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Please Note: Many of these articles link to newspaper and business-related websites. Some of their articles require a registration form to be filled out before you can view the article. This registration is free, and only needs to be completed once. Freeze Claims: 'So Far, So Good' 1
06/21/2007
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Insurance process has gone smoothly for the most part, Poizner says. California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner met with area agricultural leaders Wednesday at a Fowler packinghouse to gauge how crop freeze-related insurance claims are progressing. The report: mostly upbeat news. States Found To Vary Widely On Education
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06/08/2007
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Academic standards vary so drastically from state to state that a fourth grader judged proficient in reading in Mississippi or Tennessee would fall far short of that mark in Massachusetts and South Carolina, the United States Department of Education said yesterday in a report that, for the first time, measured the extent of the differences. Help Failing Schools - Senate Should Support Bill That Would Give County Oversight
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06/08/2007
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Assembly Member Juan Arambula's bill aimed at rescuing failing school districts has passed the Assembly and will now go to the Senate. This bill is limited to Fresno and Tulare counties, and if this experiment is successful in those counties, it should be expanded to the entire state. A Tale Of Two Central Valleys
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06/07/2007
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It was the best of economic times, it was the worst of economic times, to paraphrase Dickens' Tale of Two Cities. California's Central Valley is being seen as two separate economic groupings in a new report on the state's economy from Keitaro Matsuda, Senior Economist for Union Bank of California. Rural Resurgence - Federal Agency Helps Make Biola Self-Help Housing Project Happen
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06/01/2007
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Higgins said the Rural Development investment is about $20,000 per house. The agency packages mortgages, provides grants to Self-Help and assists in training. Additional money or assistance for the Biola project came from sources that include the Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission and Conservation Corps, Fresno County Community Development Division and the Joe Serna Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program. Time Wasted? Perhaps It's Well Spent
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05/31/2007
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American workers, on average, spend 45 hours a week at work, but describe 16 of those hours as unproductive, according to a study by Microsoft. America Online and Salary.com, in turn, determined that workers actually work a total of three days a week, wasting the other two. The average full-time worker doesn't even start doing real work until 11:00 a.m., he writes, and begins to wind down around 3:30 p.m. UC Merced Names Small Business Development Director
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05/30/2007
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University of California, Merced, recently named Lyle Wright as director of its Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Regional Network. Since 2003, the UC Merced SBDC Regional Network has helped establish 208 business start ups, created more than 1,700 jobs and helped secure nearly 500 loans amounting to $75 million, said UC Merced Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Keith Alley. Lyle has the ideal combination of experience and enthusiasm to help UC Merced expand services to small businesses, which will have a positive impact on Central California's economy. Workers Giving Retirement The Boot
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05/30/2007
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In the mid-1980s, just 18% of people in their late 60s still had jobs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said. That figure is now up to 29%, and experts believe the level will continue to rise as people confront the prospect of a lengthy and expensive old age with limited retirement benefits. More than 1 in 4 baby boomers, the huge generation born from 1946 to 1964, plan never to retire, a recent survey by the National Assn. of Realtors shows. Workers' Comp Rate Reduction Pushed
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05/30/2007
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Commissioner Poizner also warns carriers not to delay or deny care. California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner recommended Tuesday that insurers slash the rates they charge businesses for workers' compensation coverage by 14.2%, topping the 8% cut proposed by the largest insurer. Poizner also warned insurance companies that he would send in auditors to make sure they don't delay or deny needed medical care for injured workers, citing complaints from advocates for injured workers. Autry Says City Is Closing Fresno's Economic Gap
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05/25/2007
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Fresno Mayor Alan Autry on Thursday made a case that he is fulfilling a seven-year-old campaign promise to close a gapping economic and geographic divide between the city's poor and wealthy. In 2005, a national study found Fresno's have-nots are more concentrated in impoverished neighborhoods than anywhere else in the country. The Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution used 2000 census information to show Fresno, with its destitute southern neighborhoods, ranked first in concentrated poverty among large cities. Congress Passes Increase In The Minimum Wage
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05/25/2007
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Congress handed a major victory to low-income workers on Thursday night by approving the first increase in the federal minimum wage rate in a decade. By a vote of 348 to 73, the House approved the measure as part of a deal on Iraq spending. Less than two hours later, the wage increase was approved in the Senate, where it was combined with a bill providing more money for the Iraq war. That vote was 80 to 14. The measure would raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour from $5.15 in three stages over two years. The bill includes $4.84 billion in tax breaks for small businesses. LA County Welfare-To-Work Program Was Target Of Fraud
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05/24/2007
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At the time, the agency contracted with the county to provide job training to indigent immigrants and refugees. From November 2000 to May 2003, Michael issued thousands of checks, reimbursing welfare-to-work recipients for the costs of traveling to jobs and schools. But the checks were frequently sent to incorrect addresses where co-conspirators picked them up and cashed them using false identification, Schmidt wrote in court records. State Faces Shortage Of Skilled Workers
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05/24/2007
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Instead of filling labor needs with imported college graduates, California should better educate its residents, a study suggests.As the U.S. Senate heatedly debates immigration reforms, a California study released Wednesday projects that the state would need to triple its number of collegeeducated immigrants to fill a looming shortage of engineers, health professionals and other highly skilled workers. $146b State Budget Drafted - Updated Version Helps Valley In Some Respects But Not In Others
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05/15/2007
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For the Valley, one of the most closely watched items will be how the Legislature responds to the governor's proposal to eliminate subsidies to preserve farmland. Known as the Williamson Act, the $40 million program provides revenue to local governments that agree to give property tax breaks to landowners who agree not to develop land. Saint Agnes Nurses To Protest - They Say The North Fresno Hospital Has Engaged In Unfair Labor Practices
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05/15/2007
David Monkawa, assistant organizing director with the CNA, the state's largest union, said Saint Agnes officials have been harassing and intimidating some of the hospital's 904 nurses after they launched a unionization drive this year. Allegations include hidden cameras in employee break rooms and one-on-one meetings by managers to identify union activists. Grant Aids Ag Workers Jobless From Freeze
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05/11/2007
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On Thursday, Gov. Schwarzenegger announced a $2.5 million grant awarded to the Tulare County Workforce Investment Board to help the hundreds of laid-off seasonal farmworkers and other workers facing layoffs due to the January freeze. "January's freeze damage sent rippling effects through our state's agricultural industry," Schwarzenegger said in a news release. "This funding will provide vital job services and training for area farmworkers and those who lost their jobs." Americas Job Bank Shutting Down
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05/09/2007
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I have heard that America's Job Bank is going to shut down. I can't believe it. Could this be true? Believe it. America's Job Bank ( www.ajb.org), funded by the federal Department of Labor as a free public site for job seekers and employers since its launch in 1995, will shutter on June 30, 2007. State Accused Of Inflating Exit Exam Data
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05/09/2007
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UCLA professor says officials distorted pass rate on test required for high school graduation. Educators counter that analysis was flawed. California education officials put forth artificially positive results on the number of students who passed the state's controversial high school exit exam last year, according to a recent UCLA study. Center Targets Jobs In Valley - Fresno Co. Oks Grant For Mendota Regional Vocational Training Site
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05/04/2007
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A long-planned vocational training center in Mendota could be open by August, thanks to a partnership among Fresno County and schools and colleges eager to improve job opportunities for west Fresno County residents. Last week, Fresno County supervisors pledged $148,500 in federal grant money to develop the Westside Regional Vocational Training Facility, a project that west side education and business leaders have long pushed for to help reduce unemployment in the region. Slightly More California High School Seniors This Year Have Passed the High School Exit Exam, Which Is Required For a Diploma
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04/17/2007
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So far, 390,697 students -- about 91 percent of this year's 428,000 seniors -- have passed the test of basic reading and math skills, state schools Superintendent Jack O'Connell announced Monday. Last year at this time, 388,930 students -- about 89 percent of the 437,000 seniors in the Class of 2006 -- were successful. [ Back to Top ] International Water Technology Conference opens April 2 at Fresno State
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04/02/2007
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Visitors from around the world, presentations by more than 70 speakers and 50 exhibitors are on tap for the inaugural International Water Technology Conference and Ozone V, which opens Monday, April 2, and runs for three days at the Save Mart Center at Fresno State. The conference is hosted by the International Center for Water Technology (ICWT) at California State University, Fresno. The university and the Environmental Protection Agency are the conference partners. Water and Energy Technology building opens at Fresno State
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03/31/2007
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With a turn of a pump powered by sunlight, the new Water and Energy Technology building officially opened its doors today in a ceremony at California State University, Fresno. The key component of the new facility is the Claude Laval Water and Energy Technology (WET) Incubator, named for the Fresno water technology industry leader. It is expected to be at the international forefront of developing water, energy and other environmental technologies. Partnership Makes $2.5 Million in Grants
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03/29/2007
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The California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley board on Thursday made 15 seed grants totaling $2.5 million for projects that it thinks will boost the regions economy and quality of life. We are pleased with the innovation and level of collaboration that these seed grants represent and we are confident they will jumpstart major work in the region and bring us closer to achieving the partnerships objectives, says Sunne Wright McPeak, chairwoman of the grant review committee. Freeze Relief Debated In Bills - California Farmers And Farmworkers Among Possible Beneficiaries
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03/29/2007
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The deal-cutting season starts now for San Joaquin Valley freeze relief. By this morning, the Senate will pass an emergency spending bill that includes funding for California farmers, farmworkers, dairy producers and small-business owners. It's more money than the House offered, so lawmakers must negotiate a final package. A New Study by the Brookings Institution Puts California's Future Squarely On The Shoulders Of The Inland Empire And Other Inland Areas Of The State
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03/29/2007
"The Third California: The Golden State's New Frontier" looks at the region that stretches from the Inland Empire through the Central Valley to the upper Sacramento Valley, and concludes, "How the Third California fares may determine whether the state remains competitive and a beacon of opportunity in the early decades of the 21st Century." (First California, in this report's terminology, is the San Francisco Bay area; Second California is the southern coast: Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.) More Employees Work Past Traditional Retirement Age
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03/28/2007
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Not so long ago, most workers planned to retire when they reached age 65. It now seems that 65 is no longer the retirement milestone it once was and that an increasing number of older workers plan to keep on working. A survey released on March 16, 2007, by the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO) appears to confirm a recent trend that the retirement age of U.S. workers is shifting upward. Nearly one-fifth of the 390 small businesses responding to the NAPEO survey reported that they have employees older than 65 who are staying on the job. Fresno Staffing Firm Aims High - Pridestaff Rides Wave As More Companies Turn To Agencies For Employment Needs
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03/28/2007
03/28/2007
03/27/2007
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Business leaders are deeply concerned and deeply dissatisfied about the condition of public schools, especially high schools. California business leaders place education at the very top of public policy concerns, alongside health care. At the same time, executives give K-12 schools a D grade for their quality of work. Oversight of For-Profit Schools May End
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03/26/2007
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Nearly two decades after California began regulating for-profit colleges and vocational schools to weed out "diploma mills," the state is not free of institutions that dangle exaggerated promises of better careers before students who end up jobless and deeply in debt. Yet state oversight of the schools, which enroll more than 400,000 students a year, could soon end. How the Governor Can Advance 'Career Tech'
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03/26/2007
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There has been a long-standing debate in California about the merits of vocational education (now called career and technical education) and it has been given new energy by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's support. "I love career tech, love it," he said in his State of the State address. He has backed his enthusiasm with dollars, reversing years of decreased funding for career and technical education in his first term, and proposing an increase of $52 million in his 2007-08 budget. Things look good for career tech. Only Fundamental Changes Will Help Schools Improve - Research Makes It Clear: Adding Resources, Reducing Inefficiencies Will Require Compromise
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03/16/2007
03/15/2007
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California needs to boost education spending at least 40 percent, or about $25 billion a year, to dramatically raise student achievement levels, according to the second part of an education research project released Thursday. But the report also concludes that even such a dramatic infusion of money would not elevate the state's worst schools enough to meet basic performance goals. Business Leaders Say Students Need Better Preparation for Workforce
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03/13/2007
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California business executives are finding that students need to be better prepared to enter the workforce, according to a survey released yesterday by the California Foundation for Commerce and Education (CFCE). According to the survey, California business leaders place education at the top of public policy concerns, alongside health care. At the same time, business executives gave K-12 schools a D grade for their quality of work. The Fastest-Growing Jobs In The U.S.
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03/12/2007
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As well-heeled baby boomers age, look to the health care industry Baby boomers refashioned politics, changed music and continue to exert influence over the U.S. economy. Is it any wonder that many of the fastest-growing jobs in the U.S. owe their proliferation to aging boomers? Between 2004 and 2014, seven of the 10 fastest-growing jobs in the U.S. will be in health care, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a division of the U.S. Department of Labor. Of the top 30 fastest-growing jobs, 17 are health care-related. Study Criticizes Access to Community Colleges
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03/07/2007
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California's vaunted community college system must do much more to make itself accessible to students, according to a new study. Otherwise, the state runs a big risk of losing out on the fruits of globalization, trade and economic development. "In today's global economy, California's community colleges are a crucial resource for the state's economic competitiveness," Patrick Callan, president of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, said at a news conference Tuesday. Dan Walters: Vocational Ed Conflict Heating Up
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03/05/2007
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When local dignitaries and the media were invited recently to tour a new high school in Sacramento geared toward students interested in health care careers, it was touted -- with some justification -- as an example of how "career and technical education," the new-fangled name for vocational education, was gaining public and political acceptance. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, trained as a salesman as a high school student in Austria, has made revival of CTE a personal cause. "We must also continue to reinvigorate career tech education," Schwarzenegger told legislators during his State of the State address in January. "I love career tech, love it." Program Focuses On Human, Social Side Of Jobs Equation
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03/03/2007
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After three years of building partnerships among business, government and nonprofit groups to expand and diversify the Fresno economy, the Regional Jobs Initiative on Friday unveiled a 2007 agenda focused on the human and social side of the jobs equation. Valley Works To Produce More Jobs - January Unemployment Stays Below Last Year, But Potential Trouble Looms
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03/03/2007
03/03/2007
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Unemployment levels in the central San Joaquin Valley stayed below year-ago levels in January, but a slowdown in home building and the fallout from a devastating freeze could drive jobless rates back up, officials said. Fresno County's jobless rate of 9.2% was down slightly from the year-ago estimate of 9.5%. In Tulare County, it was 9.9%, down from 10.1% in January 2006. Kings County reported a 10.2% rate, a slight slip from 10.6%, and Madera County was at 7.9%, down from 8.2% a year earlier. Water Meeting Set For Fresno - Conference To Feature International Experts, Cutting-Edge Technology
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Long-awaited reports by some of the nation's pre-eminent education researchers provide no comfort to those with simple solutions or facile excuses for the crisis of low achievement in California's public schools. The blame does not lie with an abundance of poor kids who don't speak English. Low-income and wealthy students, white and Latino, trail their peers in other states. And California risks throwing good money after bad unless it dramatically changes how schools are run. "Getting Down to Facts," a mammoth, 22-study project funded by the Hewlett and three other foundations, provides a sobering look at public-school finance and governance systems. They are fundamentally flawed and, though it's unclear to what degree, under-funded. Study Calls for More School Money Without Performance Guarantee
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Although often maligned as poor, ugly and polluted, the inland area, spanning 75,000 square miles, is the key to California's future. One in three Californians calls it home. Four of the nation's 10 fastest-growing cities:,Riverside, Bakersfield, Sacramento and San Bernardino, are there. Sustaining the dream without ruining the environment or agriculture will determine if California remains competitive and a beacon for opportunity in the 21st century, experts say. The San Joaquin Valley already rivals Los Angeles for some of the smoggiest air in the country. Commentary: Business Leaders Say Time of Essence To Improve High School Graduates' Skills
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Companies spent $72.3 billion in 2006 on temporary and contract staffing, surpassing the 2005 sales record by 4.1%, according to the American Staffing Association in Alexandria, Va. On average, nearly 3 million temporary and contract workers are employed daily in the United States as more employers turn to staffing agencies to meet their short- and long-term demand for workers. Inland Areas Called Key To State's Future - The Vast, Fast-Growing Regions Need A Strong Economy And Solutions To Environmental Problems, Study Says
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A world's worth of water technology expertise is coming to Fresno next month, and the central San Joaquin Valley is invited. The International Water Technology Conference, set for April 2-4 at the Save Mart Center at California State University, Fresno, will feature companies on the cutting edge of water technology and experts on international developments in the field. [ Back to Top ] Fresno Co. May Face Layoffs - It Must Repay Millions after Costly Mistake In Retirement Deductions
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02/28/2007
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Fresno County supervisors learned Tuesday that a sharp increase in retirement contributions in next year's budget could force the county to cut hundreds of jobs. County department heads were told to factor in a 20% increase in retirement contributions when they craft their budgets for the coming year, which begins July 1. The only bright spot is that the county has 700 vacancies, which could offset the need for layoffs, County Administrative Officer Bart Bohn said. Pay Rises Despite Influx Of Migrants - Native-Born Workers In California Saw Wages Increase, Report Says
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02/28/2007
Immigration into California since 1990 has helped raise wages for American citizens working in the state, according to a report released Tuesday by the Public Policy Institute of California. The report cited data that showed immigrant workers in the state "often serve as complements to native workers rather than as their direct competitors for jobs" and cited data that showed the average native-born worker in California saw wages rise about 4% because of immigration from 1990 to 2004. Roundup Of Illegals Shakes Up Mendota - Federal Action Splits Families, Empties Streets; City To Consider Resolution Opposing The Raids
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02/27/2007
02/22/2007
02/22/2007
Federal Judge Orders DOL To Answer For Eight-Year Delay In Requiring Employers To Pay For Safety Equipment
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The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) and the AFL-CIO sued the DOL January 3 over an eight-year delay in implementing an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule requiring employers to pay for personal protective equipment (PPE). [ Read ]
A collaboration of Valley dairy farmers plans to build a $225 million cheese plant 10 miles southeast of the city of San Joaquin that will bring hundreds of new jobs to Fresno Countys Westside. The startup Blue Ribbon Cheese Company plans to start construction later this year on a site near Elkhorn and Lassen avenues, and expects to be operational by early 2009, said President David Albers, a Bakersfield attorney and Fresno County dairy owner. The Blue Ribbon plant will feature production of 680,000 pounds of cheese from 6.8 million pounds of milk daily. India's Attraction As A Market Grows - California Firms May Be Well Positioned To Offer Products And Services The Country Needs
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02/21/2007
02/19/2007
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Programs, experts can help businesses get foot in door south of border Central San Joaquin Valley companies looking to do business in Central and South America can find lots of help in Fresno, from federal export experts to university programs ready to cover the costs of business trips abroad -- and they're all eager to help. Small Business Sees Big Problem
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02/17/2007
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Valley restaurant owner joins Republican foes of governor's health plan. A state proposal to extend health care to 6.5 million uninsured Californians will put some small businesses in jeopardy and force others to lay off workers, a group of central San Joaquin Valley legislators and business advocates said Friday. The $12 billion-a-year plan, unveiled by Gov. Schwarzenegger in January, hopes to ensure that everyone in the state is covered by health insurance. Tulare Ag Expo Reaps Successful Run - Vendors, Visitors Wrap Up Three-Day Event As Organizers Already Look To Grow Next Year
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02/16/2007
02/15/2007
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Top state, county and city officials Wednesday toured small farms in Fresno hit hard by last month's freeze, met with about 20 growers and outlined multimillion-dollar programs aimed at helping them recover. California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura announced that Gov. Schwarzenegger is providing $14.2 million in disaster loan guarantees for farmers and small businesses affected by the freeze. Relief Assured to Small Farms - During Tour Of Sites Hit By Freeze, Officials Vow To Provide Assistance
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02/15/2007
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Top state, county and city officials Wednesday toured small farms in Fresno hit hard by last month's freeze, met with about 20 growers and outlined multimillion-dollar programs aimed at helping them recover. California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura announced that Gov. Schwarzenegger is providing $14.2 million in disaster loan guarantees for farmers and small businesses affected by the freeze. Big Workplace Changes In Works
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02/14/2007
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The FMLA guarantees 12 weeks of unpaid leave a year for illness or other family crises at companies that have 50 or more employees. Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., plans to introduce legislation to require at least six of those weeks be paid. Also, the U.S. Department of Labor is reviewing its regulations around the FMLA, some say in response to employer complaints, and regulatory changes in terms and definitions can have as great an impact as new legislation. The department is accepting public comment until Friday. Fresno State Revives Its Studies in Distribution
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02/09/2007
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Business school option aims to expand Valley's logistics industry. California State University, Fresno, will offer courses in distribution and warehousing in an effort to prepare students for careers in the growing industry. Fresno State will offer the logistics option next fall as part of its business curriculum, said Douglas A. Hensler, dean of the Craig School of Business. Growth in U.S. Service Sector Outweighs Manufacturing Loss
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02/06/2007
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Weakness in the manufacturing sector, especially the auto industry, may be dampening the nation's economic prospects, but the bigger services sector appears to be more than making up for it. Freeze Effects Felt At Manufacturing Plants in Madera
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02/06/2007
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90% of the boxes made here in Georgia Pacific in Madera are for the ag industry. Last month's freeze had a huge impact on business, production is down 20%. When you think of agriculture you probably don't think of cardboard, assembly lines, and boxes. Steve Mindt of Georgia Pacific says, "People don't understand the downstream impact of this." Federal Relief on the Way To State - Low-Cost Loans Will Help Citrus Growers Affected By Freeze
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02/06/2007
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated 18 California counties disaster areas in the aftermath of prolonged freezing temperatures last month that damaged more than $800 million in citrus crops. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger requested the disaster designation last month to assist the state's approximately 3,500 citrus growers. The designation covers El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Imperial, Kern, Madera, Merced, Monterey, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tulare, Yolo and Yuba counties. Aid Plans Warm Hearts of Valley Freeze Victims
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02/03/2007
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Federal aid is blossoming for California's freeze-damaged San Joaquin Valley farmers. The modest first wave accompanies Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns' new designation of Tulare, Fresno, Kern and Madera counties as disaster areas. This frees up low-interest farm loans. The second and third waves could be more robust, coming from Congress and the White House. It's all being tracked closely by farmers, who still don't know exactly how much they've lost. 'Seed Grants' Start Taking Root - $2.5 Million Available To Help Solve Valley's Problems
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02/03/2007
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The California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley met on Friday to select three dozen finalists from more than 100 applications for state grants to help solve the region's educational, environmental, social and economic problems. California Freeze Damage Updated; Food Pantry Shelves Emptying
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02/02/2007
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The latest estimate of crop damage from the mid-January freeze is now estimated at more than $1.2 billion, according to an updated California Farm Bureau survey of county agricultural commissioners. Tulare County citrus growers have the largest loss -- $418.6 million with the loss to other crops in the county not yet counted, the Farm Bureau says. Fewer Jobs Added; Jobless Rate Climbs
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02/02/2007
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The biggest, boldest farm show in the nation came to a close Thursday after a celebrated three-day run. Marking its 40th year, the World Ag Expo once again did it up big with 2.5 million square feet of exhibit space, more than 1,500 vendors, well over 100,000 attendees and a visit by presidential contender Rudy Giuliani. Relief Assured to Small Farms - During Tour of Sites Hit By Freeze, Officials Vow To Provide Assistance
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California companies of all sizes were well represented on the trade mission, which, with 258 participants, turned out to be the largest ever led by the Commerce Department. Businesses are attracted in part by India's growing middle class of 300 million, its high-tech expertise, its widespread use of English and its influx of foreign capital. Export Support Abounds In Valley
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"ICE does not enact the laws. ICE officers are sworn to enforce the laws," said Lori Haley, a spokeswoman from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Haley said "Operation Return to Sender" targets people with deportation orders issued by a judge, but if agents come in contact with other undocumented immigrants, they also can be deported. The raids just add to the misery already caused by the citrus freeze and last year's shutdown of local manufacturers, such as the De Francesco Sons plant in Firebaugh and Rock-Tenn, the Kerman box-folding plant.
