Clovis Roundup – September 28, 2023

@ClovisRoundup

ClovisFest Hot Air Balloon Fun Fly launches "2023 ClovisFest"

September 22, 2023 - Early Friday morning, the media was invited to see a few of the hot air balloons launch in preparation for ClovisFest. Noble Credit Union was a sponsor of the Hot Air Balloon Fun Fly this year. We got a chance

to ask Noble’s Chief Marketing Officer, Keri Bennitt why they decided to sponsor the event.

“It’s a really big, fun, family event—but what we love most about it is just how heartwarming and magical it is. When those balloons lift up, it brings so much joy to your heart—and hope for the future. You feel it in the thousands of people who

are here, experiencing it at the same time,” said Bennitt. “And at Noble, we want to inspire hope as well; for people to achieve their financial goals. So, it’s just really an awe inspiring, magical moment that as a community, we all get to share. And it’s fantastic to be a part of that.”

See

CLOVISFEST, Pg. 5

Jay Schengel City of Clovis Finance Director & Treasurer

September 20, 2023 – Clovis officially became a city on February 27, 2012 and on May 2, 1912 the first $300 was received for saloon licenses. From those first tax receipts in 1912, Clovis has had a treasurer to oversee the finances of the City. Floyd W. Redford was the first person to hold the position in 1912. One hundred

6th annual Clovis/Fresno Train Show stays on the rails in Clovis

J.T. Gomez jt21gomez@gmail.com

September 26, 2023 - Despite the massive outpouring of people to the Clovis fest event occurring just blocks away, the 6th annual Clovis/Fresno Train Show saw a good crowd of onlookers during the hours of Saturday, September 23rd. This train show is put on by the Model Railroad and Historical Society that runs throughout California.

Taking place at the Clovis Senior

Center, the train show had everything trains, whether it be displays, photographs, videos, or actual railroad and amtrak workers. With the train heavy population, many walked through the section of the Senior Center in order to discuss and view trains and locomotives while getting the chance to trade or even buy model trains.

Joe Bencivengo, President of the Model Railroad and Historical Society and media contact says that this event was created to keep the hobby alive for the public.

“We have layouts, vendors,

Photo by Ron Sundquist, Clovis Roundup Father and son enjoying one of the featured train models at the show.

Destiny De La Cruz @ClovisRoundup

Photo by Destiny De LA Cruz, Clovis Roundup Friday morning of 2023's Hot Air Balloon Fun Fly where they invited media teams to get a behind the scenes look.

What’s Up, Clovis?

CHECK OUT THE BUZZ AROUND TOWN

Jake, the epitome of a good dog

September 25, 2023 - Clovis Appliance had a well-known and well-loved face, his name was Jake.

In light of his sudden passing, owner of both Clovis Appliance and Jake himself, Tammy Shultz, shared with us some stories of Jake.

Jake was a 9 year old red Golden Retriever, born February 6th, 2014. “I brought him here when he was a 10lb ball of fluff, when he couldn’t even get up the stairs.”

Customers adored him. Tammy said that people come in everyday saying, “Is Jake here? We’re not here to see you, we’re here to see Jake.”

“I’ve had people with disabilities come in, and they come behind the counter and Jake just sits there—and it calms [them]

down. He just sits there and it’s like he knows” . . . “It’s just amazing to watch.”

“He loved people, he loved kids especially,” said Shultz. “He always knew when a child walked in.”

Shultz told us about not only how kind and loving he was with people, but also how wellbehaved he was.

He didn’t tear up decorations or plants, never even dug a hole in the backyard.

The only time he ever tore up his own toys is when a visitor would come to their house and he would just get too

Balloons take off to the skies in Old Town

excited.

“It was so funny—he learned this on his own—when the door would open up, he would run out and he would put his paws up on the counter.” For many people, we’re sure that adorable mental picture lives forever in their mind.

“He brought a lot of joy to my customers.”

Even when Jake and Tammy would walk down the sidewalk, people would roll down their window as they drove by and say, “Hi Jake!”

To anyone who has loved dogs and met Jake, you know he was special. Let’s never forget him.

Cars in Clovis

“I just hope that people will honor him. People have to love dogs to understand my grief,” said Shultz. “He was my heart dog.”

ClovisFest-ivities

Photos by Ron Sundquist

Ellie Huston, long-time volunteer for Clovis Chamber of Commerce, reads up on the Clovis Roundup.

"Magic Bob" alongside Clovis Chamber of Commerce first kicked off the Fun Fly for ClovisFest back in '98.

First balloon of the 2023 Balloon Fun Fly starting its journey towards Sanger.

First annual Old Town Classic Car Show hosts a 1938 Chevy Coupe owned by Eddie (right) and Linda (not in photo).

Marine veterans Bryan and Justin enjoying ClovisFest.

ClovisFest keeping Centennial Plaza as busy as ever!

Destiny De La Cruz @ClovisRoundup

(Photo courtesy of Tammy Shultz)

(Photo courtesy of Tammy Shultz)

September 18, 2023 Clovis City Council Meeting

September 18, 2023 - City officials in attendance were Assistant City Manager Andy Haussler, City Manager John Holt, Mayor Pro Tem Vong Mouanoutoua, Mayor Lynne Ashbeck, Councilmember Drew Bessinger, Councilmember Diane Pearce, City Attorney Scott Cross, and City Clerk Karey Cha. After the meeting was called to order, there was a flag salute followed by a roll call.

Clovis Culinary Center update: City of Clovis Business Development Manager, Shawn Miller gave a presentation with updates on the Clovis Culinary Center. It has been about a year since the last update on the Center.

The Clovis Culinary Center’s vision is to, “provide kitchen space and create a business incubator to help assist and facilitate commercial culinary success. It's the ideal facility to support local chefs, entrepreneurs and foodies with their goals.”

Shawn Miller stated that this year marks the Clovis Culinary Center’s 5 year anniversary, and that they have helped about 100 businesses get started. “Right now, there are 77 that are still using the kitchen, [. . .] the facilities and the services,” stated Miller.

The Business Development Manager went on to explain that each one of those businesses has an average of 3.5 employees each. “It’s a lot of fun to watch these businesses start.”

“This year alone, we had some real good success stories,” said Miller. “Dads Cookies, who was here last year, has grown into not just one brick and mortar, but two.”

The good news continued when Miller stated that last week, the owner of Dads Cookies announced that their cookies were chosen as the official cookie of the Fresno State Bulldogs.

Dads Cookies has even outgrown their brick and mortars, and so they have temporarily started using the Clovis Culinary Center’s kitchen to keep up with production demands. Shawn Miller went on to introduce the Clovis Culinary Center’s Executive Director and Operations Manager, Kris Marshall. Marshall has been at the center for a year now as of September 19th. “She really has made a difference in this community,” said Miller. Three businesses currently using the Clovis Culinary Center were also briefly introduced; Miguel’s Salsa, Deer Creek Homestead, and Saint Goods—a unique bakery.

Deer Creek Homestead makes their own vanilla extract, and is currently in the long process of growing their own vanilla. Vanilla orchids are a genus of plants, of which there are over 100 species. The most commonly used vanilla is the flat-leaf vanilla orchid, which is native to Mexico and the West Indies.

According to Simran Sethi of Smithsonian magazine, “While the Totonac people of modern-day Veracruz, Mexico, are credited as the earliest growers of vanilla, the oldest reports of vanilla usage come from the pre-Columbian Maya.”

To many people’s surprise, vanilla can be and is grown in some areas of the United States. It takes years to grow vanilla, and they must be hand-pollinated.

Mayor Pro Tem, Vong Mouanoutoua, asked Shawn Miller if they were keeping data on “all these successes,” and Miller said that they are keeping detailed information “on all levels.”

Mouanoutoua also inquired about the status of sponsorship. “Is it still just as robust as when we first started?” It seems that the answer is that sponsorships are down, even though more people have been needing to use the Clovis Culinary Center to start new businesses since COVID.

After the presentation update on the Clovis Culinary Center, the Council opened up the Public Comment portion. Affordable housing in Clovis update: Some citizens raised concerns about affordable housing in Clovis. “I’m really pleased to see that you have acknowledged your need, so let the building begin,” said one of the citizens.

