Valley Voice Issue 29 (18 September, 2014)

Volume XXXIV No. 18 • 18 September, 2014

www.ourvalleyvoice.com

City Council Voices Concerns and Praise over General Plan Update Catherine Doe Visalia City Council held a special meeting Monday, September 8, to review the 2030 General Plan. The council members were generally happy with the plan that was four years in the making.

Mayor Steve Nelsen said that it was “a good document leaning towards excellent.” A group called the General Plan Update Review Committee, made up of planning commission members and other Visalia residents, went word-for-word through the 1991 General Plan and revised it to meet the needs of Visalia until 2030 and beyond.

During the discussion, four major concerns surfaced: Visalia’s entrance on the west side, keeping an acceptable buffer between Visalia and Tulare, adopting an agriculture mitigation program, and what triggers the city should use when deciding to proceed to the second and third growth ring.

Council Member Amy Shuklian started off the conversation with her concern about Visalia growing into Tulare like what happened to Fresno and Clovis. No discernable border exists between our neighbors to the south. Josh McDonald, Visalia city planner, said that, coincidently, Tulare will be having its General Plan Update meeting September 16, and as far as he knows, their northern boundary is Avenue 264. Visalia’s proposed southern boundary will be the same it has been for 40 years at Avenue 272, which creates a mile or so of intermittent agriculture land in between the two towns.

Council Member Greg Collins voiced his concerns about Visalia’s entrance and the zoning designation of service commercial to 120 acres north of Highway 198. McDonald said that it was a logical place to put such businesses because the area is next to the Industrial

GENERAL PLAN continued on 8 »

Candidates and Challengers Spar at Forum Catherine Doe There was a great turnout for this year’s Candidates Forum at the Visalia Convention Center Tuesday night, September 16.

About 150 people gathered to hear their national, state and county representatives spar with their challengers on the big issues, three of which dominated: the drought, immigration reform and the High-Speed Rail (HSR).

Every candidate was given a minuteand-a-half to introduce themselves, and then the same to answer each question. Seven candidates were in attendance: Amanda Renteria, running against Rep. David Valadao for Congressional District 21; Sam Aguilera-Marrero, challenging Rep. Devin Nunes of the 22nd Congressional District; Jean Fuller (R) and challenger Ruth Musser-Lopez (D) for State Senate District 16; Rudy Mendoza (R) and challenger Devon Mathis (R) for State Assembly, and Tulare County Board of Supervisors candidate Virginia Gurrola.

Rep. Nunes and Rep. Valadao were unable to attend because Congress is in session.

The first question was what each candidate would do in the long-term and in the short-term to deal with the drought. All of the candidates said that we need to support the water bond. State Sen. Fuller said that she was the water point-person in the California Senate and was there when the original bond was negotiated in 2008. She added that there were some good elements in the three ground water management bills that Governor Brown just signed but that she ultimately voted against them. “We have 150 years of water law. That’s important, and we should not hand ground water management over to the state.”

The second question was on immigration reform. Renteria said, “This is real simple. We have a bipartisan bill and it’s time to pass it.” Valadao had a chance to vote on immigration reform but passed on it. Mendoza said that both parties have failed mis-

erably on immigration reform. He said we should get the Virginia Gurrola, Tulare County millions of imBoard of Supervisors candidate, sits next to an migrants empty chair reserved for her out of the opponent, Mike Ennis. shadows but we need to secure our borders first.

The last question concerned how the HSR benefits Tulare County. Porterville City Council Member Gurrola simply said, “It doesn’t.” She would rather see the billions of dollars put into the county’s infrastructure. Mathis agreed. He said that we need to fix our foundation before we build the second story. Mendoza said that HSR stinks and is a bad deal. But Aguilera-Marrero was passionate about HSR. She said that HSR will reduce the carbon footprint so that it won’t stink and it will bring in the kind of jobs that Tulare County needs.

“HSR goes well beyond building the system.” He added that HSR will have a ripple effect and bring in more hotels, restaurants and grocery stores.

After the question portion of the forum, each candidate sat at their designated table to talk with their constituents. Gurrola was asked about the supervisors’ plan to possibly ban medical marijuana. She believes that those with medical marijuana permits should be able to grow a few plants at their residence or have access to at least one medical marijuana dispensary. Concerning the county suing SEIU over the recent contract negotiations, she didn’t agree with taxpayers’ money going to sue their own employees. Gurrola also didn’t think that the county had a very strong case.

Mathis ended the evening by challenging Mendoza to a one-on-one debate. Because both of them are Republicans, he said that, “People have a right to know their real differences.”

SeaPort Airlines plans to service Visalia Airport with Cessna Caravans.

SeaPort Airlines Selected to Provide Service to Visalia Airport By a 3-2 vote, the Visalia City Council voted at its September 15 meeting to recommend to the Department of Transportation that Portland-based SeaPort Airlines provide Essential Air Service (EAS) to Visalia Airport.

EAS is a federal program that guarantees a certain level of scheduled air service to communities that would otherwise have lost access to the nation’s air transportation system in a deregulated airline industry. Five airlines submitted bids to provide EAS service to Visalia Airport.

The City of Visalia’s Air Service Sub-

Steve Pastis committee, which included Vice Mayor Warren Gubler, Council Member Bob Link, City Manager Mike Olmos and Visalia Airport Manager Mario Cifuentez, recommended that the EAS contract be awarded to SeaPort Airlines for a twoyear period and that Great Lakes Airlines be relieved of the “hold-in” requirement during the transition period.

“The SeaPort proposal provides the best connectivity for our community, but their aircraft fleet and destination

AIR SERVICE continued on 10 »

Construction Begins on New TCOE Administration, Planetarium Buildings Separate groundbreaking ceremonies were held on September 10 for two new Tulare County Office of Education buildings: an administration building/ conference center and a new planetarium.

The new three-story administration building, at 6200 S. Mooney Blvd. in Visalia, will include 66,000 square feet of office space. Its offices will serve the Tulare County superintendent of schools and the TCOE’s business services, instructional services, human resources and special services divisions.

The building’s 27,000-square-foot conference center can provide theater-style seating for 1,000. The new kitchen will be able to prepare food to accompany the up-to-450 that can be seated for meals. Events such as science fairs, career fairs, spelling bees and California Teachers Association

Steve Pastis events will be held there. The room will also be rented to other groups.

“It has been designed for flexibility of use,” said Christopher McLain of Mangini Associates, Inc., the architects of both projects. “We can close the room off into eight smaller conference rooms that can accommodate 100 people each.”

In his remarks at the groundbreaking, Tulare County Superintendent of Schools Jim Vidak briefly shared the 160-year history of schools in the county, noting the several locations where TCOE has leased space for its administration needs. “We’re proud to begin construction on a home of our own,” he said.

“We currently are tenants of Tulare County,” said John Caudle,

GROUNDBREAKING continued on 13 »

Visalia Fox Theatre Begins Marquee Restoration On September 3 and 4, the Visalia Fox Theatre began the demolition phase of its marquee restoration. Crews worked both mornings to remove the existing marquee. The Fox Theatre will be restoring its marquee to the original design from 1930, which will require financial investment by the community. The Fox is currently asking for donations to offset the cost of the marquee and the 1,300 light bulbs needed to “Light up the Fox.” Those who donate to this cause will have their name on one of the light bulbs, and be able to truthfully say that their name is up in lights at the Fox Theatre.

For more information, call 625-1369.

2 • Valley Voice

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In the 4 September issue of this paper, while honoring the late Judge Paul Vortmann, it was stated that, “If not for a favorable ruling in Judge Vortmann’s courtroom on July 29, the Valley Voice would have been turfed out onto the street.” Only after publication did I realize the implications of this statement, and I would like now to clarify it: at no time was the paper in danger of losing its Montgomery Square tenancy on Main Street in Downtown Visalia. Our landlord there, William Martin, is a nice man and a friend of the paper--and we’re very happy to be located where we are. My wife and I have been landlords ourselves now for 20 years--we know the game--and Mr. Martin is a straight shooter.

The July 29 case is a matter of public record. Here, though, I will not comment upon the courtroom proceedings except to say that the experience was akin to enduring an unsavory divorce hearing.

Rather like what the English must be feeling right about now as they look northward across their border with Scotland--which votes today whether or not to continue as part of the United Kingdom. Something tells me the Scots will vote for independence, although I have no particular reason to think so. Something about British Prime Minister David Cameron’s insisting that the ever-brewing question of independence be resolved by a yes/no referendum tells me he has rubbed the Scots wrong when the Scottish National Party leader, Alex Salmond, sought only a greater autonomy for the Scottish Parliament. They have been hitched for 307 years--a long marriage by any standard. Opinion, apparently, is too close to call--but one thing is clear: If Scotland votes to separate itself, Britain would certainly become less than Great. I have no idea how it would reinterpret itself, though I am fairly confident that Mediocre Britain would not be up for consideration. I suppose it could still refer to itself as the United Kingdom--Northern Ireland and Wales remaining in the fold-but the English must then surely feel as if at least some degree of grandeur will have journeyed from their shoreline.

Because the status quo hosts no questions--it is what it is--let’s assume, at least for this column, that the Scots will vote to go on their own. The questions then become legion.

What of the famous Union Jack? Would England keep it, for tradition’s sake, or fashion a new flag? And what would they call it--the Truncated Chuck? The Reduced Bruce?

As a reduced power, Britain would have to decide if it could afford to maintain its nuclear submarines, currently based in Scotland, and the only platform from which Britain might actually launch nuclear missiles. Scotland professes a desire to be nuclear-free. How low, at least militarily, would our closest ally be willing to slide?

In the British Labor Party, two-thirds of its parliamentary seats are held by Scots.

Their removal would render that party electorally inviable in a truncated Britain.

Would this spell the end for the age-old Labor/Tory joust--or would Britain just automatically become a much more conservative country overnight?

The Scottish are famously, if stereotypically, frugal--like Jack Benny, only speaking with a burr. But what are they going to use as currency? Independence leaders claim they will keep the pound sterling, though the British seem disinclined to allow this. Would Scotland join the 18-nation Eurozone, or forge its own coin? And what would they call it? Scotland’s economy relies primarily on financial services and oil production, so perhaps the new currency could be called the Petro. But oil and gas revenues have been declining since 1999--down to 4.7 billion pounds during fiscal 2013-2014 from 6.1 billion pounds the previous year--and an independent Scotland might not be able to secure lifeline loans from the London-based Bank of England, indeed any English bank, in dire financial times. To that end, two of Scotland’s largest banks--the Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group--have declared their intention to relocate to England so as to insure their ability to borrow. Still, without a Scottish electorate, the Bank of England would feel no pressure to rescue any failing Scottish bank. The Scottish government is more liberal regarding economic and public policies than the British government--but how liberal could the Scottish government appear to its own electorate if forced to implement austerity policies?

There remains the question of language. English was made official after the 1707 Act of Union, but the Scots also speak Scots, a Germanic-based language--and they do so in two dialects, Lallans and Doric, according to which part of Scotland the speaker hails from. Scottish Gaelic is spoken as well--it was, in fact, the official language before English replaced it. What will they settle on if they do decide to go it alone?

And if Scotland leaves Great Britain, what is to prevent Wales from following?

I’m not going to touch on Northern Ireland--there should, simply, be an Ireland.

But what of the Shetland and Orkney Islands? What about the Hebrides, Inner and Outer? The Isles of Man and Wight? Too, let’s not forget about the Channel Islands, Guernsey and Jersey. With whom do they each fit--or do they also spin off into independence? Lastly, might we witness the Balkanization of this sceptered isle? Beats me!

— Joseph Oldenbourg

The Valley Voice is your newspaper Published by The Valley Voice, LLC. Publisher/Editor: Joseph Oldenbourg joseph@ourvalleyvoice.com Associate Editor/Sales: Steve Pastis (steve@ourvalleyvoice.com) Staff: Catherine Doe, writer (catherine@ourvalleyvoice.com) Tony Maldonado, webmaster (tony@ourvalleyvoice.com) April Heath Pastis, writer (april@ourvalleyvoice.com) Louie Luna, sales (louie@ourvalleyvoice.com) Nancy Vigran, sales (nancy@ourvalleyvoice.com)

Contact us & share your opinion www.ourvalleyvoice.com 208 W. Main St., Ste. E • Visalia, CA 93291

18 September, 2014

Valley Voice • 3

Political Fix Man on Fire

During the September 4 gubernatorial debate, Neel Kashkari summed up Gov. Brown’s legislative successes for the month of August as: banning plastic bags, regulating high school football practices, and allowing pets on the patios of restaurants. We know Gov. Brown has accomplished a lot more than that, but Mr. Kashkari’s was painting a picture.

Mr. Kashkari continued to pound home his point throughout the debate.

He came out of the gate on fire compared to Gov. Brown’s more pedantic approach. Gov. Brown dished it out too, but Mr. Kashkari had a response to every point Gov. Brown made, bringing up California’s uneven recovery, the crazy train, the rate of poverty, the state’s unfriendly business climate, and on and on.

So who won the debate? None of the papers or pundits declared a winner, but I’d have to give my nod to Mr. Kashkari.

He was energetic, quick-witted and extremely prepared. Gov. Brown had his moments but never seemed to get the last word in like Mr. Kashkari. Gov. Brown made a point of saying that California had gone up from the number nine economy in the world to the number eight during his term. But Mr. Kashkari countered that when Gov. Brown took office in 1976 California was actually the fifth largest economy in the world, so the state had actually lost ground since he was in office. Gov. Brown said that he has presided over “the California comeback.” Mr. Kashkari countered that, out of the fifty states, California was 46th in education, 44th in jobs, but number one in poverty. California has a 24% poverty rate, which Mr. Kashkari points to when he explains that the California comeback hasn’t happened for everyone.

At the end of the debate, Mr. Kashkari looked straight into the camera and asked, “Is your family back? Are your kids in good schools today? I’m running for governor to fight for your family and to fight to rebuild the middle class.”

The question is moot about who won. Even with the contentious primary election, his faux hobo stunt, and the televised debate, 25% of likely voters still can’t even identify Mr. Kashkari.

The polls say that he is behind by 16 points, and compared to Gov. Brown’s campaign coffers he is relatively broke.

Ashley Has Had a Bad September

Let’s recap what has been happening in the race for State Controller between Fresno Mayor Swearengin and Board of Equalization Member Betty Yee. 1. For the first time in at least sixteen years, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association won’t be backing the Republican candidate for state controller; 2. A new poll came out showing that Ms. Swearengin was trailing Ms. Yee by 14 points; 3. Ms. Yee is out-fundraising Ms. Swearengin by a nearly 2-to-1 margin; 4. Ms Swearengin has upset the Republican Party by not endorsing Neel Kashkari for Governor; and 5. She upset her Central Valley constituents when she dropped “Fresno” from her ballot designation and put “Mayor/CEO.” Did I miss anything? Looks like the political pundits overestimated her chances of winning the State Controller’s office, even if she had been running

Catherine Doe

against former assemblyman John Perez.

As far as the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, they are not endorsing Betty Yee either. The group is just leaving Ms. Swearengin’s name off of their endorsement list. Why? For one, because she supports High-Speed Rail that is considered a waste of taxpayer dollars.

Second, because she supported an increase in water rates so Fresno could fix their antiquated water system. The rate increase was repealed, but it’s only a matter of time before they have a main break like what flooded UCLA this summer.

And her ballot designation? The troglodytes voiced their displeasure over the fact that Ashley dropped “Fresno” from the ballot. But those who are familiar with Ms. Swearingen know she is the mayor of Fresno. Everyone else doesn’t care.

I can see the Bay Area techie sipping their extra foam, one-percent milk, 120 degree cappuccino--because they wouldn’t know a cup of coffee if it was thrown in their face--deciding whom to pick for State Controller based on the sample ballot. One gander at “Fresno Mayor” and, in all their political correctness, they would take their imaginary red pencil and draw a line through the dumb central valley blonde’s name and choose the Bay Area Asian. As usual, Ms. Swearingen made the right choice.

Lastly, what is Ashley’s problem with Neel? He was just being a little cheeky when he materialized on the streets of Fresno as the best looking homeless guy in California. She needs to quit giving Neel the stink eye and endorse him already.

Now that Ms. Swearengin is losing, Rupublicans have jumped camp to their other great white hope in Pete Peterson, who is running for secretary of state. Mr. Peterson is the executive director of the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership at Pepperdine University. He is running against state Senator Alex Padilla, a termed-out state senator and former Los Angeles city councilman. Sen. Padilla leads Mr. Peterson by 7 points and with no huge differences between the two, that doesn’t seem likely to change. According to political columnist Dan Walters, “As a Republican, Peterson could benefit from what likely will be an extraordinarily low voter turnout for the Nov. 4 election, following the record low primary turnout in June.” What an honorable way to win.

Alba gu Bràth!

By the time you pick this paper up on Thursday, Scotland will have already voted whether or not to declare its independence from England. Those voting “no” fear Scotland’s fragile economy will not survive without England. For those who will be voting “yes,” their reasons are obvious. Just like the United State and Australia, they want to be free from England.

It has become what many have penned: a battle between the heart and mind.

I am of Scottish descent on my father’s side. Some of our relatives left Scotland for good and some branches of the family stayed behind. My great grandfather, Peter Malloch, sailed across the pond to join his Uncle Donald in California. They staked their claims in the Mineral King silver mines, then sold them and used the money to buy land in Goshen. Uncle Donald went on to establish one of Visalia’s more success-

ful breweries, and Peter settled down with my namesake, Catherine, who was from a family heavily involved in the temperance movement. One spoke with a heavy Scottish burr and one sang songs in German to their five children. It was a match made in heaven.

My third cousin, Sandy Reid, still lives in Scotland, on the Isle of Lewis.

He had this to say of the vote. “The most interesting aspects of the voting are inclusion of 16 and 17-year-olds for the first time [with their future prospects in mind] and predictions of unprecedented 80+% turnout. Polls have narrowed now to ‘too close to call,’ with about 18% still ‘undecided’ - you can include me among the latter, until I’m in the voting-booth probably -- a common quote that fits me would be ‘the head says no, and the heart says yes.’ Interestingly the last week’s ‘No’ persuasion preaching is now focusing on the ‘heart,’ after previous ‘head’ arguments have failed it seems.”

Registration to vote in this election has now jumped to 97%.

Sandy’s and my distant Malloch relatives farmed along the banks of Loch Tay in the Highlands during times of independence and during times of English rule. Back then, a fight for independence meant war. Now it means political war.

