NoneWith the reborn Madera Community Hospital in January 2025, Madera County has much to be thankful for. Other large projects in the pipeline include Gunner Ranch, “Village D” and North Fork Mono Casino & Resort. Adobe Stock Image The Nov. 29 print edition of The Business Journal included economic forecasts for each of the four counties we cover. We will be sharing them throughout the week. There is an air of positivity for the Madera County business community as the New Year rings closer. Despite challenges in the ag sector, major projects are coming or making significant progress in 2025. And then there’s the matter of a beloved hospital. The Highway 41 corridor has been ripe with activity, said Bobby Kahn, interim executive director of the Madera County Economic Development Commission (MCEDC). This past August, Valley Children’s Healthcare announced plans for “The Hill,” a 220-acre, mixed-used development on its main campus. It will have a mix of health care space, housing, commercial, recreation, office and hospitality. Kahn said in following with the 1,135-acre Gunner Ranch West Specific Plan, infrastructure work across the street from Valley Children’s Hospital is anticipated to start in the next 12 to 24 months. The plan envisions a medical campus that will provide significant medical services and opportunities, with an array of commercial uses, including a regional commercial center and a system of parks, trails and open space. The plan proposes development of up to 2,840 residential units, more than 2 million square feet of regional commercial uses, 751,000 square feet of medical office and related services, 1.1 million square feet of hospital and related services, community facilities, elementary schools, and a community/government center. The plan also calls for 72 acres of open space and parks, and a 62-acre wastewater treatment plant. Perhaps the most symbolic victory for Madera County is the return of Madera Community Hospital, which closed its doors in January 2023 and filed for bankruptcy protection. The hospital received the first $15 million installment of a total $57 million emergency loan from the Distressed Hospital Loan Program. The funds are to be used for improvements such as updating patient equipment and operational expenses including hiring and training. Kahn said the hospital is scheduled to open on Jan. 13, 2025, under new operator American Advanced Management from Modesto. American Advanced Management has been hosting job fairs to fill more than 200 staff positions (not including doctors). Of those, 135 positions have been filled. “As it opens, they will continue to staff-up and grow, adding more and more services,” Kahn said. “That will be huge for the City of Madera and the surrounding area. The health industry is known for higher wages, and those are industries you’d like to see in your community. The Riverstone development already has more than 1,000 homes built, and its commercial development mix includes Dutch Bros, a couple of restaurants and retailers. A 2025 opening of Riley’s Pub is expected at Riverwalk, an office plaza on the corner of Highway 41 and Avenue 12. The Tesoro Viejo community has plans for about 5,200 homes, with more than 1,000 already built. Across from Tesoro Viejo on Avenue 15 and Highway 41, there are plans for a Starbucks. There is also the “Village D” Infrastructure Plan, located on Avenue 16 and Road 23, with the project covering 1,860 acres and including 10,783 housing units, as well as commercial and public facilities, recreation and open space. The project is estimated to be built-out over a 20-year time span, Kahn said. Recently, a closed Church and Dwight Co. food supplement manufacturing on Avenue 12 near Road 32 was purchased by Vezina Industries, a Madera manufacturer specializing in windows, doors and HVAC solutions. Along with the homegrown expansion, the area is getting attention from outside the area, though nothing has been finalized. “We are getting a lot of looks now from national tenants,” Kahn said. “Madera is on the map. I think we will see continual retail growth in the City of Madera.” A major project in the area is the North Fork Mono Casino & Resort, off of Avenue 18 and Road 23, which broke ground in September. Kahn said there is hopes that the casino portion will open by late 2025 or early 2026. The first phase will be construction of the casino, followed by the resort, with a total construction timeline spanning five to ten years. In August, the new AutoZone distribution center, located between Highway 99 and the Chowchilla Airport, debuted with 500,000 square feet, creating 200-300 new jobs. This season provided big, rainy storms and high temperatures, which presented a challenge for some crops. Kahn noted the price of almonds remains soft, and grape growers still face challenges as wine consumption drops. He predicts almond orchards will continue to be pushed out, especially the older ones. Wineries are not seeking out grape contracts like they used to, and the raisin market is “mediocre” from a pricing perspective, Kahn said. He also noted that the dairy industry continues to struggle with pricing “I think ag in 2025 is still going to be a challenge for most commodities, but if you’re a farmer that’s positioned right, and not taking on a lot of debt, you should be OK,” Kahn said. This month, Kristina Gallagher was named as the new executive director of the MCEDC, coming from a background in in local government advocacy, public policy, and community engagement with the California State Association of Counties. Gallagher said she will look to Kahn’s experience for guidance, as well as the community. “I’m looking to be very active with businesses and real estate and find out how to help build infrastructure