Volume XXXVI No. 2 • 21 January, 2016
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Lindsay Council in Group Therapy Dave Adalian
Council.”
A dysfunctional, financially embarrassed Lindsay City Council is finally getting some therapy, or at least part of it is, and no one should envy Lindsay Interim City Manager Bill Zigler his job. If all went as planned, the majority of the Lindsay City Council sat down Tuesday morning with a facilitator, who also happens to be a therapist, for a four-hour session to set goals, define objectives for the city’s future and to establish a code of conduct for council members who recently just do not seem to be able to get along. But before that could happen, the five members of the Council spent about half an hour arguing with Zigler about whether someone was needed to smooth the process. In the end, a split Council decided, in a 3-2 vote, that it did. “We’re hoping we can find greater unity,” Zigler said at a council meeting earlier this month. What he hoped Tuesday’s session would produce is a code of conduct for council members to follow at their meetings. “This is what we do, this is what we don’t do, as the Lindsay City
The need for a tighter ship of state seems clear in the wake of loud, angry arguments between council members during public meetings. Add to that the sudden departure of City Manager Rich Wilkinson, with a subsequent severance payout the city could not afford, a recently settled wrongful termination lawsuit to a former Lindsay police officer with another large payout, ongoing investigations into the legality of council conduct, staff furloughs and continuing budget deficits that could paralyze city business. Yet, Zigler found himself repeatedly defending the need for an outside facilitator at Tuesday’s study and planning session, and for the session itself. “I don’t see the need to hire this (facilitator) you know, because I’m OK whether all five of us do it (vote in favor of an agenda item), or three do it,” said Councilman Steve Mecum. “I’ve been the only one who didn’t want to do something, and I’m OK with that. It’s not personal to me.”
Disagreeing to Agree
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SeaPort Airlines officials and City of Visalia Councilmembers officiated the grand opening of SeaPort service to Visalia on February 9, 2015. File Photo/Valley Voice
Visalia Considers What’s Next for Airport in Wake of SeaPort Departure The sudden departure of SeaPort Airlines and its service has left Visalians in a holding pattern about the future of air service for Tulare County. SeaPort ended its service to the five California airports it served on Friday, as well as its Kansas routes, without warning. The closures came as a huge surprise to everyone, including Visalia Mayor Steve Nelsen and Visalia Airport Manager Mario Cifuentez. “There’s a lot of questions that need to be answered,” Nelsen said.
Nancy Vigran The last flights took place on Friday afternoon, and one was diverted from Sacramento, taking Visalia-bound passengers to Burbank instead. The flight left at 12:31pm Friday, scheduled to fly to Visalia, then diverted to Burbank, landing there at 2:29pm, according to FlightAware. “The important thing,” Cifuentez said, “is what do we do now?”
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Curators of the Hanford Carnegie Museum Promote Reviving Visitor’s Center
The USS Zumwalt underway for the first time conducting at-sea tests and trials in the Atlantic Ocean Dec. 7, 2015. Courtesy/US Navy/General Dynamics Bath Iron Works
Navy Destroyer Honoring Tulare Native Zumwalt Launched Dave Adalian When the first of the US Navy’s new stealth destroyers put out to sea for its shakedown cruise last month, it was ironically fitting the warship bore the name of Tulare native son Elmo “Bud” Zumwalt Jr. Zumwalt and the class of guided missile destroyers named in his honor have much in common--each mark sea changes in Naval operations, and both cast far shorter shadows than they should. Intended to be the backbone of a modernized Navy, the Department of Defense originally intended to build 72 Zumwalt-class boats. That number was reduced repeatedly by Congress, and now only three of the ships will see service. The USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000), the first to be completed, took to the water last month from the Bath Iron Works
in Maine under the command of Captain James A. Kirk, a name that caught the attention of the media and Star Trek fans.
Stealth-Class Destroyer
Although the USS Zumwalt is 600feet long and more than 80-feet wide, displacing more than 14,500 tons and cruising at speeds up to 33.5 knots, its radar signature is similar to that of a small fishing boat. On board are advanced weapons systems, including helicopter drones and advanced missile systems. The USS Lyndon B. Johnson, the third and final Zumwalt class destroyer, will be fitted with laser cannon and rail guns. “I think it’s going to be a transitional vessel,” retired Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy James Herdt told the
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At the January 5 Hanford City Council study session, Hanford Carnegie MuseumCurator Patricia Dickerson and Museum Director Rob Van Wagoner made a proposal for the museum to restart the Hanford’s Visitor Center. Van Wagoner said,“The enhanced visitor program would require $80,000 of funding this year to cover startup costs for the center.” Van Wagoner said the museum would seek to make the visitor program self-sufficient within about two years. The Hanford Carnegie Museum and Visitor’s Center would be open to museum and city visitors Monday thru Saturday, 10am to 5pm. Their basic goal is to make information available to tourists about shopping centers, motels, events and attractions in English and Spanish, but with much more creativity and outreach than the previous center or what is available now. The museum proposes to brand the city with the slogan “A step back in time,” Dickerson said. She feels that the museum is just the thing to bolster tourism and serve visitors in Hanford. According to Dickerson’s presentation to the council, the museum is recognized as a leading resource for preserving the history of Hanford and Kings Coun-
Catherine Doe ty. The museum, along with the Courthouse, Civic Auditorium and Bastille are easily recognized Hanford landmarks. Dickerson said that Superior Dairy, Freddie the Fire Truck and the carousel set Hanfordapart from other communities. Their historic downtown business district and Civic Park conveys “A Step Back in Time.” Dickerson feels the historical themes will be even more of a draw for people to visit Hanford. The museum is already the unofficial information center and is an ideal location for the new Visitors Center, Dickerson said. It is not uncommon for museum staff to provide information not only on the museum but to also give directions, answer question on where to eat, shop, be entertained and stay. They are often asked about taxi service, bus and limousine service, the Amtrak schedule, or RV parks. One of Dickerson and Van Wagoner’s goals is to get a trolley similar to Visalia’s and link the future Costco Center with downtown and to Walmart. They would also like the trolley to provide after-hours transit to hotel guests and give special tours. Another goal is to set up a visitor’s booth at the Amtrak station.
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