Clovis Roundup - October 12, 2022

New Transit and Senior Centers Working Through Construction

Clovis Haunted Trail Returns for Halloween Weekend

J.T. Gomez

At the new transit and senior center

one thing mentioned multiple times

tour

unfinished

Having “enough space” and having “more space” for both employees as well as citizens of

Clovis has become a rather large obstacle at their current homes.

With the new buildings, Gener al Services Manager Amy Hance and Transit Supervisor Bethany Berube believe that the space af forded to them will be more than enough to suffice the growing numbers of traffic that go in and out of each building every day.

Describing the current transit cen ter, Bethany Berube stated, “[Right now] We are in a tiny, tiny, tiny space, there’s a lot of us in a very small space.” With around 70 em ployees, she explained the move will help out their needs in this area.

The transit center, named the Wil liam H. “Harry” Armstrong Transit Center, named after 46 year council

at

J.T. Gomez jt21gomez@gmail.com

Eight Clovis

The

Council

Candidates Matt Basgall, Drew Bessinger, Kyle Chaney, Des Haus, Joseph Hebert, Diane Pearce, Josh ua Phanco, and Guy Redner were present at the debate to try and earn Clovis’ vote. Candidates Martin Salas and Mark Kazanjian were not present at the meeting and did not get the opportunity to speak in front of the sizable crowd that had gath ered inside the Liberty Ballroom.

Questions were asked by two mediators again, this time the de

After a successful showing last year, the Clovis Haunted Trail re turns the last weekend of October.

While the event is centered around providing excitement and joy to many of Clovis’ residents, it also provides the opportunity for CenCal Youth sports, a non-profit which offers a variety of sports and fitness programs for players aged 6-14 in the Fresno and Clovis area, to promote its’ characteristics of Hard-Work, Integrity, and Trust.

“The Clovis Haunted Trail is one of our biggest fundraisers and last year we increased our youth sponsorships by 30 percent,” said Nate Dalena, Executive Director of CenCal Youth Sports.

The location of this event will be behind the Parkway Trails Shopping Center on the Northeast corner of Willow and Nees avenue in Clovis.

of Clovis

rendering

Clovis Senior Activity Center: A Smittcamp Legacy.

JT Gomez/Clovis Roundup City Council candidates Joshua Phanco, Des Haus, Guy Redner, Drew Bessinger, Kyle Chaney, Matt Basgall, Diane Pearce, and Joseph Hebert were present at the debate.

Candidates Martin Salas and Mark Kazanjian were not present.

Contribted by Clovis Haunted Trail @clovishauntedtrail

TRAIL

Attendees can expect eerie music, foggy trees, and spooky lighting. A kids hours will take place on Saturday, Oct. 29, from 5 to 6 p.m., which is intended to have a more relaxed atmosphere where there will be no jump scares.

“It’s a great family event and the trail is scary as it is, so why not make it fun! “I love seeing all the kiddos dressed up and having fun,” said Falina Marihar, creator of the event. “It’s a win-win for everyone who participates, and the students do an impres sive job as scare actors and other support ing roles during the event.”

Volunteers of CenCal Youth Sports

and Buchanan High School will help run the event. The event receives sponsor ships from Mono Wind Casino, Kids Kare School, Parkway Trails Shopping Center and Red Carpet Car Wash.

The Fresno Clovis Convention & Visi tors Bureau, C.D. Simonian Insurance with Karen Carstens, DCL Technology, Valley Fence, Fresno Coin Gallery, PC Solutions, 13 Prime Steak, and Ritcher Feed and Sup ply are supporters of the event this year.

“Sponsorships are a bit tight this year, but we will make it work,” Marihart said. “I reached out to all my business relation ships to ask for support, and many were willing and excited to contribute.”

Photo courtesy of Clovis Haunted Trail

The Clovis Haunted Trail will be opened the last weekend of October.

What’s Up, Clovis?

Clovis Senior Center Classic Car Show.

Watering Days

Through October

can

If

have

water

with

1957 Navy Jeep Truck of Veteran, George LaBorde

1930 Model A, Virginia and Charles Dif fey.

PHOTOS BY RON SUNDQUIST

the Clovis Senior Activity Center on

Danielle Fischer held her last “Edible Flower Show” for this year at

The Edge Coffee House Patio. She offered cookies with flower

and dried and fresh packets of colorful

Other vendors

bouquets

New wiring is being installed for the Clovis Museum outside lights.

(L to R): Beth Christensen, Clovis Mu seum Director, and Mathew, a visitor.

Old Town Kiwanis’ John and Marilyn Waayers served Breakfast Burritos.

CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES

DREW BESSINGER

tain at Clovis PD in 2006 we had 116 officers. We’ve gone down after the recession to 93 of ficers by 2011. We are now around 111 police officers for a city of almost 125,000. So we need to find a mechanism to fund those posi tions,” Bessinger said.

Bessinger said one such mechanism is Measure B, but Bessinger said while Measure B is a good start, it is not perfect.

that is called the “broken window theory,” Bessinger explained the theory;

“If you go into a neighborhood or into a commercial area and there’s broken windows and graffiti, it leads the people to believe nobody cares about this neighborhood,” Bessinger said.

Bessinger explained that such behavior could escalate to couch dumping, to applianc es being left in the front of properties.

opened,” Bessinger said.

Bessinger said during the pandemic they had businesses that couldn’t afford to shut down and during that time when businesses were shut down Bessinger said he made the decision to allow the business to open back up responsibly.

“I said open back up, wear a mask, so cially distance and act appropriately and the city of Clovis isn’t going to come after you,” Bessinger said.

Drew Bessinger, is the only incumbent in the crowded field of candidates this election and is a familiar face to Clovis.

Bessinger served as Mayor during the be ginning of the pandemic and has held many positions such as Police Captain.

Bessinger spent 42 years as a law enforce ment officer for federal, state and seven local cities that include 22 years at the Clovis police department, according to his campaign web site.

Heading into the Nov. 8 election, Bessinger said his catalyst for seeking re-election comes from “unfinished business” he hopes to ac complish such as, providing more resources to the Clovis Police department to ensure Clovis safety.

“We’re trying to find a mechanism to staff more police officers because when I was cap

“I hope between [Measure B] and our sales tax revenues we will be able to afford to bring more police officers on but, there may come a point where the community has to consider a short term sales tax to get us over the hump until about 2030,” Bessinger said.

On his campaign website, Bessinger said “there is much more to do…there always is. Excellence does not happen by chance, it takes vision and planning…lots and lots of planning. My main goal as your council mem ber is to keep Clovis the safest and cleanest community in California.”

Bessinger said he hopes to accomplish this goal through a continued effort of code en forcement and relying on voluntary calls from community members when there is something that is, according to Bessinger, “hurting the property value” of neighborhoods.

Bessinger hearkened back to a policing concept that he teaches at the police academy

“It’s a slippery slope because once it starts you have to really be on it and as a communi ty that is something we have done an excel lent job at,” Bessinger said.

Since being elected to City Council in 2017 Bessinger has served as mayor during the pandemic and shares his accomplishments serving the community during the pandemic.

“We delivered meals to our seniors who were sheltering at home. Clovis had the low est COVID rates in the country, lower than cities 1/10th our size.” Bessinger said.

