The famous duo of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans said farewell to us every week with their song, “Happy Trails to You”.  This song, written by Foy Willing and adapted by Dale Evans, has become the manner of saying farewell with all the best wishes by people all over the world.  It is symbolic of leaving and wishing others a happy journey.

Trails can lead us to new destinations, new adventures.  And even though sometimes saying goodbye can be sad, trails can provide exciting experiences and the opportunity to return again and again.

Texas boasts of 11 wine trails scattered all across the state.  These trails draw thousands of visitors each year to Texas wineries to sample Texas wines and food.  The trail members host festivals and special events while creating multiple-location routes for every visitor.  Most wine trails offer a one price package which includes discounts, special amenities, and even limousine service.  Let’s look at a few of the trails.

The Dallas Town and Country Wine Trail  www.dallastownandcountrywinetrail.com) is one of the largest wine trails in North Texas.  Winery members include:  Caudalie Crest, Collins Oaks Winery, Cross Roads Winery, Eden Hill Winery, Landon Winery, and Lone Star Wine Cellars.

The Cross Timbers Wine Trail (www.crosstimberswinetrail.com) encompasses about 26,000 square miles of North and Central Texas.  Member wineries offer Murder Mystery Trails each spring and fall and open trail events.  Winery members include:  Sunset Winery, Lost Oak Winery, Times Ten Cellars (Fort Worth), Lightcatcher Winery & Bistro, La Buena Vida Vineyards (Springtown), and Brushy Creek Vineyards.

The Dallas Wine Trail (www.dallaswinetrail.com) includes four wineries inside of the Dallas city limits:  Calais Winery, Fuqua Winery, Inwood Estates Vineyards, and Times Ten Cellars.  Their upcoming wine trail on April 13, 2013 offers advance tickets only with wine and food at all four stops

Fredericksburg, TX offers visitors a chance to enjoy 12 wineries on the Wine Road 290 Wine Trail (www.wineroad290.com).  The City of Fredericksburg has been featured in almost every travel magazine that exists because the area has become a must vacation destination.  The wineries in this trail capitalize on the popularity of the area to help promote their numerous events throughout the year.  This area, along with the Texas Hill Country, requires advance planning due to the huge crowds of visitors.  Don’t get caught without a hotel room!

Speaking of the Hill Country, the Texas Hill Country Wine Trail (www.texaswinetrail.com) has the largest membership of any Texas Wine Trail.  Thirty-two wineries located west of Austin and all along the roads going toward Fredericksburg have an extensive trail calendar.  A large number of bed and breakfast locations close to the wineries makes this wine trail very popular to locals and visitors year round.

The San Gabriel Wine Trail (www.sangabrielwinetrail.com) hosts two-day trails at the six wineries who are members.  Visitors can take their time at each winery, enjoy the local community, and take advantage of a great weekend trip.  The trail is located in and around Georgetown, Salado and Austin.  Member wineries include:  Georgetown Winery & Vineyard, Grape Creek Vineyards, Salado Creek Winery & Vineyard, Dancing Bee Winery, Rising Star Vineyards, and Lakeview Winery.

The Texas Bluebonnet Wine Trail (www.texasbluebonnetwinetrail.com) is located between Interstate 45 and Highway 290 and offer visitors wine, food, grape stomping, mystery dinners, and vineyard tours.  Member wineries include:  Bernhardt Winery, Cork This! Winery, Messina Hof Winery & Resort, Pleasant Hill Winery, Retreat Hill Winery & Vineyard, Retreat Hill Cellars, Saddlehorn Winery, Texas Star Winery, Windy Winery, and Peach Creek Winery.

The Way Out Wineries (www.wayoutwineries.org) is a group of 11 boutique wineries that are in the middle of Texas…south of the DFW Metroplex, north of the Texas Hill Country.  Their “road trips” provide special events for anyone traveling through the area.  Their website highlights key areas along the road to enhance the trip.

The Piney Woods Wine Trail (www.pineywoodswinetrail.com) has 17 member wineries that are scattered all around East and Southeast Texas.  Because the trail area is so large, the wineries have developed specific routes and stops that can be accomplished in one day.  The Northeast Wine Road is 88 miles and includes four wineries with dinner at the last stop.  The Central Wine Road is 31 miles and centered in Tyler.  The Southwest Wine Road (97 miles) and Northwest Wine Road (95 miles) offer suggestions for an overnight trip.