Fresno County Cheese Plant to Create Hundreds Of Jobs 45
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The nation's unemployment rate climbed to a four-month high of 4.6 percent as somewhat wary employers added fewer new jobs in January. Wage gains were more modest. The newest report on the economy, released Friday by the Labor Department, suggested that the jobs market got off to a slower start in 2007 yet still remains in decent shape. The more subdued job growth 111,000 positions is consistent with the expectation that growth in the economy as a whole will moderate this year. [ Back to Top ] Water District Buys Fish Club
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02/02/2007
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Westlands' purchase of NorCal property could ease dam expansion. Westlands Water District, a 600,000-acre farm water agency mainly in Fresno County, has purchased a $35 million private fishing club in Northern California to clear an obstacle for expanding Shasta Reservoir. With Westlands as owner, Shasta expansion someday can swamp the fish club land with no opposition, and a bigger reservoir would mean more irrigation supplies for the Fresno County water district. Study Urges Revamping Of Community Colleges
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02/02/2007
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For decades, California has earned high marks for its public universities, with more than 100 community colleges prided as the low-cost gateway to a degree. Whether you're a high school dropout or bound for Berkeley, you need only to be 18 to get in.Today, with 2.5 million students, community colleges in California educate as many people as the population of Utah. But a new report issued Thursday questions whether the emphasis on opening the front door for students has kept state officials from placing enough attention on getting those students through the back door -- that is, staying on track for that diploma. Valley Manufacturer Changes Hands
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02/02/2007
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Reedley's SWF is bought by a Minn. firm that plans to maintain current job levels SWF Companies, a packaging equipment manufacturer that employs about 200 people in Reedley, has been acquired by a Minneapolis company, the companies reported Thursday. Making the purchase was Thiele Technologies Inc., a subsidiary of Minneapolis-based Barry-Wehmiller Companies Inc., which is a privately held supplier of packaging, corrugating and paper converting technology, according to Thursday's announcement. Bill Has Promise for Area Farmers - Proposal Ups Specialty - Crop Funds, Cuts Subsidies to Rich
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02/01/2007
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The federal government would buy a lot more fruits and vegetables under the Bush administration's farm bill proposal planted Wednesday and Valley growers could benefit. Logistics and Distribution Industry Summit Feb. 8
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02/01/2007
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California State University, Fresno will host the Logistics and Distribution Industry Summit from 7:30-9:30 a.m. Feb. 8 in the University Business Center. Dr. Dale Rogers, director of the Center for Logistics Management and Professor of Supply Chain Management at the University of Nevada, Reno, will deliver the keynote speech, "The End of the Beginning: The Pace of Global Change Accelerates. Autry Gains Renewed Support for Education Reform In Sacramento
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01/31/2007
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Reforming education, specifically in Fresno, has been at the top of Mayor Alan Autry's to-do list from day one. He went to Sacramento twice to get the reform train rolling and lost. At a public event on Wednesday morning, he seemed to put it back on track for a third time with renewed support in Sacramento. U.S. Plans Stronger Oversight Of 401(K)s
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01/29/2007
01/29/2007
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Congress and government regulators are planning an array of moves to strengthen oversight of 401(k) accounts, which have become the linchpin of retirement savings for millions of Americans but are often burdened by hidden fees that chip away at their value. Bring Back Vocational Ed - Schwarzenegger's Career Technical Skills Plan Goes Beyond Wood Shop And Home Ec.
Once regarded as a second-tier education for students not headed to college, career tech is having a revival. The elitist myth that leaving high school with employable skills was automatically a lesser achievement than heading to a four-year university has unraveled. Local Valley Leaders Take 'Freeze Needs' To Washington DC
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01/29/2007
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South Valley leaders are hoping a face to face meeting with federal officials can bring more help for local freeze victims. This week, local leaders traveled from Tulare County to Washington, D.C. They're pushing for federal funding to help the Valley recover. Tulare County officials say Monday's meetings were successful because getting federal aid is all about timing...and the quicker they meet with congressional staff, the sooner Tulare County could see relief from the over $400-million dollars in crop damage. Services Top World Industry, UN Report Says
70
01/25/2007
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GENEVA: The world's biggest source of employment is for the first time the services sector, rather than agriculture and industry, a UN report said Thursday. Some 40 percent of global workers are employed in the services sector, compared with 38.7 percent in agriculture and 21.3 in industry, the United Nations' International Labor Organization said in its annual report. Ten years ago, 43.1 percent of employees worked in agriculture, and 35.5 percent in services. Valley To Receive $2.5m To Seed
71
01/25/2007
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Partnership will offer grants to businesses that achieve a goal. After spending the past year and a half studying ways to solve a host of economic, environmental and societal problems in the San Joaquin Valley, a partnership formed by Gov. Schwarzenegger is getting ready to spend $2.5 million on seeding the region for future success. Freeze Aid Centers Operating - Governor Announces 19 Locations in Valley And Across The State
72
01/25/2007
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One-stop centers include the Career Services Center-Southeast Bakersfield, 600 E. Belle Terrace, Bakersfield, (661) 635-2600; Career Services Center North-Delano, 1816 Cecil Ave., Delano, (661) 721-5800; Tulare County Employment Connection, Dinuba, 199 N. L St.. Dinuba, (559) 591-5065; Tulare County Employment Connection, 4025 W. Noble Ave., Visalia, (559) 713-5000. Also, Kings County One-Stop Job Center, 124 N. Irwin St., Hanford, (559) 585-3582; Madera County Workforce Assistance Center, 209 E. 7th St., Madera, (559) 662-4500; Worknet Employment Resource Center, 1200 W. 16th St., Merced, (209) 724-2100; Tulare County Employment Connection, Porterville, 1063 W. Henderson Ave., Porterville, (559) 788-1400; Workforce Connection, 1680 E. Manning Ave., Reedley, (559) 638-2447; Creekside Career Center, 4111 Broad St., San Luis Obispo; (805) 788-2600. Fresno Co. Groups Coordinate Freeze Aid
73
01/25/2007
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Officials especially worried about the immediate effect of crop loss on ag workers.Agriculture workers are "literally the working poor," said Blake Konczal, executive director of the Fresno County Workforce Investment Board, one of the coalition's member groups. "They do not have the luxury of waiting." Official Citrus Damage: $800 Million
74
01/24/2007
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Freeze's toll will rise as other crops are tallied and weather warms up. Industry officials on Tuesday said the freeze that began Jan.12 will cost California citrus growers at least $800 million. The first official estimate of damage to this year's crop is about $100 million more than the total from 1998, when Valley growers were devastated by a similar freeze. The total, expected to climb, does not include damage to noncitrus crops, expected to add hundreds of millions of dollars more. SBA, USDA Asked To Declare Freeze Disasters In Central Valley
75
01/23/2007
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California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger asked the U.S. Small Business Administration to declare 21 counties, many of them in the Central Valley -- disaster areas and requested that the U.S. Department of Agriculture to declare five counties disaster areas. Freeze Impact To Ripple Through Valley Economy
76
01/21/2007
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The freeze that decimated the region's citrus industry and damaged other crops in the central San Joaquin Valley won't just cost growers. It also will throw thousands of people out of work and drain hundreds of millions of dollars from the region's economy, where as many as one of five workers is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture for a livelihood. Flat Jobless Rate Likely Headed Uphill - Building Slowdown, Frigid
77
01/20/2007
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Unemployment rates in the central San Joaquin Valley saw little change in December, although the trend is expected to change in coming months as the construction slowdown continues and the effects of this month's devastating freeze shake out. Fresno County's unemployment rate last month was 8.3%, the same as December 2005 but slightly higher than November's 8%, according to the state Employment Development Department. Bills Act As Shelter From Cold
78
01/19/2007
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Legislation designed to help farmers, workers, businesses. With California's freeze-related agricultural losses expected to top $1 billion, San Joaquin Valley legislators are responding with several bills aimed at providing relief for businesses, farmers and workers affected by the disaster. CUSD Vocational Studies May Get Boost - Region May Receive Up To $50 Million
79
01/19/2007
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Clovis Unified's five high schools are hoping to get their share of Proposition 1D money. The $10.4 billion bond was passed by California voters Nov. 7 and earmarks $500 million for vocational education. District officials expect about $30 million to $50 million to bolster vocational programs in the area. State Gets Weak Grade For Economic Development Potential
80
01/18/2007
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California's dismal homeownership rate and low test scores in public schools pushed down the state's economic development grade to "C," according to a report released Thursday. The Corporation for Enterprise Development study measures states on 67 categories and compiles grades for three broad areas: business vitality, development capacity and performance. Then, the nonprofit organization issues an overall grade assessing how well the state is situated for economic growth. [ Back to Top ] Community Colleges Head To 2008 Ballot Over Proposition 98
81
01/18/2007
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California's community colleges, the nation's largest higher-education system with more than 1 million full-time students, want to change the state's Constitution to protect their funding. Community-college advocates have begun submitting signatures for a ballot measure that would redefine the role of enrollment and formally alter the decades-old linkage to the K-12 public schools. It is the most important policy proposal affecting the 109-campus system since voters approved Proposition 98 two decades ago to protect the money for schools and the two-year colleges. Small Business Tax Breaks Sail Through Senate Panel
82
01/18/2007
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Tax breaks for small businesses sailed through a Senate committee yesterday , paving the way for an expected boost in the federal minimum wage for workers those businesses hire. The tax provisions would help restaurants, retailers, and other businesses that hire welfare and food stamp recipients as well as difficult-to-hire people such as former convicts and the disabled. Vallarta Turns Save Mart Into A Supermercado - New Supermarket In Southeast
83
01/18/2007
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John Marquis insists fast-growing southeast Fresno is large enough to support its third Hispanic supermarket. Marquis is general manager of Vallarta Supermarkets, which opened its first store in Fresno and the 24th in its chain on Wednesday. The market occupies a remodeled former Save Mart at Butler and Chestnut avenues Grant Will Expand Fresno State Nurse Training Program
84
01/17/2007
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A state grant to California State University, Fresnos family nurse practitioner training program will improve its responsiveness to the needs of underserved communities in the San Joaquin Valley. The $85,661 grant will provide funding for a clinical site coordinator to develop new community-based clinical training sites for the program, which has more than a decade of success in serving the region. County Agency Enhances Ability to Transform Lives With Cisco Unified Communications
85
01/16/2007
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The Fresno County WIB (Workforce Investment Board), known as Workforce Connection, recently overcame end-of-life and vendor support issues by implementing Cisco® Unified Communications across its multi-site organization. The end-to-end Cisco solution, designed and deployed by Cisco Silver Certified Partner AMS.NET, met a very tight rollout schedule and has resulted in the organization better managing a complex system of job training and placement services that enables its clients to improve their lives. County Agency Enhances Ability To Transform Lives With Cisco Unified Communications
86
01/16/2007
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The Fresno County WIB (Workforce Investment Board), known as Workforce Connection, recently overcame end-of-life and vendor support issues by implementing Cisco® Unified Communications across its multisite organization. The end-to-end Cisco solution, designed and deployed by Cisco Silver Certified Partner AMS.NET, met a very tight rollout schedule and has resulted in the organization better managing a complex system of job training and placement services that enables its clients to improve their lives. Calculus of Workplace Benefits Shifts
87
01/16/2007
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Increasing numbers of Americans are encountering similar choices as employers ask them to buy their own benefits, including disability and lifeinsurance policies, medical and dental coverage, and even benefits not normally found in the workplace like homeowner insurance and identitytheft coverage. With No Indoor Rink, Visalia Kids Could Be Left Out In Cold - Skaters Use Fresno Site With Uncertain Future
88
01/16/2007
Bourdase said Gateway, which draws hockey players, figure skaters and recreational users from such places as Madera, San Luis Obispo and Lemoore, will close its doors April 30 if there are no offers to buy the business. Pacific Ethanol Heads North - Firm Moves Headquarters To Sacramento, But Vows To Expand Fresno Site
89
01/12/2007
01/12/2007
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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Wednesday unveiled a proposed $143.4 billion budget for 2007-08 that eliminates the state's net operating deficit. "I am very happy to announce today that in this new budget, our net operating deficit has been reduced to zero," Schwarzenegger said in a release just before the 1 p.m. budget presentation. Companies Fear Their Workers' Lax E-Mail Security - Companies Spend Millions On Systems To Keep Corporate E-Mail Safe. If Only Their Employees Were As Paranoid
91
01/11/2007
01/11/2007
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Led by Judith Ricci, Sc.D., MS, of Caremark Rx Inc., the researchers analyzed data from a nationwide study of the relationship between health and productivity at work. The study examined the effects of fatigue on health-related absenteeism and "presenteeism," or days the employee was at work but performing at less than full capacity because of health reasons. Of the nearly 29,000 employed adults interviewed, 38 percent said they had experienced "low levels of energy, poor sleep or a feeling of fatigue" during the past 2 weeks. Total lost productive time averaged 5.6 hours per week for workers with fatigue, compared to 3.3 hours for their counterparts without fatigue. California Wages Outpace National Average
93
01/11/2007
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California wages increased slightly more than the national average increase in the second quarter of 2006, but the wage paid remained steadily above the national average, according to a report released Thursday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average weekly wage in California was $888, more than $100 above the national average of $784. The state wage grew by 4.5 percent compared to the second quarter of 2005, barely above the national average increase of 4.4 percent. Employer-Aid Groups Merge
94
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01/09/2007
01/08/2007
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The Sacramento-based California Association of Employers and the Valley Employers Association of Fresno announced a merger Monday to expand human resource services for 750 businesses across the state. The new association will be called the California Employers Association and maintain headquarters in Sacramento. Both groups specialize in union negotiations, unemployment insurance claims, human resources consulting and training. They also have represented businesses at state labor commission hearings. Paychecks Get Bigger For Low-Paid Workers - New Year Brings 75-Cent-An-Hour Boost to State's Minimum Wage
01/04/2007
12/12/2006
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To Craig Scharton and David Zoldoske, the running water that's soon to fill a state-of-the- art laboratory and business incubator on the California State University, Fresno, campus, sounds a lot like money. Now they're looking for five startup businesses interested in sharing the wealth. That's the idea behind the Water and Energy Technology Incubator, a $4 million collaboration between Fresno State's International Center for Water Technology and the Clovis-based Central Valley Business Incubator. PG&E Donates $50,000 To Fresno Hispanic Group
98
12/08/2006
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Pacific Gas & Electric Co. has donated $50,000 to the Fresno Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The donation will be used toward the chamber's Hispanic Business Incubator project. The chamber is planning to move into a 13,000-square-foot building in downtown Fresno that will house its new administrative offices and space to help startup businesses. "Financial independence comes by having ownership of your own business," said Tony Valtierra, chairman of the Fresno Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. State's Economy Expected To Grow - 2 Groups Say California To Experience A Slowdown, But Not A Recession
99
12/07/2006
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California's economy, though slowing as the real estate sector decelerates, should still experience moderate growth, according to two forecasting groups. "Without a secondary source of weakness in the California economy, real estate will just slow us down, not create a full-blown recession," said Ryan Ratcliff, an economist with the Anderson Forecast. Fresno Co. Ranks First Among Enterprise Zone Applications
100 12/07/2006
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California's community colleges are bucking a national trend of tuition increases by slashing fees more than 20 percent when students return to classes this month. Students will pay $20 per unit for the upcoming semester, down from $26. That adds up to $90 in savings for a typical 15unit semester load -- about the cost of a textbook. Opportunity Flows - New Incubator At Fresno State Seeks Startups To Find Water, Energy Solutions
97
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California's 75-cent boost in the minimum wage is welcomed by the state's low-wage workers, but employers say it may lead to higher costs to consumers and greater pressure to increase wages for those working slightly above the minimum. Education For Less - California Community College Students Get A Break As Enrollment Fees Drop In The New Year
96
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A growing number of Internet-savvy workers are forwarding their office e- mail to free, Web-accessible personal accounts offered by Google, Yahoo and other companies. Their employers, who envision corporate secrets leaking through the back door of otherwise well-protected computer networks, are not pleased. Study: Workplace Fatigue Common, Costly
92
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Pacific Ethanol Inc. announced Thursday that it is moving its headquarters to Sacramento. But company officials said they will continue to operate and expand the location in Fresno, where the company was founded in 2003. Governor's Budget Balanced
90
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Fresno County has received a first-place ranking for its application to have 10 cities and several unincorporated areas designated as California Enterprise Zones. Fresno County's application was ranked first among 23 Enterprise Zone applications approved by the state Department of Housing and Community Development last month. The state program gives companies tax breaks for hiring disadvantaged workers and investing in depressed regions. [ Back to Top ] Construction Jobs Expected To Decline - Fresno County Could Lose 1,400 Over Three Years As California Feels The Pinch Of A Housing Slowdown
101 12/07/2006
Fresno County could lose 1,400 construction jobs over the next three years as the state struggles with a housing slowdown expected to reach bottom in 2007, a new economic forecast predicts. More than half of those jobs a 3.6% decline will be lost next year, University of the Pacific researchers said in a statewide housing forecast released Wednesday. State Pushes To Revise Workers' Comp Process - New Rules Are Proposed To Penalize Insurers That Unfairly Delay Or Deny Medical Treatment
102 12/06/2006
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A good rule: Don't write anything on your company email that you don't want to see on the front page of tomorrow morning's newspaper. A 2006 survey of 416 companies by the ePolicy Institute in Columbus, Ohio, concludes that 26% of them have fired employees for inappropriate email conduct. That's up from 21% in 2001. More and more companies are monitoring their employees' emails and adopting more-stringent use policies. Workers' Comp Rates Vary - State Firms' Costs Rank 2nd Highest
104 12/04/2006
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California companies pay the second-highest workers' compensation premium rates in the country, according to a recent study. California's premium rate index is $4.13 per $100 of payroll, or 166 percent of the national median, according to the 2006 Oregon Workers' Compensation Premium Rate Ranking, released earlier this month. The study is based on rates in effect Jan. 1, 2006. Alaska had the highest workers' compensation rates. Life After Layoffs - Despite Plant Closures, Valley Leaders Are Optimistic That Expanding Industries Will Bring Jobs