The three major London-based parties, all much disliked in Scotland, and usually at each others’ throats, have shown a rare display of unity in their desperation to keep Scotland from voting for independence. Prime Minister David Cameron said he would be, “heartbroken if the family of nations were torn apart,” showing his trepidation of not wanting to be known as the prime minister who lost Scotland. The Labor Party and Liberal Democrats made similar emotional pleas of, “stay with us so we can change Britain together.”

The famous Scottish leader William Wallace said, “In the Year of our Lord 1314, patriots of Scotland - starving and outnumbered - charged the fields of Bannockburn. They fought like warrior poets; they fought like Scotsmen, and won their freedom.” Seven hundred years later let’s see if the Scots can do it again - at the ballot box.

The Reluctant Leader

A funny thing happened on the way to the forum, the Democratic and Republican presidential front runners won’t declare their candidacy. Hillary and Mitt wander the country declaring they haven’t made up their mind, or that they are definitely not running, while their shadow campaigns set up their infrastructure.

In a recent survey taken in Iowa, Re-

publicans, and Republican-leaning independents, chose former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as their frontrunner with 13%. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie received 11%, Texas Gov. Rick Perry 9%, and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush 7%. “However, when Mitt Romney’s name was introduced into the mix, 35% would scrap their first choice and opt for Gov. Romney, while 9% stayed with Gov. Huckabee, and 6% with Gov. Christie,” according to Suffolk University News.

On top of that, when matched in a hypothetical race against President Obama, Gov. Romney easily wins, but that is probably because President Obama is so unpopular right now.

On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton received the support of 66% of registered Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, followed by U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts with 10% and Vice President Joe Biden, who had 8%.

Gov. Romney attended Gov. Christie’s birthday fundraiser in New Hampshire during the first week of September. While at the event Gov. Romney declared that if he ran for president in 2016 there would be a completely different outcome. He’s got that right.

This time he would lose to a woman.

Optical Delusion

In June, Carl DeMaio of San Diego won his primary for the 52nd Congressional District and could be the first openly gay Republican to win national office. He is running against Democratic freshman, Scott Peters, who is considered vulnerable.

Mr. DeMaio obviously isn’t a Republican because of his views on social issues. One of his campaign ads features him and his partner marching in the gay pride parade. So when you boil it down, the only reason Mr. DeMaio is a Republican is the fact that he is a fiscal conservative. Why else would any of the Log Cabin Republicans join a party that is openly hostile to gays?

So that begs the question, why did the US Chamber of Commerce endorse the Democrat? Did they endorse Scot Peters when he ran in 2012? According to the Fresno Bee, “The US Chamber of Commerce has taken the rare step of endorsing the Democratic incumbent in one of California’s most contested congressional races. The trade group overwhelmingly endorses Republican candidates. Of the more than 260 candidates the chamber has endorsed this election Peters is only the fourth Democrat.”

The chamber may have their reasons but the optics are incredibly bad.

4 • Valley Voice

18 September, 2014

Bargaining Unit 2 Still Without Contract

CCM Responds to Navel Orange Crop Estimate

County Assessor/Clerk Recorder and Board of Supervisors Get Raises

California Citrus Mutual (CCM) President Joel Nelsen issued the following statement in response to the 2014-15 California Navel Orange Objective Measurement Report released last week by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Pacific Regional Field Office.

“Today’s release of the navel orange crop estimate by USDA is a necessary and mandated announcement that historically has provided an accurate assessment of California’s Navel Orange crop. Since Joel Nelsen California supplies 85% of the nation’s fresh citrus, this release is usually received with anticipation and fanfare.

“Generally speaking, it sends signals to the consumer and to the markets around the country and world that California citrus growers are back. The number released is developed via a painstaking field assessment and formula that rely upon a bevy of statistics compiled over the years. This year, that database is being disrupted because of the drought and therefore the accuracy of the total number is suspect, in our view.

“The statistical team relies upon specific acreage for fruit-set and limb count which, over the years, establishes a record for the average number of fruit per tree. However, this year there is no way of knowing if that acreage has been af-

Catherine Doe At the September 16 Tulare County Board of Supervisor’s meeting, the board approved the 2014/15 county budget.

Before approving the budget, Supervisor Allen Ishida said that because of the board’s fiscal conservatism, Tulare County may be the best off financially in the state. Supervisor Mike Ennis thanked the employees for working with the board during the hard times of the recession. Jean Rousseau, county administrator, who presented the budget, mentioned that two bargaining units hadn’t had a raise since December 2008. After conducting salary surveys, the county was pleased to give them a 3% pay raise.

He also mentioned that the county was able to put two million into their General Fund reserves. Tulare County’s budget is a little over $1 billion.

Also included in the annual budget was a 5% pay raise for the county assessor/clerk recorder. According to ordinance no. 3444, when the recorder’s office receives a raise, the BOS receives a 1.25% salary increase. Rousseau pointed out that Tulare County was a trendsetter in the fact that they are the only county that he knows of that publicly discloses when their supervisors are getting a raise.

“Maybe we want to change that,” he said with a chuckle.

Bargaining Unit 2 Continues to Negotiate

Tulare County workers Bargaining

Unit 2 (BU2) is still in the middle of negotiations for a contract. Bargaining units 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7 finished their negotiations at the end of July and received a 3% pay raise. The county did not want to include BU2 with the other units’ negotiations this year but intends to combine all the units next year. Bargaining Unit 2 represents the county’s custodial staff, construction maintenance, lake patrol, auto mechanics, park maintenance people and several other groups. Their contract ended on July 23, but the terms and conditions had no expiration date.

During their fifth negotiation session September 10, both sides agreed to an increase benefit in health care costs.

The county offered to reinstate the sick leave buy back but the employee negotiators haven’t yet decided on that point.

Their next meeting will be on October 2, when they will continue discussing the language of the contract and ask for an increase in their uniform allowance.

When negotiations started, Bargaining Unit 2 asked for a $1,200 bonus for each worker instead of a salary raise, aware of the fact that the county does not want to get locked into any longterm financial commitments. The county did not claim an inability to pay, but uncertainty with the economy and the impact of the drought on the county’s budget. The county made it clear that there would be no raises, or bonuses for BU2. Both requests have been dropped from the negotiations.

Staff Reports fected by the drought, whether it has had a full complement of water, or if it has been removed. Additionally, the statisticians have no way of knowing how much of total acreage has been adversely affected.

“After canvasing a significant number of producers and shippers, CCM believes the crop estimate is high. We know acreage has been removed from production but getting figures for a range has been difficult.

We know the lack of water has affected fruit size during the growth stages but surveying 126,000 acres is almost impossible. We also agree there is more fruit on the tree as compared to last year, however fruit size is a concern. All of this affects the number of cartons ultimately packed.

“CCM believes that a ‘normal’ crop will materialize in the first four months of the season. The season will start early if we begin to have cooler nights and the fruit breaks into a bright orange color.

It also appears that the hot temperatures during the summer have created a highly flavorful crop. Size structure through February will be positive for the consumer. Exterior quality is also excellent.

“Water costs have been obscenely high which will be reflected in sales prices in order for growers to offset the increased expense. The industry is mindful, however, of its obligation to move a quality product to the market at a reasonable price.

“CCM also believes that the amount of mandarin varieties available to the consumer will be larger than in past seasons due to the increased number of trees now in production. Again, prices will reflect higher water costs.

Last year’s navel orange and mandarin crop was adversely affected by the December freeze. The 2014-15 crop will have a higher number of mandarins available than last year’s forecast, while navel oranges will be equal to or slightly less than last year’s forecast due to factors attributed to the drought.

“All of the above is predicated, of course, on a moderate winter without freeze related losses.”

Record Fair Attendance The numbers are in, and the 95th edition of the Tulare County Fair was a huge success. Attendance was up over 59% – from 61,713 in 2013 to 103,594 this year. Food and beverage revenue was up 22.3%. The Dairy Replacement Auction and the Junior Livestock Auction grossed $965,285.

The Garrett Bragg Memorial Livestock Auction netted an additional $24,500 to support the family of the Redwood High School student. Over 3,000 school children toured the fair on School Days.

The 2014 Fair introduced new exhibits, an expanded carnival, new food booths, the antique tractor parade and a tractor pull. Fair-goers saw Buttercup the Cow come to life with 500 pounds of butter, experienced gourmet camping, an exotic animal display and more.

For information on the Tulare County Fair Foundation, contact the fairgrounds at 686-4707.

18 September, 2014

Valley Voice • 5

Mooney Grove Group Prepares for Renovations Catherine Doe Everyone knows that Mooney Grove has been looking a little tired lately, and the drought hasn’t exactly helped.

Because of a Tulare County initiative to save water, Tulare County Parks and Recreation has severely cut back watering, turning the grounds brown and the lagoon bright green. One group hopes to turn that around. The Real Mooney Grove Project plans to start renovations as soon as they have the funds.

Just since June, Mary Bryant has attracted 245 friends on her Mooney Grove Facebook page and has enlisted contractor Jessie Snow to do the construction. The group’s first priority is to reroof the boathouse. Snow built the boathouse back in 1986 and says the roof is several years past due for repairs.

Standing in the boathouse, sunlight shines through the slats of the roof and in some sections the shingles are stripped away. “It won’t last another wet winter,” says Snow, who also wants to rebuild the sides of the boathouse.

Another priority is reconditioning the concessions stand, which is slated for demolition in the county’s 20-year plan for Mooney Grove. Neil Pilegard, head of Parks and Recreation, said that the stand was never profitable enough to be reliably leased. He also said that it would take too much money to bring it up to code.

Not so, says Bryant. She has gotten the estimates and plans on doing all the renovations at no cost to the county.

Bryant said that the concession stand could easily be an asset to the park. “The rent was too high and on top of that the

county wanted a percent of the sales of John Hess, senior administrative analyst, Gove interior roads. Bryant also wants to food.” She suggested that the county not “Regarding the Mooney Grove Master put a new fence around the entire park try to make money off the concession Plan, the document is currently being to discourage the vandalism happening stand but just consider it an amenity reviewed by staff and will be present- now. Snow envisions putting solar panof the park to attract more visitors. The ed to the board of supervisors for their els on the boathouse’s new roof that will concession stand could also be rented consideration in December 2014. Prior power the lights and run the pumps for out for birthday parties or weddings. to presenting the final master plan to the koi pond and lagoon to keep the waSnow said that the 1960s construc- the board, county staff will be soliciting ter fresh. tion is solid and if it were on anyone else’s public input on the plan’s draft recomBryant’s long-term goal is to bring property they wouldn’t tear it down. The mendations.” back a childhood favorite, the carousel. concession stand needs a good cleaning, These comments will then be incor- The original Mooney Grove carousel is a few windows replaced and an now well-loved in Hanford’s updated kitchen. “I want to Civic Center Park. Bryant visit Mooney Grove and buy a plans on purchasing an old set hamburger or eat some Mexiof horses, refurbishing them can food,” said Snow. and rebuilding a carousel.

Besides tearing down the Bryant has obtained her concession stand, Parks and group’s nonprofit status and is Recreation plans on filling ready to start fundraising. She in the koi pond, and closing plans on visiting all the service the main entrance because of groups such as Rotary and Liheavy traffic on Mooney Bouons. Bryant and Snow will be levard. The main entrance will presenting their official renobe moved to a safer side road, vation plan at the September Ave 272. This is all part of 23 supervisors’ meeting. their 20-year master plan for The boathouse at Mooney Grove Park is one of the first targets On October 25, the group for renovation by The Real Mooney Grove Project.

Mooney Grove that still needs will be holding a Halloween approval. They also hope to move the porated into the final version of the mas- and Fall Festival fundraiser. Festivities Veterans Memorial (good luck finding ter plan to be considered by the board. will center around arbor nine at Mooney it now) to a more visible spot and in- The county will be conducting two pub- Grove and will include a bounce house, clude a statue of a cannon along with the lic workshops in October and November kiddy train and a live band set up on the names of those from Tulare County who 2014 to receive this input. “ dance floor. Times for the event are to be died serving. A possible explanation for Mooney Grove is in Supervisor Phil announced. To stay informed on what’s getting rid of some of the old favorites Cox’s district and he says that he has new with the group and their upcoming in the park is that it would free up the fond memories of the park growing up events, friend them on their Facebook maintenance money to go to the histor- and would like to see it restored. page. ical museum.

Phase two of the group’s renovation If you want donate, send checks to: The 20-year plan has been kept project includes fixing the dance floor, The Real Mooney Grove Project, 3143 somewhat of a mystery this summer rehabilitating the koi pond and rebuild- Brickfield Ave., Tulare, CA 93274; or when it was originally scheduled to be ing the iconic low-rise rock wall that call the project’s organizer, Mary Bryant, presented to the board. According to runs the length of many of Mooney’s at 859-8884.

6 • Valley Voice

18 September, 2014

Visalia Committees, Commissions Seek New Members

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The City of Visalia is accepting applications from interested citizens for openings on Committees and Commissions.

Citizens Advisory Committee – acts as a liaison between the general public and the Visalia City Council concerning community issues. The committee currently has a vacancy for three alternate members.

Disability Advocacy Committee – advises the city on the needs of disabled people. The committee promotes physical, social, communication and attitudinal access for every citizen of Visalia. The committee currently has two vacancies for regular members and two alternate members.

Environmental Committee – heightens environmental awareness and conservation in Visalia. Issues addressed include air quality, hazardous waste, recycling, water conservation and all other natural resources. The committee currently has vacancies for two regular members and one alternate member.

Historic Preservation Committee – administers and carries out the standards and specifications of the Historic Preservation Ordinance and promotes historic preservation including encouraging building owners to initiate preservation efforts. The committee currently has a vacancy for two alternate members.

North Visalia Neighborhood Advisory Committee – serves as a liaison between the city and the North Visalia community. It is a forum for citizen complaints, problems and provides rec-

ommendations to the city council. The committee has vacancies for eight regular members and four alternate members.

Parks and Recreation Commission – advises the city council and staff in matters pertaining to parks, playgrounds and recreation centers. The commission has a vacancy for one alternate member.

Planning Commission – makes recommendations to the city council concerning land use, building and subdivisions, administers the zoning ordinance and handles matters that affect the growth and development of Visalia. The commission has a vacancy for one alternate member.

Transit Advisory Committee – researches and analyzes the community’s continuing transit needs, reviews operations, markets the transit program and makes recommendations about the business affairs of the transit system. The committee has vacancies for two regular members and two alternate members.

Waterways and Trails Committee – advises on matters related to the Bikeway Master Plan and the Waterway and Trail Master Plan. The committee has vacancies for two regular members and four alternate members.

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis and kept for a period of two years. If you have further questions you may visit www.ci.visalia. ca.us, and click on “Committees/Commissions” to view the informational handbook and application, or you may call the city clerk’s office at 713-4512.

Woodard Calls on Governor Brown to Sign Property Tax Bill

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Tulare County Treasurer-Tax Collector Rita A. Woodard has called on Governor Jerry Brown to sign AB 2231, which would re-establish the Senior Citizens and Disabled Citizens Property Tax Postponement program. The program was shuttered in 2009 by the previous governor during the economic downturn.

The program is designed to assist seniors and disabled individuals pay their property taxes by applying to the state controller for assistance. The controller would then make the property tax payment for eligible participants, and record

Staff Reports a lien against the property that would be paid when ownership of the property is transferred. The program would be open to low-income seniors and disabled persons with an annual income of less than $34,000, who also maintain 40% equity in their homes. The program would keep seniors and people with disabilities in their homes, while keeping counties financially whole. Counties use property taxes to pay for critical services such as schools, roads and public health.

“I have received many phone calls from taxpayers in this county, asking for any kind of assistance in paying their taxes; they are scared about losing their homes,” said Woodard, “I am very hopeful that the governor sees fit to bring this program back, and help keep folks in their homes for as long as possible. It’s about the dignity and security of a financially vulnerable population. Before 2009, there were approximately 55 taxpayers from Tulare County participating in the program.”

Before the previous program was de-funded, approximately 6,000 homeowners statewide were able to use this program to stay in their homes. The state controller’s data shows that the program actually made the state money in most years, earning a modest dividend while keeping participants in their homes.

The revamped program includes tighter controls on eligibility and is likely to have a steady and modest return due to improved lien recording technology and enhanced communications between the county and the controller’s office on notification of property transfers.

18 September, 2014

Valley Voice • 7

COS Hall of Fame Inductees Announced The College of the Sequoias will induct five new members into the COS Hall of Fame on October 2.

Al Branco is a former COS faculty member and administrator who coached COS football, baseball, wrestling, softball, Al Branco women’s tennis and golf, and was the athletic director for 11 years. He was inducted into the California Community Colleges Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2002. Branco continues to volunteer and support C O S Athletics.

Bert Bert Holt

Holt was the head coach for 21 years and was an assistant football coach. He coached several baseball players who went on to the Major Leagues and served as a professional baseball scout for 20 years. He was inducted into the California Community Colleges Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1992. Holt continues to assist the COS baseball team as a volunteer coach.

John Lehn is a COS alumnus who has dedicated his career to economic and employment development in Kings County. He has been the president of the Kings County Economic Development Corporation for the past 16 years. Lehn was instrumental in supporting the passing of local bond Measure C to develop a new COS Hanford Center.

Brad Mills is a COS alumnus who played baseball for coach Bert Holt.

Mills played in the Major Leagues from 1980 to 1983. He is now a Major League

baseball coach.

He managed the Houston Astros and served John Lehn as bench coach for the World Series champion Boston Red Sox, and he is the current third base coach for the Cleveland Indians.

Sue Shannon is a COS alumna who has remained in the community and actively supports many great causes. She was the f i r s t woman to serve on the C O S Board of Trustees.

She was Brad Mills

previously honored as a COS Giant of Tulare in 2012 for her involvement in the passing of the local bond Measure J, which funded the building of the COS Tulare College Center. Shannon continues to support COS, its athletics programs and the C O S Tu l a r e Sue Shannon College Center.

The COS Foundation will celebrate the inductees’ lifelong achievements by hosting a Hall of Fame reception and dinner at 5:30pm on Thursday, October 2, at the Porter Field House on the COS Visalia campus. Tickets are available online at cos.edu/Foundation or by calling 730-3861.

8 • Valley Voice

General Plan Continued from p. 1

Park. Little distinction exists between light industrial and service commercial.