As Spring approaches, exploring the State of Texas and enjoying the fruits of Texas grape growers’ labor will definitely bring any visitor good times and happy trails.

The post “Happy Trails to You…The Wine Trails of Texas” appeared first on Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association.

Source: Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association

The Texas fall brings cooler weather and football games with people enjoying their favorite beverages served in red Solo cups.  Thanks to country singer Toby Keith we know the importance of the bond people have with their red Solo cups!

Fall in Texas for grape growers signals the end of harvest and 2012 will go into the record books as the largest and best quality grape harvest in the history of grape growing.  Our thoughts now turn to those wonderful Texas wines and selecting the best pairing for the wines and food we will serve throughout the upcoming holidays.

Wine and food are meant to be enjoyed together since they enhance each other.  Wine and food pairings are not rocket science.  The key is to pair wine and food to complement not to over-power and to ensure the host feels comfortable about the pairings they have selected.

First, let’s talk Turkey, the traditional Thanksgiving dinner.  In Texas we could roast, bake, fry, blacken, smoke, grill, or Cajun our turkey.  We can get very creative with our turkeys.

The basic rule to remember:  understand the components of the wine (alcohol, sweetness, acidity, and tannin) to complement or contrast the taste of the food (sweet, sour, bitter, and salty).

If you are preparing a traditional turkey, roasted, baked or broiled, with giblet gravy and cornbread stuffing, select a nice Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or a sparkling wine.  Dry white wines are a great selection for the traditional turkey dinner.  When adding a spicy component to the turkey, such as jalapeno cornbread dressing or blackened turkey, selecting a semi-dry white wine like a Chenin Blanc, Blanc du Bois, Riesling, or Gewurztraminer is a better choice.  And if you decide a mushroom sauce would work really well with and smoked turkey and a wild rice with mushrooms and bacon side dish, then dry red wines would be the best selection.  You can never go wrong with a nice Pinot Noir or Syrah.

What about dessert?  A wine that pairs well with the meal may not be the best for your dessert.  The same rules apply for desserts, cheeses, and fruits, typical after dinner selections.

• For milk chocolate foods – choose lighter, sweeter wines like a Riesling, Muscat Canelli or Chenin Blanc.
• For dark chocolate foods – choose a Port, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Malbec.
• With pumpkin and pecan pie – Cream Sherry, Tawny Port, or Late Harvest Riesling.
• With apple pie – Late Harvest Riesling or Muscat.
• With cheeses like Brie (young), Mozzarella, or Swiss – dry white wine.
• With cheeses like Aged Provolone, Ripe Brie, Smoked Gouda, Romano, or Gorgonzola – dry red wine.
• With cheeses like Blue, Roquefort, or Stilton – dessert wines.

All the advice in the world and the perfect pairings still come down to what do you and your guests enjoy drinking.  So while you may have all the rules to follow, everyone has their wine they love and they will usually bring a bottle along as a gift (suggestion to please serve this wine)!  Honestly, food and wine complement each other and enjoying both with family and friends can be the best time ever.

Out of the 250 plus wineries in Texas, visit your local winery and ask the winemaker what they suggest.  Yes, all the varietals mentioned are produced in Texas along with so many more that can enhance any great meal – Viognier, Roussanne, Tempranillo…So much great wine…so little time!  Enjoy the holidays!

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Source: Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association

2015 TWGGA Annual Conference and Trade Show

Registration for Attendees, Media, Students, and Educators is now available. To register, you can download the registration form at the link below, complete (it is a fill in pdf form) and send back by email or fax.

Attendee Registration – Members/Non Members

Media/Student/Educator Registration (must submit a verification letter from the media company representing or the educational institution attending full time/teaching).

To register online at the TWGGA Store, click on the link below.

Registration at the TWGGA Store

The Embassy Suites San Marcos encourages you to book your hotel rooms now. The hotel is getting close to full capacity. The TWGGA Conference rate is $149 per night for single/ double occupancy rooms and $159 per night for triple/quad occupancy rooms. Call 512-392-6450 for reservations. To take advantage of the early discount, all reservations must be confirmed before January 15, 2015. After that date the rates increase and rooms may not be available.

