County Farm Jobs Fall In Latest EDD Report
March farm jobs fell by 2000 in the past month and by 400 year-over- year in Tulare County.The drop is not unusual for this month with the wind down of citrus picking. Meanwhile non-farm jobs grew in the County by 1500 year-over-year but fell by 400 in the past month. The County’s unemployment rate was 15.6% in March – up from 15.1% in February but down from 15.7% in March of 2013. Farm jobs spike up to about 40,000 in Spring but this years drought could cut those numbers.
Lindsay Fears Loosing Highway Frontage
City of Lindsay continues to negotiate with CalTrans over the state’s plan to straighten out the curve on Highway 65 as it turns toward Exeter/Tulare.”We stand to lose our highway commercial frontage from Tulare Ave to Hermosa” says Pam Kimball, city council member. That frontage includes several well established businesses including a gas station,Burger King,Country Waffles and a Super8 Motel. It does not include the SaveMart shopping center. ”We’re hopeful we can come up with a plan we can agree on” she says.
Mixed News On March Homes Sales
The good news: More new homes in Tulare County were sold, 59 in March 2014 compared to 39 in March 2013 and the median sales price of these homes is up 8.2% to $233,500. More good news: The median price of existing homes sold in county is up 20% compared to a year ago,from $137,560 to 165,380.Translation:the home you own is becoming more valuable. Now the bad news. The number of existing home sales are down 17% year-over-year and its taking longer to sell.Time on the market is now 40 days compared to 27 a year ago.
Religious Conventions Bring Visitors Here
The United Pentecostal Church, Western Division, kicks off its Youth Convention in Visalia April 22 through 26. Event organizers are anticipating nearly 2,000 in attendance for the five-day conference. In addition, the Great Western Fan Festival is coming back to Visalia May 1-3. This 3-day gospel concert series and celebration attracts over 1,200 attendees daily. The faithful attendees return year after year and are true patrons to the local economy says a city notice.
Porterville Closer To Buying 8 miles of RR Track
A TCAG report this month says the City of Porterville is about a month away from completing the purchase of 8 miles of rail track owned by Union Pacific connecting Strathmore, north of the city, to Teapot Dome Ave, south of town.
Two New Roundabouts
Two new Caltrans roundabouts are in the works in the county – one east of Tipton at 190 and Rd 152 and one in Woodlake where state highway th 245 and 216 come together- the entrance to town.
Rooftop Solar Boom
Tulare County permits for rooftop solar panels on homes are booming this year up about one-third over last years pace. Through April 9 contractors have permitted 326 solar projects on homes valued at $6.2 million compared to 233 through the same period in 2013.
Move Rapidly To Go Whitewater Rafting
Little rain means local Skiing is done early, no regatta this year at Huntington Lake and now this Spring’s whitewater rafting season will be gone in the next few weeks. So says Kaweah Whitewater Adventures owner Frank Root. “There are eight companies with permits to offer rafting on the Kaweah but we’re the only ones who will run this year” expects Root.”It’s more a hobby this year” because he lives there. The popular Kaweah River Page” website says peak flows will be this weekend with 3 to 4 more weeks of rafting depending on the temps. The rafting season on the Kings River will at least go into May. Boat recreation at Lake Kaweah will be impacted as well as the lake is estimated to receive just 90,000 acre/ft of river flow compared to 153,000 acre ft last year. Think low lake levels.