Storage West…it’s best in the west….

Storage West is committed to providing you with a quality storage experience.  They are self-storage professionals that care about you and what you are storing. As part of their commitment their valued customer, they have annual in depth training conferences to help their managers be the best in the industry. During these annual conferences they honor those managers that exemplify their commitment to your quality storage experience.

If you are looking for a quality storage company with caring committed managers, look no further than Storage West Self Storage!

Brina and Mike Limon, the managers of Storage West Redlands, at 1680 W. Redlands Blvd., are ever ready to assist in all your storage needs.

The facility boasts air-conditioned units with security lights and cameras to insure you safety at all times. The website offers storage tips, community blogs and quick access to management.

Whether you need a large “closet” or storage facility large enough to accommodate a four bedroom house full of furniture or a secure location for your boat or RV, the team at Storage West can guide you through your storage requirements.

Each of the storage facilities sells moving boxes and packing supplies on site including; Bubble Wrap, Paper Mats, Wrapping Paper, Heavy Duty Tape, Mattress Bags, Sofa Covers, Custom Glass Packing Kits, Custom Dish Packing Kits, Rope, And Much More!

Storage West Self Storage is a regional storage company committed to providing a quality storage experience in local communities. When you’ve run out of room at home or office Storage West Self Storage is ready to help with whatever your needs demand.

When it’s time for you to make the move, call the friendly staff at Storage West today, 909 792-5761 or visit the website at www.storagewest.com/redlands.

Community Home Energy Retrofit Project (CHERP)-Redlands had its first community outreach meeting on April 10. Over 100 residents, business owners and building trade contractors attended. In a nutshell, CHERP-Redlands is a community volunteer driven effort to educate homeowners and contractors about three things: the benefits (home comfort and financial) of completing energy efficiency retrofits on your home; the financing resources available; and the “how to” of performing a retrofit.

CHERP-Redlands is modeled on a very successful and ongoing program in Claremont , http://www.claremontenergy.org/, that set a goal of retrofitting just 1 percent of their homes (130 homes). They have already surpassed that target and are picking up speed to help even more homeowners save money on their electric bills and put dozens of people to work performing a whole variety of home energy retrofits. Here are just a few facts on what’s already been done in Claremont: $2.5 million invested in community real estate, dozens of local construction jobs, $600,000 in utility and state rebates funneled into the community, 27 percent average reduction in energy bills today, an amount that will only reap greater benefits going forward as energy prices continue to climb. These retrofitted homes are eligible for “green rating” as well, which is proving to increase property values by 9 percent relative to a similar house that has not been retrofitted.

CHERP-Redlands can do better and therefore have an even greater impact on our local economy. But to do so means that both  homeowners and contractors need to become better informed about the energy efficiency opportunity and better skilled at determining the retrofit work needed and then performing it properly. In fact during the April 10 kickoff meeting, knowing how to select a contractor that could really do the job – the whole job – was the biggest concern expressed by residents. That is where the Redlands business and contractor communities have to really step up and get engaged in this great opportunity. Many contractors and suppliers are specialized in just one piece of energy efficiency retrofit, for example windows, insulation, or heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). Each of these may be part of the solution for an individual homeowner, but for the best results it is essential to start with a whole house energy audit. Using the results of the audit in consultation with a contractor who understands the sequencing of home energy improvements can help customers get the best return on their investment. As a contractor or supplier, you will have much happier customers who will come back for more work or refer you to their friends. So if you don’t offer a complete range of energy efficiency services, learn more about this approach and team up with colleagues as part of a trusted team. The Claremont website mentioned above is a good place to start your research on a holistic approach to home energy retrofit.

As part of a holistic or team approach, local contractors should be able to diagnose and fix or provide the following 13 system measures:

1. Last 12 month energy bill disaggregation and analysis
2. Building envelope leakage levels and causes
3. Duct leakage
4. Evidence of moisture and/or mold
5. Existing HVAC air flow, static pressure, and efficiency (unless you plan on      complete replacement)
6. Carbon Monoxide levels
7. Attic Insulation levels
8. Wall  Insulation levels
9. Solar PV options
10. Window repair and/or replacement options
11. Major appliance and phantom load savings opportunities
12. Interior water-saving opportunities
13. Green Point Rating opportunity analysis

Contractors should be able to provide or work as a team to repair or replace any or all of these 13 systems in order to achieve maximum energy savings, as well as optimal comfort and health levels from the total, system-wide performance, of each system relative to the other, and relative to dollars spent.

