Valley Voice Issue 126 (4 October, 2018)

Valley Voice

Volume XXXVIII No. 19 4 October, 2018 ourvalleyvoice.com

Wheaton and Hire vie for votes at candidates’ forum

Father-daughter team working to make Porterville healthier

CATHERINE DOE

CATHERINE DOE

The Tulare County League of Women Voters hosted a forum September 27 inviting Tulare County Superintendent of Schools candidates Tim Hire and Craig Wheaton to debate the issues facing our schools.

State Assembly District 26 candidates Devon Mathis and Jose Sigala were also invited and their portion of the forum will be featured in our next issue.

Throughout the one-hour question-and-answer session the two candidates agreed on issues concerning classroom size, enhancing the arts, charter schools, school safety and vocational education. They both also have limited teaching experience and lean more towards the administration side of education.

As Tejal Pandya and her brother rode their bikes around their parents’ business, Freedom Medical Group, in Porterville, she never thought of herself as becoming a surgeon. In school she always liked the health sciences but avoided the medical field because her dad was a surgeon.

She then decided that she might like a career in medicine and went to Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. She did every rotation besides surgery, staving it off until the very end. She enjoyed all the disciplines equally and thought she could see herself doing any of them.

Then came her surgical rotation.

“From the first time I did surgery I was hooked. Everything else melted away. Nothing has ever made so much sense to me,” Dr. Pandya said.

After graduating from Temple she took up her residency at University of San Francisco’s Fresno campus. Four years later, in 2017, she was a board-certified general surgeon. She also, in the same year, received the Steven N. Parks, MD Award for Professional Leadership from the Fresno-Madera Medical Society.

The Central Valley suffers a shortage of all types of medical providers, especially surgeons, so its lucky for Porterville Dr. Pandya came home and became the second general surgeon, along with her father, at Freedom Medical Clinic.

The clinic provides emergency surgery and scheduled surgeries. The scheduled surgeries include procedures for acid reflux & GERD, varicose veins, breast disease and breast cancer, thyroid nodules & disorders, colon cancer and screening colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, anorectal disorders,

catherine@ourvalleyvoice.com

Management Styles and Experience

Where Wheaton and Hire differed was their experience and their management styles.

In Wheaton’s opening statement he outlined the three major differences between himself and his challenger.

He said he is a lifelong learner, having earned a doctorate from Pepperdine in Education Leadership.

“I think the superintendant should strive to achieve the highest level of education,” he said.

As the current Deputy Assistant to the Tulare County Superintendent, Wheaton said he already knows the job of superintendent. Lastly, he said that he is a proven leader having run small, medium, and large schools from elementary to continuation high school and entire school districts.

While Superintendent of Visalia Unified School District he said the graduation rates increased from 80% to 95%

SUPERINTENDENT continued on 12 »

catherine@ourvalleyvoice.com

Devon Mathis hosted Tulare County public safety officials. Martin Velasco-Ramos/Valley Voice

Mathis hosts public safety forum MARTIN VELASCO-RAMOS On September 27th, Assemblyman Devon Mathis held a public safety forum in the Visalia Veterans Memorial Building. Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward, and Visalia Chief of Police Jason Salazar were on the panel addressing concerns surrounding new legislation and current efforts to ensure public safety.

The meeting was held as a response to growing concerns from the public regarding questionable inmate releases. The panel saw it as an opportunity to explain these incidents and address any potential concerns about current and upcoming legislation.

Legislation to Watch

SB 1437 (Accomplice Murder Charges): SB 1437 was cited by the panel as a bill to watch because it affects the prosecution of accomplices in murder crimes. The current state of the bill keeps those who participate in a crime that results in murder responsible and liable with a possible murder charge. According to the panel, if this

new bill passes prosecutors will no longer be able to pursue murder charges against criminals who participated in the crime. However, supporters of SB 1437 claim that the current state of the bill can be applied unfairly and that this new version will help prevent long sentencing for people who did not commit murder. SB 1437 was enrolled on September 5th 2018 and has been sent to the Governor’s desk for signing.

Newly Passed Legislation

SB 10 (Eliminating Bail): The bail system as we know is being replaced with pre-trial risk assessment. Our current cash bail system came into question because it disproportionately affects minorities and allows anyone (despite their risk to the public) to buy their way out of jail. In theory, the new system will prevent high-risk criminals from returning to the streets, while reducing jail population by releasing low- or medium-risk criminals.

However, what concerns people like Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, is that this new pre-trial risk assessment system may cause more dam-

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FATHER-DAUGHTER continued on 11 »

Adventist slated to pay $2.3m/yr for Tulare hospital lease TONY MALDONADO

tony@ourvalleyvoice.com

The Tulare Local Healthcare District’s board of directors managed to tie up a number of loose ends by the time its September 26 meeting ended.

The board voted in closed session to settle multiple lawsuits and agreed to accept $2.3m per year to lease out Tulare Regional Medical Center to Adventist Health.

Separately, the hospital’s license expiration date has been extended to March 31, 2019. Previously, the hospital needed to open by October 29 or potentially face permanent closure.

The extension wasn’t sought by the district or Adventist, according to Christine Pickering, Adventist’s Regional Director for Communications. Instead, it was a happy byproduct after past due fees were paid off.

Past due state licensure fees were paid off a few weeks ago, Pickering said, and when they were paid off the Octo-

ber 29, 2019 date was moved to March 31, 2019, the hospital’s annual survey review date, she said.

Pickering added that all signs still pointed to the hospital reopening on October 15.

Calls for More Transparency

Members of Citizens for Hospital Accountability, the group which supported multiple board members in their electoral races, spoke to ask the board for more transparency in their dealings with Adventist.

“My concerns do not lie with Adventist, they lie with our District and this Board. Advocacy for our District is perhaps the single most important function of this group of citizens who comprise our Board, and by extension, each and every citizen of our community who is concerned enough to worry as I do about our future as an independent healthcare district. Our community needs leaders, not cheerleaders,” Dr. Pa-

tricia Drilling-Phelps, a member of the accountability group and a Tulare dentist, said.

She stated that parts of the lease, which would last up to 30 years, gave her pause — for example, a non-compete agreement with the district, present in the last publicly released portion of the lease.

The agreement would mean that the district could not open new healthcare facilities, such as clinics, limiting its options to raise revenue to fund new healthcare projects and repay debts racked up under prior administrators.

“In order to open the hospital, the Board created Measure H. It is a lease to Adventist Health. The Fair Market Value assessment has not been made public.

The public is being asked to vote on November 6 and the lease payments are not known but equally important, neither is the valuation being made public from the third party evaluator, Deloitte,” she added. “This would be con-

sidered transparency to have all parts of the valuation made public prior to absentee ballots being mailed. The text of the final lease agreement should also be made public and should be easily accessible prior to the absentee ballots being mailed, which I believe that date is October 8.”

Deanne Martin-Soares, another member of the group, spoke along the same lines.

“We’re less than six weeks away from an election, and we’ve yet to see a fair market value report,” she said. “The district has a great deal of debt as well as future seismic expenses, and there’s been nothing to support that this agreement will work for the district.”

Xavier Avila, a board member, responded to the comments from the public. He disagreed with the idea that the board wasn’t being as transparent as it could be under the circumstances.

“I think there’s a lot of people that

ADVENTIST continued on 13 »

4 October, 2018 Valley Voice

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FROM THE PUBLISHER'S DESK

100,000 Reasons to Vote for Craig Wheaton A Back Seat to the Politically Expedient Board Members, Administrators, Teachers, and Business Leaders all Endorse Craig Wheaton

Hired by Jim Vidak as Deputy Superintendent, Dr. Wheaton’s experience includes positions as high school counselor, community college instructor, high school coach, teacher, student adviser, assistant principal, elementary school principal, district curriculum director, and superintendent. He has been with Tulare County Office of Education since February 2016 serving as Deputy Superintendent.

Craig Wheaton with supporter Fred Ruiz.

Just a few of our community leaders and educators who endorse Craig Wheaton for Superintendent of Schools: Barry Sommer, Education Psychologist, Director of Advancement LUSD Shelly & Don Groppetti

Dave Humerickhouse, Charter Board Member

“I believe in and insist on accountability. I support strict school safety measures and high standards of financial integrity to make sure our tax dollars are spent in the classroom.”

— Craig Wheaton

Todd Oto, Superintendent VUSD

Eric Shannon

Bob Aquilar, Principal

Pete Sherwood

Marie & Joe Pinto

Linda & Don Sharp

Cindy & Scott Jacobsen

Donna Martin, Past Board Member VUSD

Fred Ruiz

Bob Link

Joe Altschule

Tom Fife

Go to www.WheatonForSuperintendent.com • Craig@WheatonForSuperintendent.com PAID FOR AND AUTHORIZED BY WHEATON FOR SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS 2018. FPPC NUMBER: 1401451

DISTRICT 3 A Dedicated Community Leader • Community Service: Vice President Las Madrinas Guild for Valley Children’s Hospital, volunteer and former board member St. Paul’s School, volunteer Bethlehem Center.

• Wife & Mom: Married to Dr. Mark Wiseman. They are blessed with 4 children.

• Valley Values: Bachelor of Science Degree in Ag Business, Fresno State University. Long-time resident of Visalia District 3.

• Success-Oriented: Former small business owner, and top producer in pharmaceutical sales prior to transitioning to full-time mom.

—Amy Shuklian

treat women much better than we do at present. And I don’t mean by showering them with thoughtful presents, or a better observance of chivalry. Who among us can deny that the planet is in parlous shape? Let’s let women run the whole shooting match.

Consider the lion.

I have been on safari, and seen the King of the Beasts in his natural element.

What does he do? Nothing! Imagine that, gentlemen. The lion is only truly rampant on a banner; in the wild, I’m telling you, you’ve never seen such a bum. Think teenagers or panhandlers or winos are slackers? They are Captains of Industry stacked next to the lion. The lion knows more than a thing or two about relaxation; in fact, he lacks only the savannah equivalent of a tropical drink.

But let’s first take a few quick sentences to acknowledge the nastiness--although it need not apply to us as a species. It’s true that only the alpha male enjoys the life of Riley. It’s true, too, that a great deal of personal combat is required to keep this fleeting and privileged position, and that the pretenders to the throne remain lone exiles until such time as they themselves are victorious in battle--only after which, when the...stepchildren...have been dispatched, can they claim their pride. Which is shorthand for being surrounded by females.

There are, surely, worse fates than this--particularly when said females are each sexually available. The lion is under no pressure to “perform.” He merely goes off, at no great distance from the group, with his partner of choice for what can be days of leisurely--if perfunctory--couplings.

And he’s quick about it.

It’s great to be the king, right?

Here’s where it gets even better. Being Sire--that is, fathering or, rather, coupling-is the lion’s only job.

The females do all the real work. It is they who raise their young. It is they who, in collaboration, bring home the bacon.

Who eats first--and the most? Why, our hero, of course. He merely arrives at the kill and bares his teeth. The females, literally, wait on him.

I therefore propose a transfer of power. A good first step would have been the ratification of the ERA when we had our chance back in the seventies. But all’s not lost. It’s never too late to opt out, to let things lapse, to quit. We could call it an early retirement. Imagine, gentlemen, what we could do with ourselves. There’d be no time for loafing. Just think about your favorite activities--and you’d be doing them. Just think about all the reading you’ve promised yourself to catch-up on.

