Valley Voice Issue 73 (21 July, 2016)

Volume XXXVI No. 14 • 21 July, 2016

www.ourvalleyvoice.com

AWOL Lindsay Councilman Resigns Position by Email

The walkway behind the Woodlake City Hall. Julia Jimenez/Valley Voice

Beautification of Small Town USA Catherine Doe Tulare County’ smallest incorporated town is making big changes. In the last three years Woodlake has improved its downtown, residential areas and infrastructure.

“I was proud to say I was from Woodlake. I even pulled over to take pictures since I hadn’t been there in a year,” said a Tulare County local who grew up in Woodlake.

Rudy Mendoza, Mayor of Wood-

lake said, “It’s true, we’ve seen a lot of beautiful things happening in this community. It seems as though we are having a renaissance.”

In 2013 the city commenced its facelift by building a new transit center. The property was sold to the city for half the price by a Leonard Whitney, and in turn the city decided to name it the Whitney Transit Center. Funds for the acquisition of the land and construction came from prop 1B money which

BEAUTIFICATION continued on 12 »

Controversial Lindsay City Councilman Steve Mecum has resigned.

The councilman notified City Hall of his departure by email earlier this month. The resignation became effective July 12. Interim City Manager Bill Zigler said they have had no other word from the often absent council member.

Mecum gave no reason for his resignation in the surprise email.

“None,” Zigler said. “It wasn’t expected.”

Dave Adalian

The lack of attendance forced the Council and staff to cover the same ground during meetings the errant Mecum did attend to bring him up to speed.

He often fought with his fellow council members during public sessions, interrupted them at will and was the sole opposing vote on issues frequently. Notably, Mecum voted against hiring a consulting psychologist to help the Council set common goals and estabPart-Time Troublemaker lish a code of ethics. The Mecum was often a meeting was held. Mecum source of disruption on the did not attend.

Council when he was presHe missed both meetent at its meetings, which ings in June, and had he was infrequently. Last year, not resigned would likely Mecum missed eight of the Steve Mecum have missed a third on July roughly 20 regularly scheduled meetings of the Council. He also 13, possibly forcing him off the Council.

“This is presumptive on my part, but missed all its special sessions, budget planning meetings and ethics classes, and Mr. Mecum has had trouble making it skipped all sessions of the county Eco- to meetings,” Zigler said, speculating on nomic Development Committee after why Mecum submitted his resignation. being appointed to represent Lindsay.

LINDSAY continued on 10 »

Visalia Sales Tax Measure to be Finalized August 1 Catherine Doe

of the measure is as follows:

Visalia City Council will have its last meeting August 1 concerning the tax ballot measure. Whereas a tax measure will be on the ballot, the council still needs to discuss the language and the content of the resolution or background text.

The city council began discussing in earnest putting a measure on the November ballot raising sales tax by a half cent two years ago. Because sales tax revenue has stagnated, and may actually go down, the city needed to find a new source of revenue to maintain essential services. The proposed language

“To maintain/improve essential city services including police, fire/9-1-1 emergency/ medical aide response, gang prevention programs and neighborhood police patrols; maintain streets; reduce criminal street activity; attract/retain businesses/jobs; address homelessness; maintain youth/senior programs, and other services, shall the City of Visalia increase the sales tax by ½- cent, providing approximately $10,800,000 annually, until voters decide to end it; requiring annual audits, citizen’s oversight and all funds used locally.”

The city council has held two pub-

lic hearings, July 11 and July 18, to get feedback from the public and refine the resolution. The city council members outlined a clear spending plan at the first public hearing, and at the second discussed accountability in detail.

The council decided that the lion’s share of the revenue from the sales tax will be spent on police, fire protection, and roads. About five percent will be used for parks and recreation. The council based its decision on community feedback and a recent survey showing that the majority of Visalians’ biggest priority is public safety.

Because the council is putting forward a general purpose measure, the

spending plan can change through the years. Visalia Mayor Steve Nelsen said that 70% of the general funds go to public safety and that is not going to change. “The residents wouldn’t allow it to be spent on parks or other services,” he said.

The accountability safeguards were many on which the council agreed.

“The more the merrier,” several members said. The highlights were appointing an oversight board consisting of 11 members. The council also agreed to require itself to hold two public hearings before the spending plan is changed, and hiring an independent

SALES TAX continued on 11 »

Zoning Changes May Impact Downtown Hanford Steve Pastis Some business and civic leaders in the city of Hanford want to ease the current zoning restrictions created years ago to preserve the city’s downtown. They favor allowing businesses, such as banks, furniture stores, and medical and dental offices, to locate in parts of the city other than downtown.

“Let’s be business-friendly throughout the city,” said Hanford Mayor Justin Mendes. “Sales tax and property tax are our main sources of revenue.”

Last year, the Hanford City Council moved in this direction by changing the zoning ordinance to allow hotels to be built outside of the downtown area.

“We’ve been hosting a lot of sports

tournaments and we’ve had a shortage of when they say it’s ‘wide open’ in Visalia,” hotel rooms,” said Mendes, adding that said Shelly Talbert, executive director of Main Street Hanford. after the zoning change, “They have a convention permits for three hotels center in the downtown. were issued, with one project breaking ground.

They kept the hospital He argued that cities in the downtown. They like Clovis and Visalia had a moratorium on building on Mooney have vibrant downtowns Boulevard. All those – and less zoning restrictions than Hanford. things have helped them “We don’t really to build this successful Main Street Hanford Executive downtown. It’s successful need to find some clever Director Shelly Talbert. Steve bullet,” said Mendes. “It’s Pastis/Valley Voice planning.” about what these other Mendes agreed with cities are very successful at doing. Their the importance of having a downtown shops are open and people want to go hospital, but blamed a zoning ordinance for the absence of one. there. It’s lively.”

“I don’t agree with the city council “What Visalia has going for it is the

lunch traffic generated by the hospital (Kaweah Delta Medical Center),” he said. “Adventist Health built a hospital on the west side (of Hanford). They went out there because the ordinance made them go out there.”

Downtown Hanford is the area bordered by Highway 198 on the south, 10th Avenue on the east, Ivy Street on the north (plus a six block area that extends to Elm Street), and BNSF Railroad and Park Avenue on the west.

“If you walk around downtown Hanford, you’ll see we have some of the most beautiful historical buildings,” said Talbert. “People come here to get a sense of the history of California. I think to ignore that and to say, ‘Good luck,

HANFORD continued on12 »

2 • Valley Voice

21 July, 2016 From the Publisher’s desk

How A Popsicle Saved Our Son’s Life

Until 8 July of this year, I never gave large ag burns any serious thought. They were ubiquitous when we lived in Mexico, and they are commonplace here in the Valley. In the Bay Area, where I grew up, they were unheard of.

I’ve only had one experience with a big ag burn, and I can now unequivocally say that, as a regular practice, it is an unsound idea. They’re commonplace here--as I’ve said--because, usually, no consequence other than air pollution attaches.

Except for 8 July of this year. A Friday. The day our son’s bedroom and attached second garage burned to the ground.

Fighting a structure fire with a garden hose is terrifying and surreal. My record stands at 0-1.

It began with the property owner’s uprooting his nine acres of citrus, which was bulldozed into nine piles surrounding the house on three sides. This made for a noisome mess but, somehow, my wife and I were reassured by notion that these would be chipped. Not only did the piles surround the house, they were, to our minds, entirely too close.

It was with some surprise, then, that we received a call from the property management at 8:30am informing us that the dried citrus would be burned that morning.

“There goes that second building,” I only half seriously told my wife. “That old shake roof will go right up. But we’ll be fine here in the main house because of the metal roof.”

It only took three hours for this to come true.

You tend to notice when your house is surrounded by fire. I went out to the road to gauge the conditions for my morning run, and spoke with the man who the fire report states was “responsible for igniting the debris piles.”

It was too windy, I thought--but also now too late. Unless it came due east, any wind at all would be problematic. His concern was with a dry open field to the south of the house, but thought the danger was over.

“All the foliage has already gone up,” he said. “That’s the scary stuff.” And he told me had a water truck patrolling, just in case.

But, windy as it was, the air was still thick with smoke. I was advised to give it about half an hour before going on my run.

Looking out the window ten minutes later, I saw the water truck go past--followed by an immense trail of dust. But it didn’t dissipate, and it wasn’t dust.

“Are we on fire?” I asked the guy who started it. A stupid question, I know--he was clearly smack in the process of trying to douse the east side of the roof.

As quickly as I could formulate the thought--although I do admit to devoting a few stray minutes to my panicked wife’s race to save the family photo albums--I grabbed a garden hose, fit a high-pressure nozzle on, and raced to the south side of the building, where I saw flames peeking up from the west that our fire-starting friend hadn’t noticed.

It was a lost cause. I thought we might be gaining the upper hand until, shifting to the east side, I saw our son’s whole room fall in. Thankfully, he’d escaped by rising only minutes before for--inexplicably--a popsicle.

A popsicle!

But he lost everything. Literally. A fine testament to proper ag fire management.

Why be scared of terrorists with the like of these people running free?

(If that last statement seems a bit much, consider this: Ten days later, without warning we were totally without water. The property owner was having his now cleared land ripped, and the new experts had apparently sliced through the main. To make matters worse this brain trust also cut the house’s electrical feed--and we were told it will take at least four days to fix. If there was a gas main I’m sure we’d have been blown to smithereens by now. But what’s truly terrifying is that these aren’t the same clowns who caused the fire; amazingly, it is a fresh set of Bozos--which prompts some questions: When does lesser quality help actually help? And how low will the property owner descend when it comes to hiring knuckle-draggers in an effort to save a buck or two?)

This, I can place outside of parentheses: You get what you pay for. The irony here, of course, is that, in cutting corners, the property owner incurred unnecessary--and untold--expense.

On the sunny side of the street, what more can they do to us? They burned our son’s bedroom down. The attached second garage contained most of my musical equipment, now scorched, and the pool was rendered unusable because its power source is hors de combat. I’d say a good third of the place is totally destroyed. We’re bulletproof!

— Joseph Oldenbourg

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

Publisher/Editor: Joseph Oldenbourg (joseph@ourvalleyvoice.com) (559) 972-7778

Reporters:

Catherine Doe (catherine@ourvalleyvoice.com) Dave Adalian (dave@ourvalleyvoice.com) Stefan Barros — sports (stefan@ourvalleyvoice.com) Steve Pastis (steve@ourvalleyvoice.com) Production/Website: Tony Maldonado (tony@ourvalleyvoice.com)

Sales:

Nancy Vigran (nancy@ourvalleyvoice.com) Julia Jimenez (julia@ourvalleyvoice.com)

Contact us & share your opinion: www.ourvalleyvoice.com PO Box 44064 • Lemon Cove, CA 93244

21 July, 2016

Valley Voice • 3

Political Fix Straight Lives Matter

Did you know that July is International Heterosexual Month?

It’s chock full of activities such as a straight pride parade and a Straight Pride Day. July is when heterosexuals are encouraged to come out of the closet and declare freedom for all straights around the world. They can finally celebrate the right to be straight without suffering a hate crime or persecution.

This sentiment was apparent at a Tulare County Supervisor’s District 3 forum in May of this year at the Cellar Door.

During the event, Supervisor Phil Cox said that as a heterosexual white man who has been married for 37 years he has felt persecuted. I don’t know about the gay attendees, but you could hear a communal groan emanate from the women.

Comments surfaced such as “Oh no he didn’t” to Karen Tellalian, owner of DMI Agency, just saying “Oh wow, oh wow.”

It was that night that I changed my prediction from Mr. Cox to Amy Shuklian as winning the election.

I don’t deny that Mr. Cox has his reasons for feeling the way he does, but what many of the male members of the Baby Boomer and Greatest Generation think is persecution is really a sense of fear. They fear losing the status quo and they are taking it personally.

It’s also a hefty dose of being tone deaf.

The backlash against Black Lives Matter comes from the same fear. When

Catherine Doe

Tea Partiers protest, “We want our country back,” Black Lives Matter members know exactly what the Tea Partiers mean and to whom they are referring.

And right when the nation was on the brink of understanding that maybe Blacks do get a raw deal when two unarmed Blacks were shot in less than 24 hours, a Black man shot five Dallas police officers dead. We are back to square one.

For those still clinging to the illusion that racism is over in America, let’s review some statistics.

Even though the United States is made up of 62% Whites, the likelihood that a Black person killed by police will be unarmed is twice as likely as a White person.

From 1980 to 2008, the number of people incarcerated in America quadrupled-from roughly 500,000 to 2.3 million people and African Americans constitute nearly 1 million of the total 2.3 million incarcerated population Today, the US is 5% of the World population and has 25% of world prisoners.

If African American and Hispanics were incarcerated at the same rates of Whites, today’s prison and jail populations would decline by approximately 50%.

If current trends continue, one in three Black males born today can expect to spend time in prison during his lifetime.

5 times as many Whites are using

drugs as African Americans, yet African Americans are sent to prison for drug offenses at 10 times the rate of Whites.

There are more Blacks in prison than in college.

As many lawyers know, for people caught up in the American justice system, it’s better to be guilty and White, than Black and not guilty.

The reality is that all lives matter.

It’s just that some lives matter more than others.

A Minor Oversight

Sitting in a Visalia City Council meeting, discussing the viability of a tax revenue measure that will be on the November ballot, Richard Bernard, a survey researcher, had everyone’s attention. He said that according to his results, the citizens are ready to pass a sales tax measure by as much as 71%. What caught my attention, though, wasn’t the support for the tax measure, but when he said that, as far as he knew, there hasn’t been a bond or tax measure to pass without an accountability clause.

In that vein, I looked up Tulare Local Healthcare District’s (TLHCD) Measure I, seeking $55 million, and Visalia’s sales tax measure asking for an increase of a half cent.

Measure I States…

To pay for the District’s capital improvement project that include completion of Tower One, including earthquake

compliant expended Emergency Department space, labor and delivery suites, and refinancing outstanding debt related to construction, shall the Tulare Local Healthcare District issue $55,000,000 in bonds, with 100% of the bond proceeds being used for construction-related costs and with no bond proceeds being used for hospital administrative costs or to refinance any debt supporting hospital operational costs.

Essential City Services Protection Measure States…

To maintain/improve essential city services including police, fire/9-1-1 emergency/ medical aide response, gang prevention programs and neighborhood police patrols; maintain streets; reduce criminal street activity; attract/retain businesses/jobs; address homelessness; maintain youth/senior programs, and other services, shall the City of Visalia increase the sales tax by ½- cent, providing approximately $10,800,000 annually, until voters decide to end it; requiring annual audits, citizen’s oversight and all funds used locally.

The difference is obvious between the two ballot measures, which will result in one passing and the other not. That difference is “citizen’s oversight.” The text of the TLHCD bond measure resolution does not legally bind Healthcare Conglomerate Associates (HCCA) or the District to any oversight other than

POLITICAL FIX continued on 4 »

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4 • Valley Voice

21 July, 2016

Boys & Girls Clubs Promise Summer Fun Political Fix Continued from p. 3

Johanna Coyne Attention Tulare County youth: Don’t let your brain melt from the summer heat.

Spend your free time off from school having fun and learning new skills! The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sequoias have activities to keep you busy and challenged.

If you live in Visalia, Exeter, Farmersville, Ivanhoe, Strathmore or Tulare, the summer program has something for you.

