Category: Business

-May 19,2022-

U.S. fisheries held steady in 2021, with more than 90 percent of stocks not subject to overfishing and 80 percent not overfished.

This week, NOAA Fisheries released two flagship reports—the 2021 Status of Stocks report and the 2020 Fisheries of the United States report.

“These reports help capture our shared and continued commitment to sustainable fisheries management in the U.S. as we continue to make progress in rebuilding and ending overfishing on stocks and work to increase the economic impact of our fisheries,” said Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries and NOAA’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, Janet Coit. “They also reflect the responsibility we have to understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change on our coastal and marine resources, all while trying to build healthier and more resilient ecosystems.”

Status of U.S. Fisheries

Fisherman offloading catch at dock. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Our annual Status of Stocks report highlights our collective efforts to rebuild and recover U.S. fisheries by providing a snapshot of the more than 460 stocks we manage. This year’s report shows continued progress in science and management for U.S. fisheries. A few highlights from the report:

•In 2021, U.S. fisheries held steady with more than 90 percent of stocks not subject to overfishing, and 80 percent not overfished

•The number of stocks on the overfishing list also held steady at 26, and the number of overfished stocks slightly increased to 51, up from 49

Fisheries of the United States

Our annual Fisheries of the U.S. report focuses on the economic impacts of fisheries. This year’s report presents information using an exciting new digital format which helps engage readers in different ways—from those who favor graphics to those who want raw data. A few highlights from the report:

•U.S. commercial fishermen landed 8.4 billion pounds valued at $4.7 billion, while recreational anglers caught an estimated 1 billion fish and released 65 percent of those caught

•Landings for fish in the U.S. were down 10 percent, likely due to the impacts of the pandemic

•Top ports for volume and value in 2020 were Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and New Bedford, Massachusetts, respectively

“The numbers presented in these reports highlight the work that our agency, the eight regional fishery management councils, and our stakeholders accomplished together to answer the challenge of COVID-19 while ensuring the sustainability and economic stability of our nation’s fisheries,” said Coit.

-May 7,2022-

The California High Speed Rail Authority Board said they would pay for preliminary designs for 4 Valley train stations including Fresno and the Kings/Tulare station in Hanford. The design shown above is an artist’s conception with parking, bus connections and an elevated passenger waiting area. All the designs have a fan canopy structure to shelter passengers from wind and sun. HSR has moved the location of the elevated station north of the Cross Valley Rail Line as well as north of 198.In the future, passengers connecting to Visalia might use this ground-level Cross Valley line.

The HSR station would be accessed east of Highway 43 at the Lacey roundabout. As of this month, the California High-Speed Rail Authority has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to procure Design Services for the Central Valley Stations.

 Emissions from cattle burps seen from space

Cattle burps from a Kern County feedlot have generated plumes of a powerful greenhouse gas that have been detected by satellites for the first time according to a company.

Methane emissions from the Bear 5 feedlot near I-5 ranged from 443 kilograms (977 pounds) to 668 kilograms per hour on Feb. 2, according to GHGSat Inc., which owns high-resolution satellites. If those emissions are sustained for a year, the cattle would release 5,116 tons of gas, enough to power 15,402 homes, the Montreal-based company said in a statement.

City of Coalinga to take PG&E street lights in town

A public hearing will be held before the City of Coalinga City Council to consider adopting a Resolution of Necessity to acquire streetlight facilities owned by Pacific Gas and Electric by eminent domain. The streetlight facilities provide lighting to public streets within the public right-of-way. This acquisition will establish various benefits for the community, claim the city, “including lower rates, cost savings, expedited maintenance, and authority over the lighting design, which are all for the public good.” The public hearing is set for May 19th at 6:00 PM.

Kings & Tulare labor force and jobs climb

The number of workers that have re-joined the labor force in Kings and Tulare counties has climbed this year along with the number of jobs with the easing of the pandemic.

In Kings County the labor force now numbers 56,600, up 1300 from March 2021.The jobless rate over that time has dropped to 7.5% this March compared to 11.7% in March 2021. The number of people out of work has gone from 6500 in March 2021 to just 4300. Despite the drought, farm jobs are actually up by 8.5% from a year earlier. Non-farm jobs are up by 2000 or 5.4%.

