Category: Business

Cheese plant wants to be in hot water

Tulare: French-owned Lactalis cheese already has approval to build a 22MW PV power producing solar array on land next to Highway 99. Now the company has filed preliminary plans to build a second solar farm next to the other – this one a thermal solar facility that generates hot water for processing work at the big cheese plant on the south end of Tulare. The project would install about 4300 collectors connected by pipeline to the plant. Thermal Solar technology is being used in food processing and provides sustainable, low-to-medium temperature heat for critical operations like pasteurization, drying, cleaning, evaporation, and cooking. It utilizes solar collectors to generate hot water, steam, or hot air, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, cutting operational costs, and increasing energy efficiency in dairies, wineries, and processing plants. Lactalis has the largest solar thermal power plant in France that replaced natural gas.

Permit issued for for new $10m Mooney hotel

Visalia: Motorists traveling to Visalia from the south will soon encounter a new 4-story, 51,000sf hotel at 4626 S Mooney Boulevard. Permits have been issued by the City of Visalia to build the $10 million hotel called Woodspring Suites in the Aldi shopping center. The 200 unit nationwide chain has one of its extended stay hotels in Bakersfield.

Visalia new home permits continue strong in February

Visalia: New home builders were issued permits for 64 units in February compared to 53 in Feb 2025. Continuing an accelerated pace seen most of last year, January and February combined saw builders permit 114 units compared to 74 for the same time in 2025.

Regarding existing home sales, the picture is not as bright. The Tulare County Association of Realtors reports in the first week of March that the number of homes for sale in Tulare County is up 10% but home

Tribe plans biochar plant in former cotton gin

Tipton:The Tule River Economic Development Corp. is deploying a $14.7 million Environmental Protection Agency grant to build a biochar facility in Tipton allowing the tribe to generate renewable electricity and tap into carbon credit markets.

The plant- a former cotton gin site near Tipton, is expected to process up to 31,500 tons of woody biomass annually, producing about 4,500 tons of biochar and roughly 4,000 megawatt-hours of renewable power each year, according to TREDC estimates.

At current voluntary carbon market prices of about $150 per ton, each ton of biochar — representing roughly one ton of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere, depending on carbon content and application — could create an additional revenue stream alongside electricity sales and agricultural distribution.

Thomas E. Wilbur, chief executive officer of TREDC, said the project grew out of a federal Climate Pollution Reduction Grant the tribe pursued as environmental pressures intensified across the Central Valley.

The facility will use pyrolysis technology developed by ARTi, a five-unit system that heats biomass in low-oxygen chambers to convert it into biochar, a stable, carbon-rich material used to improve soil health and water retention. After an initial injection of natural gas, the system recycles its own heat, converting hydrogen and carbon monoxide into electricity.

Raw material is not expected to be a problem. TREDC plans to source material from both the Sierra Nevada and the surrounding agricultural corridor. Orchard trees reach the end of their productive life every 20 to 30 years, leaving behind large volumes of woody waste, Wilbur said.

“We’ve got piles and piles and piles of wood that can be used for biochar, and we’ve figured out a good way to make use of it,” Wilbur said.

Info from Tribal Business News

How about some good news for a change!

Information from the Golden State Salmon Association and the Pacific Fisheries Management Council forecasts a current adult salmon ocean population of 392,349 in 2026 — more than double last year’s ocean abundance estimate. The Klamath River forecast also jumped to 176,233, up from 82,672 in 2025.

For comparison, the upper Sacramento River saw a return of over 60,000 adult salmon to natural spawning areas in 2025 compared to just over 4,000 in 2024, a 15-fold increase. The number of jacks, or two-year-old sub-adult salmon, jumped almost threefold from around 5,500 in 2024 to about 14,500 in 2025. The number of returning jacks is key to forecasting the adult salmon population in the ocean now, which informs how many salmon fishery managers will allow to be caught this year.

Both some commercial and sport fishing are expected to be approved later this spring by the Pacific Fishery Management Council.