Summer Brain Gain will keep you from collecting dust in your brain with a learning loss program developed specifically by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America for the summer vacation schedule.

Along with keeping your brain exercised, moving your body is encouraged through the Wiffle Ball competition, dodgeball, basketball or soccer. There are crafts projects to encourage creative artists, and reading challenges to increase literacy during the summer.

“The summer program is meant to prevent the loss of learning that often takes place during summer,” said Cynthia Montano, Area Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs Sequoias. “We want to keep enhancing our kids academically throughout the summer, as well as in areas such as health, character and citizenship.”

Summer Night Lights is a program to prevent kids from being out on the streets and to help them stay safe at night.

The Tulare Boys & Girls Club’s last event will be held July 15 at the Tulare Western High School pool from 7-10p.m.

There will be music, raffles, and food in addition to swimming, and the event is open to the public.

Exeter Boys & Girls Club’s Sum-

Boys & Girls Clubs offer a multitude of exciting activites. Courtesy/Johanna Coyne

mer Night Lights events will be July 21, and 28 from 6-9p.m. at the Exeter High School pool.

Montano says summer is a big mix of different programs meant to outreach to youth as much as possible.

“We want to be that place for the kids that don’t have summer plans,”she said. “The kids come from different circumstances, and we have a big impact on them.”

Summer lends itself to activities, and is a great opportunity to offer different types of programs to build character. For one such program the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sequoias will partner with Habitat for Humanity for a summer project. “We want to do flower planting, learn how to build a house from the bottom, learn how houses are built.”

There is a teen group going to visit the UCLA campus for a tour and visit a Boys & Girls Club in Santa Monica.

Membership in the Boys & Girls

Clubs of the Sequoias is $15 a year (includes a t-shirt) and allows visits at any of the clubs.

Boys & Girls Club Summer Program

Exeter, Visalia 7:30am - 5:00pm 7:30am - 12:30pm ($60 for the week for the morning program) 12:30pm - 5:00pm (free with annual $15 membership) Farmersville, Ivanhoe and Tulare Noon - 5pm (free with annual $15 membership) Strathmore 10am - 2pm (free with annual $15 membership) Free lunch and snacks are provided at all clubs. Clubs are closed on the weekends.

a yearly report.

On May 11th my husband and I met with the public relations representative for HCCA, Stuart Pfeifer. Mr. Pfeifer asked me point-blank what has to happen to get Measure I to pass. I said, like so many people have, that no bond is going to pass without an oversight committee. I added that president of HCCA, Dr. Benny Benzeevi’s, proposal to form an “oversight community” was bunch of bologna.

Mr. Pfeifer then credited our meeting with the creation of a Bond Oversight Committee for Measure I. He said that the Valley Voice was instrumental on making it a reality. He actually said it twice to make sure I registered what he was saying. Not wanting to be rude I thanked him and accepted credit. After a I gave myself a couple of improvised pats on the back I thought I better confirm the information.

Mr. Pfeifer’s firm crows on its website about playing the media, and after doing my due diligence, I realized he was pretty good at his job.

The TLHCD board did in fact discuss the bond oversight committee, and even had it on their agenda during their May 25 meeting. They voted to have Dr. Benzeevi come back to the next meeting with a proposal on which the board could vote.

Their next meeting on June 22nd rolled around and nary a word was said about the oversight committee. Michelle Moore, a Tulare community activist, got up during public comment and asked the hospital board why the oversight committee was not on the agenda, to which they responded with blank stares. Looks like a pocket veto to me.

To put all this into context, the Visalia City Council started talking about putting a tax measure on the ballot in 2013. Since then, the council has discussed the language of the measure, held public hearings, conducted community outreach, done surveys, and made it part of the agenda many times. Almost all of their discussions have taken place during their regularly scheduled meetings.

Kaweah Delta also made all of their decisions during regularly scheduled meetings. Carl Anderson, board member of Kaweah Delta, said, “We started a year and a half ago discussing during the board meetings when would be the best time to put the bond measure on the ballot. It was part of a long and cohesive plan. We felt the best plan was a mail-in ballot so that we would not interfere with the City of Visalia’s tax measure.”

In contrast, TLHCD announced on Friday afternoon, April 29th there would be a special meeting concerning the $55 million bond. The special meeting was held 8am on Monday, May 2nd and the paperwork was done and signed in the Tulare County Registrar of Voters office by 9:25am, half hour after their vote.

Anyone local enjoying a long weekend at the coast wouldn’t be the wiser that their property taxes may go up. And that seems to be how HCCA wants to keep it. Just this year TLHCD has held nine special meeting at irregular times and inconsistent days making them very hard to attend and thus very easy to miss.

What does Visalia City Council, staff, and pollsters know that HCCA and TLHCD board don’t?

That’s for the voters to decide.

21 July, 2016

Valley Voice • 5

Police Cast Doubt on Measure I Break-In Incident Dave Adalian The Tulare Police Department and the Yes on Measure I campaign are telling very different stories about an incident that may or may not have happened at the campaign’s downtown office earlier this month.

In an article published by another local newspaper on July 3, a spokesman for the Tulare Local Health Care District and the Yes on Measure I campaign was quoted as saying campaign workers and Tulare police believe an attempted break-in occurred at its office and that the crime was committed by unknown criminals working to foil their effort. The police say it isn’t so.

“Based on the investigation and the evidence produced, at this time, it does not substantiate a crime to have been committed,” said Sgt. Andrew Garcia, public information officer for the Tulare Police Department. “This does not appear to be politically-motivated.”

Sticking to His Guns

In his defense, Pfeifer said he was working from secondhand information when he made the statement. He maintains an officer told him the break-in may have been political in nature.

“I wasn’t there. I was repeating what I was told by our campaign staff,” he said.

“I spoke to two different police officers, or rather I spoke to one and a campaign worker spoke to another. All anyone said is ‘may have been.’ Someone tried to break into that office. Nobody knows what happened.

All we know is someone tried to break into that office.”

The “we” in this case does not include

the Tulare Police Department. There is no evidence a crime was committed, Garcia said. The incident has been recorded as suspicious circumstances by the TPD. “The evidence located and collected did not prove this case to be either a crime of vandalism or a robbery,” Garcia said. “The officer checked all the doors of the Measure I office and did not observe any fresh signs of forced entry. ...”

PR Stunt?

Stephen Harrell, a Tulare resident and 30-year veteran of local law enforcement, questions how the reporter who quoted Pfeifer found out about the incident. The TPD said no statement was issued to the press about the event at the time it occurred.

“My question is how did he find out about this?” Harrell said. “Was he there at the time? The police were there.”

“

The evidence located and collected did not prove this case to be either a crime of vandalism or a robbery. The officer checked all the doors of the Measure I office and did not observe any fresh signs of forced entry…

”

Sgt, Andrew Garcia, Tulare PD Public Information Officer In a letter to the editor printed by the paper that quoted Pfeifer, Harrell pointed out the Measure I office’s backdoor is in a locked courtyard and police found pry marks; however, his letter was edited, he said, to leave out the fact the pry marks were old.

“When they printed it, they left ‘rusted’ out. That’s an integral part of it,” Harrell said. “If he (the investigating officer) saw fresh pry marks, that’s one thing, but rusty

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is something else.”

Garcia confirmed the marks found were not recent.

“The officer’s investigation found what appeared to be old scratches on the office’s rear exit deadbolt lock, which is believed to have been caused by everyday use,” he said. “The door frame around the locking mechanism did have what appeared to be pry marks. However, there were no matching pry marks on the device near the locking mechanism that would indicate an attempted forced entry.”

Pfeifer said the incident was definitely not created by the Yes on Measure I campaign to draw attention to itself.

“If someone suggests that we staged this in order to get publicity, that’s absolutely absurd,” he said in a written statement following his interview.

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Unhinged

Pfeifer still maintains someone tried to get into the office.

“People who opened that door said it was very difficult to open,” he said. “There were pry marks they’d never seen before.”

The door, according to Pfeifer, was so loose in the frame it was “as if it was coming off its hinges.”

The TPD confirmed the loose door,

but not a reason it was out of place.

“It is unclear if it was loose due to someone attempting to gain entry or if the frame (was) coming loose from normal wear and tear over the years,” Garcia said. “The officer’s investigation found obvious dust buildup over some of the indentations, which indicates some of the scratches and pry marks were old.”

Video surveillance of the area also revealed no sign a crime was committed, Garcia said.

‘No’ Signs Stolen

Activists with a long list of reasons why voters should deny the Tulare Local Health Care District another $55 million in publicly-funded bonds have banded together to conduct the No on Measure I campaign, and it, too, may have been targeted by politically-motivated thieves.

According to its Facebook page, the No campaign’s signs are being stolen, and on at least two occasions the alleged crimes were witnessed. In the first and older incident, a home surveillance camera captured images of an individual stealing a No on Measure I sign from the front yard of a private residence.

The second, more recent incident allegedly took place during daylight hours on July 14 at M Street and Prosperity Avenue.

No on Measure I workers say three witnesses saw someone stealing signs, throwing them into the trunk of a car, which then nearly struck three other vehicles as it left the scene. Witnesses recorded the vehicle’s license plate number.

The TPD was not able to locate reports on either incident.

6 • Valley Voice

21 July, 2016

Agriculture House Vote Sets Stage for Talks on Drought Relief Christine Souza, CFBF Before members of Congress left Washington for the political conventions and August recess, the House of Representatives passed a 2017 appropriations bill that includes California drought-relief provisions.

California Farm Bureau Federation President Paul Wenger said passage of the appropriations legislation by the House represented an important step toward addressing problems that limit the flexibility of the California water system.

By a vote of 231-196, the House passed the 2017 Interior appropriations bill, H.R. 5538, including the California-related water provisions.

The inclusion of the provisions on water could help set the stage for negotiations with the U.S. Senate this fall, said Erin Huston, CFBF federal policy consultant.

“This is the first time the House has passed an Interior bill since 2009, which can be seen as a milestone in itself,” Huston said. “Additionally, this bill provides

a potential path for desperately needed federal drought legislation. We are still working under a very limited calendar, but we will continue to urge a federal legislative solution.”

H.R. 5538 provides $32.1 billion in total discretionary budget authority for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency and related agencies for fiscal year 2017. This represents a decrease of $64 million from the 2016 enacted level and $1 billion below the administration’s request.

Drought-relief provisions in the bill were added during full committee markup last month by Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford. The drought provisions stem from Valadao’s H.R. 2898, the Western Water and American Food Security Act, which would require federal agencies to “use current and reliable data” when making regulatory decisions and give federal regulators flexibility to capture more water during wet years.

“This vote marks the third appropriations bill that has included solutions to California’s water crisis,” Valadao said,

adding that he would “continue to pursue every single legislative avenue available until my constituents have the water they so desperately need.”

Certain elements of Valadao’s drought legislation were included in the appropriations bill, such as provisions pertaining to pumping water, long-term water storage, protections for water rights holders, federal water purchases and promoting conservation fish hatcheries for delta smelt.

To increase the chances for passage, Valadao’s drought bill, in its entirety, has also been added to House energy legislation. The Senate previously passed its own energy bill, Huston said, so “the two chambers will need to go to conference and work out the differences.”

“An energy conference is looking more probable, but still faces the challenge of a limited legislative calendar, as we are now into time away from Washington, D.C., for political conventions and summer recess,” Huston added.

The Interior appropriations bill also includes $480 million to fully fund Pay-

ments in Lieu of Taxes, also known as PILT—which provides funds to local communities with federal land to help offset losses in property taxes—and $3.9 billion for the Department of the Interior and Forest Service to prevent and combat wildfire.

In addition, the legislation contains policy provisions intended to stop federal regulatory overreach that harms U.S. agriculture, including provisions on the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, Huston said.

The White House has indicated the president will veto the appropriations bill in its current form.

However, Huston said, “I think the question is whether or not they can attach it to something that the president just can’t veto. All of this is still very much in ‘we will see’ mode.”

(Christine Souza is an assistant editor of Ag Alert. She may be contacted at csouza@cfbf.com.)

This article reprinted with the permission of the California Farm Bureau Federation.

Tomato Growers Reduce Acreage to Match Markets Ching Lee, CFBF California processing tomato harvest is underway, and with lower prices this year, growers say they will need a good crop if they want to see decent returns.

While it is still early in the harvest season, Yolo County farmer Bruce Rominger, who started harvest last week, says his crop so far “looks about average— not that great, but not horrible.”

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growers in the southern San Joaquin Valley, which started harvest in late June, said Mike Montna, president and CEO of the California Tomato Growers Association. As of this week, about 8 percent of the state’s crop has been harvested.

After growers produced two years of record crops, tomato processors have scaled back contracted acres this year due to higher inventory levels. Compared to 2015, statewide processing tomato acreage this year was reduced by 12.4 percent, which Montna characterized as “pretty Yolo County farmer Bruce Rominger shows a crop of processing tomatoes that’s ready for harvest. Courtesy/Ching Lee/CFBF significant.” some money.”

The strength of Rominger said lower acreage and the dollar against the euro has hurt tomato paste exports, which dropped 14 production may not be good for indipercent last year, Montna said, but noted vidual California growers, but “it’s betthe world’s crop also fell about 3 million ter for the industry” to balance supply tons due to weather issues in some pro- and demand.

“Nobody wants to wish a bad crop, duction regions. but if we want a higher price, we either “No one has really been immune to (weather),” he said. “We’re just going to need to figure out how to sell more overhave to see how the year plays out for the seas—meaning the dollar has to really become weaker—or we need to grow California crop and the world crop.”

With leftover inventory in ware- fewer acres and fewer tons,” he said.

Merced County grower Pat Borrelhouses, prices to California growers li said his contracted tomato acres were dropped from $80 a ton in 2015 to $72.50 a ton this year, a price that Mont- cut in half this year and, as a result, he na described as still “very close” to cost of planted more cotton. His tomato plants production. But Rominger said farmers are just starting to develop fruit, with will need “pretty high tonnage to make TOMATO continued on 7 »

21 July, 2016

Valley Voice • 7

Agriculture Commentary: Environmental Demands for Water Keep Expanding Justin Fredrickson, CFBF Asked on the Public Policy Institute of California water blog “how much water nature needs,” the response of Mike Sweeney, the executive director of the Nature Conservancy’s California Chapter, was an attention-getter.

At least it got mine.

“Research,” Sweeney said, “shows that taking more than 20 percent of a river’s natural flow at any given time can negatively impact the river’s function and ecosystem. Today,” he continued, “our rivers receive about half of their historic natural flow. Clearly, we have a problem.”

With 80 percent of available surface water off the table, clearly, we would have a problem!

Last year, there was lots of talk about agriculture using 80 percent of California’s water, but the record was finally set straight. The PPIC notes that average statewide water use “is roughly 50 percent environmental, 40 percent agricultural and 10 percent urban.”

In wet years, according to the California Water Plan, the same environment-ag-urban split becomes more like 60/30/10. And in dry years, it’s more of a 40/50/10 split.

Urban use fluctuates somewhat more across wet, average and dry years than this would suggest—but the real variability comes in environmental and agricultural use.

In wet years, the proportion of agricultural use drops significantly as envi-

ronmental use rises significantly, while in dry years the proportion of agricultural use goes up as environmental use drops.

