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It's what's for dinner, big-time

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Published on 01/03/2011 - 10:04 am
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U.S. red meat producers set a record in November, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's California Livestock Review, producing 4.33 billion pounds, a 9% increase from the 3.96 billion pounds produced in November 2009.

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Latest Local News

Small company stocks take the limelight

Written on 05/20/2013, 2:07 pm by Steve Rothwell, AP Writer
(AP) — Small-company stocks were a bright spot in a slow and choppy start to the week for Wall Street.
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Report: NPS hantavirus response followed...

Written on 05/20/2013, 2:01 pm by Associated Press
(AP) — Federal investigators probing the hantavirus outbreak blamed for three deaths at Yosemite National Park recommended on Monday that design changes to tent cabins and other privately run lodging first be reviewed by National Park Service officials. The report released by the Interior Department's Office of Inspector General found that park officials responded to last summer's outbreak appropriately and within department policy. "When the outbreak was identified, NPS mobilized to contain and remediate the outbreak and to prevent further outbreaks," Mary Kendall, a deputy inspector general, wrote in a letter attached to the report. Still, the report found that current policy did not require park officials to approve design changes made to the "Signature tent cabins" by concessionaire Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts, which had added rafters and wall studs to the structures. Investigators determined that deer mice, which can carry the illness, nested inside the double walls of the new tents in Yosemite's family-friendly Curry Village. At least eight of the nine tourists who fell ill stayed in the tent cabins. Because the changes to the cabins were considered routine maintenance, current park service policy did not require prior approval, the report found. Lisa Cesaro, a Delaware North spokeswoman, did not return a call seeking comment. The report also recommended that the park service begin cyclical pest monitoring and inspections of all public accommodations. While there is a current pest monitoring program at Yosemite, Delaware North was responsible for Curry Village, which was not considered at high risk for hantavirus. Prior to the outbreak, Delaware only responded to pests in the cabins when visitors or housekeeping staff complained, the report said.
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Valley students cross fingers for business...

Written on 05/20/2013, 1:53 pm by Business Journal staff
Valley high school entrepreneur students will hold their breath during a banquet on May 21 in Fresno to see who will advance to the national stage of a competition awarding seed money to those with the best business idea. More than 1,000 students from 18 Central Valley high schools have spent the last several months developing their business ideas with help from the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) program offered by Fresno State's Lyles Center for Innovation. Now, only the top five will advance to the final round of the NFTE Regional Business Plan Competition, dubbed "Dream It! Start It! Own It!" for their chance at public notoriety and money to launch their business dreams. The winning students, who will be announced during a banquet on May 21 from 5:30-9 p.m. at the Sunnyside Country Club in Clovis, will get the opportunity to pitch their business idea in New York City in October at the NFTE National Young Entrepreneurship Challenge. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a business expo in which the top three students from each school site showcases their business. Besides celebrating the students involved, Steve Banevedes, a teacher at Carter G. Woodson Public Charter School in Fresno will be given the NFTE 2012-2013 Teacher of the Year award and Tyler Hansen, founder of Central Valley Paintball in Reedley and NFTE graduate, will be recognized as NFTE Student of the Year. Attendees will also hear an address by Villami Tuivai, a success consultant, professional speaker and former football coach at UC Davis and Boise State. More information about the event or NFTE can be found by contacting Casey Lamonski at clamonski@csufresno.edu or (559) 917-7971.
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Kaiser Permanente gives $60K to reopen...

Written on 05/20/2013, 12:05 pm by Business Journal staff
After sitting idle for several summers, four neighborhood learner pools will be reopened in Fresno thanks to a $60,000-grant from Kaiser Permanente. The pools, closed over the past four summers due to budget cuts, will now reopen with the grant to nonprofit organization Fresno United Neighborhoods, which will operate the facilities for the City of Fresno. Starting June 17, the pools will open daily from 1 to 5 p.m. as part of the "Splash into a Safe and Healthy Summer" program until the season ends Aug. 18. In addition to providing a place for around 25,000 children to exercise and cool off, the pools will also give more than 500 children free swim lessons. The neighborhood pools are located at: • Fink-White Neighborhood Center, 535 S. Trinity St., accessibly by FAX route 28, 34 and 38.• Einstein Neighborhood Park Pool, 3566 E. Dakota Ave., accessible by FAX route 30.• Quigley Neighborhood Park Pool, 808 W. Dakota Ave., accessible by FAX route 45.• Romain Neighborhood Park Pool, 745 N. First St., accessible by FAX route 33 and 34. All pools feature a shaded area, benches and an on-site play area for toddlers while all but Fink White also include a barbeque pit. Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin will be joined by representatives with Kaiser Permanente Fresno at the Fink White Neighborhood Center at 10:30 a.m. on May 21 as she announces the renewed support for the Splash into a Healthy Summer program.
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Economist sees budding recovery for Tulare...

