JANUARY 2009

Vol. 4, Number 1

Madera County E-BIZ
2k9

Greetings,

MCEDC would like to wish you a Happy New Year and thank you for your continued support!

SAVE THE DATE

Attention Manufacturer’s- GMCIA Meeting
January 14, 2009 at 7:00 AM

GMCIA Logo Madera Manufacturer’s, please attend the upcoming Greater Madera County Industrial Association (GMCIA) meeting on January 14, 2009 at 7:00 AM, located at the Madera Municipal Golf Course.

For more information, contact Shirley Driggs at 559-673-8496.

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MCEDC Commissioner Meeting- January 14th, 2009

Madera County Economic Development Commission (MCEDC) will hold their quarterly Commissioners Meeting on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. at the Madera County EDC office located at 2425 W. Cleveland Ave. The public is welcome to attend MCEDC's Commissioner Meetings. This is a great opportunity to meet Economic Development staff and learn more about the mission and services that MCEDC provides.

Note: MCEDC requests that presentations are no longer than 3-5 minutes.

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Small Business Development Day
Free Event
March 5, 2009
Fresno Exhibit Hall

The City of Fresno and its organizing partners are hosting the Inaugural Small Business Development Day. This event will provide business owners with free workshops, training, and technical assistance they need to grow and succeed in today’s economy.

For more information and registration please click here http://www.fresnostartup.com/sbdd.aspx

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Madera County Unemployment Rate

Madera County Unemployment

• Madera County 11%
• Central Valley 11.9%
• California 8.3%

*Central Valley counties include: San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Tulare, Kings & Kern

Source: www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov

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LOCAL NEWS

Madera County Board of Supervisors approves 2 developments in the Rio Mesa area
The Fresno Bee

Supervisors unanimously OK’d a 3,000-home development that will border the northwest portion of Millerton Lake and also voted 5-0 in favor of a 5,200 home urban center that would be mostly east of Highway 41 and south of Ave. 15. The approval of the two developments marks a step toward completing a long- planned community in the area that eventually will be home to 100,000 people. Read more

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New winery makes holiday debut
Madera Tribune

Oakhurst’s first winery called, Idle Hour is open. The winery is located at 41139 State Route 41. Wine tanks are installed at Queen’s Inn By The River, which is described as a quaint eight-room inn on the Fresno River that offers a tasting room. The small winery produces a wide variety of wine: Viognier, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Touriga Nacional. Read More

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Lance Armstrong will race in Oakhurst
Sierra Star

Come February 18, the world’s face of cycling—seven-time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong—will pedal through Oakhurst. The route of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California was officially announced, introducing the San Joaquin Valley to the race for the first time. Merced, Clovis and Visalia were all named hosts and the leg from Merced through Eastern Madera County is being touted as one of the toughest in the tour. Read More

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STATE NEWS

CalChamber Releases List of New Laws Affecting Businesses in 2009
CalChamber

“California employers need to be aware of several new laws affecting their businesses,” said Allan Zaremberg, CalChamber President and CEO. “The CalChamber’s CalBiz Central compliance division is already a step ahead, offering training materials that will help businesses start off the new year in full compliance.”
To view the list of new laws please click here

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California’s Population tops 38 million, report says
Fresno Bee

California’s population has topped 38 million, and three of the state’s 10 fastest growing counties are in the Valley, according to a new report from the state Department of Finance. The department’s demographics unit estimates that California’s population grew by nearly 436,000 or 1.16% in the 12 months between July 1, 2007 and July 1, 2008, reaching 38.1 million. That is an increase of nearly 4.3 million residents since the last national census in 2000. Madera County ranked seventh in the state’s most populous county, with a 1.76% growth rate. Read more

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Loquaci Ranch site of first mechanical pomegranate harvester demonstration
Farm Press

pomegranate “Let’s pick some pomegranates,” commanded Phil Scott, owner of Ag Right Enterprises in Madera, CA, as the world’s first mechanical pomegranate harvester roared to life in a turn-row at Loquaci Ranch. Dave Loquaci, fourth generation Madera County farmer, smiled as the massive, straddle row harvester he commissioned maneuvered to line up with a 7-foot-tall hedgerow of young pomegranates. Jerry Pantaleo of Stiebs Pomegranate Products, also in Madera, watched as the huge, softball-size pomegranates were conveyed over another hedgerow of trees into a gondola used normally to harvest wine grapes. More than 90 percent of the fruit was removed by the harvester. It was an unveiling day for Loquaci, Scott and Pantaleo who have invested several years in developing not only the mechanical harvester, but the farming system to match it. Read more