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Top-ranking officials with Billings-based Kampgrounds of America said at a Thursday night company picnic that the business is performing well, even through recent tough economic times.

Oscar Tang, chairman of the holding company that owns KOA, said the company was hit hard at

the beginning of the recession but made a quick recovery.

“We’ve done quite well in a very difficult economy,” he said. “It hit us hard in 2008 because of the price of gas, not only the price but how it rose to $4 a gallon so quickly. That was during the height of our season, in August and

September. But in 2009, when the economy was at its worst, we were strong.”

KOA runs nearly 500 franchise campsites in North America, including 26 it owns. It was founded in Billings in 1962 along the banks of the Yellowstone River.

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A national emphasis on staying closer to home while on vacation, affordability and improved facilities, amenities and features at the campgrounds has helped fuel two strong years for KOA, Tang said.

CEO Jim Rogers said a recent survey of campers at KOA sites showed that 58 percent had stayed at their own homes the night before coming to KOA. He also said camping

reservations for the coming months are up 13 percent.

“We’ve had to build more of a destination, activity-based campground,” he said. “It’s an affordable, experience-based vacation.”

Those improvements, he said, include putting on things like ice cream socials and barbecues for campers, adding on-site stores and creating more activities for them.

But it wasn’t all business for the KOA officials and employees Thursday. After more than a day of board and business meetings, the evening’s event was more social, with games, plenty of food and the chance to meet other people in the company.

Tang, who bought KOA in 1980, brought along about 20 family members. KOA employees and campers

wandered underneath several large tents at the back of the KOA on Garden Avenue in Billings.

“I look at this company, and it’s a wonderful franchise, wonderful people,” Tang said.

A special guest was also on hand. Steve Holcomb is the driver of the USA men’s four-man bobsled that won a gold medal in the Vancouver Olympics earlier

this year. KOA was an official sponsor of the team, and Holcomb came partially to say thank you for the support.“It’s been a great relationship (with KOA) so far,” Holcomb said. “The support there has been excellent.”

But he also got the chance to get back into one of his favorite pastimes — fishing. Before Thursday’s picnic, he fished the Yellowstone River near Columbus and hauled in seven fish, including a quartet of rainbow trout.

“I’m coming off a serious fishing drought, like over the last five years,” Holcomb said. He had been training for the Olympics for the past 12 years and spent the past five as the team’s driver.Article:http://billingsgazette.com

KOA's Jim Rogers and Steve Holcomb.

Jim Rogers

Campgrounds are encouraged to log on to our new facebook page to keep abreast of the happenings of our new consumer magazine- GetawayUSA. The magazine has reached out to 66 million public email addresses.

Travel trailers, fishing and fun — they all go together for the women in the Sisters on the Fly.

Started by a pair of true sisters in Montana in 1998, the ladies-only club now has 1,400 members nationwide. Two dozen of them are in Lewiston this weekend to open up their unique signature trailers from the 1950s and 60s to the public.

“The girls love them,” said Katie Quinn, 62, Sister No. 1033, who is hosting the campout on her four acres in Lewiston. “They are all like little doll houses we get to fix up the way we want them.”

Quinn, who is retired, said she read an article about

the club in 2008.“I was entranced by their little trailers,” she said. “They are just so cute.”

After an Internet search using the key words “women with trailers,” she found the online sign-up for the Sisters on the Fly. The club is for women who want to travel the country, fishing and camping out in trailers along the way.

Quinn now has three custom, vintage trailers to pick from when going to one of the club’s many events around the country each year.

“The three rules of the club are no men, no kids and no dogs,” Quinn said.

Sisters On the Fly members Ginger Martynowicz, left, of Bend Ore., Katie Quinn, of Lewiston, Anita Gunton, of Murrieta, Kris Brown, of Redding, and Carol Sacher, of Ventura have some laughs. Photo Greg Barnette

Four business owners -- Lynne, Jeremiah and Sean Lovelace with family friend Mike Porter -- decided to do something big.

So they opened River’s Edge RV & Cabins Resort, a large campground one mile north of I-25 near Hat Six Road, Casper Wyoming.

It features oversized spaces for ease of maneuvering campers and RVs. Seeing a need for a luxurious camping ground, the business owners bought the land from Rich Fairservis and Neil McMurry.

They chose a place near but not too close to the highway. Just as the name states, the park sits at the edge of the North Platte River.

It all looks and smells brand new, because the resort just opened the second week of July.