105 12/03/2006
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Companies tighten down during a slow market; excess inventory high. Home builders, many of whom added employees during the robust housing market, are cutting back because sales have dropped off dramatically. The cuts are not unexpected. "It's simple math," said Mitch Covington, president of the Building Industry Association of the San Joaquin Valley. "If you are down to building 80 homes from 300, you only need half the people." Game's Over For Copeland Sports - Company's Bankruptcy Means Closure Of Stores In Fresno, Visalia
107 12/01/2006
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Copeland Sports Stores In Fresno And Visalia Are Closing. The Going-Out-Of-Business Banners Are Up At Both Stores, And The End Of The San Luis Obispo-Based Company Is Near. The Move Stems From Copeland Sports' Recent Bankruptcy. Competitor The Sports Authority Inc. Is Purchasing Some Stores In The Chain, And The Rest Will Be Closed. Workers Comp Rates To Decrease
108 11/29/2006
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The state's two largest workers' compensation insurers announced this week they are lowering rates. The State Compensation Insurance Fund filed with state regulators a 9 percent average decrease, effective on or after Jan. 1 for new and renewing policies. State Fund, a semi-government agency that employs nearly 700 people locally, is the state's largest workers' comp provider. This is the San Francisco-based insurer's seventh consecutive rate decrease. Valley Grocer Gobbles Up Rival - Save Mart Announces Deal To Buy 132 Albertsons Stores In Northern California
109 11/28/2006
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Modesto-based Save Mart Supermarkets is buying 132 Albertsons stores, including four in Fresno, the companies announced Monday. The sale, which could be completed by February, would more than double the size of Save Mart which, with 124 stores, already is one of the largest privately held grocery store chains in the nation. Hispanic Chamber Plans For Its Future - Organization Is Heading To Downtown Fresno and Adding Business Incubator
110 11/28/2006
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Two and a half years worth of work finally came to fruition as the Rails to Trails art mural was unveiled on Saturday, Nov. 18. The Region IV Youth Commission, part of the Fresno County Youth Services Network, came up with the idea to beautify the Rails to Trails Parkway and began the process by holding an art contest for youths ages 12 to 24 to help design the murals. Fresno Recycler Expands To Mexico - Electronic Recyclers, Mexican Business Group Form A Joint Venture
112 11/14/2006
114 11/11/2006
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Power companies are worried there may not be enough workers to keep the lights on, with a wave of retirements expected to hit the industry in the coming decade. While companies across the nation are scrambling to find ways to meet the impending shortage by pairing with vocational schools and colleges, northern San Joaquin Valley power providers are ahead of the curve. Fresno Hospital Cuts Staff - Texas-Based New Owner of Surgery Center Eliminates 26 of 111 Employees
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The owners of Fresno Surgical Hospital formerly Fresno Surgery Center cut 23% of their workforce Friday by laying off 26 of 111 employees. Power Plant Gets First Approval - Natural Gas Project Near Firebaugh Faces Lengthy Evaluation
115 11/09/2006
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Plans to build a $300 million, 400-megawatt, natural gas-fired power plant in western Fresno County received their first approval from the California Energy Commission on Wednesday. The approval will begin what's expected to be a yearlong evaluation of the proposed Panoche Energy Center, a power plant that could employ hundreds of people during construction and dozens to operate it once it opens, said Susanne Garfield, commission spokeswoman. Election Could Drive Minimum-Wage Hike - With Momentum On The Democrats' Side, They Will Make A National Increase A Priority
116 11/09/2006
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The first raise in the U.S. minimum wage in a decade has become a very likely possibility following Tuesday's Democratic election victories and passage of minimum-wage ballot measures in six states. President Bush suggested Wednesday that he would agree to a hike in the federal minimum, set at $5.15 an hour since 1997. This could restore a bit of California's competitive edge by making its recently passed minimum-wage hike less out of line with other states. Two Enterprise Zone Designations Awarded To Fresno County
117 11/04/2006
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Hundreds more Valley businesses will be eligible for tax incentives as a result of the expansion of a state-run economic development program into several area cities, the Schwarzenegger administration announced Friday. Boundaries are still being finalized, but the county's zone is expected to cover parts of Fowler, Firebaugh, Kerman, Mendota, Orange Cove, Parlier, San Joaquin, Sanger, Selma and Reedley, as well as some unincorporated areas. The City of Fresno was awarded its own designation. EDC Leader Resigns, Leaving Legacy Of Job Gains, New Focus
118 11/02/2006
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Dave Spaur resigned Wednesday as president and chief executive of the Economic Development Corp. Serving Fresno County, ending a fiveyear stint that saw the nonprofit organization expand its membership and financial reserves and help bring an estimated 6,000 new jobs to the county. "I have enjoyed my time with the EDC and feel good about leaving a strong and healthy organization," Spaur said in a prepared statement. "But it is time for me to do something else, possibly a little more focused and project oriented." Author Tells Fresno To Be Honest
119 11/02/2006
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Know what city can and can't do, Inc. editor says. There's a simple formula to Fresno's future success, an expert on urban growth told an audience of civic and business leaders Wednesday recognize what the city can offer its next generation of residents, and what it can't. Fees Falling At Two-Year Colleges
120 10/31/2006
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One of the largest electronic recycling companies in California is hooking up with a Mexican partner to open operations south of the border. Electronic Recyclers of Fresno will partner with the Burillo Azcarraga Group to develop Electronic Recyclers International Mexico, a joint venture that eventually could recycle up to 120 million pounds of used televisions, computer monitors, cell phones and other electronic waste per year, said John Shegerian, chief executive of Electronic Recyclers. U.S. Power Industry Faces Worker Gap - Half Will Be Eligible
113 11/13/2006
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Five years ago, the Fresno Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce was an upstart organization eager to provide services to a growing number of Hispanic businesses. Today, the chamber is breaking ground again with plans to relocate its tiny West Shaw Avenue office into a 13,000-squarefoot building in downtown Fresno that also will serve as a business incubator. If everything falls into place, chamber officials would like to be in their new building at the corner of Fulton and Stanislaus streets by the spring. Adding A Touch Of History
111 11/22/2006
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When 130 workers at a Kerman factory were laid off earlier this year, Ron Manfredi didn't panic. "Times have changed," said Manfredi, who has served as Kerman's city manager for more than a decade. "Our economy is going very well, compared to the past. And it shows." That wasn't the case several years ago, when double-digit unemployment reigned in the central San Joaquin Valley, especially in west Fresno County where job opportunities were limited. Valley Housing Builders Cut Jobs
106 12/02/2006
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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration is preparing to punish insurance companies that wrongly delay or deny medical care for workers hurt on the job. Acknowledging growing complaints from workers, the state said new rules were necessary to ensure that workers were not unfairly refused drugs, surgery and other medical procedures that their doctors recommended. Netiquette: The Niceties - Of Workplace Email Use
103 12/05/2006
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San Bernardino Valley College students will not only pay nearly one-quarter less in enrollment fees this spring, they will also be allowed to register earlier than in previous years. The fees for state-funded community colleges have been lowered from $26 to $20 per unit by state lawmakers in order to make community college more affordable for low-income students. The lower fee applies to any class beginning after Jan. 1, 2007. Students may register for the spring semester starting Wednesday. [ Back to Top ] White-Collar Outsourcing Pressure Builds - U.S. Companies Could Save Billions By Sending Administrative Jobs Overseas, Says Study
121 10/31/2006
Job losses in the United States from outsourcing, already a touchy political issue, could mushroom in the next decade as companies shift hundreds of thousands more professional white-collar jobs offshore, according to a new study. Fortune 500 companies could potentially save $58 billion annually, or some $116 million per company, by off shoring general and administrative jobs, according to the Hackett Group, a strategic advisory firm. Hackett will formally issue the study next week. The study estimates that increased use of cheaper overseas labor could affect up to 1.47 million back-office jobs over the next decade, or nearly 3,000 at a typical Fortune 500 company. And the jobs under review will go far beyond call centers. Valley Partnership Is Ready To Begin Its Real Work
122 10/31/2006
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The eight counties of the San Joaquin Valley share a river system, two major freeways Highway 99 and Interstate 5 and an agriculture based economy. They also share persistent problems: lower levels of education and income, higher violent crime rates and poor air quality. For the past year, 26 elected and community leaders from throughout the valley have met to identify ways to make things better. This group, the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley, was created in 2005 by Gov. Schwarzenegger, a state leader who finally recognized the valley's problems and potential. Schwarzenegger assigned his top Cabinet people to give the partnership a high priority. Conagra Plant In Helm Cuts 230 Jobs - Tomato Processor's Layoffs A Blow To West Fresno County
123 10/27/2006
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In California, employers with 75 or more employees must provide a 60-day notice to the EDD of a plant closing, layoff or relocation under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN Act. The act is meant to provide protection to employees, their families, and communities by requiring businesses to give advance notice so that workers have time to find alternative employment and retraining. "We gave them information about employment and training opportunities," said Tamico Thomas, a senior outplacement specialist with the Fresno County Workforce Investment Board, which acted as a liaison between ConAgra and its employees. If Company Goes Bankrupt, Dont Count on Your Pension
124 10/24/2006
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JUST about every week, flight attendants at Northwest Airlines, assembly-line workers at the Delphi Corporation and thousands of employees at other companies in bankruptcy can read headlines warning them that their companies might shut down their pension plans and drop the liabilities on the federal governments Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. If Im in a pension plan of a company thats in bankruptcy, said Kevin Wagner, a senior retirement consultant for Watson Wyatt Worldwide, I have some reason to be concerned. Valley Colleges Want To Do Their Part For The Area Work Force
125 10/24/2006
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Central San Joaquin Valley colleges have posed a question to the region's business community. What can they do to better prepare their students for future jobs? And they want an honest answer. With about 12,000 of its 36,000 students enrolled in vocational programs, the State Center Community College District figures it can play an important role in meeting the central San Joaquin Valley's employment needs. That is the idea behind the Workforce Development Summit 2006, set for 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday at TorNino's, 5080 N. Blackstone Ave. in Fresno. Job Market Stays Healthy - Unemployment Rate Falls Despite Woes In Housing
126 10/21/2006
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Unemployment fell in California last month, but the slowdown in the housing market continued to hold back job growth.The statewide jobless rate in September fell a tenth of a percentage point, to 4.8 percent, while employers added 17,300 payroll jobs, the Employment Development Department said Friday. Breathing Life Into Voc Ed
127 10/15/2006
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Career-focused programs exploring new directions as job-market needs shift The first classes in Stanislaus County that put students into real-life work settings began in the early 1970s with only three courses in the Regional Occupational Program run by the county Office of Education. Today, students can choose from more than 100 classes in an evolving curriculum. Agribusiness Conference Set Nov. 2
128 10/14/2006
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Immigration and labor issues will be among topics at the 25th annual Agribusiness Management Conference on Nov. 2 at the Fresno Convention Center Exhibit Hall. Pelco Earns Industry 'Superstar' Award
129 10/13/2006
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During this year's PSA Vendor Appreciation Awards, Pelco earned a Superstar Award, the PSA Security Network's highest honor for suppliers. Considered the industry's most comprehensive evaluation of manufacturers, the award is given to the vendor who receives the highest score on a survey taken by PSA members. Scoring is based on the performance categories of product quality and reliability, technical support, price advantage, responsiveness, ship dates, return authorizations and local rep support. 300 Million - And Older And Older - As The Population Ages, Expect To Be Working Longer, Paying More For Health Care And Facing Tax Increases
130 10/13/2006
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Businesses from Stockton to Bakersfield could receive $250m through program. San Joaquin Valley businesses could receive $250 million of new investment money through a program announced Thursday by the state public employees retirement system. Business Visions Will Be On Display - Entrepreneurs And Investors Can Connect At A Forum In Fresno
132 10/06/2006
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The Central Valley Venture Forum, an all-day showcase for central San Joaquin Valley entrepreneurs and investors being held Thursday, has already gathered an impressive list of speakers, as well as a number of companies that will present their business plans to investors. Fresno SBA Office Hits Record
133 10/06/2006
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1,203 loans 6% boost were backed in 15-county area. The Fresno office of the U.S. Small Business Administration backed a record number of loans in the central San Joaquin Valley last fiscal year, mirroring a national trend. Housing Sales Forecast Slump
134 10/04/2006
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The economy of Central California should outperform the rest of the state this year, but weak housing sales and a loss of manufacturing jobs could act as a brake next year and contribute to a higher unemployment rate, a leading economist said. Grant Helps Fill Solar, Job Demand
135 10/04/2006
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$700,000 will create job openings in demanding solar power market. Tommie Nellon, chief executive of Fresno-based Unlimited Energy, can't hire enough people to meet the booming demand for solar power in the central San Joaquin Valley. Keith Kelley, president of the Fresno West Coalition for Economic Development, can't find enough high-paying jobs for the low-income residents his group serves. California Insurers Seek Seventh Straight Drop
136 09/29/2006
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Sweeping legislative changes enacted in late 2003 and early 2004 have allowed massive cost-cutting in the once-teetering system, established to cover workers who sustain job-related injuries. Claims payments, for instance, have nose-dived to about $10 billion a year today from $24 billion annually three years ago. "We have seen an absolutely remarkable change. We're looking at savings of $14 billion (a year)," Garamendi said during a Department of Insurance rate hearing in San Francisco. Report: California Has 3.5 Million Small Businesses
137 09/28/2006
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Small businesses are major drivers of both the U.S. and California economies, according to a new report issued by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration. California had about 3,575,200 small businesses in 2005, the report said. The number of those firms with fewer than 500 employees was 1,066,465, or 99.2 percent. Self-employment was at 2,224664 in 2005, having grown 4.1 percent from 2004. What Was It That the Boss - Said? You Can Only Imagine
138 09/22/2006
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The childhood diversion known as the Telephone Game, in which the details of a sentence or phrase deteriorate with each retelling of it, is played the world over. Sometimes called Whisper Down the Lane and Pass It Down, it's also played, inadvertently, in almost every corporation on the planet. Academic Standards Bill Vetoed
139 09/21/2006
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Governor refuses to lower criteria for complying with No Child Left Behind law. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation Wednesday that proposed an instant fix for students failing to meet California's standard for proficiency: redefine proficiency. Schwarzenegger concluded that changing a few words won't solve academic woes. "Redefining the level of academic achievement necessary to designate students as 'proficient' does not make the students proficient," his veto message said. Job-Search Secrets - For Hunting on the Web
140 09/19/2006
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Since the U.S. population crossed the 200 million mark in 1967, America has grown into a more sprawling, more southern and western, suburban nation with more crowded highways. Next Tuesday the population is set to cross the 300 million mark, and when the country passes 400 million sometime in the 2040s, one of the key demographic shifts looking back will be the aging of the population. People aged 65 and older made up 12.4 percent of the population in 2000. They will make up 16.3 percent of the population by 2020. In 2030 nearly 1 and 5 Americans will be 65 and older. Valley Invested In Calpers Plan
131 10/13/2006
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Job hunting has made a dramatic transition in the past decade as both companies and candidates have moved online. While surfing the Web may not get you a job, better Internet job-search skills can improve your odds of securing an interview. According to a 2005 survey from the Society for Human Resource Management in Alexandria, Va., about 86% of human-resources professionals polled use Internet job postings to recruit candidates. [ Back to Top ] New Rate Cut Urged For Workers' Comp
141 09/16/2006
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Continuing a dramatic turnaround, a key industry group is proposing California employers get another price break on their workers' compensation insurance. The Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California recommended late Thursday that Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi urge insurers to cut rates by 6.3 percent. The decrease would extend a three-year cost-cutting trend in California, which once boasted the nation's highest costs to treat job-related injuries. 2006 Best Careers: The Results Are In
142 09/15/2006
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What are the best careers? CareerJournal.com found out by asking people what makes them satisfied in their careers and then finding careers with those qualities. Here are the results. After 150 Years, Ag Remains Top Economic Driver For Fresno County
143 09/15/2006
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Fresno County made its largest single expenditure this year larger than it ever had in its history, a 150-year span that grew from the region's fertile soil but has seen its share of challenges, Phil Larson said.Larson, chair of the board of Fresno County supervisors, addressed hundreds of business leaders and public workers at the "State of the County" address this morning in downtown Fresno. Madera Co. Poised To Transform - Swelling Population Expected To Bolster Economic Growth
144 09/14/2006
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John Stewart compares the Madera County of today to the Orange County of the 1960s. "The change in this landscape will be dramatic over the next five to 10 years," the president of the Grubb&Ellis/Pearson Commercial real estate firm said Wednesday at a Madera County economic forecast. Stewart talked about the county's significant population growth almost 20,000 people in six years and the projections for the future, which include 30,000 new homes in the Highway41 corridor and 5,000 houses in Chowchilla. Employers Must Begin Using Revised Employer Information Report (EEO-1)
145 09/12/2006
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There is a good chance that your small employer-clients are not aware of the new EEO-1 requirements. The following newsworthy information would be an ideal way for you to demonstrate how you can add value to your One Stop services by communicating with employers important changes in the HR field. Share this information with your Business Service Representatives and further strengthen your relationship with employers in your community. Report Points To New Jobs In Valley
146 09/07/2006
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Regional program sees progress in Fresno Co., slippage in Madera Co. The Regional Jobs Initiative released a report Wednesday that shows Fresno County has added 1,600 new jobs in industries the group has targeted during the first six months of this year. Congressmen Hear Need For Immigration Reform - Radanovich, Costa Attend Fresno Forum On Hot Issue
147 08/31/2006
The central San Joaquin Valley's agriculture industry will suffer "dire consequences" if Congress fails to pass immigration reform this year that includes provisions for immigrants to work legally on the state's farms, business leaders told two Central California congressmen Wednesday in Fresno. New Director On Campus - Former Fresno State Student Now Runs The University Business Center
148 08/31/2006
149 08/31/2006
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For Emil Milevoj, helping regional businesses succeed is almost an addiction. "It's really rewarding to see when you can help people solve their problems and get excited about what they're doing," said Milevoj, a native of Croatia who first came to Fresno as a high school exchange student. Are You Stuck in Middle Management Hell?