Mr. Sweeney’s view is that fish are shorted in all years, but drought years are where he feels the fish are shorted the worst. Variability is nature’s way, according to Mr. Sweeney, but human uses of water upset the kind of variability nature needs.

But if his proposition is that the environmental-ag-urban split should tilt, say, to 80/15/5, then truly, “We have a problem.”

The thing is, farms and cities cannot get by on 15 and 5 percent of our available water supply.

In light of several realities, it’s also problematic to say (as Mr. Sweeney does) that the water he believes nature “needs” should, furthermore, be precisely managed to come down at the times, the temperatures and in something like the volumes in which it would naturally have come down before California had farms, cities, upstream dams, etc.

Managing our system that way would be fairly disastrous: For example, it would mean water we presently capture in reservoirs constructed to catch and store supplies for the rest of the year would instead run to the sea in winter and spring, shrinking reservoirs to piddling mud puddles by midsummer.

And should Mother Nature happen to deal us multiple years of drought?

Big problem.

Consider farmers’ experience of the last few years:

• Surface water deliveries to some users have been at or near zero for three years running—and have been scarcely better for others.

• Little water was stored or delivered in 2015 as prodigious quantities of water flowed to sea during storms— and yet, when El Niño brought rain and snow in 2016, storage and deliveries remained low.

• To preserve their livelihoods, sustain regional economies and continue to produce the food and fiber we all take for granted, farmers have been forced to rely on groundwater where it is available. But new groundwater laws may ultimately put more groundwater off-limits too.

As regulatory agencies try ever more draconian ways to save the fish, and as farms go increasingly without water, you have to wonder, “Just where does it all end?”

Unfortunately, the answer seems to be that more and more water will be reallocated to the environment, and less and less will be left over for farming—until, little by little, whole swaths of the choicest food-growing region on the planet are returned to the tumbleweeds.

If all that water produces even a handful of additional fish, Mr. Sweeney and other environmentalists might call that an even trade.

In the meantime, though, it doesn’t appear anyone ever sent the memo to ordinary people that the plan is simply to move California out of the business of growing food.

If ordinary people were told this, would they be actually on board with it?

While something tells me they wouldn’t, the reality is that ordinary people don’t know—and, by the time they do know, it may be too late.

Lest we lose all hope, let’s ask another question: Is there, perhaps, some way we can do better for the fish, and for farms and cities as well?

Must we really push California agriculture offshore in our iron determination to save the fish—while, along the way, damaging sensitive ecosystems in other, less environmentally conscious parts of the globe? Or, if we get creative enough, are there perhaps ways to help the fish and keep our agriculture as well?

Water is a scarce and precious resource. As California farmers know better than anyone, every drop counts.

Heaven knows, farmers are tremendously tough and resourceful. Many urban and suburban residents have cut their water use significantly, too.

Why, then, should environmental water uses be immune to the same scrutiny and efficiency standards applied to farms and cities?

While the clock ticks down, these questions become more urgent, critical and timely.

(Justin Fredrickson is an environmental policy analyst for the California Farm Bureau Federation. He may be contacted at jef@cfbf.com.)

This article reprinted with the permission of the California Farm Bureau Federation.

Honorees for 2016 Kings County Salute to Ag Banquet Announced The Lemoore Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the nominees for its 22nd Annual Jack Stone-Kings County Salute to Agriculture Banquet.

The Lemoore Chamber of Commerce will host the event on Friday, September 9, 2016, at the Fialho Family Hangar in Lemoore. Gary Esajian will be honored as the 2016 Agriculturalist of the Year. The Ag Supporter of the Year will be presented to Golden State Farm Credit. Also, the family of the late Tony DeGroot will receive a posthumous Lifetime Commitment to Kings County Agriculture Award.

Gary Esajian is one of many proud Agricultural success stories in Kings County. Gary is a third generation farmer, starting with 80

acres in Western Kings County after college.

“His family farming operation has steadily grown to one of the most productive farming operations in Kings County, if not all of California,” says past honoree Craig Pedersen. “It continues to be a leader in shared research and development of many commodity and technology advancement s that have benefitted California Agriculture and beyond. His many years of thoughtful, strategic study of water in California, and more importantly, the impacts to Kings and Fresno County, continue to benefit his peers every day.” Gary has served on the Westlands Water District Board of Directors, and has been quietly and unassumingly giving back to Kings County Ag for decades.

Golden State Farm Credit has been lending to farmers, ranchers, forest product businesses, young beginning farmers, part-time farmers, and agribusiness for 90 years in good times and bad. They are the #1 financial service provider for the Central California agricultural industry, and are part of the Farm Credit System which is largest single provider of Agricultural credit in America. Local branch manager, Michael Rico, has also done a tremendous amount to help Kings County agriculture thrive.

The Selection Committee, made up of prior honorees, also made an unanimous decision to honor the late Tony DeGroot with a, “Lifetime Commitment to Kings County Ag-

riculture Award.” His untimely passing left a hole in our county’s Ag Industry that has been deeply felt by our community.

In addition to honoring this year’s Agriculturalist, Ag Supporter, and Lifetime Commitment Award, the evening will include a hosted social, hors d’oeuvres and dinner.

Sponsorship opportunities and reservations to decorate tables are being accepted.

Inquiries and reservations for the event may be made by calling the Lemoore Chamber at 559-924-6401. Paid reservations received by August 26 are $75/each or a table for 8 for $500. Reservations made after August 26 will be $85 per person. Tickets will not be available at the door.

Tomato

Findings of Race 3 in the southern growing region so far are scattered— from the northern and southern borders of Fresno County to portions of Kings County, Turini said.

He stressed the importance of identifying the disease and the specific strain if growers suspect their crops have fusarium wilt, so they know what their options and risks are.

“There are decisions that need to be made based on what race you have,” he said.

Most commercial tomato varieties have resistance to Races 1 and 2, but only a few have resistance to Race 3, which has existed in Northern California fields longer, he noted. The earliest reports of Race 3 showing up in the Central Valley were about four years ago, and since then, the pathogen has been identified in more fields.

“This year I’m seeing more than I’ve seen before, so it’s spreading,” Turini said.

Having more of the state’s production areas infected with fusarium Race 3 increases pressure on seed developers to advance new tomato varieties with disease resistance, which ultimately will be good for growers, said Gene Miyao, UCCE farm advisor in Yolo, Solano and Sacramento counties. But there’s also concern about when that resistance will break, he added.

Because fusarium survives years in the soil, having a longer crop rotation is always better, Miyao said. But with more permanent crops being planted in what had been traditionally row-crop ground, there are now fewer available acres on which to rotate, he noted.

“And that presents an increased number of challenges,” he said. “On the other hand, growers are very innovative.”

Beet curly top virus, which is transmitted by the leafhopper and caused significant crop losses in Central Valley fields in 2013, continues to affect some fields this year, Turini said. But he described the impact as “light to moderate” compared to 2013.

Fields with high disease incidence have been organic, with infections much more severe in the absence of insecticide treatments, he noted. Currently, there is no treatment for organic production that has shown much promise. The few materials that are available have very short residuals and “have not provided the levels of control we’d like to see,” he said.

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

This article reprinted with the permission of the California Farm Bureau Federation.

Continued from p. 6 harvest expected by mid-August. He said although the recent heat spell could hurt fruit set, the plants so far look good and he isn’t too concerned.

“The weather has been really good and insect pressure hasn’t been a big issue,” Borrelli said.

Tom Turini, University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisor for Fresno County, said although many fields look good, he has seen more fields hit with the fungal disease fusarium wilt Race 3 than in previous years. The race refers to the strain.

Symptoms of infected plants include yellowing and wilting of leaves, with brown discoloration of the vascular tissue when the stem is cut open.

8 • Valley Voice

21 July, 2016

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Valley Voice • 9

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21 July, 2016

Lindsay

Continued from p. 1 “This meeting would have been his third missed meeting in a row, and the Charter doesn’t allow that.”

‘Nightmare in Lindsay’ Perhaps most damning, calls came for Mecum’s resignation following the revelation of sworn testimony from a former police officer who said Mecum, Mayor Ramona Villarreal-Padilla and Mayor Pro-Tem Rosaena Sanchez encouraged him to file a wrongful dismissal suit against the city in an attempt to discredit its former manager.

The manager, Rick Wilkinson, eventually resigned, receiving the large severance pay package the officer alleged the council members were attempting to avoid by encouraging his lawsuit.

The officer settled out of court at a cost of $90,000 to the city.

Those incidents, along with other allegations of impropriety, were the subject of a Tulare County Grand Jury report entitled Nightmare in Lindsay.

The report--which is available in its entirety online at ourvalleyvoice.com-found the payouts to former city employees caused much of the financial strain under which Lindsay now labors.

‘Read My Lips’ Mecum also contributed to Lindsay’s budget shortfalls by following in the footsteps of the first President Bush, who famously quipped “Read my lips: ‘No new taxes!’” Taxes eventually went up under the watch of the elder Bush, but Mecum was more steadfast. He opposed attempts to raise taxes and increase rates for city services despite operating losses and a wide budget gap.

“I’m against this,” Mecum said when he declined to consider asking Lindsay residents for a 0.5% sales tax increase, killing the issue with his novote, “and I make no bone about it.”

The city was underwater to the tune of just under half a million dollars at the time. Lindsay’s current budget runs a deficit of $500,000 to $600,000.

Still Hurting, Still Hoping Ironically, saving resources and the falling cost of fuel are hurting the city’s bottom line now. Utility tax revenue is dropping as water is conserved during the drought, and increased solar power generation has cut into the electricity industry’s bottom line, Zigler said.

The statewide minimum wage increase is costing the city, too, and so is loss of state gas tax revenue.

“It’s an unfunded mandate, and so it makes our situation worse,” Zigler said. “Gas taxes will go away, because the state needs to maintain its operation as the cost of gas goes down.”

Mecum’s departure may clear the way forward. Previous discussion of a sales tax increase was halted by a 3-2 vote, with Mecum and Sanchez opposing. If the person tapped to replace Mecum is more amenable, the proposal could end up in front of voters.

“I’m hopeful,” said Zigler. “Mr. Mecum was one of those opposed to raising any additional revenue. He would not entertain anything that would raise revenues for us.”

Possible sales-tax revenue figures

will be presented to the remaining council members at their next meeting.

Now Hiring Mecum’s term would have ended in November, had he completed it.

Now, the Council can handpick its next colleague.

“What happens is if a position has been vacated and there are 90 days or more left on their term, the Council must appoint a replacement,” Zigler said. “We’re already soliciting input about who’s interested in sitting on the Council.”

Would-be city leaders may submit letters of intent and resumes to City Hall for consideration. The Council will discuss the candidates and their qualifications at an August 3 meeting.

“My hope is in the first or second meeting in August they will make an appointment to fill Mr. Mecum’s seat,” Zigler said.

Attempts to reach Mecum for comment were unsuccessful.

Lindsay City Hall is located at 215 E. Honolulu Avenue. The Council will meet there at 6pm on August 3.

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Sales Tax Continued from p. 1

auditor to account for the money coming in and out.

The city council also discussed putting in a hard sunset so the sales tax would have to be reapproved by the voters every 6 or 8 years. Two local surveys conducted by the city indicate that voters want the tax to continue until ended by the voters. Because this measure will be funding staff positions, the city staff recommended that the reauthorization process be kept at the council level, minimizing the potential for layoffs and reducing the job uncertainty that might discourage employees from staying at their job.

While Council member Warren Gubler wanted a hard sunset clause put into the resolution, and to be voted by the residents, Council members Amy Shuklian, Mayor Nelsen, Bob Link and Greg Collins voted that four-fifths of the council would have to vote to end the sales tax. Nelsen added that the city will continue to grow and will need funding to maintain public safety services. This is the appropriate vehicle to do that, he said.

During the second public hearing council member Greg Collins gave a convincing presentation of why some of the money should go for quality of life issues. He pointed out that investing in our youth pays dividends down the road and lessens the need for more police. “You can’t fix all social problems by adding police.”

He was pushing for five percent of the revenues to be dedicated towards youth services or recreation, but walked away with a consensus from all members of two percent.

During both public hearings no one spoke against the half cent increase in the sales tax. The two main speakers from the public, Harold Mayers from the Ballot Measure Advisory Committee, and Chris Telfer, from Tulare County Tax Payers Association, had a

problem with the fact that the spending plan would not be set in stone. Measure T and Measure R needed a two-thirds vote to pass, and by law all the money has to be earmarked. For a General Purpose measure the money cannot be dedicated but the allocation is at the discretion of the sitting city council.

Telfer agreed that public safety was the best use of the new revenue but was uneasy about the fact it was not a concrete spending plan. Meyers says that a 50% plus one vote is not accountable to anything, and really wanted the plan set in stone. He pushed the council to vote for a two-thirds measure which would ensure that future councils could not change the plan.

Meyers pointed out that in a recent survey of Visalia residents 71% said that they would vote for an increase in sales tax. But the respondents were not informed that “the council could spend it just how they want,” Meyers said. He added that organized opposition to the measure will use that point to defeat it.

He felt that a 50% plus one measure would be a bigger gamble than a measure that need two-thirds of the voters if that meant the spending plan was set in stone.

Nelsen said the best indicator of the council’s future behavior will is to look how it behaved in the past. “All we can do is look at history.” Meyer’s counterpoint was that in November Visalia residents will be looking at several new council members, and all members will be representing their districts, not the city at-large.

Gubler agreed with Meyers about making this a two-thirds ballot measure. The other four voted to keep it a 50% plus one measure. Council Member Bob Link said that he has been down that road once before trying to get two -thirds of the votes and does not want to do it again. He reminded the council that Measure T was behind and did not pull a win until the absentee votes were counted.

The city council has until August 1st to make their decision.

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Fair Seeks Local NonProfits for Wristband Sales

Local civic clubs, youth organizations and churches can pre-sell Tulare County Fair carnival wristbands to raise funds for their activities, while supporting the fair.

The wristbands provide an all-access, one-day pass to the carnival and Kiddie Land. Organizations earn $1.50 per wristband sold. For information, call the Tulare County Fairgrounds, 6864707, or sign up for the program at the fairgrounds office, located in the Foundation Club, 620 K St. The wristbands sell for $20 each in advance and $30 during Fair week.

Wristbands may also be used to upgrade to a WOW Pass for $30 (a $50 value).

This pass allows riders to go to the front of the line for all carnival rides.

“The wristbands are a great deal for families and pre-sales allow local non-profit organizations to generate funds that support their programs,” noted Pamela Fyock, CEO. The Tulare County Fair will run Sept. 14-18, offering a week of entertainment free with gate admission – including Gin Blossoms on opening night – educational activities for children, the annual Junior Livestock Auction, Fair food, new carnival rides and more.

Visit tcfair.org for ongoing updates to the schedule of events.

Tulare County Fair seeks talented kids

Talented local kids are invited to participate in the third annual Kids Talent Auditions at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17, to compete for cash and prizes.

Each contestant, age 14 and younger, must come prepared with a two-minute audition piece and music must be on a CD. Ten finalists will be selected and move on to the Kids’ Talent Showcase, to

be held at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18.

The winner of the showcase will receive $150, a corn dog on a stick, a stuffed animal and more. First and second runners-up will also receive cash and prices. Contestants must reserve a spot in advance by emailing tnovoa@ tcfair.com.