Bessinger said the unintended consequenc es of the Governor’s orders “picked ‘winners and losers’ where large corporate stores remained open and small businesses were shuttered,” and in response Bessinger said he “refused” to shut down small businesses.

“We refused to target our small businesses that took reasonable precautions and re

JOSEPH HEBERT

The Clovis Roundup reached out to Jo seph Hebert for an interview, but did not receive a response back at the time.

According to Hebert’s campaign website, he has lived in Clovis for the past 13 years and had an extensive managerial career in the aerospace industry, working for several fortune 100 companies including Apple and Hewlett Packard.

Hebert serves as the director of parks community services for the city of Madera and personal commissioner for the state center community college district. He is also an “active” board member for salt and light,

a non profit organization in Visalia that’s “dedicated to cultivating community by pro viding dignified homes, jobs and healing for homeless citizens.”

According to Hebert’s campaign website, he believes in decision making that is based on what is best for the community above party interests.

“...ethics and qualifications should be the priorities voters look for in their city coun cilmen, not simply their political affiliation.”

According to Hebert’s campaign website.

He is passionate about building a strong community to ensure the safety and wellness

KYLE CHANEY

Clovis way of life moving forward,” Chaney said.

Chaney’s focus is centered around the issue of no neighborhood left behind, safer communities, and building a stronger Clo vis. Chaney hopes to accomplish his goal of maintaining Clovis’ reputation of being a safe community to live in by meeting the goal of ensuring that the Clovis Police Department will have one officer for every 1,000 residents. A goal that Chaney calls a “minimum” that he hopes to meet.

that it needs to stay,” Chaney said.

Chaney said since Clovis is known for being the safest city in the Valley, he will “do everything to retain that title,” so other fami lies want to live in Clovis.

On the issue of no neighborhood left behind, Chaney hopes to lead an initiative to repair broken streets and upgrade older parks, trails and canals to pristine condition.

With a crowded field of candidates, Bessinger said he thinks the amount of can didates that have “stepped up” to run for city council is a great thing and having so many highly qualified citizens who want to serve the community is a good thing to see.

Bessinger shared that he directly lobbied state agencies to permit the reopening of our restaurants, barber shops and hairdressers who were “on the verge of insolvency” ac cording to Bessinger’s campaign website.

“We need to continue our growth, but not grow so fast that we outpace our ability to serve all of our citizens. We also need to create an environment that attracts business so Clovis is not just a bedroom community for Fresno. We need to do all of this, while keeping our “small town” feel that has made Clovis the special place that it truly is. I have a proven track record of public service and a commitment to your safety. I would be hon ored to have your vote on November 8th.” Bessinger said on his campaign website.

of Clovis residents while advocating on their behalf with a shared vision of success for Clovis and future generations.

Hebert is running on the issues of hous ing affordability, safe neighborhoods, reduc ing homelessness, and shared best practices among municipalities.

According to Hebert’s campaign website, he plans to build partnerships with the po lice and fire departments and help provide the resources needed to keep families safe.

In regards to reducing homelessness, Hebert said he feels “all residents deserve to feel safe in their neighborhoods,” and his plan to accomplish this goal involves working with the Clovis police department to “target and eliminate” property crime, va cancy and more.

identify where there are efficiencies that can be improved upon along with looking for ways to get funds that do not impact the gen eral fund and taxpayers.

“ I know the cost of doing nothing is higher from a liability standpoint. We don’t want our citizens to trip on something and get hurt. So making sure that we’re proactive and going out and searching …but the risk of doing nothing far outweighs the cost of doing something,” Chaney said.

Kyle Chaney has been a resident of Clo vis for approximately 20 years, is running for Clovis City Council. Chaney, a sales manag er for Guarantee Real Estate said his catalyst for running for City Council was because of aspirations he had since majoring in political science at Fresno State.

“Since I was a political science major through college, I’m grounded in the under standing of what civic duty but my decision to run was also based on how unique Clovis is. In the sense that as far as our municipal ities are concerned, people have a positive relationship with Clovis and I am fighting and running to keep that uniqueness and the

Chaney hopes to accomplish his goal of having an officer for every 1,000 residents through the transient tax on the ballot this year, Measure B.

Chaney said that Measure B is a “fantastic way” of accomplishing his goals because it won’t “impact the citizens” of Clovis. But Chaney admits that it may not be enough, but it is a step in the right direction.

“It’s all about exploring grants and being creative again on the budgeting side and looking to see if there are areas that we can maximize for better use towards the police and fire department or are there other areas

“Unfortunatley over the last five to sev en years there seem to be more potholes out there and there are a few other things that are making it a little more difficult for residents. I don’t want to send somebody to have their alignment done just because they drove down the street. That’s just unaccept able. That’s just not the Clovis way of life,” Chaney said.

According to Chany in order to accom plish his goal of no neighborhood left behind paired with anticipating any costs to Clovis residents to accomplish his plan starts with looking at the budget.

Chaney said that in order to proceed with a plan like no neighborhood left behind, he would have to “analyze the budget” and

With experience working for fortune 500 companies and managing budgets and price expectations, Chaney said he feels he has the necessary experiences to qualify him for a position on the City Council.

Chaney said set against the other candi dates he feels this experience will distinguish him in the crowded field of candidates.

“My experience in budgeting is under standing what you do in one area affects what happens in another. So if we are pro viding services in the city such as water, trash, police, and fire you have to understand that they need a chunk of our money which comes from the general fund. Understanding that when you add and put things there may be some services somewhere else that need to be balanced out and what you are doing at the expense of another are things you need to know,” Chaney said.

Clovis Unified School Board Candidate Debate

business and manufacturing community to prepare students for workforce readiness coming straight out of high school.

On Monday October 3rd, the Veterans Memorial District hosted the Clovis Unified School District School Board Candidate Forum in the Liberty Ballroom of their facility.

The school board candidates present were Samantha Bauer, Joanne Burton, and Chuck Der Manouel all who were running for the vacancy in Trustee Area 1. Deena CombsFlores was the final candidate present at the debate, representing her hopes to be elected to Trustee Area 6, the vacancy opened by the retirement of board member Betsy Sandoval.

Those not present were Clint Olivier for Trustee Area 1 and Bill Whitmore running for Trustee Area 6. They did not get the chance to speak at the debate.

Tiffany Stoker-Madsen was also not present at the debate, however she is running unopposed and will continue to represent Trustee Area 3.

CUSD Superintendent Dr. Eimear O’ Brien was present and relayed her hopes to continue the “sixty-two year legacy of Clovis Unified.” She then went on to state that she was anxious to hear the visions for the school district that the candidates held and recognized her duty to implement the vision that ultimately stems from the school board.

The candidates then had one minute to verbally answer questions thrown at them by moderators Larry Powell, former superintendent for the Fresno County Office of Education, and Guillermo Moreno, talk show host from KXEX Radio.

To open, various questions were asked pertaining to candidates’ backgrounds and how they would best represent CUSD as a board member.

Samantha Bauer, mentioning she began her career in statewide public education policy in Sacramento, believes that she is qualified for the job of school board because of her past experience “working for superintendents of boards of education for two of the largest school districts in California.”

