Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. Wins 2nd Drug Approval in 2 Weeks

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. won its second drug approval in two weeks — and a month ahead of schedule — as regulators greenlighted a treatment against a family of debilitating and potentially deadly genetic disease.

The Novato-based company (NASDAQ: RARE) said a 500-milliliter bottle of the drug to treat long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders will cost $4,875 wholesale, or an average net price of $138,000 per patient per year.

Because the disorders can occur in newborns, Ultragenyx said the drug, branded as Dojolvi, will have an average net price of $46,000 in the first year of a patient’s life. A company spokesman said the “vast majority” of patients will have zero or “very low” out-of-pocket costs for the drug.

Ultragenyx’s stock closed up $4.56 per share, or 6.2%, to $78.22.

The FDA wasn’t expected to make a decision on the drug until July 31.

Long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders are a group of rare conditions that prevent the body from breaking down certain fats into energy, leaving kids with low blood sugar, muscle ruptures and muscle weakness and heart disease. They are estimated to affect one in 9,300 people in the United States, Australia and Germany, with some 3,000 to 3,500 children and adults in the U.S. alone.

Ultragenyx earlier this month won FDA approval to sell its already-approved drug Crysvita to treat tumor-induced osteomalacia, a rare disease that causes weakened or soft bones.

https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2020/06/30/ultragenyx-rare-long-chain-fatty-acid-dojolvi.html?ana=e_ae_set1&j=90516946&t=Afternoon&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWm1NMU5EUXpPRFppWVdGayIsInQiOiJreVwvUFhjcFUzalB2NjhRNTVxbDJZK3NEODNOMER1VnprQUFiWW1aNCs4aitqUXEycGQ5aGtHaTZDQWh6Wk5NY09cL2RGd2tUeFdoTmpXaTNqdXh3ejh5VUNXYnlnNnhhMmdkUlVpSkY4WDQ0S0hqVitUT01GQWkzVlpEbit5azJOIn0%3D

CannaCraft Launches Product to Help Prison Population

With his deep cannabis roots firmly planted in the Northern California growing community, CannaCraft co-founder Dennis Hunter plans to use those connections to tackle social injustice with a new product line — the Farmer and the Felon.

One of Sonoma County’s largest cannabis companies, CannaCraft, released the new product with the help of some established growers to raise awareness and provide funding to the fight against unjust treatment of cannabis offenders who end up behind bars.

Following a stint of living underground after his Humboldt County cultivation site was raided by federal agents in 1998, Hunter was arrested in 2002, resulting in a prison term of over six years. That, he said, gives him a sense of the fear and distrust of what it’s like to be on the other side of the law.

“I’ve seen it first hand in prison. It used to blow me away. And now with COVID-19, these people are stuck in pretty scary situations in prison — one that can turn into a death sentence,” he said.

CannaCraft’s latest brand — the Farmer and the Felon — takes Hunter back to those troubling times. His roots in and commitment to the cannabis industry run deep. That’s why the businessman plans to use the popularity of the flower to help others facing the same fate while languishing in prison. The brand’s proceeds are earmarked to support the Last Prisoner Project, a coalition of cannabis industry leaders, activists and artists working on prison reform.

“The story of CannaCraft has taken so many different pathways. A lot of those have been so rough. It’s been a roller coaster ride,” Hunter told the Business Journal during an interview with his business partner Ned Fussell. In an industry valued at $40 billion nationwide, they’re calling these efforts to fight social injustice “cannabis for change”

The men were introduced to the Last Prisoner Project during a benefit party at Jim Belushi’s house in Los Angeles about eight months ago. The nonprofit group seeks criminal justice reform and provides legal assistance, with a focus on prisoner release, record clearing and programs geared to helping ex-cons reenter society.

Within three months of hitting most cannabis dispensary shelves and making an online presence, the Farmer and the Felon has raked in $1 million. More than $50,000 of those funds were channeled to the Last Prisoner Project, Hunter said. The more than 50 Northern California farmers CannaCraft works with have welcome the effort to divert these proceeds to promote social justice.

