issue 59 Campground & RV Park E News

NEWARK -- Many Americans opting to tighten their belts this summer also are reaching for their marshmallow sticks and mosquito repellent, and campgrounds are benefiting as a result.

The stalled economy might not leave room for a weeklong Caribbean cruise, but a growing number of Ohioans have sought more costeffective vacations in the great outdoors.

"We have seen a

wonderful increase in camping this year. Our figures are up over 15 percent," said Jean Backs, public information section manager for Ohio State Parks.

ReserveAmerica. com, which books campsites in most national parks, were up 8 percent over last year in the first six months of 2009, USA TODAY reported.

Ohio State Parks data from mid-July show camping has increased by 15.8 percent from last year, and getaway rentals -- ranging from platform tents to camper cabins -also are up by 4.7 percent.

Backs credited the summer's fair weather for part of the increase, but lower gas prices and the economy also factor in, she said, as more people look to save by sticking close to home -- a trend known as "staycationing."

Nationally, campground reservations through

Continued Page 2

This prime advertising position is available on a 24 week booking basis Phone 865 397 4320 for details

Continued from Page 1 "We find (staycationing) to be a trend that's definitely going on this year -- people are staying closer to home," Backs said.

Mark Kasper, owner of Lazy River at Granville, said the campground has seen a steady volume of traffic this year.

"We haven't trended down, I can say that," Kasper said. "We're holding our own."

Kasper said he sees a mix of locals looking for a close weekend getaway and retirees taking advantage of lower gas prices to make longer trips in their campers.

Next week in Campground & RV Park E News we will be featuring a round up from the Tennessee Campground Owners show along with news from around the country.

It is our focus to bring our readers informative and interesting articles. I would encourage Campground Associations to submit news along with campground profiles pertaining to their region.

The feedback we received on changing to the new software has been positive and I trust all our readers are happy with the result. The internet is always a fickle system and is reliant on, in the main, the end users computer speed and internet connection speed.

Also, if your campground is Wi Fi and campers can use your service the system can become overloaded and slow down.

Dennis Macready: Editor

A residents group in Venice, Calif., on Monday (Aug. 10) sued the California Coastal Commission over its denial of the city of Los Angeles’ request to create permit parking districts in five areas near Venice Beach where residents have complained for years about the presence of recreational vehicles.

August 6, 2009 (Lewiston, ME) – KOA announced today that Evergreen is an approved partner to provide insurance to KOA campgrounds.

The Evergreen program has been insuring campgrounds, RV parks and resorts throughout the United States for 35 years.

Lucas Hartford, President of Evergreen stated that “KOA has a long history of success in the camping industry and we are delighted to be able to insure KOAs. We are thrilled to be an approved partner for KOA.” The Evergreen insurance program provides liability and property insurance to hundreds of campgrounds

and RV parks throughout the United States.

To request more information on the Evergreen insurance program call 1-800-3437900 or e-mail info@evergreenusa.com.

You can also visit Evergreen on-line at www.evergreenusa.com.

For more information about KOA visit www.koa.com.

The agency’s staff had recommended that the parking zones be approved, but commissioners in June denied the request, saying they were concerned they were being asked to resolve a social issue rather than a beach access issue, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“The coastal commission has a legal mandate to protect coastal waters,”

said Mark Ryavec, a longtime coastal activist and an officer of the Venice Stakesholders Association, which filed the suit.

“However, despite hearing of repeated instances of the owners of recreational vehicles leaking and/or dumping their sewage directly into yards, streets and storm drains, which drain directly to the ocean, the commission failed to act to protect the coastal water.”

The suit contends that the commission does not have legal authority over the overnight parking districts and that no coastal development permits are required to restrict overnight parking.

The Venice Stakeholders Association said RVs belong in proper campgrounds with sewer connections, not on residential streets.

GREAT FALLS – Tourism was down in Montana the first half of the year but the state is still doing better than the rest of the country, and a tourism official says better months are ahead according to a report in the Flathead Beacon.

A report by Smith Travel Research said 7 percent fewer hotel and motel rooms were rented in the first half of 2009 in Montana compared to 2008.

But the report also said occupancy rates during the same time were down 10 percent nationally and 15 percent in the Rocky Mountain region, which includes Montana.