Candidate Joanne Burton believes that by attending both a parent town hall meeting and several CUSD school board meetings, she became dignified to understand the problems that she would like to address if elected to the school board. “The parents were feeling their children were not up to academic grade level, particularly after the shutdowns and mandates.”

Chuck Der Manouel stated that “As a parent, as a community person, dealing with other parents, one’s that I’ve spoken to more recently, in the last two years, one of the things I’ve noticed is that because of this pandemic all the parents are starting to pay attention. As I’ve spoken to them I think that our priorities have veered away from what our standards should be.” He then said that he would like to be the “voice of the parent”, and “treat the parent like a customer”.

Finally, to open, candidate Deena Combs-Flores was asked how and what community activities related to a school district she had been involved with. Her answer began with the statement that her

children had been products of CUSD for the past sixteen years that she has also lived in the Clovis area. All the while she has also been a teacher in Madera Unified, Merced, and currently works in the Fresno County Superintendent‘s Court School teaching math. “I also, through this time, was a stay at home mom…so I was very involved in PTA, coaching my kids in soccer.”

One question was posed to the four candidates by a student from Buchanan High School. The student asked how the candidates propose they bridge the communication gap between the school district and the community regarding opportunities for students.

Candidates’ answers ranged from factors such as social media, over-communication, not enough communication, and using the CUSD app to notify the public.

A few questions were also asked from Clovis Chamber of Commerce President Greg Newman.

One question asked by Newman related to the candidates’ stance on how CUSD could potentially work with the local

Samantha Bauer: “In my experience in Elk Grove Unified School District in Sacramento County we actually had a partnership. It was a certification with a networking company and these kids came out of high school making six digits, so it’s definitely doable…It’s absolutely critical that we continue to find partnership with industry and certify our teachers so that these kids have meaningful skills upon graduation from Clovis Unified.”

Joanne Burton: “Well I think we have to preface it by saying we all acknowledge that vocational ed and technical training had been removed from the schools and now they’re trying to build it back in. Well that was a big mistake and I hope that I will be a big supporter of bringing that back in. This college trap is not for every kid.”

Chuck Der Manouel: “What I’ve learned is we have to prepare students for many, many different jobs that don’t necessarily require college. So we not only have to prepare them for college, we prepare them for any other job that’s meaningful and [to] make a living in their life.”

Deena Combs-Flores: “…I also worked for Madera adult school and they had a partnership with Workforce. And so I’m all in favor of having a partnership with Workforce because the reality is although there’s a lot of students that will be A-G qualified, there’s many who will not be and Workforce provides an opportunity for these students to get another type of career in their lives.”

The candidates were asked various other questions all pertaining to the school board responsibilities which include communication on a school board, how to properly conduct a school board to superintendent relationship, and several other questions regarding personal ideologies of how to represent one’s area of the community. Candidates were then given the opportunity to close the debate with final thoughts and conclusions.

To watch the CUSD Debate: https:// fb.watch/fYMpsPUoTr/?mibextid=C8kmS4

was mediated by Greg Newman, CEO of the Clovis Chamber of Commerce and Lorenzo Rios, Clovis Veterans Memorial District.

A portion of the debate was ran in a “lightning round” format. This “lightning round” was conducted by moderator Greg Newman in which he asked Yes or No ques tions to the candidates. Newman explained that the questions were asked by citizens from Clovis and received through the Cham ber of Commerce website.

First question: Have you lived in Clovis for over five years? Des Haus and Diane Pearce were the only candidates who did not raise their hands.

Second question: Do you work at or own a business in Clovis? Des Haus, Drew Bessinger, Guy Redner, Joe Hebert, and Matt Basgall all do not work in or own a business in Clovis.

Third question: Did you graduate from a Clovis school? Joshua Phanco, Des Haus, Drew Bessinger, Diane Pearce and Joe Hebert all did not graduate from a Clovis school.

Fourth lightning round question: Do you support vaccine mandates? No candidate raised their hand, meaning none of the eight candidates present at the debate support vac cine mandates.

Fifth question: Would you support a sales tax measure to support adequate funding for the Clovis police department? Each candidate except Diane Pearce and Joe Hebert would

support a sales tax to further fund the police department.

Sixth question: Do you support the city having more reclaimed water projects? Every candidate supported this question, all raising their hands when prompted.

Seventh lightning round question: Do you support the twice a year curbside pickup pro gram in Clovis? All hands raised in support.

Eighth and final yes or no question: Are you active in a non-profit in our [Clovis] community? Those not active were Guy Red ner, Drew Bessinger, and Kyle Chaney.

This concluded the lightning round but questions and answers alike were then dis cussed over the course of one minute inter vals by each candidate.

All eight candidates were also given the opportunity of providing opening and closing

statements to the crowd and to a live broad cast presented by CMAC, the community media center for Fresno.

At the end of the debate Lorenzo Rios gave a statement that vindicated the need for events such as this.

“We’re gonna have three seats in a council of five, that’s very important…Today was one sampling of listening to these wonderful can didates provide you what’s in their heart.”

Rios then urged the public to vote come election day on November 8th, “Please, do your part, and go and vote.”

The Clovis City Council debate can be found at the link below on the Clovis Veter ans Memorial Facebook page.

You can also visit ClovisRoundup.com to read profiles on each of the candidates.

JT Gomez/Clovis Roundup

The CUSD Board Candidate Forum was held at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District on Monday, Oct. 3, 2022.

Clovis City Council Votes to Uphold Suspension of Entertainment Permit of ‘Palace’ Nightclub

At the October 3rd City Council meeting, an appeal hearing was held in regards to a sus pension by the Clovis Police Department of a local nightclub’s entertainment permit.

The nightclub, “The Palace” had its enter tainment permit revoked for serving alcohol to underage attendees at their nightclub on multiple occasions according to the Clovis PD.

Police Corporal and officer in charge of entertainment permits, Chris Hutchison was present at the meeting and detailed several occasions where The Palace nightclub was believed to or seriously suspected of serving underage patrons at their bar.

One event came after a traffic stop of an eighteen year old driver in which they were found to have a .05 blood alcohol concentra tion and were arrested for DUI. The juvenile later said they were drinking at The Palace.

In another incident, two eighteen year olds were outside in a large crowd that had gathered after the closing of most bars in the area and were found to be intoxicated. They too later stated that they were drinking at The Palace.

Clovis PD began taking a closer look at the establishment after receiving an anonymous phone call from a concerned parent in the Clovis community who believed that their eighteen year-old child had been drinking at The Palace nightclub after they came home intoxicated.

The police department’s efforts included an incident in which they entered the establish ment without notifying the Palace ownership and searched for underage drinkers, along with the Alcoholic Beverage Control agency who ran their own undercover operation.

In light of finding “inconsistencies with security practices” such as not checking iden tification at the door, Clovis PD nor the ABC found any underage drinking.

On Friday August 12th, written notice was given to The Palace nightclub notifying them of the entertainment permit suspension.

What this suspension withheld was the playing of loud or live music in addition to the prohibition of live television, videos or juke boxes played within the establishment.

This suspension was to be held until the end of the 2022 calendar year, but the own ership of The Palace, which includes Cesar Lossley, a self-proclaimed investor in the business, filed the appeal with the hopes of allowing their operation to play music until 12 o’clock midnight.