Councilmember Diane Pearce’s Facebook post update:

A couple citizens commented on Councilmember Diane Pearce’s Facebook post

from a few months ago, which has since become a big topic of public discourse. Her post was about a display of LGTBQ+ children's books at the Clovis Public Library. Councilmember Pearce believes that this is not age-appropriate. There are many news articles with more information on the history of this topic, that we will not delve into within this article. Clovis City Council meeting minutes are also available to the public.

One of the citizens who commented on this topic during the September 18th council meeting praised Pearce after delivering a very passionate speech.

Another citizen respectfully disagreed. “To be clear, I do not object to Councilmember Diane Pearce sending a letter [to the Fresno County Board of Supervisors]. I support her first amendment right to comment on this or any other issue of her choosing, and I would walk shoulder-to-shoulder with her in support of the right to do so—as a wife, as a mother, as a citizen—even when I disagree with what she has to say, as I do on this case,” said the citizen.

“As some of you may know, I spent most of my career as a journalist and writer under the umbrella of the first amendment. My concern is that I do not want government, or any government official trying to undermine that.”

“But by writing under the [. . .] City of Clovis by using its letterhead, she has done just that,” he continued. “As to the content of the letter, she said she is not trying to ban any book—but that’s not accurate, because the result is the same. She wants to restrict its access.”

“Please, a reasonable solution is simple: let parents decide,” the citizen said.

“Numerous people continue to this day to object to Huckleberry Finn, and have been successful in removing it from

library bookshelves. That’s happened to many other books too,”

“And this: I grew up when rock n roll first emerged, and well more than numerous, likely millions, urged the burning of records and wanted government to ban the airways and record shops of the likes of Little Richard, and yes, Elvis. I didn’t want that—would you have? In her letter, she also underscores that it’s important ‘to protect the innocence of our kids in what has become hypersexualized society’, [I] absolutely agree—but it’s the same argument used back then with Little Richard and Elvis.”

Public Comments and Hearing Section: Another citizen participated in the Public Comments via the internet, and he raised concerns about being able to park his commercial vehicle in a specific area without being ticketed. The council said that one of two local government officials would contact him about whether or not the council chooses to amend the ordinance he was referring to.

As for the Public Hearing portion of the City Council Meeting, Economic Development Director, Chad McCollum discussed the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) for expenditure of Community Development Block Grant Funds (CDBG).

Some of the grant funds mentioned have directly improved our community through home rehabilitation for the elderly and low-income, as well as alleyway repair and even the community kitchen. Many projects are underway, like recreational trails along canals. McMcollum stated that they are on track for the CDBG 5-year plan.

City Planner Dave Merchen discussed the proposal to amend the existing density ranges for multi-family residential development in the General Plan and Development Code to correspond to the applicable density requirements specified for the City’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) sites inventory. We encourage you to attend City Council Meetings. Listen to our neighbors, your fellow Clovis residents, members of our community. Make your voice heard, if you feel so inclined. Learn about what is currently going on in the Clovis government, and what is planned in the future. If you do choose to engage in discourse, please do so respectfully. Remember, we are all here together. “May we all remember we are here to build community, and we all live here together,” said Mayor Ashbeck.

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Photo by Clovis Roundup The Clovis City Council

City of Clovis Continues Talk on Vision, Mission Statement of City

J.T. Gomez jt21gomez@gmail.com

September 13, 2023 - Much like their “Vision, Mission, and Goals” Workshop held in April earlier this year, the City of Clovis came together, this time inside of a City Council meeting to discuss updating the mission statement of the city going forward. Having not been updated in the last ten

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and eleven years later, I hold the position and have been blessed to serve the City of Clovis for almost eighteen years within the Finance Department currently serving as the Finance Director & Treasurer.

The roles and responsibilities of the Finance Director & Treasurer position have evolved over the last one hundred and eleven years, but the core mission has always been to safeguard the assets and the resources of the City and provide support to the citizens, elected officials and City staff.

The Finance Department is staffed by twenty-one hard working team members. We are responsible for maintaining our financial accounting system, budgeting,

CLOVISFEST

years, the city plans to craft a mission statement by evaluating the vision of the city looking towards the future.

Mayor Lynne Ashbeck believes that this type of conversation will lead to the city “...holding on to what makes Clovis, Clovis” and believes this to be the exact point of the exercise.

With involvement from the public, City Manager John Holt also stated that the

forecasting, financial reporting, utility billing and collection, business license administration, accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, banking and investments, and debt issuance and administration. The Finance Department strives for excellence in all that we do and this is reflected in the awards we’ve received from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). We’ve received the GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the last twenty-nine years, along with their Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for our Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports the last thirty-four years. Next year will bring the largest change in decades to our thirty-eight thousand utility customers. A new utility billing system is currently being implemented that

conversation needed to be public and “candid” so that City Staff and City Council alike could have an honest discussion about what Clovis values. An attempt was made to try to illustrate the core values across the city that all department heads would be able to agree on as well as discuss at length the importance of each to each department. Every department has their own set of values and the hope was to combine those into one larger overhead for the entire city. A few members of the public spoke at the meeting and added their thoughts that whatever happens in the new draft, the old term “inclusive” be changed to “welcoming”. Their reasoning behind this change was due to the “political implications” behind the word “inclusive” and their thoughts that “welcoming” could bring the same value without those inferences.

Councilman Drew Bessinger added his thoughts to “do the right thing” for both Clovis and its residents through a quote he remembered from his time in the Clovis Police Department.

will modernize how we interact with our customers going forward. Paperless billing solutions will be available that our legacy system could not provide but many of our customers have asked for. For customers that prefer electronic communications, utility bills can be sent by email or text. Paper billing will still be available for customers that want to do business as they do today. Electronic payment options will be enhanced by including choices such as pay by text. Utility customers will be able to handle most of their utility needs online if they prefer or for the customers that want do business in person or over the phone, we are here for you. The one constant in life is change and I am excited for this change to better serve our utility customers and the residents and businesses of Clovis.

“Is what you’re gonna do or not do legal, is what you’re gonna do or not do ethical, is what you’re gonna do or not do the right thing to do. And if you can say yes to all three then you’re in good shape.”

Mayor Pro-Tem Vong Mouanoutoua stated towards the end of the discussion that as of now, Clovis should not be content with comparing themselves to the “neighbor to the west”, that neighbor being Fresno, but instead compare themselves to the best cities throughout California.

“Stop talking about being better than them, and talk about how to be better than everyone else in the state,” said Moanoutoua. The plan going forward is to edit the statement and find more ways to engage the public in divulging their thoughts on the mission statement. This could include the possibility of either an in-person or virtual town hall as well as holding another city stakeholder meeting where City Staff and Council will speak to certain city residents in order to determine the more important aspects of the City’s vision.

The City’s 2023-24 recommended budget of $330.8 million was approved in June 2023. Annually, the City’s recommended budget is introduced to City Council in May for consideration and adopted by City Council in June. I highly encourage our Citizens to come be a part of the annual budget process and participate at our City Council meetings. Working for Clovis is the most rewarding career choice I have ever made, and I can’t imagine working anywhere else. The long-standing culture of excellence of the organization and the collaboration of our employees to find solutions to the challenges facing the City and its citizens make it a pleasure to come into work every day. Clovis and its “Way of Life” is special, and I am very fortunate to be part of it.

Lisa Oliveira, President & CEO of the Fresno/Clovis Convention & Visitors Bureau, had this to say about this weekend’s event, “ClovisFest is an amazing event to come out and welcome families. It’s a huge regional draw—so we get a lot of people from outside the area that are coming in, getting to see the vendors that we have here. And the weather’s going to be amazing, so we’re really excited to kick off ClovisFest again.”

There were three balloons on Friday morning for the media day, with more for the Noble Credit Union’s official Hot Air Balloon Fun Fly on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Personally, I was able to fly in RE/MAX’s balloon! David Wakefield was the Chief Pilot, and is the owner of Cheers Aerial Media. He has been ballooning since 1999, and has

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and it’s just to keep the hobby alive for the general public. We enjoy doing it and we always get positive comments about the show every year.”