Inspired by Elkhorn Ridge RV Resort in South Dakota’s Spearfish canyon, the owners plan to grow into something similar, according to Lynne Lovelace.

The first page of the park’s guestbook is filled with names of travelers coming from coast to coast and in between as well as Aruba and Germany. Several have enjoyed

fishing and walking along the river, according to Porter. Some of the current guests will stay for several weeks to months while working on the wind farm or oil fields.

Most of the business so far comes from vacationers on their way to or from Yellowstone or Mt. Rushmore National Parks, Porter said.

“We’ve had a great partnership with the other RV parks in town,” Porter said. Several customers arrived because of referrals when the other parks are booked up.

The new park also has been listed in national travel magazines. They also have received great support from the community, including the Chamber of Commerce and CAEDA (Casper Area Economic Development Authority).

“We’ve had a very warm reception,” Porter said.

Managers Reggie and Larry Jordan take care of the day-to-day operations. The retired married couple love to travel all over the county in their RV. After slowing down to spend more time with and take care of family, they eagerly accepted the position.

They most enjoy meeting people and hearing their travel stories.

“We always wanted to be involved in an RV park so this was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up,” Reggie said. “We’re absolutely thrilled.”

What makes their park unique, Porter said, are the spacious areas. The 51 RV sites include 15 pull-through spaces. In those, campers don’t need to unhook additional vehicles to hook up a camper.

The campground features 250 trees, which eventually will provide shade and wind block as they grow.

The owners chose Astroturf to provide extra comfort and color year-round at each site, Porter noted.

Amenities include a pond,

playground, gym, satellite TV, books, board games, a pool table, outdoor games, laundry room, sewer, showers, bathrooms fire pits and free, high-speed wireless internet.

Pets are welcome and dogs can walk on leashes or run in the kennel area.

The owners tried to consider everything weary travelers may want or need for their stay, including coffee and ice cream at the lodge.

It all took a little longer than they hoped to open, but it’s all well in order, according to Porter. He believes all the hard work will pay off.

“We put everything we have into this,” Porter said. “We put out hearts and souls into it.”Article: www.casperjournal.com

Searsport Maine — Greasers met hippies at the Searsport Shores Oceanfront Campground 1950s & '60s weekend, a fundraising event for the Pine Tree Camp, held the weekend of July 30.

More than 500 participated in the weekend's events, which raised $2,225 for the Pine Tree Camp, located in Rome.

For 65 years Pine Tree Camp has provided a summer camp experience for Maine children and adults with disabilities. The weekend was the brainchild of Bob LaFontaine of Searsport, who heads up the coastal region of the Maine Snowmobile Association and in the past has participated in a winter fundraiser for the camp. LaFontaine said he thought, "why not bring a summer event with a lot of fun to raise money for the camp?"

The weekend kicked off Friday, July 30, with an afternoon vintage car show where campers and automobile enthusiasts enjoyed viewing more than 126 classic cars in the upper field at Searsport Shores. Along with music of the 1950s and '60s many folks in costume enjoyed drive-in food, including root beer

floats. There also was a Jell-O eating contest where kids went toe-to-toe with adults. Later people enjoyed a dance featuring a 1950s-style twist dance contest.

Saturday featured an entire day of activities, including a horseshoe tournament and a dunking booth where LaFontaine, ever the good sport, splashed down in icy water about 30 times. Also on Saturday afternoon there was a hula hoop practice and the second Jell-O eating contest. That night, the movie "American Graffiti" was projected on a big screen drive-in style for folks to enjoy while munching on fresh popcorn.

Sunday featured a blueberry pancake breakfast served on the beach. Later in the morning there was a hula hoop contest in which the winner was able to hula and walk on shore about 50 yards and then into Penobscot Bay. This was followed by a large game of Twister on an original game carpet created especially for the event. Perfect summer weather accompanied throughout.Plans are already under way for next year's fundraising '50s and '60s weekend scheduled for July 2011.http://waldo.villagesoup.com

Pine Tree Camp Director Harvey Chesley, second from right, accepts a check for $2,225 from Searsport Shores Oceanfront Campground owners Steve and Astrig Tanguay, left, and Bob LaFontaine, head of the coastal region of the Maine Snowmobile Association, who helped make the event possible. (photo Kim Lincoln)

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The very first Old Town Auburn Vintage Trailer Classic is set for September 25 and 26 in the Juror’s Parking lot across from the Placer County Courthouse in Auburn, CA, just off the Maple St. exit on I-80.