I’d start with Lysistrata.

— Joseph Oldenbourg

Valley Voice

The Valley Voice is your newspaper, published by The Valley Voice, LLC.

• The Arts: Executive board member Visalia Fox Theatre

“I support Merritt for City Council. She has a true passion for serving our community.”

Here we are again, in 2018, smack in the middle of the Kavanaugh Supreme Court confirmation hearings, and thrust, uncomfortably, back to a similar scenario from 1991--when it was Clarence Thomas who sheathed the proceedings in glory.

That said--and not to deflect from this perfect #MeToo conflation--if I had my druthers Kavanaugh would already be in the food chain for having allegedly lied to the Senate during his appellate confirmation hearing in 2006. This should be investigated, pronto.

Bench impeachment proceedings might be the result, though--and this might be the genesis of Kavanaugh’s jurisprudence regarding the bulletproof presidency. Which is why Cheetolini, of course, nominated him in the first place.

I would have much preferred all these #MeToo implications to be gravy--not icing--on the cake. Yes--this is all distasteful. Unsavory. Going forward, I believe we’re all on safer ground, procedurally, if any objections to Kavanaugh’s nomination are distanced from a he-said-she-said situation.

But we’re not on any kind of safe ground. And procedure seems to have taken a back seat to the politically expedient.

For now I’ll go with the gravy. Because they are subsequently savaged, I tend to believe women when they volunteer to report their abusive sexual experiences.

We can do better. I said as much four and a half years ago. The following was published on 6 February, 2014: Consider the Lion Okay, so Groundhog Day was last Sunday; the little fellow came out and, whether he saw his shadow or not, we’re in for six more weeks of winter. It’s like counting down the last days of an enlistment.

But soon it’ll be spring, when every young man’s fancy will turn, like clockwork, to... the Republican war on women.

Except that’s yearlong, and never-ending. Can someone tell me why these men continue to weigh in on “legitimate rape” and “birth control and the female libido?”

Clearly, they’d be better served by silence on these subjects--and just let their intentions speak for themselves. Every time one of these utterances enters the news cycle I have to ask myself--Seriously? Because we don’t hear the like from men on the other side of the aisle. And we certainly don’t hear such talk in reverse--about men--from any women.

Here’s a thought, and an especially timely one, too, with Valentine’s Day approaching: Worldwide, we men should

The Wiseman Family: Merritt, Mark, Eric, Grace, Amelia, and Kevin To Learn More Visit www.MerrittForVisalia.com

Tulare County Supervisor and Former Visalia Mayor

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Valley Voice 4 October, 2018

POLITICAL FIX A Serendipity of Trump

Since President Trump won the Republican nomination in 2016 I have been trying to convince a local supporter to write a column in Political Fix. I wanted our readers to get affirmation on why they support President Trump and why his base is so loyal.

Over the last two years I have received a lot of very well articulated complaints about my column when I criticized Mr. Trump, so I asked them to flesh out their ideas and give some examples and I would give the Political Fix. But no one would accept my offer.

I was starting to think maybe his supporters couldn’t really defend the president.

In my last column about Mr. Trump I wrote that after Michael Cohen implicated him in a crime he has become an unindicted co-conspirator. The only thing standing between Mr. Trump and being arrested is the fact that he is president.

I pondered in my column “What is his base thinking?”

I got a response from Cassandra Richter saying, “Well I will tell you what his base is thinking! That he is not a career politician and that is a good thing.

That he has done more things that he said he would do in his short time as president then the last three presidents.

“The Democratic Party has changed, I, used to be a Democrat but after Bill and Obama I changed.

And I thank God every day that Hillary lost. Educate yourself.”

So I asked her to write this issue’s Political Fix and she agreed and added, “And I retract my statement that you have a closed mind apparently you don’t.”

Ms Richter runs a business and takes care of a family ranch so only had time to write a short blurb. That left me with three-fourths of a column to fill. Then, out of the blue I received another Pro-Trump email from Beverly Santos.

I’ll just consider it serendipity.

Let’s start with Ms. Richter’s column: At first glance the thought of Trump running for president was entertaining at most. But the more I tuned in and started listening to what Trump was saying the more I like him. Primarily because he is not a career politician. He is passionate and says things off-the-cuff, but at the end of the day I think it’s his deeds we need to consider more.

need for the White House sign off on every mission, helping our vets by giving them more healthcare choices, making good on a campaign promise by recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

We’ve had an increase in the arrest of people in criminal organizations such as MS 13 gang members. Trump backed out of the horrible Iran deal, North and South Korea are talking, the border wall has started, Isis has lost most of the territory they once controlled, and Iraq and Syria and terror attacks are down.

Common sense 101 guides Trump to only gives foreign aid to those who respect us, not to those that hate us and burn our flag.

Trump doesn’t hold back and that’s what his base loves. Putting America first.

We are a nation founded under God and deep faith.

In my opinion, Trump is unflappable. A normal person would have cowered and quit already.

Say what you will about President Trump, but I think he has accomplished more than most, given his time in office.

The following opinion was written

by Beverly Santos: You ask what is President Trump’s base thinking? Well, I can tell you some.

First off he was not my first pick but with the choice we had he was the only choice for me. I would never have voted for Hillary because she is considered “democratic royalty”. When the results came in her base went nuts. It seems that liberal democrats can’t accept any loss and especially to Trump.

That being said, one of the most ap-

3 a column by CATHERINE DOE — catherine@ourvalleyvoice.com pealing aspects about our President is that he is NOT a career politician. He is a businessman. He made several promises that he has fulfilled already unlike other Presidents. He is also working on some of the other promises he campaigned on. Our economy is doing well and there are more people employed now. If the liberals would stop opposing him at every turn it might be possible to accomplish even more.

Our military is stronger now with great people in command of it. This makes us more safe. This country is now stronger in the eyes of the world too. There have been no recent terror attacks on our soil because of it.

Your article talked about indictment. There is no proof that President Trump knew about anything and yet the process is still going on wasting millions of taxpayer dollars! As I see it all these things that are reported on ad nauseaum is a typical tactic of the liberal media. The liberal media would like to see him impeached, but I think they should look up what an impeachable offense is.

The tax cuts our President made have helped many middle class people be able to keep more of their hard earned money, until of course, California taxed gas yet again.

His base doesn’t care about his sex life either. That’s between his wife and him. As I remember, President Clinton had plenty of affairs including WHILE he was in the White House! No democrat cared and Hillary et al crucified Ms. Monica L. and the others that dared testify against him. Hillary didn’t care about those women.

President Trump is putting America

first. He has ended several terrible deals that were made during the last administration. He is a Proud American and he is treating our allies with respect. He actually did move the American embassy to Jerusalem which others said they would do, but never did.

Most of the people that run for office talk a good line but when they get elected their promises get sidelined most of the time. Once elected they are more concerned with getting re-elected - lining their pockets with money and the power that comes with being a politician.

Then they don’t have time for anything that they talked about when campaigning. President Trump has not done that and both parties are mad that he is not “following” the business as usual in D.C. I was a lifelong Democrat, my parents were too. That is, until about 6 years ago. I feel like my Liberty is slowly being taken away and I’m sure the framers of this nation would be appalled at what is happening.

I could go on and on but will conclude here.

At the end of Ms. Richter’s email submitting her column she said in reference to my writings about my grandmother, Florence Doe: “P.S. your grandmother sounds like a very wise woman. And remember this, those old sayings hold a lot of truth…Birds of a feather do flock together. ” She didn’t convince me to vote for Mr. Trump, but she did remind me that we all have common ground.

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Obama was a smooth talker. Trump is different. Trump is like a bull in a China shop and his base is ok with this.

A wise man surrounds himself with men wiser than he and that’s exactly what Trump has done.

I believe Trump has demonstrated his achievements with significant tax cuts resulting in more jobs and improved economy resulting Dow Jones record highs. Also with a fair trade agreement, Trump is working to bring companies back to the USA, while protecting the peace of the United States through strength.

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4 October, 2018 Valley Voice

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Wheaton makes his case for Tulare County Office of Education spot CATHERINE DOE “There are huge differences between me and my opponent. I am bringing years of experience at every level of education,” said Craig Wheaton candidate for Tulare County Office of Education (TCOE) Superintendent.

“I’ve been a teacher, counselor, coach, principal, superintendent and, now, Deputy Superintendent of Schools for Tulare County.”

During a get-together of about 100 people at the house of Donna and Barry Sommer September 20, Craig Wheaton outlined why he is the best choice to succeed Jim Vidak as the next TCOE Supervisor.

Running a countywide office with 43 school districts is a world away from what his opponent, Tim Hire, does running one small school district said Wheaton.

Wheaton pointed out that in his previous job as Superintendent of VUSD he managed nearly 3000 em-

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continued from 1 age than good. “I can tell you, criminals are very good at lying and they can lie well to someone who’s doing a risk assessment...That means we’re potentially releasing people into the community with no motive to return back to the court system.”

Sheriff Boudreaux also mentioned that eliminating the bail system removes the agency’s ability to hit drug dealers where it hurts most: their wallets.

“We want to get into their bank accounts. We want to find where their money is. That impacts the drug dealers more than taking the drugs themselves...The system wasn’t broke. Now

ployees and 28,000 students. His challenger is the current superintendant of Exeter School District that has far fewer staff and only 2,800 students.

“Mr. Vidak hired me away from my job with Visalia Unified School District (VUSD) based on my qualifications because he knows the importance of experienced leadership.”

“In order to continue the county’s success we need a superintendent who can hit the ground running and the county can’t afford to slow down with someone who requires on-thejob training,” he said.

One of the accomplishments Wheaton is most proud of during his six year tenure as superintendent is the increase in graduation rates.

“The graduation rates went from 80% to 94% while I lead VUSD.” VUSD has sustained their graduations rates and has the second best rates behind Tulare Unified School District. Exeter High School is second

to last in the county concerning graduation rates at 83% “Our graduation success rate grew every year and disadvantaged students stayed in school because they had hope for the future,” he said.

Wheaton said that the voters should look at someone’s track record to see what they have accomplished.

The attendees of the soiree concurred.

Donna Sommer said that she first worked with Wheaton on the administrative side at VUSD and at TCOE. She said that he is the most qualified for the job and perfect for when the county makes the transition from Jim Vidak, who has lead TCOE for 28 years.

Mel Borbolla is a big supporter of Vidak and was impressed when Vidak recruited Wheaton out of VUSD. He said Wheaton got his vote when he said he was committed to continuing with Vidak’s program of eliminating gangs in schools.

“As far as my next professional step, I plan to continue the work Vidak has started,” said Wheaton.

One of Wheaton’s major issues is safety in the schools. He said most schools now have just one point of entry which is helpful, but said that not just one strategy is going to prevent a school shooter.

He has focused on the education of all the teachers, parents and students and has recruited the help of the first responders to hold workshops on recent changes in the school safety landscape. He said that TCOE is central command of safety for the students at school.

“This is such an important time here and nationally to ensure the schools are safe and that our students graduate with the skills not just for college but to find a job.”

“Our goal is that students of all backgrounds achieve their education goals,” he said.

it’s broke,” he said.

