1.
U.S. state
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A U. S. state is a constituent political entity of the United States of America. There are 50 states, which are together in a union with each other. Each state holds administrative jurisdiction over a geographic territory. Due to the shared sovereignty between each state and the government, Americans are citizens of both the federal republic and of the state in which they reside. State citizenship and residency are flexible, and no government approval is required to move between states, except for persons covered by certain types of court orders. States range in population from just under 600,000 to over 39 million, four states use the term commonwealth rather than state in their full official names. States are divided into counties or county-equivalents, which may be assigned some local authority but are not sovereign. County or county-equivalent structure varies widely by state, State governments are allocated power by the people through their individual constitutions. All are grounded in principles, and each provides for a government. States possess a number of powers and rights under the United States Constitution, Constitution has been amended, and the interpretation and application of its provisions have changed. The general tendency has been toward centralization and incorporation, with the government playing a much larger role than it once did. There is a debate over states rights, which concerns the extent and nature of the states powers and sovereignty in relation to the federal government. States and their residents are represented in the federal Congress, a legislature consisting of the Senate. Each state is represented in the Senate by two senators, and is guaranteed at least one Representative in the House, members of the House are elected from single-member districts. Representatives are distributed among the states in proportion to the most recent constitutionally mandated decennial census, the Constitution grants to Congress the authority to admit new states into the Union. Since the establishment of the United States in 1776, the number of states has expanded from the original 13 to 50, alaska and Hawaii are the most recent states admitted, both in 1959. The Constitution is silent on the question of states have the power to secede from the Union. Shortly after the Civil War, the U. S. Supreme Court, in Texas v. White, as a result, while the governments of the various states share many similar features, they often vary greatly with regard to form and substance
2.
Fresno, California
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Fresno (/ˈfrɛznoʊ/ FREZ-no is a city in California, United States, and the county seat of Fresno County. It covers about 112 square miles in the center of the San Joaquin Valley, named for the abundant ash trees lining the San Joaquin River, Fresno was founded in 1872 as a railway station of the Central Pacific Railroad before it was incorporated in 1885. The population of Fresno proper soared in the half of the 20th century. It was here in Fresno in 1958 that Bank of America first launched the BankAmericard credit card, Fresno is near the geographical center of California. It lies approximately 220 miles northeast of Los Angeles,170 miles south of the capital, Sacramento. Yosemite National Park is about 60 miles to the north, Kings Canyon National Park is 60 miles to the east, the county of Fresno was formed in 1856 after the California Gold Rush. It was named for the abundant ash trees lining the San Joaquin River, Millerton, then on the banks of the free-flowing San Joaquin River and close to Fort Miller, became the county seat after becoming a focal point for settlers. Other early county settlements included Firebaughs Ferry, Scottsburg and Elkhorn Springs, the San Joaquin River flooded on December 24,1867, inundating Millerton. Flooding also destroyed the town of Scottsburg on the nearby Kings River that winter, rebuilt on higher ground, Scottsburg was renamed Centerville. In 1867, Anthony McQeen Easterby purchased land bounded by the present Chestnut, Belmont, Clovis and California avenues, unable to grow wheat for lack of water, he hired sheep man Moses J. Church in 1871 to create an irrigation system. Building new canals and purchasing existing ditches, Church then formed the Fresno Canal and Irrigation Company, in 1872, the Central Pacific Railroad established a station near Easterbys—by now a hugely productive wheat farm—for its new Southern Pacific line. Soon there was a store around the station and the store grew the town of Fresno Station, many Millerton residents, drawn by the convenience of the railroad and worried about flooding, moved to the new community. Fresno became a city in 1885. By 1931 the Fresno Traction Company operated 47 streetcars over 49 miles of track, in 1877, William Helm made Fresno his home with a five-acre tract of land at the corner of Fresno and R streets. Helm was the largest individual sheep grower in Fresno County, in carrying his wool to market at Stockton, he used three wagons, each drawn by ten mules, and spent twelve days in making the round trip. Two years after the station was established, county residents voted to move the county seat from Millerton to Fresno, when the Friant Dam was completed in 1944, the site of Millerton became inundated by the waters of Millerton Lake. In extreme droughts, when the reservoir shrinks, ruins of the county seat can still be observed. In the nineteenth century, with so much wooden construction and in the absence of sophisticated firefighting resources, fires often ravaged American frontier towns, the greatest of Fresnos early-day fires, in 1882, destroyed an entire block of the city
3.
Clovis, California
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Clovis is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The 2014 population was estimated to be 102,189, Clovis is located 6.5 miles northeast of downtown Fresno, at an elevation of 361 feet. The city of Clovis began as a stop along the San Joaquin Valley Railroad. Organized on January 15,1890, by Fresno businessmen Thomas E. Hughes, Fulton Berry, Gilbert R. Osmun, colson, John D. Gray, and William M. The railroad purchased right-of-way from both farmers, half from each – the east side from Cole and the west side from Owen –, the railroad agreed to establish a station on the west side of the tracks and to call it Clovis. The Clovis station, after which the town was named, was positioned on the Owen side of the track, Cole and Owen later sold land to Marcus Pollasky for development of a townsite. Fresno civil engineer Ingvart Tielman mapped the townsite on behalf of Pollasky on December 29,1891, the original townsite featured streets named for the officers and principal investors of the railroad, Woodworth, Pollasky, Fulton, Hughes, Osmun, and Baron. The townsite, named Clovis by Pollasky, was out on what was originally Owens land. The railroad was completed as far as the town of Hamptonville on the banks of the San Joaquin River, at the time, Hamptonville was called Pollasky. A celebration of the completion of track-laying was held at the Pollasky terminus on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving of 1891 with a reported 3,000 Fresnans attending, the railroad began official operation in January 1892. The first year of operation of the railroad coincided with the beginnings of a national economic decline. Farmers were unable to get profitable return on their crops, banks, the SJVRR was unable to generate sufficient revenues to pay its debt, was leased to the Southern Pacific Railroad and subsequently bought by SPRR in 1893. By reducing the railroads schedule of operation and trimming costs, the Southern Pacific was able to turn a profit in the first years after its acquisition. At the same time that the railroad was being planned, a group of Michigan lumbermen began acquiring thousands of acres of timber in the Sierra Nevada about 75 miles northeast of Fresno. A dam was built across Stevenson Creek to create a lake that would enable them to move freshly cut timber to a mill beside the lake and they then constructed a 42-mile, 25-foot-high, V-shaped flume that started at the foot of the dam. As lumber was rough-cut at the mill, it was loaded into the flume, the lumber mill and yard had its own network of rails to move lumber around the yard and to connect with the SJVRR just south of Clovis station. The completion in 1894 of the flume and commencement of mill operations provided the impetus for further development of the area around the Clovis Station. The town began to shape as lumber yard employees built homes close to their employment
4.
Madera, California
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Madera is a city in California and the county seat of Madera County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 61,416. Located in the San Joaquin Valley, Madera is a city of the Madera–Chowchilla Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Madera County. It is located in Californias San Joaquin Valley, the city is also home to the Madera Unified School District. Madera is located at 36°57′41″N 120°03′39″W, the geographic center of California is 38 mi east of Madera. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 15.8 square miles. Madera is the location of the Madera AVA wine region, Madera has a hot semi-arid climate. Average January temperatures are a maximum of 53.9 °F, the record high temperature was 116 °F on July 13,1961. The record low temperature was 15 °F on January 10,1949, average annual rainfall is 10.97 inches and there are an average of 43 days with measurable precipitation. The wettest year was 1983 with 22.13 inches and the driest year was 1932 with 4.73 inches, the most rainfall in one month was 7.11 inches in March 1991. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 2.60 inches on May 6,2005, although snow is rare,4.0 inches fell in January 1962. The town was named after the Spanish term for lumber, the town was laid out by the California Lumber Company in 1876. From 1876 to 1931 a 63-mile water flume carried lumber from the mountains to Madera where the lumber was shipped by train, the first post office at Madera opened in 1877 and the town incorporated on March 27,1907. One of the citys first African Americans to hold an office was Rev. Naaman N. Haynes. Landmarks include the notable and historic Madera water tower and a fully operational drive-in movie theater, the adopted son of classical guitarist Francisco Mayorga and film actress Lupe Mayorga, who were living in Madera at the time. His early life in Madera is eloquently covered in his autobiography, cowen award from the American Geophysical Union in Washington, DC. Frank Bergon, the author of four novels including Jesses Ghost, lee Evans, Olympic gold medalist and former world record holder in track and field. Zoila Frausto, womens Mixed Martial Arts champion Lavar Johnson, American mixed martial artist who competed as a heavyweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, jack W. Kelso, Medal of Honor recipient
5.
Chowchilla, California
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Chowchilla is a city in Madera County, California. The citys population was 18,720 at the 2010 United States Census, Chowchilla is located 15 miles northwest of Madera, at an elevation of 240 feet. It is a city of the Madera–Chowchilla metropolitan statistical area. The city is the location of two California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities, the Central California Womens Facility and Valley State Prison, the name Chowchilla is derived from the indigenous American tribe of Chaushila Yokut Indians which once lived in the area. The name evidently translates as murderers and is apparently a reference to the nature of the Chaushila tribe. It is also to be known among the Yokuts tribes later on to be associated with bravery, the Chaushila Indians were inadvertently responsible for the first white men discovering Yosemite Valley, which occurred when they were being pursued by a band of whites. References to the tribe still abound in Chowchilla, and until 2016 the towns high school used the moniker Redskins as their mascot, the first post office at Chowchilla opened in 1912, and the city incorporated eleven years later, in 1923. Chowchilla made national news on July 15,1976, when 26 children and their bus driver were kidnapped and held in a buried moving van at a quarry in Livermore. The driver and some of the children were able to escape, the quarry owners son and two friends were convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Chowchilla is located at 37°7′N 120°16′W, according to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14,815 acres, all of it land. Chowchila is 250 miles north of Downtown Los Angeles, the climate of Chowchilla is Mediterranean. It receives an average of about 12 inches of precipitation per year, the wettest months are January, February, and March with March being the wettest. Chowchilla has dry, hot summers, and mild to cool, Chowchilla experiences frequent fog from November to March and overcast days are common, especially in January. In 2005, Chowchilla had 20 consecutive cloudy, rainy days, there are days with moderate to heavy rain during the winter months. In January, the temperature may drop as low as 45 °F. During the summer, when there is no rain, the temperature may reach as high as 110 °F. Snow in Chowchilla is rare. The city is the location of two California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities, the Central California Womens Facility and Valley State Prison, Central California Womens houses the states female death row. Three public school districts serve the residents of Chowchilla and the surrounding area, Chowchilla Elementary School District, Alview-Dairyland Union School District, and Chowchilla Union High School District make up the local public school system
6.
North Palisade
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North Palisade is the third highest mountain in the Sierra Nevada range of California. It is the highest peak of the Palisades group of peaks in the part of the range. It sports a small glacier and several highly prized rock climbing routes on its northeast side, North Palisade has a collection of names from the 19th century. The Wheeler Survey referred to it as Northwest Palisade in 1878, the following year, Lil Winchell called it Dusys Peak after local rancher Frank Dusy. In 1895, Bolton Brown advocated yet another name, after David Starr Jordan, senator Dianne Feinstein, supported by U. S. Senator Barbara Boxer, has introduced legislation to rename the peak as Brower Palisade, there is significant opposition to this proposal. The first ascent was made on July 25,1903 by James S. Hutchinson, Joseph Nisbet LeConte and they approached the area overland from south of the Palisades, and scouted possible routes from the summits of Marion Peak and Mount Sill. Armed with this intelligence, they planned to ascend the southwest chute of the U Notch, around 13,100 feet, they followed a northward branch of this chute, and slowly climbed a difficult system of cracks. From here they found a catwalk ledge that took them to a series of icy gullies and these gullies were blocked by a pair of chockstones, requiring class 4 moves to pass. Beyond these obstacles, they crested the southeast ridge, and climbed a series of blocks to the summit. After making this climb, LeConte is quoted as writing in a letter, put Dusys name on some less imposing mass, and give us a name to be handed down through all time. The peak has been called North Palisade since that day, North Palisade has several named subsidiary peaks. These all lie on the ridge crest, and are as follows, Polemonium Peak,14. This lies between the U-Notch and V-Notch couloirs,0.15 mi east-southeast of North Palisade, named on the USGS topographic map. The peak is named for the Polemonium eximium skypilot found in the area and this is the northwest summit of North Palisade, less than 0.1 mi from the main summit. Some climbing routes end atop this peak known for its famous Milk Bottle, about 0.25 mi northwest of North Palisade. Named on the USGS topographic map, the Sierra Club guidebook notes, This was the last 14,000 foot peak to be climbed in the Sierra. During a wild storm on the first ascent, a bolt of lightning left Jules Eichorn severely shaken, List of mountain peaks of California List of highest points in California by county The Palisades of the Sierra Nevada North Palisade
7.
