Issue 137 Campground & RV Park E News

April 4, 2011, Myrtle Beach, S.C. — Ocean Lakes Family Campground www.OceanLakes.com in Myrtle Beach, S.C., had a successful second annual Facebook Fan Appreciation Weekend this past weekend, April 1 and April 2. More than 70 people who

'like' Ocean Lakes on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/oc eanlakesFB?v=app_494975 2878 gathered on site and nearly 200 participated online for an interactive weekend to commemorate the 2-year anniversary of the campground's launch

on the social networking site.

Decked out in their matching Facebook Fan Appreciation Weekend Tshirts, attendees on-site Continued Page 2

Continued from Page 1 the interactions we received by expanding our weekend and making it something people could get involved in virtually as well as in person.”

participated in games and competitions that were viewable online through video and photos posted on the campground's Facebook page.

The weekend had its first “Virtual Ocean Lakes Experience” contest for people logging onto their computers to participate over the weekend. Several participants took creative snapshot of their virtual weekends at Ocean Lakes.

People who 'like' the campground on Facebook can vote until 11 p.m. on April 11 for the winner.

He or she will receive an Ocean Lakes goody bag and a choice of either two free nights of camping or a $40 Ocean Lakes gift certificate.

Overall, the weekend's onsite and online events generated nearly 250,000

Facebook impressions and the Ocean Lakes Facebook page gained about 100 new 'likes' during the weekend event.

Well over 400 photos were added into the Ocean Lakes' Facebook photo album and 10 videos were posted.

“Once again, we had an amazing time celebrating our presence on Facebook with our Ocean Lakes family,” said Barb Krumm, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Ocean Lakes Family Campground.

“So many people said that they'd had a blast throughout the weekend.

We were blown away by

Since joining Facebook in April 2009, Ocean Lakes Family Campground has gained more than 24,000 'likes.' It was verified as an

authentic Facebook page in February 2010 after passing the 10,000-fan mark.

On average, nearly 9,000 people visit the campground's Facebook page each week with daily posts generating around 16,000 daily impressions.

Southfield, Mich. -- Sun Communities, Inc., a real estate investment trust ("REIT") that owns and operates manufactured housing and recreational vehicle communities, has announced that it has entered into a master contribution agreement with Kentland Corporation and its principals to acquire 18 manufactured housing communities and one RV community located in Western Michigan.

Under the terms of the agreement, the company acquires the communities, personal property and other intangibles associated with the communities from Kentland Corporation and its affiliated entities for an aggregate purchase price of $139.3 million plus the fair market value of the inventory and notes receivable, payable in a combination of cash, assumption of debt and preferred OP units.

It is expected that the company will assume approximately $77 million of existing debt, issue approximately $46 million of preferred OP units and pay the estimated balance of $16.3 million in cash, exclusive of the cash purchase price for inventory and notes receivable. The preferred OP units carry an annual yield of between 5 percent

and 6 percent and are convertible into shares of the company's common stock at a conversion price of $41 per share.

The transaction reflects an approximate capitalization rate of 8.3 percent and the initial twelve months accretion is estimated at $0.24 to $0.28 per fully diluted share/OP unit, excluding the effect of transaction costs and the equity issued earlier in the year to fund the cash required for the transaction.

The equity issuance was previously included in the company's 2011 guidance.

The closing of this transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including the consent of the existing lenders, and this transaction is expected to close in May 2011.

The portfolio consists of 5,490 sites and is largely situated in Western Michigan.

It is approximately 79 percent occupied and

reflects a generally high level of quality with minimal deferred maintenance, the company said.

"We believe that our management team supported by our systems and procedures will strongly enhance the value of the portfolio over time", said Gary A. Shiffman, chairman and chief executive officer.

The Company also announced it entered into a preliminary agreement with Fannie Mae and PNC Bank, which is subject to final approval, to settle the litigation the Company

commenced in November 2009 over certain fees charged when Sun's variable rate loan facility was extended in April 2009.

Upon consummation of the settlement, the maturity date of Sun's entire $367.0 million credit facility with PNC Bank and Fannie Mae will be extended from 2014 to 2023.

Sun Communities, Inc. is a REIT that currently owns and operates a portfolio of 136 communities comprising approximately 47,600 developed sites.

Most private campgrounds have 50 amp/240 volt hookups, which can charge most electric vehicles in about 4 hours COLLEGE PARK, Md., April 5, 2011 – Cherry Hill Park is probably one of the greenest campgrounds in the country, having made substantial investments in solar panels for water heating and power generation.

Cherry Hill Park for their vehicles to recharge?

But two years ago, a visitor from the University of Delaware opened park owner Mike Gurevich’s eyes to yet another way his park can support the environment:

Only a handful of electric car owners have used Cherry Hill Park for refueling purposes so far, but Gurevich plans to market the concept in the coming weeks in an effort to build a new business base and to support the environment. He charges $10 for a four-hour charge.

“This guy knocked on the door and said, ‘Can I charge my car?’ I said, ‘Absolutely.’

Using a campground’s 50 amp/240 volt electric hookups, most electric vehicle owners can charge their cars in about four hours.