Another frustration for the panel regarding this bill is that logistically they don’t have the resources to vet every single criminal efficiently.

The state may have mandated this new system, but it did not provide the agencies with funding. As a result, local government and law enforcement will likely have to pay for it.

The state also did not provide a risk assessment program to help agencies make the transition, so as of now risk assessments are being done through probation in the jail system.

Each inmate receives a one-hour risk assessment and, according to Sheriff Boudreaux, on a busy Friday night they book 60-100 people.

“My concern is that we make one

mistake, we don’t have enough people to do it and we push someone out. It’s not safe. It’s not good for the community.”

AB 1810 (Mental Health Diversion): This bill was created to keep low-level offenders with mental illness out of the criminal justice system. According to the safety panel, jail systems are quickly becoming mental health institutions. Sixty-three percent of inmates, according to the panel, is on some sort of mental health treatment or medication. The hope of the bill was to reduce the crowding of jails and give the mentally ill a chance at healing through an 18-month treatment program before possibly being charged with a crime.

Although AB 1810 had good intentions at solving a major problem in our justice system, it may have opened a loophole for criminals to exploit.

Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward, believes this new law may allow criminals to avoid charges for serious crimes. He claimed that regardless of the crime, a defendant could walk away free of charges as long as a medical professional deemed the defendant mentally ill, capable of rehabilitation, and able to pay for the treatment themselves.

He expressed his concern specifically when it came to AB 1810 and violent gun crimes (the new law does not prohibit criminals eligible for mental health diversion from owning or purchasing a gun). Ward explained that under the new law a mass shooter could technically buy his way into a clean record and still be able to legally own a gun as long as they fit the criteria for mental health diversion and went through the two-year treatment program.

which would help them escape some of the consequences of their crimes. It would have cut sentencing in half for certain sex offenders, repeat offenders, and heroin traffickers.

AB 931 (Police Use-of-Force Rules) : This bill was designed to address police brutality issues by increasing the threshold for the use of deadly force.

According to the safety panel, it would have tied the hands of law enforcement officials by preventing police officers from using self-defense if they believed their life was in danger.

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State Senator Jean Fuller Visalia Police Officer Association Visalia Fire Fighters Association Tulare County Deputy Sheriff Association Tulare County Fire Chief Charlie Norman Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward Assemblyman Devon Mathis Shannon Grove Tulare County Association of Realtors

Legislation that Died

SB 1279 (Double Base Sentence) : would have given criminals with multiple victims a “volume discount”,

Victories For California and Local Agencies

AB 1065 (Organized Retail Theft): After the passing of prop 47, there has been an increase in non-violent and non-serious crimes across the state.

Chief Salazar explained that property crimes in Visalia have also risen. AB 1065 intends to alleviate this by cracking down on organized retail theft. The bill will allow chronic offenders in retail theft to be prosecuted with a felony charge. The safety panel expects this new legislation to protect small business, but said more needs to be done to prevent further victimization.

AB 1619 & AB 2302 (Sexual Assault/Abuse Statute of Limitations): The statute of limitations was extended from 3 years to 10 years, allowing victims of sexual assault more time to heal before reporting the crime. Mandated reporters will be given a period of 5 years from the date of occurrence of the offense.

Homeless Outreach and Proactive Engagement (HOPE).: The Visalia Police Department and Tulare County Department of Mental Health are teaming up through pilot program HOPE to address the rise of homelessness. According to Chief Salazar, there has been a 900+% increase in homelessness in Visalia in the past 10 years. “Not all of the homeless issue is related to

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Valley Voice 4 October, 2018

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Construction shuttering parts of Goshen/Demaree Ave STAFF REPORTS Construction on the Goshen/ Demaree intersection will result in additional lane restriction and road closures starting Monday, Oct. 1, and continuing through Friday, November 2.

This phase will focus on major street reconstruction along the easterly half of Demaree and Goshen Ave-

nues and will impact traffic as follows: • Goshen Avenue will be completely closed between Demaree and Mooney Boulevard • Northbound Demaree will be closed between Goshen and Houston • One southbound lane will be open on Demaree between Houston and Goshen

•

One southbound and one northbound lane will be open on Demaree south of Goshen • Eastbound Goshen will be one lane to Demaree where drivers will be required to turn southbound onto Demaree • Designated detour routes will be posted This phase of improvements are

expected to extend through Friday, November 2, 2018. Motorists can expect delays and therefore are encouraged to find alternate routes and leave earlier to their destinations.

To stay informed, sign up for mobile alerts by texting “goshendemaree” to 662-200-4303; visit the Goshen-Demaree Facebook page; or check the City of Visalia’s web site, visalia.city.

Visalia candidates’ forum set for October 18 STAFF REPORTS Beyond campaign signs and slogans, what makes a candidate the best choice for the job? Visalia City Council and School Board candidates will discuss their candidacy, purpose and vision at the candidates’ forum scheduled for October 18th.

The Visalia Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Foothills

FORUM

continued from 4 mental health, not all of it is substance abuse, but there are certainly ties between all of those we’re seeing regards to the homeless issue.” To mitigate this surge, mental health practitioners will be riding with police officers in hopes of creating workable solutions for homeless by connecting them to services such as mental health treatment.

School Shootings Drills: The Visalia Police Department is working closely with the Visalia Unified School District on planning drills for potential

Sun-Gazette and the League of Women Voters will host a candidates forum for local candidates to discuss important issues and answer questions posed by residents. The forum will be held on Thursday, October 18, at 210 E. Center St. from 5:30 - 8:30pm.

The forum is free and open to the public. Doors open at 5:30 for a meetand-greet.

Visalia City Council Candidates Forum will be from 6 – 7pm featuring Brian Poochigian, Steve Woods and Merritt Wiseman.

From 7 - 8:30pm is the Visalia Unified School District Board of Trustees Forum, with Walta Gamoian and Mike Moberly - Area 1, Jim Qualls and Joy Naylor - Area 2, John Crabtree and Mario Torres - Area 4, Megan Casebeer

Soleno, Lori Quinzon and Niessen Foster - Area 5.

Additionally, the committee supporting Measure A (the Visalia school bond measure) will be on hand to answer questions and provide information to the public. For more information contact, the Visalia Chamber of Commerce at 559-734-5876.

school shootings. Sheriff Boudreaux also mentioned an ongoing reactive campaign against threats of school shootings. They have made seven arrests this year regarding potential threats. “I think what we have to remember is never to act as if it will never happen here. We have to always be on guard, be prepared, and training...

When we were kids we did the stop, drop, and roll...Now it’s time we teach our kids to run, hide, and fight.”

legislation to understand the bills and some of their unintended consequences. Gang violence in the area has dropped 80% in the past 10 years it said.. The panel said they owe it to good laws in the books and cooperation between local law enforcement agencies and the court system. However, those reductions may be in jeopardy with legislation coming through.

The panel expressed its need for the public’s help by showing up at the ballot. Sheriff Boudreaux in particular highlighted the community’s ability to come together and solve problems.

“We know there are problems in the future, but we’ve had problems in

the past too that we’ve been able to overcome and be successful at. I think that if we come together as partners and what I mean by that is community, our churches, our schools, our educators, our law enforcement partners, it doesn’t matter what walk of life, or what business, or what social status you have...that if we want better lives for our children the problems of the future are going to be ours. So we have to be prepare for that. We have to pay attention to what Sacramento is doing, we have to support our assemblyman, and most importantly we have to support each other.”

Closing Remarks:

The safety panel emphasized the importance that the community stay informed on current and upcoming

VOTE

DENNIS A. MEDEROS TULARE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 4

PROVEN LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONALISM FOR TULARE ENDORSED BY

Dennis Mederos has been an attorney, business owner, and local farmer in Tulare for over 35 years.

David Macedo, Current Mayor of Tulare

Tim Ward, Tulare County District Attorney & Army Veteran

Ben Curti, Dairy Farmer / Vietnam War Veteran

Connie Conway, Former Assemblywoman

Ron Quinn, Farmer / Marine

Gerald Benton, Retired Superintendent of Tulare High School District

Pat Hillman, Tulare County Board of Education Member Bill Postlewaite, Retired Superintendent of Tulare City Schools

Kenneth B. Nunes, C.O.S. Board President Adrian & Shirley Holguin, District 4 Residents Paul Daley, Real Estate Developer / Navy Veteran

Mike Shaffer, Clinical Social Worker Melissa Janes, Tulare City Schools Board Member Victor & Lucia Gonzalez, Tulare Residents

Phyllis Quinn, Tulare Sister City Foundation

Ellen Gorelick, Tulare City Historical Museum, Director/ Curator Emeritae

Gary E.M. Smith, Former City Councilman / Marine

Howard Berger, Retired Superintendent of Tulare High School District

Joe L. Pires, Farmer / Korean War Veteran

Mike Lorenzo, Retired Dairy Farmer

Ray Fonseca, Local Businessman

Dan Neppel, Retired Tulare Western High School Principal

Jeff Nelson, Local Tulare Businessman

Scot Hillman, Chairman of the Board of J.D. Heiskell & Co.

Jim Pidgeon, Past National Commander of Amvets

(Partial List)

Dennis was also a recipient of the Golden Apple Award for Service to Education, has been recognized by the Tulare County Branch of the American Cancer Society, and currently serves as an Alternate Public Member of the Tulare County LAFCO Commission.

‘‘

Lynn Dredge, Retired Tulare City Manager

John Beck, Retired Superintendent of Tulare City Schools / Veteran

He was selected as Tulare Man of the Year in 2013 and is a past President of the Tulare County Bar Association.

It’s essential that the disharmony in City Government comes to an end.

David Macedo’s successor must be someone who can provide leadership, professionalism and an understanding as to the role of a City Councilman.

He did so and my record proves I can also.

The Tulare City Council needs to select a new City Manager, permanent City Attorney and has to resolve the leadership issues of the Tulare Police Department. The Council has to balance the budget, insure our safety, repair our roads and make sure we have clean and safe drinking water. Our city employees must work without unnecessary interference and not in a hostile work environment.

With your support, I’ll continue to dedicate myself to the betterment of Tulare in my role as your District 4 Councilman.

LEARN MORE AT MEDEROS4COUNCIL.COM CONNECT AT FACEBOOK.COM/MEDEROS4COUNCIL

’’

PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT: COMMITTEE TO ELECT DENNIS MEDEROS FOR CITY COUNCIL, AREA 4, 2018 FPPC # 1411596

4 October, 2018 Valley Voice

6

AGRICULTURE Groundwater roundtable planned for October 10 STAFF REPORTS All around the Central Valley, Groundwater Sustainability Agencies have been formed to manage groundwa-

ter through the framework set out in the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). Groundwater is a precious, vital resource that is something that we all depend on – for drinking, bathing,

growing food, and more.

However, groundwater contamination can harm our health and our crops.

We invite you to come learn from experts and decision-makers from all over

California and explore how groundwater management will address groundwater quality at this informative workshop on October 10, 2018, from 5-7:30pm.

California Farm Bureau welcomes free trade agreement STAFF REPORTS The newly revised North American Free Trade Agreement, renamed the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, promises to ease export of California-grown farm products, according to the California Farm Bureau Federation.

“The newly announced U.S.-Canada agreement, in combination with the earlier agreement between the U.S. and Mexico, strengthens relations with two key trading partners,” CFBF President Jamie Johansson said, “and we urge Congress to ratify the USMCA without delay.”