Sponsored by the Old Town Business Association and Carpe Vino, a wine shop and restaurant, more than 25 vintage trailers will be on display. Visitors will be invited to get an up-close look at trailer interiors.

A highlight of this free event will be an entry from Vince Martinico of Newcastle, the leading expert on vintage trailers in the United States. His coaches have been featured in books, movies and television shows. Trailers on display will range from completely

restored examples to those that are in rougher stages.

“California is a hotbed for RVing, and people really seem to have an appreciation and fascination for old trailers that evoke a different time and way of life,” said Gary Moffat, organizer of the event and owner of Carpe Vino in Old Town Auburn. “Vintage trailers from all over northern California will be on display, including a number of entries from enthusiasts who live in the Auburn area.”

Many of the coaches showcased will be classic Airstreams, the all-aluminum clad trailers with unique “bullet” styling, the iconic land yachts that launched a nomadic lifestyle on America’s burgeoning highway system. The brand was the brainchild of Wally Byam in

the mid-1930s, and the goal for this event is to include at least one example of an Airstream representing each decade from the 1940s to the present.

“We’re anticipating at least 25 vintage trailers representing a range of makers and sizes,” Moffat said. “We’ll have everything from a 13-foot Airstream Bambi to the giant rigs in excess of 30 feet.” All trailers will be open and available for viewing, giving visitors and glimpse of beautiful wood

interiors and period appointments.

Moffat, who owns a brightly polished 1972 Airstream Globe Trotter, said the event is seeking out more trailers, and anyone interested in displaying can contact him for more details at gary@carpevinoauburn.com. Though this will be a “dry camping” event with no hook-up services, participants are encouraged to stay overnight in the parking lot. On Saturday evening,

Carpe Vino will host a wine and appetizers event at the restaurant in Old Town for all trailer owners participating.

The Old Town Auburn Vintage Trailer Classic is intended not only to be a fun event, it is also designed to encourage locals and out-of-towners to visit the historic district. “The Old Town Business Association is always searching for new ideas to draw people into our shops and restaurants,” Moffat said. “With the long-time popularity and success of Cruise Nite Downtown, we

think there will significant crossover interest that will hopefully translate into good crowds.”

Moffat said the trailer show is just one of many attractions on a typical weekend: “This is a great opportunity for people to take the Saturday morning guided tour of Old Town, visit the Farmers’ Market, explore the shops and have lunch before the trailer show opens at 3 p.m.”

For more information and updates, visit www.vintagehighway.com.

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Montana Red Lodge real estate developer Jeanne Rizzotto, who had big plans for a luxury RV resort, has lost everything. Her home, her office and her development properties now belong to the banks.

Even her two pet chimpanzees, Connor and Kramer, are gone. Rizzotto sent them to a chimp sanctuary in Florida.

“The financial disaster has occurred that we worked so hard to avert,” said Rizzotto’s attorney, Robert L. Stephens of Billings, on Wednesday.

The banks took possession earlier this month of Rizzotto’s properties, Stephens said — “all of it.”

Rizzotto, who filed for bankruptcy in 2009, had a reorganization plan based on income being generated from leasing lots in a proposed luxury RV resort called Of Course RV Resort, Stephens said. The development was to be located on 190 acres south of Red Lodge and feature a nine-hole golf course.

Earlier this year, Rizzotto said she expected the development to generate about $10 million the first year through the sale of

99-year leases to affluent, semi-retired baby boomers.

Under the bankruptcy plan, Rizzotto had a deadline by which to pay the banks or lose her property, Stephens said.

Rizzotto negotiated a business agreement with resort operators in which she would have been general manager of the project and been guaranteed an income plus a percentage of the sales, Stephens said. The deal was worth about $5 million, he said. Stephens said the resort operators decided not to proceed with the deal.

The agreement with the banks hinged on the ability to get financing and a business purchase completed by a July 30 deadline, Stephens said.

“When that deal went south, there was no backup plan in place,” he said.

The bankruptcy reorganization is still pending, Stephens said, but the possession of the property by the banks make it impossible for Rizzotto to perform under the plan.