So what do people do when they’re waiting at

“They just hang out,” Gurevich said. “Some sit at our picnic tables and work on their computers, using our Wi-Fi system. Others eat lunch at our café.”

While the concept of using campgrounds as refueling stops for electric vehicles is enticing for many park operators, if the concept takes off, campgrounds may need to eventually install dedicated pedestals for electric vehicles so as not to tie up too many

campsites with electric vehicles, said Wade Elliott, president and CEO of Utility Supply Group, an RV and electric vehicle pedestal supplier based in Preston, Wash.

“I see the idea of recharging electric vehicles as an opportunity for campground and RV park operators,” Elliott said. “But if more and more of these vehicles come into their parks merely to be recharged, park operators may want to put in three or four dedicated circuits near their store or swimming pool and not use their campsites to do this.”

Aside from tying up campsites with electric vehicles, if more than two or three vehicles are recharging their batteries at the same time, it could affect the amount of power that’s available to other campers and pose potential electric load management issues. “With a dedicated electric vehicle circuit, you don’t have to worry about running afoul of the National Electric Code,” Elliott said.

In Maryland and California, campground operators are reporting a gradual uptick in inquiries from electric vehicle owners who are considering using campgrounds as refueling stops on long haul trips.

Travelers who do this typically have adapters with them that enable them to

plug into 50 amp / 240 volt electric pedestals that campgrounds often provide with their RV sites.

“We’ve been getting quite a few calls from people wanting to charge their vehicles at our park,” said Russ Yates, owner of Holiday Park Campground in Greensboro, Md., adding that he’s installed a separate 50-amp/240 volt plug on the side of the campground office so that people can recharge their vehicles without having to park in a campsite. He charges $8.5 for a four-hour charge.

“Most people who come to our park to recharge their vehicles come up to our store and buy snacks. Or they get on their laptops and send email. But most of them simply take a nap in their vehicle or they walk around our park and sit by the river,” Yates said.

Patrick Stone, owner of Mountain Gate RV Park in Continued

Continued Redding, Calif., said he’s also had several people stop by his park to recharge their vehicles. “Normally,” he said, “they’re on their way north or south and they need a pretty good charge to get over the mountains.”

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds, for its part, plans to create a listing of parks that offer electric vehicle refueling services on its GoCampingAmerica website.

“With over 3,300 members, we will over time gather all of this information and make it available online, but clearly the potential is there

for the nation’s private campground owners to help support the greening of the nation’s transportation infrastructure,” said Paul Bambei, president and CEO of the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds in Denver, Colo.

“Campgrounds,” he added, “are an ideal place for electric vehicle owners to take a break from driving.

Most have swimming pools, lakes and scenic venues and wireless Internet service, if you need to check email or do work while your vehicle is recharging. Many campgrounds also offer rental accommodations, so

you can recharge your vehicle and spend the night and be ready to hit the road the next day.”

Cherry Hill Park, a Best Parks in America affiliate serving the Washington DC market, has a hot tub and solar heated swimming pool as well as cabin and yurt rentals, while Mountain Gate Park in California offers park model rentals and a solar heated swimming pool.

Holiday Park Campground, for its part, is a Good Sam Park with rental trailers, tennis courts, playgrounds, a large swimming pool as well as hiking and nature trails.

For additional information on RV and electric vehicle pedestals and their power requirements, please contact Wade Elliott at Utility Supply Group at (800) 8002811.

Headquartered in Denver, the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds is the national voice of the outdoor hospitality industry, providing educational, legislative, marketing and media relations services to privately owned campgrounds, RV parks and resorts across the United States. For more information, please visit its websites at www.arvc.org and www.gocampingamerica.com.

It’s getting closer to opening day for 2011. If you are like most parks, you have a lot of new staff showing up, new merchandise to be set up and are still working on finishing touches to the park.

One critical point that has to be addressed repeatedly is the training of that new staff. Much as you would like to, you can’t leave that training to be done by your new staff or even by returning staff if you want everything to run smoothly.

So where do you find the time? Let’s see if we can’t simplify the task.

First of all, let’s take a moment to look at the difference between a policy and a procedure. You should have policies in place that talk about what you do and do not accept in terms of guest requests.

This can be as simple as what credit cards you accept for payment or as complex as what requirements must be met to be considered a group reservation and what types of discounts the various sizes of groups can expect.

A procedure is nothing more than a set of instructions on how to perform a task. By detailing how you want a task done, you can decrease the number of times you are asked how to do something. It took a while but after hearing me say “What does your procedure book say?” the staff began looking in the

book before asking. At the same time, when they found something that wasn’t addressed in the book or they had found an easier way to perform the task, I was able to create a new procedure or revise the existing one to take advantage of my staff’s experience.

This led to a staff that felt they owned their job and were eager to make the park successful. Here are some basic sections of my policies and procedures manual.

1.) How to answer the phone. This should include a short script that everyone will follow. Here is a sample: Good Morning (Afternoon, Evening), (name of your park), this is (your name) how may I help you?

May I ask your name?

(Then use their name in the conversation) How did you hear about us?

If they ask for information about the park, be sure to tell them the following: We have xxx landscaped sites that are full hook up (water, electric and sewer). We are located ___________.

We (your amenities.)

