PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID EUREKA, CA PERMIT NO. 76 ECRWSS
fall 2021
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735 14th Street Fortuna, CA 95540 (707) 725-3959 www.fortunachamber.com
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2021-22 CHAIR OF THE BOARD Bailey Davy, Cornerstone Realty IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Kelly Isaacson, Umpqua Bank VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD Becky Giacomini AMBASSADOR CHAIR Laura Morris, Coast Central Credit Union DIRECTORS
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contents
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President’s Message
6
Welcome New Nembers
7
Chamber Member Spotlight
9
Wild Souls Mixer
10
Tourism Maps at Visitor’s Center
11
Fortuna Post Office Letter Carrier Recognized
11
Campton Heights Community Meeting
12
Fortuna Rodeo Ribbon Cutting and Mixer
13
Adopt a Corner Project
15
Chili Cook-off “Restaurant Edition” Contest
16
N95 Masks Available for Businesses
17
Fortuna Senior Center Groundbreaking
17
School Resource Officer Lindsey Frank Recognized
18
Operation Celebrate Business Window Decorating Contest Winners
20
New Tesla Batteries
21
Fortuna Volunteer Fire Department Training Facility & Street Dedication
22
Pastels in the Park
Kim Brown, Cornerstone Realty Kristin Chambers, Sequoia Gas Company Crystal Lewis, Crystal Lewis State Farm Insurance Gary Ogle, AFLAC North Coast/ Gary Ogle Insurance Services Katy Roe, Umpqua Bank Melissa Sanderson, North Coast Journal Amber Woodward, AP Property Management FINANCIAL ADVISOR Greg Thomsen, Wyatt, Whitchurch & Andersen STAFF Renee Lindsay, President & CEO Erin Tyler, Office Assistant
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ON THE COVER More than 100 volunteers carried American Flags during the 100th Fortuna Rodeo Parade. Photo credit: Renee Lindsay
©2021 The Quarterly Newsletter is a publication of the Fortuna Chamber of Commerce. Entire contents are copyrighted. No article may be reprinted without written permission.
President ’s message
T
he last couple of months sure have been a whirlwind. The State did away with the tier structure and re-opened all industries on June 15. Things were beginning to look "normal" again. Locally, this meant having events like the Citywide Yard Sale, Fortuna Rodeo, AutoXpo, and the County Fair. It also gave us a chance to attend weddings, have dinner parties, take a vacation, see our friends and colleagues, and celebrate occasions that had been postponed for months. Then August arrived and the harsh reality of this virus reared its ugly head yet again. The coronavirus has disrupted businesses' day-to-day routines across the country in one way or another. Whether a company has shut its doors due to safety reasons, sent employees home to work remotely, or altered their business services to support those on the front lines, the pandemic has challenged conventional thinking about how we work — perhaps permanently. Supply chains are still disrupted in many industries. Our hospitals are short-staffed and healthcare workers are mentally and physically exhausted, employers are having difficulty finding workers and keeping them healthy, and the virus is costing lives in our county. It's going to take all of us working together to overcome this pandemic. A task our community can, and will, accomplish if history is any teacher. Perhaps with the right approach, this crisis can become an opportunity to move forward and create even more value and positive societal impact, rather than just bounce back to the "status quo." We all want to get back to the things we love to do. Remembering to wear a mask when entering a business or other indoor area is a small thing that we can all do for each other. To our frontline healthcare workers and first responders, thank you for the time and work you have put into helping others. You are noticed and you are appreciated. We wouldn't be able to get through this time without your bravery and compassion for others. — Renee Lindsay
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
6
Chamber Member Spotlight
Cindy’s Styling Center opened on October 1, 1997, by Cindy and Ken Jones. For 24 years, Cindy and her team of stylists have offered hair care, tanning, and hair care products. Cindy also displays and sells her photography at the salon. “It is definitely a family affair with my son Garett putting in a lot of hours during our remodel. He was two months old when we opened the salon. Ken has been such a great teammate and has been the backbone and silly bone of the company,” Cindy said. Longtime employee, Sandy O’Donald, has also been with the salon since opening day. Cindy decided to open her salon in Fortuna after living here for a few years and deciding it was a nice place to run her business. As with other businesses, Cindy has ridden the “Covid-19 roller coaster” with changing guidelines and mandates over the last 17 months. Customer fears over the pandemic, getting certain supplies they need for specific services customers want, and finding qualified stylists are just some of the struggles they’ve faced. Things have begun to pick up and they’re bouncing back for the first time since the pandemic began. Safety is their first concern, following all guidelines from the State regarding masking and sanitation. When asked for advice for other small businesses, Cindy replied, “Perseverance. Put everything into your business. If you’re not willing to, you will have a hard time.” After over two decades in business, Cindy has carved out her business and defined what it’s all about. Her focus is quality service and a comfortable place for customers to visit. “We want to continue having this be a happy place,” Cindy said. “Come in, say hi to our stylists, and let us take care of all your hair needs!” You can follow Cindy’s Styling Center on Facebook for holiday promotions on take-home hair care products and photography. Cindy’s Styling Center is located at 1021 N Street and can be reached at (707) 725-5820.