Bencivengo says that if spectators come into their show and want to buy say a certain model train, they are more than welcome to, and actually encouraged to do so. “We have raffle items and a kids raffle. It’s a fun time.”

Joe says he joined the club after his love of trains started when he received his first train set at just three-years old. “Now we have twenty-two members, and we just enjoy getting together. We have a show in Porterville, a show here, and if malls call us and say they want us to bring layouts we’ll do it.”

In Clovis specifically, they have been running this show for six years, and

been a pilot since 2000! Wakefield was knowledgeable, upbeat, and friendly— exactly what you’d want in a pilot. All of the balloonists and pilots were incredibly kind and welcoming. We were so lucky to have them here for ClovisFest. When the flight was over, the balloonists got together and recited the balloonist prayer:

“The winds have welcomed you with softness

The sun has blessed you with it’s warm hands

You have flown so high, and so well, that God has joined you in laughter, and set you gently back in the loving arms of Mother Earth Gentle breezes and soft landings”

The hot air balloons launched from the Clovis Rodeo Grounds, Saturday Sept. 23rd & Sunday Sept. 24th at approximately 6am.

usually run about four to five shows a year.

“We come because of the rent, they do give us a discount. We don’t look to make money, we’re just trying to break even.

[The Clovis Senior Center] is friendly, they’re accommodating, and this room is gonna double in size next year so we’re hoping to get more vendors and layouts.”

Anyone who is a train vendor or has a larger collection of trains and would like to get in touch with the society should contact Joe Bencivengo at his email bencivengjoseph@att.net.

He looks forward to anyone trying to join their club and says that they do not have dues to join.

Joe also says that at the end of the year, their parent club, the Toy Train Operating Society is dissolving, meaning that all dues to join will be obsolete. This means for anyone wanting to join the Model Railroad and Historical Society, there will be no dues involved whatsoever.

Photo by Clovis Roundup

The Clovis City Council is photographed. (left to right) Mayor Pro-Tem Vong Mouanoutoua, Councilman Matt Basgall, Mayor Lynne Ashbeck, Councilwoman Diane Pearce, Councilman Drew Bessinger

CVMD partners with BOOT for 3rd annual Military Appreciation Night

J.T. Gomez jt21gomez@gmail.com

September 18, 2023 - At Clovis’ Old Town Farmers Market held on September 15th, the Clovis Veterans Memorial District was present alongside members of the American military including the U.S. Army, the Marines, and the U.S. Air Force. The groups present at the Farmers Market were appreciated for their time spent in service in addition to being present to talk with the public and advertise themselves according to CVMD CEO Lorenzo Rios. “Sometimes our [military] is overlooked and I think our community misses how much of a treasure is found here…A lot of folks don’t realize how many remarkable gifts are found in the Central Valley.” Rios related this to the local vendors

at the Farmers Market themselves and how they too can be overlooked when it comes to local consideration.

“This is a place where you can pick up some great strawberries and all of the wonderful vegetables and get to learn of resources that benefit perhaps a family member.”

He then went on to relate how leaders of the Farmers Market in B.O.O.T (Business Organization of Old Town) connected easily with the CVMD when trying to set this portion of the Farmers Market up three years ago.

“It’s a part of the values of Old Town, they believe in the values..when we shared the idea, they were excited to say ‘Yes, how do we do this.’”

Finally, the CEO remarked, “On Military Appreciation Night not only do we get to say thank you to our military members, we get to know who our neighbors are.”

Rios then stated that the one thing missing is the public’s perception of Military Appreciation Night.

“We’d love to hear what folks think about it, we’d love to hear what we’re missing!”

One thing not missing was the public’s

participation as crowds of onlookers, buyers, and vendors alike lined Pollasky Street and walked down its two driving lanes. Military Appreciation Night will have its fourth year of involvement with the Farmers Market next year.

Memorial United Methodist Church hosts Blessing of the Animals

September 16, 2023 - Memorial United Methodist Church held a Blessing of the Animals on Saturday morning.

Pastor Vathanak Heang led the gathering. A small band and singers performed a few songs, and the churchgoers recited prayers together.

“The Blessing of the Animals service started when Denice Leslie was pastor, in around 2008 or so (we're not exactly certain of the year, but it's been around 15 years now). It was held annually except during the pandemic shutdown. Typically it's held in the fall,” said Pastor Vathanak Heang.

“We're not exactly certain of how or why it was started other than church members wanted to provide the blessing service for their pets and for the community. For many people, their pets are part of their family,

and they love to have their pets recognized as important in God's world. The Blessing of the Animals service is something that our church can do for the community, like the Live Nativity in December. These events bring our community and our church members closer to God. Plus, they give our church members the opportunity to meet our church neighbors and community members.” Dogs of all shapes, sizes, and ages were there for the blessing. There was even a rabbit named Curious. The pastor asked the crowd to talk about why their pet is special to them. People shared stories of their pets; stories of a 16 year-old dog named Sadie, a 14 year-old dog named JP, and a 4 month-old Golden Retriever Australian Shepherd named Bear. After people shared stories of their pets, each animal was blessed by the pastor and the

crowd. The blessing ended with the following words:

“May God, who created the animals of this earth, continue to protect and sustain us all, now and forever.”

The Memorial United Methodist Church holds Sunday services, the English service is at 10am and the Hmong service is at 11:15am. The Church is located on Pollasky between Shaw and Barstow. The Church will be holding a holiday event on Saturday, November 11th. The event is called Holiday Boutique and it will start at 9am and end at 2pm. Entrance is free, the barbeque tri-tip lunch is $15 per person (served from 11:00am-12:30pm), and there will be handmade goods and baked treats available for purchase. There will also be a raffle drawing for a crocheted afghan, a quilt, and a 18in doll with a handmade wardrobe.

Photo credit Clovis Veterans Memorial District CVMD CEO Lorenzo Rios with Vaughan Miller Rios

Destiny De La Cruz @ClovisRoundup

Photo by Destiny De La Cruz, Clovis Roundup Pastor Vathanak Heang leads the Blessing of the Animals.

Launching Young Ideas & Made in Clovis at ClovisFest

Destiny De La Cruz @ClovisRoundup

September 25, 2023 - This year at ClovisFest, Central Valley Young Entrepreneurs held their 3rd Annual Children’s Business Fair at ClovisFest, “Launching Young Ideas”. The Children’s Business Fair was on Pollasky between Seventh and Eighth street, along with “Made in Clovis”. This year, 95 kids with 57 unique businesses participated in the Children’s Business Fair at Clovis Fest. These kids all manned their booths with warm smiles and bright excitement. That was one thing we noticed about the kids booths—how genuinely excited the kids were to see each person who came by. These kids truly are young entrepreneurs. Mixed in with the Young Entrepreneurs booths were adult-ran Made in Clovis businesses.

Made In Clovis Marketplace & Expo is “a celebration of creativity at ClovisFest,” according to the Clovis Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s a celebration for tech wizards, crafters, tinkerers, food artisans, hobbyists, engineers, science buffs, artists, students, and commercial organizations.” This is the third year that they’ve had Made in Clovis at ClovisFest, and it was developed to show the work of local creators.

The Chamber accepted applications for items, inventions and ideas within the following categories: technology, food, crafts, commercial and “other.”

Prior or current vendors at Big Hat Days or ClovisFest were not eligible to participate in the Made In Clovis section of ClovisFest. The section was specifically for amateur entrepreneurs, creators, and innovators. The street was lined on both sides with the young entrepreneur’s and Made in Clovis booths. There were braided rope bracelets, handmade scrunchies, wooden band guns, baked goods, custom wood cutting boards, fresh baked bread

& olive oil, freeze dried candy, custom embroidery, and more. One of the children’s businesses was Solo Brothers Paletas. It is run by young entrepreneurs and brothers Matthew, Aiden, and Leo. Solo Brothers Paletas is a great local small business to support in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Paletas are ice pops that became popular in Mexico, and they can be either water-based or milk-based. Solo Brothers Paletas offers both dairybased and non-dairy based paletas. One of the adult-run businesses was Coffein Coffee Co. The company produces “Coffee in a

coffin for goth/darkwave coffee lovers,” and their beans are “always casketed, never cremated.”

