By Steve Pastis
Tulare County - Many health care providers in Tulare County have run out of vaccines for both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 virus.
“We don't have any,” said Rick Strid, CEO of the Visalia Medical Clinic, about the seasonal flu vaccine. “We ran out last week.”
Visalia Medical Clinic was supposed to receive 2,500 doses of the vaccine from its supplier, GlaxoSmithKline, as the second part of its order for the season, according to Strid. The vaccines were tested by the FDA and failed, “so we didn't get anymore,” he said, explaining that the company “only makes what they have orders for.”
Kaweah Delta Health
Care District has received and distributed all of its seasonal
influenza vaccine, according to Rheta Sandoval, inpatient
pharmacy manager.
“Our pharmacy buyer has called all of our supply sources
(wholesale and manufacturers) and has not been able to obtain
any additional seasonal influenza vaccine. Based on communications
with the manufactures of seasonal influenza vaccine, we
do not expect to receive additional supply later in the
season,” she said.
Earlier this month, CVS Pharmacy announced in a release
that it was limiting its seasonal flu shot clinics “in
light of manufacturer delays in delivery of seasonal flu
vaccine affecting all health care providers.”
“Twenty percent of the anticipated supply has not been delivered yet,” said Dr. Karen Haught, Tulare County Health and Human Services public health officer, about the seasonal flu vaccine. She believes the reason could be a distribution problem or a slowdown in manufacturing. “We don't know when it's going to come, but the order has been received.”
Not all Tulare County
health care providers are out of the vaccine, however.
“We as an organization have not experienced a shortage
of the seasonal influenza vaccine,” said Nancy Banuelos,
director of clinical operations for Family HealthCare Network.
“We have been receiving the vaccines that we have
ordered. Our shipments have been coming in.”
FHCN has administered 6,000 seasonal influenza vaccines since mid-September, according to Banuelos.
“There have been spot shortages,” said Mike Sicilia, California Department of Public Health spokesman. “We think it in part is because of the manufacturing of both the seasonal and the H1N1 vaccines simultaneously.” He added that there is also more demand this year. Typically flu season starts in November in California, he said, “but we're seeing a spike in H1N1 now.”
The CDC reported on a Friday that 85 million doses of the seasonal flu vaccine had been distributed, with an estimated 65 million of those having been administered. An additional 13 million are coming, according to Sicilia who said 10-12 percent of those doses will come to California.
H1N1 Vaccine
There is also a shortage of the H1N1 vaccine in Tulare County, which experienced its first H1N1-related death this month. Unlike the seasonal flu vaccine, the H1N1 vaccine is ordered and distributed through Tulare County Health and Human Services, rather than ordered directly from a vendor.
Visalia Medical Clinic has ordered H1N1 vaccines, but as of last Friday, none has been received. “We don't know when we're going to get it,” Strid said. “Nobody does.” He estimated that half of the 600 primary care patients Visalia Medical Clinic sees each day have flu symptoms such as headache, fever and coughs.
“The delivery of H1N1 vaccines has fallen below expectations,” Sicilia said. “They've just been slower to get it out.” He noted that 1.7 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine were ordered in the state. “We are confident half of those doses are in the hands of providers,” he said, adding that he believes by early December, the vaccine will be as available as the seasonal flu vaccine was last year.
“I think in the coming weeks, you'll see more supply and the problem will go away,” he said.
Visalia - With the hope that it will be used sparingly, Visalia Police is purchasing a new armored rescue vehicle to replace and update the vehicle it has used the last 10 years.
Last week, the city council approved accepting a Homeland Security Grant for $150,000, and approved adding another $100,000 in Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) money and to use $62,000 in asset forfeiture funds to purchase the Lenco Bearcat Armored Rescue Vehicle.
“This vehicle covers the gamut of operations,” said Visalia Police Chief Colleen Mestas. “There's no other vehicle with these capabilities.”
“It provides protection to allow the team to get closer (to situations),” noted Jason Salazar, head of the department's Special Enforcement Bureau. “It allows you to communicate with the suspect, allows you to resolve a situation,” he said of the vehicle. In 1999, the VPD purchased a surplus military armored vehicle and has used it as many as 70 times a year. It can carry as many as seven fully geared Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) officers.
Lenco makes several
versions of its armored vehicles and the one VPD is purchasing
is made exclusively for police departments. The new vehicle
will not only carry up to 10 SWAT officers, but it has better
ballistic protection and provides protection from explosions.
