Kaweah Delta Expanding Medical Services In Visalia & Dinuba

Kaweah Delta hospital will be expanding a number of services in Visalia as well as in Dinuba the district’s board decided this week.
The biggest news is that the medical center will launch a neurosurgical program in coming months with approval of a three year agreement with University Neurosurgical Associates, a group of six experienced neurosurgeons based out of Fresno and a newly recruited neurosurgeon who will reside in Visalia to provide 24/7, 365, neurosurgical Emergency Department (ED) call and consultations in the hospital. This group will also develop a Visalia-based medical office for patient consultations and referrals. CEO Lindsay Mann says ”this is a very significant development as it will provide our ED physicians, other members the medical staff, our patients, and community with ready access to neurosurgical consultations and emergency care for cranial neurosurgical needs.”

The hospital’s business study showed limited access to neurological services in Visalia have resulted in local patients leaving the area to get treatment. In 2012 almost 1000 patients were treated outside the area and almost half went to Fresno. In terms of level of care they have no Emergency Department neurosurgical coverage,despite KD’s status as a state-certified Level 3 trauma center, and they are actively seeking American College of Surgeons Level 3 status.As they institute a residency program in surgery next year-having a higher level of service in Visalia will be a plus for training as well.

Also the board approved a second location for a KD Urgent Care Center in town in the greater Demaree and Riggin area. The second Urgent Care Center, similar to their current Court Street Urgent Care Center, will be equipped with radiographic and laboratory capabilities, and will be led, medically, by California Emergency Physicians.

Mann says negotiations on the property are not yet complete.Besides the Urgent Care facilities – the hospital maintains two Sequoia Prompt Care centers in town – all designed to treat patients who otherwise might go the ER for care.

Also this week the board decided to expand Quail Park Enhanced Assisted Living(EAL) Facility. Their 12 bed EAL, immediately adjacent to Quail Park Assisted Living Facility, has been operating at full capacity for the past year – with a waiting list of patients needing this higher level of assisted living care. Several years ago, the Board approved acquiring a residential property immediately to the west of the EAL facility to provide for its expansion in the future – voting now the addition of 13 new EAL beds to the current facility.

Lastly, the board of directors voted to add a new service to Dinuba Rural Health Clinic expected to open in a matter of months. The board unanimously approved development of rehabilitation services in Dinuba in a 3,000 square foot area immediately adjacent to the Dinuba Rural Health Clinic.  The adjacent therapy services will include: physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy services in a facility which will include: private treatment rooms and an open gym area with the latest and innovative therapy equipment.

Tulare Releases CaliCheese EIR

The City of Tulare has released the draft EIR for the CaliCheese project at Paige and Enterprise near the WWT plant. The cheese plant will produce 4 million pounds of milk a day in a 300,000sf building. The draft EIR identifies impacts including Tanker-type and sealed truck traffic for milk delivery, supplies and product shipment that will average 120 trucks, 240 trips per day. Some impacts like traffic are considered unavoidable.Comments on the draft will be received from September 18 to November 5 with a public hearing set for October 13, 2014 at 7:00pm.

Big Shipper Wants Truck Wash In Tulare

Major foodstuff shipper Indian River Transport wants to construct and operate a truck wash facility on 10.97 acres of vacant land at 900 Industrial Way at Blackstone in Tulare.The facility would also have an office for staff and provide interior tank wash services for food grade delivery tanker trucks.

Recycle Deal Making Visalia Money

The Visalia City Council voted this week to contract with Tulare County based Pena’s Disposal in the amount of $8.00 per ton payment to the City contingent upon executing a landfill tipping fee contract with Tulare County that reduces the tipping fee to $28 per ton. In exchange for the City taking 100% of its trash to the County landfill on Rd 80 – this offers a significant operational benefit and associated operational cost savings to the City over the Sunset Waste proposal since the City’s split trucks will only have to go to one place to dump both trash and recyclables says a city report.
“For a change – Visalia will be making money on recyclables ” notes council member Warren Gubler. Instead of paying out to support recycling “we should be a million dollars ahead once this deal works through” figures Gubler. The state says more people are recycling as California residents have cut their disposal by nearly half since 1989.