The founder, Dr. Jennifer "Kat" Bechkoff is a full-time marketing professor and mother of two—she established the business just last year. Launching Young Ideas by the Central Valley Young Entrepreneurs and Made in Clovis Marketplace & Expo feel like two halves of a whole. One half is for our youth, and the other half is for our up-and-coming creative inventors and innovators. According to the Chamber, “During the event, selected participants will be visited by local business leaders, mentors, city officials, and entrepreneurs who will appraise each participant and select several to receive follow-up mentoring, training, and resources to further expand their business/invention or idea.”

This is much like the mentorship, resources, and workshops that the Young Entrepreneurs are given from the founder of Central Valley Young Entrepreneurs, Mykel Suntrapak. Like we said; two halves of a whole. This section of ClovisFest clearly and tangibly showcases how invested and supportive Clovis is for our up-and-coming small businesses. Congratulations to all the businesses that participated! We hope you all had a great weekend at ClovisFest.

Solstice Senior Living celebrates Grand Re-Opening

Destiny De La Cruz

@ClovisRoundup

September 14, 2023 - Solstice Senior Living at Clovis held their Grand Re-Opening on Wednesday evening, with a Ribbon Cutting hosted by Clovis Chamber of Commerce.

The staff at Solstice put months into renovating and reinvigorating their building, and it showed at their Grand Reopening. The interior was bright, fresh, and clean. One notable feature is their “Wall of Honor” where photos of residents who has served in the U.S. Armed Forces are displayed. At the celebration, Solstice had an array of snacks and a very impressive-looking dinner. They also offered champagne flutes, wine, and beer to guests. The brewery providing the delicious beers is a new local company based out of Madera, called Casa Tolteca Brewing Company. The celebration also included a live pianist, and nothing quite sets a classy tone like live instruments.

Chamber of Commerce CEO Greg Newman presented the microphone to a few of the Solstice leaders,

including; Thomas Forbes (Director of Sales and Marketing), Laurel O’Dell (Regional Director of Sales & Marketing), and Anne-Marie Brady (Interim Executive Director).

The Solstice employees had kind and warm words to share about their residents, the staff, and of course, the

Clovis Chamber of Commerce. In the senior living industry, there tends to be a high turnover rate. Regional Dir. of Sales & Marketing, Laurel O’Dell, mentioned to us that most of their staff has actually been a part of the Solstice team for several years. At least one employee has even

been with them for over a decade. Employee retention speaks volumes to the quality of a business. Congratulations to Solstice Senior Living at Clovis for all of their accomplishments within our community.

Photo by Destiny De La Cruz, Clovis Roundup Solstice residents and staff celebrate reopening in Grand style.

Photo by Destiny De La Cruz, Clovis Roundup Solo Brothers Paletas booth.

American Legion Post 147 Centennial Plaza

Clovis Chamber of Commerce

Clovis Civic Center

Clovis Elks

Clovis Fire & Police Station

Clovis Fire Station No. 1

Clovis Library

Clovis Museum

Clovis Rodeo Grounds

Clovis Senior Activity Center

Clovis Veterans Memorial District

Community Heritage Center

Mercedes Theater/Clark Intermediate

Old Town Trail

Old Town Water Tower

San Joaquin College of Law

Tarpey Depot - Visitor’s Center

Old Town Service District

1. A1 Lock & Key

2. ABC Pack & Print

3. All American Smog

4. B and H Tire Automotive Shop

5. Boice Funeral, 308 Pollasky Ave, (559) 299-4372

6. Central Valley Community Bank 7. Classic Catering 8. Clovis Boot & Shoe Repair

Car Wash, 409 Bullard Ave, 322-1380 17. Sam’s TV Repair 18. Shell Gas

FARMERS MARKET

Friday evenings, starting May 5th, from 5:30 pm Clovis on Pollasky between 3rd & 7th. The Old Town produce, with wonderful food selections and live foodies. Friday nights thru October 27th.

Saturday mornings from 9:00 am to 11:30 am. Located All year long.

CLOVIS/FRESNO 6TH ANNUAL TOY TRAIN SHOW

Saturday, September 23, 2023 - The show features items for kids under the age of 12, as well as toy (61 years or younger), $2 for seniors (62 years or 4th St. Clovis, CA 93612. For more information, Joe

to 8:30 pm. Located in the heart of Old Town Town Market Friday vibe is as fresh as the live music from our very own local artists and Located on Pollasky between 5th & Bullard.

SHOW features multiple operating train layouts, free raffle train items for sale. Admission: $5 per person or older). Open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Location: 850 Joe Bencivengo at 559-720-6828.

Boutique,

Food and Drink

1. 559 Brewery

2. 500 Club

3. Blast & Brew

4. Bobby Salazar’s

5. Kuppa Joy

6. DiCicco’s Italian, 408 Clovis Ave, 299-3711, www.DiCiccosClovis.com

7. Full O Bull

8. House of Juju

9. Le Parisien Cafe

10. Luna Pizzeria, 349 Pollasky Ave, 299-4141, lunaclovis.com

11. Michaelangelo’s Pizzeria

12. Old Town Saloon

13. On the Edge Coffee Shop

14. Outlaw Tavern

15. Rodeo Coffee Shop, 535 Fifth St, 299-3750, rodeocoffeeshop.com

16. Roll Me Some - Handcrafted Roll Ice Cream, 530 Pollasky, 825-7204, rollmesomeice.com

17. Salsa’s Cantina

18. Soups and Scoops, 433 Pollasky, 299-9606

19. The Local, 401 Clovis Ave #102, 900-4253

20. Two Cities Coffee Roasters Organic coffee and tea - Rolled Ice Creamery, 608 4th St., 765-4652

Hair Salon and Spas

1. A Little Indulgence Salon and Day Spa

2. Elle Style Bar

3. Fifth Street Salon

4. Hairology

5. Head to Toe Beauty Salon

6. Moxie Salon

7. Re:Treat Color and Hair Design Studio

8. Salon Innovation

Recipe

Win your tailgate with MVP-level appetizers

Add Savory Spice to Game Day

Celebrations

Powering up for a successful game day starts with a pregame spread, and no tailgate or homegate is complete without a spicy dip that brings the heat.

This Game Day Buffalo Chicken

Dip is a perfect solution for firing up your crowd as it requires little preparation so you save precious time before kickoff. Whether you bake shortly before the game begins or make it ahead of time for a parking lot party, simply keep it warm and serve with chips or veggie sticks for a quick, shareable appetizer.

Game Day Buffalo Chicken Dip

1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, plus additional for topping, divided

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 heavy pinch dried dill

1/2 cup hot sauce

2 green onions, chopped blue cheese crumbles chips

vegetable sticks

Heat oven to 400 F.

In bowl, mix shredded chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, onion powder, garlic powder and dried dill until combined. Add hot sauce; mix until combined.

FAMILY FEATURES

Before the end zone dances and sideline celebrations, settling in for a winning game day experience starts with delicious foods. Whether your football parties take place at home, in the backyard or right outside the stadium, kicking it off with savory appetizers can get the crowd on its feet.

Keep your game plan simple this season and light up the scoreboard with fan favorites like dips and wings. These versions are both easy to prepare and can be enjoyed fresh or made in advance and kept warm or reheated to energize your fellow diehards.

Visit Culinary.net to find more touchdownworthy tailgate recipes.

Cook time: 5 minutes

Servings: 12

1 pound ground beef

1 package (1 ounce) taco seasoning

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons minced cilantro

1 can (16 ounces) refried beans, zesty salsa flavor

1 jar (16 ounces) thick and chunky salsa, medium or hot

Servings: 3-4

2 cups shredded chicken

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

Transfer mixture from bowl to oven-safe dish. Top with additional shredded cheese, to taste.

Bake until cheese is melted, approximately 15 minutes.