It has equipment to detect radiation or explosive gases.
“The biggest asset it provides is protection,”
added Salazar.
Another new feature Salazar is excited about is thermal imaging. The new vehicle will be able to scan open areas to seek heat sources (suspects).
“That's one feature we're really excited about. We do have some rural areas that this will be of benefit to us,” said Salazar.
The vehicle will also
be the only one in the county and VPD will make it available
to other departments, although those arrangements still
need to be worked out.
The armored vehicle the city currently uses, called a Peace
Keeper, was built in the 1970s and it is no longer as reliable
as needed. Plus, it is getting more difficult to get needed
parts.
The new vehicle is constructed on a Ford F-550 chassis and is powered by a Ford diesel engine.
In the past year, the city has had to use its armored vehicle just four times, but previous years saw it utilized as many as 60 and 70 times. It is used whenever the department's SWAT team – a special unit made up of 21 officers that responds to situations that require force – is called out.
“SWAT is most often used on high-risk search warrants or where a subject is armed and barricaded,” said Salazar.
The vehicle can also be used to rescue individuals who have been wounded. That's where the better ballistic projection comes in handy, noted Salazar, adding the new vehicle is “superior” in that protection to what the department has now.
The lieutenant added it will take about 10 months to get delivery of the vehicle, which is being assembled in Massachusetts. It will be street legal, but hopefully, he said, people won't see it driving around town too often.
Mestas praised Tulare
County Sheriff Bill Wittman for his help in getting the
Homeland Security money. She said he returned some Homeland
Security money he did not need so the city could get the
money to purchase the vehicle.
Highlight Local Races
Visalia - Visalia
voters on Tuesday are assured to elect at least one new person
to the Visalia City Council and one new person to the Visalia
Unified School Board.
The races in Visalia are the most interesting in the county
in this off-year election that sees only a handful of contested
races and only three ballot measures in the county.
There are 146,262 registered voters in the county for the
election, but 31,000 voters will not have anything to vote
on.
Tulare Voters are only
faced with a tax issue – lowering the city's utility
users tax from 7 percent to 6 percent on communication utilities
– while voters in many other areas, such as Exeter,
have nothing on the ballot. Voters in Porterville have only
one race – Porterville Memorial Board – and in
Woodlake, there is nothing on the ballot.
A county official said turnout will be light, probably less
than 25 percent, but with ten candidates in the Visalia City
Council race, it may be days before the final outcome is known
as vote-by-mail and provisional ballots are counted.
Visalia Council
Now there are ten. On Oct. 15, Robert Naugle filed the necessary papers to be an official write-in candidate for the city council.
He joins nine others in seeking one of the three seats open this election. Incumbents Jesus Gamboa and Greg Collins are both seeking re-election, while incumbent Don Landers decided to step down this year, meaning at least one new person will be seated on the council.
Challengers are Mike Lane
and Mary Wheeler, who both ran two years ago, and Warren Gubler,
Steve Nelsen, Dominic Prado, Andrew Miller and Paul Fry.
While there do not appear to be any burning issues, the update
to the city's general plan, the city's finances and the city's
commitment to creating jobs appear to the most common questions
asked of candidates.
The top three finishers in the voting will be seated at the Nov. 23 city council meeting.
VUSD Board of Trustees
Eight candidates are running
for four positions on the Visalia Unified School District
Board of Trustees. Four are vying for the Area 1 position
being vacated by Mike Lane: Rusty Barker, Timothy Chaney,
Sally Martin-Winter and Victor Yost.
The two Area 4 candidates are Juan R. Guerrero, incumbent;
and Charles E. Ulmschneider. Area 2 candidate Rodney Elder
and Area 3 candidate Jim L. Qualls are both unopposed in their
re-election bids. Campaign issues have included vocational
education and how to deal with budget cuts, gangs and dropouts.
Members of the VUSD board of trustees are elected by the entire
district, but each must live in the area they represent.
Other Races
Dinuba Unified School, Area 3: Incumbent Beverly Keel-Worrell is being challenged by Jason Meyers and Rodolfo Lopez for one seat open.
Hope School: Incumbents Tom Cemo and Tim Newby are being challenged by Kathy D. Warren for the two seats open.
Palo Verde School District: Incumbents Jack Eddy, Manuel Gonzalez and Bill Benson are being challenged by Scott Woodard for one of the three seats up for election.