Home Sales Rise Here

Home sales rose in Tulare County in August according to DQNews, up 7.2% for all homes,new and used.Most metro area saw lower year- over-year home sales. The median price for all Tulare County homes is 13.2% higher than a year ago,now at $175,500. It was $155,000 in August 2013.

Job Fair This Week

The annual Tulare County Job Fair is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 24 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Visalia Convention Center. Some 50 employers will be there, sponsored by the Tulare County Employment Connection.

Diet Soda Danger?

Diabetics and those at risk for diabetes who love those diet sodas  because they think it will cut their sugar intake may want to reach for a different beverage.The artificial sweeteners in diet sodas, yogurt and other foods consumed every day by millions can raise the blood-sugar level instead of reducing it, according to experiments done in mice and people made public by the Wall Street Journal. Statistics show that since the late 1970`s soft drink consumption in the United States has doubled for females and tripled for males.

COS Wants To Renovate Old Child Care Building

The College of the Sequoias trustees are expected to approve a plan to renovate the former child care building in the southeast part of the campus now called the Live Oak building. An agenda item for September 8 says the district is requesting authorization to enter into an agreement with Darden Architects for architectural design and engineering services for the Live Oak Building Renovation project.
Just what the building’s use is – is not clear however. The former COS child care operation had to move because of mold in the building  that is now remediated says trustee John Zumwalt. “There are lots of ideas of what to do with it” remarks Zumwalt.
The college has been meeting with the City of Visalia to discuss possible idea to expand the COS campus that could include a new parking garage, business location that could benefit students and a possible location for a district Chancellor’s office that would oversees all three COS colleges eventually.

Porterville Faces New Delay Over Walmart Shopping Center

Plaintiff California Healthy Communities Network (CHCN) has succeeded in getting the Court of Appeal to overturn a Tulare County court order that gave the green light for the Porterville Walmart center. The Riverwalk shopping center Phase 2 anchored by a 161,602-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter, is now stalled again.

The appeal court ruling this month said Judge Melina Reed erred when she approved the environmental impact report for the project. The appeal court  said Walmart and the city had to go back to the drawing board to re-issue the EIR. The court said said the EIR did explain adequately how it came up with an expected cut in  the greenhouse gas emissions that the EIR claimed  fall below a numerical significance threshold recommended by regulators. This finding was the basis of the EIR’s conclusion that the project’s impact from greenhouse-gas emissions would not be significant. “Yet the city failed to present evidence in the EIR or elsewhere in the administrative record that would support a major portion of the reduced quantity of emissions claimed.” The retail store project started the EIR process in 2008 and it was issued in 2010 and revised in 2011. CHCN appealed the approval of the EIR to Judge Reed who ruled in favor of the City in April 2013. Now in September 2104 the appeal court sent the matter back to the city who will have to revise the EIR again and recirculate it again putting any new court approval likely year away or longer.

Kaweah Delta May Expand Residency Program

Kaweah Delta hospital officials including CEO Lindsay Mann will be traveling to southern California September 23 to explore options to expand  the medical residency or Graduate Medical Education (GME) program. “We will meet with UC Irvine officials and other to look at a possible expansion for both the class size and scope of the specialties offered in our GME program” in the future in Visalia. The GME  program already has 28 resident physicians working in Visalia in fields from family medicine,emergency medicine and psychiatry with plans to include general surgery by July 2105 says Mann. The news means possibly more new docs could be practicing in Tulare County in the future,good for the health of of what is an underserved region.

