March 20 Newsletter
Walmart Neighborhood Market Opens in Visalia: Convenience and options for produce abound at the new Walmart Neighborhood Market, which held its grand opening Friday at 1320 N. Demaree St. As is tradition in Walmart grand opening ceremonies, $8,000 in grants were given to Pro-Youth/HEART, Court Appointed Special Advocates, and Tulare County Family Services. Pro-Youth/HEART will receive $2,500 to go toward parent education programs at several school sites to promote healthy eating and self-esteem. The store features a variety of fruits and vegetables, fresh bread, and a selection of meats, cheeses, and prepared foods. The store also offers a bakery and grab-and-go items in the deli section. The store employs about 65 associates, including three who have worked for the company for more than 10 years. It will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Hoarding Class Takes Simple Look at Complex Disorder: The City of Visalia's Code Enforcement Department will sponsor a training on hoarding, featuring Cory Chalmers, a hoarding expert from A&E's "Hoarders", on Monday, March 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, March 25, at Visalia Fire Station 55 at Shirk and Ferguson. About 15 slots remain, and the cost of the training is $25. The six-hour class provides an in-depth look at the hoarding disorder. His presentation covers everything from the psychology behind the disorder to the dangers code enforcement and first responders can face when entering a hoarder's home. For more information, go to caceo.ca.
Council tackles building up reserves: The City Council adopted a policy for replenishing their General Fund Emergency Reserves, which has dropped from $12.5 million at the start of the recession to $1.4 million as of June 30, 2012. Council approved a proposed plan by Finance to replenish the emergency reserves to $5 million by June 30, 2014, which would represent about 10% of the City's Annual General Fund expenditures. After the reserves have been replenished to $5 million, Council approved using at least 25% of any available revenues after funding a status quo budget be deposited into the reserve until it stands at 25% of General Fund operating expensitures. For more information, click here.
Cal Water Rate Case Public Participation Hearing Set for May 15 at City Hall: The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold a public participation hearing on the Cal Water Rate Case on Wednesday, May 15, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Visalia City Hall, 707 W. Acequia Ave. The public is encouraged to attend. In June, 2012, California Water Service submitted an application to the CPUC to raise their system wide rates by over $125 million annually, and in Visalia by $6.6 million annually, or 28.3%, over the next three years. Concerned about the amount of the increase requested by Cal Water, the Visalia City Council directed staff in August to file as an "intervener", giving the City the authority to be an active participant in the rate case. Considerable time has been spent by City staff reviewing the application and testimony submitted by Cal Water in relation to their proposed multi-million dollar increase. The application and attachment are available for public review. In addition, the Division of Rate Payers Advocates (DRA), a division of the CPUC, has conducted an extensive review of the utility's application. On March 1, DRA submitted its reports, including an 84-page DRA report specific to the Visalia rate case. To view the application, attachment, and DRA reports, click here.
Crotty House to Receive Historic Plaque: The Crotty House at 617 N. Encina St., will receive a historic plaque through the City's Historic Recognition Program at a specia
l ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 23. The plaque program is sponsored by the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, and allows interested property owners of residences or commercial buildings to be considered for a plaque to identify their local historical significance to the community. The site does not have to be a designated historic site, and the plaque does not obligate the site to any special historic status. Individuals and/or organizations can nominate a home or commercial building for the program. Participation in the program is voluntary, but an application and property owner authorization form is required to be submitted for all nominated structures. Funding for the program is provided through Kaweah Kollectors, a local organization dedicated to historic preservation. For information on the City's Historic Recognition Program, contact Andy Chamberlain at 713-4003.
