Valley Voice Issue 130 (6 December, 2018)

YOUR GUIDE TO THE HOLIDAYS IS HERE

HOLIDAY SCENE on pages 7-10

Valley Voice

Visalia, P’ville hospitals join forces in JPA

Volume XXXVIII No. 23 6 December, 2018 ourvalleyvoice.com

Upset in Hanford: Ramirez defeats Sharp for Area D MARK PRATTER

DAVE ADALIAN

dave@ourvalleyvoice.com

Cutting costs and improving delivery of care are the driving motives behind a new partnership between Kaweah Delta Health Care District in Visalia and Porterville’s Sierra View Local Healthcare District, say the CEOs of the county’s two largest hospital districts.

Not a Merger

While not a full merger, the new joint powers agreement (JPA) should give both hospital districts buying and hiring power neither of them would have alone, according to Gary Herbst, CEO of KDHCD, and SVLHD CEO Donna Hefner. The pair led the effort to unite the two entities as a way to expand the scope of care they provide to a much wider range, something now expected of care providers, including hospitals.

“More and more we’re being asked to take care of entire populations,” said Herbst. “You see a lot of mergers and consolidation. That’s to try to build health care delivery systems and networks, bringing in physicians and hospitals.”

Rather than combine the two districts into a single entity, a much more complicated process, their boards voted instead to create the Central Valley Health Care Alliance,

KDHC + SVMC continued on 13 »

Desare Lucido, 55, has lived at the St. John’s homeless encampment since July.

Martin Velasco-Ramos/Valley Voice

Visalia reopens winter homeless shelter, pushes for permanent site

MARTIN VELASCO-RAMOS martin@ourvalleyvoice.com

Visalia City Council met with members of the Homeless Task Force and approved $10,000 in emergency funds towards a temporary winter homeless shelter.

The shelter will be located at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 120 N. Hall St., and is expected to be up and running before the Valley sees freezing temperatures around the second week of December.

This isn’t the first time Rev. Suzy Ward has opened her doors to the needy. Last year Ward used the church as a warming shelter with little to no entrance restrictions to the public.

Unlike most shelters, Ward’s shelter did not require a drug test or any other obligations such as man-

datory chores to stay overnight.

The decision comes after an 800% rise in homelessness. Although the reopening of the emergency winter shelter at St. Paul’s was a step in the right direction, members of the Homeless Task Force don’t intend to stop there and have pushed for a permanent low-barrier homeless shelter in Visalia.

District 3 Tulare County Supervisor Amy Shuklian, whose district encompasses Visalia, is the chair of the task force and has been considered a champion of the issue.

She has worked with its members for nearly a year now to get the project on its feet. Recently, they spoke with Michelle Martinez, head of a low barrier homeless shelter in Bell.

The shelter in Bell operates all

HOMELESS SHELTER continued on 12 »

Shocker in Kings Tulare County supervisors unanimously County: Valadao support Sequoia Gateway Commerce Center and Vidak lose seats CATHERINE DOE

catherine@ourvalleyvoice.com

After a tense election night and weeks of updates it appears that Andy Vidak, State Senator for the 14th District, and David Valadao, representative for the 21st Congressional District, have lost their seats to political rookies.

Melissa Hurtado, a Democrat and Sanger City Council member, beat Vidak by 16,390 votes or 55.7% to 44.3%. At 30 years old, Hurtado will become the youngest woman ever elected to the California Senate.

In a press release she stated, “During the course of the campaign my visits to communities convinced me we need to do more in the district in terms of improving access to health care, creating jobs, and providing children with a meaningful education. I promise to work hard on these issues. And as a member of the state Senate, I will stand with other Central Valley legislators to make sure

KINGS continued on 14 »

STAFF REPORTS The Tulare County Board of Supervisors has unanimously supported the Sequoia Gateway Commerce Center, a project proposed for the southeast corner of Caldwell Avenue and Highway 99.

On a motion from Supervisor Amy Shuklian, and a second by Supervisor Pete Vander Poel, the board voted in favor of the project, which has been in the research and analysis stage for seven years.

In a surprising political upset, recalled Hanford City Councilman Francisco Ramirez defeated Diane Sharp for the Area D council seat which encompasses central and south Hanford.

Ramirez won by 78 votes, according to the Kings County Registrar of Voters.

“This is a vindication of all the allegations,” said Ramirez in a post-election interview. “If the citizens believed (me to be) corrupt, (they) wouldn’t have voted me in.”

Ramirez was referring to his recall in a special election this January.

The recall was precipitated by the Kings County Grand Jury and others saying he violated state election law requirements on campaign spending and misled voters about his academic credentials in campaign literature.

Proponents of the recall listed on the official Petition for Recall were: Louis Martinez, Lorna Martinez, William Macedo, Jeff Chin, Danny Baiz,

HANFORD continued on 14 »

Visalia PD officers facing felony charges DAVE ADALIAN

dave@ourvalleyvoice.com

Two former Visalia narcotics detectives were briefly behind bars last month after the pair were accused of falsifying police reports and obtaining fraudulent search warrants in at least 16 incidents.

At a “short notice” press conference held by Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward and Visalia Police Chief Jason Salazar November 16, Ward announced officers Bryan Ferreira and Shane Logan were arrested after turning themselves in. The pair of veteran officers will face dozens of counts stemming from a series of incidents beginning in August of 2017 and continuing until March of this year.

Ferreira and Logan are currently free on bail.

Tight-Lipped Announcement

“This project has been well thought out and well planned,” Supervisor Vander Poel said prior to the vote. “The Planning Commission voted unanimously in support and this project will bring much-needed services and jobs and the diversification of our economy.”

Supervisor Kuyler Crocker noted that the change of use from agriculture to highway commercial will result in “tremendous water savings,” which is particularly important

Because the officers face impending prosecution, little has yet been revealed about the actions that lead to the charges against Ferreira and Logan.

“I cannot tell you any of the facts,” said Assistant District Attorney Dave Alavezos in a followup interview.

A long list of charges against the pair of officers has been made public, and in it the two are accused of perjury and altering at least 16 police reports in order to obtain search warrants,

SEQUOIA GATEWAY continued on 6 »

VISALIA PD continued on 16 »

6 December, 2018 Valley Voice

2

FROM THE PUBLISHER'S DESK

Tis The Season

Time to review your Medicare options?

Looking for someone who still makes house calls?

Call your local, licensed sales agent for a free in-home Medicare consultation.*

It’s that accursed time of year again--Christmas.

Other holidays come and go but are not really accorded their own season. Traditions, yes, but not an entire campaign, a full-court press of decorating and cooking, movies, shows and music. And it all begins before the Thanksgiving dinner is fully digested.

This year, somehow, everything but making the gravy fell to me.

It’s a good trade-off for the Holiday decorating, this year, which while writing this I have managed to dodge. No garland, no reindeer, no wreath, no lights, no knick-knacks--nothing. But no tree yet, either, and because I own a truck that’s not something I’ll be able to avoid.

Of course, the best part of Christmas is not any of this gimcrackery but the company one keeps. You make plans, and plans change, so that sometimes there is a randomness to the Holiday crew. Someone suddenly couldn’t show, say, or somebody new or unexpected appears.

But enough about Central Casting.

This Holiday Season what I project upon most people is peace. I can’t in good conscience project it upon everyone because, let’s face it, there are some bad people out there and there are others who need to be held accountable--and unless and until that accountability arrives there should be no peace. It’s not my call to make--it’s theirs.

But upon our fractured, tribal and fragile electorate I project peace. Upon the most needy amongst us I project peace.

As they say in other parts, as-salaam-alaikum. So peace, too, upon the “others” in our midst.

Funny thing about them “others.” If I remember properly a certain president of ours promised to build a wall along our southern border and make the “others” pay for it. Instead, we saw a caravan--as it was called--make its way northward right up to the fence, where it was met with, and dispersed by, the deployment of tear gas.

Obviously, we can’t let thousands of people into the country willy-nilly. Just because they’re refugees and charge the border en masse does not confer a right of entry. Conversely, the optics of lobbing tear gas canisters at women and children is somewhat less than savory.

I don’t have the answer. Hell, I’m not even positive I have an opinion--and this is an opinion piece. But I do know we can do better. I just don’t know yet exactly how.

I know that to be the country we want to be--which is to say true to our history and our ideals--there has to be a better mechanism to legally admit some of these people. And I know that if we want to be the country we are--which is to say, largely, a service economy--we have to admit some of these folks.

Our youngest son tried working the fields, for instance, lasted a week and didn’t make the cut. He couldn’t keep up.

These migrants don’t merely want to spend Christmas at our house--they perceive us, our country and economy, as Christmas itself.

Can’t say as I blame them.

Where’s Central Casting when you need it? Casting tear gas canisters.

We can do better.

Joseph Oldenbourg

Richard Duran 559-281-7548 (TTY: 711)

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Commentary or corrections regarding errors of fact in our printed, online, or social media content can be sent to the email and mailing address listed below.

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Use your voice: send letters, concerns, or corrections to editor@ourvalleyvoice.com PO Box 44064, Lemon Cove, CA 93244

Publisher/Editor:

Joseph Oldenbourg

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Sales/Writing: Catherine Doe

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Reporters: John Dillon

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Dave Adalian

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Valley Voice 6 December, 2018

POLITICAL FIX Isn’t Cock Fighting Illegal?

Democrats won every statewide office, gained super majorities in both state houses, flipped seven of their seven targeted congressional races, and will control the House of Representatives in Washington come January.

Time to for the Democrats to celebrate, right?

Wrong.

The fighting started this summer between consummate party insider, Eric Bauman, and progressive Kimberly Ellis for Chair of the California Democratic Party. After a bitter feud and verbal attacks on Ms. Ellis, she lost by 62 votes out of 3000 cast.

Ms. Ellis’ supporters never did trust the results and now Mr. Bauman resigned after accusations of sexual assault. He has yet to deny those accusations making supporters of Ms. Ellis hardly able to refrain from yelling, “I told you so.”

Also during the convention delegates endorsed State Senator Kevin De Leon over Senator Dianne Feinstein. Never mind that Ms. Feinstein earned 70% of the Democratic vote in the California Primary, carrying every county in the state by double digits.

Even with the party’s endorsement, Mr. De Leon ended up losing the general election to Ms. Feinstein by one million votes. But I guess 217 tone deaf delegates know better than the six million voters who cast their ballots for Ms. Feinstein.

De Leon supporters reasoned, “It’s time for new blood and new values.” i.e. old women need not apply.

Did I mention that Congress Member Maxine Waters’ microphone was cut off during the convention before she finished her speech?

On the National front, the first female Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, is facing demands for change from younger members, the very ones her prodigious fundraising and campaigning helped elect this month.

Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, said he was one of 32 Democrats to vote against Ms. Pelosi in last week’s caucus leadership election. He said because they want “new leadership.”

Again, old women need not apply.

So while Democrats control California, who controls the Democrats?

Not the statewide Democrat Central Committees. Tulare County Democrat Central Committee (TCDCC) jumped right on the state Democrat’s band wagon.

In May of last year Vice Chair of the TCDCC, Kathleen Dowling, was accidently or purposefully tripped

by Tulare City Council candidate Alex Gutierrez. Mr. Gutierrez never did

take full responsibility for his actions but did admit to acting childish.

There were several witnesses, and they and Ms. Dowling asked the TCDCC to hold a special meeting to discuss relieving Mr. Gutierrez of his duties on the committee and to discuss her injuries.

Sounds like the obvious course of action, right?

Wrong again.

In fact the TCDCC is in the process of kicking Ms. Dowling, AKA the Stocking Lady, off of the Democrat Central Committee.

The central committee never did hold a special meeting about the incident between Mr. Gutierrez and Ms. Dowling and is now claiming she told people not to vote for Mr. Gutierrez for Tulare City Council. Doing so is against their by-laws.

The TCDCC by laws state: “The Central Committee may remove any member who, during his or her term of membership: (c) publicly advocates that the voters should not vote for the candidate endorsed by the California Democratic Party or by this Central Committee for any office.”

Ms. Dowling doesn’t believe that he is mature enough to be a council member but never told anyone not to vote for him. She lives in Visalia and does not really care who is on the Tulare City Council as it does not affect her life.