Pixley Unified: Incumbents Linda L. Brazell and Gennifer L. Nunes are being challenged by Sharon Herbert, Betty Morehead, Karen Westbrook, David Williams and Robert Masters for three seats.
Ponderosa Community Services:
Dale Doty and Alvie Kracik are seeking one seat.
Richgrove Community Services: Carlos Ramirez and Alex Hernandez
are seeking one seat.
Three Rivers Community Services: Incumbents Rex H. Black and Michael L. Cannarozzi are being challenged by Gregory J. Meis for two seats.
Lindmore Irrigation District, Division 4: Incumbent James C. Oxford is being challenged by David De Paoli.
Lower Tule River Irrigation, Division 1: Incumbent Anton G. "Tony" Simonich is being challenged by Alexander Garcia.
Porterville Memorial, Director Seat #2: Incumbent Thomas D. Hetherington is being challenged by Don R. Dowling.
Ballot Measures
Besides Tulare's utility tax measure, voters in Dinuba are being asked to extend that city's 7 percent utility users tax and in Springville, voters are being asked again to approve a $6.7 million school bond measure. That measure lost in May.
By Miles Shuper
Woodlake - Woodlake City Council's approval of a temporary special use permit has cleared the way for the first public event at Twilight Park. The “Salute to the Troops” will be held Nov. 14.
The nine-acre site is located at 1099 W. Ropes Ave., on the southwest edge of the city on the site of the U.S. Tower Corp. facility.
Although the Woodlake Council has approved the one-day event, it is still considering what conditions may be placed on the use of the site in accordance with zoning modifications.
City Manager Bill Lewis said major concerns are parking, security, noise and traffic, issues which would be addressed once the application for a special use permit is filed. Christian Printup of U.S. Tower Corp. and Wireless Eye, Inc., which owns the site, said events such as concerts, group picnics, weddings, festivals, receptions, family parties, outdoor movies in the spring and summer, a hot air balloon festival, sporting events including mixed martial arts and cage fighting, are among the ideas being considered.
Although the idea for Twilight Park has been around for some time, the granting of a temporary use permit and changes to zoning regulations have put the project on a faster track.
The naming of the park and the concept of potential uses came from what Printup describes as a “think tank” involving community leaders, business leaders, local officials as well as groups and organizations.
“We wanted to fill a community need for another venue with lots of space for events and plenty of parking where the people can enjoy a variety of activities,” Printup said.
Plans call for no permanent
structures to be added to the site which will accommodate
portable seating, tables, tenting and shade, and sanitary
facilities.
“We want to maintain the natural setting as much as
possible and allow for as many activities as we can.”
Prior to last week's council session, veteran City Councilwoman Frances Ortiz, who opposed the park project, said she was concerned about the idea of having boxing, cage fighting or other such sporting events staged there. “I just want what is good for Woodlake and I don't think violent events like that is what we want,” she said. Ortiz is also concerned about revenue being generated at the park and not benefiting the city.
However, Ortiz said she would be open to changing her thoughts if conditions placed on approval of the special use permit will help the city.
“If it will bring
people in who will spend money in our community and generate
revenues to pay for those things which we need, I might change
my vote,” she said.
Lewis said cities often impose surcharges for events, citing
the city of Visalia placing a charge on tickets to Rawhide
games and other for-profit activities.
Surcharges and other special use permit conditions would be drafted once a formal application is sought, officials say.Although several steps remain to be taken until a decision which could make Twilight Park a reality, plans are nearing completion for what is expected to be a major event honoring veterans and service members.
The inaugural event, Nov. 14, will include a number of activities for the observance of Veterans Day, including guest speakers, live music, bounce houses for kids, a rock climbing wall, clowns, face painting and a hot dog eating contest between representatives of all military branches. All military members, with identification, will receive a free barbecue meal, Printup said.
Printup said the large grassy area dotted with mature olive trees provides a natural setting for what he hopes will become a multi-use venue which will not only provide for large events but which will draw from throughout Tulare County. He expects a good turnout to honor the military.
Bruce Kopitar, owner and president of U.S. Tower and Wireless Eye, Inc., said, “It is about honoring veterans and service men and women, but beyond that it's an opportunity for everyone in the community to come together and enjoy a nice day.”
Visalia - Taxable sales in the city of Visalia continue to decline, reports city Administrative Services Director Eric Frost, but those sales are now declining at a lesser pace than projected.