San Joaquin Valley
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Although a majority of the valley is rural, it does contain urban cities such as Fresno, Bakersfield, Stockton, Modesto, Turlock, Porterville, Visalia, Merced, and Hanford. Unlike the Sacramento Valley, the system for which the San Joaquin Valley is named does not extend very far along the valley. Most of the south of Fresno, instead, drains into Tulare Lake. The valleys primary river is the San Joaquin, which drains north through half of the valley into the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta. The Kings and Kern Rivers are in the endorheic basin of the valley. The San Joaquin Valley began to form about 66 million years ago during the early Paleocene era, broad fluctuations in the sea level caused various areas of the valley to be flooded with ocean water for the next 60 million years. About 5 million years ago, the outlets began to close due to uplift of the coastal ranges. Starting 2 million years ago, a series of glacial episodes periodically caused much of the valley to become a fresh water lake, Lake Corcoran was the last widespread lake to fill the valley about 700,000 years ago. At the beginning of the Holocene there were three major lakes remaining in the part of the Valley, Tulare Lake, Buena Vista Lake. In the late 19th and in the 20th century, agricultural diversion of the Kern River eventually dried out these lakes and its rainy season normally runs from November through April, but since 2011 when a drought became evident it generally received minimal to no rain at all. The drought was still extant by mid-August 2014 with scientists saying it would continue indefinitely. Research from NASA shows that parts of the San Joaquin Valley sank as much as 8 inches in a four-month period, the sinking has destroyed thousands of groundwater well casings and has the potential to damage aqueducts, roads, bridges, and flood-control structures. In the long term, the caused by extracting groundwater could irreversibly reduce the underground aquifers water storage capacity. The National Weather Service Forecast Office for the San Joaquin Valley is located in Hanford, Weather forecasts and climatological information for the San Joaquin Valley are available from its official website. The total population of the eight counties comprising the San Joaquin Valley at the time of the 2010 U. S. Census was 3,971,659. Grapes—table, raisin, and to a lesser extent wine—are perhaps the valleys highest-profile product, but equally important are cotton, nuts, citrus, and vegetables. Though it has been called The food basket of the World, walnuts, oranges, peaches, garlic, tangerines, tomatoes, kiwis, hay, alfalfa and numerous other crops have been harvested with great success. DeRuosi Nut, a large processing plant in Escalon, has been in the valley since 1947
8.
United States
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Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east, the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U. S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean, the geography, climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse. At 3.8 million square miles and with over 324 million people, the United States is the worlds third- or fourth-largest country by area, third-largest by land area. It is one of the worlds most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago. European colonization began in the 16th century, the United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast. Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the following the Seven Years War led to the American Revolution. On July 4,1776, during the course of the American Revolutionary War, the war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain, representing the first successful war of independence against a European power. The current constitution was adopted in 1788, after the Articles of Confederation, the first ten amendments, collectively named the Bill of Rights, were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties. During the second half of the 19th century, the American Civil War led to the end of slavery in the country. By the end of century, the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean. The Spanish–American War and World War I confirmed the status as a global military power. The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the sole superpower. The U. S. is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Organization of American States. The United States is a developed country, with the worlds largest economy by nominal GDP. It ranks highly in several measures of performance, including average wage, human development, per capita GDP. While the U. S. economy is considered post-industrial, characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy, the United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally, and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations. In 1507, the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller produced a map on which he named the lands of the Western Hemisphere America after the Italian explorer and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci
9.
Fresno County, California
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Fresno County, officially the County of Fresno, is a county located in the northern portion of the U. S. state, California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 930,450, the county seat is Fresno, the fifth-largest city in California. Fresno County comprises the Fresno, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the Fresno-Madera and it is located in the Central Valley, south of Stockton and north of Bakersfield. The area now known as Fresno County is the homeland of Yokuts and Mono peoples. In 1846, this became part of the United States as a result of the Mexican War. Fresno County was formed in 1856 from parts of Mariposa, Merced, Fresno is Spanish for ash tree and it was in recognition of the abundance of the shrubby local Ash, Fraxinus dipetala, growing along the San Joaquin River that it received its name. Parts of Fresno Countys territory were given to Mono County in 1861, the settling of Fresno County was not without its conflicts, land disputes, and other natural disasters. Floods caused immeasurable damage elsewhere and fires also plagued the settlers of Fresno County, in 1882, the greatest of the early day fires wiped out an entire block of the city of Fresno, and was followed by another devastating blaze in 1883. At the same time residents brought irrigation, electricity, and extensive agriculture to the area, moses Church developed the first canals, called Church Ditches, for irrigation. These canals allowed extensive cultivation of wheat, francis Eisen, leader of the wine industry in Fresno County, also began the raisin industry in 1875, when he accidentally let some of his grapes dry on the vine. Easterby and Clovis Cole developed extensive grain and cattle ranches and these and other citizens laid the groundwork for the cultivation of Fresno County – now one of the nations leading agricultural regions. In more recent times became a major crop in Fresno and the southern San Joaquin Valley. The Coalinga field continues to produce oil, and is currently the eighth-largest field in the state. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 6,011 square miles. Major watercourses are the San Joaquin, Kings River, Delta-Mendota Canal, Big Creek, Friant Kern Canal, Helm Canal and it is bordered on the west by the Coast Range and on the east by the Sierra Nevada. It is the center of an agricultural area, known as the most agriculturally rich county in the United States. The county withdrew 3.7 billion US gallons of water per day in 2000. Fresno County is part of the Madera AVA wine region, Fresno was actually named after two particular ash trees that grew near the town of Minkler on the Kings River, one of which is still alive and standing
10.
Madera County, California
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Madera County, officially the County of Madera, is a county at the geographic center of the U. S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 150,865, Madera County comprises the Madera, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Fresno-Madera, CA Combined Statistical Area. It is located in the eastern San Joaquin Valley and the central Sierra Nevada, the southeasternmost part of Yosemite National Park is located in the countys northeast. Madera County was formed in 1893 from the part of Mariposa County during a special election held on May 16,1893. Citizens residing in the area that was to become Madera County voted 1,179 to 358 for establishment of the new county, Madera is the Spanish term for wood. The county derives its name from the town of Madera, named when the California Lumber Company built a log flume to carry lumber to the Central Pacific Railroad there in 1876. The Madera County Sheriffs Department employed the first woman in California to die in the line of duty as a law enforcement officer—Tulare native Lucille Helm. For 15 years, the Madera housewife and mother of four worked on call as a matron assisting with female transfers. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 2,153 square miles. Madera County is part of the Madera AVA wine region, devils Postpile National Monument Inyo National Forest Sierra National Forest Yosemite National Park The 2010 United States Census reported that Madera County had a population of 150,865. The racial makeup of Madera County was 94,456 White,5,629 African American,4,136 Native American,2,802 Asian,162 Pacific Islander,37,380 from other races, Hispanic or Latino of any race were 80,992 persons. As of the census of 2000, there are 123,109 people in the county, organized into 36,155 households, the population density is 58 people per square mile. There are 40,387 housing units at a density of 19 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county is 62. 2% White,4. 1% Black or African American,2. 6% Native American,1. 3% Asian,0. 2% Pacific Islander,24. 4% from other races, and 5. 2% from two or more races. 44. 3% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race,8. 0% were of German,5. 9% English,5. 4% American and 5. 3% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 63. 6% spoke English and 33. 7% Spanish as their first language,16. 5% of all households are made up of individuals and 7. 7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 3.18 and the family size is 3.52. In the county, the population is out with 29. 6% under the age of 18,9. 9% from 18 to 24,29. 1% from 25 to 44,20. 4% from 45 to 64
11.
Combined statistical area
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A combined statistical area is composed of adjacent metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas in the United States and Puerto Rico that can demonstrate economic or social linkage. These areas that retain their own designations as metropolitan or micropolitan statistical areas within the larger combined statistical area. The primary distinguishing factor between a CSA and an MSA is that the social and economic ties between the individual MSAs within a CSA are at lower levels than between the counties within an MSA, cSAs represent multiple metropolitan or micropolitan areas that have an employment interchange of 25. CSAs often represent regions with overlapping labor and media markets, as of July 2012, there are 166 combined statistical areas in the United States, plus three in Puerto Rico. S. S. Combined Statistical Areas of the United States and Puerto Rico, link United States Government United States Census Bureau 2010 United States Census USCB population estimates United States Office of Management and Budget
12.
Northern California
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Northern California, often abbreviated NorCal, is the northern portion of the U. S. state of California. The 48-county definition is not used for the Northern California Megaregion, the megaregions area is instead defined from Metropolitan Fresno north to Greater Sacramento, and from the Bay Area east across Nevada state line to encompass the entire Lake Tahoe-Reno area. The arrival of European explorers from the early 16th to the mid-18th centuries, in 1770, the Spanish mission at Monterey was the first European settlement in the area, followed by other missions along the coast—eventually extending as far north as Sonoma County. Northern California is not a geographic designation. Californias north-south midway division is around 37° latitude, near the level of San Francisco, popularly, though, Northern California usually refers to the states northernmost 48 counties. This definition coincides with the county lines at 35° 47′ 28″ north latitude, the term is also applied to the area north of Point Conception and the Tehachapi Mountains. Because of Californias large size and diverse geography, the state can be subdivided in other ways as well, the state is often considered as having an additional division north of the urban areas of the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento metropolitan areas. The coastal area north of the Bay Area is referred to as the North Coast while the region north of Sacramento is referred by locals as the Northstate. Since the events of the California Gold Rush, Northern California has been a leader on the economic, scientific. In science, advances range from being the first to isolate and name fourteen transuranic chemical elements, other examples of innovation across diverse fields range from Genentech to CrossFit as a pioneer in extreme human fitness and training. It is also Home to one of the largest Air Force Bases on the West Coast, Northern Californias largest metropolitan area is the San Francisco Bay Area which includes the cities of San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, and their many suburbs. In recent years the Bay Area has drawn more commuters from as far as Central Valley cities such as Sacramento, Stockton, Fresno, Turlock and Modesto. The 2010 U. S. Census showed that the Bay Area grew at a faster rate than the Greater Los Angeles Area while Greater Sacramento had the largest growth rate of any area in California. The states larger cities are considered part of Northern California in cases when the state is divided into two parts. The first European to explore the coast was Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, sailing for the Spanish Crown, in 1542, beginning in 1565, the Spanish Manila galleons crossed the Pacific Ocean from Mexico to the Spanish Philippines, with silver and gemstones from Mexico. The Manila galleons returned across the northern Pacific, and reached North America usually off the coast of northern California, in 1579, northern California was visited by the English explorer Sir Francis Drake who landed north of todays San Francisco and claimed the area for England. In 1602, the Spaniard Sebastián Vizcaíno explored Californias coast as far north as Monterey Bay, other Spanish explorers sailed along the coast of northern California for the next 150 years, but no settlements were established. The first European inhabitants were Spanish missionaries, who built missions along the California coast, the mission at Monterey was first established in 1770, and at San Francisco in 1776
13.