8 Roundabouts In The Works In CalTrans District 6

Encouraged by evidence of both of their cost saving and safety, CalTrans District 6 is working on plans for at least 8 Roundabouts on state highways within the Central Valley.
CalTrans is working on roundabout street circles in Kerman, in Prather at 168 and Auberry Rd, in Arvin at Hwys 223 and 184, Whitley Ave and Hwy 43 near Corcoran, Reservation Rd and Hwy 190 near Porterville, Laird’s Corner on Hwy 190 east of Rd 148 near Tipton, in Woodlake at Hwys 245 & 216, and in Farmersville at Hwy 198 and Farmersville Blvd. In addition Hanford City Manager Darrel Pyle says there are plans in the works for new roundabout near the proposed Costco center off Hwy 43. All the CalTrans sponsored projects are expected to be built between 2015 -2017.
Roundabouts, where traffic in an intersection goes in a one-way circle are common in Europe and gaining popularity here.  A 2007 study of 55 roundabouts in the U.S. found a 35% reduction in accidents and a 90% reduction in fatal accidents when intersections with stop signs or signals were converted to roundabouts. It costs about the same to construct a roundabout as part of a new development as it does to build traffic signals, and requires significantly less maintenance than traffic signal intersections. Traffic exiting the roundabout comes from one direction, rather than three, simplifying the pedestrian’s visual environment. Traffic moves slowly enough to allow visual engagement with pedestrians, encouraging deference towards them. Other benefits include reduced driver confusion associated with perpendicular junctions and reduced queuing associated with traffic lights. They allow U-turns within the normal flow of traffic, which often are not possible at other forms of junction. Moreover, since vehicles on average spend less time idling at roundabouts than at signalled intersections, using a roundabout potentially leads to less pollution.

Home Building Permits In Visalia Slow Down Some

Visalia new home permits slowed in August compared with both July 2014 and the year before but are still up year to date. The City permitted 42 new homes in August 2014,down from 51 in July and down from 53 in Aug 2013. For the year home permits are ahead 11% from last year and 18% higher in valuation.

September 5,2014

Svenhards Swedish Bakery has sold its 5.14 acre Oakland plant along busy Hwy 880 for new development and will utilize some of the $8 million in proceeds to relocate all operations to Exeter in Tulare County.

September 5,2014

Sunday Is Last Day For Mimi’s Cafe On Mooney

Mimi’s Cafe on Mooney in the Packwood Creek Shopping Center will close this weekend for good with their last day Sunday. The French/New Orleans- styled eatery, a fixture on South Mooney since late 2003, will still have locations in Fresno and Bakersfield. SWH Corporation had operated about 145 Mimi’s casual dining spots before it was sold last year. Founded by Tom Simms and his family in 1978, SWH is owned by family-restaurant operator Bob Evans Farms. Now, Groupe Le Duff – a French restaurant conglomerate owns Mimi’s.

More Retailers For Hanford

Looks like Hanford is getting a few new retail developments. At Hwy 198 and 12th Ave where CalTrans is reconfiguring the interchange, Tractor Supply will help anchor a proposed 17 acre center there says City Manager Darrel Pyle. Also on 12th, in the long vacant former  Walmart building – Pyle says Hobby Lobby will take about half the building. Also look for new hotel being planned at the SE corner of 12th and 198.

Hanford Industrial Park Could Double In Size

Hanford City Manager Darrel Pyle says the city is considering adding about 1000 acres on the south end of the existing 1100 acre Hanford Industrial Park as it plans for the future.”We have been told by the state economic development people that developers are looking for locations with 800 acres a pop” says Pyle and “over the next 25 years we need to plan for that.” He adds the logical location would be to straddle the BNSF rail line like it does now, to give more properties on both sides rail access.

Graybar Coming Back To Visalia

After leaving Visalia as a results of the great recession Graybar Electric  is coming back. The firm is one of the largest distributors of electrical products in the US. The employee-owned company distributes more than 1 million electrical, communications, and data networking products through a network of around 240 distribution facilities. Graybar has leased 12,000sf ft at 1243 N Century near Plaza in a building last occupied by C&S Door who also left due to the economic downturn. Graybar will have a 2000sf office with the rest warehouse in Visalia says Mike Porte who helped broker the lease with realtor Marty Zeeb

Pixley’s Calgren Ethanol Plant To Get $3 Mil Grant To Boost Grain Sorghum Feedstock.

