Money Talks - MoneyTalks's Blog - Bakersfield.com

FTB to stop taking applications for new home tax credit

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:37:36 PDT

Here's a Franchise Tax Board press release that will be of interest to many!

Sacramento – The Franchise Tax Board (FTB) announced today that it will stop accepting applications for the new home tax credit at midnight tonight, Thursday, July 2, 2009.

New tax law allocated $100 million of tax credits made available to roughly 10,000 qualified buyers who on or after March 1, 2009, purchased a qualified principal residence that had never been occupied. This credit is equal to the lesser of five percent of the purchase price or $10,000. The buyer must reside in the new home for at least two years immediately following the purchase date.

To ensure that enough valid applications were received to properly allocate the full $100 million available for this tax credit, FTB accepted 12,000 applications. However, FTB will only issue approved credit certificates until the $100 million is exhausted. The credit is being allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information, visit FTB’s Tax Credit for New Home Purchases webpage at www.ftb.ca.gov.

How should we fix health care? Ideas?

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:20:06 PDT

Community members are invited to Bakersfield Memorial Hospital Wednesday for a town hall-style meeting on the push for national health-care reform.

The 10 a.m. gathering at the hospital’s Founders Hall Auditorium, 420 34th St., is part of hospital owner Catholic Healthcare West’s plans to gather public comments about health-care reform and forward them to the Obama administration and Congress.

The meeting is to be moderated by Robin Mangarin, an anchor and health reporter for KGET-TV, Channel 17. Panelists have been invited to participate.

“Bakersfield Memorial Hospital believes the time for health reform is now,” hospital President and CEO Jon Van Boening said in a news release about the meeting. “Our nation’s leaders have a rare window of opportunity to achieve health reform this summer. They must make the most of it — to help the nation, employers and families alike.”

Read our special report on health-care reform and what Bakersfield health-care leaders are saying.

Do you believe Kern's economy will recover earlier than other places?

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:13:11 PDT

From reporter John Cox's story today:

Kern's own economic recovery may be quicker and ultimately less painful than that of its neighbors to the north and south, a recent report predicts.

Thanks mostly to the county's relatively mild housing bubble and proximity to Los Angeles, Kern is in shape to return to its pre-recession employment peak by late 2011, according to an economist with IHS Global Insight, which released its annual forecast in late May.

By the same measure, Fresno's economy isn't expected to recover until the third quarter of 2012, which would be slightly slower than the Visalia-Porterville area (second quarter 2012) but faster than Merced (fourth quarter 2012), Stockton (second quarter 2013) and Modesto (second quarter 2014). IHS said the Los Angeles area won't regain its peak employment until 2014 or later.

Read the full story here.

What do you think?

Animal Emergency and Urgent Care gets recognition

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:50:57 PDT

Animal Emergency and Urgent Care has received accreditation by the American Animal Hospital Association.

“AAHA is kind of like a gold standard in the veterinary hospital world,” said office manager Johnni Flesner. “Being accredited means we have met a lot of different standards.”

To be accredited, the hospital first had to be evaluated. The evaluation included reviews of the hospital’s facility, medical equipment, patient care and human resources.

“You name it, they check it,” Flesner said.

Animal Emergency and Urgent Care, at 4300 Easton Drive, has been in business for more than 30 years.

Get in on federal stimulus money for projects

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:48:07 PDT

The Kern Minority Contractors Association will host a California Unification Certification Workshop from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m Thursday.

The workshop is being held to help local contractors complete the application needed to get certified to bid on projects that are funded by the federal stimulus package.

Presenting at the workshop will be a Caltrans certification analyst, who will go through every step of the application process.

Those who pre-register will receive the required application, as well as a checklist of items to bring to the workshop. Pre-register at 324-7535.

Those who don’t pre-register are still welcome to attend.

The workshop will be held at the organization’s office at 1330 E. Truxtun Ave. A similar workshop will be held in either August or September.

Valley Plaza's getting a Wet Seal store

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:42:14 PDT

The Wet Seal is opening a new store in Valley Plaza mall on Friday.

Wet Seal is a clothing retailer aimed at young women.

A grand opening for the new store, which is next to Sears, will be held July 11.

As part of the grand opening, the store will offer Wet Seal gift cards, ranging from $5 to $100, to the first 100 customers who come to the opening.

Crop report: Gross production value of Kern's agricultural commodities down slightly

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:10:56 PDT

The ranking of the top 20 agricultural commodities produced in Kern County didn't change much between 2007 and 2008, but the value did.

For the second year, Kern County had gross production value of more than $4 billion, agricultural commissioner Ruben Arroyo wrote to the Kern County Board of Supervisors in a letter dated Tuesday accompanying an annual crop report. But the gross value of all ag commodities produced was down 1.4 percent from 2007, the report said.

Read the full story here.

The latest in home sales: Check out our map

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:58:58 PDT

See what homes are selling for across Bakersfield, and across the price spectrum.

See the current update to our map, plus a year’s worth of sales data. We publish single-family home sale transactions, as well as foreclosures.

