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

By Faughn New Developments 0 Comments

New military lab at Edwards boosts national security, E. Kern economy

Eastern Kern is expected to benefit economically from a new, state-of-the-art engineering lab expected to improve the area’s workforce training capabilities along with U.S. military readiness at Edwards Air Force Base. The U.S. Air Force announced Thursday its new Flight Test Engineering Lab opened late last year after a series of delays and contract modifications that pushed back its debut by eight months and raised its price tag 13.6% to reach $41.35 million.

The Air Force said in a news release the lab was designed to improve the testing and integration of critical systems, specifically in electro optics/infrared sensors and long-range cyber-warfare data link capabilities. The installation will also help the Air Force develop what it described as digital twin tools accelerating creation of future combat capabilities, it said.

“As military technology continues to evolve, the FTEL stands as a critical hub for the next generation of weapons and systems, paving the way for the development of more effective, adaptable tools to safeguard national security,” it said in the release.

A senior official at the base, Paul Waters, director of the 412th Test Engineering Group, emphasized the lab’s importance in helping meet the evolving needs of the U.S. military. He said its development and testing capabilities will help the base enhance the accuracy of sensors, improve data communication and integrate flight test data with advanced modeling and simulation.

“These tools will not only accelerate our development processes but also help us stay ahead of rapidly advancing global threats,” he stated in the release.

“By refining advanced sensors, data links and validated models, we are preparing our forces for an increasingly complex global security environment,” he added.

The Air Force plans to leverage the FTEL’s capabilities to “accelerate the training and development of our workforce,” Waters stated.

“Three state-of-the-art training rooms allow us to accelerate the development (of) our young engineers,” Waters added.

Eastern Kern has scored several economic successes in recent years. The most recent is a $2 million partnership paid for by Congress to establish an aerospace innovation hub intended to smooth the flow of technology developed at Edwards and China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station to local industry.

https://www.bakersfield.com/news/new-military-lab-at-edwards-boosts-national-security-e-kern-economy/article_c5b26266-ecbd-11ef-84df-e73ad871d1ea.html?utm_source=bakersfield.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Fbusiness-headlines%2F%3Femail-scrape%26-dc%3D1739894423&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline

By Faughn Economy 0 Comments

Manteca Building Tops $2.477 Billion In 5 Years

Manteca construction — based on city issued permits — hit a record $757 million in 2024. The 5,205 permits included 1,306 new single family home starts and the Manteca Crossing shopping center anchored by what will be Manteca’s second Food 4 Less breaking ground at Atherton Drive and Airport Way. Keep in mind the figures represent only private sector construction activity.

If you toss in two major Manteca Unified projects that broke ground that include two-story classroom buildings at the East Union and Manteca high school campuses — along with several major city street projects, construction activity started in Manteca last year pushed the $850 million mark. That reflects just the value of the construction.

Assuming the 1,306 homes will reflect average selling price of new homes built in Manteca during 2023, buyers will end up spending $875 million collectively buying the homes started in 2024. The impact of the new construction — and the ongoing economic activity 1,306 new households — are even higher. Economists apply a 7-fold multiplier effect on the overall economy from every $1 in new construction.

That represents not just the wages that are spent paid to those who mine, produce, and build construction projects but also auxiliary benefactors such as jobs in mortgage lending, title offices, and such. Some of that clearly stays in the Manteca area. The real big impact locally is the ongoing annual income of the 1,306 new households and the effect it will have on the Manteca economy.

The median household income in Manteca was $89,000 at the start of 2024.

That’s said, the buyers of new homes tend to have higher household incomes.

Certain segments of Manteca south of the 120 Bypass based on tracking of mortgage data, reflects new neighbors where the household income exceeds $100,000. Taking a lowball assumption of $90,000 for the income of each new household that will occupy the 1,306 homes, the overall household income will easily top $117.5 million on an annual basis.

Granted mortgage payments plus taxes and utilities will eat up a good share of the $117.5 million. But beyond that spending for everything from food, gasoline, entertainment, home improvement, furnishing, clothing, and such makes its way into the local and regional economies. During the past five years, Manteca has issued 22,701 permits for everything from spas and swimming pools to massive distribution centers, and apartment complexes.

