www.thebusinessjournal.com UPDATED DAILY JUNE 5, 2020 thebusinessjournal.com the FOCUS | 8 Health Care ■ Unsure path for nursing education AGRICULTURE the EXECUTIVE PROFILE | 9 Fresno Irrigation District still Jimmy Cerracchio flowing at 100 President Downtown Fresno Partnership By Edward Smith | Page 4 the LIST | 12 DaVita Herndon Dialysis tops the Specialty Care Facilities list This Week Online 7 Leads 13 Public Notices 14-17 Opinion 18 After Covid-19 lockdown, business owners face threats amid social unrest By Frank Lopez | Page 3 SENSITIVE TIME PRIORITY HANDLING PERIODICAL: FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2020 ISSUE # 325709 $1.25 PER COPY USPS 145-100 2 www.thebusinessjournal.com FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2020 FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2020 www.thebusinessjournal.com 3 PHOTOS BY FRANK LOPEZ | Police and members of the community gather at the River Park shopping center in Fresno Tuesday in a peaceful demonstration against a social media post that threatened violence at the shopping center. From the fire to the flames After Covid-19 lockdown, business owners face threats amid social unrest Frank Lopez – STAFF WRITER The flare of a Molotov cocktail being peaceful response to the social media lit and thrown at the front door of post on Tuesday. Snowflake Designs, a gymnastic leotard Fresno Police Chief Andy Hall said manufacturer in Clovis, was caught on he “knows for a fact” the Black Lives surveillance cameras. Matter movement was not involved Luckily, the would-be arsonist with the post. He said the police are missed the shop, with the incendiary using federal resources to investigate device landing right in front of the the matter. door. Hall said the suspect could be facing “Fortunately we have no damage, charges of terroristic threats, and but I’m just mad. But everything is on possible violations of probation or camera,” said LaDonna Snow, president parole. of Snowflake Designs. Hall did say that some counter- Police are investigating the matter, protestors were present at the River but Snow said she had no clue why Park event, but police were able to keep anyone would do this. them separated. Elsewhere in Clovis, at the Target Mike Karbassi, Fresno City Council store in the Sierra Vista Mall, a group representative for District 2, said of burglars were caught on security that people gathering at River Park to cameras breaking into the store and peacefully protest shows the positivity making off with large electronic items of the community that wants to protect and other goods. its residents, businesses, and work with At a time when businesses are the police for community safety. suffering the brunt of an economy that “When you tear down a business was essentially shutdown for months, and destroy a business, you’re killing business owners are also dealing with all those jobs and all those working security and safety issues at a time of families that rely on that business,” great social upheaval in the United Karbassi said. “We want real change. States. Looting is not change. You can’t build a Following the death of George Floyd better society if you burn it down” in Minneapolis, a black man who was Alma Wolverton, owner of Pum Bum killed by police after an officer kneeled Society, a fashion boutique in River on his neck for nearly nine minutes, Park Shopping Center, along with protests erupted across the nation and other business owners, boarded up the the globe. windows to her shop. Some of the protests have erupted Wolverton boarded up her shop as in violence, leading to police using a safety precaution, but said that she brutal force to disperse crowds, is supportive of the Black Lives Matter clashes between protestors and anti- movement. protestors, and destruction of cars, “It's really scary and I think public property and large and small something we have to remember is that businesses alike. when one person is hurting, all of us On June 1, a post on social media are hurting,” Wolverton said. “Violence circulating a rumor that “RIOTS WILL is definitely not the answer, destroying BEGIN @ 4 pm in River Park” started our community is not the answer. We garnering attention locally. are listening and we are educating D’Aungillique Jackson, president of ourselves.” the Fresno State NAACP, called out the post as fake, and with other local black activist leaders, including business Frank Lopez | Writer can be reached at: 490- owner Chris Milton, organized a 3465 or e-mail [email protected] 4 www.thebusinessjournal.com FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2020 Fresno Irrigation District still flowing at 100 Edward Smith – STAFF WRITER PHOTO CONTRIBUTED | As water is pumped out of the ground to supply farms and cities during dry times, it needs to be recharged from surface sources and sent into basins like these. In the mid-19th century, water member