Planning Commission OK’s Changes at Mall Property

That possible pathway became more clear this week when the Visalia Planning Commission approved a change to parcel divisions at the 13.6-acre commercial property on the northwest corner of Mooney Boulevard and Caldwell Avenue. The move came at the request of the mall’s Tustin-based owners Paynter Realty and Investments, which is quietly pursuing the “de-malling” of the Sequoia Mall and has been since 2023, according to the online real estate marketplace Crexi.com.

While the commission approved Paynter’s request unanimously at its July 13 meeting, it was without knowledge of why the property owners asked for the changes or what they plan to do with the parcels. This is standard behavior for property development. All the city has to know is a plan complies with city standards.

“We wait and see like the rest of you,” said Josh Dan, senior city planner at Visalia City Hall. “Usually, they don’t like to disclose the type of business.”

The changes are a redrawing parcel of lines to redivide the western portion of the property into four portions. One of those is small, just 0.3 acres, has odd borders, and has Dan scratching his head.

“They have not alluded to what that may be in the future,” he said. “It’s a weird shape. I’m befuddled.”

Developers, Dan said, are often tight-lipped about their plans, seeking to protect deals in progress and to manage the public’s expectations. Despite City Hall’s being in the dark, Dan sees the changes as a sure sign of upcoming development at the Sequoia Mall.

“Whatever their plan for the future is, somehow these parcel lines make sense,” he said. “They’re setting up for their next steps.”

Payner Realty’s executive vice president Jim Sanders, however, gave the public a rare insight into the developers’ operations. He said the way the property has been reapportioned will let the company pay for rebuilding of the former location of Longs Drugs at the southwest corner of the property.

“We’re under construction with the drug store building to bring in Crunch Fitness,” he said. “With that, we wanted to get the parcels corrected so we could finance that parcel.”

It’s part of a long-term plan to turn the property into an open mall. Paynter abandoned the original enclosed design in 2023, and the interior portion of the mall was finally closed that year.

All the current tenets occupy outward facing storefronts, including the recent additions, like Saphora, Sprouts Farmers Market, Barnes and Noble, and Sketchers Warehouse Outlet. Payner is also rebranding the mall as it’s transformed. While many will always remember the property as the Sequoia Mall, officially it’s now the Boulevard at Sequoia.

The Rise, Fall and Rise of Sequoia Mall

The Sequoia Mall was once the favorite shopping location for many Visalians, and it drew a big customer base from surrounding communities, especially in the decade after it opened its doors in 1974. By 2013, when it was purchased by Paynter Realty, the property was listed as “distressed” by the commercial real estate tracker CoStar. The mall was a high-vacancy property – 60% empty storefronts – available at a price far lower than its assessed value. Its price tag was lower than the remaining mortgage on the property, a bargain-priced “short sale” in real estate jargon.

At the time of purchase, the county assessor’s office estimated the property’s value at $17 million. Tustin-based Paynter Realty paid just $10.7 million for the dead mall.

Only it wasn’t quite dead. Not yet. But it certainly was close.

Mervin’s Department Store, the main anchor store at the mall, went belly up in 2008, declaring bankruptcy and closing all its stores across the country, including in Visalia. An exit by Borders Books followed in 2011, with that company also declaring itself bankrupt. Along the way, classic mall shops like Kaybee Toys, Miller’s Outpost, Lerners and Orange Julius also shuttered their Visalia locations.

In 1998, the mall had changed hands for the first time, and it got its first and only interior renovation in 1999, perhaps too little and too late. The mall was sold again in 2003, with the new ownership paying $27.4 million for the property. It went on the market again four years later, and was purchased by the Schottenstein Property Group.

Schottenstein, too, held the property for four years, and during that period the vacancy rate continued to climb. In 2007, Schottenstein sold the mall to Kimco Realty Corporation with an asking price of $30 million. Kimco had little success. Apparently on the brink of foreclosure, the property went on the market again in 2013, getting the attention of Paynter Realty.

By the time Paynter Realty took possession, Sears Department Store was the last remaining major retailer from the mall’s glory days. In 1996, Mann Theaters had moved its Cinema I-II-III from the back of the mall’s parking lot to its interior and expanded to a six-screen complex inside the mall next to the Ross Department Store (another major anchor retailer that would eventually abandon the location). But the theater stayed, purchased by Signature Theaters in 2002 and by the Regal Entertainment Group in 2004, and expanded to 12 screens.

