By Faughn New Location • Renewable Energy 0 Comments

Cyclum to Unveil NextGen Travel Center at Tulare Ceremony

February 24th, 2025 – Cyclum is proud to announce the Site Dedication Ceremony of its first next generation Traditional, Transitional and Renewable “TTR” fuel travel center at Mefford Airfield in Tulare, California, on March 13, 2025, at 1:00 PM. This state-of-the-art facility marks a pivotal step in Cyclum’s ambitious plan to develop approximately 400 next-generation travel centers nationwide over the next ten years, blending traditional fueling options with cutting-edge zero-carbon solutions, renewable diesel, hydrogen, renewable compressed natural gas (CNG), and electric vehicle (EV) charging.

The Tulare facility is designed to provide a new standard of convenience and sustainability for fleets and travelers, featuring premium fresh food offerings, modern amenities, and innovative fueling solutions. This site reflects Cyclum’s mission to revolutionize the travel center experience while supporting a cleaner, more sustainable transportation future.

“This dedication ceremony is a testament to Cyclum’s commitment to innovation and sustainability in the travel center industry,” said Brian Profitt, CEO of Cyclum. “Tulare is just the beginning as we pave the way for a greener and more efficient future for fleets and travelers.”

The event is part of the 2025 Trucking with Clean Fuels Conference at the International Agri-Center in Tulare from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM earlier in the day. The conference provides fleet operators and industry leaders the opportunity to explore advancements in clean fuel technologies, including a Ride & Drive experience, an exhibitor expo, and expert-led sessions.

“We are honored to partner with Cyclum to bring this groundbreaking facility to Tulare,” added JV Partner Ben Khatirine. “Collaborating with the city has been a rewarding process, and we are excited to continue working with the local community to make this site a success. This facility will serve as a critical fueling hub and a model for modern, sustainable travel centers.”

About Cyclum

Cyclum is redefining the travel center experience with its visionary plan to develop 400 innovative facilities across the United States. By integrating traditional fuels with next-generation zero-carbon solutions, Cyclum is committed to leading the charge in sustainable transportation while delivering superior convenience, comfort, and service to travelers nationwide.

https://cyclum.com/f/cyclum-to-unveil-nextgen-travel-center-at-tulare-ceremony

By Faughn Economy • Quality of Life 0 Comments

Tiny homes for the homeless now open in Madera

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Monday for the Madera Rescue Missions’s Triage Center. The Triage Center consists of six pre-manufactured tiny homes located on the Mission’s 7,600-square-foot lot. The county plans to build more in the future to accommodate those experiencing homelessness like resident David Campos. Campos said it was around 2020 when times became really tough for him.

“During Covid, we had trouble paying our bills,” Campos said.  “So, I went to several places, you know, trying to find a place.”

Campos moved around from different places in Fresno and eventually landed at the Madera Rescue Mission. On Monday, city and county officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the tiny homes and how they will be benefiting those in the county, like Campos. The project was funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Community Development Block Grants, as well as ARPA funding.

https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/local-news/tiny-homes-for-the-homeless-now-open-in-madera/?mc_cid=39a7626c23&mc_eid=c4726fd3b7

By Faughn Education • Workforce 0 Comments

BC partners with Amazon, Wonderful on industrial workforce training

Bakersfield College will become just the fifth institution in the United States, and the only one near the West Coast, to offer a certification program teaching apprentices at Amazon to become electromechanical technicians. The program is a three-organization partnership in that the e-commerce giant will contract with BC to train the company’s employees and employees of The Wonderful Co. will be hired by the college for the purpose of supporting the training. The training itself is planned to take place at The Wonderful Career Center in Shafter.

The company’s Reliability and Maintenance Engineering program is being funded by a $1.37 million contribution from the Bakersfield College Foundation’s donor-funded Innovation Fund, which will pay for the initiative’s training equipment. Companies that develop and operate local distribution centers have prioritized workforce development in recent years as they try to keep up with increased demand for people who can not only handle products in warehouses but also maintain and repair machinery, some of it automated, inside the buildings.

BC President Jerry E. Fliger said in a news release the partnership is an example of what career technical education should be — “effective and directly connected to industry needs.”

“Working together with industry leaders like Amazon and Wonderful bridges education and workforce development,” he added. “Because of this collaboration, BC will provide individuals with real skills that lead to high-paying, in-demand jobs.”

Added Cheryl Scott, executive director of the BC Foundation, “This partnership with Amazon is a perfect example of how strategic investments in education can transform lives and industries.”

A BC spokeswoman said by email Monday apprentices who advance through the program can get eight certifications showing their knowledge of industrial electricity, mechanical components, fluid power and programmable logic controllers. When they finish, they will receive a certificate from the U.S. Department of Labor recognizing them as an electromechanical technician. The in-person, classroom-learning portion of the program is expected to run for 12 weeks. The apprenticeship aspect comprises 2,000 work hours.