“The Tulare County Fair is all about showing off what makes our county special – everything from our dairy industry to our talented kids,” noted Pamela Fyock, CEO of the Tulare County Fair.

“This is a great opportunity for them to show what they can do and compete for cash and gifts.”

Family nurse practitioner joins Visalia Medical Clinic

Visalia Medical Clinic announced the addition of family nurse practitioner Kimberly De Jong, FNP-C, a native Visalian with 15 years of experience in health care.

De Jong is now providing care at VMC’s QuickCare, working under Alex Torres, MD, and alongside Tate Gordon, PA-C, and Korin Velez, PA. She earned her masters of science, nursing – family nurse practitioner from California State University, Fresno; her bachelor of science from California State University, Bakersfield; her associate degree in nursing and her AA degree from College of the Sequoias.

Her professional experience includes six years in the Emergency Department of Kaweah Delta Medical Center; four years in the Maternal Child Health Department of KDMC; and five years in walk-in care clinics.

“The staff and management of QuickCare are very friendly and family oriented and everyone’s goal is to provide excellent patient care,” De Jong noted. “I also appreciate the fact that our patients can have imaging and lab tests done right here, and VMC offers a wide range of specialties, such as orthopedics and cardiology, so we can help our patients see the doctor they need.”

12 • Valley Voice

21 July, 2016

Beautification Continued from p. 1

A map of downtown Hanford

Hanford Continued from p. 1

you’re on your own,’ is probably not an encouraging statement to a business that’s thinking about opening in downtown Hanford. Downtown needs to be nurtured.”

“A lot of people are loyal to downtown,” said Mendes. “I get it. I understand it. But they’re tied to these policies thinking that this is what saves downtown Hanford. These ordinances have been in place for a long time, but downtown Hanford is not alive on the weekends.”

Talbert disagrees. “We have quite a few events – between parks and rec, the chamber and Main Street Hanford,” she said, before acknowledging that there are some improvements she would like to see.

“We’d love to have more people living downtown and more foot traffic,” she said. “Foot traffic is what it’s all about.”

And she noted there are too many vacancies downtown.

“I think we’re at 14% downtown, which is high,” she said. “We had trouble with the recession and we were slow with the uptake. Right now we’re in kind of an upswing. We have several new businesses coming into downtown.”

Talbert strongly believes that the current zoning ordinances need to be

kept as they are.

“I think the reason we’re still as vibrant as we are is those ordinances,” she said.

What if the zoning ordinances are changed to make other areas of the city more business-friendly?

“We’re going to lose our downtown,” said Talbert. “We’re going to end up like the city of Fresno. Without smart growth, they grew out to the north without thinking about downtown, and now they’re having just a horrible time bringing people downtown – even with the ballpark.”

About 300 downtown businesses are members of Main Street Hanford.

“Some of those businesses are happy with the status quo,” said Talbert. “Some are not and want to go and expand, but I haven’t heard about any businesses that are saying, ‘I can’t wait for the zoning changes.’”

Talbert has been encouraging people to attend a town hall meeting in the Civic Auditorium on Wednesday, July 27, from 6-8pm to discuss and review proposed changes to the city’s zoning.

“I think it’s really important to have the entire community on board,” she explained. “It can’t just be the downtown businesses. You need the city council and the visitors that come here. It has to be all this plus the community members and the preservationists. They all have to work together for a vibrant downtown.”

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is allocated to all Tulare County cities for transportation costs. Initially the city council discussed building a bay for its buses, but saw a need for safer access to public transportation and responded to their residents’ need.

Also in 2013, a Family Dollar moved in next to the Pizza Factory, and a Dollar General opened a new store on Naranjo Boulevard and Palm Avenue.

Just this year a full sized Rite Aid, built on the empty lot across from the city park, opened and has a drive through pharmacy window.

Mendoza said now the community has more shopping options and that boosts confidence in investing in downtown. Ramon Lara, City Manager, said that there were no vacancies downtown.

In 2014 Woodlake embarked on beautifying its streets by putting in crosswalks with bollards, landscaping, ornate street lights and patterned sidewalk. The renovations run the length of downtown from Bravo Street to Whitney Avenue.

In the next six months the city will continue the street beautification to Sierra Avenue. From there a new housing development, Valencia Heights, is scheduled to break ground late fall and the developer will complete the sidewalks to Wutchumna Avenue.

The centerpiece of Woodlake’s main thoroughfare is the newly opened roundabout on Naranjo Boulevard and Valencia Boulevard. The roundabout and curbs will be landscaped in the coming weeks.

Just opened this February is the Woodlake Valley Cultural Museum next to the fire station on Magnolia Street.

The museum is a repository of 150 years of Woodlake’s history and Native American heritage. “Now those treasures are out where the public can enjoy them and remember,” said Marsha Ingrao, Woodlake Chamber of Commerce secretary.

Rudy Garcia, Chamber of Commerce president, presented the idea of the museum to the city council, which in turn designated a vacant piece of land on Magnolia Street to be used as a building site. Ed Michum, of Oral E. Michum Inc., donated the materials and John Wood constructed the building.

Their generous donations have made it possible for the Museum to be owned free and clear of a mortgage.

The construction of the building took nine months to complete while

the collecting and displaying of artifacts took two years to organize.

Construction has started on Woodlake’s Community Center and City Plaza.

With the completion of these two amenities, Woodlake will become a bonefide two thoroughfare town. Instead of just a main street, Woodlake will have two shopping and cultural arteries on Valencia Boulevard and Magnolia Street that will be connected by a winding path that will pass by the city’s murals.

The Community Center will be a place where Woodlake can relocate their library and provide space for the senior center, among other things. The plaza will sport a stage for special events or concerts.

Mendoza said that the revitalization started with the downtown and now is focused on residential and commercial projects. There is a new commercial project coming soon but Mendoza could not say who it was until the paperwork is finalized. Across the street from the Presbyterian Church on Naranjo Boulevard will be residential development of 170 units. The property owners put together a parcel map and the city council is behind them 100% to find a developer.

Mendoza said that there are a lot of people who want to live in Woodlake but there isn’t the inventory available of new houses.

So what changed in the last few years?

Mendoza said that the city council looked at themselves one day and said, “we can do better than this.”

Lara said the change in attitude started about four years ago. The council got more aggressive about involving the community and hiring young, qualified, motivated staff with the right priorities.

Mendoza added that Woodlake is the only town in Tulare County that has a local economic development board.

The board is made up of nine members from the community and local business owners and works hand-in-hand with the council on economic development.

Now most of the city staff and council grew up in Woodlake and they put time into serving the community even after work. “There is more of a buy-in now,” Lara said. He said that even staff that lives in Visalia can be seen at the Woodlake pool helping out with the county programs like Summer Night Lights.

Mendoza said, “We don’t just wait for things to happen. We are going out and talking to people and telling them that this is a jewel and you need to be a part of it.”

Six Months of HSR Progress, Change, Construction In the first half of 2016, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) has met numerous milestones as part of the monumental effort to develop the nation’s first high-speed rail program.

Continuous activity through the first six months of this year includes new construction, geotechnical work, adoption of a pivotal business plan, and extensive public engagement in the environmental planning process.

Since January, the Authority has constructed a new Tuolumne Street Bridge in Fresno, held numerous public meetings in Southern and Northern California as well as started geotechnical sampling in the Angeles National Forest. All of which continue the forward momentum of high-speed

rail, an essential transportation resource for California’s future success. To demonstrate the six months of rapid change, ongoing construction, and progress, the Authority has released a new video - 6 Months of Progress on High-Speed Rail.

A lot can happen in six months. The new 6-months of progress video highlights major accomplishments achieved in construction, litigation, outreach, and the major changes made in the 2016 Business Plan, which outlines the path forward for Silicon Valley to Central Valley service. When people see just how much has changed since January, they will know “High-speed rail – it’s happening!” The new video is available at youtube.com/ user/CAHighSpeedRail or hsr.ca.gov.

21 July, 2016

Valley Voice • 13

Voices of the Valley Adventure Park’s Roger Hurick

Nancy Vigran Anyone who knows Roger Hurick, knows he likes kids. Just speak with him for five minutes, you’ll catch it, too!

He enjoys mentoring, and that is part of what he does at work, where often teens are having their first taste in the work force at Visalia’s Adventure Park, where Hurick is manager and general partner. Part of a team of investors that opened Hanford Adventure Park in 1995 and the Visalia park in 2005, he remains one of two remaining partners.

Hurick was formerly employed by Shell Oil, when he considered the possibility being prodded by a friend.

“The opportunity came to where I could own my own, and I took that opportunity,” he said. “Twenty-one years later, I’m still here.”

Although born in California, Hurick doesn’t sound like a native. When his mother was pregnant with him, she contracted German measles. It affected his hearing, and subsequently his speech.

“In grammar school, for six years I went to a speech therapist, and that speech therapist was from Atlanta, Georgia,” he said.

Thus, his southern drawl.

Hurick has about 90% hearing in one ear and “next-to-nothing” in the other, he said. He has a hearing aid, but it doesn’t work in his business because of all of the background noise.

Hurick’s father was in the navy. They moved a bit while he was growing up, including a time in Japan, but not as much as some military families, he said. For the most part, the Hurick children grew up in Kings County, out in the country in between Lemoore and Armona. His father was an integral part of the Lemoore Naval Air Station’s history.

“The neat part is what brought us here,” he said. “My father opened up one of the four charter squadrons in Lemoore,” he said.

The family later moved to Visalia as his father later worked for the US National Park Service at Ash Mountain, while his mother worked in Kings County as a nurse.

Hurick continues to call Visalia his home. He and his wife of 29 years, Shelley, live there, and so does his mother, now 89 years old. He attended College of the Sequoia, and received his degree in social sciences from Fresno State.

The switch from working for Shell to opening Adventure Park, while a big difference, was something Hurick does not dwell on much.

“It was completely different – out of the box,” he said. “One of my best friends is the one who kind of talked me into and said, ‘with your background, why don’t you run the day-to-day.’”

“The rest is history,” he said. “It was a no risk – no glory-type deal. I am a risk taker to a degree.”

“The interesting thing was that before I came on – they were already working on and had been turned down by the City of Visalia,” he said.

The investment group was looking to build Adventure Park in Plaza Park.

“That was a blessing, because Plaza Park wouldn’t have worked. The size just

wouldn’t have worked,” Hurick said.

So, the group starting working with Hanford, with the thought of expanding into Visalia later.

“Part of the lure was we were going to do more than one,” he said.

There it worked out and the park was developed and opened in July, 1995.

Hurick was the general manager, but he also had an onsite manager, so he wasn’t there day-to-day, he said. He answered to a board of directors.

When the Visalia park opened in phases starting in the spring of 2005, Hurick went back and forth, managing both, while still having a Hanford manager under him and a few onsite managers in Visalia. The group looked to expand the Hanford park and purchased seven adjoining acres to build a water park, but in working with the City of Hanford and others, it just never came to fruition.

“We just couldn’t seem to pull the trigger,” Hurick said.

And, then the recession hit, taking the Hanford location with it, in 2010.

“The Great Recession had taken the toll on cash flow,” Hurick said. “Sadly, for Hanford we were equity rich, cash poor. But, then it came down to we were competing against ourselves. This [Visalia] was newer, bigger.”

Visalia was doing about 2 ½ times the business that Hanford was, he said, although it also had a greater overhead.

The Hanford property has since been sold.

“Everyone was affected by the Great Recession – we were 38% down in sales,” he said. “We had to figure out real quick, just how are we going to do this? What turned things around for us, we were able to refinance our business loan to a cheaper rate – the economy started changing and we changed some of the things that you need to do in business to stay in business.

“Business has picked up – we’re not back up to the 38, but probably 25% back.

“The bank refi was huge! Huge!

And, like most businesses, the top has to take a pay cut. I took a pay cut to save a couple jobs – key people jobs. We started looking at what was costing us the most money, why, what can we do? How do you change it?”

Visalia Adventure Park closed down its buffet meal operation in March, 2013. It now maintains a pizza parlor and snack bar. The buffet, Hurick said, was not making money, and in fact was costing money to run.

Last year, the park closed down its FastTrack attraction.

“That really was a combination of insurance, because of the speed of those cars, and we were always scared to death we would have a major injury,” he said.

Adventure Park still maintains its Family Track of electric karts, where children 54” or taller can drive and speeds can reach 18 miles per hour.

“Shockingly, we are making more money, or have a better bottom line,” he said.

“We are a disposable income business,” he added. “What has helped us over the past couple of years is the ener-

Adventure Park manager and partner Roger Hurick gets set to take a drive on the park’s Family Track in Visalia. Nancy Vigran/Valley Voice

gy savings off of gasoline that the average person is getting. They’re spending that money. That has clearly helped us.”

Another cost-saving measure for the park was the installation of solar in April, 2015. The company is saving about 40% in electricity while receiving tax credits, Hurick said. Right now the park is run on about 65% solar with plans to add and complete the solar units for 100% efficiency next year.

Hurick is a board member with the Visalia Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

The park is a Visalia Chamber member and recently joined the Tulare-Kings Hispanic Chamber.

Adventure Parks partners with many area schools and has a Pass for Class program in which teachers can award students with Adventure Park rewards.

But Hurick wishes he had even more time to give back to the community then he does.

“The biggest thing that the average person doesn’t realize, is that when you’re a business owner – it’s not just you that you have to worry about – you have to worry about your 50 employees,” he said.

“I work six days a week. That’s my MO. I get that [work ethic] from my parents.”

Hurick finds that keeping up with governmental standards is the hardest part of his job.

“At one point, 25% of our employees were high school kids and I loved it.

Two years in high school and two years at COS [they would work for the park], but with labor cracking down on hours they can work, times they have to be off work – it just doesn’t fit for us,” he said.

“So, we’re 18 years and up now.”

“I have one employee who has been here 10 years, and three who have been here for 9 years. But, our business is a high turnover, about 35%,” he said. “Before the recession it was closer to 45%, then people figured out – you get a job, you keep that job.

“And now we’re seeing people working two jobs. I can’t pay for medical. $15 an hour – we’re going to have to grab how we can do that as well. We’re not a gas station – we’re not a grocery store.

We’re not a need – so the challenge ahead is how to we keep up with the growing cost of business and we’re in California.

“Washington, DC and the state of California don’t care about the Central Valley, if they did, we wouldn’t have a water problem. If they did, I wouldn’t be paying the same rate that LA is going to pay for labor.”

On the plus side, Hurick said, “I do have some great young adults [working there] - and, of course, the customers.

Our deal was, we wanted to have a fun park here - it’s great for the community.”

Hurick loves working with people – “Always,” he said.

“As I get older, part of my job, because we’re entry level, is making them [his young employees] understand what work is all about.”

The Huricks have one daughter, Lindsay, who is to graduate from college at the end of the year. They also have a newborn grandson. ““I took on a new title,” Hurick said of being a grandpa. “I’m looking forward to mentoring him.”

Besides his Adventure Park investment, Hurick also owns apartment buildings. A four-plex business is named Lindsayland, after his daughter. He also owns a “hobby-business” of casino rentals, where he rents out tables, chips and everything associated with a casino-night for bachelor parties, corporate parties, and others.

“It’s funny, I don’t know that I have a hobby,” he said.