The overall figure is $2.477 billion. That includes $376 million in 2020, $391 million in 2021, $528 million in 2022, $424 million in 2023, and $757 million in 2024. To put that in perspective, it took 13 years for overall Manteca building permit activity to reach a combined $1 billion between 1998 and 2010. Manteca had a combined $1.18 billion just in the past two years. The record for the biggest permitted project in Manteca still stands. That was $180 million for the 500-room Great Wolf hotel and indoor water resort that opened on June 29, 2021.

https://www.mantecabulletin.com/news/local-news/manteca-building-tops-2477-billion-in-5-years/

By Faughn New Developments 0 Comments

Tulare plans for significant development projects

TULARE – From overpasses to parks to businesses, the city of Tulare is pushing ahead on developments set to reshape the community within the next year and beyond.

City Manager Marc Mondell explained in an interview with The Sun-Gazette that some of the major projects included the Zumwalt Park project, the city dog park and the business incubator project. Ongoing projects include the Agri-Center overpass, the emergency homeless shelter and construction of a new overpass on Paige Avenue. “We are going to do a lot of deals, we are going to try to get as many deals that make sense to go forward, but some of those deals might not,” Mondell said.

He cited the recently announced project at Mefford Field that could see the development of a heavy industry alternative energy fueling station as one of the major projects that could get underway in the next year.

“We have an opportunity and that is what we are doing, we are exploring an opportunity,” Mondell said of the preliminary plans. “We are in a really good position and I hope it happens. I know the guys with Cyclum are working their butts off to make it happen, so we will see.”

One of the major projects that will hopefully be completed in 2025 is the Agri-Center overpass project, which the city is not involved in directly. The project is spearheaded by Caltrans and is anticipated to be completed by winter of 2025. Environmental studies and planning are also underway for the proposed Paige Avenue off ramp, but that project won’t be complete for several years.

“Most city managers are lucky if they get one interchange built in their time frame and we are having four,” Mondell said. “We got Cartmill built, we have got J Street almost finished now, we have got the South interchange at the Ag Center under construction now, and then we will have Paige Ave.

“There probably isn’t another decade in Tulare history that has seen this much investment – plus the widening of Interstate 99, which is a $550 million investment by Caltrans.”

New development projects are also underway along Cartmill Avenue that will see housing and business construction begin during 2025. Two developers are working on two properties in the area but recently ran into complications related to infrastructure. The city was able to use a creative incentive deal to ensure the projects stay on target. Mondell explained that the developers identified the need for an additional gas line that was not originally anticipated.

The cost of the pipeline is $400,000. Rather than risk losing the development, the city brokered a deal with the developers who will front the cost of the pipeline, then recoup the cost through sales tax payments once the development is done. The project will include a Chick-Fil-A restaurant and a Maverick gas station, which will enable the city to repay the investment in about seven years.

A second issue with one of the two developments also arose after the developers learned that a program provided by Southern California Edison (SCE) to provide electricity had sunsetted in January. Now, the developer will need to pony up $350,000 additionally to get power. The city has arranged a similar incentive deal with the developer to ensure the project moves forward.

“We have been very hungry for development at Cartmill for a while, so it was very exciting to start getting projects going,” Mondell said. “Once we get one project going, others will follow. Nobody ever wants to be first, I don’t know why that is, but it is the way it goes.” The city uses a variety of metrics to determine estimates of sales tax that led to confidence in the ability of the developers completed projects to meet the repayment goals.

Mondell explained that the city looks at other similar projects in the state and nation and determines the amount of sales tax generated, then puts together a low estimate, an average estimate and a high estimate. The city typically bases its forecast somewhere between the low and the average estimate to give a conservative number. This helps when unexpected economic issues arise.

“Here is how I look at it; the city is making zero on that property now,” Mondell said. “If somebody is going to come in and say, ‘I can generate $100,000 in sales tax annually, but I need $50,000 back to recoup costs for a few years, then you can keep all of it,’ I will do that deal all day long.”

The city is using a variety of tools to drive economic growth and development throughout the city. Examples include grant funds that have allowed several downtown businesses to renovate and improve their properties, agreements with state and federal agencies to generate funds for projects such as the homeless shelter and creative uses of city monies and regional sponsorships to complete projects like the Zumwalt Park amphitheater.

“Cities have some great tools and we try to use all of them to encourage the right kind of development,” Mondell said. “Cities have the land use and zoning controls, cities have the permitting process, how efficient and affordable we can make that process, the city has the extension of infrastructure as far as where we put our roads, water and sewer, and of course, we have incentive programs.”

