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The University of California at Davis has opened the most environmentally sophisticated facility for making, researching and teaching wine, brewing beer and processing foods.
Although the building was actually completed in July and wine-grape crushing and beer brewing began there in September, campus leaders threw a party last Fridayto celebrate the new facility â€" and to announce an important new gift: Jess Jackson and Barbara R. Banke of Jackson Family Wines are donating $3 million for a new facility to develop sustainable production techniques for winemaking.
Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA) has reintroduced legislation that would bring tax relief to the owners of family farms and open spaces. The “Family Farm Preservation and Conservation Estate Tax” bill would defer the payment of the estate tax for families as long as the land remains in agriculture or open space.
Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA) issued the following statement today upon the announcement of being selected to serve on the House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
“I am honored to again be selected to serve on the House Select Committee on Intelligence,” said Congressman Thompson. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to guarantee that the intelligence community has all the resources necessary to ensure our nation's security and preserve the strength of our intelligence capabilities.”
The incentive has been key in the past for North Coast landowners who have opted to sell development rights on their land and often undertake different management strategies. The provision applies to donations landowners make toward the value of the conservation easement, and local land trust representatives say it's vital for projects going forward.
A large bloc of House and Senate Democrats rallied behind a Treasury Department plan for renewable energy Thursday, bolstering the chances of the cash grant program being extended in the tax cut package.
Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., said the program was added to the tax package, while cautioning it was not a done deal. The office of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., confirmed the provision was included.
Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., said of the grants, "I hope that they will be in there and I believe they probably will."
The meeting was scheduled by Congressman Thompson after he sponsored a U.S. House of Representatives resolution that was passed on Sept. 28 honoring all Airmen who support and perform aeromedical evacuation. Part of House Resolution 1605 "commends the personnel of the Air Force for their commitment to the well-being of all our service men and women."
In commemoration of Veteran's Day, Congressman Mike Thompson (D-North Coast) launched the first meeting of the Mendocino County Veterans History Project Steering Committee. The committee's purpose is to assist in coordinating students from local schools as well as from the Scouts and other youth groups to interview veterans. Recordings of the written, oral or video interviews will be submitted to the Library of Congress to make personal accounts of war veterans accessible to future generations.