COS Eying Veterinary Hands on Training

By Steve Pastis

Visalia - College of the Sequoias' students who are looking at a veterinary career may get a chance next year for some real hands-on experience.

A memorandum of understanding has been signed by the college, University of California Davis and Banfield, The Pet Hospital, to have COS students train at the veterinary center being developed in the Visalia PetSmart.

Banfield operates the PetSmart chain of stores that are each built with a full-service veterinary center.

“They employ veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians and are working with UC Davis and COS to provide on-the-job training experience for veterinarian and registered veterinary technician students,” said Dr. Bill Scroggins, COS president/superintendent.

The document is not a binding legal contract, but instead confirms the “mutual good faith intentions to negotiate toward a collaborative arrangement.” It calls for Banfield to “make all reasonable efforts to open” a veterinary hospital at the PetSmart store at 4240 S. Mooney Blvd. in Visalia by May 1, 2009.

The goal of the extern program is to provide veterinarian and registered veterinary technician externs with experience in companion (domestic pets) animal medicine, as well as helping them learn to work with clients. Students who get this training would gain an introduction into the marketplace will make it easier for them to find jobs.

If the memorandum becomes a binding contract, it would provide COS with a state of the art facility to train its registered veterinary technicians (RVT). Banfield would have access to veterinary and RVT student externships. UC Davis would benefit by having access to viable private practice models for its teaching and training systems.

According to the memorandum, UC Davis and COS “will provide financial support to Banfield to help cover the additional costs for the externship programs.” UC Davis would pay approximately $150,000 annually for one-half of all salaries, benefits and other compensation for two veterinarians. The proposed cost to COS is a one-time fee of $130,000 to be paid to Banfield. The contract would be for five years.

Even with the memorandum of understanding, discussions continue.

“We've talked to Banfield and talked to other entities,” said Dr. James Cullor, director and associate dean of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in Tulare. “I'd categorize it as an across-the-board discussion. The UC Davis Tulare school is for large animal veterinary care only.

“We're working with COS to help them with their registered veterinary technician program to get more students into small animal and large animal medicine,” said Cullor. “Our primary goal is to get trained individuals that will go into veterinary medicine and hopefully those students will go on to careers as veterinarians.”

 

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Cal Water Adding Storage
Million-Gallon Tank to Serve Northwest Area

By Rick Elkins

Visalia - By next summer, residents of the growing northwest area of Visalia will notice a considerable increase in their water pressure. That is because California Water Service is installing a million-gallon storage tank off of Riggin Street, west of Akers Avenue.

The tank is the company's first ground level tank and only the third in the system. Cal Water provides all of the water for the City of Visalia. Right now, the only two storage tanks are the elevated tanks, one near Redwood High School and the other at Roosevelt and Santa Fe. Both of those hold 300,000 gallons.

“This is to meet the growth and to provide better fire protection,” said Phil Mirwald, Cal Water manager of the project. He said the tank will be more efficient in that they can fill it during non-peak energy hours and then empty it during the day. Also, he said because of the large storage, the well pump will not have to run as often.

With three dry years behind us, water has become a key issue in the Valley and the state. The Visalia City Council has encouraged Mirwald to get water meters installed at all residences in the city as quickly as possible and the city is looking at changes to its water conservation ordinance to further reduce water usage in the city.

Mirwald said his company has determined it can do about 10 meters a day using two, two-man crews. He said unless the Public Utility Commission approves another plan, the best they can do is get the entire city on meters within six years. The earlier estimate was eight years and that was revised from a goal of having the project done by 2025, the state-mandated date that all residential users in California must be on water meters.

It is believed that water meters lead to water conservation since the resident is paying for they use. People have a flat fee, then pay a certain amount for what they use over that flat rate.

Mirwald said they have completed 457 water meters since they began the project in August. They need to convert roughly 18,000 meters.

“We're doing this as expeditiously as possible,” he said.

Every home built after 1987 has a water meter and nearly all commercial and industrial users are on meters.

Water Levels Continue to Drop

The level of water in Cal Water's 75 wells continued to drop throughout the summer. Mirwald said the average depth today is 110 feet, down from 107 feet in June and 101 feet in August of last year.

“I would say our situation is serious, but not critical by any means,” said Mirwald. “People need to be not wasteful. If everybody was more water aware, our situation would be better than we are.”

