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Tuolumne County EDA Remains Optimistic

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Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority Director Larry Cope remains “cautiously optimistic” that the current recession may be “bottoming out.”

Cope was also Thursday’s KVML “Newsmaker of the Day”.


According to Cope, “Certain areas of the economy are showing improvement. Manufacturing is up in some areas. Tuolumne County is showing more immediate future promise than other counties in California.


“Our local businesses are hanging on and that’s good. Rather then downsizing they are rightsizing in making an adjustment to these tough economic times.


I do believe that we are gaining and that we are in better shape than we were one year ago.”


Cope points to the SPI’s recent announcment of re-opening the lumber mill in Standard next year along with recent retail announments as positive signs for Tuolumne County’s near future.


Wal-Mart will soon be adding a grocery store, Lowes Home Improvement will be open by the end of the year, Kohl’s is open now and unspecified businesses are eyeing the old Mervyn’s store in Sonora. An announcement of some kind may soon be forthcoming. This all brings both new jobs and new revenue for both the City of Sonora as well as Tuolumne County, according to Cope.


Additionally Cope is closely watching various large projects announced for Jamestown, Big Oak Flat, Groveland and Yosemite Junction. Cope says most of those projects are under preliminary environmental studies and reviews.


The KVML “Newsmaker of the Day” is heard every weekday morning on AM 1450 KVML at 6:47, 7:47 and 8:47am.


Written by mark@mlode.com

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