Examples of service commercial businesses are auto repair shops, air conditioning companies, and smog services.

The intent of the zoning is to have all the commercial service industries currently on East Main Street move to West Visalia, so the downtown area can continue its gentrification. Those service types of businesses could relocate to less valuable real estate by the industrial park, and restaurants and professional offices could take their place on Main Street.

Collins, along with most of the other council members, were concerned about visitors’ first impression of Visalia as they drove into town on Highway 198 coming from Highway 99. On the right side, one would see the airport and on the left side auto shops and other related industries. Nelsen said he would prefer to see hotels, restaurants and educational institutions. Two people from the public spoke in favor of the service commercial zoning. Bill Whitlatch, a local real estate business owner, was advocating that his property on East Goshen remains zoned service commercial. Vincent Salinas, a former member of the planning commission who worked on writing the new General Plan, said the area around the Industrial Park was appropriate for service commercial and this part of the plan

18 September, 2014 was well thought out by GPURG. He said that those types of businesses could actually look very nice with attractive landscaping and strict building codes.

Another problem exacerbating the aesthetics of Visalia’s entrance is that the 200-foot setback doesn’t go further west than Plaza Avenue, right where the service commercial zoning begins. Potentially, those light industrial businesses could be built right up against Highway 198. Speaking to Nelsen after the meeting, he did not seem very concerned about the service commercial zone because he felt that the area would be updated.

It wouldn’t be a meeting about the General Plan if Collins didn’t mention the Scenic Corridor. The struggle with the Scenic Corridor has always been the conflict between telling landowners what to do with their property and preserving the scenic drive coming into Visalia. Another struggle has been between those who see a lot of shrubs, weeds and junky construction when entering Visalia and those who see majestic oaks and fields of lush agriculture. McDonald pointed out that the Scenic Corridor is just speculative discussions and that the city needs to seriously consider buying the property. An Agriculture Mitigation Program (AMP) would make that feasible.

An AMP pays the landowners fair market value for their property and then converts it to an agricultural conservation trust so the land could never be developed. Collins also brought up the fact

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that, even if the city purchased the land though the AMP, they would need the funds to maintain it. The AMP could also be used when the council members have a desire to rezone prime ag land to residential or industrial. To assuage their conscience, they can then buy a piece of prime farm land somewhere else in Visalia’s sphere of influence and put it into an agriculture conservatorship to never be developed.

Several speakers from the public came with prepared comments that enthusiastically endorsed the Agriculture Mitigation Program. A speaker who represented the Tulare County Citizens for Responsible Growth (TCCRG) pointed out that the land between Tulare and Visalia is under the auspices of the Tulare County Board of Supervisors. Right now, their General Plan also keeps a mile to a mile-and-a-half zoned as agriculture between the two cities, but, he said, we do not have conservation-minded supervisors. With a few amendments, the gap between the two cities could disappear.

He had seen it happen in San Jose and said it wouldn’t be a stretch to see it happening here.

Juan Lopez of Visalia pointed out that since the adoption of the 2020 General Plan, 14,200 acres of prime agriculture land were converted to other uses.

Brian Blain, who has been on GPURC since day one, and represents the farming interests, said that an AMP will not make the situation better and does not appear to work. He said the AMP would not decrease or increase the number of acres in agriculture. Indeed, only one town that the planning commission knows of, Chico, has an AMP, and that their research shows that it doesn’t work to keep land in agriculture.

Sopac Mulholland, from Sequoia River Land Trust (SRT), said that she was quite chagrined to hear people say that an AMP wouldn’t work because it has been a huge success throughout Tulare County. Sequoia Riverlands Trust is responsible for the creation of the Dry Creek Preserve and the Kaweah Oaks Preserve, among other things, and is considered a huge success. Scot Spear, past board chair of SRT, continued to urge the council to approve the AMP because the San Joaquin Valley is the most productive in the world. He encouraged the council to take a leading role in securing our food supply. “Take the brave

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Council Members Bob Link, Nelsen and Warren Gubler felt that Visalia can’t go it alone in terms of the AMP. Link felt that if the City of Tulare doesn’t adopt the plan then it won’t work for Visalia.

Nelsen explained that other cities could lay out the red carpet while Visalia has added another layer of red tape to development through the AMP. He emphasized that adopting the AMP needs to be a coordinated effort with our sister cities or it won’t work. Gubler added that the famers have to also be on board and want to sell their land or want it put into agricultural conservation trust.

The fourth major concern was the growth triggers that would determine when Visalia annexed more land. The 1991 General Plan had two growth rings. A third growth ring, or tier as they are now referred to, was added for the 2030 General Plan. As the population grows, and housing units are built, Visalia will proceed to the next tier and annex more land into the city. The third tier was put into place so the 2030 general plan will still be relevant even several years after its due date. According to the Visalia Times-Delta, “5,800 permits for new homes would have to be issued by the city after the start of the General Plan Update – retroactively set to April 1, 2010 – before more land for new housing could be annexed.”

McDonald explained that the city planners prefer to use housing permits to gauge Visalia’s growth instead of population because they get precise, reliable permit numbers every year. Yearly population numbers are estimates, but it is predicted that when Visalia moves in to its second growth ring the population will be 148,000, and when the city is completely built out to the terms of the 2030 plan, the population will be 210,000.

Where the growth rings are placed greatly influences the market value of those parcels left outside of the ring, versus those inside the growth ring. Collins warned that if the city grows in a different direction, or at a different pace than projected, the city council can change the location of the growth rings. Landowners inside one of the growth rings should never assume their property will be annexed. Nelsen said that he is very pleased with the triggers the general plan has put into place. He said that the triggers encouraged infill while also being pro-growth.

The next General Plan Update Review meeting will be at the city council’s regular October 6 meeting. A continuation of the commercial service zoning will be discussed along with the zoning around the Visalia Municipal Airport.

The Environmental Impact Report and the Climate Action Plan could possibly be adopted. Council members concluded the evening by congratulating GPURC on a job well done. Bob Link thanked the public for participating saying that this process confirms that, “the city belongs to the citizens.”

Next deadline: 25 September, 2014

18 September, 2014

Valley Voice • 9

Visalia, Hanford on Top 10 List of U.S. Cities Running out of Water Ethan A. Huff The U.S. Drought Monitor has released new data on U.S. cities that are running out of water – and the top 10 spots are all located in California. Some of the worst drought conditions on record have left much of the Golden State grasping for moisture wherever it can be found. But for these 10 cities, more than 75% of their land area is now marked by “exceptional” drought, the highest level on the chart.

10) Fresno, California. The Drought Monitor recognizes five levels of drought intensity: D0 is the lowest, categorized as “abnormally dry,” and D4 is the highest, categorized as “exceptional drought.”

Based on the data, Fresno has had D4 conditions on over 75% of its land since the beginning of the year, and the entire city has been in an “extreme drought,” the second highest category, for all of 2014, so far.

9) Visalia, California. Like Fresno, Visalia is a leading agricultural region of California that grows specialty crops like fruits, nuts and vegetables. But the county in which it is located, Tulare, was forced to declare a state of emergency at the beginning of the year due to extreme drought conditions. The entirety of Tulare County has been in an extreme drought during this time, with 75% of it ranking in the exceptional category.

8) Madera, California. Conditions in the Central Valley town of Madera, population 78,000, have been similarly dire, prompting the county to restrict water usage outdoors. With more than 76% of its land marked by exceptional drought, conservation measures have had to be put in place to save water for growing grapes, almonds and various other nuts, which are a major component of the local economy.

7) Santa Cruz, California. Known for its “green” approach to living, Santa Cruz has implemented extreme water

restrictions that subject residents to September 9, 2014 fines and other penalties for exceed(Released Thursday, Sep. 11, 2014) Valid 8 a.m. EDT ing established water limits. This is SL because drought conditions took a dramatic turn for the worse, escalatSL L ing from just half of the urban area SL experiencing a severe drought last year to nearly all of it experiencing SL an extreme drought this year.

SL SL 6) Merced, California. Already L an extremely dry area, Merced has Drought Impact Types: L L been hit hard by the drought, clockDelineates dominant impacts SL S = Short-Term, typically less than S ing in at a measly one inch of rain S 6 months (e.g. agriculture, grasslands) L = Long-Term, typically greater than L during the entire year of 2013. Lake 6 months (e.g. hydrology, ecology) Intensity: McClure, where much of the local Author: D0 Abnormally Dry Fuchs D1 Moderate Drought water is drawn, has sunk so low that Brian National Drought Mitigation Center D2 Severe Drought SL D3 Extreme Drought the local water district is having to D4 Exceptional Drought L relocate boats docked there -- more L than 78% of the area is experiencing S SL exceptional drought conditions.

S SL SL 5) Santa Maria, California.

L SL SL http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/ L For the first time ever, Santa Maria SL SL L L SL achieved exceptional drought conThe U.S. Drought Monitor is jointly produced by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the ditions back in February. The area University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the National does, however, have better-than-av- Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Map courtesy of NDMC-UNL. erage groundwater supplies.

1) ages of all, Bakersfield has implemented L Bakersfield, California. The U.S. 4) Gilroy-Morgan Hill, California. city with the worst drought conditions no water restrictions whatsoever on its Oddly enough, this area of Santa Clara overall, Bakersfield went from having no roughly half-a-million residents.

County had not been recorded as being areas of exceptional drought last year to in either extreme or exceptional drought an astounding 90% this year. And yet, This article is reprinted by permission conditions at any point during 2013. But despite facing the biggest water short- of the NaturalNews Network. this year, nearly 80% of Morgan Hill is now at the highest level of drought, with a high risk of wildfires.

3) Salinas, California. The so-called “Salad Bowl of the World,” Salinas is now more than 85% engulfed in exceptional drought. This does not bode well for the nation’s food supply, as 70% of lettuce comes from Salinas.

2) Hanford, California. Another heavy agricultural area, Hanford saw a dramatic escalation of its drought conditions since the beginning of the year. Local farm workers are having a hard time staying employed because of drought-induced crop failures – more than 85% of the area is experiencing exceptional drought conditions.

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10 • Valley Voice

Air Service Continued from p. 1

airports are untested in our market,” wrote the subcommittee in their report to city council. “Their service would provide Visalians with four flights per day, which translates into convenience and options… An increase in the number of flights is the number one way to increase passenger numbers through providing more options for travelers or serving as an alternative, should a flight need to be cancelled.”

In summarizing their report, the subcommittee wrote, “Of all of the proposals, it is the subcommittee’s belief that SeaPort has the highest chance of allowing Visalia to maintain eligibility in the EAS program.”

Council Member Amy Shuklian moved to accept the recommendation and Gubler seconded. Link also supported the motion. Vice Mayor Steve Nelsen and Council Member Greg Collins voted no.

There are still some questions about Visalia’s air service, however, such as how long Great Lakes will continue providing EAS service.

“We have no idea at this point,” said Cifuentez. “We’re in uncharted territory.

The program is in flux and Great Lakes is struggling to provide service.”

Another unanswered question is when SeaPort will start providing local air service.

“A lot will depend when the Department of Transportation makes its decision,” explained Cifuentez, adding that the letter of comment with the city’s recommendation will be sent in time to meet the DOT’s September 29 deadline.

“My best guess is December or January.”

In the discussion that preceded Monday night’s vote, Collins asked

18 September, 2014 about alternative uses for the airport, such as using the airport for cargo facilities or as a fixed base operator. Cifuentez said that UPS is now working out of the backs of trucks because the airport doesn’t have the facility for them.

“I didn’t trust that I would get where I needed to go tomorrow so I didn’t book through Visalia,” said Shuklian in her comments. “I have gotten a lot of complaints about canceled flights. I will support the staff’s recommendation though.”

“Before SeaPort came, I was inclined to cancel the EAS program,” said Gubler. “Visalia was not well-served by Great Lakes. I like SeaPort’s prices, they are fair, and that they go to Burbank and Oakland. The price is about the equivalent of an Amtrak ticket. I think the company has a recipe for success and I want to give them a shot. This is our last best chance to offer viable service.”

“I usually go with the staff report because they do their due diligence,” said Nelsen. “But I don’t support this one.

Using your numbers, it won’t work out.

“I’m trying to figure out the benefit to the community,” he added. “The public won’t use it because they have been so burned by Great Lakes. It looks like you need a 45% increase and I don’t think that is possible. I think it would be better to use a shuttle service (to Fresno Airport). I think it would be better to do more freight at the airport. That would better serve the community and the Industrial Park. The distributors would benefit. EAS is a dinosaur and the government will wise up and end it soon. Its time has come to an end.”

“When these new airlines come in,

they offer these prices that only last a year to get their foot in the door then they change the fares,” said Collins.

“That puts a bitter taste in people’s mouths. We could cobble a shuttle system together. We are only 50 minutes to the front door of Fresno Airport.”

The idea of a “loop bus” between Visalia Airport and Fresno Airport “is something that the council would like us to pursue,” said Cifuentez after the meeting. “It makes sense if we are at risk of losing our air service but, obviously, if you have air service, you don’t want to have people going to another airport.”

“We need to remember that 5,479 passengers were served last year and we need to consider them,” noted Shuklian.

“Maybe SeaPort can instill confidence back into the community.”

Tim Sieber, executive vice president of SeaPort Airlines, attended the meeting and addressed council comments and concerns. “Yes, EAS is a dinosaur and will probably end in 2020,” he said. “We are structuring our airlines to continue without it.

“We have been involved with EAS and have never lost a contract,” Sieber added. “We keep our promises. Our goals are frequent flights, low fares and on-time service. We plan on building community confidence after other airlines burn people. We are committed to the community and to the market. We make an investment in the community.”

Turning his attention to Nelsen’s comments, Sieber said, “We can hit those numbers and be off the EAS system. We are well-positioned and building an airline that services small communities. We are different. We are proud of

our record.”

“This council has heard convincing presentations before and some of them work and some of them didn’t,” commented Collins. “Everyone has such a bad taste in their mouth because of Great Lakes Airlines.”

“This is the best proposal that we have seen in a long time,” said Gubler.

“Not only do they have a southern and a northern destination, but SeaPort is not dependent on if Merced manages to stay in the EAS Program. I would use this for business or leisure.”

“When Great Lakes came, they came with great fanfare and promises, and what happened was the total opposite,” said Nelsen. “Visalians thought the city was at fault.”

Although SeaPort’s bid included EAS service to Merced, that city may not be included in the program, according to Cifuentez. “Technically, Merced has already had their eligibility terminated,” he said. “They were supposed to average 10 passengers per day for the fiscal year and didn’t meet that requirement.”

He added that Merced is one of 12 cities currently in the waiver process to challenge the Department of Transportation’s ruling. “Nobody has any idea when that will be acted on.”

Visalia has met that requirement, but is at risk of losing its EAS eligibility for a different reason. The Department of Transportation issued a policy of enforcement in May that targets any EAS-subsidized community that exceeds the $200-per-passenger subsidy over the new fiscal year. Currently, Visalia is over that amount.

Catherine Doe contributed to this article.

18 September, 2014

Valley Voice • 11

Buzz Con Cancelled for Health Reasons Steve Pastis Buzz Con, a two-day pop culture convention, was not held as planned at the International AgriCenter in Tulare on September 13-14. The event was billed as a video gaming and costume event that would also feature science fiction, anime, comics, television, sports cards, movies, horror and toys.

A September 11 posting on Facebook announced, “We regret to inform everyone the Buzz Con event has been canceled due to health issues. Being very short staffed and having an issue with an agent, I have decided to cancel this event. I’m not going to jeopardize my best friend’s health and mine over this.

We just can’t do it with being so short staffed and losing two partners backing out in less than a month.”

Joe Chris, Buzz Con event coordinator, suffered a heart attack, according to a member of the committee. “With his health issue, he is very limited to work.”

A September 14 Facebook posting updated Chris’ condition, “He is doing fine recovering at home.” The posting announced, however, that Buzz Con would not recover. “We did get a lot of questions on the future of Buzz Con and after speaking with Joe Chris last night, we decided to not bring back Buzz Con.” “We here at Tulare Sci-Fi Con were just as surprised as everyone else at the cancellation,” said Derek Mazer, owner and exhibit director of Tulare Sci-Fi Con, planned for March 7-8. “I had spoken to Joe earlier in the day and told him his health is more important that anything else. We here wish him a speedy recovery from his health issues.

“We do not believe the cancellation of Tulare Buzz Con will affect our convention in any way,” he added. “We are moving forward as scheduled. I reached out to him and offered to bring him and his team on board if they are interested in joining us next year.”

The new officer team for Oakdale 4-H, which meets at Sundale School in Tulare, includes: (back row) Hayden Allen, Joe Silva Jr., Emily Anderson, Maddie Fernandes, Joseph Koenig, Peyton Unholz, Sebastyn Motty, Taylor Motty, Arie Prins, (middle row) Melissa Iniguez, Vanessa Iniguez, Michaela Mederos, Christian Gonzalez, Johnathyn Motty, Giavanna Pimental, Alexis Santos, Reed Unholz, Frankie Fernandes, (front row) Jacob Fernandes, Sarah Mancebo, Ashton Unholz and Hayley Fernandes.

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New Science, Technology Events for Students For the 2014-15 school year, the Tu- computer programming and potential lare County Office of Education’s Edu- career opportunities. cational Resource Services is expanding The STEM Expo Speaker Series will or enhancing many of its science and invite students, industry partners, edtechnology student events. The purpose ucators and non-profit leaders to share of these changes is their STEM expeto excite students riences in a formal about exploring the presentation forfields of science, mat. Community technology, engirepresentatives will neering and mathealso be invited to matics (STEM) and present information to give them the at booths in the opportunity to learn STEM Expo Comand demonstrate munication Center.

2014 Science & Engineering Fair winner 21st century skills Students, families Raveena Mahal of collaboration, and educators will communication, creativity and critical be able to interact with industry partthinking. ners, non-profits, government agencies, Michelle French, STEM staff de- colleges, trade schools and for-profit velopment and curriculum specialist, companies that have STEM-related inreports that the Tulare County Science formation to share. and Engineering Fair is undergoing “We are very excited about the new many exciting and innovative changes Expo event and the possibilities it offers for 2015. The event is being renamed in bringing STEM to life for our stuthe Tulare County Office of Education dents,” said French.