But the decline wasn’t quite over yet. Transformco, the owner of Sears and Kmart stores, was also in financial trouble by the late 2010s. Transformco eventually threw in the towel, selling 96 of its less viable retail locations, including those in Visalia. Liquidation of the Sears stock began in 2019, and by February, the store’s 80-year run in Visalia was over and done.

Fortunately, Paynter Realty saw the writing on the wall and purchased the Sears property, which was divided from the rest of the mall property, in 2018.

Where There’s Life, There’s Hope

Even through the period of its deepening decline, the mall was still attractive to certain retailers. In 2011, Hobby Lobby, despite ownership’s concerns about meeting California regulations, took over the former Mervin’s spot. It was the first location for the crafting goods store in the state, and, according to multiple online sources, the Visalia store broke company sales records.

There was also another major retailer still doing business at the mall, at least technically. In 1995, Marshall’s Department Store and Bed, Bath and Beyond opened in the Tower Plaza, an adjoining property integrated into the mall’s overall scheme and also owned by Paynter Realty. While Bed, Bath and Beyond has since shuttered, Marshall’s remains.

Marshall’s, Hobby Lobby and the Regal Cinema were the last three big boxes standing.

Yet Sanders said the company was still certain about the potential of the mall property and remains confident. But that doesn’t mean they’re ready to show their hand, though Sanders is definitely upbeat about the property’s future.

“I’m not trying to promote anything until it’s time to promote it,” he said. “There’s a lot of neat things to talk about in terms of what’s happened so far. The real estate has proven its worth. The first rule is ‘location, location, location,’ and it’s proven that with Sprouts and Borders.”

What’s Coming Next for Sequoia?

Now, 13 years after Paynter took ownership and three years after the decision to reorganize as the Boulevard at Sequoia, the once dead mall is rising back to its feet, and it could be that the revitalization is just getting into full swing. The addition of Sprouts in the former Sears space, the opening of a Barnes and Noble bookstore in the same storefront where Borders Books once operated, and the arrival of big brand names like Nordstrom’s and Sketchers all seem to herald better days ahead.

But Sanders still won’t say what other plans might be in the works.

“What you see is what we’re doing,” he said. “It’s a real success story, and now we’re bringing Crunch Fitness. And now Sierra TGX. This is only their second location in California.”

Sierra offers a wide variety of outdoor and sporting goods at what it promises are lower prices than other outlets offer. Sanders describes it as “a discount version of REI or one of those outdoor sporting goods companies.”

“They have not done a ton of marketing there,” he said. “It’s fully open and worth a visit.”

The sales pitch for the Boulevard at Sequoia listed by Crexi promises new building construction and a “state-of-the-art cinema” to come in the near future. What other retailers and changes the future holds not even the people at Paynter Realty know for sure.

“Everyone I talk to says that it was the mall. We’re trying to figure it out,” Sanders said. “It’s a strong intersection for the trade area.”

The company, he said, has an affinity for the area and is fully committed to the ongoing project.

“We love Visalia and really care about the community,” Sanders said.

And he let slip one more secret. There is no plan yet for the small, oddly shaped parcel next to the Shady Lane entrance and in front of the future home of Crunch Fitness.

“It’s for a drive-thru,” Sanders said. “We aren’t planning anything right now. It’s just for the future so we’re ready to roll if something comes along.”

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Judges looked at articles written and submitted by California news outlets and evaluated them on criteria that varied by category — including categories for writing, photography, and commentary — with entries separated based on each outlet’s size.