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SHOP LOCAL FIRST
COME BROWSE OUR UNIQUE LOCAL SHOPS! Find everything you need all within walking distance in the downtown shopping district, where locally owned businesses offer exceptional customer service!
COURTESY OF FORTUNA DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION For more info go to fortunadowntown.org
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Chamber Member Spotlight Sequoia Gas Company was originally named Youngreen Propane Gas Service and was owned by the Youngreen family. The company was started back in 1941. In 1946, Ben McWhorter came back from WWII and worked for the Youngreen family. In 1950, Ben McWhorter and Gene Youngreen became partners and in 1951 they changed the name to Sequoia Gas Company. A few short years later in 1954, Ben and Gene parted ways leaving Ben and his wife Billie as the sole owners. In the early days of the company, they installed small propane tanks and offered propane deliveries. They also sold electric appliances (refrigerators, cookstoves, washing machines & dryers, televisions, and stereos) and hot water equipment until the 1990s. As the industry grew, the company became what it is today with bulk propane deliveries and big tanks. In 1976, Ben passed away leaving the business to his wife Billie and their children. In 1994, they opened a new branch in Arcata. This ended up expanding the territory into Northern Humboldt, with Shane McWhorter and daughter Britni running the office. In 1999, Billie passed away and brothers Shannon and Shane became the owners of Sequoia Gas and managed the day-to-day operations of the company. In 2013, they bought a gas station in Fortuna (located at 1666 Main Street) and expanded their business even more. The business has become a family business with all eight kids having pitched in over the years. During the first half of 2020, no one really knew how to handle the Covid-19 situation. They followed the safety protocols set up for businesses, holding
Monday morning meetings to remind staff to be careful, mask up, sanitize, and be cautious when out with customers. For the first few months, they had the main office closed and helped customers on the phone or through the door. Shannon said one challenge for his industry is the push by California legislators to limit fossil fuels. These regulations make it difficult to plan for the future. “We are just going to keep doing what we do best. We have loyal customers because they know we are a dependable service and trust [our] company,” Shannon said. It is a rewarding business to be in because their customers know they will be treated well and given the best service possible. “We don’t sell propane, we sell service.” Shannon and his son, Ben, are active in the community and support many activities and events like the Fortuna Rodeo, Humboldt County Fair, Apple Harvest Festival, Arcata soccer, and local sports teams. “We are always involved and putting in the time and effort into the community from school boards, hospitals, county commission, Chamber, etc.” Their industry is very involved with the National Propane Gas Association and Western Propane Gas Association (WPGA). Billie was a past president of WPGA, Shannon was a past chairman, and Ben just finished his term as chairman. “Being involved is time consuming and expensive but it pays back many times over” in the form of networking and friendships gained. This year, Sequoia Gas Company is celebrating 80 years in business. The Chamber will help celebrate their anniversary with a ribbon cutting in mid-September, subject to change based on current Covid conditions. Sequoia Gas Company’s office is located at 926 Main Street and can be reached at (707) 725-4465 or sequoiagas.com. Build to edge of the document Margins are just a safe area
Tires • Auto • Trucks • Tractors Brakes • Shocks • Alignments 260 S. Fortuna Blvd. Fortuna, CA 95540 Lisa Hummel Owner
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Wild Souls Mixer
O
ur first in-person mixer since January 2020 happened at Wild Souls Ranch on June 16, just one day after the State removed the tier restrictions. A nice crowd gathered in the barn for wine provided by Tri Counties Bank, hot dogs and snacks, ice-breaker bingo, door prizes donated by local businesses, and a chance to win a ride with Merle the donkey. Wild Souls Ranch provides therapeutic equine youth and family services for foster youth, adopted youth, and youth experiencing challenges. Learn more about them at wildsoulsranch.org.