He said there was no noticeable difference in water usage this summer over last year. Having meters will make that comparison much easier, he noted.

Paul Hendrix, general manager of the Tulare Irrigation District, said the underground water table continues to drop in the Tulare area. He said the district is currently measuring the well depths, but expects the level to have dropped to about 150 feet on average. A couple of years ago it was 120 feet.

“We need several wet years,” he said, in order for the region to recover.

 

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Local Banks Holding Up Well

By Rick Elkins

Visalia - Despite reports by the national media that banks are failing right and left, nothing could be further from the truth in Tulare County. Local banks are not only holding up very well, many are seeing deposits rise as some people withdraw funds from the larger, troubled big banks and put them in the local banks.

“We never made subprime loans. We're not affected,” said Jim Holly, founder and president of Bank of the Sierra, headquartered in Porterville, of the national crisis.
“Most of the local banks have the same response. Didn't do subprime loans, exotic loans,” added Tom Beene, president of Visalia Community Bank.

“We've hit an all-time high in deposits and equity,” added Beene, noting that many people have come to them with money they took out of other banks, most notably Washington Mutual, one of the large banks that was taken over.

At Suncrest Bank, which just opened its doors this summer, growth has been steady and as expected, reported Mike Wilson, bank president.

“We're on track. Deposits are ahead of schedule,” he reported.

Holly called the economic crisis “unbelievable. The most troublesome we've seen since the Great Depression.” He said toxic paper (bad home loans) led to the current crisis. “We thought we could borrow our way to prosperity,” said Holly.

“We thought everybody could own a home.”

However, he said the problems that led so many banks to struggle – home loans made to borrowers with poor credit histories – were not practiced by locally owned banks.

As for the $800 billion rescue package, Holly said it will not have much of an immediate impact in Tulare County, but he sees it having a positive impact nationally within 30 days. He was especially pleased with the feds increasing the limit on insured deposits to $250,000.

“Overall, a good and a necessary move. It became necessary because the administration backed it. They had to do it to alleviate fear,” said Holly, who has more than 30 years in banking locally.

Beene said the crisis is not as bad as the mainstream media has made it out to be. However, “I can't say things are happy. The economy has depressed a lot of things,” he said.

He admitted his bank has taken a lot of calls from people who are concerned. Many want to be reassured their money is safe and the answer is “yes,” he said.

He said loans are at an all-time high. “There are lots of businesses out there hurting from this economy. They lean on their bank's line of credit to get them by,” he said.
Beene also said local banks are feeling the pinch from a slowed-down economy. As people spend less, there is less movement of money.

Wilson is seeing businesses holding back on expanding, and holding back on taking out loans for expansion. He said, “They're holding back, waiting to see if it's a long recession or a short recession.”

He added in his opinion the country has been in a recession for about nine months already.

He said interest rates on home loans are still good – about 6 percent, but that it is much tougher to qualify for a loan. The days of nothing down and bad credit and still getting a home loan are long gone.

“Ten percent down, good credit. Yes, you can get a loan and probably get a good deal on a house out there,” he said.

The Bottom in Sight

Both Beene and Holly said only time will tell if the economy has hit the bottom. For the last two weeks, the stock market has been like a rollercoaster ride – widely up and down. On Monday, the market posted its largest single-day gain ever.

“It will take six to eight weeks before we see the market not fluctuating as much, at least on a day-to-day basis,” said Holly, adding he thinks the fed is doing everything reasonable it can.

Beene sees the economy improving, but that it may now take a little longer than before. Both bank presidents said the key is the housing market.
“I am hopeful home values have stabilized. That would signal the bottom,” said Holly.

Beene had advice for the person who is concerned.

“Focus on you have a good job, a good salary and a good income. Just keep it. Keep a savings and reserve and just weather it well.”

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Budget Cloud Hangs
Over Local Governments

Visalia - With Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and lawmakers eying a special session of the State Legislature to address an already out-of-whack state budget, local officials are bracing for possibly more cuts in state funds.

While the City of Visalia relies less on the state than the Visalia Unified School District, both are bracing for lean months in terms of revenue. The city is seeing sales tax receipts, development fees and property tax revenues drying up as the economy takes its toll, while the school district has already seen what was promised in the budget settlement last month disappear.