"With the uncertain economy, many people have been waiting until the last minute to decide to travel, and then staying closer to home and seeking good value," Betsy Baumgart, travel director for the Montana Office of Tourism, told the Great Falls Tribune.

But she added that could benefit Montana.

"The real heart of our tourism season is July through September," she said. "And our tourism partners, including concessionaires in Yellowstone and Glacier national parks, have told us their reservations have picked up steadily since June, though consumers seem to be spending less

in restaurants and retail stores."

Norma Nickerson, director of the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research, said the drop in occupancy at motels could be because more people are camping to save money.

"We think that, because of the sluggish economy and desire to trim costs, more people are camping, staying with friends or relatives, or going in with friends to rent condos, time-shares or vacation homes," Nickerson said.

Dan Carroll, his fiancee, Kristi Jozovich, and her three children are spending four days at the Great Falls KOA. Carroll and Jozovich, of Butte, said they thought about traveling to Salt Lake City or Spokane, Wash., for their big summer vacation, but decided Great Falls had "just as much to do and is more affordable."

Al Belknap, manager of the Great Falls KOA, said camper nights have been up 10 or 15 percent to far this summer "and August has always been our busiest month."

Mike Gast, communications vice president at KOA's national headquarters in Billings, said visitation at KOA campgrounds is flat

overall for the year, but up 2.6 percent in the Northwest, including Montana.

"The two-week vacation in which a family traveled 1,500 miles and stayed at seven campgrounds is largely a thing of the past," Gast said.

"With Mom and Dad working and more activities for the kids, they're far more likely to take a week or four-day camping trip in Montana than they are to drive to Disneyland."

Baumgart said that's part of the reason Montana is doing better at attracting tourists this summer than other areas.

"We think Montana is perceived as a really affordable vacation experience," Baumgart said. "A family of four can easily get by on $100 a day in a national park, which is a much better value than visiting a national amusement park."

We all know that the economy isn't great, and that many a business is struggling with how to attract and retain customers.

It's been actually kind of good in the creativity department for the travel industry, with all kinds of bargains to be had and humungous contests to win outrageous prizes.

This campaign, though, is a little sad. A luxury resort in San Diego is offering $19 nights August 16-31.

Normally the rooms run about $200 a night. This all sounds cool except that part where you don't get to sleep in a bed -- you'll be paying $19 a night for no

air conditioning, breakfast, toilet paper, nor lights, neither.

Instead they’ll replace the bed with a small tent.

Apparently the draw is the hotel’s three pools, spa, and golf course.

The management hopes that by camping out in a room, customers will want to come back and pay full price in the future. I’m not so sure about that; if customers wanted to provide their own sleeping bags, toilet paper, food, and electricity, they might you know, stay home. Or, alternately, camp somewhere outside, where you can see the stars. Even $19 is too much for BYO bed.

NORTH TRURO MA – Truro firefighters had their hands full last night dowsing flames in a campground shed that contained firewood, propane tanks and a gasoline golf cart, said Truro fire chief Brian Davis.

The call for a building on fire at Adventure Bound Camping Resorts at 46 Highland Road in North Truro came in at around

ELDORA, Iowa -- Iowa Department of Natural Resources officials said Pine Lake State Park has been closed to allow work crews to clear storm debris.

Pine Lake is just north of Eldora, which suffered the brunt of Sunday's hail storm.

Officials said winds of up to 80 mph hit the area along with hail, from pea to baseball-size.

11:40 p.m., Davis said.

But the flammability of the contents of the buildings kept firefighters on the scene until after 4 a.m.

The campground owners had just received a new load of firewood. But a preliminary look at the cause of the fire points to the golf cart, Davis said.

The fire did not appear to be suspicious and state fire authorities were not called, he said.

The storm damaged buildings, knocked down trees and damaged surrounding crop fields.

“As soon as the park is usable again, we will allow people back in, but for now, we are going to close the park until further notice,” said Greg Van Fosson, supervisor for the DNR’s State Parks Bureau.

Officials are notifying campers about the closure.

A full list can be found at http://pest.ca.uky.edu/EXT/E AB/welcome.html . USDA certified wood will be permitted.