STEM Expo and is scheduled for SatTulare County Technology Chalurday, March 14, 2015. The traditional lenge, or TC², is a new event designed Tulare County Science and Engineering to test students’ ability to use technoloFair (TCSEF) will become a component gy to develop a variety of projects rangof the STEM Expo. ing from website design and interactive As in the past, students can develop posters to iMovie book trailers and Gooprojects in the six categories of Life Sci- gle Lit Trips, a program used to mark the ence, Earth and Space Science, Physical journeys of famous characters from litScience - Chemistry, Physical Science erature on Google Earth maps. Students - Physics, Engineering and Mathemat- will be given their challenge scenarios as ics, or Behavioral and Social Sciences. they arrive at the event. They will then Winning projects for students in grades have several hours to develop their proj6-12 will be eligible to advance to the ects before uploading them for judges to California Science and Engineering Fair. review. Students can compete individuStudents entering in the non-compet- ally or as a team of up to four members. itive category may share projects that Scheduled for April 29, TC² is coordiwere co-developed with family, friends nated by Will Kimbley, technology staff and mentors. development and curriculum specialist.

Throughout the day, students and Also new this year are the two Rofamilies attending the STEM Expo botics Exhibitions - one for middle will have numerous hands-on learning school students on December 10 and opportunities. The STEM Expo will one for high school students on April feature a “makerspace” - a place where 21. The events (formerly known as Rostudents and families can showcase their bot Riots) will provide a venue for increative ways of developing products and dividual students or teams to showcase applications utilizing engineering and their machines in an array of challenges. technology. The event will also include The Science Olympiad competitions live robotics and coding demonstrations. for elementary, middle and high school Individuals and teams can bring the ro- students, CyberQuest, Math Super Bowl bots they have developed at school to and Physics Day will return, with Physparticipate in a series of non-competitive ics Day being held May 13 at the Porchallenges. Students will also have an terville Fair. For more information about opportunity to attend a robotics work- technology events, call Will Kimbley at shop to learn how to build and program 651-3008. For information about scia robot. In the coding workshops, stu- ence events, contact Michelle French or dents and families will learn about basic Jared Marr at 651-3031.

12 • Valley Voice

Briefly…

‘Six Californias’ Initiative Short on Signatures

Silicon Valley businessman Tim Draper has to try again another time if he still hopes to split California into six states. His proposed ballot measure failed to qualify for the 2016 ballot after gathering only two-thirds of the required signatures. So, at least for the foreseeable future, we won’t have to change California to Central Valley on our business cards.

TCAG to Host San Joaquin Valley Fall Policy Conference

Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) will host the 10th Annual San Joaquin Valley Fall Policy Conference at the Visalia Convention Center on October 1-3. The San Joaquin Valley Fall Policy Conference brings together professionals, educators, elected officials and students involved in transportation, civil engineering and planning to learn, network and have fun. For more information, visit http://tularecog. org/2014fallpolicyconference.

Tulare County Job Fair Set for September 24th

The 23rd Annual Tulare County Job Fair will be held at the Visalia Convention Center, 303 W. Acequia Ave., Visalia, on Wednesday, September 24th from 9am to noon. Veterans will be allowed to enter at 9am, and the event will be open to the general public at 9:30am. In addition to meeting representatives from a wide range of businesses, jobseekers will be able to participate in “Speed Interviewing” where they can conduct a mock interview and get advice.

El Niño Now Less Likely

According to this month’s ENSO Diagnostic Discussion, forecasters are calling for an “approximately 65% chance that El Niño will develop by the Northern Hemisphere winter” – with a 55% chance it will start by the end of November. This is down from the July predictions that there was an 80% chance of an El Niño developing in that time.

New Candidate Sought for Tulare County Library Advisory Board

The Tulare County Library Advisory Board is seeking a candidate to fill a vacancy representing Supervisor District Two. The board meets once a month and advises the county librarian on library issues important to their district. They also advise and make recommendations to the Tulare County Board of Supervisors regarding all phases of library services and operations of the Tulare Coun-

18 September, 2014 ty Library System. District Two includes the City of Tulare, the communities of Allensworth, Alpaugh, Earlimart, Pixley, Teviston, Tipton, Richgrove, Waukena, and surrounding rural areas. For an application form or additional information, call 636-5000.

‘Live Your Dream’ Offers Education and Training Awards for Women

have been specifically allocated to help low and moderate-income families in the Central Valley of California regain access to water in their homes. “California is facing the worst drought in over a century, and many of our communities and customers have been severely affected,” said Jim Holly, Bank of the Sierra CEO.

nan, MD, MS, is the newest addition to the medical staff of Visalia Medical Clinic. Dr. Brennan completed medical school at the University of Utah School of Medicine and completed his residency in family medicine at McKay-Dee Family Medicine Residency in Ogden, Utah.

SCICON to Hold Open House

On Sunday, September 28, the

PACC Distributes Thousands of Tulare County Office of Education’s Gallons of Water in Porterville SCICON Program will hold an open Soroptimist International of Visalia, house on its campus east of Springville. a service organization dedicated to imArea proving the lives of women and girls, announced that applications are available for the annual “Live Your Dream: Education and Training Awards for Women.”

This unique program offers cash grants of $1,000-$3,000 to deserving Visalia area women. A woman is eligible if she is the primary provider for herself and her family, is attending an undergraduate degree program or a vocational skills training program; and demonstrates financial need. An eligibility checklist, application form and additional details about the award are accessible online at www.sivisalia.org. The application deadline is November 15 and the awards will be presented at a recognition dinner in February. For more information, contact Jody Gilman 972-5280 or applications@ sivisalia.org.

On September 9, the Porterville Area Coordination Council (PACC) successfully distributed thousands of gallons of water to local residents currently without water because their wells are dry. This water was provided

by Matthew 25: Ministries, an international relief society based in Ohio, and local resident Scott Bowler, who raised over $600 to purchase water from local grocery stores and arranged for multiple gallons of additional water to be donated from up north. The PACC arranged for the REACT team and a small army of volunteers, including the Porterville City College Nursing students, the Porterville Bears football team, the Walmart Distribution Center and the Boy Scouts.

Children’s Christmas Parade Entries Sought in Tulare

Kaweah Delta Pharmacy Team The Tulare Downtown Association Honored for Innovative Practice seeks parade entries for this year’s Chil-

Kaweah Delta Medical Center’s Pain Pharmacist Team has been awarded one of three honorable mentions for innovative pharmacy practice in California.

The award, from the California Society of Hospital Pharmacists, is for Kaweah Delta’s Pharmacy Pain Management Service, a new approach to pain management that began in October 2013 at Kaweah Delta Medical Center. The team will be recognized during an award ceremony in October at the CSHP Seminar Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

FHCN Names Dr. Carolina Quezada Medical Director

Family HealthCare Network (FHCN) announced that Carolina Quezada, MD, is the organization’s newest medical director and will oversee patient care for FHCN’S Woodlake, Three Rivers and Ivanhoe health centers.

Prior to her promotion to medical director, Dr. Quezada practiced as a physician specializing in internal medicine and pediatrics at FHCN’s Woodlake and Three Rivers health centers for more than two years.

$50,000 Sierra Grant to Assist Local Drought Victims

Bank of the Sierra has awarded the largest Sierra Grant donation in the bank’s history to Self-Help Enterprises in the amount of $50,000. The funds

dren’s Christmas Parade on Thursday, December 4. The association also invites volunteers to assist with the parade as well. If you are interested in participating as a group or individual, contact the Tulare Downtown Association office at 685-2350 or parade@tularedowntown. com for more information.

Suncrest Bank on List of Healthiest Banks

Each year DepositAccounts.com evaluates the financial health of every federally insured bank in the United States – more than 6,500 total – and this year, Visalia-based Suncrest Bank ranks 64th on its list of the Top 200 Healthiest Banks in America. Each institution is graded on a number of factors, including capitalization, deposit growth and loan to reserve ratios, in order to determine a comprehensive health score.

Visalia Medical Clinic Announces New Family Physician

The open house is intended to familiarize Tulare County students with SCICON, TCOE’s outdoor school of science and conservation, prior to their upcoming class trips. The open house will be held noon to 4pm. The SCICON staff will be on hand to lead tours and answer questions about the program. Students and their families are welcome to bring a picnic lunch. For more information, call 539-2642.

Barrier Awareness Day to Share Disabled Person’s Perspective

The City of Visalia’s Disability Advocacy Committee will host Barrier Awareness Day, an event promoting awareness of the various challenges faced by the disabled community, at the Downtown Garden Street Plaza from 9am to noon on Saturday, October 4.

This year’s event will feature over 20 participating organizations and is co-sponsored by the City of Visalia, Kaweah Delta Hospital and Resources for Independence Central Valley. Attendance is free and all are invited.

“The goal of the City of Visalia’s Disability Advocacy Committee is to advise the city on the needs of disabled people and to promote physical, social and communicational access for every citizen of Visalia,” explained Gayle Bond, management analyst of the City of Visalia’s Administrative Services Division. “The committee provides contacts and resources for the disabled to the City of Visalia and its community.”

The Disability Advocacy Committee consists of seven members and two alternate members who meet on the second Monday of the month at City Hall East at 5pm. The committee hosts a Barrier Awareness Day event each year, encouraging public participation and awareness in experiencing the world through a disabled person’s perspective.

For more information, call Jay Anderson at 308-8006.

Family physician Benjamin Bren-

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Valley Voice • 13

Groundbreaking

of planetarium supervisor Sam Peña, Peña Planetarium is now visited by 24,000 students and adults annually.

Continued from p. 1 “They’ve kind of outgrown that deputy superintendent. “And the location,” said McLain. “The new county wants to use our existing sites.

“We’ve never owned our own facili- building has a large exhibit room.” ty,” he added later. “The board and Jim He explained that the new science (Vidak) and myself really feel it’s a good room can keep 70 students interestinvestment to have our own facility. I ed and occupied while another 70 think it’s going to serve the county well.” watch a presentation in the theater.

“The science room is something The new administration building, which is expected to be completed in we’re going to be developing,” said ImSeptember 2015, is estimated to cost pact Center Supervisor Conan Palmer.

“It will be an exhib$28.7 million, and it where the displays the planetarium are interactive.” has a $3.9 million The new price tag. Paying planetarium will for the projects inalso feature vidvolves a certificate eoconferencing. of participation, “There are rewhich is something sources made availlike a mortgage able by other planthat can be paid etariums and even over time. It also NASA,” said Palminvolves charging er. “Students will be various TCOE programs rent for Tulare County Superintendent of Schools able to speak to sciuse of the new ad- Jim Vidak addresses the crowd at the site entists at locations ministration build- of the new planetarium building ground- all over the world.

NASA has dedicated ing, which they breaking. resources where stucan pay with state funding.

“Some of those programs are paying dents can engage and talk to its scientists, rent to privately owned buildings,” Cau- and the Smithsonian offers virtual tours.”

The new planetarium building is exdle said. pected to be completed by April, except The planetarium building, at the southwest corner of Mooney Bou- for moving in the dome, seats and prolevard and Avenue 264 in Visalia, jection system from Peña Planetarium.

“They’re going to refinish the dome will have nearly 8,700 square feet of space and will feature a 70-seat plan- and reinstall it,” said Gilbert Bareng of etarium and an 1,800-square-foot, Mangini Associates, adding that the hands-on science center. The planetar- process should take about a month.

“The motive for holding off (unium building is expected to be open til next September) is because our atin time for the 2015-16 school year. tendance is just over 12,000 between The first TCOE planetarium was April and June,” explained Palmer. “If established at Snowden Elementary School in Farmersville in the mid-60s, we moved in April, it would take away noted Vidak. It was moved to a build- the availability for that many students.”

McLain estimated that Mangini ing at the Tulare County Fairgrounds before finding a home on Burrel Av- Associates, Inc. has designed “50 or 60 enue in 1976, and moving across the buildings” for TCOE in the last 20 years.

California Library Literacy Services Celebrates 30th This month, California Library Literacy Services, a program of the California State Library, celebrates 30 years of changing the lives of low-literate adults and their families. Since its inception, California’s Library Literacy Services has helped nearly a quarter of a million Californians learn to read and write.

To mark the 30th anniversary milestone of this volunteer-based program, the state is launching “Together, California Reads,” a month-long awareness campaign to encourage communities to support the efforts of their local public libraries in raising adult literacy rates statewide.

Locally, the Library Literacy Center will have a display in mid-September, featuring literacy activities in the lobby of the Visalia Branch Library. The center also will be hosting a reception for the public on Wednesday, September 24, from 6 to 7:30pm in the Blue Room of the library.

The U.S. Department of Education’s National Assessment of Adult Literacy found that nearly 25% of California adults lack basic literacy skills, meaning they can’t read a newspaper, a bedtime story to a child or the instructions on a bottle of medicine. Based on the state’s current population, as many as 4.5 million Californians over the age of 18 read below fourth grade levels. In Tulare County, as many as 32% adults lack basic literacy skills.

Low adult literacy contributes to major socio-economic challenges, with a high percentage of prison inmates and those living in poverty testing at the lowest literacy levels. The children of low-literate parents often are not read to

Staff Reports and have few books in the home, leading to future generations of low-literate adults. According to ProLiteracy, low adult literacy creates a detrimental cycle that is estimated to cost the U.S. more than $225 billion each year in workforce non-productivity and loss of tax revenue due to unemployment.

Last year, California public libraries provided services at 558 locations to 21,192 adult learners through nearly 10,700 volunteers generating over 500,000 hours of service. Working with their volunteer tutors, California adult learners achieved significant literacy goals. Last year, 72% of those who set goals were able to share a book with their child and 65% were able to help their children with their homework. Sixty-five percent were able to complete a job application and 57% wrote their own resume.

“What’s awesome is the magic that happens when learners and tutors come together,” said Carla Lehn, California Library Literacy Services program coordinator. “Not only is the learner’s life changed for the better but so is the volunteer, even though they may be giving just a couple of hours a week.”

Inspirational stories about California adult learners and their volunteer tutors, as well as a complete statewide listing of public library events celebrating 30 years of California’s Library Literacy Services, can be found at www.CalReads. org. For social media updates and other announcements regarding California’s adult literacy issues, follow the CLLS twitter handle @CalReads (#CalReads).

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14 • Valley Voice

18 September, 2014

Viewpoint Your Abuse Is Not Appreciated Laura Finley Much has been written in the last several weeks about men’s physical abuse of women. Former Baltimore Raven Ray Rice’s videotaped knockout of his girlfriend and the initial two-game suspension he received from the NFL prompted both outrage and, of course, an outpouring of fan support for the abuser. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell seemed to realize the gravity of the situation and changed league policy to include harsher sanctions for convicted abusers. Then, when TMZ released footage of the actual knockout punch earlier this week, which the league claims not to have seen, it seemed like even die-hard professional football fans could no longer defend the league for its still weak approach to the serious issue of domestic violence.

The Ravens did suspend Rice indefinitely, but at the same time, the situation ignited the victim blamers, who focused on the fact that Rice’s girlfriend, Janay Palmer, stayed with him after the attack and the two have since married. Rather than focusing on why men like Rice abuse the women they proclaim to love, the social media universe was on fire with discussion of “why she stays.”

None of this now ubiquitous dialogue gets at the societal factors that set the stage for domestic violence. As with the abuse, we minimize the daily harassment women endure when some men feel it is their birthright to discipline our bodies while we are in public. From sexual harassment at work and schools to the near routine cat calls women endure when simply walking in public, we are told that our bodies are titillating or inadequate and afforded the approval or disdain of harassers. And, like

domestic violence, we are told it is our fault that these men can’t control their need to yell out at us. We are, like the guests and hosts of the new Fox News show “Outnumbered” explained, supposed to be flattered by the attention and to let “men be men.” As if vocal cord control resides only in women.

Of course, also like domestic violence, some women have heard such a steady diet of this mantra that they, too, start to believe they deserve, even enjoy, such attention.

I was recently the unwanted subject of a man’s attention, a man who felt I would somehow appreciate his loud and aggressive calls about my body. I did not. It made me feel sad, angry and dirty. Not least of which is because he had the gall to yell harassing comments while he was with a woman and had a baby strapped to the front of his body.

No, Fox News, I don’t think he “meant it in a nice way.” I think he meant it to show his social power and because he believes he has the right to say whatever he wants to a woman. Not that far removed from an abuser if you ask me.

Rather than trying to explain why Janay Rice or countless other victims of domestic violence stay with abusers, perhaps we should start having a far more serious discussion about why some men feel as though they are the police of women’s bodies in the first place. Why does a show like “Outnumbered,” which is supposed to be focused on women, normalize this kind of sexism?

Young men need to be taught how to appreciate and treat women in far healthier ways.

I fear that the current focus on victims and whether they “ask for it” continues to minimize the discussion of men, their choices, and societal approval of the degradation of women.

Laura Finley, Ph.D., teaches in the Barry University Department of Sociology & Criminology and is syndicated by PeaceVoice.

Letter: Bullying Bullying is a serious issue in today’s society. They see you differently and they automatically target you for various of reason.

The way you dress, the way you talk and even the amount of medical problems you may have. There is bullying in schools and most the time nothing is done until it is too late. My daughters don’t want to go to school anymore because they are afraid of being bullied. We kept quiet for far too long, it is time to get this out there and help prevent other children from being bullied. My nieces have been bullied for over 2 years and the school has already been aware of the situation and have even seen it for themselves. Due to the ages of my daughters I wont give their names but I will say that they are in 4th and 6th grade and they attend Kennedy Elementary School in Dinuba.

Kennedy is well aware of the bullying that is going on in their school and how my daughters are being treated and all they can tell us is that they are trying to stop it as they see it when I feel they aren’t doing enough to protect my daughters. One of my niece has a disability; she suffers from a severe case of Epilepsy and at any time can have a seizure and on September 11, 2014 while riding the school bus home another boy punched her in the face and didn’t get in trouble. Transportation were called but didn’t answer nor called us back, the district was called and had informed me that they’d call us back that she was going to call the head of transportation

about this incident but not one phone call back, we had to call the cops out today for this incident so that no one would see any bruises on her and think we beat her because of course if people see a bruise on someone they automatically assume abuse from a parent or legal guardian but no one ever cares about if the child is being bullied at school but instead they would rather point the blame on a parent or guardian. Well, I am tired of watching my daughters get hurt because of another child who is going unpunished and is allowed to do the same things my daughters cant at school, they don’t even take away recess.

I am writing to spread the word about bullying. Bullying is what leads to most suicides and I am not about to watch my daughters take that path, not saying they would but not about to take that chance either. They are afraid that something like this may happen again and then it does and once again, nothing is ever done about it.