In March, Rizzotto owed about $369,000 to the Bank of Red Lodge and nearly $1.9 million to Beartooth Bank, along with other debts.Full Article: www.billingsgazette.com

Organizers of the 42nd Annual Pennsylvania RV & Camping Show, America’s largest RV show, are looking for this year’s Hershey Show to give the RV industry – RV parks and campgrounds, manufacturers and their suppliers included – the kick it needs to continue digging out of the forgettable recession of 2008-09.

The U.S. economy has not leaped back into good health as quick as many had hoped this year, but

the Hershey Show is coming along like gangbusters.Fifty-three manufacturers showing 900 RVs along with 120 vendors will be on hand for Industry Days, Sept. 13-14, and Public Days, Sept. 15-19, at Hersheypark Entertainment & Resorts Complex in Hershey, Pa. The show, sponsored by the 368-member Pennsylvania Recreation Vehicle & Camping Association (PRVCA), will cover 1.6 million square feet of display space.

CALARVC: Dan Wright, James Urquhart, and Debbie Sipe had the pleasure of meeting and listening to Bill Lane speak at the recent Conference on Tourism where he was awarded CalTIA’s Tourism Stewardship Award.

Following a brief illness, Bill Lane, 90, died on July 31st at Stanford Hospital lovingly surrounded by his family. He lived a spirited, active, and generous life to the very end.

The Lane Family owned Sunset Magazine for 62 years and Bill was Publisher Emeritus.

At the age of 90, he was a lively speaker and easily shared his passion for the

wonders of California. His contributions to California Tourism are innumerable.

Lane's magazine helped create and define the postwar Western lifestyle. He also was an environmentalist and philanthropist, and served for a time as a U.S. ambassador.

In an effort to revitalize the Jewish Community Center of the North Shore in Marblehead MA, the JCC Board has sold the organization's Middleton campground property for $3.65 million to developer LAR Properties.

The sale, which was announced on Aug. 20, is part of a new strategic and business plan developed by a special JCC task force.

The task force is working with a national consultant

who has revitalized many JCCs around the country.

“We’re thrilled to move forward and invest this capital in new strategies to make the JCC a sustainable, exciting place for people across the North Shore,” said JCC board president Lisa Nagel. “We want to be here for another 100 years, at least.”

The Jewish Community Center of the North Shore first opened in Lynn nearly 100 years ago and in 1972,

it moved to Marblehead, where it became a central gathering place for Jewish families.

The Middleton site that was recently sold had been home to the JCC’s Camp Simchah for more than 50 years.

This summer, the JCC launched “Simchah on the Hill” at its main campus off Atlantic Avenue.

“Simchah on the Hill has proven to be a wonderful camping experience, as we had hoped,” said JCC interim director Julie Newburg. “We delivered a diverse array of options for families to choose from and campers had an exceptional summer. Our

camp committee is already planning for Summer 2011.”

Some Middleton residents had urged the town to purchase the campgrounds, which covers about 88 acres, for recreational uses.

But lacking the funds, the site off Towne Road is now likely to be developed into 42 residential units.

In celebration of its centennial year, the JCC will kick off its Centennial Celebration on Oct. 3 with a party for the community.

Full Article: www.boston.com

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed a controversial bill that would have prohibited the sale and use of a number of holding tank chemicals containing six specific chemicals employed in holding tank deodorants utilized in waste facilities and toilets on boats and RVs, states a release generated on behalf of one of the bill’s key opponents, Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Thetford Corp.

“The decision was reached after considerable input from those who would have been most impacted throughout the industry,” the release states.

The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) had joined Thetford in opposing the bill, which would have banned formulas containing bronopol, dowicil, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, paraformaldehyde and paradichlorobenzene. And RV and marine supplier Dometic Corp., Elkhart,

Ind., a key competitor of Thetford’s, had also taken exception to the bill and had sought to have it amended to eliminate one chemical — bronopol.

Opponents felt that the State of California needed better science – more proof – that these chemicals are fouling up septic systems in the state.

Thetford contended that use patterns – the fact that many people often dump holding tanks in a short period of time – is a more serious root cause of septic system problems.

The bill, backed by the California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (CalARVC), was vetoed despite a relatively strong reception from the state’s law makers.

The governor's office issued the following statement after the veto:

This bill prohibits the sale and use of a specified list of chemicals in chemical

toilets and waste facilities of recreational vehicles.

Current law already gives the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) the ability to address the issue of chemical toilet products in recreational vehicles. Additionally, DTSC has the ability to address this issue through the Green Chemistry process.

