Deal Allows Relocation Of Hanford Fertilizer Firm Making Way For Costco Development
The City of Hanford has penned a letter of intent with Helena Chemical to trade 25 acres, owned by the city in the Hanford Industrial Park,for the fertilizer company’s 18-acre site on East Lacey near the proposed new Costco shopping center. City Manager Derrel Pyle says the land swap assures the huge Costco retail project moves forward after the developer put the project on hold. The city council had previously allowed Helena to expand at their current site prompting a standoff with the Costco developer.
Instead, Pyle helped put together a “win win” for all parties, he says, with Helena getting a larger site to expand operations and the city ending up with property meant to be “regional commercial” in the new General Plan.
Pyle says to expand traffic flow near Lacey and Hwy 43 for the Costco project – road improvements will wipe out the Helena truck scale and office building and “you have to wonder whether it made sense for the city to rebuild these structures or work on a relocation.” Pyle estimated that the phased relocation could take 2 years allowing the big Costco deal, key to new city sales tax monies – to move forward. In addition the city will be able to market what will become valuable land adjacent the new development.
Navy Accelerates Strike Fighter Schedule – Adds 30% More Personnel
The US Navy has accelerated plans to bring in two more squadrons from the East Coast in preparation for basing F-35 fighter planes in NAS Lemoore with 100 F-35s arriving sooner – not in 2018 but by 2016. The increase in support staff would be about 30% higher than today.The basing of the F-35C fleet is estimated to require 751 new military and contractor personnel for mission support,” says congressman David Valadao.“With an estimated $35.5 million in annual payroll, this will inject much-needed economic stimulus into our suffering region.” Under the Navy’s new plane about two-thirds of the Navy’s strike fighter planes will be based here on the West Coast with one-third on the East Coast.
Kings EDC Lobbies City Of Lemoore To Return To Fold
Kings County Economic Development President John Lehn will address the Lemoore City Council this week in hopes of convincing the city to rejoin the countywide job development group. Lehn says the city has declined to renew their membership choosing concentrate on bringing in more retail developments instead of industry. ”It just make sense with their new freeway interchange that connects to the Lemoore Industrial Park that you might want help fill lots there. We believe industrial jobs will help attract more retail.”Lemoore is home to the county’s largest industry – Leprino Foods.
Hanford Listed as One Of Nation’s “Least Educated Cities”
The pursuit of higher education is more common in America today than in previous generations. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, roughly 41% of Americans aged 18 to 24 were enrolled in a two- or four-year degree-granting institution, far more than the 25.5% enrolled in 1967. As of last year, nearly 30% of all American adults 25 and older had attained at least a bachelor’s degree.
But nationwide some cities have yet to catch the trend including two in California says Yahoo News this week. Hanford is 5th Least Educated City in the US with that less than 13% of adults living in the Hanford metro area having attained at least a bachelor’s degree, way below the national rate of 29.6%. More than 21% of area residents earned incomes below the national poverty line last year, among the higher rates nationwide. Less than 4% of area adults had graduate degrees.