This had been a prior allowance under a separate entertainment permit suspension after the nightclub was host to a shooting last year that claimed two lives.

Chief Curt Fleming came to the defense of Officer Hutchison’s decision when he stated, “My concern is we’re gonna have an underage girl in the bathroom being sexually assaulted, which we’ve had in our bars in the past, we’re gonna have a DUI crash where teenagers are getting killed and if we do this to prevent that from happening, then I’d rather

do this to educate the bar owners to make sure that in the future this is not gonna happen again.”

The hopes of the City Council and the police department is that the nightclub goes through the proper training in order to learn how to properly check for fake ID’s, some

thing that Fleming said was “not the responsi bility of the police department.”

The council voted to uphold the suspension of the entertainment permit until the end of the year by a vote of 4-0 with the absence of a vote from councilman Drew Bessinger who was not present at the meeting.

JT Gomez/Clovis Roundup

The Palace nightclub has had its entertainment license suspended for the second time in two years. The lounge will be unable to play music or entertainment of any sort for the remainder of 2022.

New Law Creates Fentanyl Awareness and Grant Program For Local Law Enforcement

A new bill has been signed into law in California creating a new project grant pro gram that will pay for fentanyl awareness, outreach, and overdose investigation.

AB 2365 received unanimous support in both Senate and Assembly floors and was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom last week.

Assemblyman Jim Patterson first intro duced the bill to allow other regions to recre ate successful efforts by Fresno law enforce ment, education and health leaders who have collaborated to fund law enforcement efforts to track down dealers after an overdose, and to fund billboard campaigns, PSA’s at local movie theaters, radio ads and TikTok videos.

Patterson, in a Zoom meeting addressing the public revealed, “We’re celebrating the passage of the bill anticipating the six pro grams of California, but we’re also just as serious as we possibly can be about getting a handle on this both through education and mental health, and through law enforce ment.”

Fresno County Supervisor Steve Brandau, representing District 2 and speaking on be half of Fresno County stated that the board of supervisors have “..now authorized hun dreds of thousands of dollars in the last year in the ongoing educational campaign over fentanyl.”

Flindt Anderson, Founder and President of PAIN, Parents and Addicts in Need, who also spoke at Clovis North recently, relayed, “I wanna thank Governor Newsom for sign ing this bill and all that were involved in get ting this thing passed today. It is something that is one of the most vital and important topics in the history of the United States and in the history of California.”

Jim Patterson spoke again on the impor

NEW CENTER

member Harry Armstrong, will now have enough space for constituents to meet with transit staff. This is important to Berube be cause at the current Transit Center, there is simply not enough room to have these sorts of meetings.

Berube also believes that with the extra room in the Transit Center, employees will be able to have a safe space to come and go as they please throughout the day. This is for employees such as drivers who are nearly never locked in at the center, but rather walk in and out on their way to their vehicles.

The William H. “Harry” Armstrong Transit Center will provide easy access for transit drivers as they will have their own

tance of reaching a specific demographic of the public, “It doesn’t do any good if we put together messages that bore young people or are not put together in ways that will attract their interest, particularly in this age of the large amount of kinds of photography, kinds of language, kinds of methodology of com munication.”

entrance access when arriving to the area. Upon leaving from the center, drivers will exit through the same area as everyone else, yet will enter through their own alley so as to cut down on traffic.

The new senior center, named the Clovis Senior Activity Center - A Smittcamp Fam ily Legacy, will house activities for seniors and once again creates a safe space for em ployees as well.

Once again employees were thought of first and asked their opinions on certain as pects of their jobs when building administra tive offices. This was done in order to fulfill employees’ needs with which they believed they could better help the seniors who ven ture into their building.

But not only has the senior center afford ed more space for their employees, a number

A final piece of information that Patterson believed “indicates the seriousness of our leadership up in Sacramento” was that the California State Assembly had authorized the organization of a select committee on fentan yl, addiction and recovery. Patterson stated that the committee has already been orga nized and that the Speaker of the Assembly

of senior center activities will now also have separate rooms for their interests.

This includes but is not limited to a new pool hall, an art room or a room specifically designed for artistic ventures, and a three way split multi-purpose hall where activities such as zumba, bingo, or dance lessons can be held at separate or the same times.

The Clovis Senior Activity Center- A Smittcamp Family Legacy will also have a hall located towards the west end of the building that can hold up to 450 people.

The hall can be rented out for separate events such as weddings, or receptions as well. For any and all senior center activities, there will be available space just outside of this reception hall that can open up to the outside for seniors to embark in art classes or further activities.

has asked Patterson to join the committee.

This committee will hold hearings up and down the state as they work toward helping to bring awareness and additional legislative and funding recommendations.

“It’s gonna take a lot more funding than this bill puts forward, but this is the example, this is the test case.”

In addition to a few select benefactors and the Smittcamp Family, donations for the Senior Center were made by the two Kiwan is Clubs of Clovis, PG&E, and St. Agnes who will have their own wing at the senior center. It is unknown what St. Agnes will officially use the 4000 square foot space for as of yet.

The current Clovis Senior Center, which had its 40th anniversary last Friday, has been in need of either renovation or new construction, and like the Transit Center, it took the latter.

The thought behind completing both at the same time was to create a space that could house both for public use by Clovis residents all the while being in one area. With this new location, the City of Clovis has done just that.

Photo contributed The senate and assembly floors unanimously voted in support of AB2365 and was signed into law by Gov. Newsom.

Clovis

Town Service District

Antique and Gift Shops

Boutique, Clothing,

Food and Drink

Hair Salon and Spas

Recipe

If

you are raising picky eaters, there’s a cooking technique that makes some of kids’ favorite foods – like burgers and nachos – more nutritious while still tasting delicious.

Mushrooms, with their inherent umami flavor, are a perfect addition to blend into meals to increase both flavor and nutrition. Chefs kicked off the trend by blending finely chopped mushrooms with meat for burgers that are flavorful, healthy and Earth-friendly, and now blended burgers are showing up in school cafeterias, supermarket meat counters and fast food drive-thrus.

“Blended entrees like burgers are a win-win-win for families wanting to eat better,” said Dayle Hayes, registered dietitian and founder of School Meals That

Rock. “Mushrooms add delicious umami flavor, reduce fat and sodium in many popular dishes and kids love them.”

Another fan of blending is MasterChef Junior finalist and teen chef, Evan Robinson. Robinson likes to blend with multiple varieties of mushrooms in family favorites such as tacos, burgers and stuffed peppers.

“I find that blending mushrooms into some of my go-to recipes helps increase the flavor while reducing the amount of fat and sodium,” Robinson said.

If you’re ready to start blending at home, it can be a simple process for intro ducing foods to even the pickiest of eaters. Recruit kids as kitchen helpers to tackle tasks such as wiping mushrooms clean and using their hands to blend the meat and mushrooms together.

For more family-friendly, blended recipes, visit Blenditarian.com.

BLENDING

Blended Mushroom Nachos

Recipe courtesy of Chef Evan Robinson

Servings: 4

5 shiitake mushrooms

5 white button mushrooms

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup chopped onions

1 tablespoon Mexican meat seasoning

10 ounces ground turkey

Cheese Sauce: 1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup milk

1 1/4 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese

tortilla chips salsa (optional) guacamole (optional) kale (optional) romaine lettuce (optional) tomatoes (optional) cilantro (optional) diced red bell peppers (optional)

In blender or food processor, pulse mushrooms, garlic and onions. In large saute pan over mediumhigh heat, mix finely chopped mushroom mixture with seasoning and cook 2 minutes. Add ground turkey, breaking into fine crumbles until completely cooked through. Set aside.