“By working alongside Amazon and The Wonderful Company, we’re ensuring students gain the skills needed to thrive in today’s workforce,” Rozanne Hernandez, BC’s dean of career technical education, said in the news release.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/bc-partners-amazon-wonderful-industrial-035900838.html

By Faughn Hi-Tech 0 Comments

Stockton’s Applied Aerospace acquires firm that worked on Webb Telescope

A Stockton-based aerospace company is reaching for the stars with the acquisition of a firm that, among other things, was part of the team that created the deployable sunshield on the James Webb Space Telescope. Applied Aerospace, which makes various aerospace components, said earlier this month it has completed the acquisition of NeXolve, a Huntsville, Alabama, company with expertise in advanced polymers, films and resins used in space applications.

NeXolve helped create a five-layer sunshield for the Webb Telescope that’s the size of a tennis court. Because the telescope’s scientific breakthroughs are made by detecting infrared radiation, it needs to be kept extremely cold. The sunshield protects the spacecraft from the intense heat of the sun. NeXolve has made other membrane-based products for space as well. These include deployable solar sails that gather radiation from the sun to propel a satellite. And the company crafted an atmospheric drag sail that can brake a failing or antiquated satellite to force it reenter the atmosphere where it harmlessly burns up instead of becoming another piece of space junk.

In acquiring NeXolve, Applied Aerospace also picks up its modern facilities. Those include a spacecraft assembly bay and a characterization laboratory.

“The complementary engineering capabilities that NeXolve brings to the Applied Aerospace family is incredible,” Applied Aerospace CEO Kevin Bidlack said in the statement. “By combining our capabilities, we look forward to developing a new generation of deployable sub-systems that will help our customers improve the mission effectiveness and extend the service life of their spacecraft.”

NeXolve’s work in developing, making and testing the sunshield on the Webb Space Telescope, billed by NASA as the largest and most complex instrument of its kind ever put into space, earned the company NASA’s Collier Trophy for achievement in astronautics.

Applied Aerospace also makes a variety of aeronautical products. They range from fairings, rudders and elevators on the refueling boom of the Air Force’s KC-46A Pegasus air tanker, a derivation of the Boeing 767, to the composite reflector and strut assembly on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Due to launch in two years, the Roman Space Telescope is designed for research into dark energy and dark matter.

Applied Aerospace’s business has been soaring. It announced in February that it closed its fiscal year with a backlog of $450 million in work, a company record high. The company said it landed 37 new contract awards and saw expansions in its existing programs.

By Faughn New Developments 0 Comments

Visalia builds toward more industrial space

The city of Visalia plans to open up more land for industrial development following a recent report. At its Feb. 3 meeting, the Visalia City Council heard a presentation by 4- Creeks consultants suggesting expansion of industrial park zoning south of Highway 198 adjacent to the airport as well as west of Highway 99 around the city wastewater treatment plant. Currently the industrial park is east of Highway 99 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. Mayor Brett Taylor said he was generally in favor of expansion of industrial lands but not so much west of Highway 99 where the city has the sewer farm surrounded by farmland. The report suggested the city allow for a 248-acre solar farm to provide more renewable power to the community. The site would be near the wastewater treatment plant where the consultant also suggested the city consider new industrial zoning. City-owned land west of the 99 adds up to 1,475 acres that can be potentially developed, the study said. 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 Highway 99. 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 Visalia has 389 parcels totaling 3,543 acres of industrial space with just 945 acres remaining vacant in its sphere of infuence.

“Visalia could see a demand for up to 6.4 million square feet of industrial space by 2033,” 4-Creeks stated in its report. 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 building, a 1.2 million square foot spec “building 3” on Plaza Drive that has sat empty since completion last July. There is also a new 3.7 million square feet industrial park project 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 635,000 square foot JoAnn fabrics distribution center, according to a recent letter the company sent to Mayor Taylor.

Consider that Visalia added 1.1 million square feet of industrial space in 2019, 2.4 million in 2020, 1.5 million in 2021, 1.6 million in 2022 and 1.9 mil in 2023 but just 330,000 square feet of industrial space was added in 2024. Things have slowed down. Nevertheless, councilmember Brian Poochigian said 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 area near the airport attractive.

By Faughn Economy • New Developments 0 Comments

Massive Visalia Industrial Park project ahead of schedule, no deal with Amazon

CapRock Partners, a Los Angeles based industrial real estate investor, announced this month that their Central Point III complex in Visalia at 1.27 million square-feet is ahead of schedule for construction.

Building 1, the first phase of a 2.7-million-square-foot, four-building industrial complex, has completed the tilting of the building’s concrete panel walls. Moving ahead of its original development timeline, Building 1 is now slated for completion in summer 2024, probably July. The building sits on 75 acres within CapRock Central Point III, part of CapRock’s larger 5-million-square-foot Central Point master plan in Visalia.

