 June 2009
On a beautiful but hot May day in 2001, I rode up to Peter Chu’s restaurant on my newly assembled “townie” and met Steve Kay for the first time. Three hours later, Steve and I had shared personal stories, professional experiences and scribbled out the initial business plan for what would become The ChicoProject, on a dinner napkin. Thus, literally, our company was forged on the very green concept of riding a bike to work.
24 June 2009
For shoppers who like to buy local it can be difficult to find a one-stop shopping spot where you can get everything you need, but Made in Chico makes it easy.
02 June 2009
In almost any area of activity there’s a time when someone says, “We’ve got to get back to the basics if we’re going to make it.” This is said with a knowing, authoritative voice, and everyone else says, “Yes, that’s right!” as though some particularly intelligent thing had just been said.
02 June 2009
On a recent morning, I rode my bike to work and forgot my keys. Riding home to retrieve them, I decided to stop at Collier Hardware for my favorite Mrs. Meyer’s geranium dish soap. Knowing how unlocked bikes fare in Chico, I hesitated but then leaned it on a parking meter and dashed inside. A familiar male employee in his 70s had been watching out the window from the back of the store. I bought the soap and headed for the door, finding the employee, Eldon, standing at the door watching my bike to make sure it wasn’t stolen.
02 June 2009
The human brain is a complex and marvelous thing. Its ability to filter and prioritize information is highly selective based on our own biases, habits and needs. It’s human nature to have blind spots.
02 June 2009
Oroville will always be the City of Gold, but now we also want people to know, “The fun starts here!” A new logo and promotional materials for Oroville were introduced at the Department of Water Resources’ Oroville booth at the Sacramento Sportsmen's Expo in January. DWR, in conjunction with the Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce, developed the materials to represent the whole community.
02 June 2009
In December it was predicted that Shasta Community College would be facing a $2 million shortfall in state funding, but on March 11 they found that no cuts would have to be made—at least for now.
02 June 2009
On Feb. 25, the Land Trust Accreditation Commission announced that the Northern California Regional Land Trust (NCRLT) has been awarded accreditation status. This makes the organization one of the only four accredited land trusts in the state of California.
02 June 2009
Are we in the middle of an accident caused by human error, or are we in a catastrophe that was an inevitable shift? The influence of the Internet and related technologies over the last 20 years points our attention to a shift in the economy. Other factors catalyzed the shift. Baby boomers staging for retirement with lots of money to invest is a factor. The changes in China's economy and of course 9/11. A crumbling of some things that we have taken for granted can be interpreted as a reminder that changing focus to survive may lead to opportunity.
02 June 2009
Market uncertainty rises every time the Dow Jones Industrial Average (an unmanaged index of 30 widely held stocks) takes off on a volatile ride. Investors wonder if we’re facing a downturn or bear market. I know some clients are worried, afraid that if they don’t sell now they’ll lose more money; yet if they do sell, they might miss a rebound. The only certain thing about volatile markets is that they are uncertain.
