Sacramento Business Journal articles from September 2001

Sacramento Business Journal archives from September 2001

Bankruptcies leap nationally; less here.(Sacramento, California)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Bankruptcy filings jumped almost 25 percent nationwide in the second quarter compared to a year earlier, topping 400,000 for the first quarter ever. Local filings rose 8.3 percent to 2,380, indicating that the economy of Greater...

Mail Boxes Etc. plans to flood area market.(Sacramento, California)
September 28, 2001... Mail Boxes Etc., the San Diego chain of shipping centers now owned by United Parcel Service, expects to open dozens of new stores in Greater Sacramento over the next few years. At least a few will be run by former dot-commers and tech...

Interest rate cuts to hammer bank profits.(Statistical Data Included)
September 28, 2001... The Federal Reserve Board's cure for the nation's economic woes is having a harsh side effect on banks. With every nationwide interest rate cut, banks are seeing their profits fall. Another rate cut -- and possibly a succession of more...

Autovia files Chapter 7, leaving $2 million unpaid.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 28, 2001... Autovia Inc., a dot-com that closed earlier this year, filed to liquidate under Chapter 7 of the bankruptcy code on Monday. The company listed no assets and $2.14 million in unsecured claims. At one point Autovia employed 100 in...

Former Ocean Power exec sues.(Dan McHargue)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... A former vice president of Ocean Power Corp. in El Dorado Hills has sued the company, alleging it owes him $63,400 in wages and legal fees. Dan McHargue claims he was hired on Sept. 1,2000 as a vice president of products management. The...

Did Folsom do survey or not?(over Highway 50 development)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Activists in Folsom say a recent survey done for the city found that most residents don't approve of annexation and development south of Highway 50. But Folsom Mayor Steve Miklos says the city didn't do any such survey. Earlier this...

Chamber boss leaves for L.A.(Rusty Hammer of the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Rusty Hammer, president of the Sac Metro Chamber of Commerce, is leaving to take the same job with the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce on Nov. 5. Hammer, 48, has run the chamber here since 1994. It was in trouble when he came; now...

Opus to add 11 acres to Broadstone.(Opus West Corp., Broadstone Plaza)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Folsom's huge Broadstone Plaza shopping center is on track to get one-third bigger. Opus West Corp., owner of Broadstone Plaza, plans to expand on 11 acres next to the recently built 28-acre power center on East Bidwell Street near...

Strong supply of natural gas is expected.(Statistical Data Included)
September 28, 2001... Last week the state Public Utilities Commission ended a fundamental element of the state's disastrous venture into energy deregulation -- the ability of California consumers to choose their electricity suppliers. But deregulation is still...

Kriton wins in arbitration.(Kriton Medical Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Heart pump firm takes a round against ex-employee An arbitration panel in Sacramento has handed a significant victory to Kriton Medical Inc. in one of four lawsuits between Kriton and former employees. A Sacramento Superior Court...

Area's private pilots start to recover.(Sacramento, California)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 28, 2001... Grounded aviation firms expect slow return to pre-attack revenue levels Alter a 10-day precautionary shutdown by federal authorities following the terrorist attacks of Sept 11, private pilots were cleared for takeoff last Saturday. ...

CORRECTIONS AND AMPLIFICATIONS.(Brief Article)(Correction Notice)
September 28, 2001... Western Sierra Bancorp Western Sierra Bancorp was inadvertently omitted from our 'Sept. 21 list of locally based. public companies. With $37.79 million in revenue last year Western Sierra is the area's sixth-largest public company. ...

Printing giant buys third local shop in five years.(Consolidated Graphics Inc. acquires American Lithographers Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... A giant of the printing industry, Consolidated Graphics Inc., is about to acquire its third large Sacramento print shop in five years. Houston-based consolidated Graphics (NYSE: CGX) has signed a letter of intent to buy Sacramento-based...

Roebbelen lands $190M school deal.(Roebbelen Contractors contract with Folsom Cordova schools)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Roebbelen Contractors Inc. has inked a deal with the Folsom Cordova Unified School District that could bring $190 million or more worth of work to the El Dorado Hills company during the next decade. That contract, however; hangs on a...

County's water wars trigger a crossfire of lawsuits.(El Dorado County files water rights lawsuits)
September 28, 2001... State water officials are sued for giving El Dorado County access to too much water -- and to too little A decision by the State Water Resources Control Board, granting the main water suppliers in El Dorado County new rights to water from...

Varied health bills await final decision.(California)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Energy problems, a slumping economy, the terrorist attacks Sept 11 and the usual legislative grind ultimately left little room for major efforts to reform California's healthcare laws this year. Lots of bills started tough, changed their...

