The boundaries of that service area, however, have yet to be determined. Crime On April 1, 2014, a Kings County jury awarded a $128.6 million verdict in favor of Kings County Ventures and GROW and against McCarthy Family Farms for breach of contract involving the sale of the water rights and against developer John Vidovich and Sandridge Partners for intentional interference of two contracts involving water for the Quay . He asks DWR to demand a full accounting of how much water Sandridge moves, where it comes from and where it ends up. In fact, Vidovich frequently moves water by pipeline, Pace said, pointing to a massive line Vidovich installed that appears to take Angiola groundwater through his Dudley Ridge lands. Contributed Developer, farmer and water trader John Vidovich plans to build a beef feedlot and processing plant near Lemoore according to a preliminary application filed with the county. They have the original 1881 homestead certificate signed by a secretary in the James Garfield administration for 80 acres southeast of Lemoore, where they still live and farm. Karen isnt the only one who feels this way. The title Baron Sandridge was given to Churchill by James II in 1685, and was his first English peerage title (his earlier title, Baron Eyemouth, had been created in 1682 by James . Theyve (Vidovich and Hurley) been way out front on SGMA, Mitchell said. Farmers in the heart of Californias agricultural belt Kings County sense something is awry with their water supplies. Meanwhile, the complaint against Sandridge by Tulare Lake Canal Company is still pending. But farmers Jack Mitchell and Milt Pace are upfront about their distaste for Vidovich and especially Hurley. Vidovich made headlines - and a lot of enemies - in 2009 by permanently selling rights to 14,000 acre feet of state water from a Kings County water district to southern California for $73 million, according to media reports. In addition to inshell and raw natural almonds, a state of the art processing facility provides manufacturing and roasting to your specifications. Sports, Crime This is what businesses do, he said. Philipp Saumweber is an experienced principal investor and operator in the agriculture sector, which he has worked in for over a decade and has deployed capital across the agricultural value chain in Europe, North America and Australasia. Are They as Bad as Reported? The sale is still considered a blow to Kings' water portfolio by other farmers. The 5th District Court of Appeal in Fresno has overturned a $73.4 million verdict against McCarthy Family Farms and Bay Area developer John Vidovich and Sandridge Partners involving a land. Muriel started her career in the US as a personal assistant and then, 14 years was an Executive Assistant working with a large team at Eurostar International. Weather. Hes serious about taking water out of this valley, Pace said. Boswell Company, and Sandridge Partners, controlled by John Vidovich, will be back in court March 23 where Judge Valerie Chrissakis will decide whether the Sandridge pipeline is subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). But thats the way it is. Ben also has experience working in the investment banking division of Credit Suisses general industrials team. Nor for the man who runs it, John Vidovich, nor for his current pipeline project that will move water from various places in Kings County to various other undisclosed locations. Attorneys for the Tulare Lake Canal Company, controlled by the giant J.G. Though the project is billed as flood control, the agreement also allows Vidovich to move groundwater. That water would then be moved south through the aqueduct and banked in Semitropic. Our unique focus on food and agriculture, allows us to better understand particular agribusiness needs faster and have in-depth sector and sub-sector expertise bringing solutions to your business. . Based in Los Altos, California, De Anza Properties is a collaborative, nationwide firm owned and operated by its Principals. Later, Page would run for and win a seat on the Kern County Water Agency board. By comparison, its closest neighbors, Kern, Fresno and Tulare sit at 8,000, 6,000 and 4,800 square miles, respectively. The Kings River Water Association, including the Tulare Lake Basin Water Storage District, where Boswell is the majority landowner, are fighting the plan tooth and nail. Jeff has been involved in the groundwater sustainability planning in his area and is concerned about the out-of-county water transfers hes heard about. transferred or sold large chunks of its surface water, Too little or too much, theres always controversy brewing over Kern River water, Kern River water heads north through flood channel but wont hit Tulare Lake yet, Kaweah River water managers prepare for more high water as the valley heats up, Vibration in Isabella Dam power plant causes temporary halt of Kern River outflows. We listen to our customers, understand their needs and are never satisfied until they are. The Kings River Water Association, including the Tulare Lake Basin Water Storage District, where Boswell is the majority landowner, are fighting the plan saying all available water is already being used. Bilyana holds a BSc in Management with first class honours from Cass Business School and is an ICAEW Chartered Accountant. Wyrick writes that it is believed Sandridge uses a canal/pipeline system to move groundwater from the Tule and