Written on 05/17/2013, 3:37 pm by Business Journal Staff
Chris Thornberg, founding partner at Beacon Economics LLC in Los Angeles, sees an improving economy and plenty of opportunities for business entrepreneurs in Tulare County in the years to come. Thornberg provided an economic forecast at the 2013 Sequoia Valley Economic Summit held Friday in Tulare. Speaking on the topic, “A Budding Revovery,” Thornberg cited an improving housing market and continued growth in farm exports as primary reasons for the optimism. “Ag exports are going through the roof,” he said. He warned, however, that if the U.S. Congress fight efforts to expand the debt ceiling this October, the country and Tulare County could be thrown back into recession. “Things are actually getting better,” Thornberg began. “In the fourth quarter, the U.S. economy began to accelerate. Real estate is starting its full recovery.” Also California’s Proposition 30, which created a sales and income tax increase, will help boost the state’s economy substantially, Thornberg said. “The state is no longer a drag on the economy,” he said. Also, a greater amount of state funds going to education is good news to Visalia, Thornberg said. Still, Thornberg sees some problems in bringing buyers back to the home buying market. “A lot of folks don’t have acceptable credit,” he said. In addition, government officials overseeing the real estate market are not making it easy for banks to provide mortgages to potential buyers, he said. Thornberg said he is also discouraged by both the debt ceiling fight and sequestration in Washington D.C. “If the debt ceiling does not rise, it could get really, really ugly,” he said. “This is a fight between tea-partiers and rational human beings.” Meanwhile personal consumption is up, Thornberg said. “Consumers are helping to push the economy forward.” Also the service industry is doing exceptionally well, he said. Thornberg added that California is doing much better despite what naysayers are saying about taxes and unfriendly business conditions hurting industries here. “The reality is that California is the sixth fastest growing economy in the nation,” he said. Thornberg added that California is number 16 in the nation in terms of tax rates charged to businesses. He said the biggest tax state is Alaska where a hefty oil tax is charged. In addition, Visalia has the ninth fastest job growth in the state. “Taxes are not the problem,” Thornberg said. “We are overspending. We have got to start to save more.” “And we have got to export more and import less,” he said.
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Assemi, city officials to discuss...

Written on 05/17/2013, 3:32 pm by Business Journal Staff
Granville Homes President Darius Assemi will be joined by Fresno City Councilmember Lee Brand and Fresno Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Al Smith at 10:30 a.m. Saturday to discuss the impact home building has on our local economy at a grand opening ceremony for new model homes at Granville’s Copper River Ranch community. The event is at Granville Model Center at Copper River Ranch,11328 N. Blue Sage Avenue (Copper & Maple Avenues in north Fresno). “We are not just helping families achieve the American Dream of homeownership,” Assemi said. “These homes provide an opportunity to create hundreds of jobs in our community, which is something we desperately need as our local economy continues to struggle with near 15 percent unemployment.” The National Association of Home Builders estimates that three jobs are created with each new single-family home that is built. The Employment Development Department projects that 13 of the 20 fastest growing occupations in Fresno County will be in a construction related field until the year 2020 due to the anticipated recovery in the construction industry.  A recent report by Fresno State’s Craig School of Business seems to agree with the EDD outlook, reporting that the “turnaround in the housing sector continues to boost the regional economy.”
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Premier Valley Bank to pay dividend

Written on 05/17/2013, 1:53 pm by Business Journal staff
Fresno-based Premier Valley Bank announced it will pay a seven-cents-per-share dividend to shareholders on or about June 14. The dividend will be paid to shareholders of record as of May 31. The dividend totals about $900,000, indicating an annualized yield of about 4.3 percent. It is the 12th consecutive quarterly cash dividend paid by Premier VAlley Bank, said J. Mike McGowan, president and CEO, in a statement. "This dividend pattern is indicative of the Board of Directors’ continued confidence in the future of the Bank," he said.  
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Walmart small-format store to open in...