Johansson said the agreement will provide California farmers and ranchers

with “much-needed certainty” in key export markets.

“We applaud the three governments for working to modernize the agricultural chapters in the agreement,” he said. “It’s a welcome development at a time when farmers have faced obstacles in selling their products to foreign customers.”

Canada represents the second-largest market for California agricultural exports, with sales of more than $3.3 billion in 2016—the most recent year for which full statistics are available.

Mexico is the No. 5 foreign market for California farm products, with sales

of just more than $1 billion in 2016.

“Agricultural exports support thousands of jobs in California, both in rural areas where crops and commodities are grown and packed, and in urban centers from which products are marketed and shipped,” Johansson said. “We hope the agreements with Mexico and now with Canada lead to further easing of trade restrictions.”

The new agreements leave in effect Canadian and Mexican retaliatory tariffs on farm goods imposed after the U.S. placed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

Johansson urged U.S. negotiators

to reach agreements on those issues as soon as possible.

“We’ve seen California farmers, ranchers and agricultural marketers lose sales because of the retaliatory tariffs from Canada, Mexico and in particular from China,” he said. “Until those tariffs come off, farmers won’t see the full benefit of the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement.”

The California Farm Bureau Federation works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 40,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of more than 5.5 million Farm Bureau members.

New tariffs from China pressure farm exports CHING LEE

California Farm Bureau Federation In the escalating trade conflict between the U.S. and China, more California agricultural products now face new retaliatory tariffs in one of their export markets.

On Monday, China implemented a new round of tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. goods, including a wide range of foods and agricultural products. The tariffs came in response to new U.S. duties on $200 billion in Chinese imports.

The new Chinese tariff rates are 5 percent and 10 percent, and target farm products such as wine, cotton, cut flowers and other nursery products, frozen fruit and vegetables, honey, olive oil, canned peaches, fruit juices, wood and other forestry products, and various processing-tomato products including ketchup, paste and sauces.

Some products are new to the growing list being hit with retaliatory tariffs, whereas others such as wine are incurring

multiple hits with this current round.

U.S. wine previously faced an additional 15 percent tariff in April, when China first imposed tariffs on $3 billion worth of U.S. products in retaliation for new U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

This week, China implemented new tariffs of 5 percent and 10 percent on U.S. wine, sparkling wine and other wine-based beverages. When compounded with existing duties, the new total tax rate will equal 79 percent, the Wine Institute said.

Despite the increased tariffs, U.S. wine exports to China and Hong Kong—90 percent of which are from California—went up 34 percent to $118 million during the first seven months of this year, the institute reported.

“While increased tariffs are challenging, Chinese consumers are clearly attracted to California wines and appreciate the high quality and great diversity of wines from the Golden State,” said Linsey Gallagher, the institute’s vice president of international marketing.

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Roger Isom, president and CEO of the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association, described the increased tariffs on cotton as “devastating” because the state exports 100 percent of its cotton, with the majority going to China. California cotton exports to China were valued at $88.5 million in 2016, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

China imposed a 25 percent tariff on U.S. uncarded and uncombed cotton in July. In this current round, U.S. carded and combed cotton will be assessed a 10 percent tariff on top of an existing 40 percent tariff. Other cotton products from the U.S. also will be taxed 5 percent.

The higher tariffs come at a time when Chinese cotton reserves are depleted and demand is high for the state’s higher-end pima cotton, Isom said.

“Prices on the lint side are very good— or were,” he said. “Once these tariffs started coming out and started being announced, the market has dropped and, more importantly, contracts have been canceled or (there are) no new contracts. We’re sitting on pins and needles as to what’s going to happen.”

Though cotton exporters are looking to alternative markets—California also ships to Europe, Southeast Asia and Mexico—Isom said “those other markets aren’t looking for what we have” or aren’t willing to pay the prices the state’s high-end cotton commands.

He said he’s “very concerned” the tariffs will remain in place past December and into next year, noting that historically when cotton prices become too expensive, buyers turn not only to lower-quality cotton but alternative fabrics such as polyester and rayon.

For crops such as cut flowers, the new tariffs have stalled any efforts to gain additional trade opportunities in China, said Kasey Cronquist, CEO of the California Cut Flower Commission. Though the group completed its second trade mission to China in June and some farms have been establishing business relationships there, he said “the current situation has us in a holding pattern” until the trade disSALES, SERVICE, RENTAL AG EQUIPMENT & TRUCK REPAIR

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“We were already facing steep tariffs into China and don’t have so much trade going into China,” Cronquist said.

Ismael “Mel” Resendiz, a flower grower in San Diego County who specializes in proteas, was part of the commission’s trade mission and described China as “a big potential opportunity for our business.” Because China’s climate and soil are not well suited to growing the type of exotic flowers he produces, buyers there want his products, he said.

“It was a huge opportunity to expand our business in China, but with whatever is going on right now, looks like it’s not going to happen,” Resendiz said.

For now, he said he will focus on his existing export markets, including Japan, Canada and South Korea, which he described as “really good and growing.”

For the 30 timber companies in California, the ongoing trade disputes and tariffs have been “a mixed bag,” depending on the type of wood they produce, said Rich Gordon, president of the California Forestry Association. A wide range of wood products now face a 10 percent tariff going into China. He said a couple of companies that had orders pending to China reported canceled sales due to the new tariffs.

“China is not buying California timber,” Gordon said. “The Chinese said, ‘We’re not going to buy American products right now.’”

Because wood is not perishable and can be stored, he said some companies will “hold onto product and see what happens to the markets.”

Meanwhile, shelled almonds and fresh sweet cherries have been added to the commodities eligible to receive direct payments under the Market Facilitation Program, part of a three-part, $12 billion aid package meant to help U.S. farmers directly affected by retaliatory tariffs. Previously, payments were available only to producers of soybeans, sorghum, corn, wheat, cotton, dairy and hogs.

(Ching Lee is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at clee@ cfbf.com.)

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4 October, 2018

VALLEYSCENE

ourvalleyvoice.com

Broadway star returns home to sing with symphony “Singing with a full symphony is honestly one of the most magical gifts Broadway star Betsy Wolfe returns to as a singer, and we’ve taken great care to her hometown to sing with the Sequoia curate a varied program full of moments Symphony on Saturday, October 6 at the from my local past as well as what I’ve Visalia Fox Theatre. been up to in New York,” said Wolfe.

“Having sung now with over 45 “From ‘Annie,’ one of my earliest symphonies and pops shows in Visalia, to orchestras across the ‘Waitress,’ the last world, I can honestly show I starred in on say it’s about time I add Broadway, we have a the fabulous Sequoia lot covered! Many of Symphony Orchestra the songs I will sing at to the list!” Wolfe said the Fox are symphonvia email. “It’s long ic arrangements that overdue, and I’m so were done specifically thrilled the timing and for me for my second all the stars aligned for Carnegie Hall concert me to be coming back.” in New York.”

Wolfe grew up Wolfe also let us on stage in Visalia know that she recently throughout her school shot a guest star spot years. Today she has esfor the second seatablished herself as one son of the CBS show Betsy Wolfe. Courtesy photo of the most versatile “Instinct” that will be and keenly intelligent aired soon.

Broadway performers of her generation.

Tickets are available at www.sequoiShe recently finished starring in the asymphonyorchestra.com , 559 732-8600 Tony-nominated musical “Waitress.” Her or at the door. The concert begins at other credits include “Falsettos,” “The 7:30pm., but concert-goers are invited to Last Five Years,” “Bullets over Broadway,” attend music director Bruce Kiesling’s “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” “Tales of always entertaining pre-concert talk the City” and “The 25th Annual Putnam at 6:45pm.

County Spelling Bee.”

DONNA OROZCO

Craft boutique returns October 20 STAFF REPORTS Grace Lutheran presents its 25th Annual Holiday Craft Boutique event to kick off the holiday shopping season Saturday October 20th.

Grace Lutheran would like to invite everyone to join them as they celebrate 25 years of providing handmade gifts and bakery items.

Invite your family and friends to shop our wide assortment of handmade crafts, one-of-a kind decorations and gift items.

In addition, Grace Lutheran’s popular bakery is always filled with yummy homemade treats; cakes, pies, cookies, breads, jams and candies.

After you shop, sit and relax with your friends in our social area, this year we are serving delicious slices of homemade pies and cakes for a donation of $5.00. Coffee and

tea are available upon request.

Proceeds from this event support our local Charities.

For 25 years the ladies of Grace Lutheran Church have helped numerous community organizations through their donations from proceeds of this event. Those who have benefited are; Visalia Rescue Mission, Kaweah Delta Hospice Foundation, Care Pregnancy Center, Visalia Emergency Aid, The Samaritan center, Sequoia Braille Transcribers, Youth for Christ and Hands in the Community.

The boutique is hosted by the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League of Grace Lutheran Church at 1111 South Conyer St. in Visalia, Saturday, October 20, 10:00 am – 3:00 PM. For more information about this event contact, Carole Sell 559623-9588, 559-734-7694

“The Valley and Beyond” at Brandon-Mitchell Gallery ries on being in the right place at the right time to find Ginny Wilson just the right picand Beckie Ballew ture. She also will Nava both have have matted/unlong histories of framed photos to taking captivating sell at “garage sale” pictures. Wilson prices since she is has taken photos trying to downsize on her travels all her sizable collecaround the world tion now that she and loves to work has moved into with light. Nava a smaller home has a passion for in Visalia. nature, capturing Travels have local beauty. always drawn Nava The photograto glorious sunsets phers have joined and sunrises and forces to present views of nature’s “The Valley and endless possibiliBeyond” at the ties. She seeks seBrandon-Mitchell “Violin Maker” by Ginny Wilson renity behind the Gallery, located in viewfinder, often the Center for Spiritual Living, 117 S. inspired as she sees the world at a difLocust, Visalia, in September and Octo- ferent angle and light than others do. ber. The public can see the show during The Brandon-Mitchell Gallery is the First Friday Art Walk in downtown open during First Friday art walks, afVisalia from 5-8pm on October 5. ter Sunday services at 11:30am, and by Wilson will share some of her sto- calling ahead at 559 625-2441.

DONNA OROZCO

Parents and families invited to honor deceased infants on October 14 LISA MCEWEN Mothers, fathers, siblings and grandparents. All of these people are affected by the unexpected death of an infant.

For families in Tulare County, hope and healing can be found in a support group called A Legacy of Love. The group’s annual event honoring their babies will be Sunday, Oct. 14 in Exeter.

The event is held every October, which has been designated as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month since 1988. Jennifer Stimpel, who is vice president of A Legacy of Love, said a candlelight service will be held to honor their babies. “Anyone who has suffered the loss of a baby due to miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS or any other type of baby loss up to the first year of life is welcome to attend,” she said.

Families are encouraged to attend together, and they can expect a comfortable and uplifting environment. The evening will feature a guest speaker, music and a reading of babies’ names. Family members will have the opportunity to light a candle in their baby’s honor.

“It is difficult to lose a baby at any stage,” Stimpel said. Providing a supportive environment to foster conversation and understanding is important, considering that one in four women will experience the loss of a baby in some way.