I say it is time to have a town meeting for the sole purpose of addressing this type of situation and what we can do to make it better for our children.

Who wants to see their children hurt, who wants to see their child get bullied at school? I know I don’t and for my daughters there has to be a form of justice out there for them.

Kennedy needs to enforce the 0% policy on violence that they claim to have but yet we don’t see it.

Marsha Reed Romo Dinuba, CA

“Harvest Hope” Proves It Can Make a Difference Last year, a classroom of 28 students at Mission Oak High School in Tulare were challenged by their teacher, Mr. Michaelpaul Mendoza, to develop a project that would improve their school and/or their community. What they created was a student lead movement that the county, state, and nation can learn from.

After lengthy discussion and debate, Mendoza’s students chose to address the very real problem of food insecurity, or hunger, in Tulare County. After conducting research, the students learned that 25% of people living in Tulare County do not have enough food to eat. A campus survey uncovered that 60 of their peers had gone to bed hungry within the previous year. Out of concern for their friends’ situations, the class decided to partner with Be Healthy Tulare, a local non-profit organization founded by Dr. Sarah Ramirez and Tulare Union High School teacher David Terrel that already had programs in place to serve families in need.

Among those programs is TC-Harvest which gathers volunteers to pick fruit at local homes that donate excess fruit from backyard trees to FoodLink, Tulare County’s only food bank. The students decided they would become the consistent supply of volunteers that Be Healthy Tulare needed in order to make a larger impact in its programs. The students call themselves, “Harvesting Hope.”

In a short period of time, Harvesting Hope grew from a small project based learning activity to a school wide call-to-service. The 28 students began bringing their friends to weekend harvests who then began bringing other friends. Harvesting Hope also made presentations to every classroom at Mission Oak in efforts to educate their peers about the local impact of hunger and encouraged more student participation.

Last March, a local farmer donated five acres of easy peel tangerines to this growing movement which boosted the students’ campaign effort. In two weekends at this single farm, 200 Mission Oak student volunteers picked 10,000 pounds of tangerines to donate to FoodLink. Coupled with all of their weekend harvests, Harvesting Hope, in conjunction with Be Healthy Tulare, helped pick over 26,000 pounds of fresh fruit for the food bank last year. “Thanks to Harvesting Hope, we were able to donate more produce to FoodLink than any other Be Healthy Tulare harvest in our history,” said Ramirez.

Soon after, the students of Mission Oak’s Harvesting Hope campaign were awarded the best overall community service project by the Tulare County Board of Supervisors. According to County Supervisor Phil Cox, Harvesting Hope last year helped

feed 15,000 people in Tulare County, many of them children.

Mr. Mendoza has challenged this year’s class to carry the torch and continue the impact of Harvesting Hope. His students have decided to expand their movement to other schools in Tulare and throughout the county.

This year’s first major Harvesting Hope event was in partnership with Tulare FFA. Mike Mederos, the district’s Ag Department Chair, had his students plant sweet corn seed donated by Land O Lakes on four acres at the Tulare High School Farm at the end of the last school year. This past Saturday, September 6, 200 student volunteers from each of the Tulare High Schools as well as several students from Sundale gathered and harvested nearly 15,000 pounds of corn, all of which has been delivered and donated to FoodLink. “We are very proud that we were able to pick 15,000 pounds of food in our first event this year,” said Magali Garcia who is a Senior at Mission Oak and one of student founders of Harvesting Hope. “It’s exciting to imagine how much more food we’ll be able to donate this year.”

Harvesting Hope student leaders also have plans to get the word out and encourage others in the community to join their cause by making presentations at local schools, passing out flyers at various farmer’s markets, and doing what they do best, picking fruit and vegetables at people’s homes.

Dr. Ramirez who is the new Executive Director of FoodLink looks forward to continue working with students and developing new partnerships with local businesses and farmers. “I am inspired by the students’ generosity and commitment. Their youth and exuberance energizes my hope for a healthier future in our community, because they remind me of our capacity to work toward solutions for our community’s challenges in a caring and compassionate way. I feel honored to work alongside them,” said Ramirez.

If you would like to become a volunteer or if own fruit trees and would like to donate excess fruit to FoodLink, you can register your home through Be Healthy Tulare’s website (Behealthytulare.com) and Harvesting Hope student volunteers will help come harvest your trees. You can also learn more about Harvesting Hope by following their Facebook page: Facebook. com/mohsharvestinghop.

The above was written by a member of the community who, though expressing a wish to remain unidentified, demonstrated a desire for the community to be aware of these students’ work.

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Send us your Letters to the Editor Editor’s note: Now that the Valley Voice is receiving many more letters than previously, we’d like to state the obvious by saying that it is not our policy to edit your editorials. Bear this in mind, therefore, when writing us--so please be lucid.

By mail: 208 W. Main, Ste. E, Visalia, CA 93291 By email: editor@ourvalleyvoice.com

18 September, 2014

Valley Voice • 15

Columns & Letters

Visalia General Plan Hearing October 6: City Future for Next 20 Years to be Decided Richard L. Harriman As an observer of Visalia’s land use planning efforts for over 40 years, I (and many others in the state) appreciate the care with which your community has made its decisions about the protection of its natural resources and its growth management policies and plans. On Monday, October 6, the City Council will be making choices about Visalia’s future for the next 20 years that will be the foundation for generations to come.

There are three particularly important decisions that need your attention and input to the City Council.

First, your Council will be deciding whether to adopt an agricultural land conservation program which includes an agricultural buffer around the City, in order to keep Visalia from sprawling and merging with other neighboring communities.

The Council has stated that it wants to wait to adopt or implement an agricultural land trust mechanism that is used in other communities. This approach requires an acre per acre conservation of agricultural land to reduce the impact caused by the conversion of such land to urban uses, but will not come into effect until the County of Tulare and other cities in the County or region agree to adopt a comprehensive program to implement this mitigation measure. Further delay in adopting this legally required mitigation measure will result in substantially more agricultural land being converted into urban sprawl before this critically needed program begins. It needs to be adopted by the City with the approval of the new General Plan.

Second, the air quality of the City, County of Tulare, South San Joaquin Valley air basin, and Sierra Nevada is in “extreme non-attainment” for Ozone and Ozone precursors and violates the Federal Clean Air Act. This is a public health and safety issue for humans and trees in the Valley and the Sierras. In addition, the Greenhouse Gas-

ses (GHGs) which are increased by development must also be substantially reduced during the 20-year life of the new General Plan. However, the City has declined to adopt the most effective program to reduce air emissions and GHGs: mandatory requirement of Photovoltaic solar plans for all new structures built in the City of Visalia and for solar panel parking lot covers for employees at industrial parks, business parks, office complexes and residences, with recharging stations available for electric vehicles. This measure would substantially reduce new air emissions and GHGs in Visalia, Tulare County, the Valley and the Sierras. We need this to start immediately.

Third, the proposed General Plan does not require the adoption and implementation of a West Highway 198 Open Space Plan until the final phase of development.

This delay, along with the premature development of the Northwest Quadrant of the City in the new “Tier I” growth area, will result in the delay of development of land closest to the downtown core of the City (Shirk Road west to Plaza Drive and the Airport) for many years. If the West Highway 198 Corridor Plan were adopted with the Zoning Ordinance, development fees could be imposed and paid by the developers of infill projects west of Shirk Road and would ensure the acquisition and protection of the open space corridor along West Highway 198 north to Mill Creek and 200 feet south of West Highway 198, before northwest development occurs.

Please take time to contact your City Council members and request their support for these three important changes in the General Plan that will make a difference in your lives and those of coming generations in Visalia.

The author is a Central Valley environmental and land use attorney who can be reached at (559) 226-1818.

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Kermit, I believe in Unions but I have lost faith and respect for our Local 521 in Fresno. The employees could care less about its membership and some of the elected officers are arrogant and belittling. The COPE Chair went on a social media site saying I was uneducated and lacked critical thinking skills. I contacted the director of our local when I was made aware of the post. He has never contacted me and the post was never taken down. How am I suppose to respect a union who allows this to happen. The little respect I had left for SEIU is destroyed. I don’t want them representing me and I don’t want them taking my money.

”

— Zuhp Aliser, on County Employees Fight for First Raise Since 2008

“This is all the thanks we get for successfully pulling the county out of the Great Recession?” And just how did you do that, Administrator Rousseau? For someone who’s wage and benefit package in 2013 totaled over $232,000 you don’t seem to realize it was the county employees (the ones not laid off) that actually got the County through the recession (with no raises for 8 years). From what I heard from people in the room during negotiations, it sounds like the County is accusing SEIU of everything THEY did! Of course, the greatest crime of all is the county employees having the nerve to exercise their constitutional rights. Perhaps the County needs to be reminded that we don’t lose those right just because we become employed by the county.

”

— Jim Reeves, on County to File Unfair Labor Practices Charge

This is a city housing development that is invading our rural living. This is jeopardizing our water and most of the people who live in this area do not have luxury of being a wealthy family who only cares about making more money. One families wealth and “dream” can ruin many families out here by running us out of water and contaminating the creek bed, among other issues. Our entire life savings are put into our properties, the Roberts family does not even live in the Elderwood Heights area.

The residents in this area were never informed over the 8 year planning stages and found our by luck. Large housing developments belong in city limits.

”

— Lisa and Bub Wass, on Letter: Farmland At Risk

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Veteran’s Corner

Veterans Treatment Court Mentors Needed Most veterans are strengthened by their military service, but the combat experience has unfortunately left a growing number of veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. One in five veterans has symptoms of a mental health disorder or cognitive impairment. One in six veterans who served in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom suffer from a substance abuse issue.

Research continues to draw a link between substance abuse and combat-related mental illness. Left untreated, mental health disorders common among veterans can directly lead to involvement in the criminal justice system.

The Veterans Treatment Court model is an alternative sentencing program, which requires regular court appearances, as well as mandatory attendance at treatment sessions and frequent and random testing for substance use. Veterans respond favorably to this structured environment, given their past experiences in the Armed Forces. However, a few will struggle and it is exactly those veterans who need a Veterans Treatment Court program the most. Without this structure, these veterans will reoffend and remain in the criminal justice system. The Veterans Treatment Court is able to ensure they meet their obligations to themselves, the court, and their community.

Veterans Treatment Courts are successful in part because they link troubled veterans with volunteer veteran mentors.

Justice For Vets, a national non-profit organization, is helping local Veterans Treatment Courts harness the camara-

Joe Wright derie that exists among members of the Armed Forces by training veterans from the community to volunteer and serve as mentors for other veterans. The Justice For Vets Mentor Corps builds on this undeniable truth: there is no bond as strong as the one that exists between those who have fought for their country.

Kings County has recently established a Veterans Treatment Court and is currently soliciting for veteran mentors. If you are interested or know a veteran who may be interested in being a mentor, please contact the local veteran mentor coordinator, Scott Holwell, by calling 852-2661 or emailing scott.holwell@co.kings.ca.us.

The Kings County Veterans Service Office issues Veteran ID cards to honorably discharged veterans. Contact Joe Wright if you would like to receive periodic veteran’s information by email.

There are many state and federal benefits and programs available to veterans and their dependents. To find out if you are eligible for any of these benefits, visit or call our office.

We can and will assist you in completing all required application forms.

You can get information on the Web from the Kings County Veterans Service Office webpage at www.countyofkings. com.

Joe Wright, retired Navy Master Chief Petty Officer, is the Veterans Service Officer for Kings County. Send your questions to the Veterans Service Office, 1400 W. Lacey Blvd., Hanford, CA 93230; call 8522669; or e-mail joe.wright@co.kings.ca.us.

Print replica edition at issuu.com/ourvalleyvoice

16 • Valley Voice

18 September, 2014

First Tulare County Alzheimer’s Association Walk Attracts Affected Families and mother-in-law to Alzheimer’s-related issues. She felt there was little local For many of the volunteers of the awareness or education offered, which is first Tulare County Alzheimer’s Associa- one of her main reasons for chairing the tion Walk scheduled for Saturday, Octo- event, she said. ber 4, it is personal.

“During It is for Diane Usher. Ush- TC Alzheimer’s the time (of her er is in her mid-fifties. Her sis- Foundation Walk mother’s illness), ter has had Alzheimer’s since The first Tulare Coun- I felt I didn’t her late forties. It was the same ty Alzheimer’s Foundation know enough,” for her mother. And, she has Walk will take place Saturday, Sanchez said. also lost her maternal grand- October 4, in Mooney Grove Sanchez mother, aunt and granduncle Park. Registration begins at and her famito complications of the dis- 9am, with the opening cere- ly walked last ease. mony at 10am and the walk year in a Fresno Usher is the team leader of itself beginning at 10:30am. Alzheimer’s AsThe Meyer Bunch, who will all The route is 3.1 miles sociation Walk. be participating in the walk. around the park. Drinking She attended the Dealing with so much of her water will be provided for first planning family having had the disease, attendees. There will be a su- meeting for the as well as her own possibility pervised children’s area with Tulare County of succumbing to it, has often bounce house. Live enter- walk and ended left her depressed. tainment will also be onsite. up chair.

“I have so little family “I wanted There is no fee to attend left,” she says. to raise awareand walk, however walkers She is grateful for the sup- who earn more than $100 ness,” she said, port of her husband and their in donations will receive an “No one talked two sons, now in their thirties. event T-shirt. More partici- about it when Maybe she is just the pants are needed including my Mom had it.” lucky one, who will not ever walkers, teams and sponsors.

“We need come down with it, she said. people to get inFor more informaOr maybe it is her active life- tion, call Jean Dickson volved and raise style in which she gets a lot of at 323-930-6265 or Car- funds to find a physical exercise as well as pur- ole Sanchez at 280-2612. cure,” she said. posely getting mental exercise The upcomas well. But, she hopes that the ing walk is not disease has come to the end of its line the only local one aimed at Alzheimer’s with her family. and dementia. The Alzheimer’s AwareLikewise, Carole Sanchez, chair- ness Walk/Run was held in June this person of the walk, has lost her mother year.

Nancy Vigran

“There are over 65,000 families dealing with Alzheimer’s and dementia in the Central Valley,” said Kimberly Jensen, organizer of the Foundation Walk.

And those are only the families we know about, she said.

The purpose of the earlier walk was to raise funds to benefit the Alzhei- Carole Sanchez, far right and her husband, Jerry Sanchez, far left, led a team of walkers at the Alzheimer’s Association Walk in mer’s Foundation Fresno last year in honor of her mother, Mama Hawk. This year, of Central Califor- she is chairperson for the first Tulare County Alzheimer’s Associnia, the University ation Walk. of California, San much-needed funding for the organizaFrancisco Alzheimer and Memory Cen- tion, the Alzheimer’s Association Walk is ter in Fresno and Porterville Adult Day equally important for providing awareServices (PADS). ness and to working on a cure.

This year, the walk has the goal “There needs to be more education of raising more than last year when on how the caregiver can get help and $19,000 was raised. Next year, the walk get back to work while caring for their is planned for a little earlier in the year kids,” Taylor said. for cooler weather, Jensen said.

“Alzheimer’s is the big thing comCheri Taylor, executive director of ing and people living here have no idea PADS, is very happy with all of the at- what’s about to hit,” she said. tention being brought to dementia-relatWhile there isn’t any indication that ed health issues.

Alzheimer’s is on the rise, it is true that “I am very excited,” she said. people are living longer and the chance All of this is raising awareness, as for more individuals to show signs of the well as providing attention to PADS, a disease is increasing as is awareness of non-profit organization that provides this and other types of dementia. day care for mentally-disabled adults, as well as support for their caregivers.

While the Awareness Walk also provided

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Oktoberfest 2014 Offers Live Entertainment, Great Food in New Location Staff Reports Labor Day has come and gone and with it the summer season is almost over.

It is time to start thinking about the fall – perhaps by celebrating at Oktoberfest Live, hosted by the Visalia Chamber of Commerce, from 5:30 to 9:30pm on Thursday, October 2, at its new location, Vossler Farms Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze, 26773 S. Mooney Blvd., Visalia.

“New this year, we are bringing farming and agriculture to Oktoberfest,” said Todd Mackey, Oktoberfest Committee chairman. “Having Oktoberfest located at the farm is a great celebration of fall and the harvest.”

Last year, 12 local restaurants and breweries provided food and beer tastings to more than 800 attendees.

This year, participating restaurants and breweries include Ryan’s Place, A&W Drive In, Dickey’s Barbeque Pit, Holiday Inn Hotel, Panda Express, Sequoia Beverage and Brewbakers.

Live music is always a big part of the Oktoberfest. This year, three bands will be performing throughout the night.

Das Polka Dots is a combination of session musicians who have come together to perform traditional Ger-

named an “emerging artist” at Nashville’s CMA Festival in summer 2013 and performed on the television series “America’s Got Talent.”

This year, Oktoberfest will be hosted by actor John David Gregory, who has a reoccurring role on “Days of Our Lives,” and a supporting role in the movie “The Prey,” coming out this fall.

General admission tickets are $35 (advance purchase) or $40 the day of the event. Ticket Oktoberfest is moving from Recreation Park to Vossler Farms, Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze this year. admission includes man music tailored for this specific Event headliner, Leaving Austin, is event. 5Live consists of five talented the new generation of country music. live entertainment, and a mug for beer Valley musicians who collectively per- Born and raised in the Central Valley, and wine tasting. For tickets or more form an eclectic mix of pop music from where they grew up on country, pop and information, call the chamber at 734the ‘80s to present-day favorites, such rock n’ roll, they decided it was time to 5876 or visit www.visaliachamber.org. as Toto, Peter Gabriel, Coldplay, Michael Buble, John Mayer and more.

get back to their roots and sing country their way, “Cali Style.” The band was

Earth Harp Comes to L.J. Williams Theatre on September 27th of the Visalia Unified School District.

Walker thought of asking Close to From Rome to Hong Kong, India perform after seeing him earn a way into to New York, and now to Visalia, the the finals on “America’s Got Talent.”

