-July 27,2022-
Former Drive-In Theater will be Derrel’s Mini Storage
The owner of Derrel’s Mini Storage is requesting the County to modify the previously approved Sequoia Drive-In Business Park Master Development Guidelines in order to accommodate the establishment of the first phase of large Derrel’s Mini-Storage within the footprint of the previously approved project. This modification would also add twenty acres of additional territory to accommodate the second phase of Derrel’s Mini-Storage. The area that is proposed to be added currently is planted to walnuts. The proposed site is located approximately one-quarter mile east of the City of Visalia.It is the long vacant Sequoia Auto Theatre that opened on July 28, 1950, with a capacity for 500 cars. It was operated by Westland Theaters as a second run drive-in.Derrell’s has some 62 locations in the Valley including four in Visalia.
Downtown Visalia bank will relocate
Fresno-based Central Valley Community Bank has made a public notice that they will relocate their Downtown Visalia location from 120 N Floral to 120 W Center – at Locust. The bank’s stock is traded on the NASDAQ and is near a 52-week low falling to $15.78 this week from $23 a share in April.Central Valley Community Bancorp acquired Visalia Community Bank on July 1, 2013. Visalia Community Bank has been at this location since its founding in 1977.
Valley Pure will relocate in Farmersville
Woodlake-based Valley Pure cannabis dispensary in Farmersville is applying for a Conditional Use Permit, Zone change, and General Plan Amendment to relocate their existing cannabis dispensary. The existing dispensary is located at 515 W. Noble Avenue and would be relocated to a site approximately 600 feet to the east. The proposed new site has an existing 4,800 square foot building (formerly a landscape (rock and groundcover) supply business that would be converted to a cannabis dispensary.
In addition to the dispensary, the project includes a public assembly area for up to 200 people and an overflow gravel parking lot with 68 spaces, immediately east of the existing building.
Kaweah Health’s Lifestyle stays healthy
Kaweah Health has adopted a red ink budget for this fiscal year. But one popular unit that is part of the district – the Lifestyle Center – has come out of the pandemic with a strong recovery despite new variant outbreaks and re-implemented indoor masking requirements. The FY 2022 contribution margin of $285,000 is higher than the FY 2019 pre-pandemic contribution margin of $154,000.
Membership continues to increase, trending upward each month of the fiscal year. Starting with just under 9,000 members in July 2021 and up to 9,400 members as of May 2022. Overall membership is up 2% over the prior year, says a report to the board this month.
Valley Farmer John hog ranch in jeopardy
Chinese-owned Smithfield Foods is closing its 1,800-employee hog-processing plant in Vernon, California in early 2023, saying that high costs made the plant uneconomical. Smithfield Foods announced it will end operations at its Farmer John pork processing plant in the LA area as the company retreats from California and the West to the Corn Belt. Smithfield said it would supply its customers in California with Farmer John and other brands and products from its facilities in the Midwest. The meat producer, which is headquartered in Virginia and owned by Hong Kong-based WH Group, is facing pressure to keep its prices in check at a time of high inflation and regulatory scrutiny.That includes stricter rules on hog comfort in California being challenged by the industry at the Supreme Court.
The impending closure of the California processor puts hog raising at the Kings County Corcoran hog ranch in jeopardy where it raises pigs for the Farmer John label – one the best selling pork product lines. A call to the ranch elicited a ‘no comment’ from staff.The former ‘CorcPork’ facility is located at 10990 Angiola Ave.
The Farmer John brand has a more than 90-year history selling pork products in California. But according to Smithfield, which has owned the brand since 2017, having the state as a manufacturing base has come at a substantial cost.
Tulare County sales fall but less than California average
California existing home sales dropped 21% in June from a year earlier, says California Association of Realtors.They dropped 8.4% from May as high interest rates hurt sales. In Kings County the median home price was $327,000 compared to $381,000 in May and $295,000 a year ago. Sales were down 22%. Tulare County saw a decline in sales of just 3.7% and the median climbing to $378,000 from $370,000 in May.
What the Hay?
Corn prices are down this summer but not hay – a key feed for diaries and horse ranches. Amid drought in the West, forage costs continue to climb says California Milk Producers. According to the Hoyt Report, premium quality alfalfa delivered to dairies in California’s Central Valley commanded an all- time high of $455 per ton last week, up from $282.50 a year ago.
The Depot Restaurant is for sale $3.25 m
Realtor Matt Graham is offering a “distinctly unique property available to acquire in downtown Visalia. What used to be Visalia’s original train station, built in 1916, the Depot Restaurant is newly on the market.”The price is $3.25 million. Currently owned by the Vartanian family, the landmark eatery on Oak St has been closed for several years due to Covid and staff shortages.They also own the shuttered Jack and Charlie’s across the street.
Pilot Travel Centers says it will build electric charging stations
July 14 (Reuters) – General Motors Co (GM.N) and travel operator Pilot said Thursday they will develop a national network of 2,000 electric vehicle charging stalls at travel centers to make it easier to recharge near highways.
The companies said the stations will be co-branded “Pilot Flying J” and “Ultium Charge 360”, powered by EVgo and open to all EV brands at up to 500 Pilot and Flying J travel centers.