The US economy contracted at an annualized rate of 0.5% in Q1 2025, a larger decline than the government’s second estimate of a 0.2% drop and the first quarterly contraction in three years. The updated news was posted this week by the US Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The weaker gross domestic product figure, shrinking faster than previously thought, was largely due to downward revisions to consumer spending and exports. Consumer spending rose only 0.5%, the slowest pace since the Covid times in 2020 and down from 1.2% in the previous first quarter estimate. The first quarter 2025 slowdown compares to strong 4% growth of the economy during the last three months of 2024. The latest estimate says exports grew only 0.4% compared to the earlier estimate of 2.4%. These declines were partially offset by a lower revision to imports (37.9% vs 42.6%). The increase in imports was said to be due to a rush by businesses and consumers to stockpile goods ahead of anticipated price increases prompted by tariff announcements. Meanwhile, federal government spending dropped 4.6%, the steepest decline since Q1 2022, and in line with the second estimate.
The report said the first quarter PCE, a measure of inflation, was up 3.7%.The Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index are both measures of inflation, but they differ in their methodology and scope, leading to variations in their reported figures. The PCE is the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, while the CPI is more commonly reported in the media. Earlier this week news reports say Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told a House committee that businesses’ rush to build their inventories earlier this year ahead of tariffs taking effect has helped delay inflationary impacts from the higher import duties.He added that he expects inflation to show up in coming months.
Will the Visalia City Council agree to allow retail cannabis dispensaries in town? This month the council took up some details on their planned cannabis ordinance including sales rules and restrictions on various cannabis businesses but did not address directly the BIG QUESTION, permitting retail cannabis dispensaries in town.
The backdrop for the discussion is that the State of California may further restrict local jurisdiction choice to manage retail sales making it prudent to develop local rules before that happens.
By a 3 to 2 margin in the past the council has not been a fan of retail pot sales in Visalia. But that may be changing.
At the latest work session the council did a tap dance in that direction – reading that consultant HdL predicts retail annual sales in the city of $18 million and translating to a sales tax revenue stream of as high as $1 million says city staff. If the tax rate was set at 10% it could add up to $1.8 million.
There was also discussion of the trend seen statewide and around the Valley of lower cannabis sales as well as a decline in revenue for towns that have a sales tax in place.
Still city staff is recommending the council move forward with retail outlets and after some discussion, the council seemed to agree on three stores in the city if they give the green light in coming months. They even focused on the hours of operations for retail stores coming up with a 9 AM to 9 PM schedule.
Here is the staff recommendation: Staff would recommend considering allowing retail and medical storefront and delivery only retail businesses, particularly if Council was to consider allowing distribution or manufacturing use types which could also act as fulfillment centers for retail orders.
So where in the city would be logical locations for retail stores? Some council members suggested they be freeway close or on Mooney Boulevard and others looking to revitalize existing areas in town. Council member Soto suggested the long empty building on Dinuba Boulevard formally the CVS drugstore spot as a logical location.
Regarding location, staff said they would visit with cannabis operators noting they are in talks with cannabis companies on setting up here.
None of this sounds like a hard ‘no’ – rather a tiptoe into a future cannabis business in Visalia while clearly looking to limit any negative impacts on the community.
As to the issue of rate they will be taking this up at an upcoming meeting. Already the industry has to pay 19% sales tax to the state as of July 1 – up from 15% right now. That would mean some future retail shopper in Visalia would be paying 29% sales tax adding in the 10% rate here – if that’s what they choose. The industry has argued this combined tax makes it more likely customers will turn to the black market if tax rates are too high.
There is no doubt that revenue from the retail cannabis storefronts at nearby towns has been going down in the past year with Lemoore generating as much as $1.1 million for the city in 2022 but now falling to just $292,000 in 2024.
Tulare’s cannabis tax revenue is down but only slightly from $1.1 million in the current year to predictions that it will drop to $1 million in 2026.