Westside subbasins south and west for use in the Southwest Kings GSA as well as lands in the Kern Subbasin. Groundwater agencies up and down the San Joaquin Valley had to file plans with the Department of Water Resources earlier this year showing how they will bring the areas seriously depleted aquifers into balance by 2040 per the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Its not true, he wants to farm.. The project was ordered to remain in stasis until the issue comes back to court. Sandridge filed for a restraining order. The citys political clout, money and history of reaching north to quench its thirst make it an obvious water bogeyman to growers in the San Joaquin Valley. Now Boswell is. While the letter was improvident, attorney Whitney said, it certainly wasnt any kind of peak behind the curtain maintaining it wasnt an official indemnification by Angiola. Whos Responsible for Farm Towns Multibillion Dollar Sinking? Founded in 1966, with legacies dating back more than 100 years; our highly trained staff provides value-added, client-centric investment sales, leasing, advisory, management, and financing services to clients across the . We are one of the largest vertically integrated almond suppliers in the world. var gcse = document.createElement('script'); They are suing Angiola for what they say was Hurleys illegal takeover of the tiny Atwell Island Water District. It has 61 wells capable of pumping a combined 240 cubic feet per second. Last month, the Tulare Lake Canal Company sued Sandridge Partners, the farming and water giant owned by Santa Clara County native John Vidovich, over the construction of a water pipeline in southern Kings County. From ending poverty and hunger to climate change and sustaining our natural resources, food and agriculture lies at the very heart of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The cost to society of pushing out smaller farmers is harder to calculate. His strategy has always been to use about 30% of his land for farming and 70% for its water. Sandridge owns the property that the canal cuts through, he said. The Kings River Water Association, where Boswell is a major rights holder, is suing Tulare Lake Reclamation District 761, controlled by Vidovich, for shipping its Kings River water to Dudley Ridge. It just doesnt look very good for us right now, Smith said. Angiola was rehabbing old wells, drilling new ones and installed a large pipeline. Ben works across all aspects of the firm from business development to portfolio company operations. We amalgamate our water to use on our most productive land. Over the past 12 years, hes moved about 137,000 acre feet of his state water from Kings County south to nut orchards he owns on the west side of Kern, according to state and other water district records. SunnyGem is the one-stop-shop for your almond needs, packing and shipping California varieties worldwide. Boswell farming company pumps there too. People just dont want to face the music.. The agencys role is simply to review groundwater plans to see if theyre adequate. Through Sandridge, Vidovich owns about 130,000 acres with 38,500 acres in Kern, 82,000 acres in Kings, 9,500 acres in Tulare and 300 acres in Fresno county, per ParcelQuest. He has let large swaths of his 100,000+ acres in Kings County go fallow in order to move groundwater to more productive land, typically fields he owns in the Dudley Ridge Water District, in western Kings County. About 25,000 acre feet of groundwater. Water, Latest The plaintiffs, Kings County Ventures and Green Renewable Organic and Water Holdings, sued after the deal fell through in 2009 for their Quay Valley project. But that money enabled me to go into Angiola (a water district in Tulare County) and have other water sources.. When asked if he applies the skills he learned in his military intelligence training to his life today, he answers that we all use the things we learn through life. The fight has spilled out in public comments on the Tulare Lake Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan, which covers most of Kings County. The elder Vidovich built a regional real estate powerhouse, which the younger Vidovich grew into a statewide empire. Hes a 61-year-old developer who grew up on a farm in Sunnyvale in the heart of what would become the Silicon Valley. In contrast, John Vidovich, who helms Sandridge, comes from a Silicon Valley farming-turned-developer family. Home | DMCA | SJV Content Use | Contact, Copyright 2022 SJV Water. Boswell and Vidovich also find themselves on opposite sides of whether the Kings River is being fully utilized by all of its rights holders. Vidovich, he said, is just the new water baron on the block, thats all. The sprawling Semitropic Water Storage District in Kern County wants Kings River flood water that it says current rights holders are letting flow to the ocean in heavy precipitation years. California produces 99% of all domestic walnuts. Angiola agreed not to pump more than 36,000 acre feet a year, or more than 130,000 acre feet in any consecutive five-year period. That act requires groundwater agencies in areas with critically over drafted water basins to draw up plans to bring aquifers into balance by 2040, meaning more water shouldnt be pumped out than goes back in. Designed with by Trinity Mobile Apps, use of the heavy equipment to stop the pipe project is not a protected tactic under the law., Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window), Gov.s proposed $40 million for farmland retirement is welcome but more needed, Boswell bulldozers allowed to stay put, blocking Kings County pipeline project, SJV Water about this new pipeline, Vidovich. SJV Water is a nonprofit, independent online news publication covering water in the San Joaquin Valley. The large, black pipe could be seen . From that perspective, it becomes massively economically inefficient, said Zetland. Yes, critics agree, but Boswell uses that water to irrigate in the district. If the State Water Resources Control Board determines that the Kings River Water Association isnt fully using its water rights, it could give those rights away. Michael was a business development director for one of Sunridge Partners' portfolio companies. Vidovich freely admits that most of his land is for water rights. Trenching for the pipeline was slated to cut under the Tulare Lake Canal in late January but the canal company, which is controlled by Boswell, made several demands. However, during testimony in the states Kings River proceeding, Boswell employee Mark Unruh said the company irrigates nearly year-round, from late October through the summer. But in the ongoing legal fracas, a declaration by Sandridge Farm Manager Craig Andrew sketches out the picture. Mavens Notebook is an excellent daily accounting of California water happenings statewide. Work with nature; dont fight it, Avila said repeatedly. But out in the Buena Vista Water Storage District where Vidovich chairs the board, his original detractors all love him, Page said. Every step would require environmental oversight, permitting and public hearings. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. She also found that Tulare Lake Canal Company did not have the right under its easement to block the pipeline with heavy equipment and ordered the tractors off the canal banks. Number three, water from Angiola cant physically get to Semitropics proposed storage cells. Its happened before, he said, up in Green Valley, which is west of Interstate 5 and a few miles north of the Kern County line. We help agribusiness owners, operators, and entrepreneurs grow their businesses into industry leaders with the help of our capital and strong industry focussed expertise, globally, Our unique focus on food and agriculture, allows us to better understand particular agribusiness needs faster and have in-depth sector and sub-sector expertise bringing solutions to your business, Our stewardship and value creation track-record is unparalleled and our investing, operations and business development skills add value beyond just capital, We are driven by the highest environmental, ethical and socially responsible principles and work with you to achieve the best possible outcomes for all stakeholders during the whole lifetime of our ownership, As we are family backed, we pride ourselves on providing patient and long-term capital, We can provide owners and operations with the following solutions, We have flexible mandate to create custom solutions for owners and operators wishing to either fully transition a business yet also have the ability to form mutually beneficial partnerships for ownership and growth, Growth capital (organic and acquisitions), Financing for management buy-outs/buy-ins, Real estate and agriculture tourism development (full in-house design & construction teams). Carol has been working with the Sunridge team since 2014. It would involve a public permitting process and be very difficult, not to mention expensive, both men said. Mortgage Fees Increase Today. SunnyGem is the one-stop-shop for your almond needs, packing and shipping California varieties worldwide. It will likely never be forgotten that Vidovich sold the rights to 14,000 acre feet of State Water Project water for $79 million in 2009 to the San Bernardino-based Mojave Water District. A strong, diverse farming sector is vital to the local economy and food security and it requires water. All rights reserved. 2023 www.visaliatimesdelta.com. Thats partly due to drought but also greater use. In the meantime, Boswell and Vidovich have brought their concerns to Californias DWR, which oversees transfers involving state water. First off, Hurley said, hes not Vidovichs henchman. There, a company he controls, Sandridge Partners, grows . However, Vidovich has been somewhat of a welcome presence to some in Kings County. John Vidovich General Partner Contact 2 Contact 3 Contact 4 See All Contacts Dynamic search and list-building capabilities Real-time trigger alerts Comprehensive company profiles Valuable research and technology reports Get a D&B Hoovers Free Trial Financial Data John Vidovich Active Sunnyvale, CA President for De Anza Building & Maintenance Construction, Inc. (408)738-4444 Overview 46 Companies 8 Connections 7 Locations Contribute Follow John Vidovich Overview John Thomas Vidovich has been associated with forty-six companies, according to public records. He ran, unsuccessfully for city council in his hometown of Los Altos Hills in 2006. Vidovich owns the property in question, and he is well known in Valley circles. The judge made a partial ruling in June that long standing river agreements do allow river owners to move water within the service area. SANDRIDGE PARTNERS, L.P. Company Number 201005600010 Status Active Incorporation Date 4 February 2010 (about 13 years ago) Company Type Limited