One of Merle’s many fans who got a special ride with him.
Amy Scolari, Development Director for Wild Souls Ranch Photo credit: Kristin Chambers
Ambassador Chair Laura Morris holds a Rodeo Hat & Poster as Ben McWhorter auctions it off to the highest bidder.
Photo credit: Kristin Chambers
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L
otus Mountain recently designed and installed five graphics on the windows at the Fortuna Chamber office as part of a project by the Chamber’s Tourism & Marketing Committee and funded through Measure W. Each window shows a different area in Fortuna featuring restaurants, banks, retail stores, gas stations, hotels, and public facilities for tourists to explore. By scanning the QR Code with a smartphone, visitors will be routed to the Fortuna Chamber website where they will find information on each area with links to the businesses. Additional businesses not shown on the map that are not in the tourism & hospitality industry will be listed on the website. While we cannot include every business license holder in the city (there are over 700!), our intent is to include those businesses and services that tourists and new residents to the area would find helpful. If your business is not currently a Chamber member, but you would like to be featured on our website, give us a call at the office at 725-3959.
Since 1931 (707) 725-3316
info@harbersins.com 210 12th St. Fortuna CA 95540
Fort una Post Office Let ter Carrier Recognized
C
ongratulations to our local postal carrier, Michael Bishop, on safely driving one million accident-free miles. A small induction and award ceremony was held outside of the post office on July 22. Michael was inducted into the National Safety Council’s “Million Mile Club”
and presented with a plaque and a commemorative leather jacket by California-1 District Manager Jagdeep Grewal. Fortuna Mayor Sue Long presented Michael with a City Council proclamation in honor of his achievement. Way to go, Michael!
Pictured left to right: San Francisco Safety Specialist Joanne Piper, California-1 District Manager Jagdeep Grewal, Fortuna Mayor Sue Long, Michael Bishop, Fortuna Police Chief Casey Day, and Fortuna Postmaster Amy Letter. Photo credit: Mary Bullwinkel
Campton Heights Communit y Meeting
O
n June 29, a community meeting was organized by residents to try to address some of the recent crimes in the Campton Heights neighborhood. Lieutenant Taylor from the Humboldt County Sheriff ’s Office, Fortuna Police Chief Casey Day, School Resource Office Lindsey Frank, Mayor Sue Long, Supervisor Michelle Bushnell, DA Maggie Fleming, and Humboldt County
Chief Probation Officer Shaun Brenneman were in attendance to answer the public’s questions and concerns. Thank you to the panel for making the time to address these issues in our community and offering solutions, and to Campton Heights Baptist Church for providing the location for the meeting.
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Fort una Rodeo Ribbon Cut ting and Mixer
O
n July 12, we celebrated the reopening of the Rodeo Grandstands and Arena and the 100th Anniversary of the Fortuna Rodeo with a ribbon cutting and mixer. Some of the improvements made to the arena grandstands by the Fortuna Rodeo Association included improvements to the grandstand’s foundation, ADA accessibility, and adding additional seating capacity. After the ribbon cutting, attendees mixed and mingled by the Cook Shack, listening to live tunes by Christopher Robin. Fresh on Main Street provided snacks, Hops in Humboldt donated a pony keg of Eel River Brewing Company beer, North Coast Journal donated wine, and Redwood Teen Challenge popped up that delicious kettle corn. Top Right: 2021 Fortuna Rodeo parade Grand Marshall Roy Curless with Fortuna Rodeo Association President Shannon McWhorter. Right: Mixer attendees received a goodie bag filled with a Fortuna Loyalty Card, Chili Cook-off passport, and items donated by Bear River Casino & Resort, North Coast Journal, Crystal Lewis State Farm, and Cornerstone Realty. Three bags contained a special key for a coveted Rodeo hat! Below: Ribbon cutting attendees. Photos by Mary Bullwinkel
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Adopt a Corner Projec t
F