The Voice competed in Division 7, covering weekly newspapers with a print circulation of 4,300 or less and/or outlets with 199,000 or less monthly unique visitors online. Voice writers received three awards:

• Dave Adalian received first place in the Health Reporting category for his coverage of a Kaweah Health whistleblower who said he was fired for revealing the truth about what led to a 60-year-old patient’s death, and the aftermath from that, including a lawsuit by the patient’s family against Kaweah Health and the potential loss of nursing licenses for the two nurses involved;
• Catherine Doe and Tony Maldonado were awarded third place in the Coverage of Local Government category for a package of coverage surrounding the Tulare County Board of Supeervisors having to take over the Tulare Public Cemetery district, including video and coverage of a ten-second meeting at the cemetery district office in May 2025 that prompted the take over by the Supervisors.
• Dave Adalian was awarded fourth place in In-Depth Reporting for his coverage of Springville residents’ troubles with their water utility company, Del Oro Water.

“Every year our small but fierce team is recognized with multiple awards from CNPA. But its not the awards that matter, said Catherine Doe, editor of the Valley Voice. What matters is that those in power know we are watching and that we will report the truth so the public can make informed decisions and be an informed electorate.”

Other local outlets received awards:

• The Visalia Times-Delta received three third place awards for Feature Photo, Feature Story, and Social Justice & Civic Engagement; one fourth place award for Feature Story; and two fifth place awards for Artistic Photo and Coverage of Business and the Economy.
• The Sun-Gazette received three first place awards in Audience/Community Engagement, Excellence in Collaborations and Partnerships, and Labor Reporting; four second place awards in Agricultural Reporting, Columns, Community Focus, and Public Service Journalism; two third place awards in Enterprise News Story or Series and Social Justice & Civic Engagement; one fourth place award in Transportation Reporting; and two fifth place awards for Coverage of Business and the Economy and Food Writing/Reporting
• The Mid Valley Times received two first place awards in Coverage of Local Government and Profile Story; three second place awards in Religion/Faith Writing, Sports Feature Story, and Transportation Reporting; two third place awards in Agricultural Reporting and Immigration Reporting; two fourth place awards in Coverage of Business and the Economy and Coverage of Youth and Education; and one fifth place award in Feature Story.
• The Collegian at Fresno State received one first place award for Sports Action Photo; two second place awards for News Photo and Writing; one third place award for Online General Excellence; one fourth place award for General Excellence; and one fifth place award for Coverage of Student Government/Campus Administration.

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The recent decision to bring whole and 2% milk back to school lunches is a step backward for school nutrition.

Many children—especially students of color—are lactose intolerant, while others simply don’t need dairy to maintain a healthy diet. At a time when nutritious plant-based milks are widely available, expanding dairy options instead of embracing more inclusive choices makes little sense.

School nutrition programs should reflect today’s students, not yesterday’s assumptions. Plant-based options better serve diverse dietary needs while also addressing the ethical concerns associated with modern dairy production. If we’re serious about creating school meals that promote health, inclusion, and compassion, it’s time to stop treating plant-based options as an afterthought.

Larry Johnson, Visalia

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Big Fish is told on two different timelines – one where Will is a boy whose father is often absent and another where an adult Will is an international journalist about to be married and start a family. As his father’s final chapter approaches, Will embarks on his own journey to find out who his father really is, separating the fact from fiction in the stories from his childhood.

The cast of Big Fish will perform the touching musical seven times with an opening on Friday, July 17 and continuing through Saturday, July 25. Audiences can now purchase tickets for five evening shows and two Saturday matinees at tcoe.org/TheatreCo/tickets.

Principal Characters

Edward Bloom
Leo Paez, 2026 graduate, Eleanor Roosevelt Community Learning Center (Visalia)

Sandra
Erin McDonnell, 2026 graduate, Redwood High School (Visalia)

Will Bloom
Connor West, 11^th grade, Redwood High School (Visalia)

Young Will
Camden Grissom, 4^th grade, Garden Elementary School (Tulare)

Josephine
Diana Padilla, 2026 graduate, El Diamante High School (Visalia)

The Witch
Leah Hansen, 2026 graduate, El Diamante High School (Visalia)

Karl
Nicholas Simpkins, 11^th grade, University Preparatory High School (Visalia)

Amos
Matthew Cole, 11^th grade, Eleanor Roosevelt Community Learning Center (Visalia)

Jenny Hill
Allison Plumlee, 2026 graduate, Harmony Magnet Academy (Strathmore)

Don Price
Dumisani Mason, 2026 graduate, University Preparatory High School (Visalia)

Zacky Price
Lincoln Graves, 2026 graduate, University Preparatory High School (Visalia)

The Mermaid
Calvary Sears, 9^th grade, Eleanor Roosevelt Community Learning Center (Visalia)

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• District 2 (Short-Term): Two-Year Term
• District 3: Four-Year Term
• District 5: Four-Year Term

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To help readers get started, the library has created a year-round America-themed book display located at the front of the library. The display features books highlighting American history, geography, politics, culture, and the contributions of Americans throughout history. Coloring pages and other family-friendly activities are also available for visitors to enjoy. Participants may choose books from the display or read any book related to American history, geography, politics, culture, or similar topics.