“It's not good, but it was not worse than we expected,” reported Frost of the latest figures the city has gotten, which were through September of this year.
Always several quarters behind, the state Board of Equalization just announced the third quarter taxable sales for 2008 were down 2.7 percent statewide, off approximately 3 percent in Visalia.
Frost admitted the end of the third quarter of 2008 was just as the economic recession hit the hardest.
The city has projected taxable sales to be off more more than 3.5 percent this fiscal year, then about 3 percent in 2010-11.
“In July of 2010, we feel it will start to get better,” said Frost.
While the opening of Macy's will help, Frost said it will take more than that. He said the city's top two producers of sales tax are Costco and Walmart, with Costco benefitting from the gasoline sales it has.
Still, Frost says Macy's will more than replace the loss of Gottschalks, which closed in June, and should help to bring back sales in the city.
What is needed, he said, is for the housing market to return.
For the third quarter of '08, Visalia's total sales amounted to $490 million, down about $15 million from the same quarter of 2007. Tulare's sales were down $17 million and Porterville's down $10 million. For the county as a whole, taxable sales were down just 0.2 percent compared to the third quarter of 2007.
Taxable sales in Kings County actually rose 9.3 percent, with Hanford showing a gain of nearly $19 million in sales.
“We're starting to see it not decline as fast as expected,” said Frost of the most recent numbers. He added the city ended the fiscal year (June 30) better than it had projected. “We'll take anything right now,” he said.
Statewide Sales Off
California's taxable sales totaled $136 billion in the third quarter of 2008, down $3.8 billion from the third quarter of 2007. This was the fifth straight quarter of declines in taxable sales, lasting longer than either of the recessions in 1991 or 2001. Income growth continued to be much stronger than taxable sales, a trend in evidence since early 2007.
SECOND FRONT PAGE
Home prices in the city of Visalia took a big jump last month over August, but year over year are still declining. DataQuick reported the median price of the 184 homes sold in the city during September was $163,000, up from $140,000 in August, but down 14.21 percent from the $190,000 price for the same month in 2008. Countywide, the median price of a home rose from $141,250 in August to $146,500 in September, but was still off more than 16 percent from a year ago. However, percent of drop is dwindling as home prices begin to level off.
Lindsay out of animal control business. At the Oct. 13 meeting of the Lindsay City Council, an agreement was made to lease the city's beleaguered animal shelter to the city of Porterville for $1 per year. Porterville has established its own animal control program and is leasing the Lindsay facility until the city builds its own shelter. Lindsay will now contract with Porterville for animal control services. The deal ends many years of controversy for the city of Lindsay's program that has been the target of several grand jury reports critical of the shelter and its handling of animals.
The city of Visalia has leased from the Visalia Unified School District the old Packwood School site at Road 68 and Caldwell Avenue for $1 a year. The city has been eyeing the property ever since the school district vacated the school last year.
Kings County Planners approved last week the expansion of Chemical Waste Management Inc.'s hazardous waste landfill near Kettleman City. It is expected the decision will be appealed. The company wants to expand its 1,600-acre site by 11 acres.
Visalia is looking to purchase 14 acres of land east of Riverway and Highway 63, immediately north of the Riverway Sports Park, for a future park area. The space would be used to enhance the large Riverway Sports Park that has proven to be very successful and is undergoing a major expansion with the addition of several baseball fields.
Conergy has completed a 188 kW fixed-mount solar energy solution that will bring California's Central Valley-based Verdegaal Brothers, Inc. over $350,000 in tax incentives, cash rebates and accelerated market depreciation while saving the company an estimated $60,000 in annual energy costs. The system solution, featuring First Solar thin film, was selected for its ability to optimize energy output in hot, dusty conditions while helping improve the environmental quality of the agricultural region in which it operates. It will offset Verdegaal Brothers' utility bills by 99% and meet 82% of the company's energy needs. Verdegaal Brothers in Hanford is a fertilizer formulator, warehousing, and soil and water amendment supplier that has been a part of the state's agricultural community for three generations.
The Porterville City Council decided by a 3-2 vote to make its Library Board of Trustees and Parks and Leisure Services Commission appointments by drawing names out of a bowl. The idea was “to avoid any hint of political appointments,” explained Council Member Pete McCracken, who noted that “all the applicants were qualified.” McCracken, one of the three who approved the process, has since had second thoughts. “I'll make a formal request to approve a ballot procedure in the future,” he said.