The homes are color-coded by price, with information from First American Real Estate Solutions.

This week’s data covers May 4 to 10. Highlights include:

112 homes are newly plotted on the map.

Priciest? One sold for $410,000 in the 93311 ZIP code. It was 2,811 square feet.

Cheapest? One sold for $20,000 in the 93305 ZIP code. It was 1,816 square feet.

Anyone buying? What are your stories?

North of the River business mixer

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:23:08 PDT

The North of the River Chamber of Commerce is holding a free Oildale Business Mixer from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the historic Oildale Bank, 1301 North Chester Ave.

It’s a chance for people to meet other business owners and hear about Oildale Centennial activities.

Call 871-4555 to RSVP.

Monster Mini Golf promotion

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:20:15 PDT

Monster Mini Golf, a chain of monster-themed indoor glow-in-the-dark miniature golf facilities, is giving away prizes in a contest to thank customers.

Everyone who enters the company’s “appreciation campaign” contest, which is going on through the end of July at all Monster Mini Golf locations, will get a discounted round of mini golf.

Other possible prizes include mini golf for life, free parties, free rounds of golf and a custom Monster Mini Golf Epiphone Guitar.

No purchase is necessary to enter online at www.monsterminigolf.com. Those who enter in person are eligible for an additional $500 cash prize.

The chain has 23 locations, including 4751 White Lane in Bakersfield.

Update on Tejon Industrial Complex

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:18:11 PDT

Tejon Ranch Co. and Rockefeller Group Development Corp. have announced that CB Richard Ellis will represent their joint venture for industrial and warehouse development at Tejon Industrial Complex.

The complex is a 1,450-acre master-planned development at the junction of Interstate 5 and Highway 99.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, CB Richard Ellis Group Inc. is the world’s largest commercial real estate services firm by revenue.

May unemployment by city, area in Kern

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:19:41 PDT

Kern County unemployment rates by cities and communities, released by the Employment Development Department on Friday.

Arvin: 35.5 percent

Bakersfield: 10 percent

California City: 11.1 percent

Delano: 34.7 percent

Frazier Park: 12.4 percent

Lake Isabella: 16.9 percent

Lamont: 24.7 percent

Maricopa: 15.6 percent

McFarland: 28.4 percent

Mojave: 17.5 percent

Oildale: 14.8 percent

Ridgecrest: 8.2 percent

Rosedale: 5.3 percent

Shafter: 24.5 percent

Taft: 13.8 percent

Tehachapi: 9.5 percent

Wasco: 25.4 percent

Leadership Bakersfield students graduate tonight

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:48:01 PDT

The Leadership Bakersfield class of 2009 is set to celebrate its graduation tonight at the Petroleum Club.

The Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce program “offers an opportunity for participants to become actively involved in the community and gain insight into our area’s challenges and issues while exploring solutions and alternatives,” according to the chamber Web site.

The graduates are: Sgt. Allan Abney, Bakersfield Police Department; Jessica Allegranza, Valley Republic Bank; Lou Chizlett, Bright House Networks; Sgt. Rene Chow, Bakersfield Police Department; Nicolette Cross, O’Dell Cross, A Professional Corporation; Christina Dixon, Aera Energy LLC; Dustin Dodgin, Klein, DeNatale, Goldner et al; Rob Duchow, The Gas Company; and Christabel Edwards, Frito-Lay, Inc.

Nick Gomez, San Joaquin Valley College; Scott Gray, Business Initiatives; Jeanell Guenther, San Joaquin Community Hospital; Leah Headrick, Processes Unlimited International, Inc.; Sam Itani, San Joaquin Community Hospital; Alice Juarez, Wells Fargo Bank; Darryl Manning, Chevron North America Exploration and Production; Josh Martinez, Bakersfield Machine Company.

Kirsten Myers, Goodwill Industries of South Central California; Tom Pasek, Shaggy Dog Solutions, LLC; Frank Ramirez, University of California Merced; Patti Reed, Kern Schools Federal Credit Union; Joshua Schroeder, Chevron North America Exploration and Production; Sheri Seal-Bailey, San Joaquin Community Hospital/Bariatric Solutions; Darrell Stapley, Hall Ambulance Service, Inc.; and Jeremy Zoch, Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield.

From September through June, students attended an all-day seminar each month that included presentations by community leaders, discussions and visits to places in the community connected to the day’s theme.

The chamber is accepting applications for next year’s class. They may be found at bakersfieldchamber.org The deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, June 26. For details, e-mail tsterling@bakersfieldchamber.org or call 327-4421.

East Hills’ Anchor Blue to close

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:37:08 PDT

The Anchor Blue youth apparel and accessories store at East Hills Mall is among 46 “underperforming” stores being shuttered across the chain.

As part of the Ontario-based retailer’s overall restructuring plans, the store kicked off a closing sale Friday that will include discounts of up to 40 percent, and continue until “all merchandise is sold,” the company announced.