This bill presents a scenario that is ripe for a Green Chemistry approach: competing science on each side of the issue; concern about the effectiveness of alternative products for the consumer’s intended use; consumer reaction in the wake of an ineffective alternative; and questions as to whether banning particular chemicals will actually address the underlying problem.

Neither I, nor members of the legislature, are best equipped to answer these questions. We need science and scientists to undertake this challenge and develop

a solution that addresses the chemical problem and provides the consumer with a product that is both economical and effective for its intended purpose.

Under the leadership of my Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Green Chemistry process is well underway at DTSC. We will have regulations adopted by Jan. 1, 2011, and DTSC should address the issue raised in this bill either under that process or under their existing authority.

Gov. Schwarzenegger

Sometimes I think about all the changes that have happened in my lifetime. The technical advances made in today’s world just amaze me. Would you believe that now there are apps on the Android Market that can be used to accept Credit Cards. I personally would hesitate to use it because I would be worried about PCI Compliance. I’d bet you have no idea what I’m referring to.

It seems like only a few short years ago when I thought that a man on the moon was something special. Little did I know what I would see in my lifetime. Now there are cell phones, personal computers, PDA’s etc.

When the electricity goes out we all find out how much we depend upon the technology. The kids today don’t know how to read a book, make up games using their imagination, or function without all the amenities we take for granted.

If you think about it, campgrounds have evolved also. Ten years ago who would have thought a campground would have need to have Wi-Fi, Satellite TV, televisions, DVD players, and cell phones ringing. Now many have water parks, miniature golf and boating. That would have been an amusement park just a few short years ago.

Many of us, including myself, take these changes for granted. However, every now and then, I take time to reflect how lucky I am to have been born when I was. My parents and grandparents were born into a society which we now consider to be almost primitive. The old gag about having to walk 2 miles to school, uphill in both directions, can still draw a chuckle, but there’s lots of truth in the struggles they endured just to survive.

We hear the stories of our men and women fighting overseas in oppressive heat while carrying 50 pounds of equipment on their backs and we applaud their courage and perseverance under harsh conditions. But our relatives who lived in the late 19th or early 20th century lived their lives enduring hardships which seem unimaginable to us in our present world.

The reason I am so bemused by all of it is that since I am in the credit card industry and campground income now averages 70% of all of their revenue, my realization that credit was not an issue in my grandfather’s time. As this summer season draws to an end and campgrounds in general have had a marvelous season, it is exciting to realize that MY industry played a major role in

making this a landmark season. The convenience of credit cards and, particularly, debit cards, has amplified the business of this and many other industries around the world.

The electronic age is upon us and with all of its drawbacks and confusion we are learning to live with it and utilize it.

My ancestors would look upon this time with great wonderment. What we take for granted, they would have marveled at.

Now we are starting to enter a virtual world. A world of virtual games like

the Wii and cell phones that are cameras and computers, all-in-one. Soon there will be coffee tables that are computers with touch screens which display photos and are a window to the internet.

This IS NOT the future this is NOW.

Deanne Bower is Vice-President of MCPS for Campgrounds and the Co-Producer of the Virtual Outdoor Hospitality Expo being held on the Internet on November 1-3 of this year. She can be contacted at rvcreditcards@yahoo.com.

By Deanne Bower

Star Trek: Producers not far off the mark?

ROME, Italy — “Exploit your holidays to discover your unique, magical Italy,” intones Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in a new TV ad encouraging Italians to vacation at home this year.

For those Italians still unsure of exactly why they should "discover" Italy — according to Berlusconi, a land not just of “sky, sun and sea but also of history, culture and art — the state has thrown in a sweetener: it will help pay for citizens' summer or winter breaks by granting “holiday vouchers.”

Berlusconi's government believes that tourism can be a strategic tool in Italy's economic recovery, but only if Italians spend money for vacations at home instead of abroad.

The coupons are available to all low-income families, especially those with many children, who wish to go to the seaside or mountains but can’t normally afford it. If the state has its way, visits to sunny beaches or historical cities will no longer be a privilege for the few, but a right of the many.

The new series of coupons can be used from Aug. 23 until July 3, 2011, though they’re restricted around the Christmas period. The Tourism Ministry has set up a

website through which citizens can apply for vouchers and book vacations, choosing from a wide range of offers and staying at hotels plugged into the government’s initiative.

Under the voucher scheme, the state grants a holiday bonus varying between 20 and 45 percent of a predefined budget, which depends upon the income level of the family and number of members.