Greater Sacramento
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The metropolitan area experienced a growth of nearly 20% in the last decade. In the 2000 census, the Sacramento MSA had a population of 1,930,857 and it lies in the Central Valley and Sierra Nevada regions of California as well as a small region of Western Nevada. Greater Sacramento also contains sites of natural beauty including Lake Tahoe and it is also located in one of the worlds most important agricultural areas. The regions eastern counties are located in Gold Country, site of the California Gold Rush, the Greater Sacramento area is composed of eight counties, two metropolitan areas and two micropolitan areas. Sutter and Yuba counties comprise the Yuba City Metropolitan Statistical Area, Nevada County comprises the Truckee-Grass Valley Micropolitan Area, and Douglas County comprises the Gardnerville Ranchos micropolitan area. An increasing phenomenon taking shape in Greater Sacramento is growth of urban sprawl as Sacramento, local and state governments are trying to prevent destruction of forests and open land and curbing the spread before Sacramento faces an urban sprawl crisis as the Greater Los Angeles Area has. It is the only interstate MSA/CSA in California, Sacramento is the largest city in the metropolitan area, home to nearly 470,000, making it the sixth largest city in California and the 35th largest in the United States. It has been the capital of California since 1851 and has played an important role in the history of California. When gold was discovered in nearby Sutters Mill in Coloma, Sacramento became a boom town luring in migrants making their way from San Francisco to the fields of the Sierras. Sacramento today continues to be one of the largest rail hubs in North America, in 2002, Time Magazine featured an article recognizing Sacramento as the most diverse and integrated city in America. Government jobs are still the largest sector of employment in the city, the remainder of Sacramento County is suburban in general with most of the working population commuting to Downtown Sacramento and with a smaller proportion commuting all the way to the Bay Area. El Dorado and Placer Counties form the remainder of the core of Greater Sacramento and are composed of the Sierra foothills. Placer County has been an important mining area not only for gold, the Yuba-Sutter Area consists of Yuba and Sutter counties and is a primarily agricultural area, although the southern area is more suburban in character. It is home to Sunsweet Growers, which owns the worlds largest dried fruit plant in Yuba City. The Donner Memorial State Park is located in the county, where the ill-fated Donner Party was trapped in winter storms in 1846–47 while attempting to make it to California on an organized trip. Douglas County, is the county in Nevada in the Greater Sacramento area and is the only non-Californian county to be located in a California metropolitan region. The addition of Douglas County is recent, as Greater Sacramento continues to grow beyond its region, Western Nevada continues to be influenced by Sacramento and California. Douglas County is home of Tahoe resorts and casinos as well as suburban outskirts of Sacramento, the western half of Greater Sacramento is centered on the Central Valley, one of the most vital agricultural areas in the country
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2010 United States Census
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The 2010 United States Census, is the twenty-third and currently most recent United States national census. National Census Day, the day used for the census, was April 1,2010. As part of a drive to increase the accuracy,635,000 temporary enumerators were hired. The population of the United States was counted as 308,745,538, as required by the United States Constitution, the U. S. census has been conducted every 10 years since 1790. The 2000 U. S. Census was the previous census completed, participation in the U. S. Census is required by law in Title 13 of the United States Code. On January 25,2010, Census Bureau Director Robert Groves personally inaugurated the 2010 Census enumeration by counting World War II veteran Clifton Jackson, more than 120 million census forms were delivered by the U. S. Post Office beginning March 15,2010, the number of forms mailed out or hand-delivered by the Census Bureau was approximately 134 million on April 1,2010. The 2010 Census national mail participation rate was 74%, from April through July 2010, census takers visited households that did not return a form, an operation called non-response follow-up. In December 2010, the Census Bureau delivered population information to the president for apportionment, personally identifiable information will be available in 2082. The Census Bureau did not use a form for the 2010 Census. In several previous censuses, one in six households received this long form, the 2010 Census used only a short form asking ten basic questions, How many people were living or staying in this house, apartment, or mobile home on April 1,2010. Were there any additional people staying here on April 1,2010 that you did not include in Question 1, mark all that apply, Is this house, apartment, or mobile home – What is your telephone number. What is Person 1s age and Person 1s date of birth, is Person 1 of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin. Does Person 1 sometimes live or stay somewhere else, the form included space to repeat some or all of these questions for up to twelve residents total. In contrast to the 2000 census, an Internet response option was not offered, detailed socioeconomic information collected during past censuses will continue to be collected through the American Community Survey. The survey provides data about communities in the United States on a 1-year or 3-year cycle, depending on the size of the community, rather than once every 10 years. A small percentage of the population on a basis will receive the survey each year. In June 2009, the U. S. Census Bureau announced that it would count same-sex married couples, however, the final form did not contain a separate same-sex married couple option
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California Central Valley
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Californias Central Valley is a large, flat valley that dominates the geographical center of the U. S. state of California. It is 40 to 60 miles wide and stretches approximately 450 miles from north-northwest to south-southeast, inland from and it covers approximately 18,000 square miles, about 11% of Californias total land area. More than 7 million acres of the valley are irrigated via a system of reservoirs. The valley also has many cities, including the state capital Sacramento, as well as Redding, Stockton, Modesto, Fresno. The Central Valley watershed comprises 60,000 square miles, or over a third of California, the delta empties into the San Francisco Bay, and then ultimately flows into the Pacific. The Central Valley is commonly known to simply as the Valley. Older names include the Great Valley, a name often seen in scientific references, and Golden Empire. The Central Valley is outlined by the Cascade, Sierra Nevada, and Tehachapi mountain ranges on the east, the broad valley floor is carpeted by vast agricultural regions, and dotted with numerous population centers. While there are many large and small between these cities, these four cities act as hubs for regional commerce and transportation. About 6.5 million people live in the Central Valley today, there are 12 Metropolitan Statistical Areas and 1 Micropolitan Statistical Area in the Central Valley. Below, they are listed by MSA and μSA population, the largest city is Fresno, followed by the state capital, Sacramento. The valley is thought to have originated below sea level as an offshore area depressed by subduction of the Farallon Plate into a trench further offshore, the San Joaquin Fault is a notable seismic feature of the Central Valley. The valley was later enclosed by the uplift of the Coast Ranges, faulting moved the Coast Ranges, and a new outlet developed near what is now San Francisco Bay. The one notable exception to the valley floor is Sutter Buttes. Another significant geologic feature of the Central Valley lies hidden beneath the delta, the Stockton Arch is an upwarping of the crust beneath the valley sediments which extends southwest to northeast across the valley. However, much of the Central Valley environment has been removed or altered by human activity including the introduction of exotic plants, the oak woodlands and chaparral that fringe the valley have been categorized as the California interior chaparral and woodlands ecoregion. The wetlands have been the target of operations to restore areas nearly destroyed by agriculture. The dominant grass of the valley was Nassella pulchra mixed with other species, grassland flowers include California poppy, lupins, and purple owls clover which can still be seen, especially in Antelope Valley in the Tehachapi hills
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San Francisco Bay Area
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The San Francisco Bay Area is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses the cities and metropolitan areas of San Jose, San Francisco. The Bay Areas nine counties are Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma. The combined statistical area of the region is the second-largest in California, the fifth-largest in the United States, the Bay Area has the second-most Fortune 500 Companies in the United States, and is known for its natural beauty, liberal politics, entrepreneurship, and diversity. The eastern side of the bay, consisting of Alameda and Contra Costa counties, is known locally as the East Bay, the inner East Bay is more densely populated, with generally older buildings, and a more ethnically diverse population. The word Lamorinda was coined by combining the names of the cities it includes, Lafayette, Moraga, walnut Creek is situated east of Lamorinda and north of the San Ramon Valley and, together with Concord, Martinez, and Pleasant Hill comprises Central Contra Costa County. The cities of Antioch, Pittsburg, Brentwood, Oakley and the areas surrounding them comprise East Contra Costa County. The Tri-Valley consists of the Amador, the Livermore, and the San Ramon Valleys, dublin and Pleasanton comprise the Amador Valley, Livermore lies in the Livermore Valley, and the San Ramon Valley consists of Alamo, Danville, Diablo and its namesake, San Ramon. The outer East Bay is connected to the inner East Bay by BART, Interstate 580 to the south, and State Routes State Route 4 to the north, the outer East Bays infrastructure was mostly built up after World War II. This area remains largely white demographically, although the Hispanic and Filipino populations have grown significantly over the past 2–3 decades, the region north of the Golden Gate Bridge is known locally as the North Bay. This area encompasses Marin County, Sonoma County, Napa County, the city of Fairfield, being part of Solano County, is often considered the easternmost city of the North Bay. With few exceptions, this region is affluent, Marin County is ranked as the wealthiest in the state. The North Bay is relatively rural compared to the remainder of the Bay Area, with areas of undeveloped open space, farmland. Santa Rosa in Sonoma County is the North Bays largest city, with a population of 167,815 and a Metropolitan Statistical Area population of 466,891, making it the fifth-largest city in the Bay Area. The North Bay is the section of the Bay Area that is not currently served by a commuter rail service. The area from San Francisco to the Silicon Valley, geographically part of the San Francisco Peninsula, is known locally as The Peninsula, many of these families are of foreign background and have significantly contributed to the diversity of the area. Whereas the term peninsula technically refers to the entire geographical San Franciscan Peninsula, in local terms, San Francisco is surrounded by water on three sides, the north, east, and west. The city squeezes roughly 870,000 people in under 47 square miles, on any given day, there can be as many as 1 million people in the city because of the commuting population and tourism
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Greater Los Angeles Area
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Throughout the 20th century, it was one of the fastest-growing regions in the United States, although growth has slowed since 2000. As of the 2010 U. S. Census, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of nearly 13 million residents. Meanwhile, the metropolitan regions population at the 2010 census was estimated to be over 17.8 million residents. Either definition makes it the second largest metropolitan region in the country, behind the New York metropolitan area, the agglomeration of the urbanized Greater Los Angeles area surrounds the urban core of Los Angeles County. However, this Census definition includes large, sparsely populated and primarily desert swaths of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, according to the U. S. However, more than half of this area lies in the sparsely populated eastern areas of Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Los Angeles has a reputation for sprawl. For comparison, the New York–Newark Urbanized Area as a whole had a density of 5,309 per square mile. Los Angeles sprawl may originate in the decentralized structure. Its major commercial, financial, and cultural institutions are geographically dispersed rather than being concentrated in a single downtown or central area. Also, the density of Los Angeles proper is low when compared to some other large American cities such as New York, San Francisco, Boston. This is misleading though, since unlike other cities the boundary of Los Angeles incorporates mountain areas with almost no people, when the actually built up area is considered, urban Los Angeles has density in excess of 10,000 people per square mile. Densities are particularly high within a 5-mile radius of downtown, where some neighborhoods exceed 20,000 people per square mile. Also, what gives the entire Los Angeles metro region a high density is the fact many of the citys suburbs. Within its urbanized areas, Los Angeles is noted for having small lot sizes, buildings in the area are low when compared to other large cities, mainly due to zoning regulations. Los Angeles became a city just as the Pacific Electric Railway spread population to smaller cities much as interurbans did in East Coast cities. In the first decades of the century, the area was marked by a network of fairly dense. The ascendance of the automobile helped fill in the gaps between these towns with lower-density settlements. Many working class whites migrated to this area during the 1960s and 1970s out of East, as a result, there was a large growth in population into the Conejo Valley and into Ventura County through the US101 corridor
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Sacramento, California