In Fresno, news reports say the cannabis market in Fresno has not generated the tax income the city had anticipated, falling nearly $4 million short of projections. Initially projected to generate $7.1 million for the year, it now is expected to bring in just over $3.1 million.
Visalia is clearly coming late to the party with retail cannabis outlets in the Central Valley already found in Parlier, Coalinga, Porterville, Hanford, Mendota, Firebaugh, Woodlake, Coalinga, Porterville, Tulare, Lemoore, Farmersville and Fresno.
So Visalia is being pushed and pulled over this issue wondering if the $18 million sales predictions is pie in the sky but realizing Visalia seems to support the city’s plunge into the cannabis business with 70% voter approval last November.
In March 2025, the Visalia City Council approved a cannabis sales ordinance, but they set the number of cannabis businesses allowed at zero, creating a regulatory framework without allowing any businesses to operate at this time.
But now they are tip-toeing in that direction with staff saying they will return with more detail that could end up allowing three storefronts here.
The California walnut industry may be in better shape than its sister nut crops – almonds and pistachios- when it comes to threats from tariffs this year. All three big California nut crops count on exports around the globe to make a profit.That factor alone makes them vulnerable to trade wars. The California walnut industry exports 2/3 of their walnut crop.
For two of three big nut crops, China is a top destination but now saddled with huge double digits tariffs imposed by China responding to the latest Trump tariffs.Not walnuts since we no longer sell into that market.
Arguably, a major threat to pistachio exports comes from China who last year took about 33% of our exports. Also almonds have counted on China as a major destination for shipments but are now in decline.
California exports of almonds to China so far this season is half what it was during the same period in the 2023 crop year – 44 million pounds vs 86 million pounds.As of March 2021 China took 133 million pounds YTD of our almonds.So we are currently shipping about one third the 2021 volume.
As for California walnuts, China in recent years has turned from customer to competitor.China has become a net exporter of walnuts, today producing more than double the tonnage of what we grow.China produces 56% of world tonnage compared to 23% for the US.
So our walnut industry is less affected by the intense 125% trade war with China underway in 2025 since we’ve already retooled to ship product around the world to everyone but China.In 2012 China was a top export market for California walnuts.Now we look elsewhere to sell our nuts.
Top destinations for our walnut exports now are the EU including Germany,Spain, Italy and the Netherlands as well as Turkey, Korea ,Japan and Canada – all less impacted by the trade war so far and with strong and growing middle class customers who love walnuts. Canada is an example of the reduced threat from tariffs in that exports of walnuts are still protected by an existing trade agreement.
Not that China has had no effect on our walnut industry. A big crop in China in 2014 led to lower prices for US walnuts that had big crops of their their own leading to overall lower prices.In 2013 the price per pound averaged $1.88 but fell in 2015 to 83 cents,67 cents in 2018, 60 cents 2020, 29 cents per/ lb in 2022 and 43 cents in 2023, all red ink levels.The reduced demand from China has also impacted the overall US walnut market.Domestically and internationally COVID 19 disrupted supply chains and hurt demand,compounding walnut farmers problems.
Last summer we wrote about this disastrous pricing problem with retired Kings County farm advisor Bob Beede. He didn’t mince words.
“Walnut farmers are getting their a– kicked,” says veteran UC Farm Advisor Bob Beede, as small farmers in both Kings and Tulare counties “are rapidly losing their livelihoods.”
Before retiring, Beede says he spent 35 years helping local growers on 40-to-80-acre plots build their businesses but now they are just “going broke.”
Beede still advocates for these farmers, his friends, who are sometimes forced to let their orchards go unwatered and “turn to firewood or maybe mulch.” To clear the land for another crop requires $2,500 an acre to remove but Central Valley farmers have few choices to replace this once staple nut crop.
The problem is price. Walnut growers have seen the average price for their nut fall from $1.80 a pound 10 years ago to just 30 cents a pound last year and now around $35 cents — well below breaking even.
“These guys need a dollar a pound to stay in business,” argues Beede. Rising costs are happening along with the lowest pricing in decades.”