“It’s exciting to put the best flowers into this brand,” Hunter said, giving a nod to the California farmers.

“It’s insane to me that there are still people sitting in jail while we legalize cannabis across the country,” said Honeydew Farms grower Alex Moore, a 30-year veteran farmer in Humboldt County. “Farmer and the Felon has created an avenue for us to help those in need, and we are thrilled to be a part of (its) mission.”

The need to set the bar higher

American prisons hold almost 2.3 million people in more than 7,000 federal, state, local, juvenile, immigration and Indian Country facilities, the Prison Policy Initiative reported in March. Drug offenses still account for the mass incarceration of nearly half a million people, and non-violent drug convictions numbering more than 40,000 are deemed the “defining feature of the federal prison system,” where Hunter was jailed.

“It changed my life. I don’t want others to go through it,” Hunter said. “I thought it was a huge injustice. I never felt like I did anything wrong.”

Marijuana is still considered a Schedule 1 drug in the United States, despite being legal in a number of states.

Right and wrong is not necessarily black and white

A reflection of these racially charged times of civil unrest, Hunter cites the unfair incarceration of people of color who make up a large portion of offenders thrown and held in the slammer.

“This hits home for us in a lot of ways,” Hunter said in response to the Black Lives Movement asking for police and criminal justice reform after the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

In the drug world, Hunter noted the disparity among minorities in the prison system.

Fussell agreed.

“What’s happening now is eye opening,” he said.

According to an analysis published in April by the American Civil Liberties Union, Blacks are nearly four times as likely as Caucasians to be arrested in the United States for marijuana possession offenses.

Hands down, Fussell and Hunter expressed gratitude they live and run a business in California.

“The (American prison) system is rooted in racism. It preys on people and hurts family members,” Fussell said. “The punishment far outweighs the crime.”

CannaCraft isn’t the only organization seeking to give back to notable civil rights causes.

The National Cannabis Industry Association announced Tuesday it’s offering free memberships to people of color and marginalized communities in the industry.

The Social Equity Scholarship Program intends “to level the playing field” for networking, educational and resource opportunities to the nation’s largest trade organization.

“The tragic deaths of George Floyd and so many others at the hands of police have caused a national reckoning about systemic racism and inequality in all facets of life, including the cannabis industry,” association Executive Director Aaron Smith said. “As an organization founded on the principles of justice, fairness and inclusion, this program is a necessary step for us to better uphold and promote those values.”

The application is available now.

Tackling the larger-than-life issue of racism that plays out from the streets to the criminal justice system has been long in coming to the national organization.

“This program is one way that NCIA can help empower black and brown communities that were and are disproportionately targeted by law enforcement for cannabis offenses,” said association Board of Directors Chairman Khurshid Khoja, who referred to his member-based advocacy group’s gesture as “a moral obligation.”

https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/industry-news/sonoma-countys-cannacraft-launches-product-to-help-prison-population/?trk_msg=56V7OS94A224J3B87EIB6H6LBG&trk_contact=QU0HFLSLRS4B321O7DHC8BRSRS&trk_module=new&trk_sid=H7BIM6S7748QKVVAD1DAD4VQF4&utm_email=F4C3C49D05C565A25532D4913D&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=https%3a%2f%2fwww.northbaybusinessjournal.com%2farticle%2findustry-news%2fsonoma-countys-cannacraft-launches-product-to-help-prison-population%2f&utm_campaign=nbbj_daily

Kaiser Permanente Donates $100M to Help Black-Owned Businesses

Kaiser Permanente is putting its money where its mouth is in standing up to systemic racism in America.

The Oakland-based health giant announced a series of actions on Friday, including $60 million in joint investments and $40 million in grant funding to support businesses owned by Black and other underrepresented individuals. The effort is part of a wider, organization-wide push to address inequity and racism.