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Sacramento is the capital city of the U. S. state of California and the seat of Sacramento County. It is at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the portion of Californias expansive Central Valley. Its estimated 2014 population of 485,199 made it the sixth-largest city in California, Sacramento is the cultural and economic core of the Sacramento metropolitan area, which includes seven counties with a 2010 population of 2,414,783. In 2002, the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University conducted for Time magazine named Sacramento Americas Most Diverse City, Sacramento became a city through the efforts of the Swiss immigrant John Sutter, Sr. his son John Augustus Sutter, Jr. and James W. Marshall. Sacramento grew quickly thanks to the protection of Sutters Fort, which was established by Sutter in 1839, the city was named after the Sacramento River, which forms its western border. The river was named by Spanish cavalry officer Gabriel Moraga for the Santísimo Sacramento, California State University, Sacramento, is the largest university in the city and one of 23 campuses in the California State University system. University of the Pacific is a university with one of its three campuses in Sacramento. In addition, the University of California, Davis, located in nearby Davis, operates its UC Davis Medical Center, nisenan and Plains Miwok Native Americans had lived in the area for perhaps thousands of years. Unlike the settlers who would eventually make Sacramento their home, these Native Americans left little evidence of their existence. Traditionally, their diet was dominated by acorns taken from the oak trees in the region, and by fruits, bulbs, seeds. In 1808, the Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga discovered and named the Sacramento Valley, a Spanish writer with the Moraga expedition wrote, Canopies of oaks and cottonwoods, many festooned with grapevines, overhung both sides of the blue current. Birds chattered in the trees and big fish darted through the pellucid depths, the air was like champagne, and drank deep of it, drank in the beauty around them. The valley and the river were then christened after the Most Holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, John Sutter first arrived on August 13,1839 at the divergence of the American and Sacramento Rivers with a Mexican land grant of 50,000 acres. The next year, he and his party established Sutters Fort, representing Mexico, Sutter called his colony New Helvetia, a Swiss inspired name, and was the political authority and dispenser of justice in the new settlement. Soon, the colony began to grow as more and more pioneers headed west, within just a few short years, John Sutter had become a grand success, owning a ten-acre orchard and a herd of thirteen thousand cattle. Fort Sutter became a stop for the increasing number of immigrants coming through the valley. In 1847, Sutter hired James Marshall to build a sawmill so that he could continue to expand his empire, Sutter received 2,000 fruit trees in 1847, which started the agriculture industry in the Sacramento Valley. In 1848, when gold was discovered by James W. Marshall at Sutters Mill in Coloma and he hired topographical engineer William H
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Yosemite National Park
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Yosemite National Park is a national park spanning portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in Northern California. The park, which is managed by the National Park Service, on average, about 4 million people visit Yosemite each year, and most spend the majority of their time in the seven square miles of Yosemite Valley. The park set a record in 2016, surpassing 5 million visitors for the first time in its history. Almost 95% of the park is designated wilderness, Yosemite was central to the development of the national park idea. First, Galen Clark and others lobbied to protect Yosemite Valley from development, Yosemite is one of the largest and least fragmented habitat blocks in the Sierra Nevada, and the park supports a diversity of plants and animals. The park has a range from 2,127 to 13,114 feet and contains five major vegetation zones, chaparral/oak woodland, lower montane forest, upper montane forest, subalpine zone. Of Californias 7,000 plant species, about 50% occur in the Sierra Nevada, there is suitable habitat for more than 160 rare plants in the park, with rare local geologic formations and unique soils characterizing the restricted ranges many of these plants occupy. The geology of the Yosemite area is characterized by granitic rocks, about 10 million years ago, the Sierra Nevada was uplifted and then tilted to form its relatively gentle western slopes and the more dramatic eastern slopes. The uplift increased the steepness of stream and river beds, resulting in formation of deep, about one million years ago, snow and ice accumulated, forming glaciers at the higher alpine meadows that moved down the river valleys. Ice thickness in Yosemite Valley may have reached 4,000 feet during the early glacial episode, the downslope movement of the ice masses cut and sculpted the U-shaped valley that attracts so many visitors to its scenic vistas today. The name Yosemite originally referred to the name of a tribe which was driven out of the area by the Mariposa Battalion. Before then the area was called Ahwahnee by indigenous people, as revealed by archeological finds, the Yosemite Valley has been inhabited for nearly 3,000 years, though humans may have first visited the area as long as 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. The indigenous natives called themselves the Ahwahneechee, meaning dwellers in Ahwahnee and they are related to the Northern Paiute and Mono tribes. Many tribes visited the area to trade, including nearby Central Sierra Miwoks, a major trading route went over Mono Pass and through Bloody Canyon to Mono Lake, just to the east of the Yosemite area. Vegetation and game in the region were similar to that present today, acorns were a staple to their diet, as well as seeds and plants, salmon. In 1851 as part of the Mariposa Wars intended to suppress Native American resistance and he was pursuing forces of around 200 Ahwahneechee led by Chief Tenaya. Accounts from this battalion were the first well-documented reports of ethnic Europeans entering Yosemite Valley, attached to Savages unit was Dr. Lafayette Bunnell, the company physician, who later wrote about his awestruck impressions of the valley in The Discovery of the Yosemite. Bunnell is credited with naming Yosemite Valley, based on his interviews with Chief Tenaya, Bunnell wrote that Chief Tenaya was the founder of the Pai-Ute Colony of Ah-wah-nee
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Kings Canyon National Park
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Kings Canyon National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Fresno, California. The park was established in 1940 and covers 461,901 acres and it incorporated General Grant National Park, established in 1890 to protect the General Grant Grove of giant sequoias. The park is north of and contiguous with Sequoia National Park and they were designated the UNESCO Sequoia-Kings Canyon Biosphere Reserve in 1976. Humans have inhabited the area for thousands of years, the first Native Americans in the area were Paiute peoples, who moved into the region from their ancestral home east of Mono Lake. The Paiute Nation people used deer and other animals for food. They created trade routes that extended down the slope of the Sierra into the Owens Valley. Kings Canyon had been known to white settlers since the mid-19th century, then United States Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes fought to create the Kings Canyon National Park. He hired Ansel Adams to photograph and document this among other parks, the bill combined the General Grant Grove with the backcountry beyond Zumwalt Meadow. Kings Canyons future was in doubt for nearly fifty years, some wanted to build a dam at the western end of the valley, while others wanted to preserve it as a park. The debate was settled in 1965, when the valley, along with Tehipite Valley, was added to the park, Kings Canyon National Park consists of two sections. The parks Giant Sequoia forests are part of 202,430 acres of old-growth forests shared by Sequoia and this section of the park is mostly mixed conifer forest, and is readily accessible via paved highways. Both the South and Middle Forks of the Kings Rivers have extensive glacial canyons, one portion of the South Fork canyon, known as the Kings Canyon, gives the entire park its name. Kings Canyon, with a depth of 8,200 feet, is one of the deepest canyons in the United States. The canyon was carved by glaciers out of granite, the Kings Canyon, and its developed area, Cedar Grove, is the only portion of the main part of the park that is accessible by motor vehicle. Both the Kings Canyon and its Middle Fork twin, Tehipite Valley, are deeply incised, U-shaped glacial gorges with relatively flat floors and towering granite cliffs thousands of feet high. In addition, the canyon has several systems, one of which is Boyden Cave. To the east of the canyons are the peaks of the Sierra Crest, which attain an elevation of 14,248 feet NAVD88 at the summit of North Palisade. This is classic high Sierra country, barren ridges and glacially scoured lake-filled basins
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Sequoia National Park
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Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada east of Visalia, California, in the United States. It was established on September 25,1890, the park is south of and contiguous with Kings Canyon National Park, the two are administered by the National Park Service together as the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. They were designated the UNESCO Sequoia-Kings Canyon Biosphere Reserve in 1976, the park is famous for its giant sequoia trees, including the General Sherman tree, the largest tree on Earth. The General Sherman tree grows in the Giant Forest, which five out of the ten largest trees in the world. The Giant Forest is connected by the Generals Highway to Kings Canyon National Parks General Grant Grove, the parks giant sequoia forests are part of 202,430 acres of old-growth forests shared by Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Indeed, the preserve a landscape that still resembles the southern Sierra Nevada before Euro-American settlement. Many park visitors enter Sequoia National Park through its entrance near the town of Three Rivers at Ash Mountain at 1,700 ft elevation. The last California grizzly was killed in this park in 1922, the California Black Oak is a key transition species between the chaparral and higher elevation conifer forest. At higher elevations in the front country, between 5,500 and 9,000 feet in elevation, the landscape becomes montane forest-dominated coniferous belt, found here are Ponderosa, Jeffrey, sugar, and lodgepole pine trees, as well as abundant white and red fir. Found here too are the giant sequoia trees, the most massive living single-stem trees on earth, between the trees, spring and summer snowmelts sometimes fan out to form lush, though delicate, meadows. In this region, visitors often see deer, Douglas squirrels, and American black bears. There are plans to reintroduce the bighorn sheep to this park, the vast majority of the park is roadless wilderness, no road crosses the Sierra Nevada within the parks boundaries. 84 percent of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is designated wilderness and is only by foot or by horseback. Sequoias backcountry offers a vast expanse of high-alpine wonders, covering the highest-elevation region of the High Sierra, the backcountry includes Mount Whitney on the eastern border of the park, accessible from the Giant Forest via the High Sierra Trail. On the floor of canyon, at least two days hike from the nearest road, is the Kern Canyon hot spring, a popular resting point for weary backpackers. From the floor of Kern Canyon, the trail ascends again over 8,000 ft to the summit of Mount Whitney, in the summertime, Native Americans would travel over the high mountain passes to trade with tribes to the East. By the time the first European settlers arrived in the area, smallpox had spread to the region. The first European settler to homestead in the area was Hale Tharp, Tharp allowed his cattle to graze the meadow, but at the same time had a respect for the grandeur of the forest and led early battles against logging in the area
22.
Military of the United States
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The United States Armed Forces are the federal armed forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, from the time of its inception, the military played a decisive role in the history of the United States. A sense of unity and identity was forged as a result of victory in the First Barbary War. Even so, the Founders were suspicious of a permanent military force and it played an important role in the American Civil War, where leading generals on both sides were picked from members of the United States military. Not until the outbreak of World War II did a standing army become officially established. The National Security Act of 1947, adopted following World War II and during the Cold Wars onset, the U. S. military is one of the largest militaries in terms of number of personnel. It draws its personnel from a pool of paid volunteers. As of 2016, the United States spends about $580.3 billion annually to fund its military forces, put together, the United States constitutes roughly 40 percent of the worlds military expenditures. For the period 2010–14, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute found that the United States was the worlds largest exporter of major arms, the United States was also the worlds eighth largest importer of major weapons for the same period. The history of the U. S. military dates to 1775 and these forces demobilized in 1784 after the Treaty of Paris ended the War for Independence. All three services trace their origins to the founding of the Continental Army, the Continental Navy, the United States President is the U. S. militarys commander-in-chief. Rising tensions at various times with Britain and France and the ensuing Quasi-War and War of 1812 quickened the development of the U. S. Navy, the reserve branches formed a military strategic reserve during the Cold War, to be called into service in case of war. Time magazines Mark Thompson has suggested that with the War on Terror, Command over the armed forces is established in the United States Constitution. The sole power of command is vested in the President by Article II as Commander-in-Chief, the Constitution also allows for the creation of executive Departments headed principal officers whose opinion the President can require. This allowance in the Constitution formed the basis for creation of the Department of Defense in 1947 by the National Security Act, the Defense Department is headed by the Secretary of Defense, who is a civilian and member of the Cabinet. The Defense Secretary is second in the chain of command, just below the President. Together, the President and the Secretary of Defense comprise the National Command Authority, to coordinate military strategy with political affairs, the President has a National Security Council headed by the National Security Advisor. The collective body has only power to the President
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40th Infantry Division (United States)
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The 40th Infantry Division is a modular division of the United States Army. Following the armys modularization the division has become a four brigade combat team division with National Guardsmen from throughout the Pacific/Western United States and its division headquarters is located at Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, California. Later, the served in Korea and some of its units were designated for Vietnam. The division was later reorganized redesigned as a National Guard unit completely within California, later reorganizations included units from other states. The 40th Infantry Division was organized at Camp Kearny, near San Diego, California, on 16 September 1917 and it was composed of National Guard units from the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The division was activated on 18 July 1917, as a National Guard division from the California, Nevada and it was sent overseas on 3 August 1918 and redesignated as the 6th Depot Division, received, equipped, trained, and forwarded replacements. Strong was assigned as commander on 25 August 1917, but was replaced less than a month later by Brigadier General G. H. Cameron on 18 September 1917. The division then saw a rapid turnover of leaders – Brigadier General L. S. Lyon, Brigadier General G. H. Cameron, Brigadier General L. S. Lyon, strong again on 8 December 1917. When the division arrived in France in August 1918, the German Army had just completed a series of offensives that started on 21 March and it was decided that the new divisions would be used as depot divisions, supplying fresh troops to the more experienced combat divisions. By the end of the war, the 40th Division had provided over 27,000 replacements to the 26th, 28th, 32nd, 77th, 80th, 81st, 82nd, the division returned to the United States on 30 June 1919 where it was deactivated. The division was reconstituted on 18 June 1926 with its headquarters in Berkeley, the division was organized much as it was in 1917 with a lot of the units coming from Nevada and Utah. However, the Arizona and Colorado infantry regiments were replaced by two new California regiments, the 184th Infantry and 185th Infantry, in 1937 the division headquarters was moved to Los Angeles. Story Major General Ernest J. Dawley Major General Rapp Brush Brigadier General Donald J. Myers The 40th Infantry Division was activated for World War II on 3 March 1941. It was at the time a National Guard division from the California, Nevada Army National Guard, in February 1942, the 40th Infantry Division was reorganized from a square, two-brigade, four-regiment division to a three-regiment division without any intermediate brigade headquarters. Thus the 79th and 80th Infantry Brigade were inactivated, the division departed for overseas service on 23 August 1942. The divisions first overseas assignment was the defense of the outer Hawaiian Islands, Training continued as defensive positions were improved and maintained. In July 1943, the division was concentrated on Oahu, relieved of the North Sector in October 1943, the 40th entered upon a period of intensive amphibious and jungle training. On 20 December 1943, the first units left for Guadalcanal, and by mid-January 1944, movement was completed, on 24 April 1944, it left Guadalcanal for New Britain