“If I’m not doing something, I get bored really easy. At 61 years old, I walk faster than most of my employees – it’s that I have places to go, things to do, people to see. I do take Sunday off, that’s family time.”

The Huricks do travel a bit. They have been to New York, Miami, the Bahamas and Hawaii, he said. A cruise may be in the schedule for next year.

As for Adventure Park, there are some plans for the future, too.

“We start talking for about two years, before we get real serious about things,” Hurick said. “We are not going to rule out a large water attraction – there’s room – we have to see what this water deal is going to be like.”

As he spoke, it sounded as if the possibility was more than just a “not going to rule it out.”

“It would be one big thing with no standing water – it would have buckets on it – it’s going to have water cannons – it will probably have 60 different things going on and probably hold 200 people,” he said.

Notice how the wording changed from “would have” to “it’s going to have.”

“It’s something, that under the right conditions, we’re definitely going to look at it. Our concern now is the water problem.

HURICK continued on 16 »

14 • Valley Voice

21 July, 2016

Viewpoint

The Superpowers Are Violent Powers

Lawrence S. Wittner If asked to identify the world’s superpowers today, most people would name the United States, Russia, and China.

Although many citizens of these countries maintain that this status is based on the superiority of their national way of life, the reality is that it rests upon their nations’ enormous capacity for violence.

Certainly none has a peaceful past.

The United States, Russia, and China have a long history of expansion at the expense of neighboring countries and territories, often through military conquest. Those nations on their borders today, including some that have wrenched themselves free from their imperial control, continue to fear and distrust them.

Just ask Latin Americans, East Europeans, or Asians what they think of their powerful neighbors.

Nor has there been any significant reduction of their military might in recent years. Despite their professions of peaceful intentions, all three nations maintain vast armed forces and a clear willingness to use them when it suits their rulers. According to the International Institute of Strategic Studies, in 2014 the United States had 2.3 million active duty military, reserve military, and paramilitary personnel, Russia had 3.4 million, and China 3.5 million. These figures do not include many other people they kept fully armed, such as China’s 3 million-strong People’s Liberation Army militia. In 2015, the combined military expenditures of the three superpowers constituted more than half the world total, with 36 percent ($596

billion) spent by the United States, 13 percent ($215 billion) by China, and 4 percent ($64 billion) by Russia.

Lest anyone think that Russia’s low military expenditures―at least compared to those of the United States and China― indicate a collapse of its capacity for mass violence, it should be kept in mind that Russia continues to possess more nuclear weapons than any other nation. With an estimated 7,290 nuclear weapons in its arsenals, Russia is a formidable military power, indeed. The United States, a close runner-up, has some 7,000, giving these two superpowers possession of roughly 93 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons―more than enough to annihilate life on earth. China, by contrast, lags far behind as a nuclear power, with a mere 260. Even so, these Chinese weapons, if carefully directed, could kill about 52 million people and cause nuclear winter climate catastrophe, killing millions more.

As might be expected of countries that view themselves as the light of the world, each is dissatisfied with the nuclear status quo and is busy ramping up its nuclear arsenal at enormous cost. In the United States, a program is underway to spend $1 trillion over the next 30 years to build new nuclear weapons factories, new nuclear warheads, and upgraded delivery systems for the warheads via landbased missiles, submarines, and planes.

Meanwhile, both Russia and China are building their own new generations of nuclear weapons. According to a recent New York Times report, Russia is developing “big missiles topped by miniaturized warheads,” while “the Russian Navy is developing an undersea drone meant

China’s Bad Day in Court Mel Gurtov As had been widely expected, the Permanent Court of Arbitration under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) ruled on July 12 in favor of the Philippines’ suit to declare Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea (SCS) illegal. On every particular, the court found that China’s claims—defined by the so-called “ninedash line”— to an expansive maritime zone and its undersea resources are illegal, and therefore that its land reclamation and construction projects in the islands encroach on the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Though the ruling did not extend to the issue of sovereignty over the SCS islands, it clarified the boundary dispute. The ruling also found China guilty of harming the marine environment by building artificial islands, of illegally interfering with Filipinos’ fishing and oil exploration, and “aggravating” the dispute with the Philippines by its construction activities.

China had determined its response many months ago. The foreign ministry declared the arbitration court’s decision “null and void and without binding force.” The statement repeated China’s sovereignty claims over the SCS islands.

It asserted that China’s stance is consis-

tent with international law, a view that hardly squares with its denial of the arbitration court’s jurisdiction, much less its decision. China is committed to direct negotiations with the interested parties and to peaceful settlement of disputes, the statement says; but “regarding territorial issues and maritime delimitation disputes, China does not accept any means of third party dispute settlement or any solution imposed on China.”

In all, it was a bad day in court for the People’s Republic. Though it promises not to abide by the ruling, meaning China will continue to militarize the disputed islands and defend its “core interests” there—its navy held its first livefire exercises in the SCS the day before the court’s decision—the spotlight is on China’s claim to be a “responsible great power.” President Xi Jinping had indicated in 2014 that China needed to have “its own great-power foreign policy with special characteristics,” which he called “six persistents” (liuge jianchi). These principles supposedly would create a “new type of international relations,” and included ideas such as “cooperation and win-win,” a major voice for developing countries, and defense of international justice. But the six persistents also included “never abandoning our legitimate rights and interests” (zhengdang

to loft a cloud of radioactive contamination from an underwater explosion that would make target cities uninhabitable.” For its part, the Chinese military is flight testing a “hypersonic glide vehicle” that is fired into space “on a traditional long-range missile but then maneuvers through the atmosphere, twisting and careening at more than a mile a second,” thus rendering missile defenses “all but useless.” Americans can take heart, though, for the Obama administration “is flight-testing its own hypersonic weapon.”

Nuclear weapons, of course, have not been used except as threat since 1945. But there is nothing to prevent their employment in the future, particularly as the superpowers continue to use their military power recklessly. China, though not currently at war, is alarming its neighbors by building islands in disputed offshore waters and establishing military facilities on them. Russia is absorbing the Ukrainian territory it recently seized by military force and heavily bombing portions of Syria. And the United States is continuing its lengthy wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, while launching covert military operations in numerous other countries from its 662 military bases around the globe.

Not surprisingly, these are also violent societies at home. Although most nations of the world have abolished capital punishment, both the United States and China still put large numbers of people to death. Indeed, China is the world’s most active executioner.

This state-organized violence is often accompanied by citizen violence. In 2015, the use of firearms in the United

States resulted in the deaths of 13,286 people and the wounding of another 26,819. These figures include 372 mass shootings, but not the many suicides (21,175 in 2011, says CDC data). In 2012―the latest year with comparative statistics―the number of gun murders per capita in the United States was nearly 30 times that in Britain.

Murder rates are also high in the three superpowers―though considerably lower in China than in the United States and Russia. When ranked by the lowest murder rates among the nations of the world, China was #28,the United States #96, and Russia #128.

Overall, then, the three superpowers are unusually violent powers. An extensive study by the Institute for Economics & Peace, released recently, ranked 163 independent nations and territories according to their level of peacefulness.

Examining 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators linked to domestic or international conflict, the degree of militarization, and the level of safety and security in society, the study concluded that, when it came to peacefulness, the United States ranked #103, China #120, and Russia #151.

Is this really the best that these large, economically productive, educationally advanced, and technologically sophisticated nations can do? If so, the world is in big trouble.

quanyi), which all too often is pretext for acting in ways directly opposed to international responsibility.

China’s leaders surely expected that signing and ratifying the UNCLOS would be advantageous to the country.

It would demonstrate China’s commitment to international agreements, show China’s respect for the maritime rights of others (especially its Southeast Asia neighbors) as well as legitimize its own rights, and facilitate undersea exploration for resources. But agreements don’t always turn out as expected. Now that the law has turned against it, the Chinese suddenly seek to disqualify the UNCLOS court and reinterpret the convention’s intent. Not many governments are likely to support such backsliding.

The US, though having always supported the Philippines’ position, has nothing to cheer about here. First, the US has neither signed nor ratified the UNCLOS, and thus is in a weak position to argue on its behalf or appeal to international law and a “rules-based system’ when governments violate either (such as Russia’s seizure of Crimea).

Second, like China, the US has always taken a dim view of international law when “national interests” are at stake.

Whether with regard to the International Court of Justice or any other interna-

tional court, the US has never accepted the idea of compulsory jurisdiction, and in fact has often behaved as though it is exempt from laws and rules. Thus, also like China, US responsibility as a great power does not consistently embrace respect for and adherence to international treaties and conventions, international legal bodies (such as the International Criminal Court), or international legal norms (such as those regarding nonintervention, genocide, and torture). Both the US and China, in a word, talk the talk but don’t walk the walk—unless law serves its policy.

And that is the real lesson here—the irresponsibility of great powers, their self-serving approach to international law, and the limited capacity of legal institutions to constrain their behavior.

Perhaps in the SCS case China and the Philippines, now under a new president, will find their way back to the negotiating table and work out a deal that skirts the always-difficult sovereignty issue.

That would be fine; but it would not address the fundamental problem of how law-abiding behavior can be promoted and enforced in an often anarchic world.

Mel Gurtov, syndicated by PeaceVoice, is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Portland State University and blogs at In the Human Interest.

Dr. Lawrence Wittner, syndicated by PeaceVoice, is Professor of History emeritus at SUNY/Albany. His latest book is a satirical novel about university corporatization and rebellion, What’s Going On at UAardvark?

Send your letters to editor@ourvalleyvoice.com

21 July, 2016

Valley Voice • 15

Comments & Letters Letter: Neither Political Side is Correct I am a recent Exeter Union High School graduate. All of my life I have had an interest in the world of politics.

My family is full of Republicans/conservatives and that was the political mindset that I had growing up. I was taught that Ronald Reagan was the greatest and that George W. Bush was “The Man” and that Donald Trump was going to “save America.”

I was also taught that the Clintons are as evil as they come or that President Obama is the “Death of America.” I was

always showed the worst side of Hillary Clinton and Obama but I never was shown anything imperfect about Reagan, Bush or Trump.

I couldn’t believe that anybody could be as perfect as the Republicans and conservatives as told by my family and the people that I grew up with.

After years of looking at both sides of the Political World I have come to the conclusion that neither side is correct.

You cannot just build a wall to solve a nation’s problems, and you shouldn’t be

Veteran’s Corner

able to run for president of any country while under criminal investigation.

“Leadership is an action, not a position,” said Donald McGannon, who ran the Westinghouse Broadcasting Corporation and served as President of the National Urban League.

I don’t want a politician. I don’t want a doctor or businessman. I want a president who puts America first and who has common sense.

Brendon Alexander

Letter: The Best Plan for the Tulare Hospital The community of Tulare has a long history or respecting opposing views, putting the good of the community ahead of other interests, and coming together for the greater good. The 1400 volunteers for the World Ag Expo, and the approval of COS bonds and our local sales tax, are just a few examples of this community spirit. That is the Tulare way.

Now, we have a Hospital Board that has contempt for those that question and seek information, that openly applauds speakers that defend them at public meetings, and that disregards their legal

obligations for transparency as a public agency. Indeed, they openly lie to their public, claiming they are “dedicated to transparency” while stonewalling requests for information required to be available to the public. Their agreement with Healthcare Conglomerate Associates (HCCA) overpays and allows the private entity to buy the Hospital. No more public funds for this board.

We need to stop this bond that represents putting good money after bad, and eventually would go to build a complex for a private entity. Instead, we need

to get a sane board, one that has not drank the HCCA Kool Aid, renegotiate or cancel the HCCA agreement, answer the financial questions, and finish the tower.

That is the only way to assure we have a quality, public hospital for our children and grandchildren. Working together, sharing information, developing consensus for a plan for the future— that is the Tulare way.

Kevin Northcraft

Letter: Thank You For Fighting Underage Drinking The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) of Tulare Co. would like to acknowledge and thank all the Businesses throughout Tulare County that are currently participating in the “We Don’t Serve Teens Campaign”. Since the rollout in 2010, we have had a consistent 85% participation (approx. 580 businesses participating).

NCADD implemented the “We Don’t Serve Teens Campaign” throughout Tulare County in 2010 as an effort to reduce the easy accessibility of alcohol to our youth. You will be able to recog-

“

nize participating businesses by looking for the “We Don’t Serve Teens” decal prominently displayed at their premises. The double sided decal provides a clear message for all of us to acknowledge - “Please don’t provide alcohol to teens. It’s unsafe. It’s illegal. It’s irresponsible” and “The Legal Drinking Age is 21: Thanks for not providing alcohol to teens”. We encourage all Tulare County ABC licensed businesses to join our prevention efforts; your participation in the campaign will greatly influence many individuals in our community.

Aside from parents, Retailers play

an essential role in reducing underage access. Responsible retailing practices are key to preventing illegal alcohol sales.

But it takes more than just telling staff not to sell to minors. Responsible retailers have specific policies that if backed up by training and accountability can effectively prevent illegal alcohol sales to minors.

Thank you for your support and dedication in reducing underage access of alcohol!

NCADD Board of Directors and Staff

This is obviously an emotional subject, and understandably so. I have both friends and family in various positions at the hospital. This fact causes me to take extra time and consideration before I vote no on Measure I. I have avoided commenting on wheather or not to vote for Measure I. There is a ‘Fact vs Fiction’ flyer about the hospital that I received in the mail within the last few days. It is full of “half-facts”, just as this type of flyer should be. This flyer is full of “half-facts” and I feel the need to fill in some blanks.

-It is indeed a fact that in 2013, the hospital was close “its end”. The flyer left out the facts that there were 3 other hospital chains / entities that presented proposals for TRMC to partner with them, Adventist Health, Community Medical Centers, and a smaller chain from Costa Mesa. I admit that I do work for Adventist Health. However, after reading the proposal synopsis that were provided in the news paper, I felt that the proposal from Community Medical Centers was the strongest, then Adventist Health, the smaller chain, then the offer from HCCA. The presence of the 3 other offers was left out of the flyer.

-The next fact described how the hospital completed 26 consecutive months of profit. I am sure this is true and is a great accomplishment. However 2 Information Technology (a.k.a. computers) related companies walked away from TRMC due to non-payment. (I work in I.T., and had friend and acquaintences that worked in the TRMC IT dept).

-The final half-fact mentioned Colusa Regional Medical Center closed in April 2016, and 200 people lost their jobs. This is true. However, this hospital chose to back out of a partnership deal with us shortly before it would have been finalized. This hospital had several clinics which we were able to purchase and keep open.

-This half-fact also mentions that the hospitals in Corcoran, Lindsay, and Kingsburg all closed. The hospital in Kingsburg was about to join with Adventist Health when TRMC offered more money up front than Adventist offered. Kingsburg then backed out of the deal with Adventist in lieu of the better looking deal with TRMC. Once TRMC saw how much it would cost to bring the Kingsburg hospital up to code, TRMC backed out of the deal and left Kingsburg high and dry. Kingsburg soon closed. They forgot to mention that in the flyer.

Before working for Adventist Health, I worked at Kaweah Delta. Between the two hospitals, I’ve worked in healthcare for 16 years. I have received great healthcare at both hospitals, and yes even at TRMC. If Measure I fails and the hospital does close its doors, I do not believe it will be permanent. The hospital has many things going for it that other, smaller hospitals that close did not. The hospitals mentioned in the “Fact vs Fiction” flyer were small, old, decrepid, neglected, and were in smaller towns than Tulare. Our hospital has a new building, with lots of potential. It is located in a good location with good clinics as well. It is a very viable hospital. While I am partial to Adventist Health, there are many other alternatives to the mess we have running our hospital now.