To make cheese sauce: In medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter then add flour and whisk constantly, breaking up lumps. Stir 2 minutes then add milk and continuously whisk. Stir in cheese and mix with wooden spoon.

Assemble chips on serving platter; spread mushroom-meat crumble on top. Add cheese sauce and toppings like salsa, guacamole, kale, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro and diced red bell peppers, if desired.

COOK

Pizza Burgers

Recipe courtesy of Chef Evan Robinson

Servings: 4

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium portabella mushroom, finely chopped

2-3 white button mushrooms, finely chopped

small onion

clove garlic

2 teaspoons Italian-style herb seasoning 8 ounces ground beef salt, to taste pizza or marinara sauce shredded mozzarella cheese hamburger buns

In large pan over medium-high heat, saute extravirgin olive oil, mushrooms, onions, garlic and herb seasoning approximately 5 minutes until vegetables are soft. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.

Blend mushroom mixture with ground beef.

Season with salt, to taste.

Form into four patties and cook in same pan as mushroom mixture to preferred doneness. Top with dollop pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese. Cover pan to melt cheese then carefully transfer to buns.

Grilled Shrimp Tostadas with Guacamole and Pico de Gallo

John Allen “Happy Jack” Hawn, 1883-1964

Gibson joined Hawn’s show that year.

Peg Bos Historian/Clovis Museum

John Allen Hawn was born in Fresno (Tulare & H streets) on May 4, 1883. His pleasant disposition soon gave him the nick name of “Happy Jack.” He began riding horses at age 4 and did not retire as an active rider until he was 77.

He attended the old Herndon school but quit during the fourth grade because he was needed on the family ranch. His father grad ed vineyards while Happy Jack” cared for their 200 horses.

During the early oil boom in Bakers field, he and his father hauled derricks and machinery in wagon trains. They also helped grade the 30-mile railroad line in the Ivanpah Valley, part of the Mojave Desert.

One day in October 1893, he and his father were talking to friends when a po liceman approached them and asked if they could tie a hangman’s knot. Happy Jack responded that he had just learned how from an old cowboy and performed the task. He would later view that rope being used at the hanging of Dr. Frank Vincent, who had been convicted of murdering his wife.

In 1908, Happy Jack rounded up 25 bucking horses and toured the country with his “Happy Jack’s Wild West Riders.” His show would feature the capture and hanging of a horse thief.

Future Hollywood cowboy star Hoot

They would tour the western United Sates and Canada. In 1912, Gibson won the first all around cowboy title offered at the Pendleton Roundup.

The first Salinas rodeo started on Aug. 1, 1911. A crowd of 4,000 gathered at Sher wood Park racetrack. The events included horse races, a stunt pilot, a Mardi gras dance and a carnival.

Happy Jack brought his Wild West show to that event. He was the star of the day. He furnished horses and bulls for the rodeo and competed in two events, bull riding and steer dodging.

He was the champion bucking horse rider at the Salinas Rodeo for nine consecutive years. He was one of the original 20 mule team drivers who hauled borax from Lebec mines to Bakersfield.

He stated: “Sometimes at the sharp turns, I could only see six of my mules, the others being around the bend. It took us eight days to make the round trip. We hauled 20 tons of borax out, and on the return, trip carried 10 tons of powder, caps, and provisions.”

Hawn drove a 24-mule team pulling five wagons of copper ore from the Copper King mine near Humphrey’s Station to the Deer ing railroad junction.

During his lifetime, he owned/trained approximately 3,000 horses. His 40-acre ranch was located at 3235 Olive Ave. He would train and coach many future rodeo champions.

Happy Jack served as Clovis Parade Mar shal in 1953. He rode Peanuts, his 23-year-

old palomino. Peanuts’ lineage represented the 66th horse from the direct line that he and his father had owned.

Hawn once said he believed there was never a horse born that he could not train. He did not wear the traditional cowboy

boots but preferred a regular laced shoe with built up heels.

His saddle (#119 made by Clovis saddle maker Billy Hill) and chaps are on display at the Clovis Museum.

Happy Jack is a part of our rich heritage.

Courtesy of Clovis Museum John Allen “Happy Jack” Hahn, 1883-1964.

‘Clovis Night Out’ Draws Large Crowds, Hosts First Live Clovis Drone Show

The Clovis Police Department hosted the 11th Annual Clovis Night Out on Saturday October 1st at the David McDonald park off the corner of Sierra and Temperance in Clovis.

Previously known as the Sierra Meadows Park, there seemed to be no issue with gath ering people, as shoulder to shoulder crowds lined up to gather at the large event.

Clovis Police Public Information Officer, Ty Wood called the turnout to the event “Fan tastic,” and recounted that the Police Depart ment wasn’t sure how the turnout would be.

“We didn’t know how the turnout would be post-Covid. In the past we’ve had any where from eight to twelve thousand people show up. This is the first full event that we’ve had since Covid and we couldn’t be happier with the turnout. Everyone just looks like they’re having fun.”

Wood pointed out the fact that lines to food booths were fairly long, and upon this, he openly realized that all the money being spent was going right back into the Clovis community, as booths present at the event were local groups.

The crowds also gathered in front of a live stage where live music was played until around 7:45 when the start of the drone show began to commence.

The reasoning behind a drone show in stead of the usual fireworks show were mul

tiplied by Ty Wood as he explained, “Some of the concerns, one were right next to Miss Winkles Pet Adoption Center, the pets in the area, can get really nervous. The air quality, the drought, any kind of fire danger- Those weren’t necessarily deciding factors, but ob viously it doesn’t really help.”

In addition to the obvious dangers of a fireworks show, the Clovis Police Department also chose to give yet another local business a chance to improve their business acumen in

Skye Dreams, a local drone flying business.

Skye Dreams, completing its second ma jor event, joined over 100 other local food and general vendors at the occasion. This was in addition of course to City and Police Ve hicle Displays as well as information booths along the sides of these, with city employees greeting the gathering crowds.

“We have 55 local boutique vendors, we have 15 local food vendors, we have free bounce houses for the kids, the Bulldog Blitz

Skydivers flew in,” explained Ty Wood about the Night Out’s demographics. “Each year thousands of Clovis residents come out…it’s a chance for the community to interact with us, get behind the scenes.”

The Clovis Night Out lasted from “4 p.m. until dark” and the droves of people certainly stayed until then. Clovis PD was excited to host yet another successful event in the Clo vis Community.

JT Gomez/Clovis Roundup Photo

Crowds of different people lined up to food booths, boutiques, and for a drone show at Clovis PD’s “Clovis Night Out”.

