Moving&shaking

RV deal hydroplanes out of town

With documents signed and the purchase of the Fleetwood recreational vehicle-manufacturing plant well on its way, Indiana-based R-Vision has apparently pulled out of the deal.

It would have meant more than 100 jobs, many of them perhaps going to those laid off when Fleetwood left town.

Don Smail and Bob Linscheid, local economic-development experts, had been playing matchmaker for months.

“It’s extremely disappointing,” said Chico City Manager Tom Lando. “We thought we had a perfect match for a building that is going to be tough to fill.”

While R-Vision representatives did not return calls for comment, Fleetwood executives were quick to say the deal’s falling through was not their fault.

Kathy Munson, Fleetwood’s director of investor relations, said in a telephone interview from Riverside that they don’t know what went wrong. “We just sent some paperwork up to them regarding lease negotiations,” she said, and when they didn’t hear back, Fleetwood followed up and found the deal was off.

She said it was disappointing to company leaders, not just because they want to sell the building and had put money into repairs there, but also because Fleetwood cares about Chico workers.

Chico-Paradise: Scrapbook Mecca

If you haven’t started scrapbooking—compiling your family’s photos creatively in decorative albums—now is the time to start. Chico’s second store full of scrapbooking supplies opened on Dec. 12.

Scrapbook Avenue is located next to Bidwell Perk on First Avenue. Sherrill Danks owns the store with her sister, Carrie Parker. In 1999, before scrapbooking became a $1.4 billion industry, Danks—whose background was in technology—opened a shop in San Jose. She decided to come to Chico after hearing about the town from a former employee who was going to college here.

Danks expects her customers will range from children to seniors—even men. There will be monthly story times, a large area to work on albums and use supplies, classes and various money-saving “clubs.” Go to www.scrapbookave.com to learn more.

And the world is now small enough that I have a conflict of interest: Allow me to disclose that I crop and teach classes at Magic Moments and Keepsakes, the awesome scrapbook store in the Almond Orchard Shopping Center.

Another new addition to the scrapbooking scene is Amy’s Scrapbook Boutique, at 5657 Clark Road, Unit 6, in Paradise. Amy Boese has a variety of papers, stickers and other supplies in her little shop, where Thursday means free “crop night.”

“It’s a place where people can come and relax and be themselves,” said Boese, who has been open since Oct. 1 and already has a loyal following on the Ridge.

Quilts for comfort

Local quilters have been hard at work stitching up bits of comfort for victims of domestic violence.

Members of Annie’s Star Quilt Guild were set to deliver the quilts to Catalyst Domestic Violence Services on Dec. 19, making this the 15th year the group has done so. In honor of that, a permanent display of quilts will up at Catalyst’s Chico Business Office at 2889 Cohasset Road, Suite 1.

Anastacia Snyder, who is a quilter herself, said the organization appreciates the donation, especially since women and children often come to the shelter with little to call their own.