The staff of the California Energy Commission believes that the proposed 250-megawatt Beacon Solar Energy Project (BSEP) in Eastern Kern County can be permitted and constructed in a manner that would allow it to comply with environmental laws and state policies, it was announced last week. The project is a concentrated solar electric generating facility proposed by Beacon Solar LLC, a subsidiary of Florida Power and Light Energy. The plant will sit on a 2,000-plus acre site at the western edge of the Mojave Desert four miles from California City and 15 miles north of the town of Mojave.
Caltrans wants the public to know about a new law signed by the governor that requires motorists to move over or slow down when they see a Caltrans vehicle flashing warning lights. The new law adds Caltrans vehicles displaying flashing amber warning lights to the list of vehicles for which motorists must slow down and, if safe, move over to a lane not immediately adjacent to the stationary vehicle. Since 1924, 174 Caltrans workers have lost their lives in the line of duty.
London Community Services District south of Dinuba is getting $1.1 million for a wastewater facility improvement project, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced. The money is part of $717 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) and state funding that has been awarded or approved for loan for 160 water projects throughout California to date – for the purpose of stimulating the California economy, saving and creating jobs and protecting public health and the environment. In Kings County, the city of Lemoore is being awarded $5.8 million for an arsenic mitigation project at its water plant and Pioneer Elementary School is getting $1.5 million for a replacement well.
The number of people living alone in America rose from 17% in 1970 to 27% in 2007, and the average household size declined from 3.1 people in 1970 to 2.6, according the latest 2007 figures recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Gas prices steady for now. Prices motorists are paying at the pump have remained fairly steady the past couple of weeks, but indications are the prices may again start to creep back up and could soon be higher than they were a year ago. On Tuesday, the average price of unleaded regular in the Visalia area was $2.987, down from $3.188 a week ago and from $3.376 a month ago. Last year at this time, motorists were paying $3.202 a gallon. “With gas prices rising rapidly in other parts of the country over the last week, it's unlikely we will see continued decreases at the pump locally and prices have started rising already in some Southern California communities,” said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring. “Oil prices have surged from about $65 a barrel last month to $80 now, which has helped fuel those price increases in other states.”
College of the Sequoias reported enrollment of 13,316 students at the end of the seventh week of the current semester, about 150 less than the peak number. The number is 3% higher than at this time last year.
Dr. Rod Frese, COS vice president of administrative services, was selected as the 2009 Outstanding Chief Business Officer award recipient for Region 2 by the Community College Business Officers.
Halloween Sales a Mixed Bag
By Steve Pastis
Halloween sales this year are better, worse
or even the same as last year – depending on who you
listen to.
IBISWorld, a Los Angeles-based industry research firm predicts
this Halloween to reach a record-breaking $6 billion, up 4.2
percent from the $5.77 billion last year.
“Economic recovery appears to be around the corner and consumers are enthusiastically looking to escape their recessionary woes,” said Toon van Beeck, the firm's senior analyst. “Even last year, when the outlook was much worse, the Halloween spirit remained unhindered as we saw total sales actually jump 5.1 percent from 2007.”
The National Retail Federation, the world's largest retail trade association, is not as optimistic, however. According to its 2009 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, consumers are expected to spend an average of $56.31 on Halloween, down from $66.54 last year. Nearly 29.6 percent of those surveyed say the economy will impact their Halloween spending plans, with 88 percent planning to spend less overall.
“The economy has caught up to Halloween this year,” said Tracy Mullin, National Retail Federation president and CEO. “Since retailers know that Americans will be looking to celebrate on a budget, there's no doubt we will see creative costume and decorating ideas in every price point imaginable.”
Locally, Halloween sales are “a little better” than last year, according to Aggie Navalta, manager of Party City in Visalia. “It's going to be a Saturday so a lot of people are going to have parties,” she said, adding that her store has sold a lot of Halloween-themed plates and napkins, as well as fog machines. She said that the store has also sold a lot of hanging decorations, including life-size images of Jason from the “Friday the 13th” movie series.
Party City is among the local stores that have seen a significant increase in the number of Halloween shoppers this year, but “it seems that people are holding onto their money more,” Navalta said. “They're being conservative. They don't want to spend. We have more customers, but they're spending less.”