Earth Harp, “I saw the largest him on the stringed inshow and strument, was very along with impressed its invenwith him, tor, musias a musician Wilcian myliam Close, self,” Walkwill be at er said, the L.J. adding Williams that VEF Theatre on The Earth Harp is the largest stringed instrument. has used S a t u r d a y, concerts September 27, for two benefit perfor- as fundraisers before. “We have had a mances. lot of success with concerts in the past Close agreed to the exclusive Visa- and were looking for the right fit.” lia performances when he learned ticket Close studied sculpture and desales were to aid the Visalia Education sign at the Art Institute of Chicago Foundation, said Phil Walker, VEF and has invented numerous unique board member. The VEF is a main instruments. He has long been insource of funding for musical instru- spired by the quote of Frank Lloyd ments, outside of regular budgeting and scholarships, for graduating students EARTH HARP continued on 23 »

Nancy Vigran

Farmersville Fall Festival Set for October 4th This year’s Farmersville Fall Festival, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Farmersville, will be held Saturday, October 4, on Farmersville Boulevard, and will include music, vendors, community booths, activities for children and a sidewalk sale at the Farmersville Hock Shop.

In addition, there will be a car show co-sponsored by the Farmersville Youth Baseball League and the New Friends Car Club. Family HealthCare Network

will offer free medical and dental screening that day at its second annual free Health and Safety Fair at its clinic in downtown Farmersville.

The festivities will begin with the Farmersville Youth Sports Programs hosting a pancake breakfast starting at 7:30am. Festival activities will begin at 9am and conclude at 2pm. For more information, call 730-8800.

The Visalia Waiters Race is a quarter mile in length. Photo by: Ron Holman

A Rite of Passage in Visalia – The Waiters Race Joins the 21 Club Turning 21, in its broadest sense, is a cultural rite of passage. Remembering this special day brings up laughter, a gathering of family and friends, or the public display of enjoying an “adult beverage” – or maybe all three.

The Visalia Waiters Race, a fun and whimsical sporting event, has brought our community together for the past 21 years. Everyone is invited to share in the landmark celebration of this annual event joining the “21 Club” on September 25 in Downtown Visalia.

Introduced to Visalia by John Vartanian, owner of The Vintage Press Restaurant, it is not known what the Waiters Race’s exact roots are, but its origins are from the culture of France. Inspired by this famous foot race in Paris, and following participation in a waiters race held at the then-popular West Hollywood restaurant Ma Maison, Vartanian brought the concept to the City of Visalia to honor our own local professionals who work in the food service and hospi-

Cathy Shuklian tality industry, including fine and casual dining servers.

Reflecting upon previous races throughout the last 21 years and how they shaped this annual event, Vartanian said the support of the community has been “tremendous,” making it a tradition that everyone looks forward to each year.

All of this leads us to Visalia’s race, which is scheduled on Thursday, September 25, with the parade of racers beginning promptly at 5:15pm. The designated course, a quarter mile in length, is located in Downtown Visalia on Main Street. It will begin at the corner of Garden and Main Streets, with contestants running 220 yards to Main and Court Street, taking a U-turn and racing the 220 yards back to the finish line. The race is comprised of male and female divisions in full-service and quick-service

WAITERS RACE continued on 23 »

18 • Valley Voice

18 September, 2014

Suicide Prevention Task Force to Celebrate Life and the Arts This year’s main area features Cal Fire Tulare Unit, Central California Blood Concerts, live art, innovative chalk Center Mobile Unit, Tulare Fire Departart murals and enment, Tulare Police tertainment for Department, Tulare children will highCounty Sheriff’s light the fifth anDepartment, CHP, nual Festival of pet adoptions by Hope, presented Tulare County Anby the Tulare & imal Shelter, and Kings Counties specialty workSuicide Prevention shops, including the Task Force and its Trevor Project. The partners, including children’s area inthe Tulare County cludes Science-dipHealth & Human ity, Bubbles the Services Agency Clown, The Golden and Kings County Grass Band, Randel Behavioral Health.

McGee & Groark The event The Festival of Hope will feature chalk the Dragon, Muwill be held Sat- muralists. sic with a Kiddie urday, September Beat!, The Great 27, from 10am to 6pm at Tulare Out- Jonathan, All Aboard Train, Tulare Sulet Center, 1407 Retherford St., Tulare. per Target, Tulare & Kings Dental SociMezcal, Los Chubascos del Norte, ety, Red Nails & Lipstick nail painting, Ruffage, Motel Drive, Ballet Folklor- and face painting by CVRS. The Trevico and Momentum Dance Academy or Project-Lifeguard Workshops will be will be the main stage performers. Live held in an air-conditioned storefront. art and professional muralists will inFor more information, visit www.sptf. clude Lorelle Miller, Lysa Ashley, Josh- org or www.facebook.com/HOPE.SPTF ua Wittman and Gena Panzarella.

Staff Reports

The 13th Annual Visalia Home Expo will be held at the Visalia Convention Center September 20-21. The 250+ exhibits include do-it-yourself crafting, painting and sewing workshops, home electronics booths, unique outdoor furniture displays, real estate information, wine booths, the annual cook-off for kids, a California Solar photo booth and prize giveaways. Hours are 10am-6pm on Saturday and 10am-5pm on Sunday. Tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for seniors (62+). Children under 12 are admitted free. For more information, visit www.visaliahomeshows.com.

Comedian Michael Jr. to Perform at Visalia First Assembly Church His humorous jokes and hilarious observations have landed him on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” Comedy Central, “The Jimmy Kimmel Show,” “The Late, Late Show,” BET’s “Comic View,” Comedy TV and numerous other television shows, and he’s become a favorite on Sirius XM’s “Laugh USA.” Now award-winning stand-up comedian Michael Jr. will perform his distinct, clean comedy at 6pm on Oc- Michael Jr. tober 5 on stage at Visalia First Assembly Church, 3737 S. Akers St., Visalia.

Comedian George Wallace offered Michael Jr. his first break when he took him to the legendary Comedy & Mag-

ic Club in Hermosa Beach, home of Jay Leno and The Tonight Show staff.

The club’s owner slipped Michael Jr. onstage and a week later Michael was performing at the Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal, where he became the first comedian to ever appear live via satellite on “The Tonight Show.”

Advance tickets are $18 and $20 on the day of the show.

For more information, call 7339070 or visit www.v1ag.com or www.

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Tie Sing and the Mather Mountain Party. Photo courtesy: National Park Service archives

Sequoia National Park Presents ‘Tie Sing, Chef of the Mountains’ “Tie Sing, Chef of the Mountains,” a historical play based on the life and culinary exploits of Chinese American master chef Tie Sing, will be performed at 2pm on both September 26 and September 27 at the Beetle Rock Nature Center, across from the Giant Forest Museum in Sequoia National Park.

Written and performed by Interpretive Park Ranger Jordan Yee, this one-hour play tells the story of Tie Sing, who ran a field kitchen for the chief geographer of the United States Geological Survey, Robert Marshall, for over 28 years, as well as Sing’s culinary exploits while with the Mather Mountain Party.

In 1915, a critical year in the his-

tory of the National Park Service, Tie Sing was hand-picked by Chief Marshall, along with his kitchen assistant, Eugene, to cook for Stephen Mather and his mountain expedition of 18 powerful men in the private sector and government.

As a result, Mather, the first director of the park service, achieved his goal of winning the hearts and minds of these men in order to support the development of national parks, especially Sequoia National Park, and a new park bureau. As a result of the meals, these men hailed Sing as a “gourmet chef of the Sierra” and as “philosopher of the Sierras.”

Clark Center Offers ‘The Way of Tea’ Demonstrations The Clark Center in Hanford will present demonstrations of Bonryaku Temae, a simple way of preparing Japanese green tea on a tray.

Dr. Tomoko Kozasa, tea master of the Urasenke School and Japanese minor coordinator at CSU Fresno, will explain a simplified method of aesthetic practice and demonstrate how to enjoy matcha (powdered green tea) as a calm perspective in your daily life.

Demonstrations will be at 2pm and 3pm on the first Saturday of each month through December at the studio in the center’s Bonsai Garden.

The demonstrations are free with paid admission to the museum ($5), and are limited to 10 persons/session. No reservation necessary.

This event is supported by The Bertha and John Garabedian Charitable Foundation.

18 September, 2014

Valley Voice • 19

Sound N Vision Announces Three Cellar Door Shows fun. Many of the band’s musicians have played in various Visalia music projects, On Friday, September 26, Wake- but until this evening, the lineup will blooms, Børns remain a surprise. and Gallant will Los Angeles’ highlight The Tasrising stars Børns temaker Magazine play the middle Launch Party, a free slot. The band is all-ages event to as catchy as they celebrate the birth come, helping to of a new magazine define the direchitting the Valtion of present-day ley. This new free music. They’ll be full-color, print- Cymbals Eat Guitars huge in the near ed-in-Visalia magfuture. The inazine will run 10,000 copies monthly. dustry giants are behind them and The Tastemakthey’ll be making their push soon. er magazine was Also from Los Angeles is started by a colevent opener, Gallant. If you lective of artists, liked the Weekend’s brand of musicians, business sorrowful soul, you’ll love this owners and other L.A. counterpart’s deathly R&B. creatives to showThe show begins at 9pm. case the vibrant side Cymbals Eat Guitars will take the of innovative leistage at The Cellar Door for a 9:30pm sure in our corner show on Thursday, October 2. of the world. Cop- Børns After landing Pitchfork Media’s ies of the mag will “Best New Music” award, the rebe handed out at this event. spected music critic publication stated Brand new Visalia band Wake- the following about the new Cymbals blooms will be making their much-an- Eat Guitars album, “This Staten Island ticipated debut concert to add to the quartet breathes life into indie rock with Aaron Gomes

Motorsports Show, Craft Boutique and Car Parts Swap Meet Planned Calvary Chapel Visalia will host its 6th Annual Motorsports Show, Craft Boutique and Car Parts Swap meet on Saturday, September 27, from 9am to 2pm. The event, which is free to the public, offers a variety of activities for all ages. Last year’s show had 170 cars, trucks, motorcycles and specialty vehicles on display, ranging from beautiful customs to spotless originals and included several restored “big rigs.”

The show will also feature a Craft Show with wide variety of items for sale, a kid’s area with a bounce house, organized children’s activities and lots of food, including coffee and breakfast items, a deep pit lunch, baked goods and the A&W Root Beer Truck serving ice cream floats. There will be music throughout the day and a wide selection of raffle items to bid on, including a beautiful, fully refurbished antique gas pump. Along with those areas, this will be the third year that car parts swappers can set up booths and display their items for sale.

This year’s show will also feature a special dedication in memory of Rick Mosley of Exeter. Mosley, who passed away late last year, had participated in the show. His family will attend this year’s show and four of his cars will be on display.

This annual event supports the Calvary Kid’s Bible Clubs, which are afterschool Bible programs in elementary schools around Visalia. Currently, there are 11 Bible Clubs in operation in eight schools. Each week, volunteers meet after school with kids who have signed up for the program for an hour or so of games, music, crafts and a Bible message. This show provides all of the funds needed for these clubs, and helps to support the Reaching Youth Karate Program in Visalia.

Each car registration ($25) includes a t-shirt, free lunch and merchant award

(first 150 cars registered). Craft and car parts vendors may rent a space for $20 – no percentage of sales required. The event is free to the public. For additional information, call the church office at 687-0220.

songs as personal as they are ambitious on their upcoming third album, LOSE. They talk about urban legends, wasted youth and why New Jersey is such a mystical, magical place.” Dan Boeckner NPR Radio has also been championing the band’s new album, featuring them on their “First Listen” outlet and stating, “The group’s philosophy seems to be that rock music is a negotiable solid, one that should be assembled with great energy and not-inconsiderable exertion.”

Cymbals Eat Guitars road buddies, Slothrust, kick off the night. This female-fronted power trio brings the heat.

On Sunday, October 5, Operators will headline an all-ages 7pm show at The Cellar Door.

Few indie-rock mainstays have so flawlessly moved from band to band as successfully as Montreal’s Dan Boeckner.

His been a chief songwriter and singer in Wolf Parade, Handsome Furs, Divine Fits and his newest project, Operators, all of which have exponentially grown a fanbase for everything Boeckner touch-

es. From festival to festival, sold out show to sold-out show, Boeckner’s bands have always been known to bring an energy and showmanship that leaves crowds wanting more.

Operators have just completed two of the big indie tours: playing alongside Future Islands and Spoon. The new band has honed their craft while supporting the first Operators release, EP-1. There is not a wasted moment on this release; every song boasting dynamic structures that escalate as the minutes unfold into waves of dancy-synth, stuttering drums, searing guitar hooks and Boeckner’s unmistakable tough-guy vocals.

The electronic/R&B sounds of Milo Bloom kick off the evening.

The Cellar Door is located at 101 W. Main St. in Visalia. For tickets for the October 2nd or 5th shows ($10), visit Ticketweb.com.

Aaron Gomes is the founder and owner/operator of Sound N Vision Foundation, a nonprofit organization that brings indie bands to the area and sponsors local art events.

Lance Canales and the Flood (at left) will perform at the free annual Three Rivers Concert on the Grass, 1:30-5:00pm on Saturday, September 27. Also featured will be The Kaweah Brass, Trinitas Piano Trio, Lindsay High School Guitar Honor Group, and cellist Kathrynne Wills. The event will be held at 44879 Dinely Dr. in Three Rivers. The concert begins at 2:30pm. For more information, call 561-0610 or visit www.ThreeRiversPerformingArts.org.

MUSIC

Sept. 18 – Ed Bell – 6pm Ed Bell, bluegrass guitarist and balladeer, will perform in the City Council Chambers at the Tulare Public Library, 491 North M Street.

Audience participation in Ed Bell’s Old Time Sing-Along is encouraged.

Sept. 19 – Karaoke – 6:30-8:30pm Every Third Friday each month, Karaoke is featured at 210 Cafe. For information, call 739-9009.

Sept. 19 – Sea Knight – 9:30pm Sound N Vision Foundation presents Sea Knight, Rose Pilgrims and Richfield at The Cellar Door, 101 W. Main St. Tickets for the 21+ concert are $7. For information, visit snvfoundation.org.

Sept. 20 – 14th Annual Blues & Roots Festival – 5:30-10pm Main Street Hanford and Adventist Health present Blues & Roots Festival at Hanford Civic Park. Lara Price Blues Review with the Sweet Nectars and Central Valley Blues All Stars Deja Blues with Trey Tosh, Richie Blue and Phil Warmer will perform. Admission is free.

tion.org. and through Ticketfly.com.

Sept. 27 – Haunted Summer with special guests – 8-10pm Haunted Summer with special guests will perform at the Cellar Door, 101 W. Main Street, Visalia. Tickets, $7, available at Ticketweb. com.

Oct. 2 – Cymbals Eat Guitars – 9:30pm Sound N Vision Foundation will present Cymbals Eat Guitars with special guests at The Cellar Door, 101 W. Main St., Visalia. Tickets for this 21+ concert are $10. For tickets and information, visit snvfoundation.org.

Oct. 4 – Silent Western Movie Night at Mavericks – 7pm Pianist Dave Bourne will be featured. Tickets are $10. Seating is limited. For information, visit maverickscoffeehouse.com.

Oct. 4 – Twin Shadow – 9:30pm Twin Shadow with special guests will perform as part of the Sound N Vision Foundation concerts at The Cellar Door, 101 W. Main St., Visalia. Tickets for this 21+ concert are $15.

For tickets and information, visit snvfoundation.org.

Sept. 20 – 5 Live – 8-10pm Sound N Vision Foundation presents 5 Live at The Cellar Door, 101 W. Main St. Tickets for the 21+ concert are $5. For information, visit snvfoundation.org.

Oct. 5 – Operators – 7pm Sound N Vision Foundation presents Operators, featuring Dan of Divine Fits, Handsome Furs and Wolf Parade, and Milo Bloom at The Cellar Door, 101 W. Main St. The show is open to all ages. Tickets are $10. For information, visit snvfoundation.org.

Sept. 20 – Lucy Hale Concert – 5:30-10pm Lucy Hale, from Pretty Little Liars, will perform at the Visalia Adventure Park. Tickets are limited. For information: visit adventurepark. com.

Oct. 8 – Dawes & Henry Wolfe – 9pm Sound N Vision Foundation presents Dawes and Henry Wolfe at The Cellar Door, 101 W. Main St. Tickets for the 21+ show are $20. For information, visit snvfoundation.org.

Sept. 26 – The Tastemaker Magazine Launch Party – 9pm Wakeblooms, Børns and Galant will perform a free 21+ concert to celebrate the launch of The Tastemaker Magazine at The Cellar Door in Visalia. For information, visit snvfoundation. org.

Oct. 10 – Lip Sync Contest – 6pm As part of Exeter’s Fall Festival festivities a lip sync contest will be held at Exeter City Park.

For information, visit exeterchamber.com.

Sept. 26 – Tipperary Stew – 6:30-8:30pm Tipperary Stew performs Irish and Americana music and dance every fourth Friday at 210 Cafe, 210 W. Center, Visalia. For information, call 739-9010.

Sept. 27 – Concert on the Grass – 1:30-5pm Three Rivers Performing Arts Institute will hold its annual Concert on the Grass at 44879 Dinely Drive. The lineup includes Lindsay Guitars, Lance Canales, Trinitas Piano Trio of Visalia, and more. Bring a blanket and picnic at 1:30 for Casual Hour with live music.

Admission is free. Donations accepted. For information, visit threeriversperformingarts.org.

Sept. 27 – William Close and the Earth Harp Collective – 2 & 7 pm William Close and the Earth Harp Collective will perform at the L.J. Williams Theater in Visalia. Tickets are $25 and $35 at the evening show and $25 and $20 for the matinee, with student and senior discounts available. Tickets may be purchased online at the Visalia Education Foundation’s web site, visaliaedfounda-

Oct. 10-12 – Cowboy Poetry & Music – 7pm Cowboy Poetry & Music will be featured at Clarence Ritchie’s Barn, 16338 Ave. 308, Visalia. Entertainers include Riders in the Sky, Chris Isaacs, Kristy Harris. Shows include dinner, peach cobbler and entertainment. For information, visit visaliacowboys.com/roundup.htm.

Oct. 10 – TUMBAO Band – 9:30pm Sound N Vision Foundation presents TUMBAO Band at The Cellar Door, 101 W. Main St. Tickets for the 21+ show are $7. For information, visit snvfoundation.org.

Oct. 11 – Visalia Concerts in the Park – 5-7pm Borrowed Time will perform at Burke Park as part of Visalia’s Concert in the Park Series.

The events are free. For information, call 7134365.

Oct. 11 – Randy Sharp – 7:30pm Country Music performer Randy Sharp will perform at the Lindsay Community Theater, 190 N Elmwood. Tickets, $20, are available at lindsaycommunitytheater.com.