FRANKFORT, Ky. – To guard against the destructive emerald ash borer, restrictions on firewood in state park campgrounds are being broadened immediately, including a prohibition on firewood from Northern Kentucky.

The Kentucky Department of Parks announced Monday its prohibition on out-of-state firewood at the state’s 31 campgrounds will continue.

The only exception is bundled firewood that has been stamped by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as clean wood.

State park campgrounds will continue selling firewood, but will not sell wood that comes from the 20 county quarantined areas (unless the state park is within that quarantined area).

In addition, the new policy says that in-state firewood may not be moved outside counties quarantined by the Kentucky state entomologist. Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties are among those.

For the 2010 camping season, the Department of Parks will put in place an all inclusive ban importing firewood into the state parks unless it is bundled and stamped USDA certified clean wood.

The tougher measures were prompted after the emerald ash borer was discovered in ash trees in the state earlier this year.

The emerald ash borer is a destructive insect that kills ash trees.

It can spread through the transport of firewood.

According to a department announcement, the additional restrictions were required to limit the spread of this destructive insect.

For more information about the emerald ash borer, visit www.emeraldashborer.info.

To distinguish a minor burn from a serious burn, the first step is to determine the degree and the extent of damage to body tissues.

The three classifications of first-degree burn, second-degree burn and third-degree burn will help you determine emergency care: First-degree burn The least serious burns are those in which only the outer layer of skin is burned. The skin is usually red, with swelling and pain sometimes present. The outer layer of skin hasn't been burned through. Treat a first-degree burn as a minor burn unless it involves substantial portions of the hands, feet, face, groin or buttocks, or a major joint.

Second-degree burn When the first layer of skin has been burned through and the second layer of skin (dermis) also is burned, the injury is called a seconddegree burn. Blisters develop and the skin takes on an intensely reddened, splotchy appearance. Seconddegree burns produce severe pain and swelling.

If the second-degree burn is no larger than 3 inches (7.5 centimeters) in diameter, treat it as a minor burn. If the burned area is larger or if the burn is on the hands, feet, face, groin or

buttocks, or over a major joint, treat it as a major burn and get medical help immediately.

For minor burns, including first-degree burns and second-degree burns limited to an area no larger than 3 inches (7.5 centimeters) in diameter, take the following action: ■Cool the burn. Hold the burned area under cold running water for at least five minutes, or until the pain subsides. If this is impractical, immerse the burn in cold water or cool it with cold compresses.

Cooling the burn reduces swelling by conducting heat away from the skin.

Don't put ice on the burn.

■Cover the burn with a sterile gauze bandage.

Don't use fluffy cotton, which may irritate the skin.

Wrap the gauze loosely to avoid putting pressure on burned skin. Bandaging keeps air off the burned

skin, reduces pain and protects blistered skin.

■Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Never give aspirin to children or teenagers.

Minor burns usually heal without further treatment.

They may heal with pigment changes, meaning the healed area may be a different color from the surrounding skin. Watch for signs of infection, such as increased pain, redness, fever, swelling or oozing. If infection develops, seek medical help. Avoid reinjuring or tanning if the burns are less than a year old — doing so may cause more extensive pigmentation changes. Use sunscreen on the area for at least a year.

Caution ■Don't use ice. Putting ice directly on a burn can

cause frostbite, further damaging your skin.

■Don't apply butter or ointments to the burn. This could prevent proper healing.

■Don't break blisters.

Broken blisters are vulnerable to infection.

Third-degree burn The most serious burns are painless, involve all layers of the skin and cause permanent tissue damage.

Fat, muscle and even bone may be affected. Areas may be charred black or appear dry and white. Difficulty inhaling and exhaling, carbon monoxide poisoning, or other toxic effects may occur if smoke inhalation accompanies the burn.

For major burns, dial 911 or call for emergency medical assistance. Until an emergency unit arrives, follow these steps: 1.Don't remove burnt clothing. However, do make sure the victim is no longer in contact with smoldering materials or exposed to smoke or heat.

2.Don't immerse large severe burns in cold water.

Doing so could cause shock.

3.Check for signs of circulation (breathing, coughing or movement). If there is no breathing or other sign of circulation, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

4.Elevate the burned body part or parts. Raise above heart level, when possible.