Invite them to check out our website at www.(your website link). Offer to send them a brochure, rate sheet or any other information that they may request.

Offer to make a reservation for them. If the date they are requesting is not available, offer to put them

on a waiting list or try a different date. This may occur during special events so be sure to try to get them into the park if possible.

2.) Detailed instructions on how to enter a reservation.

This should include screen shots where ever possible along with details on where special information is entered.

3.) A “Cheat Sheet” for opening and closing. This sheet would list the steps necessary to open and close the office and should include a place for the staff to sign. I used these types of sheets quite successfully and found that not only did it remind the staff of what needed to be done; I also had an easy reference as to

who was opening or closing in case of questions.

4.) If you provide discounts, gift certificates or any other means for a guest to receive a different rate, be sure to provide instructions on how to process each. Without the detailed instructions, you may find that the information you need to collect on the success of the discount or gift certificate requires you searching through your database.

5.) A procedure for handling requests for group reservations, making the group reservation and how to handle the group once they arrive at the park. This Continued

will help relieve you of the necessity to be present at all times and will allow your staff to answer the basic questions without having to immediately say, “I’ll have the manager get back with you.”

6.) Procedure for long term stays. This would cover things like any deposits required, any agreements that need to be signed, and how mail for the long-term guest is handled. It should also cover how to handle the departure of a longterm guest. Do you refund any deposits immediately?

What if the guest is leaving early? Is there a refund on any unused portion of their long-term stay?

7.) If you use a cash register at your front desk, be sure to set up a procedure that tells everyone what keys to use when ringing up different items. (I.e. food items, souvenirs, RV supplies, propane, etc.)

There are many more areas that would need to be covered. The outside staff should have a policy and procedure manual of their own addressing things such as how to handle a guest’s complaint, what needs to be done first thing in the morning and at end of shift.

Your Policy and Procedure manual should be a living document that changes as your routine or business changes. Before the majority of my staff left for the season, I would ask

each of them to take the time to write out any changes they felt would be beneficial for the park. I always emphasized that their suggestions may or may not be acted on but that I valued their opinion.

The advantage here was that I had a high rate of returning employees.

Do you have a policies and procedures manual? How is it working for you?

Pamela and her company, FocusedWords, are dedicated to helping you promote and market your RVPark/ Resort/ Campground to RVer’s everywhere. Be sure to follow her on Twitter: @RVStops and @FocusedWords. Check out her blog at www.FocusedWords.com/blog.

Pamela has redesigned her website, FocusedWords.com, to provide a place for you to tell Rally groups what your park has to offer for their next rally.

Be sure to fill out your park form with your facilities information.

Pamela Wright

Since taking over ownership of Idle Wheels RV Park in late fall 2008, Joe Gallow has worked tirelessly to not only create a community among campers at the park, but to make the park a vital part of the greater Gimli community as well.

operating at close to 100 per cent capacity."

"We've brought the community together," said Gallow. "As of May, we're

One of the most notable additions is a play structure. Gallow is also

"It's more family-oriented," said Gallow of the recent renovations and expansions he has undertaken over the last three seasons.

Joe Gallow: Gimli Manitoba trying to sponsor an ages 35 t-ball team this summer.

That park's general store has everything from groceries and supplies to souvenirs, and a wellstocked section of RV gear.

Park residents have use of a full kitchen too.

With help from a social committee, events coordinator Sandra Doody plans seasonal events and activities at Idle Wheels; including Christmas in July and Folklorama.

"It's a nice little community.

It's a getaway," Gallow said of Idle Wheels. "The atmosphere that we have, our saying and our slogan, is 'where friends and family meet' and that's one of the things we do live up to."

Thanks in large part to the work of maintenance staffer Gary Jessup, Gallow met Manitoba Conservation

standards with several water, sewer and electrical improvements after buying the park. A gravel roadway was also installed.

"We've brought the park to a better level," he stressed.

Gallow said prefers to hire locally when it comes to park upkeep, adding that he works closely with Graboweski Concrete and KC Enterprises in particular.

"We're trying to come back into the community with a little bit of support," he continued. "Keep the funds inside the community instead of bringing it out."

Idle Wheels is open from May 15 to Oct. 1 and offers daily, weekly and monthly rentals. Visit www.idlewheelsrvpark.com for more information.

Article and Photo: www.interlakespectator.com

Fifty years ago, a local water district manager could have made an easy bureaucratic decision.

Instead, he did some innovative thinking and made a courageous choice.

Today, in our arid corner of the world, 650,000 people a year enjoy camping and freshwater recreational activities. The kinds of visits that family memories are made of. We’re talking about the Santee Lakes, a 190-acre playground run by the Padre Dam Municipal Water District.

In 1961, Ray Stoyer, general manager of the

predecessor district, had a dilemma. Suburban growth in East County meant he had to find a new way to dispose of increasing amounts of waste water.

The no-risk decision would have been to hook up with the San Diego Metropolitan System. Instead, Stoyer gambled that water recycling was feasible and a series of lakes could become a recreational draw for East County. Land once used for gravel mining was acquired for lakes and shoreline facilities. By 1965 the verdict was in from scientists: Besides boating and fishing, the recycled

water was fine even for swimming.