The Salmon Association put the good news down to wet years in 2023 and 2024.

“Heavy spring runoff in 2023 and 2024 moved through the Central Valley, raising river levels, reconnecting floodplains, and sending cold, turbid,oxygen-rich water downstream. For juvenile salmon migrating toward the ocean, those conditions made all the difference. Survival improved. Stronger year classes began to take shape.

That rebound wasn’t the result of chance or rhetoric. It was the predictable outcome of hydrology aligning with biology. When rivers carry enough cold water at the right time, salmon respond.

For salmon, water is not simply habitat. It is the difference between collapse and recovery.”

Young salmon were treated to several years of negative ( cool) PDO pattern, which is beneficial for survival of the fish in the ocean.

On the Klamath River fishermen say the removal of dams upstream has made a big difference in the increase of salmon returning to their home ground.In Oct 2024 free flow to over 400 miles of habitat in California and Oregon was restored with removal of four dams that also benefited tribal communities.

Caffeine competition

 Dutch Brothers have filed plans with the city to build a sixth double drive-through in Visalia, the second company store north of 198 and the first retail outlet to plan a location next to the new northside Costco warehouse. In their plan to be heard by city planners later this month, the publicly-traded company said they hope to open in the fourth quarter of this year. The new Costco is expected to open its second Visalia location in a matter of weeks.Dutch Bros is the first spot of 6 adjacent one-acre sites along Riggin in front of the new Costco that are expected to tenant up this year, prime spots considering this northern tier of Visalia is booming with new growth. Riggin has been recently widened to handle the expected flood of traffic.The coffee chain that attracts a youthful  clientele, has been a high flyer on Wall Street but more recently the company stock has declined. Dutch Brothers had a high of $73 a share last August, but as of this writing, its shares have dropped to $50 and are down 22% in the past year.In recent weeks, Dutch Brothers appear to be facing some new competition in Visalia with plans filed with the city to open a rival youth-oriented coffee chain, 7 Brew, near Dick’s Sporting Goods.Founded in Arkansas in 2017, 7 Brew coffee has grown from 14 locations in 2019 to more than 600 around the country. Now 7 Brew has filed preliminary plans with the City of Visalia to replace the former Cask & Cleaver building, a once popular sit-down restaurant on South Mooney Boulevard. The property is owned by developer Dave Paynter.7 Brew is expected to open more locations in Visalia.Coffee Trail Besides these coffee places the big player is ofcourse Starbucks with 10 locations in town. But there are a host of smaller caffeinated chains and locally owned java places numerous enough so the Visalia  Visitors Bureau Offers “Coffee Trial” if you care  to sample their brews. They include this alphabetical listing:  Bombshell Beans,Bread Savage,Caffeine Dose, Common Heart, Component Coffee, Connect Coffee,Farm Fresh Bowls, Jammin Java, Kuppa Joy, Maverick’s Coffee, Mission Coffee, Obscura Coffee,Sol Bol ACAI, The Corner Cafe, The Human Bean, and Watson’s Organic Market and Cafe.

The City of Lemoore plans to increase their Transient Occupancy Tax or bed tax rate to 12% from 8% if approved by voters in November. City Manager, Marissa Trejo says the funds will benefit the city’s general fund and little of the impact will be felt by local residents. The TOT applies to hotels, motels, and other lodging. A review of surrounding cities within approximately a 50-mile radius shows that Lemoore’s current rate is generally lower than many neighboring jurisdictions. Porterville, Selma, Kingsburg and Fresno are at 12% and Visalia and Tulare are 10%.

Meanwhile, Hanford is also planning to raise their bed tax rate to 12% from 8% if voters in June approve a measure on the ballot. If eventually approved, the increase is estimated to generate an additional $375,000 annually for the city’s General Fund, supporting services like public safety, parks, and infrastructure.