5.Cover the area of the burn.

Use a cool, moist, sterile bandage; clean, moist cloth; or moist towels.

WAUPACA WI - The Waupaca County District Attorney's office filed three felony charges and one misdemeanor charge of sexual assault against Brian Miller Tuesday.

Miller is the owner of Kastle Kampground in the Town of DuPont, near Marion.

Three of the charges are third degree sexual assault, the other is a fourth degree sexual assault charge. Details of the charges and the number of victims are expected to be included in the criminal complaint when Miller makes an initial appearance on the charges in court Tuesday afternoon.

Champaign County Municipal Court Judge Susan J. Fornof-Lippencott granted individual judgments totaling almost $25,000 during hearings on small claims cases filed against the owners of the Meadow Lake resort and campground in Ohio according to The Urbana Daily Citizen.

Mike and Kathleen Cahill, who appeared in court

Waupaca County Sheriff Brad Hardel told FOX 11 News that several victims involved range in age from 10 to 21.

The 42-year-old Miller was arrested in connection with the police investigation on Friday in Dane County where he owns a home.

Over the weekend investigators executed search warrants at the campground to look for evidence.

Sheriff's deputies searched the camp offices, other buildings and computers, in addition to interviewing camp employees.

without legal representation, faced plaintiffs in 14 cases. The Cahills, who purchased the 40-acre, 235-site property for $500,000 in April last year from Meadow Lake Associates, abruptly left the premises at the end of May, and the plaintiffs filed for breach-of-contract and damages.

Two couples are appealing an Armstrong County judge's ruling that they must pay property tax on their park-model trailers as reported in the Pittsburgh Tribune review.

Both found the ruling unfair and argue in filings with the Commonwealth Court that their trailers are not permanent structures and can be moved from land they lease along the Allegheny River.

Judge Kenneth Valasek ruled in November that trailers owned by Keith and Valeri Lazor and Michael and Jeanne Gelormino are subject to real estate tax, upholding a decision by the county's board of assessment appeals.

Valasek stated in his opinions that because the Lazors and Gelorminos have added porches, steps, landscaping and outdoor lighting, the trailers are more of a house than a recreational vehicle.

"There is no doubt that this model is not intended" to be moved often, Valasek wrote.

The Lazors and Gelorminos were two of four nearby trailer owners who appealed the board of assessment's ruling to

the Court of Common Pleas, Valeri Lazor said.

Valasek handled the Lazors' and Gelorminos' cases while Judge James Panchik was assigned the hearings of Anthony Mariani and James Davidson, who have trailers not far from the couples' on property owned by Davidson.

to ready the trailer, "and then I'd have it gone."

The Lazors are contemplating packing up their trailer and leaving if the Commonwealth Court doesn't rule in their favor.

Valeri Lazor said she and her husband had their trailer at its current spot for about a year when they were informed it was being taxed.

Her brother Michael Gelormino said "I wasn't there 24 hours" when he learned that his trailer was subject to real estate tax.

He couldn't believe that after paying vehicle taxes on the trailer that he'd have to pay real estate taxes for property he doesn't own, he said.

A peaceful night of camping in the Zoar Valley turned into a nightmare Sunday when violent thunderstorms and a deluge of rain flooded a small campground and had seven people fighting for their lives.

There were no serious injuries, with some of the drenched campers treated for hypothermia and exposure.

Gelormino finds the tax unfair because it doesn't apply to every park-model trailer in the area.

"They're the same kind of camper as ours," he said.

"It'd be different if I owned this property."

"All four of us agreed we would fight this," Valeri Lazor said. "It's wrong.

They're (recreational vehicles)."

The trailers are generally used as weekend getaways or summer vacation homes, all in Rayburn along the Allegheny River off of River Road. The four trailers are registered as vehicles, the owners paid vehicle sales tax and all are winterized.

After the hearings, Valasek found that the Lazors and Gelorminos are subject to the tax. Panchik found that Mariani and Davidson are not.

That's where unfairness comes in, Valeri Lazor said, because all four of the trailers are the same.

"It's the principle of the matter — not about the money," she said. "It's wrong that they won and we lost."