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144th Fighter Wing
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The 144th Fighter Wing is a unit of the California Air National Guard, stationed at Fresno Air National Guard Base, California. As part of the Air Reserve Component of the United States Air Force, in its state mission under Title 32 USC, the 144th also supports the nations Counter Drug Program and responds to state emergencies when requested by the Governor of California. The wing previously flew the F-16C and F-16D Fighting Falcon, having transferred the last F-16C aircraft to the Arizona Air National Guard in November 2013, the wing also operates one C-26A transport. The 144th Fighter Wing is composed of the units, 144th Operations Group 194th Fighter Squadron 144th Maintenance Group 144th Mission Support Group 144th Medical Group. Activated in October 1943 as the 372d Fighter Group at Hamilton Field, during World War II, the squadron was an Operational Training Unit, equipped with second-line P-39 Airacobras and P-40 Warhawks. Its mission was to newly graduated pilots from Training Command in combat tactics. Initially assigned to IV Fighter Command, then transferred to III Fighter Command in 1944 and it took part in air-ground maneuvers and demonstrations, participating in the Louisiana Maneuvers in the summer of 1944 and in similar activities in the US until after V-J Day. The wartime 372d Fighter Group was re-activated and re-designated as the 144th Fighter Group and it was organized at Naval Air Station Alameda, California, and was extended federal recognition on 2 June 1948 by the National Guard Bureau. The 144th Fighter Group was bestowed the lineage, history, honors, the Group was assigned to the California ANGs 61st Fighter Wing. All were initially equipped with F-51D Mustangs, with a mission of air defense of their respective states, in 1949, the 144th and its assigned 194th Fighter Squadron moved from NAS Alameda to the former Hayward Army Airfield, designated as Hayward Air National Guard Base. At the end of October 1950, the Air National Guard converted to the wing-base organization, as a result, the 61st Fighter Wing was withdrawn from the California ANG and inactivated on 31 October 1950. The 144th Fighter Group was assigned to the new wing as its group with the three fighter squadrons. The squadrons of the 144th Fighter Group were retained by the Air National Guard and not deployed, the F-51Ds were exchanged for F-51H Mustangs in 1951, as the D model of the Mustang was needed for close air support missions in Korea. The F-51H was a Very Long Range version of the Mustang, which was developed to escort B-29 Superfortress bombers to Japan, the increased range, however, was well-suited for air defense interceptor alert flights. During its years with the P-51H, the unit earned prominence as one of the Air Forces most respected aerial gunnery competitors, in June 1953, while still flying the Mustang, the unit qualified for the first all-jet, worldwide gunnery meet. At the same time, the 194th relocated to Fresno Air Terminal, on 7 July 1955, the 144th was re-designated as the 194th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, a designation kept by the squadron for the next 37 years. The 194th continued to fly the F-86A until 31 March 1958, on 1 April 1958, the transition was made to the F-86L Sabre Interceptor, which was designed from the onset as an interceptor, had all-weather capability and was able to be used in all weather. In addition, the F-86L could be controlled and directed by the SAGE computer-controlled Ground Control Interceptor sites which would vector the aircraft to the target for interception
25.
Central Valley (California)
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Californias Central Valley is a large, flat valley that dominates the geographical center of the U. S. state of California. It is 40 to 60 miles wide and stretches approximately 450 miles from north-northwest to south-southeast, inland from and it covers approximately 18,000 square miles, about 11% of Californias total land area. More than 7 million acres of the valley are irrigated via a system of reservoirs. The valley also has many cities, including the state capital Sacramento, as well as Redding, Stockton, Modesto, Fresno. The Central Valley watershed comprises 60,000 square miles, or over a third of California, the delta empties into the San Francisco Bay, and then ultimately flows into the Pacific. The Central Valley is commonly known to simply as the Valley. Older names include the Great Valley, a name often seen in scientific references, and Golden Empire. The Central Valley is outlined by the Cascade, Sierra Nevada, and Tehachapi mountain ranges on the east, the broad valley floor is carpeted by vast agricultural regions, and dotted with numerous population centers. While there are many large and small between these cities, these four cities act as hubs for regional commerce and transportation. About 6.5 million people live in the Central Valley today, there are 12 Metropolitan Statistical Areas and 1 Micropolitan Statistical Area in the Central Valley. Below, they are listed by MSA and μSA population, the largest city is Fresno, followed by the state capital, Sacramento. The valley is thought to have originated below sea level as an offshore area depressed by subduction of the Farallon Plate into a trench further offshore, the San Joaquin Fault is a notable seismic feature of the Central Valley. The valley was later enclosed by the uplift of the Coast Ranges, faulting moved the Coast Ranges, and a new outlet developed near what is now San Francisco Bay. The one notable exception to the valley floor is Sutter Buttes. Another significant geologic feature of the Central Valley lies hidden beneath the delta, the Stockton Arch is an upwarping of the crust beneath the valley sediments which extends southwest to northeast across the valley. However, much of the Central Valley environment has been removed or altered by human activity including the introduction of exotic plants, the oak woodlands and chaparral that fringe the valley have been categorized as the California interior chaparral and woodlands ecoregion. The wetlands have been the target of operations to restore areas nearly destroyed by agriculture. The dominant grass of the valley was Nassella pulchra mixed with other species, grassland flowers include California poppy, lupins, and purple owls clover which can still be seen, especially in Antelope Valley in the Tehachapi hills
26.
Sierra Nevada (U.S.)
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The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Basin and Range Province. The vast majority of the lies in the state of California. The Sierra runs 400 miles north-to-south, and is approximately 70 miles across east-to-west, the Sierra is home to three national parks, twenty wilderness areas, and two national monuments. These areas include Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks, the character of the range is shaped by its geology and ecology. More than one hundred years ago during the Nevadan orogeny. The range started to uplift four M. A. ago, the uplift caused a wide range of elevations and climates in the Sierra Nevada, which are reflected by the presence of five life zones. Uplift continues due to faulting caused by forces, creating spectacular fault block escarpments along the eastern edge of the southern Sierra. The Sierra Nevada has a significant history, the California Gold Rush occurred in the western foothills from 1848 through 1855. Due to inaccessibility, the range was not fully explored until 1912, the Sierra Nevada lies in Central and Eastern California, with a very small but historically important spur extending into Nevada. West-to-east, the Sierra Nevadas elevation increases gradually from 1,000 feet in the Central Valley to an height of about 10,500 feet at its crest only 50–75 miles to the east. The east slope forms the steep Sierra Escarpment, unlike its surroundings, the range receives a substantial amount of snowfall and precipitation due to orographic lift. The Sierra Nevada stretches from the Susan River and Fredonyer Pass in the north to Tehachapi Pass in the south and it is bounded on the west by Californias Central Valley and on the east by the Basin and Range Province. The geographical boundary between the Sierra and the Cascades is virtually indistinguishable, with the Fredonyer Pass designation being traditional, physiographically, the Sierra is a section of the Cascade-Sierra Mountains province, which in turn is part of the larger Pacific Mountain System physiographic division. The range is drained on its western slope by the Central Valley watershed, the northern third of the western Sierra is part of the Sacramento River watershed, and the middle third is drained by the San Joaquin River. The eastern slope watershed of the Sierra is much narrower, its rivers flow out into the endorheic Great Basin of eastern California and western Nevada. Although none of the eastern rivers reach the sea, many of the streams from Mono Lake southwards are diverted into the Los Angeles Aqueduct which provides water to Southern California, the height of the mountains in the Sierra Nevada increases gradually from north to south. Between Fredonyer Pass and Lake Tahoe, the range from 5,000 feet to more than 9,000 feet. The crest near Lake Tahoe is roughly 9,000 feet high, farther south, the highest peak in Yosemite National Park is Mount Lyell
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California Coast Ranges
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The Coast Ranges of California span 400 miles from Del Norte or Humboldt County, California south to Santa Barbara County. The other three coastal California mountain ranges are the Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges and the Klamath Mountains, physiographically, they are a section of the larger Pacific Border province, which in turn are part of the larger Pacific Mountain System physiographic division. UNESCO has included the California Coast Ranges Biosphere Reserve in its Man, the northern end of the California Coast Ranges overlap the southern end of the Klamath Mountains for approximately 80 miles on the west. They extend southward for more than 600 miles to where the coastline turns eastward along the Santa Barbara Channel, here the southern end meets the Los Angeles Transverse Ranges, or Sierras de los Angeles. The rocks themselves that comprise the mountains are of a great variety, most of the rocks were formed during the Tertiary, Cretaceous and Jurassic periods. All of the range has been folded and faulted during several periods, the California Ranges had a high production of mercury following the discovery of gold in the Sierra Nevada. In the Cache Creek Basin, Cenozoic cinnabar deposits near Clear Lake are the northernmost of a group of similar deposits associated with volcanism, during 1877, these deposits hit their peak production of mercury, producing approximately 2,776 metric tons. These abandoned mines are still a source of mine waste runoff in Cache Creek, the Northern Coast Ranges are a section of the California Coast Ranges. They run parallel to the Pacific Coast from the North San Francisco Bay Area to coastal Del Norte County, the Klamath Mountains, including the Siskiyou Mountains sub-range, lie to the north and northeast. The Southern Coast Ranges lie to the south, the Northern Coast Ranges run north-south parallel to the coast. Component ranges within the Northern Coast Ranges include the Mendocino Range of western Mendocino County and the Mayacamas, Sonoma, and Vaca Mountains and they also include the King Range, which meet the sea in the Lost Coast region. The southernmost peak of the Northern Coast Ranges is Mount Tamalpais, the highest point in the Northern Coast Ranges is Mount Linn, at 8,098 ft. The Northern Coast Ranges consist of two parallel belts of mountains, the Outer Northern Coast Ranges lying along the coast. They are separated by a system of valleys. The northern valley portion is drained by the Eel River and its tributaries, a series of short rivers, including the Mattole, Gualala, and Navarro rivers, drain the western slopes of the ranges. The eastern slopes of the drain into the Sacramento Valley. Clear Lake lies in the southeast portion of the range, U. S. Route 101 runs generally north-south in the valleys between the Outer and Inner Northern Coast Ranges. The seaward face of the coastal Outer Northern Coast Ranges is part of the Northern California coastal forests ecoregion, home to forests of Coast Redwood
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San Joaquin River
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The San Joaquin River /ˈsæn wɑːˈkiːn/ is the longest river of Central California in the United States. An important source of water as well as a wildlife corridor. People have inhabited the San Joaquin Valley for more than 8,000 years, the newcomers quickly appropriated the rich natural and hydrologic resources of the watershed for use in farms and cities, but found themselves plagued by flood and drought. Because of the topography of the San Joaquin Valley, floods once transformed much of the lower river into a huge inland sea. In the 20th century, many levees and dams were built on the San Joaquin and these engineering works changed the fluctuating nature of the river forever, and cut off the Tulare Basin from the rest of the San Joaquin watershed. The river was called many different names, at different parts of the river were known by different names. The present name of the dates to 1805–1808, when Spanish explorer Gabriel Moraga was surveying east from Mission San José in order to find possible sites for a mission. Moraga named a tributary of the river for Saint Joachim, husband of Saint Anne and father of Mary, the name Moraga chose was later applied to the entire river, it was in common use by 1810. In the Mono language, the river is called typici h huu, a member of the Pedro Fages party in 1772, Crespis vantage point was the hilltops behind modern San Francisco. Another early name was Rio San Juan Bautista, the origin of which is unknown.8 mi southeast of Mount Lyell, the Middle Fork is usually considered part of the main stem. The South Fork, which begins at Martha Lake in Kings Canyon National Park and flows through Florence Lake, from the mountainous alpine headwaters, the San Joaquin flows generally south into the foothills of the Sierra, passing through four hydroelectric dams. It eventually emerges from the foothills at what was once the town of Millerton, the location of Friant Dam since 1942, which forms Millerton Lake. Below Friant Dam, the San Joaquin flows west-southwest out into the San Joaquin Valley – the southern part of the Great Central Valley – passing north of Fresno, from Mendota, the San Joaquin swings northwest, passing through many different channels, some natural and some man-made. Northeast of Dos Palos, it is joined by the Fresno. Fifty miles downstream, the Merced River empties into an otherwise dry San Joaquin, the majority of the river flows through quiet agricultural bottomlands, and as a result its meandering course manages to avoid most of the urban areas and cities in the San Joaquin Valley. About 11 mi west of Modesto, the San Joaquin meets its largest tributary, near Vernalis, it is joined by another major tributary, the Stanislaus River. About 40 mi from the mouth, the river draws abreast to the flank of Stockton. From here to the mouth, the river is dredged as part of a navigation project, past the head of tide, amid the many islands of the delta, the San Joaquin is joined by two more tributaries, the Calaveras River and the larger Mokelumne