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A generation of workers can't get ahead - because aging boomers above them won't budge. Here's how to break through the gray ceiling. Business, Beware! High Turnover Ahead, Experts Say
150 08/30/2006
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One in five workers is actively seeking a new job, and a majority are keeping an eye out for something better if the economy continues to improve, new research shows, fueling what experts say is a sweeping tide of turnover ahead for U.S. businesses. "That's really a wake-up call for employers," said Stuart Itkin, chief marketing officer at Kronos Inc., workforce consultants which commissioned the "Working in America: What Employees Want" survey released this week. Tips on Talking Pay - For Twentysomethings
151 08/29/2006
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You don't have to be a job-hunting veteran to wring more money out of a new employer. With a little preparation and the right questions at the job interview, even entry-level job seekers might squeeze more dollars out of their new boss. Disabled Vet Group Aims to Start Fresno Chapter - An Organization That Aims to Help Small Businesses Owned By Disabled Veterans Wants To Start a Chapter in Fresno
152 08/29/2006
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Dr. Tom Harris has been visiting Coalinga for many years. First he visited as a college student passing through to San Jose State on Highway 33. Next he came as a visiting private pilot who remembers peacocks on the fields around the airport. Soon he will be in town for an extended stay as interim president of West Hills College Coalinga. "Coalinga, and West Hills College, have a rich, rich history," Harris said. "I've known every WHCC president since 1984 so I'm familiar with what has been done educationally. I know the community is proud of the college and its agriculture and athletic programs. Welty Takes Long View At Fresno State
154 08/28/2006
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Lengthy list of crises and accomplishments marks the start of 16th year at helm of university. Don't be fooled by the way John Welty walks leaning forward with his shoulders slightly hunched, as if he carries a heavy burden everywhere he goes. There have been burdens. One athletic scandal after another. One state budget crisis after another. Faculty unrest. Student protests. The 2 P.M. Test: Make Your Work Day Shorter
155 08/28/2006
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It's never good when you look up at the clock and think, "Ugh! It's only 2 p.m. How am I going to get through the rest of the day?"The best employees and the happiest people are the ones who look up at the clock and say, "Phew! It's only 2 p.m. I'm glad I still have time to get through the rest of my tasks." Workforce Instability is Number One Fear for Human Resources Professionals
156 08/28/2006
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Companies across the United States are facing a growing problem. Their workforce is slipping away. More than two-thirds of human resource (HR) professionals feel that attracting and retaining workers is the biggest threat to bottom-line profitability, according to a survey released today by Oklahoma City-based Express Personnel Services, an international staffing and human resource company with nearly 600 offices in 47 states and three other countries (Canada, South Africa and Australia). Owners Hope Specialty Store Will Spark Appetites, Produce 100 Jobs
157 08/25/2006
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Members of a local family are cooking up a plan to expand the palates of Fresno residents with their upcoming specialty food store. The six partners behind Bentley's Market expect the 12,500-square-foot store to have a soft opening within the next 45 days. Improvements are currently being made to the new facility at the corner of Friant and Fort Washington roads. The store will boast a 2,500-square-foot bistro serving breakfast and lunch, as well as a 10,000-square-foot patio. The project will create around 100 jobs. Doctors To Sell Stake In Hospital - Community Medical To Be Fresno Heart Hospital's Sole Owner
158 08/25/2006
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Community Medical Centers said Thursday that it reached a financial agreement with its physician partners in the Fresno Heart Hospital, divesting the doctors of the financially struggling specialty hospital. Getting Physical: The Rules of Workplace Touching
159 08/24/2006
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With President Bush's bizarre "massage" of German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the recent G8 Summit, it might be a good time to review what constitutes appropriate and inappropriate touching at work. The rules may seem obvious, but if the president can get it wrong at a meeting of the world's most powerful leaders, chances are your co-workers are slipping up too. Minority Parents Support Exit Exam
160 08/24/2006
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The California Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise Alliance provides networking, training and legislative support and will hold an introductory meeting from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday. The meeting will be in conference room 300C at the Pacific Gas & Electric Co. building, 650 O St. in Fresno. Tom Harris New West Hills College Coalinga Interim President
153 08/28/2006
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Most African American, Asian American and Latino parents support the California High School Exit Exam and believe the main function of the public education system should be to prepare their children for college, according to a study released Wednesday by New America Media, a California-based ethnic media consortium. [ Back to Top ] Valley Divided On Wage Increase
161 08/23/2006
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Some say society is enhanced, but others see a negative ripple effect on horizon. Randy Ghan says boosting California's minimum wage is the right thing to do. "We think a rising tide raises all ships. The better part of society is enhanced," says Ghan, secretary-treasurer of the Fresno, Madera, Tulare, Kings Central Labor Council. Class Of 2007 Gets Better Start On Exit Exam
162 08/23/2006
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California public high school students beginning their senior year appear to be on track to do better on the state's exit exam than the last graduating class. A modest increase -- 1 percent -- in Class of 2007 students who have passed separate sections of the California high school exit exam was called an encouraging sign of progress by state officials who announced a new round of exam results Tuesday. Governor, Lawmakers Strike Deal To Raise Minimum Wage
163 08/21/2006
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California's minimum wage will increase by $1.25 an hour over the next two years under a deal struck Monday between Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders. The agreement ends, at least temporarily, a stalemate between the governor and Democratic lawmakers and clears a political hurdle for Schwarzenegger as he seeks re-election. Both sides agreed a raise for the lowest-income workers was necessary but differed over whether it should be accompanied by automatic annual increases. Code Green - Community Medical Centers Hopes This Year for Its First Black Ink Since 2003
164 08/20/2006
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Ten years after promising to treat Fresno County's poor and build a new trauma complex, Community Medical Centers is still struggling to live up to the deal and reverse chronic losses. 2 Fresno Authors Tackle the Workplace
165 08/19/2006
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In a world of employee lawsuits, tougher regulations and overly cautious managers, two Fresno authors are hoping to give employers some new tools for creating a better, more productive workplace. The 170-page book's provocative title, "Sex, Politics & Religion at the Office," is meant to raise eyebrows and provoke discussion, said authors Doug Noll and John Boogaert. Real Estate Slowdown Weighs On Job Growth
166 08/19/2006
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Employment growth throughout California slowed sharply last month, dragged down by job cuts at construction firms and mortgage offices as the state's real estate market continued to soften. On a seasonally adjusted basis, California added 900 jobs last month, far below its average monthly growth of 17,400 jobs over the previous 11 months, according to data released yesterday by the state Employment Development Department. Fresno Co. Jobless Rate Falls - Diversified Job Market Is Cited For Low Unemployment
167 08/19/2006
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Fresno County unemployment rates fell to record lows in July as job growth continues in an economy that analysts say is benefiting from increased diversification. Enterprise Zone Aids Merced - Economic Development Officials Seek To Expand Benefits To County
168 08/18/2006
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When Label Technology Inc. added a third shift at its Wardrobe Avenue printing plant last year, 20 more people went to work in Merced. The company would have delayed adding those new jobs if it weren't for Merced's status as an enterprise zone, a state program designed to spur economic development in areas with high poverty and unemployment. Now the Merced County Economic Development Corp. is applying to renew the zone for another 15 years. If approved, the new zone would expand to include all six incorporated cities in the county and all of the unincorporated areas, with the exception of a small area in north Merced. With 35 communities statewide applying for 23 enterprise zone slots, competition is stiff, but local officials hope Merced will win the designation again. One Foot In The Door
169 08/17/2006
170 08/16/2006
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Businesses at Valley career expo reach out to the growing Hispanic population. Valerie Palomino figured the best way to find a job is to go where the businesses are. So, the 18-year-old spent much of Wednesday at the annual Central California Business Expo and Career Fair at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Fresno. Mind Your Business
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Suggestions for when you're ready to hire your first employee Changes Ahead In 401(K) Accounts
171 08/09/2006
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The 401(k) retirement savings plan is getting the biggest overhaul in its 25 year history. The Pension Protection Act of 2006 passed by the Senate last week and sent to President Bush for signing could greatly raise the number of workers participating in company-sponsored savings accounts by allowing the automatic enrollment of new employees. The legislation also will make it easier for plan sponsors to offer investment advice to 401(k) savers. Trading With The World
172 08/06/2006
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The visit of British Prime Minister Tony Blair to California last week underscored what we too often take for granted: California's status as a world economic power. Last year, California exported $116.8 billion worth of goods and services, up from $92 billion in 2002. And that doesn't even include agricultural exports. Panel Split Over Wage Boost - A State Wage Board Deadlocked Friday On A Recommendation To Raise California's Minimum Wage To $9.78 Per Hour
173 08/05/2006
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The Wage Board, a 13-member body charged with determining an adequate wage to meet the high cost of living in California, also deadlocked on whether to bind wage increases to inflation. "As a member, I feel we have failed in our charge," said Angie Wei, legislative director for the California Labor Federation who proposed the $9.78 hourly rate -- a $3.03 increase from the current state minimum wage of $6.75 an hour. Grocers Set Their Sights on Fresnos Hispanic Market
174 08/04/2006
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The buying power of Fresnos Hispanic population has become a ripe peach that Southern California chain grocers are ready to bite into. Vallarta Supermarkets and Fiesta Foods, based in San Fernando and Anaheim, respectively, have plans to open new stores in Fresno this year. The stores, ranging in size from 35,000 to 45,000 square feet, are being built in vacant buildings in southeast Fresno. Workplace: Ring Tone Madness - Many Workers Yearn For Good Old Days When A Cell Phone Was Just A Phone
175 07/31/2006
Not surprisingly, in a recent survey of workplace "pet peeves" among U.S. employees, 30 percent cited annoying ring tones as the most irritating part of their workday. That's only slightly behind "loud talkers" (32 percent), but well ahead of the use of speaker phones in public areas (22 percent) and PDAs (personal digital assistants) during meetings (9 percent), according to Randstand USA, a work force staffing company. Employers Vow To Get Workers Fit
176 07/28/2006
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The move to create a healthier Fresno got some help Thursday as members of the city's business community pledged to do their part to promote wellness at work. "We have learned that you need to take care of the people who take care of you," said Greg Vidmar, vice president of operations at Anlin Industries in Clovis. Bay Area Venture Capital Program Chooses 7 Central Valley Companies
177 07/28/2006
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Pacific Community Ventures, a Bay Area venture capital and entrepreneurial advisory program, has chosen seven Central Valley companies in its first cohort to participate in its program, said Tracewell Hanrahan, manager of PCVs Central Valley services.We are doing orientations for them all in the next five days, she said. The seven chosen companies: Unlimited EnergyGEMS Fitness CentersAppl Inc.; Eagle Medical Services ; J&C Transport; Gemini Duplication; Summit Software. Almost all the companies are based in Fresno. Valley's Jobless Rate Is Stable - Despite Strain Of Gas Prices, Fresno, Tulare, Kings, Madera, Merced Counties Aren't Losing Many Jobs
178 07/22/2006
180 07/11/2006
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The unemployment rate in the central San Joaquin Valley stayed stable in June, surprising a university economist who says rising gas prices should be having a greater impact. Fresno County lost 100 nonfarm jobs in June, but gained 400 farm jobs for a jobless rate of 8%. That compared with 7.9% in May and 8.8% in June 2005, the state Employment Development Department reported in preliminary figures released Friday. Governor Touts Renewable Energy
179 07/14/2006
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Madera ethanol plant a backdrop to announce push for new sources. With a half-constructed ethanol plant in Madera as his backdrop, Gov. Schwarzenegger announced a plan Thursday to bring energy from renewable sources into the mainstream. The governor toured the plant on Avenue 12, owned by Fresno-based Pacific Ethanol, before detailing his bioenergy action plan for the state. The plan will encourage the use and development of energy sources that don't rely on fossil fuels, including ethanol and biodiesel. "California is a biomass gold mine," Schwarzenegger said, standing near the fermentation tanks and distilling area that will start turning corn into the fuel additive ethanol later this year. Students Build Shelter - Kerman High School Teens Learn The Ins And Outs Of Construction In Summer Jobs Erecting Affordable Homes For Low-Income Families
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Mary Kate Costa, program manager for Proteus Inc., a nonprofit group that provides job training and other services, was so impressed with the students' work that she got the program a $25,000 grant from the Fresno County Workforce Investment Board. [ Back to Top ] Fresno Co. Jobs Training Hit
181 07/09/2006
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Governor's veto puts the Workforce Investment Board on tighter budget. A tight budget year just got tighter for the Fresno County Workforce Investment Board, which is losing about $840,000 in worker training funds as a result of a Gov. Schwarzenegger budget veto. When combined with other cutbacks, the loss means the board's budget will drop from $28 million last year to $23 million for the year that began July 1. Workers' Comp Picture Brightening For Employers
182 07/06/2006
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Things keep looking better for California employers when it comes to workers' compensation insurance, according to first-quarter data on insurers. Employers collectively are paying less premium, and a smaller percentage of their payroll is going toward the mandatory insurance coverage. Claim frequency also is down, the Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California reported Wednesday. Teenagers Get Connected To Careers
183 07/03/2006
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About 170 high school students join Tulare Co. summer jobs program. Tulare County has revived a summer youth employment program after a two-year hiatus, giving high school students work experience while they learn how county government operates. The program called Career Connection pays students for 200 hours of work in various Tulare County government departments over six or seven weeks. About 170 high school students are involved in the program, formally called the Summer Youth Employment Training Program. The program is used across the United States. Business Incubator Names Executive
184 06/30/2006
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The Central Valley Business Incubator, a well-known Valley engine of job creation, has picked Craig Scharton, an economic development professional who had led several recent efforts to revitalize downtown Fresno, as its new chief executive. Exit Exam Aid Proposed - State Lawmakers Consider Funding To Help Students Pass Test
185 06/27/2006
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Discussions about California's controversial high school exit exam promise to heat up in coming weeks as the state Legislature considers allocating millions of dollars for remedial classes and hearing dates approach for lawsuits challenging the exam. California Legislature Approves $130.9 Billion State Budget
186 06/27/2006
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State lawmakers approved a $130.9 billion spending plan Tuesday night that uses a tax windfall to fund one of the largest increases ever for California schools and sets aside billions to pay down debt and build up reserves. The budget bill passed the Senate 30-10 after five Republicans joined Democrats in supporting the spending plan. Ninety minutes later, the Assembly approved the bill 54-23, surpassing the needed two-thirds majority, and setting the stage for California's first on-time budget in six years. California Firms See Increase In Employees, Average Wage
187 06/27/2006
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California small businesses not only added jobs in May, they paid higher wages, according to the latest report from SurePayroll, a nationwide online payroll processor based in Illinois. California businesses increased their number of employees by 0.2 percent and the average paycheck by 4.5 percent. Nationwide, small employers cut jobs by 0.3 percent and increased the average paycheck by 3.8 percent. Exit Exam Not The End For High School Seniors - High School Seniors Who Failed California's New Exit Exam Are Being Welcomed Into Two-Year Colleges For Another Shot At A Diploma
188 06/27/2006
Community colleges have long offered a second chance to students with lofty ambitions but lousy high school grades. Now many two-year colleges are trying to attract a new group seeking a fresh start: seniors leaving high school this month without diplomas because they couldn't pass California's new exit exam. The Los Angeles Community College District, the state's largest, and others around California are welcoming many of the nearly 42,000 high school seniors tripped up by the exit exam. Council Oks $130k Plan To Market City - Possible Tech-Convention To Be Held In 2008
189 06/22/2006
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The goal is to leverage assets like the R&T park to carve out a niche for Clovis in the international market, increase high-wage jobs and stop the "brain drain" of youth leaving the area to seek education and good jobs. "We already have the beginnings of a great software industry right here on our doorstep and no one knows about it," said committee member Ian Mearns, citing ag-software company Famous Software as one. 20 Great Jobs That Don't Require A College Degree
190 06/20/2006
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What do Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and entertainment mogul David Geffen have in common? Besides being exceedingly rich, none of them has a college degree. Though it was once conventional wisdom that you needed to have a four-year college degree to be successful, many employment experts believe that maxim has become myth. While a college education increases a worker's chances of earning more money, it's certainly not the only reliable path to well-paid and rewarding work. Hospitals Bring In Foreign Nurses - Another Perfect Storm: Nurses Retiring, Aging Baby Boomers, And A Bottleneck In Nurses Training
191 06/19/2006
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There's a bill being hammered out in the U.S. Senate that would raise the number of visas granted each year to professionals from 140,000 to 160,000. That would allow more nurses to immigrate. According to Kim Van Eyck, educator and researcher for the California Nurses Association, there are 2.7 million registered nurses in the U.S. About 500,000 are not working for various reasons, she said. The U.S. has 118,000 vacancies in nursing positions, said Carla Luggiero of the American Hospital Association. The vacancies span geographic regions and professional specialties. States Face A New Budget Challenge: Surpluses - For The First Time In Years, The Pressing Issue Is What To Do With Excess Money. Financial Officials Say The Windfall Might Be Short-Lived
192 06/18/2006
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Jobless rates in the central San Joaquin Valley fell to record lows in May as a continued construction boom added its momentum to a broad job expansion, according to the state jobless report released Friday. State Budget Deadline Likely To Be Missed Again
194 06/14/2006
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After early hopes that California might have its first on-time budget in 20 years, lawmakers Wednesday failed to bridge differences over funding health care for the children of illegal immigrants and settle on a plan to pay down state debt. Lawmakers from both parties said they plan to continue negotiating Thursday - the constitutional deadline to pass the budget - but no vote on the proposed $131 billion spending plan is scheduled. Heart Hospital To Get One Owner - Community Medical Centers Will Buy Out Physicians' Shares
195 06/13/2006
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Community Medical Centers will become the sole owner of the Fresno Heart Hospital after it buys out shares of the specialty hospital held by doctors. Executives announced the change Monday. It allows the hospital more flexibility and the ability to expand. Bad Bosses Can Infect An Entire Business
196 06/12/2006
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Too often, managers attribute all their woes to their lackluster underlings or the mistreatment they receive from their own supervisors. Many are unwilling or unable to even consider the possibility that they themselves might just be the problems that plague morale and performance. Valley Keeps Eye On State's Budget - Lawmakers Agree On Issues With Local Impact, Such As Judges, Economic Task Force
197 06/11/2006
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It's hard to beat a juicy "reversal of fortune" story in the world of politics, where power is everything. It's all over the local Workforce Investment Board, a public-private agency that disburses millions of federal dollars in job-training grants every year. Fresno City Hall finds itself on the fun end of such a story. And the Fresno County Board of Supervisors finds itself begging for mercy. Within 18 months, says Workforce Board Executive Director Blake Konczal, the board should have 50% City Hall appointees and 50% county appointees. Says Konczal: "We're eager to have [the city] involved." Supervisor Judy Case says getting even "is not very good policy." Albertson's To Close Clovis Market, 36 Others
199 06/09/2006
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Albertson's is closing about one-fifth of its Northern California stores in an acknowledgment of the competitive pressures battering the supermarket industry. Albertson's, which was sold after a lengthy slump, said it will close 37 of 168 stores in Northern California. Most are in the Bay Area, but four are in greater Sacramento and one is in Clovis, on Shaw Avenue near Fowler Avenue. Clean-Air Expo To Offer Ways To Fight Pollution - Fresno Program Features Tips To Save Energy, CarCrushing Event
200 06/08/2006
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The Workforce Investment Board lobbied for the money and the Senate-Assembly budget conference committee responded. The compromise calls for the administration to plug the gap again next year. It also requires the state to study a more permanent solution that could result in a change to the funding formula. Blake Konczal, the Fresno County board's executive director, is pleased with the compromise. With the board's overall budget on the decline, "this little $840,000 becomes even more important for us," he said. In Politics, A Payback Can Be Oh So Satisfying
198 06/10/2006
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After years of cost-cutting and staring down deficits, states suddenly find themselves awash in extra dollars that are funding tax cuts, teacher pay increases and roadwork across the country. Only four states have had to deal with deficits as legislatures rush to finalize budgets before the end of the fiscal year on June 30. The rest are enjoying surpluses that have fueled a 4.2% growth in state government spending, the biggest surge since 1999. Fresno Co. Jobless Rate Falls - At 7.9%, County Unemployment Reaches A 16-Year Low
193 06/17/2006
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"I think it's very important that we combine our economic development and our clean air agenda," said Dr. David Lighthall, research director for the Relational Culture Institute, a Fresno-based nonprofit that builds community relationships around policy issues like clean air. "We can create jobs and clean up the air." [ Back to Top ] Vets Fighting for Jobs on Home Front - Web Sites Easing the Transition from Military to Civilian Employment
201 06/08/2006
Soldiers returning home to the U.S. are finding they still have a fight on their hands... but this time it's for jobs. Despite strong economic performance and job growth resulting in more than 2 million jobs created in the last year, federal labor statistics show nearly one-in-five veterans age 20 to 24 are unemployed, three times the national average. Jobs That May No Longer Exist By 2014
202 06/08/2006
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While America's job outlook is healthy and many industries are projected to grow in the coming years, there are also signs that some occupations are becoming obsolete. Autry Offers State Of The City - Low-Cost Housing Plan, Immigration, Education Addressed
203 05/26/2006
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Fresno Mayor Alan Autry on Thursday announced plans to build 10,000 affordable homes by 2010.In his State of the City speech, Autry also revisited several issues that have become staples of his annual address, including immigration and education. He pushed for more local control of school districts and compared exploited immigrant laborers to pre-Civil War slaves. Discussion Of Ethics Not Widespread In Workplaces
204 05/26/2006
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Less than half of companies encourage discussion of moral dilemmas and criticism of censurable conduct in the workplace, according to a survey released Wednesday by the International Association of Business Communicators Research Foundation. The survey showed that most organizations maintain or practice a generally "healthy" climate for ethical concerns and issues, with 70 percent of respondents agreeing that their organization makes it clear to employees what is ethically acceptable and what is not acceptable. Exit Exam Back On For Class Of '06
205 05/25/2006
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The topsy-turvy battle over the high school exit exam continued Wednesday when the California Supreme Court reinstated the test as a graduation requirement for this year's seniors. Wednesday's ruling means that an estimated 47,000 seniors, about 11 percent of the class, who haven't passed the California High School Exit Exam probably will not receive a diploma with their classmates this spring. Fresno Co. Oks Hospital Payout
206 05/24/2006
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Community Medical would gain $9m yearly by changing $18m cash flow to state. The Fresno County Board of Supervisors has initially approved a request by Community Medical Centers to make an upfront payment of $18 million to the state so that the private hospital system can qualify for millions more in matching federal funds. Coalitions Are Key, Partnership Told - Valley Group Hears About Luring Business And Winning Over Lawmakers At Forum
207 05/20/2006
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A panel of state and Valley leaders working to improve the region's economy heard Friday from more than two dozen speakers about building coalitions, luring new industries and winning over urban legislators. Members of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley held a public forum at Children's Hospital Central California in Madera County, the sixth it has held in eight counties represented by the organization. Valley Unemployment Dips - Construction, Government, Farm Sectors Create Jobs
208 05/20/2006
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Unemployment in Fresno County dropped last month to its lowest level for April in 16 years despite higher energy costs and interest rates that threaten to derail a chugging economy. "The need for roofers is incredible," said Pam Lassetter, assistant director. Health care, information services, manufacturing, auto technicians and trucking/logistics also are searching for workers. The Workforce Investment Board is halfway through surveying the six industries and has found at least 1,000 jobs that have not been filled. California Economy Lost 2,600 Payroll Jobs In April, State Say
209 05/19/2006
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California's economy posted a net loss of 2,600 payroll jobs in April, with the construction sector shedding the most jobs over the month, the state Employment Development Department said Friday. In all, more than 14.9 million people in the state held payroll jobs during the month. Valley Internet Access Debated
210 05/13/2006
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Governments, businesses urged to adopt high-tech model or lose state funds. When it comes to bringing high-speed Internet access to the communities of the central San Joaquin Valley, there are many models to follow, from building citywide wireless networks to expanding fiberoptic connections to homes and businesses. Ian Mearns, deputy director for network services with the Fresno County Workforce Investment Board, noted that with wireless communities springing up around the country, providing some kind of high-speed Internet services "will become a necessity" for economic development. "If we don't have it," he said, "we're off the list." Worker Training May Lose Funds - Formula Change Catches Up With Valley Program
211 05/12/2006
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Its budget already hemorrhaging, the Fresno County Workforce Investment Board stands to lose nearly $900,000 next year for worker training programs. That's unless the state responds to a plea to plug the gap. The loss is a result of a technical change to a funding formula, a tweak that in effect takes away money from rural counties in favor of urban counties. Most Disabled Americans Have Jobs
212 05/12/2006
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More than half the nation's disabled people hold jobs, but they often have lower incomes and less education and are less likely to have health insurance than people without disabilities, the government said Friday. Nearly one in five Americans - about 51 million people - had physical or mental disabilities in 2002, according to the Census Bureau. About 33 million of them had severe disabilities. Study Scrutinizes Living-Wage Idea - Reactions Across Fresno Mixed For Pay And Benefits Proposal
213 05/03/2006
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A proposed living wage ordinance for the city of Fresno would bring only a moderate reduction in employment possibly between 20 and 100 jobs lost among low-skilled workers employed by companies with which the city contracts. And such an ordinance would bring only a modest cost increase for the city, up to less than 1% of the city budget. Can Your Personality Get You Hired Or Fired?
