Testosterone Replacement Therapy in Farmersville, CA

On April 22, Self-Help Enterprises will hold a groundbreaking of the Los Arroyos apartments, a 108-unit affordable rental community located at 135 E. Walnut Avenue in Farmersville.

Los Arroyos will provide permanent affordable rental housing to working people in Farmersville, and is located within walking distance of shopping, schools, and recreation. It is a highly energy efficient and transit-friendly project as well, with sustainable features including solar PV, water conservation, and a grey water recycling system. In addition, Los Arroyos will include a vanpool program in partnership with the California Vanpool Authority that will transport residents from Los Arroyos and the surrounding community to and from work. The project’s solar panel system will offset the power used in the common area, residential loads, and community center, making Los Arroyos a grid neutral zero net energy project.

The project design and solar PV will result in reduced utility bills for residents and the property, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Los Arroyos will include sidewalks, pedestrian improvements, and bike lanes. Self-Help Enterprises was also able to provide funds to the City of Farmersville to construct a Multi-Modal Hub on Front Street in Farmersville, which will act as a transit center for Visalia Transit Bus lines that run through the community and be a stop in the future Cross Valley Corridor.

“Self-Help Enterprises has a mission of working together to build and sustain healthy homes and communities. Los Arroyos will be a space where families can thrive, with access to opportunities for work, recreation, education, transportation, and shopping. We are proud to be partnering with our friends at the city and county to make this project a reality,” said Tom Collishaw, President, and CEO of SHE.

Los Arroyos has two phases – Los Arroyos I and Los Arroyos II.

Los Arroyos I (54 Units) is being financed through a combination of Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program funds via California’s Cap-and-Trade proceeds, Infill Infrastructure Grant Program, and Competitive Permanent Local Housing Allocation funding from the Housing and Community Development Department (HCD), and private equity raised through the federal low-income housing tax credit program. The AHSC program is administered through a partnership between the Strategic Growth Council and HCD. This phase is scheduled to begin construction in November 2022 and be complete in November 2023.

Los Arroyos II (54 units) will serve Farmworker Households exclusively and is being financed through a combination of Rural Housing 514 loan (USDA), Joe Serna Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program (FWHG) from HCD, Non-Competitive Permanent Local Housing Allocation funds provided by City of Farmersville and Tulare County, and private equity raised through the federal low-income housing tax credit program. This phase will begin construction in April 2022 and be complete in April 2023.

Both phases of Los Arroyos feature one-, two- and three-bedroom units, with a 3,000 sq. ft. community building, playground, and open space for residents. The community building includes a computer lab, which will be available to adults and children for schoolwork and educational activities. Self-Help Enterprises will offer a robust onsite resident services program that will include job training, health and wellness services, financial training, homebuyer education, and a variety of youth after-school activities. Monthly net rents, ranging from $392 to $906, are determined based on unit size and income. These below-market monthly rental costs mean that Self-Help Enterprises is providing an affordable housing opportunity to residents. Los Arroyos is the first affordable rental community built by Self-Help Enterprises in the City of Farmersville. Los Arroyos is among 47 affordable apartment rental communities owned by Self-Help Enterprises serving 1,948 families throughout the San Joaquin Valley.

“Farmersville is surrounded by rich farmland with many creeks emanating and is home to about 11,000 people, many earning their living by working in the fields and nearby packing houses. Just under 26% of Farmersville residents live below the poverty line and many families are forced to double up in overcrowded conditions to pay the rent,” stated Paul Boyer, Mayor of Farmersville. “Hard working families need a decent and affordable place to live to have a stable environment for their children and to thrive. We are proud to be a partner with Self-Help Enterprises in the development of Los Arroyos to bring this much-needed housing opportunity to families who need and deserve affordable housing. On top of all that, as part of this project, we are excited that the State of California has granted funds to assist not only the residents of Los Arroyos with their transportation needs but all Farmersville residents as well. Sidewalks and bicycle paths will be built, and alternate forms of transit will be made available for safer and affordable ways for our residents to get to their jobs, schools, health care facilities and elsewhere!”