Written on 05/17/2013, 1:33 pm by Business Journal staff
The first Walmart Neighborhood Market in Fresno will open for business on Wednesday, bringing approximately 65 jobs with it. “It’s exciting to see the first Walmart Neighborhood Market in Fresno opening in my district,” said Fresno City Council Member Lee Brand, in a release. “This store will provide new job opportunities for residents and boost our local economy.” The market, located 6855 N. Willow Ave., will cut the ribbon at 7:30 a.m. “We are thrilled to be opening the first Walmart Neighborhood Market in Fresno,” said Matthew Enochs, store manager, in a release. “We invite everyone to come to the grand-opening event and look forward to serving this community.” The 35,500 square-foot store will include a full line of groceries, as well health and beauty, pet, hardware, household, cleaning and stationery products. There will also be a pharmacy and photo center. The retailer will also present $8,000 in grants to local organizations Fresno Police Activities League, Off the Front, Povarello House and the Marjorie Mason center. Walmart will also soon begin construction for another neighborhood market at the site of the now-vacant Cedar Lanes bowling alley in Fresno.
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First West Nile mosquitoes discovered in...

Written on 05/17/2013, 1:19 pm by Business Journal staff
The Fresno County Department of Public Health announced that the first West Nile Virus-positive mosquitoes have been identified in Fresno County this year. The Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District notified the county after the carrier mosquitoes were confirmed by a state lab at UC Davis. The location where the mosquitoes were found was not disclosed. Steve Mulligan, district manager of the abatement district, didn't immediately return a message seeking that information. Fresno County is the fourth county in California to detect non-human West Nile Virus activity, along with Yuba, Los Angeles and Tulare counties. No human cases have been reported in the state so far this year. There were 479 human cases reported last year, with 20 deaths. Last year, Fresno County reported 28 human cases with two deaths. "With evidence of West Nile Virus activity once again present, it is important that residents take personal precautions to protect against mosquito bites and be vigilant in eliminating mosquito-breeding (water) sources around homes,” said Mulligan in a statement. “We ask that people report any mosquito problems and unmaintained swimming pools to their local mosquito abatement district office.” Concerned residents can call 1-800-821-1577 to speak to a mosquito abatement district representative or visit www.fresnomosquito.org and/or www.mosquitobuzz.net. For additional information about West Nile Virus or to report dead birds and dead tree squirrels, visit the California Department of Public Health website at www.westnile.ca.gov or call 1-877-WNV-BIRD.
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Latest State News

Yahoo takes big leap with $1.1B deal for...

Written on 05/20/2013, 2:04 pm by Michael Liedtke, AP Writer
(AP) — Yahoo is buying online blogging...
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Feds again delay San Onofre nuke restart...

Written on 05/20/2013, 1:47 pm by Associated Press
(AP) — Federal regulators have...
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Brown cites safety in possible Bay Bridge...

Written on 05/20/2013, 1:43 pm by Associated Press
(AP) — Gov. Jerry Brown says he does...
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Witness: AEG spent $24 million on Jackson...

Written on 05/20/2013, 1:39 pm by Associated Press
(AP) — An accounting executive for AEG...
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Latest National News

Small company stocks take the limelight

Written on 05/20/2013, 2:07 pm by Steve Rothwell, AP Writer
(AP) — Small-company stocks were a...
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540

Warren Buffett gives young entrepreneurs 10...

Written on 05/20/2013, 1:32 pm by Associated Press
(AP) — Meeting Warren Buffett is...
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Idaho couple and Sun Valley land in Twitter...

Written on 05/20/2013, 1:31 pm by JOHN MILLER, Associated Press
(AP) — An Internet entrepreneur and...
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Education Department gives 3 more states...

Written on 05/20/2013, 1:27 pm by PHILIP ELLIOTT,Associated Press
(AP) — Education Secretary Arne Duncan...
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