Kaiser will work with three organizations to support businesses “to help close the racial wealth gap through access to capital and capacity-building resources,” the company stated.In all, Kaiser said it expects to provide support to more than 2,000 businesses across the country.

The $60 million investment partnership, launched together with national community development organization Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), is designed to strengthen businesses amid Covid-19 by providing business loans between $100,000 and $4 million.

Kaiser is also designating $15 million in grants to increase access to formal training, business networks and recovery and growth capital to help businesses led by Black and other underrepresented groups overcome economic disadvantages. For this effort, Kaiser is partnering with Pacific Community Ventures and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) — two organizations that work with small business owners.

“All across the country, we can see that health and wealth are inextricably linked. Creating pathways for people to get back to work in quality jobs, and for small businesses to get on solid ground and grow, is so important for the well-being of the nation at large,” said Maurice A. Jones, LISC president and CEO.

Kaiser was one of the first health care organizations to recognize the link between trauma and health through a study it conducted along with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on adverse childhood events, or ACEs. Studies have indicated that those with four or more ACEs are 12 times more likely to attempt suicide and those with six or more ACEs have a 20-year shorter life expectancy. Research has also shown that Black people experience 11% more ACEs than white people at all income levels.

Along these lines, Kaiser is designating an additional $25 million in grants to build upon its work to address ACEs and trauma. In the coming weeks, Kaiser said it will solicit proposals from community-based organizations, particularly those that are led or governed by Black people or other people of color, that are focused on promoting healing from chronic stress, trauma and grief spurred by systemic racism and social injustice.

“The tragic murder of George Floyd and so many others has reverberated around the world, pushing us to demand overdue change to a status quo that keeps communities of color in the margins and holds us all back as a society,” said Greg A. Adams, Kaiser chairman and CEO, in a statement. “As a country, this is a moment to define who we are and what we stand for. We must take strong action to stop the physical, psychological, economic and social impacts of inequity and systemic racism so that we can create healthier communities where everybody, regardless of their skin color, can feel safe and thrive.”

https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2020/06/26/kaiser-donates-100m-black-owned-businesses.html?ana=e_ae_set1&j=90516483&t=Afternoon&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWlRSbE1qQTJOVGs0T0RjeCIsInQiOiIrVjJOWkF1UjV2aXBGWGpXY3lhMkNPbTd1RmI3QkNDZzFYQXRKNTZ4b2dwUlpyNTNHZ3I2YWVDekIyWlUwd3E3bXZKekZEYUlQTDZ1VlNLS3M2ZUxXTHMyY0tFM2JBS0thWStMbHBRZmJORitra2FQdGNrbVpyN2JISFI0WU0ySSJ9

AT&T California Supports California Community Organizations With Over $3.5 Million in Response to COVID-19

AT&T California announced today more than $3.5 million in contributions to California community-based organizations who are providing relief to residents from underserved communities, front line health workers, public safety organizations and small businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

AT&T’s commitment will provide support throughout the Golden State – in the form of food and meals to healthcare workers and first responders, support to small businesses to help mitigate economic losses, donations to organizations serving vulnerable communities and support for distance learning and online education.

“AT&T is committed to making a difference for those who have been so affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rhonda Johnson, President-AT&T California. “Our dedicated employees at AT&T are working around the clock to keep our customers connected to their families, friends and colleagues. This giving effort is one more way that our employees are supporting our local communities.”

AT&T’s more than $3.5 million in funding to organizations throughout California includes:

  • Online Education and Distance Learning: Support for California distance learning and online education organizations, including $550,000 in donations to the California Department of Education Foundation in partnership with Gov. Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom.
  • Vulnerable Communities: Support for organizations providing shelter, food and other assistance to individuals, families, including $100,000 to Give to SF.
  • Food Access: More than $300,000 in donations to provide meals to students, families and seniors in need across California.
  • California Public Safety: Nearly $200,000 in support for first responders and front-line medical professionals, including the Los Angeles Police Foundation and 2-1-1 San Diego.