But today, 9 months later Beede says things have turned around and prices are closer to $1/lb right now.
The latest annual report for the California Walnut Commission tells the story.
“A shift in course for our industry is underway. It began in 2022, when the Boards of Directors took the initiative for change and hired Robert Verloop as our new CEO and Executive Director. Robert is an industry outsider with a long history of success working on behalf of growers. Over his first two years, he and the CWB and CWC staff have been in a crisis response mode – addressing the lingering effects of COVID, the 2022 heat-impacted crop and the industry’s all time largest crop and carry in of 964,000 tons in 2023.”
Today the California walnut crop is smaller but healthier, says Verloop with the likely prospect that the current crop will be 100% sold before the new crop is picked. Instead of a big harvest of 840,000 tons to sell as we had in 2023 the current 24′ crop is about 600,000 tons.
As opposed to going on a planting spree of new acreage as they did for years, walnut farmers are pulling more older trees and planting fewer new ones.
Farmers were urged to remove walnut trees (although not an official tree-pull program) to help right size the crop to meet demand across the world similar to what grape farmers have done at the urging of Allied Grape Growers for the removal of 50,000 acres continuing until demand stabilizes.
That has happened here in Kings County where growers have pulled about 3000 acres of walnuts between 22′ and 24′ – acreage today is about 13,400. This winter,farmers likely pulled more trees that we should see in a May LandIQ report.
The Walnut Commission says 17,987 total acres were removed in the 2024 season. The average age of removed orchards was 26 years old but an equal or even higher number of trees statewide were abandoned bringing the total fewer acres to 36,000 as of September 2024.
As of 2021 California had 445,000 acres of walnut trees both producing and non-bearing and today it stands about 364,000 acres or a loss of about 80,000 acres of trees that turned into firewood.
California walnuts also saw recovery from the drought with Verloop commenting that we’ve had two good snowpack years and better rainfall that have replenished the groundwater and have provided “deep soil benefits”.The industry actually caught a break when an irregular bloom this past year reduced the size of the 24′ crop.
Turning the Corner
Again, the latest annual report from the Commission suggests a brighter future.In a nutshell Verloop says he is “cautiously optimistic”.
“The industry has faced many challenges over the past few years, but there is a sense that we are turning the corner in a positive direction. Walnut trees have recovered from the drought, with winter rains improving the overall health of orchards, thus enabling our growers to produce high-quality crops. Prices rebounded for the 2023 crop with the season ending much stronger than where we started, setting up for improved grower returns versus prior years. But we know return per acre is key, and growers with light crops will continue to struggle, even with the strong prices.
Short-term trade demand will continue to be heavily influenced by global supply dynamics. The California walnut industry will continue to expand distribution in existing markets, when and where favorable pricing exists. New market development partially funded by the USDA Regional Agriculture Promotion Program (RAPP) will help expand the reach of our walnuts and make us less dependent on low-return markets.
As we look forward to the 2024-25 season, current global demand is strong, driven in part by the lighter crops in Chile and the U.S.; at the same time, marketplace dynamics and logistics have returned to pre-COVID conditions. Due to our light crop and low inventories in key markets, we will be able to sell the entire crop and anticipate very low carry-out volumes. This puts the industry in a favorable position for 2024 and 2025 and will provide a more stable supply that buyers can rely on.”
At the beginning of a full fledged trade war with China, the Faraday Future car company looks to turn tariff pressure into a strategic opportunity, they say hopefully.
In recent days, Faraday Future global President Jerry Wang met with Eric Trump, the president’s son, to lobby him in Washington to consider a “US-China EV bridge “as they shape automotive policy.
Faraday Future hopes to roll off a lower cost electric vehicle called the “Super One”, expected to debut in late June with pre-orders to follow, says the company website. The car would be assembled in Hanford, the LA company’s only US manufacturing plant. The parts are shipped in from China now in the middle of a trade war with more than 100% tariffs in place.