Keith Lazor said it would take a couple hours for him

Six hours of clinging to cars and campers ended shortly before dawn when Capt.

Kevin Caffery guided the Erie County Sheriff's Office helicopter into the narrow gorge and slowly lifted each to safety.

"They were extremely lucky to get out," Caffery said after the dramatic rescue Monday morning. "Had the water gone any higher, all . . . would have lost their lives."

Volunteer firefighters said those rescued said they had spent from midnight to their 6:30 a. m. rescue standing in water, sometimes up to their chins.

"They looked like they had a long, hard night," Charles Walker of the Lake Erie Beach Volunteer Fire Company recalled, adding that some of the stranded people appeared dazed and exhausted.

Full Article: www.officer.com

By Tracey Markowich Traveling across the country is one thing, finding your way around is another. It has been five years on the road with CampersView.com for David and I, and looking back I wonder how we ever made it without our trusty GPS. After hooking up our fifth wheel, we jump in the truck, enter the information for our next destination, listen to the voice prompts for turn-byturn directions and we are on our way.

The GPS has made us quite dependent on finding what we may need – fuel, food, banks, RV service, Campgrounds… The device is used for directing us to our final destination, to become familiar with the area and to find our way around. Travelers around the world are doing the same. This is where you, the park owner, need to take notice – make sure your park is listed in the GPS system.

There are several factors to being listed appropriately: 1. List the name of your RV Park, not the name of your LLC – you need to be placed in the proper category.

2. Add “Campground & RV Park” to your listing – even if this is not part of your official name. Travelers often search by keywords as they travel down the highway.

3. Your phone number

should be part of your listing.

4. Check your own GPS and ask your guests if they received the correct directions through their GPS. There are many brands and some categorize differently.

5. List the correct address.

Often the home address of the registered business owner is listed instead of the business itself.

6. It takes time for changes to take place in the system.

Communicate with your guests if there are issues with the directions or category *Website – use this medium to let guests know the GPS directions are incorrect. Place this prominently on the site along with corrected directions *Confirmation emails should alert guests to any incorrect directions *Guests traveling to your park should be made aware of corrections.

There are many ways to market your park and they must all tie together.

Communication with everyone on your staff and marketing team is a must.

Think of the possibilities a guest has to find your park.

Keep in mind that one broken link can keep that guest from ever finding you.

Scenario 1: A potential guest discovers your park and makes a reservation.

Scenario 2: Travelers with a two or more day journey do not always have a plan on where the next stop may be. It is typical to “play it by ear” and drive until day’s end or weariness sets in.

It’s vacation time, the RV is headed down the road toward the city of destination. As the journey nears the end, it is time to enter the RV Park into the GPS…. No listing is found.

The confirmation is pulled out to find an address and there is no street address, only a PO Box. No worries, as this high tech couple has an air card and connects to the Internet to pull up your website – No address can be found, but there is a phone number.

The couple calls and receives a voice message.

If and when they do arrive at your park they are already exasperated.

Moral of the story – When you spend thousands of dollars on marketing you must be sure that all of your marketing gives consistent and needed information.

Our GPS can direct us to – fuel, food, campgrounds… wait - this is not always the case.

It is amazing how many park owners do not have their campground or RV Park listed as a Point of Interest (POI) in the GPS directory.

Looking for a campground 60 miles or so ahead is as easy as entering “campground” into the GPS. If nothing is listed for 215 miles, the travelers pull into a truck stop or the dreaded WalMart to rest for the night.

The next morning 20 miles up the road is a campground… they were not listed. Don’t let this be your park!

A GPS listing is a must in today’s world of technology. Direct them to your park for free – these websites can help: www.navteq.com/ Go to “Map Reporter” – Report Map Changes http://mapinsight.teleatlas. com/mapfeedback/index.p hp Follow the prompts.

Along with your GPS listing make sure your location is correct in Google Maps by going here: http://maps.google.com/su pport/bin/answer.py?hl=en &answer=98014 Contributed by David and Tracey Markowich Fulltime RVers & owners of www.CampersView.com, a Virtual Tour & Marketing Solutions Co. 919-949-3752

GULF SHORES, Ala. — A 740 acre, 789 lot RV park development will not be coming to Gulf Shores after the application was denied by the planning and zoning commission at a recent meeting.