AT&T is also donating thousands of devices to groups across the state – including Wi-Fi hotspots and Chromebooks for students learning at home, as well as tablets, phones, and chargers for frontline workers.

“AT&T responded quickly so that we could take care of our most vulnerable residents, support our small businesses and protect the health of all San Franciscans,” said Mayor London Breed, City of San Francisco. “In our city, we are working collaboratively to face the greatest challenges of the crisis head on and partners like AT&T have made a significant impact.”

As part of this commitment, AT&T will be working with community-based organizations to host “Days of Giving” focused on five core areas for groups providing essential services to Californians who are most immediately affected by the pandemic. This approach will enable AT&T California’s philanthropic relief efforts to touch a very broad base of Californians who have been severely affected.

“Our police officers and first responders are working around the clock on the front lines ensuring that people are safe. We are grateful for AT&T’s support so we can provide and replenish necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) so our first responders can perform their jobs to the best of their ability while responding to the COVID-19 outbreak,” said Dana Katz, Executive Director, Los Angeles Police Foundation.

“AT&T’s contribution to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank will help us continue providing for those in our community who need it the most. Because of the economic impact of the pandemic, we are seeing the need for food assistance markedly increase and appreciate this generous support of our mission to fight hunger in our community during this critical time,” said Michael Flood, President and CEO, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

AT&T’s support is part of AT&T Believes℠, a company-wide effort to make a meaningful impact in local communities. To learn more about how AT&T is supporting communities during the current crisis, visit https://about.att.com/pages/COVID-19.html.

SolarCraft Solar Power Installation at Anaba Wines Surges Forward on Path Towards Sustainability

Anaba Wines recently partnered with the Novato and Sonoma-based clean energy company, SolarCraft, to complete the installation of the 167.4 kW DC solar electric system on their Carneros property in Sonoma. The newly installed solar photovoltaic system will increase the sustainability of the winery’s operations and cut power cost significantly.

“At Anaba, we are committed to green initiatives, and it has always been our plan to utilize 100% renewable electrical energy,” said first generation proprietor, John Sweazey. “This SolarCraft installation brings us closer to achieving our goal and allows us to continue  weaving sustainability into everything we do.”

The sprawling solar power system was installed on their newly built production facility and Vintners House Tasting
Room, and consists of 465 high-efficiency 360-watt solar panels. The system will produce 243,960 kWh annually,
and any excess power they generate will flow back into the local utility system, reducing the strain on the local
power grid.

During the life of the system, nearly 172 metric tons of carbon dioxide generated by Anaba operations will be
eliminated. This impact is equivalent to removing air pollution produced by over 428,014 miles of driving annually
or the pollutants removed by 225 acres of trees in one year.

In 2009, Anaba Wines became the first Northern California winery to utilize wind power when they installed a 45-
foot Skystream wind turbine on the property. This single wind turbine adds and complements the electricity given
for Anaba’s tasting room, storage, and irrigation pumps for the estate vineyards, as well as an electric car charging
station.

The winery is currently open by reservation, Thursday through Sunday, from 11 am to 5 pm. Anaba is located at 62
Bonneau Road, Sonoma, in the heart of the Carneros region, just 30 minutes from the Golden Gate bridge. Guests
can make a reservation online at www.anabawines.com or by emailing reservations@anabawines.com.

About Anaba Wines
Named after the anabatic winds which sweep over Sonoma’s Carneros region, Anaba Wines was founded in 2006
and is led by the father-and-son team of John Sweazey and John Michael Sweazey. Together with winemakers
Katy Wilson, their vision is to craft artistic Rhône-style blends and graceful Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Anaba
is committed to land and resource stewardship and plans to utilize 100% renewable energy by 2020. Visit
AnabaWines.com to learn more, or follow along @AnabaWines on Facebook and Twitter, and @Anaba_Wines on
Instagram.