Tulare Basin reservoirs storage above average

All Tulare Basin reservoirs are ahead of average storage for this time of year with Pine Flat at 126% of average, Terminus at 191%,Success at 152% and Isabella 132%. Kaweah Conservation District watermaster Vic Hernandez says the Corps of Engineers has ordered a flood release from Terminus in the past few days as storage is much higher at this time of year. The release ensures caution in case of an early snow melt. Hernandez adds that the Corps was worried about the warm storm coming into California in the past few days and the evacuation was a precaution. The storm stayed north.“We should be back to normal storage in about a week.”He adds that the rain outlook for the next two weeks is looking dim. The Corps ordered a similar flood release at Lake Success.

The Visalia City Council is expected to approve a feasibility study that may result in a sales tax ballot measure on the November ballot. This week the city approved a $45,000 study with a consultant to look at public opinion regarding an increase in the local sales tax rate. Right now Visalia sales tax is 8.5%

If they decide to move forward, the city council is expected to say that the sales tax measure would not be for a specific purpose requiring a third majority but a general tax that only requires only a simple majority of voters to be enacted.

Among the arguments to expand funding are the need for enhanced recreational opportunities in town.

During the January 20, 2026 Council meeting, Council directed staff to return with funding options for total and phased approaches to the proposed aquatics facility project, including projected timelines.At that meeting the council heard they may need more than $30 million to build an aquatic center with a 50-meter pool with a large recreation pool.

The increase in sales tax rates in Visalia could be as little as 1/4 cent to a half cent, taking Visalia sales tax rate up to 9%.Plenty of California communities have rates in that range including Los Angeles (9.75%), Clovis at 8.98% and Porterville at 9.25%.Other area cities with simar rates include Coalinga, Fowler, Huron, Kerman, Kingsburg, and Parlier.

Advocates of a sales tax increase point out that approximately 40% of an increase in sales tax here will come from those visiting Visalia to shop, dine and stay- leveraging the strength of Visalia as a regional retail and tourist hub to benefit the quality of life in Visalia.

Reorganization in works

The future of the Tulare County Economic Development corporation is uncertain with the departure of their CEO and withdrawal by the City of Porterville as of October from the countywide organization.

Airica de Oliveira had been the CEO of the business recruitment nonprofit since 2022 and as operations manager since 2021.

The departure leaves the county and city supported organization with one staffer, says county administrator Mike Washam.”We are trying to help them out as they go through a transition”,says Washam, providing a place for the office to locate. The EDC had offices in Exeter but later moved to 309 Main St in Visalia.

Now the former chair of the organization and Visalia City Council member Brian Poochigian confirms that “we are working together to revamp the program and hire a consultant to help us set it up.”

Poochigian says the EDC no longer has the office space on Main Street but is working out of a county Resource Management space for now. Apparently the reorganization will need to be inplace before they go out to solicit for a new CEO for the top spot.

“The whole idea is for all of us to work together.”

The program is funded annually through city and county membership fees, as well as some private funding, but has faced a history of confidence questions by members. At one time that lack of confidence included Tulare County, but most recently it has been the City of Porterville that has decided to withdraw from the organization as of October 2025. The city decided to operate their own business development program based on conclusions that the EDC had not done enough to bring new business to Porterville.

Washam says the consensus at the County is that the Tulare County EDC deserves support because of the need for our “regional approach to economic development.” The county itself has its own economic development department that has been active developing leads and projects in Goshen, Pixley, Earlimart and Traver among other locations around the county.

Visalia has its own economic development department as well, the Visalia Economic Development Corporation that is active in the Visalia Industrial Park with recruitment and retention.Tulare has its own staff that works on recruitment and development projects as well.

Steering the board of the EDC is Tulare County Supervisor Amy Shuklian.

Storms promise big boost for lagging California snowpack

Below is the 5-day forecast as of Feb 15 before a big round of cold storms hit California

California’s snowpack this year is hurting with just 38% of average statewide as of today says California Water Watch, a state website.But later this week a series of cold storms promises to change all that as multiple waves hit the state and drop significant snowfall in the Sierra. 