Top with blue cheese crumbles and chopped green onion.

Serve warm with chips and vegetable sticks.

Score a Touchdown with a Game Day Dip

One of the best ways to take tailgating to the next level this season is by making healthier versions of classic game day fare. For example, you can be the MVP of your game day gathering with a delicious, hall-of-fame-worthy appetizer. Call an audible by using fresh, easy and healthy ingredients to make it better for you and score extra points with family and friends.

This Game Day Taco Dip takes fan-favorite flavors – beef, refried beans, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, tomatoes and black olives – and adds a twist with the Fresh Express Butter Supreme Salad kit. This tasty, colorful blend of green butter lettuce, red butter lettuce, radicchio and baby chard is available in the refrigerated produce department and is perfect for creating healthier versions of beloved tailgating dips, snacks, finger foods and more.

Visit FreshExpress.com to discover more winning game day recipe ideas and find a retailer near you.

Game Day Taco Dip

Prep time: 25 minutes

2 cups guacamole

1/2 cup sour cream

3 packages (5 ounces each) Fresh Express Butter Supreme

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup tomatoes, chopped

1 can (2 1/4 ounces) sliced black olives, drained

1 package (14 ounces) tortilla chips

In skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef 5 minutes, or until no longer pink. Sprinkle with taco seasoning; mix well. Add water; cook 2 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Transfer to bowl; cool to room temperature. Add cilantro; mix well.

In 9-inch pie plate, evenly spread refried beans; top with seasoned ground beef and salsa. Add spoonfuls of guacamole across top of salsa then carefully spread to smooth.

Place sour cream in small resealable bag; cut off corner. Pipe sour cream to create football shape on guacamole.

Put pie plate in center of 15-by-18-inch tray. Arrange salad blend around pie plate. Top with cheddar cheese, tomatoes and olives. Serve with tortilla chips.

Game Day Chicken Wings

Total time: 50 minutes

Servings: 4

1/2 cup butter, cubed

1/3 cup flour

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

10 chicken wingettes, thawed dipping sauces (optional) fresh parsley (optional)

Just Wing It

Skip the silverware at your next homegate and dive right in with a fan favorite that requires just your hands and a heap of napkins: wings.

Whether you pick through your pieces or clean each wing to the bone, these Game Day Chicken

Wings are perfect for eaters of all types. A simple flour-based coating keeps the recipe easy to make and

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Line baking sheet with foil. Arrange butter cubes on foil. In medium bowl, combine flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Coat both sides of wings in flour mixture then evenly space among butter cubes on baking sheet. Bake wings 30 minutes. Turn wings over and bake 15 minutes, or until crispy and fully cooked.

Serve with dipping sauces and sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired.

baking in the oven means you can skip the messy fryer or firing up the grill.

Cook until crispy then corral your party’s favorite dipping sauces from ranch and blue cheese to barbecue and more. Once your spread is served, it’s time to sit back and enjoy the game.

LET’S

TALK CLOVIS:

Peg Bos Historian/Clovis Museum Contributed

The brick arch of the Garfield School at the northwest corner of Minnewawa and Shepherd is all that remains of the historic school. It continues to intrigue all who pass by.

Investors and speculators purchased large acres of land that were subdivided into five, 10 or 20 acres and colonies were formed. Large families were the norm, and the one unifying goal for the colonies was to provide quality education for their children

The Garfield Colony organized its own school district in 1883. It’s believed it was named in honor of President James A. Garfield who was assassinated in 1881.

Isabella Conn was the first teacher and John Beard the first clerk of the board. The school was described as a one room wooden structure. In 1906, a new one room wooden framed school was built. A $4000 school bond was approved in 1912 and a wooden two room framed school with a brick veneer was built. Grades three through five were held in the west room and grades six, seven and eight in the east room. The 1906 building continued to serve the first and second grades.

Elementary schools that joined the Clovis High School District in 1899 were Garfield (1883), Red Banks (1874), Jefferson (1884), Mississippi (1869), Wolters (1892), Clovis (1895)

1883 Garfield Colony School

and Temperance (1878).

On April 28, 1993 Fresno Bee columnist Eli Setencich published an article entitled “The burro, the bell and the alumni of Garfield.” It was based on the memories of Normand, Claude and Fred Biglione. The Biglione families arrived in Clovis in the early 1900s. Normand would graduate in 1938 with six classmates–a significant increase from the three 1937 graduates.

One mode of transportation to travel the three and a half mile journey to school was to hitch up the family two-wheel cart to their horse, Kate. Normand stated: “She was a trotter. She got us there fast.” All three of them were also know to mount their donkey that “moseyed” to school. There was a stable at school that housed the animals. Boys would roll dried horse manure to enjoy a smoke.

Muriel and Earl Smittcamp sponsored a Garfield Picnic reunion on May 15, 1993 at their home at Minnewawa and Nees. Special guest Lena Clark began her teaching career at Garfield, where she taught from 1930-1934. She transferred to Jefferson and taught fifth and sixth grades from 1934-1948. Lena remarked that during her 14-year teaching career, she touched the lives of over 420 kids. The alumni shared many memories at the picnic. Many of the students walked to school barefooted and only wore shoes in the winter. They would bring their lunches in bags or in a tobacco can. Home and farm chores were completed by students prior to arriving at school. Classes began at 9 a.m. and ended at 3 p.m.

The privilege of ringing the school bell

was bestowed on “the good students.”

The “bad ones” were punished with a ruler slap to the hands or a switch to the behind, and their mouth was washed with soap if they said a bad word. Many would be banished to the coatroom, library or porch.

Fun was described as dipping the end of girl’s braids in the ink wells. Swings, teeter-totters, jackstones (jacks) and hopscotch were recess activities. The guys enjoyed tug of war, basketball, soccer and softball.

On Sept. 10, 1952 Garfield School

was annexed into Dry Creek Union District. The Clovis Grange purchased the historic school in 1989. On Feb. 6, 1990 it was destroyed by fire with the exception of its majestic archway. Pat V. Ricchiuti, Jr., the property’s owner, has stated he hopes to rebuild the school when that section of land is developed. He saved the original bricks. Garfield and the wonderful people that supported and attended it remain an important part of our rich heritage. Baseball remains a part of our rich history.

Contributed photo. Garfield School in 1912. The historic school burned down in 1990, and all that’s left of it is a brick archway.

Vape Store Cited & $24,000 Worth of Illegal Products Seized

Clovis Night Out returns

Saturday, September 30

September 26, 2023 – Starting at 4 pm, and going til dark. Clovis Night Out will be held at David McDonald Park at Temperance/Sierra, next to the Miss Winkles Pet Adoption Center. This family-friendly event brings our everyone together to celebrate safety within our community and is inspired by “National Night Out” typically held in August across the country. There will be food trucks, local boutique venders, live music, vehicle displays by your Clovis Police other City of Clovis departments, and a drone light show. Please visit Clovisnightout.com or Clovis Police Department's Facebook page for more information.

September 22, 2023 – Earlier this week, officers with our Neighborhood Services Division inspected TGI Vape in Clovis and seized $24,000 worth of illegal flavored vape and tobacco products. During the inspection, the clerk was also cited. Clovis Police works with the California Department of Tax & Fee Administration (CDTFA) under a grant from the Department of Justice that funds business inspections and education to Clovis businesses that sell tobacco

products. Just months prior in June of this year, CDTFA suspended the tobacco license at TGI Vape and seized tobacco products in the store. This is the store’s second violation in 2023. During the seizure this week, CDTFA cited the owner of the business for a misdemeanor charge as well and seized illegal cannabis products. To report sales of illegal tobacco/ flavored vape in Clovis, call our non-emergency phone number anytime at (559) 324-2800.

Happy 6th Birthday to a fellow K-9 unit!

Motorcyclist Arrested for Reckless Driving

September 26, 2023 – Officers have arrested a motorcyclist after 911 calls of reckless driving were reported. This afternoon, officers responded to the area of Clovis/Barstow and pulled over the motorcyclist. The adult male was arrested for reckless driving after officers witnessed the violations. The motorcycle was also impounded for 30 days.

