Bush's Napa itinerary

By JILLIAN JONES
Register Staff Writer

White House officials announced Wednesday that President George W. Bush will spend about two hours in Napa County early Thursday night for a private fundraiser that so far has raised about $850,000 for the Republican National Committee.

According to the White House, the President will fly into Redding early Thursday afternoon on Air Force One. Earlier in the day he will attend a funeral in Washington, D.C., for former White House press secretary Tony Snow, who died of cancer Saturday.

In Redding, Bush is scheduled to receive a briefing and aerial tour of the California wildfires. He is also scheduled to make a statement on the fires and to present three young Eagle Scouts with the President’s Volunteer Service Award before departing for Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield.

The President will arrive at Travis Air Force Base late Thursday afternoon, then he will fly by helicopter to a location near Sutter Home Winery in St. Helena and travel by motorcade to a Republican National Committee fundraiser dinner, the White House said.

The fundraiser has raised about $850,000 so far for the Republican National Committee, according to a source involved with the event.

An estimated 112 guests will attend the fundraiser, the source said, equaling an average of more than $7,500 per person in donations.

President Bush has raised approximately $67 million for all Republican candidates and committees as of June 27, the source said.

Republican National Committee Spokesman Bill Riggs said, “President Bush has been a great fundraiser and the RNC is fortunate for his time and appreciative of all his efforts to raise the resources to ensure victory in November.”

The location of the fundraiser is undisclosed, but White House officials have said the event will be at a private residence in Napa County.

On Wednesday afternoon an automated call went out to business owners and residents in Yountville and St. Helena warning of traffic delays and congestion Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m., according to the St. Helena Star.

Napa County Sheriff’s Capt. John Robertson of the Napa County Sheriff’s Department said congestion will affect Highway 29 and Silverado Trail from Yountville to St. Helena, and every crossroad in-between.

A temporary no-fly zone affecting Napa County Airport and Parrett Field in Angwin will be in effect from 4:45 to 7:50 p.m.

Sutter Home Winery’s Vera Trinchero Torres said several large helicopters landed at the Sutter Home facility on Main Street in St. Helena Wednesday.

Representatives from Frank Family Vineyards on Larkmead Lane and Harlan Estate along the Oakville Grade said they could neither confirm nor deny rumors of a visit from the president.

During his last visit to Napa County in 2006, Bush landed at the Angwin Airport and stayed at Meadowood Resort in St. Helena, though helicopters landed at St. Helena’s Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School in the days leading up to the visit. At that time, Pacific Union College officials in Angwin said they only had four hours notice of Bush’s arrival.

A PUC spokesperson said Wednesday there has been no indication from the Secret Service Bush will make a return visit to Angwin.

According to White House officials, Bush will return to Travis Air Force Base after the fundraiser dinner Thursday night, where he will depart on Air Force One for Tucson, Ariz.

An itinerary from the White House does not list any public appearance by the President in Napa County.

Meanwhile, President Bush’s expected arrival is sending local anti-war activists into high gear. Joanne Gifford, chairwoman of United Napans Concerned Over the Iraq Lunacy, said the group is organizing an open protest Thursday to raise awareness about the war in the Middle East.

Beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday, UNCOIL members will wield signs at the intersections of highways 29 and 121, she said, including a display of crosses in memory of those who died in Iraq.

After the initial gathering, the group plans to caravan to Larkmead Lane in the event that the fundraiser is held at Frank Family Vineyards.

(Register staff writer Natalie Hoffman and St. Helena Star Publisher Doug Ernst contributed to this report.)

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