California Energy Commission is set to approve $3 million for Pixley’s Calgren Renewable Fuels at their next meeting to boost near plantings of low carbon grain sorghum,a substitute for corn in making ethanol.Sorghum is drought‐tolerant compared to corn. Sorghum grows to maturity in less than 4 months, permitting multiple crops per year. Sorghum is said to have 19% lower carbon intensity vs corn. Unlike corn this grain offers no conflict for the livestock and dairy industry who worry ethanol  demand drives up corn prices.

September 3,2014

Global warming could result in more trees and vegetation at higher elevations of the Kings River watershed helping to reduce annual river runoff in a study that could be generalized to entire Sierra range.

That’s the upshot of scientific modeling being done in the Sierra by scientists from UC Merced and UC Irvine reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week.
Warming temps could both increase vegetation in the high Sierra and encourage evapotranspiration they say. They conclude this could lead to a 26% decline in river runoff if the average temperature increases 4.1 degrees C by the end of the century. Warming by 1.3 degrees would reduce water flows by 9%.

The Kings River irrigates 1.24 million acres in Fresno,Kings and Tulare Counties also providing water to 14 cities including Fresno and 11 smaller towns

“The Kings River is particularly important for hydroelectric generation and as a source of water for agriculture” the study says. The watershed feeds some 750,00 people.

The runoff from the Kings River fluctuates greatly, ranging from a high of almost 4.5 million acre feet to a low of 390,000 acre‐feet, with an average annual runoff of 1,745,000 acre‐feet. The basin is some1,530 square miles.

In a portend of what could be a new normal – after several dry years Pine Flat Dam on the Kings in early September has about one tenth of its capacity to hold 1 million acre ft of water.

While climate change is known to have the potential to reduce the supply of surface water by accelerating mountain vegetation growth and evapotranspiration (ET), the likelihood and severity of this effect are poorly known says the report.

The scientists led by Michael Goulden and Roger Bales used the upper Kings River basin in California’s Sierra Nevada as a case study of the sensitivity of runoff to increased ET with warming. They found that Kings River flow is highly sensitive to vegetation expansion; warming projected for 2100 could increase ET across the Kings River watershed by 28% and decrease riverflow by 26%.

Moreover, they found a consistent relationship between watershed ET and temperature across the Sierra Nevada; this consistency implies a potential widespread reduction in water supply with warming, with important implications for California’s economy and environment.

August 31,2014
The California State Public Works Board is set to approve another round of property purchases September 12 in Fresno County needed by the California High Speed Rail Authority  to begin rail  construction.The properties – mostly just west of Downtown – will be acquired through eminent domain. The acquisition would follow a larger list of properties acquired at the last meeting of the state board.
Included on the list are Sun Maid Furniture at 1152 G St in Fresno (pictured), the Singh property at 5265 State St, the Piligard property at 1068 G St (pictured), the Murray property at 602 F St, and the BDHOV property at 5425 N Golden State. The board will also consider rescinding a previous request to acquire by eminent domain the – Bazerkanian Property in Fresno County.

Also this week road closures in Fresno were announced along G Street between Kern and Tulare Streets in Fresno starting September 2 until Friday, October, 10, 2014. Road closures are in place as part of abatement and demolition activities associated with Del Monte Building.The old structure caught fire in July. All these actions are supporting the pre-construction activities along a 29 mile stretch between Fresno and Madera.

August 31,2014

Predictions of billions of dollars of losses in the farm economy due to the California drought have yet to show up,at least in any big way, as fewer farm jobs in the monthly EDD reports.

A look at farm unemployment in the largest farm production counties paints a mixed picture with an upward trend in farm jobs in Tulare and Fresno counties in July year-over-year numbers  but down in Kern compared to July 2013. The varied result is counter intuitive since the drought is very real and farmers are clearly stressed to keep their harvest goals.

If the drought is flashing a red light to production plans – overseas demand is flashing a bright green light. So far green is winning.

