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Photos by Clovis Veterans Memorial District

Military Signing Day at Clovis High School

Clovis High School students were honored for making the decision to serve our country on April 21, 2022. Left Photo: CVMD CEO Lorenzo Rios speaking during the ceremony. Middle photo: Clovis High School students taking oath. Right photo: Military personnel congratulating students for their commitment.

Clovis Rodeo Parade!

Thousands crowded the sidewalks of Old Town Clovis for the 108th Clovis Rodeo Parade on Saturday, April 23, 2022.

Photos by Ron Sundquist

Courtesy of the Clovis Rodeo Association

Congratulations to Miss Clovis Rodeo 2022, Preslye Ede (left)!

Photo courtesy of Clovis Veterans Memorial District

The Signifigance of the California 9/11 Memorial Statues: Phase Two Expansion

CLOVIS ROUNDUP STAFF

@ClovisRoundup

The California 9/11 Memorial’s mission to honor, educate, and remember the terrorist attacks that occurred in New York on Sept. 11 2001 and the day after, Sept. 12 continued with the second phase of the memorial project.

Phase ll of the project was unveiled on the 20th anniversary of the attacks.

For the Wounded Warrior statue, it was to remind people of wounds from the attacks that are both visible and invisible in first responders and the family members involved.

The new statue includes a replica of a dog at the foot of the Wounded Warrior.

This dog is used to symbolize and give thanks to the 300 dogs that were deployed for several different missions on the day the attacks took place.

Another of the new statues is a tribute to fallen female officer Moira Smith.

She is recognized as the only female NYPD officer who perished during the attacks, and is a symbol for female first responders.

Smith saw the first plane, Flight 11, hit the first tower, was the first to call emergency contacts to report the incident, and helped save thousands of people from within the towers.

In fact, she was the reason that 18 people survived from the floors above where Flight 11 hit, one of which is seen sitting on the floor with her statue.

This survivor, Ed Nicholls, was rescued

Marc Anthony Lopez/Clovis Roundup

The Flight 93 monument was inspired by the heroic actions of the passangers and crew.

by Moira Smith and guided to the sidewalk to wait for an ambulance.

Moira Smith’s husband, James Smith, and sister, Mary Reddy, were both invited to attend the event and spoke of the person she was and still is in their memory.

“She embraced life, and that’s what made her such a good police officer,” said J. Smith, “you have to love life to be able to protect life and be willing to give up your own life.”

She sacrificed her own life on the day of 9/11 to rescue others, but this was not the first time for her to commit such selfless acts.

A very special addition straight from the National 9/11 Memorial in New York was added.

The survivor tree is a sampling taken from a Callery pear tree.

This tree was the only living thing left on Ground Zero in October 2001. Surviving through burned branches and snapped roots, it was able to be nursed back to health by the New York Department of Parks and Recreation.

Every year two saplings from the tree are given as a sign of hope. In January of 2020 the California 9/11 Memorial was gifted one sapling which was nurtured and brought to this year’s ceremony.

“To be selected shows they have something important here in Clovis,” said Todd Cook, partner in the Land Cook Company and founding member of the memorial.

Another new area is dedicated to those on Flight 93 in Shanksville.

Making up this area is a windchime structure made up of aircraft materials.

“There are a total of 40 rivets, 20 per wing, representing the 40 Americans that lost their lives on that flight,” said Coletti.

The structure had four windchimes hanging down from the top, each with the name of the four individuals who helped storm the cockpit to take back control from the terrorist hijackers on 9/11.

Todd Beamer, who is one of the four names, also has his famous last words at the base of the structure: ‘Let’s Roll.’

The 20th anniversary of the California 9-11 Memorial was true to its promise to honor first responders, educate the youth, and remember, both the fallen and the unity that came to be on 9/12.

For more information on the California 9/11 Memorial, contact (559) 375-3173 or visit their website for more.