Ski resorts hope nation's slump won't spoil season.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Area ski resorts, mostly pleased with last season, say it's too early to predict how they'll fare this winter in light of a worsening economy and following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Location might matter more than ever. Resorts that...

Top-paid 25 public-company execs enjoy rising income.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Pay among the 25 highest-paid executives at locally based public companies rose 13 percent in their most recent fiscal years, despite a drop in the number of public companies here. The ranks of local public companies declined to 18 from...

Mining dispute in Sierra foothills leads to lawsuit.(Sierra Rock sues state Mining and Geology Board)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... State authority challenged by mine owner An El Dorado County mine owner ordered to shut down operations at one of his quarries by the state Mining and Geology Board has taken the dispute to court, suing every member of the board. ...

Largest office lease deals in 2000.(ranked by square footage)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
September 28, 2001... Largest office lease deals in 2000 (Ranked by square footage) Rank Lease address Square footage 1. 5411 Luce Ave. 186,000 McClellan 95652 2. 3331 Power Inn Road 147,549...

Mathematics might spark built-in computer security.(security problems in computer networks need to be resolved)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... The terrorist attacks refocused America's attention on all kinds of security problems, including a type that didn't show up Sept. 11 but still troubles anyone who uses a computer - network hacking. Redesigning computer systems along...

Stockton Mudville Nine strikes out with ballpark plan.(owners looking to sell team)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Owners now want to sell California League ballclub Mighty Casey may never take a swing. Tom Seidler and Kevin O'Malley, who bought the Stockton Ports of the Class A. California League three years ago and renamed the club the Mudville...

Stanford Ranch building sells to Bay Area investors for $6.35M.(buyer was Three Sisters Ranch Enterprises L.L.C.)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... The Stanford Ranch building that houses Gall Motion Control Inc. and Williams-Sonoma Inc. has been sold for $6.35 million to Bay Area investors who like to buy "trophy properties." The 42,000-square-foot building is at 3750 Atherton Road...

Herman Miller shutting Rocklin furniture factory.(Herman Miller Inc., Rocklin, California plant)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 28, 2001... Monday: Office furniture maker Herman Miller Inc. (Nasdaq-NM:MLHR), citing a 25 percent drop in sales and a first-quarter net loss, told its 400 workers at its Rocklin plant Monday that the company will wind down operations and close the...

Medicare plans leaving El Dorado County.(Health Net Inc. to drop Medicare+Choice plans)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Friday: Health Net Inc. of Los Angeles (NYSE:HNT) says its health plans will stop offering Medicare+Choice products in El Dorado and four other California counties starting Jan. 1. Health Net provides Medicare+Choice benefits to about...

Fans flock to River Cats.
September 28, 2001... Wednesday: Sacramento's minor-league baseball team beat its own Pacific Coast League attendance record this season. The River Cats played for 901,214 fans at its home games in West Sacramento's Raley Field this season, smashing the record it...

GenCorp earnings down.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 28, 2001... Tuesday: GenCorp reported sharply lower third-quarter earnings amid poor results in the company's fine chemicals division and a slower-than-expected recovery in its automotive business. The Sacramento-based aerospace, defense, chemical...

Jeweler reaches settlement.(Crescent Jewelers)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Monday: Crescent Jewelers will pay up to $4 million in refunds and penalties to settle a consumer-protection lawsuit, state Attorney General Bill Lockyer's office announced. The jewelry chain, which operates half a dozen stores in Greater...

Median home price climbs.(Sacramento, California)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 28, 2001... Wednesday: Sacramento's median price for used, single-family homes rose again in August, to $179,730, the California Association of Realtors reports. The gain mirrors a continuing rise in median home prices statewide despite signs of a...

Quick bytes.(multiple topics)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Tuesday: Patrick Gelsinger has been named chief technology officer of Intel Corp., the largest manufacturer in Greater Sacramento. Tuesday: The California Technology, Trade and Commerce Agency approved a five-year extension of the...

Startup scores with online board-and-care service.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Jose Garcia Jr. knows it's tough to find a place for an elderly or disabled family member who needs board and care, particularly if the need is immediate. A former intern with the California Commission on Aging who has a bachelor's...

Cash flow concerns remain a daunting challenge.(Small business)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Getting enough money in the front door before it has to go out the back door -- cash flow -- is a major problem for two-thirds of small businesses in the nation, according to a new study sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank and the NFIB Education...

NFIB watchdog is chosen to lead advocacy effort at SBA.(National Federation of Independent Business)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... For the last three years, Thomas Sullivan has challenged government regulations from the outside as regulatory policy counsel at the National Federation of Independent Business and then as executive director of the NFIB Legal Foundation. ...