About SolarCraft
SolarCraft is 100% Employee-Owned and one of the largest green-tech employers based in the North Bay for over
35 years. SolarCraft delivers Clean Energy Solutions for homes and businesses including Solar Electric, Solar Pool
Heating and Battery / Energy Storage. With over 8,000 customers, our team of dedicated employee-partners is
proud to have installed more solar energy systems than any other company in the North Bay. www.solarcraft.com.

https://solarcraft.com/anaba-wines-surges-forward-on-path-towards-sustainability-with-solarcraft-solar-power-installation/?amp=1

Redwood Credit Union Hosts Free Webcast on Self-Care and Stress Management

Redwood Credit Union (RCU) hosted a free, 60-minute webcast titled “Self-Care and Stress Management: Tools and Best Practices for Coping with COVID-19 and Beyond.” Originally shared as one of the benefits RCU offers its Members, positive feedback spurred the organization to make the resource available communitywide and it can now be viewed on RCU’s YouTube channel.

The webcast was presented by Mary O’Neill, a licensed psychotherapist and expert on helping people cope with stress. RCU’s President & CEO Brett Martinez acted as moderator.

During the webcast, O’Neill provided guidance on how to cultivate a healthy emotional state and manage stress. She shared tools, practices, and steps for remaining calm and steady in the face of any crisis.

“Years of disasters—fires, flood, and now coronavirus—have taken a toll on our mental and emotional health,” said Brett Martinez. “Mary has been a great partner in providing training and support for our employees over the years, so we thought we’d ask her to share her wisdom in this very accessible way.”

About Redwood Credit Union
Founded in 1950, Redwood Credit Union is a full-service financial institution providing personal and business banking to consumers and businesses in the North Bay and San Francisco. RCU offers complete financial services including checking and savings accounts, auto and home loans, credit cards, online and mobile banking, business services, commercial and SBA lending, and more. Wealth management and investment services are available through CUSO Financial Services L.P., and through RCU Services Group (RCU’s wholly owned subsidiary), insurance and auto-purchasing services are also available. RCU has over $5 billion in assets and serves approximately 365,000 members with full-service branches from San Francisco to Ukiah. For more information, call 1 (800) 479-7928, visit redwoodcu.org, or follow RCU on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for news and updates.

About Mary O’Neill
Mary O’Neill, MA, MFT, is trained in humanistic psychology, positive psychology, developmental psychology, and living systems theory, and has two decades of experience as a licensed psychotherapist. She brings a unique insight into motivation and behavior, and a broad perspective of human experience and development. She’s passionate about helping people interact and communicate more effectively. For more information, visit www.maryoneill.com.

Keysight’s New Regenerative Power Supplies Reduce Cooling and Electricity Costs with an Eco-friendly Design

Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS), a leading technology company that helps enterprises, service providers and governments accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world, today announced it is expanding the company’s RP7900 Series with two new bidirectional, regenerative DC power supplies providing integrated safety features that protect people and devices under test (DUT). The unique regenerative design of the new models enables the energy normally consumed to be returned to the grid cleanly, saving costs associated with energy consumption and cooling.

The automotive industry is using larger batteries to extend the range of electric vehicles (EV) and higher voltage electronics to reduce charging time. In fact, MarketsandMarkets estimates nearly 39 percent CAGR growth by 2020 for high voltage batteries to support longer range cars and larger electric vehicles including buses and trucks. As the demand for high power grows, so does the need for high power test equipment. However, high power applications in aerospace defense and infrastructure, as well as automotive and energy, present unique challenges spanning site preparation necessities and safety requirements when transitioning from low power to high power.

Keysight’s RP7900 is a part of the company’s HEV/EV Power Converter Test Solutions which enable customers to deploy high-voltage, high-power solutions that meet the fast paced, high-growth demands of the hybrid-electric/electric vehicle (HEV/EV) market.

By combining the seamless source and load functionality into a compact 3U-high package, Keysight’s RP7900 Series of regenerative power supplies minimizes high-power test costs by shrinking floor space usage, reducing heat dissipation and maintaining uptime.