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Kings River (California)
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The Kings River is a major river of south-central California. About 125 miles long, it drains an area of the high western Sierra Nevada, the headwaters originate at elevations of above 13,000 feet along the Sierra crest, in and around Kings Canyon National Park. Further west in the foothills, the river is impounded in Pine Flat Lake, before flowing into the Central Valley south of Fresno, the Kings River was named by the commander of a Spanish military expedition into the Central Valley in 1805. A large alluvial fan has formed where the gradient decreases in the Central Valley so the river divides into distributaries. Tulare Lake was formerly one of the largest freshwater lakes in western North America and it arises in the Sierra Nevada, consisting of three forks. The Middle and South Forks start in Kings Canyon National Park, the South Fork flows in Kings Canyon, a spectacular 8, 000-foot deep glacial valley. The forks join in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in Fresno County, California, from that point, the Kings River flows about 125 miles to the Tulare Lake bed, with a surface elevation at 56 m, near Stratford, California. In the foothills, the water from the river is impounded at Pine Flat Dam, in the Central Valley, the river flows south of Fresno, California, where its water is diverted for agriculture. The river splits into Cole Slough and the Old Kings River at the Peoples Weir, the largest weir in the Kings River system. The Old River was the course of the river until two floods in 1861 and 1867, the first of which created Cole Slough and the second of which caused it to become the rivers new main course. Since then the Old River has been dry except when river flows are exceptionally high, dutch John Cut diverges from Cole Slough and joins the Old River to reform the main channel of the Kings River. Cole Slough is then diverted into several canals in the vicinity of Laton. The river system between Peoples Weir and Laton is collectively known as the Kings River Complex, the Kings River splits six miles north of Lemoore into a set of North and South Fork distributaries. These forks join again nearly five miles west of Lemoore, Clarks Fork distributary splits off from the South Fork and flows 5.5 miles to join the returning North Fork distributary. The river flows through a channel into the normally dry Tulare Lake bed about ten miles south of Stratford. In the middle of the San Joaquin Valley, the Kings River divides into North Fork Distributary, South Fork Distributary, the Kings River was named by Lieutenant Gabriel Moraga on one of the first expeditions by the Spanish to the Central Valley of California on January 6,1805. The river was originally named Rio de los Santos Reyes to honor the Biblical Magi, jedediah Smith named it the Kimmel-che or Wimmel-che after a tribe of Indians of that name who reside on it. On the valley floor the Kings River is responsible for groundwater recharge
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California Aqueduct
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The over 400-mile aqueduct is the principal feature of the California State Water Project. The Department of Water Resources operates and maintains the California Aqueduct, including one pumped-storage hydroelectric plant, Gianelli is located at the base of San Luis Dam, which forms San Luis Reservoir, the largest offstream reservoir in the United States. It is named after California Governor Edmund Gerald Pat Brown Sr, the Central Valley of California is surrounded by high mountains that are eroding into the valley itself. The valley is somewhat rebounding from recent ice age interglacial glaciations, the region is prone to significant earthquakes due to the many faults and fault lines that pass through. The flatness of the valley bottom contrasts with the hills or gentle mountains that are typical of most of Californias terrain. The valley is thought to have originated below sea level as an offshore area depressed by subduction of the Farallon Plate into a trench further offshore, the San Joaquin Fault is a notable seismic feature of the Central Valley. The valley was later enclosed by the uplift of the Coast Ranges, faulting moved the Coast Ranges, and a new outlet developed near what is now San Francisco Bay. The aqueduct begins at the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta at the Banks Pumping Plant, Water is pumped by the Banks Pumping Plant to the Bethany Reservoir. The reservoir serves as a forebay for the South Bay Aqueduct via the South Bay Pumping Plant, from the Bethany Reservoir, the aqueduct flows by gravity approximately 60 mi to the ONeill Forebay at the San Luis Reservoir. From the ONeill Forebay, it flows approximately 16 mi to the Dos Amigos Pumping Plant, after Dos Amigos, the aqueduct flows about 95 mi to where the Coastal Branch splits from the main line. The split is approximately 16 mi south-southeast of Kettleman City, after the coastal branch, the line continues by gravity another 66 mi to the Buena Vista Pumping Plant. From the Buena Vista, it flows approximately 27 mi to the Teerink Pumping Plant, after Teerink it flows about 2.5 mi to the Chrisman Pumping Plant. Chrisman is the last pumping plant before Edmonston Pumping Plant, which is 13 mi from Chrisman, South of the plant the west branch splits off in a southwesterly direction to serve the Los Angeles Basin. At Edmonston Pumping Plant it is pumped 1,926 ft over the Tehachapi Mountains, Water flows through the aqueduct in a series of abrupt rises and gradual falls. The water flows down a long segment, built at a slight grade, the pumping station raises the water, where it again gradually flows downhill to the next station. However, where there are drops, the waters potential energy is recaptured by hydroelectric plants. The Edmonston Pumping station requires so much power that several power lines off of Path 15, a typical section has a concrete-lined channel 40 feet at the base and an average water depth of about 30 ft. The widest section of the aqueduct is 110 feet and the deepest is 32 feet, channel capacity is 13,100 cubic feet per second and the largest pumping plant capacity at Dos Amigos is 15,450 cubic feet per second
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Mediterranean climate
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A Mediterranean climate /ˌmɛdɪtəˈreɪniən/ or dry summer climate, is the climate typical of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin. The Mediterranean climate is characterised by dry summers and mild, moist winters, the Azores High is associated with the Mediterranean climate found in southern Europe and north Africa and the Sahara Desert with France and England both bordering this climate, France especially. The South Atlantic High is similarly associated with the Namib Desert, under the Köppen climate classification, hot dry-summer climates and cool dry-summer climates are often referred to as mediterranean. Under the Köppen climate system, the first letter indicates the climate group, temperate climates or C zones have an average temperature above 0 °C, but below 18 °C, in their coolest months. The second letter indicates the precipitation pattern, Köppen has defined a dry summer month as a month with less than 30 mm of precipitation and with less than one-third that of the wettest winter month. Some, however, use a 40 mm level, the third letter indicates the degree of summer heat, a represents an average temperature in the warmest month above 22 °C, while b indicates the average temperature in the warmest month below 22 °C. Under the Köppen classification, dry-summer climates usually occur on the sides of continents. Under Trewarthas system, at least eight months must have average temperatures of 10 °C or higher, during summer, regions of mediterranean climate are dominated by subtropical high pressure cells, with dry sinking air capping a surface marine layer of varying humidity and making rainfall unlikely. In many Mediterranean climates there is a strong character to daily temperatures in the warm months. The majority of the regions with mediterranean climates have relatively mild winters, however winter and summer temperatures can vary greatly between different regions with a mediterranean climate. Or to consider summer, Athens experiences rather high temperatures in that season, in contrast, San Francisco has cool summers with daily highs around. In North America, areas with Csc climate can be found in the Olympic, Cascade, Klamath and these locations are found at high altitude nearby lower altitude regions characterized by a warm-summer mediterranean climate or hot-summer mediterranean climate. A rare instance of this occurs in the tropics, on Haleakalā Summit in Hawaii. In South America, Csc regions can be found along the Andes in Chile, the town of Balmaceda is one of the few towns confirmed to have this climate. Small areas with a Csc climate can also be found at elevations in Corsica. Mediterranean climate Explanation of Mediterranean Climate
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Semi-arid climate
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A semi-arid climate or steppe climate is the climate of a region that receives precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not extremely. There are different kinds of climates, depending on such variables as temperature. Semi-arid climates tend to short or scrubby vegetation, with semi-arid areas usually dominated by either grasses or shrubs. To determine if a location has a climate, the precipitation threshold must first be determined. If the areas precipitation is less than the threshold but more than half the threshold. Hot semi-arid climates tend to be located in the tropics and subtropics and these climates tend to have hot, sometimes extremely hot, summers and warm to cool winters, with some to minimal precipitation. Hot semi-arid climates are most commonly found around the fringes of subtropical deserts, hot semi-arid climates are most commonly found in Africa, Australia and South Asia. In Australia, a portion of the Outback surrounding the central desert regions lies within the hot semi-arid climate regime. Hot semi-arid climates can also be found in North America, primarily in Mexico, areas of Texas near Mexico, cold semi-arid climates tend to be located in temperate zones or elevated portions in subtropical zones. They are typically found in continental interiors some distance from bodies of water. Cold semi-arid climates usually feature warm and dry summers, though their summers are not quite as hot as those of hot semi-arid climates. Unlike hot semi-arid climates, areas with cold semi-arid climates tend to have cold winters and these areas usually see some snowfall during the winter, though snowfall is much lower than at locations at similar latitudes with more humid climates. These large diurnal temperature variations are seen in hot semi-arid climates. Cold semi-arid climates are most commonly found in Asia and North America, however, they can also be found in Northern Africa, South Africa, Europe, sections of South America and sections of interior southern Australia and New Zealand. As a result of this, some areas can have climates that are classified as hot or cold depending on the isotherm used. One such location is San Diego, California, which has cool summers for the due to prevailing winds off the ocean. Arid Forest Research Institute Continental climate Dust Bowl Goyders Line Pallisers Triangle Köppen climate classification Wave height Ustic
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Tule fog
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Tule fog /ˈtuːliː/ is a thick ground fog that settles in the San Joaquin Valley and Sacramento Valley areas of Californias Great Central Valley. Tule fog forms from late fall through early spring after the first significant rainfall, the official time frame for tule fog to form is from November 1 to March 31. This phenomenon is named after the tule grass wetlands of the Central Valley, Tule fog is the leading cause of weather-related accidents in California. Tule fog is a fog, which condenses when there is a high relative humidity, calm winds. The nights are longer in the months, which allows an extended period of ground cooling. In California, tule fog can extend from Bakersfield to Red Bluff, Tule fog is characteristically confined mainly to the Great Central Valley due to the mountain ranges surrounding it. Tule fog often contains light drizzle or freezing drizzle where temperatures are sufficiently cold. Tule fog is a low cloud, usually below 2,000 feet in altitude, above the cold, foggy layer, the air is typically warm, dry and clear. Once tule fog has formed, turbulent air is necessary to break through the inversion layer. Daytime heating sometimes evaporates the fog in patches, although the air remains chilly and hazy below the inversion, Tule fog usually remains longer in the southern and eastern parts of the Central Valley, because more winter storms affect the northern Central Valley. Visibility in tule fog is less than an eighth of a mile. Visibility can vary rapidly, in only a few feet, visibility can go from 10 feet to near zero, the variability in visibility is the cause of many chain-reaction pile-ups on roads and freeways. In one such accident on Interstate 5 near Elk Grove south of Sacramento,25 cars and 12 big-rig trucks collided inside a fog bank in December 1997, five people died and 28 were injured. In February 2002, two people were killed in an 80-plus-car pile-up on State Route 99 between Kingsburg and Selma. On the morning of November 3,2007, heavy fog caused a massive pile-up that included 108 passenger vehicles and 18 big-rig trucks on northbound State Route 99 between Fowler and Fresno. Visibility was about 200 feet at the time of the accident, there were two fatalities and 39 injuries in the crash. Tule fog events are accompanied by drizzle and freezing drizzle. Because of the lack of penetrating the fog layer, temperatures may struggle to climb above freezing
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County seat
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A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is used in the United States, Canada, Romania, China, in the United Kingdom and Ireland, county towns have a similar function. In the United States, counties are the subdivisions of a state. Depending on the state, counties may provide services to the public, impose taxes. Some types of subdivisions, such as townships, may be incorporated or unincorporated. The city, town, or populated place that houses county government is known as the seat of its respective county, a county seat is usually, but not always, an incorporated municipality. The exceptions include the county seats of counties that have no incorporated municipalities within their borders, such as Arlington County, Virginia, likewise, some county seats may not be incorporated in their own right, but are located within incorporated municipalities. For example, Cape May Court House, New Jersey, though unincorporated, is a section of Middle Township, in some of the colonial states, county seats include or formerly included Court House as part of their name. Most counties have only one county seat, an example is Harrison County, Mississippi, which lists both Biloxi and Gulfport as county seats. The practice of multiple county seat towns dates from the days when travel was difficult, there have been few efforts to eliminate the two-seat arrangement, since a county seat is a source of pride for the towns involved. There are 36 counties with multiple county seats in 11 states, Coffee County, for example, the official county seat is Greensboro, but an additional courthouse has been located in nearby High Point since 1938. For example, Clearwater is the county seat of Pinellas County, Florida, in New England, the town, not the county, is the primary division of local government. Historically, counties in this region have served mainly as dividing lines for the judicial systems. Connecticut and Rhode Island have no county level of government and thus no county seats, in Vermont, Massachusetts, and Maine the county seats are legally designated shire towns. County government consists only of a Superior Court and Sheriff, both located in the shire town. Bennington County has two towns, but the Sheriff is located in Bennington. In Massachusetts, most government functions which would otherwise be performed by county governments in other states are performed by town governments. As such, Massachusetts has dissolved many of its county governments, two counties in South Dakota have their county seat and government services centered in a neighboring county