214 05/03/2006
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Personality Assessments Have Become a Big Part of the Hiring Process Personality tests have been around for more than a century, but employers are using them now more than ever when hiring. The main reason: to select the best possible candidates and reduce turnover, which costs a company between a quarter- to one-and-a-half times the departing worker's salary. Immigrants' Voices Raised
215 05/02/2006
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Thousands of protesters rally peacefully at Fresno City Hall. Legions of protesters in support of immigrant rights turned Fresno City Hall into a peaceful stage for their rallying cries Monday, the same day that many in the Central Valley joined a countrywide boycott to prove their worth to the nation. State's Mileage Pay Draws Fire - With Reimbursement Rate 10 Cents Below IRS Standard, Workers Turn To Rental Cars
216 05/01/2006
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RadioShack will close two stores in the Fresno-Clovis area by summer. RadioShack stores at Sierra Vista mall in Clovis and 4838 N. Blackstone Ave., just south of Shaw Avenue in Fresno, will close by August, said spokeswoman Jessica Study. The closures are part of a plan to close 480 "lower profitable" stores across the country, she said. "Most of them are in declining malls or traffic areas," she said. Mayor Helps 40 Find Work - Autry's Jobs Initiative Brings The Unemployed Together With Employers
218 04/30/2006
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Autry says his jobs program is designed to put a dent in a high unemployment rate that has plagued the area for decades. Fresno County's unemployment rate was 9.5% in March, compared with 4.8% for the state. The city's Parks, Recreation & Community Services Department runs the program and hosted its first job fair last week. Employers Brace For May 1 Boycott - Valley Firms Work With Workers Who Back Immigration Reform
219 04/29/2006
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Central San Joaquin Valley employers are bracing for fewer workers and a loss of sales and productivity as an untold number of immigrant workers and supporters are expected to join in a nationwide economic boycott Monday. Will the Central Valley Become the Next Leader in Alternate Energy Innovation?
220 04/28/2006
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A growing number of state workers are balking at using their personal cars or trucks for work-related trips and are renting cars instead to protest state mileage rates they feel are too low. Workers complain that the state's 34-cent mileage rate is unfair, especially with gas hitting $3 a gallon, and well below the IRS-approved rate of 44.5 cents a mile. So state workers are exercising their right to request either a state fleet vehicle or a rental, forgoing the convenience of using their own vehicle. Radioshack To Close Two Stores - Fresno And Clovis Outlets Due To Close By Aug. 1 As The Company Retrenches
217 05/01/2006
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The future is looking bright for solar power in the Central Valley. New construction incorporating solar panels, more funding for alternative energy uses in the Valley and even a delegation of Valley leaders meeting with solar-power manufacturers means that the Valley could be on its way to leading the state in solar energy if, some say, key objectives are accomplished first. [ Back to Top ] Workers' Comp Optimism - Employers Likely To See Another Sharp Rate Cut
221 04/28/2006
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California employers are poised to see a third straight double-digit cut in workers' compensation insurance rates this summer, but it could be the last resulting from a landmark legislative overhaul of the system. The Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California, a key industry group, recommended Wednesday that Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi urge insurers to cut rates by 16.4 percent across the board. Farmers Watch And Worry As Legislators Debate Immigration Reform
222 04/10/2006
223 04/10/2006
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Fourth-generation vegetable farmer Will Rousseau keeps one eye on his crops and another on Capitol Hill, where Congress is debating immigration bills that could mean bounty or bust for farms dependent on migrant labor. Illegal immigrants make up about 53 percent of the nation's roughly 1.8 million farmworkers, and cutting off the flow of willing workers - legal or not - to the fresh fruits and vegetables that need picking would spell the end for many farmers, Rousseau said. "We know local folks won't take those jobs, at any price," said Rousseau, who hires up to 700 seasonal workers to harvest his crops in Phoenix. Thousands Turn Out For Immigration Protests - Demonstrations Taking Place Across The Country For A Second Day
With an overhaul of immigration law stalled in Congress, demonstrators urged lawmakers to help an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants settle legally in the United States. Union Members Approve Merger - Grocery Store Workers Vote To Combine Locals In Fresno And Roseville
224 04/08/2006
226 04/07/2006
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A partnership of state and San Joaquin Valley officials on Friday endorsed proposed legislation that gives more authority to local school superintendents and supported an effort to create a medical school at the University of California at Merced. The California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley made the endorsements as part of an ambitious program to improve the economy and living conditions of the eight-county San Joaquin Valley. Fresno County Enjoys Record Tourism Year - Mountain Views, Fresh Fruit And Blossoming Trees All Contributed To A Record Year For Fresno County Tourism
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Direct spending in 2004 reached $917 million, a $54.2million increase over the previous year, according to California's 2005 travel report compiled by Dean Runyon Associates of Portland, Ore. Fresno Surgery Center Sold To Texas Firm
227 04/07/2006
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Majority ownership of the Fresno Surgery Center has been sold to the Dallas-area health care management firm, Cirrus Health. The north Fresno for-profit specialty hospital has been owned by a local physicians group since 1984 and has carved out a market niche in the Valley by offering private rooms, low nurse-to-patient ratios and gourmet meals. Jobless Claims Fall For A Third Consecutive Week
228 04/06/2006
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The number of Americans filing claims for unemployment benefits fell for a third straight week, providing further evidence of a strong job market. The Labor Department reported Thursday that 299,000 laid-off workers applied for jobless benefits last week, down 5,000 from the previous week after declines of 8,000 and 7,000 in the two previous weeks. State's Support Helps Valley -Task Force Delights In Delivering On Vow Of 'Action, Action, Action.' Here's A Twist. Silicon Valley Is Jealous Of The San Joaquin Valley
229 04/06/2006
230 03/30/2006
Mexicana Ready For Takeoff. - Airline's Debut Flight From Fresno Airport Leaves Sunday; Hispanic Business Leaders Hope Opportunity Will Follow
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"The construction sector will lead other sectors, at least until the end of 2006, registering 7.5% job growth in 2006. While it will slow considerably in the following years, it will still add nearly 3,000 jobs between 2005 and 2008," Sean Snaith, who heads the Business Forecasting Center at University of the Pacific in Stockton, reported in an economic forecast released Tuesday.
235 03/27/2006
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The panel discussion and Hoovers visit come as the nation is gripped in a debate about immigration and border security. The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday approved a comprehensive immigration bill that would create a foreign guest-worker program and put millions of illegal immigrants on track toward permanent residency and U.S. citizenship. The legislation now goes to the full Senate for debate. In December, the House approved a much-harsher bill. Plan To Merge UMC With Community Hospital Takes Shape
234 03/28/2006
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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger touted his economic record and his plan for improving California's infrastructure while he unveiled a new state Web site for entrepreneurs to a roomful of business leaders Tuesday. Citing more than 575,000 jobs created since his November 2003 election, a $4 billion refund to taxpayers via the car-tax rollback, unemployment brought to a five-year low, a 40 percent cut in workers' compensation insurance costs and reduction of the state's structural budget deficit without a tax hike, Schwarzenegger told the Bay Area Council that "we have done a lot, but we can do much more."
Panel Featuring Humane Borders Head To Debate Immigration, Border Security Wednesday (March 29) At Fresno States Chavez Observance 233 03/29/2006
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Fresno Yosemite International Airport will truly earn its name Saturday night with the arrival of Mexicana Airlines, Fresno's first international air carrier. The historic event is being celebrated today by city officials, Mexicana Airlines executives and business leaders.
Construction Drives Economy - Fresno-Area Building Down, But Still Key To Jobs, Payrolls, Study Says 232 03/29/2006
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Believe it, says Victoria Bradshaw, state secretary of labor and workforce development: "The other Valley is beginning to think we're spending too much time in the San Joaquin Valley." Bradshaw is one of eight Cabinet secretaries assigned to the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley, a task force appointed by Gov. Schwarzenegger that is charged with improving the economy and living conditions of the eight-county region.
Economic Record Makes Arnold Proud - In San Francisco, Governor Touts Job Growth And Unveils 'One-Stop' Business Web Site 231 03/29/2006
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The merger of two California grocery store unions representing more than 30,000 workers has been approved by its members. The United Food and Commercial Workers union Local 1288 in Fresno and Local 588 in Roseville have merged into one organization in hopes of achieving greater bargaining leverage, organizers said. State, Valley Officials Unite - Partnership Supports A UC Merced Medical School
225 04/08/2006
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The long-awaited merger of University Medical Center's burn and Level 1 trauma center into the downtown Community Regional Medical Center campus will occur in April 2007, according to a plan adopted by hospital trustees over the weekend. I'll Take Anything' Attitude Can Backfire In Interviews. - Candidates Are Often Seen As Desperate And Unfocused
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Candidates whose searches for employment are taking longer than they would have hoped find themselves lowering their standards. Freeze On Workers' Comp - State Won't Consider Raise In Benefits Till Summer 236 03/23/2006
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Since mid-2003, the state's overhaul has dramatically cut insurance rates and generated $8.1 billion in savings to employers who during the early 2000s were paying the highest premiums in the nation. Rates are positioned to fall even more this summer after the Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau, a key industry group, recommended a 16.4 percent reduction Wednesday. If adopted by Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, the recommended rate cuts since 2003 would add up to more than 50 percent. Capital Firms Come To Fresno
237 03/23/2006
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Seed money follows businesses with potential to grow, experts say. Venture capital funds, including one that contains more than $80 million, are looking for companies to help grow in the central San Joaquin Valley. The Central Valley Fund already is in place. It counts CalPERS, Wells Fargo, United Security and others as investors and has plans to help finance the growth of small businesses with $5 million to $50 million in revenue. But a handful of others could be on the horizon. Investment capital appears to be starting to follow families and businesses moving to the Valley, said Pete Weber, co-chairman of the Regional Jobs Initiative, which is a community-based effort to create thousands of jobs in the Fresno area over the next few years. Growing Force In Business World - Valley's Hispanic Entrepreneurs Follow National Population Trend
238 03/23/2006
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Like the rest of the nation, Fresno has become fertile ground for growing Hispanic entrepreneurs. And it's not just in the central San Joaquin Valley. The number of Hispanic-owned businesses from street vendors to construction company owners grew 31% nationally, or three times the average for all businesses, from 1997 to 2002. Hispanic-owned businesses represent nearly 1.6 million companies generating nearly $222 billion in revenue. Kerman Factory To Lay Off 130
239 03/23/2006
240 03/17/2006
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Rock-Tenn box-folding plant will close following a restructuring plan. Kerman's largest private employer will close its box-folding plant and lay off about 130 employees. The Rock-Tenn Co. plans to close its plant on Madera Avenue later this year, saving the company about $2million a year, according to a news release. Much of the business will be absorbed into its Greenville, Texas, plant. Employees from the Fresno County Workforce Investment Board met with plant workers during their shifts Wednesday to talk about job options, including training in other "hot" industries, such as health care and construction, said board senior outplacement specialist Tamico Thomas. Working Wounded: How to Avoid Hiring Mistakes
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Employers Should Be Aware of Legal Pitfalls When Hiring New Workers [ Back to Top ] Senate Passes $2.8 Trillion 2007 Budget
241 03/17/2006
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But GOP moderates such as Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania apparently did not get the message. His amendment to add $7 billion for education, health and labor programs won support from most Republicans, including Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, who has criticized Congress for embarking "down a wayward path of wasteful Washington spending." Small Businesses Feel Impact Of Health Care Costs - Survey Reveals Local Trends Are Different
242 03/17/2006
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Health care costs continue to hit state and local small businesses, according to the 2006 Union Bank of California Small Business Survey just released. Asked what the biggest challenges of running a business in Fresno County are, respondents replied: workers' compensation insurance costs (49 percent), increased taxes (42 percent), state and local regulations (39 percent). Small Businesses Feel Impact Of Health Care Costs - Survey Reveals Local Trends Are Different
243 03/17/2006
244 03/16/2006
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Health care costs continue to hit state and local small businesses, according to the 2006 Union Bank of California Small Business Survey just released. Asked what the biggest challenges of running a business in Fresno County are, respondents replied: workers' compensation insurance costs (49 percent), increased taxes (42 percent), state and local regulations (39 percent). A Survey That Described The Fresno Area As Having "One Of The Weakest" Employment Outlooks In The Nation Is Being Strongly Challenged By Labor Experts
The survey, conducted by the Manpower Inc. employment agency and released this week, asked 30 employers in the Fresno and Madera areas whether they expected to hire more employees during the year's second quarter, from April to June. Fresno Co. Job Seekers Flock To Fair - 60 Employers Draw 1,200 Applicants For Third Year Of The Calworks Event
245 03/16/2006
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The California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley on Friday passed resolutions aimed at addressing the central San Joaquin Valley's poor air quality and also heard a long wish list of recommendations for boosting the sagging economy from Stockton to Bakersfield.The pilot project is part of a bill introduced recently by Assembly Member Juan Arambula, D-Fresno, who also spoke before the panel Friday and chided fellow Assembly Member Bill Maze, R-Visalia, when Maze said "more money is not the answer" to the region's problems. Mcpeak Urges Valley To Unite
247 03/09/2006
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Collaboration leads to influence, state business official says in Fresno. The San Joaquin Valley has reached the "tipping point," and continued strong commitment from business and civic groups is needed to ensure the region falls into a period of robust economic growth, a state official said Wednesday in Fresno. "What makes a partnership go is when the leadership comes from the business community," Sunne Wright McPeak, secretary of the California Business Transportation and Housing Agency, told more than 300 people who attended an annual business executives breakfast hosted by The Business Journal and sponsored by California Business Machines. Two Fruit Packers Plan Expansions
248 03/09/2006
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Wawona Packing, Gerawan Farming will enlarge plants in Cutler and Kerman. Wawona Packing Co. and Gerawan Farming, two major fruit growing and packing companies, plan multimillion-dollar expansions of plants in Cutler and Kerman. The $4.5 million expansion is expected to add between 300 and 400 seasonal employees. Wawona has 1,400 employees, about 70 of them full time and the rest seasonal. Chamber's New Web Site Gets Political
249 03/09/2006
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Fresno-area business group takes its goal of getting active online. The Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce is stepping up its advocacy role with a new Web site and a new attitude. Chamber members unveiled their new site www.fresnochamberadvocacy.com on Wednesday as they talked about the need to become more politically active. Jobless Rates Creep Higher
250 03/04/2006
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Declines in farm, trade, food processing and construction payrolls caused January's jobless rate to climb in a move an industry analyst said was largely seasonal. The jobless rate in Fresno County rose to 9.6% in January from 8.3% in December, the state Economic Development Department said. That was less than the 11.4% reported in January 2005. Community May Move Soon On UMC Closure
251 03/03/2006
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A timeline to shutter University Medical Center and move its services to Community Medical Centers downtown Fresno campus may be in the works soon. Community officials have confirmed that they are working on several sets of plans to move the Valleys only level 1 trauma center and other services offered in the Southeast Fresno facility to the new burn and trauma building at Community Regional Medical Center. Fresnans Protest Business Move
252 03/02/2006
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Neighbors say landscape supply company will create traffic, draw pollution. Community organizers have launched a last-minute campaign to block a landscaping supply business that wants to move into a west-central Fresno neighborhood. Garlic Workers Bid Adieu To Plant - De Francesco Cites Costs, Competitors In Closure
253 03/02/2006
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Officials with the Fresno County Workforce Investment Board will provide services for the laid-off workers, including advice on debt management, job search assistance and how to file for unemployment. Tamico Thomas, senior outplacement specialist with the Workforce Investment Board, said the organization will meet with the workers over the next several days at its Workforce Connection One-Stop office in Mendota. Fresno Climbs To No. 40 On '05 Job Growth Index
254 02/28/2006
255 02/25/2006
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Fresno improved its national ranking for job growth, according to the Milken Institute's 2005 Best Performing Cities Index. The annual index measures where jobs are being created in America. The study looks at the top 200 largest metropolitan markets in the United States. March Looks To Fresno's Future - Efforts To Remake Fresno's Image And Attract Creative Professionals Are Gaining Momentum, With A March To Demonstrate What "Life In Vibrant, Urban Fresno" Would Look Like Scheduled For Noon Tuesday At The Fulton Mall
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Launching your first business can be daunting. Doing it without any help can increase your chances for failure. That's something Scott Johnson wants to avoid. Johnson, the director of Fresno's economic development department, and a coalition of business groups have created an online guide for people interested in starting their own business. Fresnostartup.com gives would-be entrepreneurs a simple 10-step checklist on what they should know about starting their own company. President Bush Seeks $9.4 Billion For The Employment And Training Administration (ETA) In FY 2007
258 02/23/2006
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The request is a reflection of his continuing effort to educate and prepare Americans for the jobs of the 21st century and his commitment to ensuring that the nation remains competitive in the global economy. Chinese Visit 3 Valley Hospitals - Medical Delegation Gets A Look At Information Technology In Patient Care, Billing
259 02/23/2006
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A dozen visitors from China toured three hospitals in the Fresno-Madera area Wednesday to get an up-close look at how information technology is used. Some of them couldn't resist a chuckle when Jonathon Anderson, information technology director at the Fresno Heart Hospital, explained how the Meditech system is used to help calculate charges for patients. Valley Jobs Initiative At Crossroads - Participants Call For Continued Support Of The Effort To Create 25,000 To 30,000 Net New Jobs
260 02/22/2006
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A mid-March lobbying effort in Washington, D.C., was among strategies adopted Friday at a Fresno summit on farm labor shortages that drew four members of Congress, several elected state officials and a who's who of California agricultural leadership. The U.S. Senate is expected to begin hearings on immigration legislation next month. Farm leaders and lobbyists are seeking to explain to federal lawmakers what they see as a necessity to address labor needs and add balance to a bill called the Border Protection, Antiterrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act that has already passed the House of Representatives. Web Site Aids Local Business Startups - Fresno Coalition Gives Would-Be Entrepreneurs A Simple 10-Step Checklist
257 02/24/2006
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Participants plan to act out vignettes of what they hope downtown Fresno will someday look like: break dancers and musicians performing on the mall, shoppers juggling bags from high-end stores, professionals waiting at a light rail stop and workers using free wireless Internet on their laptop computers. Summit Works Ag Labor Issues - Fresno Gathering Endorses A Mid-March Immigration Lobbying Effort In D.C.