Please, vote “No” on Measure I and let people that know how to run a hospital run our hospital.

”

— Dwight C. on Measure I Campaign Heats up Tulare

VA Hearing Aids and Eyeglasses Scott Holwell

Contrary to popular belief, the VA will provide glasses and hearing aids to those who are not service connected for vision or hearing-related conditions (Priority Groups 6-8). In the past these were available only to those service connected for those conditions. These services are considered part of the preventative care package for all veterans enrolled in VA healthcare who meet certain criteria. Also, veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system are eligible for battery replacement and repair of hearing aids even though those aids were purchased from a private source.

Even though glasses and hearing aids may be provided at no charge, there may be a co-pay required for those in priority group 6-8. Audiology is a specialty clinic, with a $50 dollar co-pay for some services. There is no co-pay for the devices or the batteries, nor are there any charges for visits for the purpose of adjusting, repairing or modifying hearing aids.

No cost VA health care is available to many veterans, including those who recently returned from a combat zone. They are entitled to five years of free VA care. The five-year “clock” begins with their discharge from the military, not their departure from the combat zone. The VA Medical Center in Fresno has an enrollment coordinator available to provide information.

Veterans can also visit our office with health eligibility questions.

The Kings County Veterans Service Office can complete the DMV Veteran Status Verification Form for the new California Veteran Designation on your driver’s license and also issues Veteran I.D. cards to honorably discharged veterans. Contact Scott Holwell 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 determine 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/vets.

Scott Holwell, 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 (559)852-2669; or e-mail scott.holwell@co.kings.ca.us.

16 • Valley Voice

21 July, 2016

Poochigian Runs for Visalia District 2

On July 18, U.S. Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-21) visited the Earlimart Community Food Pantry, a community food distribute service that provides food for needy families and individuals through the Rural Foundation for Community Advancement.

“The Central Valley is facing an unemployment crisis which has had devastating effects on families throughout our communities,” said Congressman Valadao. “It is

a sad reality that today, one in every three children suffers from hunger - a somber statistic that cannot continue. We are truly blessed to have organizations such as the Community Food Bank to help struggling families during tough times.”

The Community Food Bank provides food to more than two hundred partner agencies including churches, community centers, and schools so they can feed the hungry in their neighborhood.

After much encouragement from the community and discussion with his family and friends, Brian Poochigian says he is excited and proud to announce his candidacy for the Visalia City Council District 2.

He was born and raised in Visalia, and graduated from Mt. Whitney High School. He received his Bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University. After graduating, he was anxious to return to the place he called home.

He is currently employed by Cal-Tex Transportation where he is entrusted with managing the logistics of the transportation of produce across the United States.

Brian Poochigian is married to Adrienne Skaff, a teacher for Exeter Unified School District. The couple has one child.

Among Brian’s priorities is the safety of Visalia’s residents. He plans on working with local law enforcement agencies to ensure they have all the tools at their disposal to protect all of Visalia’s residents.

Brian Poochigian believes that the

Hurick

a card system instead of ticketing.

“It would track everything,” he said.

Currently, Adventure Park owns about 50% of its arcade games. It is looking to own about 90%, leaving the video games as rentals. And, games are routinely upgraded to keep up with the times. The arcade is the park’s most popular attraction, Hurick said.

Ownership is also looking toward creating an atmosphere for younger children 4-7 years of age. They currently

tout their appeal from age 7-70.

Hurick claims he doesn’t have much of a personal bucket list.

A few years back, he and some buddies attended a Cardinals-Giants playoff game. The Cards won that game, he said, although the Giants won the playoff division and the World Series.

Hurick has been a Cardinal fan since his youth.

“When I could watch TV, going back, I had tubes put in my ears. The

Congressman Valadao joins Andy Souza, President and CEO of the Community Food Bank

Valadao Visits Earlimart Pantry

Continued from p. 13 Four-to-five months [of activity per year] with no water surface, but we’re going to be using some water, we’ll leave it up to the engineers to figure out.”

This fits into the 3-5 year plan, Hurick said.

The end of this year, the arcade may start to see some changes, converting to

City Council must have strong oversight on the budget. He supports identifying wasteful spending and will work on building the cities monetary reserve: “Government should be accountable for responsible spending.”

Brian would like to continue the revitalization of downtown Visalia. He believes Visalia has one of the best downtown areas in the Central Valley and wants to ensure it remains as such. Brian Poochigian has the long term vision and goals that will preserve the vitality of this wonderful city.

“I promise to be a concerned and honest representative who will make a positive and significant impact on Visalia to ensure it remains a great place to live and work for generations to come.’

Poochigian’s campaign can be found online and on Facebook using the links below: www.poochigianforcitycouncil.com https://www.facebook.com/poochigianforcitycouncil/ Cardinals and the Red Sox were playing in the World Series – so this has to be ‘67, or ’68. I liked their uniforms and eventually I knew all the players’ names,” he said. “I enjoy sports – it’s just I don’t have a lot of time [to watch].

If Hurick was not manager and a general partner of Adventure Park, he would probably be retired, he said.

“But, the long and the short of it is, I don’t look back much.”

His favorite title is “Dad,” he added.

Valley Scene

21 July, 2016

Tulare County Symphony Plans Concert Season Inspired by Folk Music The Tulare County Symphony has planned its 2016-17 concert season using composers who were inspired by folk music, folk songs and folklore. Entitled “Back to our Roots,” the season kicks off with the traditional Pops in the Park on Saturday, September 10 at Zumwalt Park in Tulare, an ideal spot complete with old-fashioned band stand.

“So much of our classical music is based on folk and traditional songs,” said music director Bruce Kiesling. “Mozart would incorporate a song that he heard a merchant singing on the street.

Tchaikovsky and Beethoven would incorporate folk songs into their compositions. We know that Copland and Dvorak used a lot of folk tunes. So I thought

Haik Kazazyan

Donna Orosco we would see how different compositions come from difference places.”

The October concert features music by Copland, well known for his folk influence. November has music by Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky and a return by the popular violin soloist, Haik Kazazyan. The Holiday concert features 300 local singers and is always a favorite way to kick off the season.

The February concert is all about jazz—Gershwin and Ellington, including “Rhapsody in Blue.”

“Jazz isn’t specifically folk, but it’s very much in the American

SYMPHONY continued on 19 »

Celebrant Singers Return to Visalia for 39th Homecoming Staff Reports This summer the Visalia-based international Christian music group Jon Stemkoski’s Celebrant Singers are on the road for their 39th consecutive year of ministry.

It was in Poland in 1975, while ministering in that country’s largest Catholic cathedrals, that Jon Stemkoski heard the call of God in a new way. “Take the life-changing message of Christ throughout the world…where My light is dim and My voice is heard small.” In response to this call, Jon founded Celebrant Singers – a talented, dedicated team of Spirit-filled young adults – to share their vision for ministry in the Church and on the mission fields of our world.

Stemkoski founded Celebrant Singers in 1977, and the ministry has since grown to international proportions. To date, Jon and Celebrant Singers have been in all 50 states, 10 Canadian provinces and in January 2016 reached their 100th nation around the world, Suriname.

They’ve sang and shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ before millions of people, both live and on televised broadcasts.

This summer two teams of Celebrants will return to Greece and El Salvador. Celebrants’ headquarters have Jon Stemkoski remained in Visalia since its inception, and Jon is proud of his local, hometown roots. “The Valley community has embraced Celebrants as their own. We’re proud to represent Central California wherever we go, whether it’s across the states or around the world.”

Jon continued, “We are so grateful for the tremendous support we’ve received—and continue to receive—from our friends and family here in the Valley. This ministry would not be where it

is today if it weren’t for the prayers, encouragement and generosity of these folks at home. “ T h a t ’s why every August, we come ‘home’ for our Homecoming Concert and Banquet. It’s our way of saying thanks to this community for all their love and support.”

After outreaches in Greece and El Salvador, they bring fresh reports of God’s faithfulness and the results of sharing Christ’s love with thousands throughout the world. THREE TEAMS – 30 singers and a 40 piece orchestra – are together for a spectacular musical celebration!

Celebrant Singers music is powerful, worshipful and inspirational for the en-

tire family. You’ll enjoy the sweet spirit of worship and praise, the inspiring personal testimonies, and contemporary gospel songs. You’ll love the genuine warmth and special ministry of all the Celebrants, but most of all, you’ll receive Christ’s love which they share so freely with all who hear them.

The 39th Annual Grand Homecoming Concert will be held Friday, August 12th, at 7:00 p.m. at LJ Williams Theatre, 1001 W. Main St., Visalia. Enjoy this inspirational night hearing from Celebrants who’ve traveled the globe.

All seats are FREE and a love offering will be taken.

The 39th Annual WorldTouch Partners Banquet will be held Tuesday, August 16th at 7:00 p.m. at GateWay Church, 1100 S. Sowell St., Visalia. Reservations are required, please call (559) 740-4000 to reserve your table.

To follow Celebrants as they journey across America and overseas, visit www. celebrants.org to see the itinerary.

CCR: Still Chooglin’, Porterville Performance July 22 Dave Adalian For five years, from 1968 to 1972, Creedence Clearwater Revival was about the hardwest working band in rock ‘n’ roll.

Bad Moon Rising, Born on the Bayou, Down on the Corner, Proud Mary, Lodi, Commotion, Green River, Run Through the Jungle, Up Around the Bend, all these original Top 40 hits and more, enough to eventually fill a six-sided best-of album, were recorded by CCR during that white-hot run. The 1969 No. 2 hit Fortunate Son, an anthem of the Vietnam War era, is included in the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry.

Then it was over. The band broke up in 1972 and never reunited. But, the music never stopped, and two CCR founding members will bring back its

glory at 8 p.m. Friday, July 22, at Eagle Mountain Casino in Porterville.

Creedence Clearwater Revisited

After Creedence was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, the band’s clockwork-perfect rhythm section, drummer Doug Cosmo Clifford and bassist Stu Cook, decided to get back to the business of playin’ in a travelin’ band. They’ve been at it ever since, bringing the music millions of fans love to the live stage.

“The fans keep us going,” said Clifford, 71. “Traveling sucks, and I don’t like chasing airplanes and riding in the buses, but once we’re there, that 90 minutes on stage are worth it all. Showing folks a good time, especially in times like these, that’s what it’s about.”

CCR continued on 18 »

Creedence Clearwater Revisited, featuring original CCR members Doug “Cosmo” Clifford and Stu Cook will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, July 22, at Eagle Mountain Casino in Porterville.

18 • Valley Voice

21 July, 2016

CCR

taken back to the queen. Two weeks later, sure enough they were gone.”

CCR’s lineup now includes lead singer and rhythm guitarist John Tristao, formerly of the band People! whose I Love You hit the Top 40 in 1968, lead guitarist Kurt Griffey, and multiinstrumentalist Steve Gunner.

One song the new CCR won’t be playing in Porterville is Creedence Clearwater Revival’s first single Porterville from its debut album in 1968. Porterville was backed with a B side of I Put a Spell on You. “It wasn’t a hit record,” said Clifford.

“We would probably play it in Porterville, but it doesn’t mention the name in the song, so they wouldn’t know what it means.”

Clifford’s nickname had been Clifford C. Clifford before college, but he was soon tagged Cosmo by friends, and not for the reasons one may suspect for a budding rockstar in the 1960s when the Age of Aquarius seemed just around the corner. Someone once asked Clifford what the C in his nickname stood for, and he was beaten to the punch.

“Before I could respond he (a professor) said ‘Cosmo, because he’s a man of nature,’” he said. Clifford would later release a solo album of that name, and Cosmo’s Factory was the title of the 1970 CCR album containing the hit single Lookin’ Out My Back Door with a flipside of Long As I Can See the Light. Creedence Clearwater Revisited, the CCR of today, was also briefly named Cosmo’s Factory.

Clifford also unravelled another mystery from CCR’s past. At the end of its live shows, CCR would finish with an extended version of Keep on Chooglin’. The song was also featured on the 1969 Bayou Country album along with Proud Mary, Born on the Bayou and CCR’s version of Good Golly Miss Molly. “‘Chooglin’’ is just a metaphor for having a good time,” he said. “It’s a word that’s made up. ‘Chooglin’’ does have a sense of moving forward with a spring in your step. That’s how I envision it. However you want to make it, it’s yours.”

CCR’s music, says Clifford, revitalises the body and soul, and it’s definitely worth revisiting.

“Rock and roll is good medicine,” he said.

Author’s note: I stopped in at a Visalia convenience store about 9 o’clock a few nights before the interview with Clifford.

A guitarist was playing out front, belting out his version of Down on the Corner for spare change. I told him I’d be speaking with Clifford, and the busker said, “Tell him I said, ‘Hi.’” “Hi back,” was Clifford’s message.

His band’s music is alive on street corners around America. CCR lives on. “Have fun with that guitar.”

Continued from p. 17

Amateur Entemologist

Writing credit for Porterville went to T. Spicebush Swallowtail, a pseudonym for brothers Tom and John Fogerty.

Clifford, Cook and John Fogerty, a trio of childhood friends, banded together with the elder Fogerty in the mid-1960s to form what would become CCR. The penname used on Porterville refers to a species of butterfly and comes from one of Clifford’s childhood hobbies.

“I’m the guy who gave them that name because I was an amateur entemologist,” he said. “As a kid, I collected (butterflys) from all over the world.”

Clifford, who defies the rockstar stereotype by being an early riser with a bit of an intellectual bent, has had a lifelong interest in natural history that’s played into his band’s history more than once. It also led to a couple of funny stories and a bit of environmental degredation, the drummer explained.

“Stu and I were going to San Jose State at the time, and we were living in basically the Animal House, there was trash everywhere, hamburgers on the floor.

There were bugs, roaches everywhere.

Ants,” he said. He put his bug knowledge into play. “I told them if you guys clean up, I’ll get rid of the ants. You have to get the queen. I eventually baited food (with the now banned pesticide DDT) that got

Cosmo’s Factory

When Ideals Hit the Ground: The Case of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight What ideals do you live by? What virtues guide your decisions? Do you live up to those values as much as you’d like?

These questions lie at the heart of the medieval poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, a key English example of the Arthurian legend. The poem was written in Middle English, the phase that begins after the Norman French conquered England in the eleventh century. Not only did the Normans bring their language; they also brought their literature, including the romance genre, which involves knights, fair maidens, sorcerers, temptations, battles with natural and supernatural foes, and, above all, a courtly ethic in which a knight’s faithfulness to Lord and Lady are central to all he does.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight begins with a young King Arthur celebrating Christmastide at Camelot. The party is going strong, when suddenly the doors burst open and in rides “the largest of men,” “Half a giant on earth” of “the seemliest stature,” wielding “an ax… huge and immense, / A wicked piece of work.” Strangest of all, “man and gear and all / Were green as green could be.”

The Green Knight claims Arthur’s court doesn’t deserve its reputation, and challenges Arthur to a game: Arthur may strike the Green Knight once with any weapon, so long as one year later at his Green Chapel, the Green Knight gets to return the blow. Sir Gawain accepts the challenge on behalf of his King, showing his fealty. Gawain takes the Green Knight’s ax, the Green Knight kneels to expose his neck, and Gawain beheads him. To everyone’s horror, the Green Knight picks up his severed head, hops back on his horse, and rides out, reminding Gawain to keep his word.

