At first blush, Napa moms Vanessa LeVan and Dana Rivera seem to be onto something with their new business.

Fifteen years ago, a partnership between two average Joe’s created what has since become one of Napa’s best known hangouts, Downtown Joe’s.

On Jan. 13, the Register met with four local real estate professionals to discuss the current market. Topics ranged from Federal Housing Authority loans for first-time buyers to advice for prospective borrowers.

There’s one question that local businessman Myles Davis has an easy answer for.

During tough economic times, we all need to tighten our belts and small businesses are certainly no exception. Business owners are wise to watch their bottom line, ensure that their operating costs are under control and curtail needless spending. This might be called “working lean and mean.” However it is critical to keep a customer-centric approach. So, let’s call it working lean and smart.

When the rates we pay for waste and recycling services increase this July because scrap prices have plummeted, don’t bother asking what that has to do with the price of tea in China. The answer is: everything.

Dear Len & Rosie, My mother is very young, only 60 years old, but she has a degenerative brain disorder that has caused early dementia.