Plaza Ramp Closure: The ramp from Plaza Drive onto westbound Highway 198 will be closed for about 21 working days, weather permitting, beginning today. Traffic will be detoured from Plaza onto eastbound 198 to the Shirk exit, where motorists will be detoured over the Shirk interchange and back onto westbound 198. The next major step is improvements to the connector ramp along westbound 198. The connector from Plaza to northbound Highway 198 will be closed Sundays through Thursdays, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. from March 26 through April 8. Detours will take motorists off westbound 198 at Plaza Drive, north to Goshen Avenue, left on Goshen Avenue to Highway 99 north. Utilize detours or find alternate routes where possible. For more information on the closure, go to www.plaza198.com for more information.
Dare to Spare April 20-May 20: The annual Visalia Transit campaign is designed to educate and motivate local citizens to take actions that would reduce pollution and improve local air quality. Participants are encouraged to register teams of three and acquire points by doing things that spare our air, like: riding public transit; walking; bike riding; carpooling; trip linking; participating in clean-up projects and taking other actions that benefit our environment. The Challenge has been organized for the last four years as part of Visalia Transit's annual outreach campaigns. During the week-long Challenge in 2012, 105 individuals signed up to participate in teams of three, a 95% increase in the number of participants from 2011. Teams walked a total of 543 miles, equal to the distance of going from San Diego to Sacramento, biked a total of 699 miles, equal to the distance from San Diego to Redding, and rode transit 181 times. Because of previous successes, the 2013 Challenge will run for an entire month to encompass Visalia Earth Day and Bike to Work Week. To learn more, go to visaliatransit.com.
South Valley Artists' Tour Debuts: To kick-off the Arts Consortium's first biennial South Valley Artists' Studio Tour, the COS Art Gallery will feature a piece from every artist on the tour throughout the month of March. Painters, printmakers, potter throwers, weavers, photographers, and sculptors are only some of those represented. These artists hail from Visalia, Tulare, Dinuba, Exeter, Lindsay, Elderwood, Woodlake, and Springville. Experience the local art scene first-hand in a gallery setting and plan your trips to visit their workspaces during the tour dates. Purchase your tickets for the 3-day tour taking place March 22-24th for only $15. That comes out to $5 a day or 50 cents an artist! For more information, visit www.artsconsortium.org.
Save the date for Earth Day: Saturday, April 20, from 9 am to noon, join your family and friends for this annual event at St. John's Riverwalk Park at St. John's River and Ben Maddox Way. The event features live music, walking tours, art projects and a community cleanup project. Folr more information, visit www.GoGreenVisalia.com or call 713-4531.
Hoarding Class Takes Simple Look at Complex Disorder: The City of Visalia's Code Enforcement Department will sponsor a training on hoarding, featuring Cory Chalmers, a hoarding expert from A&E's "Hoarders", on Monday, March 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, March 25, at Visalia Fire Station 55 at Shirk and Ferguson. About 15 slots remain, and the cost of the training is $25. The six-hour class provides an in-depth look at the hoarding disorder. His presentation covers everything from the psychology behind the disorder to the dangers code enforcement and first responders can face when entering a hoarder's home. For more information, go to caceo.ca. Council tackles building up reserves: The City Council adopted a policy for replenishing their General Fund Emergency Reserves, which has dropped from $12.5 million at the start of the recession to $1.4 million as of June 30, 2012. Council approved a proposed plan by Finance to replenish the emergency reserves to $5 million by June 30, 2014, which would represent about 10% of the City's Annual General Fund expenditures. After the reserves have been replenished to $5 million, Council approved using at least 25% of any available revenues after funding a status quo budget be deposited into the reserve until it stands at 25% of General Fund operating expensitures. For more information, click here.