She had a two-hour interview with the Valley Voice and a one-hour interview with the Visalia Times-Delta where she never once mentioned not to vote for Mr. Gutierrez. She worked for two days, 16 hours, at the Tulare County Fair this summer and she says the vote for Tulare City Council did not come up.

If she did tell people not to vote for Mr. Gutierrez then those people need to step forward. And complaining about his behavior is not the same as telling people not to vote for him.

Both Mr. Gutierrez and Ms. Dowling are tireless community volunteers and have put hundreds of hours into working for the local Democrat Party.

So why the preferential treatment towards Mr. Gutierrez? Are we seeing a pattern here?

In terms of her future with the central committee, Ms. Dowling has been given the choice of requesting a hearing or tendering her resignation, both of which would most likely lead to her expulsion.

Nevertheless, she opted for the hearing, which will take place at the TCDCC office at 2pm just prior to the regular board meeting on December 9. Maybe the public should also attend for added transparency.

3 a column by CATHERINE DOE — catherine@ourvalleyvoice.com Oops, Wrong again.

Though publicly elected officials, central committees are excluded from the Brown Act. They do not need to notify the public of their meetings and can even bar the public from attending. They do not have to entertain “public comment” and can add agenda items before or during the meeting without any notification to anyone. Heck, they don’t even need an agenda!

Central Committees are really just governmental agencies, so most of the laws don’t apply.

That’s pretty scary.

Ever since I moved back to Tulare County in 1999 I have marveled at the dysfunction of the TCDCC. Reported screaming matches during meetings and petty politics made me wonder why anyone would bother.

But if a Republican or Democrat wants to be a delegate at their state or national convention, they have to play nice and be a member of their local central committee.

My grandmother, Florence Doe, and my brother, Tupper, were political animals and very much enjoyed going to the National Republican Convention. My grandmother went to the Republican National Conventions as a delegate in 1948, 1952 and 1956. After the 1952 election she then was invited to the Presidential Inauguration of Dwight Eisenhower, where all of the ladies who worked on his campaign got to have tea with Mamie.

As a member of the Los Angles Republican Central Committee, Tupper was elected as a delegate to the 2000 convention in Philadelphia and one of the Bush conventions years later.

He could not have gone without participating in the central committee.

Ms. Dowling also has attended the California Democratic Convention and wants to go in the future.

But will she be able to after her hearing on December 9?

In an email to Ms. Dowling, sent from Greg Gomez, Secretary of the TCDCC, he states: “Therefore, as a courtesy, I am notifying you that at our next TCDCC meeting on December 20th at 6:30pm removal proceedings will be held pursuant to our bylaws and the facts presented in the documents…”

So the Democratic Establishment opposed Ms. Pelosi, who won; and Ms. Feinstein, who won; and Ms. Ellis, whose challenger resigned in disgrace.

And now they oppose Ms. Dowling, for whom the establishment blames Mr. Gutierrez’ loss to Terry Sayre - who won.

So much for the year of the woman.

We need to talk about Kern County

Republican House Member Kevin McCarthy coasted to victory for the sixth time in the 23rd Congressional District. Republican Shannon Grove easily won her 16th District State Senate seat.

So Kern County is reliably conservative right?

It’s actually a tale of two counties. Almost all local assembly, state, and congressional districts include parts of Kern County. Depending on which region of Kern makes a huge difference.

During Brian Poochigian’s election party, Evette Bakke, campaign manager for establishment Republicans, responded, “Oh, we don’t like Kern,” when asked if they had updated their numbers.

Campaign speaking, why would a conservative not like Kern County?

After taking a better look I understood what Ms. Bakke meant.

First, when Democrat Jose Sigala knocked Visalia Mayor Warren Gubler out of the race for the 26th Assembly District in the primary, it was the votes he got from Kern County that tipped the scales. Still, the part of Kern that makes up Assembly District 26 is not primarily Democrat, so Kern did not affect Mr. Mathis’ reelection to the assembly November 6.

The same is not true for State Senator Andy Vidak, Hanford City Council Member Justin Mendes, and Congress Member David Valadao, who all lost their races November 6. Their political districts include, besides Kings County, the southern region of Kern.

Mr. McCarthy’s 23rd Congressional District covers mostly Bakersfield and the high desert, which are predominantly White and Republican.

But the 21st Congressional District, 32nd Assembly District, and 14th State Senate District is comprised of Delano, McFarland, Shafter, and Wasco and is 70% Democrat.

Mr. Vidak, Mr. Mendes and Mr. Valadao easily won in Kings County but lost badly in Kern.

The biggest losers in the November 6 election weren’t the candidates but Hanford and Kings County. Congress Member Devin Nunes once said that if he retires or losses his election it will be the last time Tulare County will have representation in Washington.

And that just happened in Kings County.

Mr. Valadao, Mr. Mendes and Mr. Vidak are all Hanford residents, and their loss means that Kings County will likely never again have representation in the state or federal government.

That torch has been passed.

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6 December, 2018 Valley Voice

4

Shows continue as Enchanted Playhouse seeks new home DAVE ADALIAN

dave@ourvalleyvoice.com

After losing its longtime theater space in downtown Visalia, the Enchanted Playhouse Theater Company (EPTC) is now aiming to build its own performance area. In the meantime, the shows will go on.

Rocky Relations

RJ’s Pizza, Wings & Beer offers new dining option in Tulare BRENDON ALEXANDER Whether because of genius or coincidence, Jerry Shandrew opened his new pizza joint October 15, the same day Tulare Regional Medical Center roared back to life. And conveniently located right around the corner, the general public and hospital staff now have a new delicious option for dinner or lunch.

Business has been good, with a 30% increase each week said the management.

Formerly Tony’s Pizza the restaurant is now RJ’s Pizza, Wings & Beer.

When asked why he decided to open a restaurant in Tulare, Shandrew said that he was looking to expand his business and when he saw the opportunity in Tulare, he took it.

His specialties are pizza, wings, and beer, with his newest item Spicy Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza at $10.99

for a large. Also on the menu is garlic fries, full salad bar, mozzarella sticks and fried cheese ravioli.

A dessert specialty is Churro Delight--churros surrounding a scoop of chocolate ice cream and topped with whipped cream.

Various deals are always available, such as a 10% discount on all parties over10, pitchers of beer starting at $8.99, as well as sporting events, including Monday Night Football, the World Series and Bowl Games.

Check out the weekly specials on Facebook and Instagram or cut the coupon out in this issue.

Creating an outdoor seating area is in the works and perfect for Date Night. The restaurant has 10 employees, with most being under the age of 21. For anyone interested, management is looking to hire more people over the age of 21 so they can serve alcohol.

The EPTC has had an up-and-down relationship recently with the city, which owns the Main Street Theater where the group of actors has been based for more than two decades.

When the city decided abruptly to sell the property last year, those running the EPTC felt purchasing the theater was out of their reach. Even after the city gave the group extra time to assemble a bid, they were still unable to meet the city’s asking price. While negotiations went on, the EPTC fell behind in its rent and found itself in court, where it agreed to vacate the theater at Main and Garden streets by the end of January.

“We have to be out as of January 31st,” said Shanna Meier, the EPTC’s spokeswoman.

Talent for Fundraising

Despite taking their tenants to court, the city appears to still have a soft spot for the group, granting them an additional 30 days of occupancy in their soon-to-be-former home. The extra time was needed for a two-night performance of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” as well as a talent show. Both events are fundraisers to help EPTC pay for construction of a new home.

On December 6 and 7, Kelly Ventura will present his one-man version of Dickens’ classic holiday ghost story.

Then, on December 15, local amateur performers will show off their stuff at the Community Talent Showcase.

Tickets are $12 for each event, with discounts for seniors and members of the military. They can be purchased at enchantedplayhouse.org.

Looking to Build

Meier estimates the group will need something in the range of seven figures to purchase land and repurpose an existing building into a theater.

“Hopefully, we’ll work out a deal to purchase a piece of land from the city,” she said. “Building a theater in an existing building still takes a lot of money. We’ll have to start from scratch.”

EPTC’s leadership has been following leads, but no definite plan has been formulated.

“There are a few places we’ve been looking at,” Meier said.

The undertaking will be costly no matter how they approach it.

“We are going to be hitting up a few of the bigger corporations in Tulare County to see what they can do,” Meier said. “The amount we need is going to be more than a million dollars, unless someone is willing to donate a huge chunk of land.”

The Show Goes On

In the meantime, the EPTC is still putting on a show. Starting in late February and running into March, the group will present its version of C.S. Lewis’s “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” but not downtown.

“That, right now, is planned for the Rotary Theater here in Visalia,” Meier said. “In 1992, when the EP first formed that is where they started.”

While scaling down to a smaller space will be challenging for the actors group, they’re willing to do it to meet their main objective.

“Our goal is to stay in Tulare County, stay in Visalia, and keep children’s theater alive,” Meier said.

California league baseball teams unite to assist with fire relief STAFF REPORTS As California begins its slow recovery process after some of the most deadliest & destructive fires in California history, the baseball teams of the California League have decided to step up to the plate and do their part for the relief efforts.

The California League boasts eight teams located throughout the state: San Jose, Stockton, Modesto, Visalia, Lancaster, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, and Lake Elsinore. Each team will be producing their own logoed cap with a firefighter theme, produced by Cotapaxi, a custom design and manufacturing corporation located in Commerce, CA. These custom caps will only be available for a limited time from each team & can be purchased for $20. Net proceeds from these sales will be donated to support the disaster relief

efforts as we enter this holiday season.

“Minor League Baseball is all about being involved with our local communities. These fires have affected everyone in the state, and we all want to do our part to help out as much as we can” stated California League President, Charlie Blaney.

If you would like to purchase one of these caps, you can contact each team individually via their respective websites: • www.sjgiants.com • www.stocktonports.com • www.modestonuts.com • www.rawhidebaseball.com • www.jethawks.com • www.66ers.com • www.rcquakes.com • www.stormbaseball.com Or if you’d like to purchase all 8 caps for $150, you can contact Matt Blaney in the California League office.

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Valley Voice 6 December, 2018

5

Buckman-Mitchell, Inc. announces merger with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co STAFF REPORTS Buckman-Mitchell, Inc., a 100-year-old insurance agency, has merged with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., one of the world’s largest insurance brokerage firms.

Area CEO Clifford Dunbar noted that Buckman-Mitchell, Inc., (BMI) will continue to act as an independent branch office, with the leadership team that includes Linda Loflin, area president (property and casualty division), and Judy Fussel, area president (life and health division), overseeing staff at the Visalia and Fresno offices.

“Our industry is changing and we recognized the need to ensure that we are changing with the times, and incorporating best practices to serve our clients effectively,” Dunbar said. “After much research and deliberation, the Board of Directors determined that the best way to do this is to partner with a larger organization.

We found Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. to be the best fit.”

Arthur J. Gallagher has been named as a “World’s Best Employer”

by Forbes Magazine and has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute for seven consecutive years as one of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies.”

“This merger will enhance our ability to serve our clients, and our commitment to community is unchanged,” Dunbar added. “Local businesses, organizations and people helped build BMI to where we are today, so we will continue to support nonprofit organizations, our schools and local events.”

BMI was founded by C.T. Buckman and Hyman Mitchell in 1916. The firm today is a retail property/casualty and employee benefits agency and consultant specializing in commercial and agribusiness. BMI also provides personal home, auto, watercraft and recreational vehicle insurance, and individual life and health insurance.

For information, contact Buckman-Mitchell, Inc.’s corporate office at 559-733-1181.

Timothy Lutz appointed Director of Tulare County HHSA STAFF REPORTS The Tulare County Board of Supervisors has appointed Timothy Lutz as the Director of Tulare County Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA) effective January 7, 2019.

We are glad to have someone with Tim’s capabilities in this role and welcome him back to Tulare County.” stated Tulare County Board of Supervisors Timothy Lutz.

Chairman, Steve Worthley.