It isn’t clear how the company would be able to launch this new model without an exemption from the Trump administration. Bringing in Eric to the conversation may be part of that strategy. Wang drove an FF91 car to Washington to lobby the Trump administration.
Another part of the strategy appears to be to gather support from California politicians, including Hanford’s Mayor Lou Martinez and Anthony Rendon, the former speaker of the House for the state of California who both commented at an April 28 LA ceremony.
The company statement says” Lou Martinez, Current Mayor of Hanford, CA stated: “I want to personally congratulate YT Jia in his new role as Co-CEO of FF and wish him and the Company much success. The ramp up of the FX production is especially exciting, and Hanford remains committed to partnering with Faraday Future to bring connected AI-rich vehicles to the world. We look forward to the day when FX vehicles are delivered from Hanford.”
Wikipedia points out that Jia Yueting (YT) is a Chinese businessman who is the founder of Leshi Holding Group and the former CEO of Faraday Future.
Jia has been involved in several financial controversies related to his companies. In October 14, 2019, he filed for bankruptcy with a personal debt of over USD $3.6 billion.
But now, as of April 24th, Jia was appointed Co-CEO of Faraday Future.
Anthony Rendon commented. “Notably, FF stands as the only domestic automotive company with both its headquarters and manufacturing facilities located in California. In an era where many enterprises are relocating manufacturing to other states or overseas, FF’s steadfast commitment to California reflects its trust and dedication to this land of innovation.
“California has consistently been a staunch supporter of global new energy initiatives. As the world’s fourth-largest economy, the state boasts a comprehensive green policy framework and unwavering belief in free trade and global collaboration. FF’s ‘Global Automotive Industry Bridge’ strategy exemplifies the globalization and open cooperation spirit we advocate.”
In the meantime the company stock remains under pressure, required by NASDAQ to maintain a value of over a dollar share. The stock today is at around $1.20.The firm’s stock has gyrated wildly over the past year from a high of $156 a share down to $0.83.
Hanford has been waiting for jobs since FF took over the former Pirelli Tire plant, a one million sf building in the Hanford industrial Park.In August 2017, the company announced that it had signed a lease for a former Pirelli tire plant in Hanford, California. The company said that it could employ up to 1,300 people over time and build up to 10,000 cars a year at that location.
Since then they have built just 16 cars, the $300,000 FF91 high end electric car. Still, hope for success springs eternal.
Faraday Future Inc. is considered an American startup technology company founded in 2014 focused on the development of electric vehicles. Based in Los Angeles, California, it began producing vehicles in 2023 and markets them in the United States and China. The company delivered a total of 16 vehicles by January 2025. After two funding rounds in late 2024 totaling $60 million, the company announced it will pivot to its second brand, Faraday X, selling AI-EVs (now called Super One) that would be priced between USD$20,000 to 50,000.
April 30 announcement
On April 30, Faraday Future announced that” it has signed the first binding business-to-business (B2B) pre-order agreement, which includes a non-refundable deposit and a non-binding reservation for 1,000 units of the Company’s highly anticipated FX model, the Super One MPV (Multi-purpose vehicle).
The pre-order was placed by New York City-based automotive dealership, 129 Auto Sales Corp., doing business as JC Auto. It is paying a $100,000 non-refundable deposit, which can be used toward the purchase of FX vehicles, to secure priority delivery of up to 300 FX vehicles, subject to an additional payment. This reservation reflects positive market feedback in the U.S., including by East Coast users. JC Auto plans to establish a premium fleet of up to 300 vehicles that covers the New York area using the FX Flagship model, Super One MPV. The remaining reserved vehicles would be for additional fleet purchases or for users that JC Auto identifies. It also signifies a key milestone in FF’s Global Automotive Industry Strategy and high potential of its “four blue ocean markets” in the U.S. AIEV market.”
The California New Car Dealers Assn released their first quarter 2025 report saying new light vehicle registrations increased 8.3% in the first quarter versus 4.6% in the US.
