Hard times for business in the San Fernando Valley

The L.A. Times reports:

Once saluted as America's suburb, the San Fernando Valley has fallen on difficult times.

Nestle USA announced last month that it would close the Chatsworth plant where Hot Pockets frozen sandwiches have been made since 1988, eliminating 360 jobs as it moves production to Kentucky.

Not far behind, Sunkist Growers is moving out after four decades in the Valley, leaving its Sherman Oaks headquarters and heading to Santa Clarita.

And adult film production — much of which is based in the Valley — has plummeted, as has mainstream film and television production.

And so, at the first-of-its-kind State of the Valley luncheon Thursday, the message from Los Angeles City Council members representing the area was both clear and blunt: Valley business just isn't what it used to be.

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