VISALIA – Fresno County has ripped out more than 6,000 acres of wine grapes in the last year as part of a trend to reduce the crop’s acreage across California.

Fresno’s reduction of 6,200 acres represented 20% of the loss statewide, second only to San Joaquin County, which uprooted nearly 8,000 acres of wine grapes. Madera farmers pulled 1,972 acres, Kern lost 872 acres, Kings 407 acres and Tulare County farmers removed 783 acres. 

On the coast, Monterey lost 3,781 acres, Santa Barbara 1,668 and Napa lost 3,117 acres. Overall, 38,134 acres were removed between October 2024 and August 2025.

In addition to removing vineyards, growers also left 100,000 tons of grapes to rot on the vine.

The California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG), in partnership with regional grower and vintner associations, released the results of the 2025 California Winegrape Vineyard Mapping Project last month. Conducted by Land IQ, a Sacramento-based agricultural and environmental science firm, the project delivers the most accurate, fieldverified accounting of California’s vineyard acreage to date. The mapping system used advanced remote sensing, artificial intelligence and on-the-ground field verification to achieve vineyard-level precision.

Industry experts say there are many reasons for the reduction, including water and labor shortages, but it’s primarily due to decreased demand for wine grapes, and, more importantly, bottles of wine.

The percentage of U.S. adults who say they consume alcohol has fallen to 54%, a 90-year low, according to a recent Gallup poll. From 1997 to 2023, at least 60% of Americans reported drinking alcohol. The figure fell to 62% in 2023 and to 58% in 2024, before reaching 54% today. 

Prior to the most recent poll, the rate has been under 60% fewer than 10 times, including 58% in the initial 1939 poll and a one-time low of 55% recorded in 1958. The highs of 68% to 71% were all recorded between 1974 and 1981.

Wine, once widely considered good for heart health and cancer prevention, is no longer safe from the growing number of Americans who say even moderate alcohol consumption is bad for one’s health.

For the first time in Gallup’s trend, a majority of Americans, 53%, say drinking in moderation, or “one or two drinks a day,” is bad for one’s health. Just 6% say it’s good for one’s health, while 37% believe it makes no difference. 

Today’s belief that moderate alcohol consumption is unhealthy follows increases from 28% in 2018 and 39% in 2023 to 45% a year ago. By contrast, from 2001 through 2011, the percentage with this view hovered near 25%, roughly equal to those who considered drinking beneficial.

Around Visalia

Another fitness gym is in the works in Visalia. Lift Factor Fitness operates a gym on Demaree Street. It is planning to open a second location behind Long John Silver’s on south Mooney Boulevard, according to a plan filed with the city. The new 8,000 square foot gym could open next year at 3278 S. Mooney Blvd. Michael Clark is the applicant.

Despite some weakness in building activity across the nation, Visalia home builders have not disappointed all year. Through November, the latest city report shows single family permits numbering 525, more than double the 238 this time last year. Visalia’s single family home valuation stands at $192 million, that’s almost triple the $76 million valuation through November 2024. New commercial building values are up as well at $150 million compared to $61 million during the same period in 2024.

News that Netflix would buy Warner Bros appears to be bad for movie theaters, fearing it will drastically cut the number of films, lead to more empty seats and more closures. Netflix is, of course, a streaming service which allows you to watch shows and movies at home and on demand. The deal needs federal approval.

Theaters are still struggling years after the pandemic shutdown. In 2019, there were about 5,500 movie theaters, down from 7,000 in 2005. Now they may be down to around 4,000.

In Visalia, there’s now just one movie theater — a Regal Cinema located downtown after the closure of the Sequoia Mall multiplex. Regal itself went through several bankruptcies and is down to around 400 theaters from 562 a decade ago.