“Spending is down because we lost a lot of jobs in Tulare County,” said Jackie Givens, manager of the Spirit Halloween Superstore in Visalia. “But it always picks up at the end. People say 'I'll be this' or 'I'll be that' and tell us, 'I'll be back.' I think at the end of the season we'll make the numbers up to what we usually do.”
Last year, the store, which is owned by Spencer's Gifts, was in the old Joanne's Fabrics store on Mooney Boulevard and the road construction project affected sales, according to Givens, who noted that the store is in “a nicer building” this year. That building fronts Mooney Boulevard, one block immediately south of a competitor, the Spookie Halloween Superstore.
Sabrina Lalani, who owns four Spookie Halloween Superstores with her husband, Ali, said that sales are “a little bit better than last year,” with the Visalia store doing better than their stores in Porterville, Hanford or Clovis. “The economy affects Porterville and Hanford more. Sales are lower there than last year.” She added that the Clovis store is new this year and the first-year sales of a store are usually slow.
“Because of the economy, people are complaining about the prices, but some people are spending money,” she said. “Some people are buying expensive items.”
Lalani acknowledged that this year there is more competition for the store, with another Halloween superstore on the next block. “There is more competition because people are going back and checking prices,” she said. “The prices are different.”
Like Givens, Lalani also expects a sales rush this week. “Some people do their shopping at the last minute,” she said.
Officials Excited About Amgen's Return
In announcing on Twitter that the fifth stage of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California will run from Visalia to Bakersfield, Lance Armstrong said the route will be through “gorgeous country.”
Armstrong, easily the most recognizable name in bicycle racing, had the honor of announcing the fifth stage as Amgen rolled out its stages visa Twitter last Thursday.
Visalia officials are extactic about the prospects of having the tour return to Visalia. The fifth stage of the 2009 race began in Visalia and finished at Paso Robles. On that beautiful day in February, nearly 20,000 people turned out to catch a glimpse of the race pack as he it west out of town.
This year, however, the pack will head east
out of town and while the exact route the racers will take
to Bakersfield is not expected to be finalized for a couple
of weeks, speculation is they will head out east and then
south, making their way through at least Exeter, Lindsay,
Strathmore and possibly Porterville before heading into
Sequoia National Forest. The racers could head up Greenhorn
Summit (Highway 155) and eventually into Bakersfield where
the finish line is expected to be at the California State
University, Bakersfield campus that is on the bluffs on
the east side of that city.
“Not only is Lance coming back to California, he's
coming back to Visalia,” announced Chamber of Commerce
CEO Glenn Morris in making the announcement official in
Visalia. He noted that representatives of the cities of
Exeter and Lindsay were on hand because hopefully they will
get to take part in this year's race as well.
“We hope to highlight that part of our county that is most attractive – the foothills, mountains and east side of the Valley,” he said.
Robyn Stearns, a member of the Exeter City Council, said her city is excited about the prospect of the race coming through there.
“It's a great stop before they head to Lindsay,” she said, with Lindsay Mayor Pro Tem Esteban Valasquez adding, “It's a great opportunity to focus on the smaller communities in the county.”
Seven-time Tour de France winner Armstrong's announcement of his intent to compete in the fifth-annual race was met with enthusiasm from race organizers and fans. Armstrong will start the 2010 season on his newly formed Team RadioShack.
The 2010 Tour will travel to 16 host cities
throughout the state over the course of eight days from
May 16-23. After four years of being positioned in February,
the date change will allow the Tour de France-style road
race to visit locations that wouldn't have been possible
in February, including the very first mountain-top finish
in race history.
The race will cover nearly 800 miles of California terrain,
beginning with the first-ever visit to Nevada City, which
will also be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Nevada
City Classic, in which many notable riders got their start.
The eight-day race will travel through some of the state's
most scenic landmarks, with the overall finish taking place
in title-sponsor Amgen's hometown community of Thousand
Oaks.
The 16 official stage start and finish locations that have been selected for the 2010 race include four new cities – Nevada City, Bakersfield, Big Bear Lake and Los Angeles – that will join Sacramento, Davis, Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, San Jose, Modesto, Visalia, Pasadena and Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village/Agoura Hills as host cities along the route.
Morris said he would be surprised if the racers and their teams came to Visalia the night before stage 5 starts, but he hopes many of the support staff and media choose to take the 2-hour plus drive the night before and take in Visalia and all that it has to offer.