We know the southern Sierra already is better off than the state average and one forecast suggests a Fresno area ski resort will be the beneficiary gaining nearly 8 feet of snow over the next five days.That is China Peak next to Huntington Lake. This forecast comes from Bryan Allegretto, forecaster with Tahoe Daily Snow report.

That is good news for skiers and snowboarders, but also for farmers who depend on snowmelt to irrigate their fields later this summer. 

Farmers are pleased that despite the snowpack drought, the state’s  reservoirs are in good shape at 119% of average. 

Right now the southern Sierra snowpack looks like this.

Amazon Pharmacy will expand Same-Day prescription delivery to nearly 4,500 U.S. cities and towns by the end of 2026 says the company.adding nearly 2,000 new communities over the course of the year

Expansion addresses pharmacy closures, staffing shortages, and transportation barriers around the country
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Amazon set a new Prime delivery speed record in 2025. Over 13 billion items arrived the same or next day around the world.

The expansion helps address growing medication access challenges. Pharmacy closures, staffing shortages, and transportation barriers are leaving millions of customers with fewer ways to get the medications they rely on. Amazon Pharmacy is filling that gap by bringing prescriptions directly to customers’ doors—often within hours.

Existing home sales drop 8.4% in January

Existing home sales in the US decreased by 8.4% in January, says the National Association of Realtors this week. Month over month and year over year – sales fell in all regions.” The decrease in sales is disappointing” pointing to below normal temperatures and precipitation above normal said an economist with the organization.

In the Western US there was a 7.9% decrease in sales.

Tulare County home sales down, inventory up

The Tulare County Association of Realtors reports that existing home sales in February so far are down 5.7% for the same week a year ago.

Meanwhile, the number of listings for sale has climbed 10.8%.

Faraday Future & Tesla each plan robot rollout

Two California car makers, one huge and one tiny, appear to be pivoting toward making robots at their California plants announced just in recent days. In Fremont, California in the Bay Area electric car maker Tesla announced they would produce robots at their only California plant targeting as many as 1 million units a year. The company announced that they would discontinue production of its Model X SUV and Model S full-size sedan made in Fremont However, a news release from the city of Fremont says Tesla will continue to make electric cars at the plant along with the new line there making Tesla’s Optimus robots.

“It’s time to basically bring the Model S and X programs to an end,” Elon Musk said. “We expect to wind down S and X production next quarter.” The company’s car business has been slumping and their earnings report suggests a “transition from a hardware-centric business to a physical AI company”.

The City of Fremont put out a news release January 28 that says” To be clear, Tesla is not ending vehicle production at its Fremont factory and reports suggesting otherwise are inaccurate. Tesla is sunsetting the Model S and Model X lines, which were produced exclusively in Fremont. However, the company will continue mass production of the refreshed Model 3 and Model Y in Fremont, in addition to the new Optimus robot and potential future vehicle programs. These vehicles represent the vast majority of the Fremont Factory’s manufacturing activity. Through production line improvements and operational efficiencies, Tesla expects to maintain current vehicle throughput at Fremont. As a result, Fremont will remain Tesla’s highest-output vehicle factory in North America.

Tesla is retooling a portion of the Fremont campus for Optimus robot production and they have stated that this retooling will not result in job losses, but that Fremont headcount may increase. Fremont was selected as Tesla’s Optimus hub due to the city’s proven ability to support large-scale, complex manufacturing operations, its highly skilled workforce, and a business-friendly and responsive city administration. The City of Fremont looks forward to supporting Tesla’s continued growth of both its physical footprint and employment base in Fremont for years to come.”

Faraday’s new future

Meanwhile, upstart electric car maker Faraday Future (FF) has announced they too will roll out their own new EAI robotics technology and begin selling the units at the upcoming February 4 & 5th auto show in Las Vegas. The company said they will display multiple embodied AI robots and also announce product pricing, sales and delivery timelines for the product expected to be made in Hanford California which is the company’s only manufacturing plant. FF said they will continue their plans to make the FX Super One lower price electric SUV in Hanford as well.