The America 250 Reading Challenge is open to readers of all ages. To participate, visit the Porterville Library to sign up and receive a reading log. Participants will receive a commemorative sticker upon registering, a bookmark and one free book after completing a reading log of five books.

Participants may complete multiple reading logs to earn additional bookmarks and stickers. Please note that free books are limited to one book per person.

Readers are also encouraged to participate in the Porterville Library’s Summer Reading Program. Books read for the America 250 Reading Challenge may be counted toward both reading programs. For more information, visit the Porterville Library Facebook page at www.facebook.com/PortervilleLibrary/ or call (559) 784-0177.

The America 250 Reading Challenge is part of the nationwide commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, encouraging communities to reflect on the nation’s history while inspiring a lifelong love of reading and learning.

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To use the new technology, travelers can visit app.metropolis.io, download the Metropolis app, or scan a QR code at any parking lot entrance to register your phone number, license plate and payment method. Once registered, the system recognizes the vehicle on arrival and departure, applies payment automatically, and sends a digital receipt.

The partnership builds on an existing relationship between the two companies: SP+, a Metropolis company, has operated parking at FAT for decades. The transition to Metropolis’ platform brings a fully modern, experience to the airport’s travelers while giving the City of Fresno greater visibility into parking demand and operations.

The launch comes during a period of record growth and investment at FAT. The airport welcomed more than 2.7 million passengers in 2025, a record year, and was recently named one of the Top 10 Best Small Airports in the United States by USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards. In December 2025, Fresno completed FATforward, the largest modernization project in its history, adding a new concourse, an expanded international arrivals facility, and a new multi-level parking garage. The Metropolis partnership extends that modernization to the curb, positioning FAT among the most forward-looking airports in California.

“We are excited to introduce this new technology as we head into the busy summer travel season,” said Fresno City Manager Georgeanne White.  “Metropolis’ platform brings a fully modern parking experience to our travelers while giving Fresno Yosemite International Airport greater visibility into parking demand and operations. As the Airport continues to experience record growth and deliver major improvements through our FATforward modernization program, this partnership ensures that innovation extends all the way to the curb.”

“As a California-based company, bringing our platform to Fresno Yosemite International Airport is a milestone we’re especially proud of, and it deepens our roots across our home state and cements our presence in the heart of the Central Valley,” said Rob Mitchell, Vice President of Aviation at Metropolis. “By bringing our platform to all of FAT’s lots, we’re removing the friction of parking and replacing it with a simple, modern experience that gives travelers back their time, while helping the airport run more efficiently as it continues to grow.”

“At Fresno Yosemite International Airport, we are committed to delivering a modern, world-class experience for the travelers of California’s Central Valley, and that begins the moment they arrive,” said Francisco Partida, Interim Director of Aviation. “Coming off the largest expansion in our history, this partnership with Metropolis lets us give passengers a faster, simpler way to park. It reflects our broader commitment to innovation and to making FAT one of the most convenient and forward-thinking airports in the state.”

FAT joins a growing network of airports across the country, from El Paso to Hawaii’s Big Island, that have adopted Metropolis’ seamless drive-in, drive-out technology since its airport debut at San Antonio International Airport in 2025. This announcement follows the successful launch at Sonoma County Airport earlier this month. Metropolis runs world-class operations at approximately 75 airports nationwide and continues to expand its end-to-end airport mobility platform, which spans parking, reservations, baggage services, and more.

Cash payments will continue to be accepted.  Similar to the current main lot and parking garage cash payment process, a designated lane will be available for cash transactions. Authorized personnel will remain on-site to help and ensure a smooth payment process.