“With the ever-growing need for affordable housing, the City of Farmersville is excited for this partnership with Self Help Enterprises to develop this new residential community,” stated City Manager, Jennifer Gomez. “They have brought similar successful projects to other communities in Tulare County, so we are fortunate to have this relationship with them. As part of this development, Self Help Enterprises was also able to secure grant funding for the city to construct a multi-modal hub for future transit needs. The city has been looking at both current and future needs for our residents, and these projects are indicators of that commitment. The City of Farmersville thanks Self Help Enterprises for this partnership and looks forward to the completion of these projects.”

A mother, real estate agent and now the first female mayor in Farmersville, Tina Hernandez plans to improve the city’s main street, inspire those around her

FARMERSVILLE – After four years as a councilmember, Tina Hernandez was officially sworn in as Farmersville’s very first woman mayor this month.

Hernandez reminisced about the first time she walked through the city council chambers back in 2018; she recalled a wall lined with photos of men’s faces. They were all the past mayors of Farmersville. There was not a single female mayor representing the city on that wall.

“I remember thinking, ‘My picture is going to be on there,’” Hernandez said. “I also thought, if it doesn’t get on there this time, I’m staying until my picture is.”

Fast forward to Dec. 12, 2022, and Hernandez’s photo is now being hung up alongside all the past mayors who went before her. But it was no easy decision. As a real estate agent, a single mother and now the mayor, Hernandez said she was initially overwhelmed. Once she received the title, she drew strength from her faith to carry the long road that is before her.

“The reason [I initially ran] was so that my children can see that you have to do more than just be a resident, you have to help out your community as much as you can,” Hernandez said. “If you have the opportunity, you take it.”

Hernandez not only sees her faith as a driving force for her service to the city, but also believes in being a leader who seeks to serve others. Hernandez said that in order to prosper in life, you must give back to those in your community.

“I just want to show [my children and everyone] that no matter what, or where you come from, or what you’re doing, if you want to reach a certain goal, you can do it,” Hernandez said. “I think that the most important thing is serving others.”

In a community whose population is 89.7% Hispanic or Latino, Hernandez is able to bring representation to city council, an aspect that she says is extremely important. Former mayor Paul Boyer also chimed in on this, and said that Hernandez makes a good representative, not only as a Latina, but as a woman.

Hernandez said her main goals as mayor is to work on beautifying Farmersville’s main street, adding street lights and sidewalks to the places that lack them, figuring out ways to get revenue up and also adding more homes for the city to grow.

The council nominates and elects people for mayor. Boyer had the first nomination, and he said he nominated Hernandez for the position, and when the council voted, it was unanimous. Boyer said that one of the main reasons he nominated Hernandez was not only because of her experience as mayor pro tem, but also her drive to be there for residents.

“She has the best interests of the people in the city in mind,” Boyer said. “I trust her and I think that she will do a good job. She is good at working with others, and I think that’s an important thing about being on a council, a team and also being a team with staff.”

Boyer also said he’s excited about the new mayor pro tem that took Hernandez’s place, Danny Valdovinos Jr. He said that the experience a person gets as pro tem really prepares them for a position as mayor, and hopes to see Valdovinos possibly take the position next.

Farmersville City Council approves Self Help Enterprises taking the lead on construction for new transit center in the city

FARMERSVILLE – City council has approved agreements to get the city a multi-modal hub, or transit center, in the center of town to expand transportation opportunities and prepare for the upcoming High Speed Rail.

Farmersville is getting everything in order for the addition of the transit center, referred to as the multi-modal hub, in the city. On Oct. 10 at the Farmersville City Council meeting, council authorized city manager Jennifer Gomez to execute a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the city and the nonprofit organization Self-Help Enterprises (SHE). The agreement established that SHE will take the lead on construction for the transit center project.

“With the current plan of the bus system, we’re hoping to have more efficient, convenient [transit] services for our residents,” Gomez said. “Bottom line is, we’re working with these other agencies to provide more affordable and efficient options for public transportation.”