For example, a family of four with a yearly income of up to 25,000 euros ($32,000) receives a coupon worth 1,240 euros ($1,585), of which the family pays just 682 euros ($872) — the rest (45 percent) is subsidized by the state.

If the same family earns more than 30,000 euros ($38,000) per year, then it is required to contribute 992 euros ($1,268) — in this case the state funds just 20 percent of the entire vacation.

The binding condition of vouchers is that they are used in travel agencies, hotels, restaurants, resorts, camping sites and the like that have signed up to the scheme and which now number more than 4,500.

Andrea Cardone, owner of a beach campground in

Liguria, hailed the initiative.“The vouchers brought me 15 additional clients this year, all families with children. It makes me earn something extra and the base of my guests widens.”

In August, bowing to pressure from industry, the Tourism Ministry extended the voucher system to foreigners who are residing and thus paying taxes in Italy.

“I personally told the minister [Michela Vittoria Brambilla] that it was a mistake to exclude foreigners at the start,” said Christian Seymons, a Frenchman who restyled a Renaissance country resort near Florence, The Hedgehogs’ Hamlet, and has so far hosted two coupon-families. “Now it’s quite late, summer’s almost over and it’s a real pity because 90 percent of my clients are foreigners and I

think they should have as well the opportunity to discover Italy.”

In introducing the scheme, Italy is following the example set by other European countries, including France, where the recent introduction of coupons has led to a 5-percent increase in demand for hotels and resorts.

Since the release of the first coupons in January, some 7,000 Italian families have taken advantage, generating a domestic tourism revenue of 5.5 million euros ($7 million), according to data from the ministry.

Editors Note:It is nice to read about some pro-active methods on boosting the tourism economy, even if it is overseas.

Near the northern tip of Sylvan Lake, away from the crowds of the town, the only development to be seen is a smattering of acreages and the tiny summer village of Sunbreaker Cove. Small groups of cattle graze on the green hills.

The landscape near the shores of Alberta's most popular lake may look pastoral now, but there are plans to build a 515-unit RV resort called Skyy Country, billed as affordable and featuring a nine-hole golf course, public outdoor water park and playgrounds.

Residents of the long-standing summer village a kilometre away are infuriated with the plan, saying the resort will lead to overcrowding of nearby

roads and the boat launch. The village is now appealing Lacombe County's approval of Skyy Country.

But Lance Dzaman, a spokesman for the resort, believes there's plenty of room around the lake for a well-managed RV resort, which sits adjacent to another site for a proposed development of 59 single-family homes and a private marina development.

"It opens up a little more recreation to a lot more Albertans," Dzaman said of Skyy Country.

"This is a 10-to 15-year plan here," said Dzaman. "It won't happen overnight." Full Article:www.calgaryherald.com

The "birthday card" on page 6 of last weeks edition of the e-News was the nicest and least expected greeting I ever received - but - did you

have to tell over 10,000 of your readers how old I was?Thanks anyway.Art Lieberman

PA- An Erie County Department of Health inspector was scheduled to visit the Greenfield Township campground to determine if it meets state health regulations. "I have been in full compliance since Thursday," Moon Meadows Owner Tom Peckham said. "I hope the Health Department agrees and that I can open up immediately."

Moon Meadows has been closed since Aug. 1, four days after Erie County Judge Shad Connelly sent Peckham to the Erie County Prison for failing to either close the Station Road campground or improve its sanitation system.

Peckham was released from prison after the campground closed. Since his release, Peckham has been working to reopen Moon Meadows.

"I changed the septic tank and the holding tanks," Peckham said. "I have cut the available spaces in half. I now have 19 cabins and 15 RV spaces."

Doug Range, director of environmental health for the Erie County Department of Health, confirmed that an inspector will visit Moon Meadows.

Asked if the campground could reopen if it passes the

inspection, Range referred the question to Erie County Assistant Solicitor George Joseph.

The problem is that 26 people were living permanently at Moon Meadows before it closed, Joseph said.

"The county Health Department might not be in a position to issue Moon Meadows a license to operate," Joseph said. "Because of the number of permanent residents, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection must approve the campground's community water source."

The DEP has jurisdiction on the water systems of facilities that host 25 or more people for at least 60 days a year, said DEP spokesman Tom Rathbun.

DEP officials visited Moon Meadows last week, Peckham said. He didn't know if the agency has approved the campground's water well.