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Coalinga, California
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Coalinga is a city in Fresno County and the western San Joaquin Valley, in central California. It was formerly known as Coaling Station A, Coalingo, the population was 13,380 at the 2010 census, up from 11,668 at the 2000 census. It is the site of both Pleasant Valley State Prison and Coalinga State Hospital, legendary bandit Joaquin Murrieta was killed in 1853 at his headquarters, Arroyo de Cantua, north of Coalinga. California Historical Landmark #344 marks the site of where he was slain, near the junction of present-day State Route 33. Before 20th century diesel locomotives, steam locomotives were used, the Southern Pacific Railroad Company established the site as a coaling station in 1888, and it was called simply Coaling Station A. Local tradition has it that an official of Southern Pacific made the more sonorous by adding an a to it. However, it is just as likely that the small railside signs of the day, the resemblance to Nahuatl is accidental. The first post office was established in 1899, the city was incorporated in 1906. Coalingas water was so mineral-laden that potable water had to be brought in by railroad in tanker cars from Armona, for many years, Armona Water was the only water residents could drink. Coalinga was one of only a few towns in the United States that had three taps — one for hot water, one for water, and one for drinking water. Finally, in the early 1960s, Coalinga held the first practical demonstration for reverse osmosis, damage was severe in downtown Coalinga–the eight block commercial district was almost totally destroyed. The shock was felt as far away as Los Angeles and western Nevada, Coalinga is located 52 miles southwest of Fresno, at an elevation of 673 feet. The topography is generally level, suitable for a number of crops which do not require large amounts of water. Underlying rock formations include the occurrence of Vaqueros sandstone, the city is located near a particularly active portion of the San Andreas Fault, and earthquakes are frequent. Coalinga has a climate, with hot summers and cool winters. The average annual precipitation is 8.25 in, falling mainly from October to May, today, the citys main industries are agriculture, oil and incarceration. The city is home to the Coalinga Oil Field, operated by Chevron and Aera Energy, the Guijarral Hills Oil Field, Pleasant Valley State Prison, and Coalinga State Hospital. Coalinga is home to Californias first new mental hospital in more than 50 years
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Firebaugh, California
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Firebaugh is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 7,549 at the 2010 census, up from 5,743 as of the 2000 census, the ZIP Code for the community is 93622 and the city is located inside area code 559. Firebaugh is located on the west side of the San Joaquin River 38 miles west of Fresno, inside the city, a small commercial district includes the ubiquitous California Central Valley water tank painted with the citys name. State Route 33 runs through downtown just west of center, the San Joaquin Valley Railroad, West Side Subdivision, passes through downtown. Outside of city, the area is almost entirely agricultural land in all directions, most fields of irrigated row crops along SR33 are feed crops such as alfalfa. The city is named for Andrew D. Firebaugh, an area entrepreneur, during the Gold Rush, Firebaughs most famous local enterprise was a ferry boat. It shuttled people across the San Joaquin River and he also built a toll road from Bell Station to Pacheco Pass. The toll road went along a parallel to present-day State Route 152. Firebaugh was a station on the Butterfield Overland Stage, the Firebaughs Ferry post office operated from 1860 to 1862. The Firebaugh post office opened in 1865, in the 1880s, the area of Firebaugh was once part of the massive holdings of the Miller and Lux Company. The company had a large sheep operation covering what today is Dos Palos to Mendota. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 3.5 square miles. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Firebaugh has a semi-arid climate, the 2010 United States Census reported that Firebaugh had a population of 7,549. The population density was 2,145.2 people per square mile. The racial makeup of Firebaugh was 4,715 White,70 African American,116 Native American,40 Asian,0 Pacific Islander,2,371 from other races, Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6,887 persons. The Census reported that 7,536 people lived in households,13 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, there were 145 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 6 same-sex married couples or partnerships. 197 households were made up of individuals and 95 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 3.93. There were 1,678 families, the family size was 4.17
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Fowler, California
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Fowler is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. It is located within the San Joaquin Valley and it has a strong agricultural community, with lush grape vineyards and expansive farmland. Fowler is located 11 miles southeast of downtown Fresno, at an elevation of 308 feet, the population was 5,570 at the 2010 census. Fowlers first post office opened in 1882, Fowler was incorporated June 15,1908. The community was named for rancher Thomas Fowler, early 1870s California state senator, according to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.5 square miles, all of it land. The 2010 United States Census reported that Fowler had a population of 5,570, the population density was 2,200.3 people per square mile. The racial makeup of Fowler was 2,634 White,104 African American,136 Native American,610 Asian,8 Pacific Islander,1,800 from other races, Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3,687 persons. The Census reported that 5,523 people lived in households,0 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, there were 114 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 14 same-sex married couples or partnerships. 333 households were made up of individuals and 118 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 3.21. There were 1,328 families, the family size was 3.68. The median age was 31.6 years, for every 100 females there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males, there were 1,842 housing units at an average density of 727.7 per square mile, of which 1,102 were owner-occupied, and 621 were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2. 6%, the vacancy rate was 5. 2%. 3,651 people lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,872 people lived in housing units. Richard Hagopian, American Oriental-style oud player and traditional Armenian musician, ernest A. Bedrosian, founder of the Raisin Bargaining Association 1967. His dynamic organizational skill brought together over 1,000 raisin growers to form the largest agricultural bargaining association in America, the RBAs bargaining power was instrumental in increasing raisin grower returns from $180/ton to a recent record of $1900/ton with a corresponding record increase for raisin grower land values. Juan Felipe Herrera, American - 21st Poet Laureate of the United States, born in the U. S. to Mexican migrant farm workers, Herrera is the first Latino. or Hispanic, poet laureate of the United States. Juan Phillipe Herrera, 21st Poet Laureate of the United States Fowler history Official website Fowler Wiki
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Huron, California
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Huron is a small city in Fresno County, California, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 6,754, during the harvest season, the population swells to over 15,000 people due to the influx of migrant farm workers. Huron is located 15 miles east-northeast of Coalinga, at an elevation of 374 feet, Huron was the city with the highest proportion of Hispanic or Latino people in the United States, according to the 2000 United States Census. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 1.6 square miles. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Huron has a semi-arid climate, the community of Huron was founded in 1888 as a water stop along the Southern Pacific Railroads western route, approximately 15 miles northeast of Coalinga. One of the first structures in the community was the Huron Post Office, Huron became a boomtown in the early 20th century and has grown steadily ever since. Joseph Mouren and his family were responsible for the expansion of the community of Huron in the late 19th century. Mouren Drive was named after Joseph Mouren, who is considered by many to be one of the founding fathers. In the early 20th century, Huron became one of the largest producers of wool in the nation, the 2010 United States Census reported that Huron had a population of 6,754. The population density was 4,245.0 people per square mile. The racial makeup of Huron was 2,300 White,66 African American,77 Native American,39 Asian,6 Pacific Islander,3,964 from other races, Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6,527 persons. The Census reported that 6,754 people lived in households,0 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, there were 156 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 14 same-sex married couples or partnerships. 110 households were made up of individuals and 40 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 4.41. There were 1,335 families, the family size was 4.47. The median age was 24.7 years, for every 100 females there were 111.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.7 males, there were 1,602 housing units at an average density of 1,006.9 per square mile, of which 493 were owner-occupied, and 1,039 were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1. 8%, the vacancy rate was 3. 9%. 2,380 people lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,374 people lived in housing units
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Kerman, California
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Kerman is a city at the intersection of State Route 180 and State Route 145 in Fresno County, California, USA. The population was 13,544 at the 2010 census, Kerman is located 15 miles west of Fresno, at an elevation of 220 feet. Around 1891, the Southern Pacific Railroad constructed a new line between Tracy and Fresno, a watering tank and pump on that line was the beginning of Kerman, which was christened Collis in honor of the President of the road, Collis Potter Huntington. The first inhabitant, the caretaker of the pump and tank, after some months, he resigned his job, not because of the work, he said, but because it was too lonesome and he was tired of being a hermit. He said he never saw anyone but the crews and they were always in too big a hurry to carry on a conversation. On August 3,1892, the train bandits Chris Evans, John Sontag, Contant went to Folsom State Prison for the crime. Evans and John Sontag became fugitives for ten months before they were captured in 1893 in what is called the Battle of Stone Corral, John Sontag died of his wounds in custody, and Chris Evans was also sent to Folsom upon his conviction of the crime. As a speculative venture, the old and very rich Bank of California purchased a tract of land in every County of California. The arid, barren land around Kerman seemed to be a good venture, after the death of its promoter, the bank became insolvent and its property was liquidated. The men combined the first three letters of each of their names and christened the area Kerman and they pitched the property to Scandinavians and Germans settled in the Midwest. The Collis post office was opened in 1894, closed in 1899, re-established in 1904, the independent Kerman Telephone company retired its four-position manual telephone switchboard, described by a state telephone association as the last of its kind in California, in 1991. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 3.2 square miles. The 2010 United States Census reported that Kerman had a population of 13,544, the population density was 4,189.9 people per square mile. The racial makeup of Kerman was 6,860 White,68 African American,173 Native American,1,091 Asian,14 Pacific Islander,4,675 from other races, Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9,711 persons. The Census reported that 13,537 people lived in households,2 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, there were 285 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 25 same-sex married couples or partnerships. 460 households were made up of individuals and 208 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 3.67. There were 3,135 families, the family size was 3.97. The median age was 28.2 years, for every 100 females there were 99.6 males
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Kingsburg, California
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Kingsburg is a city in Fresno County, California. Kingsburg is located 5 miles southeast of Selma at an elevation of 302 feet, the city is half an hour away from Fresno, and two hours away from the California Central Coast and Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. The population was 11,382 at the 2010 census, Kingsburg was established as a railroad town, its site set by the Central Pacific Railroad when it completed the Valley Line in 1873. In the early 1870s, Swedish natives settled in a town called Kings River Switch. Kingsburg started out as a stop on the Central Pacific Railroad called Kings River Switch. In 1874 Kingsburg was called Wheatville and had a post office, during this time period, Josiah Draper and Andrew Farley each owned a quarter section, about 160 acres, Draper on the east side of the railroad tracks and Farley on the west side of the tracks. So it was suggested that the east side be called Drapersville, two years after that it became Kingsburgh and in January 1894 took on its present spelling, Kingsburg, which was finally established as a town in 1908. By 1921, ninety-four percent of the population within a radius of Kingsburg was Swedish-American. To keep up with the towns Swedish history they have most retail businesses designed in Swedish architecture, subsequently, farmers were forced to replant the fields with stone fruit, or sell their land to developers to help cope with the rising population. Kingsburg is the headquarters of Sun-Maid Growers of California, a producer of raisins, Kingsburg is home to the worlds largest box of raisins, built by students at California State University, Fresno. One of the landmarks in the community is the Kingsburg water tower. The Swedish immigrant heritage of the community is preserved with festivals. Kingsburg Swedish Festival, which is the biggest and most known festivals that people in from all over the country, is held annually during the third weekend in May. Activities include a Swedish pancake breakfast, a parade and the coronation of the Swedish Festival Queen, many booths, rides and activities are set up all along the side of Downtown Kingsburgs Draper Street. Kingsburg is located at 36°30′50″N 119°33′14″W, Kingsburg is located in the central portion of the Central Valley of California. The town is two hours away from The Sierra Nevadas Mountain range and the coast and it is about 3–4 hours away from L. A. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 2.8 square miles. The 2010 United States Census reported that Kingsburg had a population of 11,382, the population density was 4,024.3 people per square mile
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Mendota, California