Mondell said that the city leverages opportunities with state and federal programs to encourage development and he said the city will continue to use its leverage in 2025 to identify opportunities to continue development in the city in the coming years.

https://thesungazette.com/article/news/2025/01/13/tulare-plans-for-significant-development-projects/

By Faughn Economy • Workforce 0 Comments

MCITD Overview

The Mid-California International Trade District is strategically located in central California in Merced County, located just to the east and adjacent to Silicon Valley. Collocated with the Castle Airport, this location is advantaged by proximity and quick road and rail connections to San Francisco and the Bay Area and to key San Joaquin Valley urban markets such as Stockton, Modesto and Fresno. With immediate access to a labor shed of about 2.5M people and an extended labor shed of over 8M people, the MCITD is extremely well-positioned to accommodate a range of technical skill requirements.

On the site of a former Strategic Air Command Air Force Base, the MCITD is being transformed into a state-of-the-art master planned business environment for global business. The project site is a unique state of the art 2,000-acre multimodal industrial development that is designed to house about approximately 8 million square feet of modern technology-oriented industrial development.

The project’s underlying objective is to develop a next-generation eco-friendly Central California business environment due to its design, planned uses and streamlined connectivity to key supply chain points. Already home to over 60 tenants, including Google and the University of California-Merced, the project is designed to be a bustling hub of economic activity with about 10,000 people working onsite.

https://www.midcalitd.com/mcitd-overview/

By Faughn Economy • Quality of Life • Workforce 0 Comments

Studies focus on 3,400-acre development in Stanislaus County. Process raises some eyebrows

Salida’s 3,383-acre expansion plan is finally under environmental review to study traffic impacts, basic infrastructure needs, effects on wildlife, and the feasibility of city incorporation.

In 2007, the Salida Community Plan was an initiative proposed for a countywide vote, but county supervisors in a 3-2 decision that August approved the contents of the initiative, rather than putting it on the ballot. The plan included land use areas just north of Modesto capable of producing 27,800 jobs and 5,000 homes, possibly adding 15,000 residents.

By December 2007, the nation was in the grips of the Great Recession and a home mortgage crisis. The Salida Community Plan remained on the books during the recovery years. Today, there’s renewed interest in development, such as the 145-acre Scannell Properties project, proposing 2.5 million square feet of warehouses, distribution centers and manufacturing at the northwest corner of Kiernan Avenue and Dale Road.

County leaders agreed early last year that a programmatic environmental study was needed to consider the overall impacts of the Salida plan, before individual projects like Scannell can move forward.

In July, county supervisors approved a $900,000 agreement for Sacramento-based Ascent Environmental to prepare the overarching environmental study and also include a feasibility analysis on city incorporation of Salida. One purpose of the 2007 initiative was a larger tax base for Salida and fiscal self-sufficiency for the unincorporated town of 14,800 residents.

Questions of conflict of interest have arisen because Ascent also is preparing an environmental study looking at the specific impacts of the Scannell project.

County Counsel Thomas Boze said Tuesday there is no conflict. Ascent is capable of doing objective work for both studies. When a county hires outside consultants to prepare an EIR under the California Environmental Quality Act, the consultants are essentially assisting county staff members in completing the work, Boze said.

The developer is paying for costs of the study, but the county retains control over the document, Boze said. “The document is ours,” Boze explained. “The report has to be approved by the Board of Supervisors.”

In another legal question, the county contracted with Ascent for the Salida Plan EIR without first requesting proposals from consulting firms. A county staff report justified the decision, noting that overlapping technical assessments are needed for both the Salida Plan and Scannell project environmental studies, and Ascent was already conducting some of that work.

“It is not time or cost effective to bring in another consultant that will be duplicating work already being performed,” the county report said.

Sean McMorris of Common Cause California, a nonprofit focused on promoting accountability in government, said the downside of the RFP process for local governments is it takes more time. But the process serves to build trust with the public.

“The upside is: They can get the best deal and also can set parameters for participants in the RFP,” said McMorris, the transparency, ethics and accountability program manager for Common Cause.

McMorris said he didn’t think it’s illegal for the same consulting firm to prepare the programmatic EIR while handling the environmental work for a project in the Salida development area. But the public may think something is awry.

“We hope that people who do EIRs are ethical and don’t have predisposed outcomes before they come in,” McMorris said. “For the people who do these EIRs, it is a business. They want to have happy clients so the clients use them over and over again.”