Anchor Blue, which started in 1972 as Miller’s Outpost, has 177 stores across 12 states. Its store at Valley Plaza mall is not set to close.

Kern's May unemployment at 14.2 percent

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:09:14 PDT

A summary straight from the state Employment Development Department:

The unemployment rate in the Kern County was 14.2 percent in May 2009, down from a revised 14.8 percent in April 2009, and above the year-ago estimate of 9.0 percent.

This compares with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 11.2 percent for California and 9.1 percent for the nation during the same period.

Come to Kern! New tourism kiosk unveiled

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:33:53 PDT

Unveiling of the latest addition to the Kern County Interactive Visitor Kiosk Network took place Monday in Boron. The 11th in a planned network of 13 kiosks was officially dedicated by a cadre of dignitaries headed by Kern County Second District Supervisor Don Maben.

The kiosk, a “virtual visitors center” designed specifically for Boron, delivers 24-hour tourism information to travelers; directing them to businesses, events and attractions in East Kern and across Kern County. The Boron kiosk was funded by Maben and developed by the Board of Trade.

Located at the twin Twenty Mule Team and Vernon P. Saxon Aerospace museums, the Boron kiosk is intended to capture museum visitors and traffic on Highway 58.

Additional kiosks are already operating in Mojave, Rosamond, Lebec, Taft, Bakersfield and the Kern River Valley. Kiosks at Tehachapi and Jawbone Canyon will be deployed later this month.

— Kern County Board of Trade

Sign up for State of the City event

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:30:11 PDT

The Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of the City luncheon forum is 11:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 14, at the Bakersfield Marriott at the Convention Center.

The lunchtime session will feature Mayor Harvey L. Hall’s welcome and annual report. City Manager Alan Tandy will discuss Operating in a Challenging Economy-The Effects on the City and Our Community. Administrative Analyst Steven Teglia will focus on Economic Stimulus Funding Projects for our area.

The Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce and Ford Motor Company Fund (the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Co.) will kick off the State of the City event with an announcement that will benefit Bakersfield and Kern County students.

Cost is $27 per chamber member and $50 per nonmember. Register at bakersfieldchamber.org, e-mail info@bakersfieldchamber.org or call 327-4421.

State of the City 2009 is sponsored by Raymond’s Trophy & Awards.

— Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce Metro E-News

Job fair June 26 in Bakersfield

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:22:19 PDT

Assemblyman Danny Gilmore, R-Hanford, will host a job fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, June 26, at the Army National Guard Building, 2800 Gateway Ave. in Bakersfield.

“As many unemployed professionals are struggling to find work and with time constraints on many employers to find qualified applicants to fill vacant positions, it is a top priority for me to address these issues by providing a venue that will afford a successful outcome for both,” Gilmore said.

The Employment Development Department of Kern County through its Career Services Center is providing support for the event and will host resume building workshops.

Some employers topping the list to participate include Holiday Ford-Lincoln Mercury, U.S. Army, Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, Western Truck School and Forever 21.

— Office of Danny Gilmore

iPhone 3G S goes on sale Friday

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:19:05 PDT

The iPhone 3G S goes on sale at AT&T stores, including in Bakersfield, on Friday.

Apple unveiled the device at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference.

Although this latest generation is an incremental improvement compared to previous iPhone launches, it boasts faster processing speed and new features including a new 3.0 megapixel camera with auto focus and longer battery life.

The phone gets nine hours of Internet browsing using WiFi, 10 hours of video, 30 hours of audio and five hours of 3G talk time.

AT&T has exclusive rights to sell it.

— Californian staff

A snapshot of unemployment

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:30:30 PDT

Employers’ Training Resource sent a written report on its first-quarter activities to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The report provides a snapshot of local unemployment. Excerpts follow:

Climbing unemployment rates have resulted in a large increase of customers. Employers’ Training Resource and the Career Services Centers served 7,662 first-time visitors during the first quarter of 2009. These first-time and repeat customers made a total of 10,660 visits and accessed 58,736 units of service during this time.

Services given to our customers included, but were not limited to, accessing case management services; use of the resource room; fax, phone and copy machines; referrals to job training; assessment of skills; job referrals; supportive services; and referrals to partners for other services.

Total job openings resulting in 2,349 job openings given by employers, which were entered in the CSC system in the first quarter of 2009, resulting in 890 reported placements. Job openings are slightly lower than the last quarter of 2008 when there were 2,478. Many placements are not reported to the CSC so actual numbers are most likely higher. There were 48 employer recruitments, representing 30 different companies held at the various CSCs throughout Kern County during the first quarter of 2009.

The Rapid Response team is continuing o provide layoff services for employers who face business closures. The rate of these closures has slowed, with the majority of participating businesses completing layoffs started late last year or early in 2009.

A total of 965 job losses in 45 businesses were reported to the ETR Rapid Response team, which assists these employers to help provide services to reduce the impact of job loss on workers, families and communities. Laid off employees attend an orientation and are given information about the many employment services, programs and resources available to assist them in their job search.

— Verna Lewis, director, Employers’ Training Resource