Clovis Mourns Local Icon Daryle Lamonica ‘The Mad Bomber’

ADAM RICARDO SOLIS

@Adamsoliss

Former Oakland Raiders quarterback and Clovis High school graduate, Daryle Lamonica passed away at 80, on Thursday, April 21.

Lamonica left behind a lasting legacy for his community, being the namesake for Clovis High’s Lamonica Stadium where each graduating class holds their graduation ceremony each year.

On the evening of Friday, April 22, Clovis High held a tribute ceremony for Lamonica at the stadium.

Friday evening, the press box bearing Lamonica’s name was illuminated in ‘cougar blue’ with his image displayed on the stadium’s scoreboard.

Stephanie Hanks, Clovis High School’s Principal, shared a message conveying gratitude for the way Lamonica represented his community.

“As we reflect on the contributions of one of Clovis High School’s greatest, we pay homage to the pride, unity, and excellence he brought to our community. This evening Clovis High School will be honoring Mr. Daryle Lamonica as we recognize his impact on both Clovis High School and Clovis Unified,” Hanks said.

Courtesy of Ron Webb/CUSD

Highly accomplished Clovis High School Athlete and Oakland Raiders quarterback Daryle Lamonica passed away on Thursday, April 21. He was 80 years old.

In a media statement from Clovis Unified, Lamonica is described as having established performance and character for student-athletes who followed his graduation from Clovis High School.

According to Kelly Avants, “His legacy is one that will live on not only through the beloved stadium that bears his name, but in the coaches, student-athletes, and fans who are a part of the Clovis Unified athletic tradition.”

According to a press release from the now Las Vegas Raiders, Lamonica is remembered for his willingness to take chances on the field.

“The Raider Nation will forever miss his easy-going nature and warm smile. Our deepest condolences are with his wife Mary, son Brandon, the rest of the Lamonica family, teammates and friends.”

Nicknamed “The Mad Bomber” for his incredible passing arm, Lamonica’s history with the Raiders goes back to 1967 when he was acquired and helped lead the team to an American Football League (AFL) championship and made an appearance in Super Bowl II during his second year with the Raiders.

An article republished in remembrance of the Clovis High graduate emphasized what Lamonica thought of his career with the Raiders in his own words.

“I look back at my career with the Raiders and how fortunate I was to be traded and have the opportunity to be starting quarterback. That’s what I’m most proud of - that I was able to contribute to some of those wins and to be part of that group of guys that enjoyed winning,” Lamonica said.

Lamonica played on the Raiders for eight seasons, during which he threw 1,138 passes for 16,655 yards and 148 touchdowns and was named the AFL most valuable player in 1967 and 1969 and was selected for the 1970 and 1972 Pro Bowl.

ORDER

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in Riverdale, described as being mired in confusion and causing distress among the agriculture community.

“It’s really hard [to hear when they call] because I have a bunch of small farmers and they can’t get a permit. Their fields are out of water, their diaries are out of water and you can’t get a well drilling permit,” Harmon said.

Micheal Anthony Panoo, owner and operator of Signh Ranch in Selma is a fourth-generation farmer and grows raisins on his ranch.

Panoo said he hopes to leave his ranch to his son and continue their farming tradition, but Panoo said since his well dried up and he hasn’t heard back on the status of his permit, he’s not sure that will be a possibility.

“This is what I live off of, I’m retired. This is basically what I live off of, this ranch. [This is] my source of income,” Panoo said.

Without the approval of his permit under the new regulations, Panoo said not having access to water will put his ranch “in a rough spot,” because he doesn’t know what he’ll have left to do.

“We haven’t done anything, we’re waiting and giving them the benefit of the doubt that they’re going to go ahead and give me the permit. But I haven’t heard from anyone,” Panoo said.

The new process for approving permits has caused confusion among farmers about who is responsible for each aspect of the permitting process.

Kassy Chauhan, North Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency (NKGSA) Executive Officer, said the timeline for this executive order to end is “unclear” but she expects it will remain in place until the end of summer, during the “heavy pumping season” according to Chauhan.