According to the staff report, the multi-modal hub will be located on Front Street, between North Ventura Avenue and North Kern Avenue, to provide a central location for transit services in the city as well as surrounding communities. The hub will include a minimum of two bus bays for current city buses and any buses added in the future to pick up and drop off pedestrians, a bus shelter—or bench—for pedestrians to rest as they wait for transits and there will be public restrooms. There will also be improvements made to the area with the addition of bike lanes and crosswalks for pedestrian use, but the locations for those are still under review, according Gomez.

The city will have a say on the hub’s design and any other major decisions, but SHE will handle the day-to-day operations and manage the overall project. However, the nonprofit will eventually handoff operations to the Tulare County Regional Transit Agency (TCRTA) since Farmersville current transit services are provided by Visalia Transit, according to Gomez.

According to Gomez, the transit center is the first step to a larger vision. She said there is a plan to convert an existing railroad in Farmersville, which is only for freight train use now, into a system that will transfer passengers across the valley to the future location of the anticipated High Speed Rail in Hanford. Once passengers make it to the High Speed Rail station they can travel to their desired locations from there.

“That’s why they are referring to it as a multi-modal hub,” Gomez said. “Because the idea is that, essentially, it is multiple modes of transportation.”

As the developer of the Los Arroyos project, which is being worked on by SHE to bring a rental housing complex to Farmersville, SHE was able to apply for a grant from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) through the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program because of the addition of a new transit center in Farmersville. In addition to the affordable housing project, the incorporation of the transit center in the city fulfills the criteria from the AHSC program to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions in the community. The HCD released a notice of funding availability for roughly $405 million sometime in the spring, according to Gomez.

Additionally, council also approved a supplemental agreement with the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) to utilize Measure R revenue to fund a portion of the multi-modal hub. Measure R, which was approved by Tulare County voters in 2006, is a half-cent sales tax that addresses regional, local and transit, bike and environmental transportation needs in the county. Although the project is primarily funded by a state grant from AHSC, the project’s tight timeline led to a pledge from TCAG in the AHSC grant application in the amount of $910,000. The timeline will have the project completed by July 2024. According to the staff report, this agreement with TCAG will allow the funds already pledged in the grant application to be used to get the project started.

It now costs less than $2 a gallon to fill up your tank at some Central Valley gas stations, as coronavirus-related business and travel shutdowns continue to send prices plummeting around the world.

The national average price of regular-grade gas is $1.86 as of Tuesday — 61 cents cheaper than the U.S.'s average seven weeks ago, according to AAA. Demand for gasoline in the United States has decreased 44% during that time.

"We are seeing fast and furious gasoline demand destruction. The latest data reveals demand levels not seen since spring of 1968," AAA spokesperson Jeanette Casselano said. “Every U.S. region is seeing builds in gasoline inventories and crude storage, which is just driving pump prices even cheaper.”

At $2.86, California still has the second most expensive gas in the country on average, behind only Hawaii's average of $3.26.

However, some of the cheapest prices in the state are here in Tulare County, with gas stations in Farmersville boasting some of the lowest prices in California.

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At $1.67, Fastrip in Farmersville had the lowest gas prices in the state Tuesday, according to GasBuddy.com, a smartphone app that helps users find the cheapest gas in their area using real-time data.

Other Farmersville stations also had some of the lowest prices in California. Jack's Liquor was at $1.69 per gallon Tuesday, according to the app. Sam's Gas and Mini Mart and PJ Express Mart were at $1.75 and $1.79 respectively.

Lemoore's Yokut Gas Station in neighboring Kings County was at $1.95 per gallon Tuesday.

Unprecedented production cuts

Seeking to boost crashing prices and end a price war, OPEC, Russia and other oil producers finalized an unprecedented production cut of nearly 10 million barrels on Sunday.

The oil producers agreed in a video conference late Sunday to cut 9.7 million barrels a day beginning May 1. Mexico had initially blocked the deal. Iran’s oil minister also says several Middle Eastern nations agreed to an additional cut of 2 million barrels a day.