Many improvements have come: campgrounds, clubhouse, fishing pier, trails, play equipment.

Immensely popular is an RV campground that provides two-thirds of the revenues. By water district policy, this regional playground has to pay for itself. It has.

Allen Carlisle, who came on 10 years ago as head of the Santee Lakes program, worried, however, that if RV popularity dipped, the financial balance would be tipped. Effort was put into

broadening the appeal and the revenue base. Four acres of solar panels were installed. RV storage space was created.

Special events were lined up. A mega-tower play structure for children and new picnic gazebos are planned.

The lakes are seven now and the people who come to enjoy them have increased from 50,000 in 1964 to 650,000 today.

Revenue, just $1.4 million in 2001 when Carlisle came aboard, is $3.8 million now.

Full Article: www.signonsandiego.com

As our readers know, this columnist has been informing campground owners for several years about Processing Card Industry (PCI) regulations and safeguards against having their credit card data breached. MCPS for Campgrounds has, since 2008, conducted free webinars detailing the history of data breaches and informing owners how to prevent them. Fines for having your credit card data stolen BEGIN at $50,000 per occurrence.

Although hundreds of breaches occur every month, resulting in millions of individuals having their identities stolen, until

recently no breach ever occurred in a campground.

Strangely enough, most data breaches DO occur where people congregate, such as hospitals, colleges, insurance companies, government service buildings and, yes, hotels and resorts. We would love to believe that campgrounds have not had breaches due to our webinars and the columns posted here. That STILL might be true.

The Associated Press reported that a “malware attack potentially exposed credit cards used in transactions from March 21 to December 22 of last year” at a Maine state park

for passes to the park. The transactions were handled

by InfoSpherix, A Maryland Company and a subsidiary of Active Network a large reservation service based in San Diego. Active handles online registrations, payment processing, donations and transactions for businesses, particularly camps, campgrounds and state parks nationwide.

The breach discovery was made last month and notices were sent out to 970 credit cards holders that their credit card information may have been exposed. According to the AP article, no one has reported any fraudulent charges.

Maine officials were quick to assure people who might have used Maine.gov that the site was secure, which is the state’s official website.

But Active Network did inform Maine officials that the problem could go far beyond just their state because hackers breached several servers containing credit card numbers and

expiration dates. To be safe and in conformance with state law, notifications were sent to attorney general’s officers in other states.

So, the demon has struck a campground at last, albeit a state campground.

Our next free webinar, entitled “Credit\Debit Cards: a Primer on Savings and Security”, where we thoroughly inform campground owners about data security will be held on April 12th at 2:00 PM EST. As usual, there is no cost to attend and it is an ARVC CPO certified webinar. If you haven’t taken it, please register by e-mailing us at rvcreditcards@yahoo.com for an invitation.

Art Lieberman is the President of MCPS for Campgrounds and, along with Deanne Bower, is the Producer of the Virtual Outdoor Hospitality Expo II, which will begin on 11/11/11. Art can be reached at MCPS at 877858-9010 or at Campground Expo at 877901-EXPO (3976)

It looks as though the Oprah effect is beginning to be felt by Australia's tourism industry.

Tourism Australia (TA) boss Andrew McEvoy says while it's a bit early to start popping the champagne corks, new research and feedback from the industry suggests US talk show queen Oprah Winfrey's foray down under in December is starting to pay dividends.

Mr McEvoy, who is attending the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) in Sydney this week, said online travel agency Orbitz, a key partner in TA's Great Aussie Sale promotion which ran in the United States alongside the Oprah show's airing, has reported an increase in bookings.

"Orbitz figures for January and February 2011 compared with the same period last year, revealed

that revenue from flight and hotel bookings has risen 9.65 per cent and 13.6 per cent respectively," he said in a daily online newsletter to ATE delegates.

"Separately a consumer research poll of 1200 Americans, 1000 Oprah viewers and 200 non Oprah viewers, revealed 61 per cent of respondents who were aware of Oprah's Australian shows had already explored travel options to Australia.

"And 74 per cent of those who were aware of the shows agreed that Australia is worth travelling to."

Other commercial partners involved in campaign activity around the shows have also reported spikes in holiday bookings.

Mr McEvoy said Flight Centre/Liberty Travel had seen flight bookings so far in 2011 increase by 108 per cent compared with 2010.

US boutique travel group, Signature Travel, has reported a 52 per cent increase in Australian bookings for February 2011 compared with last year, while visits to TA's website, www.australia.com during January and February were nearly double the monthly average.

"The four Oprah shows began re-airing in the US from March 24, kickstarting another big marketing push by Tourism Australia, including phase two of the Great Aussie Sale as well as airline partnerships with V Australia and Delta.

"Since its announcement in September 2010, Oprah's visit to Australia has generated more than 86,000 media articles across the world, with an estimated equivalent advertising value of $368 million," he said.

Tourism Australia believes the US market has the potential to grow to between 760,000 and 840,000 visitors, contributing between $4.5 billion and $5.5 billion in overnight expenditure by 2020.

One has to ask: When will the U.S Travel Industry follow suit?

The United States has so much to offer the international visitor but there appears to be no visible media campaign or a personality promoting internationally.

An opportunity exists for the Campground Industry to start the ball rolling.

