Houston-based firm opens architectural planning, design office in Bakersfield
A Houston-based architectural planning and design firm has opened a new office in Bakersfield as part of its expansion in California.
PBK said the new office will allow the firm to serve local clients directly and support community causes and initiatives while employing architects, engineers and estimators in Bakersfield.
“Our local Bakersfield team members collaborate with multiple clients in the region, and we look forward to announcing additional project partnerships in the coming months,” Managing Partner for California Bob Lavey said in a news release.
The company added that its Bakersfield team, led by Principal in Charge Rafael Ferreira, will plan and design Pre-K-12 schools, college and university buildings and municipal facilities such as courthouses and public parks.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has granted $30 million to the Long Beachbased company working to convert the former Big West refinery on Rosedale Highway into a renewable diesel processing plant.
Global Clean Energy Holdings Inc. said the money will allow it to measure and validate the advantages of using the grain camelina as an “ultra-low carbon nonfood fuel feedstock” for the refinery.
Besides gauging the crop’s suitability as a feedstock, the grant is expected to help accelerate farmers’ adoption of camelina “without causing land-use change and while increasing carbon capture in the soil,” Global said in a news release Wednesday.
Initially expected to run on used cooking oil and rendered fats, the refinery project has encountered several setbacks and is now more than a year behind schedule and hundreds of millions of dollars over budget. The company that had agreed to buy renewable diesel produced there, ExxonMobil Oil Corp., recently backed out of the deal.
The Greater Bakersfield Chamber has been awarded an inaugural HR Champion Award by the California Chamber of Commerce.
The award was created to recognize chambers that help their membership comply with the state’s labor and employment laws. On May 17, 16 chambers from around the state were honored for such efforts.
“This recognition affirms our commitment to helping businesses in our region navigate California’s complex labor law landscape,” the local chamber’s interim president and CEO, Hillary Haenes, said in a news release.
The chamber noted it hosts HR-related programs sponsored by Young Wooldridge LLP and LeBeau-Thelen LLP, among other resources.
Anyone interested in forming a new business is invited to attend a free webinar starting at 10 a.m. today.
Hosted by SCORE Central Valley, the online event will go over the basics of evaluating business ideas. It will give participants an overview of the skills and tools needed, as well as the pros and cons of launching a new enterprise.
A news release said the presentation will examine the fundamentals of business formation, organization, marketing, cash flow and sources of capital.
Registration can be handled online at https://www.score.org/centralvalley/event/webinar-session-1start-basics-simple-stepsstarting-your-business.
A free workshop set for 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday will teach participants how to maximize Social Security benefits.
Hosted by Safe 1 Credit Union and led by Moneywise Wealth Management Financial Advisor Justin Leland, the event will go over ways married couples can enhance lifetime payouts. Topics will include the impact of working and future benefits, spousal and survivor benefits, taxability of Social Security income and Medicare.
The event will take place at Bakersfield Christian High School, 12775 Stockdale Highway, and will be streamed live on the internet. To register, call 877-7233128 or send an email to marketing@safe1.org.