Environmental engineers once toiled in relative obscurity, but today their work encompasses areas that are very much in the public eye

A local water district working with state and federal agencies recently finished a $350,000 project that will help fish travel up steam, while creating jobs and providing other economic benefits into the future.

Mark Chandler, the Lodi Winegrape Commission’s executive director since its inception in 1991, retired at the end of 2011 after 20 years on the job.

Longevity in a family-owned business is a sign of solid foundation, good business principles, and a dedication to providing patrons services they can trust. It also says much about the family running the business.

More and more people in the Central Valley are turning to boutiques, those small shopping outlets usually specializing in fashionable jewelry and clothing.

Agriculture continues to power the Central Valley’s economic engine, despite a troublesome economy and unpredictable weather.

Ayman Sulaiman is already a successful businessman whose 45 Baby Nutritional Care stores provide food for the Women Infant and Children (WIC) state-based nutrition program, a retail niche that generated nearly $30 million in 2009.

In 1959, Oscar winning film composer Dimitri Tiomkin wrote a thrilling score for a twenty-two minute animated film depicting the impact of steel on humanity throughout history; the Pittsburgh Steelers are giants of the gridiron; and today this interest in the metal has generated Steel Day which has become an annual event across the country.

Small businesses need all the help they can get during this economic recession and the Small Business Administration (SBA) is doing its part by making loans in record dollar amounts.

According to the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), the credit union industry is in good shape nationally with 91 million members receiving all or part of their financial services from them. The nation’s 7,794 credit unions have total assets of $886 billion, loans of $583.6 billion, surplus funds amounting to $268.2 billion and consumer savings of $748.9 billion.