Cal Water Rate Case Public Participation Hearing Set for May 15 at City Hall: The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold a public participation hearing on the Cal Water Rate Case on Wednesday, May 15, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Visalia City Hall, 707 W. Acequia Ave. The public is encouraged to attend. In June, 2012, California Water Service submitted an application to the CPUC to raise their system wide rates by over $125 million annually, and in Visalia by $6.6 million annually, or 28.3%, over the next three years. Concerned about the amount of the increase requested by Cal Water, the Visalia City Council directed staff in August to file as an "intervener", giving the City the authority to be an active participant in the rate case. Considerable time has been spent by City staff reviewing the application and testimony submitted by Cal Water in relation to their proposed multi-million dollar increase. The application and attachment are available for public review. In addition, the Division of Rate Payers Advocates (DRA), a division of the CPUC, has conducted an extensive review of the utility's application. On March 1, DRA submitted its reports, including an 84-page DRA report specific to the Visalia rate case. To view the application, attachment, and DRA reports, click here.
Crotty House to Receive Historic Plaque: The Crotty House at 617 N. Encina St., will receive a historic plaque through the City's Historic Recognition Program at a specia
l ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 23. The plaque program is sponsored by the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, and allows interested property owners of residences or commercial buildings to be considered for a plaque to identify their local historical significance to the community. The site does not have to be a designated historic site, and the plaque does not obligate the site to any special historic status. Individuals and/or organizations can nominate a home or commercial building for the program. Participation in the program is voluntary, but an application and property owner authorization form is required to be submitted for all nominated structures. Funding for the program is provided through Kaweah Kollectors, a local organization dedicated to historic preservation. For information on the City's Historic Recognition Program, contact Andy Chamberlain at 713-4003.Plaza Ramp Closure: The ramp from Plaza Drive onto westbound Highway 198 will be closed for about 21 working days, weather permitting, beginning today. Traffic will be detoured from Plaza onto eastbound 198 to the Shirk exit, where motorists will be detoured over the Shirk interchange and back onto westbound 198. The next major step is improvements to the connector ramp along westbound 198. The connector from Plaza to northbound Highway 198 will be closed Sundays through Thursdays, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. from March 26 through April 8. Detours will take motorists off westbound 198 at Plaza Drive, north to Goshen Avenue, left on Goshen Avenue to Highway 99 north. Utilize detours or find alternate routes where possible. For more information on the closure, go to www.plaza198.com for more information.
Dare to Spare April 20-May 20: The annual Visalia Transit campaign is designed to educate and motivate local citizens to take actions that would reduce pollution and improve local air quality. Participants are encouraged to register teams of three and acquire points by doing things that spare our air, like: riding public transit; walking; bike riding; carpooling; trip linking; participating in clean-up projects and taking other actions that benefit our environment. The Challenge has been organized for the last four years as part of Visalia Transit's annual outreach campaigns. During the week-long Challenge in 2012, 105 individuals signed up to participate in teams of three, a 95% increase in the number of participants from 2011. Teams walked a total of 543 miles, equal to the distance of going from San Diego to Sacramento, biked a total of 699 miles, equal to the distance from San Diego to Redding, and rode transit 181 times. Because of previous successes, the 2013 Challenge will run for an entire month to encompass Visalia Earth Day and Bike to Work Week. To learn more, go to visaliatransit.com.
South Valley Artists' Tour Debuts: To kick-off the Arts Consortium's first biennial South Valley Artists' Studio Tour, the COS Art Gallery will feature a piece from every artist on the tour throughout the month of March. Painters, printmakers, potter throwers, weavers, photographers, and sculptors are only some of those represented. These artists hail from Visalia, Tulare, Dinuba, Exeter, Lindsay, Elderwood, Woodlake, and Springville. Experience the local art scene first-hand in a gallery setting and plan your trips to visit their workspaces during the tour dates. Purchase your tickets for the 3-day tour taking place March 22-24th for only $15. That comes out to $5 a day or 50 cents an artist! For more information, visit www.artsconsortium.org.
Save the date for Earth Day: Saturday, April 20, from 9 am to noon, join your family and friends for this annual event at St. John's Riverwalk Park at St. John's River and Ben Maddox Way. The event features live music, walking tours, art projects and a community cleanup project. Folr more information, visit www.GoGreenVisalia.com or call 713-4531.