By Faughn Education • Hi-Tech • Manufacturing • New Developments • New Location 0 Comments

Setton Academy for Industrial Robotics and Technology coming in 2021

Setton Farms has announced it will build a school in Terra Bella that will focus on industrial robotics and technology. The new school will be called Setton Academy.

In 2019, Setton Pistachio established a 501c(3) non-profit to develop and operate an industrial technology school. After a lengthy permitting process, the school was approved, and construction on Setton Academy began in summer 2020. DAYCO Construction and Industrial Design and Construction (IDC) are assisting with construction and materials. The school will be equipped with robotic and computer vision cells, as well as software development workstations for a hands-on laboratory experience.

“The school is a 501c(3),” said Setton Farms General Manager Lee Cohen “It’s an educational foundation that the family has set up to provide modern educational instruction in advanced industrial electronics and industrial robotics. We think that it’s a very effective way to change the trajectory of kids’ lives locally in Terra Bella.

“We are targeting students that are 18 to 23 year old high school graduates who we hope to basically give the requisite skills to change the trajectory of their lives to go into a pathway of industrial automation, which in today’s job market is very, very lucrative, high paying and very much in demand. The goal is really to go after the local kids who really wouldn’t have an opportunity like this.”

Once up and running, the Setton Academy will provide short certificate style courses that allow students to advance their education in industrial electronics, robotics and computer vision. The hands-on, module-based curriculum will be designed to focus on industrial automation control, robotics, computer vision and CAD design, and will allow students to learn at their own pace. The curriculum will cover subjects that match skills required in the broad industries throughout the Valley. All of the modules will be taught by industry professionals in a variety of methods ranging from live, hands-on instruction, to step-by-step videos and other interactive media modes.

“The school is going to be very modest and small,” said Cohen. “We’re going to try to take less than 30 students a year. If we can change the lives of 10, 20, 30 kids a year, over 10 years we’ll really have made a big difference in Terra Bella, and I think that’s the goal. The non-profit is going to be focused on providing access to these kids, providing very simplified and well designed curriculum, so that we can really utilize the state of the art of modern industrial robotics and technology, which really now is very accessible to these kids, because everyone of these kids probably has a smartphone and knows how software works, and I think the modern state of industrial automation is more accessible to them these days because of that.”

The goal of Setton Academy is its graduates acquire the necessary industrial technology and robotics skills to bring immediate value and productivity for employers who utilize production automation. If the school can achieve its goals, it could potentially change the pathway of its graduates’ lives from a minimum-wage, low-skill trajectory into a highly paid, high-skill, high-growth job trajectory.

“I think across the Valley, certainly in Agriculture, there’s of course ways of automation due to the difficult operating environment and higher costs across every aspect,” said Cohen. “I think nationally we will resort to automation to offset those costs in the long run, and I believe that, probably at this point in time, there aren’t enough educational institutions that are focusing on the people who will be operating, managing, interacting and designing this wave of automation that will be progressing through the Valley. I think it’s very within reach of all of these kids, absolutely. We just have to put together the right curriculum, the right delivery, the right program. So what we’re doing is bringing the education locally in town. They can walk to us. That’s the objective; this local education delivering really very market focused principles of education.”

Future goals for Setton Academy include developing a network of hiring companies that will source automation operators directly from the school.

“We are encouraging the community to get involved,” said Cohen. “We are looking for community members who can sit on a committee or some kind of advisory council. We want the community completely involved in this.”

The school is aiming to be completed by the summer of 2021.

https://www.recorderonline.com/news/setton-academy-coming-in-2021/article_bf4b6b5a-ff48-11ea-8a87-4f3360aea47c.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share

 

By Faughn Commercial • Economy • New Developments • Tourism 0 Comments

California Supreme Court Gives Favorable Nod to North Fork Rancheria Casino

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: North Fork, CA – August 31, 2020 – The California Supreme Court has ruled that former Governor Jerry Brown acted within his authority when he concurred in a pair of federal decisions in 2011 that led to the approval of two so-called “off-reservation” tribal gaming projects in Madera and Yuba counties. In United Auburn Indian Community v. Newsom, the Court determined that the Governor has the right to concur. The decision will allow the North Fork Rancheria to move forward with the design, financing and construction of its long-awaited and highly anticipated project north of the City of Madera.

“We are thrilled that the Court has finally decided this case in our favor” said North Fork Rancheria Tribal Chair Elaine Bethel-Fink. “Our tribal citizens and local community have been denied the advantages of tribal gaming – billions of dollars in economic benefits and thousands of jobs – for far too long.”

