Tulare’s Galaxy Theatre Wants To Sell Liquor
Would you like a cocktail with that popcorn? Tulare’s 10-screen Galaxy Theatre may soon offer the option to add a a tall brew as well as more upscale food at their multiplex if a request for a liquor license is granted. Following a trend in the industry by movie screen giant AMC – the 14 location Galaxy chain has opened its first theatre in Nevada with a bar that serves beer and wine. The idea is to attract more adults who want to make an extended evening of it when they come to the movies. Some theaters offer waiter service inside the theater as well.Chinese-owned AMC now serves booze at 45 of its 339 theatre locations around the country.
Just exactly what the plan is in Tulare is not yet clear as the representative from Galaxy has yet to return our call. The request has been posted at the theater. Just how they plan to separate the adult beverage crowd from the teens will need to be answered for skeptics.
Tulare city Planning Commission will hold public hearing for a conditional use permit for the liquor license October 28 at 7:30 PM.
September home sales in Tulare County declined year over year by 12.3% reflecting a statewide trend based on higher interest rates and economic uncertainty says the California Association of Realtors. The county is still one of the least expensive places to buy a home in the state with a median price of $163,500 – up from $137,060 a year earlier
New Montessori School In Visalia
Visalia educator Nina Clancy has for years run Greenhouse Montessori pre-school on Dans Lane to the delight of several generations of Visalia parents and kids including yours truly. Now they will offer a graduation option with the planned new Visalia Montessori School – grades 1 through 6. “We are welcoming first and second grade students for fall of 2014. Each year, one grade level will be added until the school reaches sixth grade” says the school’s website. The school will open in September 2014 and has applied for planning commission OK to build the complex at 3502 S Linwood near Caldwell. The hearing will be held October. 28.Greenhouse Montessori School first opened its doors in 1982 led by owner/directors Anne Hoffman and Nina Clancy.
New Visalia Warehouse Will Distribute Gas Co Wireless Meters For Tulare/Kings Counties
The Gas Company is installing some 6 million “advanced meters” at its southern California customer’s homes and businesses in the next few years. The smart meters are able to be read from the utility’s office rather than by a meter reader coming to your house. The rollout in Tulare and Kings counties is set to start next month and take about a year – to be supplied through a new 12,8000 sf warehouse just leased by Utility Partners of America at Shirk and Goshen – a building in the back of the former Stanley Bostich property that is otherwise still vacant.
The wireless meters are touted as a way that consumers can “better understand and manage gas use and costs” says SoCal Gas. They will also be a big labor saver for the company. The utility says the CPUC “approved a budget of $1.05 billion for the project from 2010 through 2017 to retrofit and replace an estimated six million natural gas meters with the wireless communications device. It is estimated that this upfront investment may yield operating and environmental benefits of more than $3.5 billion which will be passed on to customers over the life of the project.”
The bad news for hundreds of meter readers is they will no longer have a job.The good news for you – no more complaints about them leaving the gate open.
Franzia Winery in Tulare Plans To Increase Production
Livermore-based The Wine Group is the nation’s third largest wine producers with a plant on Mooney Bvd at the north edge of Tulare.The company produces wine brands such as Franzia, Cupcake Vineyards, Concannon, Big House, Almaden, FishEye and flipflop. It also produces Cupcake Vodka. Now the Tulare plant is seeking permission from the Air Board to increase its annual production from 650,000 gallons a year to 1.5 million gallons. Bottoms Up!
Earlimart To Get Grocery Store/Pharmacy
Plans for a new 18,000sf Hispanic-themed grocery store and pharmacy have been filed with Tulare County says county economic development staffer Mike Washam. El Toro Loco and Burg Pharmacy of Shafter are the co-applicants who want to construct the new store on Ave 56 next to Hwy 99. The building would be near the new White River Plaza development that features Auto Zone and Dollar General. The low income town does have 10 mini-markets now but no full service grocer.
Gasoline prices continue dropping for the fourth straight week in California, according to a AAA price survey Friday.The state average is $3.785 a gallon for regular – 3.3 cents lower than last week. Gas prices in Tulare are under $3.50 at several stations and at $3.39 at one place in Fresno according to Gas Buddy.