As the Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA) Director, Lutz will oversee HHSA’s workforce of approximately 2,000 employees and its four branches of daily operations: Human Services, Public Health, Mental Health, and Fiscal Operations. Lutz fills the position previously held by Jason T. Britt, who was recently appointed to the County Administrative Officer position.

“We are pleased to have found a director familiar with the agency and Tulare County,” shared County Administrative Officer, Jason T. Britt. “I look forward to working with Mr. Lutz and implementing the policies set forth by the Board.”

Lutz has worked in the public sector for over 12 years bringing a wealth of knowledge in varied areas of government programs and services including: fiscal operations, human resources, social services, aging and veteran services, environmental health, animal services and administration.

Lutz comes to Tulare County after previously serving as the County Administrative Officer for Calaveras County in San Andreas, California.

Lutz earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology and his master’s in business administration from California State University, Fresno. As Agency Director, Lutz’s base salary will be $171,289.

“I am very excited to be returning to Tulare County and the Health & Human Services Agency,” stated Lutz.

“The Agency does tremendous work at preserving and enhancing the critical safety net, health, and well-being of County residents and I am honored to be serving as the Agency Director.

I want to thank the Board of Supervisors for their support in appointing me to this position.”

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Dr. Robert Orth, Dr. Prem Kamboj, Dr. Susan Haack, and Dr. Asit Shah (l-r) are the four doctors of the Tulare Pediatric Group, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Courtesy photo

Tulare Pediatric Group celebrates 40 years of compassionate care TONY MALDONADO

tony@ourvalleyvoice.com

Tulare Pediatric Group is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year — the group has served the children of Tulare and its surrounding communities since 1978.

Dr. Prem Kamboj began his practice in Tulare in 1978; Dr. Susan Haack joined the group in 1992, Dr. Asit Shah in 1996, and Dr. Robert Orth in 2004.

In that 40-year timespan, a lot has changed -- but one thing, by all accounts, hasn’t: the dedication and enjoyment of the group’s doctors and support staff to serving children.

“We enjoy taking care of kids,” Dr. Prem Kamboj said, stating that it was especially touching when “patients grow up and come back with their babies -- and we take care of their family members.”

“As long as I’m enjoying what I do, I have no plan to retire,” he said.

Part of that commitment to children includes outreach to the community, including sponsoring events like Tulare Sober Grad, Tulare Kids Day, and Encore Kids Theater.

The group’s connection to the community can also be a bit more literal -- including catching up with the families that the group serves.

Veronica Castro, a long-time medical assistant at Tulare Pediatric, said she’s regularly stopped — or been stopped — to chat with her patients’ parents as she’s running her normal errands in Tulare, including at the grocery store.

“Everywhere I go, I’m going to stop and see someone,” she said.

She was introduced to the practice in a medical externship, shadowing at the office, and she’s been working with the group for over 20 years.

“I just enjoy my job, the kids, the

people, and my coworkers,” she added. “It fulfills my life.”

Changes along the way

Among the key changes that Kamboj has seen in his time practicing in Tulare are the upheaval at the Tulare Regional Medical Center; he previously served on the Tulare Local Healthcare District board.

He said that his time on the board deeply affected his family -- but that, aside from those years, his time in Tulare has been “very good.”

He’s optimistic about the future of healthcare in Tulare now that the hospital has reopened — adding that improvement was likely, since the city had already reached the bottom.

The other major change, he said, has been the problems that his patients face.

When he started, the main problems were infections and meningitis, he said; but, with newer vaccines and their uptake, those have practically disappeared.

Now, childhood obesity and mental health are the main issues he sees his patients come in with.

Picking just the right people

Kamboj stated that the group is considering adding another, recently interviewed, physician.

“We need to keep adding,” he said.

But while there is an increasing shortage of physicians nationwide -and especially in the Central Valley -he said that it was important to ensure any new additions were a good fit with his patients.

“Our focus is care with compassion,” he said. “They need to have a similar approach to the patient.”

6 December, 2018 Valley Voice

6

“Grief and the Holidays” workshop set for December 15 STAFF REPORTS Kaweah Delta Hospice’s Bereavement Team will present “Grief and the Holidays,” on Saturday, Dec. 15, a free workshop for those who are experiencing the holidays without a loved one for the first time.

The workshop will take place at 12 p.m. at Kaweah Delta Hospice, 623 W. Willow St., Visalia.

No matter a person’s age or who has died, the holidays can be difficult and confusing for those who are facing their first holiday after a loved one has passed, said Kent Mishler, Director of Chaplain Services at Kaweah Delta.

“You are beginning a new chapter and

like a book, the next chapter is built on the previous chapter,” Mishler said.

“The workshop will help guide people on how to get through this chapter of life and how to begin looking at how the next chapter can be great.”

A person in grief may have many questions or concerns, Mishler said, such as, “Is what I’m feeling normal?

How long will this last? How can I survive this?” The workshop is designed to address these issues and more.

Attendees will meet others on similar journeys and explore how they can honor their loved ones and holiday traditions after the loss.

The workshop is free, but interested participants should RSVP by calling

(559) 733-0642 or e-mailing hospgrief@ kdhcd.org.

Kaweah Delta Hospice, a division of Kaweah Delta, is a not-for-profit hospice that has been providing endof-life services for adults and children in Tulare and Kings counties for over 35 years.

The organization works to relieve pain and suffering at the end of life, as well as provide emotional support and spiritual counseling. Patients and their families are offered a variety of services via a team approach. The team consists of a physician of choice, a nurse, a hospice aide, a chaplain, a social worker and bereavement counseling. The team is designed to assist

families in navigating through this final chapter of life.

Kaweah Delta is a publicly-owned community healthcare organization that provides comprehensive health services to the greater Visalia region and Tulare County.

With over 5,000 dedicated medical professionals and employees, Kaweah Delta is committed to meeting the community’s health needs and providing patients with a personal, professional, and compassionate healthcare experience by offering state-of-the-art medicine, high-quality preventive services and specialized health centers and clinics. For more information, visit www.kaweahdelta.org.

FHCN’s Anita Fund donates to 135 needy families STAFF REPORTS On Monday, December 3rd, Family HealthCare Network (FHCN) donated holiday food baskets, blankets, and gifts to 135 needy families from the communities of Cutler-Orosi, Hanford, Porterville, Ivanhoe, Farmersville, Terra Bella, Tulare, Traver, Visalia, Goshen, Woodlake, and Fresno.

Staff and volunteers were busy preparing the baskets to be given away as part of the organization’s Anita Fund, a tradition of FHCN for over 25 years.

Through the Anita Fund, FHCN

employees donate on a monthly basis from their personal paychecks to provide annual holiday gifts and food baskets to support patients in need.

“Family HealthCare Network is honored to be able to support the Anita Fund annually. The impact these donations have on families in our communities is truly amazing,” stated FHCN President & CEO Kerry Hydash.

Recipients of the gift and food baskets are patients of FHCN, nominated by clinicians and other staff of the Network. The gift baskets included fresh produce donated by the Com-

munity Food Bank of Central California. Family HealthCare Network also received support from the Walmart Distribution Center. Family HealthCare Network staff donations collected throughout the year also enabled FHCN to provide each family with a fresh whole chicken, canned foods, blankets, and gifts for children living in the household.

Community health representatives, along with community volunteers, began preparing the gift baskets at the organization’s corporate office in Visalia on Sunday, December

2nd. On Monday, December 3rd, FHCN staff also volunteered to distribute the baskets along with Santa, to offer children a special holiday experience.

Distribution to families occurred at FHCN’s corporate office in Visalia, the FHCN Resource Center in Porterville, at Self Help’s Villa de Guadalupe in Orosi, FHCN’s Hanford Health Center, and FHCN’s Fresno Ambulatory Care Center.

For more information about Family HealthCare Network, please call 1-877-960-3426, or visit www.FHCN.org.

SEQUOIA GATEWAY

Commission.

The Sequoia Gateway Commerce Center, proposed by Sequoia Gateway LLC partners Fred Ruiz and Bill Travis, is a commercial/mixed use project proposed for the southeast corner of Caldwell Avenue and Highway 99.

It would be built in phases over the next eight to 10 years, explained consultant Stephen Peck, and will include a Valley Children’s Medical Group Specialty Care Center. The pediatric Specialty Care Center clinic and highway commercial uses would be built first, with hotels, restaurants, retail stores and a visitors’ center in future phases.

Plans call for signals at the northbound and southbound highway ramps and other circulation improvements valued at $10.5 million, Peck added.

For information on Sequoia Gateway Commerce Center, contact Stephen Peck, steve@peckplanning. com; 731-5778.

continued from 1

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given the mandates of the Groundwater Sustainability Act. He added that these water savings will allow other farms to continue operating rather than fallowing the land.

Air quality was a topic of the presentation by County staff and project proponents. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is “fully satisfied” with the analysis of potential impacts, noted RMA assistant director Aaron Bock, and Bert Verrips, the project’s environmental consultant.

Chairman Steve Worthley added that project proponents have gone beyond the Air District’s requirements with enhancements that result in “less than significant levels” of impact.

The Environmental Impact Report process involved review by a variety of organizations, including the County of Tulare, the Tulare County Farm Bureau and the Tulare County Planning

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HOLIDAYSCENE

ourvalleyvoice.com

December at a Glance December 6, 13, 20: Visalia Holiday Open House, every Thursday ‘til Christmas December 6, 13, 20: Exeter Christmas Open House, every Thursday ‘til Christmas December 7: Exeter Woman’s Club 8th Annual Christmas Home Tour December 7: Visalia’s 38th Annual Christmas Tree Auction “Holiday Affair” December 7: Main Street Hanford Wine & Chocolate Tasting December 7 and 8: The Naz Holiday Marketplace December 8: Downtown Holiday Stroll in Lemoore December 8: Sequoia Symphony Orchestra – A Soulful Christmas

Visalia Parks & Rec announces Ice Skate Visalia opening December 8 STAFF REPORTS The Visalia Parks and Recreation Department is pleased to announce the return of the Central Valley’s only outdoor skating rink – Ice Skate Visalia! Ice Skate Visalia offers a unique and fun skating experience on synthetic ice which makes skating easier and fun for all ages.

This outdoor winter wonderland will be located in Downtown Visalia at the Garden Street Plaza and is open weekends on December 8th – December 23rd and daily starting December 24th through January 13th.

In addition to public skate days throughout the month of December and into the first weeks of January, the public can also book their holiday office parties, school holiday parties or even a child’s birthday party with Ice Skate Visalia.

Holiday office parties are available for bookings Mondays through Fridays

(excluding Thursdays) starting through December 21st from 6 pm. to 9 pm.

Mark your calendar and plan to attend one of several special events being hosted at Ice Skate Visalia. Breakfast with Santa is a brand new event and is scheduled for December 8th, December 15th and December 22nd from 8 am to 10 am.

Enjoy a delicious pancake breakfast with our special guest Santa! Tickets are $10 per person, which includes skating and breakfast, or just $5 per person for breakfast.

The ever popular Family Movie Nights return on December 26th featuring Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom, January 2nd featuring Disney’s The Little Mermaid and January 9th featuring The Incredibles 2. Tickets are just $5 per person.

All movie nights run from 6 pm to 9 pm. Tickets for both Breakfast with

SKATE continued on 10 »

Legacy of the Sons of the San Joaquin continues at Fox Theatre this season STAFF REPORTS The Visalia Fox Theatre Presents A Traditional Christmas Celebration featuring Lon Hannah and the San Joaquin Junction. This family-centered show is the newest iteration of the beloved Sons of the San Joaquin concert that became a tradition for many locals. The concert will be held December 15th at 3pm. See Lon Hannah and San Joaquin Junction along with special guests like Jack Hannah, the Hannah family and Waddie Mitchell. Celebrate the holiday season with their twist on your favorite traditional melodies.

Lon Hannah grew up singing in church with his father and uncle in the Central California Valley. After being involved in local musical theater and playing in various musical groups, in 1987 Lon approached his father and uncle with the request that they sing some cowboy songs for his grandfather’s birthday celebration. Sons of the San Joaquin were born, and for over 30 years they toured extensively throughout the World. Their uncanny vocal blend and true love of Western music made the Sons of the San Joaquin the

barometer for all Western harmony groups and Lon Hannah continues that legacy with San Joaquin Junction.