Jessica Babcock, senior project manager for Ascent, said at a Salida Municipal Advisory Council meeting in late September the project EIR is being prepared under a three-party agreement with the county, Scannell Properties and Ascent Environmental. She said both of the environmental studies will contain unbiased information.

Study considers a variety of issues

The programmatic EIR is looking at larger planning considerations and ways to address overarching issues of developing the 3,383-acre Salida expansion.

Babcock said there’s no clear picture on whether to expand the wastewater treatment plant of Salida Sanitary District or build new facilities to serve Salida’s expansion area. The study also will consider needs such as a Sheriff’s Department satellite office combined with a fire station.

A number of “sub-consultants” are working on the program EIR, including: Fehr & Peers, doing traffic modeling; West Yost Associates, looking at water and wastewater infrastructure; and Economics & Planning Systems, analyzing incorporation feasibility.

County Supervisor Terry Withrow has said the Salida Community Plan could be a possible location for an innovation campus supporting the county’s bioindustrial initiative.

The Salida Plan, situated along the Kiernan Avenue traffic corridor, between Sisk and Dale roads, also could attract proposals for distribution centers, raising issues of air pollution and whether the lower pay scale of that industry is desirable for the county.

The community plan includes land designated for 5,000 homes and about 1,260 acres for industrial development, 490 acres for business parks and 280 acres of commercial uses.

Timeline for completing EIR

A draft environmental report should be ready for release in the spring. That will trigger the start of a 60-day period for public comments on the study’s findings. The final EIR, with responses to public comments, will be completed roughly a year from now.

The final study requires approval from the Board of Supervisors.

Katherine Borges, a Salida resident, said at the September Salida MAC meeting that new projects should not use septic tank systems because of the high water table in Salida.

Brad Johnson, a Salida municipal council member, asked skeptically if any other area of the county has a plan for 27,800 jobs.

To cover costs of the program EIR, the county will pull $682,785 from the General Fund, $291,220 from the Salida Planning Fund and $75,000 from the Salida Incorporation Study fund balance. As the Salida plan is developed over time, the county will collect fees from individual development projects to reimburse for the General Fund money.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/studies-focus-3-400-acre-003052285.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmluZy5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJGYxEaZ_gWJQ3RpLw-YbMsCm6tp3MaCHz7rns3pFGQc4sFHwNOUHZpn3dPkKiQzQZjIrR3e9vqo9ceUL1TOrPsKKhCnYyGNGvjfcISKNp6e5JUos39dFkDRGyuebNfcEZvDtlG6Z1x5F0qiIYmYwnoBNOECA4sqrsTFtU8dLD0h

By Faughn Economy • Tourism 0 Comments

FAT continues on flight path of success with record 2.6M passengers

Whether it soared, took off, reached the clouds or any other air travel-related play on words, Fresno Yosemite International Airport once again set a record for passengers in 2024, just missing double digit growth. The airport that markets itself by its international airport code FAT was indeed full of passengers last year — about 2.6 million of them, up 9% from calendar year 2023. With new routes, major construction on a terminal expansion and other improvements, FAT continues to distinguish itself as an airport on the grow, officials said.

“FAT is more than just a place to catch a flight — it’s a key driver of jobs and economic growth for our region,” said Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer in a statement. “With the opening of the newly expanded terminal on the horizon, I’m thrilled for what’s ahead as we continue to welcome travelers and show the world what Fresno has to offer.”

International passenger volumes experienced a substantial surge in growth. In 2024, a total of 411,575 passengers traveled between Fresno Yosemite International Airport and Mexico, representing a 27.5% increase compared to 2023.

Last month, Alaska Airlines launched non-stop seasonal service from Fresno to Guadalajara, Mexico, through Feb. 12. It joined existing carriers Aeromexico and Volaris in daily service to Guadalajara especially popular during the holidays.

“This major passenger growth trend at Fresno Yosemite International Airport is triggered by our airline partners recognizing and responding to the region’s demand for air service options from Fresno,” said Director of Aviation Henry Thompson. “Growing air service with more passengers choosing to fly Fresno and filling seats demonstrates to the airlines that more service is needed to meet demand.”

