Latest construction news and information for the California and Hawaii regional heavy, highway and non-residential building construction industry en-us http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511.html?nid=4247 Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information. Subject to its Terms of Use July 10, 2009 http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/520042852.html?nid=4247 Once again the actual heavy/highway construction permits recorded in the past 30 to 60 days up and down the State of California show the rather anemic condition of the industry. Although there is a trickling back-on of the CalTrans and Public Works faucet that Gov. Schwarzenegger had turned… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/1190042719.html?nid=4247 This Sunday’s Orange County Register has an excellent article about whether federal stimulus dollars are yet affecting construction in Southern California’s Orange County, one of the wealthiest areas of the state. Sukut Construction, Inc. www.sukut.com was highlighted, being one… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/220042622.html?nid=4247 Typical of what is currently receiving funding for construction in California cities is this project, as relayed in a recent press release: Ledcor Constrcution, Inc., a leading Southern California general contracting firm with U.S. headquarters in San Diego, has been awarded the contract of a new… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/1240042524.html?nid=4247 By 2014, California Air Resources Board (CARB) requires final Tier 4 level technology to be in place on off-road equipment. The following short video was taken at the John Deere test facility near Phoenix, AZ, recently. Joe Mastanduno, Deere’s Engine/Drivetrain marketing manager descr… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/230042223.html?nid=4247 That is the title of an article written by Glenn H. Matteson at FMI Management Consulting and Investment Banking aimed at construction companies. Just letting employees go is not always the best long-term answer. How many cost-cutting/saving ideas have you thought of? I run out of ideas at abo… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/430042043.html?nid=4247 Wanted: Workers with mechanical ability to repair engines, turbines, electrical, perform routine maintenance. Excellent pay/benefits. Must be willing to work 300 feet above ground in windy conditions. If this looks like the opportunity you’ve been looking for, there is the fast growin… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/90041809.html?nid=4247 If you know California’s history, you know that by 1848 these words were written in huge headlines across every eastern newspaper in the U.S.: “Gold! Gold from the American River!!!” That set off a world-wide migration into the territory starting its first construction boo… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/1470041747.html?nid=4247 U.S.A. Today and the New York Times are reporting on where much of the Stimulus Package money is going to end up in the construction industry. Apparently there are some surprises… The Good As the New York Times www.nytimes.com reported last week: “The goal of the stimulus pla… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/1210041521.html?nid=4247 The numbers are in for January 2009. The steep drop-off reflects the stoppage of work by Governor Schwarzenegger in December of most public works projects. The emergency measure was taken because of extreme cash-flow problems prior to a $42 billion budget being hammered out. The economy in general i… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/500041250.html?nid=4247 With California’s fiscal budget signed recently by Governor Schwarzenegger comes a couple of new items for contractors to deal with: a Sales Tax Increase, but also an off-road diesel emissions regulation (CARB) change. AGC California www.agc-ca.org has the details in an “Alert&r… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/1780040978.html?nid=4247 Californians will be paying more sales tax, increased vehicle license fees, and a personal income tax raise of .25 percent, but at least we have a new budget. It could have been better, and sooner, but it could have been worse, too. A $42 billion deficit that was growing out of control has been brou… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/1250040925.html?nid=4247 An ill patient is wheeled into a hospital emergency room. His diagnosis: bacterial pneumonia. Which treatment is best? a.) Administer intravenous strong antibiotics, isolate the patient under careful watch of hospital staff, continue acute treatment until danger h… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/1850040785.html?nid=4247 As of 9:30 a.m. today, California’s legislature had still not agreed on how to wipe out a $42 billion deficit. So, 20,000 government workers will be laid-off, and the remaining public works projects that had escaped the fate of 5,000 other State projects will now have to stop work. Thousa… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/880040688.html?nid=4247 In California, Governor Schwarzenegger California has said there are some $28 billion-worth of infrastructure projects ready to construct. All we need are $$$’s to get them up and running. According to this morning’s Conference Call with American Road & Transportation … http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/1230040523.html?nid=4247 Here is a press release sent recently by Bruce Ross & Associates. It is well worth the time to read—something positive in the construction industry that doesn’t always get talked about much… URS Corporation www.urscorp.com has received an Outstanding Achievement Award… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/680040268.html?nid=4247 Like newly hatched eagles in a nest waiting to be fed, states are clamoring for Federal Stimulus Package $dollars, pronto. California, as is well known, is on the brink of it’s own financial breakdown. At $42 billion (or more) in the red, it has reached the point where various countie… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/360040036.html?nid=4247 The old wisdom says: “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is…”. We were told the President’s Economic Stimulus package was going to jump start the economy, provide heaps of jobs as the country’s infrastructure would be granted $billions for upg… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/730039873.html?nid=4247 That headline caught my attention in an e-mail this week from the American Society for Quality (ASQ). It mentioned the National Science Foundation’s estimates that by 2010 the U.S. will need some 70,000 engineers to keep pace with construction projects. The engineering field is wide o… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/1080039708.html?nid=4247 With construction un-employment in Southern California hovering at record levels-- more so now that the State has a $multi-billion hold on most public infrastructure projects until a $42 billion budget deficit is addressed— some relief was offered last week by the Los Angeles Community College… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/1650039565.html?nid=4247 That is a line from President Obama’s Inaugural Address yesterday, followed with these words: “The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act—not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and the br… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/400039440.html?nid=4247 On January 18, an article entitled “Californians Optimistic Obama Will Reward State” was posted on San Francisco Chronicle's website (www.sfgate.com). It painted an optimistic picture of what President Obama might be able to do to help our State, including the following: … http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/170039217.html?nid=4247 Like a flu epidemic, the California construction industry waits patiently for a sign of recovery and long-term health. But as the latest figures from the Construction Industry Research Board (CIRB) show, the “fever” is getting worse. But this was expected. The problems are made w… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/80039008.html?nid=4247 The Associated General Contractors of California issued press releases this week warning California Public Works contractors to keep pace with whether their projects currently qualify for scarce State funds. View the full recommendations at their website www.agc-ca.org, where they discuss the latest… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/190038819.html?nid=4247 Apparently, unless the Sacramento legislature cobbles together a plan soon to wipe out a $42 billion tax shortage over the next couple of fiscal years, it is about to happen. The state Controller says that in February there won’t be enough cash to pay vendors doing business with th… http://www.acppubs.com/blog/1110000511/post/1470038547.html?nid=4247 This week, The California Integrated Waste Management Board www.ciwmb.ca.gov sent a press release showing some impressive numbers. California diverts 54 million tons of trash for reuse and recycling—nearly 60 percent of all its solid wastes each year. Some of it ends up at new constru…