256 02/25/2006
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Now in its third year, the job fair continues to grow. About 60 businesses attended this year, which is about double the number at last year's job fair, said Esam Abed, social services program supervisor with the county's employment and temporary assistance department. The number of attendees has also more than doubled. Leaders Air Valley Concerns - Resolutions Back Helping Economy, Cutting Pollution
246 03/11/2006
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The Regional Jobs Initiative, an ambitious grass-roots effort to change the economic infrastructure of the central San Joaquin Valley, is at a critical point, its participants say. They said progress has been made two years after starting, and they called for continued support. Ashley Swearengin, the RJI's chief operating officer, urged 200 people who attended the group's annual report Tuesday not to give up. [ Back to Top ]
261 02/21/2006
Radioshack CEO David Edmondson Resigned Monday After The Star-Telegram Of Fort Worth, Texas, Reported He Had Lied On His Resume
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But Edmondson is not alone. Experts say about 25 percent of Americans embellish their resumes. Trade School Can Be 'Next Step. Fresno-Area Programs Offer Alternative To Traditional Colleges 262 02/20/2006
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Drive around Fresno and Clovis these days, and you're likely to notice an increasing number of these specialized training schools. The Fresno Institute of Technology recently built a large campus in Clovis. Maric College opened its first Fresno campus last year, joining Quality College, San Joaquin Valley College and others. Retooling Fresno's Job Market - Two Years Into A 5-Year Plan To Spur Employment, The Regional Jobs Initiative Can Point To Teamwork As Its Biggest Success
263 02/19/2006
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Three years left, 8,800 jobs down and 20,500 jobs to go. By the simplest of measures, that's the challenge facing the Regional Jobs Initiative as it enters the third year of a five-year plan to double normal job growth in the region in several key industries. At the current pace, the RJI would fall short of its goal by about 25%. Medical Centers Chief Defends Planned Staff Cuts
264 02/17/2006
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The chief executive of Community Medical Centers on Thursday defended the hospital system's recently announced 175 job cuts, saying they were necessary to reduce expenses and bring cutting-edge service to its downtown hospital campus. Ag Expo Harvests Crop Of Good Will - Attendance, Sales And Weather Impress All Who Were Involved
265 02/17/2006
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After three days and tens of thousands of visitors, the World Ag Expo in Tulare closed Thursday on a high note, with vendors and organizers saying they were impressed with the attendance, sales and weather. The trade show is estimated to draw more than 100,000 visitors and create an economic impact of $1.2 billion. Crowds Expected To Swell As Governor Attends Expo Today
266 02/15/2006
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Traffic at the opening of the World Ag Expo in Tulare was brisk Tuesday, with cars backed up along Laspina Avenue leading to the show grounds an hour before gates opened. Ag Expo Draws Diverse Crowd To See Its Wonders - Area Farmers Joined By Nigerian Investors, Iraqi Businessmen
267 02/15/2006
268 02/08/2006
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Clydesdale horses added nostalgia even as environmental regulations and bio-terrorism filtered through shop talk. Pot-bellied old farmers in flannel shirts brushed shoulders with Nigerian investors wearing Italian sunglasses with their African robes. Sixty Japanese students paraded through the grounds, an effort by their government to encourage youth to consider farming much like in America's Midwest, Japanese farm towns are dying as the children of farmers bolt for city jobs. Protecting Your Identity While Job Hunting Online - Identity Thieves Target Job Seekers Who Post Resumes On The Web
Monster.com, the nation's largest online job site, has more than 50 million resumes in its database and gets 50,000 new ones every day. Privacy experts say that makes it a magnet for identity thieves and con artists. Farm Expo Harvests World Interest
269 02/07/2006
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Next week's Tulare event expects to lure more foreign visitors than ever. The World Ag Expo Feb. 14-16 in Tulare will live up to the first word in its name even more this year with an expected boost in foreign visitors that will include a delegation from Iraq and a sizable number of visitors from Nigeria. Facts On This Year's World Ag Expo In Tulare - Here's A Look At This Year's Expo, Including Details On Some Of The Event's New Features
270 02/07/2006
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With the unemployment rate for young veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars triple the national average, members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee said Thursday that the federal programs to help them find jobs may need to be overhauled. Hospitals Announce 175 Layoffs - Community Medical Centers Says Cuts Needed To Stabilize Shaky Finances
273 02/02/2006
274 02/02/2006
Religious Leaders Push Black-Owned Businesses - Blacks Urged To Shop At African-American Stores In Fresno
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Plans to build a vocational-training center in Mendota are on hold after Fresno County supervisors Tuesday narrowly rejected a $500,000 request for the project. The county's Workforce Investment Board is applying for a $4 million grant through the U.S. Department of Commerce to construct the 12,000-square-foot training center. The grant requires $500,000 in matching funds.
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California State University, Fresno, hopes to make a dent in the nursing shortage with an accelerated program that begins in May. The entry-level master's degree program will be open to non-nursing students who have a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree in any field, as long as they have completed the prerequisite courses. Tax Credit Can Help Out Those Who Need It Most
279 01/24/2006
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Millions go unused, mostly because people are unaware they're eligible. More than $45 million in federal money went unclaimed in Fresno County last year, and nearly a dozen community groups hope that doesn't happen again. State Schools Chief Offers Exam 'Options. - Fresno Meeting Discusses Adult School, Remedial Classes To Address Worries Over California's High School Exit Test
280 01/21/2006
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"It will be interesting to see how far you fly," the nationally recognized expert on young professionals told the crowd of 250. The title of Ryan's talk this year is "Boomerangs: Bringing Back Our Best and Brightest." In creative-city speak, boomerangs are those who grew up in a city, left for a job or school and are now returning. Nursing Program Expanded - Fresno State Hopes To Address Shortage In Profession
278 01/25/2006
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The Valley was overlooked again. Despite having some of the highest jobless rates in the nation and a well-documented list of economic woes, the San Joaquin Valley will not partake in a major part of President Bush's Competitiveness Agenda, an initiative he announced in his State of the Union address as a way to build a more highly skilled work force. The U.S. Department of Labor announced on Wednesday recipients of a $195 million grant program known as WIRED, or Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development.
Young Professionals Expert Returns To Fresno - When Rebecca Ryan Spoke In Fresno Last April, She Sensed That The City Was About To Take Off 277 01/26/2006
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A coalition of local religious leaders is asking black Fresnans to patronize only black-owned businesses this month.
Vocational-Training Center Plans Delayed 276 02/01/2006
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Community Medical Centers, the Valley's largest health-care provider, will cut 175 positions by the end of March in an attempt to regain its financial footing. John Zelezny, senior vice president and spokesman for Community Medical Centers, said management began notifying affected employees Tuesday and Wednesday and expected to continue notification through Friday.
Valley Is Excluded From Aid Plan - WIRED Grant Under Bush's Competitiveness Agenda Will Not Go To San Joaquin Valley Despite Lobbying 275 02/02/2006
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For years they have operated in isolation and relative obscurity. But the handful of software companies that call Fresno home are now banding together, hoping that with a little teamwork they will grow and prosper in a region whose soil has proved more fertile to grapes and nuts than bits and bytes. Too Many Young Veterans Jobless - Senators Upset With 15% Unemployment
272 02/03/2006
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When, where and how much: The World Ag Expo is at the International Agri-Center, 4450 S. Laspina St. in Tulare. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 14 and 15 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 16. Parking is free. Admission costs $7 each day or $18 for a three-day pass. Details: (800) 999-9186 or www.farmshow.org. Fresno Tech Firms Team Up - Cluster Of Software Companies Hopes To Till Ground So Other Startups Can Thrive
271 02/05/2006
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While state schools Superintendent Jack O'Connell says there will be no postponements, alternatives or substitutes to the California High School Exit Exam, there will be options. "We will have options to help prepare students for adulthood," O'Connell told a group of about 100 teachers, administrators, parents and observers Friday in the Fresno Unified School District's board meeting room. "Failure simply means your education is not complete." [ Back to Top ] Fresno Co. Posts Strong Job Growth - Gain In Nonfarm Positions Highest Since 2002
281 01/21/2006
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Fresno County will likely check in with its strongest nonfarm job growth in at least three years once the final counting is done for 2005. Strong construction job gains early in the year helped the county gain 4,083 nonfarm jobs last year, the best performance since 2002, when 6,100 jobs were added, according to a Bee analysis of state jobs data based on an annual average of monthly figures. Employers Want To Shed Pounds
282 01/15/2006
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Businesses take approaches to prevent billions of dollars lost from obese workers. Obese employees are estimated to cost U.S. companies $13 billion a year, according to a 2003 report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. And their presence is growing. They made up 37% of the work force in 2005, up from 29% in 2000. Downtown Vision Down To Business - Autry Presents A 65-Page Report On Creativity
283 01/10/2006
284 01/08/2006
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A Task Force Seeking To Thrust Fresno Into The Creative Age Unveiled A Report Monday Listing Nearly 100 Recommendations On How The City Can Remake Its Image To Attract More "Knowledge Workers" Educated Professionals Who Are The Target Of Cities Nationwide. Valley Economic Forecast Optimistic - Economists Believe 2006 Will Get Off To A Good Start, Then Perhaps Slow Down Toward The End Of The Year
No longer will the real estate market create the jobs, fuel the spending and spur the population growth that has led to an economic resurgence in the central San Joaquin Valley, most economists say. To blame are rising interest rates, which have slowed the home-buying pace. Community Medical Faces Cuts - Budget Paring Is In Store For Hospital Management Because Of Losses, Officials Say
285 01/07/2006
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Officials at Community Medical Centers have told management to prepare for budget cuts this year as financial losses at the Valley's largest nonprofit health-care system continue. "We have talked about 5% as a target for cost reduction, but we don't know yet if we can actually achieve that," said John Zelezny, senior vice president and spokesman for Community Medical Centers. U.S. Faces Severe Worker Shortage In Future
286 01/04/2006
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The United States faces a severe worker shortage in the near future, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said Wednesday in advocating better education for Americans and changes in immigration law to allow in more foreign workers. Unions, State Ready To Talk? 18 Of 21 Unions' Pacts Up In The Air
287 01/03/2006
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Fresh off a special election season in which public employees found themselves targeted as a prime issue, the state's 177,126-strong rank-and-file work force is about to become the focus of another struggle steeped in political overtones. This time, the fight will match public worker unions against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration over the employees' labor contracts. Of the state's 21 bargaining units, 18 of them are working under contracts that either have already expired or are scheduled to come to an end in 2006. Federal Grant To Aid Parolees In Fresno
288 12/15/2005
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Within the next year, 2,795 nonviolent offenders are expected to be released from jail and make their homes in Fresno. Most will need jobs. A Fresno organization plans to help, thanks to a $660,000 federal grant. The Fresno Career Development Institute was one of 30 organizations nationwide to receive a grant under the President's Prisoner Re-entry Initiative. California Companies Profit From Katrina Recovery Effort
289 12/13/2005
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Hurricane Katrina blew in millions of dollars to California companies that were ready to help out. It has meant $1.2 million for Paul Evert's RV Country in Fresno, one of many recreational vehicle dealers nationwide tapped by Uncle Sam. And it has meant $239.88 for DirecTV, the El Segundo-based company that provided some Spanish-language programming. Hearing Examines Enterprise Zones - Program To Attract Firms Works But Needs Changes, Valley Officials Say
290 12/13/2005
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A $6 billion, 10-year proposal to modernize Highway 99 was unveiled Friday and immediately gained the support of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley, a Gov. Schwarzenegger-appointed task force comprising Cabinet secretaries and local business and government leaders. Ragu Tomato Plant To Close, Leaving 100 Without Jobs
292 12/09/2005
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The Ragu tomato processing plant on Ashby Road in Merced will close its doors next summer, leaving more than 100 employees without jobs. The plant, which has manufactured tomato paste and Ragu and Bertolli sauces since 1974, will cease production by June 30, according to Unilever, the international corporation that owns Ragu. The plant employs 124 full-time workers and 228 seasonal employees during the summer harvest season. Best Buy Faces Allegations Of Employment Discrimination
293 12/09/2005
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Six former and current employees of Best Buy Co. Inc. have sued the electronics retailer, alleging the company has purposefully excluded women and minorities from top-paying jobs as part of a sales culture catering to white men. The civil complaint, filed in a San Francisco federal court Thursday, seeks to be certified as a class action so it can potentially represent thousands of women, blacks and Hispanics who work in Best Buy's 731 stores nationwide. The Minneapolis-based company currently employs about 114,000 workers. Report: Slowdown In U.S. Housing Market Could Claim 800,000 Jobs
294 12/07/2005
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A sustained decline will hit the U.S. housing market next year, costing the nation as many as 800,000 jobs, according to a new economic report released Wednesday. The slowdown is likely to last several years, with as many as 500,000 construction jobs and 300,000 financial sector positions lost, the quarterly Anderson Forecast predicted. Task Force Sets Roles On Clean Energy
295 12/07/2005
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A task force is recommending that two groups active in economic development efforts in the San Joaquin Valley take lead roles in a campaign to expand and build on alternative and clean energy. It recommends the Regional Jobs Initiative and Great Valley Center search for grants and other sources of funding to finance projects and create a Fresno Area Clean Energy Fund that would distribute money to startup companies and businesses wanting to expand. Company Rides Water Testing Wave - BSK Analyzes Samples For Several Central Valley Cities
296 12/07/2005
297 12/04/2005
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What began as an upstart civil engineering firm 39 years ago has grown into a $20 million company with a national reputation and the potential for continued growth. The company has become one of the largest testers of municipal drinking water in California, sampling water for cities including Fresno, Clovis, Modesto, Madera and Merced. Many Don't Know About State Use Tax - Everyone Who Buys Goods Out-Of-State Is Liable When The Vendor Doesn't Charge Tax
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A Lakeland, Fla., tool supplier is opening its newest distribution center in Fresno. Integrated Supply Network will open its ninth center in a 45,000-square-foot building at 3878 S. Willow Ave., just outside the city limits. The company â one of the nation's leading tool suppliers â expects to employ about 15 people. Hospital Must Fix Problems
299 12/03/2005
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Community Medical Center-Clovis issued preliminary accreditation denial. Community Medical Centers, which has been dogged by patient-care issues at its downtown Fresno hospital, is now struggling to fix problems that threaten accreditation at its Clovis hospital. Welty Becomes Chair Of Association Of State Colleges And Universities President
300 11/28/2005
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California businesses owe an average of about $300 in use tax a year, while the average household owes about $35 a year for making online and other purchases out of state, tax board officialsâ estimate. Tool Supplier To Open Fresno Distribution Site
298 12/03/2005
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Cherished by economic developers and businesses alike, the state's enterprise zone program allows companies locating in distressed areas to qualify for tax breaks and other incentives. But despite its popularity, the 21-year-old program needs some changes, economic developers and municipal leaders say. Partnership Backs 99 Plan - $6 Billion Proposal Would Widen Highway, Among Other Improvements
291 12/12/2005
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California State University, Fresno President John D. Welty assumed the chair of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities at the organizationâs annual meeting Nov. 22. AASCU represents more than 400 public colleges, universities and systems of higher education throughout the United States and its territories. AASCU schools enroll more than 3 million students or 55 percent of the enrollment at all public four-year institutions. [ Back to Top ]
301 11/27/2005
Hospital Cuts Two More Top Jobs - Senior Vice President Positions Eliminated At Fresno's Saint Agnes
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Saint Agnes Medical Center in Fresno has once again trimmed its management ranks by eliminating two more senior vice president positions. Fresno Hospital Has New Chief Executive - Community Medical Centers In Fresno Has Hired Jack Chubb As Chief Executive Of Its Downtown Community Regional Medical Center
302 11/26/2005
Chubb starts his new job Monday. He comes to Community from Integrated Healthcare Corp., where he served as CEO of its Coastal Communities Hospital, a 178-bed facility. The hospital was one of four Orange County hospitals acquired by Integrated Healthcare from Tenet Healthcare earlier this year. Leasing Firm In Fresno Investigated - EFG Subject Of Lawsuits, Fraud Inquiry
303 11/19/2005
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A Fresno leasing business that Inc. magazine recently named one of the fastest-growing private businesses is being investigated for alleged fraud and has been sued for supposedly not paying commissions and for taking deposits without performing services. Jobless Rate Swells In Fresno County - Seasonal Farm Layoffs Put Many Out Of Work - After Zooming Past The State And Nation For Much Of The Year, Fresno County's Economy Has Shifted Into A Slower Gear
304 11/19/2005
305 11/14/2005
Central Valley Community Bank In Clovis Has Been Honored By Cen Cal Business Finance Group For Supporting Locally Owned Small Businesses Through The Small Business Administration 504 Loan Program
308 11/08/2005
309 11/08/2005
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"Life 2.0," by Forbes magazine publisher Rich Karlgaard, lists the 150 best and cheapest places to live in America. The book - a paperback version recently hit stores - categorizes the cities into six groups, from "IQ campuses," emerging centers of technology, to "porch swing communities," family-friendly towns. Fresno checks in as a "steroid city," a fast-growing, business-friendly metro area. The book touts Fresno's growing medical network and says a symphony, local theater and several art museums "keep your cultural spirit alive." Two Fresno Satellite Firms Air Legal Rift - Optistreams' Lawsuit Says Network Innovation Stole Clients, Proprietary Data
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In a region dominated by agriculture and low-paying service jobs, two Fresno companies are quietly trying to make a go in the high-tech world of satellite communications. Supervisor Training Law Nears - Job Overseers Must Be Instructed On Sexual-Harassment Prevention By Jan. 1st
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After years of financial struggles and painful program cuts, Children's Hospital Central California has ended its fiscal year with nearly $8million in net operating income and is forging ahead with expansion plans. [ Read ]
Construction could begin soon on a six-story office building near Freeway 41 and Friant Road, the second in a series of planned buildings in the so-called "Golden Loop" of north Fresno. It is the latest project by developer DeWayne Zinkin, who controls much of the undeveloped land in the fast-growing, high-priced area. Madera County Leaders Look At Tourism Draws - Ideas Include Longer Hours, Partnerships And Sponsorships
313 10/29/2005
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The Gap Inc. has put a portion of its massive Fresno distribution center on the market. The company plans to sublease 300,000 square feet of the 2 million-square-foot center, said Dave Kipe, senior director of the center. 73% Of Fresno County Schools Meet Goals - State API Scores Show Significant Improvement For Minorities
315 10/28/2005
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Poverello House Executive Director Jim Connell said his group is serving ever-growing numbers of the working poor among its average of 1,200 meals provided daily. "Something on the order of 70% of the meals that we serve are eaten by people who have jobs, minimum-wage jobs, but they don't have enough money to make it to the end of the month," Connell said. Businesses Learn To Combat Violence - Visalia Police Teach Ways To Foster Safety
317 10/21/2005
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When the shooting started at the Visalia PrintXcel plant less than two years ago, "employees were dumping out of every orifice of that building," recalled agent Brian Winter, who was one of about 30 officers responding to the crime scene. Conrad To Get 2005 Ag Honor - Ballantine Produce Is Selected For Farm Business Award
318 10/21/2005
319 10/21/2005
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Reedley grape and tree fruit grower Vernon Conrad, a past member of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, has been named as recipient of the 2005 Agriculturist of the Year award from the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce. Fresno Tries To Lure Big Retailer - City Officials Plan Missouri Trip In Hopes Of Landing Bass Pro For Downtown
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Fresno Mayor Alan Autry and several city officials will fly to the Missouri headquarters of Bass Pro Shops Inc. within the next few days to find out what it will take to bring the outdoor sporting equipment retailer to downtown Fresno. Business Magazine Ranks Fresno Company
320 10/20/2005
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More than 73% of Fresno County schools whose scores were posted Thursday met all of their state-required academic targets for the 2004-05 school year and show significant improvement for minority and low-income students. Statewide, 68% of schools did the same. Fresno Council Member Vows To Create A Poverty Task Force
316 10/25/2005
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Clouds enshrouded the pines and a light rain pelted Bass Lake as two dozen people this week talked of a brighter day for tourism in the foothills where they make their livelihood. Gap Makes Part Of Center Available - Company Using Only Portion Of Fresno Site
314 10/28/2005
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The "virtual career fair" began Friday at 10 a.m. and runs through the weekend. Hurricane survivors can view about 200 job openings from across the country and submit applications online, said Campbell, an advisory board member of Recruiters for Katrina Relief, a 188-person national volunteer group.
6-Story Office Building Takes Shape In Fresno 312 11/01/2005
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California employers have less than two months to provide sexual-harassment prevention training to supervisors as part of a new law aimed at increasing awareness about the issue.
Rosy Outlook For Ailing Children's - Hospital Plans Expansions After A Budget Turnaround 311 11/02/2005
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Your doctor might examine you a bit more closely the next time you ask for a work excuse, if a local group of employers gets its way. The group, composed of Fresno-area call centers, suspects some employees are abusing leave-of-absence laws by persuading doctors to write excuses that prove to be bogus.
Virtual Career Fair To Help Evacuees - Fresno Business Owner Helps Launch Web Site To Match Katrina Victims To Jobs 310 11/05/2005
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The honor is for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2005.The bank was recognized for being Cen Cal's leading 504 Lender, participating in 11 504 loans that totaled more than $14.1 million in project costs and created at least 137 full-time jobs in Fresno, Kings and Madera counties.
Steroid City - Fresno's Growth Puts It In Book's List Of The Best Places In America To Live 307 11/12/2005
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The county's jobless rate was 8.5% in October, up from 7.4% in September, according to the state jobless report made public Friday. The increase is typical this time of year as seasonal farm layoffs force many to look for new work. And like the other four counties in the central San Joaquin Valley, Fresno County's jobless rate is lower compared with October 2004.