2024 air service and airport highlights

  • Return of daily United Airlines seasonal nonstop service to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) in May
  • Introduction of new daily nonstop flights to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) with Delta Airlines in June
  • Launch of new Saturday nonstop service to Dallas Love Field (DAL) with Southwest Airlines in June
  • Increased frequency to Las Vegas (LAS) on Southwest Airlines to four daily flights from three flights in March through September and representing a 25% increase in the airline’s capacity to LAS
  • Cargo transported through FAT in 2024 totaled more than 20 million pounds. Cargo carriers FedEx and UPS upgauged from 757 aircraft to the 767 aircraft (both carriers) and A300s (UPS).
  • Placement of the final structural steel beam in October to support the largest airport development program in FAT’s history, including a new concourse wing with areas for shops and dining, expanded passenger screening checkpoint, a new Federal Inspection Station for international arrivals with an added waiting area for friends and family.

2025 FAT air service preview

Added capacity through FAT planned later this year includes:

  • Increased frequency to Las Vegas (LAS) on Southwest Airlines to four daily flights from three flights in March and representing a 25% increase in the airline’s capacity.
  • Added nonstop seasonal service to Portland International Airport (PDX) on Allegiant beginning May 22 through mid-August 2025 operating on Sundays and Thursdays.
  • Return of daily United Airlines seasonal nonstop service to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) in May.
  • Return of nonstop service with twice weekly service to Dallas Love Field (DAL) with Southwest Airlines June 7 through mid-August 2025.

https://thebusinessjournal.com/fat-continues-on-flight-path-of-success-with-record-2-6m-passengers/

By Faughn Economy 0 Comments

Kings County 2025 Forecast: Open for business, ready to fight

The Nov. 29 print edition of The Business Journal included economic forecasts for each of the four counties we cover. We will be sharing them throughout the week.

Kings County is rich in agriculture and manufacturing, with millions of pounds of cheese produced by suppliers large and small each day. Next year retail, hotels and even industrial are coming to a new development off Interstate 5. Cities including Hanford and Lemoore are positioning themselves to attract new businesses — and succeeding. Economic development leaders there have plenty of reasons to be optimistic about 2025.

But on the farm production side, the last few years haven’t been easy. In March 2023 the country and the world marveled at the return of the ancient Tulare Lake, the result of a historically wet water year. The lakebed cotton fields near Corcoran took the biggest hit, with the most recent crop report for 2023 showing annual crop receipts down 17%.

Kings County growers, led by the Kings County Farm Bureau and its Executive Director Dusty Ference, are currently engaged in a fierce legal battle with the state’s water board that could ultimately decide how much it will cost them to pump water from the ground.

All signs point to an eventful 2025 for Kings County.

Open for business

The Kings County Economic Development Corp. has been on the frontline of attracting new businesses to the area. The team meets with national site selectors, collaborates regionally and coordinates locally to put Kings County’s best foot forward.

“All projects and collaborative efforts strive for similar goals: to create jobs, to upskill employees, to expand capacity and to infuse resources into the local economy,” said Julieta Martinez, Kings EDC president and CEO, in the recently released 2024 annual report.

Fabio Ianni is the Kings EDC economic development manager. In the last year and a half, he has digitally and physically attended more than a dozen events across the country, meeting with site selectors, commercial real estate brokers and development decision makers. Broker missions took the Kings EDC to the Bay Area, Southern California and even Atlanta, Georgia, where they met with nearly 100 brokers and site selectors. From the Kings EDC perspective, everything is looking up for Kings County, including population, employment growth and productivity in agriculture and manufacturing.

The pipeline

Truck stops and fueling facilities with retail are hot, with Maverik building a new facility in Lemoore. It includes a 6,000 square-foot convenience store and drive-thru restaurant. Construction workers will be busy in Lemoore working on the new Visual Arts and Applied Science instructional building at Lemoore College. At two stories and more than 44,00 square feet, it is expected to open in spring 2026. Tennessee-based Helena Agri-Enterprises, LLC, is building a new fertilizer and crop input products storage facility in Lemoore that should be completed before the end of 2025.

The long-anticipated Jackson Ranch development, and its master-planned 415 acres of retail, hotels and industrial, will finally get its wings in 2025. The first businesses there (a Chevron and Shell fueling station) are expected to open in Q1 — maybe even within weeks. Phase 1 plans include restaurant pads and a pair of hotels. Jackson Ranch is located on Utica Avenue in Kettleman City along Interstate 5 — one of the state’s busiest freeways.

“It’s a very strategic location,” Ianni said.

There are also milestones coming in the new year. Kings County agricultural powerhouse J.G. Boswell will celebrate its 100th anniversary in business in the second quarter of 2025. The family-owned and operated company specializes in the production, processing, and marketing of cotton, tomatoes and more.