The applicant, A and D Investments owned by Al Carney of Carney Realty, who has been in business in the area for over 30 years, also wanted the underlying future land use plan changed from its current low density to medium density residential designation to a recreational vehicle designation.

What this would mean for present residents in subdivisions located along County Road 6 would be traffic.

That was the concern expressed by numerous citizens who attended the public meeting to protest the development.

The site for the RV park was just south of County Road 6, East of Old Plash Island Road and west of the Sunbelt Environmental Landfill.

The proposal first appeared before the Baldwin County Planning Commission in

May of 2008 and the commission voted 5-2 to deny the proposal.

Several petitions from surrounding neighborhoods were received by the planning and zoning commission all stating that they were in opposition to the proposal.

Plans for the development of the RV park, which is designed to be constructed in eight phases, included several clubhouses, recreational facilities, some retail areas, walking trails, several lakes, picnic areas, a boardwalk in the wetlands area, and a shuttle service.

Scott Jackson of Jackson Consulting Group was on hand, representing A and D Investments.

The folks who are putting this together are local people, they are here to stay, and they are committed to making this a quality project,� Jackson said.

When the approval of the project came to a vote, it was denied by the planning commission, with only two members voting for the project.

Full article: www.baldwincountynow.com

Two weeks ago we announced that we would be conducting a FREE webinar on PCI Compliance. The webinar will be held on the 18th and 26th of this month at 2:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time.

Never in our history has there been such a response to any seminar or webinar we have offered. The webinar on the 18th has been filling up very quickly, but since the internet is our classroom and the seating capacity is virtually unlimited we can still have more participants. The webinar on the 26th still has many “vacancies” After briefly identifying ourselves and our

sponsors (Merchants Choice Payment Solutions and this publication: Campground & RV Park eNews) the webinar will begin with where the whole notion of PCI Compliance began, with the new criminality of the theft of credit card data rather than actual credit cards themselves. Perhaps, however, that the real paranoia about identity theft crystallized on 9/11.

the new requirements that every single merchant must do to insure the security of the data they gather when they accept a credit card.

We’ll explain about the relative security of utilizing telephone lines to transmit data and the lesser security of using the internet. It is very encouraging to find that a highly regarded campground software company has registered to attend the webinar.

The webinar will then inform attendees about the formation of the PCI and the Data Security Standards (DSS) established by Visa, MasterCard and Discover in order to prevent security breaches and identity theft.

We’ll discuss (and we do mean discuss, since the webinar will be interactive)

The webinar will then explain, in great detail what precautions must be taken and what forms campgrounds and other businesses must complete in order to be compliant. In most cases this will NOT be time consuming, but it is absolutely necessary.

Some businesses might even be required to submit to an inspection of the methods that they protect data from theft. These “forensic audits” can average costs of $10,000 – not a good prospect for merchants who wish to continue to accept credit/debit cars.

We will delve into Triple DES encryption of pin-pads and campgrounds may find that their external pin-pads will have to be reencrypted. When a pin-pad is built INTO a machine, the entire unit may have to be sent into the processor so that the pin-pad can be reencrypted. The webinar will help attendees determine which course of action that they must take.

Art Lieberman Equally importantly, since pin-debit can be an inexpensive way of saving transaction costs, attendees will learn about the hardware available for their present equipment, or what they might consider purchasing for the future.

This is sure to be an opportunity to learn, free of charge, all the relative information about PCI Compliance. We are happy to announce that one of our instructors will be Danielle Pence, the compliance officer for Merchants’ Choice Payment Solutions. She has been instructing us on PCI Compliance so therefore attendees will be getting the info from our real source (Art Lieberman is President of MCCS for Campgrounds, a credit card processor sponsored by Woodforest Bank NA. Art has been in the Credit Card industry for nearly 12 years. Art has been conducting webinars online and seminars on credit cards in many State and Regional Association Conventions. He can be contacted at art@mccsforcampgrounds.com

Monaco RV LLC has restarted limited vehicle production at its Coburg headquarters, according to parent company Navistar International Inc. The company, formerly known as Monaco Coach Corp., restarted about three weeks ago and has recalled about 400 workers — a significant development for the company that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March and laid off the majority of its 2,225 employees.