Dalisay Johnson began playing fiddle at age six. A five-time California State Fiddle Champ, Dalisay has performed with Buck Owens on multiple occasions as well as plays in several central California bands. In addition, Dalisay Johnson has played her marvelous fiddle on dozens of concerts for Sons of the San Joaquin. Dan Kehler has had a passion for music since an early age. After earning his Bachelor of Arts Degree in music where he was greatly influenced by strong classical and jazz emphases on the upright bass, Dan got hired on to play bass for a reunion tour of the original members of the New Christie Minstrels. A love for traditional American music quickly followed, and a short time later, Dan was playing bass for Sons of the San Joaquin. He is known for not only being an excellent bass player, but also a composer in the film and video industry and has won four California ADDY Awards. Keith Hamm is a guitar and dobro extraordinaire and together they are – Lon Hannah & San Joaquin Junction.

December 9: 2nd Annual Very Merry Kissmas Concert

December 9: Holiday at the Gallery December 9: “Winter Dance Party” returns to the Visalia Fox Theatre December 10-14: The Creative Center Players present –Passing the Torch December 14: Lindcove Research Citrus Fruit Display and Tasting Event December 14: The Peña Planetarium presents The Mystery of the Christmas Star.”

December 15: Kaweah Delta Hospice offers “Grief and the Holidays” workshop December 15: Golden West High School Performing Arts Holiday Concert December 19: Visalia Fox Theater, White Christmas and The Independence Fund December 20: Christmas Concert in the Visalia Cemetery Chapel

Emergency Aide Council stocking drive still seeking contributions for children KATHLEEN DOWLING The Visalia Emergency Aide Councils annual stocking drive is underway for 2018.

Families are signing up and being screened for the annual distribution that will take place on December 21, 2018. Children are excitedly waiting for the arrival of Santa Claus and receiving their first ever stocking filled full of special surprises.

The families are amazed that they don’t know and will probably never meet the individual that took the time and money to fill a stocking for their special child.

This year V.E.A.C. is hoping to collect 1500 stockings for children ages Newborn to 12 years.

This is the 19th year that they have collected stockings for the children that are served by the Visalia Unified School District along with a few other communities. Tulare County has 35% of its chil-

dren living in poverty many of these families are served by The Visalia Emergency Aide Council.

Stockings, stocking stuffers, and cash donations intended for the stocking program need to be received by December 20, 2018. The Visalia Emergency Aide Council is a 501(c) 3 non-profit, and all donations are tax deductible.

Some suggested items that can be used to fill stockings are: Small pieces of jewelry, things for dress up, nail polish, gift cards, wallets, socks, scarf’s, mittens, knit caps, slippers, handmade items, games, kites, coloring books, workbooks, pens, pencils, drawing pads, crayons, watercolor sets, construction paper, reading books, craft books, playing cards, dominos, pickup sticks, blocks, board games. novels, small electronic games, jump ropes, small balls, washable markers, (no permanent markers), dolls, stuffed toys, plastic

STOCKINGS continued on 10 »

Lindcove Research Center’s Citrus Tasting to be held on December 14 CATHERINE DOE Join us for this wonderful event where you can see and taste more than 100 citrus varieties that are grown at the Lindcove Research Center.

Citrus enthusiasts can have their citrus horticulture and pest management questions answered at the Master Gardener booth as well as from UC Extension personnel.

Taste fruit at your leisure, discuss new low seeded mandarin varieties with Dr. MikealRoose or ask UCCE Advisors Craig Kallsen and Greg Douhanyour citrus questions.

Join us Friday December 14 at 9: 00 am –12:00 in our Education Building For directions from Visalia take Highway 198 east to Mehrten Drive (Approximately 15 miles) and follow the signs. Event is in our Education Building at 22963 Carson Avenue, Exeter. The Education Building is located at the end of Carson Ave on the right.

For the walking tour meet in front of the Conference Building. Tour lasts

from 10:00 – 12:00. At 10:30 tour the demonstration orchard with Dr. Tracy Kahn who will discuss new citrus varieties. At 11:00 tour the new lemon block with Dr. Mikeal Roose and Claire Federici.

Before the tour will be a presentation of the Citrus Clonal Protection Program with Dr. Georgios Vidalakis.

The Lindcove Reasearch and Extention Center is a part of the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Department.

The Research & Extension Center brings Scientists from around the State to conduct research into developing and evaluating new citrus varieties, improve citrus production, and protect citrus from pests and plant diseases Results from their research are shared with growers, homeowners, teachers, and students to bring agriculture to life!

Call Jasmin Del Toro, 559-592-2408 ext1151 for more info or jzdeltoro@ ucanr.edu, or visit our website, http:// lrec.ucanr.edu/

6 December, 2018 Valley Voice

8

Free Public Preview of the 38th Annual Christmas Tree Auction STAFF REPORTS The Visalia Chamber of Commerce invites you to get a free sneak peek of the beautiful trees on display at the 38th Annual Christmas Tree Auction, “A Holiday Affair”.

The free preview will take place between 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the Visalia Convention Center Friday, December 7th. Bring your family and friends to view the elaborately decorated trees

that volunteers have spent countless hours decorating.

The preview is being offered free to the public.

The spirit of generosity is in the air as the Visalia community prepares to celebrate and help raise money for local non-profit organizations.

Hosted by the Visalia Chamber of Commerce, the 38th Annual Christmas Tree Auction once again promises to be the grandest gala of the year.

Attendees can expect an evening of fabulous wine, delicious food from more than 20 local restaurants and wineries, music and dancing.

For over three decades local charities have utilized this event as their primary event to raise funds.

While the trees are amazing, participants have not lost sight that bidding on trees and silent auction items are vital to the success of this event for so many deserving organizations

working in our community.

This year, the Christmas Tree Auction will help to highlight the non-profits and the local restaurant partners providing food for the evening.

This partnership provides the opportunity for the charity and the restaurant to work together to cross promote and ultimately provide a better experience for the guests.

First Lady Melania Trump Unveils Christmas at the White House 2018 STAFF REPORTS The First Family is celebrating their second Christmas in the White House. This year’s theme, “American Treasures” honors the unique heritage of America. Designed by First Lady Melania Trump, the White House shines with the spirit of patriotism. This home, held in trust for all Americans, displays the many splendors found across our great Nation.

In the East Wing, the Gold Star Family tree returns. Decorated by Gold Star families, this tree honors all our troops and families who have sacrificed greatly to protect our freedoms. Gold stars and patriotic ribbon decorate the tree and visitors are encouraged to write messages to their loved ones who are on duty or abroad on the digital tablets provided.

More than 40 topiary trees line the East colonnade as guests make their way toward the East Garden Room, where the First Family Christmas card and ornament are on display. The Library remembers some of America’s

most cherished authors, housing over 2,700 American classics. Four trees have been tucked away in each corner of the Library displaying the White House Historical Association’s 2018 ornament honoring President Harry S.Truman.

The Vermeil room displays two trees that sparkle in hues of blues and golds amongst the vermeil on display for all to see.

Inside the China Room are three tables, all replicas from previous state dinners using pieces from the White House permanent collection. They highlight different eras of state dinners. Theodore Roosevelt Administration, John F. Kennedy Administration, and Donald J. Trump Administration are all represented.

The East Room highlights the diversity and ingenuity of American architecture and design with four custom mantelpieces showcasing the skylines of New York City, St. Louis, Chicago, and San Francisco. 72 handmade paper ornaments representing six regions across America hang from

four 14-foot Noble fir trees. For the 51st year, the White House Crèche will also be on display.

As one makes their way through the Green Room, Americans are reminded of the country’s bounty and harvest. A variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains adorn the tree centered in the room, as well as the garland on the mantel.

In the Blue Room, the official White House Christmas tree measures a soaring 18 feet tall and is dressed in over 500 feet of blue velvet ribbon embroidered in gold with each State and territory. Moving in to the Red Room, guests will be able to celebrate children through the décor, which displays ways in which children can excel in their own path.

The State Dining Room is a celebration of our country’s national symbols, including the bald eagle, the rose, and the oak tree. The space is also host to this year’s gingerbread house, showcasing the full expanse of the National Mall: the Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memori-

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al, the Washington Monument, and, of course, the White House.

Crossing in to the Grand Foyer and Cross Hall, patriotism, the heart of America, takes center stage with more than 14,000 red ornaments hanging from 29 trees. The choice of red is an extension of the pales, or stripes, found in the presidential seal designed by our Founding Fathers. It’s a symbol of valor and bravery.

“This is a joyous time of year when we decorate the White House for the Christmas Season,” said First Lady Melania Trump. “Our theme honors the heart and spirit of the American people. Thank you to the many volunteers and staff who worked hard to decorate the halls of the People’s House in Christmas cheer. On behalf of my family, we wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

Throughout the month of December, the White House will host more than 100 open houses and many receptions. More than 30,000 visitors will walk the halls taking part in public tours.

Christmas comes 12 times this year with Tachi’s 12 Days of Christmas. From December 13th– December 24th, Tachi (your true love) will be giving away different prizes every day! Forget the Partridge in a Pear Tree—we’re talking Tablets, Laptops, 32” Smart TV’s and so much more. Your way to win changes each day, so check in with the Premiere Club daily for details.

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Valley Voice 6 December, 2018

Calendar

December 7: Exeter Woman’s Club 8th Annual Christmas Home Tour Tour starts at Exeter’s Women’s Club, 201 Kaweah Ave, 4:00pm-8:00pm, Tickets $25.00 pre-sale, $30.00 at the door.

Tickets available at the Exeter Chamber of Commerce & By the Water Tower Antiques. Information www.exeterwomansclub.com December 7: Visalia’s 38th Annual Christmas Tree Auction “Holiday Affair” Visalia Chamber of Commerce celebrates the holiday spirit by benefiting more than 30 charities. 7:00 – 11:00pm, VIP 6:00. Public Preview from 2:00 – 4:00. Live auction, silent auction, wine tastings, food samples, dancing. Visalia Convention Center, 303 E. Acequia St, Black tie gala for 21 and over.

December 7th: Main Street Hanford Wine & Chocolate Tasting Special wines and chocolates purchased throughout the year and downtown businesses kick-off the holiday season during this extravagant festival. Participants receive Main Street Hanford wine glass and sample from the list of over 50 wines and delectable chocolates. Holiday Open House with delicious hors d’oeuvres, live music, photo booth. Call 559.582.9457 or www.mainstreethanford.com.

December 7 and 8: The Naz Holiday Marketplace Friday shop and enjoy heavy hor d’oeuvres from 6 - 8pm. Saturday 9 - 3pm is free. Church of the Nazarene 3333 W. Caldwell. Info 734-1117.

December 8: Tulare County League of Mexican American Women Luncheon The League’s Annual Christmas Boutique and Luncheon, Lamp Liter Inn, 3300W. Mineral King. Shopping from 10 am – 2:30 pm. Lunch, $17 at 12 noon for installation of 2019 officers. Bring a new children’s book, or a gently used book, for community service project.

RSVP 303-8620.

December 8: Downtown Holiday Stroll in Lemoore Presented by The Lemoore Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Merchants Advisory Committee, the City of Lemoore, 3 PM to 7 PM! Come join us for this festive event!

December 8, Visalia Gadabout Meeting Senior Center, 310 Locust, Visalia All newcomers welcome, 10:00 - 12:00.

Discuss all upcoming trips and review past trips.

December 8: Sequoia Symphony Orchestra – A Soulful Christmas Shows at 2:00 and 7:30. Music from Motown and more, Tickets: Sequoia Symphony office at 732-8600 or visit online at sequoiasymphony orchestra.com $22-$45 December 9: 2nd Annual Very Merry Kiss-mas Concert Hanford Fox Theater 7:00pm Tickets $15, $25, and $35. All seats reserved.