Bob O’Neill, senior vice president at CapRock Partners says the building is “designed to serve Fortune 100 corporations seeking a state-of-the-art industrial complex accessible to a large percentage of the West Coast’s population, CapRock Central Point III is drawing interest from leaders in logistics as well as food processing and manufacturing.”

Despite  rumors to the contrary, O’Neill says there is no lease in place with Amazon – the company that leased CapRocks other two large buildings constructed in the industrial park in the past few years.But O’Neill is optimistic the building will be spoken for soon with California’s strong economy, busy ports and the trend to re-shore companies manufacturing back to the US.

Visalia’s increasingly essential role in California’s industrial warehouse market and the broader U.S. logistics supply chain is drawing prominent corporations looking to benefit from the city’s unmatched connectivity, abundant land at relatively lower real estate costs, and robust supply of educated workers. UPS, Amazon, Ace Hardware, Smuckers, VF Corporation, FedEx, and International Paper, and others, have already established locations within Visalia’s industrial area.

“Visalia is grateful for the investment that CapRock has made in our community,” said Visalia Mayor Brian Poochigian. “CapRock has done big projects and Building 1 at Central Point III is another success in the making. Our city’s location gives us a logistical advantage when it comes to connectivity. That, coupled with our business-friendly environment and growing industrial park, makes Visalia ideal for projects like this.”

Building 1, located at 4001 N. Plaza Drive, is easily accessible to major Central Valley transportation including air, rail and highways, including State Route 99, which runs through the Central Valley and connects to major interstates I-5 and I-80. CapRock Central Point III’s position will allow its future tenants to reach over 50 million customers with one-day ground shipping, making it one of the only locations in the U.S. capable of reaching as large of a population base within the short timeframe.

At completion, Building 1 will feature 40-foot clear height, 274 dock-high doors and two ground-level doors. The cross-dock building will include approximately 6,600 square feet of office space, ample power, ESFR sprinklers and 890 auto parking stalls.

With a fully secured fenced yard, the property will provide drive-around access, a truck court depth of 185 feet, dedicated truck circulation and 542 excess trailer parking stalls.

“CapRock Partners is an experienced developer and builder of large-scale industrial warehouse facilities,” said Mike Fowler, executive managing director at JLL.

“The firm’s talented team is bringing its capabilities and expertise to deliver a world-class complex that will improve the overall efficiency of the U.S. supply chain, serve leading corporations and provide local employment and economic opportunities for Visalia and the Central Valley.”

https://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/news/2024/01/24/visalia-industrial-park-project-ahead-of-schedule-no-deal-with-amazon/72323793007/

By Faughn New Developments • Tourism 0 Comments

Merced Mall is literally on the way up

MERCED, Calif.  – The Merced Mall is on the rise, not only in terms of new businesses but literally after the city announced over the weekend that investors are discussing proposed building elevations.

Citivest, the party responsible for financing the Sears Renovation Project, says the 86,000-square-foot Sears box building is being renovated and re-positioned. Site plans published Saturday also show proposed building elevations to increase the height of the current buildings.

Management says leases for the space have been signed with Burlington, Five Below, Ulta, Petco, Rack Room Shoes, Bath & Body Works and Mattress Firm. Aspen Dental will also be located on one of the planned free-standing pad buildings.

The company says they expect the new stores to open in the fourth quarter of this year.

The new stores announced in January will be joining Boot Barn and Mocha Boba, which have also been announced as moving into the Merced Mall.

https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/local-news/merced-mall-new-businesses/

By Faughn Health/Medical • New Developments • Quality of Life 0 Comments

County opens new juvenile center

Kings County announced the grand opening of the Behavioral Rehabilitation Academy New Chance Hub, or BRANCH. This state-of-the-art facility is designed to provide comprehensive rehabilitation services to young people, empowering them to overcome challenges and build brighter futures.

“I am thrilled to witness the grand opening of The BRANCH,” said Leonard A. Bakker II, Chief Probation Officer, Kings County Probation Department. “This cutting-edge facility represents a significant step forward in our commitment to providing young people with the tools and support they need to succeed. By offering comprehensive rehabilitation services, we are empowering these individuals to overcome adversity and build brighter futures. The BRANCH is a beacon of hope for our community.”