Oct. 14 – Richard Smith – 6-9pm World-renowned finger style guitarist Richard Smith will perform at 210 Cafe, 210 W. Center, Visalia. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 at the door. For information, call 739-9010.

Oct. 15 – KJUG Free Summer Concert Series – 6pm A Beer Garden and free Summer Concert Season begins with Cole Swindell performing in Hanford Civic Park. People are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs as no seating is provided. For information, call 582-0483.

Oct. 17 – Experience Hendrix 2014 Tour – 7:30pm The music and legacy of Jimi Hendrix will be celebrated at Tachi Palace. Tickets, $25-$75, are available at tachipalace.com.

Oct. 17 – Britain’s Finest – 9pm Billed as “The Most Realistic Beatles Tribute Band in Existence!” Britain’s Finest will perform at The Cellar Door, 101 W. Main St. Tickets for the 21+ show are $10. For information, visit snvfoundation.org.

Oct. 18 – Tastemakers Festival – 1-6pm Culture 5 and Sound N Vision present the Tastemakers Festival featuring Nick Waterhouse at the Visalia Recreation Ballpark. Also performing will be Strange Vine, Mezcal and Taco Wagon. Tickets, $25, available at ticketweb.com.

Oct. 18 – Adrian – 7pm Adrian “Buckaroogirl” Brannan will perform at Mavericks Coffee House, 238 E. Caldwell Ave., Visalia. Tickets are $25. Seating is limited. For information, visit maverickscoffeehouse.com.

Oct. 18 – Philharmonic Dances - 7:30pm Tulare County Symphony will open the season with the splashy and energetic rhythms of the “Symphonic Dances” from Bernstein’s classic “West Side Story” in a pairing with Rachmaninoff’s own “Symphonic Dances,” his autobiographical tour de force. For information, visit foxvisalia.org.

Oct. 19 – Chordsmen Quartet – 6pm An evening of Southern Gospel music featuring the Chordsmen Quartet will be featured at First Baptist Church of Dinuba, 600 E. Nebraska Ave. The program is free. An offering will be taken for the ministry of the Chordsmen.

Oct. 19 – 2nd Annual Menudo Festival 7:30pm The legendary Latin band Malo will headline this event at the Visalia Convention Center. Malo is recognized for their Latin flavor and influence in music through the last four decades. For more information on tickets or vendor information, visit www.nuestrotiempo. net or contact event chair Raymond Macareno at raymond@nuestrotiempo.net Nov. 8 – Visalia Concerts in the Park – 3-5pm Five Live will perform at Lions Park as part of Visalia’s Concert in the Park Series. The events are free. For information, call 713-4365.

EVENTS

Sept. 18 & 25 – Hanford Thursday Night Market Place – 5:30-9pm Held every Thursday night through September in downtown Hanford. For information, visit mainstreethanford.com.

Sept. 19 – Wage and Hour Traps for the Unwary Seminar – 9-11am Visalia Chamber of Commerce SPO (Single Point Outsourcing) Achievement Academy will host this seminar in the Mangano Room, 220 N. Santa Fe. Cost is $20 for chamber members and $40 for non-members. Fee is required in advance. For information, call 625-4060.

Sept. 19-20, 26-27 – Exeter Museum and Courthouse Gallery – 10am-4pm Exeter Museum and Courthouse Gallery is open Saturdays and Sundays for tours at 125 South B Street. For information, visit exeterhistoricalmuseum.com.

Sept. 19 – Kings County Special Olympics Chili Cook-Off Entry Deadline The deadline to submit registration forms for chili cook-off teams, vendors and car show entries for the Special Olympics is Sept. 19.

For information, call 696-1941.

Sept. 19, 26 – Lemoore Friday Night Market – 5-9pm Every Friday night, Downtown Lemoore Merchants Association hosts live music, beer garden, produce and vendors on D Street. For information, call 816-2554.

Sept. 19 & 26 – Friday Night Market and Street Faire – 5:30-10pm Every Friday March through November, the farmers market is held in Street Brier Plaza in Lindsay. For information, visit thelindsaychamber.com.

Sept. 19 – Scarecrow Registration Deadline - 5pm Businesses and organizations in Exeter will compete for the most artistic, creative and lively scarecrows throughout the month of October. To enter, register with the Exeter Chamber of Commerce. For information, call 592-2919.

Sept. 19, 26 – Downtown Dinuba Farmers Market – 5-9pm Local fresh fruits and vegetables, food vendors, music, games, prizes and bounce houses are featured in Downtown Dinuba every Sunday.

For information, call 591-5940.

Sept. 19 – Intervention: The U.S. Military Attempts to Shape Mexico’s Revolution, 1914 and 1916 – 7-8pm Porterville College History Professor Jay Hargis will be the featured speaker of a Cultural Historical Awareness Program (C.H.A.P.) special talk. The event is free. Parking permits will not be required. For information, visit www.portervillecollege.edu.

Sept. 20 – 5K for Care – 7:30am The Care Pregnancy Resource Center (CPRC) will hold its first 5k for Care event at Cutler Park. The Kids Run, $10, begins at 7:30am

Sept. 25 – Educators of the Year Awards – 6pm Tulare County Office of Education will present its awards at Central California Chinese Cultural Center, 500 S. Akers, Visalia. For information, call 733-6302.

Sept. 25 – Common Core Standards – 6:30pm Craig Wheaton, Visalia Unified School District superintendent, will talk about Common Core in the Tulare County Library’s Blue Room, 200 W. Oak Ave., Visalia.

and the 5K, $30, run begins at 8. To register, visit the center at 1710 W. Walnut in Visalia or www.carepregnancycenter.com.

Sept. 20, 27 – Springville Farmers Market – 8am-12pm The Springville Farmers Market is held year round every Saturday, weather permitting, in downtown Springville. For information, call 539-1020.

Sept. 20, 27 – Visalia Farmers Market – 8-11:30pm Open every Saturday year around, the market, corner of S. Mooney and W. Caldwell, offers fresh local produce, cooking demonstrations and entertainment. For information, visit visaliafarmersmarket.com.

Sept. 20-21 – Visalia Home Expo – 10am5pm The Visalia Home Expo will be held at the Visalia Convention Center. Hours are Saturday from 10am to 6 pm and Sunday from 10am to 5 pm. Tickets: $5, general admission and $3, seniors. Children under 12 are free.

For information, visit VisailaHomeShows. com.

Sept. 20 – Bounty of the County – 5-8pm The Tulare County Farm Bureau presents an evening of food, drinks and specialty products from local businesses at the Historic Seven Sycamores Ranch, 32985 Road 164, Ivanhoe.

Tickets, $45. For information, call 732-8301.

Sept. 20 – Reaching Higher Dinner and Silent Auction – 5:30pm Mama Durant, mother of the 2013-14 NBA MVP Kevin Durant, will appear at the Reaching Higher Dinner and Silent Auction fundraiser at Tulare First Baptist Church. Tickets for the event are $20 per person or $150 per table. To reserve tickets or for information, visit facebook.com/ReachingHigherTC. Sept. 20 – Evening Under the Stars – 7:3011pm Live entertainment, hors d’oeuvres and specialty dishes from local chefs and organizations in downtown Lemoore between Heinlen and Fox streets. Proceeds benefit Lemoore Youth Recreation Scholarship Fund. Tickets, $50 or $350 for a table of 8, are available from the Lemoore Parks and Recreation: 924-6767.

Sept. 21 – Annual Autumn BBQ Fundraiser – 4:30-7:30pm The Tulare County Historical Society presents dinner and entertainment at Mooney Grove Park, 27000 S. Mooney, Visalia. Proceeds will benefit the Main Street exhibit currently undergoing construction. Tickets, $45, are available in advance only. For information, call Lari Ommen 732-5829 or Jill Brown 6264988.

Sept. 21 –Last Comic Standing – 7:30pm The finalists from the TV series Last Comic Standing will perform at the Tachi Palace.

Tickets, $35, $0, $75, are available at tachipalace.com.

Sept. 22 – Earn While Learning Through Apprenticeships – 4-5pm The Porterville College Job, Entrepreneur, and Career (J.E.C.) Center will hold a workshop

in the Porterville College Forum, Room SM102. The workshop is free. To RSVP for a workshop call Job Development Specialist Martha Lozano at 791-2216.

Sept. 23 – Business After Hours – 5:307:30pm Visalia Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours networking event will be hosted by Idea! Printing and Graphics, 1921 E. Main St. Sept. 23 – State of the City with Visalia Vice Mayor – 6pm Visalia Vice Mayor E. Warren Gubler will discuss the State of the City at the Visalia Convention Center.

Sept. 24 – Cotton Harvest Safety Training – 7:30am-12pm A free lunch and half-day training workshop on harvesting safety will be held at the Kings County Fairgrounds in Hanford. For registration and information, call 582-3211, ext.

2730.

Sept 24 – 23rd Annual Tulare County Job Fair – 9am-12:30pm Tulare County Employment Connection will host more than 1,500 job seekers at the Visalia Convention Center. Priority service will be observed for veterans at 9 am. The public will be allowed to enter at 9:30am. For information, call Jarrod McClintick at 713-5190.

Sept. 25 – Tulare County Health and Wellness Fair – 8am-4pm Tulare County Human Resources and Development will present the 2014 Health Fair at the Visalia Convention Center. Free massages, blood donation, Xbox Bowling, flue shots, weight loss fit challenge and more. Classes will also be offered. Registration for classes is required. For information, visit tularecounty. ca.gov/hrd.

Sept. 25 – Ribbon-Cutting Smokin’ Barrel Firearms – 11am-12pm Visalia Chamber of Commerce will hold a ribbon-cutting for Smokin’ Barrel Firearms, 3222 N. Demaree, Ste. D. Sept. 25 – Ribbon-Cutting - Family Builders Foster Care, Inc. – 11-11:30am Exeter Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon-cutting for Family Builders Fosters Care Inc. in Visalia.

Sept. 25 – Downtown Visalia Farmers Market – 5-8pm Every Thursday through October, the downtown Visalia Farmers Market features local produce, crafts, and prepared foods, entertainment and cooking demonstrations on Church and Main streets. For information, visit visaliafarmersmarket.com.

Sept. 25 – 21st Annual Waiter’s Race – 5:15pm Visalia’s local food service and hospitality industry professionals will compete in the annual Waiters Race held in downtown Visalia.

The “waiters” race a quarter mile beginning at the corner of Garden and Main streets with contestants running 220 yard to Main and Court streets, then return to the finish line.

Competitors vie for $7,000 in prize money.

ART

Through Sept. 25 – Matt Black’s ‘Rural California’s Year of Dust’ Exhibit – 12-2pm & 4-6pm Photographer Matt Black’s latest collection on the drought titled “Rural California’s Year of Dust,” is showing at the Porterville College Art Gallery. The gallery is open Monday through Thursday.

Sept. 25 – US Military Service Academy Information Night – 6:30-7:30pm Representatives from the U.S. Military Service Academies and the local Congressional office of David G. Valadao will be at Hanford West High. For information, call 582-5526.

Through Sept. 26 – ‘That Extra Dimension 2014’ An Invitational Sculpture and Functional Art Exhibition will be featured at Arts Visalia. The exhibit celebrates the work of artists of the Central California region who are known for their 3D or sculptural creations. For information, visit artsvisalia.org.

Sept. 25 – Visalia City Election Process Community Meeting – 6:30pm Visalia will hold two community meetings for input and participating in developing five voting districts for city council members. The first meeting will be held at Linwood Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room, 3129 S. Linwood St.

Through Oct 2 – ‘Through a Compassionate Lens: Life in Linnell Camp, 1940s-60s’ – 1-5pm Photos and slides taken by Julius “Jim” Stein during his time as housing project manager of Linnell and Woodville Camps will be on exhibit on the second floor of the Visalia Branch Library. For information, call 713-2723.

Sept. 26-Oct. 3 – Travel East The Tulare Chamber of Commerce will host “The Islands of New England.” For information, call the chamber at 686-1547.

Through Oct. 3 – Two Brothers Art Show Casey and Ryan Supple, brothers who are students at College of the Sequoias, will hold an art exhibit at the Brandon-Mitchell Gallery in the Spiritual Awareness Center, 117 S. Locust, Visalia. The gallery is open by appointment.

For information, call 625-2441.

Sept. 26 – 18th Annual Public Safety Appreciation Luncheon – 11:30am-1:30pm The City of Hanford and the Hanford Chamber of Commerce will recognize and honor 14 safety and service organizations at a luncheon held at the Hanford Civic Auditorium. Tickets are $20.

Sept. 26 – Tales from the Tomb 2014 Reservations Deadline The deadline to register for the Tulare County Historical Society trip to Eshom Valley Cemetery is Sept. 26. Tickets are $15, adults; $7.50, ages 11-15; and free to children under 10. For reservations, call 591-3878.

Sept. 27 – 6th Annual Motorsports Show, Craft Boutique and Car Parts Swap Meet – 6am More than 170 cars, trucks, motorcycles, and specialty vehicles will be on display at this free event held at the Calvary Chapel Visalia, 11720 Avenue 264. Along with the craft booths and car show, there will be a kid’s area with a bounce house and organized children’s activities and food. Proceeds will benefit Reaching Youth Karate Program in Visalia.

The event is free. For information, call 6870220.

Sept. 27 – Festival of Hope Professional and volunteer artists will display street chalk murals in the 2014 Tulare & Kings Counties Suicide Prevention Task Force 5th Annual Festival of Hope. Motel Drive, Ruffage and Los Chubascos del Norte will perform. The free event will be held at Tulare Outlet Center, 1407 Retherford St. For information, visit festofhope.com.

Sept. 27 – 10th Annual Museum Day Live Tulare Historical Museum will open its doors free of charge as part of Smithsonian magazine’s 10th annual Museum Day Live! A nationwide event, Museum Day Live! offers free admission to visitors presenting a Museum Day Live! ticket at a participating museum or cultural institution. The Museum Day Live! ticket can be downloaded from Smithsonian. com/museumdaylive. One ticket is permitted per household.

Through Oct. 31 – Images from Near and Far Artists Reception – 6-8pm The art of Linda Hengst and Jeri Burzin will be on exhibit at Main Gallery through October. For information, visit maingalleryvisalia. com.

Through Oct. 31 – Deanna Saldana Artist Exhibit Deanna Saldana will be showcasing her artwork at Michael’s Custom Jewelry, 316 W. Center Street, Visalia. The exhibition will feature original works spanning 15 years including several new works. For information, visit facebook.com/DeannaSaldanaArtProductions.

Sept. 19-21 – Open Air Peddler’s Market The market featuring antiques and collectibles is held at Tumbleweeds Antiques, 159 North B Street, Exeter, and at Exeter Treasures, 558 E. Palm. To reserve space or for information, call 592-1940 or 936-1487.

Sept. 22 – Arts Consortium 5-Year Anniversary Party – 6:15-8pm Arts Consortium will celebrate its 5-year anniversary with the launch of the Taste the Arts Magazine and party at Oval Park. A singer/ songwriter compilation video will be shown and there will be a musical performance by Rosalinda Verde. Light refreshments included.

For reservations, call 802-3266.

Sept. 24 – Crafty Corner: Knit and Crochet Group – 10:30am-12pm Learn and practice fiber arts on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at Visalia Branch Library. For information, call 7132703.

Sept. 27 – Kings Art Center Guild Gala The Kings Art Center will hold its annual gala.

This is a fundraiser supporting children’s and adults’ art classes and scholarships. Included are hors d’oeuvres and hosted bar, catered dinner, music and dancing, a 50-50 raffle and a silent auction. For information, visit kingsartcenter.org.

See more events online ourvalleyvoice.com

22 • Valley Voice

COMMUNITY Through Sept. 19 – Chronic Disease Self-Management Classes – 10am-12pm Every Friday, chronic disease self-management classes are offered for adults with ongoing health conditions like arthritis, heart disease, depression and high blood pressure.

Friends, family members and caregivers are also welcome. The classes will be held at the Visalia Health Care Center, 2611 N. Dinuba Blvd. For information, call 624-8486.

Through September – American Passports The Tulare Public Library is a passport application acceptance facility assisting people in getting their American passport.

The hours of availability are: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm; Fridays from 11am to 1pm and 2 to 6pm; and Saturdays from 11am to 2pm.

Sept. 19 – Overdrive eBook Instruction – 5:30-6:30pm Every other Thursday, Tulare Public Library offers classes on the thousands of eBooks available through its Overdrive App. To register, call 685-4503.

Sept. 19 – St. Brigid Catholic Church De Campos Dinner Dance St. Brigid Catholic Church of Hanford will host a dinner dance to benefit St. Rose McCarthy Catholic School. Hors d’oeuvres, dinner, hosted bar, live and sole auction and dancing will be featured. Tickets are $125.

For tickets and information, call 582-2610.

Sept. 21 – PFLAG Meeting – 3-5pm Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays Tulare & Kings County will discuss mental health at its monthly meeting.

PFLAG provides a safe and confidential space place to talk about sexual orientation and gender identity, and works to build a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity. PFLAG meets on the third Sunday each month at the Educational and Cultural Center, Congregation B’nai David, 1039 S. Chinowth, Visalia. For information, visit www.pflag-tulare-kings.org.

Sept. 24 – Medicare Extra Help – 1-4pm Every Wednesday, Tulare Senior Center offers free counseling for medicare beneficiaries. Help with prescription plans, claims, appeals and general information. This program is sponsored by Kings/Tulare AAA HICAP. Appointments available by calling 623-0199.

Sept. 24 – Couch to 5K – 5:30-7pm Learn about what it takes to become a runner and compete in a 5K run in a matter of weeks. Experienced runner Traci Dykstra will provide a guided training schedule.

Class meets for seven weeks at St. John’s Trail (Ben Maddox Entrance) in Visalia.

Those under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Cost is $40. Register at liveandplayvisalia.com.

Sept. 25 – Dementia Reality Tour – 1-4pm A free workshop will be held at Quail Park Retirement Village. The event features a unique, interactive experience to help family members and caregivers understand the world of confusion and frustration that people with dementia liver everyday.

Reservations are suggested. Call 624-3503.

Quail Park is located at 4520 W. Cypress Ave., Visalia.

Sept. 25 – Last Thursday Book Club – 6pm Tulare Public Library Last Thursday Book Club will discuss “The Rosie Project” in the Charter Room. For information, visit tularepubliclibrary.org.