The potential overhaul of US trade policy added significant unknowns to the new vehicle sales outlook, says the reportas sales surged in the months of March and April. It was a strong start in anticipation of trade impacts as shoppers stepped up the pace of purchases apparently concerned over the prospect that tariffs would raise prices soon.
Registrations in the first quarter numbered 463,000 compared to 427,000 in the first quarter of 2024. Light trucks were particularly popular during this time – up 11% over last year. Sales of Asian cars climbed 27.5% while all domestic made cars were up 1.6%.
Tesla loses ground
In other news, Tesla lost ground in the state’s EV market with registrations in the first quarter falling 15% versus the year earlier. All other electric car makes increased by 35%. Tesla’s share of the state electric vehicle market fell from 55.5% in the first quarter compared to 43.9%. in the same period last year. The product lineup was less popular apparently as a backlash against Elon Musk political initiatives that are likely factors for the decline inTesla’s market share ,says the report.
Despite that news, Tesla Model Y retained the top spot as the best selling vehicle in California while F-Ford series full size trucks retained top spot in the full size pick up race. In passenger cars, Tesla Model 3 was tops, followed closely by Toyota Camry and Honda Civic.
The report also discussed electric and hybrid vehicles market share in the state versus internal combustion engine sales. The combined share for all types of alternative electric vehicles was 42.4%in the first quarter up from just 11.6 % in the same period in 2018. Gasoline powered sales amount to 55.4% of all sales in the state so far this year.
Regionally Northern California retail market improved 6.4% in the first quarter compared to 4.1% in Southern California. In the used car market there was a 2.3% increase in the first quarter as sales of Toyota cars dominated the numbers.
Crime statistics for 2024 are posted on the City of Visalia website this week. There is some good news to share that the number of murders fell to 5 in 2024, down from 11 in 2023 and 9 in 2022.
For the remainder of the crime categories 2024 saw mixed results with some categories up and others down.
Rapes fell from 67 in 2023 to 66; robberies climbed to 155 vs 129 in 2023 and 131 in 2022.
Assaults fell slightly with assault using a firearm numbering 40 in 2024 vs 36 in 2023.
Burgauries numbered 401 vs 400 the year before. Larceny cases were flat.
Meanwhile motor thefts numbered 535 in 2024 vs 660 in 2023 and 609 in 2022.
Visalia will install license plate readers at intersections
The Visalia Police Department plans to install nine automatic license plate reading cameras installed at key intersections around the town,according to a public notice.
The purpose of the installation is to provide law enforcement with the ability to respond to detect license plates associated with criminal activity and to assist law enforcement with intercepting these vehicles. The beneficiaries of the project are both law enforcement and the public at large as this installation will serve public safety interests and help make Tulare County a safer community.
The latest report on inflation is out and it is not good news
Gas prices rise in the new year
Wholesale gasoline prices in the US are up 6.3% since January 1 says Trading Economics.
California is getting hit even harder, says oil analyst Tom Kloza noting the reduction in the state’s refining capacity.”Ongoing West Coast gasoline spike has nothing to do with crude or tariffs. Bay Area refining capacity in 2019 was ~800,000 b/d. Today, thanks to closures, Martinez fire, and maintenance, that capacity is ~400,000 b/d. No margin for error.”
AAA says California retail gas prices have risen 36 cents in the past month.
Tractor sales are down 13 percent
Here is the latest report from the US tractor makers.
Big winemaker announces layoffs
Bronco Wine Company, one of the largest wine producers in the United States is owned by the Franzia brothers, Fred T. and Joseph S., and their first cousin, John G. Franzia. In November 2024, Dominic Engels was named as the new CEO of Bronco Wine Company. This week the company announced layoffs of 81 employees at their Ceres California facility. The winemaker sells 250 brand names including the famed ” 2 Buck Chuck ” Charles Shaw brand sold at TraderJoes. California wine sales have been in the tank the past few years and a grower trade group has been lobbying members to pull more vines, particularly from the Central Valley, to right size production.