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Source: Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association

Toast the good life at Grapevine’s 23rd Annual Blessing of the Vines & New Vintage Wine and Gallery Trail. With tradition and flair, Grapevine celebrates new release wines, beautiful works of art and good times with friends.  The event begins at 10:00 a.m. with the Blessing of the Vines at Delaney Vineyards.  The Wine Trail begins at 11:00 a.m. featuring wines from 10 Grapevine wineries.
http://www.grapevinetexasusa.com/new-vintage/

It’s warming up and we are all ready for Spring!  Wildflowers, the warmth of the sun and of course, the Wine and Wildflower Trail!  Get out and take a trip to as many as 44 participating Texas Hill Country Wineries during this picturesque trail, April 10-26.
http://texaswinetrail.com/store/item/2015-wine-wildflower-trail

It’s Wildflower Season in Texas!  Join Way Out Wineries for our annual Wildflower Road Trip on April 10-12.  Enjoy the beautiful colors of the Texas wildflowers in your journey to and from 12 Texas wineries. Each winery will be serving up a choice of handcrafted wines paired perfectly with springtime pasta selection.  Guests will also recieve a WOW custom wildflower seed packet! Drink some wine and plant your garden…Texas style!
http://wayoutwineries.org/

The Granbury Wine Walk kicks off Friday, April 24, and again, Saturday, April 25, noon-8pm each day. Wine Walkers can enjoy live local music at clusters of booths, each cluster offering Texas flavors in wine from 21 Texas wineries, food and art.
http://granburywinewalk.com/

Come celebrate Texas wild flowers! The Texas Bluebonnet Wine & Cheese Trail is April 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and April 12 from noon to 5:00 p.m.  Guests can enjoy a select pairing of two wines and a specially crafted cheese appetizer at each of the seven wineries on the trail along with a commemorative Texas Bluebonnet Wine Trail wine glass.
http://www.texasbluebonnetwinetrail.com/

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Source: Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association

On March 10, the Texas wine and grape industry converged on the State Capitol for the 2015 Legislative Action Day.  Thirty Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association members made introductions and visits with their respective Representatives and Senators.  That evening Texas wineries, educational institutions, and the Texas Department of Agriculture participated in a Viticulture and Enology Educational Event and Wine Tasting hosted by Senator Jane Nelson and TWGGA.  Legislators and key staff members sampled Texas wine and learned about the Texas wine and grape industry.

During the event, Senator Craig Estes was presented with the 2014 Frank Madla Award given annually to an individual whose diligent and altruistic commitment furthers the Texas Wine and Grape Industry through the legislature and government agencies.

Left to right: Senator Craig Estes, Debbie Reynolds (TWGGA Executive Director), Gabe Parker (Homestead Winery), and Jennifer McInnis (Bending Branch Winery)

Wineries who donated and served their wine included:  Pleasant Hill Winery, Cross Timbers Winery, Hye Meadow Winery, William Chris Vineyards, The Winery at Willow Creek, Flat Creek Estate, Messina Hof Wine Cellars, Bending Branch Winery, Lost Oak Winery, Landon Winery, Los Pinos Ranch Vineyard, Homestead Winery, and Tara Vineyards & Winery.  Participants from Texas A&M University, AgriLife Extension and Research, and Texas Tech University included Dan Lineberger, Doug Steele, Jim Kamas, Dr. Justin Scheiner, Sheila McBride, Dr. David Appel, Albre Brown, and Maureen Qualia.  Texas Department of Agriculture participants included Commissioner Sid Miller, Assistant Commissioner Walt Roberts, Mary York, and Wendy Womack.

The post 2015 Legislative Action Day Press Release appeared first on Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association.

Source: Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association

Click here to view original web page at communityimpact.com

Amazon deliveries may be coming much faster for Hays County residents after San Marcos City Council’s July 21 meeting.

City Council unanimously voted to approve an incentive for Amazon to locate a fulfillment center on McCarty Lane in the city. In return, the company must employ at least 350 people at the center.

“We’re all excited about this possibility with Amazon’s interest in our community,” Mayor Daniel Guerrero said. “San Marcos is at this point the finalist.”

