Around Tulare County – New RiteAid / Will Chickens Have Their Day in Visalia?

Smith Travel reports that hotel occupancy in the Visalia/Tulare/ Porterville metro area climbed 17% in March compared to March 2014. Occupancy increased to 59.9% from 51.1%. Rooms Sold were also up 17% on a year-to-date basis showing the trend is bullish for tourism here.

Suncrest Bank Raises $13.5 Million

Visalia-based Suncrest Bank announced they had raised $13.5 million in a private placement helping to achieve capital requirements and grow the bank.

Kaweah Delta Medical Center has earned an “A,” the top grade for patient safety in the latest nationally recognized Hospital Safety Score. The score rates how well hospitals protect patients from accidents, errors, injuries and infections.
Meanwhile in the same ranking Tulare Regional Medical Center earned a ‘D’ grade as did Hanford Medical Center. Porterville’s Sierra Vista got a ‘C’ grade. All three had the same grade last year.
About 40% of California hospitals received a ‘C’ grade or lower. Kaweah Delta improved to an ‘A’ from a ‘B’ last year.


Noble Ave Walmart Moves Closer To GroceriesWill the Noble Ave Walmart ever get chance to expand to sell groceries? The project has been delayed for years due to opposition  by a competitor who have challenged them in court. Twice the city has had to go back to the drawing board to redo an EIR. Now Visalia’s Planning Department is working with Walmart to bring a revised cumulative air impact study back for Council consideration after a court required a new  subsection study in their environmental impact report. City attorney Alex Peltzer says ” You should see something on open session agendas in the next few weeks.”

Marriott Investing in Downtown HotelVisalia City Council members are excited the new owners of the Marriott will refurbish the 200 room landmark to the tune of around $5 million keeping the status of the Visalia Marriott as top tier in their chain.The new owners “The Welcome Group made a commitment to upgrade the hotel and work with us to bring in more visitors to the convention center” says Mayor Steve Nelsen. The city is putting in around $5 million to upgrade the convention center.

Blaze Pizza Promises 3 Minute Pizza

Fast growing Blaze Pizza will open a pizza restaurant at 1403 Hillman in Tulare in coming months. The California originated pizza chain promise classic pizza in 180 seconds (think blazing fast) after an assembly line process where you order toppings similar to what Chipolte does. The fast-casual eatery is franchised with plans for 500 locations by 2020.

Drones Could Help Build Ag Solar Farms

Visalia-based CalCom Solar is constructing some big solar farms for customers in the Pixley area. Now the company wants to get into unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to scout for sites, watch construction and inspect the modules even after the project is built. The company hopes proposed FAA rules,not yet final, would not be too restrictive to use. The rule would limit flights to under 500 feet in altitude.

Animal Farm Coming To Visalia?

City council member Warren Gubler says he has never got more calls from average Visalians on any issue than when a group started to promote chickens in residential areas a few weeks ago. ”I don’t see any reason why we should not welcome this ” he says, and the council told staff to redo a city ordinance that would allow a limited number of chickens per house and bring it back for final council approval.
“Maybe it’s the ‘grow local’ food movement or something” says Gubler.
Then this past week another group who wants to keep dwarf goats came to the council meeting and now the council will consider a rule change here too.
But what’s next? “It’s a slippery slope when you want chickens,goats and pot belly pigs ” quips council member Greg Collins.