To get calls returned, try some funny voice mails.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... The object of the game is to get your phone call returned. One of the first fun sales things I learned was to leave half a message and pretend you got cut off. "Hi, this is Jeffrey -- 333-1112 -- I'm calling about the money you left at...

Tech needs differ at home biz, office biz.
September 28, 2001... Home-office small businesses have very different information-technology needs than commercial-office small businesses, according to a Key3Media Group Inc. survey conducted among attendees at COMDEX, a convention which Key3Media Produces. ...

Post-attack airport tips.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... While the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. in New York and Washington, D.C., have caused untold human tragedy, the impact of this sad chapter continues to wreak havoc on many fronts. Among them is the radical change in the way Americans travel. No...

Census: Computer use keeps rising.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 28, 2001... If your small firm remains unconvinced that computer-related marketing is useful, Census Bureau data might change your mind. As of August. 2000, 51 percent of U.S. households had computers. The figure was 10 percent in 1984, when the...

Venture capitalist starts in North Bay.(Roy Martinez starts North Bay Venture Strategies)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Roy Martinez, formerly with Intel Capital, has started his own Petaluma firm called North Bay Venture Strategies. Martinez is working closely with angel investors and entrepreneurs in Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties in his efforts to...

Looking out for #1.(growth of Sacramento County)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... The crown prince should be Sacramento County, planners say, not individual fiefdoms within the county looking to lock up the sales tax dollars for themselves Sacramento County is the giant among its sister counties in the Sacramento...

Infill development eases pressures of expansion.(Avoidance of sprawl)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... When anybody talks about the drawbacks of growth in metropolitan areas, the word "sprawl". is usually mentioned, a catchall term for the effects of poor planning. Now the antithesis to sprawl is becoming a buzzword, too: "infill...

Land developers.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Land developers (Ranked by number of acres owned) Company Address Rank Chief local executive(s), last positions (s) Phone year Rank Web site address ...

Business owners unite to assist aging districts.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... In the Sunrise Marketplace commercial area in Citrus Heights, the challenge is to create an identity that will make the corridor a distinct shopping destination. On Florin Road, efforts have focused on filling vacancies. In the...

Cityhood backers, county debate Rancho's finances.(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Armed with new financial information, Sacramento County and Rancho Cordova cityhood proponents have begun sparring over the proposed city boundaries and the amount of money it needs to pay back to the county. A financial analysis released...

PROFILE: Terry Schutten.(Sacramento County executive)
September 28, 2001... Sacramento County / county executive Quote: "Carpe diem" Movie: "I, Claudius" Book: "Shogun" by James Clavell Vacation spot: Europe Hobbies: Horseback riding, visiting art museums, travel, reading Music: Popular ...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.(multiple personnel changes)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... REAL ESTATE Kevin Fontes has been named business development officer for the Placer County and El Dorado County real estate and lending markets at Chicago Title Co. In his new position, he is responsible for increasing new business and...

STOCKS OF LOCAL INTEREST.(various companies)(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
September 28, 2001... STOCKS OF LOCAL INTEREST WINNERS & LOSERS 1 InsWeb +9.5% 1 Ophthalmic Imaging -33.3% 2 American River Bank +3.1% 2 Peabodys -29.8% 3 SureWest +2.2% 3 Unify Corp. -28.6% 4 SBC...

Ocean Power Corp.(various data and financial statistics about the company)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 28, 2001... Ocean Power began operating in January 1997 as Manufacturing Technologies Corp. That company became a wholly owned subsidiary of PTC Holdings Inc., which merged with Manufacturing Technologies Corp. in June. 1998, forming Ocean Power. ...

Beyond the Proscenium Productions.(company to donate portion of ticket sales)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Beyond the Proscenium Productions will donate $1 from every full-price ticket purchased for its play. The Harmony Codes, to the American Red Cross and the International Association of Firefighters. The play is being performed at the Actors...

Memory Walk.
September 28, 2001... The 8th annual Memory Walk, hosted by the Greater Sacramento Area Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, will be held on Oct. 6 beginning on the West Steps of the state Capitol. Registration begins at 8 a.m. with the walk at 9:45 a.m. The...

Dress For The Future.
September 28, 2001... The 2nd annual Dress For The Future luncheon will be held on Oct. 10 at 11:30 a.m. at The Ridge Golf Course in Aubum. Tickets are $35. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Gateway Transitional Home and Placer Women's Center/PEACE for...

Magic of Kids.
September 28, 2001... The Magic of Kids, a benefit for People Reaching Out, will be held on Oct. 20 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sacramento City College. Parking is free and tickets are $1 for adults and children over 5 years of age. People Reaching Out is a...