Partnership - CA Jurisdiction California (US) Registered Address 920 WEST FREMONT AVE SUNNYVALE CA 94087 United States Directors / Officers JOHN VIDOVICH, LLC, general partner Inactive Directors / Officers And I want to keep farming.. HANFORD, Calif. (AP) A Kings County jury has awarded $128.6 million to developers of a proposed solar-powered city who claimed the land sellers broke a contract when they sold the parcels and water rights to someone else. The titans behind the comments are J.G. For his part, Vidovich is ready for the water pinch. But water pipelines arent permitted or monitored by Kings County, according to the county Public Works Director, so its impossible to know if they stop at the county line. Vidovich made an offer on the land and Page took it. Boswell Company, and Sandridge Partners, controlled by John Vidovich, will be back in court March 23 where Judge Valerie Chrissakis will decide whether the Sandridge pipeline is subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). John Vidovich, ultimately, followed in his fathers footsteps after obtaining a law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law. Its not good in the long term, he said. Weve all seen it, said walnut farmer Steve Walker. California Farming Country Buckles Under COVID-19. One of Angiolas main well fields is actually inside the Pixley Irrigation District boundaries where water managers were concerned by the amount of water leaving their district. It should be noted here that Angiolas general manager is Matthew Hurley. The case status is Disposed - Dismissed. So, capturing that south fork floodwater would benefit both Kings and Kern county farmers, according to Semitropics Gianquinto. Groundwater and floodwater are two very different things. To get there, the pipeline has to cross under a Boswell-controlled canal. Observers worry that Vidovich plans to pump Kings and Tulare counties dry, park that water in Kern County and then sell it to the highest bidder in dry years, leaving a once-thriving farm district barren. Angiola was ordered to stop pumping and eventually the districts came to a settlement. Ultimately, he said, even if Boswell and Sandridge did move all their state water out of Kings County, its a fairly minor loss to the county. His father, Stephen Vidovich, formed De Anza Properties and helped develop the valley. A single walnut requires nearly five gallons of water to produce. Sandridge filed a restraining order to have the excavators, bulldozers and trucks removed, but Kings County Superior Court Understanding water, water rights and the often complex structures of water districts has become a Vidovich hallmark. To do that, the state requires each area to form Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) to account for whats going in and coming out of the aquifer. Yeah, hes got a lot of money and hes been buying up land, makes some people nervous, Page said. He became more involved with De Anza, working with his dad, whom he describes as bigger than life.. At face value, the Tulare Lake Canal Company is simply making sure a construction project doesnt harm its current or future operations. The district has already paid him $40 million for an easement, or right of way, on that land and signed an agreement with him for how the project would operate. He said Sandridge is controlled by developer John Vidovich of Los Altos Hills and others. For the portions that can be tracked through state and other water district records, the water is mostly flowing south to Kern County, much of it from Kings Countys two largest and most powerful farming operations J.G. Theres so many canals and ways it can move; its hard to track, he said. After Vidovich sold his Dudley Ridge state water, Pace said he drilled several wells in Green Valley, built a pipeline across I-5 and took the valleys groundwater to keep his Dudley Ridge trees alive. He was semi-retired living in Clovis when another Kings County farmer, Pat McCarthy not Vidovich called him to do some work for Angiola. Previously, Ben spent three years working with Boston Consulting Group as a Senior Associate in London and Melbourne. They went to law school together and joined the same program in the Navy reserves. Vidovich isnt the only pumper in that area, his supporters note. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for credit broking and consumer hire activity (FRN 724309). From our farming company, growing partners, and all of our employees we pay attention to every detail of our almonds, from the orchards to the finished product. Copyright 2023 SunnyGem. He recalled bidding on a construction project while studying for the bar exam. Through Sandridge, Vidovich owns about 130,000 acres with 38,500 acres in Kern, 82,000 acres in Kings, 9,500 acres in Tulare and 300 acres in Fresno county, per ParcelQuest. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; This is all being driven by the JG Boswell Company out of animus, not out of practicality, Whitney told the judge. Its really, really not cool, Vidovich said. He specialised in product and growth strategy projects within the consumer and food space. It is an administrator, delivering supplies on direction of its landowners, such as Sandridge, said Sandridge attorney Marshall Whitney. When you first meet John Vidovich, everything from his ball cap to his dirty boots tells you hes a farmer.
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