To that end, A Legacy of Love also meets monthly to offer year-round support. Stimpel said though the group was founded by mothers who had experienced infant and pregnancy loss, couples are now beginning to attend together, which is very helpful for both

parents. The group’s mission is to “support, comfort and encourage mothers and their family unit during times of pregnancy and infant loss within the first year of life.”

The group provides an environment of non-judgmental and non-religious views to anyone who desires a place to initiate healing.

The group was a lifeline for Stimpel, who joined A Legacy of Love in 2012 after she and her husband Will lost their baby, William, at 21 weeks and 2 days gestation due to a rare pregnancy complication known as Placenta Percreta.

This occurs when the placenta invades the uterine wall, endangering the life of both mother and child.

“It came to us as a shock, something that we never thought could or would happen to us,” she said. “After I lost him, although I had great support from family and friends, I knew that I needed more. I can’t imagine where I would be without this group.”

With three children at home, the Stimpels also had to find a way to explain the loss to Williams’ siblings in an age-appropriate way. A book given to them at the hospital helped, and to this day, the family continues to speak openly of William. They celebrate his birthday by visiting his grave, dining out and baking a cake.

“We want our living children to know that however brief, their brother’s life matters and we will always love and remember him,” Stimpel said. “We also ask friends and family to donate blood as a positive way to remember him.”

A Legacy of Love’s website (www. alol.us) offers a variety of resources for

Infants continued on 10 »

4 October, 2018 Valley Voice

8

Book Notes

Every Vote Matters NEWELL BRINGHURST newellgb@hotmail.com

Every Vote Matters: The Power of Your Voice from Student Elections to the Supreme Court is most timely given the upcoming 2018 midterm elections combined with current controversy over Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s fitness to serve on the United States Supreme Court. This well-written, informative volume, penned by Judge Tom Jacobs and his daughter, Natale Jacob—herself a criminal defense attorney--while primarily intended for high school students contains a wealth of enlightening information for readers of all ages.

The volume is divided into two sections. Part I, entitled “The Supreme Court, the Law, and the Power of One Vote” provides a brief history of that august body along with an incisive discussion of its primary functions. Also included is an overview of America’s electoral process, focusing on the historic expansion of the franchise to include individuals previously excluded, specifically, African-Americans, women, and most recently, young adults—18 through 20 years of age.

Addressing young adults, the authors emphasize the importance of participating in the political process, even for those under 18 years of age, and thus not yet eligible to vote. Involvement in student council and other school offices provides valuable “on the job training.” They are also urged to communicate their thoughts on rel-

evant issues directly to political officeholders, be they local, state, or national. Also suggested is that young adults involve themselves in the campaigns of candidates running for public office.

Part II “5-4 Supreme Court Cases—How Do They Affect Your Life?” provides a succinct overview of 15 Supreme Court Cases brought before the high court over the past 60 years—each decided by a bare one-vote-majority.

Ten of the 15 dealt specifically with younger adults.

In Evan Miller v.

Alabama (2012), the key issue was: “Can a juvenile be sent to prison for life without the possibility of parole?” The high court on a 5-4 vote determined that the sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole imposed on convicted murderer 14-year-old Even Miller, violated the Eighth Amendment prohibiting “cruel and unusual punishment.”

Other 5-4 cases involving juveniles are Morse v. Joseph Frederick (2007) defining the extent of student free speech and expression allowed in public

schools; Board of Education v. Lindsay Earls (2002) determined the validity of random drug testing in public schools as a prerequisite for participation in extracurricular activities; Island Trees School District v. Steven Pico (1982) tackled the issue of public school censorship, specifically the banning of certain books deemed offensive in language and/ or content; Plyer v.

Doe (1982) sought to determine if children illegally in the United States were entitled to a public education under the “equal protection” clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Moving beyond litigation directly affecting young adults, the volume discusses several better-known landmark cases affecting all Americans—each of which was likewise determined by a 5-4 vote of Supreme Court Justices. Particularly noteworthy is Ernesto Miranda v. Arizona (1966), requiring police to immediately inform a defendant of his/her rights when taken into custody. Texas v. Gregory Lee Johnson (1989) involved so-called “symbolic

speech”—specifically the public burning of the American flag as an expression of personal protest.

The Regents of the University of California v. Allan Bakke (1978) tested the validity of affirmative action, attempting to determine if the practice violates a person’s “equal protection rights” if an admission quota system based on race is imposed. McCreary County v. American Civil Liberties Union (2005) determined if a display of the Bible’s Ten Commandments in a public building violates the “no establishment clause” of the First Amendment. United States v Antoine Jones (2012) tested the extent of “search and seizure” in the digital age, attempting to answer the question: Can police gather information about a person by attaching a tracking device to one’s automobile?

Each of the above cases emphasize the central role the Supreme Court plays in our day-to-day lives through its decisions, albeit frequently decided by the narrowest of margins. More important, Every Vote Matters: The Power of Your Voice from Student Elections to the Supreme Court through its central message underscores the importance direct citizen involvement in the political process.

Newell G. Bringhurst, a retired College of the Sequoias Professor of History and Political Science welcomes responses at newellgb@hotmail.com

Valley Voice 4 October, 2018

Calendar

October 5, Celebrating the Caregiver 8:00-12:00, GateWay Church, 1100 S. Sowell St., Visalia, Senior resource booths provide help for Dementia Training, Supporting the Caregiver, Medicare 101, Get Your POA, TRUSTS and Wills in Order, How to Pay for Senior Care without Going Broke, Staying Safe from Elder Scams, Please contact Kimberly Jensen (559) 7377443 for sponsorship and registration October 5: Ninth annual Wine & Wags Gala and Auction Presented by Valley Oak SPCA, 6 to 10 p.m. at Wyndham Hotel in Visalia. Wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres from local restaurants, live and silent auctions. Cash bar.

Attendees must be 21+. Proceeds support Valley Oak’s no-kill, nonprofit animal rescue mission. Tickets, $60 at eventbrite. com.

October. 6 “Barnyard Bash,” Sequoia Union Fall Carnival 5:30-9:00 p.m. at Sequoia Union 23958 Avenue 324 in Lemon Cove. Carnival games, dinner, cakewalk, bingo and a silent auction, bucking bronco and rides.. For more information, call 564-2106 or email ptc@sequoiaunion.org.

October 6: Visalia Gadabouts Gadabout Meeting, 10:00am, Senior Center 310 N. Locust. For info 686-2190 or contact, A-1 Tours and Travel, 627-6358 cmatulips@yahoo.com, Charlene October 6: Arts Consortium presents 1st Saturday in Three Rivers 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Art studios, restaurants and merchants open their doors and invite all for a town-wide celebration.

Three Rivers Historical Museum, 42268 Sierra Hwy. for a map of participating venues. More info, visit 1stsaturdaytr. com or call 559-561-3463.

October 6: The Sequoia Symphony Orchestra Broadway’s Betsy Wolfe sings meaningful songs of her career, 7:30 p.m., Fox Theatre, 300 Main St. in Visalia. Tickets $22$45. sequoiasymphonyorchestra.com October 6 and October 20: The UC Master Gardeners Plant Clinics Select your fall plants with the Master Gardeners, pest management, CA natives, succulents citrus. Lowe’s Garden Center in Hanford October 6 10:00 am – 1:00 pm, 1955 W. Lacey Blvd.October 20 - Luis’ Nursery in Visalia 10:00 am – 1:00 pm 139 S. Mariposa Ave. Info call (559) 684-3343.

October 8: Miss Exeter Coronation and Dinner 6 p.m. at the Faith Tabernacle Family Center, 515 S. Filbert in Exeter. Advance tickets required, $25 per person, available at the Exeter Chamber of Commerce, 101 W. Pine St. in Exeter, 559-592-2919 or email chamber@exeterchamber.com.

October 11: 3rd Annual Wine and Shop Presented by Tulare Soroptimist Club and Tulare Outlets, 5:30 to 8:30pm Tulare Outlets by Clock Tower/Bravo Farms.

Wine tasting, food, live band, cigar bar, silent auction, $500 shopping spree. Proceeds benefit Mental Health Awareness.

Must be 21 and over, Tickets $25.00- Info 731 5693 or 730-0407.

October 13: Exeter’s 105th annual Fall Festival at City Park 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fall Festival. Parade downtown E. Pine St. begins at 10 a.m.

Fall Festival Car Show at E. Maple and S. E streets, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free. Info, contact the Exeter Chamber of Commerce 559-592-2919.

October 13th: Patron of the Arts, Music Concert and Dinner Hosted by West Coast Academics, Music and Performing Arts Saturday at Success Learning Center and Visalia Music School, 2332 W Whitendale Ave..6:00 pm, dinner by Fugazzi’s, speakers, unforget-

9 table music experience. silent and live auction of vacation packages, musical instruments, a custom bar, gift baskets, table decorations , monthly packages of lessons..questions/ tickets please call (559) 900-1457.

October 13: Porterville Art Association Fundraiser “A Night to Remember” Nuckols Ranch, 13144 Road 216, Porterville, 5:00-11:00. Multi-cultural entertainment, full dinner, Wine Tasting, Chocolate Sampling, art displays, silent auctions, Reverse Drawing, $1,000 Prize!

Tickets $50, auto-entry Reverse Drawing. Call PAA, 559-783-4323, Wednesday through Saturday, 10-4 pm.

October 13: Walk to End Alzheimer’s Mooney Grove Park and begins at 8:00 AM. This walk is held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide. The walk raises awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support, and research.

Oct. 13: All The Tea in China Tea Comparison workshop by Dr. Kwong.

Learn Chinese Tea Etiquettes and the meaning of the Tea Ceremony, Tea brewing techniques and tea ware discussion.

Please bring your own tea cup to sample various teas. Proceeds benefit the Asian Cultural Society. $25.00 per person or $30.00 at door. 6:00pm, Center for Integrated Medicine, 816 W. Oak Ave, Visalia.

Buy tickets at website allholisticmed.org or FB October 13: Field Trip, Pond Hopping Shorebirds are migrating south for winter. We will visit local ponding basins in Tulare and Kings Counties. Exact locations determined the week before. Half day. Bring water, lunch, sun protection, bird book, binoculars. Meeting, Visalia Sears parking lot at the Caldwell/Shady Lane Mall entrance 6:30 AM for prompt 6:45 departure. Trip leaders: Joan Parker, Linda Wentz. For info email Rose Bonar, fishnknit1979@yahoo.com October 14: Quinceanera Expo Visalia Convention Center, 1pm-4pm. Party planning services, dresses, transportation, invitations, party favors, video and photography services, sample catering and dessert services. Quinceanera fashion show. Tickets are $7.00, Quinceanera’s and children under 10 free. Information - Visalia Convention Center Box Office at (559) 713-4040.

Oct. 14 : A Legacy of Love.

A Legacy of Love candlelight vigil 5 p.m at 1478 B N. Belmont Rd., Exeter to honor anyone who has suffered the loss of a baby due to miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS or any other type of loss up to the first year of life. Monthly support group meetings held at 6 p.m. the second Friday of every month at Gateway, Church, 1100 S. Sowell St., in Visalia. The next meeting is Oct. 12. More information, www.alol.us October 16: The League of Women Voter of Tulare County Speakers Bureau Tuesday 5:30 p.m. in Left of Center, 699 W. Center, Visalia. The Speakers Bureau will present the Pros and Cons of the Ballot Measures and discussion. Voters will be deciding on 11 state propositions.