The legal case stems back nearly a decade; the Tribe’s pursuit of a casino nearly two. In 2003, the Tribe penned an agreement with Las Vegas-based Station Casinos to develop a casino. The next year, the Tribe requested the federal government to take the proposed site near Madera in trust for gaming purposes. After a rigorous and lengthy federal review, the Assistant Secretary–Indian Affairs determined that gaming on the land would be in the best interest of the Tribe and not detrimental to the surrounding community and requested the Governor’s concurrence to move forward. A year later, on August 30, 2012, in a letter to the Secretary of the Interior, Governor Brown concurred in the determination.

Opponents eventually challenged the Governor’s authority to concur, arguing that California’s Constitution required legislative authorization. In 2017, the California Supreme Court agreed to hear challenges to both projects after two appeals courts reached different conclusions. It then took the Court over 3½ years to rule on the matter.

“While we firmly believe that only federal law controls the gaming eligibility of our trust lands,” said Bethel-Fink, “we are nonetheless delighted to have this long drawn out drama finally behind us — and eager to get going and bring jobs and economic opportunity to our people and community!”

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About the North Fork Rancheria
The North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians is a federally recognized Native American tribe with over 2,200 tribal citizens and government offices in Madera County, California. Since the restoration of its federally recognized status in 1983, the Tribe has established modern tribal governing institutions to improve the lives of its tribal citizens, many of whom have limited access to basic housing, healthcare, business, employment, and educational services and opportunity. The Tribe leverages its limited federal grant funding to operate numerous tribal programs. More information available at https://www.northforkrancheria-nsn.gov/.

By Faughn Hi-Tech 0 Comments

Robots spotted roaming Modesto streets

Residents have been noticing some strange sights in Modesto over the past few days.

Small robotic machines have been going up and down the streets of a northeast neighborhood. One side of the robot says “Hungry? I can help.”

On Friday, six robots were seen cautiously navigating crosswalks and traffic, getting long glances from drivers.

The robots are from Starship Technologies, a company based out of San Francisco. The company said it is testing its navigational systems and did not release any other details.

https://www-kcra-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.kcra.com/amp/article/robots-spotted-roaming-modesto-streets/34082194

By Faughn Commercial 0 Comments

$15.66-Million Apartment Building in Central Valley Sold by The Mogharebi Group

(“TMG”) has completed the sale of Oak Valley Apartments, a 109-unit community, in Tulare. The property sold for $15,660,000 with multiple offers. Alex Mogharebi, Otto Ozen, Robin Kane, Brendan Kane and Mark Bonas of The Mogharebi Group represented the seller, IDEAL Capital Group based in Central California. The buyer was a private investor, based in Southern California. “The property is a recently renovated high quality asset with a strong unit mix with proven upside. This Central Valley community presents solid upside-value”

“The property is a recently renovated high quality asset with a strong unit mix with proven upside. This Central Valley community presents solid upside-value,” said Otto Ozen, Executive Vice President of The Mogharebi Group. “Through our proprietary 1031 exchange platform that includes a robust network of private high net-worth and exchange buyers, we were able to drive the value and successfully close.”

Built on a 7.06-acre site in 1988, Oak Valley Apartments is located at 2001 East Cross Avenue in Tulare. The property has great exposure on their fronting roads and is within a 30- to 60-minute commute to over 661,000 jobs.

The property features attractive community amenities, including a large resort-like swimming pool, fitness center, business/media center, outdoor BBQ/Picnic area, and reserved covered parking. It is walking distance to Live Oak Middle School, Super Target and less than one mile of Tulare Outlet Center and other retail shops.

About The Mogharebi Group (TMG): The Mogharebi Group is a brokerage firm specializing in the multifamily property sector throughout California. With unrivaled local knowledge, an extensive global network of top real estate investors, state of the art technology, and direct access to capital, The Mogharebi Group is the best choice to meet the needs of major private investors and investment funds.

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200918005066/en/15.66-Million-Apartment-Building-in-Central-Valley-Sold-by-The-Mogharebi-Group

By Faughn Commercial 0 Comments

Central California Storage Facility Trades for $12M

Olive Drive Self Storage, a 106,041-square-foot facility in Bakersfield, Calif., has sold for $11.5 million. A private investor traded the property to an individual buyer based near San Francisco, according to Yardi Matrix data.

Located on an 8-acre parcel at 5250 Knudsen Drive, the property encompasses 14 single-story buildings completed in 2004. The facility provides a mix of drive-up access units ranging between 25 and 400 square feet and paved parking lots with sizes from 150 to 600 square feet for RVs, boats and cars. The store has an on-site manager, security cameras and individually fitted alarms within each unit and also sells packing and moving supplies.