The BRANCH offers a holistic approach to rehabilitation, combining educational, therapeutic, and rehabilitative services, the County stated. The goal is to help participants develop coping skills, improve mental health, and successfully reintegrate into their communities.

https://hanfordsentinel.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/county-opens-new-juvenile-center/article_d04f0efe-bcc5-11ef-b990-133930ebf22f.html

By Faughn Economy • Workforce 0 Comments

Governor Newsom today in Stanislaus County — previews 2025-2026 state budget and receives California Jobs First Plan for North San Joaquin Valley, including Ag contributions

What you need to know: Governor Newsom continued his statewide California Jobs First tour today to outline a first-of-its-kind, bottom-up economic vision for California’s future, receiving the regional plan from local leaders in the North San Joaquin Valley. The Governor also previewed toplines of this year’s state budget — a balanced spending plan that makes government more efficient, increases accountability, and improves the safety, health, and well-being of Californians.

Stanislaus County, California – Governor Gavin Newsom, as part of his ongoing statewide California Jobs First tour, today received the North San Joaquin Valley’s regional economic plan from community leaders representing San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Merced counties. The plan is one of 13 regional plans that will make up the upcoming California Jobs First Economic Blueprint.

Governor Newsom also previewed his 2025-26 state budget proposal by outlining the state’s continued plans to support robust economic growth, high-paying jobs and career development, and strong accountability measures to address housing, homelessness, and mental health.

“California is not only dominating but paving the way for the future of jobs and the American economy, with local homegrown economic plans for every region of our state. With a balanced budget and key investments maintained for the upcoming fiscal year, we are well-positioned to continue the forward momentum we have created. California remains the standard bearer for our nation, and we’re looking forward to another strong year ahead,” said Governor Newsom.

The California Jobs First Economic Blueprint will guide the state’s investments in key sectors to drive sustainable economic growth, innovation, and access to good-paying jobs over the next decade. The complete Economic Blueprint will be released in the coming weeks, along with a grant solicitation for a portion of the remaining $120 million over three years in competitive funding to support “ready-to-go” projects aligned to the state’s strategic sectors, ensuring that every region across California continues to play a critical role in the sustainable growth of the world’s fifth largest economy.

Made up of ten key industry sectors, this framework will help streamline the state’s economic, business, and workforce development programs to create more jobs faster.  The state’s thirteen economic regions engaged more than 10,000 local residents and experts who collectively identified these sectors as key to driving local economies into the future.

Today, leaders in the North San Joaquin Valley region presented their regional plan to the Governor and provided information about their key economic sectors.

  • Advanced Manufacturing, including building materials, mobility technologies, and measurement and testing products
  • Clean Economy, particularly solar energy, green hydrogen, biofuels, and carbon management, an emerging sector with enormous growth potential, driven by the increasing demand for carbon capture and sequestration technologies.
  • Bioeconomy, a forward-looking sector that is transforming waste streams from biomass (such as agricultural and forestry residues, municipal solid waste, and food processing byproducts) into valuable bioproducts such as fuels, plastics, chemicals, solvents, fabrics, polymers, food additives, and alternative proteins.

A balanced budget and a more efficient government

Continuing to deliver key investments and responsible fiscal management, Governor Newsom previewed the toplines of his 2025-26 state budget proposal — a balanced budget that emphasizes fiscal stability and lean and efficient government. The full budget release, accompanied by a briefing led by the Department of Finance, is scheduled for Friday, January 10, 2025.

The Governor’s $322.2 billion proposal includes $228.9 billion in general fund spending. The proposed budget is fully balanced with no deficit and projects $16.5 billion in additional revenue above the 2024 Budget Act thanks to a stronger economy, stock market, and cash receipts. It includes savings from the elimination of 6,500 government positions, resulting in $1.2 billion in savings over two years, alongside operational efficiencies like reduced travel budgets, printing costs, and IT modernizations that further reduce costs by $3.5 billion.

While introducing no cuts to core programs, the proposal maintains transformative initiatives that include the full implementation of Universal Transitional Kindergarten (TK), expanded after-school and summer programs, and Universal School Meals.

Investments focus on education, economic growth, public safety, and accountability. The full Governor’s budget proposal will be released on Friday, January 10, 2025.

https://plantingseedsblog.cdfa.ca.gov/wordpress/?p=28513&utm_source=chatgpt.com

By Faughn New Developments • New Location 0 Comments

Breaking New Ground in Madera!

Breaking New Ground in Madera!
We are excited to celebrate the groundbreaking of Stock Five Development, Inc.’s latest project, a future 7-Eleven in Madera, CA! This development represents a new opportunity for the community, bringing convenience, jobs, and growth to the area.
We were honored to have key individuals join us for this milestone, including those who played a vital role in the first phase and those who continue to drive this project forward. A special thank you to Cecilia Gallegos, Mayor of Madera, for her support, and Sterling Graham, President of Head Waters Building Group, for sharing a few words during the ceremony. Your contributions are truly appreciated!
This project is more than just construction, it’s about enhancing the community and creating a positive impact for years to come. We are grateful to the City of Madera and all of our partners for their dedication and collaboration. We look forward to seeing this vision take shape!

https://www.instagram.com/elite_team_offices/p/DF81hteSMT4/?img_index=1