Warrenville, Ill.-based Navistar (NYSE: NAV) acquired the company out of bankruptcy and renamed it Monaco RV LLC in a $47 million deal that closed in June.

Navistar is a manufacturer of commercial and military vehicles, as well as diesel engines and related services. The company reported $14.7 billion in annual sales last year and has a market cap of $3.2 billion.

Monaco Coach generated $1.27 billion in revenue in 2007, its last full-year as a stand-alone public company. That made it Oregon’s eighth largest publicly-traded company by revenue.

But the recreational vehicle market has been decimated, first by

surging gas prices in the summer of 2008 then by a plunging global economy that left consumer confidence in tatters and credit markets frozen.

RV shipments hit their peak in 2006 at 390,500 after five years of steady growth. But that quickly fell to just 237,000 units last year, a 33 percent drop from 2007, according to data from the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association.

While the industry’s 15,700 units shipped in June is a promising 18 percent increase over the previous month, the industry as a whole continues to struggle. The 72,700 RVs shipped through June is down 55.3 percent from the same period last year.

Navistar spokesman Roy Wiley acknowledged that the RV industry has yet to recover.

The restart of operations in Coburg is part of Navistar’s initial plan to ramp up slowly.

By Larry Discussions about ecology and the environment lend themselves to thematic discussions such as fossil fuels, clean water, clean air, mold, recycling and the like. Every so often, however, it is helpful to change the focus and look at the whole picture that is your place on earth, your land, your base of operation, your world.

For a number of weeks now there have been little stories and reports about sad and tragic happenings in campgrounds and RV parks around the country.

Our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones, to those who have been injured, to those who are experiencing loss and pain. These reports of fire, storms, drownings, freak accidents and various

other tragic happenings need to inspire all of us to redouble our efforts to make the premises as safe as possible, to be vigilant and to be alert to dangers.

Sometimes it helps to gather several people together and ask collectively, “considering our entire environment, what could go wrong and what should we do to prevent that from happening or to react and respond if it does happen?” An ounce of prevention is always worth a pound of cure. No one ever wants to see tragedy happen. If there is any possible way to prevent it we want to know how. But if it happens we also want to know what to do.

• what if we had a flood?

• what if somebody were drowning?

• do we have dangerous trees and wires that could cause harm if we had a big storm?

• do we have health hazards such as flies, fleas, tics, mosquitoes, trash, garbage, unsanitary conditions?

• is our drinking water safe?

• is our air quality good?

• is our sanitation good?

• do we practice safe driving procedures at all times?

• are the children on our premises well supervised?

• do we have proper safety measures in place for swimming?

• do we have safe lighting and proper security?

• are we well equipped and trained to administer first aid?

• do we have safe, adequate shelters against

wind and storms?

• do we have backup communication?

• do we have a safe disposal site for old or otherwise discarded medicines? For hazardous materials?

• do we handle food safely?

• what other items should we consider?

Ecology has to do with the natural processes of nature.

Environment has to do with the impact of nature on our bodies and overall well-being. It is not too much of a stretch to add that other people and their actions are also part of our environment. We humans are vulnerable to our environment and greatly influenced by what happens around us.

That being the case, wisdom tells us to take care of our environment and do what we can to act responsibly towards one another.

Back in the thirties there was a surge of interest in automotive travel. Most families had a car, roads were improved, service stations and motor courts were springing up. Times had been tough, but were improving. The teardrop shaped camping trailer was the perfect solution for many travellers.

The 'do-it-yourself' magazines published plans for the handyman. Kits and assembled trailers were produced by a growing number of manufacturers.

The boom was on. Then came World War II and later, Holiday Inn. The Nation had changed and the little trailer fell from favor. But recently teardrops have found a new generation of enthusiasts - street rodders and retrostyled highway adventurers who carefully restore originals and build new teardrops in the old style.

Seen at Wavecrest '99, this woodie teardrop trailer is reputed to be the oldest surviving example.

Virginia Beach, VA (OPENPRESS), 2009 -As the economy continues cruising down recession road, many families, empty nesters, and retirees are taking to the highways this year, according to a Campfire Canvass survey of RV

owners, conducted by the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA). Fifty-five percent of survey respondents intend to use their RVs more this spring/summer than last year, and 45% are considering another purchase.