Is It An Act? - Employers Ask For Doctors' Help With Workers Who Seem To Need Medical Leave Every Friday 306 11/13/2005
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Sales at EFG Leasing grew 1,449.2%, from 2001 to 2004, ranking it 48th on the just-released list, Inc reported. The 13-year-old business, which has kept a low profile in Fresno, had 2004 revenue of $15million. [ Back to Top ] Forum Tackles Fresno's Future Job Outlook - Town Hall Meeting Raises Questions About Employment, Economy
321 10/20/2005
About 250 government officials, business leaders and everyday citizens held a conversation about Fresno's future Wednesday evening at a lively town hall meeting on jobs and the local economy. Tulare Ag Expo Brings A $1.2b Boost
322 10/18/2005
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For the second time in two years, a study has documented the hefty economic shot in the arm that comes with the World Ag Expo in Tulare $1.2 billion. "I hear people saying, 'Are you sure that's not million?'" said Rob Fletcher, chairman for the 2005 version of the international event that is believed to be the world's largest annual farm equipment show. "I say, 'No, that's with a B.' It's quite astonishing." Meeting Examines Economic Outlook - Fresno Forum Looks At Food Trends And Safety
323 10/13/2005
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The 24th annual Agribusiness Management Conference in Fresno on Nov.3 will look at issues that include today's food trends, food safety and the economic outlook for the nation and California agriculture. Small-Business Loans On The Rise - Fresno SBA Boosts Aid To Women, Minority Ventures
324 10/13/2005
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A growing economy and a greater awareness of its financing has helped the Fresno office of the U.S. Small Business Administration back $367million in loans, an increase of 16% over the previous fiscal year. Fresno Picked For National Meeting Series
325 10/13/2005
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Fresno Residents Can Voice Their Complaints, Concerns And Compliments To Local Leaders About The Local Economy At A Town Hall Meeting Wednesday. The City Has Been Chosen As One Of A Select Few Cities Nationwide For A Town Hall Series Called "American Jobs: A National Conversation." Vocational Center Plan Advances
326 10/10/2005
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Education and business leaders are enthusiastically supporting plans to replace Fresno City College's vocational center of about 400 students on four acres with a $45.9 million project on 120 acres that eventually will educate up to 6,000 students and evolve into a separate college. Valley Farmers Expect Sweet Rewards From Sugar Beet Crop
327 10/08/2005
328 10/06/2005
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Fresno County ranked second at $14 million followed by Kern County at $6.4 million, Merced County at $4.6 million, Kings County at $2.7 million and Tulare County at $1.6 million. Fresno Firm's Armor Ordered - Military Wants $4.7m In Body Protection From Pinnacle Armor
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Pinnacle Armor in Fresno has received a $4.7 million order from the federal government for its flexible body armor. Mayor's Panel Seeks Feedback To Attract Creative Workforce
329 10/06/2005
330 10/06/2005
331 10/02/2005
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The group, formed by Fresno Mayor Alan Autry, is holding a summit Tuesday to collect feedback on how the city can better attract creative professionals. Newest Target Opens As Biggest Store In Market
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The biggest Target store in the Fresno-Clovis market opened quietly Wednesday morning at the corner of Willow and Herndon avenues. In Market For Hispanics
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Eric Benitez roams his 11,000 square feet of office space and outlines an ambitious plan to have about 300 employees helping him sell homes. Inspectors Enforce State Employment Laws
332 10/01/2005
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For the past three days, 27 state inspectors representing the Contractor's State License Board, the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, the Division of Occupational Safety and Health and the Employment Development Department visited several farms in Fresno, Madera, Kern and Merced counties. They also visited construction sites in Tulare County. The inspectors - part of a new coalition of state agencies - were looking for wage, safety and insurance violations. A One-Time Import, Pistachios Take Root In Valley, California
333 10/01/2005
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The state produces 96% of the nation's pistachios with a bulk of the state's acreage in Madera, Fresno, Tulare, Kings, Kern and Merced counties. In 2003, California grew pistachios on 88,000 acres with a crop valued at $143 million. Farmers Wait To See What Governor Does On Ag Bills
334 09/28/2005
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A crop of agricultural bills awaits action by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, including measures aimed at increasing penalties for pesticide violations, monitoring water use and restoring a rural crime prevention program. Fresno Forecast Calls For Chills
335 09/28/2005
336 09/27/2005
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California's slow economic recovery could soon grind to a halt as construction and financing activity taper off in the face of a cooling housing market, according to an economic forecast made public today. Chamber Names Interim CEO
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Al Smith will head the Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce as it searches for a permanent leader. Heilind Opens Visalia Warehouse - Electronics Firm Will Ship Products To The Western U.S
337 09/22/2005
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The Massachusetts-based company, which is also known as Force Electronics in the western United States, is centralizing its western distribution into a 103,000-square-foot Visalia warehouse to improve efficiency. Labor Pact Ratified Early
338 09/22/2005
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A union representing about 1,000 construction workers in the Fresno area has ratified a four-year labor contract that includes the largest raise in the union's history. Employment Readiness Specialist Team
339 09/19/2005
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The Employment Readiness Specialist team at Workforce Connection is instrumental in providing employers with a talented pool of skilled, motivated and qualified employment candidates. It is the team's goal to meet and exceed the hiring requirements of our business clients. To maximize the quality of Workforce Connection recruitment services, the Employment Readiness Specialist team takes an active role in evaluating the skills and proficiencies of all job seekers. To ensure the best possible job seeker/employer match, all Workforce Connection clients are required to complete a series of assessments. These tools take the guesswork out of hiring decisions by providing reliable measures of the client's abilities and competencies. Valley Economy Feels Ill Wind From Katrina
340 09/18/2005
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The economic impact of Hurricane Katrina has rippled through the central San Joaquin Valley, causing higher prices for cardboard, plastics, asphalt and transportation. [ Back to Top ] Water Technology Program Gets Grant
341 09/18/2005
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A $310,606 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce will fund an International Center for Water Technology program at California State University, Fresno. Task Force Vows To Take Action
342 09/17/2005
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A Gov. Schwarzenegger-appointed task force charged with improving the economy and living conditions in the San Joaquin Valley met for the first time Friday and promised solutions to the region's biggest problems. State Dairies Pour It On
343 09/13/2005
344 09/09/2005
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California's dairy industry is an engine that generated $47.4 billion in economic activity within the state last year and created 434,200 full-time jobs, according to a study made public Monday. The Fresno County Workforce Investment Board Will Close Its Downtown Office Today, A Money-Saving Move As The Agency Deals With Four Straight Years Of Budget Cuts
The move will save about $500,000 a year in rent, said agency director Blake Konczal. No job losses are expected, though the board has trimmed its staff through attrition. Task Force To Tackle Economic Problems
345 09/08/2005
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Gov. Schwarzenegger on Wednesday appointed 18 business and government leaders to a task force charged with finding solutions to the economic problems of the San Joaquin Valley. Radiologists Form Partnership - Two Fresno Groups Plan New Imaging Center As One Severs Ties With Saint Agnes
346 09/07/2005
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Fresno officials scrambled Tuesday to find lodging for as many as 400 people left homeless by Hurricane Katrina who could begin arriving this week from emergency shelters along the Gulf Coast. Ken Shockley, City spokesman, stated that the goal is to provide as many services in the shortest amount of time to the evacuees while honoring the dignity of people who have suffered so much. A Little Healthy Competition
348 09/06/2005
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Businessman wants to woo firms to the Valley with contest, cash. Officials with the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at California State University, Fresno, are searching for a winning business plan. Top prize is $100,000 to launch a new venture or expand an existing business less than 3 years old. Building Labor Unity - Valley Unions React To National Split, Changes In Region
349 09/04/2005
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The recent defection of three of the federation's largest unions has labor leaders, politicians and union members searching for answers on what it all means - for organizing, lobbying and elections. "It's been dramatic," says Randy Ghan, CEO of the Central Labor Council for Fresno, Madera, Tulare and Kings counties. "Who's right? What's right? Where do we go from here?" S. Korea Firm Set To Open In Valley
350 09/03/2005
351 08/23/2005
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Sierra Imaging Associates and Wishon Radiological Medical Group recently formed a joint venture and plan to build a 12,000-square-foot imaging facility in Fresno or Clovis. The center will feature state-of-the-art equipment designed for early detection of breast cancer. So far, there are 10 radiologists involved in the joint venture. Valley Readies Housing, Food, Compassion For Evacuees
347 09/07/2005
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Orange Cove hopes to move electronics maker into industrial park site. To hire its employees, Pixor is working with the Fresno office of Workforce Connection, a center funded by the Fresno County Workforce Investment Board. The center helps match job seekers with employers. Pacific Ethanol's Acquisition Of Phoenix Bio-Industries And Its Ethanol Plant In Goshen Will Cost $47.5 Million, According To A Recent Financial Filing Detailing The Deal Announced This Month
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If completed, the acquisition will give the Fresno-based company ownership of California's first full-scale corn-to-ethanol plant. Building Skills - Program Shows Youths Construction Trades 352 08/22/2005
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The state has recognized the image problem and put some money into giving the construction industry a facelift. A state Department of Education program provided $300,000 to construction groups to make presentations promoting construction careers to 10,000 high schoolers this past spring. And the Contractors State License Board in May gave first-time-ever grants totalling $228,000 to six state universities with construction management programs, including Sacramento State. July Employment Rate Sizzles
353 08/20/2005
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Fresno County's jobless rate fell to 7.9%, down from 8.4% in June, according to the state jobless report made public Friday. It's the lowest rate for any July on record and the lowest for any month since September 2000. The statewide jobless rate was a nonseasonally adjusted 5.4% in July, meaning Fresno County's rate lagged the statewide average by just 2.5 points, compared with a spread of 4.2 points in July 2000, when the county jobless rate stood at 9.6%. Business Incubator Offers Nine-Week Training Course
354 08/18/2005
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The ETP course meets two nights a week from 6 to 9:30 p.m. and takes place at CVBI, 2555 Clovis Ave. in Clovis (at Santa Ana, behind Sierra Vista Mall). The course is offered to budding entrepreneurs and existing small-business owners looking to develop a business plan or sharpen their business skills. Fresno Panel Courts Creativity - Task Force Works On Ways To Lure Software Designers, Artists And Others To The City
355 08/18/2005
356 08/17/2005
Hoping to give the city an edge in this competitive recruitment game, Fresno Mayor Alan Autry on Wednesday introduced a 12-person task force to recommend how the city can lure more software designers, artists, engineers and others whose "sole economic function is to create a new idea." Vegas-Style Casino Is Planned
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$250 million resort in the Fresno County foothills would be most expensive built in nation since 2002. Fresno Chamber Chief Resigns
357 08/16/2005
358 08/15/2005
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After erasing a $45,000 deficit in 18 months, Steve Newvine has announced his resignation as chief executive officer of the Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce. "My goal was to help the chamber through a difficult transition period and to improve the financial health of the organization. And we have been successful. I'm now ready to try something new," said Newvine. Gas Prices Whack Small Businesses - A Poll Shows A Sharp Dip In Owners' Confidence Since March As Energy Costs Pinched Profits
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Benefits of a strong farm economy extend to those who don't set foot in the central San Joaquin Valley's fields or dairies. "Yeah, you have to deal with the stress," says welder John Tallant, taking a much-needed lunch break. But "it's more job security."With the fast-expanding dairy industry demanding more tractors, trailers and other equipment, the 15-employee machine shop could be one of the busiest places in town. Cooking Up A Family Empire
360 08/14/2005
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They're working long hours, often hauling their work with them while on vacation, but overall, the nation's small-business owners are satisfied by their work-life balance. However, their optimism for the future has dipped, as energy costs have soared. Ca$H Cow
359 08/14/2005
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Business executive Frederick Rivadeneyra Ruiz of Ruiz Food Products Inc. is grooming his oldest son and daughter to take over the family business. Ruiz has built the nation's largest frozen Mexican food manufacturing company, with $400 million in annual sales and 1,900 workers. [ Back to Top ]
361 08/14/2005
Fresno Data To Be Available Online -- At A Cost
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Fresno is starting a subscription Web site full of city information that is designed for well-heeled business owners such as developers. U.S. Ag Chief Visits Fresno
362 08/13/2005
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The tugging for money from the next multibillion-dollar federal farm bill is already under way, and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns got to hear a good share of it Friday in Fresno. Peace Offer To Union Rebels
363 08/12/2005
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The president of the AFL-CIO reversed course Thursday, proposing that members of three dissident unions that recently bolted his organization can continue to participate in AFL-CIO activities at the state and local levels. The move could help heal the rift between the labor group and the Teamsters, the United Food and Commercial Workers and the Service International Employees Union, which left the fold during last month's AFL-CIO national convention in Chicago. Pacific Ethanol To Buy Plant
364 08/12/2005
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The Fresno company announced plans Thursday to acquire Phoenix Bio-Industries, which will cut the ribbon today in Goshen on California's first full-scale corn-to-ethanol plant Grants Will Target Nurses, Vets
365 08/12/2005
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The state's Employment Development Department has announced it will hand out $20 million in job training grants this fall for projects that may help alleviate the statewide nursing shortage or assist veterans. U.S. Ag Secretary To Attend Forum In Fresno
366 08/11/2005
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California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura will join U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns on Friday at a forum on the next farm bill. Kawamura said this is Johanns' first trip to California as secretary and "I hope that we can demonstrate to him the breadth and depth of California agriculture." West Hills College Will Repay $157,000
367 08/10/2005
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In a series of problems blamed on district employees not following guidelines, West Hills Community College District will repay Fresno County, the custodian or federal job-training funds, some $157,000 for "falsification of documents." The problems came to the district's attention when an employee, concerned about legalities, approached the administration. The district then asked the Workforce Investment Board to investigate. The county agency distributes the federal money used for the job-training program. Garamendi Urges Cuts In Workers' Comp Rates - State Commissioner Wants More Relief For Employers
368 08/09/2005
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While California employers are seeing the steepest cuts in their workers' compensation insurance rates in years, the state's top insurance official Monday called on carriers to slash premiums even further. College Board Approves $36million Bond Question For November Ballot
369 08/08/2005
370 08/06/2005
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Calling it one of the most important issues for West Hills Community College District of the decade, trustees unanimously approved placing on the Nov. 8 ballot a $36 million bond. If passed, the bond will support major construction projects at West Hills College Coalinga, West Hills College Lemoore and the North District Center, Firebaugh. California Produces 99% Of The Nation's Walnut Supply, And Tulare County Is Among The State's Leaders With $71 Million In Gross Value For 2004
Kings County produced a $21million crop, Fresno County $14 million and Madera County $3 million. Statewide, the value of walnuts was $433 million in 2003. A Mother Lode Of Food - Claim Jumper And Its 6-Layer 'Motherlode' Cake Hit River Park Plaza
371 08/05/2005
372 08/04/2005
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The interest in the restaurant and Fresno County's 8.4% unemployment rate may account for the long line of applications in June, said Pam Lassetter, assistant director of the Workforce Investment Board. Merced County Ag Tops $2billion
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Fresno County is the nation's largest farm-producing county at $4.7 billion last year. Madera County Crops Top $1billion
373 08/03/2005
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Madera County's agricultural production in 2004 put it into the state's billion-dollar club for the first time, thanks to a 41% increase over the total gross production for 2003. West Hills Ordered To Repay Feds
374 08/03/2005
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West Hills Community College District has to repay the federal government $157,000 because some of its employees falsified documents involving the eligibility of teenagers participating in a job-training program. Backers Of Truck Toll Not Giving Up - Officials Weigh Options After Valley Road Fee Left Out Of Federal Bill
375 08/03/2005
376 08/01/2005
Teamsters Bus Drivers, Mechanics Picket Metro Contractor In LA
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More than a dozen drivers were picketing an MTA facility in east Los Angeles, holding up signs that read, "Unfair to Teamsters." [ Read ]
Union workers at a PPG Industries glass-making plant in Fresno have narrowly approved a three-year contract that reduces pay raises but holds the line on employee health-care costs. Mexican Airline Coming To Fresno - Mexicana Flights Are Scheduled To Begin In April
378 07/30/2005
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Fresno Mayor Alan Autry called the agreement "a tremendous victory. This new partnership will prove to be beneficial for not only our community, but the entire region." Heat Singes Grape Production
379 07/27/2005
380 07/27/2005
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RJI officials lobbied for the proposal along with Fresno Mayor Alan Autry. They say it is a way to attack one of the region's largest sources of air pollution while clearing the way for stronger economic development.
PPG, Union Agree To New Contract 377 07/30/2005
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The Valley's grape crop is taking a one-two punch this year - a cool, wet spring and a scorching string of summer days - that could reduce production by 5% to 10%. Going Solo Is Old Hat In State - California's Unions Have Long Shown An Independent Streak
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In the back-slapping world of organized labor, where solidarity is supposed to be forever, this week's split in the AFL-CIO was a jolt. [ Back to Top ] State's Tourist Ads Aim To Pack 'Em In - National Ad Blitz Bolstered By Fresh Funds From Taxpayers
381 07/26/2005
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On the theory that nobody knows your name if you don't advertise, California's $82.5 billion tourism industry is preparing a massive blitz of the nation's television screens to show off a state still renowned globally as golden. Californians Capitalize On Paid Leave Law - In Act's First Year, 130,000 Took Time To Care For Family
382 07/25/2005
383 07/25/2005
384 07/22/2005
385 07/22/2005
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Gastelum is among the more than 130,000 Californians who took advantage of the paid family leave law during its first year. The law allows eligible employees to receive up to 55% of their salary for six weeks to care for a seriously ill relative, domestic partner or to bond with a newborn or adopted child. Valley Unemployment Rates Inch Up In June - Seasonal Losses Spark Increase, But Construction Continues To Buoy Market
The unemployment rate in Fresno County increased to 8.4%, up from 8.1% in May, according to the state jobless report made public Friday. The rate in Tulare County jumped from 8.1% to 9%. Job Growth Plan Succeeds Early - Report Shows 5-Year Fresno Initiative A Quarter Of The Way To Goal Of 30,000 New Industrial Jobs 1 1/2 Years In
387 07/22/2005
Job-Seekers Follow Blue Ribbon - C-SET's Mentor Program Allows People Looking For Work To Visit Local Businesses And Ask Questions
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Tim Joslin, the new CEO for Community Medical Centers, starts his job at a difficult time: The hospital system lost more than $10 million last year, has been cited in recent state and federal health inspections and is trying to turn around a multimillion-dollar loss at the Fresno Heart Hospital co-owned by Community. California's Economy Added 15,600 Jobs In June, Accounting For Nearly 11 Percent Of The Jobs Created Nationwide
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Construction showed the largest gain in June, up by 8,100 jobs, as people rushed to buy homes before interest rates climb higher. The government sector posted the steepest decline, losing 6,300 jobs. [ Read ]
Seeking to shake the grip of chronic poverty and joblessness, this small farming community southeast of Fresno has big plans. A 284-acre business park, 500 homes and a 13-acre commercial development are among the projects on the drawing board. Fresno Company Creates Remote Security System
389 07/15/2005
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Network allows businesses to monitor sites previously out of reach. For 34 years, Dantel Inc. in Fresno has provided network surveillance and management services to the nation's telecommunications industry. Orange Cove Will Gain 157 Homes - Developers Make Plans For Fresno County Town, Thanks To New Schools
390 07/13/2005
392 07/12/2005
393 07/11/2005
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National insurance company Aetna Inc. is considering relocating its 800-employee call center in north Fresno to another location in the area, a company spokeswoman said Tuesday. Visalia Snares A Clothing Giant - VF Corp. Will Hire 350 For Its New West Coast Distribution Center Set To Open By Next Spring
395 07/08/2005
City Jobs Program Debate - Mayor Alan Autry's 2005-06 Budget Includes $203,800 For A Youth Jobs Initiative Designed To Put A Dent In A High Unemployment Rate That Has Plagued The City For Decades.
397 07/06/2005
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Airport officials continue to talk with the airline, but "we just haven't heard back from them in writing," said Russ Widmar, the city's director of aviation. "If you don't have it in writing, you don't have anything." Fresno Airport To Learn Value - Economic Impact Study To Detail Its Jobs And Revenues In Dollar Amounts
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Selma Community Hospital's 375 employees received termination notices last week but will be rehired as part of a reorganization by Adventist Health, hospital officials said Tuesday. State Budget Agreement At A Glance
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Adds $20 million to nursing training programs at community colleges and universities. [ Read ]
Economist says income in the Fresno area could quadruple by 2030. The Fresno region is in the early stages of an "economic metamorphosis" that will help reduce the area's chronic unemployment, a university forecaster said. Community Medical Centers Has New CEO
399 07/02/2005
400 06/30/2005
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It covers 2,300 acres, serves about a million passengers a year and is the air transportation hub of the Central San Joaquin Valley.
Area May See Future Gains In Economy 398 07/05/2005
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Blake Konczal is executive director of the Fresno County Workforce Investment Board, which oversees federal job-training money. Fresno County's youth funding is $8.56 million in 2005-06, down from $10.54 million the year before. Konczal said it's not enough.