ortuna Garden Club started a project a few years ago called “Adopt A Corner.” Interested club members selected a corner to beautify. The beds had not been cared for continuously in the past and many of them had soil that needed a lot of improvement. The gardeners spent a lot of time and money enriching the soil so that it could be nutritious for new plantings. The results have been an overwhelming success! Anyone taking a walk down Main Street can’t miss all the beautifully planted corners. Spring brings tulips and daffodils, followed by so many colors of flowers from all kinds of plants, different in each corner bed. It is fun to walk around spotting the various flowers: Daisy, Snapdragon, Dahlias Lupine, sweet pea, Alyssum, the list goes on and on. It is not uncommon to see the garden club ladies working in their gardens, planting, pruning, and weeding. If you see them, be sure to give them a wave and a good word. Fortuna is delighted to have such beautiful corners and lucky to have such an active and dedicated Garden Club. The Fortuna Garden Club maintains 18 corners with 39 garden beds, including the Fortuna Library and the Blue Star Memorial at the Veteran’s Hall. There are 34 ladies that have dedicated many hours of hard work in these beds. The maintenance of all these beds costs about $5,000 a year. It costs the city nothing as the Garden Club raises all the funds for the beds. This is truly a labor of love for our city. If you would like to become a member of the Fortuna Garden Club or donate to the upkeep of the corners, please send your inquiry and/or donation to: Treasurer, Fortuna Garden Club Inc., PO Box 212, Fortuna, CA 95540. You can also follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/ FortunaGardenClub. — Submitted by Lynda Flaherty, FGC Vice-President Photos submitted by the Fortuna Garden Club
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Chili Cook-off “Restaurant Edition” Contest
C
ongratulations to Lupe Rodriguez and her staff at Taco Loco for their winning dish in this year’s Chili Cook-off Restaurant Edition contest. Twelve restaurants created a chili-themed (or chile spice-inspired) dish during Rodeo Week. Participants used their passports at each restaurant
they dined at and collected stamps that earned them entries into $50 random drawings. The lucky winners were Amber & Jason W., Donald & Evelyn F., Lydia A., Chris B., Lindsey S., Gail M., and Beccy H. Thank you Redwood Capital Bank for sponsoring the contest and the prizes! Special thanks to Cindy Daetwiler at Ferndale Jewelers for fixing up our trophy and to everyone who supported our local restaurants.
Bob Judevine (left), VP Redwood Capital Bank Fortuna, presents the special Chili Cook-off trophy to Taco Loco owner Lupe Rodriguez and staff. The winning dish – Chile Colorado. Photo credit: Taco Loco
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T
he Fortuna Chamber and City Hall have masks available for local businesses, free of charge. Each box contains 20 individually-wrapped N95 masks. Businesses can request one box per employee. If you need more than 10 boxes, give us a call and we’ll connect you to the City of Eureka. For more information, or to arrange a pickup, call the Chamber office at 725-3959 or City Hall at 725-7600. Supplies are limited.
Fort una Senior Center Groundbreaking
T
he Fortuna Senior Center broke ground on their future home at the corner of Gulliksen Drive and Rohnerville Road on Tuesday, June 29. The 7,700 square foot, one-story, prefab building will be constructed by DCI Builders with engineering services provided by Whitchurch Engineering. The new facility will provide social and recreational opportunities for local seniors. The expected move-in date will be in June 2022. Congratulations to the Fortuna Senior Center on this wonderful project. For more information, please call (707) 726-9203. Above: Community members helped “break ground” with shovels. Right: Marsha Hays, President of the Fortuna Senior Center.
School Resource Officer Lindsey Frank Recognized
F
ortuna Police Department School Resource Officer, Lindsey Frank, was recently awarded the National Association of School Resource Officers Regional Exceptional Service Award for her hard work and dedication to the Eel River Valley community. Officer Frank was the winner from NASRO Region 9, which includes California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Alaska, and Hawaii. Officer Frank serves schools throughout the Eel River Valley area including the communities of Fortuna, Rio Dell, Scotia, Hydesville, Carlotta, Ferndale, and Loleta. In 2012, the SRO position was eliminated due to budget constraints. Thanks to Measure Z funding through the County, this important position was reinstated.
The SRO serves as a resource to students, parents, and school staff by taking the lead on programs to improve student behavior and attendance in schools. They also participate in school events targeting engagement with students. Congratulations to Officer Frank! We thank you for your commitment and dedication to our schools, families, and community!