FF said its first FF EAI Robotics product completed U.S. regulatory certification and will begin sales in parallel with the launch; the Feb. 4 event is livestreamed at 3:30 PM PST and will include live product showcases, FX Super One sales/co-creation experiences, and partner recruitment

Earlier in January, Faraday Future announced they hope to reach positive cash flow after a decade of losses” within about three years with gross margins of around 20%”.

The company said FF’s “five-year cumulative production and sales target is 400,000–500,000 vehicles, primarily driven by FX Super One, the future FX 4 and planned models, aligned with its model introductions and production volumes.Alosd The Company also announced an EAI (Embodied AI) robotics strategy under its upgraded Global EAI Industry Bridge. This dual-track growth model could provide a new growth curve for FF.”

Super One roadmap

FF says “The first phase of delivery is expected to occur in Q2 of this year. It will primarily focus on deliveries to FX Par partners with a cap of 50 units. The second phase of delivery is expected to occur in Q3 of this year, delivering to industry leaders and B2B partners with a cap of 200 units. The third phase of delivery is expected to occur in Q4 of this year or Q1 of next year. This stage will initiate full-scale deliveries, marking the transition to FX’s broad market rollout in the U.S. From 2027 onwards, sales targets of Super One are anticipated to include both BEV and HEREV (hybrid extended range EV) models, driving its volume to about 4,900 units in 2027, 18,000 units in 2028, 38,000 units in 2029, and 55,000 units in 2030.Regulatory and compliance certifications for Super One are progressing smoothly and on schedule. Key component certifications have almost been completed, laying out a solid foundation for full vehicle certification by the third quarter of this year.”

As for their plunge into AI-inspired robot world “The goal is clear: to become a leading U.S. robotics company and one of the first U.S. companies to deliver humanoid robot products to the market. This dual-track growth model, driven by both EAI vehicles and EAI robotics, could define a new growth curve for Faraday Future. “

It seems clear FF and Tesla may compete for customers.

Cautionary notes

On a cautionary note the FF news release carries the warning that questions remain about” the Company’s ability to maintain its listing on Nasdaq; the availability of sufficient share capital to execute on its strategy, which the Company currently lacks.” The company stock is hovering just above the $1 a share – the legal low allowed by NASDAQ before they could lose their listing, needed to attract investors.The stock has dropped 25% in the past year.

A statement also advises more hurdles including the need to” enter into an engineering services agreement, which will be required for the Super One in the U.S.; the ability of B2B preorder companies to identify purchasers for the Super One; overall demand for the Super One; the ability to secure the necessary agreements to produce an FX 4 vehicle or any other planned future FX vehicles, none of which have been secured; the Company’s ability to secure an occupancy certificate for its Hanford facility; the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern and improve its liquidity and financial position; the Company’s ability to pay its outstanding obligations; the Company’s ability to remediate its material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting and the risks related to the restatement of previously issued consolidated financial statements; the Company’s ability to successfully compete in the robotics business against other companies that have substantially greater funding, experience and name recognition; the Company’s limited operating history and the significant barriers to growth it faces; the Company’s history of losses and expectation of continued losses.”

The company’s track record in Hanford is nothing to brag about. The firm launched in 2014 has produced only 16 cars in all those years.

Both Tesla and Faraday future promised the communities they set up manufacturing plants in plenty of jobs and Tesla has come through while Faraday Future has produced very few jobs in Hanford.

On a more hopeful note Faraday Future says the well-known investor group BlackRock increased its stake in FF, citing a Schedule 13G filing that showed holdings of about 9.5 million shares as of December 31, 2025, up from about 6.8 million shares as of September 30, 2025, an increase of about 40%.

Tesla robot hands out chips and soda