PINK PATCH PROJECT

Purchase your commemorative Pink Patch to support breast cancer awareness month

Clovis Police Department – M-F 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Call Cori @ 559-3224-2558 for more

FALL PLANT SALE

Location: Clovis Botanical Gardens

945 Clovis Ave., Clovis, CA

Friday, Oct. 14 at 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15 at 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

CLASSIC CAR SHOW

Location: Willowcreek Healthcare Center

650 W. Alluvial Ave., Clovis, CA Saturday, Oct. 15 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

STEP UP FOR DOWN

SYNDROME Location: Clovis Rodeo

748 Rodeo Dr., Clovis, CA Saturday, Oct. 15 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

PUMPKIN RUN 2022

Location: Cottonwood Park

N. Clovis Ave., Clovis CA Saturday, Oct. 15 8 a.m. – 11 a.m.

VINTAGE MARKET & ANTIQUES

Location: Old Town Clovis / Pollasky Sunday, Oct. 16 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.

JOLLY TIMES

Location: Clovis Senior Activity Center

850 4th St., Clovis, CA Thursday, Oct. 20 at 9 a.m.

7TH ANNUAL BOO FEST

Location: Sierra Vista Mall 1050 Shaw Ave. Friday, Oct. 21 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

DENIM AND DIAMONDS

SOROPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL OF CLOVIS

Location: Clovis Veterans Memorial District 808 4th St., Clovis, CA Friday, Oct. 21 6 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

CLOVIS STREET FAIR Location: Dry Creek Park 855 N. Clovis Ave., Clovis, CA

Friday, Oct. 21 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.

CLOVIS’ 2ND ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PUB CRAWL

Location: Old Town Clovis 453 Clovis Ave., Clovis, CA Saturday, Oct. 22 4:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.

CLOVIS COMMUNITY BAND FALL CONCERT

Location: Paul Shaghoian Memorial Concert Hall 2770 E. International Ave., Fresno, CA Sunday, Oct. 23 at 2:30 p.m.

HALLOWEEN PARTY AT THE CENTER

Location: Clovis Senior Activity Center 850 4th St., Clovis, CA Friday, Oct. 28 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

TRUNK OR TREAT Friday Farmers Market

Location: Pollasky between 3rd St. & 7th St. Clovis, CA Friday, Oct. 28 5:30 p.m. – 8 :30 p.m.

FALL WINEWALK

Location: Old Town Clovis Saturday, Oct. 29 5 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR

Location: Clovis Veterans Memorial District 808 4th St., Clovis, CA Saturday, Oct. 29 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

FRESNO STREET EATS

Location: Sierra Vista Mall Every Saturday, 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. Sunday Market, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

VIRTUAL JOB FAIRS Check online at HireX for dates and times of Virtual Job Fairs throughout the Month of October *Entry-Level *Healthcare *Diversity *Veterans

NOVEMBER 2022

RUMMAGE SALE AND CRAFT

FAIR

Location: Clovis Senior Activity Center 850 4th St., Clovis, CA Thursday, Nov. 3 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

OLD TOWN FLEA MARKET

Location: Clovis Rodeo Grounds 748 Rodeo Dr., Clovis, CA

Saturday only Early Bird / 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5 / 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6 / 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

TWO CITIES MARATHON Location: Clovis Community College 10309 N. Willow Ave., Fresno, CA Sunday, November 6 at 6:30 a.m.

CLOVIS TAILGATE BBQ THROWDOWN

Location: Elks Lodge 535 Woodworth Ave., Clovis, CA Saturday, Nov. 12 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

ONE ENCHANTED EVENING Location: Old Town Clovis Pollasky Ave. and 5th St.

PLACES TO VISIT

CALIFORNIA 911 MEMORIAL Location: 3485 Never Forget Ln., Clovis, CA Open 365 days a year

COMMUNITY HERITAGE CENTER

Location: 3rd and Veterans Parkway

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

CLOVIS MUSEUM

Location: 4th & Pollasky, Clovis, CA Open Tuesday thru Saturday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

CLOVIS FARMERS’ MARKETS

FRIDAY NIGHT FARMERS’ MARKET

Location: Old Town Clovis Friday, April 29 - Friday, Oct. 28

5:30 p.m. – 8 :30 p.m.

CLOVIS OLD TOWN FARMERS’ MARKET

Location: Old Town Clovis Every Saturday Year-Round 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (weather permitting)

HARLAN RANCH FARMERS’ MARKET

Location: 1620 N. Leonard Ave., Clovis, CA Every Wednesday YearRound 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. (weather permitting)

21890 Colorado Ave, San Joaquin, CA 93660

SAVE

DATE

Denim and Diamonds

On Friday, October 21, 2022, Clovis Soroptimists will welcome guests at their 21st Annual Denim & Diamonds fundraiser. Festivities begin at 6 p.m. at the Clovis Vet erans Memorial District Liberty Room, 808 Fourth Street in Clovis. Bring friends and get ready for a fun-filled evening.

“The Clovis Kiwanis will once again be providing a delicious dinner which consists of tri-tip, chicken, salad, pasta, veggies, rolls, and dessert,” said Soroptimist Vice President Linda Gillis. “The wonderful local band ‘Country Rewind’ will provide music. Thank you to dozens of local businesses for their donations and financial support.”

During the evening, take the opportu nity to check out the unique live and silent auction items; be sure to visit the ambrosial offerings for the popular dessert raffle.

Clovis Soroptimist is part of an interna tional organization of nearly 95,000 volun teers in almost 120 countries and territories

who contribute time and financial support to community-based and international projects that benefit women and girls.

By providing educational grants for “Dream It Be It” for teen girls and “Live Your Dream” for women, recipients have access to achieve their dreams through edu cation and training. A financial scholarship, the “Women’s Advocate Award,” is be stowed on the San Joaquin College of Law.

“All proceeds [from Denim and Dia monds] will benefit the recipients of our Dream programs as well as local establish ments helping women,” said Soroptimist president Sue Buckley.

The non-profit works locally with the Marjaree Mason Center and the Evangel Home, Salvation Army, Family Healing Center, and CUSD Kids in Transition, among other projects.

Individual tickets for Denim and Dia monds are $60. Business sponsorships are available in a variety of pricing ranges. Both can be purchased online at siclovis.org.

Courtesy of City of Clovis Dr. Adela Santana-Mullooly was killed while cycling by a driver on Watts Valley Road on Sunday, Oct. 2.

Clovis Community College professor killed while cycling on Watts Valley Road

Adam Ricardo Solis @Adamsoliss

Dr. Adela Santana-Mullooly was a pro fessor of anthropology at Clovis Communi ty College and Fresno State.

The crash occurred at approximately 10:20 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2 on Watts Valley Road east of Pittman Hill Road. San tana-Mullooly was heading west on a twolane road when a 45 year old driver of an Acura NSX was going east where the driver tried to “negotiate a curve” according to California Highway Patrol spokesman Mike Salas who said the action caused the driver to “veer into the westbound lane directly into the path of the bicyclist”.

According to a press release sent out by Clovis Community College, college Presi dent Dr. Lori Bennet said she would forever

The Savings Difference

Noble Credit Union @NobleCUFresno | Sponsor

If you’re building an emergency fund, saving for a big purchase, or getting money together to invest, using an insured savings account can put you on the right road.

Most banks and credit unions offer a vari ety of savings accounts. Some popular savings options beyond the basics include money mar ket accounts, and certificates of deposit (CDs).