Getting DEP approval doesn't matter anyway, Peckham said.

"We're not going to have permanent residents anymore," Peckham said.Article: www.goerie.com

State agriculture officials, fearing that campers bringing in their firewood from elsewhere could carry invasive insects and damage forests, want to limit firewood used to New Jersey wood only.

They also want wood from only a 50-mile radius of the campgrounds.Insect infestations do spread naturally, said Carl Schulze, director of the state Agriculture Department’s division of plant industry. “But by and large, it’s aided by (people who move) them a great distance and creates a whole lot of problems.

We’re trying not to get those hitchhikers riding along as you’re going on vacation and thinking about camping.”

Three of those hitchhiking species in particular worry agriculture officials. While two of those species — the Emerald ash borer and the Sirex woodwasp — aren’t yet in New Jersey, they are in neighboring New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware. The Emerald ash borer alone has already caused more than 100,000 square miles of damage in 12 states and Canada. The insects bore into and eat away at the trees.

The third species — the Southern pine beetle — is already in Cape May and Cumberland counties. The beetle not only kills pine trees, but carries a pine tree-killing fungus. That poses a particular threat to southern New Jersey’s extensive pine forests.

Officials with the New Jersey Campground Owners Association said there are about 25,000 campsites in 120 privately owned campgrounds and 17 state campgrounds.

Those campgrounds draw, on a typical summer weekend day, about 70,000 to 80,000 campers, they said. Camping accounts for about $1 billion of the state’s $36 billion annual tourism economy.

The association’s website shows there are at least 75 campgrounds in Atlantic, Cape May and Ocean counties. About half — 37 — are in Cape May County.

Association President Jay Otto said New Jersey campgrounds generate about $1 billion from campsite rentals and purchases made in the campgrounds for items such as food and canoe rentals. Otto said that

revenue, especially at campgrounds in the path of the Southern pine beetle, could be threatened by the invasive species.

“We’re very much in favor of it,” Otto said of the state’s initiative. While bundles of firewood can be bought at campgrounds for about $5 to $7, many campers opt to save money by bringing their own firewood from home.

While the problem is lessened if all the firewood they bring is burned relatively soon, the tradition of campers leaving some unused firewood behind for other campers can result in the insects spreading to surrounding forests.

“That’s something you just don’t want to do any more,” Schulze said.Full Article:www.pressofatlanticcity.com

College juniors Ross Albert and Johnathon Miles are the latest recipients of $2,500 scholarships from the RV Learning Center Scholarship Program, which is endowed through The Kindlund Family Foundation.

Miles is studying accounting and finance at Niagara University. He has worked in RV dealerships for five years and wants to help more families buy RVs. His sponsor is Colton RV, North Tonawanda, NY, where he currently works.

“Ross and Johnathon are excellent students. They are working hard in school to advance themselves and help build a better future for the RV Industry," said Newt Kindlund.

The RV Learning Center Scholarship Program recognizes deserving rising college sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Applicants are judged on academic achievement, extracurricular activities and honors, RV industry involvement, financial need, and a 500-word essay. The program has awarded more than $50,000 to 20 students since its inception in 2000.

The Kindlund family, which endowed the scholarship program with $270,000, remains active in the RV industry even after selling its corporation, Holiday RV Superstores, in 1999. Newt Kindlund serves on the board of directors of the RVDA Education Foundation.

The RVDA Education Foundation is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Contributions may be tax-deductible as charitable donations. Visit www.rvlearningcenter.com for more information.

September 14-15: NCA Great Escape,Danforth Bay Camping Resort, Freedom,New Hampshire. For more informationcontact Dianne Battles at 603-539-2069 orinfo@danforthbay.com

October 18-20: Virginia CampgroundAssociation, American Heritage RV Park,Williamsburg, Virginia. For more informationcontact David Gorin at 703-448-6863or tovca@aol.comOctober 19-20: Ohio Campground OwnersAssociation (OCOA) Fall Fun Day & POOT,Cherry Valley Lodge, Newark, Ohio. Formore information contact Kristy Smith at614-221-7748

November 4-7: 47th Annual CONYConference and Trade Show, Syracuse,New York. For more information contactDonald G. Bennett at 585-586-4360 orDon@nycampgrounds.com

December 1-3: InSites Convention andOutdoor Hospitality Expo, Rio All SuitesHotel & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada. Formore information visit www.arvc.orgDecember 6-8: PCOA Conference,Wyndam, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Formore information contact Beverly Gruber at610-767-5026 or info@pacamping.com

ELLSWORTH, Maine — The former owner of three campgrounds in Hancock County has filed a lawsuit against the Bangor law firm and the lawyers who represented her in the sale of those campgrounds in 2005, claiming $6.7 million in damages.