Editor

Have you wanted to attend the ARVC Conference but you were always too late or too busy to register?

Well if so, ARVC is making your life simpler. We understand how busy your park gets as the beautiful summer weather rolls in and your parks become full with guests, so that is why we are offering a simpler solution for making your Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo reservations.

We want to make it super easy for you to pre-register for the conference! So for any park that wants to register early and lock-in the early-bird conference attendee rate of ONLY $379 (Small/Medium Member Parks)/$449 (All other parks), all you need to do is send an email to

info@arvc.org with your 1) name and 2) best phone number and a representative from ARVC will call you within 48hours to make the reservation for you.

Let us know if you need help financially, we may be able to arrange deposits and payment plans.

This year’s Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo in Savannah, GA is one not to miss! We’re inviting the entire Outdoor Hospitality Industry to participate and share in this unifying industry event.

NEW for 2011, we’re offering a Kids Camp so that you can bring your entire family to vacation in beautiful and sunny Savannah, GA. So come vacation & learn while

relaxing & enjoying Savannah's southern charm! Enjoy the pristine white sandy beaches of Tybee Island, a round of world-class golf, taste Savannah's famous shrimp & grits, shop the trendy downtown boutiques and

indulge in the history of the south while taking a stroll down cobblestone streets!

Whatever your fancy, you and your family will find your heart's content awaiting you in Savannah.

Continued

Continued Join us for great seminars, industry related networking and the best southern hospitality in the country!

2011 Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo presented by the National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds.

Where Outdoor Hospitality Meets Southern Hospitality Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa & Savannah International Trade Center November 28 – Dec. 2 For more information: www.arvc.org/outdoorhospitality-conference.aspx Or 800-395-2267

New Address Please make note that the ARVC Headquarters will be moving offices April 7-8th, 2011.

During the move, both internet and phones will be down from Thursday, April 7th at 3pm MT until Friday, April 8th at 10am MT. We appreciate your patience during this transition. The office phone and fax number will remain the same.

However, effective April 8th our new address will be: 9085 E. Mineral Circle, Suite #200, Centennial, CO 80112

Cottonwood police shot and killed an armed 60-year-old woman who was threatening suicide on the sidewalk of a main thoroughfare Saturday.

Police spokesman Sgt. Gareth Braxton said that around 3:45 p.m., authorities responded to the Camelot RV Park near Main and 10th streets to calls of a female threatening to commit suicide.

A witness said they saw a woman voicing such threats while carrying a handgun.

They located the woman, who lived in the RV park, armed with two handguns and threatening suicide.

Police made contact with the woman as she walked down Main St. and failed twice to apprehend her with Tasers, Braxton said.

An officer then used a rifle to shoot the woman as she drew her weapon. She was pronounced dead at the scene. .

Airstream is one of the best-known names in trailers. So it only makes sense that the maker of those sleek, loaf-shaped trailers would try to make a splash in motor homes.

James Bell, president of the Motor Press Guild in Los Angeles, decided to give motor home living a try. He reports: For starters, there is the vehicle. Airstream says this is no normal motor home, but rather one that brings the best of the brand to bear. CEO Bob Wheeler says: "We designed every detail of the 2011 Airstream Avenue to bring our customers a touring coach that combines value, performance and comfort.

With the Avenue, travelers can enjoy the drivability of an automobile yet have a true home on wheels."

So we gave the new Airstream a whirl. And we were the perfect candidates, since our idea of "camping" usually includes airport shuttles and infinity swimming pools. With the Avenue begging to go out and play, we quickly chose a destination in the hills outside of Santa Barbara and packed for unknown adventure.

We were not exactly "roughing it." The Avenue is equipped with with a stainless-steel kitchen, bathroom, shower and refrigerator. On the comfort

side, soft leather lines all of the seating areas including a lounge area that conveniently turns into a bed for two and finished with styling details to be expected from this famous brand.

My daughter was happy to discover the high-definition TV, and my wife and I were equally pleased to see the controls for the 13,500 Btu air conditioner and 16,000 Btu furnace -- both of which were used to keep all of us comfortable.

While the Avenue is not inexpensive, with a list price around $95,000, the experience we had that weekend was priceless and made easy by its "all-inone" attitude. With rising fuel prices and economic uncertainty guiding many vacation plans, getting out and enjoying local

attractions continues to be an attractive alternative for many families, and the

responsibly sized and fuel efficient Avenue is ready to roll.

PROVINCETOWN — One man has been found dead and another man injured at a Massachusetts campground in Cape Cod, two days after the campground opened for the season.

Campground manager Kristen Perry told the station the two campers had checked in Saturday morning and put up a popup tent. She said her father checked them in and they might have been the only campers at the time because Coastal Acres had just opened Friday.

WCVB television station reports that police noticed a broken door and window at the Coastal Acres campground office in Provincetown about 6 a.m. today, then saw the man’s body on the office steps.

The injured man was taken to Cape Cod Hospital.

Michael O’Keefe, district attorney for the Cape and Islands, said the man’s death is considered “suspicious.”

By Larry Perhaps the better title would be “The EPA and Us whether we like it or not”.