Bureau releases Shasta water as dam level rises
The US Bureau of Reclamation recently began to release water from the states largest reservoir as it was approaching the 4,500,000 acre feet capacity of the reservoir after substantial rainfall in the past few weeks. Shasta reservoir started the water year ahead of average after two wet years. Here is the chart of water releases in the past week.
President Trump ran on a ‘day-one’ plan to lower grocery prices. Good luck with that. Here is what producers and markets expect in 2025, not including potential tariff war-related effects. Suffice to say – they are not expecting lower prices.
On Friday “the University of Michigan consumer survey showed that respondents expect inflation a year from now to be 4.3%, a 1 percentage point jump from January and the highest since November 2023.Worries over inflation dovetailed with lower optimism overall, as the headline index fell to 67.8, a one-month drop of 4.6% and an 11.8% move lower from the same month a year ago,” CNBC reported.
Even without consumer sentiment, here is what the market expects in 2025 for the price of goods you fill your shopping cart with.
Cattle industry outlook: Beef prices continued their upward trend in 2024, averaging $8.01/lb., the second-highest demand level in history. While demand may ease slightly in 2025, retail prices are still expected to rise to an average of $8.25/lb.
Coffee: This week Arabica coffee futures continued to soar, breaching $4 per pound, a new record high since the 1970s, driven by speculative buying and persistent supply concerns.The price is up almost 60% just since Trump was elected. Arabica prices have been supported by an anticipated sharp output decline in Brazil, the world’s top producer, following an extended dry spell in 2024 that impacted the latest harvest.Info from Trading Economics.
Here is a one year chart of coffee prices.
This week corn futures rose toward $4.90 per bushel, approaching their highest level in over a year of $497 seen January 29th, driven by tight global supply and strong export figures. Corn is a key ingredient in many food products, including tortillas, breakfast cereals, snacks, and beverages, including alcoholic beverages like vodka, bourbon, whiskey, and beer , to produce ethanol, a renewable biofuel that is blended with gasoline and importantly the primary energy ingredient in livestock feed affecting everything from milk,egg and meat prices.
Milk prices have increased 1.60 USD/CWT or 8.55% since the beginning of 2025, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Today at over $20 per cwt, prices were down around $16 last spring.
Egg prices are at an all time high in 2025 and expected to go higher as bird flu has wiped out millions of hens and cut the US egg supply.Egg prices are predicted to increase 20.3 percent in 2025 says USDA.
Lean Hogs increased 5.75 USd/Lb or 7.07% ( 87 per pound) since the beginning of 2025. Trading Economics expects hogs to sell for $93.06 in 12 months time.
Salmon prices are heading higher in 2025. When Trump was elected Nov 6 salmon prices were at $78per kg but now they are just under $100 and expected to go to $138 in a year’s time. Prices are higher because the world is running out of wild salmon due to overfishing. There are a limited number of fish in the sea.
Tariff impacts So what happens if tariffs with Canada and Mexico move forward? One new report says “Avocados. Baked goods. Canola oil. Beer and tequila.Those are just a few items Americans can expect to cost more because of proposed threatened tariffs on goods coming into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico. After campaign promises to lower grocery prices for Americans who have seen more than a 20% rate of increase since early 2020, the pending tariffs put that vow in jeopardy. These tariffs came with a caveat from President Trump stating that Americans will feel “some pain.” A significant amount of fresh agricultural imports, meats, and other processed foods to the U.S. come from Canada and Mexico.”
Gas prices How about the other hot button issue of the last campaign -oil and gas prices?
This week gasoline futures rose toward $2.10 per gallon (wholesale) in February, about 10 cents higher than a month ago, tracking higher oil prices and expectations of tighter global supply. The US escalated sanctions on Iran earlier in the week, potentially restricting its oil flows, while Saudi Aramco sharply raised March crude prices (the guys that Trump asked to lower them) driven by rising demand from China and India, as well as supply disruptions from Russia. Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service is expected to ban gasoline exports for at least a month to stabilize wholesale prices, adding further pressure on the oil market.What about” drill baby drill? Turns out we now have a domestic rig count that is 37 oil rigs lower than the industry had a year ago.