Granger Smith, Danielle Bradbery, Waterloo Revival, and Leaving Austin to perform. Tickets purchased at www. foxhanford.com, or 559-584-7823, or at Hanford Fox box office 326 N. Irwin St. December 9: Holiday at the Gallery Exeter Courthouse Art Gallery presents Holiday at the Gallery from 3:00 - 7:00pm, 125 South B St., Exeter. Art Auctions featuring Chuck Prudomme, Marty Weekly, Manual Abad • George Tanimot. Fine Food and Wines, Silent Auction, Tickets $60 per couple, $35

Individual. Information contact Museum 280-8547 December 9: “Winter Dance Party” returns to the Visalia Fox Theatre Live and authentic re-creation of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper’s final tour. 7:00 pm. featuring hit songs of the 50’s era: That’ll Be the Day, Peggy Sue, Oh, Boy, Rave on, La Bamba, Chantilly Lace, December 10-14: The Creative Center Players present –Passing the Torch Spirited Christmas production written by their very own art teacher Jim Ziessler. For dates and times check their website or Facebook. Call to reserve tickets (559-733-9329) or purchase tickets at the door. The Creative Center 410 E Race Ave. December 14: Lindcove Research Citrus Fruit Display and Tasting Event 100 citrus varieties available grown at the Lindcove Research Center. Discussions with Dr. Mikeal Roose or ask UCCE Advisors Craig Kallsen and Greg Douhanyour citrus questions. 9:00 am –12:00, Education Building, 22963 Carson Avenue, Exeter. Jasmin Del Toro, 592-2408 ext1151 or jzdeltoro@ucanr. edu, or visit our website, http://lrec. ucanr.edu/ December 14: The Peña Planetarium presents The Mystery of the Christmas Star.”

The five-time Telly Award-winning program takes audiences on a journey back over 2,000 years ago to Bethlehem to seek a scientific explanation for the star the wise men followed to find the baby Jesus. Mystery of the Christmas Star and Christmas Traditions Around the World, 6:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m. Tickets available after 5:00 p.m. on the day of the show at the Planetarium & Science Center Office, 11535 Avenue 264, Visalia. Tickets may sell out.

December 15: Kaweah Delta Hospice offers “Grief and the Holidays” workshop Kaweah Delta Hospice’s Bereavement Team will present “Grief and the Holidays,” for those who are experiencing the holidays without a loved one for the first time. 12 p.m. 623 W. Willow St., Visalia. RSVP 733-0642 or e-mailing hospgrief@kdhcd.org.

December 15: Golden West High School Performing Arts Holiday Concert Join the performing arts department of Golden West High School for an evening of traditional and non-traditional holiday music. L.J. Williams Theater,1001 W. Main Street, 7-9 PM, Information:559-730-7300 December 19: Visalia Fox Theater presents White Christmas and The Independence Fund Way Back Wednesday movie with a prelude performance on the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ and special presentation from the Independence Fund: Empowering our Nation’s Wounded Veterans. Pre-show 5:30p. Film - 6:30p Tickets: $5.00, 300 W. Main St. 625.1369 December 20: Christmas Concert in the Visalia Cemetery Chapel Visalia Opera Company will perform in the Visalia Cemetery Chapel at 4:00, $12 per person, Purchase tickets at the Visalia Cemetery, 1300 W. Goshen, for info 734-6181.

Tues-Wed: 3PM-7PM; Thu-Sat: 11AM2PM Tulare Public Library, Veterans Resource Center, Referral services to all veterans and their families.

Saturday 10:00 –

9 Tuesday through Thursday: Homework Help Tulare Public Library Homework Help 4:00 - 7:00pm, grades K-12th in our Learning Center,

Wednesdays: Barmageddon Game Night Come blow off some steam at our game night. Happy hour from 6-8pm.

Every other Wednesday: Knitting Club Tulare Public Library 5:30pm; September 26th in the Olympic Room. All ages welcome! To register for book clubs or computer classes call 559-685-4503 or stop by the research and information desk.

1st Thursday Monthly through October: Diabetes Support Group, 5:30-7pm Kaweah Delta Health Care District offers a free diabetes support group through October from on the first Thursday of the month at the Kaweah Delta Chronic Disease Management Center, 325 Willis St., Visalia. Information: (559) 624-2416.

Every Tuesday/Friday: Visalia Duplicate Bridge Club 12pm Tuesdays, 7pm Fridays - $6 on Tuesdays, including lunch. $7 on Fridays. At First Christian Church, 1023 N. Chinowth St. http://www.acbldistrict22.com/548/ Mondays: National Alliance on Mental Illness, 5:45pm Education Meeting: 7pm Support Group St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Visalia, 120 N. Hall, Corner of Center and Hall. For more information call: (559) 627-1306 Mondays: Bridge Club, 9:30am-2pm 210 W Center Street Visalia. Admission is free. For additional information call: Joan Dinwiddie, (559) 732-0855 Mondays: Knitters, 10am-12:30pm 210 W Center Street Visalia. Everyone is welcome.

Mondays: Monday Karaoke at Barmageddon, 9pm-1am Karaoke Jockey Miss Sammi will be hosting from 9pm - 1am. No Cover.

Tuesdays: Barmageddon Trivia Thunderdome, 9pm-1am Challenge your friends to the ultimate trivia throwdown. Earn some bragging rights in categories ranging from Saturday morning cartoons, classic video games, and pop culture films.

Free sign ups at 9:30pm.

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7am Healing Hearts Walks Walk a 1 mile loop on the paved roads inside the Visalia Cemetery, Free coffee. Meet at the Veteran’s Memorial Wall. For more information call 7346181.

2nd Tuesday, Monthly: Yappy Hour, 5-9pm Well-mannered, leashed pets are welcome at the Planing Mill Artisan Pizzeria, 514 East Main Street, Suite A, in Visalia. A portion of the proceeds is donated to the Valley Oak SPCA. (559) 651-1111.

1st Thursday, Monthly: Veterans Support Group, 5:30-7pm Free support group for global war on terrorism & post 9-11 (Veterans Only) at the Tulare Public Library, 475 North M Street in Tulare. Facilitated by: Dr. Lance Zimmerman, PhD of Veterans Counseling Clinic.

1st and 3rd Thursdays, Monthly: Central Valley Tea Party Meetings, 6pm 819 West Visalia Rd, Farmersville.

3rd Thursday Monthly through October: Diabetes Support Group, 5:30-7pm Kaweah Delta Health Care District offers a free diabetes support group through October on the third Thursday of the month at 200 E. Sierra Ave., Woodlake. Information: (559) 6242416.

3rd Thursday, Monthly: Gathering At the Oval, 12:30-1pm Lifting up the needs and concerns of Visalia through individual prayer and meditation at Oval Park, 808 North Court Street in Visalia.(559) 967-4065.

3rd Thursday, Monthly: Board Game Night, 6-7:45pm Ages 10+ at the Visalia Library, 200 West Oak Street. Sign-ups are not required.(559) 713-2703.

3rd Thursday, Monthly: Ladies’ Night, 6-10pm At the Clay Cafe in Visalia, 1018 E. Mineral King Ave. $10 studio fee with ceramic purchase. Includes complimentary margarita, dinner and dessert. Door prizes too! Reservations required: (559) 733-2022.

Fridays: Women’s Morning Bible Study, 9am-Noon 210 W Center Street Visalia.Information call: (559) 739-9010

Wine & Beer Tasting At

Redwood Wine Room

Totem Market & Gifts Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner

J&J Cellars - Kelsey See Canyon Vineyards

(559) 561-4463 45186 Sierra Drive, Three Rivers

6 December, 2018 Valley Voice

10

Visalia Breakfast Lions Club breaks records in Thanksgiving charity event

John Mueller’s “Winter Dance Party” returns to Visalia Fox STAFF REPORTS The popular live concert experience, “Winter Dance Party” returns to the Visalia Fox Theatre, Sunday, December 9, 2018 at 7:00 pm.

John Mueller’s “Winter Dance Party” ® is the official live and authentic re-creation of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper’s final tour and the only show endorsed by the Holly, Valens and Richardson estates. Each live concert performance includes over two hours of entertainment featuring hit songs of the 50’s era: That’ll Be the Day, Peggy Sue, Oh, Boy, Rave on, La Bamba, Chantilly Lace, and more.

John Mueller, the critically acclaimed former star of the U.S. touring version of the London/Broadway hit musical “Buddy…the Buddy Holly Story,” performs as Buddy Holly and Linwood Sasser fills the legendary footsteps of the Big Bopper. Ray Antho-

Stephen Johnson the Visalia Breakfast Lions club President and Family Services volunteer set out to deliver more than 1000 turkeys the Monday before Thanksgiving.

The Club has been donating turkeys each Thanksgiving for the last 24 years and this year broke all the records. The Lions motto is “We Serve” and this is the Breakfast Lions

effort to help the under-served and needy families that otherwise may not enjoy the Thanksgiving Holiday. If an organization has a need the Club is looking forward to next year, our 25th year of giving, and will consider new requests. Event coordinator Kelly Robinson can be reached at 559-3031110 or by email at cvackelly@gmail.com

Skate

Stockings

that counts.

Please no true red or true blue clothing items or anything with a team logo or Looney Tune characters due to the gang problem.

Please no toy guns or knives as VEAC does not want to be responsible for someone being hurt because the toy is mistaken for the real thing.

Need more information? Please call the Stocking Lady at 731-7823 or 734-6510

Santa and Family Movie Nights must be purchased in advance and are available now at the Anthony Community Center (345 N. Jacob Street).

Another brand new event will focus on fun for adults. Adult Skate Nights are fun themed nights with music, games and skating. For ages 21 and older (with valid ID), the cost is $20 per person and includes 2 adult drink tickets.

Guests are encouraged to dress up for each themed night and will be en-

continued from 7

action figures, tooth and hair brushes, baby items i.e. sleepers, bottles, rattles, teething rings etc.

The children genuinely love their stockings and appreciate anything that is put inside them.

You do not have to spend a lot of money on this it is the thought

continued from 7

ny performs as Ritchie Valens and is a renowned star of the “Legends of Rock and Roll” show at the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas. The authentic four-piece band (guitar, drums, stand-up bass, and sax) includes Grammy-award winning Mike Acosta on saxophone.

Winter Dance Party has performed in front of over 2 million people on national TV for the Jerry Lewis Telethon, has toured extensively throughout the United States and Canada at theatres, performing arts centers, ballrooms, corporate events, casinos and even the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with John Mellencamp, Marshall Crenshaw and others.

Tickets: Price tickets range from $23-$34. The public can purchase tickets at the Visalia Fox Theatre box office at 300 W. Main St. in Visalia or by calling 559.625.1369; or online at www. foxvisalia.org. Discounts are available.

Inquire at the box office.

tered to win prizes from local businesses. The first event is the Ugly Sweater Contest on December 15th.

SantaCON is set for December 22nd.

80’s lovers will be totally awesome during the 80’s Throwback night on December 29th and Karaoke fans can sing their hearts out during the Karaoke Night on January 5th.

All events from 8 pm to 10 pm. No advance registration is required for this event and guests can pay at the gate.

For more information on private rentals, special events or public skate times, visit www.iceskatevisalia.com or call (559) 713-4365.

Valley Voice 6 December, 2018

11

Kaweah Delta’s staff influenza vaccination rate is among highest in the state STAFF REPORTS Kaweah Delta’s efforts to keep patients and visitors safe by requiring all staff to either get a flu vaccination or wear a face mask during cold and flu season have made it a leader in the state.

Kaweah Delta’s staff influenza vaccination rate has been 98 percent for the past two years, which exceeds the national Healthy People goal of 90 percent, said Shawn Elkin, Kaweah Delta’s Infection Prevention Manager.

Kaweah Delta’s staff influenza vaccination rate ranked the hospital in a tie for the fifth highest in the state beside Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, USC Kenneth Norris Jr. Cancer Hospital, UC San Diego Health Hillcrest and La Jolla Jacobs Medical Center, both in San Diego, according to a new report published by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) (for more information on this report, visit https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/ CHCQ/HAI/Pages/HealthcarePersonnelInfluenzaVaccinationReportingInCA_Hospitals.aspx).

“This is really impressive and no small undertaking,” Elkin said. “With healthcare personnel influenza vaccination rates of 98 percent for two years straight; these results are evidence that healthcare personnel at Kaweah Delta are concerned about the patients they care for.”