These new power supplies, available in two models – 20 kW and up to 2,000 V – offer the following key features and benefits:

  • Two-quadrant, bidirectional sourcing and sinking capability allows for seamless, uninterrupted transitions between sourcing and sinking current without changing the power supply’s output characteristics or introducing any disruptive behavior.
  • Autoranging output characteristic improves flexibility over rectangular, or traditional, output characteristic power supplies due to expanded power curve, which delivers more voltage and current combinations in one power supply.
  • Provides fast output speed, sub-millisecond command-processing time (≤ 1 ms), and output list that help achieve significant throughput gains in testing.
  • Offers simultaneous voltage and current measurement capabilities delivering high accuracy and resolution.
  • Reduces rack space requirements due to superior power density in the power range of 20 kW in 3U height.

“The next generation of hybrid-electric and electric vehicle power electronics developed and manufactured by our customers require higher voltage, increased bandwidth and exceptional control capability in design qualification and manufacturing test,” said Christopher Cain, vice president and general manager of Keysight’s Electronic Industrial Products. “Keysight’s RP7900 series power supply capabilities enable automated testing to accelerate time to market and lower operational costs, while the unique regenerative capability delivers substantial operational savings as load-current is converted into AC grid power, instead of simply dissipating as heat that must be further managed in the test environment.”

Pricing and Availability

Keysight’s RP7900 Series of regenerative power systems are available now, starting at USD $27,335.

Additional information is available at www.keysight.com/find/RP7900.

About Keysight Technologies

Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) is a leading technology company that helps enterprises, service providers and governments accelerate innovation to connect and secure the world. Keysight’s solutions optimize networks and bring electronic products to market faster and at a lower cost with offerings from design simulation, to prototype validation, to manufacturing test, to optimization in networks and cloud environments. Customers span the worldwide communications ecosystem, aerospace and defense, automotive, energy, semiconductor and general electronics end markets. Keysight generated revenues of $4.3B in fiscal year 2019. More information is available at www.keysight.com.

SolarCraft Completes Solar Power Installation at Bricoleur Vineyards

Novato and Sonoma based SolarCraft, a leading North Bay clean energy provider for over 35 years, recently completed the installation of a 81.8 kW DC solar electric system at Bricoleur Vineyards in Windsor, CA. Designed and installed by SolarCraft, the solar power system will lower their utility costs by almost $40,000 per year and reduce the environmental impact of their energy use.

The solar power system is roof mounted on Bricoleur’s Winery Barn, a multipurpose, approximately 10,000-square foot entertaining space, consisting of 248 high-efficiency 330-watt solar panels. The system will produce 114,884 kWh annually, offsetting 91% of their electrical bill.

Sustainability has long been a priority for owners Mark and Elizabeth Hanson and daughter Sarah Hanson Citron. “There’s a strong connection between the long-term health of a vineyard and the species that inhabit it,” said Mark Hanson. “Bricoleur Vineyards is a natural paradise where it’s not unusual to spot deer, wild turkeys, foxes, bobcats, coyotes, rabbits, geese, and ducks. As Bay Area natives, we take it as a vital duty to preserve the fragile eco-system of Sonoma County in every way we can.”

During the life of the system, over 2,030 metric tons of carbon dioxide will be eliminated. This impact is equivalent to removing air pollution produced by almost 202,000 miles of driving annually or the pollutants removed by 106 acres of trees in one year.