“What's disappointing is the math does not work,” said Robert Groeber, administrative services director for the district of the state's 2008-09 budget. “The state just doesn't have the money. It is not a balanced budget and it will not be able to pay us what it budgeted.”

VUSD was said to get $1 million in a cost of living adjustment, along with other funds, as promised by the state, but now the district does not expect to see of dime of that. And, with reports the state is already $3 billion in the hole this budget year (it's only three months old), Groeber said schools are likely to see more money taken away.

Visalia City Administrative Services Director Eric Frost said the state's hit to the city was much less than it was bracing for. The city anticipated losing $1.1 million and the total was just $610,000, said Frost during a joint meeting of the city council and school board.

However, Frost added the economic downturn could mean $600,000 less in retail sales tax revenue this year. Property tax revenue is uncertain as home values drop and the county reassess property values. For now, the city is looking at $100,000 more revenue that it budgeted, but that could change.

“We're concerned,” said Frost, explaining that two-thirds of the city's general fund revenue comes from sales taxes. “The biggest issue out there is what is all this craziness going to do to the local economy.”

“The state situation is deteriorating very fast,” Visalia City Manager Steve Salomon told the two governmental bodies. “Revenue is off 10 percent. It's a very, very serious time.”

“It is broke,” said Councilman Greg Collins of the state's budget. “Stay tuned because they're going to come back and hit us and you too,” he told the school board.

“It is a pretty dramatic situation,” added Salomon.

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Hanford Plant Closure
to Boost Exeter Jobs

By Miles Shuper

Hanford - Up to half of the 91 jobs to be eliminated by the pending closure of the International Paper plant in Hanford could come to the company's sister plant in Exeter.

The company announced last week it plans to close the Hanford plant, located in Hanford's Industrial Park on Iona east of 11th Avenue, in early December, eliminating about 75 full-time and 16 part-time jobs.

International Paper acquired the Hanford plant in 1999 as part of the acquisition of Union Camp Corp. Like the Exeter plant, known as Tri-Wall, which International Paper acquired when it bought Weyerhaeuser, the Hanford facility produces large corrugated containers mostly used for shipping agricultural products. International Paper officially took over the Exeter Weyerhaeuser Tri-Wall plant in August. That was about six months after the $6 billion cash sale of Weyerhaeuser's containerboard, packaging and recycling units in March.

The company said the Exeter plant, which employs 97 workers, is better equipped with machinery, infrastructure and expansion space than the Hanford location. The Exeter plant in located at 1111 N. Anderson Rd. and is about 300,000 square feet, considerably larger than the 175,000-sq.-ft. plant in Hanford. Workers at Tri-Wall were told that up to 50 jobs likely would be added to the plant which produces more than 32,000 tons of containers annually. The move could at least double the output of the Exeter plant, according to a worker there.

Jessica Savage, a spokesperson for the Memphis-based company, said the exact number of positions to be transferred to Exeter is in the process of being determined and that employees would be notified as soon as that is completed.

The Exeter plant produces a wide variety of containers in many sizes for shipping melons, citrus, nuts, frozen foods and various produce, as well as other items.

Tom Rauscher, regional general manager, said in a statement that the Hanford plant was at a relative disadvantage since it could not produce as effectively as the Exeter plant. The Hanford plant, he said, “would have needed significant additional capital investment to compete and we made a decision to close it only after careful analysis of how to best serve our customers in the region.”

Rauscher said, “This is a difficult decision for our business and we regret the impact it will have on the employees of the Hanford plant. Those are good, hand-working people and we owe them our thanks for their commitment and the quality of their work.”

Company officials said a number of workers at the Hanford plant live in Tulare County while others also travel from Fresno County and from throughout Kings County. A move to the Exeter plant will mean a cut in travel for those who shift jobs sites.

The shift is somewhat of a boost for Tulare County as well as a bump in the economic path of Kings County, although the neighboring counties are somewhat co-dependent on jobs and job opportunities.

John Lehn, president of the Kings County Economic Development Corporation, points to the pending opening of a new Lowe's in November creating about 120 new retail jobs and the continued expansion of Leprino Foods along with the and current strength of Marquez Brothers International, a food-processing firm which has expanded several times in recent years.