Before approving a farmer’s permit to drill, the local GSA must make the following determinations according to the executive order, 1) the proposed well would not be inconsistent with any sustainable groundwater management program established in any applicable groundwater sustainability plan adopted by that groundwater sustainability agency, 2) the new well won’t interfere with the production and functioning of existing nearby wells, and 3) the new well won’t be likely to cause subsidence that would adversely impact or damage nearby infrastructure.

But according to Chauhan, after the Department of Water Resources held a ‘listening session’ last Thursday on April 14, they were able to gain a “better definition” of what is required and how counties, local permitting agencies, and the GSA may implement those requirements contained in the executive order.

“Because of that, the county and the process that they’re going through to obtain these approvals has evolved as well,” Chau-

Courtesy of twenty20photos

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order added three new criteria that must be met before drilling occurs and requires local GSAs to make that determination.

han said.

Chauhan said that Fresno County originally required the GSAs to make the findings related to the three aforementioned criteria in the executive order but has since changed.

“After the listening session with the department of water resources last week, the county has changed their requirements for new well permit applications to only require the GSAs to make the finding that the drilling of that well is not inconsistent with their groundwater sustainability plan,” Chauhan said

Once that finding is made, Chauhan said the permit is resubmitted back to the county and it is left up to the county to make the determinations on the remaining two criteria before approval.

Any permits that are issued after March 28, 2022, Chauhan said had to satisfy those conditions.

Chauhan encourages others to check out the resources offered by the NKGSA such as their ‘groundwater guide’ for domestic well owners available in different languages located on their website and encourages anyone with questions to reach out and contact her at northkingsgsa@gmail.com.

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Clovis Unified Recognizes Students for Artistic and Athletic Abilities

ADAM RICARDO SOLIS

@Adamsoliss

During the Clovis Unified School District (CUSD) board meeting on Wednesday, April 20, the boardroom echoed with applause when the board recognized the budget book cover contest finalists and ten athletic teams for their CIF Championship seasons.

Every seat was filled during the April 20 CUSD board meeting with the family members of students being recognized for their art submissions for the CUSD ‘budget book cover’ contest.

The ‘budget book cover’ contest is an annual contest held by CUSD, focused on finding a new piece of art to use for the cover of the 2022-2023 budget book. The competition has been sponsored by Xerox for the past 14 years and provides each finalist with a $50 gift card and the winner with a $250 gift card.

“We had 365 submissions and these are our top five students, they did an amazing job and I want to congratulate each of you on [the work you’ve] done,” Susan Rutledge, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services said to the finalist present at the meeting.

In order to submit their artwork, each student needed to make sure they followed rules, such as the submitted art must be “horizontal” and “have all the students of the district represented” Rutledge said.

The Clovis community was presented artwork from finalists Jaisley Garduno, a first-grader from Fort Washington elementary, Dane Herwaldt, a fifth-grader from Woods elementary, Amara Rankin, a fifth-grader from Woods elementary, Jaquelyn Aguirre, an eighth-grader from

Adam Ricardo Solis/Clovis Roundup

Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Susan Rutledge announcing the five finalists of the 2022-23 Budget Cover Art Contest.

Reyburn Intermediate, and Isabella Mayorga, a sophomore from Clovis West High school.

At the end of the presentation, Aguirre was named the winner of the ‘budget book cover’ contest, with this being her second time submitting artwork for the contest.

After a thunderous applause from the attendees for both the finalists and the winner, Aguirre reflected on her artistic journey and her excitement about winning the contest.

After submitting art last year and earning second place, Aguirre said that she was eager to see if she could improve on her art.

Aguirre said having the opportunity to draw other students was her favorite part of her submission because it allowed her to use reference pictures of other people and create a version of them in her own unique “cartoon” style.

Ismael Aguirre, father of Jaquelyn said “the smile on her face says it all,” and shared that he’s “proud” that Jaquelyn continues to remain involved in other school activities such as band.