In Tulare County the labor force climbed 5300 year over year. Jobs are up by 15,000 including 2000 more warehouse jobs with big logistic firms that have landed in Visalia. The number of jobless has declined 8000 year over year. Meanwhile, farm jobs are 1000 higher than a year ago

Welcome April rain

April showers in the second half of the month are boosting water supply, snowpack and spirits. Snow Lab reports Sierra snowpack is up to 31% of average to date from 22% a week ago after a series of welcome storms. Central Sierra (34% vs 26%) snow water equivalent up to 9.7” from 7.5”.Widespread precipitation for the Central Valley is forecasted by NWS-Hanford on Thursday into Friday. Precipitation is expected to begin around Yosemite NP early Thursday morning and gradually spread south through the day. Forecast rainfall amounts range from one quarter of an inch along the west side and south end of the San Joaquin Valley to three quarters of an inch along the east side of the valley north of Kern County. Rain amounts in the Sierra foothills are expected to be from three quarters of an inch to one and one half of an inch. Lodgepole in the Sierra could get 12 inches of snow.

Inland Port plan could bring added trade to Central Valley

Visalia has joined efforts to build an “Inland Port” in the Valley – perhaps up to three in the center of the state. Fresno has a leg up on the competition for a site with access to both freight rail giants,UP and BNSF. But Visalia is now a key logistics center adjacent to the main UP line.

Supported by the state, the plan is to develop a new, inter-modal rail spine to connect seaports to key markets via the Central Valley. This California “Inland Port” system would cut greenhouse gases, significantly improve air quality, reduce road congestion, boost traffic safety, and advance California’s extraordinarily large intra-state freight movement system.

The objectives of the California Inland Port are:
•Support new job creation and investment growth by fundamentally repositioning the economic competitiveness of the San Joaquin Valley region.
•Create a more robust and efficient distribution system with a specific focus on high-value manufacturing, e-commerce, and the agriculture sectors.
•Reducing shipping costs for shippers that manage global supply chains through direct intermodal rail service to/from the San Pedro seaports.
•Significantly reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the number of truck trips from the seaports complex in the Los Angeles region to the Central Valley and the Bay Area.
•Reduce highway road congestion, with a parallel reduction in the requirement for road maintenance; accident-avoidance savings; all of this reducing cost.
Tale of two counties – Sales of homes in San Luis Obispo County plunged 34% in March from a year earlier on rising interest rates and price fatigue while the median price climbed to $903,000, up 15.6% from $737,500 in March 2021.

In next door Kings County sales declined 10% from a year earlier as the median dropped modestly from February to $325,000 from $327,000 but well above March 2021 when it was $292,500. Still sales year over year were up in Fresno and Tulare counties in March.

Grimmius West is planning to expand its calf operation according to a permit being processed by the county.The Kings county operation would go from 10,319 head to 25,000 head- switching to only Holstein calves.The site location is 26020 Omaha Avenue near Kettleman City.

California dairymen are watching corn futures rise on continued anxiety about Ukraine and White House plans to waive ethanol restrictions this summer. West Coast dairy operators depend on Midwest corn for their feed shipped in by rail. Corn is at a 9-year high over $8 a bushel.The planting season has been delayed by cold weather in four of the five top corn states, a stark contrast to last year’s early start, said the Agriculture Department on Monday

Dems/GOP split on bullet train

Construction of high speed rail continues in Kings County this spring but the people of the county and state are as divided as ever over the costly project.

Fourteen years after California voters approved funding to begin building a statewide high-speed rail system, a clear majority of registered voters—and more than 70% of Democrats—still support the project, according to a new survey by UC Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies and the Los Angeles Times.

The poll found that 56% of registered voters “support the state continuing to build the high-speed rail project, even if, as is currently planned, its operations only extend from Bakersfield to Merced in the Central Valley by the year 2030 and to the Bay Area by the year 2033.”

Thirty-five percent of voters said they are opposed.
By a margin of 73% to 18% Democrats support the project, with 54% of independent voters in support and 37% opposed. Registered Republicans oppose the project—66% to 25%

Goodwill Hanford Superstore grand opening & ribbon cutting at 700 N. 11th Ave. is set for April 22 at 9:30AM.