Courthouse to tap room

One of the City of Hanford’s historical buildings has found a new purpose with the council’s decision earlier to sell the original courthouse building from 1896 to BarrelHouse Brewing Co. for $1. Though based in Paso Robles, BarrelHouse Brewing has made itself at home in the Valley with taprooms in Visalia and Fresno’s River Park. The Hanford location would be a Kings County homecoming, as BarrelHouse co-owners Jason Carvalho and Kevin Nickell were both raised in Lemoore.

“We’re a gathering place for friends and family,” Carvalho said earlier this month during a council meeting. “We want to be the spot that you can just come after work, bring your friends and family, have a good time. And that’s something that’s missing in Hanford.”

Nickell said their goal is to have a Barrelhouse business on the Courthouse’s top floor along with other tenants in the building. Renovation work is expected to continue through to a possible 2026 opening.

Neat streets

The East Lacey Boulevard Corridor Improvement Project is moving forward in Hanford — currently in the design phase, said Brian Johnson, City of Hanford community relations manager. Final construction documents scheduled to be completed soon. The $7.3 million project is expected to turn the “gritty industrial road to a multi-use, landscaped street that will open up opportunities for residential and commercial development,” reported the Hanford Sentinel in August. Construction could begin next year. Hanford also recently passed a 1% sales tax — the first in the City’s history, said Johnson. This new revenue stream will allow the City to maintain and improve essential services, which they hope will contribute to the City’s overall economic growth.

“You don’t get many developers that come into a town they want to invest in that’s not willing to invest in itself,” said Public Works Director Russ Sterling.

Farm bureau fight

The Kings County Farm Bureau is fighting a designation of the Tulare Lake Subbasin as under probation by the State Water Resources Control Board. As part of the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), growers in the Tulare Lake Subbasin would have to pay $20 per acre foot of water pumped as part of their probation. The Farm Bureau scored a legal victory in September when Kings County Superior Court Judge Kathy Ciuffini granted a preliminary injunction against the State Water Board.

“Today’s ruling highlights the validity of our claims and showcases our likelihood to win in court in the future,” Dusty Ference, executive director of the Farm Bureau, said in a statement.

It has been an expensive effort for the Farm Bureau, with more than $257,000 in legal fees to date. On Jan. 10, 2025, the Farm Bureau will be in court for a second case management system. A trial date could be set for later in the year. Water agencies across the state are watching the legal matter for its implications for the implementation of SGMA.

https://thebusinessjournal.com/kings-county-open-for-business-ready-to-fight/

By Faughn New Developments • Workforce 0 Comments

Madera County 2025 Forecast: A hospital reborn

Madera on the Map

The Highway 41 corridor has been ripe with activity, said Bobby Kahn, interim executive director of the Madera County Economic Development Commission (MCEDC).

This past August, Valley Children’s Healthcare announced plans for “The Hill,” a 220-acre, mixed-used development on its main campus. It will have a mix of health care space, housing, commercial, recreation, office and hospitality.

Kahn said in following with the 1,135-acre Gunner Ranch West Specific Plan, infrastructure work across the street from Valley Children’s Hospital is anticipated to start in the next 12 to 24 months.

The plan envisions a medical campus that will provide significant medical services and opportunities, with an array of commercial uses, including a regional commercial center and a system of parks, trails and open space.

The plan proposes development of up to 2,840 residential units, more than 2 million square feet of regional commercial uses, 751,000 square feet of medical office and related services, 1.1 million square feet of hospital and related services, community facilities, elementary schools, and a community/government center.

The plan also calls for 72 acres of open space and parks, and a 62-acre wastewater treatment plant.

Hospital reborn

Perhaps the most symbolic victory for Madera County is the return of Madera Community Hospital, which closed its doors in January 2023 and filed for bankruptcy protection.

The hospital received the first $15 million installment of a total $57 million emergency loan from the Distressed Hospital Loan Program. The funds are to be used for improvements such as updating patient equipment and operational expenses including hiring and training.

Kahn said the hospital is scheduled to open on Jan. 13, 2025, under new operator American Advanced Management from Modesto.

American Advanced Management has been hosting job fairs to fill more than 200 staff positions (not including doctors). Of those, 135 positions have been filled.

“As it opens, they will continue to staff-up and grow, adding more and more services,” Kahn said. “That will be huge for the City of Madera and the surrounding area. The health industry is known for higher wages, and those are industries you’d like to see in your community.

