-January 23,2021-
Hanford / Pixley schools get solar systems with zero interest loan
This month the California Energy Commission approved a zero interest loan to Hanford Elementary School District for a $2,473,151 to install a total of 522 kW ground-mounted shade structure solar PV systems at Monroe, Joseph Simas, and Martin Luther King Jr Elementary Schools. The district will enjoy an annual energy cost savings of $140,082.
In Pixley the district there will get a $1,465,747 zero percent interest loan to install a 396 kW ground-mounted solar PV system to serve both Pixley Elementary School and Pixley Middle School.
Group pushes to widen Highway 41 north of Kings River
Kings County Association of Governments executive director Terri King says that a citizens group is lobbying to get SR 41 widened to four lanes from Excelsior Avenue to Elkhorn Avenue – a six mile stretch north of the Kings River known as a dangerous 2-lane road. The group called “Widen 41” is lobbying to get CalTrans to improve this section to 4 lanes.Now CalTrans director Diana Gomez has announced this segment will be re-stripped to a double yellow line to prohibit passing.
Local politicians are weighing in.“There are a solid and strong group of people who unfortunately have lived through some of the horror and the heartbreak of this particular dangerous stretch of 41,” said Assemblyman Jim Patterson (R-Fresno) during a news conference this month. “None of us are going to give up until we get to the finish line.”
King says while efforts are underway, money is an issue. So the citizens group is seeking interim measures, like center dividers. CalTrans is being encouraged to include some measures in coming funding cycles.
When“unsettled”is good
NWS Hanford is calling for “unsettled“weather through late January right into February – a welcome change from the current dry and windy pattern we have all seen.
A storm arrives Monday with low levels of snow along the Grapevine. Forecast models show several storms dropping down from the NW and offering rain to much of the state and snow in the Sierra. We need it.The San Joaquin Precipitation Index is just 28% of average to date.The Tulare Basin Index is 21% of average.
UPDATE: Up to 5 inches of precipitation is expected in the Sierra next week that could mean up 90 inches of snow
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Firebaugh edges out Kettleman City as Tesla’s largest U.S. charging station
Tesla’s new Firebaugh at Highway 5, 56-car charging station beat out Kettleman City’s 40-unit station complex as the nation’s largest when it opened recently. The property owner says his Panoche Road “ReFuel” station will serve 1200 customers a day and include a convenience store and food court serving those waiting to charge up.The complex will also include a traditional gas station as well as charging stations for other makes of electric cars.
Kingsburg to get new 195,000sf industrial park
A new industrial park on the Tulare County side of Kingsburg with commercial and light industry parcels along Highway 99 has been recently approved. The 16-acre site is at Rd 12 and 99. The property owner is the Reed family – now planted to a vineyard.
Carrot king sells the farm
South Valley-based Grimmway Farms, the world’s top carrot grower and a large vegetable grower has been sold to Teays River Investments LLC of Zionville, Indiana as of December 2020. Grimmway just celebrated 50 years in the business.They have a major plant in Kern County. At its peak, Grimmway employs 9000.
Grimmway recently announced they had donated $5 million to Cal Poly to establish the Center for Organic Production and Research on the university’s campus. Mergermarket news site says one source reports Grimmway is expected to keep its organic farmlands for carrots and lease them to third parties.
Central Coast favorite Pea Soup Andersen’s is for sale
Sit-down restaurants suffer in pandemic
The Lompoc Record reports that historic Pea Soup Andersen’s in Buellton is on the sales block offered for $4.7 million.Founded by Danish born Anton Andersen in 1924,Pea Soup Andersen’s is currently owned by Milt Guggia Enterprises.The nostalgic Highway 101 stop is famous for its split-pea soup with the recipe still a secret. Like other large sit-down restaurants business has suffered during the pandemic. A similar fate has happened to the Hanford and Visalia locations of Ryan’s Place that closed in December. Lemoore lost Ethel Reds some time ago and the big 10,000sf building is for sale. In Visalia, the former Big Bubba’s and later Ethel Reds is no-more as well and this large place sits empty.