Environmentally speaking by the end of the 1960’s our country was in big trouble. Smog covered our cities. Every type of industrial waste was pouring into our lakes, rivers and shorelines. Lead paint and asbestos were sending people to early graves. Acid rain, open burning of trash and leaves were the custom. Many people can still remember pictures of rivers that were on fire. Enough research had been accomplished to demonstrate that mercury, lead and any number of other lethal chemicals and substances, including radioactive materials, were contaminating our air, ground and water. If left unchecked, nearly the entire population would begin suffering genetic defects and terminal diseases.

The response from Congress was to create the Environmental Protection Agency. The first task of the EPA was to consolidate various agencies already dealing with environmental regulations of one sort or another. Clearly a comprehensive approach was needed. The second task was to pull together data being generated that

related to environmental matters, especially research investigating the connections between environmental hazards and human health.

Today, 40 years later, this agency has accomplished much. It has also grown, with 17,000 employees, 10 regional offices and 27 labs blanketing the country.

Scientists, engineers and environmental protection specialists make up most of the agency’s workforce.

The reach of this agency is limitless. Every aspect of our lives, from the air we breathe and the cereal we eat, the water we drink, the items we buy, the vehicles we drive to the price we pay for fuel is impacted by regulations stemming from this agency.

The EPA is likely to be in the news frequently as Congress debates whether and how to cut the federal budget. It will draw fire as a prime example of federal over-reach, so listening to the news will be an easy way to learn more about environmental matters.

Beauty or beast? Either way, pay attention because every move this agency makes will affect your business and your budget.

Two years ago, in what can only be described as a leap of faith, Lee and Denise Stevens bought the Timber Ridge Horse Campground.

The location could hardly have been better. The campground, barns, and corrals sat at the doorstep of the 125,000-acre Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, one of the most equestrianfriendly national parks in the U.S. But the place was a mess.

A tree had fallen on the office, the buildings were in disrepair and the lawn had not been mowed in months.

The Stevenses went to a local bank that had repossessed the campground and applied for a loan. In a classic case of "be careful what you wish for," their request was approved.

"We signed the papers and looked at each other and said, 'Now what do we do?' " recalled Lee. As evidence of the campground's turnaround, look no farther than an online poll conducted last year by HorseTrailDirectory.com that rated the facility the top horse campground in the U.S. for 2010.

Immediately after purchasing Timber Ridge Horse Campground, Lee

and Denise went to work.

They closed on the property in late March, and their goal was to open on April 1 so they could begin making payments on their loan. Fortunately, they had a little help from their friends.

Timber Ridge Horse Campground is located off Darrow Ridge Road, which hugs the southwest border of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, about eight miles east of Jamestown, Tenn. Nearby is Ridgetop Acres, an equestrian community whose residents turned out in force to help the Stevenses overhaul their new investment.

"We had 15 men and eight women show up out of the blue," Lee said. "They worked all day, and that night we had a cookout.

It's nice to know there're still people in communities that will help you out of the goodness of their heart."

Timber Ridge Horse Campground features 25 sites with electricity and water, as well as cabin rentals, two barns and turnout corrals. The campground has access to 25 miles of private trails, and just across the road is the Big South Fork, a multiple-use recreation area. Of the park's 400 miles of developed trails,

more than 200 miles are open to horseback riders, and about 180 miles of trail are reserved for hikers.

proper drainage, but the labor and much of the funding came from volunteers.

Last summer a coalition of volunteers including the Timber Ridge Horse Campground, local landowners, The Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation, and the Gernt family of Fentress County pitched in to build a new section of horse trail inside the Big South Fork. The trail called the Darrow Ridge Horse Trail - roughly parallels Darrow Ridge Road. At three miles long, it links to the Darrow Ridge Multiple Use Trail and the O&W Trail and provides improved equestrian access to the interior of the park.

Timber Ridge Horse Campground attracts trail riders from as far off as Canada and New Mexico.

The nearest neighbors are a quarter-mile away, and at night, campers fall asleep to the call of coyotes and whip-poor-wills.

The National Park Service marked the route and set construction guidelines for

"I never owned a campground before in my life, and I'm not even much of a horseback rider," Lee said. "The important thing in this business is to be friendly and go the extra mile to treat people right.

"We've made more friends in the two years we've had this campground than we made in the last 20 years."

Article: www.knoxnews.com

Continued

Preston CT - Near the close of Strawberry Park's first official weekend on Sunday, camp patrons went about business as usual.

she's been coming to the 160-acre campground since she was 5. "We don't know (what will happen). That's what scares me the most.

No one knows."

At noon, Bill DaVolio, from Suffolk County, Long Island, helped his wife clean and vacuum the couple's RV.

A short distance from McNamara's campsite, Sean Chamberland, also from Wolcott, was busy connecting the water supply at his property, which he said he bought about four years ago.

Down the road, Kate Setaro from Wolcott, loaded supplies into the back of her Chevy Suburban as she kept an eye on her three daughters and one of the girls' friends.

Meanwhile, Michelle McNamara watched her three children run about in the area that her family has rented at Strawberry Park since 1986.

Chamberland, 39, said that he and his wife, Nicki, are waiting "for the dust to settle" to see what happens to Strawberry Park, which includes about 360 co-op lots. He also said that at the end of last season, he put a for sale sign in the window of his property to gauge interest.