The CUSD board also presented ‘Proclamations of Excellence’ for ten athletics teams and five individuals who earned valley and/or state athletic titles.

Some of the teams recognized Wednesday night included the Buchanan High School cheer team who were recognized for their ‘CIF Division I All Female Cheer Championships’ along with Clovis North High School’s dance team for being ‘CIF Division I Dance Champions’ as well as their 2022 wrestling team who were recognized for their accomplishment on being the ‘2022 California State Wrestling Champions’.

While speaking Wednesday night

See STUDENTS, Pg. 11

Clovis College President Retires

MARC ANTHONY LOPEZ

@KaptainMarc

Clovis Community College President Lori Bennett has announced she is retiring.

After serving as an educator for almost 30 years, Bennett will be retiring as President of Clovis Community College (CCC) on January 4, 2023. Bennett is the second president of CCC and was appointed in July of 2016.

“It is with excitement and sadness that I announce that I will be retiring from my position as President of Clovis Community College effective January,” Bennett said in an announcement to campus. “I have served in higher education for almost 30 years, as a faculty member and administrator, including six years as your president. I love our college and our district, but after much discussion, my family and I are ready for a new chapter in my life.”

Previously, Bennett served for three years as the Executive Vice President at Moorpark College and was responsible for all instructional and student services programs. Prior to that, she served as Dean of Student Learning, Department Chair, and Business Professor at Moorpark College. Bennett also taught at Tacoma Community College in Washington and has over 10 years of business experience.

During her time as president, CCC has increased student retention and success rates. CCC has also added 70 new degrees and certificates and developed a competitive athletic program under her leadership.

The Campaign for College Opportunity formally recognized the college four years in a row for its work in increasing the number of students receiving Associate Degrees for Transfer, or ADTs, which guarantee transfer to a California State University.

Clovis Way of Life: Making New Rodeo Memories

ADAM RICARDO SOLIS

@Adamsoliss

The Clovis Rodeo returned this year to a community that was delighted to share their enthusiasm for bull riding and making memories with friends.

Evolving from the Clovis Festival Day in 1914, the Clovis Rodeo has been an event the Clovis community has used as a way to enjoy time with family and friends. Since being canceled in 2020, for the first time since World War II, and a partial reopening in 2021 with COVID restrictions in place, the community showed up in full force to watch a variety of riding events throughout the week and support local organizations.

The Clovis Rodeo took place April 2024, at the Clovis Rodeo grounds where attendees were immediately welcomed at the entrance by booths filled with members of their community sharing information about local organizations or fundraisers and how they could support different groups.

One group that was seen throughout the rodeo helping out in different spots was the Boy Scouts of America troop 354. At their booth, mother Misty Thornton was there with her kids who are a part of troop 354 and said it was their first time attending the rodeo and said the conversations she’s had with members of the community have always been “kind ones” and is thankful for the community’s support at the rodeo.

“They all seem like they really want to help support these kids. The kids are selling so they can go to their summer camp and there are quite a few costs associated with that and a lot of [community members] will deliberately go find our kids to purchase things rather than waiting in lines at the booths so those kids can make it to their summer camp so that’s been really wonderful to see,” Thornton said.

Entertainment was found at every turn at the rodeo, with Jameson Rodgers performing in concert Friday, April 22, and crowd favorite rodeo clown JJ Harrison was front and center for families and fans to enjoy his humor and entertainment throughout the day. Including one instance where Harrison managed to get Clovis Police Dept., Corporal Chris Hutchison to go out and dance for the crowd.

“It’s fun, the public likes it. It’s nice to get out there and show people that we’re human too,” Hutchison said.

Hutchison has been with Clovis Police

Adam Ricardo Solis/Clovis Roundup

Attendees of the 2022 Clovis Rodeo applaud for team roping competition.

Dept. for “15 plus years.” This rodeo was his second year serving as the main point of contact for the rodeo with the police department and said it continues to be a “pretty fun” assignment.