There are 10 other self storage properties encompassing 928,772 net rentable square feet within a 3-mile radius, Yardi Matrix data shows. Situated close to the busy retail corridor along Olive Drive, the facility is 4 miles northwest of downtown Bakersfield.

The site is also 4 miles north of Cal Twin Towers, a 151,124-square-foot office property which traded for $26.1 million in February. Cushman & Wakefield assisted seller Adler Realty Investments in the disposition to Blumer Construction.

https://www.cpexecutive.com/post/central-california-storage-facility-trades-for-12m/#:~:text=The%20property%20delivered%20in%202004,square%20feet%20in%2014%20buildings.&text=Olive%20Drive%20Self%20Storage%2C%20a,has%20sold%20for%20%2411.5%20million.

By Faughn Education 0 Comments

Stan State Among Top 30 Colleges in the West

California State University, Stanislaus continues to be consistently recognized as one of the best universities in the Western United States as the campus earned spots on U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges 2021” rankings in several categories.

The publication announced today the results of its annual assessment of colleges and universities, and Stanislaus State placed in the top 30 on four rankings of colleges located in the West:

  • No. 7, Social Mobility
  • No. 11, Top Public School 
  • No. 18, Best Colleges for Veterans 
  • No. 29, Regional Universities (West) 

​The announcement marks another year in which Stan State earned inclusion in the esteemed rankings that provide data-driven information and guidance to prospective students and their families as they weigh college options. 

U.S. News & World Report’s methodology gathered data from 15 areas related to academic excellence including retention, graduation rates, faculty resources, peer assessment, financial resources and other metrics, then ranked schools according to a composite score. 

In addition to the online report, the publication will issue most of its college rankings with more robust datasets in its “Best Colleges 2021” guidebook, available in bookstores Oct. 27.

Stan State’s repeated recognition as one of the best universities in the West reinforces its reputation for fostering a vibrant learning environment where students can develop a passion for lifelong learning while preparing for their future careers.

https://www.csustan.edu/article/stan-state-among-top-30-colleges-west

By Faughn Education 0 Comments

CSUB makes U.S. News’ ‘Best Colleges’ lists

CSUB has made the cut for the annual U.S. News and World Report 2021 Best Colleges report, which ranks 1,452 higher education institutions that offer bachelor’s degrees.

The university was ranked No. 31 on a list of “Top Performers on Social Mobility.” The list ranks colleges that do well at both enrolling economically disadvantaged students who are awarded Pell Grants and then graduating them. Fresno Pacific University, a private school, ranked third on this list. Many other schools in the CSU system made the list, including CSU-Long Beach which came in ranked No. 2. CSUB made the rankings of regional lists in the West. It was No. 52 in “Regional Universities.” Among “Top Public Schools,” it ranked No. 24.

Its engineering programming was also given a nod, making No. 91 in “Best Undergraduate Engineering.” This is the 36th year of the college rankings from U.S. News and World Report, which says it weighs 17 different factors when calculating rankings. Some calculations are a bit more cut-and-dry like graduation rates. Others, like peer reputation, which accounts for 20 percent of scores, are more qualitative.

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/csub-makes-u-s-news-best-colleges-lists/article_d3ec39c8-f79f-11ea-b169-176d77f4bc9e.html#:~:text=CSUB%20has%20made%20the%20cut,Top%20Performers%20on%20Social%20Mobility.%E2%80%9D

By Faughn Food Processing 0 Comments

FRENCH GROUP BUYS KRAFT CHEESE DIVISION, INCLUDING TULARE PLANT

French dairy company Lactalis Group has entered into a definitive agreement for the acquisition by its U.S. affiliate of Kraft Heinz’s Natural, Grated, Cultured and Specialty cheese businesses in the U.S. With this acquisition, Lactalis will acquire a portfolio of iconic, strongly-positioned brands that include Cracker Barrel, Breakstone’s, Knudsen, Polly-O, Athenos, Hoffman’s and — outside the U.S. and Canada only — Cheez Whiz.

In addition, Kraft Heinz will partner with Lactalis on a perpetual license for Kraft in Natural, Grated and International cheeses and Velveeta in Natural and International cheeses. Under the terms of the transaction, Lactalis will acquire three  Kraft Heinz production facilities located in Tulare; Walton, New York and Wausau, Wisconsin, and a distribution center in Weyauwega, Wisconsin.

Approximately 750 Kraft Heinz employees will be joining Lactalis. The company expects to add additional American jobs to support this business following the closing of the transaction, which is expected in the first half of 2021, subject to regulatory approvals. Kraft Tulare’s plant was originally a Louis Rich turkey plant in the 1990s but closed and later was converted by the parent company to make cheese — mostly mozzarella and Parmesan.

https://thebusinessjournal.com/french-group-buys-kraft-cheese-division-including-tulare-plant-%E2%80%A8/

By Faughn Hi-Tech 0 Comments

California High-Speed Rail Authority approves alignment for Central Valley Wye section

THE California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) has confirmed its choice of alignment for the 80.5km Central Valley Wye section of the Merced – Fresno high-speed line, following the unanimous approval of an environmental impact report for the section by the authority’s board.