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Effective July 1, 2026, Code Enforcement has transitioned from the Fire Department to the Planning & Engineering Department. Business Licensing has transitioned from Finance to Planning & Engineering. Water Meter Operations has transitioned from Finance to the Water Division in the Public Works Department, and Information Technology (I.T.) has transitioned from Finance to the Administrative Services Department. The required meet and confer process has been completed, and the affected bargaining units support these organizational changes.

These changes are part of the City’s ongoing commitment to organizational excellence and its High-Performance Organization initiative, which emphasizes continuous improvement, collaboration, innovation, accountability, and exceptional public service.

“Great organizations never stop looking for ways to improve,” said City Manager Richard Tree. “Our responsibility is to continually evaluate how we deliver services, remove barriers between departments, and organize our teams in a way that provides the greatest value to the people we serve.”

The realignment creates stronger connections between related services, improves communication and coordination amongst departments, and positions the organization to respond more efficiently to the needs of the community. Bringing Code Enforcement and Business Licensing together within Planning & Engineering creates a more integrated approach to development services. Aligning Water Meter Operations with the Water Division improves coordination of utility services, while relocating Information Technology recognizes the increasingly enterprise-wide role that technology plays in supporting every City department.

“Our goal is not simply to move divisions on an organizational chart,” Tree added. “Our goal is to build a culture of continuous improvement where every decision is focused on delivering better service, strengthening our organization, and creating a better experience for our residents, businesses, and employees.”

As Porterville continues to grow, the City remains committed to evaluating its operations, embracing innovation, and investing in improvements that enhance the quality and efficiency of public services. Every improvement we make today is another step toward building the high-performing organization or community deserves.

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“Once again, DPR is sitting on bad news instead of telling the people breathing this air,” said Angel Garcia, co-director of the statewide coalition Californians for Pesticide Reform. “The Department loves a press release when a number goes down. When a number blows past their own safety trigger, they bury it in a spreadsheet and hope nobody notices. That’s not regulation — that’s public relations for the pesticide industry.”

DPR’s Air Monitoring Network tracks 1,3-D at six sites across the state. Four of the six monitored communities saw annual average levels rise in 2025 over the prior year:

• Parlier (Fresno County): 0.16 ppb → 0.35 ppb (59% → 131% of the action level)
• Delhi (Merced County): 0.11 ppb → 0.16 ppb (40% → 58% of the action level)
• Santa Maria (Santa Barbara County): 0.04 ppb → 0.07 ppb (15% → 25% of the action level)
• Watsonville (Santa Cruz County): 0.03 ppb → 0.07 ppb (10% → 28% of the action level)

1,3-D is classified by the state of California as a human carcinogen and Toxic Air Contaminant. DPR established the 0.27ppb annual action level specifically as an early-warning threshold — a level meant to trigger review and consideration of mitigation. Parlier residents, especially those near the monitoring site, were breathing air that exceeds that line, in a community already overburdened by agricultural chemical exposure.

Concerns are compounded by the fact that DPR’s trigger for review of 0.27 ppb is almost 7 times higher than the 1,3-D Cancer No Significant Risk Level (NSRL) set by OEHHA, which is equivalent to 0.04 ppb. Annual and longer-term air levels at some of these monitoring sites exceed the NSRL many times over.

Under its own regulatory framework, DPR is required to follow up when the action level is exceeded. As of this release, DPR has not issued any public statement or press release about the Parlier exceedance, nor disclosed what, if any, follow-up review or mitigation steps are underway. DPR has also failed to notify residents, schools, or local health officials in the affected community.

“DPR needs to take a hard look at why air levels rose at more than half of their air monitoring sites after new regulations were put in place,” said Anne Katten with California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation.

The Californians for Pesticide Reform coalition is calling on DPR to:

1. Disclose what mitigation measures, if any, are being considered or implemented
2. Immediately and publicly notify Parlier residents, the local school district, and county health officials of the exceedance
3. Commit to real-time, proactive public notification whenever any Air Monitoring Network site exceeds a DPR action level — not passive posting of raw data
4. Explain why four of six monitoring sites saw 1,3-D levels rise in 2025, and evaluate whether the current regulations and action level are adequate to protect public health.

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