Part of CHERP’s mission is to support the definition and creation of an Ultimate Class of Home Performance Contractors for two reasons:

1. To      protect the public from, a. The opportunity costs of not being told of all      the potential benefits that could accrue to them by maximizing the      efficiency of all the interrelated energy systems in their home, and from,      b.  Sub-optimal levels of installation procedures and performance      outcomes in this highly technical field.
2. To      assist in creating a working definition of excellence for becoming  a      best-of-class contractor in the industry and helping to support those      contractors in becoming role models for other contractors looking to enter      the field and to improve their existing levels of competence and business      opportunity. We need thousands of highly-skilled and successful      contractors doing energy retrofit work to meet our state and national      goals.

In short order a CHERP-Redlands website will be up. We want to use it to provide information specific to Redlands, including identification of local contractors who have the skills and expertise needed. I hope all of our local businesses that can play a role in the success of CHERP-Redlands engage with the program as soon as possible.

The Chamber is on the road on foot, with a fun filled tasty way to treat yourself and your friends to the delectable delights of Redlands. Saturday June 22^nd, when than ten restaurants will offer gastronomic epicurean gourmand to guests as they stroll from one establishment to another in downtown sampling specialties, delighting in sophisticated tastes and nibbling signature dishes. Restaurants that have signed on to date include, The Renaissance Hall, The Old Spaghetti Factory, Romano’s Restaurant, Eureka Burger, The Corner Bakery, Sizzler, Oscars and Rok n Fondue. More Restaurants will be added to the line-up.

Guests will trade purchased tickets for a map and passport to each participating restaurant. Then off they go to taste and test until they can taste no more. At each restaurant they will have their prize passport signed making them eligible for a drawing at the end of the evening. The grand prize is aIpad donated by Whitefrog Design. Restaurants not located in downtown Redlands have partnered with host businesses allowing use of facility providing both with great exposure. Wildflowers Fiora De Campo and Paxton Wine Cellar, both on State Street, will serve as hosts.

“I’ve seen similar events in other communities.” said Daney Bachiu, Chamber President Elect. “It’s a great way to showcase our fabulous, get people out and on the streets downtown. Redlands has so much to offer, this seems like a great way to draw attention to our unique features.”

Tickets for the event are $35, chamber members, $45 for nonmembers. A limited number of tickets are available. To purchase tickets or to learn more about Redlands Chamber Cruisin’ Cuisine call 793-2546.

The last California grizzly bear was killed in 1953. California citizens can rest assured that they will not come face to face with a grizzly bear…that is unless you happen to be a business owner. California businesses both large and small, are facing a new predator, more hungry and ferocious than the grizzly. It is our State Legislature. With the American economy and California businesses especially, in a deep sleep (or dead) these past 2-3 years, the State Legislature has also been relatively quiet. Now there are the rumblings of some business activity and some of our predatory lawmakers have sniffed out a few coins in our pockets and are right at our heels. They are trying to figure out ways to wrestle those few coins away from business into their hands, because we all know they are much better at spending our money than we are! They have apparently forgotten that we business owners will need those coins next year when we have to pay for expensive health insurance.

OK, OK, let me take a break here to calm down and explain why I am ranting and raving. Our wonderfully well connected and informed, Redlands Chamber of Commerce, clued me in last week on what is coming up in the State Legislature. Our representatives are doing their best to try and circumvent the sacrosanct Prop 13. You know the Howard Jarvis property tax amendment that was soundly voted in by California citizens some years ago. I guess our representatives think that if they change the wording from property tax to parcel tax, we won’t figure it out.

My fellow business owners, one mad ranting Chamber of Commerce Queen is not going to change a thing, but small businesses in California are 3,320,977 strong, and if we ALL stand up and say enough, we WILL be heard. So when your Redlands Chamber of Commerce (and other chambers of commerce statewide) call on you to write a letter to your representative, or show up at a protest that is being covered by the media, or attend a city council meeting, you need to take the time and just do it. Things have gotten out of hand because we LET THEM get out of hand. No one is going to fight our battles for us, if we are not out there in the trenches no one will be…. End of Rant.

On the lighter side, having this strong an ally fighting for your business is well worth your chamber membership, that along with all the fun chamber events coming up. Don’t forget to cruise on down to the Redlands Chamber office to get your tickets to Cruisin’ Cuisine. So far we have these restaurants: Corner Bakery, Rok n Fondue, Eureka Burger, Renaissance Hall (catering), Sizzler, Oscars, The Spaghetti Factory and Ramano’s. So hurry and purchase your tickets, they are going fast.

Talk (or rant) to you again in June,