Influenza vaccination coverage among health care personnel is an important measure of a hospital’s health care quality, according to CDPH. Health care personnel who receive annual influenza vaccination make an important contribution to

prevent transmission of influenza to high-risk patients, their families, and the community.

Kaweah Delta, which has seen a 21 percent increase in the number of staff getting a flu vaccination since 2015-16, is also a key player in helping increase the aggregate healthcare personnel vaccination rate in California hospitals from 72 percent to 84 percent in the 2017-18 flu season, according to the report. Back in 201516, Kaweah Delta began requiring all staff to either get a flu vaccination or wear a face mask during cold and flu season. Since that time, Kaweah Delta’s rate has gone from 77 percent to 98 percent, Elkin said.

Also in an effort to keep patients safe, Kaweah Delta has a year-round visitor policy in place, which helps facilitate a quiet, healing environment for patients, said Kathy Wittman, Kaweah Delta’s Infection Prevention Data Coordinator. The policy notes that the minimum age a person can be to visit patient floors is age 12, otherwise they can wait in the hospital’s lobbies accompanied by an adult (unless they have received special approval for extenuating circumstances).

There is still time to get a flu vaccination, even if people have already had the flu, Wittman said. “It is possible to have the flu more than once in the season. This flu vaccine is a good match; it was updated this year to provide better coverage to the different strains of the flu,” she said.

When people experience cold and flu symptoms, Kaweah Delta is urging the public to seek care from their personal physicians for conditions that

are not life-threatening or will not require hospitalization. When that is not possible or the condition is urgent, but not life-threatening, people are urged to visit an urgent care facility or a walk-in clinic instead of the emergency department. The following locations are available: • Kaweah Delta Urgent Care: 1633 S. Court St., Visalia, 624-6090 Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily • Kaweah Delta Urgent Care: 3600 W. Flagstaff Ave., Visalia, 624-6800 Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily Kaweah Delta • Sequoia Prompt Care: 1110 S. Ben Maddox Way, Visalia, 624-5800 Hours: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekdays; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays (Closed on Christmas and New Year).

• Visalia Medical Clinic’s QuickCare: 5400 W. Hillsdale Ave., Visalia, 738-7555 Hours: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekdays; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays If you do not have a physician and need one, a same-day appointment may be available by calling: • Visalia Family Medicine Center: 202 W. Willow Ave. (5th floor), Visalia, 624-4820 Additionally during this time period, Kaweah Delta is urging patients for their protection and for the protection of others coming to the emergency department, to bring just

one guest.

The following conditions/injuries (not an exhaustive list) can be treated at Kaweah Delta Urgent Care, Sequoia Prompt Care, or Visalia Medical Clinic’s QuickCare: • Fever or flu symptoms (cold, sore throat, cough) • Sprains, broken bones, fractures • Mild asthma/breathing difficulties • Abdominal pain • Cuts (minimal blood, stitches or staples) • Ear infections • Vomiting, diarrhea or dehydration • Animal bites • Urinary tract infections • Bronchitis • Burns or chemical exposure • Infected wounds The following conditions/injuries should be treated at Kaweah Delta’s Emergency Department: • Heart attacks/strokes • Uncontrollable severe bleeding • Sudden or severe pain • Coughing blood or vomiting blood • Severe breathing difficulties • Sudden dizziness, weakness or vision changes • Severe vomiting or diarrhea • Changes in mental status/confusion • Open bone fractures If you are experiencing any of these conditions, please call 911 immediately.

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12

HOMELESS SHELTER continued from 1

year long and is open 24/7. It serves all populations with few barriers.

“They don’t need to be sober to come in,” Martinez said. “They don’t need to stop using drugs. As long as they are not being a harm to themselves or others they’re able to stay at the facility.”

Martinez emphasized that although the facility ran year long, participants were not allowed to stay indefinitely. Typically, participants stayed a maximum of 90 days. The goal was to provide participants with the resources necessary to get off the streets and into permanent housing within that time period.

The Homeless Task Force intends to emulate the shelter in Bell. But when and where the permanent shelter will be up and running in Visalia is still uncertain. Logistically and financially the project is challenging.

The Bell shelter was lucky to find its home at an abandoned military base that held up to 500 beds. Regardless, operation costs were in the millions.

Visalia doesn’t have any abandoned military bases lying around and with $6.4 million already going towards the homeless issue, the question becomes: Does Visalia have the resources to take on such an ambitious project?

The short answer: yes.

Homeless Initiatives Program Coordinator, Chaz Felix, who has spent his life serving the public and worked with homeless on skid row, is confident the community can work together to make the shelter happen without breaking the bank.

“That’s one of the purposes of my job,” Felix said. “It’s to figure out where we can collaborate, where we can leverage resources, where we can line our efforts...Because when you’re a small county you don’t have that many resources, you can’t waste anything.”

To put in perspective the kind of collaboration going into this project: A homeless navigation center in San Diego has $5 million allocated to help the homeless find resources.

According to Felix, Tulare County has accomplished the same thing with “no real cost” other than the operating cost of St. Paul’s. This is thanks to a collaborative effort with stakeholders such as the Local Initiatives Navigation Center, Homeless Alliance, and the Tulare County Health

Many homeless people live at the St. John’s homeless encampment. Martin Velasco-Ramos/Valley Voice

and Human Services agency.

So far as the location for the permanent shelter, St. Paul’s has become the intended home by default.

However, there are some community members like Vice-Mayor Bob Link who advocate for a shelter on the south side of Visalia.

“What we need to do is find another location on the south side of town so we can take care of the people that are in that part of the community also. Because it’s not just north, or the middle, it’s throughout the whole community.”

Other city council members like Phil Cox are more concerned about safety and the effect an emergency homeless shelter would have on the immediate neighborhood and its businesses. But Homeless Task Force members assured the council that security measures would be taken and patrols would be implemented in the immediate area to prevent conflict.

In the end, the city council voted 5-0 in favor of funding the emergency shelter and has asked the Homeless Task Force to return for a more thorough discussion on long-term solutions. Visalia Mayor Warren Gubler emphasized that he understood the public’s concern moving forward with the council’s decision.

“I hope that at the same time we’re doing this, we address some of

the concerns of the neighbors such as what Councilman Cox mentioned.

We want to try to keep everyone happy, but at the same time we want to make sure that on those cold nights that I suspect are coming, that we take care of our citizens that are a little less fortunate.”

Citizens less fortunate like Eugenia Palmer, also known as “Gemini,” who face the dangers of homelessness every day.

Gemini is 54 years old. She’s a woman of faith with a taste for sweets and has been homeless since October 2nd. What started off as a visit to her brother’s ended in a series of unfortunate events and family betrayal leaving her without a vehicle, money, or anyone she could trust in a city she didn’t know.

“No one ever did me wrong in the streets like my family did,” she said one night as she reflected on the circumstances that led her to becoming homeless.

According to Felix, Gemini’s story is common: “People just don’t happen to be homeless overnight. Bad things happen to them. So many people I’ve talked to, people just took advantage of them. They move from the east coast with the promises that they can have a job here or they can stay with certain people when they get to California and then it’s just like, ‘Oh,

never mind. This doesn’t work out.’

So where do you go now? You hit the streets.”

And that’s exactly what Gemini did. However, arthritis and bone deterioration in her knee and ankle severely limited her mobility, preventing her from seeking shelter. As a result, she spent most of her time confined to the side of the freeway.

After my second interview with Gemini, she was robbed. Someone flipped her lawn chair over while she was attempting to stay warm and took her shoes and backpack which contained her ID and Social Security card. She claimed passersby watched it happen. The irony was that Gemini chose to stay out in the open because she figured she would be safe with other people watching.

By this point I’d spent days speaking with Gemini. She was funny, had a loving nature, and I truly considered her my friend. I couldn’t bear the thought of her sleeping another night in such a cold and dangerous environment. So I asked Gemini if she would be willing to enter a shelter if I found her one. She agreed.

I made some calls and found a couple of shelters in the area: The Lighthouse Rescue Mission and the Visalia Hope Rescue Mission. Both required a clean drug test and ability to walk upstairs and do chores.

HOMELESS SHELTER continued on 13 »

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a third party institution that will combine the “common operating activities” of both districts to avoid duplication in services as well as in spending.

“It allows the two hospitals to stay independent, but also allows us to work together,” Herbst said.

No merger is being contemplated at this time, he added, though one could be considered at a much later date, depending on how effective the current JPA proves.

On the Same Page

Hefner said the agreement will also improve the effectiveness of the care the two hospital districts provide. The JPA, she says, creates a continuity of services and care between neighboring districts with very similar populations.

“We believe that our cultures within Sierra View and Kaweah Delta are like cultures,” Hefner said. “The populations here that we serve are unique to Tulare County.”

There’s also a more basic reason for the JPA. “This will allow us to start working together, which we haven’t been able to do in the past,” Hefner said.

HOMELESS SHELTER continued from 12

Gemini’s eligibility immediately came into question because of her obvious physical limitations. Initially, Gemini failed her drug test. It was discouraging but we didn’t give up.

We returned a few days later and she gave a clean sample.

She was officially in and we parted ways. Two days later, I received a call from her. She told me she was asked to leave the rescue mission.

The conflict arose during one of their mandatory cleaning days. It’s unclear what exactly transpired between Gemini and the staff.

I attempted to call her back, but Gemini used someone else’s cell phone. We lost touch with each other after that.

My guess is that she’s still in the Tulare area and I hope that I can find Gemini again before freezing temperatures arrive.

In our last interview together, Gemini mentioned what she really wanted from the public. “Some understanding,” she said. “People look me up and down and they judge me...One told me to go and get a job.

Baby, if I could I would.”

Although rescue missions like the Lighthouse do provide shelter and resources to a select few, their policies make it difficult for people like Gemini to receive help. Men, teenage boys, addicts, the physically disabled, for instance, struggle to find shelter in such establishments.

This population makes up a large portion of the homeless who remain on the streets. Those with the ability to walk long distances may find themselves in large homeless encampments.

The largest of these encampments can be found west of the St. John’s trail in Visalia. Tents and makeshift huts fill the dried-up riverbed and its bank. Away from the pub-

13

“Hospitals have the all the same elements of quality and compliance, and the need for resources, and so it just helps us be stronger in our operation.”

‘Continuum of Care’

Herbst said the decision to work together was also driven by the desire on the part of those who pay for health care--private insurers and government agencies, often providing care to entire populations--who want systems that deliver preventive care to patients, as well as acute treatment of disease and injuries.

“They really want to see integrated delivery networks,” he said. “The game is changing.”

The goal, Hefner said, is “streamlined” delivery of services in a “continuum of care” that maximizes continuity and maintains quality.

Just being able to talk freely and frequently with Herbst has improved the situation at both institutions, Hefner said.

“Through our communication, the walls are coming down,” she said.

Cutting Care Costs

While heightened cooperation between Sierra View and Kaweah Delta will lead to better care for all patients, it will also make daily oper-

lic eye, this encampment offers some protection not found on the streets.

It’s not uncommon for homeless to be harassed by locals or law enforcement. But even the encampments can only offer so much protection.

Desare Lucido, 55, who prefers the term “houseless,” has called the encampment at the St. John’s her home since July. Throughout her stay, she’s experienced moments where strangers have harassed her and damaged her belongings.

She recalled a particularly frightening night when a man circled her tent with a sickle, swiping at the ground and her tent with the bladed tool. That unsettling night forced her to step outside of her introverted nature and seek friendships within the encampment. She no longer sleeps alone.

When asked about the community within the camps, she said many of the residents suffer from mental health issues and have failed to escape homelessness because its “generational,” implying some families have passed on the lifestyle to their children. And there are some, she claimed, who don’t intend on escaping homelessness and consider it a lifestyle with little responsibility.

As for Lucido, she’s a lifelong Visalia resident who turned to the streets when her husband died and her most recent partner became physically abusive. She said she’d rather be at the encampments than the situation she was in before. Unlike some of her neighbors, she intends to get back on her feet, but has struggled to make progress. When asked what her biggest obstacle has been throughout all of this, she quickly blamed herself.