2001 Tour de Heart Bike Tour.
September 28, 2001... A group of small-business owners in the Rancho Murieta area biked between 500 and 750 miles each while participating in the 2001 Tour de Heart Bike Tour, organized by Joe Black, owner of Black & Co. Strategy Capabilities Consulting. The ride...

Rubicon Technology.(signs contract with Kirkwood Mountain Resort)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Rubicon Technology, a telecommunications company based in Lake Tahoe, recently signed a contract with Kirkwood Mountain Resort to provide service for all of the resort's 800 numbers, as well as its long-distance telephone services. Call (530)...

KVIE Channel 6.
September 28, 2001... Effective Oct. 1, television station KVIE Channel 6 will have new phone and fax numbers. To prepare for this transition, the phone system will not be accepting messages or calls from Friday Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. through Sunday Sept. 30. The new...

United we stand.(fighting terrorism)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... THE ISSUE: The nation needs a united front as it goes to battle against global terrorism OUR POSITION: It's a bad time for political opportunism of a partisan nature The unity Americans have shown since Sept. 11 has been inspiring....

Balancing energy.(fear of increase in energy prices in California)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... As we look ahead wondering what the economy will do, it's impossible in California not to worry about energy prices. This week, we're getting conflicting reports about what to expect for the price of natural gas, a key ingredient in...

Airport security.(specially trained people needed to protect airports)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... As a result of the terrorist attacks, Americans for the first time fear for the safety of their families in their own neighborhoods. The question confronting us now is what can we do to reduce the chances it will happen again. Our airports...

Figuring out what we're made of.
September 28, 2001... It's Monday. The beginning of a new week. The first week since the last week anyone can remember. It's time, they say, to move on. Time to put aside our fear. To bury our grief. To get back to work. Today's the day we show the world...

El Dorado Hills as a city? The data aren't in.(El Dorado Local Agency Formation Commission denies petition extension)(Brief Article)
September 28, 2001... Forming a new city is the single most complex change of government organization that can occur under state law. A city incorporation is controversial, and opinions are passionate because everyone is affected -- residents of the proposed city,...

Uncertainty hovers in the aftermath.(hotel, travel industries affected by World Trade Center, Pentagon attacks)
September 21, 2001... Tough times for hoteliers, travel industry Far from Manhattan and Washington, D.C., last week's terrorist attacks are inflicting unprecedented collateral damage on the nation's travel and hotel businesses. At Sacramento International...

Many businesses waiting for other shoe to drop.
September 21, 2001... As the toll of human tragedy rises on the East Coast; businesses in Greater Sacramento are holding their collective breath. Events of the last 10 days have stirred a whirlwind of uncertainty. Homebuilders saw fewer buyers in their...

Power plants hunt for air credits.(Statistical Data Included)
September 21, 2001... Companies that want to build power plants in the Sacramento area have proposed some creative ways of finding air quality credits in an air-tight market. * Enron North America Inc., which plans to build a major power plant in Roseville,...

Rescue effort takes a toll both in NYC and in Sacto.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... As teams of local firefighters and medical people help in New York, those who remain are pulling extra duty. The Sacramento Urban Search and Rescue team took 64 people to New York on last week's fateful Tuesday, including 27 firefighters...

Reserves wait nervously.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... If large numbers of military reservists are called up, it will affect businesses. Sacramento's four hospital systems already have just begun to count up how many employees could be called to serve -- roughly 90 so far. Of these, Kaiser...

I am not the kook.(Internet provider helps FBI)(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... Speaking of stress, Brad Jenkins gulped when he found himself interviewed by the New York Tunes and CNN about how his company, 01.com, is cooperating in the FBI hunt for terrorists. 01.com provides Internet connections to Internet service...

World trade group is OK.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... Last Tuesday, the locally based Northern California World Trade Center staff was anxiously awaiting news of their colleagues at the World Trade 'Centers Association in one of the twin towers. But all got out OK. Gone with the New York...

A timely forum on petroleum.(meeting on how to reduce dependance on oil)(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... A workshop on reducing petroleum dependence held in Sacramento Monday and Tuesday took on an unplanned significance amid new concerns about future relations with countries in the Middle East. It was put on by the state Energy Commission and...

Sutter suit ups ante in fight with Health Net.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... Sutter Health has sued Health Net on behalf of one of its Bay Area hospitals, raising the stakes in a bitter contract fight between one of the state's largest health systems and one of its largest health plans. The lawsuit suggests that...