Mayor Jesus Gamboa echoed that the city is excited to have the race returning in 2010. “It's going to generate a lot of enthusiasm,” he said.
For over two decades, Visalia has hosted the Sequoia Cycling Classic, which has been and plans to continue being a National Race Calendar listed event. Once again, Southern Sierra Cyclists will be a key partner in hosting the Amgen Tour.
Highlights of the route brought on by the date change and new host cities include the race's first venture into the Sierras and the Sequoia National Forest, creating a new backdrop for America's largest cycling event. Another exciting addition to the 2010 race, the first-ever mountaintop finish in Big Bear Lake, will give fans the opportunity to see each and every cyclist in a grueling battle to the Stage 6 finish line.
For the first time in the race's storied five-year history, the route will travel through the city of Los Angeles.
Stages for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California
include:
Stage 1: Sunday, May 16 – Nevada City to Sacramento
Stage 2: Monday, May 17 – Davis to Santa Rosa
Stage 3: Tuesday, May 18 – San Francisco to Santa
Cruz
Stage 4: Wednesday, May 19 – San Jose to Modesto
Stage 5: Thursday, May 20 – Visalia to Bakersfield
Stage 6: Friday, May 21 – Pasadena to Big Bear Lake
Stage 7: Saturday, May 22 – Los Angeles (individual
time trial)
Stage 8: Sunday, May 23 – Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village/Agoura
Hills
For further information on the 2010 Amgen Tour of California, visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.
Downtown Gets First ‘Live/Work Unit’
By Steve Pastis
The 1,200-square-foot residential unit at
114-B East Main Street in downtown Visalia should be ready
to rent in December, but the process hasn’t been easy
for its developer, Sam Sciacca, or for city building officials.
Current state building codes do not address buildings which
have one residential unit above one retail business.
Sciacca converted offices on the second floor of the former
Togni Branch building into a residential unit with one bedroom,
one bathroom, a dining room, living room and kitchen. The
residential unit will also include a guest bedroom on the
ground floor.
Chelsea Street Boutique operates on the 2,500-square-foot first floor, with 2,000 square feet of that used to sell apparel. There is also space for offices, a nursery and a place to store layaway items. The boutique is run by Sciacca’s daughter Gina, and his wife, Marlene.
“This is all new to the city,” Sciacca said about the residential unit upstairs. “It’s something new so every issue has to be investigated.”
“It’s a very new thing downtown,” agreed Dennis Lehman Visalia’s chief building official. “It’s also a new thing in building codes. ‘Live/work units’ are becoming very popular.”
Lehman added that he expects the concept to become part of the new building codes that will be adopted next year by the State Building Standards Commission. “Right now, it’s in the general proposal,” he said. “The state is seeing this as a trend.”
Lehman is also seeing these units as a trend in the planning documents that have been submitted to his department by local developers. The east downtown plan, the southeast master plan (in the Lovers Lane/Caldwell Avenue area) and plans for the Caltrans site all include them, he said.
Sciacca’s project offered challenges such as firewalls and sprinklers. “We had to look at availability to water,” Lehman said. “We’ve struggled with it a bit,” he said, noting that the building is 90 years old. “The type of construction (unreinforced masonry) is not even in our codes anymore.”
Sciacca redid the flooring to add a two-hour firewall between the residence and the business downstairs. The result is that the unit is considered completely fireproof by code standards.
Dealing with the building code has been a major challenge and Lehman commented that Sciacca could have avoided a lot of problems if he started his project after the building codes were changed. Even so, Sciacca seems to be enjoying the process – or at least where he is in the process now that permits have been issued by the city.
“The reception that Visalia has given us has been overwhelming,” he said. “I’m impressed with our community because they’ve supported it.” Sciacca noted that other developers are watching his efforts. “They’re all watching me right now to see if I get it rented and see if it’s accepted by the community,” he said. “I have a prospective tenant for it right now. I can’t disclose who, but he works downtown.”
While developing the mixed-use project, Sciacca became a big fan of downtown Visalia. “I thought Mooney was the hot center, but now that I’ve been on Main Street, I disagree,” he said. “I believe that Main Street has the flavor that people love.”
Sciacca’s project is not the only residential property downtown. The Crawdaddy’s building also combines retail with residential, but it was designed and built to accommodate both uses.
The above stories are the property of The Valley Voice Newspaper and may not be reprinted without explicit permission in writing from the publisher.
October 29, 2009