Selma Hospital Rehiring Planned 396 07/06/2005
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Tulare County clinched an economic development victory Monday when the world's largest clothing company named Visalia as the site of its West Coast distribution center.
Mexican Airline Deal Up In The Air - Fresno Airport Still Doesn't Have A Contract With Mexicana 394 07/08/2005
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With two new schools and other improvements, Orange Cove is becoming attractive to developers, with several hundred homes possible. Jim Lanas, a company principal, said families are willing to commute from Orange Cove to jobs in Visalia, Fresno and other cities. Aetna May Move Fresno Office - Insurer Considering Several Area Locations For Call Center
391 07/13/2005
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Community Services & Employment Training Inc. is bringing together job-seekers and employers through its Blue Ribbon Business Mentors program.
Parlier Set To Revamp Economy 388 07/16/2005
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Riding a wave of construction industry growth, the Regional Jobs Initiative is about a quarter of the way toward its goal of creating thousands of new jobs in key industries in the Fresno area by 2009, according to a midyear report released Thursday.
Hospital Chief Up To The Task - Community Medical's New CEO Ready To Tackle Nonprofit's Challenges 386 07/22/2005
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Tim Joslin, a former Modesto hospital executive, took over as chief executive officer of Community Medical Centers on Friday. Joslin replaces Dr. J. Philip Hinton, who resigned from Community on April 1 after nearly 10 years. Workers' Comp: Wait And See - A Regulatory Proposal Is Dropped In The Legislature As Insurance Rates Begin To Fall Under New Laws
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Overall rates will drop by an average of 15.4 percent for business owners starting Friday. Since Jan. 1, 2004, rates have fallen by almost 30 percent. [ Back to Top ]
401 06/28/2005
Clovis Courts List Of Retailers - Armed With Consultant Research, City Pursues Stores For Mall Area
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Clovis officials now have the bait they hope will lure a secret list of about 20 retailers to the city. State Aid For Valley Promised - Governor Announces A New Public-Private Task Force In Visit To Fresno
402 06/25/2005
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Gov. Schwarzenegger came to Fresno on Friday to announce the creation of a public-private task force to find "real solutions to the biggest problems" of the economically depressed San Joaquin Valley. Eye On The Valley - Governor Promises To Pay More Attention To Overlooked Region
403 06/25/2005
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It's a numbers game. This vast region geographically can't compete with the political clout of Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego because they have more people and more legislators looking out for their interests. But Schwarzenegger seems willing to give the Valley its fair share, and that's all we ask. 2005 Excellence In Business Award Winners
404 06/23/2005
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The Bee is pleased to announce the recipients of the 10th annual Excellence in Business Awards. These companies and individuals have been recognized for high ethical standards, success and growth, and employee and customer service. Leaders Share Honors
405 06/23/2005
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The 2005 Excellence in Business winners show their commitment to employees. From a small sport shop in Madera to an association that promotes the region's massive farming industry, eight organizations and a community leader were honored for business excellence Wednesday before more than 700 people in downtown Fresno. Computer Jobs Lose Luster; Young Techies Aspire To Other Careers
406 06/20/2005
407 06/18/2005
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As tens of thousands of engineering jobs migrate to developing countries, many new entrants into the U.S. work force see info tech jobs as monotonous, uncreative and easily farmed out - the equivalent of 1980s manufacturing jobs. Tomatoes A Fruit Of All Sizes
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Nationwide, California is the second-largest grower of fresh market tomatoes in the nation behind Florida. Business Owners Discuss Concerns
408 06/18/2005
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Mike Villines sponsors meetings to develop legislative solutions. Excessive regulation, rising insurance rates and prevailing wages dominated concerns from small businesses at a town hall meeting in Clovis on Friday. Construction Boom Helps Lower Valley Jobless Rates
409 06/18/2005
410 06/16/2005
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The unemployment rate in Fresno County dropped to 8.1%, the lowest rate for a May in 15 years of recordkeeping and the lowest rate for any month since September 2000, according to the state jobless report made public Friday. Solar Company Looks At Valley - Plant Could Create Up To 3,000 Good-Paying Jobs, An Official Said Wednesday
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Michigan-based energy company is considering building a $250 million solar-roofing manufacturing plant in the central San Joaquin Valley that could create up to 3,000 good-paying jobs, a company official said Wednesday. Teens Compete For Summer Jobs
411 06/13/2005
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Work traditionally done by youths being snapped up by adults, official says. The summer job outlook for teens could be one of the worst in 57 years, according to a recent Northeastern University study. Knowledge Leads To More Jobs
412 06/13/2005
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Firebaugh program teaches economic survival - and thus growth - for small businesses. Manuel Trujillo is one of 11 Firebaugh small-business owners who graduated Friday from a nine-week program designed to teach marketing, strategic planning and customer service skills. Clovis Fruit Packer Goes Solar
413 06/10/2005
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The $6.4 million system is believed to be the largest in California. With energy costs of $1.5 million per year, Pat Ricchiuti has a strong incentive to reduce the power bill at his business. Clovis As Research, Tech Hub? City Officials Hope To Lure Startup Companies And High-Paying Jobs To Region
414 06/09/2005
The concept is called Technopolis - a combination of technology and polis, the Greek word for city-state, reflecting a balance between public and private sectors, said Michael Dozier, the city's community and economic development director. It would include the city doing what it can to attract companies to the region, businesses networking with each other and partnerships with the University of California at Merced and California State University, Fresno, he said. Devry University Builds Fresno Campus
415 06/08/2005
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The private school will offer business, management and electronics courses in a 16,000-square-foot building at the southwest corner of Fresno and El Paso streets, DeVry officials said Tuesday. SBA Offers Free Online Courses Geared For The Entrepreneur
416 06/07/2005
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New online business classes will be available for small business throughout the nation through a co-sponsorship between the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Thompson Corporation, also known as Ed2Go. GM Plans To Cut 25,000 U.S. Jobs By 2008
417 06/07/2005
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General Motors Corp. plans to eliminate 25,000 manufacturing jobs in the United States by 2008 and close plants as part of a strategy to revive North American business at the world's largest automaker, its chairman said on Tuesday. Valley Cities Lure S. Korea Business - City Officials Attempt To Relocate Companies To Their Communities.
418 06/07/2005
420 06/06/2005
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About 25 officials from cities in the central San Joaquin Valley will travel later this month to South Korea and meet business leaders in an effort to attract manufacturing companies to their communities. Beans Mean Green In Tulare Co.
419 06/06/2005
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Long, crisp and nutrient-rich, green beans are a $1 million crop in Tulare County. The region is the second-largest grower of green beans in the state, behind San Diego County, which produced a $2.7 million crop in 2003. Payoff For Interns
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Low-income, entry-level roles present a record of reliability to employers. [ Back to Top ]
421 06/06/2005
A Branch Of Maric College, A Modesto-Based Health School, Has Opened In The Rodeo Shopping Center In Clovis
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The school, run by Kaplan Higher Education, trains dental and medical assistants, medical office specialists and therapeutic health technicians.
422 06/03/2005
423 06/02/2005
Trash Container-Maker Toter Inc. Said Thursday That It Was Closing Its Plant In Sanger, Resulting In 107 Layoffs By The End Of The Year
The Fresno County Workforce Investment Board will have staff at the plant to provide career counseling beginning Monday, said executive director Blake Konczal. He is optimistic that other opportunities might be available. State's Growth Forecast Cools
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But the Valley will be a major destination for new residents, study finds. Extra Water Flows Down San Joaquin, Allowing Groundwater Recharge
424 06/01/2005
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For the first time in five years, San Joaquin River water is gushing out of Friant Dam's four big turbines, sending a rushing, chilly flow down the riverbed, and letting irrigation districts around the Central Valley recharge water banks depleted by a long dry spell. Farm To Lay Off 592 Employees
425 06/01/2005
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Pandol & Sons, a Delano farming company with operations in Tulare County, will lay off 592 employees and outsource the work through labor contractors, according to a notice required by state and federal laws. Downtown Fresno Draws Small Businesses To Kern Street
426 06/01/2005
427 05/31/2005
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Whether a first-time startup or simply relocating, business owners are flocking to downtown Fresno along Kern Streetâand finding that problems such as parking and crime are largely a non-issue. Farmers Prepare For Burn Bans
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The first to prohibit burning prunings from some orchard and field crops begins Wednesday. Japanese Tractor Maker Cites Growing Midsize Market For Expansion
428 05/31/2005
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Mirroring the increasing dominance of Japanese automakers in the U.S. economy, a top Japanese tractor maker's growth in the farm sector has brought new muscle to Lodi's industrial district. Cheap Living Has Long Been Considered One Of Fresno's Selling Points.
429 05/31/2005
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Fresno is the 32nd most-expensive place to live in the nation, ahead of such cities as Seattle, Baltimore, Miami and Denver, according to the latest version of a cost-of-living survey of 294 communities by ACCRA, a nonprofit professional research organization. New .Jobs Extension Approved For Web Sites
430 05/26/2005
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In a move that will facilitate aggregation of corporate job listings and has the potential to diminish the need for commercial job sites, the group that assigns top-level Internet names - like .com and .net - has agreed to allow the use of a new domain: .jobs. GDP Up 3.5%; Jobless Rates Climb
431 05/26/2005
432 05/26/2005
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The country's economic performance in the opening quarter of 2005 was better than first thought, logging a solid 3.5 percent annual growth rate in a new sign of a strong springtime business expansion. Busseto Foods Grows Again
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The salami-maker has just completed a $3 million, 16,000-square-foot expansion that doubled the capacity of its southwest Fresno plant. Go After Grants, Fresnans Urged
433 05/26/2005
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Federal research and development funds can help small businesses. More than $2 billion in research and development grants will be awarded this year, and local economic officials want central San Joaquin Valley business owners to get their fair share. Court: Farmers Must Fund Ads
434 05/24/2005
435 05/24/2005
436 05/23/2005
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In a case that has cooked up lots of controversy among farmers in the central San Joaquin Valley, the court upheld the beef industry's mandatory advertising fees. Rays Of Sunshine
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As the weather warms, so does the employment picture in the Valley. Attitudes Count
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'Soft skills' top list of what area employers desire Home Builder Gets New Home - Centex Corp. Moves Its Fresno Offices, Adds Sign
437 05/23/2005
438 05/22/2005
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Centex has doubled its work force in the region in the past year to 200 employees, and this month submitted plans for a 100,000-square-foot plant in Visalia that will employ 50 to 75 workers to start. Job-Training Group's Funding Dire
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The Fresno County Workforce Investment Board's stream of federal dollars has been cut by 42% in five years - a $15 million reduction. Workers' Comp Stops Farmers
439 05/21/2005
440 05/21/2005
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Nearly 50 of the Valley's Hmong farmers have stopped working their plots of 1 or 2 acres because of thousands of dollars in fines imposed against four farmers last summer for violations of state labor laws. Fresno County Jobless Rate Falls
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April's 9.3% figure hits the lowest level in 15 years of recordkeeping. [ Back to Top ] Summit Targets Jobs, Housing, Highways
441 05/19/2005
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The need for affordable housing and a skilled work force, plus the potential for growth in the transportation industry, dominated discussion at an economic summit Wednesday. Grads In Demand
442 05/15/2005
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Many who will earn their degrees this year have jobs lined up. Jose J. Ramirez Jr. won't receive his bachelor's degree until Saturday, but he already has a $59,500-a-year job as an engineer wrapped up. Young Professionals Not Sold On Fresno - More Than Half Of Recently Arrived College Grads Plan To Leave The City In The Next Five Years, Survey Shows.
443 05/05/2005
444 04/22/2005
More than half of college graduates who moved here in the past five years plan to leave by the end of 2010, reports Creative Fresno, a group of young artists, writers and professionals trying to bridge the gap between business and creativity and reverse the brain drain that has plagued the region for decades. Fresno Business Liaison Steps Down
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Fred Burkhardt, the city of Fresno's director of economic development, resigned Thursday to pursue a similar position in the Midwest. Property Tax Plan Is Facing A Fight - Business Leaders Aim To Stop Initiative From Getting On '06 Ballot
445 04/22/2005
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A proposed ballot initiative that would raise billions of dollars for education and public safety was blasted by a group of Fresno-area business leaders Thursday, saying it's a disaster for California taxpayers and small-business owners. Gen X Expert To Speak In Fresno
446 04/19/2005
447 04/17/2005
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Rebecca Ryan To Discuss How Communities Attract, Keep Talented People. "We are not utilizing things to our best ability," Fuller said. "We are so driven by the need for economic development and lowering the unemployment rate that we are not considering the creative aspects of economic development and entrepreneurship, and how important those things are to building a city and a downtown." Able To Stay On The Job - Program Helps Californians With Disabilities Perform The Agricultural Work They Enjoy
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Fresno Hosts A Meeting About Altering Funding For U.S. Communities. Community leaders from 15 states gathered in Fresno on Friday to discuss a Bush administration proposal that could pit big city against small, urban against rural in the battle for federal funding. Unemployment Is Lower In Most Central San Joaquin Valley Counties In March.
449 04/16/2005
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Fresno County's jobless rate of 10.7% in March compared with 11.4% in February and 13.2% in March 2004. Construction created 400 jobs last month - and 1,800 in the past year, or almost two of every five new nonfarm jobs in Fresno County. Valley's Wool Season Starts In Spring
450 04/16/2005
451 04/15/2005
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Fresno County is the second-largest wool producer in the state, shearing 502,000 pounds of wool in 2003 for a total value of $412,000. Other top wool producers are Solano, Imperial and Merced counties. Wool quality is determined by the type of sheep, its age and physical condition, and the climate in which it lives, according to the California Wool Growers Association. Villines' Bill Equalizes Tax Interest - Californians Pay 7% If They Underpay Sales And Use Taxes, Get Only 1% If They Overpay.
453 04/14/2005
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Fresno Mayor Alan Autry was named Thursday to an advisory committee of a Bush administration plan that could redistribute billions of dollars spent on housing, job creation and a host of other programs. Mayors Eye Piece Of Federal Pie - Fresno To Host Gathering To Revamp Distribution Of Economic Development.
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Government leaders from across the nation will gather in Fresno on Friday to discuss a Bush administration proposal that would drastically revamp how $3.7 billion in economic development money is distributed. Clovis Man Starts Nonprofit To Help Those With Disabilities Find Training, Employment
454 04/12/2005
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OASIS is compensated through the State of California and its clients are placed at the organization through the Department of Rehabilitation, the Central Valley Regional Center and the Department of Corrections, Perry said. Women In Nontraditional Fields Overcome Hurdles
455 04/10/2005
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"Women-owned enterprises are the fastest-growing business segment, and one of the most successful," said district director Jim O'Neal of the Small Business Administration in Sacramento. "Women are moving into all facets of business." Federal Workers Fear Lost Security - Reforms Could Remove Benefits Long Enjoyed By Civil Service Sector.
456 04/10/2005
457 04/10/2005
Perks Entice Travel Nurses
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They earn more while getting to see the country. [ Read ]
"There is a large and growing demand for people who have these job skills, but at the same time we are discouraging people from getting those skills," said Dan Walters, political columnist with The Sacramento Bee. "There is a disconnect." Fresno Co. Sugar Beet Crop No. 2 In State
459 04/09/2005
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Trucks loaded with sugar beets are making their way along Valley highways these days, particularly on the west side of Fresno County, which is the second-leading producer of the sweet vegetable in California Fresno Bids On Airbus Plant
460 04/05/2005
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While the pay-for-performance changes won't take effect until 2009, workers are getting anxious. They don't know what their life will look like. And knowing what life would look like, after all, was always the point.
Shop Programs Need More Status, Speakers Agree 458 04/09/2005
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On a day devoted to taxes, state lawmakers are preparing to revisit a decadelong debate over interest rates on sales and use taxes paid by business owners. Autry Selected To Bush Panel - Advisory Committee Has Input On Plan For Job, Housing Funds.
452 04/15/2005
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CalAgrAbility, staffed by two people, has helped 65 Californians with disabilities -- growers, ranchers and farmworkers -- to stay on the job in the past three years. Panel Weighs Changes To Aid
448 04/16/2005
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Manufacturing site could provide jobs for 1,150 workers. Fresno is one of about 80 cities bidding for a $600 million Airbus aircraft manufacturing plant that could employ 1,150 people. [ Back to Top ]
461 04/05/2005
462 03/24/2005
Eurodrip Heads To Former Toro Ag Plant In Madera
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A drip-irrigation equipment maker will consolidate some of its operations in the former Toro Ag plant in Madera, a move that will create 30 jobs. State Job Task Force Sought
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Regional Jobs Initiative officials are confident that Gov. Schwarzenegger will soon create a state task force to address the region's economic woes. Reedley Council Votes To Limit City Growth
463 03/24/2005
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Reedley will have to find more than $20 million for a new sewage-treatment plant and limit growth over the next five years to avoid a state moratorium on development. Business Park Envisioned - Southern California Developer Buys 308 Acres On Outskirts Of Madera
464 03/22/2005
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A Southern California developer has purchased 308 acres on the outskirts of Madera to build one of the largest business parks in the region, potentially creating more than 10,000 jobs and giving an economic boost to Madera County. Valley Economic Help Sought - Legislation Calls For Task Force To Coordinate Aid To Central San Joaquin
465 03/19/2005
The central San Joaquin Valley could get more clout to address its economic development challenges as a result of a bill introduced by Assembly Member Nicole Parra, D-Hanford, she said Friday. Valley Jobless Rates Show Improvement
466 03/19/2005
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Gains in construction, IRS, manufacturing and health care helped keep employment stable last month and lower the jobless rate from the past year, state officials reported Friday. Lyles Center Posts Regional Rank
467 03/17/2005
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For the third year in a row, the entrepreneurship program at Fresno State has been ranked among the top regional programs in the country by Entrepreneur magazine. Lyles Center Posts Regional Rank
468 03/17/2005
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For the third year in a row, the entrepreneurship program at Fresno State has been ranked among the top regional programs in the country by Entrepreneur magazine. Madera Development Could Create Thousands Of Jobs
469 03/15/2005
470 03/15/2005
471 03/15/2005
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The Business Journal - A new industrial park in Madera has the potential to bring thousands of jobs to an area with chronically high unemployment. Housing Fuels State Economy - Renowned UCLA Forecast Warns Booming Sector Is 'Unsustainableâ
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The best-case scenario for California's economy the next two years is tepid growth, according to a forecast made public today. Housing Fuels State Economy Renowned UCLA Forecast Warns Booming Sector Is 'Unsustainable'
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The best-case scenario for California's economy the next two years is tepid growth, according to a forecast made public today. $500,000 Grant Helps To Train Iraq Veterans
472 03/14/2005
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A $500,000 federal grant will be used to help train Fresno-area military veterans to work in some of the region's hottest industries. The Fresno County Workforce Investment Board announced the grant Thursday and said the money will be spent between now and June 2006 to help train about 200 veterans, many of whom are adjusting to civilian life after returning from Iraq. Clovis-based Pelco Has Hit The Road
473 03/14/2005
474 03/14/2005
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The nation's leading manufacturer of video security equipment fills three 42-foot trucks and visits dealers, distributors, consultants and end-users across the country. Mature Workforce
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With the graying of America, employers look to hire older employees. Clovis-Based Pelco Has Hit The Road
475 03/14/2005
476 03/13/2005
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The nation's leading manufacturer of video security equipment fills three 42-foot trucks and visits dealers, distributors, consultants and end-users across the country. Mature Workforce
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With the graying of America, employers look to hire older employees $500,000 Grant Helps To Train Iraq Veterans
477 03/11/2005
478 03/11/2005
479 03/10/2005
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A $500,000 federal grant will be used to help train Fresno-area military veterans to work in some of the region's hottest industries. The Fresno County Workforce Investment Board announced the grant Thursday and said the money will be spent between now and June 2006 to help train about 200 veterans, many of whom are adjusting to civilian life after returning from Iraq. Madera Development Could Create Thousands Of Jobs
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A new industrial park in Madera has the potential to bring thousands of jobs to an area with chronically high unemployment. Ruiz Foods Drops Expansion
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Company to seek plant in eastern U.S. Valley Job Growth Picks Up - Seasonal Fluctuations May Be Taking Less Of A Toll
480 03/05/2005
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The central San Joaquin Valley economy continued to show signs of strength in January as year-over-year jobless rates fell across the five-county region. [ Back to Top ] State Fund Boosts Its Surplus, Earnings
481 03/03/2005
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California's largest workers' compensation insurance carrier recorded double-digit increases in its surplus and earnings in 2004, gaining financial strength for the second straight year. Jobless Rate Dips To 4.9 Percent
482 01/06/2005
483 07/09/2004
484 07/09/2004
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Job growth slowed in December - following a big hiring spurt in November - with employers expanding payrolls by just 108,000, underscoring the sometimes choppy path traveled by job seekers. Workable problems
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Building industry's lack of laborers, Valley's jobless share goals Fresno testing center focuses on users' skills
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Individuals go through courses, tests at own pace [ Back to Top ]
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