California-HS

The section comprises two elements. A west-east alignment follows State Highway 152 from the the terminus of the previous section from San Jose and Gilroy at Carluccio Road to Madera where the high-speed line continues to Fresno. The south-north element runs alongside Road 11 west of Chowchilla to an intersection with the Union Pacific line from where the high-speed line will run north to Merced. This is the final section of the route to be approved after all other sections in May 2012.

The decision commits CHSRA to minimise impact of the project on the communities and local environment, and enables the authority to begin land purchases for the section. The decision was made as part of a three-part process, in which CHSRA certified the environmental analysis under state law, formally confirmed its choice of alignment from a shortlist of four options, and approved the environmental analysis and route under federal law.

The section was subsequently placed under more detailed consideration to address the concerns of local residents about the potential impact of the junction on their communities. The State Highway 152/Road 11 alignment was previously confirmed as the preferred option by CHSRA in January 2017, following preliminary assessments which suggested that the route offered the best balance between achieving the project’s objectives, reducing environmental impact and satisfying the concerns of communities and stakeholders. The alignment was also seen to be the most cost-effective option at $US 3.6bn.

Following this initial assessment, the alignment was submitted for an in-depth environmental analysis. The Merced – Fresno line is part of Phase 1 of California’s high-speed rail project, which will connect San Francisco to Anaheim. Phase 2 will extend the line north to Sacramento and south to San Diego. Around 1287km of line is planned for the project when completed.

Phase 1 is estimated to cost around $US 98.1bn, up from $US 64.2bn in 2016. The phase is currently expected to open for operation in 2029, having been delayed by four years from its previous launch date in 2025. No launch date for Phase 2 has been set. “Today’s approval represents another major milestone for this project as we have now completed the environmental reviews for the entire 275km stretch between Merced and Bakersfield,” says Mr Brian Kelly, CEO of CHSRA.

https://www.railjournal.com/regions/north-america/california-high-speed-rail-authority-approves-alignment-for-central-wye-valley-section/

By Faughn Distribution • Workforce 0 Comments

Amazon to bring over 2,500 jobs to the Central Valley as part of widespread hiring spree

Amazon is recruiting more than 100,000 workers across the U.S. and Canada in anticipation of the holiday season, over 2,500 of which will be hired across the Central Valley.

According to an Amazon spokesperson, the company is adding over 4,000 jobs throughout Northern California, with 1,700 in the Sacramento area and 2,600 planned for the Central Valley. Brittany Parmley, a PR manager for Amazon Operations, said the Central Valley jobs will be available in Tracy, Patterson and Stockton. She added that jobs range from packing customer orders to positions in HR and finance within the individual buildings.

Wages will start at $15 per hour, Parmley said, and benefits like health and dental insurance, as well as a 401(k) match, will be available “on day one.” Select positions also come with a sign-on bonus of up to $1,000. Jobs are available for those with and without a college degree, and those interested can apply immediately on Amazon’s website. She also added that the company has an internal program available to employees called “career choice”, which helps workers get certifications in fields that they’re interested in order to set them up for their chosen long-term career paths.

The company’s most recent hiring spree is the fourth it has rolled out this year. E-commerce sales have skyrocketed this year due to the coronavirus pandemic as people were forced to stay home and limit their trips to physical retailers. Amazon, the world’s biggest online retailer, experienced a 40% revenue rise last quarter and the biggest profit in its 26-year-history. In March, the company added 175,000 new jobs across the region as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold across the globe.

Amazon has faced criticism surrounding worker safety during the pandemic, but Parmley said the company has implemented “hundreds of safety process changes” to ensure compliance with COVID-19 guidelines. She said warehouse employees are subject to regular temperature checks and that there are designated “social distancing ambassadors” in each building. There are acrylic shields partitioning workers and sanitizing stations throughout the warehouses, and Parmley said Amazon has doubled its janitorial staff.

The new job openings are available at 100 new warehouse and operations sites across the United States and Canada. As of June 30, the Seattle-based company employed 876,800 people, excluding temporary personnel and contractors. “Amazon is proud to be a part of the Central Valley community,” Parmley said. “We’re excited to welcome members of the community to apply for these jobs.

https://www.modbee.com/news/business/article245757780.html#:~:text=Amazon%20is%20recruiting%20more%20than,hired%20across%20the%20Central%20Valley.