In number one ag county Tulare County – the number of farm jobs in July 2014 was 35,800, 700 more than in July 2013.  In number 2 Fresno County – farm jobs were up by 600 year over year at 59,500 – about the level the county has registered for a decade with some minor fluctuation. This is happening in a county with a huge parched westside ag industry dependent on surface water delivery that is a trickle this year.

In Kern County the number of farm jobs year-over-year is, in fact  down by 1200 to 69,100 compared to 70,300 a year earlier. But Kern’s nonfarm economy is booming with 2900 more jobs than a year ago led by 1700 more construction jobs. Workers have other,better paying options.

Likewise in Fresno County where food manufacturing job gains have been a major factor says EDD. ”Fifty eight percent of job growth was recorded in food manufacturing” says the July unemployment report released August 15, 2014.

Remarkably Well

A widely reported UC Davis study released this summer pointed to a key reason why we may not have seen the worse “California’s agricultural economy overall is doing remarkably well, thanks mostly to groundwater reserves,” said Jay Lund, a co-author of the study and director of the university’s Center for Watershed Sciences. “But we expect substantial local and regional economic and employment impacts. We need to treat that groundwater well so it will be there for future droughts.”

The study’s key findings of the drought’s effects in 2014 are:
Direct costs to agriculture total $1.5 billion (revenue losses of $1 billion and $0.5 billion in additional pumping costs). This net revenue loss is about 3 percent of the state’s total agricultural value.
The total statewide economic cost of the 2014 drought is $2.2 billion.
The loss of 17,100 seasonal and part-time jobs related to agriculture represents 3.8 percent of farm unemployment.
428,000 acres, or 5 percent, of irrigated cropland is going out of production in the Central Valley, Central Coast and Southern California due to the drought.

Still, crop by crop, Valley farmers are laboring to meet record demand for their crops this year despite glum water news. From milk to tree fruit, nuts to tomato paste – the world is signaling farmers to keep on trucking, so to speak.

This summer’s processing tomato crop is a case in point with USDA predictions reported in recent days that farmers will produce a record high 14 million tons of product, over 17% more than last year’s crop. Kings County acreage is up over 18% although Fresno’s’  acreage is down due to lack of water.

Likewise in the state’s number one ag crop – milk  – with dairymen despite high hay costs pushing Bessie to make more.

Kings Milk Production Up 6.8%

Kings County dairy farmers are milking at a furious pace this year with July production up 6.8% reports CDFA. Number one milk maker Tulare County increased their July year over year total 4.1%. Overseas demand for milk is considered a key reason. Obviously if dairy farmers want to make more milk they are not about to lay off their workforce.

If California almond growers are worried about water – and they should be – that worry is not yet slowing up with plans to plant  even more acreage in the state. The USDA reported in July that “There were at least 8.33 million almond trees sold by California nurseries since June 1, 2013. This represents a 25 percent increase from those sold a year earlier.” Doesn’t sound like they are racheting back does it?

How about wine grapes? Western Farm Press recently reported that “ many observers are projecting the 2014 wine grape harvest to total around 4 million tons. That compares to the record highs of the last two years when production exceeded that level.” which would be the third highest ever.

Hard To Keep Up

And nuts?. A recent Western Growers story points to demand as the  key factor encouraging acreage growth among all nut crops in the state.

“Bob Klein, who is the manager of both the California Pistachio Research Board and the California Pistachio Administrative Committee, said he does not see a scenario in which supplies can catch up with demand over the next several decades.  He was speaking specifically of pistachios but indicated that the future is at least equally bright for almonds.  Klein said the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Office has estimated that demand for all food will double by 2050 because of increasing populations and rising incomes.  Even if pistachio demand only grows by 50 percent in the next few decades, Klein said it will be difficult for growers to keep up.”

Indeed this fall’s walnut crop looks good so far according to one  recent estimate reported in Fresh Plaza. “California walnut processors expect a record crop this fall, with a consensus estimate of 541,000 tons, about 10 percent more than last year’s harvest. If accurate, the crop will also be much larger than the previous record of 504,000 tons harvested in 2010.”