She admitted to having a problem with living in places with lots of rules, which has caused her previous involvement with rescue missions like Visalia Hope to fail. But she believes she will “get through it” despite herself and that she’s inter-

ations cheaper.

“One of the primary motivations behind this is to find ways for both our hospitals to lower costs,” Herbst said.

Combining shared services will be one of the primary means of saving. Where the two districts are doing the same work twice, the Central Valley Health Care Alliance will do the job for both institutions.

“We both have HR departments and IT departments and clinical engineers and recruiting and purchasing,” Herbst said. “And so, we might be a different scale, but we pretty much have to provide all the same clinical, administrative and support services to independently run our hospitals, which is expensive.”

A JPA will also give the combined districts more purchasing power, enabling it to pay less for resources both hospitals use, such as medications.

Better Recruiting

Critically, having a JPA in place may also make it easier to bring doctors and other medical providers to the South Valley.

“When you have that broader coverage, when you’re larger,” Herbst said, “you’re able to attract people that you might not otherwise to a single, independent hospital.”

While the JPA is being “started

ested in a low-barrier shelter like the one at St. Paul’s.

In our last moments together, I gave Lucido an opportunity to send a message to the public and she surprisingly chose to go with an apology.

“I’m sorry,” she said as she stoked the flames of her makeshift stove.

She apologized for the people who had no respect and caused trouble in neighborhoods and businesses. “…

They make the rest of us look bad.”

I admit it was difficult to look passed Lucido’s living conditions at first. But the more we spoke, the less her surroundings mattered.

Under the right light, I saw glimmers of the person she used to be: A daughter. A loving aunt. A well-kept woman and a proud wife to her late husband. I realized that’s exactly the kind of understanding Gemini was talking about.

For the moment, Lucido is surviving. She has neighbors who protect her and kind strangers who bring her food, but encampments do little against other threats like pests and diseases such as scabies, hepatitis A,

small,” Herbst said it was designed with the intent of allowing other local health agencies to join. Generally, membership in a JPA is limited to governmental agencies, however that too is changing. Recently in the Central Coast town of Lompoc, the district hospital there formed a JPA with Cottage Hospital, a private, nonprofit hospital in nearby Santa Barbara.

“That would certainly open up the opportunity to Adventist Health,” Herbst said. “We haven’t yet (talked to other agencies). Since we’re new, we want to start out in a small, more controlled approach.”

Adventist, a private, nonprofit corporation, operates hospitals in Hanford and Tulare.

What Herbst and Hefner don’t see coming from this collaboration is a new hospital. But, as hospitals are asked to expand their services, building new clinics may be something the JPA will one day undertake.

This is especially likely given the changing nature of what care modern hospitals are expected to deliver.

“As we hospitals more and more are asked to take care of more than just the sick and injured, but to actually keep people well and to provide timely primary care and prevention and access to physicians, that hospitals are developing more clinics,”

and tuberculous. Not to mention the notorious Central Valley freeze that is just around the corner.

Four homeless whom Ward was working with have died due to one or more of the threats mentioned.

And with homelessness rising every year, it has become a high priority to establish a long-term solution for the growing population.

“It’s long overdue,” Felix said.

“It’s something we’ve had our eye on for a very long time and I’m really glad a lot of people are going to be involved because no one can just put up an emergency shelter by themselves. It takes four nations across a lot of different stakeholders so fingers crossed, but you never know.”

For now, the Homeless Task Force and its stakeholders are in a “mad rush” to get the permits, resources, and volunteers ready for the emergency winter shelter at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church early this month.

For information on volunteering or donations call Rev. Suzy Ward (559) 627-8265.

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Mathis sworn in for third term, named to Republican leadership post STAFF REPORTS Yesterday, Assemblyman Devon Mathis (R-Visalia) was sworn into office for his third term representing California’s 26th Assembly District. Mathis was also named to his first post in Republican leadership when Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron (Escondido) appointed him to the position of Republican Whip.

KINGS

continued from 1 we get our fair share of water.”

Vidak first won the senate seat during a special election in 2013 against Leticia Perez. He then won as the incumbent in the regular election in 2015 against Luis Chavez.

Though Hurtado’s victory was clear on election night, Valadao was actually up by 5000 votes over Fresno businessman TJ Cox and gave a victory speech.

But election night only counted 40% of the ballots and those were

HANFORD continued from 1

Helen Castillo, Brenda Bowen, Darlene Mata, Ray Martinez, Carol R. Williams, Frederick Williams Jr., Isabel Hernandez, Ida M. Hale, Acension Martinez, Linda K. Hicks, Anna Hernandez and John Hale.

The recall was coordinated by ex-councilman Dan Chin and local activists Bob Ramos and Skip Athey.

Local activist Mike Quinn and former council candidate Glenda Dwyer also contributed time to the recall effort.

In the special election voters were asked whether they wanted to recall Ramirez. Second, they were asked to pick a new council person from a large field of replacement candidates. The yes votes numbered 239 while the no votes were 151 according to the registrar’s office.

Sharp won her seat on the Hanford City Council with139 votes out of a total out of 345 votes cast.

A clear choice

Initially Ramirez entered the race to regain his old council seat. On September 1 he withdrew after a letter from his daughter made him question why he was putting his family through another campaign. A month later, in time for the candidates’ forum, he threw his hat back in the ring again.

At first, he said, his family asked him why he wanted all the headaches of being in political office. When he withdrew from the race, Ramirez said, people were still attacking him on social media. At that point, he recalled, his family told him to fight.

So Ramirez reentered the race and started his grassroots campaign.

Incumbent Diane Sharp and Ramirez offered a clear choice for District D. A downtown property owner, the daughter of a prominent deceased local attorney, a Stanford graduate, the conservatively dressed Sharp came across as more of an executive than a politician. In her short tenure, she garnered a reputation for doing her homework, understanding figures and city finances and taking a cool, logical approach to city government.

Ramirez has a somewhat disheveled appearance, a conservative, sometimes analytical common sense ap-

“It’s an honor that the people of the 26th District chose me to represent them in Sacramento for another term,” said Mathis. “I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues from around the state to improve public safety, increase the supply of clean water for farms and families and ensure our veterans receive the care and support they have earned.”

In his new post as Republican Whip, Mathis is responsible for mobilizing votes on important legislation, acting as a liaison between Members and leadership and coordinating strategy within the Republican Caucus.

Mathis has represented California’s 26th Assembly District since 2014. Before joining the Assembly, Devon served his country for 10 years as a Sergeant

in the Army National Guard, including two tours in Iraq. During his second tour in Iraq, Devon was severely injured in a roadside bomb attack, for which he was awarded a Purple Heart. He holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Fresno State, and an associate degree in social sciences from Porterville College. Devon and his wife, Aubrey live in Visalia with their five children.

predominantly mail-in. Voters who came out on Election Day and late mail-in ballots leaned Democratic and as the days wore on Valadao’s lead disappeared.

As of the first week of December, Cox has 50.04 of the vote to 49.6% for Valadao, with Cox being 820 votes ahead.

Whereas both incumbents easily won in Kings and Tulare County, they lost by large margins in Kern County. Vidak also lost by an unexpectedly large margin in Fresno County while Valadao had a slight edge.

Though Republican Congress Member Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield coasted to victory in Kern County,

the approximately 37% of Kern County that makes up Vidak’s and Valadao’s districts is in the southern portion of the county and is 70% Hispanic and predominantly Democrat.

Cox’ win represents the 40th seat gained by Democrats in the House and means the Democrats flipped all seven of the Congressional seats they targeted in California.

Mr. Cox released the following statement: “I am elated to announce that we have won the election for California’s 21st Congressional District. I want to thank my wife Kathy and our entire family for their love and support

throughout this campaign. I could not have done this without them. And I would like to thank Congressman David Valadao and his family for their six years of service to our country and the communities of the 21st District.

Voters across the district resonated with our message of expanding health care, creating good jobs, and fighting for our families’ futures. I am truly humbled to have received so much support. I am honored to be the next Representative serving all of our communities throughout the 21st District.

Now that the election is over, it’s time to get to work.”

proach to city government laced with strong emotion. He is affable and has and a jumpy, booming voice.

Homelessness was a campaign issue for the November election. Sharp’s position was that putting a homeless resource center near downtown was putting the cart before the horse.

Ramirez said a facility was needed to deal with the homeless but it should not be near downtown. He also said he wanted to reduce regulations on businesses. Sharp defended her votes on downtown issues and said she favored renting smaller spaces downtown since they are easier to rent than larger spaces for furniture stores. She also pushed transparency and accountability in government.

Regarding the disposition of the 18 acres west of Hidden Valley Park, Sharp would not state how she would have voted on selling the property, but she did say she did not support the land being declared surplus by a previous city council. At issue is whether the 18 acres should be developed into an expanded Hidden Valley Park or most or all of the property be sold to a developer for housing. The city would get in excess of $1 million for the property, according to appraisals.

Ramirez backed Councilman Justin Mendes, the key proponent for selling the 18 acres. He said he has since changed his position since the marijuana production taxing Measure C passed. Ramirez said there would be enough money from the tax and Prop.

68 to develop an expanded park.

quired of a councilman. Ramirez is a business analyst.

ers orchestrated Ramirez’s recall. Chin is also a member of the Local Agency Formation Commission, an appointive office by the city council.

One issue in the recall was the allegation that Ramirez claimed less than $1,000 in donations and gifts-in-kind when his campaign actually raised in excess of $3,000.

Other Ramirez contributors in 2014 were Caesar Rodriguez of AAA Radiators $150, Sudesh Nagavalli, MD, $250, United Market in downtown Hanford $200 and Bombay Indian Food $100. Nagavalli was an unsuccessful candidate for the District 4 Kings County Supervisor seat in 2010.

Hanford Mayor David Ayers, who also ran unsuccessfully for the District 4 supervisors seat in 2010, only named one contribution, dated October 25, 2018 of $250 by Jack Willis of Hanford.

Ayers, who served multiple terms on the council, was defeated in the District A race by downtown property owner John Draxler. District A covers north and northwest Hanford which consists of residences owned largely by middle income voters and there are some houses owned by more affluent Hanford residents.

Besides Ramirez, Draxler, Brieno, council candidates Savino Perico, Jason Kemp Van Ee and Cheyne Strawn were not required to file FPPC Form 460 in the November 2018 election because their contributions were not high enough to require reporting, said Hanford City Clerk Sarah Martinez.

Ramirez said he spent $380 on the 2018 campaign. He said he used four old signs from 2014 and made fliers on his computer. He and his supporters each walked 43 miles in five days knocking on doors and talking to voters, Ramirez said.

While he and five supporters campaigned in the district, he said, people would get out of their cars and say, “We support you.”

“I didn’t spend a lot of money because if I was going to be re-elected I wanted it to be because of me and not because of money.”

Ramirez and the other newly elected council members, Draxler of Area A and Art Brieno of Area E, will be sworn in to their new council seats at the regular city council meeting on December 18 after the county can certify the results.

Council member Ramirez returns

Sharp conceded the race to Ramirez after the registrar made its first update about a week after the election. She said in an email to the Valley Voice that she was proud of her nine months of service and was “…trying to steer Hanford toward greater accountability, transparency and a taxpayer-focused organizational strategy.”

Ramos questioned the legitimacy of the election that returned Ramirez to office.“There is something wrong, smelly, fishy, not sure where coming from, (a) strong smell,” he said.

He said Sharp shouldn’t have conceded the election and should fight Ramirez’ return to the council. Ramos also questioned whether Ramirez has the ability to do the reading that is re-

Sharp out-spends her competitors

Although it is said that money is the mother’s milk of politics, it didn’t exactly work out that way in the November’s city council election.

Sharp topped other candidates by raising $6,220 and spent $7,137, according to forms filed with the city clerk.

Sharp’s donors’ list reads like a Who’s Who’s of the local political, agricultural and business establishment, including $1,000 from former council member Marcie Buford, who was a downtown business owner while she was on the council. Buford’s husband Tom, developer of Buford Oil Co. gave $100, according to the forms. The contributions total covers the period January 1, 2018 – October 20, 2018, according to the Fair Political Practices Commission forms (FPPC).