September 26, 2023 – Clovis PD K-9, Dusty, celebrated their 6th birthday on September 22nd. Dusty was mentioned in a previous Clovis Roundup article back in August 17 in "A Day in the park with Two of Covis PD's K-9 Officers. Happy birthday Dusty!

Photo from Clovis Police Department Facebook page.

Photo from Clovis Police Department Facebook page.

Photo from Clovis Police Department Facebook page.

Contributed Clovis Police Department

Sunday, October 8

WIND SYMPHONY OF CLOVIS

Paul Shaghoian Memorial

Concert Hall

2770 E. International Ave., Fresno, CA 3 p.m.

Hispanic Heritage Month

SEPTEMBER

Friday, September 29

PISTACHIO PARTY AT FRIDAY NIGHT FARMERS MARKET

Old Town Clovis Pollasky & 5th 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, September 30 12TH ANNUAL CLOVIS NIGHT OUT CLOVIS POLICE DEPARTMENT

David McDonald Park, Clovis, CA 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Saturday, September 30

FAITH & BLUE AT CLOVIS NIGHT OUT

Justin Lawrence Double Average Band CLOVIS POLICE DEPARTMENT

Patrol Beat #6, 7, 8 and 9 (east of Sunnyside between Herndon & Shaw.

Also, north of Herndon spanning entire city.)

David McDonald Park, Temperance/Sierra

4 p.m. – 8 p.m.

OCTOBER

Friday, October 6 FAITH & BLUE CLOVIS POLICE DEPARTMENT

Patrol Beat #1 (South of Shaw, west of Minnewawa) San Gabriel Park, Willow /

TROUP

PHOTOGRAPHY

Joey R. Troup 559.797.0559

Troop70Clovis@yahoo.com

Award winning photographer

Available for weddings, parties, gatherings, animals, landscapes and more.

San Gabriel (Willow south of Shaw) 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Friday, October 6

ANNUAL SPAGHETTI

DINNER

Host: Clovis Lions Club Clovis Senior Activity Center 850 4th St., Clovis, CA

6 p.m.

Saturday, October 7

ALOHA IN THE PARK Dry Creek Park 855 N. Clovis Ave. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Saturday, October 7 2ND ANNUAL ROTARY BBQ & BREWS P-R Farms 2917 E. Shepherd Ave., Clovis, CA Visit Clovisrotary.com to purchase tickets 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Saturday, October 7

CENTRAL VALLEY FALLEN HEROES CAR SHOW California 9/11 Memorial 3485 Never Forget Lane, Clovis, CA 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Saturday, October 7 CLOVIS CARS AND COFFEE

Fundraiser for 8 year old

Timothy Graham Monkey Dog Coffee 386 W. Ashlan Ave., F, Clovis, CA 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.

Saturday, October 7

PUMPKIN RUN

Cottonwood Park N. Clovis Ave. & Alluvial Ave., Clovis, CA 9 a.m.

Sunday, October 8

OLPH PARISH FESTIVAL

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Notre Dame Hall

333 8th St., Clovis, CA 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Wednesday, October 11

WAKE UP CLOVIS

NAME, IMAGE, AND LIKENESS

How Fresno State Athletics is Elevating the Experience in New Era of College Athletics

Clovis Community College

Herndon Campus, Room 308

390 W. Fir Ave., Clovis, CA 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Friday, October 13 thru Tuesday, October 31

SPOOKTACULAR DISPLAYS

Clovis Veterans Memorial District

808 4th St., Clovis, CA

6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Saturday, October 14

CLOVIS FIRE OPEN HOUSE

FIRE STATION 6

2388 Encino Ave., Clovis, CA (Off of Leonard – between Shaw and Gettysburg)

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Friday, October 20

CLOVIS STREET FAIR

Clovis Industrial Park

567 Park Creek Dr., Clovis, CA

5 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Saturday, October 21

DENIM & DIAMONDS

Soroptimist International of Clovis

Clovis Veterans Memorial District

808 4th St., Clovis, CA 6 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday, October 21 & 22

WHOLE VINE FESTIVAL

Fresno State University

Between Science II Bldg. and Band Practice Field (between Barstow and San Ramon) Saturday – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday – 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Saturday, October 21

STEP UP FOR DOWN

SYNDROME Clovis Rodeo

748 Rodeo Dr., Clovis, CA

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Saturday, October 21

3RD ANNUAL CLASSIC CAR SHOW Willow Creek Healthcare Center 650 W. Alluvial, Clovis, CA 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Saturday, October 21

2023 FALL WINE WALK Old Town Clovis 4:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Saturday, October 21

HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR 2023 Clovis Veterans Memorial District 808 4th St., Clovis, CA 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Saturday, October 21

ROLEPLAYING GAME CONVENTION Clovis Veterans Memorial District 808 4th St., Clovis, CA 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Friday, October 27 thru

Sunday, October 29

CLOVIS HAUNTED TRAIL Clovis Old Town Trail Willow and Nees

Friday & Saturday, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Sunday, 6 p.m. – 9p.m.

ALL MONTH LONG

U.S. FLAG RETIREMENT DROP BOX Clovis Veterans Memorial District 808 4th St., Clovis Three Flag Retirement Drop Boxes on site Drive Up Box is available 24/7

FREE BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKUP Clovis Senior Activity Center 850 4th St., Clovis, CA

Mondays, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Tuesdays, 9 a.m. - 10 a.m.

CITY OF CLOVIS

HAZARDOUS WASTE DROP OFF CENTER 79 N. Sunnyside, Clovis, CA

Tuesday thru Saturday – 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

PLACES TO VISIT

CALIFORNIA 9-11

MEMORIAL

3485 Never Forget Ln. Clovis, CA Open 365 days a year

COMMUNITY HERITAGE CENTER

3rd and Veterans Parkway

OPEN Tuesday thru Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

CLOVIS MUSEUM

4th & Pollasky Clovis, CA

Open Tuesday thru Saturday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

FARMERS’ MARKETS

CLOVIS

OLD TOWN FARMERS’ MARKET Polasky Ave., Clovis, CA

Every Saturday

Year-Round 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (weather permitting) and Friday Nights at 5:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.

MARKET AT THE PARC Food Trucks and Farmers Market Clovis Community Hospital

Temperance & Herndon

Every Monday YearRound 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Western Dental seeks F/T dentists for Fresno location.

Must have DDS or DMD degree or foreign equivalent and valid CA dental license.

Salary ranges from $60 – $90 an hour

Send resume to: Recruiting@WesternDental.com

One Voice, The Spirit of 9/12 Contest

9/11 terrorist attacks was there to give a speech and award the students.

To learn more about his story, you can read his autobiography. His children’s book is titled Immigrant, American, Survivor: A Little Boy Who Grew Up To Be All Three, and his adult’s book is titled, Sunrise Through the Darkness: A Survivor's Account of Learning to Live Again Beyond 9/11.

“As you go forward in life, remember that you have the opportunity to make a positive impact in this world,” Jimeno said to the students. Other speakers and presenters included:

CVMD Assists Central Valley Veterans with 2023 ‘Stand Down’ Event

September 14, 2023 - “The spirit of 9/12 is to bring us all back to the place we were on September 12th, 2001.

We were not obsessed with red states, blue states, or political parties.

We were united as Americans. Standing together to protect the values and principles of the United States of America.” — Lisa Benham-Lewis, Ed.D, Grant Director at Fresno County Superintendent of Schools

Students from junior high and high school all over Fresno County entered their artwork, poetry, and logos into the One Voice Spirit of 9/12 Contest.

The main guideline for the contest was, “Entries will reflect on how our country was united as a result of the events on September 11, 2001.”

The art, poetry, and logo were on display at the 2023 California 9/11 Memorial Ceremony, in addition to being displayed during the One Voice event at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District. Two winners from both the art and poetry category were awarded Grand Prize, which includes a paid trip to visit the National 9/11 Memorial in New York City, for one student and 1 family chaperone. The teachers of the grand prize winners also win the paid trip as well. Every entry received a certificate, the top 10 per category received medals, the top three overall in middle school (7th-8th) received an iPad, and the top three in high school (9th-12th) received a $1000 scholarship (savings bond to 9th-11th grade).