Lynchburg, VA - Even in a tight economy, a local RV dealership says they're doing better than ever.

Danville's RV Outlet USA says they've been breaking records in sales these past few months. Owner Larry Merricks says the reason is RV sales typically do well during recessions, because people still want

to take vacations, and with an RV, he says they can, for less.

Larry Merricks, RV Outlet USA - "When all things are said and done and a dollar is spent when you get back home nothing compares to doing it in an RV for the dollar expense and for the experience."

The month of August often brings us more delightful views of the bird sometimes known as the “wild canary”. We see the bright lemon-yellow males with deep black and white markings, and the subtle olive-colored females feeding at our feeders or balancing atop a coneflower in the garden as they pick out seeds.

The male American goldfinch is the only one of our backyard birds to undergo a change in color with the seasons, turning gray for winter then molting into his 'gold' in spring.

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Offer nyjer (thistle) seed in tube feeders with tiny feed holes to attract these lovely birds. They also love hulled sunflower seed. Goldfinches are exclusively grain and seed eaters and have provided service to us by

consuming weed seeds in our yards.

The goldfinch in the East has the latest breeding season of our backyard birds, in late July, with hatchings in August. They nest in trees and shrubs from 2 to 30 feet high, and craft a nest out of plant fibers and plant down.

Goldfinches love to bathe and preen their feathers -so keep your bath filled to entice them.

Goldfinches often travel in flocks -- called “charms of goldfinches”. These flocks are somewhat nomadic and move to find new sources of food, sometimes traveling up to five miles a day. If a flock leaves you, another often will arrive to sample the fare at your feeders.

Keep feeders clean to help the birds stay healthy!

Courtesy Florian Tools

Steve Russo was named director of Boone County tourism last week, by the board of the Boone County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We look forward to working with the many tourism-based organizations in Boone County, providing them with the marketing & promotional support they deserve,� Russo said.

Russo is the owner of Russo Communications.

He lives in Zionsville.

Russo has worked for the Boone CVB for the past five years as a marketing consultant responsible for media buying, creative direction, promotion and Web site content management.

Russo plans to maximize the festivals and events currently taking place around the county, and hopes to establish festivals in some other communities, like Whitestown and Jamestown.

He also wants to work closer with the Boone County 4-H Fairgrounds to bring more events to that facility, and he talked about bringing more permanent attractions to the county, such as additional campgrounds or a water park.

Boone CVB will also be opening its first tourism office this month in Lebanon.

RIVERSIDE, Calif., Aug. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -Fleetwood Enterprises, Inc. (OTCBulletinBoard: FLTWQ), a leading producer of manufactured homes, today announced that Cavco Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: CVCO) and an investment partner, Third Avenue Trust Value Fund (TAVFX), through FH Holding, Inc., their jointly owned corporation, has been named the highest and best bidder for certain of the company's manufactured housing assets. The winning bid was determined through an auction held by the company, in consultation with the Committee of Creditors, and a Court hearing to approve the sale is scheduled for August 12, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time in Riverside, Calif.

Cavco's final offer of $21.8 million was an increase on a net basis after adjustments of approximately $3.8 million over Cavco's previously announced offer for the same assets. In addition, Cavco agreed to buy Fleetwood's idled Woodland, Calif. plant for $4.8 million.

Cavco, headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., is a leading producer of manufactured housing, park model

homes, and vacation cabins in the United States. Third Avenue Management, the investment adviser to Third Avenue Value Fund, is a New York-based company with expertise in value and distressed investing.

Additional information about Fleetwood's reorganization may be found online in the news section of www.fleetwood.com or at www.kccllc.net/fleetwood.

About Cavco Industries, Inc. Cavco is one of the largest producers of manufactured housing, park model homes, and vacation cabins in the United States.

Headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., Cavco has built a reputation for quality and value since it opened for business in 1965. Cavco's factory-built homes are produced under various trade names and in a variety of floor plans and price ranges. The company employs approximately 600 people and operates two manufacturing plants in the Phoenix area and one in Seguin, Tex. Additional information about Cavco can be found at www.cavco.com [http://www.cavco.com]

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