Sharp also received two contributions totaling $600 from Paula Lehn, manager of Fast Federal Credit Union and $100 from cross-town competitor Jeff Bassill, manager of Kings Federal Credit Union, according to the forms.

Fernando Castillo, a product manager for Facebook in Sunnyvale, gave $500 as did agricultural kingpin John C. Harris of Harris Farms, according to the forms. Lena Clark and optometrist Michael S. Mayer each gave $500 also, according to the forms.

There were also five contributions of $250 each from Wilma Humason whose family owns downtown property and helped develop the Hanford Mall, Debra Sharp, a teacher in Lodi, Geri Howe of USA Coleman, the camping equipment company, Alejandro Clark of Clark Development Co., V. Wayne Hardcastle, attorney and Julianne Diener, a teacher, according to the FPPC forms.

Ramirez spent a minimal amount of money this time, but in his 2014 campaign against ex-city council member Lou Martinez he received $3,020 in donations and listed an equal amount of expenditures, according to the FPPC forms.

His largest contributor was listed as Dan Chin’s Buddy’s Trophies with two contributions totaling $771.64.

Chin is a downtown property owner and a local political power broker who together with Martinez and oth-

Valley Voice 6 December, 2018

15

AGRICULTURE

Tentative pact is reached on 2018 Farm Bill

CHRISTINE SOUZA

California Farm Bureau Federation

While finalizing the 2018 Farm Bill is likely to be delayed with the passing of former President George H.W. Bush, negotiators of the bill are considering a short-term appropriations measure to delay the funding fight.

Josh Rolph, federal policy manager for the California Farm Bureau Federation, said final negotiations on the policy package that guides programs relied upon by farmers, ranchers, rural communities and others, are expected to be delayed by a week or two.

The 2018 Farm Bill will reauthorize the nation’s nearly $900 billion in food and agriculture programs for another five years.

“We’re so close to the finish line,” Rolph said. “Farmers across the countryside are hoping for a finalized deal before Christmas.”

Senate and House Agriculture Committee Chairmen Mike Conaway, R-Texas, and Pat Roberts, R- Kan., and Ranking Members Collin Peterson, D-Minn., and Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., announced last week

that they have reached a tentative agreement.

“We’re pleased to announce that we’ve reached an agreement in principle on the 2018 Farm Bill. We are committed to delivering a new farm bill to America as quickly as possible,” they stated.

The tentative deal came together last week, nearly two months after the Sept. 30 deadline to pass the bill. They added that staff is working on final language and getting final costs estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. A vote on the bill is expected to be delayed by up to two weeks.

Farm bill negotiations were discussed as part of a roundtable discussion by northern California farmers and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, U.S. EPA Sec. Ryan Zinke and others while touring Northern California last week.

Perdue spoke of the desire by the Trump Administration and Republicans to include improved forest management provisions in the farm bill given the devastating wildfires affecting the state.

“We think what the House has pro-

posed is very reasonable, allowing us to manage healthy forests to take away the fuels that contribute to the raving fires like we saw in Butte County,” said Perdue, who toured the Paradise area to get a first-hand look at devastation caused by the deadly Camp Fire.

“We’ve got others in the Senate who don’t think that is reasonable.”

Zinke noted, “(Sonny and I) have spent the last couple of days in Paradise looking at forest management practices to make sure that we realign and become more active in managing the forest in working with the state and local communities. That tragedy is the worst I’ve seen.”

CFBF federal policy consultant Erin Huston said related to the forestry title, the word on the Hill is that the forest-thinning exemptions and other key provisions sought by Republicans were not included in the final version.

However, she said, there are some enhancements that remain, such as to Good Neighbor Authority, which allows local governments to cooperate with the Forest Service in management of federal forestland.

Related to the nutrition title, Hus-

Dairy summit meeting focuses on sustainability CHING LEE

California Farm Bureau Federation

They already lead the nation in milk production, and now California dairy farmers want to be known for being world leaders in sustainable farming.

At the California Dairy Sustainability Summit in Sacramento last week, they discussed the progress they have made in areas of efficiency, conservation, animal health and sustainable business practices.

During breakout sessions, they also explored ways to continue improving environmental stewardship, developing new business opportunities and reducing on-farm costs.

The two-day event attracted more than 600 people, including about 200 dairy farmers, more than 75 speakers and other stakeholders, according to event organizers.

Emphasizing the state’s commitment to helping dairy farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, highlighted the millions of dollars the state has invested in helping to fund methane-reducing projects, including 63 dairy digesters since 2015. The projects are funded through competitive grants administered by CDFA. Frank Mitloehner, professor and air quality specialist at the University of California, Davis, reviewed his longterm research debunking claims that livestock production is responsible for more than 18 percent of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions globally—levels higher than the transportation industry.

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zations that attack animal agriculture based on “faulty numbers” and claims not based on science. Using data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which he said are more accurate, he noted that U.S. livestock production accounts for about 4 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions.

He further noted the progress that has been made in U.S. animal agriculture during the last 60-plus years to reduce its environmental footprint through better productivity and advances in animal genetics, nutrition, and animal care and health. For example, there are now 16 million fewer dairy cows in the U.S. than there were in 1950, though milk production has increased 60 percent.

“The carbon footprint of a glass of milk is two-thirds smaller today than it was 70 years ago,” he said.

During a panel discussion on dairy consumption trends, retail markets and rising consumer interest in the environmental impacts of their food choices, John Talbot, CEO of the California Milk Advisory Board, pointed out that despite years of waning fluid milk consumption, people today are eating more dairy products. People are also much more aware of the foods they buy, he added, favoring companies and brands they believe are more environmentally friendly.

He listed Walmart as among the companies that have made strides in lowering their environmental impact, saying “we have to work with players like Walmart” because of the “hyper-competitiveness” in the market.

As McDonald’s chief sustainability officer for 27 years, Bob Langert, who’s retired and now writes a regular column for the GreenBiz Group in Oakland,

said the fast-food chain spent more than 20 years being “defensive” about its practices and packaging, which he said came to symbolize waste and a disposable society. He said he views agriculture as still being on the defensive, and encouraged dairy farmers not to let activists and others define who they are and what they do.

“What we’re not doing a better job of is telling great stories,” said Alex Palczek, director of marketing for Nestle.

Palczek stressed the importance of dairy farmers “having a story people really believe in,” but to make the story simple so that it could be told repeatedly in different ways—and to make sure the story reaches people by way of those

who do sales for the companies that market the milk.

“If we don’t tell that story, somebody else will,” said David Ahlem, CEO of Hilmar Cheese Co. Not only do farmers need to simplify their stories, but they need to tell stories through an “emotional lens,” said Linda Eatherton, managing director of global food and beverage for Ketchum, a public relations firm in New York. That means “start with the heart,” and work with how people feel, she said, adding that the definition of sustainability changes constantly, and those in the dairy business need to “move with it” as the conversation changes.

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ton said, the House version aimed to expand work requirements for recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Those were also reportedly removed from the final bill.

“We obviously were firm about work requirements on supplemental nutrition, but with the voting change in the House that’s probably a lost opportunity,” Perdue said.

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said it is important that Congress passes a 2018 Farm Bill so farmers and ranchers have “continued access to risk management tools, assistance in foreign market development, and conservation and environmental stewardship programs.”

“The farm bill and ag policy broadly remain bipartisan matters and we encourage both houses of Congress to approve this bill once it is finalized

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16

DAIRY

continued from 15 Because people in agriculture tend to be older, Palczek encouraged farmers to talk to younger people, many of whom may not be very well informed about farming, he said, adding that farmers should seek to understand how younger people view agriculture and the food choices they make.

As discussions about climate change shift to include the impact of animal agriculture, those who work

VISALIA PD continued from 1

as well as separate charges of felony criminal conspiracy. The pair is also accused of signing vouchers in order to make clandestine narcotics buys that apparently never occurred. Officials have not revealed where the money for those buys went.

“While I understand the desire for specific facts in the case, I can only tell you the language in the complaint reflects conduct alleging search warrants were obtained based on controlled narcotics buys that did not occur, and that the defendants wrote false police reports, which were submitted as well,” Ward said during the November 16 press conference.

Cases Dismissed

So far, charges in dozens of cases investigated by the pair have been dropped.

“We have dismissed in excess of 40 cases so far,” said Alavezos. “At this point, that’s probably where I should stop (providing details).”

“Most of those investigations were narcotics-related,” Ward said in his official statement.

Ward also announced the DA’s

6 December, 2018

Valley Voice

in nutrition shared their thoughts on dairy’s role in a healthy and sustainable diet, as people try to balance their nutritional needs with their desire for more sustainable food production.

Marianne Smith Edge of The AgriNutrition Edge looked at the tradeoffs of milk consumption, showing that the nutritional and health benefits of drinking milk outweigh impacts to the environment.

People are split on whether they would pay more for food that’s sustainably produced, she said, with 38 percent saying yes, 28 percent saying no and 34

percent saying they’re not sure.

In discussing how to advance environmental protections while ensuring the sustainability of the state’s dairies, a panel consisting of regulators and a conservation group agreed that a voluntary, incentive-based approach has been key to helping farmers meet the state’s air and water quality requirements.

Ashley Boren, executive director of Sustainable Conservation, said there’s much more power in “having an environmental organization partner with the industry to come together on things where there’s common ground, because

if we can agree on those things, we can get others to support them as well.”

As executive director of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, Samir Sheikh said he’s constantly being reminded of all the regulatory burdens dairy farmers already face.

Moving forward, he emphasized the importance of making available incentive programs to provide the resources farmers need to implement new, cutting-edge and expensive technologies that would help them tackle air-quality challenges.

Conviction Review Unit will continue to look at pending and completed cases involving Ferreira and Logan’s work. Defendants who were investigated by the pair, as well as their attorneys, are encouraged to contact the DA’s office for a review of their case. A review application is now available at da-tulareco.org.

“We’re going to continue to look at cases as they come through,” Alavezos said.

In his official statement, Ward expressed similar sentiment.

“We anticipate that number (of dismissed cases) to increase as our Conviction Review Unit will now begin to review recently closed cases that these defendants were associated with,” he said. “Any case which is identified and evaluated, and the conviction is called into question, will be handled appropriately.”

to obtain warrants--a form of perjury by declaration--and criminal conspiracy. Ferreira faces an additional five misdemeanor charges for alleged illegal access of Department of Motor Vehicle records, and for disclosing the information he obtained.

In California, perjury by an officer of the law carries a maximum sentence of three years per offense; non-officers can serve up to four years for the same crime. The addition of criminal conspiracy convictions in California can double jail time. The DMV misdemeanor violations carry minimum fines of $1,000 per instance.

While the list of charges against Ferreira and Logan is extensive, it does not reveal the full nature of their alleged crimes or their motivations.

Those details will likely be revealed during prosecution of the pair, which begin with procedural hearings on December 12.

“My understanding is that it is going to be a little complicated on that date,” Alavezos said.

who also address the media at the November 16 conference, described officers’ alleged misdeeds as “disturbing” and “insulting to the honor and integrity that is associated with the badges that we wear.” The alleged criminal action was, Salazar said, “entirely unacceptable and extremely disappointing.”

Salazar promised an internal investigation into how Ferreira and Logan were able to long conceal their alleged crimes while continuing to work in the midst of hundreds of law enforcement officers.

“While the criminal investigation has come to a close, the judicial process has only just begun, and administrative investigation will ensue,” he said.

City Hall also sought to distance itself from the accused officers’ actions in a statement it released during the November 16 press conference. In part, the statement read: The alleged conduct of a couple of police officers is not reflective of the tremendous work the men and women of the Department provide to the citizens of this community on a daily basis. The City has the highest confidence in Chief of Police Jason Salazar and the men and women of our police department.

Day in Court

Forty-three different counts are listed in the complaint.

In the “walk-thru” warrant provided by Ward’s office, Ferreira is accused of leading the conspiracy and faces 38 felony charges; Logan faces 22 felony charges.

The felony charges against the men include filing false police reports

‘Two Reckless Officers’

During the press conference, Ward described Ferreira and Logan as “two reckless officers” who had created a “tough time” for the VPD. Visalia Police Chief Jason Salazar,