Attorneys for Patty Rae Stanley of Memphis, Tenn., who owned the Mt. Desert Narrows Camping Resort in Bar Harbor, Narrows Too Camping Resort in Trenton and Patten Pond Camping Resort in Ellsworth, filed the lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court against the Eaton Peabody law firm and its attorneys Dan McKay and Sarah Zmistowski.

The lawsuit seeks a jury trial on the civil claims of professional negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and unintentional misrepresentation against the firm and the attorneys.

According to court documents filed by Stanley's attorney, Michael J. Waxman of Portland, the suit stems from a land deal in which Stanley was approached by Equity Lifestyle Properties Inc., a publicly traded, Chicago-based company interested in purchasing her three

campground properties.

She hired Eaton Peabody to represent her in the deal, which was a complicated affair, and repeatedly told attorney Zmistowski that “she did not understand the deal herself and was relying on EP [Eaton Peabody] to protect her,” the suit states.

The suit claims that the Eaton Peabody attorneys did not adequately explain to Stanley the details of the real estate deal and, in fact, did not fully understand themselves the interaction between different provisions in the real estate transaction.

As a result, the suit states, because of the “negligent representation” by the Eaton Peabody attorneys, Stanley sold the property, valued at $13.5 million, for half that amount, from which she had to pay outstanding debts of about $4 million.

After taxes, the suit states, Stanley netted less than $2 million from the sale of her three properties.Full Article:http://www.bangordailynews.com/story/News/Former-campground-owner-sues-firm-lawyers,151678

CROWLEY, Texas – August 18, 2010 – Texas Advertising, provider of high quality guest directories and site maps for the RV park and campground industry, is pleased to be providing this marketing service for all Legacy RV Resorts www.LegacyRVResorts.com

Legacy RV Resorts includes 14 resort-style parks in 11 states across the country.

According to Legacy RV Resorts media manager Gary Ferguson, "I’ve worked with a variety of guest directory companies over the years and I find Texas Advertising very reliable and responsive to our needs and the publications are first class".

As an industry leader in marketing services, Texas Advertising offers the finest site map production in the country while maintaining outstanding customer service.

Products range from four-color four-page booklets to 20-page standard-sized directories and include professionally done wallboards for posting in the parks along with links to merchant websites.

“To be entrusted with a clients complete site map needs, stretching across a respected group of parks like Legacy RV Resorts is a privilege we do not take lightly.” said Brian Schaeffer, President of Texas Advertising.

“We look forward to providing the Legacy group of camp-resorts with the same top-notch service as the rest of our clients.”

Texas Advertising serves RV parks and campgrounds in California, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Wisconsin, Missouri, New Jersey, Colorado, Virginia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Utah and many provinces in Canada.

Brian Schaeffer

By Larry

The driest time of year usually means the greatest amount of watering. Except for those in the path of monsoon storms, tropical depressions and flooding thunderstorms in places like Iowa, this is the dry season. Here are a few suggestions.

1. Grass and shrubs can make do with being watered every three days or so. In order to get the water deep, use the two-interval method. If you water for 40 minutes every three days, water for 20 minutes, give it half an hour to soak in and then water for 20 more minutes: less runoff and deeper moisture to the roots. On blistering hot days spray the foliage and tree branches with cooling water for a few minutes in the evening. Water before dawn, not in the blazing sun. Use the type of grass and shrubs that demand the least amount of water for your climate.

2. Next year: feed grass lightly in the spring and

then more substantially just before the hot temperatures hit. Nutrition is what enables grass to survive heat.

3. Check for leaks of all sorts, whether in the lines or in the sprinkler heads and think about “smart” systems that do not go on when it is raining.

4. Use recycled water from your ponds or your water supplier. Consult your County Conservation Office to make sure you aren’t spraying out bacteria or nutrients that might do damage or introduce disease.

6. Replace grass and delicate shrubs with hearty groundcover that requires almost no water, as well as with decorative inorganic materials or ponds.

It is a safe assumption that the cost of water will rise and that the supply of water will dwindle. Plan accordingly.

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