Will Jimeno, retired Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department officer, and survivor of the

Lorenzo Rios (Chief Executive Officer of Clovis Veterans Memorial District and U.S. Army Veteran), Terra Brusseau (Executive Director of The California 9/11 Memorial), Dr. Michele Cantwell-Copher (Fresno County Superintendent of Schools), Lisa Benham-Lewis, Ed.D. (Grant Director at Fresno County Superintendent of Schools), John Sherron (Director of Curriculum & Instruction at Washington Unified School District), among others.

The contest finalists, not including the list of top 10’s, are as follows:

2023 Top 3 - Junior High Art

Allison Chung, Grade 7, Alta

Sierra Intermediate School

Giselle Rubio, Grade 8, Clark Intermediate School

David Barbosa Martinez, Grade 8, Washington Academic Middle School

2023 Top 3 - High School Art

Isabella Avery, Grade 9, Clovis High School

Mary Vasquez, Grade 11, Roosevelt High School

Cindy Parra, Grade 9, Roosevelt High School

2023 Top 3 - Junior High Poetry

Kendall Metzler, Grade 8, Alta

Sierra Intermediate School

Jameson Tadlock, Grade 8, Alta

Sierra Intermediate School

Kai Katoch, Grade 8, Alta

Sierra Intermediate School

2023 Top 3 - High School Poetry

Ger Thao, Grade 11, Roosevelt High School

Katherine Calloway, Grade 11, Roosevelt High School

Meridian Yang, Grade 11, Roosevelt High School

2023 Logo Winner

Catrina Johnson,

12,

September 26, 2023 - Each of the past thirty-three years, the Central Valley Veterans, an all-volunteer, non-profit group who honor all U.S. Veterans with support and guidance have held a “Stand Down” event in which they are able to do so. With the Stand Down event, the Central Valley Veterans have been able to provide veterans valuable communications on everyday needs such as health or dental care and connect them with those who provide it. In a fair-like setting, groups providing vaccinations, clothing, personal hygiene supplies and even hot meals were combined in one place, usually the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8900. However, Post 8900 recently had their roof collapse resulting in the cancellation of all scheduled events including this 34th year’s “Stand Down”. When Central Valley President John Schuler , Director of the Central Valley Veterans Stand Down called the Clovis Veterans Memorial District about possibly having the event in their building, he said they were able to “..bail us out. I didn’t think we were gonna have one this year. But they opened the doors for us and here we are, it’s an incredible venue and we have fifty-five services here all under one roof.” “It’s about having all the services out here for veterans. We have everything, we have dental, we have optical, we have other independent services…Stand Down

Your Complete Guide to Using Your Credit Cards

Contributed

Noble Credit Union

Q: I’d love to improve my credit score, but I can’t get ahead of my monthly payments. I also find that my spending gets out of control when I’m paying with plastic. How do I use my credit cards responsibly?

A: Using your credit cards responsibly is a great way to boost your credit score and your financial wellness. Unfortunately, though, credit card issuers can make it challenging to stay ahead of monthly payments, which can easily cause you to fall into debt with credit card purchases. No worries, though;

Noble Credit Union is here to help!

Here’s all you need to know about responsible credit card usage.

Refresh your credit card knowledge

Understanding the way a credit card works can help the cardholder use it responsibly.

A credit card is a revolving line of credit allowing the cardholder to make charges at any time, up to a specific limit. Each time the cardholder swipes their card, the credit card issuer is lending them the money so they can make the purchase. Unlike a loan, though, the credit card account has no fixed term. Instead, the cardholder will need to make payments toward the balance each month until the balance is paid off in full. At the end of each billing cycle, the

cardholder can choose to make just the minimum required payment, pay off the balance in full or make a payment of any size that falls between these two amounts. Credit cards tend to have high interest rates relative to other kinds of loans. Recently, we’ve seen rates on the rise. In fact, according to Forbes, the average credit card rate is now at 28.05% APR (annual percentage rate) while the average credit union rate on new credit cards is 12.27% APR (according to the National Credit Union Administration).

Pay bills in full, on time

The best way to keep a score high is to pay credit card bills in full each month — and on time. This has multiple benefits: Build credit — Using credit responsibly builds up your credit history, which makes it easier and more affordable to secure a loan in the future.

Skip the interest — Paying credit card bills in full and on time each month lets the cardholder avoid the card’s interest charges completely.

Stay out of debt — Paying bills in full each month helps prevent the consumer from falling into the cycle of endless minimum payments, high interest accruals and a whirlpool of debt. Avoid late fees — Late fees and other penalties for missed payments can get expensive quickly. Avoid them by paying bills on time each month.

Enjoy rewards — Healthy credit card

habits are often generously rewarded through the credit card issuer with airline miles, reward points and other fun benefits. Brush up on billing

There are several important terms to be familiar with for staying on top of credit card billing.

A credit card billing cycle is the period of time between subsequent credit card billings. It can vary from 20 to 45 days, depending on the credit card issuer. Within that timeframe, purchases, credits and any fees or finance charges will be added to and subtracted from the cardholder’s account.

When the billing cycle ends, the cardholder will be billed for the remaining balance, which will be reflected in their credit card statement. The current dates and span of a credit card’s billing cycle should be clearly visible on the bill. Credit card bills will also show a payment due date, which tends to be approximately 20 days after the end of a billing cycle.

The timeframe between when the billing cycle ends and its payment due date is known as the grace period. When the grace period is over and the payment due date passes, the payment is overdue and will be subject to penalties and interest charges. Spend smartly Credit cards can easily turn into spending traps if the cardholder is not careful. Following these dos and don’ts of credit card spending can help you stick to your budget even when paying with plastic.

is a way to get all the services to the veteran as opposed to getting all the veterans to the services.”

Schuler explained, “It’s a giant service fair..when we do a typical Stand Down, we set up a tent city for the homeless Veterans, but where we usually have it, Post 8900, the building collapsed.” John says that overall during the two-day event, the first day had over 325 veterans served and on the second day, 150 and counting. The event stands as a platform to give back to those who have served the country and aims to empower veterans through diverse services and resources. The Clovis Veterans Memorial District says that they are, “proud to support programs like this that honor veterans by providing necessary resources. As the tagline of the event states, it is important to offer local veterans a hand up rather than a handout.”

John Schuler redirected, “We’ll have a lot of veterans come through here.. Twenty-five years ago we would have had 1500 [Veterans] in here. But the numbers go down each year, and it shows that the programs are working. It’s about getting Veterans off the street, into programs, getting the help that they need and getting them on to a productive life.”

The Central Valley Veterans “Stand Down” event is held annually each September and is supported by donations. You can help donate to the Central Valley Veterans by visiting Centralvalleyveterans.org

Do:

When making a purchase, treat your credit card like cash. Remember that credit card transactions are mini loans.

Pay for purchases within your regular budget.

Decrease your reliance on credit cards by building an emergency fund.

Don’t:

Use your credit card as if it provides you with access to extra income. Use credit to justify extravagant purchases.

Neglect to put money into savings because you have access to a credit card. Using credit cards responsibly can help you build and maintain an excellent credit score, which will make it easier to secure affordable long-term loans in the future. For more tips on using credit cards wisely, visit Noble Credit Union’s website at www. NobleCU.com and click on the “Learn” tab.

Noble Credit Union has been treating each member with kindness, dignity, and honor while helping members make sound financial decisions for 81 years. The Credit Union offers members full access to a wide range of financial education and services, including low-rate auto loans, MyRewards Visa credit card, mortgage and equity loans, online and mobile banking, and more. For more information about membership at Noble Credit Union, call (559) 252-5000 or visit NobleCU.com.

Grade

Washington Union High School

Photo by Clovis Veterans Memorial District

A 'one-stop-shop' for veterans, offering crucial resources like dental and vision care, employment, clothing, fresh haircuts, mental and medical health referrals, assistance with VA claims, and so much more.

