Upvalley braces for Bush visit today
By Doug Ernst
PUBLISHER
Helicopters, motorcades and road closures are expected Upvalley today during President Bush’s visit to Napa County.
According to various sources, likely Upvalley stops for the presidential visit include lunch at Harlan Estate Winery along the Oakville Grade, a landing at the Sutter Home Winery helipad on Main Street in St. Helena, and a reception at Frank Family Vineyards on Larkmead Lane.
Sutter Home’s Vera Trinchero Torres said several large helicopters landed at the Sutter Home facility on Main Street Wednesday. But she said she doesn’t know if they plan to land there again during the president’s visit.
A spike in business activity has been reported in St. Helena involving deliveries to the Harlan Winery and Frank Family Vineyards.
At Frank Family Vineyards on Larkmead Lane, a receptionist initially hung up on the St. Helena Star when the presidential visit was mentioned. In a followup phone call, another Frank Family Vineyards employee, Rachelle Logan, said she could not comment on the presidential visit.
“No one here can tell you anything about it,” she said.
Carrie Gallum of Jarvis Communications, which handles public relations for Frank Family Vineyards, also said she could not confirm or deny rumors about the presidential visit.
On Wednesday afternoon an automated call went out to 3,800 business owners and residents in Yountville and St. Helena warning of traffic delays and congestion from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday. Capt. John Robertson of the Napa County Sheriff’s Department said the congestion will affect Highway 29 and Silverado Trail from Yountville to St. Helena, and every crossroad in between.
During his last visit to Napa County in April 2006, Bush landed at the Angwin Airport, even though helicopters landed at RLS Middle School in the days leading up to the visit. At that time Pacific Union College officials said they only had four hours notice of Bush’s arrival.
If Bush is using the Angwin Airport again, he’s being just as secretive. A PUC spokesperson said Wednesday there’s been no word from the Secret Service about a return visit.
According to the White House official schedule, the president is scheduled to appear at a reception for the Republican National Committee at an undisclosed private residence in the valley.
Earlier in the day, the president will visit a wildfire-damaged area, White House spokesman Trey Bohn said in an e-mail Tuesday.
However, the location of the GOP reception in Napa County remained a mystery to the public Tuesday, with little more than drips and drabs of information coming from law enforcement sources.
The California Highway Patrol will escort the president’s entourage when he arrives in Napa Valley, CHP Lt. Mike Berger said Tuesday.
“We are part of a protective services detail. We will escort him from where he lands to the event and then back to site where he will take off,” Berger said.
While Berger did not disclose where the event would take place, he confirmed the event is a fundraiser for the GOP at a private residence.
Berger said the number of CHP officers and vehicles dispatched to escort President Bush has not yet been determined.
“We will be escorting the president and those who travel with him. We call it a package,” he said.
eurger said normally the entourage travels in sport utility vehicles. “But we don’t know. It could be limos,” he said. “And the Secret Service can very well change plans at the last minute. It’s all about providing top security for the president.”
Thursday’s GOP reception is 6:10 p.m.
Napa County Airport Manager Martin Pehl said he expects flight restrictions in Napa County beginning on Thursday afternoon and ending Thursday night. The Federal Aviation Agency has not issued details on the “temporary flight restrictions.”
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was scheduled to attend a fundraiser Wednesday night in Oakville for the campaign to pass Prop. 11, the measure to change the way legislative district boundaries are drawn in California, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.
The private event was at Swanson Vineyards, Schwarzenegger spokeswoman Julie Soderlund said.
It was unclear if Schwarzenegger will attend the National Republican Committee reception today.
(Contributing to this article were Jesse Duarte of the St. Helena Star and Kerana Todorov and Marsha Dorgan of the Napa Valley Register.)