Lehn said his office will provide International Paper workers who lose their jobs with the same services it has been providing for the 40 workers who lost jobs when Homac, a leading utility power connector supplier, closed its Corcoran plants this summer.

Jay Salyer, assistant EDC director, said the agency is preparing to help displaced International Paper workers secure jobs.

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Small Communities Get Help
with Water Improvements

California - A new law will now make it easier for small communities to make improvements to their water or sewer systems.

The law, authored by State Assemblymember Juan Arambula (D-Fresno), creates a Small Community Grant Fund to provide advance payments for wastewater collection, treatment and disposal projects. The law, AB 2356, was signed earlier this month by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

When it goes into effect in January, the state will redirect $50 million from the State Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund to the Small Community Grant Fund for “low income, disadvantaged communities that have problems with their water,” according to Arambula.

“I think that means a lot to communities that have had to suffer poor water quality for many many years,” he said.

The State Water Resource Control Board allocates funds to small communities to upgrade water systems, but those disbursements are not always on time. Without funding to support projects, small communities have been forced to take out expensive loans to pay contractors. AB 2356 will help small communities meet their cash flow needs by allowing up to 25 percent of awards to be paid up front – up to $1 million – to enable feasibility studies and other preliminary work to begin.

“Many disadvantaged communities are in dire need of new wastewater facilities to protect drinking water and deal with an aging wastewater system,” said Arambula in a press release. “AB 2356 will now give our small rural communities the funding needed to upgrade systems and keep their communities healthy.”

“The infusion of funds provided by this bill will allow this program to continue to serve needy communities by both resolving health and pollution issues and making rates more affordable for poor communities,” said Paul Boyer, community development manager for Self-Help Enterprises, at a press conference on Oct. 10 to announce the new law.

The state places cities and communities needing water projects in one of three categories on the Statewide Competitive Project List. The “A list” has the highest priority because those listed have water quality that raises health issues. The “B list” includes those with water pollution issues. All others are put on the third list.

“Many of the potential projects on this list are in Valley communities,” said Boyer, who added that the list included local communities such as Richgrove, Cutler-Orosi and Plainview.

“If you qualify on A or B, it's a horserace,” said Boyer. “The problem is that there's about $1 billion for programs and the state ran out of money last year.”

 

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Another sign of the economic times. When the City of Visalia advertised for bids for the St. Johns River Trail Project, officials were surprised when they received 16 bids. And, they were even more surprised when the lowest bid came in at half ($76,444) of the estimate for the project ($150,000). It was not that long ago when such a project was lucky to get two bids, and those being higher than the estimate.

The Serpa Auto family, with assistance of the Tulare Kings Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, will hold a grand opening of its new Hanford Serpa Hyundai in the Hanford Auto Mall at 5:30 today at 1990 Glendale Ave.

Truckers put on notice. The state Air Resources Board staff hit the road this week to begin enforcing recently enacted anti-idling program for diesel engines designed to reduce particulate matter emissions throughout the state. First time violations, idling for greater than five minutes, will receive a minimum civil penalty of $300. Subsequent penalties can be from $1,000 to $10,000. Owners, renters or lessees will be responsible for the penalty. Regulations limiting idling of on-road commercial diesel-engine vehicles to five minutes have been in effect for several years now and for sleeper berth trucks since January. The regulations addressing the idling of off-road diesel vehicles became effective in June. Industries were given a grace period allowing them to inform themselves and their staff of the new requirements.

The San Joaquin Valley Power Authority has extended for one year the timeframe for Kings River Conservation District to execute an electric supply agreement – Community Choice. The deadline for execution was originally set for Oct. 15, but questions over regulatory issues and the uncertainty of energy markets led to the delay.

The cogeneration plant at Kaweah Delta Medical Center in Visalia will “definitely start up Oct. 18,” said Lindsay K. Mann, CEO of Kaweah Delta. Southern California Edison will make the switch on Saturday, enabling Kaweah Delta to save an estimated $1.3 million a year in energy costs by supplying its own power. Edison will supply back-up power, if and when needed.

Walnut Creek-based PMI Mortgage Insurance Co. says increases in foreclosures and unemployment will likely mean further declines in home price declines over the next two years, including in Tulare and Kings counties. The index, which is based on second-quarter Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) data, found that the Visalia-Porterville metro area has a93.5 percent chance of further price declines, compared to 63.4 percent chance in the first quarter and the Hanford-Corcoran area has jumped from a first quarter 46.1 percent chance to a second quarter risk index of 87.5.