One year later, Gawain sets out to find the Green Chapel. He has no luck finding it, and as Christmas Eve draws near, he finds a castle in the woods where he stops to hear mass and to ask directions. The lord of the castle welcomes him and introduces him to his sexy wife.

After some Christmas feasting, the lord proposes a game: the next day the lord will go hunting and Gawain will sleep in, and whatever each man catches, he will give to the other. The next morning, Gawain is awakened by the lady of the castle, who tries to seduce him. Gawain walks a line between faithfulness to his host and the courtly imperative to do what a lady asks of a knight, and he suc-

Joseph R. Teller cessfully resists. But this game goes on for three days, and on the third day of attempted seduction, the lady offers Gawain her green girdle, promising him that it will protect him from all harm.

Fearing his immanent death at the Green Chapel, Gawain keeps the girdle and deliberately withholds this prize from his host.

Gawain finds the Green Chapel and faces the Green Knight. The Green Knight takes the ax, moves to strike the knight, but Gawain “shr[inks] a little from the sharp iron.” The Green Knight stops, and mocks Gawain’s cowardice.

Gawain demands the Green Knight strike again, and this time Gawain does not flinch—and the Green Knight deliberately misses. At this point, the Green Knight reveals all: he is really Bercilak, the lord of the nearby castle, and knows about Gawain’s acceptance of the green girdle and his lie about it. The entire beheading game and sexual temptation has been engineered by Arthur’s enemy, the witch Morgan la Fey, to test and chasten Arthur’s haughty court. Gawain then returns to Camelot chastened by his human weakness—his flinching at death and his desire to preserve his own life even if it means deceiving others about it.

Thus, a series of strange games illuminates profound human truths both to Gawain and to the reader. “Gawain the good knight” self-confidently embodies the chivalric ideals of faithfulness, honor, and truth, but he learns that even he is capable of lying to save his neck—learns, in short, that all ideals can lead to empty pride when they are not tempered with humility.

And so too with us: perhaps in reading this remarkably vivid and often strange poem, we might find ourselves recognizing our own hypocrisies, our own ways of failing to live up to the ideals we espouse for ourselves—and those we impose on others, too.

Dr. Joseph Teller is Professor of English at COS. Email him at josepht@cos.edu.

21 July, 2016

Valley Voice • 19

Nunes Introduces Bill to Help Tulare Skate Park, Women’s Clubhouse Staff Reports Congressman Devin Nunes introduced a bill called Tulare Youth Recreation and Women’s History Enhancement Act, H.R. 5616, also known as the railroad conveyance bill. The bill concerns ownership of two parcels of land that were given to Union Pacific Railroad by federal right of way.

One of these parcels has the Historic Women’s Clubhouse on it and the other is home to a city skate park. The Women’s Club House is in dire need of repair, but the City of Tulare does not want to make improvements until they own the

land under the home. The city wishes to purchase these parcels of land from Union Pacific Railroad, but in order to do so the federal reversionary interest needs to be extinguished.

The bill introduced by Nunes simply extinguishes the Federal interest in the parcel, and once passed, will allow Union Pacific to sell the land to the city of Tulare.

The bill has the support of the community, the city, and Union Pacific Railroad and has been referred to the Natural Resources Committee. Both Houses of Congress need to pass the bill before it is signed into law.

Nunes’s Tulare Youth Recreation and Women’s History Enhancement Act would help bring repairs to the Historic Women’s Clubhouse in Tulare, pictured above.

Tulare PD Opens Door to Community

A bounce house and free food were the order of the day Saturday, July 16 at the Tulare Police Department. The department was putting on its yearly open house.

During the open house Detective Anderson gave tours of the traffic division, briefing room, evidence room, and even their break room. In the detective’s office was a white board with the names and dates of all the homicides in 2016. Whereas Tulare Police Chief Hensley says the police department has been doing well in terms of complaints, the rate of homicides is troubling. Normally there are only five homicides in a year.

Hensley, who was sworn in as chief last November, hopes to be more involved in the community.

He said that the department hopes to have more events like these around the community to ease relations between the citizens and police department in light of what is happening nationally.

Symphony Continued from p. 17

vernacular, and we haven’t done a lot of it,” said Kiesling.

March is the always-popular film music concert, featuring scores from Oscar-winning movies.

January and April bring more of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev and Copland.

“I call it a perfect Alexi Kenney season, with two violin soloists and two piano soloists,” said Kiesling. “Concertos for violin and pi-

ano are always popular. And we add a flute solo for a piece that is a little less common. And they’re all great soloists.

I’ve worked with all of them except one.

I don’t know Alexi Kenney, our October soloist, but he has just won the prestigious Avery Fisher award.”

Season tickets are available in several packages to fit everyone’s taste. Contact the Symphony office, 732-8600, or go to www.tularecountysymphony.com.

This season the symphony will also decide if it’s time to rename the orchestra, so keep tuned for more information.

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Calendar Sunday Nights: Barmageddon Tulareous Open Mic, 9pm12:30am Our weekly open mic has a great selection of local comedians and musicians. Comedians will have approximately 10 mins of stage time and musicians get three songs. Sign ups start at 9 PM, Show starts at 9:30 PM, Ends around 12:30 AM. No Cover.

ing Mill Artisan Pizzeria, 514 East Main Street, Suite A, in Visalia. A portion of the proceeds is donated to the Valley Oak SPCA. For more information, call 651-1111.

3rd Tuesday, Monthly: League of Women Voters Meeting, 11:45am At Sue Sa’s Club House, 699 W. Center in Visalia. Reservations Mondays: Bridge Club, are required and the public is 9:30am-2pm welcome. Contact Newellgb@ 210 W Center Street Visalia, hotmail.com or call 732-1251.

CA 93291. Admission is free. For Wednesday Nights: Barmaadditional information call: Joan geddon Game Night Dinwiddie @ 732-0855 Come blow off some steam at

our game night. Enjoy complimentary gaming on all consoles, TCG’s, Table top & board games. Happy hour will be from Monday Nights: Monday Kara- 6 PM- 8 PM. oke at Barmageddon, 9pm-1am 1st Thursday Monthly through Get on stage and sing your fa- October: Diabetes Support vorite tunes on our one of a kind Group, 5:30-7pm sound system. New Image has a Kaweah Delta Health Care Disvast selection of songs to choose, trict will offer a free diabetes ranging from 70’s classic rock support group through October to modern pop. Karaoke Jockey from on the first Thursday of Miss Sammi will be hosting from the month at the Kaweah Delta 9 PM - 1 AM. No Cover.

Chronic Disease Management Center, 325 Willis St., Visalia.

Fridays: Women’s Morning Information: 624-2416.

Bible Study, 9am-Noon Mondays: Knitters, 10am12:30pm 210 W Center Street Visalia, CA 93291. Everyone is welcome.

210 W Center Street Visalia, 1st Thursday, Monthly: VeterCA 93291. For additional infor- ans Support Group, 5:30-7pm mation call: 739-9010 Free support group for global war Saturdays: Cup of Jazz, 10am- on terrorism & post 9-11 (Veterans Only) at the Tulare Public Noon At Cafe 210, at 210 Center street, Library, 475 North M Street in Visalia. Free. Led by Richard Ga- Tulare. Facilitated by: Dr. Lance roogian. Call 559.730.0910 for Zimmerman, Ph.D of veterans Counseling Clinic. “The transimore information. tion from serving in a combat zone Tuesday Nights: Barmageddon to civilian life can be a difficult Trivia Thunderdome, 9pm-1am one. Combat veterans commonly Challenge your friends to the ul- experience feelings of depression, timate trivia throw down. Earn isolation, alienation, guilt, anxisome bragging rights in categories ety, and anger following their serranging from Saturday morning vice. If you’re experiencing these cartoons, classic video games, and or any other emotional problems pop culture films. Teams of 4 or after serving in a combat zone, it’s solo players compete each round vital to seek professional help. “ for the best scores. Winners of ev- -Veterans Counseling Clinic. ery two rounds will square off in the Trivia Thunderdome for great 3rd Thursday Monthly through prizes. Free sign ups at 9:30 PM. October: Diabetes Support Group, 5:30-7pm 2nd Tuesday, Monthly: Yappy Kaweah Delta Health Care DisHour, 5-9pm trict will offer a free diabetes supWell-mannered, leashed pets are port group through October on welcome on the patio at the Plan- the third Thursday of the month

at Woodlake Manor Apartments, Lemon Cove Women’s Club 200 E. Sierra Avenue, Woodlake. Accepting Donations for Yard Information: 624-2416.

Sale 3rd Thursday, Monthly: Gath- Lemon Cove Women’s Club is preparing for their annual yard ering At the Oval, 12:30-1pm Lifting up the needs and con- sale on Saturday, October 6th at cerns of Visalia through individ- the historic Pogue Hotel at 32792 ual prayer and meditation at Oval Sierra Dr. across from the post Park, 808 North Court Street in office. To donate to the sale call Visalia. For more information, Mona Wyatt at 359-4465 or Karen Callahan at 564-2096. Donacall 967-4065. tions of furniture will be accepted 3rd Thursday, Monthly: Board the morning of the sale. Please Game Night, 6-7:45pm do not donate any electronics For ages 10+ at the Visalia Branch and only gently used clothes will Library, 200 West Oak Street. be accepted. All funds go to the Sign-ups are not required. For maintenance and restoration of more information, call 713-2703. the hotel and museum.

3rd Thursday, Monthly: Ladies’ Fridays: Dinuba Farmers’ MarNight, 6-10pm ket, 6-9pm At the Clay Cafe in Visalia, 1018 Market will take place from 6-9 E. Mineral King Ave. $10 studio p.m. and began Friday, June 10. fee with ceramic purchase. In- It is located at 289 S. L Street in cludes complimentary margarita, downtown Dinuba, in effort to dinner and dessert. Door prizes fight an epidemic of obesity and too! Reservations required: 733- its life-threatening complications 2022 in Tulare County. The market will 1st and 3rd Thursdays, Monthly: Central Valley Tea Party Meetings, 6pm 819 West Visalia Road, Farmersville.

take place on Fridays and will run for eight weeks, with the exception of Friday, July 1. Information: 624-5985.

Fridays: Lindsay Farmer’s Market, 5:30-9pm Last Thursday Monthly Located at Sweetbriar Plaza, N. through October: Diabetes Sweetbriar Ave & Samoa St., Support Group, 5:30-7pm Kaweah Delta Health Care Dis- Lindsay. trict will offer a free diabetes sup- Through August 28: “Painting port group through October on Lessons From My Piano” by the last Thursday of the month at Betty Berk Sand Creek Apartments, 41020 Betty Berk has her latest paintings Rd. 124, Orosi. Information: on display at Cafe 225, 225 Main 624-2416.

St, Visalia, CA through August

Library Branch. The book gives a photographic history of the charming town at the base of the foothills of the Sierras.

July 28: Tachi Palace & TKHCC Mini Expo, 5:30pm7:30pm A can’t-miss opportunity to show your business, get to know others, and have a good time. Businesses can reserve booths for only $50.

Call the Tulare Kings Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at 559734-6020 for more information.

AUGUST 28. Her website is at www.betty- formation, go to cos.edu/Train- August 5-7: Dark Sky Festival berk.com. ingCenter or dial 559-688-3130. at Sequoia & Kings Canyon July 27: 2016 Stop Harassment National Parks The night sky in Sequoia and Seminar, 7:30-10:00am The Visalia Chamber of Com- Kings Canyon National Parks is July 22: Woodlake Free Swim merce and Pacific Employers will nationally recognized. We hope Night and Summer Night present a state mandated Supervi- you join us for the third annual Lights, 6-9pm sors’ Sexual Harassment Preven- Dark Sky Festival and share your Located at the Woodlake High tion Training Seminar & Work- passion for the night sky and asSchool Pool, 400 W. Whitney shop with full breakfast. While tronomy during this fun weekAve, Woodlake. all employers with 50+ employees end. More info here: www.exare mandated to provide supervi- ploresequoiakingscanyon.com July 22, 23, 28, 29, 30: TCOE Theatre Company Presents The sor training, all employers should August 12: STEM Symposium consider this requirement as a at College of the Sequoias, Secret Garden Tickets are available for $15 for mandate for all supervisors, no 11:30am-3pm general admission seating and $25 matter how many employees your College of the Sequoias is inviting the community to the Science, for VIP seating at either Tulare company has hired.

JULY

County Office of Education facility in Visalia: 6200 S. Mooney Blvd. or 7000 Doe Ave. (north of Goshen Avenue on Shirk). Tickets may also be purchased at the door. Evening shows at 7:30 pm on July 22, 23, 28, 29 and 30, and 2pm matinee shows on July 23 and 30.

July 26, 27, 28: Preventive Controls Training & Certification College of the Sequoias’ Training Resource Center is offering a 3 day training on Preventive Controls for Human Foods at the COS Tulare Center, 4999 E Bardsley. The training will enable Tulare County Food manufacturers and industry professionals to fulfill the FSMS requirement for PCQI. The cost of the training is $750 per person and includes textbooks, certification fee, lunch and refreshments. For more in-

July 27: Porterville Free Swim Night, 6:30-9pm Located at the Porterville City Pool, 97 N. Park Drive, Porterville

July 28: Opening Reception for “Joy from Me to You” at Tulare Historical Museum, 5-7pm Nonnie Rhoades will take part in the opening reception for her newest show, “Joy From Me To You.” Rhoades was born in Hanford and raised in Tulare, and has a rich history in the floral industry, bringing her experience in floral design to life in her artwork.

July 28: Lindsay Book Presentation at Tulare County Library Lindsay Branch, 6-8pm Lindsay Museum and Gallery curator Sarah Troop presents a visual history from her new book, Lindsay, at the Tulare County Lindsay

August 12: Celebrant Singers 39th Annual Grand Homecoming Concert, 7pm At the LJ Williams Theater, After an exciting summer of ministry and travel around the United States, Greece and El Salvador, Celebrant Singers return to Visalia on August 12. We welcome you to our 39th Annual Grand Homecoming Concert. Hear testimonies from our time of ministry and listen to inspiring music.

All seats are FREE and a love offering will be received. 559-7404000, www.celebrants.org August 25-28: Free Entrance to Your National Parks National Park Service Birthday (all national parks) August 25: Visalia Senior Housing Celebration, 6:308pm Visalia Senior Housing will host a celebration, marking the pay-off of the mortgage on its first senior housing development, and 40 years of service to Visalia seniors.

A buffet dinner will be held at Visalia United Methodist Church at 5200 W. Caldwell. For more information, call Lori Trowbridge at 627-2220 or email ltrowbridge@cchnc.org

August 27: Drive to Feed Kids and Dinner and Auction, 5-6:30pm Join J.D. Heiskell & Co and FoodThe Symposium will highlight Link at a dinner to raise money the work of COS STEM majors for the Tulare County Backpack who have completed a Research Program. The proceeds from this Experience for Undergraduates event will help feed food-insecure program through the Science Un- children in Tulare County, where dergraduate Research Group Ex- 1 in every 4 children don’t receive perience (SURGE) program. enough food at home. Tickets are For more information about the $50/person. Visit www.foodlinkCOS SURGE program, visit cos. tc.org for tickets and sponsorship opportunities, or contact Shay edu/surge Rambur at (559) 684-3277 or Sarah Weber at (559) 416-6612.