With the approval of the incentive by the city, the proposal will move back to Amazon for final approval. Adriana Cruz, president of the Greater San Marcos Partnership, said a final decision should be expected in late August.

Amazon plans to invest $60 million in improvements to the building on McCarty and add another $131 million of personal property, equipment, furniture and inventory to the building.

Under terms of the incentive, Amazon must employ at least 350 people at the center. In return, the city will refund to the company 85 percent of its ad valorem taxes on personal property and 40 percent of ad valorem taxes on real property for 10 years. The city will also rebate a sliding scale of sales taxes realized by the city from the project over the first 20 years of the project. Sales on online goods are not currently taxed by the entity from which those sales are generated.

If Amazon maintains at least 1,000 jobs during five of the first 10 years of the agreement, the company may opt to extend the term of the tax rebate agreement an additional five years. The company must then maintain 1,000 jobs throughout the extended period.

The company would be required to maintain annual payroll of at least $11.28 million under the 350-job model. In the event they hire 1,000 people they would be required to maintain payroll of $32.24 million. City Manager Jared Miller said the company plans to have about 60-70 managerial jobs under the 1,000-job model.

Lee Higgins, a tax incentive consultant working with Amazon through the negotiations with the city, said the incentives offered by the city will go toward making the company’s processes more efficient and improving delivery of products.

“You can do as well as you want to do,” Higgins said. “It’s based on your performance. If you really want to work hard you can move up quick. There is a lot of opportunity.”

The company also offers assistance for employees interested in pursuing higher education.

“The manner in which the [GSMP] staff, city staff and the county and the business community have come together to help prepare a very fast-paced process worked tremendously,” Guerrero said. “Whenever a community is pursuing and is being considered by a world-renowned entity like Amazon, it’s rare you see this type of cooperation and collaboration.”

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Source: Pedernales Electric Cooperative

Click here to view original web page at www.dailytrib.com

CONNIE SWINNEY• STAFF WRITER

MARBLE FALLS — Potential economic development has prompted the owners of a 21,000 square-foot building to demolish an unoccupied structure considered a landmark for 30 years in the eastern entryway of the city.

On July 23 and 24, crews tore down the structure built in 1986 as a school district facility. Through the years the property has served as vehicle maintenance shops and an auto salvage yard.

Owners Dr. Fakhruddin “Dean” Hasta and his wife Fatima live in California and are looking for either a buyer or someone to lease and develop the property.

“We are working in conjunction with the city of Marble Falls and the Economic Development Corporation and our (real estate agent),” Hasta said. “Apparently, there is some need for some development project.”

The demolition effort came about after the city of Marble Falls building inspector approached the owners Feb. 3 with concerns about code violations within the aging building.

“Unfortunately something had to be done with the building being old,” Hasta said.

Trey Berry, a Realtor with Coleman Team Realty has worked with the owners to prepare the property.

“It is a prime location right by our high school as well as Colt Elementary, and of course Faith Academy right down the road,” Berry said. “On that side of Highway 281 — about 10,000 vehicles is the estimated traffic and 7,000 of those stop at that (RR 1431) intersection (at Mustang Drive).”

With guidance from economic development officials, Berry has made initial contacts.

“I have already reached out to Stripes, Valero and Dunkin’ Donuts because it has come to my attention that those are three entities that would like to expand their reach to our area,” he said. “Whether you’re a small restaurant, yogurt place or anything like that, that’s a prime location.”

Berry plans a multi-media marketing strategy for the property.

“I’m going to be using a drone that we use to market our residential properties as well. It just gives you a neat marketing perspective,” he said.

To see drone images following the first day of demolition, click HERE

The images will also help preserve the past, Berry added.

“We are doing some aerial footage to watch the demolition process,” he said. “That will salvage some of that history. We can go back and see what it was before.”

Hasta hopes developers might consider something for the youth of the community.

“It seems like the traffic on 1431 is increasing,” he said. “Perhaps someone will think about building something like a (skating) rink or a bowling alley. Various ideas can be entertained.”

connie@thepicayune.com

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Source: Pedernales Electric Cooperative

Click here to view original web page at gov.texas.gov

Governor Greg Abbott today announced that LiveOps, the global leader in cloud contact center and customer service solutions, will relocate its corporate headquarters from Redwood City, California to Cedar Park, Texas. This relocation will result in the creation of 155 new jobs and $5 million in capital investment in the Lone Star State. A Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF) grant offer of $1.2 million was extended to LiveOps.