Analysts said the cuts were not enough to make up for the void in demand due to coronavirus-related shutdowns. But the deal at least helped resolve a price war that took U.S. crude to near $20 per barrel, pummeling U.S. oil and gas producers.

“The demand implosion is immediate and deep, while the supply decline will likely happen in stages,” analysts at Bank of America said in a note. “As a result, the impact of the OPEC+ deal on the global oil balances could take a while to work through.”

USA Today contributed to this report.

Reach reporter Kyra Haas by email at khaas@visaliatimesdelta.com or find her on Twitter @kc_haas.

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The Ugly Co. enhances its upcycling capability and advances its mission with the opening of its new Farmersville fruit processing plant

FARMERSVILLE – New facilities, product packaging and business momentum enables company to combat the ugly truth about food waste and prevent an estimated 3 million pounds of food waste this year.

As of June 7, The Ugly Co., a farmer-led producer of upcycled dried fruit snacks, announced the opening of its new fruit processing plant in Farmersville, Calif. The facility represents a significant milestone in the company’s mission of providing nutritious snacks sourced from funny-looking but perfectly-edible fruit that would otherwise be thrown out.

“We are proud to open this facility in Farmersville, as it allows us to support local farmers, contribute to the community’s economic growth, and bring our delicious and nutritious snacks to more people,” Ben Moore, Founder and CEO of The Ugly Co. said in a statement.

Originally started in Kingsburg, The Ugly Co. expanded into Farmersville last year in March. By purchasing a manufacturing plant in the town, a 4th-generation farmer himself, Moore said the business will have an easier time processing its fruit products at a high level and skill. By upcycling “ugly” fruit and transforming it into dried fruit snacks, these healthy snacks are all-natural, single-ingredient and prevent food waste with each bag sold.

With the first fruit dump of the farming season set to take place this June, The Ugly Co. hopes that its plant and mission-centric branding will draw awareness to fruit waste in the US and make a tangible impact.

“This is our Ugly solution,” Moore said about the company on The Ugly Co. website. “EAT UGLY.”

Last year, The Ugly Co. prevented more than 2.17 million pounds of food waste by upcycling. In 2023, it aims to make use of 3 million pounds of perfectly good fruit, which otherwise would’ve been tossed or fed to cattle, into dried fruit.

“Upcycling and addressing food waste has been an important issue in the San Joaquin Valley,” Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) said via press release from The Ugly Co. “The Ugly Company is bringing significant sustainable investments to the Valley in an effort to address the local food ecosystem.”

Moore started The Ugly Co. in 2018, followed by the company’s products first hitting the shelves in 2019. The company’s products include dried cherries, peaches, white nectarines, apricots and kiwis. In addition to The Ugly Co. website, the snacks will be available in Sprouts stores nationwide, select REI, Whole Foods and HyVee stores and Kroger Banners, like Ralph’s and Fry’s, later this year along the West Coast.

There were two main challenges to overcome in getting the business up and running, according to Moore. The first was getting a processing plant established for the company, which was achieved with the purchase of the Farmersville plant. The second was building up a genuine consumer demand for the “ugly” fruit, which is what earned the brand its name.

“Our new fruit processing facility represents a significant step forward in our commitment to sustainable and healthy snacking,” Moore said via statement.

Furthering its growth momentum and solidifying its mission, The Ugly Co. also unveiled new packaging that will better illustrate its brand story and clearly define its products.

The Ugly Co. is also revamping its product packaging to provide greater insight and transparency into its products. It notes that each snack package is sourced from a single ingredient, the fruit. The Ugly Co. doesn’t add any artificial ingredients or sugars, believing that the deliciousness of fruit can and should be celebrated by standing on its own.

The packaging also shines a light on the farmers from the Central Valley from which its fruit is sourced and where founder, Ben Moore, was born, raised and inspired to upcycle the fruit waste he saw first-hand as a truck driver.