Drivers in Three California Cities Surpass National Average of Collision Every 10 Year

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 26, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Allstate Insurance Company today released its tenth annual “Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report®” and Visalia ranks first in California and seventh nationally as safest among America’s 200 largest cities[i] in terms of car collision frequency. The report underscores Allstate’s commitment to making roadways safer for its customers and all drivers.

August 27,2014

Fast growing Sprouts Farmers Market, an organic grocery chain,will not build a store in Visalia for now despite some lobbying by City of Visalia officials.  Real estate sources say the Arizona-based retailer visited Visalia considering a location on Mooney recently but passed on the opportunity for now. City officials met with Sprouts representatives at a Las Vegas shopping center conference earlier this summer and things looked promising.

Visalia is a city of 130,000 but has limited grocery competition with no Vons, Alberstons, Ralphs,Trader Joes or Whole Foods locations here – all popular in other California cities this size. For years local boosters have been laboring to convince Trader Joe to open a store here without luck. The Sprouts option looked like the second best alternative.

Sprouts opened a Fresno location last year and has been considering Visalia since. The company went public in the past year and recently reported same store sales at 9.5%. They will launch 24 new stores in the US this year including a push into the South says their latest financial filing.Bakersfield will get a Sprouts in 2015, the company recently announced.The company’s stock is selling for around $30 a share after going to nearly $48 earlier this year. The are on pace to do $3 billion in sales this year.

Sprouts has been labeled as a less expensive Whole Foods-type store, big on organic produce,like sprouts.

Management at Sprouts did not return our phone call.

Strong Demand For Subdivision Lots

A new California Association of Realtors report says in 2014, nearly half (45 percent) of investors said they purchased properties in”more remote” locations of the state including Sacramento, San Joaquin, Fresno, Kern, Merced, and Tulare, up from 27 percent in 2013, C.A.R.’s “2014 Investor Survey” found. “Given the depletion of distressed homes on the market, investors are changing their strategy and are moving away from purchasing homes in more popular, urban areas in favor of more rural areas of the state where better deals can be found.”
That news jibes with city planner Josh McDonald’s observation that builders are increasingly looking at buying some of the 5500 approved lots in Visalia left over from the real estate bust now that the new city General Plan will be in place and the economy has recovered. ”We’ve seen lots of interest” he says.

Surplus City Building Bought

The Visalia development group called 120 W Main includes Visalia realtor Matt Graham, farmer and developer Fred Lagomarsino, farmer and industry owner Tommy Elliott and developer Harvey May. The group, just last week, completed the purchase of the former Surplus City property at 315 E Main in Downtown,a 9500sf building. Surplus City closed their doors after many years in early 2014 and its owner put the property up for sale. A major remodel is now planned.

“We hope to lease it out to two retail users” explains Harvey May.”We already have a letter of intent from a well known retailer for half the space.”The group purchased the Mars pharmacy building at 124 W Main a few years ago and did a major makeover. Now they will getting the kind of user they were waiting for when Fresno’s Sequoia Brewery opens there hopefully by Christmas.

”We want to help rejuvenate these older properties.“ May adds the Surplus City building is well placed close to the corner of Bridge and Main where the 10-plex movie theater is as well as the newer constructed Crawdaddy’s.

Downtown retail vacancy is extremely low says chair of the Downtown Visalia merchants group, Don Sharp. “Besides the Surplus City space,I can’t think of any other Main St space available on the ground floor” says Sharp. Property owner Sam Sciacca has said with the former Links space he bought is now spoken for – with a salon and wine-bar moving in and 4 apartments in the works upstairs.

Speaking of upper levels on Main St – property owner George Ouzounian  says he will install an elevator by the first of the year at his building on the corner on Main and Willis to help lease second story office space in the building.

Some years back May with another investment group rejuvenated the old Togni building Downtown – now fully leased including a second story apartment.

California Hot Springs Revival?