New brick-and-click bank expected to open Nov. 1.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... It looks like Sacramento has another new bank, this time with a strong online flavor. Organizers of CalNet Bank expect to close the offering to sell stock in their startup at the end of the month, with the bank-itself opening Nov. 1....

Achtung! New market for Meridian.(international markets for Meridian)
September 21, 2001... Two years ago, with investors throwing money at any dot-com that asked for it, Meridian Project Systems suddenly found itself looking at a field of 220 companies competing to sell construction management software. By late last year, the...

Workers' comp bill vows changes for construction.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... Sacramentan Robert Dove hasn't worked much since he injured his spine while helping to build housing in Elk Grove three years ago today. Dove, 35, was part of a crew lifting a massive wall when it fell and struck his shoulder. He...

Surcharge raised to shore up workers' comp system.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... California businesses are going to pay an extra 1 percent surcharge on their workers' compensation insurance premiums. starting immediately and lasting through next year. The money, collected under authority of a new state law Gov. Gray...

Country Club mall, on mend, signs Bed Bath & Beyond.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... In a big boost for Country Club Plaza, Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. has committed to opening one of its home furnishings superstores as part of the Sacramento mall's $25 million renovation and overhaul. Bed Bath & Beyond is the second anchor to...

Citrus Heights to get Costco.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... Costco Wholesale Corp. plans to build one of its warehouse superstores in the 129-acre Stock Ranch development of Citrus Heights, said company chairman Jeff Brotman. Costco is in final negotiations to buy 11 or 12 acres in the Stock...

TV stations mum about loss from attack coverage.(finances of Joey Tomko, and Porter Novelli hired for economic development campaign for northern California)(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... If you want to stop a conversation, just ask the general manager of a local TV station how much advertising money the station lost when programming was pre-empted by last week's network coverage of the terrorist attacks. They'll clam right...

Merger gives energy law firm a foothold in California.(merger between Stoel Rives and Washburn, Briscoe & McCarthy)(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... Stoel Rives, a large business law firm in the Pacific Northwest with a strong-energy and environmental practice, is opening a Sacramento office on Oct. 1. The firm is merging with San Francisco-based Washburn, Briscoe & McCarthy, which...

Law firm adds patent practice at local office.(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... Gray Cary Ware & Friedenrich is launching a patent-application practice in Sacramento, to keep up with an intellectual property market that's, staying hot despite the chill in the national economy. A Silicon Valley law firm that opened a...

Retiree claims she was misled into bad investment.(Joan Daye case against Western Financial Bank)(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... For years, Joan Daye was a conservative investor, buying only insured certificates of deposit. Then a little over two years ago, she says, she took the advice of a bank officer and tried putting her money into an annuity contract. Now...

Hotelier buys land for Folsom expansion.(Larkspur Hospitality Co. buys land for hotel expansion)(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... Larkspur Hospitality Co. is buying more land in Folsom so it can expand its hotels there, adding perhaps 90 rooms and a conference area for meetings. Larkspur, based in Corte Madera, owns an 84-room Larkspur Suites and a 100-room Hilton...

Center aims for holistic approach to healthcare.(Sutter Center for Integrative Health and Healing in Davis, California)(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... Dr. Ron Cotterel dreamed about it in medical school: a community of traditional and nonconventional healers who work together to address the well-being of the mind, body and spirit. More than a decade later, with backing from his medical...

Covering up to stay cool.(supermarkets using Econo Frost thermal protective coverings on refrigerators to save electricity)(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... When the energy crunch hit this country in the early '70s, most grocers replaced their energy-hogging open freezers with freezers enclosed by glass doors. Reley's cuts costs with refrigerator shields Today, as you wander the aisles...

Foothills video firm signs big clients for new software.(Telestream Inc. signs software distribution deals)(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... Telestream Inc., a streaming-video technology company in Nevada City, is boosting distribution of its new FlipFactory software through a handful of deals with the American Broadcasting Co., IBM Corp. and other companies. Those deals,...

GenCorp cutting HQ staff; EPA delists Superfund site.(GenCorp Inc. cuts headquarter's staff)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
September 21, 2001... Monday: GenCorp Inc. said Monday it will cut staff at its Rancho Cordova headquarters in an effort to reduce expenses by $3 million a year. At the same time, GenCorp lowered its earnings projections. The company (NYSE:GY) will use a...

Mondavis give $35 million to UC Davis.(Robert and Margrit Mondavi give funds to University of California at Davis)(Brief Article)
September 21, 2001... Wednesday: Napa Valley wine pioneer Robert Mondavi and his wife, Margrit, today announced a $35 million contribution to the University of California at Davis. The gift is the largest private donation ever made to UC Davis, and is one of...