“Thanks to our low-tax, low-regulation environment that allows all businesses to thrive, the State of Texas has become the national leader for technology job creation, and we continue to attract tech companies from around the country and around the world,” Texas Governor Greg Abbott said. “On behalf of the State of Texas, I am pleased to welcome LiveOps to the Lone Star State as the company seeks to transform cloud-based customer service. With their help, the State of Texas can, and will, continue to lead the nation in job creation within the technology sector.”

“LiveOps is entering the next phase of its growth – one that depends on ready access to a rich and diverse talent pool,” said Vasili Triant, CEO of LiveOps. “Texas has become a respected international technology hub and maintains a vibrant community of technology talent in the Cedar Park area. We believe that this new location not only supports our organizational plans, but that it also affords our valued staff a family-oriented environment with a greatly reduced cost of living. We’re looking forward to making Texas our new corporate home.”

A new, 25,000 square foot facility for LiveOps will be built in Cedar Park, Texas. All of the company’s 80 Redwood City, Calif.-based employees have been offered positions at this new Texas location or another U.S. LiveOps office.

LiveOps is the global leader in cloud contact center and customer service solutions. More than 400 companies around the world, including ProFlowers, Ideal Living, Murad, Aegon, Salesforce.com, Symantec, Royal Mail Group and Amway New Zealand, trust LiveOps’ technology to enable effective multichannel, social and mobile interactions with their customers. LiveOps’ award-winning platform has processed more than 1 billion minutes of customer interactions and managed operations for the largest U.S.-based cloud contact center of 20,000 home-based, independent agents. With more than 14 years of cloud experience, LiveOps is the partner of choice for companies wanting to migrate to the cloud. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, LiveOps supports a wide range of industries, including financial, health care, insurance, retail and high tech. For more information visit http://www.LiveOps.com.

The Texas Legislature created the TEF in 2003 and reauthorized funding in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013 to help attract new companies to Texas and expand existing businesses to create more jobs throughout the State. TEF projects must be approved by the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the House. The fund has since become one of the state’s most competitive economic development tools.

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Source: Pedernales Electric Cooperative

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28 photos Rice University in Houston: No. 32 in nation, No. 1 in Texas

Forbes has released its ranking of the top U.S. colleges for 2015, with Pomona College in Claremont, California, ranked No. 1. The small private liberal arts college has 1,610 students and a total annual cost of $62,632 for students to attend. It has 47 majors and 600 classes.

The top college in Texas was Rice University in Houston, which ranked No. 32 in the nation. The University of Texas at Austin was the second-highest rated university in Texas at No. 82.

Southern Methodist University in Dallas was the top North Texas college, coming in at No. 108 in the nation and No. 4 in the state.

Click through our slideshow to see where other schools important to Texans ranked in the Forbes list.

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Source: Pedernales Electric Cooperative

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Hays and Travis counties are among the top counties in Texas receiving the most public and private investment, according to a report from personal finance website SmartAsset.

On a national, county-by-county level, SmartAsset tallied the change in the number of businesses over the past two years, GDP growth, new homebuilding activity, and municipal bond activity to rank the investment coming into every county in the nation.

Hays County ranked No. 7 in Texas. The county, just south of Austin, saw its number of businesses grow 8.2 percent in the past two years, and saw its GDP grow by $1.19 billion, also saw more than 24 new building permits filed per 1,000 homes, and carried average per capita municipal bonds of $1,430.

Travis County ranked No. 10 in Texas. Home to the city of Austin, Travis County saw its number of businesses grow by 5.9 percent in the past two years while its GDP increased by $10.4 billion. New home building was slower in Travis County, which only saw 10 new home building permits filed for every 1,000 homes already standing. But municipal bond activity is much greater in Travis County, with the county carrying $4,008 in municipal bonds per capita.

Fort Bend County and Harris County, both in the Houston area, were the No. 1 and No. 2 counties for investment in Texas, and were also the No. 5 and No. 6 counties in the nation, the report said.

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Source: Pedernales Electric Cooperative