Getting Interested

With a savings account, you earn interest, or a percentage of your balance, on the money in your account. This means that your money is constantly growing. What you earn depends on the interest rate the financial institution pays—which varies by account type and is set by the institution based upon what other insti tutions pay for similar accounts.

Regular Rules

The most basic accounts, where you can deposit and withdraw money at any time, are called regular savings accounts, or sometimes statement savings accounts. What that means is that any activity in the account—deposits, withdrawals, fees, or interest earnings—and your current balance are reported in a printed or online account statement, usually once a month.

While you’ll certainly earn more in a reg ular savings account than if your money was in a checking account or no account at all, a regular savings account probably won’t earn you tons of extra funds. Whatever the interest rate is, it’s likely to be the lowest one that is offered.

Money Market Accounts

Most banks and credit unions offer hybrid

accounts—part checking, part saving—called money market accounts (MMAs) or some times money market deposit accounts. They’re similar to money market mutual funds, but have the advantage of FDIC or NCUA insur ance.

MMAs typically pay higher interest rates than regular savings accounts, and may offer blended or tiered rates, which means you can earn an even higher rate on large balances or on part of your balance over a certain level.

And you can usually make a limited num ber of transfers or withdrawals against your account each month.

The catch is that the minimum required deposit is often higher than with a regular sav ings account. If your account falls below that mark, you may face fees, forfeit your interest, or both.

Luxury Models

Certificates of deposit (CDs)—sometimes called share certificates at credit unions—are high-end savings accounts. They generally pay interest at a higher rate than other deposit accounts, so it should come as no surprise that there are some strings attached.

What makes CDs different from regular savings accounts is that they’re time deposits. That means that when you open a CD you agree to commit your money for a specific term, or period of time. You also agree that if you withdraw money from the CD before it matures when the term ends, you’ll forfeit some or all of the interest you would have earned.

Typical terms include six months, a year, two and a half years, and five years. The lon ger the term, the slightly higher the interest you may earn. There may be a minimum de posit—often $500—and some CDs may offer

remember Santana-Mullooly’s “bright smile and contagious enthusiasm,” and shared how Santana-Mullooly “loved teaching”.

Bennet said Santana-Mullooly “...cared deeply about her students and was truly hon ored to be part of the Clovis Community Col lege family.”

According to an article from The Colle gian, Dr. Elizabeth Lowham, Dean of the College of Social Sciences shared a message about the passing of Santana-Mullooly.

“We are heartbroken to learn of the sudden death of Dr. Adela Santana-Mullooly over the weekend. In addition to being a long-time, valued colleague in the Anthropology De partment at Fresno State, [she] was an avid cyclist and a vibrant presence in the lives of many within the College of Social Sciences and across the university and community,” Lowham said.

slightly higher rates for large deposits.

When a CD matures, you can roll over the money into another CD, transfer your money to a different account, or withdraw the funds. But you must tell the financial institution what you want it to do by the deadline it sets, or the decision will be made for you. If you do nothing, your money is usually reinvested into another CD with the same terms, but at the current rate.

Isn’t It Interesting?

When you see an advertisement for a sav ings account, the interest rate may often be quoted as the nominal rate and the annual per centage yield (APY). The nominal, or named rate, is the rate they pay. The APY is what you earn over the course of a year, expressed as a percentage of your principal.

The amount of money you actually earn depends on whether the account pays simple or compound interest. Simple interest is calculat ed annually on the amount you deposit. With compound interest, which can be paid daily, monthly, or quarterly, the interest is added to your principal to form a new base on which you earn the next round of interest.

What’s Next

Now that you know the types of secured de posit accounts, visit your financial institution to learn which account is right for you and begin to put your money to work for you.

Noble Credit Union has been treating each member with kindness, dignity, and hon or while helping members make sound finan cial decisions for 81 years. The Credit Union offers members full access to a wide range of financial education and services, including savings and money market accounts, share cer tificates of deposits, low-rate loans including auto, VISA, mortgage and equity loans, online and mobile banking, and more. For more in formation about membership at Noble Credit Union, call (559) 252-5000 or visit NobleCU. com.

CR File Photo The Noble Credit Union Clovis branch is located on 175 N Clovis Ave. between Sierra and Herndon Ave.

Carole Grosch

CUSD Superintendent Gives “State of the District” Address

The Clovis Unified School District held their annual State of the District breakfast at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District on Thursday, October 6th.

The breakfast, starting at 7:30 in the morn ing, afforded the opportunity for speakers like Clovis Superintendent Dr. Eimear O’ Brien and also gave the district the opportunity to hand out a 2022 report to the community.

In that report, Clovis Unified highlighted certain accolades that relate to their vision of being a “benchmark for excellence in edu cation.” Boasting numbers such as a 97.2 % graduation rate out of 42,699 students, the pamphlet also portrayed Clovis Unified’s three key words also written in their boardroom, “Mind, Body, Spirit”.

But not only did the pamphlet handed out to patrons of the breakfast have a message from Dr. O’Brien, she also spoke at the event, giving the fabled “State of the District”.

According to district officials, Dr. O’Brien’s comments focused mainly on students’ well ness, academic performance and safety, in addition to highlighting two new schools that intend to be open within the next two years.

A new elementary school, the school dis trict’s 35th, looks to be opened in 2024 at the corner of Fowler and Mckinley, and an inter mediate school that plans to be grown into a full 7th-12th grade school intends to open in 2025 near Clinton and Highland avenues.

Dr. O’Brien spoke about student wellness in terms of a comprehensive wellness program established by Deputy Superintendent Norm Anderson.

Emotional wellness and mental health are the key in addressing this comprehensive wellness program and a number of other ser vices and teams have expanded throughout the

district.

These groups include the Clovis Support and Intervention group, the Behavior Consul tation Team, mental health support providers assigned to each high school area, Fresno County Office of Education Superintendent Jim Yovino’s “ALL 4 YOUTH” program, in addition to multiple other PBIS (Positive Be haviors and Interventions) programs.

Dr O’Brien then went on to address other topics that included an academic performance summary and the issue of school safety on campuses.

This included a new feature of school safety added this year called “CatapultEMS”, a tool that makes the notification process and communication to CUSD staff quicker and more efficient.

The Foundation for Clovis Schools’ Trea surer and Fundraising Chair Adam Holt also gave a rather large announcement for CUSD.

A $4.9 million dollar donation was given to the Foundation for Clovis Schools by Mr.

Franklin Antonio, founder of the telecommuni cations conglomerate Qualcomm.

Mr. Antonio was a graduate of Clovis High School in 1970, and has been “quietly donat ing to the Foundation since 2013.” Prior to this year, he has contributed more than $440,000 towards programs of the Foundation for Clovis Schools.

The announcement of Antonio’s passing was made in May of this year.

Clovis Unified looks forward to the school year and it is their official position to continue their mantra of “Building Tomorrow, Today.”

With the help of their past graduates such as Mr. Franklin Antonio, Clovis Unified hopes to continue to get students to realize the im portance of a valued education as their most recent generous benefactor once did.

One aspect of this is a continued expectan cy of growth, and with advanced technology of the day, CUSD continues to measure that growth with the anticipation and tenacity that they hold for their students.

Passing of Luna Pizzeria Co-owner David Liberta Announced by Liberta Family

On Monday, October 10th the following state ment was posted on social media by the Liberta family.