The League is non-partisan and invites the public to join in. The cost of dinner is $17.00, reservations are required, call 732-5061 or phoebet8@att.net October 18: Visalia Chamber of Commerce Candidates Forum 210 E. Center St. from 5:30 - 8:30pm. 5:30 doors open, meet and greet. 6:00 - 7:00 pm Visalia City Council Candidates. 7:00 - 8:30 pm - Visalia Unified School District Board of Trustees. Additionally the committee supporting Measure A Visalia school bond measure will be on hand to answer questions, information-Visalia Chamber of Commerce at 559-734-5876.

October 19 - 20 Christmas in October 4 - 8 on Friday, and 9:00 - 4:00 on Saturday. Exeter Woman’s Club annual Christmas in October Event. 201 N. Kaweah Ave. Exeter, Vendors include candles, food items, jewelry, plants, cards, and many

hand crafted items. Info 559 909-4135.

October 20: Taste the Arts Festival The Arts Consortium at the Garden Street Plaza and the Old Lumber Yard in Downtown Visalia from 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Free. 70 regional visual artists exhibits and their paintings, sculptures, steel work, photographs, gourds, and jewelry; musical acts, dance troupes, and cultural performers. More info email joshua@ artsconsortium.org.

October 20: Grace Lutheran Church Annual Holiday Craft Boutique Celebrate 25 years of providing handmade gifts and bakery items. 1111 South Conyer St. in Visalia, 10:00 am – 3:00 PM. Shop the wide assortment of handmade crafts, one-of-a kind decorations and gift items. Popular bakery stocked with cakes, pies, cookies, breads, jams and candies. Sitting area with coffee and slices of pie or cake. Proceeds from this event support our local Charities. For more information about this event contact, Carole Sell 559-623-9588, 559-734-7694 October 20-21:38th annual Springville Apple Festival 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday; 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Handmade crafts, incredible apple-themed food, the world famous Fat Tire Classic Bike Race. For vendor and visitor info, visit springvilleapplefestival.com.

Oct. 21:Kaweah Delta’s 7th annual Pink Tea Party 12 p.m., Visalia Convention Center, 303 E. Acequia Ave. The Moroccan-themed event’s keynote speaker is Karen Mills, an ovarian cancer survivor and comedian who can now be heard daily on Sirius/XM Comedy Channels. Tickets (in advance only): $30 individuals; $240 for reserved table of eight online at www. kaweahdelta.org/pinktea or by calling 624-2098. Food, music, opportunity drawings, photo booth, and more. Info: www.kaweahdelta.org/pinktea or 6242098.

October 26: Family Night at Visalia Adventure Park

Hwy 198 and Akers St., 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. $18 wristband, unlimited access to go karts, bumper boats, mini golf, batting cages, and laser tag. Karaoke. More info, adventurepark.com/family-fun.

October 29th for “Taste Treats in Tulare.”

Tulare Historical Museum presents “Taste Treats” the premiere restaurant showcase event highlighting the best of the best restaurant showcase. Ticket $50 and includes a hosted bar, silent auction, surprise raffle, live auction. International Agri-Center, Pavilion “C”. 4500 S Laspina St. For tickets call Chris Harrell 6862074 or visit their website

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4 October, 2018 Valley Voice

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Bulb planting time: between the pumpkin and the turkey PEGGY SULLIVAN

UCCE Master Gardener

Anticipation is half the fun for me when I’m gardening. As I walk through the garden in the early spring months, I spot bulbs popping up where I had forgotten I had planted them. Such a nice greeting when all the rest of the yard still seems asleep!

Since November is the best time to plant bulbs in our valley, I’m going to buy more bulbs now. Though, ideally, the best bulbs are found in the early September market, I can still select good ones.

If I find any moldy, soft, or sprouting bulbs, I’ll reject them, because they won’t perform in the spring. Here are a few ideas and techniques for using bulbs.

Patriotic flare: I have been inspired to display our flag’s colors in my garden. I may try planting red amaryllis (“Roma”) with white amaryllis (“Clown”) in a blue pot with a big red, white and blue ribbon tied around it.

I could try a combination of red tulips (“Riding hood” or “Oxford”) and white tulips (“parrot”) with Delft blue hyacinth or blend red anemones with white tulips and dark blue pansies.

Perhaps you have some other ideas. Let your imagination go!

Fooling bulbs: Bulbs can be “forced” into thinking spring has already arrived. Here is an easy way to plant bulbs indoors for holiday gifts. Place an inch of clean pebbles or gravel (I buy gravel from the fish aquarium store) in the bottom of a shallow bowl.

Pack narcissus or daffodil bulbs close together in the bowl, and then fill around the bulbs with more gravel to anchor them in place. Fill the bowl with water just till the water barely touches the bottom of the bulbs and set the bowl in a window with indirect sunlight.

Within a couple of weeks, the bulbs will begin to sprout, and in 4-6 weeks they will be in full bloom.

Rotate the bowl every couple of days so that the stems will grow straight. If the stems get tall and want to lean, tie raffia or ribbon around them, and use 2-3 long sticks, chop sticks or bamboo to anchor the stems into the pebbles.

The amaryllis bulb is also a popular holiday gift. It can be found in many nurseries or home improvement stores in colors varying from red or white to pink or peppermint. A single bulb will provide cheer during the winter months. One of the beauties of amaryllis is that, after the blooms are gone, you can plant them in the garden for continued enjoyment. Over the years, my mother-in-law has planted all her amaryllis in the garden after their blooms were spent, and last year she had over 50 red amaryllis blossoms.

Outdoor planting guidelines: Some of the most popular bulbs, which can be planted in the ground now are amaryllis, anemone, calla lily, canna, freesia, gladiolus, iris, narcissus (daffodil), and ranunculus. 1. Select firm bulbs, not mushy or diseased ones. 2. Soak the bulbs in water for ½ hour. 3. Loosen

the soil where you will be planting to a depth of 12 inches. 4. Dig a hole 3 times as deep as the bulb is wide, amend the bottom of the hole with bulb fertilizer or bone meal. 5. Plant the bulbs with the tip up. 6. Plant bulbs in masses of 3 dozen to 500 bulbs to make a greater impact. 7. Water the bulbs well.

Funny-looking bulbs: While most bulbs have a distinct bulb shape (pointed on top, round at the root), other bulbs like corms, tubers and rhizomes are tricky. Dahlia bulbs should lie on their sides. Begonia tubers have a volcano crater on top, which should be on top when planted.

Ranunculus bulbs look like dancers at Radio City Music Hall, so, when planting, all their “legs” should be pointed down. Anemone bulbs look like little turtles, with very little root evident.

If I can’t figure out which is the top, I just plant the corm on its side, confident that the shoot will find its way to the sun.

Bearded iris are long rhizomes and should be planted more shallowly, because, like beach bums, they like their

backs slightly exposed to the sun. Meanwhile: Maybe next year I’ll get my act together sooner, and buy my bulbs earlier.

I would try some of those cold-weather lovers, which do better when they go through a chilling period in the refrigerator. (Tulips, crocus, hyacinth, and snowdrops should be chilled in the refrigerator for 10-12 weeks, since our valley doesn’t get cold enough for their natural needs.)

Meanwhile, I’ll plant my patriotic theme, some holiday gifts, and more bulbs by the pathway, then I’ll settle in for winter and let these compact self-contained power plants get ready to surprise me in the spring.

We love to talk plants. Come ask us your gardening questions!

For answers to all your home gardening questions, call the Master Gardeners in Tulare County at (559) 8523325. Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9:30 and 11:30am; or in Kings County at (559) 852-2736, Thursdays only, 9:3011:30am; or visit our website to search past articles, find links to UC gardening information, or to email us with your questions: http://ucanr.edu/sites/UC_ Master_Gardeners/ The UCCE Master Gardeners will be available to answer your gardening questions at the following venues in October: • Lowe’s, 1955 W. Lacey Blvd, Hanford, Plant Clinic, October 6th, 10-1pm.

• Luis’s Nursery, 139 S. Mariposa Ave @ Caldwell, Visalia, Plant Clinic, October 20th, 10-1pm.

• Greenfield Garden Workshops – Hanford, October 20th, 2:00pm – Growing and Using Herbs.

Greenfield Avenue, just east of the Kerr Outpatient Center, north of Lacey Blvd.

• Food Day @ Foodlink, 611 2nd Str., Exeter, 10am-1pm You can find us each Saturday at Visalia’s Farmer’s Market in Sears Parking lot, 8am until 11am.

Infants

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parents, family members and friends, from burial resources to book and song references.

Knowing what to say to someone who has suffered the loss of an infant is also an important topic, and resources address this on the group’s website.

Stimpel said the most helpful words are: “I am so sorry this happened to you.”

Stimpel explained that though the hurt and pain subside with time, most parents fear that their child’s life will be forgotten.

“If you are there to support in the beginning, continue to be there,” she said. “It means the world to me when people remember my son. It might bring tears to my eyes but it warms my heart to know you remember him.”

In the six years since William’s passing, Stimpel, like many other women on the nonprofit’s board of directors, has found hope and healing by helping to lead A Legacy of Love.

“I feel like helping other people in this way gives a life that our son couldn’t live a purpose,” she said.

Group members also give back to the community, by donating items to the Ronald McDonald House at Valley Children’s Hospital and providing meals for families staying there.

A Legacy of Love candlelight vigil will be held at 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14 at 1478 B N. Belmont Rd., Exeter. Look for orange traffic cones and balloons to mark the driveway.

Valley Voice 4 October, 2018

11

WHCCD Deputy Chancellor to be honored with award STAFF REPORTS Ken Stoppenbrink, West Hills Community College District Deputy Chancellor, has been selected as this year’s Walter Star Robie Award winner.

The Walter Star Robie Award is presented by the Association of Chief Business Officials to professionals in California community college business administration who have demonstrated outstanding achievements and exemplary service as Chief Business Officials in their respective districts and the state of California.

“It is an honor to be recognized by peers in my profession as to achievements that have benefited our district and provided leadership for others to follow,” Stoppenbrink said. “I believe it is critical for professionals to be a good mentor and pass on their knowledge to help others build upon their own professional development as well as making the institution a stronger organization.”

Stoppenbrink has served the West Hills Community College District in

a variety of positions since 1996. He served as the HR director until 2004 when he was promoted to the Vice Chancellor of Business Services. On July 1, 2013 Stoppenbrink was promoted to the Deputy Chancellor of the WHCCD. Prior to coming to West Hills, Stoppenbrink worked in healthcare human resources. During his career he has been responsible for a number of areas such as risk management; health care administration; contract negotiations; construction project oversight; bond campaigns and strategic planning for all fiscal affairs of the district.

Stoppenbrink has also been active in community and professional development organizations. Locally, he has served on the Coalinga Chamber of Commerce board, City of Coalinga Planning Commission, Coalinga Regional Medical Center Board, and Coalinga Rotary.

He has also served in leadership roles in professional organizations including Association of California Community College Administrators,

FATHER-DAUGHTER

not doing surgery in Porterville. That means more convenience for Freedom Medical Clinic’s patients.