Photo by Destiny De La Cruz, Clovis Roundup

Lorenzo Rios, Chief Executive Officer of Clovis Veterans Memorial District and U.S. Army Veteran

J.T. Gomez jt21gomez@gmail.com

Destiny De La Cruz @ClovisRoundup

Clovis Unified Board Faces Discussion on Gender Identity

J.T. Gomez jt21gomez@gomez.com

September 22, 2023 - For the second CUSD Board Meeting in a row, multiple members of the Clovis public, Clovis parents, and concerned citizens across the Valley made their way to the public comments section portion of the Clovis Unified School Board Meeting in order to discuss an on-going issue across California. Those who spoke at last week’s meeting and a good portion of those who spoke at this meeting were mainly concerned with students’ gender identity throughout CUSD, and whether or not their gender identity upon change would be notified to parents. This issue comes after a judge halted school policy for Chino Valley Unified School District that would notify parents

of students’ gender identity change. This is not the first time CUSD has seen public participation on the topic, as the issue came up during two week’s ago’s board meeting when a smaller group of concerned individuals spoke in front of the board. Clovis Unified released a statement directly to the Clovis Roundup after this first meeting: “Our existing practices in Clovis Unified are centered on balancing the rights of students to access facilities and programs based on their identified gender and the rights held by parents and guardians in the upbringing of their children, and we look at every child individually. No further steps have been taken by the Governing Board or administration at this time to place a board policy like that currently being legally challenged in other parts of the state on a future meeting agenda.”

Members of the public at this meeting

POW/MIA Recognition Day

@ClovisRoundup

September 15, 2023 - “DOD Won't Stop Looking Until All POW/MIAs Are Home,” — C. Todd Lopez , DOD News

According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, the most recent update as of May 22, 2023 puts the number of Americans Missing in Action at more than 81,000. More than half of the missing are presumed lost at sea.

“The Defense Department remembers and honors those Americans who were prisoners of war and those who served and never returned home. DOD's POW/MIA Accounting Agency continues the search for the missing, fulfilling the nation's promise to leave no service member behind,” states the Department of Defense’s website. The search continues for those who are MIA from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf Wars, and other recent conflicts like the Iraq War.

A Congressional Research Service report shows that: 130,201 World War II service members were imprisoned; 14,072 them died, 7,140 Korean War service members were imprisoned; 2,701 of them died, 725 Vietnam War service members were imprisoned; 64 of them died, 37 service members were imprisoned during conflicts since 1991, including both Gulf wars; none are still in captivity.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency’s data shows that 83,114 Americans are still MIA: approximately 73,515 from World War II, 7,841 from the Korean War, 1,626 from Vietnam, 126 from the Cold War, and 6 from conflicts since 1991.

Not one military member is Missing in Action from the war in Afghanistan.

“On this day, may we recommit to our search efforts for all those missing and unaccounted for, as well as our support for their families. May we honor the remarkable bravery, sacrifice, and commitment to service of former prisoners of war.

made arguments for both sides of the topic, either supporting or opposing a possible policy change within CUSD.

“It should be a student’s own choice. It should be their option to choose when and who and how they come out to,” said Nadine Pourier Blumenshine, the vice president of PFLAG. PFLAG is the organization “Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays”. On the other hand, parents who want to be notified stated that they “have a right to know” what is going on in schools with their children, and that they hope to be “involved” in every portion of their children’s education both on and off campus.

Clovis Unified released a similar statement to ABC 30 while adding an additional two sentences to the previous statement made to the Clovis Roundup two weeks prior.

“Our existing practices in Clovis Unified are

centered on balancing the rights of students to access facilities and programs based on their gender identity and the rights held by parents and guardians in the upbringing of their children. We look at every child individually to make sure they are supported and safe at school. And, we look for ways to ensure that no parent is left without access to their child's student records and educational experience.”

Clovis Unified has not made a decision on whether or not they will put a policy in their school district notifying parents of gender identity change and will not for the foreseeable future. This will not occur so long as the Chino Valley Unified School District’s policy is currently being challenged.

And may we continue to keep the flame of liberty burning bright and continue working toward a more perfect Union for which our service members sacrifice so much,” proclaimed President Biden.

A POW/MIA Recognition Day event was held at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District on the evening of Tuesday, September 12th.

The event was hosted by the Association of the United States Army, Central California Chapter 6105. Some of those in attendance were: military members, veteran group

leaders, the Central Valley Blue Star Moms, AUSA Cadets, a Veterans Association Hospital representative, City of Clovis representatives, the Sounds of Freedom Band, and more. The event was sponsored by CVMD, AUSA, the VA, and other veteran groups. There were dozens of MIA, POW, and Secret Guerilla Unit (SGU) displays, including a Missing Man Table. May we never forget the U.S. Armed Forces members that are missing or unaccounted for.

Destiny De La Cruz

ClovisFest International Village

September 26, 2023 - The Clovis Chamber of Commerce hosted their 48th Annual ClovisFest this past weekend and with it came large crowds of individuals looking for different foods, sights, and experiences. One of those experiences came from the eighth annual “International Village”, a section of ClovisFest that was incorporated to celebrate the cultural differences in Clovis and the Central Valley. The International Village according to Chamber of Commerce CEO Greg Newman, “Highlight the community and cultures that make up our community.”

Sponsored by the Fresno/Clovis Convention and Visitors Bureau, International Village had staged performances from groups such as the Celtic Motion Dance Company, Clovis Heiwa Taiko, Nangfa Studios-Yoj Yuj Yeas’Kaij Kiab, Iranian Culture and Arts Club, Danzantez

Yoztaltepetl, Brazen Tassel Belly Dance, and an International Fashion Show.

One specific performance was completed by the Hawaiian dance academy, Hãlau Hula I Ka Lã, where dancers, both young and old, graced the stage with their presence and impressed the audience with their attunement.

Regan Padua, life-long member of the Hãlau Hula I Ka Lã, says that the company has been a part of the Clovis community for just about six years now as they moved from a Fresno location to Willow and Nees. They have been officially a company since 2014.

Hãlau Hula I Ka Lã has been coming to ClovisFest for five of the six years that they have been in Clovis and Padua says their next upcoming event, “Aloha in the Park'' is family friendly with lots of performances on track to commence. Regan says, “Come to spread aloha, and live your life with aloha.”

Aloha in the Park will take place at Dry Creek Park in Clovis on October 7th.

In addition to the International Village, ClovisFest lined the streets with vendors and activities alike, including the Made in Clovis section and the Hot Air Balloon Fun Fly that occurred in the early morning hours at the Clovis Rodeo Grounds. Chamber of Commerce member Ellie Huston said that there were plenty of viewers for that fun fly, going as far as to say that it was indeed “packed” when she arrived.

“I got here at five this morning and it was packed…The weather was outstanding and the crowds were magnificent.” Huston also says that she walked up and down Pollasky avenue and saw the booths and how the droves of people were mingling throughout.

“There was some lovely people here and it’s just been wonderful, phenomenal.”

Devin Tienken of Legacy Realty and Development and Chamber of Commerce

member says, “The Clovis Way of Life is really preserved by the Chamber embodying the business community and bringing the local community out to support those businesses…It’s not all just about bottom lines but more about the culture and community that they try to bring.” Tienken also said that events such as ClovisFest help to both promote the Chamber of Commerce and support member businesses in downtown Clovis. No matter the “bottom line” whether it be for the Clovis Chamber of Commerce or the City of Clovis itself, a lot of foot traffic went through the downtown area known as “Old Town. With this, plenty of businesses were given the opportunity for the all important facetime that is needed. ClovisFest once again proved how valuable such a resource as saying hello to a neighbor can be.

Photo by JT Gomez, Clovis Roundup Dancers of the Hãlau Hula I Ka Lã dance company take both the stage and the front of the stage during their performance in the International Village section of Clovis Fest on Saturday, September 23rd.

Photo by JT Gomez, Clovis Roundup

Dancers of the Hãlau Hula I Ka Lã dance company take both the stage and the front of the stage during their performance in the International Village section of Clovis Fest on Saturday, September 23rd.