“It is with great sadness that we share that Luna Pizze ria co-owner Da vid Liberta has passed away af ter battling illness for the last few years.

David will be remembered as a man who loved his family, his business and the community.

David was generous and fun-loving, and will be greatly missed.

Although we feel this loss greatly, we’ll keep doing what we know best... continuing the legacy of what Carmela and Franco began over 50 years ago at Luna’s.

Thank you for your prayers and your kindness during this difficult time, we deeply appreciate it.”

CUSD Honors Spring Athletes

At the latest Clovis Unified School Board meeting, a plethora of student-athletes were honored for their accomplishments during the spring season of the 2022 academic year.

Clovis, Clovis East, Clovis North, Clovis West, and Buchanan High Schools were all honored for separate athletic accom plishments that occurred during the spring season.

Clovis High had various representatives from their Softball and Track and Field teams, Clovis East had representatives from Badminton, Baseball, Boys Tennis and Track and Field, Clovis North represented Boys Golf, the Boys and Girls Swim Team, and Track and Field, Clovis West had Boys Volleyball present, and Buchanan High had Boys Tennis and both Boys and Girls Track and Field champions present.

Not only did Buchanan High win the first ever Division 1 Track and Field Champion ship, but they also went on to win the Mas ters Championship at a later stage. Buchan an High was then awarded the Supremacy Award for their accomplishments.

Buchanan High over the course of the entire 2021-2022 academic school year, won 8 TRAC Conference Championships, 6 CIF Central Section Championships, 2 CIF State Championships, had 3 individual CIF State Champions, and was the Cal-Hi Runner-Up for State Athletic School of the Year.

For these accomplishments they were awarded their 8th Athletic Supremacy Award in the past 10 years.

School Principal Omar Hemaidan spoke in front of the school board and called the

Athletic Supremacy award an “extraordi nary accomplishment,” while also being something that has been an “expectation at Buchanan.”

“Without our coaches dedication, we would not be standing here tonight.”

The board then also recognized the Steering Committees for the 2021-2022 CIF State Championship events that were held at CUSD arenas.

State Championships for Cross Country, Swim and Dive, and Track and Field events were all held within the bounds of CUSD during the 2021-2022 school year.

The Steering Committees were in charge of planning and presenting their respective arenas for these state championships.

The Steering Committee itself was filled with plenty of coaches of athletes who were honored during the special presentation por

tion of the meeting.

As Assistant Superintendent Steve France stated, “The amount of time that they spent preparing and running the championships is incredible. They truly care and are right for the brand every single day.”

The Steering Committee then shook the hands of each of the board members, as the honored student-athletes had done before them.

Clovis Roundup Staff @ClovisRoundup

Photo by JT Gomez/Clovis Roundup

The 2021-2022 Steering Committees were honored in front of a packed crowd of Student-Athletes from the 2022 Spring Season. Athletes were honored for their athletic accomplishments.

J.T. Gomez

Courtesy of CUSD CUSD Superintendent Eimear O’Brien addresses the audience at the State of the District Breakfast event at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.

-The Liberta Family Luna Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant

Photo contributed Clovis City Council candidate Kyle Chaney

Soroptimist International Offers Life-Changing Scholarships for Women

Now is the time to apply for the annual Soroptimist International Live Your Dream award. The deadline for applications is November 15, 2022.

The finalist has the potential to receive up to $16,000 for educational expenses, including transportation and childcare costs, tuition, and books, really anything that will offset educational expenses.

Award amounts vary; local award recipients become eligible for a region-level award. Region-level recipients then become eligible for one of three international awards.

Soroptimist International invests in women’s dreams. Women and girls realize their dreams once they have the resources and opportunities to reach their full potential.

Granting educational scholarships to women who need a little extra help to make their dreams come true makes this possible. Dream It Be It for Girls shows teenage girls their opportunities and how to achieve their goals.

Live Your Dream, Dream It Be It for Girls, and Furthering the Dream are award programs that provide financial resources for women and girls for their education and training. When they achieve their dreams, women can improve lives and enrich communities.

In 2017, the Live Your Dream Awards and Dream It, Be It programs received ‘The Power of A Awards’ from the American Society of Association Executives, recognizing their outstanding innovation, efficacy, and positive impact.

“We are very proud of the Soroptimist Dream programs,” says Susan Buckley, president of the Soroptimist International of Clovis. “If girls and women never had the chance to understand what their dreams could

be, how can they live them?”

What are the eligibility requirements to be considered for the award? According to soroptimist.org, the applicant needs to:

• Provide the primary financial support for herself and her dependents. Dependents can include children, spouse, partner, sib lings, and/or parents.

• Have financial need

• Be enrolled in or has been accepted to a vocational/skills training program or an undergraduate degree program

• Be motivated to achieve an education and career goals

• Reside in one of Soroptimist International of the Americas’ member countries/terri tories (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guam, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philip pines, Taiwan, United States of America, Venezuela).

• Has not previously been the recipient of a Soroptimist Women’s Opportunity or Live Your Dream Award

• Does not have a graduate degree.

• Not a Soroptimist member, an employee of Soroptimist International of the Americas,

or immediate family of either.

Soroptimist International distributes more than $2.8 million yearly in education awards to about 1,700 women worldwide. Many Dream recipients have overcome tremendous obstacles such as poverty, substance addiction, domestic abuse, trafficking, and sexual abuse.

Donations, fundraisers, and community support help make dreams come true. The popular Denim and Diamonds takes place on October 21, 2022, at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District. For tickets and more information, visit siclovis.org.

Household Hazardous Waste Residuos peligrosos domésticos

Un Residuo Peligroso Doméstico (RPD) es cualquier producto dañino, tóxico o inflamable. Esto incluye muchos de los artículos que utilizamos todos los días como químicos para limpieza, baterías, luces fluorescentes, pesticidas y pintura. A pesar del uso común de estos artículos, no se pueden desechar en los contenedores regulares de basura y se debe hacer de la forma adecuada.

El servicio regional del condado de Fresno para residuos peligrosos domésticos puede aceptar RPD residencial sin costo alguno y se encuentra abierto los sábados de 9 a.m. a 1 p.m. Está ubicado en 18950 W. American Ave., Kerman, CA.

container and must be disposed of properly.

The Fresno County Regional Household Hazardous Waste Facility is able to accept residential HHW at no cost and is open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 pm. It is located at 18950 W. American Ave., Kerman, CA.

There are also many locations across Fresno County that can accept certain types of HHW. Information on where to take different types of HHW can be found at the Fresno County Household Hazardous Waste website.

For more information on HHW, call the Fresno County Regional Household Hazardous Waste Facility at (559) 600-4259 or Republic Services at (559) 275-1551.

También existen muchos lugares en el condado de Fresno donde aceptan ciertos tipos de RPD. En el sitio web del servicio regional del condado de Fresno para residuos peligrosos domésticos, podrá encontrar información sobre dónde llevar los distintos tipos de RPD.

Para más información sobre RPD, llame al servicio regional del condado de Fresno para residuos peligrosos domésticos al (559) 600-4259, o a Republic Services al (559) 275-1551.

Carole Grosch

Courtesy of SI of Clovis The application deadline for the annual Live Your Dream event hosted by Soroptimist is November 15, 2022.