The rural enclave of California Hot Springs in southern Tulare County appears to be ready for some kind of revival with two plans in the early stages to build at least modest destination resorts here. The historical California Hot Springs itself founded in 1882 and developed as a health resort that centered around the town’s naturally pure hot springs water now includes a water bottling facility – is in escrow to be sold to an unnamed buyer soon. A source says they plan to revive the facility as a camp of sorts, a getaway for urban folk. Nearby, a yoga center called Vendanta Spiritual Retreat is being planned by an LA group who recently purchased a Hot Springs Rd ranch. Asked why they would invest in this remote and quiet part of California – founder Deepak Swarup responds “that’s why” adding in true zen fashion that the public resort will start small but progress “as soon as it is supposed to to.”  The project went through a county approval process.

Tule Tribe Member Labors To Keep Wukchumni Language Alive

Speaking of revivals, Marie Wilcox, an elder with the Tule River Indian tribe, is the subject of a film and New York Times video blog this week. After laboring with several years of hunt and peck on her older computer Marie created a Wukchumni language dictionary to encourage the reuse of the near forgotten language that was once spoken here by some 50,000 Yokuts. Today there are around 200 Wukchumni tribe members.

Drought’s Silver Lining

What kind of company does better in a drought? How about a drip irrigation company or bottled water maker? Yes to both in Tulare County as Traver-based Streamline Irrigation is expanding their footprint north of town, ramping up to 16 employees  and completing a new building says Mike Washam of Tulare County’s economic development office who has assisted with the expansion.Washam says his office is also busy seeking grants to help in these drought times by offering to fund daily bottled water delivery to families who lost their wells along with schools where below income population is high, schools who have water contamination as well as water supply problems. About $1.5 million is expected to be funded.

Chinese Reopen Market For Citrus

Drought may be flashing a red light but overseas demand for Valley crops continue to give the green light. Citrus growers suffering zero surface water delivery got some good news this month when China reopened their market after over years time.Industry sources say China had imported about 5 million cartons a year before a disease issue came up that is now resolved. The $70 million market is a fast growing one for us – the world’s number one ag county.

It’s A Horserace For Visalia Air Service Contract

Despite ties to LAX, favored by Visalia as a destination,a new 2-year contract to serve Visalia under the Essential Air Service subsidy is no lock for the current contractor, Great Lakes Airlines. The company has competition from 4 other airlines who have been lobbying the city. Now after a city request the Feds have postponed a decision for a few months says staff.Complicating the issue is a possible loss of an air subsidy to Merced who figure in several applicants plans who want to serve both cities.

Sears Still Solid In Visalia

Sears may be tanking nationwide, they lost nearly $1 billion during the first half of 2014, with plans to close 130 stores this year. But don’t look for that to happen in Visalia just yet. Sources say the Visalia store does alright and ranks high on performance for Sears locations in the state.

Packwood Creek Dental Office

Look for a new dental office to open at Packwood Creek shopping center after the first of the year. Pacific Dental Services partners with over 400 local dentists nationwide doing the behind the scenes legwork and marketing for new locations,often in a retail setting, while letting the local dentist do what the do – fix teeth. The company has several locations open or opening soon in the Fresno/Clovis area.

New Wet Seal Plus Opens

30 Wet Seal+ Plus stores across the nation held their grand opening August 16 including the new West Seal Plus at Packwood Creek in Visalia.
Batch Plant Seeks Approval

Pismo-based Papich Construction wants to expand their Hwy 99/198 asphalt batch plant and make it permanent. They had been working with the City of Visalia to build a plant in the industrial park but now are pursuing a permit with the county at their present location near Goshen.

Bear Valley Ski Resort Sold

Who says ski resorts have no future in the Golden State? Not the Canadians who announced this week they were purchasing Bear Valley ski resort east of Stockton. The company is called Skyline.The resort operates year round with summer events including a well-known music festival.

Porterville Foster Farms Jobs-Out Cleaning Contract

Stung by salmonella issues that caused several recalls – poultry producer Foster Farms will job-out the all-important sanitary cleaning of their Porterville facility starting next month with about 60 employees being offered jobs with a new private firm, S3 Sanitation, who will now do the work. Some 400 work at the plant.