Sept. 26 – Public Safety Appreciation Luncheon – 11:30am-1:30pm

18 September, 2014 The Hanford Chamber of Commerce will honor and recognize one member each from local public safety organizations. The annual luncheon will be held at the Hanford Civic Auditorium. For info, call 582-0483.

Sept. 26 – Boys & Girls Club of the Sequoias Exeter Open House – 2:305:30pm Boys & Girls Club of the Sequoias Exeter will hold an Open House at 360 E. Pine St. For info, call 592-2711 or 592-4074.

Sept. 26 – Springville Garden Club – 5:30-6:30pm A monthly class on gardening is held at The Center, 35621 Hwy 190, in Downtown Springville on the last Friday of each month. Cost for each class is $12. New and experienced gardeners are welcomed. For information call 202-8351.

Sept. 26 – ZumbaThon – 6-8pm Relay for Life will hold a ZumbaThon benefit at Eagle Mountain Casino Event Center, 681 S. Reservation Rd., Porterville.

All proceeds will be donated to American Cancer Society Relay For Life. For information, visit www.relayforlife.org.

Sept. 26 & Oct. 24 – Salsa Dance featuring Rumba 32 – 9-11pm Local educators and professionals in the Visalia and Fresno area gather at 210 Cafe every fourth Friday of the month (except December) to dance to Latin jazz or salsa music. For information, call 739-9009.

Sept. 27 – Sci/Fi Book Club – 1pm Tulare Public Library Sci/Fi Book Club meets on the last Saturday each month. For information, visit tularepubliclibrary.org.

Sept. 30 – Gang Intervention Task Force – 2-3pm The Gang Intervention Task Force meeting will be held at the Visalia Unified School District Office, 5000 W. Cypress Ave. For information, visit hnconline.org.

Oct. 1 & Nov. 5 – Job Search Classes for Veterans – 10am Tulare County Library in Visalia will offer classes in job searching and resume writing specifically for veterans of the U.S. Armed Services. Veterans can expect to review online job searching techniques, resume writing tips and employment services available to them through other government agencies or outside organizations. Participants will need an email address and a USB flash drive. The hour-long classes are scheduled for the first Wednesday of the month during September, October and November.

For reservations, call Amanda Grombly at 713-2710.

Oct. 1, 15 & 29 – The Knitting Club – 5:30pm The Tulare Public Library knitting club meets every other Wednesday in the Olympic Room.

Oct. 1 – Couponing Book Club – 6pm As part of its series on stretching the food dollar, the Visalia Branch Library Book Club will discuss how-to books on couponing for everyday needs as well as “extreme” couponing. Space is limited. To sign up for the series, call 713-2710 or email agrombly@tularecountylibrary.org.

Oct. 2 – Cancer is Dinner Talk – 5:30pm On the first Thursday of each month, Kaweah Delta Health Care District hosts this support group at Sequoia Regional Cancer Center, 4945 W. Cypress Ave. For information, visit Kaweahdelta.org.

Oct. 2 – Visalia Diabetes Support Group – 5:30-7pm The Kaweah Delta Health Care District support group meets on the first Thursday of each nonth at Kaweah Delta Multiservice Center, 402 W. Acequia. For information,

visit Kaweahdelta.org.

Oct. 2 – Raven Intelligence – 6:30pm David Graber and Kristina Roper will speak at the Three Rivers Library as part of the Three Rivers Raven Festival. For information, visit facebook.com/threerivers.arts.

Oct. 3 – First Friday with a Physician – 12–1:30pm On the First Friday each month, Adventist Medical Center in Hanford hosts a physician seminar series. For info, call 589-2032.

Oct. 4 – Barrier Awareness Day The City of Visalia, Kaweah Delta Hospital and RICV (Resources for Independence Central Valley) will hold a Barrier Awareness Day at Downtown Visalia’s Garden Street Plaza. The event promotes awareness by experiencing the world through the disabled person’s perspective. Admission is Free. Valley resource organizations will be on hand to provide information. For information, call 308-8006.

Oct. 4 – Soberfest 2014 – 3pm Christ Lutheran Church will hold Soberfest featuring tri-tip and spaghetti dinner, 50/50 raffle and speaker Pat B from Fresno at the church. Dinner will be served at 5 with the speaker at 7pm. The church is located at 3830 W. Tulare Ave. Visalia. Cost for the dinner is $12 in advance and $15 at the door. The speaker meeting is free.

Oct. 6, 7 – Uggs, Scrubs and Dubs Kaweah Delta Hospital Guild will offer men’s and women’s scrubs, shoes, uggs and medical accessories for sale to raise funds for Kaweah Delta Health Care. On Oct. 6, the items will be available in the Acequia Wing from 6am to 4pm. On Oct. 7, they will be available from 6:30am to 4pm in the Mineral King Wing of Kaweah Delta Medical Center.

Oct. 6 – Three Rivers Woman’s Club – 1-3pm Every month on the first Monday, the Three River’s Women’s Club meets at the Memorial Building. For information, visit threerivers.com.

Oct. 6 – Stress Management in Spanish – 5-7pm Family HealthCare Network offers a 4-week course on stress management. For information and enrollment, call 1-877-960-3426.

Oct. 7 – Cancer Caregiver Support Group – 1:30-3pm This Kaweah Delta Cancer Caregiver Support group meets at Sequoia Regional Cancer Center, 4945 W. Cypress Ave, on the first Tuesday of every month. For information, call 624-3225.

Oct. 7 – Stress Management – 5-7pm Family HealthCare Network offers a 4-week course on stress management. For information and enrollment, call 1-877-960-3426.

Oct. 7 & 21 – Young Lives Club - 6:30 8pm The Young Lives Club, a support group for teen moms and dads, meets on the first and third Tuesdays each month at Woodlake Presbyterian, 600 W. Narajo. Intergenerational games: cards, board games, dominoes and more are featured. For information, call 584-8460.

Oct. 9 – Valley Oak Quilt Guild – 10am The Valley Oak Guild will meet at Tulare Community Church, 1820 N. Gem in Tulare. Officers for the upcoming year will be nominated. For information, visit valleyoakqg.org.

Oct. 9 – Karl Marlantes on The Experience of War – 10:30am Author Karl Marlantes will be at the Visalia Veterans Memorial Building to discuss his book, “What is it Like to Go to War” and

to answer questions. Marlantes is a Vietnam veteran, a Rhodes Scholar and the author of the New York Times best-selling novel Matterhorn. For information, visit tclwarcomeshome.blogspot.com.

Oct. 10 – Graphic Novel Club – 4-5pm The Graphic Novel Club will meet at the Tulare Public Library in the Olympic Room. The group meets the second Friday of each month. For info, call 685-4500.

Oct. 11 – Walk with a Doc – 8-9am Healthy Visalia Committee holds its “Just Walk” program at Riverway Sports Park, 3611 N. Dinuba Blvd., every second Saturday of the month through December. The free program requires no pre-registration.

During the walk, a healthy topic is presented and snacks are provided. For info, visit

THEATER Sept. 20 – War Comes Home Film Series – 2-4pm The Visalia Branch Library will show “Letters from Iwo Jima” in the Purple Room.

For information, call 713-2707.

Sept. 24 – Tulare Public Library Movie 2pm “Chocolat” will be featured in the Council Chambers at the Tulare Public Library, 491 North M Street.

Sept. 25 – Thirsty for Justice – 5:30pm The premier of the new documentary, “Thirsty for Justice – The Struggle for the Human Right to Water” at Connect 210, 210 W. Center Ave., Visalia. Seats are limited and must be reserved. Call 7330219. The event is free but donations will be accepted.

Sept. 26-Oct. 11 – The Secret Garden The Enchanted Playhouse presents “The Secret Garden,” about a spoiled young orphan who discovers a hidden neglected garden that plants the seeds of her new life. The play will be held on Friday and Saturday at 7pm, and Sunday at 2pm at Main Street Theatre, 307 E. Main, Visalia. For information, visit enchantedplayhouse.org.

Sept. 26-27 – Tie Sing, Chief of the Mountains – 2pm Sequoia National Park will present a historical play based on the life and culinary exploits of Chinese American Master Chef Tie Sing. Performances will be held at the Beetle Rock Nature Center, across from the Giant Forest Museum, Sequoia National Park.

Oct. 3-9 – Trip to Bountiful – 7:30pm Visalia Players Theater Company presents this masterpiece, written by Horton Foote at the Ice House Theater, 410 E Race Ave., Visalia. The play has won numerous awards since 1953 when it first appeared on television, then Broadway and in film. Three matinee showings will be held at 2pm Oct. 5, 12 and 19. Regular showings will be held Oct. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18 at 7:30pm. For tickets and information, visit visaliaplayers. org.

Oct. 3-18 – 37 Postcards Encore Theatre presents “37 Postcards,” about a man who returns home after years of traveling abroad to find nothing is the way he remembers it, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, and Sundays at 2pm. For information, visit tulareencoretheatre.org.

Oct. 16, 17, 18, 19, 24, & 25 – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum – 7:30pm Lindsay Community Theater presents its fall musical. The theater is located at 190 N Elmwood. Tickets, $15 for adults and $10 for students, are available at visit lindsaycommunitytheater.com.

Valley Voice • 23

18 September, 2014

Rawhide Set New Franchise Attendance Record

Matt Black’s “Rural California’s Year of Dust” exhibition runs through September 25th.

Matt Black Photography Exhibition at Porterville College Art Gallery “Rural California’s Year of Dust,” photographer Matt Black’s latest collection on the drought, is on display at the Porterville College Art Gallery until September 25. Black has traveled the length and breadth of the southern Central Valley this year to photograph the impact of the drought on its small communities and farm fields.

“I’ve striven to document the region’s most vulnerable towns and people as they’ve been caught up in this historic drought: farmers without crops to raise, and families living without water at home,” Black said. “As California faces ever-increasing demand for water and ever-decreasing supplies, it has become imperative to not ‘lose all memory of the dry years’ but to build up against such calamities by paying particular attention to those whose lives and livelihoods depend on water, our most precious natural resource.

Earth Harp Continued from p. 17

Wright, “architecture is frozen music.”

To play the strings on the Earth Harp, the performer runs his hands along them wearing cotton gloves and using bows coated in violin resin, creating vibrational wave tones.

Each location requires unique setup and specific tuning. Close invented the instrument in 1999, and has set it up in a variety of indoor such as New York’s Kennedy Center and outdoor locations such as the Space Needle in Seattle and the Coliseum in Rome, with the strings reaching up to 1,000 feet in length.

Close, his instruments and team have traveled around the world and now a well-known cruise line is creating a ship with a concert hall designed to meet the needs of Close and his unusual instrument, according to Walker.

Waiters Race Continued from p. 17

categories.

With $7,000 of prize money up for grabs, there is much excitement when the running starts. Over the past eight years, the Waiters Race committee has given away $56,000. There have been several repeat winners throughout the years, taking home thousands of dollars.

But those are just a lucky few. Each year,

“Over the past nine months, while photographing the Valley’s fallowed fields, dry canals and hard-hit towns, I’ve also sought to have this work fill another need: to build understanding, a sense of community, and belief in common destiny,” he added.

Black is a photographer living in Exeter. His work appears regularly in national and international publications.

His long-term coverage of the Central Valley was recently profiled by National Geographic. This month, an exhibition of his work opens at Anastasia Photo, a gallery of contemporary documentary photography in New York.

The Porterville College Art Gallery is located on campus at 100 E. College Ave. in Porterville. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday from noon to 2pm and 4-6pm.

For more information, visit www. mattblack.com.

This is a very special attraction for the VEF and the local community, Walker said. Proceeds will help provide more student instruments and scholarships.

The hope is not only to raise funds, but also to inspire students to explore their minds and the world, he added.

Last year, city schools were 75 preferred instruments short of what students chose to play, according to Walker.

The goal is to provide students with the instrument that sparks their interest.

“When students have to play an instrument that is not their first choice, they tend to lose interest,” he said.

Tickets for the matinee and evening performances are available at www.visalia edfoundation.org, or by contacting the office at 730-7518 or earthharp@ visaliaedfoundation.org. For more on the Earth Harp, including a video of a performance, visit http://williamandtheearthharp.com.

128 veterans and first-time racers make their way down Main Street in Visalia to make their claim of “Best Server in the Valley.”

“This global event fits wonderfully in our own local community,” said Vartanian. “We all look forward to saluting the professionals of the San Joaquin Valley who work in the food service industry, and of course to a 21st celebration – laugh, love, grow and remain young at heart – forever 21.”

NEXT DEADLINE:

25 SEPTEMBER, 2014

For the fifth time in six years, the Visalia Rawhide baseball team set another all-time season attendance record, finishing the season with 120,003 fans through the turnstiles in their 70 regular season home games. This is an increase of 4,682 fans over the 2013 season.

“The community’s support of baseball in Visalia is phenomenal,” said Rawhide General Manager Jennifer Pendergraft. “Professional baseball is such a rich tradition in this community. At games, it’s like being part of a large family – you see so many people that you know, and that feeling of being part of the team has been stronger than ever this year. It’s really been a fun season, and everyone is looking forward to the playoffs. We don’t want it all to end.”

This is the second year in a row that the Rawhide have made the league play-

Staff Reports offs. Part of that success is due to the play of two Visalia Rawhide players who were included in this year’s California League’s post-season All-Star selections, Enrique Burgos and Alex Glenn.

Burgos, who has gone a perfect 28 for 28 in save opportunities, was the only relief pitcher chosen in the league.

Burgos has struck out 72 batters in just over 51 innings, limiting opposing hitters to a .171 batting average. The big right-hander has hit 100 miles-per-hour on multiple radar guns while dominating late-season situations throughout the year.

Glenn, meanwhile, was one of four outfielders on the list. Glenn has enjoyed a breakout season, clubbing 23 home runs and amassing 87 RBIs.

DMI Agency Launches Crowdfunding Campaign for Visalia Rescue Mission DMI Agency, local marketing agency and publisher of Lifestyle Magazine, Direct Magazine and Raise Magazine, has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to raise funds for the Visalia Rescue Mission.

For this campaign, which runs until October 11, DMI is selling the Lifestyle Recipe Collection for $25, with half of the proceeds going to the Rescue Mission. Since 2003, Lifestyle Magazine has been collecting and publishing culinary creations from the best chefs in the Central Valley.

“DMI Agency is proud to support the Visalia Rescue Mission and help them provide food, shelter and clothing to the homeless, hopeless and brokenhearted,” said Karen Tellalian, president of DMI. “Often something as simple as a hot meal is the first step in changing a person’s life. Through this funding cam-

paign, not only can people help make a difference in our community, but they also get a great, one-of-a-kind recipe book, too.”

On average, the Visalia Rescue Mission serves 500 meals per day – 183,000 meals per year. Often, the meal is a simple bowl of nourishing soup. On top of the meals served, the Visalia Rescue Mission also sleeps an average of 200 men, women and children in their shelters each night. But the mission is not just a soup kitchen or shelter, the organization also provides valuable recovery programs for those struggling with addiction, along with offering counseling and job-placement training for those looking for a fresh start.

To purchase the Lifestyle Recipe Collection, visit http://igg.me/at/lifestyle-recipe-collection.

24 • Valley Voice

18 September, 2014

Kaweah Delta to Host Third Annual Pink Tea Party on October 4th

Last year, 6,400 hats knitted by the local community were donated to cancer patients.

Tucoemas Federal Credit Union to Host Annual Hats for Hope Staff Reports Tucoemas Federal Credit Union will host its seventh annual Hats for Hope, where members of the community come together to knit beanies for the American Cancer Society, at Tucoemas Federal Credit Union, 2300 W. Whitendale Ave. in Visalia, from 8am to 2pm on October 4.

Last year, the event donated over 6,400 knitted hats for cancer patients who were going through treatment and had lost their hair. In addition, all proceeds from the sale of the looms, along with other donations, are given to American Cancer Society.

“Our community has embraced this project and we are very grateful for their participation,” said Linda Reese, Tucoemas CEO. “Tucoemas has been a part of this community since 1948 and we value the opportunity to give back. In total, we have been

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able to donate over 20,000 hats and $15,000 to American Cancer Society.”

The event will host volunteers who will participate and offer training and materials to create handmade one-ofkind hats. Hundreds of volunteers have been donating their time and handmade hats to this cause all year long.

“If you are a beginner, you can successfully make a hat in a couple of hours with the easy to follow instructions and loom that guides the process,” said Cindy Seymour, Tucoemas vice president of lending. “Our volunteers have been coming and helping for the past six years and are experts.”

Tucoemas provides the yarn at no cost and the looms are available at Tucoemas for $10. The fee, along with the hats, will be donated to The American Cancer Society. Refreshments will be served.

To participate or donate, call Tucoemas at 737-5920.

Tickets are on sale for the Kaweah Delta Breast Center’s third annual Pink Tea Party on Saturday, October 4, which will honor those whose lives have been touched by breast cancer.

KSEE 24 News Anchor Stefani Booroojian will serve as mistress of ceremony for the tea, set for 1pm at the Visalia Convention Center, 303 E. Acequia Ave. Individual tickets are $25 and can be purchased at www. kdtea.org, while tables are $200 and can be purchased by Stefani Booroojian calling 624-2463.

Tickets must be purchased in advance of the event.

The event will include: • Inspirational videos featuring local breast cancer survivors including Kelly Salcedo of Exeter, Christie Cox of Visalia, Aryn Giannandrea of Visalia and Rona Swanson of Visalia.

• A Walk of Hope Rose Ceremony to honor those whose lives have been touched by breast cancer. Roses are being sold for $5 in remembrance of or in honor of family and friends who have been touched by cancer. The money from the sale of these roses will go to the Lost

Girls Fund created by the Lost Girls Motorcycle Club.

• Music & Opportunity Drawings for those who complete Kaweah Delta’s Breast CancerAware risk assessment by Friday, October 3, at www. kaweahdelta.org/giveaway. The winner of a Samsung tablet with a pink case and stylus will be announced at the event (attendance not required to win).

• A Photo Booth to take playful pictures to capture the day.

“This is a great chance for our community to come together in support of those in our community who have breast cancer and are survivors, and to honor those who have lost their lives to it,” said Pam Montgomery, a registered nurse and educator at the Kaweah Delta Breast Center and Sequoia Regional Breast Center Program. “The greater awareness there is, the more likely we are to detect breast cancer early and treat it.”

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the U.S., other than skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

To schedule a mammogram or for more information about the Breast Center and its services, call 624-3209 or visit www.kaweahdelta.org.