into the two cities [Madera and Chowchilla] and the county,” Gallagher said. “In a year or two, I hope to have a 5-year plan going — something we could put down with the executive committee, and businesses and other local partners.” While millions flock from all over the world to see Madera County’s natural landscapes, most notably Yosemite National Park, the park’s reservation system did cause a dip in visitors when it was implemented last year, said Rhonda Salisbury, CEO of the Southern Yosemite Visitors Bureau. The first and second quarters of 2024 saw high levels of tourism that waned off after the Yosemite reservations set in. “It hurt the economy quite a bit,” Salisbury said. “We are expecting anywhere from a 10-20% drop in hotel occupancy from last year.” The reservation system did provide a small boost for local tour operators, businesses and restaurants as more people waited in nearby towns before they could enter the park. Salisbury said Yosemite National Park has not released its reservation system for 2025, but she assumes there will be one. She hopes 2025 will be another test year — and not a permanent fixture — for the reservation system, and that it’s less aggressive than 2024. She said the park was pushing away 700 visitors that didn’t have a reservation each day. The bureau has sent letters to Washington, D.C., with hopes to find the best system. Darren Rose, CEO of the Building Industry Association of Fresno/Madera Counties, said much remains to be seen in 2025, considering falling interest and mortgage rates. “I think we will continue to see building activity, and a lot of it depends on how things unfold with the new administration,” Rose said. If implemented, Trump’s proposed tariffs will increase prices on construction inputs, such as in lumber, concrete, and other items used to build homes. Those increases in costs will be put into the purchase price and passed on to home buyers. Even though prices for nearly everything has gone up, builders continue to build homes. “All of my builders are anticipating growth, and we are excited about that, but we have to see how things unfold with the economy,” Rose said. The Nov. 29 print edition of The Business Journal included A national staffing firm based in Fresno is hosting a A new report shows that the City of Fresno is The Nov. 29 print edition of The Business Journal included
The power of silenceSnubbed by Team Canada, motivated Robert Thomas responds with three points vs. Flames
Tech women's basketball hosts Butte-Silver Bow area kids against St. Mary's (Alberta)The archbishop of Paris re-opened Notre Dame cathedral on Saturday (December 7, 2024) by symbolically knocking on the doors and entering the 12th-century landmark which has been restored after a devastating fire in 2019. Wearing new designer vestments and carrying a staff cut from one of the roof beams that survived the inferno, Laurent Ulrich joined hundreds of VIPs inside the Gothic masterpiece for a two-hour ceremony. Ulrich commanded the cathedral to "open your doors" and he entered the magnificently-restored edifice. US President-elect Donald Trump sat on the front row as guest of honour next to French President Emmanuel Macron, with invitees marvelling at the freshly cleaned walls, new furniture and state-of-the-art lightening installed as part of the cathedral's overhaul. Outside, small crowds of Parisians and tourists braved wet weather and high winds to witness the renaissance of a beloved monument which came close to being totally destroyed by the inferno that toppled its roof and spire. "I find it really beautiful, even more so now that the spire has been restored," Marie Jean, a 27-year-old dentist from southwest France, told AFP outside. The reconstruction effort has cost around 700 million euros ($750 million), financed from donations, with the re-opening achieved within a five-year deadline set by Macron despite predictions it could take decades. Workers had to overcome problems with lead pollution, the Covid-19 epidemic, and the army general overseeing the project falling to his death while hiking in the Pyrenees last year. It is "a cathedral like we have never seen before," Philippe Jost, who took over as project manager last year, told Franceinfo radio, adding that he was proud to "show the whole world" a "great collective success and a source of pride for all of France". Saturday's service will feature prayer, organ music and hymns from the cathedral's choir. A public concert planned in front of the cathedral featuring Chinese piano virtuoso Lang Lang and possibly US singer and fashion designer Pharrell Williams had to be pre-recorded on Friday night because of the stormy weather. Restoring a symbol of Paris Held up as an example of French creativity and resilience by Mr. Macron, Notre Dame's renaissance so soon after the fire comes at a difficult time for the country. The sense of national accomplishment in restoring a symbol of Paris has been undercut by political turmoil that has left France without a proper government since last week when prime minister Michel Barnier lost a confidence vote. Macron is hoping the re-opening might provide a fleeting sense of national pride and unity -- as the Paris Olympics did in July and August. The scale of the immense security operation also recalls the Olympics -- with some 6,000 police officers and gendarmes mobilised. The re-opening "is the proof that we know how to do grand things, we know how to do the impossible" Macron said Thursday in a televised address to the country. He is set to address the congregation during Saturday's ceremony. French President Emmanuel Macron accompanies U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as they leave after a trilateral meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris as part of ceremonies to mark the reopening of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral, five-and-a-half years after a fire ravaged the Gothic masterpiece, in Paris, France, December 7, 2024. | Photo Credit: Reuters Zelensky & Trump in Notre Dame reopening Mr. Macron has scored a major coup by attracting incoming US president Donald Trump for his first foreign trip since his re-election. Another 40 heads of state and government are also present, including Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, who was given a round of applause as he entered Notre Dame, as well as British heir to the throne, Prince William. Mr. Macron hosted three-way talks with Mr. Zelensky and Mr. Trump at the presidential palace shortly before the ceremony, with future US military support for Ukraine's war effort against Russia's invasion expected to have been discussed. Mr. Trump has vowed to force an end to the nearly three-year Ukraine war when he takes office, sparking fears in Kyiv that he will force Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia which Zelensky is resisting. "It seems like the world is going a little crazy right now and we will be talking about that," Trump told reporters as he prepared to sit down for talks with Macron. One surprising absentee on Saturday was Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church. He sent a message addressed to the French people which is set to be read out. The exact cause of the 2019 blaze has never been identified despite a forensic investigation by prosecutors, who believe an accident such as an electrical fault was the most likely reason. On Sunday, the first mass with 170 bishops and more than 100 Paris priests will take place at 10:30 am (0930 GMT), followed by a second service in the evening at 6:30 pm which will be open to the public. Published - December 08, 2024 12:31 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit France / traditional architecture
The Bipin Chandra Paul Seminar Hall at Assam University hosted the orientation program for Yuva Sangam Phase-V under the Government of India’s flagship initiative Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. This initiative aims to foster connections among youth through exposure tours highlighting tourism, traditions, development, people-to-people connections, and technology. For this phase, Assam and Chhattisgarh have been paired, with Assam University, Silchar, and IIM Raipur serving as the nodal institutions. Forty-five students selected from Assam will embark on a tour to Chhattisgarh on December 23, 2024, accompanied by five coordinators. The program at Assam University commenced with the unveiling of official jerseys and caps, distributed among the delegates. The orientation event featured eminent speakers, including: Prof. Chira Ranjan Bhattacharjee, Chairman, Yuva Sangam Program Committee Prof. Gangabhushan M. Molankal, Coordinator, Orientation Program Sub-Committee Prof. Shahin Ara Begum and Prof. Saugata Kumar Nath, Members, Orientation Program Sub-Committee Dr. Tapodhir Acherjee, Nodal Officer, Yuva Sangam Dr. Arnab Paul, Co-Nodal Officer, Yuva Sangam Dr. Tapodhir Acherjee welcomed participants, emphasizing the importance of cultural exchange and its role in promoting national unity. Prof. Chira Ranjan Bhattacharjee encouraged delegates to embrace the journey as an opportunity to represent Assam’s cultural richness and forge meaningful connections with Chhattisgarh. Prof. Gangabhushan M. Molankal offered practical guidance on delegation responsibilities, emphasizing adaptability, cooperation, and respect for cultural diversity. Prof. Shahin Ara Begum stressed sportsmanship and leadership, urging participants to maintain a positive digital presence and embody humility. Prof. Saugata Kumar Nath motivated the group to actively engage in cultural and sports exchanges, emphasizing the importance of learning from the experience. The orientation concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Arnab Paul, expressing gratitude to all stakeholders for their enthusiasm and support. The delegation will depart on December 23, flagged off by MP Shri Parimal Shuklabaidya. Meanwhile, the Chhattisgarh team from IIM Raipur will travel to Assam on January 7, 2025, with their program at Assam University starting on January 10, 2025. The initiative promises to deepen cultural ties, foster unity, and create lifelong memories for the participants from both states.
NoneLisa Kudrow is sharing her two cents on what she thinks is keeping newer generations hooked to the '90s sitcom Friends . Kudrow—who played Phoebe Buffay on the beloved sitcom—shared with Page Six recently that she's not amazed by its decadeslong popularity. “I’m not amazed because it’s good and it’s familiar,” the No Good Deed star, 61, shared with the publication. The actress believes the show, which spanned from 1994 to 2004, holds a “subconscious nostalgia” for younger fans who grew up with cell phones and social media. For something they don’t have, which is in-person connections and relations,” she continued. “And that’s always been at the heart of every successful show.” “That’s why people get attached to them and then if it’s funny, there [are] good performances, good jokes, that’s a bonus and Friends had all that.” The Emmy winner recalled that most people were skeptical about the show's potential earlier in the day. She remembers once being asked if “a bunch of young people sitting on a couch talking” was even a show. “That’s not my problem,” Kudrow recounted her response at the time. “I’m just in it, but yes it was a show.” The show’s finale, which aired in May 2004, was watched by over 52 million people, making it the fifth most-watched series finale in US history.