News Briefs

California State Parks to Add Wi-Fi

SBC Communications is installing high-speed Wi-Fi Internet access at 85 states parks in California. The system will enable park visitors with wireless-enabled laptop computers or personal digital assistants (PDAs) to access the Internet at speeds 50 to 100 times as fast as a dial-up connection.

Park visitors who are not regular customers of SBC Wi-Fi can buy 24-hour access for $7.95 or purchase a one-month membership, including access to SBC Wi-Fi service nationwide, for $19.95. SBC DSL customers will have free access to the system until April 15 and then can sign up for yearly access for $1.99 a month. San Elijo State Beach outside of San Diego is the first state park to receive Wi-Fi service. The system will be expanded to 84 other parks within six months.

Oregon Names New State Park

A new state park 31 miles west of Portland has been named the L.L. (Stub) Stewart Memorial State Park in honor of Stewart, a founding member of the Oregon State Parks Trust who was a leader in the timber industry and served on the Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission. Stewart died January 2.

The park covers 1,755 acres on the east side of Oregon Highway 47. Most of the area was formerly private forestland. The park will feature campgrounds, a 17-mile trail system and a day-use area. Major portions of the park are scheduled to open in 2007.

Monaco Coach Serves President

President Bush and other members of the First Family relaxed between events during Inauguration Week in Washington, D.C., in a $500,000 Monaco Signature motorhome designated as RV One.

The motorhome was equipped with collision avoidance radar, satellite communications, plasma TVs and four slideouts. Monaco, which is headquartered in Coburg, Oregon, also supplied a second motorhome, a Safari Cheetah, for use during Inauguration events by entertainers such as Patti LaBelle and the Temptations. Other manufacturers supplied about two dozen motorhomes for use by Vice President Cheney, other officials, staff members and entertainers.

Horror Stories Sought

Yara North America, which manufactures Odorlos, a product designed to prevent odors in RV holding tanks, is seeking stories from people who have had horrible or hilarious experiences dealing with holding tanks. The story contest will offer a first prize of $100 and a second prize of a year’s supply of Odorlos.

Stories may be sent to SerinaZavala@aol.com or to Editor, Research Knowledge, 12900 N. Image Canoe, Portland, OR 97217. Deadline is June 30.

Airstream Aids Cancer Screening

Thor Industries has supplied a 39-foot Airstream Land Yacht XL to the National Prostate Cancer Coalition for use in its campaign to screen men for prostate cancer. More than 10,000 men participated in the program last year.

The Airstream is specially equipped to help physicians undertake the screening procedure, which includes a blood test and physical examination. About 9 percent of the men screened test positive for prostate cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. For information about the Drive Against Prostate Cancer, contact the National Prostate Cancer Coalition at (888) 245-9455 or see www.pcacoalition.org

Thor Sets Sales Records

Thor Industries, the nation’s largest RV manufacturer, posted nearly $1.17 billion in sales in the six months ending January 31, with more than $1 billion coming from its RV companies, and $108 million from bus sales. Total sales were up 28 percent from the same period a year earlier.

The company reported that its RV sales in November, December and January totaled 11,107 units, a 13 percent gain. The backlog in RV orders amounts to $313 million, compared with $405 million a year ago. But last year’s backlog included $44 million in orders from Cruise America, which is placing its order later this year.