The Visalia City Council heard your presentation by 4-Creeks consultants suggesting expansion of industrial park zoning west of 198 adjacent the airport as well as west of 99 around the city wastewater treatment plant. Currently the industrial park is east of 198 concentrated in the northwest corner of the city.
The council voted 5-0 to take the next step to move the project forward that will require a full environmental impact report.
Asked about the suggestions, Mayor Brett Taylor said he was in general in favor of expansion of industrial lands but not so much west of 99 where the city has the sewer farm surrounded by farmland.
The report offered that the city should site a 248 acre solar farm to provide more renewable power to the community. The site would be around the wastewater treatment plant where the consultant also is suggesting the city consider new industrial zoning.
Land west of 99 owned by the city adds up to 1,475 acres that can be potentially developable, says the study. Again that idea may not move forward.
There does seem to be support for setting up a so-called “reserve” industrial area adjacent to the airport and south of Caldwell stretching down to the highway 99 freeway. The report points to the major overhaul of the Caldwell interchange underway over the next 3-4 years.
The reserve area could be around 405 acres. Staff will have to suggest a trigger for opening this land.It will be years before new zoning is in place.
The study makes the case that the city needs more available industrial land to meet demand, suggesting there is a low inventory of available space and empty land.
The report calculates we have 389 parcels totaling 3,543 acres with 945 acres remaining vacant.
As to demand “Visalia could see a demand for up to 6.4 million square feet of industrial space by 2033.”
But the study does not seem to acknowledge that there are active industrial projects lined up to build at least that much right now. That includes the vacant CapRock 1.2 mil/sf spec “building 3” on Plaza that has sat empty since completion last July and a new 3.7 million square feet industrial park north of Riggin and west of Shirk going through a final EIR now.
At the same time industrial building activity in the past year has slowed to a crawl in Visalia and across California.Now the city may lose the 635,000sf JoAnn fabrics distribution center the company told Mayor Taylor in a letter recently.
Consider that Visalia saw 1.1 mil sf of industrial space added in 2019, 2.4 mil in 2020,1.5 mil in 2021,1.6 mil in 2022 and 1.9 mil in 2023 but now saw just 330,000sf of industrial space added in 2024. Things have slowed down.
Nevertheless, councilmember Brian Poochigian seems to speak for all council members that the city needs to plan ahead and adding more space in the future could attract new business to town – smaller entrepreneurial industrial projects that could find the airport area location attractive.
caption: Visaia is expected to add over 400 acres of industrial zoning around the airport
Feb5,2025NWS Hanford: The next winter storm and heavy foothills rainfall is set for Thursday into Friday with up to 1 to 3 feet of snow again for the Sierra Nevada and rainfall amounts form 3/4 of an inch to up to four inches of rain locally. Forecasts suggests two more storms coming Feb/12- 14 and 17th
Lake Shasta gets 8 inches of rain Lake Shasta waters lapped 30 feet from its top after an atmospheric river dropped more than 8 inches of rain in the area since last Friday — and a new storm is expected to bring more rain to the region.Last weekend’s rainstorm pushed Lake Shasta levels up almost four feet between last Friday and Sunday, according to California Department of Water Resources data.Here’s how full Lake Shasta and other North State lakes were at the start of the week, and how much more rain Lake Shasta could get.How high are Lake Shasta water levels?As of Monday, Lake Shasta levels sat at 1,037 feet above sea level — up 5 feet from the previous day, according to the state. The lake has gone up nearly 10 feet since last Friday, Jan. 31.
Sierra Snow Lab in Tahoe reports as of 2/4/25 they received 16.3″ of new snow at the 8am measurement, as moderate to heavy snowfall rates continue.”We’re expecting another 8-16″ of snow through this evening. The recent rain and snow has brought us up to 93% of median precipitation (up from 78%).”