Lemoore’s Veterans Park is the venue with a special treat on the menu when the annual Pizza Festival, a three-day local event returns on April 22, 23, and 24. The event features games, food, and music. The last Pizza Festival, before the pandemic, was held in 2019.

Hanford Transit Center planned at 7th and Harris in Downtown is ready to go.” We’re shovel ready” says KCAG Director Terri King, scouting for $20 million to launch construction late this year. Besides state funding, King says she is working with Congressman Valadao on possible federal funds for the project.

-April 23,2022-

Just this week the City of Visalia’s Site Plan Review process heard plans for 730 new apartments or multifamily units that are included in 4 developments around town and likely to be built in coming months. This compares to just 204 units being built in 2021 that was a record year for residential construction in the city.

Even more impressive, Visalia has permitted only 783 multi family units in the past ten years!

As interest rates climb some single family buyers will not be able to qualify for home loans.But less so for apartment. Indeed the most recent national housing statistics show multifamily new construction gaining in March while single family activity is slowing.

Among the latest projects on review – one is in NW Visalia, one near Goshen Ave and Demaree and one in SE Visalia at Ben Maddox and K St.

Previous to this, another 700 units were proposed around the city in the first three months of the year including a big complex across from Costco.

-April 23,2022-

Hardware and farm supply store Tractor Supply is expected to open a 25,000sf store on Dinuba Highway( State Hwy 63) at Sedona according to a site plan filed by property owner and developer Donahue Schriber. The site is in the same shopping center also anchored  by In-N-Out and El Pollo Loco, across the road from Target.

Tractor Supply Company (also known as TSCO or TSC) was  founded in 1938. It sells products for home improvement, agriculture, lawn and garden maintenance, livestock, equine and pet care for recreational farmers and ranchers, pet owners, and landowners. The company has some 2,000 stores and is headquartered in Brentwood, TN.

This is Visalia’s first Tractor Supply but the chain has stores in Tulare, Porterville, Dinuba and Hanford.
According to  a company statement “Tractor Supply will operate with 8 to 10 employees per day and will be open between 8 am and 9:00 pm Monday – Saturday and 8 am and 7 pm on Sunday. They will be open seven days a week, and will receive approximately five  service deliveries per week during normal business hours.

Tractor Supply has a daily total count of 200 – 250 customers per day during the weekdays with the peak periods of 11 am – 1 pm & 5 pm -8 pm and during those peak periods the customers per hour are 25 – 50. On the weekends the daily total count is 250 – 400 customers per day with the peak periods of 12 noon – 5 pm on Friday and all-day Saturday. An average customer will stay in the store for approximately 15-20 minutes.”

The site plan for the new store shows it will share the shopping center with a car wash, another retailer, a quick service drive-thru and a gas station.

-April 3,2022-

Kaweah Health is looking to acquire residential units in the Downtown Visalia area to accommodate their physician residents and visiting medical students. So says Marc Mertz, Chief Strategy Officer for the district.

Among the options are talks about development of the vacant Main St Theatre, just a few blocks from the medical complex for residential units.The theatre backs up to a city parking garage.

Other second story Downtown properties are in play as well.

“We have been looking at options to acquire or develop residential property in downtown for a couple years. We are looking at several options, including the (Main St) theater.” No deals are in place, he adds. JR Shannon bought the theatre from the city.

In a note Mertz explains “As you know, the real estate market has been heating up in Tulare County, and these learners often struggle to find affordable housing. The residents are in Visalia for 1 to 5 years, depending on their specialty. We have 130 residents.

The medical students are typically here much shorter- usually 4 to 6 weeks. We have an affiliation with the University of Southern California that brings some of their medical students to Kaweah on clinical rotations. Other medical schools, like UC Davis, have less formal partnerships but still send their students to learn at Kaweah. These rotations are a great opportunity for us to show them that Kaweah and Visalia are great places for them to consider when choosing their residency. Having safe, convenient, affordable temporary housing for these individuals would benefit all involved. We are hoping that the medical schools will help fund the facility. We are also exploring state and federal grants.”

Aerial view of Main St Theatre adjacent to a city parking garage