McNamara said she has been following the news about Strawberry Park's bankruptcy and now uncertain foreclosure sale to TD Bank.

But Chamberland said Sunday that most of the calls he's received have been about the golf cart parked in his driveway - not his property.

With TD Bank now looking to back out of its $8 million bid to buy the property and a court hearing scheduled for today, McNamara, 36, said she hopes that the place where she has built many friendships and memories is not lost.

He suggested that bankruptcy led several other owners to put their properties up for sale, lowering values as a result.

"Everyone's saying everything is going on as planned. But it's in the back of our minds: Until when?" said McNamara, who said

Samantha and Joe Kain, who have owned a property at Strawberry Park for 11 years, also spoke Sunday about the ongoing uncertainty of the campground.

The couple said they were shocked to hear that TD

Bank asked a court to reject its foreclosure bid.

The Kains said they were equally astonished to hear TD Bank's lawyer describe the foreclosure proceedings of Strawberry Park, held at the campground in February, as "hostile."

"It was far from hostile. As a matter of fact, you could hear a pin drop at a lot of points in time," Joe Kain said.

Samantha Kain did mention that she's heard that spaces for Memorial Day are nearly filled at the campground, which has garnered 5-star ratings from Frommer's Guide to the Best RV & Tent Campgrounds in the U.S.A. and other publications.

Nonetheless, she said things are far from normal.

A group of about 50 other campground property owners have hired their own lawyer, creating

differing factions among the patrons at Strawberry Park, the Kains said.

The couple also said they were anxious to see potential bidders emerge the second time around, assuming TD Bank backs out. At the first foreclosure, a Bozrah businessman offered an opening $10,000 bid before TD Bank's $8 million offer.

The Kains said that once the Portland, Maine-based bank asked to back out, it cast doubt on the future of Strawberry Park once again.

"Now you're back in that limbo state of what is going to happen now?"

Samantha Kain said. "It's a funny thing. You still have (your property). It's ours.

As far as what's going to change and what's going to happen, you worry about that."

Article: www.theday.com

New London - Superior Court Judge James J. Devine ordered a mediation session Monday between TD Bank, which is seeking to back out of its winning bid for Strawberry Park campground, and an investor group that is owed $3.4 million by the bankrupt owner.

Devine delayed approval of the $8 million purchase and sale agreement saying he wanted to first know the value of the campground. Devine said he hopes the bank and Preston Strawberry Funding Associates can come to some type of agreement before April 21, when Judge Albert S. Dabrowski of the Connecticut District of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court will hear a motion presented by Mark Stern, attorney for PSFA. The motion seeks to liquidate assets owned by Strawberry Farms LLC, Strawberry Farms RV Resort Inc and Volin LLC.

AUSTIN — Visitors trekking to dozens of Texas state parks to take advantage of pleasant spring weather will find new restrooms, revamped playgrounds and campgrounds, and a host of other park upgrades resulting from millions of dollars in completed and ongoing capital repair projects begun last year.

Through February, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department had spent almost $18 million on a variety of park improvements funded with bond money approved by the state's electorate several years ago and appropriated by the Texas Legislature in previous sessions.

More than $3 million in bond-funded repairs at Garner State Park is giving a long-awaited face-lift to many of the Texas State Park system's overnight camping leader's bathrooms, 17 historical cabins, screen shelters and other infrastructure.

Complete remodeling is being done on 22 shelters, with 11 fitted to Americans with Disabilities Act standards, including ADAaccessible walkways.

"The cabins are in full swing with all having been reroofed, rotted and damaged wood is being replaced and contractors are scheduled to start with

electrical, plumbing and HVAC work in April," says park superintendent Rick Meyers. "We are looking at reopening cabins in May 2012."

Thus far, he notes, construction crews have completed repairs to the Live Oak Campground's electrical and water system and installed a new water system in Pecan Grove. At Rock Beach, Restroom No. 10 has been demolished and will be replaced by a new facility with dressing rooms and ADA accessibility.

Construction should be complete by early summer.

In all, statewide, general obligation bonds have been sold to fund more than $69 million in repairs and renovations to state park cabins, bathrooms, electrical and water systems and other state park infrastructure.

The majority of the FY08FY09 funding ($44 million) for the various repair projects at more than 40 state parks comes from the sale of Proposition 4 general obligation bonds that were overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2007 to fix up parks. Along with fixing up more than 40 state parks, the bonds provide an additional $25 million to dry berth the Battleship Texas.

San Angelo State Park

didn't receive funding for any major projects, but did receive money to repair restrooms and the amphitheater and for trail improvements. Funding also allowed the purchase of a new tractor and other equipment.

A number of capital repair bond projects address the most-cited concern in a recent Texas state park visitor study — aging and deteriorating bathrooms in state park campgrounds and cabins, according to TPWD Infrastructure Division deputy director Scott Stover, who is overseeing the massive state park capital repair program.

replace deteriorating galvanized plumbing in six of the historic cabins, replacement of electrical systems in the recreation hall and general improvements at the golf pro shop, all structures built by the CCC more than 60 years ago.