Technology, Engineering mathematics Symposium.

Send your calendar items to: editor@ourvalleyvoice.com

22 • Valley Voice

21 July, 2016

Sports COS Students’ Futures Ride on the Equine Program Staff Reports College of the Sequoias’ Tulare campus has one of the finest equine programs in the state housed in a 14-stall barn with lab and arena, leading students to successful careers in animal science and agricultural business across the country.

According to Kim Pitigliano, Animal Science Instructor and Equestrian Team Coach, COS, you don’t have to be an experienced horseman or woman to learn practical animal husbandry skills in her courses. “Students will all levels of knowledge are welcome to our program,” said Pitigliano. “Most of the students don’t have much experience around horses but quickly learn in our hands-on classes.”

The college has 25 head of horses to suit every level of rider. “Students vaccinate horses, deworm them, care for brood mares and train colts,” said Pitigliano. “The state-of-the-art facility offers every possible equine experience to students to help them determine their career interests. The barn includes a reproduction lab, paddocks, hot walker, covered hay barn, arena with lights and even wash racks.”

“Horses are very special animals and students fall in love with them,” said Pitigliano. “All of the classes are a combination of lecture and laboratory so students work with the horses during every class. They quickly gain confidence through hands-on practice. Their passion grows and that motivates them to

stay in school, earn an Equine Certificate, Animal Science A.S. degree and/or transfer to university to pursue Animal Science or Agricultural Business.”

COS graduates have become veterinary assistants and work as horse trainers at large barns, explained Pitigliano.

“There are even more choices once students complete a Bachelor of Science degree,” said Pitigliano. “They can work as equine dentists and chiropractors, find work in the horse racing industry or work for breeder registries.”

Full time students who want to bring their horses to college with them can apply to board their horses at the campus barn. College of the Sequoias has the largest number of community college students in California with their horses on campus. “The COS location, in the heart of the valley, offers very easy access for students,” said Pitigliano.

Students who enjoy horseback riding can enrich their college experience by joining the award winning Women’s Athletic Equestrian Team. The team competes in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association, explained Pitigliano.

“Two COS students placed regionally, and at the state level one student qualified to compete at nationals,” said Pitigliano. In 2016, the team participated for the first time in the Junior College National competition at Texas A&M University and took fourth place.

As the Equestrian Team Coach, Pitigliano takes the traveling team on tours of universities near the competitions to

Football is Almost Here Op-Ed: Stefan Barros The National Football League season is set to begin in two weeks when training camps open for teams. Per the usual, there are headlines everywhere for this upcoming season: The return of pro football to Los Angeles, the ongoing concussion issues that plague the NFL and its players, the huge contracts the players are signing, and probably the biggest-the suspension of New England Patriots Quaterback Tom Brady. The suspension dates back to the “illegal” deflation of game footballs by Brady and the Patriots in the 2015 AFC Championship game.

For the first time in 20 years, the city of Los Angeles has an NFL home opener to look forward to, and I imagine the first year will be a successful one, attendance-wise. The Rams will play three seasons at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum while their new stadium in Inglewood is being built.

With LA getting its team back, it also inherits the first overall pick in the draft, former Cal Quarterback Jared Goff. Hopes are very high for the fans of the LA Rams. With a young quarterback and defense, there’s good reason for it.

Though they need to overtake the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West, they have a bright future in the City of Angels.

The issue of concussions in the NFL continues to be a headline going into

every season. Players continue to retire early, because they either have had concussion issues, or are getting out before it does become an issue. A good example is former Detroit Lions all-world wide receiver, Calvin Johnson, who retired this offseason at the age of just 30 due to fear of further injuring himself. He admitted to having concussions in his career but swept them under the rug. The general public (myself included), believe another reason for retiring early was due to his being on a team that has struggled to win consistently for years now. Johnson is just added to a list of players who have retired early over the past few years, including former 49ers linebacker Chris Borland, who retired after just one season in the League, citing “football isn’t meant for humans”. Pretty damning comments on the dangers of playing.

Not many players are willing to confront that fact while still active. More players are now starting to see the ugly truth more early on in their careers.

Another player, who isn’t retiring--but who won’t be playing football for the first four games of the season-is Tom Brady. The NFL finally got their man, so to speak. The league hunted Brady for the past 18 months, regarding the “Deflategate” scandal that occurred in January 2015. The League tried to get Brady last season with a suspension, but he won his appeal and played all 16 games. This year, the NFL appealed, and finally got Brady to accept his suspen-

Students in the College of the Sequoias Equine Program benefit from a state-of-the-art facility including a reproduction lab, paddocks, hot walker, covered hay barn, lit arena and wash racks, along with a 14-stall barn.

help students envision their next education step after COS. “The students on the team become great friends, learn how to work well with others and develop maturity through the travel and experiences,” said Pitigliano.

Pitigliano says that she loves her work. “I feel blessed to work every day with students who are learning to care for and train horses,” said Pitigliano. She and her horse competed inter-collegiately for California State University Fresno while pursuing her degree in animal science. Then for many years she worked in diary feed sales before becoming an adjunct faculty member at COS. Now as a full-time instructor and equestrian team

coach, she can share her industry experiences and knowledge with students.

“Whether you have experience with horses or not, COS can provide you with opportunities that will shape your career,” said Pitigliano. “Whether you are considering veterinary school and want large animal experience or are exploring animal science careers, the COS equine program can be very rewarding.”

Registration for Fall 2016 classes is open now. Equine classes offered in the fall semester include Introduction to Animal Science, Colt Breaking, Horse Husbandry, and Beginning and Intermediate Equitation. Start the process to apply to COS by going to cos.edu/apply

sion. It’s all overkill to still want Brady after all this time, but he’ll come back with even more of vengeance than he played with in 2015. Look for Brady and the Patriots to make a lot of noise on the field in the final 12 games.

To now focus on something brighter, we can actually talk about the teams and players who will be playing in Week one. Though we are still in July, I have a hard time seeing any team better than the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks in the NFC. Though the Carolina Panthers won the NFC last season, I can’t see that success carrying over into ’16. Also, Panthers’ Quarterback Cam Newton may have a hangover from losing in the Super Bowl, as he took the loss especially hard. But the Packers, if healthy, should be an offensive juggernaut in ’16 after last year’s drop off in offensive production, due in part to Aaron Rodgers’ not having his favorite target, Wide Receiver Jordy Nelson. They also bring back receiver Randall Cobb and running back Eddie Lacy, who shed weight in the offseason to get back to his pro bowl form.

As for the Seattle Seahawks, they return their prolific 2015 offense, led by quarterback Russell Wilson. The Seattle offense was one of the more efficient in the NFL. To go along with Wilson, running back Thomas Rawls is back after missing the end of last season with a broken foot. Also tight end Jimmy Graham should be back from a knee injury

suffered last season. Breakout receiver Doug Baldwin will also be back after 14 touchdowns last season. All of that offensive firepower only compliment one of the NFL’s top defenses.

The AFC is a little more wide open. I believe it comes down to the Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers. For all the obvious reasons, New England will contend behind Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and one of the best offenses in the league.

Despite the Brady suspension, the Patriots will still find a way to contend with Bill Belichick as head coach.

The Steelers can match the Patriots yard for yard when it comes to offense, with Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and all-pro Wide Receiver Antonio Brown. Pittsburgh also returns Running Back Le’Veon Bell, who missed much of the 2015 season with a knee injury. With that offense healthy, and a stable defense, look for the Steelers to make waves in the AFC North and in the AFC playoffs.

The pre-season begins with the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio on Sunday, August 7. It will be a matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts. The first game of the regular season will be Super Bowl rematch between the defending champion Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers on Thursday, September 8. The rest of Week one will take place on Sunday, September 11, and on Monday, September 12.

Valley Voice • 23

21 July, 2016

Water2Go Open in West Tulare, Holding Event Staff Reports Many may say the Westside of Tulare needs revitalization, but one local business owner calls it as opportunity for a “Revival.” It just takes one to get the wheel turning in the right direction. That is exactly how Socorro Mercado sees it--a Revival in Health.

Investing in yourself is something commonly heard, but we usually think of luxury items when it comes to this investment. Mercado, owner of Water2go, is on a mission for people to invest in their health with quality, high pH water.

Mercado is a strong believer in that nothing can replace one’s health. She used to weigh over 300 pounds and, for her health, decided to make a change. Her goal with Water2Go is that others may also be able to make a lifestyle change. Quality, high pH water is a product she believes can go with any individual’s lifestyle. Her motto is, “Test it before you taste it,” which goes with Water2Go’s “1Free gallon fill” promotion in order to get to know the product and taste the difference. Just bring in your empty milk gallon on the first visit and you can get the High Ph Water for Free.

Or buy 1empty milk gallon @Water2go for

99cents & get the High ph water FREE. Water2Go, in West Tulare, will be hosting its 1st blood drive with the Central California Blood Center, Saturday, August 6th, 2016.

The event will be held from 11am-2pm in the SuperStop shopping center on Bardsley & E. This event is to encourage more community events in West Tulare and give back to the community. All donors will receive a free purified high pH water bottle, along with kettle corn and a coupon for a FREE pint of Baskin Robins ice cream. For further information, please contact Socorro Mercado: (559)6560008 or at www.water2go2.com Water2Go provides high quality, high pH purified water brewed on the spot, so to speak.

Mercado believes nothing can replace one’s health and hopes that, with her business, she may help others with investing in their health and lifestyle changes.

“I see myself like a farmer that plants a crop on the importance of not just drinking any water, but Quality Water. In time, the harvest will come when people are actively reaping the benefits of health.”

Water comes from Tulare municipal water, then is processed eight steps in reverse osmosis.

Socorro Mercado

Tulare County DCSS Takes Part in Child Support Awareness Month Staff Reports In August the Tulare County Department of Child Support Services will be providing customers the following opportunities to engage with community partners who play a critical role in the success of families. Please consider attending one of the following upcoming events: • August 15th-Child Support Services will host an information booth at the Visalia Rawhide Ballpark where the community can learn about the important services available for families.

• August 17th-The Employment Connection, United Way of Tulare County and other employment and service vendors will be in the lobby at the Visalia Child Support Office offering employment opportunities and other information to customers.

• August 18th-The Employment Connection, Community Ser-

vices Employment Training (CSET) and other employment and service vendors will be in the lobby at the Porterville Child Support Office offering employment opportunities and other information to customers.

• Throughout the month of August check your local library listings for dates when Child Support Services will be onsite to provide information about their services and to answer questions.

Tulare County Department of Child Support Services provides assistance to approximately 25,000 children. Their vision is that children can count on both parents for the financial, medical, and emotional support they need to be healthy and successful. The department provides the following services: • Parentage Orders • Child Support Orders • Modification of Child Support Orders • Enforcement of Child Sup-

port Orders • Employment and other Family Centered Referrals • For your child support needs visit us at the following locations: Visalia, 8040 W. Doe Avenue, Visalia, CA or Porterville, 259 N. Main Street, Porterville, CA; Monday through Thurs-

Yamaha Flute Artist Tracy Harris Sets Concert Date Donna Orosco Tracy Harris, a Yamaha performing artist who also teaches and gives clinics all over the country, will perform Saturday, July 16, at the Center for Spiritual Living in Visalia along with Svetlana Harris on piano and the Wyndfall Flute Orchestra.

The Wyndfall Orchestra, made up of local flutists taught by Harris, will be premiering the works of Todd Harris, Tracy’s brother.

“This is really a chance for us to do a dry run of the pieces we will perform at the National Flute Association conference in San Diego in August,” said

Tracy. This is the second time Wyndfall has been selected to perform at the conference.

Svetlana Harris, Tracy’s sister-in-law,

is also an accomplished musician. At age 9, she won the Russian State Piano Competition, performing works that included her own compositions. The

Harris family lives and has their teaching and recording studio in Exeter.

Tracy, a South Valley resident, has become well known for her flute boot camps and her best-selling instruction books. In addition, she makes unique jewelry out of old flute keys, which will be available for sale at the concert.

The concert is a fund raiser for the Center for Spiritual Living. Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served at intermission. Tickets are $35, available at the door or by calling 6252441. The center is located at 117 S. Locust, one block south of Main Street.

day, 8:00 A.M. To 5:00 P.M. • For your child support needs by phone contact us at: (559) 7135700 or (866) 901-3212 • For your child support needs online and to schedule an appointment contact us at: http:// www.tularecounty.ca.gov/dcss

24 • Valley Voice

21 July, 2016

Vocational Selection Using the Science of Hand Analysis Kay Packard Are you doing work you get excited about? Do you feel valued doing what you do at work or in your business? Are you taking conscious steps toward living in prosperity?

If you didn’t answer, “Yes” to all of these it might be time to rethink how you are spending one-third of your life. Even if you’re retired, it may be time to re-fire your inner spark plugs.

With a master’s degree in spiritual psychology and as the Director of the American Academy of Hand Analysis, I teach eager students how to use the art and science of hand analysis as a profession. I have studied and practiced hand analysis since 2003. I worked in parallel at Hughes Aircraft Company and the Boeing Company until 2009 when I quit.

I knew I could contribute much, much more to people as a scientific hand analyst and life coach, than I was in my corporate career. I help people connect with their life and soul purpose AND I catalyze my students in doing the same thing. I can’t think of a more rewarding vocation.

But that’s me, what about you!?

Have you wondered what is your purpose? What would be the most meaningful work you could do during this lifetime in your little-ol’ earth-suit? You may not get another one, you know.

One feature certified hand analysts examine to help their clients realize their

ideal vocation is to look at the 12 sections of the fingers on each hand. The happiest, most eye-catching finger sections point to the owners treasure zones. See the high level map below Taking necessary time to attune to your ideal vocation will save you years of agony, upset and longing for a better life.

Perhaps you’re wired for a job or maybe to own your own business. Maybe you are better suited to be outdoors rather than indoors. Would you rather play with groups people or nestle into a private, quiet space?

What brings you the most peace while making your heart pitter-patter with excitement and gladness?

Secret: As your heart sings, there you will find prosperi- Fig. 1 Finger zones and associated vocations – American Academy of Hand Analysis ty. And yes, this takes courkay@gmail.com. world and to expand awareness of the sacred age to take big risks and live About the author: KAY PACKARD, and scientific advances in the field of hand with uncertainty. But I am here to testify M.A., is the Founder and Director of the analysis. As a master hand analyst, she has this is one of the quickest, sure-fire ways to American Academy of Hand Analysis. In read thousands of hands and taught hunget in touch with your Creator.

If you want to learn how to read 2003 she began formal training in non-pre- dreds of hours of hand analysis workshops hands visit www.AcademyofHandAnaly- dictive scientific hand analysis. After travel- and training courses to students from around sis.org and look up our Programs. If you’d ing to India in May of 2010, where she was the world. Kay is the author of Your Life Is like to get in touch with an AAHA cer- deeply inspired, Kay founded the American In Your Hands: Practical Palm Reading for tified hand analyst to help you tune into Academy of Hand Analysis. The vision of the Purposeful Living. your ideal vocation email me at Packard. Academy is to illuminate purpose around the

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