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Operation Celebrate Business Window Decorating Conte
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wenty-five local businesses decorated their windows in celebration of our graduating high school seniors. After an online vote, Double D Steak, Green’s Pharmacy, and JH & Company were our top 3 winners as voted on by the public. Each winning business received a certificate of recognition and a thank you gift. Thank you to everyone who voted and to all the businesses who decorated for supporting our seniors again this year.
First Place Winners: Double D Steak
Double D Steak’s decorated window
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est Winners
Second Place Winners: Green’s Pharmacy
Green’s Pharmacy’s decorated window
JH & Company’s decorated window
Third Place Winners: JH & Company
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New Tesla Bat teries
S
ome people think that the large Tesla battery unit installed at the city of Fortuna’s water booster station on Kenmar Road near South Fortuna Boulevard is going to be a car-charging location, but that is not the case. The Tesla unit located there is one of three that will serve as a money-saving backup battery system at Fortuna water and wastewater facilities. One of two more Tesla backup battery units had already been installed at the city of Fortuna’s wastewater treatment plant, and the other is in the design stage, to be installed at the city’s domestic water wells just off Eel River Drive. Once all three are installed and operational, the city anticipates saving more than $115,000 annually in electricity costs, or nearly $1.4 million over a 10year period. “Each of the three systems is being installed at city-operated water and wastewater facilities,” said Fortuna City Engineer Brendan Byrd, “which are critical facilities to maintain for public health purposes and ones that require a large amount of energy from the grid to operate.” Not only will the backup battery systems assist with the operations of city facilities during an outage, but the plan is to utilize the battery systems during daily peak energy time periods (from 4 to 9 p.m.) “During the peak energy times, electricity costs are higher,” Byrd said. “Once a backup battery is fully charged, it can be used to operate the city facilities during the peak hours and thus avoiding paying the higher energy costs.”
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Photo credit: Mary Bullwinkel
Once the peak energy time period is over, the facilities would switch back to using electricity and the Tesla battery system would recharge overnight. “For Fortuna, each of the battery installations is anticipated to result in tens of thousands of dollars in electrical cost savings per year, simply from shifting the time of use and electrical rate from peak to off-peak,” Byrd said. The installation of the three Tesla backup battery systems is expected to cost nearly $3 million, with none of that cost a city responsibility. The only incremental cost to the city will be to provide high-speed internet service to the battery units for operation, maintenance, and reporting. “The opportunity to install these systems comes from the Pacific Gas & Electric Co.’s Self Generation Incentive Program,” Byrd said. The units themselves were delivered by Tesla, and the PG&E program is completely covering the cost of installation. Submitted by Mary Bullwinkel Reprinted with permission from Times-Standard times-standard.com
fortunachamber.com
Fort una Volunteer Fire Department Training Facilit y & Street Dedication
O
n July 21, community members, family, friends, and local firefighting personnel gathered at the Fortuna Volunteer Fire Department for two dedications and a ribbon cutting. The new 34-foot Eel River Valley fire training facility, funded through Measure Z, features various
training rooms and props, including two burn rooms where firefighters can experience live fire suppression techniques in a safe and controllable environment. The training facility will be available for use by local fire and law enforcement agencies as well as students enrolled in the Eel River Valley Fire Academy and the College of the Redwoods Fire Academy. The new access road from the facility to Newburg Road has been renamed Nicholson Way in honor of late Fortuna Fire Protection District Commissioner & Board Chair David Nicholson. Nicholson, who died earlier this year, previously served as a firefighter, captain of Company 1, and as assistant chief of the fire department. Commissioner Robert Johnson, Supervisor Michelle Bushnell, Cheryl Nicholson, Mayor Sue Long, and Assistant Chief Rus Brown were just a few of the speakers who talked about the new training facility and Dave’s many contributions to the fire department and community. Top: Cheryl Nicholson poses next to the street sign dedicated to her late husband. Photo credit: Mary Bullwinkel Left: An overhead shot from the training facility. Photo credit: Enoch Ibarra Below: The ribbon cutting. Photo credit: Mary Bullwinkel
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Pastels in the Park
I
n June, Fortuna Parks & Recreation and First 5 Humboldt hosted a sidewalk chalk art contest at Newburg Park. Artists of all ages came out and showed off their beautiful artwork for a chance to win prizes. Here is just a small selection of some of the designs. We wish we could show all of them. Photos by Cameron Mull
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