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Mendota is a U. S. city in Fresno County, California. The population was 11,014 at the 2010 U. S. Census, the State Routes 180 and 33 run through the agricultural city. Mendota is located 8.5 miles south-southeast of Firebaugh, at an elevation of 174 feet, according to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total land area of 3.3 square miles, over 99%. At the 2000 census, according to the United States Census Bureau and it is located next to the San Joaquin River, near where the Delta-Mendota Canal intercepts it to bring extra water to the dry riverbed. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Mendota has a semi-arid climate, beginning in 1891, Mendota thrived as a Southern Pacific Railroad storage and switching facility site. Southern Pacific management borrowed the name from Mendota, Illinois, the first post office opened in 1892. The city incorporated in 1942, and is recognized for its immense production of cantaloupes. Consequently, the city of Mendota is identified as The Cantaloupe Center of the World, State water projects brought irrigation to the region, setting the stage for the tremendous growth of agriculture. In 2007 a new Mendota Branch Library opened, part of the San Joaquin Valley Library System, the city suffers from chronic unemployment averaging 20%. In 2009 a drought combined with a recession caused unemployment to surge above 40%, the unemployment was quoted at 45% in May 2011. The 2010 United States Census reported that Mendota had a population of 11,014, the population density was 3,356.3 people per square mile. The racial makeup of Mendota was 5,823 White,107 African American,153 Native American,82 Asian,5 Pacific Islander,4,465 from other races, Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10,643 persons. The Census reported that 11,014 people lived in households,0 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, there were 303 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 11 same-sex married couples or partnerships. 197 households were made up of individuals and 78 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 4.54. There were 2,085 families, the family size was 4.49. The median age was 26.2 years, for every 100 females there were 123.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 134.3 males, there were 2,556 housing units at an average density of 778.9 per square mile, of which 1,056 were owner-occupied, and 1,368 were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1. 9%, the vacancy rate was 4. 1%
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Orange Cove, California
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Orange Cove is a small city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 9,078 at the 2010 census, up from 7,722 at the 2000 census, almost all of Orange Coves residents are Hispanic, many of whom are farmers. Orange Cove is located in the San Joaquin Valley,8 miles east-southeast of Reedley, according to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.9 square miles, all of its land. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Orange Cove has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, elmer M. Sheridan founded the town in 1914, and named it prior to large scale citrus growing. The first post office opened in 1914, the 2010 United States Census reported that Orange Cove had a population of 9,078. The population density was 4,748.6 people per square mile. The racial makeup of Orange Cove was 3,940 White,72 African American,131 Native American,101 Asian,3 Pacific Islander,4,481 from other races, Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8,413 persons. The Census reported that 9,078 people lived in households,0 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, there were 207 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 10 same-sex married couples or partnerships. 174 households were made up of individuals and 88 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 4.39. There were 1,854 families, the family size was 4.53. The median age was 23.6 years, for every 100 females there were 100.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.1 males, there were 2,231 housing units at an average density of 1,167.0 per square mile, of which 893 were owner-occupied, and 1,175 were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0. 8%, the vacancy rate was 9. 5%. 4,047 people lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,031 people lived in housing units. As of the census of 2000, there were 7,722 people,1,694 households, the population density was 5,030.4 people per square mile. There were 1,767 housing units at a density of 1,151.1 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 33. 55% White,0. 31% Black or African American,2. 42% Native American,1. 49% Asian,58. 84% from other races,90. 60% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 7. 1% of all households were made up of individuals and 3. 7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 4.56 and the average family size was 4.66
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Parlier, California
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Parlier is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 14,494. The city has one of the states highest percentage of Latinos, Parlier is located 5.5 miles east-southeast of Selma, at an elevation of 344 feet. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 2.2 square miles. Parlier family migrated from Springfield, Illinois to the present site of Parlier, the family’s name, and City’s namesake, was derived from DeParlier, their French ancestry. The Parlier family’s General Store, Trading Post and Post Office became the center of town, small, family run wheat farms were initially cultivated in the area. Wheat soon gave way to grapes, raisins and tree fruit, improved irrigation systems and arrival of the railroad helped Parlier establish itself as a hub among surrounding communities. Parlier has four schools, one junior high school. In addition, there is a preschool and headstart, as well as continuing education, the 2010 United States Census reported that Parlier had a population of 14,494. The population density was 6,606.9 people per square mile. The racial makeup of Parlier was 7,251 White,85 African American,180 Native American,77 Asian,9 Pacific Islander,6,387 from other races, Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14,137 persons. The Census reported that 14,492 people lived in households,2 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, there were 288 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 31 same-sex married couples or partnerships. 239 households were made up of individuals and 107 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 4.40. There were 2,951 families, the family size was 4.46. The median age was 25.1 years, for every 100 females there were 104.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.3 males. There were 3,494 housing units at a density of 1,592.7 per square mile, of which 1,524 were owner-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1. 3%, the vacancy rate was 3. 7%
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Reedley, California
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Reedley is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. Reedley is located in the San Joaquin Valley,22 miles east-southeast of Fresno, the population at the 2010 census was 24,194. Its chief economic source is agriculture, particularly fruit and vegetable cultivation, the city dubs itself The Worlds Fruit Basket. Reedley holds many festivals year round, Reedley is situated along the Kings River and in the summer, many local residents and visitors drive to Cricket Hollow Park and Reedley Beach. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 5.2 square miles. The 2010 United States Census reported that Reedley had a population of 24,194, the population density was 4,693.2 people per square mile. The racial makeup of Reedley was 14,105 White,169 African American,267 Native American,797 Asian,8 Pacific Islander,7,850 from other races, Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18,455 persons. The Census reported that 23,945 people lived in households,119 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, there were 440 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 39 same-sex married couples or partnerships. 886 households were made up of individuals and 471 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 3.65. There were 5,455 families, the family size was 3.94. The median age was 29.1 years, for every 100 females there were 104.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.7 males. There were 6,867 housing units at a density of 1,332.1 per square mile, of which 3,881 were owner-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1. 8%, the vacancy rate was 3. 7%. 13,704 people lived in owner-occupied housing units and 10,241 people lived in housing units. As of the census of 2000, there were 20,756 people,5,761 households, the population density was 4,700.1 people per square mile. There were 5,972 housing units at a density of 1,352.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 51. 76% White,1. 73% Black or African American,1. 21% Native American,8. 83% Asian,37. 72% from other races,57. 59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race
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Sanger, California
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Sanger is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 24,270 at the 2010 census, up from 18,731 at the 2000 census, Sanger is located 13 miles east-southeast of Fresno, at an elevation of 371 feet. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 5.5 square miles. In 1886 the Southern Pacific Company referred to the area as Sanger Junction, later the area was known simply as Sanger. The name commemorates Joseph Sanger Jr. secretary-treasurer of the Railroad Yardmasters Association, in 1888 The Pacific Improvement Company owned and sold lots on the site and the first post office opened. In 1890 the Kings River Lumber Company built a Log flume to transport lumber from the High Sierras to Sanger and that year more than 75 buildings were erected. The Sanger Railroad Depot was built in 1887 next to the Southern Pacific Railroad line that connected Fresno to Porterville and it is a Southern Pacific standard design Two Story Combination Depot No.13 or 19. Sanger became a center for shipping grain, citrus and lumber from the nearby mountains, when the depot was retired, it was the oldest building in the city and was donated to the Sanger Historical Society which turned it into the Sanger Depot Museum in 1977. By 1908 Sanger contained a school, a high school, seven churches. In 1949, the city was designated the Nations Christmas Tree City by the U. S. Postal Service, in May 2015, Mayor Joshua Mitchell resigned amid corruption allegations and alleged threats to him and his family. The 2010 United States Census reported that Sanger had a population of 24,270, the population density was 4,393.7 people per square mile. The racial makeup of Sanger was 14,454 White,219 African American,311 Native American,758 Asian,39 Pacific Islander,7,645 from other races, Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19,537 persons. The Census reported that 24,136 people lived in households,46 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, there were 526 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 49 same-sex married couples or partnerships. 894 households were made up of individuals and 459 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 3.62. There were 5,577 families, the family size was 3.90. The median age was 29.2 years, for every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males. There were 7,104 housing units at a density of 1,286.1 per square mile, of which 3,873 were owner-occupied
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San Joaquin, California
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San Joaquin is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 4,001 at the 2010 census, up from 3,270 at the 2000 census, the nearest high school in the area is Tranquillity High School in Tranquillity. San Joaquin is located 11 miles southwest of Kerman, at an elevation of 174 feet, according to the United States Census Bureau, the city incorporates a total area of 1.1 square miles, all of it land. The first post office opened in San Joaquin in 1913, the 2010 United States Census reported that San Joaquin had a population of 4,001. The population density was 3,485.3 people per square mile. The racial makeup of San Joaquin was 1,966 White,31 African American,54 Native American,37 Asian,0 Pacific Islander,1,766 from other races, Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3,825 persons. The Census reported that 4,001 people lived in households,0 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, there were 47 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 1 same-sex married couples or partnerships. 48 households were made up of individuals and 20 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 4.54. There were 815 families, the family size was 4.66. The median age was 23.6 years, for every 100 females there were 103.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.6 males, there were 934 housing units at an average density of 813.6 per square mile, of which 406 were owner-occupied, and 476 were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1. 9%, the vacancy rate was 6. 3%. 1,997 people lived in owner-occupied housing units and 2,004 people lived in housing units. As of the census of 2000, there were 3,270 people,702 households, the population density was 3,302.4 people per square mile. There were 735 housing units at a density of 742.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 35. 44% White,0. 21% Black or African American,1. 56% Native American,3. 61% Asian,53. 73% from other races,91. 99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 6. 7% of all households were made up of individuals and 4. 1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 4.66 and the average family size was 4.79. In the city, the population was out with 41. 2% under the age of 18,14. 2% from 18 to 24,27. 9% from 25 to 44,12. 7% from 45 to 64
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Selma, California
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Selma is a city in Fresno County, California. The population was 23,219, up from 19,240, Selma is located 16 miles southeast of Fresno, at an elevation of 308 feet. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers an area of 5.136 square miles, the 2010 United States Census reported that Selma had a population of 23,219. The population density was 4,520.6 people per square mile. The racial makeup of Selma was 12,869 White,284 African American,479 Native American,1,057 Asian,9 Pacific Islander,7,630 from other races, Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18,014 persons. The Census reported that 23,054 people lived in households,50 lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, there were 516 unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 27 same-sex married couples or partnerships. 939 households were made up of individuals and 481 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older, the average household size was 3.59. There were 5,271 families, the family size was 3.89. The median age was 29.5 years, for every 100 females there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.8 males. There were 6,813 housing units at a density of 1,326.4 per square mile, of which 3,825 were owner-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2. 4%, the vacancy rate was 5. 5%. 13,229 people lived in owner-occupied housing units and 9,825 people lived in housing units. As of the census of 2006, there were 23,194 people,5,596 households, the population density was 4,475.7 people per square mile. There were 5,815 housing units at a density of 1,338.5 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 43. 90% White,0. 75% Black or African American,1. 56% Native American,3. 18% Asian,0. 03% Pacific Islander,46. 09% from other races, and 4. 48% from two or more races. 71. 75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race,15. 7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8. 7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.45 and the family size was 3.76