entities rely on the flow The crops driving the ag economy from the San Joaquin and Kings that comes down from Pine Flat have changed over the years. rivers allowed the desert to bloom. Dam. In 1980, water from the Kings Beneath the summer heat, workers In 2019, the Irrigation District River supplied more than 76,000 built canals that would shape the delivered the longest water run to acres of grapes with cotton coming area’s future. farmers in its history. Nine months up second with 21,000 acres. By 1999, The irrigation Today, the Fresno Irrigation of delivery brought 618,424 acre- almonds took the second spot and by District oversees the now-680 miles feet of water to the district’s clients, 2019, the nut overtook grapes as the of pipelines and canals that deliver according to FID’s annual report. top crop drinking Kings River water. district has river water to growers and cities. This year, a snowpack at 60% of But the water also has served The year 2020 marks 100 years of average means only three months of communities. FID taking on the work of bringing delivery to growers. But that water Fresno County Supervisor Sal had such a water from the Kings River to comes at the hottest part of the year, Quintero credits FID for keeping eastern Fresno County and beyond. a critical time for growers who need Southeast Fresno supplied even Through the decades, the job to keep plants hydrated, according as the urban sprawl moved great impact on has grown from providing farm to Ryan Jacobsen, board president development northward. water to supplying cities including for FID and president of the Fresno “The irrigation district has had Fresno and Clovis, with other Fresno County Farm Bureau. such a great impact on Southeast Southeast Fresno County municipalities looking to “Our farmers are able to use Fresno and its growth,” Quintero soon come down the pipe. And surface supplies, turn their wells said. “It’s one of those agencies you legislation seeking to manage off and are able to recharge their don’t pay attention to, but it’s made and its growth groundwater usage has forced the groundwater,” Jacobsen said. such an impact.” Sal Quintero institution to stay at the forefront of Nearly 20% of irrigated ag land in The 2014 Sustainable Groundwater conservation and reliability. Fresno County is within FID’s reach, Management Act put pressure on On the Kings River system, 28 he said. water users reliant on wells and aquifers. This put pressure on FID to provide even more cities water from “We’re working out a better PHOTO CONTRIBUTED | The 680 miles of canals and pipelines largely date back to the 40s and 50s. Much of the the river. arrangement and water supply work the Fresno Irrigation District does is maintaining those canals that draw from the Kings River. The North Kings Groundwater agreements with them to help them Sustainability Agency was created be sustainable and allow them to work with FID to develop plans to grow in a smart fashion,” said to provide sustainable growth, said Stretch. Bill Stretch, general manager for the The district begins at a narrow district. point near Pine Flat Dam, Part of FID’s job is also to keep broadening west as far as Kerman, ground water levels replenished. north to the San Joaquin River and Some 68,908 acre-feet of water went south to Easton, encompassing more to basins in 2019 to refill aquifers. than 250,000 acres. “Taking water in wet years and “One of the next challenges is the letting it restore aquifers means aging infrastructure,” said Stretch. saving water for the inevitable dry “There are a lot of old pipelines and years in Fresno,” said Jacobsen. a lot of old structures.” But as more water is drawn, Of the 360 miles of pipelines, those water tables continue to slip approximately 45% are 50 years old. westward, said Stretch. About 0.3% get updated every year, Without adequate water sources, according to their yearly report. one study published in the Central The goal is to keep water supplied California Business Review found as to sources. much as 20% of ag land — or 1 million “Our goal is, even with SGMA acres — could be fallowed. implementation, that no farmer Today, Fresno and Clovis take will have to fallow any land and they about 35% of the allocation can continue farming and cities can throughout the year, according to continue to be vibrant,” said Stretch. Jacobsen. The future may bring communities such as Fowler and Malaga into the fold. Discussions have already begun with Kerman, Biola and Pinedale. Sanger has also begun growing into Edward Smith | Writer can be reached at: 490-3448 FID. or e-mail [email protected] FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2020 www.thebusinessjournal.com 5 Buy your PPE local List highlights companies making 'essential' products PHOTO BY FRANK LOPEZ | Liz Mcllvaine, president and CEO of Total Concept Enterprises, led a transition to building plastic space dividers.