Burgeoning communities

The Riverstone development already has more than 1,000 homes built, and its commercial development mix includes Dutch Bros, a couple of restaurants and retailers.

A 2025 opening of Riley’s Pub is expected at Riverwalk, an office plaza on the corner of Highway 41 and Avenue 12.

The Tesoro Viejo community has plans for about 5,200 homes, with more than 1,000 already built. Across from Tesoro Viejo on Avenue 15 and Highway 41, there are plans for a Starbucks.

There is also the “Village D” Infrastructure Plan, located on Avenue 16 and Road 23, with the project covering 1,860 acres and including 10,783 housing units, as well as commercial and public facilities, recreation and open space.

The project is estimated to be built-out over a 20-year time span, Kahn said.

HVAC and gaming

Recently, a closed Church and Dwight Co. food supplement manufacturing on Avenue 12 near Road 32 was purchased by Vezina Industries, a Madera manufacturer specializing in windows, doors and HVAC solutions.

Along with the homegrown expansion, the area is getting attention from outside the area, though nothing has been finalized.

“We are getting a lot of looks now from national tenants,” Kahn said. “Madera is on the map. I think we will see continual retail growth in the City of Madera.”

A major project in the area is the North Fork Mono Casino & Resort, off of Avenue 18 and Road 23, which broke ground in September.

Kahn said there is hopes that the casino portion will open by late 2025 or early 2026. The first phase will be construction of the casino, followed by the resort, with a total construction timeline spanning five to ten years.

In August, the new AutoZone distribution center, located between Highway 99 and the Chowchilla Airport, debuted with 500,000 square feet, creating 200-300 new jobs.

Ag front

This season provided big, rainy storms and high temperatures, which presented a challenge for some crops. Kahn noted the price of almonds remains soft, and grape growers still face challenges as wine consumption drops.

He predicts almond orchards will continue to be pushed out, especially the older ones. Wineries are not seeking out grape contracts like they used to, and the raisin market is “mediocre” from a pricing perspective, Kahn said.

He also noted that the dairy industry continues to struggle with pricing

“I think ag in 2025 is still going to be a challenge for most commodities, but if you’re a farmer that’s positioned right, and not taking on a lot of debt, you should be OK,” Kahn said.

This month, Kristina Gallagher was named as the new executive director of the MCEDC, coming from a background in in local government advocacy, public policy, and community engagement with the California State Association of Counties.

Gallagher said she will look to Kahn’s experience for guidance, as well as the community.

“I’m looking to be very active with businesses and real estate and find out how to help build infrastructure into the two cities [Madera and Chowchilla] and the county,” Gallagher said. “In a year or two, I hope to have a 5-year plan going — something we could put down with the executive committee, and businesses and other local partners.”

Downturn in tourism

While millions flock from all over the world to see Madera County’s natural landscapes, most notably Yosemite National Park, the park’s reservation system did cause a dip in visitors when it was implemented last year, said Rhonda Salisbury, CEO of the Southern Yosemite Visitors Bureau.

The first and second quarters of 2024 saw high levels of tourism that waned off after the Yosemite reservations set in.

“It hurt the economy quite a bit,” Salisbury said. “We are expecting anywhere from a 10-20% drop in hotel occupancy from last year.”

The reservation system did provide a small boost for local tour operators, businesses and restaurants as more people waited in nearby towns before they could enter the park.

Salisbury said Yosemite National Park has not released its reservation system for 2025, but she assumes there will be one.

She hopes 2025 will be another test year — and not a permanent fixture — for the reservation system, and that it’s less aggressive than 2024.

She said the park was pushing away 700 visitors that didn’t have a reservation each day.

The bureau has sent letters to Washington, D.C., with hopes to find the best system.

Building up

Darren Rose, CEO of the Building Industry Association of Fresno/Madera Counties, said much remains to be seen in 2025, considering falling interest and mortgage rates.

“I think we will continue to see building activity, and a lot of it depends on how things unfold with the new administration,” Rose said.

If implemented, Trump’s proposed tariffs will increase prices on construction inputs, such as in lumber, concrete, and other items used to build homes. Those increases in costs will be put into the purchase price and passed on to home buyers.

Even though prices for nearly everything has gone up, builders continue to build homes.

“All of my builders are anticipating growth, and we are excited about that, but we have to see how things unfold with the economy,” Rose said.

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