The City of Visalia was awarded a $139,500 grant from the state Bicycle Transportation Account for the design and construction of Class II bikeways on Noble and Mineral King avenues from Akers Street to Mooney Boulevard. The city was one of 19 awarded funding after a lengthy process, in part due to the annual state budget cycle and approval of program funding. This year's prolonged budget process extended the selection process into late September. Funding for the grant will be combined with $15,500 in local monies to complete the $155,000 project.

Gottschalks reported sales for the month of September dropped 11.8 percent for the same month in 2007. The retail chain with a store in Visalia reported total sales during the five-week period of $45.8 million, compared to $52.8 last year. So far this year – 35 weeks – sales are off 10.6 percent.

Work has begun on widening on the turn lane off of Akers Street onto Cypress Avenue in West Visalia. The single lane has long been a point of congestion. The city is adding a second lane to accommodate the increasing number of vehicles making that turn each day.

Target Corporation reported that its net retail sales for the five weeks ending Oct. 4 increased 2.5 percent to $5,320 million from $5,190 million over the same period last year. On this same basis, September comparable store sales declined 3.0 percent.

Pacific Ethanol opened its Stockton plant Friday. The facility is expected to produce about 60-million gallons of ethanol each year. The company will get most of its corn from Nebraska, but will obtain about 20 percent of it from farms in the San Joaquin Valley. The plant will also produce about 500,000 tons of distiller's grain annually, which will be sold as high-protein animal feed. The plant will have a payroll of about $1.5 million a year.

Gas prices continue to drop. According to the Automobile Club of Southern California's “Weekend Gas Watch,” the price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline in Visalia as of Tuesday was $3.56 a gallon, down 13 cents from the week before and down 35 cents from a month ago. The price per gallon for diesel was at $3.96, down from $4.37 cents a month ago. Oil prices also continue to drop, sinking below $80 a barrel before rising a bit on Monday.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to approve California's plan for the San Joaquin Valley to attain the federal 1-hour ozone health standard. The plan, prepared by the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District, shows that the area will have in place the controls necessary to meet the federal health standard by 2010.

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WinCo Shopping Center Growing

The WinCo Shopping Center at Caldwell Street and Demaree Avenue will soon gain a fitness facility and a hand-wash car wash.

The new fitness facility is being located in what was once a restaurant. The 6,446-square-foot building is being developed by R&R Development Company. Plans were reviewed by the city Site Plan Committee last week.

On Monday, the Visalia Planning Commission approved the construction of a 6,490-square-foot, two-story hand car wash and machined rinsed car wash that will also include an oil change shop with three lube bays and an area for auto detailing. The car wash will be built just west of the Sonic Drive-In restaurant.

Adventist Health to Manage Kingsburg Hospital

Adventist Health is providing management and accounting services to Kingsburg District Hospital as part of a six-month contract.

Adventist Health owns and operates nearby Selma Community Hospital, two hospitals in Hanford, 15 rural health clinics and about a dozen other health care service sites in the region.

The goals of the agreement are to evaluate the community's health care needs and explore how the two organizations can work together to best serve the region, said Kingsburg Hospital Board Chairman Pilo Chavez.

As part of the agreement, Adventist Health will employ Kingsburg Hospital President/CEO Doug Skubitz as administrator to help guide the process.

During the six-month evaluation, the Kingsburg board may contract with Adventist Health for additional services as needed, according to the agreement.

The 35-bed Kingsburg hospital is in bankruptcy and recently closed its emergency room.

Lowe's Delays Dinuba Decision

Lowe's has decided to delay its decision on building a home improvement store in Dinuba for two years, according to Dinuba City Manager Ed Todd.

“We thought we had them almost ready to sign,” said Todd, who estimated that a Lowe's store could bring about 150 jobs to the city. The 60-year old store chain had been looking at a site on El Monte Way, east of Wal-Mart.

“The reason they gave the city is that the market has changed so dramatically in the past 12 months,” said Todd. “Uncertainty in the market has created some caution. I think a lot of the major big boxes are waiting to see what's going to happen.”

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