Dr. Pandya said that their patients can now have surgery at their clinic, Sierra View Hospital in Porterville, or at Community Regional in Fresno.

The medical center also has an office in Visalia for appointments and check-ups.

“Now getting the opportunity to try and blend the UCSF Fresno environment and our private practice in Porterville in a unique way is amazing,” said Dr. Pandya.

During her residency at UCSF Fresno it was a collaborative environment. But for her father in the 1980’s, it was a cut-throat environment where two-thirds of the class was kicked out before graduation, resulting in an intense amount of competition between residents.

An article in the Fresno Medical Review profiling newly graduated residents quoted Dr. Pandya as saying, “I realized that it was kind of hard for my dad to know what to do with a second surgeon. Then there was one day when it was really bad and we had some really difficult cases. We were taking out the gall bladder in two ladies on consecutive days who happened to have

continued from 1

fistula, infection, fissure, incontinence and hernias.

Dr. Pandya said the clinic stays up on the newest technologies and specialized equipment. It recently acquired a new medical device for treating varicose veins and it has its own ultra- sound equipment so patient do not have to schedule an appointment at another facility or the hospital.

Having your own ultrasound equipment, Dr. Pandya said, is so that the patient can direct the doctor in real time to exactly where the pain is coming from and the doctor is getting direct feedback until the problem is found. This is preferable to her or her father trying to read the results from a week-old ultrasound taken by a hospital technician.

Somewhere along the way Dr. Pandya also learned Spanish, so Spanish-speaking patients feel more at ease being able to communicate with their surgeon.

As a result of her residency, Dr. Pandya is a part-time faculty member with the UCSF Fresno program. She is a student teacher and does surgeries at Community Regional on the days she’s

The Association of Chief Human Resource Officers, Community College League of California JPA, and Statewide Association of Community Colleges. He has also been a member of accreditation teams for 10 colleges and presented on topics ranging from bond refinancing to energy programs for various professional organizations.

Recipients of the Walter Star Robie Award are selected based on demonstration of leadership at the college and state leadership and personal accomplishments, including participating and involvement in their local communities and charitable endeavors.

“Ken Stoppenbrink was voted as the most deserving candidate for this prestigious award among California Chief Business Officials due to his long tenure as a CBO at a California Community College, and due to his excellent oversight in fiscal, human resources, technology, and business services at West Hills college, said Christine Statton of ACBO. “As one rec-

ommendation for Ken stated, it is rare to find a CBO that has been with the same district for 23 years, providing a legacy of stability and credibility.

In addition, he has been very active in community leadership for numerous organizations, such as Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, and Planning Commission, and in state-wide community college leadership, serving as chair/president on the Community College League of California Retiree Health Insurance (Other Post Employment Benefits Trust) JPA, serving on the Chancellor’s office Facilities Taskforce, and serving on the Fresno Council of Governments, among other service. Ken has exemplified a tremendous work ethic, and is held in extremely high regard by his colleagues, as can be seen through the ACBO board members vote for him to receive this award in 2018.”

The award will be presented at the 2018 Fall ACBO Conference which will be held in Rancho Mirage, CA at the Omni Las Palmas, October 22-24, 2018.

Dr. Tejal Pandya

the same problem that was equally, terribly advanced, and we did them together. The anatomy was so scarred and difficult that we just had to start thinking like MacGyver.…The next morning we were sitting at the kitchen table thoroughly exhausted and he just looked at me and said, ‘There is no way I could’ve done that operation without a second surgeon!’”

She continued, “I just looked and him and said, ‘Now you know what I’m

talking about!’ I’m so used to that collaborative environment. To some degree now we are teaching each other.”

Dr. Pandya still has interests outside of work and hopes to find a good integration of medicine and her other passions as time goes on. “But medicine just drew me in despite myself.

I always did have a tendency to care for others and want to know how to heal them.”

TAKE A FREE ESOPHAGEAL REFLUX SYMPTOM (RSI) SELF-TEST Within the last month, how did the following problems affect you?

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1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

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Lower esophageal sphincter

Esophagus Stomach contracted

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4 October, 2018 Valley Voice

12

SUPERINTENDENT continued from 1

and that during his reign he built new schools and opened the Vtech Charter School.

Hire underlined the importance of everyone’s voting because there hasn’t been an election for TC Superintendent in 28 years.

He began as an agriculture teacher at Woodlake High School, was promoted to principal, and again promoted to superintendent of the school district.

When Hire took over as Superintendent of the Woodlake district he said the recession has just begun. “We did not cut programs for kids and we found ways so our staff stayed whole, that benefits were paid, and that students received a seamless education.”

From there Hire took over the Exeter Union School District (EUSD.) He said as Superintendent of EUSD he raised student achievement over five straight years, especially with the English as a Second Language learners, whose scores jumped 115%.

Hire has been at the helm of EUSD for 12 years.

Hire received his BA in Industrial Technology with an emphasis on

management and has a Masters in Agriculture.

When the question of management style was asked Hire said that he prides himself on being approachable.

“I’m a people person and alongside that I am not afraid to do the work.” Hire said that during his time at Woodlake School District he would draw names out of a bucket during the welcome back breakfast. Those teachers or staff he drew got four days off and he would do their job.

“That kept me grounded and taught me the challenges that our staff experience every day. My hands-on experience will be an asset to the county.”

He also said that he is the best qualified as an advocate in Sacramento to get state funding for the students and local schools in Tulare County.

“When I talk to our colleagues around the nation I find that we are drastically underfunded.”

Hire said he builds relationships “with outside entities because we need them in education. Building relations with industry partners brings in resources, not just money, but personnel that is extremely important,” he said.

In terms of management style, Wheaton said his most important characteristic is a humbleness to serve and

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listen. He said his life began on a small family farm and it was those humble beginnings that made him realize that he wanted to serve children.

Wheaton said that listening to what each person has to offer is probably his biggest asset.

“I don’t stand in front of people and tell them what to do. I am very involved, very open, very understanding and I listen to everybody whether they are a custodian or bus driver or teacher or principal. Everyone is important.”

Should TCOE have a relationship with ICE? One of the more interesting questions of the evening concerned TCOE’s relationship with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.) Both Wheaton and Hire said they cannot think of any instance where TCOE and ICE should work together.

Hire said that the law is clear on the separation of ICE and public education and that the California Attorney General just wrote up policies that will be implemented soon. He said that schools do not ask about immigration status or for social security numbers so schools do not have any information in which ICE would be interested.

Wheaton said that “when it comes to immigration, our kids, no matter who they are, no matter where they come from, or what their documentation is, they need to be able to feel safe and able to come to school.”

He added that immigration is a traumatic issue for many attending Tulare County schools because students don’t know whether their parents will be coming home or not at the end of the day.

28% of the Workforce Leaves School before the 8th Grade

The only question of the evening

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where disagreement was had between the two candidates was a statement made by the audience. Their question stated that 28% of the workforce in Tulare County leaves school by eighth grade, and they wanted to know how each candidate intended on changing that.

Hire said that an improved relationship between the students and the school is necessary.

“My father was a teacher for 41 years and a great mentor to me…He said remember one thing and this will get you through everything. ‘Kids will not care how much you know until they know how much you care.’

“So if we are going to have an impact on students before they check out by 8th grade,” said Hire, “they need to have a relationship with their teacher, custodian, coach, bus driver, principal, and that will save them.”

Wheaton’s response was quite different. He explained that the workforce is 25-years-old or older, and living in an agriculture economy, that statistic is extremely misleading concerning our education system.

“Our workforce is made up of people who immigrate here from other countries with a very low level of education.” On the other hand, he said the number of kids who enter our school system in kindergarten and then drop out by eighth grade is extremely low.

Wheaton said educators are doing a better job here than in most school districts that have more resources, and that many Tulare County kids come from households where the parents are uneducated. “Our graduation rates are near 90% and we should be proud of that.”

The final question was what the two men would like to see as their legacy if elected.

SUPERINTENDENT continued on 13 »

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Valley Voice 4 October, 2018

ADVENTIST continued from 1

need to realize how far we’ve come, and now we’re getting close to the finish line and we’re being told we need to be transparent. I think Tulare needs some cheerleaders, I think we’re leaders,” he said.

“The level of concern after all we’ve been through, and we’re about to give Tulare a hospital again — and a good hospital — it just seems we should be more positive about that,” he added.

Senovia Gutierrez and Board Chair Kevin Northcraft also responded to portions of comments from the audience.

Later on, Steve Harrell, another board member, stated that it wasn’t legal or allowed under the board’s rules to respond to public comments.

“It may be difficult for some to sit up here and listen to accusations of not being transparent, withholding information, things like that; however, by responding we are in violation of the Brown Act and our own rules set forth under public comment,” Harrell said.

“Any comments made by the public not on the agenda, there can be no response from this body during this meeting to those comments. Response or action.”

Northcraft stated that he disagreed.

“Well, we disagree on Robert’s Rules, and we disagree on the Brown Act,” he said.

Lease Price Finalized

The next day, it was announced that

SUPERINTENDENT continued from 12

Hire said that when kids leave the safety net of the Tulare County education system he hopes they have the skills and confidence to go forward and

13 the board and Adventist had agreed upon a $2.335m/yr lease payment for the hospital itself and the buildings on its campus.

Adventist would also release the collateral securing a $10m loan provided to the district, which its press release claims the district values at a $200,000 per year savings.

“Adding this amount to the lease rate, the benefit to the district is $2.535 million per year, which is the mid-point of the range provided by Deloitte,” the release states.

“The lease will enable us to pay off debt, including the loan from Adventist Health, reduce our administrative and operating expenses and ultimately improve our community’s health and well-being,” a statement from Northcraft read. “We are very excited about what this means for Tulare.”

The release did not include the full findings of the Deloitte study.

Employee Lease Agreement

Adventist has previously committed to operating Tulare Regional Medical Center as a management partner until voters either approve or reject its bid to lease the hospital.

A key part of that arrangement — who would employ the staff and how they would be paid — was left out of the Interim Management Services Agreement when it was approved by the board.

be a success and a positive contributor to our communities.

“I want people to say that Tim Hire put kids first and did everything he could to make sure our kids had the opportunity of a lifetime.”

Wheaton said he hopes that Tulare County will become that beacon of

That’s now been reconciled with an Employee Lease Agreement, which states that the hospital’s employees will be hired on by Adventist and leased back to the district — which would make the transition to an Adventist lease easier for the employees and the district.

Prior to the hospital’s reopening, the district would be invoiced for “services provided by Adventist Health Employees at Adventist Health’s cost,” and the total cost would not exceed the amount budgeted under Adventist’s $10m loan to Tulare.

Officials for Adventist and attorneys for the district didn’t have that figure immediately available at the meeting.

After the hospital reopens under the terms of the Interim Management Services Agreement, Adventist would cover all employee costs, under the nonprofit’s prior commitment to cover operating costs at Tulare.

As reimbursement for its services, the company would collect all of the hospital’s income up to a yet-to-be-specified maximum amount.

In a report from closed session, the board announced that it had settled three lawsuits.

One, Gutierrez v. Tulare Local Healthcare District, centered around Senovia Gutierrez’ role as a member of the board. Gutierrez sued the district and members of the board after she was

repeatedly denied her seat following her election.