At Cleburne State Park south of Fort Worth, a $2.79 million bond project means groups will soon be able to stay in two new, airconditioned and heated dorm-style barracks separated by a breezeway that feature 44 bunk beds, lockers and his-and-hers bathrooms.

Other projects are helping bring state park facilities into compliance with the American with Disabilities Act.

Renovations to the group area dining hall, which will have a fully equipped kitchen, seating for 75 and a covered back porch for diners to catch a breeze, are nearing final completion.

At Brazos Bend State Park, for example, work crews are installing new plumbing fixtures in the park's 30year-old restrooms and making them ADA compliant as part of a $419,000 bond project.

ADA upgrades to the recreation hall and screen shelter area already have been completed as part of Lake Whitney State Park's $2.5 million in capital repairs.

In addition, Cleburne Superintendent Collis Park says he's excited that summertime visitors will be able to enjoy a new concession building, bathhouse/restroom, outdoor patio and beach at popular Cedar Lake.

"Having a new restroom will be a wonderful asset.

We've been using the two restrooms in the park for years and they've been getting hammered."

At Bastrop State Park, TPWD has budgeted well over $3.3 million dollars to

Article: /www.gosanangelo.com

(Caledonia, MI, April 1, 2011) – Armada Technologies® recently announced the introduction of the new Pro871 Cable and Wire Locator.

The Pro871 drastically improves on existing industry offerings to provide the latest technology available in underground cable and wire locating and troubleshooting.

Among these improvements, the Pro871 features dual frequency transmitter, null or peak signal tracking, membrane switch controls, and external speaker or headset reception.

Owners of underground wiring plant commonly run into problems including cut or lost cables. Wire maps are rarely available. Wires are cut by other contractors, homeowners, weather, etc.

The Pro871 traces and locates these cables easily and accurately, saving lots of time and effort. With the new features included in the Pro871, the locator just got even better.

The Pro871 provides a powerful and accurate cable and wire tracing

capability. Anyone looking to improve workforce efficiency needs the labor saving capacity of the Pro871.

The contractor price of the model Pro871 is US $499.00. The optional inductive clamp version Pro871C is $599.00.

About Armada – Armada Technologies is a privately held LLC corporation in Michigan, dedicated to creating and improving upon existing troubleshooting practices in the underground cable industry.

Contact: Bruce Nelson Armada Technologies bnelson@armadatech.com 616-536-2038

(CNN) -- Last Sunday was the anniversary of something that undoubtedly has changed your life.

Whether for good or for bad is a question only you can answer.

(CNN) -- RVs are gaining traction. The recreation vehicle market is rebounding after the economy's plunge drove previously growing sales off a cliff.

Now 8.3 million American families own RVs, according to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association. If you're thinking about joining this crowd, consider carefully.

Buying one is a big investment. RVs can cost more than many people pay for their homes, and gas prices right now mean the cost of life on the open road is on the rise.

RVs were once thought to be the toys of older drivers.

But the industry association now says most RVs are owned by drivers from 35 to 54 years old and the largest percentage-gain in ownership is for people 35 years and younger.

Whatever their age, owners say it's all about freedom.

RV-ers go where and when they want, bypass airport

security, avoid luggage fees and restrictions, tow the family car, and have room for kids and pets.

For RV enthusiasts Ruth and Bud Spezio of Oakhurst, New Jersey, there's also the comfort factor: "We sleep in our own bed, on our own sheets, use our own towels, eat on our own dishes," said Bud Spezio.

The thought of staying in hotel rooms appalls them.

Diane and Charlie Wathke of Greenwood, Wisconsin sold their house, their furniture and most of their clothes so that they could live full-time in their 40-foot motor home.

Aside from the freedom and the lifestyle, RV-ers like other RV-ers. Eloyce Lyster, of Naples, Florida, enjoys spending time traveling in her RV. The people she's met and the friends she's made are her favorite part of the RV experience. Full Article: www.cnn.com

On that day in 1973 -- on April 3 of that year -- a man did something no one had ever done before.

You may bless him for it or curse him for it. At this juncture, it hardly matters.

The impact of what he did is so enormous that judging it now is almost beside the point.

The man's name was Martin Cooper. He was 44 at the time.

He made a cell phone call.

The world's first. At least the first public one; the cell phone had been tested in the lab, but never tried in the real world.

"As I walked down the street while talking on the phone," Cooper once told an interviewer, "sophisticated New Yorkers gaped at the sight of someone actually moving around while making a phone call."

There had been car phones before -- mobile radios, really. They were powered by heavy equipment that had to be stashed in the trunk of the automobile.

But Cooper, who was the general manager of Motorola's communications systems division, had the idea that people didn't want to be tethered to a stationary telephone, even if the phone could ride along with them in their car.

He thought that the phone should be so portable that it could go anywhere they went.

As I say: Bless him, or curse him. That person who annoyed you to the point of near rage this morning -the one who was talking on his cell phone so loudly and so rudely that you felt your blood pressure rising?

Martin Cooper, no doubt unwittingly, unleashed him on the world. The glares you received from your family on your last vacation - after the 15th time your office called you, or you called your office, even though you were supposedly at the beach, on your own time, relaxing?

Martin Cooper, whether he wanted to or not, made that happen.