Hutchison shared that it’s important that at opportunities like the one he had at the rodeo to show the public that police officers “don’t have this rough persona.”

“Hopefully I put a smile on people’s faces and brought a good name to the police department,” Hutchison said.

For other attendees, the Clovis Rodeo was a chance to make some new memories and enjoy the evening, such as Jon Helmuth who went to the rodeo to spend the evening with friends.

“When is it a bad time to watch somebody ride bulls? You go watch somebody ride bulls and it’ll always be exciting,” Helmuth said.

For Helmuth, the Clovis community that comes to the rodeo does so to “come together.”

“We’re all together and we’re having a great time,” Helmuth said, “and I love that, when everybody comes together.”

The Clovis Rodeo is an annual event that is held the last weekend of April at the Clovis Rodeo grounds and is run by volunteers. Originally growing from a twoday event, the modern-day Clovis Rodeo now runs for five days and donates money to local groups such as local 4-H, Future Farmers of America and Clovis schools.

ARMENIAN

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against repetition of the crime of genocide.”

He finished, “Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that the City of Clovis does hereby declare April 24th, 2022 as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.”

Mayor Flores spoke about remembering the Armenian Genocide immediately after Councilman Mouanoutoua finished the proclamation members in the chambers were asked to stand and join in a moment of silence.

“You know, thirty short years later, we forgot, and now I think we’re forgetting again because it’s happening again,” Flores said. “There’s conflict and, evil people will do evil things and unfortunately the innocent are victims of that evil.”

Sevag Tateosian, a representative from the Armenian Community stood at the podium and introduced the Very Reverend Father Ashod Khachadourian from the Holy Trinity Armenian Church and Reverend Gregory Haroutunian from the First Presbyterian and Armenian Church to speak to the council.

“This means a lot to us as Armenians and as humans,” Khachadourian said.

Khachadourian stated that the council’s act of recognizing the Armenian Genocide gives the Armenian community “hope in humanity and injustice once again.”

“This act of yours makes me sure of the peace that is coming towards us. We all pray for peace in the world, and nowadays especially peace for Ukraine because we are brothers and sisters in humanity,” Khachadourian said.

Reverend Gregory Haroutunian spoke to the council next and claimed that while his church was in Fresno, as a Clovis resident, this act means so much to him but more to the Armenian community.

“My grandparents survived this genocide that we have to make a proclamation about because the Turks continue to deny it,” Haroutunian said. “For those who, out of compassion and identification of Armenians recognize it, there’s a deep sense of validation within our community that we are not alone.” whom she still remembers to this day, Jeri Olson. She explained that Olson, a math teacher in the district, ”sacrificed so much” for her students and for that, Madsen still remembers her and is overcome with joy to this day upon seeing her.

The point Madsen attempted to get across to the teachers was that the joy she feels is only possible from the dedication and the fortitude that teachers put into their work each and every day.

O’Brien spoke to the teachers and her statement expressed the same sentiment of gratitude.

“I’m just delighted that we have this particular time of year where we just focus on recognizing and appreciating our teachers,” said O’Brien said who taught for twenty years.

She remembers that time as the “happiest” in her career and realizes that parents throughout her district may not see administrators or the board, but they do see the teachers who teach their children and they are the representatives of the district to all.

To students, teachers are the “safe, trusted adult” according to O’ Brien.

TEACHERS

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preschool in the district. He recalls being at the Rodeo parade and seeing high school students remember their preschool teacher, his wife, and coming up to her to say hello.

Fleming stood up next at the lectern and thanked the senate for symbolically representing the teachers who helped to educate him growing up.

He stated that he wasn’t the greatest student from elementary to junior high, and that like other students the teachers have had in the past, he must have been difficult to handle. “[Thank you] for not giving up on me. Thank you all every day for not giving up on your students,” Fleming said.

Fleming ended by saying teachers change the community and that by providing students with the opportunity for an education, teachers are ensuring excellent future members of their community.

Madsen spoke next and told the teachers a story about a former teacher of hers