During the period where former board members and the district’s prior management partner claimed she was not a member, meetings were held in which Gutierrez, Jamaica, and Northcraft made decisions that were not honored by HCCA, the district, or the other two board members.

“The stipulation admits that Ms. Gutierrez was properly elected and seated and accepts the validity of all Board actions taken after Ms. Guttierrez was seated.”

Board members also voted to settle two nonpayment lawsuits brought against the district by Specialty Lab and Maxim Healthcare Services.

Specialty Lab was seeking $93,206.26 in unpaid invoices; Maxim Healthcare was seeking $160,645.35.

“The settlement will fully resolve two pre-petition claims in the District’s bankruptcy action in exchange for a monetary payment,” Todd Wynkoop, the hospital district’s attorney, stated.

Finally, ending a saga that lasted over two years, the district voted to reinstate its prior Medical Executive Committee and its bylaws.

The district previously settled with the Tulare Regional Medical Center Medical Staff, which was ousted in January 2016, for a repayment of the group’s legal fees and an agreement to reinstate the group and its bylaws.

light. “Our futures are dependent on raising levels of achievement if we are to keep up with the state, nation and the world, and that we have the ability to do that as educators.”

“I want to reach out to all of them no matter their skill or interest level and inspire that passionate quality in life where they go out and do things and become contributors,” said Wheaton.

Legal Settlements

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14

VOICES & OPINIONS

4 October, 2018 Valley Voice

Use your voice by commenting at ourvalleyvoice.com or email editor@ourvalleyvoice.com

Measure A makes sense for Visalia’s educational needs BOB LINK Growing up in Visalia, I have witnessed growth in our community that has been balanced and well planned, both in our city and in our schools.

In November, we have the opportunity to support Visalia Unified School District in its effort to continue delivering well-planned and balanced schools for our children and grandchildren in years to come.

Measure A will provide the funding we need to upgrade our elementary schools, make much-needed improvements to our existing middle and high schools and build a future high school. When we as a community contribute financially to facilities, the state matches those funds. If we don’t make the investment, other communities will receive those matching dollars.

Quality schools deliver the foundation for bright futures. They also serve as community resources for athletics, the arts, churches and more.

They are critically important as we work to recruit employers, teachers, land physicians.

Putting a sales tax or bond measure on the ballot is a hard decision.

Much research goes into determining the need and the amount. Although

there will not always be total consensus, the Visalia way is to hold these discussions, and they have been held.

Visalia will continue to grow and especially in the northwest area of the community. We must continue to upgrade our schools and provide campuses where our growth is projected.

For these reasons, I am supporting Measure A. Bob Link, Retired Businessman

Visalia Unified bond measure is smart for education GENE YUNT Visalia’s burgeoning population and aging core school facilities pose a threat to our education system. Soon voters will be able to address this problem by approving Measure A. This proposal would borrow $105 million and unlock a comparable amount of state

dollars for the immediate benefit of our students.

Why borrow? There are good economic reasons. Wise financing in the past has made facilities immediately available for our children. These facilities remain in service decades after the bonds have been paid off. The cost of waiting to build later would certainly

have resulted in a much higher cost.

Responsible management of prior debt has enabled VSUD to earn a AAcredit rating. This means a relatively low interest expense. Delay invites crisis management with lost opportunity and ultimately greater financial outlay.

With a strong school infrastruc-

ture in place, taxpayers will see their property values increase. A healthy education system is the core of a safe and prosperous community.

I recommend a “yes” vote on Measure A Gene Yunt Financial Advisor

Wheaton is the right choice for Tulare County LAURIE ISHAM Craig Wheaton, candidate for Superintendent of Tulare County Office of Education, has demonstrated his support for improving educational opportunities and the well-being of elementary and secondary students throughout Tulare County.

From 2002 to 2016, serving in the

administrative cabinet at Visalia Unified School District (VUSD), his insight and support contributed to the formation of the Pro-Youth HEART (Homework, Enrichment, Acceleration, Recreation and Teamwork) Afterschool Program administered by a 501(c3) non-profit corporation.

Valuable financial knowledge supporting sources of funding as well as

teaching HEART staff the core values reinforcing the HEART Mission to employees contributed to the growth and sustainability of HEART. His recruitment and support with the Visalia Runners Club helped launch the very first 10 K run “Kelly Scott Anti Violence Run”.

Craig’s qualifications include over-seeing 29,000 students compared

to Mr. Hire’s 2,900 students speaks well for his determination, depth of administrative knowledge and the diligence to creating a better world for our youth.

Please join me in supporting Craig Wheaton for TCOE Superintendent.

Laurie Isham Retired Founder and CEO Pro-Youth HEART

Valley Voice  4 October, 2018

15

VOICES & OPINIONS

Chris Harrell: “Tulare is much better than this.�

CHRIS HARRELL The strength of the city of Tulare comes from its people. Past, present, and future. As a fourth generation Tularean on both sides of my family, Tulare has always been in my blood, heart, and soul.

I moved away from Tulare twice in my life, once for 2 years at a university (after attending College of the Sequoias) and then serving my country in various parts of the world as a First Responder with the United States Air Force for 8 years; but I always came back home.

I did so because to me, Tulare is the epitome of “Small Town USA,� the best place to live! While it may be small in number, it has always been big on heart!

In certain historical instances, our story of Tulare is unmatched anywhere, and I would bet on the notion that Tulare could stand toe to toe with any “big city� around the world and come out on tops in terms of the genuine love, faith and can-do attitude of our citizens!

Do I dream? Yes. But I believe, as General Colin Powell once said, “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.�

It also takes the desire and action to break out of set ways, and to

remove one’s blinders in order to see the forest through the trees.

I am a practical doer, led by faith, integrity, and common sense, instilled in me by my family.

As much as I love our city, it disheartened me hearing comments these past few years from my friends and neighbors, concerning how they no longer like or want to be a part of Tulare, how they are embarrassed to be from this town, and many similar comments expressed.

These comments came as a result of various incidents happening throughout our city, but most especially within our own city government. It not only disheartened me, it saddened me to the core, knowing that our city was now the topic of conversation of other cities far and wide (for all the wrong reasons), as well as being the butt of jokes.

It was not uncommon to hear the conversation “Did you hear what individual x or organization x did now?� at gatherings outside of Tulare. I’ve heard it firsthand myself.

I have publicly stated time and time again that the citizens of Tulare do not deserve this.

The city of Tulare as a whole does not deserve this. Credibility, trust and working together have unfortunately been replaced by grudges, self-serving actions, and retaliations.

As a result, we are losing our

sense of community, that strength which began this town and which binds us together as one family today.

Past generations have consecrated Tulare with their dedication, their commitment, and their devotion to common sense, honesty, and credibility. My great grandparents and grandparents, who worked the land on their farms and at Tagus Ranch, did not do so in order for things to become as they are today.

My great grandmother who came to California on a covered wagon (literally born on the side of the road along the way), did not desire Tulare to turn out as it is now. Generations of my family did not put their lives on hold to serve their country in the Armed Forces, in order to come back and have Tulare turn out as it is now. And my father did not put his life on the line every day for 30 years as a first responder in Tulare and throughout the County, to have things turn out as they are today.

Tulare is much better than this.

We are much better than this. As a result, I began to speak out against what is wrong and continue to speak out against what is wrong, so the city of Tulare is able to once and for all change course and move forward.

In order to progress, we cannot keep the same mindset and vision of yesterday, or even today for

that matter.

If that mindset and vision was truly effective now, we would not be where we are at today.

I have been blessed to be an active part of the community service of Tulare for 25 years now, beginning when I was a still wet behind the ears high school student.

I know the city of Tulare has untapped potential. I am confident of it. A potential, that when released, can and will enhance the lives of all of our residents, create economic opportunities for all, and establish Tulare as a civic model for other communities.

As a leader in our Armed Forces, along with a Masters degree in Diplomacy & Conflict Resolution, I know firsthand what it is like to bring people of different backgrounds and viewpoints together at the same table, to focus as one and achieve the intended goals.

As we stand together, I am ready to serve you and all of Tulare. As we stand together, I am confident that Tulare can reach its full potential. I respectfully ask for your vote, so we can all achieve this together. We can take Tulare forward!

Respectfully, Chris Harrell Candidate, Tulare City Council District 4

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16

Valley Voice

4 October, 2018

Brian Poochigian reveals big endorsements CATHERINE DOE Brian Poochigian, candidate for Visalia City Council District 3, had some good news to tell the crowd of supporters who had gathered at Avidian Properties on Main Street September 19.

The Tulare County Association of Realtors had just interviewed all three candidates for District 3 and voted to endorse Poochigian.

Though the other two candidates, Merritt Wiseman and Steve Woods, were also highly qualified, Bret Taylor, executive officer with the association, said that Poochigian’s experience with Visalia city government gave him the edge.

The Tulare County Association of Realtors is a professional trade association of more than 1000 licensed real estate agents in the Tulare County area.

Shannon Grove, former state Assembly member from Bakersfield and the likely winner in the State Senate District 16 race, was the second big endorsement announced that evening, and Poochigian said more big endorsements were coming down the pike.

Grove said she likes his politics, family, and experience. She said that when she called the leaders in the community they were all endorsing him. Grove also felt that he had the right private sector experience to be

a leader in Visalia’s government.

Robyn Stearns, former mayor of Exeter, was the meet-and-greet’s bar tender. She said that Poochigian has been involved with the city of Visalia and knows all the issues.

Poochigian has lived in Visalia all of his life and is a Whitney graduate. He and his wife, Adrianne, who is a local high school teacher, have two toddlers.

“Brian always wanted to do something bigger,” Adrianne said.

“And when presented with the opportunity to serve, he seizes that opportunity.”

She said whether volunteering for the city or at his day job he feels like he is working for the people. Brian knows that if he doesn’t respond to someone he will lose them so he is very accessible. As a volunteer on the Citizens Advisory Committee, or as a possible city council member, he considers the people his employer and that he works for them.

“He is a man of integrity and that is the most important thing above all else,” she said.

Poochigian has a long history of community service.

Being a member of Visalia’s Citizen’s Advisory Committee has given Poochigian exposure to all the city’s major issues. As part of the committee, he is the Co-chair of the City Annual Public Opinion Survey. He also spearheaded a Christmas toy

Shannon Grove and Brian Poochigian.

drive benefiting pediatric patients at Kaweah Delta Hospital. Poochigian is an avid member of Trex Fraternity Sequoia Chapter service club and has held many offices, including President.

Poochgian said the issues he is focused on are homeless, public safety, and traffic congestion along Demaree and Goshen.

“We need to work on the homeless issue so it does not get worse,” he said. Poochigian suggested that the city get the faith-based communities more involved because they are ready to help.

His long term vision is fiscal accountability. A good example is his view on the suggested aquatic center. Poochogian said that the center would require about $800,000 a year just in maintenance.

“That does not make sense economically,” he said. “Would you remodel your bathroom if you couldn’t pay your gas bill?”

Overall, Poochigian has been pleased with the way Visalia has been run.

“The city is on the right path and I want to make sure it stays on the right path.”

Re-opening soon, a hospital inspired by our community.

Tulare Regional Medical Center is coming back, by popular demand. You’ll soon have expert care right here in our community. It’s the care you need, right where you need it.

Welcome to the new Tulare Regional Medical Center, managed by Adventist Health.