About Bricoleur Vineyards
Bricoleur Vineyards is a unique wine country retreat nestled in the Russian River Valley in Windsor, California, about an hour north of San Francisco. Visitors can visit the newly renovated Winery Barn to enjoy Bricoleur Vineyard’s hand-crafted, estate-grown wines or an elaborate, wine and culinary experience guided by celebrated local Executive Chef Shane McAnelly. The 40-acre estate features a number of picturesque gathering places to relax and create memorable experiences, such as a picnic in the stone pavilion overlooking the rows of Chardonnay, strolling in the rose gardens admiring the vast array of colorful and fragrant roses, playing a friendly game of bocce ball, or simply enjoying one’s family and friends while watching the ducks and native birds by one of two serene ponds

SolarCraft is 100% Employee-Owned and one of the largest green-tech employers based in the North Bay for over 35 years. SolarCraft delivers Clean Energy Solutions for homes and businesses including Solar Electric, and Battery / Energy Storage. With over 8,000 customers, our team of dedicated employee-partners is proud to have installed more solar energy systems than any other company in the North Bay. www.solarcraft.com.

https://solarcraft.com/solarcraft-completes-solar-power-installation-at-bricoleur-vineyards/

PG&E Conducting Line Inspections Using Drones and Helicopters

PG&E is conducting its updated System Inspections program in the North Bay and North Coast using drones and helicopters along electric transmission lines.

The program accelerates inspection cycles beyond compliance regulations to align with wildfire risk. It’s one of many initiatives PG&E has undertaken to protect grid safety and reliability, with other measures including enhanced vegetation management and system-hardening.

The program occurs on an ongoing basis to find and fix potential risks to the safety and reliability of our system. PG&E is prioritizing work in areas of extreme (Tier 3) and elevated (Tier 2) wildfire risk as defined by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) High Fire-Threat District Map. Equipment along electric transmission lines located in Tier 3 and Tier 2 areas will be evaluated more frequently, while infrastructure in non-high fire-threat areas will be inspected at least every six years.

In 2020, the company plans to inspect more than 15,000 miles of its electric lines. That includes all lines in Tier 3 areas and one-third of all lines in Tier 2 areas. Also planned are inspections of additional line miles in non-high fire-threat areas. The inspections will occur through the end of the year.

PG&E has notified customers along several transmission lines throughout Sonoma, Mendocino and Humboldt Counties of the drone and helicopter flights via postcards or automated phone calls.

The inspection areas are as follows:

  • Sonoma: Petaluma, Lakeville, Fort Ross, Monte Rio, Fulton, Healdsburg, the Geysers, Windsor, Cloverdale and Fitch Mountain.
  • Mendocino: Along the coast from Fort Bragg to Elk, Potter Valley to Willits, Konocti to Middletown, Mendocino to Philo, Hopland and Ukiah.
  • Humboldt: Garberville to Laytonville, Maple Creek to Hoopa, Rio Dell, Blue Lake, Bridgeville to Garberville, Essex to Arcata to Fairhaven, Orick, and Trinidad.

Inspectors are looking at all components of our assets, including cross-arms, insulators and footings, along with critical electrical components and equipment. Inspectors document findings through high-resolution images, which are reviewed by dedicated teams experienced in system maintenance, engineering, construction and maintenance planning to evaluate identified conditions.

All the highest-priority conditions found through inspections will be promptly repaired or made safe. Repairs for all other conditions are scheduled for completion as part of our routine work execution plan.

Weather permitting and barring maintenance issues, flights will occur Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. through 6 p.m. over the next couple of months.

https://www.pgecurrents.com/2020/05/13/pge-conducting-line-inspections-using-drones-and-helicopters/

Comcast Presents The Future of Business 2020 Virtual Conference w/ Chef Robert Irvine

Is your business truly ready, willing, and able to embrace the direction of where business is heading?

Comcast Business knows that in the B2B world, we talk a lot about the future of business – the ability to conduct business from anywhere, anytime, with anyone.

To learn more about the future of working remotely, register today to attend The Future of Business 2020 Virtual Conference hosted by Comcast Business. The conference has a robust speakers list, including a keynote from Robert Irvine of the Food Network’s ‘Restaurant Impossible.’ This is a conference you will not want to miss.

For more information on the virtual conference and to register to attend, please visit https://web.cvent.com/event/1022a356-2bec-47f7-ac08-6939c9970209/summary?RefId=futurebusiness